Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - Chapter 424

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 424: Episode 80: Our Strongest Ally (2)

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A pure-white figure emerged from the pitch-black darkness.

Yu Junghyeok swung his sword at him again and again. From Sky-Splitting Sword Lightning to Meteor Slash, not one of his strikes even brushed the enemy's shadow.

Then came the collision of fables.

With a startled groan, Junghyeok opened his eyes.

Inside the training room after sunset, a long shadow loomed over him.

It was the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint.

“Was he strong?”

His master crouched before him, her eyes filled with concern for her Disciple.

Biting his lip, Junghyeok answered, “He was strong.”

“How strong?”

“Even after opening the fifth stage of Transcendence Form, I couldn't defeat him.”

The fifth stage of Transcendence Form was the limit Junghyeok had reached.

The Sky-Splitting Sword Saint looked down at him with calm eyes before speaking.

“Once you surpass the sixth stage of Transcendence Form, your [Sky Splitter Sword Art] will no longer be bound by gender.”

The [Sky Splitter Sword Art] had originally been a martial art for women. Yet like all martial arts, once one surpassed a certain realm, one could transcend its boundaries. The Transcendents trained by constantly breaking free of those countless boundaries.

“There's no guarantee I can defeat him just because I reach the sixth stage.”

“Why do you think that?”

“Because he's me.”

For the first time, a faint fear colored Junghyeok's normally resolute voice.

“He is me after regressing 1,863 times. How am I supposed to defeat someone like that?”

It was utter despair. The moment Junghyeok faced Secretive Plotter, he saw a massive wall that nothing he did could overcome.

A span of time impossible for someone only in his third round to fathom. His enemy had crossed that span to reach this worldline.

The Sky-Splitting Sword Saint said, “He isn't you.”

“He is Yu Junghyeok too.”

“You and he have not walked the same path. Nor will you walk the same path from now on.”

As if wiping away the despair in her Disciple's eyes, the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint's large hand covered Junghyeok's cheek. The Sky-Splitting Sword Saint continued.

“What matters isn't how many stages of Transcendence Form you've reached. What matters is what fables you've built. You may only be a novice who has regressed three times, but don't you know fables he doesn't?”

Hearing that, Junghyeok looked down at his fist. It was the fist that hadn't been able to reach Secretive Plotter.

As he slowly opened it, fables flowed out.

The fables he had built. The fables Secretive Plotter did not know.

“Every path of transcendence is different. Don't try to catch up to him. Find the path that only you can walk.”

Without a word, Junghyeok clenched his fist again.

As if he would not allow even one of those fables to escape.

“Has there been any new information?”

The Sky-Splitting Sword Saint shook her head.

It had already been a week since Kim Dokja disappeared. Yet neither Dokja's whereabouts nor Secretive Plotter's location had been identified.

“You said that man is you from another worldline.”

“Yes.”

“I don't know his goal, but if he deliberately crossed into this worldline at this point, there's a chance it's related to the Final Scenario.”

Junghyeok agreed.

In other words, there was a high chance he would encounter Secretive Plotter if he went to the Final Scenario region.

“But Kim Dokja Company cannot go to the Final Scenario right now.”

Junghyeok nodded.

―Your accumulated fables are insufficient for you to be permitted entry into the Final Scenario.

On the day they failed to enter the Final Scenario, the Administration Bureau had unilaterally informed them of that.

He could understand it. They were only a newly formed nebula and had not built many fables.

Still, considering the grades of the fables they had built, those fables could not simply be deemed insufficient.

In particular, the Great Fable they had acquired last, "Season of Light and Darkness," was a story rarely found anywhere in the Star Stream.

―Where is your nebula's Representative?

In the end, it was all because Dokja was absent. Dokja held the greatest share of the nebula's fables, and once he was separated from his Allies, the total amount of fables held by the nebula became insufficient.

Junghyeok slowly raised himself, sheathed the Black Heaven Demon Blade, then staggered upright.

“Where are you going?”

“To acquire a new Great Fable.”

They had to qualify for the Final Scenario even without Dokja's share. Kim Dokja Company was neither Dokja's private army nor under his command. They had to be able to protect themselves without him, and even if they lost Dokja...

They had to clear the Final Scenario.

[Baaat...]

Biyoo let out a mournful sound in midair. Junghyeok looked up at her for a moment, then activated [Sage's Eye] and reviewed the information he knew.

There were now hardly any places left where they could easily acquire a Great Fable.

Yet that also meant the Great Fables that remained were all the more powerful stories.

They had already obtained the formidable Great Fable "Season of Light and Darkness."

If they could acquire that fable as well, then fighting Secretive Plotter would not be impossible.

The Sky-Splitting Sword Saint asked Junghyeok as he walked away, “Will you go alone?”

“I have always been alone.”

“That is the path another you has already walked.”

At his master's words, Junghyeok's figure paused.

