WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 772: Episode 34: Brothers (3)

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[You have acquired 150,000 coins in original-work royalties.]

Seeing the coins come in real time, the corners of my mouth twitched upward without me realizing it.

Come to think of it, Kim Dokja had once made money by selling Han Suyeong's novel, too.

Had Dokja felt this way back then?

- Writer. Why are you grinning?

‘It's nothing.’

It felt strange.

I never expected the Star Stream to settle something like “original-work royalties.”

In reality, I had signed plenty of contracts, but I had hardly ever received proper original-work royalties...

- Do you like it?

When I looked up, I saw the shadow of a dokkaebi drifting high in the distant sky.

- I asked if you like it. I made a special effort this time.

I gave a bitter smile.

So Bihyeong had been behind this after all.

- I've finished discussing it with the Recycling Center Director, too. I told them to pay you an incentive in exchange for borrowing your world setting...

‘I'm grateful, but shouldn't you have gotten my permission before using it?’

- Huh? What are you talking about? We did get permission.

Permission? It was my work, so who could they possibly have gotten permission from?

Then someone's name came to mind. Someone capable of selling my copyright without my authorization.

- Your Patron came by earlier and signed a contract, asking if we could convert this into coins, too.

That damned Patron.

- Anyway, that's how it is, so cheer up a little. I'm leaving again.

‘Wait! Is that all? Didn't my Patron sell anything else?’

Unfortunately, I didn't hear Bihyeong's answer.

After taking a few quick breaths, I adjusted to the situation. Since things had turned out this way, there was nothing I could do. If this was also my Patron's arrangement, I had no choice but to make the best possible use of it.

I quickly bought items from the Dokkaebi Compendium that I could use right away.

[You have completed your item purchase.]

Just then, the battle changed.

[Kahahahahat! This is fun!]

More high-ranking demons had joined the battlefield.

There had been two earlier, but now there were four, five, no... six?

[Hey, delicious things should be shared.]

Gu Seona's team's core armaments were the Divine Lion Set and the holy sword Light Wish, which Seona herself carried.

The Divine Lion Set was standard equipment specialized for defense, while Light Wish was a type of buff item.

In other words, they had no items capable of damaging high-ranking demons.

"What are these bastards? Why won't they die!"

Kim Namwoon frantically swung his knife, but unfortunately, the attribute of [Black Flame] couldn't deal effective damage to high-ranking demons.

To make matters worse, the Divine Lion Set's durability was gradually falling. As the high-ranking demons swiftly coordinated and unleashed consecutive attacks, cracks began appearing throughout the Divine Lion Armor, unable to withstand the blows.

"We can't hold out much longer!"

At Hyeongseong's cry, Seona bit down hard on her lip. It was time to make a decision. Would they accept sacrifices and flee, or reveal all their strength and fight the demons?

If it were me, there would be no question. The latter, because even though they were at a disadvantage, it wasn't an absolute one.

Above all, her team had Jeong Huiwon, the ‘Demonbane Judge.’

The ‘Demonbane Judge’ was a trait that displayed absolute power against monsters.

Since high-ranking demons also fell under the category of monsters, it was only right to deploy Huiwon aggressively here.

"Jeong Huiwon. Forward."

Just as I expected, Seona sent Huiwon to the front.

"Yes."

Wearing a Disciplinary Committee armband, Huiwon stepped forward at Seona's command.

It pained me to see Huiwon obeying so readily, but this should resolve the crisis.

With Huiwon activating [Hour of Judgement] at the forefront, all the others had to do was support her properly.

"Everyone else will head for the origin site."

What?

"President, you can't! Then..."

"Lee Hyeongseong. This is our best option."

"We can't leave a companion behind. Then Huiwon-ssi..."

Hyeongseong was still Hyeongseong, even in the forty-first round.

However, Seona's voice was cold.

"That is an order."

Seona had made her choice. She would abandon Huiwon here in exchange for quickly defeating the 73rd Demon King.

It was a choice I couldn't understand at all.

Huiwon was a damage dealer who would remain useful until the Scenario's final battle. Even from a calculating perspective, she wasn't a card to discard here.

Then a thought suddenly occurred to me.

[The Exclusive Skill Character Profile has activated!]

+

Character: Jeong Huiwon

Potential: S

Core Settings: Disciplinary Committee (S+), Swordsmanship Club (A+)

Description: The one responsible for justice in Class A. She basically follows the student council president's orders, but unconsciously feels resistance toward them.

