WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 591: Episode 8: Representative Kim Dokja (1)

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My understanding of Yu Junghyeok had increased. It wasn't hard to find the reason.

The comments left by the Little Kim Dokjas had probably influenced me somehow.

「Is Junghyeok of the 41st round really such a bad guy?」

The moment I heard those words, it felt as though hundreds of dormant circuits in my mind had lit up all at once.

「"I lost a valuable shield."」

「"Naval combat will be a little difficult from now on."」

The lines I had written for Junghyeok came to mind. In those sentences, he was clearly closer to an evildoer than a good person.

Above all, Shin Yuseong from the 41st round had expressed deep disappointment in him.

But what about the Junghyeok I had glimpsed in the dream theater?

「"The minor groups can come out without fear. I'll teach you how to obtain Food from now on."」

And what about the Junghyeok of the 40th round I had seen through Anna Croft?

「"If the world repeats itself once more, do you intend to live a somewhat different life then?"」

Could I truly define him as an evildoer?

As time slowly passed in the Snowfield, I acknowledged that the words I had read and written were only parts of the lives Junghyeok had lived. This was even truer of Junghyeok from the 41st round.

There was only one sentence I could write about him now.

「I don't know Yu Junghyeok.」

[Your understanding of the character Yu Junghyeok has increased slightly.]

[You are now able to write about the character Yu Junghyeok.]

As if checking the first footprints in the snow, I looked at the window before me.

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# The Protagonist's Choice

「At that moment, Yu Junghyeok □□......」

* Based on your current proficiency, you can add up to 20 characters of narration.

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Just 20 characters.

That was all I could write about Junghyeok now.

[Your understanding of this character is low.]

[This scene has a fixed number of narration attempts.]

[You can narrate this scene only once.]

I had only one chance.

I calmly closed my eyes and thought about the Junghyeok I had seen for myself.

The Junghyeok most like the one before me was the Junghyeok from the 40th round I had seen in the Illusory Prison, as well as the one who had left two Ellain Forest Essences at Geumho Station.

[Your understanding of the character Yu Junghyeok has increased slightly.]

I thought.

[Your understanding of the character Yu Junghyeok has increased slightly.]

Then I thought again.

Twenty characters. Enough to narrate only one line of a character's actions.

What could I express about Junghyeok in those 20 characters?

There had often been times like this when I wrote TWSA. Times when it was difficult to write dialogue or an action that suited a character.

「"Just write it first."」

Whenever that happened, Ji Eunyu would say,

「"Trust the characters who have lived in the world you created, Writer, and just write it first."」

This time, all I could do was helplessly trust those words.

「Trusting the Yu Junghyeok who had lived in this world.」

I wrote a sentence for him.

It really wasn't anything special.

Yet that one line was everything I understood about Junghyeok and everything I could give him now.

[You have narrated plausible content.]

[The success rate of this scene recreation is 93%.]

[You have sufficient Plausibility available.]

[Reader feedback is being checked.]

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rlaehrwk37 : Yu Junghyeok is Yu Junghyeok

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I silently read the feedback. I couldn't tell from it whether this recreation would succeed or fail.

Still, there was one thing I could say now: I agreed with Kim Dokja37.

[You have succeeded in scene recreation.]

[You are exiting the Snowfield.]

The monochrome time scattered. The red-hot barrel of the Mini Turret was about to fire.

「At that moment, Junghyeok put away his spear.」

Faint sparks ran along Junghyeok's right hand. The sentence I had written had taken effect.

Yet Junghyeok, who had released his spear, wore a confused expression. He looked as if he had no idea why he had suddenly acted that way.

From here on, it was Junghyeok's part to play.

The Junghyeok I had seen. The tragic protagonist who had wanted to save this world, even if it meant taking an evildoer's hand.

「In truth, Junghyeok knew. He knew he couldn't kill Pildu Gong right now.」

「Because this round would become his final round.」

"Die."

The Mini Turret, having finished charging, spat fierce fire. Even Lee Hyeongseong, the Steel Sword Emperor, had struggled to block those shells. No matter how much of a monster Junghyeok was, one capable of slaughtering Tier-7 Monsters, he couldn't emerge unharmed after taking a barrage like that.

「There are seven shells in total. Even Junghyeok would be in danger if they all struck him at once.」

Yet Junghyeok didn't move. He didn't grip his spear, either.

His expression was consumed by deep confusion. Maybe the sentence I had written had shaken his judgment.

But Junghyeok had done enough simply by doing that.

