Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - Chapter 661

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 661: Episode 20: Reader (3)

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Right after being Possessed in Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, the first thing Killer King did was observe his surroundings.

[The Incarnation Kang Ilhun has activated Observation Lv. 4!]

He didn't become arrogant or complacent just because he was a Reader.

No text could fully portray a world. That was why he calmly observed the world, stored its images in his mind, and turned them into information. He compared it with the story he knew, analyzed it anew, and built a vast database of his own.

[An omen of the fifth Main Scenario has appeared.]

The database he had built up was now warning Killer King.

'That's dangerous.'

Shielding his younger sister, Killer King instinctively moved away from the meteorite.

A cracked red meteorite.

It was a meteorite that had also been mentioned in the main story of Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint.

He couldn't know whether its color and shape were exactly the same as the meteorite Kim Dokja had seen. Still, judging by the ominous energy leaking through the cracks, it surely contained a beast comparable to a Calamity.

Even in such a critical situation, Killer King didn't neglect his observations.

First, there was the green liquid pouring from the meteorite.

'Acid?'

The strong acid corroded the floor, sending up clouds of vapor. Through the smoke, a monstrous creature far larger than the meteorite was rising to its feet.

Thud.

Its heavy footsteps boomed, proving its presence. Killer King fired a flare into the air.

Two razor-sharp eyes flashed near the ceiling. It was a beast species over ten meters tall.

[A Grade-5 poison dragon species, Lesser Dragon Poisoner, has appeared!]

It was a giant lizard covered from head to toe in green scales. At a glance, it was a monster no less formidable than the Grade-5 fire dragon race from the main story.

'So this was the Readers' Association's plan.'

Killer King quietly bit his lip. Their strategy was simple.

First, gather seven Star Gems on one person and turn them into a monster.

Second, release a Calamity before that monster and make them destroy each other.

Assassin King had said that if they didn't give all the Star Gems to Inho Cheon, everyone here would die.

Grrroooooo!

People nearby screamed and collapsed at the poison dragon species' howl. They were Incarnations who hadn't used the safe zone to escape the dungeon earlier.

"What the hell is that?"

"I told you we should've left earlier!"

"But the Star Gems..."

"S-save me! Please save me!"

"What is this? They never said the Scenario had something like this!"

They were Incarnations from small and mid-sized groups, neither the Alliance nor the Apostles. There were even Kings with brown and purple flags among them.

Killer King didn't particularly pity them.

'They watched for an opening, then joined the battle the moment the Alliance left. They're after the Star Gems, so joining hands with them is impossible.'

Having quickly reached that conclusion, Killer King immediately surveyed the terrain.

The altered labyrinth formed a large clearing around the Lesser Dragon Poisoner. There were passages around the clearing leading elsewhere, but they had been sealed off by translucent walls with the Calamity's appearance.

"This way's blocked too! Damn it!"

It was a closed Scenario that controlled a designated area, just like the first Scenario.

"Get ready. A Hidden Scenario is about to activate."

At Killer King's words, a dokkaebi appeared in the air.

[Oh dear. This is quite troublesome. To think you would summon a Calamity already.]

Killer King recognized the dokkaebi at once.

「He wasn't a low-grade dokkaebi like Bihyeong. He wore a neat suit and had two small horns on his head.」

The mid-grade dokkaebi Paul.

He had interfered with Kim Dokja's Scenarios from the beginning, only to fall for Dokja's scheme and get dragged away by the Enforcement Bureau.

[There have been quite a few Incarnations causing trouble lately, but I never expected you to pull something like this inside a dungeon. You haven't even cleared the fourth Scenario yet, so why awaken a Minor Calamity?]

It was almost the same line as in the main story. The type of Calamity had changed, but the larger flow hadn't.

Paul looked over the Incarnations.

Inho Cheon, Lee Dansu, Cha Yerin, Shin Yuseong...

When Paul finally looked at Killer King, a chilling smile appeared on his lips.

[It wouldn't be any fun if all of you died, so I'll make a small change to the Scenario at my discretion.]

Category: Hidden

Difficulty: A

Clear Conditions: Hunt the Minor Calamity Lesser Dragon Poisoner within the time limit, or survive its attacks.

Time Limit: 20 minutes

Reward: 3,000 coins

Failure: Death

* This mission contains a Hidden Piece.

It was a Scenario with the same details as the main story.

