Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - Chapter 467

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 467: Episode 89: Great Apocalypse (1)

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[Your ■■ is drawing near.]

It was a message that had been repeating in my ears for the past few days.

"Looks like there isn't much time left."

"Yes."

My mother and I sat across from each other at a table, drinking tea. For a while, we watched the panel installed in the industrial complex's reception room.

―American Continent Destroyed! What Is the Outer God's Next Target?

―Emergency Evacuation Order Issued for Northeast Asia!

―The Constellations Have Abandoned Earth. "There's Nowhere Left to Run."

The last place shown on the news was the Korean Peninsula.

The entire peninsula was crowded with refugees who had poured in from all over the world.

I knew exactly what they expected to find by coming here.

[The next Great Apocalypse Scenario region is Northeast Asia.]

[6 days, 8 hours, and 24 minutes remain until the Great Apocalypse Scenario begins.]

On the screen, my mother was speaking as the Representative of the industrial complex in my place.

"The industrial complex won't turn away new industrial citizens. However..."

My mother smiled bitterly.

"It's embarrassing to watch."

"It suits you. You look like a president."

In truth, my mother, rather than I, was now effectively the master of the industrial complex. The citizens here would probably follow her better than they followed me.

"Before you leave, show your face to the people of Seoul. Just greeting them briefly will give them great strength."

Reporters were already shouting through loudspeakers outside the industrial complex.

"Demon King of Salvation! Is it true that you've returned?"

"Demon King of Salvation! Please tell us about your plan to stop the destruction!"

A plan.

I smiled bitterly, just like my mother.

"If that's the mascot's job."

Then we sipped our tea.

The sky was dark and gloomy. It was the kind of world where it wouldn't have been strange for lightning to strike at any moment and split the peninsula in two.

"It's peaceful."

"It is."

Even so, that was what we said.

Tea leaves swayed in my cup. Such a leisurely tea time. It was the first time in the thirty years my mother and I had shared that we had experienced anything like it. The time I had wanted so desperately had only arrived now, with the destruction of everything right before us.

My mother didn't ask me anything. She didn't ask what I would do from now on or what I sought at the end of this story. She asked nothing.

I knew that was her way.

"Then I'll be going."

"The Wind God of the Heavenly Emperor is looking for you. Be sure to stop by once more before you leave."

Fengbaek? Why was that guy looking for me again?

I remembered the unpleasant incident from the Great war of Angels and Demons. Did he want another round before the Final Scenario?

I gave a light nod and stepped outside. Someone was waiting for me.

[You made it all the way here, Kim Dokja.]

Bihyeong was positively glowing after becoming a Great Dokkaebi. The long coat made from white tiger fur suited him rather well.

I asked sarcastically, "What, you waited for me?"

[The reunion between you and your mother is a popular fable among the Subscribers, too. I couldn't interrupt the flow.]

Bihyeong shrugged as he continued.

[The Constellation Demonic Judge of Fire keeps dabbing at her eyes.]

[The Constellation Abyssal Black Flame Dragon hands over a handkerchief while grumbling.]

So the bastard had been broadcasting that, too.

[The Final Scenario is right around the corner now.]

"I know."

[Of course you do. As you know, the Final Scenario is...]

"Bihyeong."

Bihyeong stopped speaking and looked at me.

"Why did you choose us?"

A faint ripple passed through his eyes.

I already knew what Scenario window was floating before him.

Category: Main

Difficulty: ???

Clear Conditions: Select the final candidate for A Single Fable.

Time Limit: ―

Reward: ???

Failure: Death

The Scenarios of the Star Stream applied not only to Constellations and Incarnations, but also to the dokkaebis who were Streamers.

The Candidate Vote that would decide the Scenario's finale was an extremely important Scenario for dokkaebis, too. It was a Scenario that wagered their very existence.

And in that Scenario, Bihyeong had chosen us.

[Great Dokkaebi Bihyeong currently has his vote cast for the nebula Kim Dokja Company.]

When I first met Bihyeong, he had been barely bigger than a soccer ball.

He had been a dokkaebi of the sky who slaughtered people indiscriminately and mass-produced cruel Scenarios solely to increase his channel's Subscribers.

The dokkaebi who had grown by consuming the fables we made had become like a human. He was as tall as a human, wore human clothes, and made human expressions.

Now, a dokkaebi more human than any human stood at eye level with me and spoke.

[Make a contract with me. Then I'll make you the Dokkaebi King.]

"...?"

[Those were the words you told me in the mouth of the Ichthyosaur.]

I had definitely said something like that.

"Don't tell me you actually believed that crap and chose me. The odds of us winning are low."

