Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - Chapter 771

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 771: Episode 34: Brothers (2)

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I moved before I knew it.

The thought of slaughtering the demons before me and taking the spear ruled my mind.

What stopped me was a [Telepathy] message in my ear.

―Writer.

I flinched and turned around. Ji Eunyoo was crouched down like I was.

―Stay still.

She desperately shook her head before adding,

―I know that's Yu Junghyeok's spear too. But that's the spear Yu Junghyeok lost, isn't it?

Only then did the chain of events so far come back to me.

Ever since he first entered the Recycling Center, Yu Junghyeok had lost all his items. Even the Battle Boots he was wearing now had been a prize from the Twelve Zodiac Race.

―The "owner of the spear" that high-ranking demon dealt with must be someone else.

Eunyoo was right.

I barely managed to catch my breath and calm the Status boiling within me. Her soft palm rested on my shoulder.

―What's gotten into you, Writer? Did you get hit with a status effect?

I wasn't sure either.

Maybe I had unconsciously felt indebted to Junghyeok. Perhaps it was because I had promised to write his story.

I glanced at Eunyoo and mouthed my response.

‘I think I lost my head for a moment. Thank you.’

―You know we can't beat them right now, don't you?

‘I do.’

As I said, fighting the high-ranking demons possessed by the Gourmet Association head-on right now would be suicide. It might have been different if I had even one of The Infinite Prison Warden's exclusive items.

[Hm?]

One of the high-ranking demons turned its head and began striding toward us.

Cold sweat formed down my back.

Eunyoo's expression had stiffened as well. I recalled the remaining number of uses for [Smoke Human].

Should I burn mana cigarette now? If I drew its attention, could I buy Eunyoo time to escape?

Just as it came right up to us.

[Hey, we've detected a large fragment.]

The voice came from another high-ranking demon holding the Moon Halberd.

The demon's expression changed. It turned away and asked,

[Which direction?]

[West.]

[Let's go. It might be that bastard Kim Dokja.]

Only after their figures vanished did we finally let out sighs of relief.

Eunyoo clutched her chest and spoke.

"I thought they were coming for us. That startled me."

"It's not time to relax yet."

"Why? They seem far enough away now..."

"They probably went after the other students."

There were only certain people who could be called large fragments in this Scenario.

There were two likely candidates at the moment.

Eunyoo nodded as if she knew exactly who they were.

"Either Gu Seona or Ye Hyeonu."

"Probably."

"You're not thinking of rescuing them, are you?"

"......"

"Writer."

[The world setting is watching you.]

Eunyoo flinched at the faint sparks and switched back to [Telepathy].

―I forgot. You can just mouth your replies. I have the [Lip Reading] skill.

When I nodded, she continued.

―Saving a single reader isn't the problem right now. And Seona and Ye Hyeonu aren't people who share our goals.

‘They're ordinary readers too.’

―Ordinary readers couldn't have gathered that many Kim Dokja Fragments.

‘That's...’

I was about to say something, then suddenly looked up at Eunyoo.

Kim Dokja Fragments.

Had I ever told Eunyoo the details about them?

―How could I not know after things have come this far?

Eunyoo sighed lightly and continued.

―Mihu King told me a little. He said fragments of the Oldest Dream are scattered throughout this world.

Mihu King. It wouldn't have been strange for a Constellation of his level to know about Kim Dokja Fragments.

―You're gathering them too, aren't you, Writer?

I hesitated before nodding. There was no reason to lie to Eunyoo here.

Still, once I admitted the truth, a faint fear rose inside me.

―What's wrong?

‘It's just...’

―You need to collect them to revive Kim Dokja, right?

‘Do you know how to obtain Kim Dokja Fragments?’

―You aren't going around killing readers and collecting their souls, are you? You gather the fragments of dead readers, or kill the monsters that devoured readers and take them, right?

When I nodded, Eunyoo added as if she had known it all along,

―Then there's no problem. You get stronger the more you collect, right? I'd feel better with them in your hands than in the hands of bad people.

They were grateful words.

Because they were grateful words, I couldn't carelessly say thank you.

―I know what kind of person you are, Writer. But it's different if other readers are gathering them.

‘They aren't the sort to kill someone and collect their fragments.’

―Writer. You haven't forgotten what our first Scenario was, have you?

‘......’

―I know you trust readers, but everyone who has survived until now has experienced killing a person at least once. Me too.

I knew.

No one who had survived this long had done so without hurting anyone.

Still, I didn't want to judge a whole person based on a single sin they had committed.

‘The Ye Hyeonu and Seona I saw were never bad people.’

I remembered the young readers I had seen in Asmodeus's theater.

‘They're just people who like novels.’

Pure eyes gathered in one place because they wanted to know what happened next.

‘If they hadn't been there, I couldn't have paid the overdue rent on my tiny one-room. I wouldn't have eaten regular meals, either. I couldn't have kept writing. I couldn't have continued my dream. I couldn't have transcribed Han Suyeong's manuscript. So...’

I owed them my life.

‘I'm going to save them.’

Eunyoo looked at me, moving her lips several times before letting out a deep sigh.

―If you put it that way, I got paid by them too.

‘Then that's one more reason to save them.’

―You aren't going right away, are you? You chose this route for a reason.

‘This route?’

―You need to find the Hilt of Saint Rotania and Bilton's Sheath.

I blankly stared for a moment before asking,

‘How do you know that, Editor?’

―Wouldn't it be stranger if I didn't?

