Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - Chapter 49

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 49: Episode 10 - Future War (7)

──────

That was impossible. Ever since the 'Scenario' began, internet access across all of Seoul had been blocked by the activation of the dokkaebis' channels.

No, wait a second. This was Dongmyo Station, where that shut-in was...... Right. So that was why the internet worked here?

Lee Seongguk, who had been nervously watching my expression, finally spoke.

“Um, Junghyeok-nim?”

“What.”

“We have arrived. The Representative is waiting inside.”

I looked at the crudely erected medium-sized tent in the middle of the platform. So he was calling himself a Representative, and had at least managed to throw together something that looked the part.

“Lead.”

Seongguk bowed his head and guided me forward. The moment I pulled aside the tent flap and stepped inside, a fairly lavish interior revealed itself. It was hard to believe this luxurious room had been made out of such a shabby tent.

A red carpet covered the floor, and there was an extravagant bed that looked as though it had been stolen from a luxury hotel. There was also a round conference table, and even a small desk with a computer set up on it.

The most interesting thing of all was the boy deeply absorbed in surfing the internet on that computer. He looked a couple of years older than Gilyeong. He sat there in his pajamas, dark shadows pooled beneath his eyes.

And tucked tightly against him was a navy-blue flag.

Impressive.

This boy had already gone at least halfway down the 'King's Path.'

[The Exclusive Skill Character Profile has activated!]

Name: Han Donghoon

Age: 17

Patron constellation: Shadow Behind the Curtain

Exclusive Attribute: Noble Recluse (Hero)

Exclusive Skills: [Wide-Area Internet Lv.5], [Comment Manipulation Lv.3], [Keyboard Attack Lv.3], [Small Appetite Lv.6], [Soundproofing Lv.2]......

Stigma: [Absence of Existence Lv.2]

Overall stats: [Constitution Lv.10], [Strength Lv.10], [Agility Lv.19], [Mana Lv.26]

Overall evaluation: He is the pinnacle of reclusive shut-ins, a Noble Recluse. Through the skill [Wide-Area Internet], he can break through the dokkaebis' channel network and install a virtual LAN cable on a specific device.

He has a remarkable talent for swaying public opinion, but his mental defenses have not yet fully formed, leaving his mental state fragile. This individual's Patron constellation is currently highly dissatisfied with the situation their Incarnation is in.

* Currently under the effect of a powerful hypnosis.

I remembered now for sure.

The King of Dongmyo.

Before long, this boy would probably become the 'King of the Hidden Shadows.' But for now, this pitiful boy king was busy playing around in the internet comments.

- Wait, is it actually true that only Seoul is isolated right now? lol Gangnam land prices must be crashing hard~~ What are all those land-rich types going to do, cry??

└No, not just Seoul. Right now every capital city in the world is like that. Tokyo and Beijing are all trapped inside those domes too.

└What happened to the operation to reclaim Seoul? It started yesterday, didn't it?

- lol this is just something I heard, but apparently everyone in there awakened some kind of superpower lol Seriously, what is this, some fantasy novel or what~

└The moment monsters showed up, it was already fantasy.

The internet screen felt unfamiliar after so long.

It really drove it home again. Right. This was the kind of situation we were in.

Outside, there were still many people who didn't know the truth of this disaster.

At last, the boy king's fingers began to move.

- By the way, has anybody heard of these 'prophets'? I don't know exactly what they are, but they're people claiming to know the secret behind all this haha

[The character Han Donghoon has activated Comment Manipulation Lv.3.]

The moment the activation message appeared, dozens of comments clung beneath the boy's post as if drawn there by magnets.

└Bullshit. You actually believe that?

└I thought that too, but maybe not? Some Revelation or prophecy got leaked a while back, and everything happened exactly the way those bastards said it would. It's real.

└Where do those bastards operate? Send me the address.

Those comments carried enormous influence and began spreading all across the internet. Impressive. I had never expected him to be putting this ability to use in a way like this already.

“Representative Han Donghoon?”

Only then did the boy lift his head at Seongguk's call.

“An honored guest has arrived. Please greet him.”

Donghoon's hollow eyes turned toward me.

“A-ah, h-hello......”

Donghoon was not normal. This boy, who in TWSA had been counted among the Seven Kings of Seoul, looked unbelievably haggard. He had always suffered from severe social anxiety, but even so, he shouldn't have been this bad.

Donghoon staggered to his feet, sat down in a chair near the round table, and immediately started biting his nails.

Seongguk smiled as if satisfied.

“Well then, Junghyeok-nim. Shall we start having a proper discussion with the Representative now?”

I looked quietly at Donghoon, then let out a short laugh.

“A discussion? About what?”

“Pardon?”

“Are you trying to play games with me right now?”

Donghoon's eyes were empty.

“......This brat is the 'Representative'?”

Certainly, if events were following the original story, then this boy really was the Representative of this station. Even on paper, that much was true.

But...... the word 'Representative' did not necessarily mean the one who truly held power.

“How long do you intend to mock me? Are you going to sit a doll in front of me and make me talk to it?”

When I turned to the side, Seongguk's hands were trembling. He had probably never imagined that [Sage's Eye] would uncover even that much. He quickly opened his smartphone to check something, then let out a sigh.

“......Junghyeok-nim, as expected, you are no ordinary person. Please forgive my oversight.”

“So you are the one who truly runs this station. Correct?”

“That is correct.”

“Do the others know?”

“Only a few executives know.”

Set up a powerful figure as a puppet, then seize control of the station from behind the scenes. It was a tactic used often in TWSA, but seeing it happen in reality left me with an odd feeling.

“If you are the real power here anyway, why bother dragging me all the way in here?”