Then this time, I,

[You have activated the Exclusive Skill Incitement Lv.4!]

had to take responsibility for the sentence I had written.

「Turn into the Rusty Iron Shield.」

At the same time as Incitement, Thought of Almost Everything shone.

When Junghyeok came to his senses and looked up, the shells were already right in front of him.

Kwaaaang!

I stepped in front of Junghyeok at the last possible moment. A heavy impact struck the shield, hard enough to shatter it.

Still, I endured.

I could endure it.

Because my Strength level was now even higher than Lee Hyeongseong's.

"Junghyeok. That was a wise decision. You must never kill Pildu Gong if you want to achieve what you desire."

When I glanced back, Junghyeok was staring at me in surprise.

"What are you looking at? Didn't you ask me to join your side before?"

I didn't know what Junghyeok of the 41st round would face from now on.

I didn't know in the slightest what tragedies he had suffered, what despair he had endured, or how he had reached that ending.

But seeing Junghyeok's expression now, I understood.

「This world might not end in tragedy.」

I smiled at Junghyeok as I finished speaking.

"I'll show you how I made the Ten Evils my Companions."

* * *

Kwaaaang!

At the distant explosion, the woman in a white coat frowned in the darkness as she watched Inho Cheon block the shell.

She crunched the Lemon Candy between her lips and muttered,

"The more I look at him, the crazier he seems."

[The Constellation Sinister Schemer giggles.]

"What made him think he could charge in like that? Did that bastard forget he's Inho Cheon?"

[The Constellation Sinister Schemer says they still feel a sense of longing.]

The woman twitched her lips for a long time at those words, then muttered as if letting it slip.

"...I don't miss that bastard at all."

[The Constellation Sinister Schemer says they never said they missed anyone.]

"Shut up."

* * *

My sudden intervention threw the area into a brief lull.

Fortunately, Junghyeok stepped back as if he intended to watch for now.

In the distance, Jihye and the Allies stared this way with wide eyes.

This is what I'm capable of, everyone.

Of course, they weren't the only ones surprised.

"You... what are you?"

Pildu asked, and I answered.

"I'm Inho Cheon."

"Who asked for the name of some nobody like you?"

Pildu growled and seemed about to charge the Mini Turret again, so I hurriedly added,

"If it's all right with you, I'd like to talk to the person behind you."

"What?"

At my words, the boy hiding behind Pildu cautiously poked his head out.

I waved at him when our eyes met.

"Hello?"

The boy immediately hid again.

A face I had never seen before.

There had never been a boy like that beside Pildu in the main story of TWSA.

[You have used Reader Comment List on this individual.]

[Checking this Reader's profile information.]

I could already tell what kind of person this was just from looking.

Hm, so this is the kind of person they are.

As I quickly snooped through the Reader's information, Pildu looked at the boy and asked,

"Do you know him?"

When the boy shook his head, Pildu glared at me again.

Wait a second.

That wouldn't do.

"Don't be like that. Think it over again."

If this continued, I would be turned into a beehive by the Mini Turret.

Fortunately, my excellent Reader had once taught me how to deal with situations like this.

"Aren't we friends?"

"Friends...?"

"Friends."

The boy's expression changed instantly.

The Allies, who had come closer, stood beside me. The boy looked back and forth between me and my Allies several times. Then he realized Jeong Huiwon was among them, and his eyes widened.

The boy's small lips slowly parted.

"9158...?"

* * *

A little while later, Junghyeok grabbed me by the nape and dragged me toward the tracks.

After having this happen a few times, I was getting used to it.

I could see the Allies talking with the boy in the distance. A few steps away from them, Pildu glared in our direction with a dissatisfied look.

Junghyeok looked at Pildu, then asked without looking at me.

"How did you persuade him?"

"Villains know other villains best."

"You aren't Inho Cheon..."

"I'm One Who Deceived the Stars and the Sophist of Evil."

Junghyeok turned to look at me.

"After all, what you need isn't the human Inho Cheon. You need the Ten Evils who tormented you."

Junghyeok suspected that I wasn't Inho Cheon. The best thing I could do now was emphasize my usefulness as myself.

"How can I trust you?"

"When did you ask me to join your side because you trusted me?"

"Did the memories of the previous round return? It seems you managed to meet Anna Croft."

Fortunately, he seemed willing to listen to reason.

The Kim Dokjas had been right. There were no bad Junghyeoks in this world.

"But circumstances have changed from the previous round. Joining hands with the Ten Evils was nonsense after all."

