Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint - Chapter 802

WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS x FLAME COMICS

Translator: ZERO_SUGAR

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

◈ Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint ◈

Chapter 802: Episode 39: Rumors (1)

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[Fable Fragment Birds Hear Words Spoken by Day continues its story.]

The Fable Fragment I had picked up at the Recycling Center, "Birds Hear Words Spoken by Day."

This fragment, which had a relatively low Plausibility cost, was literally suited to overhearing what other Incarnations said during the day.

"Who did they say would be judging this year's festival?"

"The Namgung Clan."

"Oh, so those proud Clan Heads are finally making a move."

"What good will that do? The winner is going to be..."

Everything said within a hundred-meter radius sounded as if someone were whispering it right beside me.

"For sale! Dumplings for sale!"

"Hot chicken broth here!"

Was I still unskilled at using Fable Fragments?

"Have you heard the news?"

"I have. You mean how the Twelve Zodiacs were wiped out."

"...These fragments..."

Some conversations came through clearly, while others did not.

"Anyway, the Fear Realm Expedition is next week already. Which sect will participate this time?"

"Then is this year's Martial Arts Tournament canceled? Everyone's attention will probably be on the expedition party..."

Even so, I had gathered enough keywords to judge the situation.

The Namgung Clan. Dumplings. Chicken broth. The Martial Arts Tournament. And the Fear Realm Expedition.

When I nodded, Yu Junghyeok, who had been silently glaring at me, tossed out a remark.

"You're a suspicious bastard."

"Please call it a cautious nature. It really is the First Martial World."

The First Martial World.

I had come to the First Martial World, the sacred land of martial arts I had only ever heard about.

[The 30s Main Scenario is underway in this Scenario Area.]

A Main Scenario in the thirties.

Considering that the First Martial World was originally a place where groups carrying out Scenarios from the twenties to the forties gathered, it was not strange for a Main Scenario in the thirties to be underway.

Crackle.

Tiny sparks flickered over not only my body, but Junghyeok's as well. We were probably suffering the penalty for jumping Scenarios.

In fact, my body had felt slightly heavy since earlier, and the air was stifling. Was this the density of the "story" held by a Scenario in the thirties?

Still, perhaps because of the Status I had accumulated so far, my body quickly adjusted.

[Acquire a new Scenario.]

[Your Incarnation body's bond is weakening.]

Aside from the fact that it was sending me real-time teasers for my impending collapse.

I tried not to show it and smiled.

"I think I know who you came here to meet."

Perhaps it was no longer surprising that I knew things, because Junghyeok narrowed his eyes as he replied.

"I had no intention of coming to see them in this round."

The First Martial World was where the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint, Junghyeok's master, resided.

The Sky-Splitting Sword Saint, one of the strongest Transcendents.

Just as he had in the original story, Junghyeok was probably planning to make the Sword Saint our ally.

"What you need now is to restore your Incarnation body and acquire a new Scenario."

"That's right. How did you know?"

"I've been an Exile too. We can probably get help."

Honestly, I was surprised. Junghyeok, being this kind even if his goal was to use me? Had Teacher Jaehwan's thrusts scrambled his brain?

In any case, it was fortunate for me.

I quickly got up before Junghyeok could come to his senses.

"Good. Let's leave right away."

"..."

"Yu Junghyeok?"

Child Junghyeok looked up at me with his usual troubled expression.

"What's wrong? Hurry up and lead me to the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint."

"Unfortunately."

Only then did I realize what had happened to Junghyeok.

One of the side effects of Fable Engraving was memory loss. Especially when he used so much power that he became a child, he could temporarily lose memories he did not want to lose.

In other words.

"How remarkable. You forgot only the memories we need."

Until Junghyeok recovered his original Incarnation body, we would not be able to find the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint's residence.

Junghyeok looked at me shamelessly.

"Can't you find it?"

"How am I supposed to find it? This is my first time in the First Martial World too. I don't even know where we are."

We had suddenly fallen into the First Martial World and gotten lost. To make matters worse, Junghyeok was a useless amnesiac child, and I had an Incarnation body that could give out within an hour.

Damn it. 『Murim Life Starting from Zero』 would still be better than this.

I looked over our beggar-like appearances and spoke.

"Should we join the Beggars' Sect?"

"..."

"We can become Beggars' Sect disciples, beg for food, and ask people around. Excuse me, where does the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint live?"

Perhaps deciding to ignore me, Junghyeok stared into the distance, lost in thought.

Gurgle.

To make matters worse, a sound came from inside my stomach.

We looked at each other.

"It wasn't me."

"Not me either."

We decided to deal with our hunger first.

Fortunately, this was the First Martial World. There were foods that even the picky Junghyeok could buy and eat here.

Come to think of it, had Teacher Jaehwan intentionally sent us somewhere with Murim Dumplings?

"There's a place nearby that sells Murim Dumplings. Things are still better than they were at the Recycling Center."

As I brushed off the straw and stood up, Junghyeok unexpectedly stopped me.

"Are you going like that?"

"What? If you don't like it, go buy them yourself."

"I will."

"What?"

Surprisingly, Junghyeok obediently rose. I had no idea how many times I would be surprised today.

"This is a regular Scenario Area. Do you not know what will happen to an Exile wandering around during the day without a Scenario?"

I had forgotten for a moment.

Martial artists were people thirstier than anyone for enlightenment. They were the sort who would even pay Coins to gain enlightenment and advance their martial arts.

And in this Star Stream, the easiest way to gain enlightenment was through fables.

If an Exile leaking fables everywhere appeared in the middle of that, it was obvious what would happen to them.