‘Did you read The Infinite Prison Warden? But I wrote that before I signed with you.’

Eunyoo's face reddened slightly as she snapped back,

―Of course I read it all. What editor doesn't read their contracted author's novels?

As Eunyoo grumbled, I searched the nearby forest with her and eventually found a tree trunk carved with an unfamiliar mark.

We exchanged glances, then began digging beneath it.

After digging through the dirt for some time, we found an old skeletal arm and the broken hilt clutched in its hand.

‘Hilt of Saint Rotania.’

A weapon once used by a graduate of Phileia Hunter Academy.

As expected, it had been buried exactly where I wrote it would be.

"There's only a hilt. It looks like someone took the sheath."

"Let's take this at least."

The final combination item available through Ma Hyeonseong's Farming Route A was the holy sword Ravebringer.

Ravebringer was a Divinity-attribute item essential for facing Great Demons.

After taking the hilt, we immediately headed in the direction the high-ranking demons had gone.

As we moved, Eunyoo and I briefly chatted about what had happened so far.

―Who would've thought we'd wear school uniforms again?

‘Exactly.’

―It suits you, Writer.

‘It probably suits Inho Cheon, not me.’

―The face is yours, Writer.

We also exchanged information about the Twelve Zodiacs in each class.

―You fought Incarnations belonging to the Rat, Snake, and Dog?

‘Strictly speaking, I didn't fight them. Those Gourmet Association bastards wiped them out.’

―Hmm, as expected. But my faction... I mean, the Monkey side doesn't seem particularly eager about this Scenario. Mihu King probably only applied to participate because he was bored.

That was true. Not every member of the Twelve Zodiacs would be serious about this ball.

The Monkey faction had no particular advantage to gain from participating in the Twelve Zodiac Ball. It would also be troublesome for the Recycling Center if a Sun Wukong-level Constellation descended in person...

―But the other Twelve Zodiacs will be different. Especially the ones who attacked you, Writer. And the Tiger and Ox sides seem serious about it.

Of course.

Those like the Tiger, Rat, and Snake, whom I had defeated in the previous Scenario, had greatly diminished Status.

If they couldn't make up for it somehow in this Scenario, their existence as Constellations would be endangered.

‘The Gourmet Association must be the same.’

The Gourmet Association would be watching the struggles of those Historical Constellations.

Their participation in the Scenario as high-ranking demons meant they were prepared to complete this Scenario as a tragedy.

Of course, as long as I was here, things wouldn't go as they wanted.

"Ji Eunyoo."

"Yes."

At my signal, we stopped and hid among the surrounding brush.

I heard the sound of the surrounding forest being shredded.

Sharp weapons scraped against each other amid the red-burning leaves.

Someone was fighting nearby.

However, every time a clash rang out, the surge of Mana I felt was far from ordinary.

"Block them."

A cold voice came through the heavy scent of blood.

"It's Seona."

Eunyoo and I quickly assessed the battle.

Student Council President Gu Seona stood with her back to the forest, arms folded. The members of Kim Dokja Company had formed a defensive line as if to protect her.

Lee Hyeongseong, Kim Namwoon, Lee Jihye, Shin Yuseong, and even Jeong Huiwon.

As expected, the two high-ranking demons that had attacked us earlier were pressing them hard.

[There are so many delicious-looking ones gathered here.]

The drooling high-ranking demons released their Status at the same time and charged.

I wanted to shout for them to run immediately. No, anyone who felt the Status those high-ranking demons were releasing should have run.

But they didn't.

Claaang!

The pitch-black blade swung by a high-ranking demon collided with white light and was knocked aside.

Looking closer, Seona's group were all wearing silver-glowing armor and greaves.

I immediately recognized the items.

‘Divine Lion Set.’

Standard-issue anti-demon equipment obtainable through Ma Hyeonseong's Farming Route D.

I wondered how they had acquired it already, but then...

[Dokkaebi Compendium is currently selling collaboration items from The Infinite Prison Warden.]

With a sinking feeling, I opened the Dokkaebi Compendium.

* Divine Lion Set: Out of stock

This was absurd.

No, did this make any sense?

......

* Commercial Signal Flare: 1

* Highest-Grade Holy Water: 2

* Holy Sword Light Wish: Out of stock

......

Even the sword considered a famed weapon of Phileia Hunter Academy alongside the holy sword Ravebringer had been sold.

I hurriedly searched the list for items I needed. Unfortunately, nearly all the best-value items were sold out.

Even the items still in stock were outrageously overpriced and impossible to buy right now.

Of course, I could buy them if I truly wanted to. But for the Incarnation of the Demon King of Salvation, the price was too much to even consider.

"We got played."

I never thought I would be stabbed in the back like this.

I hadn't considered that those damned dokkaebis would release the related items as merchandise. It was carelessness born from the arrogance of believing I knew the world setting.

Student Council President Gu Seona was even holding the holy sword Light Wish.

[The item Light Wish raises the Allies' morale.]

The Divine Lion Set and Light Wish. That was certainly a combination capable of fighting high-ranking demons.

It was unfair.

I was already at a disadvantage, and now even the original author's perks were being taken away like this. What was I supposed to live off?

It wasn't enough that my world setting had been illegally stolen. If all the items were taken away too...

[Someone has purchased a collaboration item.]

[You have been paid original-work royalties.]

There was no benefit at all for the original author...

[Someone has purchased a collaboration item.]

[You have been paid original-work royalties.]

I quietly stared at the messages floating before me.