There might be a lying Junghyeok, though.

Before Junghyeok could grip his spear and stab me, I quickly added,

"You're awfully relaxed. This isn't the time to be picky about your Companions. Are you planning to press the reset button again?"

"You."

Sadly, I didn't know everything that had happened in the 40th round. All I had heard was part of the conversation between Junghyeok and Inho Cheon.

But that part was enough for me now.

"Didn't you say yourself that this reset would be the last? You went on and on about how everything in the universe would be destroyed in this round, so were those all lies after all?"

Junghyeok's eyes shook violently.

"To be honest, you don't look very desperate right now."

After a brief silence, Junghyeok glared into the darkness of the tunnel as if a mortal enemy were waiting beyond it.

"I need time to think."

After saying that, Junghyeok began pacing as he tapped the tracks with his spear tip.

I left him alone with his thoughts and approached the Allies.

The boy from Chungmuro had apparently grown close to them, especially Gyeong Se-in, and they were busily exchanging information.

"This round is the 41st round?"

"Yes, that's what I'm saying."

"My God. So that's why Junghyeok... I thought he seemed like such a complete bastard..."

I could roughly guess what they had been discussing.

It seemed the boy hadn't known what round Junghyeok was on.

The boy, who had been muttering, spotted me and leaped to his feet.

Se-in introduced the boy to me.

"Inho-ssi! This person says they're the Seventh Apostle-nim of the Seven Apostles Society!"

The Seventh Apostle.

As expected, this boy was also a member of the Seven Apostles Society, like Killer King. Then again, if he was the Seventh Apostle, he was probably the youngest among the Society's executives.

When I held out my hand, the boy did the same with a nervous expression.

"H-hello."

"Nice to meet you."

"So this is what Inho Cheon looks like... You're much more handsome than I expected from what I read."

Holding the boy's small hand, I smiled wryly.

It was the first compliment I had received since possessing Inho Cheon.

"Thank you. Shall we introduce ourselves properly? As you know, I'm Inho Cheon."

"I'm Ye Hyeonu."

"That's your name here, right?"

"Yes."

Ye Hyeonu.

Now that I heard the name, I vaguely remembered there being a character with that name in Chungmuro according to the setting.

Hyeonu examined every part of my face with sparkling eyes, then suddenly asked,

"But how did you know I was an Apostle?"

How had I known?

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ID : Princemaker77

Platform : Sirius

Total Comments : 681

Reader Level : 97

Number of Completed Reads : 50.4

* You can use Coins to check the comments written by this Reader.

* Number of comments currently available to check for free: 3.

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There was no way I couldn't know.

This boy's Number of Completed Reads was over 50.

Killer King had completed 99.8 reads, nearly 100, so Hyeonu wasn't on Killer King's level. Still, Hyeonu was worth about 0.5 Killer Kings.

That was why I had thought it.

Anyone who had completed the novel that many times had to be a member of that organization.

"I recently met someone with a similar air about them."

"Who?"

"Killer King."

"The Second Apostle? You think I look like that bastard?"

Hyeonu's face reddened as if he had heard something outrageous.

Seeing Hyeonu like this, I found him more likable than that fake Junghyeok.

"I heard about you from Killer King, actually. They said there was a Reader who had possessed a supporting-character-level villain. So that was you, Inho Cheon. That bastard always tries to be so cryptic. They could've just said it was Inho Cheon..."

"Killer King came through here?"

Hyeonu nodded.

"That was a while ago. Killer King also asked me to travel with them, but I'm not the adventurous type."

Seeing that Hyeonu had chosen Pildu as a partner, I could tell what kind of person he was.

Safety first.

It was a wise choice in an apocalypse like this.

"By the way, thank you for stopping it earlier. If I'd known Junghyeok was in the 41st round, I never would've fought him. That damn Killer King didn't tell me that, either."

Killer King doesn't know that either, Reader-nim.

Then again, this Reader was no ordinary person.

Even if Hyeonu hadn't known it was the 41st round, someone who had read TWSA 50 times had contemplated fighting Junghyeok.

"It's a bit complicated."

Hyeonu muttered in a voice that was nearly a whisper.

"According to the calculations, at stage three of the 「Housebound Invincible Castle Lord Development Plan」 tech tree, I should've been able to handle the current Junghyeok..."

What... plan?

Hyeonu let out a deep sigh, then mentioned a name I hadn't expected.

"Damn it. If Jiyoon had been with me, I wouldn't have made a mistake like this."

Footnotes:

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