She sometimes has a habit of staring blankly out the window, as if looking for something.

+

Only then did I think I understood why Gu Seona had abandoned Huiwon.

I see. Had she decided it was better to discard someone she couldn't control here?

Gripping Mikazuki Munechika, the sword I had given her, Huiwon spoke in a voice full of resolve.

"Please go first, President."

[The trait Disciplinary Committee (S) of character Jeong Huiwon has activated powerfully!]

"Good luck, Disciplinary Committee."

Kim Namwoon lightly patted her shoulder before moving first, and Lee Jihye followed after him.

Hyeongseong hesitated, then tightly shut his eyes and turned away.

"I'm sorry. Please hold them back."

Could that truly be a reasonable sight?

Only Shin Yuseong remained, unable to leave until the very end.

"Ah, ah..."

Shin Yuseong stared at Huiwon with a helpless expression, then reached out a hand.

Zzt.

With a faint spark, the light went out in Yuseong's eyes. Then the child began following Seona like a mechanical doll.

That confirmed it.

Seona had a skill that could control Characters.

[Chase them.]

Three high-ranking demons quickly pursued Seona's rapidly retreating team.

However, the other three were held back by Huiwon.

Two couldn't be bothered to chase after them. The last one seemed interested in Huiwon.

[She isn't a Fragment, but she is still quite interesting.]

It was the one holding Yu Junghyeok's spear, Moon Halberd.

[A brief amusement will do.]

Huiwon silently stirred her Mana.

A battle against a high-ranking demon.

An ordinary Incarnation's mind could have collapsed from simply facing one, but Huiwon was different.

Activating [Demon Slaying] and [Swordsmanship], Huiwon shouted and swung her sword toward the high-ranking demon.

The demon casually knocked the sword aside with Moon Halberd and laughed.

[The Constellation Master of the Spear bursts into wild laughter.]

Damn it.

Of all opponents, it had to be that one.

The Master of the Spear was a Constellation from the First Martial World who had built a reputation by repeating thrusts for centuries.

In other rounds, it had been a Historical-grade Constellation, but here it seemed to have raised its Status to nearly fabled-grade.

It looked like it had inflated its Status by absorbing a Kim Dokja Fragment.

Rumble.

However, as long as the opponent wore the guise of a high-ranking demon, Huiwon still had a chance of winning.

[The character Jeong Huiwon requests activation of Hour of Judgement!]

She was the Demonbane Judge.

If [Hour of Judgement] activated, she would have a chance against any opponent.

[The skill's activation has been forcibly cancelled!]

Huiwon flinched and looked up into the air.

[Demonbane Judge] was a skill that could only activate when a certain number of Constellations in the channel supplied Plausibility.

However, the channel was now occupied by the Twelve Zodiacs and the Gourmet Association. There was no way any Constellation would take Huiwon's side.

[Take this.]

A storm of Mana rose from Moon Halberd and poured down on Huiwon. The Divine Lion Armor she wore shattered, and sharp blades of Mana slashed across her entire body.

At this rate, Huiwon would die. This wasn't the time to hesitate.

I activated [Way of the Wind] with all my strength and threw myself toward Huiwon.

At the same time, explosive webs poured from Ji Eunyoo's entire body.

[What...!]

[Arachne's Web] bound the feet of the three demons, including the Master of the Spear. I quickly carried Huiwon onto my back after she was thrown into the brush.

Startled, Huiwon's eyes widened. Soon, her gaze filled with venom.

"Let me go."

Huiwon's body was already battered all over. That was the price she had paid for facing the high-ranking demons at the front of her group.

"It's the president's order. I..."

She was resolved to fulfill the order no matter what.

[This character is under the effect of hypnosis Incitement.]

So that was it.

I had expected as much. At this point, there was only one skill capable of controlling Characters.

「The hypnotist Christina Page's [hypnosis Incitement].」

Gu Seona had already killed another reader and acquired that reader's skill.

There were several ways to break [hypnosis Incitement].

One was to awaken the target with a word of command more powerful than [hypnosis Incitement].

「Inho Cheon's [Incitement] could do it.」

Without hesitation, I activated [Incitement].

"Huiwon-ssi! Wake up!"

[This character is under a special hypnosis.]

[A stronger Incitement than usual is required.]

What?

[Please select a keyword that will give this character a great shock.]