Then, the next moment, a voice came from outside the training hall.

“Hey, where's Junghyeok? We have to leave now!”

With a brilliant flash of light, Kim Dokja Company's Allies burst through the training hall doors.

Shin Yuseong, Lee Gilyeong, Lee Jihye, Han Suyeong...

Everyone in Kim Dokja Company had gathered there. It was impossible to tell when they had prepared for this.

The Sky-Splitting Sword Saint said, “They are your fables, Junghyeok.”

Something Secretive Plotter did not have.

Junghyeok turned around blankly, and the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint said, “This round, you don't have to fight alone.”

* * *

The new Great Fable region was four days away.

I could have arrived much faster with the Dokkaebis' help, but this time, that was not allowed.

―You may not borrow the power of any Dokkaebis you know.

―You must never reveal that you are Kim Dokja.

It was because of my contract with that damned Hunchback King.

Because of that contract, I couldn't subscribe to Biyoo's channel or send word to Kim Dokja Company that I was all right.

In the end, I had no choice but to drive the X-grade Ferrari I bought from Mass Production Maker to the destination myself.

Yu Junghyeok [999], who was polishing the Splitting the Sky Sword on my shoulder, muttered, “You're a poor driver.”

“Then you drive. And are you going to keep looking like that?”

Once we entered the Scenario region, Constellations who recognized us would surely appear. In that situation, the existence of a child Junghyeok would stand out far too much.

Junghyeok himself was already that famous, after all.

“I suppose I'd stand out too much in this state.”

After considering something, little Junghyeok [999]'s body twitched.

A moment later...

Pop!

He transformed into a small martial arts dumpling.

[999] spoke to me in an impassive voice as I stood there startled.

―That should do.

“Wouldn't walking around with a dumpling on my shoulder stand out even more?”

―You should change your pathetic appearance too.

Just as child Junghyeok could not remain in Junghyeok's form, I could not let anyone discover that I was Kim Dokja.

Having become a martial arts dumpling, Junghyeok began roughly rubbing dumpling skin across my face as if he were applying powder. I felt the fables of my face creak and change.

How much time passed?

When I opened my eyes, I was utterly shocked.

Junghyeok [999] said impassively as I could only blink at my reflection in the mirror.

―Done.

Good lord. It wasn't enough to make me slap Junghyeok across the face, but it was enough to make me seriously consider it.

Rubbing my sculpted face, I muttered, “Can't you make this last forever?”

―If I did that, you would suffer a Plausibility Backlash.

As if he had touched something filthy, [999] vigorously dusted off his dumpling body.

I ignored him and continued staring into the mirror.

I had become more handsome when I absorbed the Fable Fragment of "Casanova Who Died from Sexual Exhaustion," but this was on an entirely different level.

In an admiring voice, I continued, “The 999th round really is impressive. Third-round Junghyeok doesn't have a technique like this.”

―The third round?

“Oh, you didn't know? Junghyeok here is in his third round. This is the third-round worldline.”

Junghyeok [999] studied me for a moment before asking, ―Why do you think that?

“Why do I...”

I almost said, “Because TWSA begins in the third round,” but stopped myself.

I decided to soften my wording.

“Because it begins in the third round.”

―Why is the third round the beginning? Do you not know numbers? The beginning is the zeroth round.

He was right.

The first chapter of TWSA began in Junghyeok's third round, but strictly speaking, the beginning of every story was Junghyeok's zeroth round.

Thinking about it made me feel a little strange.

Why had I come to Junghyeok's third round?

I was not even following the third round's story exactly. Just because the novel began in the third round, there was no reason I had to begin there too.

I didn't know. It wasn't something I could figure out right now anyway.

“The Junghyeok of this worldline said he was in his third round. So this is the third round.”

And that was exactly what I had seen through [Character Profile].

Then [999] said, ―How naive, to believe such information without question.

“What?”

―Enough. It seems we've arrived.

The long dimensional tunnel ended in a brilliant flash of light.

What appeared next was a massive gate leading to the new Scenario region. A crowd waiting to enter stood before the gate.

After putting away the X-grade Ferrari, I joined the queue.

The entrance to the Scenario region was guarded not by a dokkaebi, but by a Constellation. That made sense, since this Great Fable Scenario was also hosted by a nebula.

It was one of the supermassive nebulae, though our paths had barely crossed until now.

[Next.]

The Constellation held a huge trident in one hand and wore a red crown and ancient armor.

The tyrannical Status radiating from his entire body showed that he was no ordinary fabled-grade Constellation.

Virupaksha, Protector of Buddhist Law.

Virupaksha was one of the Four Heavenly Kings guarding the entrance to Heavenly Palace, the headquarters of the nebula Emperor.

[Next.]

Before long, it was my turn.

Virupaksha studied my face intently, as if searching for anything suspicious, then asked the first question.

[Purpose of your visit?]

[I came to participate in the Great Fable.]

[Modifier.]