Killer King felt relieved. This wasn't the worst-case scenario yet.

If not for the Incarnations fooling around over there, it even seemed manageable.

"Attack! If we all strike now, we can kill it!"

"Don't be scared! Kill it and split the Hidden Piece between us!"

[The Incarnations' morale has been boosted by King's Cry!]

The Incarnations charged with shouts. One brave man even drove his weapon directly into the poison dragon species' body.

"See? This thing can take dam..."

The speaking Incarnation's upper body vanished beneath a swinging tail. Then, as if stalks of straw had snapped, the Incarnations at the front were ripped apart, leaving only their lower bodies behind.

The Incarnations in the rear screamed at the horrific sight.

"Aaaaargh!"

Yet a group advanced over the sacrifices, as if it had expected this much. It was led by a King with a purple flag.

"Tanks, fall back! Incarnations with high Agility, move forward! Don't face it head-on. Keep dodging and buy time! The ranged units in the rear will deal the damage!"

At the King's command, the Incarnations with high Constitution withdrew from the front line. The Incarnations who had learned Footwork skills rushed forward, and the rear archers drew their bowstrings through the chaos.

"Aim for its weak points! Focus your attacks on its eyes and nose!"

The King shouted and hurled a Mana-infused long spear with all his strength.

It was excellent tactical command, worthy of a King with a purple flag. If the enemy hadn't been a Grade-5 beast, Killer King might have applauded their strategy.

Kwoooooo!

Green venom sprayed from the poison dragon's mouth. The Mana-wrapped long spear melted in midair, shaft and all.

The startled King staggered back and muttered.

"What..."

The venom that had melted the spears and arrows spread outward in a wide arc, falling over the Incarnations' heads.

"A-ahhhhhh!"

The King, drenched in venom, screamed and thrashed. It took less than ten seconds for him to turn into green sludge.

"Crazy! Run!"

"Fuck, the King's dead! He's dead!"

"Run!"

Having lost control, the group instantly became a scattered rabble. Deep fear was being carved into the Incarnations' eyes before the irresistible Calamity.

"W-we're going to die. We're all going to die."

[Some Constellations let out quiet laughter.]

Then a few fleeing Incarnations spotted Killer King and his allies.

"Aren't those bastards the ones with Star Gems?"

"Star Gems? Where?"

Eating Star Gems made them stronger.

If they grew stronger, their chances of survival would increase.

Maybe they could even defeat the Calamity.

It was obvious what they were thinking, even without [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint].

Killer King silently aimed his crossbow at them.

"Get lost."

His hand showed no hesitation. The charging Incarnations were struck by Killer King's bolts and sent flying.

Once they understood the situation, the Incarnations cursed and started running in the opposite direction. Killer King didn't shoot the fleeing Incarnations.

He needed bait to draw the poison dragon species' attention away.

"Aaaah! Save me!"

Even as he watched the Incarnations meet horribly violent deaths, Killer King's expression didn't waver.

'I am Yu Junghyeok.'

The coldness honed for survival had protected him and his younger sister until now.

[Few Constellations click their tongues at the evil deed of Incarnation Kang Ilhun.]

[The Constellation Demonic Judge of Fire frowns at Incarnation Kang Ilhun.]

It couldn't be helped, even if it was heartless. The Calamity before them wasn't an enemy that could be easily dealt with, even if he knew the Scenarios to come.

Unless Dokja were here.

'Dokja.'

Without realizing it, Killer King looked at the fallen Inho.

Aside from his pale skin and slender build, he was clearly a man who looked nothing like Dokja. So why did seeing him keep making Killer King think of Dokja?

"I can do it."

Brown hair swayed brilliantly. A faint glow flowed from Yuseong's eyes.

"Everyone, step back. I'll handle it."

[The Constellation Demonic Judge of Fire watches Incarnation Shin Yuseong.]

[The Constellation Prisoner of the Golden Headband watches Incarnation Shin Yuseong.]

[The Constellation Naval Warfare God tilts their head as they watch Incarnation Shin Yuseong.]

[The Constellation Abyssal Black Flame Dragon watches Incarnation Shin Yuseong with suspicious eyes.]

[Some Constellations doubt the Plausibility of Incarnation Shin Yuseong.]

As the Constellations' gazes gathered one by one, faint sparks began flying from Yuseong's entire body. She frowned as if the sparks hurt.

Killer King's eyes narrowed.

"You."