[That's not quite true anymore. It seems you don't understand just how significant what you've done is.]

Bihyeong turned to look out the window. The Constellations who had fought alongside us against Papyrus were gathered in front of the industrial complex's plaza.

Black Flame Dragon, pinned beneath Uriel like a cushion. Persephone and Hades, who had brought over a tea table and were sipping tea. Great Sage Equaling Heaven, smoking a pipe borrowed from Sky-Splitting Sword Saint.

They were watching the Star Stream broadcast flowing in real time.

―A new list of the Twelve Major Nebulae is circulating among the Star Stream's gossips...

―Some fabled-grade Constellations estimate that Kim Dokja Company is already approaching top-three level...

Top three. It seemed the effects of our previous battle had been significant. I appreciated the generous assessment, but it was too early to let my guard down. The Candidate Selection Match wasn't over yet.

Bihyeong appeared to see things a little differently.

[It'll probably be fine for a while. It's been two days since you defeated Papyrus. Has any other nebula applied to Kim Dokja Company for a nebula war in that time?]

"No."

「A nebula that won a decisive victory in the Candidate Selection Match has a far greater chance of being selected as "A Single Fable."」

Just as we had risen to the top three through a single battle, other nebulae could also change their ranking through nebula wars. By now, declarations of war and messages announcing battle should have been pouring in.

Yet not only were there no declarations of war, not a single nebula even provoked us.

Earth was astonishingly quiet.

"Why? Our fable couldn't have been that impressive."

[Because it will be destroyed even if they leave it alone.]

My heart went cold.

Footage streamed from the Constellations' panels.

[The Constellations know that you can't abandon Earth.]

Separate from the Candidate Selection Match, Earth had now entered the Great Apocalypse sequence. North America had been destroyed, and Northeast Asia was next.

Considering that Outer Gods and other rulers from beyond this world invaded in the Final Scenario of the original TWSA, it was all an expected development.

[The Forgotten Islands continue to rise!]

「At the end of the worldline, the forgotten beings' erosion would begin.」

In the original story, the nebulae should have fought alongside me here. But now, the nebulae had made a different choice.

Abandon Earth and eliminate Kim Dokja Company.

That was the nebulae's decision before the Final Scenario.

"Those bastards..."

[Some nebulae ridicule your judgment.]

It wouldn't have been wrong to call it the worst possible situation.

The ones converging on this world now were different from the Outer Gods I knew from the original story.

I recalled the Uriel of the 999th round whom I had seen in N'Gai's Forest.

「When the Great Apocalypse Scenario begins, the Kings' assault will begin.」

If my prediction was right, the Kings who would appear in the coming Great Apocalypse had all seen their conclusion in the 999th round.

"Who summoned the Kings? Was it your Administration Bureau?"

[I have no information I can reveal. But...]

Bihyeong finished speaking, his face filled with firm resolve.

[Until my last breath, I will tell the story of all of you.]

* * *

"Anyone who doesn't wish to participate may leave now."

It was ridiculous, but that was the first thing I said to my Allies.

"The coming Scenario will be far more terrible than any battle we've faced so far. It's not too late yet. If anyone wants to leave the nebula now..."

My Allies yawned repeatedly as though they were attending a dull sermon.

Maybe it was only natural. They had all survived the brink of death dozens of times to get here. Dying this way or that way was still dying. If they had planned to leave, they would've left long ago.

I knew that, too. Yet I still asked such an obvious question because there really was someone who wanted to leave.

"Me."

"I'll leave."

It was Han Myeongoh. It wasn't entirely unexpected.

"I'm not saying I'll leave for good. I just have somewhere I need to visit one last time."

Jihye chided him from beside us.

"Ugh, just leave already, Mister. You're no help anyway. You'll run like crazy the moment another fight starts."

"Even if I look like this now, I used to be a count of the Demon Realm..."

The line that was supposed to come next in that repertoire wasn't "count of the Demon Realm," but "department head at Mino Soft."

Watching the two bicker, I couldn't help but smile bitterly.

In truth, I knew where Myeongoh was heading.

"Are you going to the place where the Island of Reincarnators used to be?"

Myeongoh's expression noticeably stiffened at my question.

"Even if it's been sealed, the aftermath of the Apocalypse Dragon and Indescribable Distance is still there. It'll be dangerous to go."

"I still want to go."

The Island of Reincarnators, where the Great war of Angels and Demons had taken place.

Even now, dead stars and the corpses of Outer Gods would be drifting through the depths of that dark dimension.

Those who had died without managing to board the Ark.

Perhaps the Demon King Asmodeus was among them.

"That child is everything I've gained in this world."

Myeongoh's eyes were filled with determination.