“To keep other people from noticing. You may already know this, but [Soundproofing] has been cast around this tent.”

I had expected as much. Donghoon really did have an ability like that.

“Is it that important?”

“It is. It is important to Junghyeok-nim, and important to all of us as well.”

Seongguk drew in a sharp breath and spoke.

“I belong to the <Prophets>. More precisely, I'm one of them.”

It seemed the information I wanted was finally about to come out. I silently waited for what he would say next.

“You can never understand the tremendous ecstasy we feel right now, Junghyeok-nim. Because my companions and I have waited for this day alone, solely for your great victory.”

All of a sudden, he started spouting strange nonsense.

“We know of your unique ability, Junghyeok-nim. The miracle by which you return to the past no matter how many times you die. A unique power possessed by you alone in this world!”

I was a little concerned about the Constellations' filtering, but for now I decided to keep listening.

“You have probably repeated your life several times already, Junghyeok-nim. You fought terrible enemies, and struggled against beings from other worlds in order to save people. Always alone, bearing those lonely memories...... We sincerely respect that noble spirit of yours.”

This bastard was good at flattery. If Yu Junghyeok had heard that, he might've been so moved he'd have burst into tears. If Junghyeok ever got depressed later, I would have to say it to him exactly like that.

“But Junghyeok-nim, you must also have realized through the past rounds that, even if you are someone capable of extraordinary miracles, you can never stand against the coming Calamity alone.”

And on top of that, he was making some fairly accurate points.

“However, Junghyeok-nim, this round will be different. Because we are here. We of the <Prophets> received a unique blessing and were dispatched to this round for the sole purpose of helping you.”

Well, would you look at that?

A faint smile spread across Seongguk's face.

“You must find it strange. Why have people who never existed in the previous rounds suddenly appeared now? I am sure you are very confused, but I hope you will trust us. Because we have already been receiving Revelation in preparation for this day for the past ten years.”

“......Revelation?”

“Yes. In the world of this round, among us <Prophets>, there exists a secret 'Revelation' passed down in whispers. The myth that Junghyeok-nim has lived, and will continue to live. The one and only Revelation that records all of that past and future.”

Wait a second. Surely that 'Revelation' could not be......

“You still do not look convinced. We already knew that Junghyeok-nim would take Steel Sword Emperor Lee Hyeongseong under your command. You did not bring him with you, but you have probably already gathered Delusional Demon Kim Namwoon and Naval Admiral Lee Jihye as well. But even they are not enough. At the very least, according to the 'Revelation'......”

I suppressed my growing anxiety and asked, “Where is this 'Revelation'?”

“Unfortunately, it has been damaged, and we can no longer find the original. But please do not worry. Each of us remembers fragments of that Revelation, and through those fragments we are prepared to help Junghyeok-nim walk the correct path.”

......Oho.

“If you continue living through this round the way you always have, Junghyeok-nim...... you will once again meet your death. But things are different if you are with us.”

Seongguk kept babbling on. I slowly closed my eyes and opened them again as I spoke.

“I see.”

Seongguk hurriedly fell silent. He was probably tense.

Yu Junghyeok had [lie detection].

Of course, I did not possess that skill.

But even if I had, his story would not have been caught by [lie detection]. [lie detection] could not sort out the truth or falsehood of a metaphorical story like that.

Which was why, all the more, what I felt right now was this.

“......Remarkable.”

It really was. I meant it sincerely.

This was not just surprising. It was such an astonishing 'setting' that it bordered on shocking. To think he had managed to come up with something like this in such a short span of time. Human creativity truly was an incredible thing.

“Your name was Lee Seongguk, wasn't it?”

“Yes, Junghyeok-nim.”

You could become the author of TWSA, you bastard.

Readers who received Revelation and came from outside the novel in order to help a protagonist who kept dying like a sunfish?

At this rate, this sounded even more exciting than the real TWSA.

But that was separate.

“Stop beating around the bush.”

This was another matter entirely.

“I would like you to get straight to the point.”

I had listened to enough of this fabricated setup. Now it was my turn to talk.

“Let us say you really did receive Revelation of the future. So what exactly is it you are proposing?”

Seongguk answered quickly.

“We want to form an alliance with you, Junghyeok-nim. W-well, nominally an alliance, but in practice it would be little different from entering your service......”

Ridiculous bastard. So that was his goal?

He wanted the protagonist to carry him.

“I see. An alliance. That is what you want.”

“That is correct.”

“An interesting proposal.”

“Does that mean......?”

I tapped the desk with my finger.

“But you've got the order wrong.”

“Pardon?”

“How am I supposed to form an alliance with people whose identities I do not even know? If you want an alliance with me, should you not expose your identity first?”

“M-my identity, you say...... I believe I have already sufficiently......”

I sprang up from the chair, sat down heavily on the luxurious bed in the room, crossed my legs, and opened my mouth.

“Kneel.”

“Pardon?”

“I said kneel.”

Startled for a moment, Seongguk got down from his chair while trying to hide his expression. When his knees slowly touched the floor, I spoke.

“Recite your Attribute.”

Seeing how he had placed a powerful [hypnosis] on no less than a King candidate, I already had a pretty good idea what his Attribute was. Still, I needed to make sure.

Seongguk looked up at me with a conflicted gaze. He was probably thinking furiously.

「Yu Junghyeok can see my information with [Sage's Eye].」

「Why is he asking about information he already knows?」

After thinking for a long time, Seongguk finally spoke through clenched teeth.

“My Attribute...... is Hypnotist.”

As expected, he was a 'Hypnotist.'

“I see.”

At my nod, Seongguk's expression brightened a little.

He seemed to think he had passed the test.

“Is that all?”

“......Pardon?”

Seongguk's gaze trembled uneasily.