Killer King had read Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint one hundred times. And those hundred readings weren't a number accumulated through a casual skim.

He had torn apart every part of the text, tasted it, and chewed it over as he read. He had imagined the spaces between the lines and glimpsed the blanks the author hadn't written.

Like Yu Junghyeok, who had lived 1,863 lives, he had read with the determination to live one hundred lives alongside Dokja.

[The Incarnation Kang Ilhun has activated Observation Lv. 4!]

That was why he knew.

'The golden gleam in her eyes.'

'Growth far surpassing the third round.'

'Her free use of [Gate].'

'Her abnormally calm demeanor.'

The pieces of information filled the gaps between the lines in his mind. The information was sorted into what he understood and what he did not.

All of it happened in the instant it took to blink once, and Killer King reached a conclusion.

"What I'm about to say concerns a certain novel."

Yuseong turned to look at Killer King. A faint disturbance rippled through her eyes.

Without looking back at her, Killer King continued.

"The protagonist of that novel had companions."

The roaring poison dragon species' tail swept toward them. Killer King avoided it, slinging the sprawled Inho over his back.

The poison dragon species' tail began drawing a circle. It was the same pattern as the fire dragon race in the main story.

"Among those companions was a regressor."

After signaling to his allies, Killer King began running counterclockwise to evade the poison dragon species' tail.

"There was also an excellent tank and a fine swordsman. There was an admiral who ruled the sea, and a Reincarnator who read Fate."

As he spoke, Killer King looked back.

His younger sister was following while supporting Lee Dansu, whose steps were unsteady.

"There was also a boy who was good with insects..."

Killer King slowly turned his head and finally looked at Yuseong.

"And there was a girl who was good with beasts."

A faint light wavered in her eyes.

"As far as I know, that story has ended."

"..."

"So why can't the girl leave that story even now?"

Yuseong said nothing, as if that answer wasn't permitted in this world.

The girl only held Inho's pallid hand and repeated the same words.

"Mister. Get up, Mister!"

Killer King silently watched the scene before turning to his younger sister.

"Yerin. The analysis?"

"It's the same as in the main story. A downgraded dragon."

"What are its weaknesses?"

"It's poison-aligned, so earth or fire will work well. Every attack that dealt even a little damage earlier was fire-aligned."

"We'll use fire."

"We need to get Red Fire Pills instead of Blue Ice Pills."

"We also need [Fire Resistance]."

"I have a resistance skill. You find the Red Fire Pills, Oppa."

"We can trade the Blue Ice Pills we prepared in advance."

"First, let's get through the next phase."

Yuseong's eyes widened as she watched the siblings rapidly exchange words.

[The Grade-5 poison dragon species Lesser Dragon Poisoner is preparing Death's Red Spider Lily.]

The poison dragon species drew back its tail and roared into the air. Red flower buds began blooming across the ground.

The fire dragon race's attack in the main story had been Flames of Ruin. The poison dragon species' area-wide attack was Death's Red Spider Lily.

If the progression followed the main story, this phase was an instant-death attack.

Even so, Killer King stepped forward without hesitation.

Yuseong grabbed his wrist.

"Wait."

"I know you can kill that thing."

"..."

"But after you kill it, will you be safe?"

Even the Constellations in the sky didn't dare interfere with the early Scenarios. If she performed a miracle great enough to defeat a Calamity like that, even Yuseong couldn't emerge unscathed from the Plausibility Backlash.

Killer King silently freed his hand from Yuseong's grip and was about to load a bolt.

"The protagonist of that novel..."

Yuseong's voice slipped from her lips.

Killer King turned back in surprise. Until now, Yuseong had never answered his question, because Plausibility hadn't permitted that answer.

"He was always alone. Even though he had so many companions, he was always alone."

Tststst.

Sparks crackled and flew from her body. Killer King silently watched Yuseong.

He had asked why this story was still continuing. Yuseong had just answered his question in her own way.

Her eyes reddened as she spoke.

"So he can't be alone."

Killer King slowly nodded, then grinned.

"Don't worry."

Yuseong knew a man who often wore that expression.

Compared to that terrifying poison dragon species, he was a pitiful-looking man. A frail man who looked as though one light hit would send him flying.

A lonely man who had fought alone against the conclusion of a world.

"Those who know this story's conclusion..."

Two people came to stand side by side beside him.

"I'm not the only one."

Footnotes:

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