After the Great war of Angels and Demons, Myeongoh had diligently participated in our Main Scenarios. He had worked even harder than he had when he stole his subordinates' projects to get promoted at Mino Soft.

His efforts had brought rewards. He had gained a small share of a Great Fable and secured numerous useful constellation artifacts.

All to reclaim his daughter.

The Myeongoh of today might be able to endure the aftermath of chaos for a few days, even near the Island of Reincarnators.

"Have a safe trip."

Myeongoh nodded, finished preparing, and stood. It seemed he had already made up his mind before coming here. All my Allies saw him off.

Not receiving the Scenario of "A Single Fable" didn't mean a person had no "A Single Fable." Everyone had one.

Just as everyone could set out to find their own ■■.

As I watched Myeongoh cross the portal despite trembling, I thought again.

[Your ■■ is drawing near.]

The Star Stream didn't decide where a person's conclusion lay.

When I turned around, my Allies were waiting for me.

"Then let's continue the meeting."

* * *

[11 hours and 8 minutes remain until the Great Apocalypse Scenario begins.]

Only half a day remained until the Great Apocalypse.

We had to endure that Great Apocalypse to reach the Final Scenario.

During that time, I reviewed all the information from TWSA and asked my Allies to collect useful constellation artifacts and Skills remaining across Earth, including the Korean Peninsula.

They readily agreed.

Han Suyeong asked, "What are you going to do?"

Of course, I had work to do as well.

For example, researching a killer move with that stubborn bastard.

"You know this too, but there's only one way for us to fight the Great Apocalypse as we are now."

Junghyeok spoke while sharpening the edge of the Black Heaven Demon Blade.

Constellations such as Uriel, Black Flame Dragon, and Great Sage Equaling Heaven had promised to help us, but we couldn't rely on them alone.

There were four more Outer God Kings yet to appear, aside from Secretive Plotter.

If they all came at once, we could never win, even with Mythical Constellations like Great Sage Equaling Heaven or the King of the Underworld.

Fortunately, we had one method to fight them.

"Eternal Hellscape"

The Mythical fable I had received through Secretive Plotter as a reward for the 1,863rd round.

Through that fable, I could recreate Junghyeok's memories, while Junghyeok could share the stage of those memories and draw on the strength of his 1,863rd round.

The problem was...

[Reading has failed!]

[The highest round of Yu Junghyeok you can read is the 978th round.]

[The fable Eternal Hellscape regards you as pathetic.]

Something had gone wrong with my reading.

[Reading has failed!]

[The highest round of Yu Junghyeok you can read is the 778th round.]

[The fable Eternal Hellscape suspects you have a reading difficulty.]

Now even the fable was looking down on me.

After this kept happening for days, Junghyeok finally lost his patience.

"Pathetic. Didn't you say all you did your whole life was read?"

"Not my whole life. Anyway, this is a different problem."

I didn't know the reason, either. Why now of all times?

"If that's the case, give me the fable. It would be far better for me to use it myself."

"If I could give it to you, I would've done so already."

I had even asked Secretive Plotter about a method. He ignored me, though.

"Use the Possession skill like last time. If you use it with the fable, your synchronization rate will rise greatly."

He seemed to mean [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint].

"If possible, I don't want to use that."

Using [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint] would certainly make using the fable much easier. It would create an effect similar to a Patron controlling an Incarnation.

But...

"Using that Skill leaves my Incarnation body defenseless. It's best if we can win without it."

"You've neglected your training. That's why you've ended up like this."

"Do you think everyone can endure the mindless training you do?"

Junghyeok glared at me for a moment, then stopped arguing and focused on the fable again.

Maybe Junghyeok also knew. There was another reason I didn't use [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint].

「For some time now, [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint] had begun to disobey Kim Dokja.」

It sometimes activated on its own when I didn't want it to, or read people's inner thoughts. I didn't know why it was happening.

Perhaps looking into someone had become too familiar to me. Without realizing it, I had become more accustomed to reading inner thoughts laid out in kind prose than listening to what someone had to say.

[Reading has failed.]

Maybe it was only natural that I had developed a reading difficulty.

"Focus properly, Kim Dokja."

At Junghyeok's words, I activated the fable once more.

I took slow, deep breaths and calmly examined my thoughts.

[The fable Eternal Hellscape begins its story!]

Forget everything I knew about Yu Junghyeok.

I didn't know Yu Junghyeok at all. This guy was someone I knew nothing about.

Yu Junghyeok wasn't a mad psychopath, nor was he an inflexible blockhead.

As I thought that, my head felt a little clearer.

Yes, let's start from there. Just like when I first read TWSA.

Tzzzzzz!