Huiwon's expression hardened. She pressed Mikazuki Munechika's blade to my neck.

"Put me down."

I thought about Huiwon.

What could I say that would shock her?

「“Inho-ssi is normally kind of strange, isn't he? He only says strange things.”」

In the original work, she had been the woman whose sword protected Dokja.

「“How did Inho-ssi end up becoming a Writer?”」

I realized the bond I had built with her was no longer short. We had hunted an ichthyosaur together, cleared Geumho Station, Chungmuro, and the Theater Dungeon. We had fought against the beggars of Seoul Station and defeated the monsters of Gwanghwamun.

「“Inho-ssi.”」

Would those times become a fable one day, too? How much history had to accumulate before a story became a fable?

I didn't know. But there was only one sentence I remembered.

「“Don't die.”」

Huiwon had always saved me with those words. And now, it was my turn to return them.

- Writer! I can't hold them any longer!

Along with Eunyoo's scream, I sensed someone chasing after me.

Still carrying Huiwon on my back, I instinctively ducked. A sharp spear aura grazed my hair and embedded itself in a tree.

There was nowhere left to run.

If I didn't wake Huiwon now, we would all die here.

So, sorry Huiwon, but I had no choice but to say something she would hate hearing.

"Huiwon-ssi, I love you!"

I thought that would work.

Her expression had certainly looked bad when she heard something similar on the subway.

[The character Jeong Huiwon is greatly shaken by your statement.]

"What... what kind of nonsense is that all of a sudden, in a situation like this...?"

Huiwon's face only twisted in anger. Her hypnosis didn't break.

No, that didn't work either?

Meanwhile, the high-ranking demon swung Moon Halberd like a windmill and charged.

I set Huiwon down and drew Unbreakable Faith, swinging it. A heavy crack rang out, and pain flared through my twisted wrist.

[You...]

The Master of the Spear's eyes widened upon recognizing me.

[You are a very large Fragment.]

A spear tip of exquisite mastery, too fast for my eyes to follow, moved toward me.

Damn it, was I wrong?

I took one of the items I had bought earlier from my pocket.

[You have used the item Commercial Signal Flare!]

The flare exploded like fireworks. All I could do was hope my companions noticed the signal in time.

"Huiwon-ssi! Run!"

I shouted toward Huiwon with all my strength.

"I'll somehow hold them here, so..."

I desperately activated [Way of the Wind], but it was an unavoidable strike. I felt the sharp spear tear into my abdomen.

Of course. It wasn't an enemy I could defeat in my current condition.

[You're laughing?]

Even so, I was smiling as I gripped the shaft of its spear.

I thought it might be better this way.

"Huiwon-ssi! Hurry..."

Why wasn't Huiwon answering?

I turned around. Huiwon was still there. She stood where she was, watching me instead of fleeing.

[The character Jeong Huiwon receives a great shock.]

Only then did I realize the keyword that could awaken Huiwon.

"Ah..."

The moment I saw Huiwon's expression, I strangely thought of my Patron.

「Demon King of Salvation.」

Only now did I understand why the man so clumsy at saving anyone was called the Demon King of Salvation.

[The mind of character Jeong Huiwon temporarily collapses!]

Those saved by a Demon King would inevitably receive wounds that could never be undone.

"Don't die. You can't die. You can't die..."

Muttering like a madwoman, Huiwon staggered toward me.

Blood poured from the wound in my abdomen, and my consciousness gradually faded.

And as my consciousness faded, a powerful certainty rose within me.

[A Constellation whose modifier has yet to be revealed is watching you.]

Huiwon wouldn't die.

[Your fading consciousness has been partially freed from the restraints of the body.]

She would suffer wounds terrible enough to kill her, but she still wouldn't die.

[The Exclusive Skill Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint Level 3 has forcibly activated.]

And there would be the Demon King's one-sided atonement for that one-sided salvation.

It was to read the stories of wounded people.

Read, read, and read again.

[First-Person Supporting Character's Viewpoint has activated!]

Until, at last, becoming that person.

「You can't die.」

When I opened my eyes, I saw my Incarnation body collapsing.

「No matter what happens, I will save him.」

The high-ranking demon reached toward my head with greedy eyes.

I moved Huiwon's hand and gripped Mikazuki Munechika.

[You activate Hour of Judgement!]

[The Constellation Demon King of Salvation (Proxy) has agreed to the activation of Hour of Judgement.]

At last, it was time for judgement.

Footnotes:

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