"If you're lucky, you might survive after being dragged to the government office, but..."

"Then we'd be sold to the Administration Bureau and become a Scenario's servant."

"Do you want that to happen?"

I shrugged.

Without a word, Junghyeok walked over and held out his hand.

"Don't tell me you're asking for Coins."

Damn it. Such a meticulous bastard. A miser who would not even buy a single Murim Dumpling with his own money.

I handed him enough Coins for that miser to buy Murim Dumplings, chicken broth, and other snacks.

Junghyeok counted the Coins I had given him, then nodded as if satisfied.

"You're not planning to run off with them, are you?"

"..."

"Do you even know where they sell Murim Dumplings?"

Had I been too irritating?

Junghyeok turned to me in anger.

"Looks like I forgot."

Of course he did.

I let out a deep sigh.

"Let's just go together."

"But you..."

"Like this."

I transformed Thought of Almost Everything into the Myriad Transformations Stealth Suit. Then I used the suit to alter the size of my body.

[Myriad Transformations Stealth Suit has reached its transformation limit.]

[It cannot become any smaller.]

Having become the size of a peace land resident, I Leaped into Junghyeok's coat pocket and hid there.

Junghyeok narrowed his eyes as if impressed.

"You've only learned strange little tricks."

"That's not something I want to hear from a kid who can't even buy Murim Dumplings alone."

As we bickered and opened the barn door, the streets of the First Martial World spread out before us. A few peddlers seemed to turn toward us, but their gazes soon scattered.

I used Midday Tryst to speak to Junghyeok while looking around the streets.

―When will your body recover?

"Three or four days."

―Buy plenty of Murim Dumplings. You eat eight meals a day.

"Not always."

I was newly grateful that this was Murim. At least there were foods here that picky Junghyeok could eat for eight meals a day.

―Over there.

I guided Junghyeok toward the street where I had heard people selling dumplings. After walking for some time, the scent of delicious food drifted over, and I saw a line of old stalls in the distance.

[The Murim Dumpling Festival is currently underway.]

Wait, was there an event like this?

Even Junghyeok seemed quite surprised, as if this was his first time encountering such a situation.

Every stall sign on the street had "Murim Dumplings" written on it.

「Original Murim Dumplings」

「The Real Original Murim Dumplings」

「Original Murim Dumpling Omakase」

「The True Murim Dumplings Even Dokkaebis Approve Of」

「New Original Murim Dumplings」

「Grandma's Murim Dumplings」

「Black-and-White Murim Dumplings」

...

Just how many "Original Murim Dumplings" were there?

―Which one is real? No, damn it. You said you forgot.

Rather than react to my grumbling, Junghyeok gazed at the dumpling street with vacant eyes.

It made sense. Murim Dumplings were a food that held great meaning for him as well. Perhaps he was recalling an episode with the Sky-Splitting Sword Saint.

The warm dumpling his master had bought for him on his birthday.

There were moments even the regressor could not return to. And now, Junghyeok had briefly regressed to a moment he could never return to again.

Gurgle.

Or perhaps he simply looked dead-eyed because he was hungry.

―Let's eat already. Where should we buy them?

At my urging, Junghyeok slowly began looking around the nearby shops. Perhaps because it was a dumpling festival, events related to Murim Dumplings were taking place everywhere.

Two stood out in particular.

[The Murim Dumpling Eating Contest is currently underway.]

If there were decent prizes at stake, it was a contest worth entering.

More importantly, we had the Constellation Pig That Eats Eight Meals with us.

[The Greatest Murim Dumpling Competition is currently underway.]

However, Junghyeok was more interested in the Greatest Murim Dumpling Competition.

Only then did I remember that Junghyeok was quite the gourmet.

「The legendary dumplings that even the Hunchbacks, famed gourmets of the Star Stream, give three humps up.」

「Try Namgung Murim Dumplings today.」

Namgung Murim Dumplings.

Maybe it was because of the dumplings' name, but Junghyeok slowly headed that way.

The dumpling shop was bustling from its entrance onward.

It seemed the competition judges had come to visit the dumpling shop.

"Judges, please try them!"

With a flourish, the owner presented a whole bowl of dumplings. Judging by the sheen on the fluffy dumpling skins, they did seem fairly well made.

Junghyeok spoke.

"Franchise dumplings."

―What? Murim Dumplings have franchises too?

Sure enough, they were packing dumplings into boxes and selling them by the stack beside the shop.

Just as I began to think something seemed strange about this whole situation, the head judge stepped forward and picked up a dumpling.

"They look delicious at a glance."

A middle-aged man with a dignified face.

The moment he opened his mouth, cheers rang out around him.

"Namgung Jincheon!"

"It's the Emperor Sword!"

The Emperor Sword, Namgung Jincheon.

I knew that name as well.

He was the Clan Head of one of the Five Great Families that ruled the First Martial World, as well as one of the current Top Ten Masters of the First Martial World.

Namgung Jincheon slowly picked up a Murim Dumpling and took a large bite. He calmly chewed the dumpling, then opened his mouth with a warm smile.

"An excellent dumpling."

Cheers burst out.

Only then did I think I understood how this dumpling contest worked.

―These people aren't even trying to hide it.

The dumplings were called "Namgung Murim Dumplings," and Namgung Jincheon was sitting there as a judge.

―Murim really has fallen.

Come to think of it, the First Martial World was now being thoroughly commercialized by the dokkaebis. There was no chance an honest competition like this existed.

In other words, this competition was nothing more than a festival disguised to promote those Namgung Murim Dumplings.

Soon, those Murim Dumplings would be packaged as "Murim Dumplings approved by the Namgung Clan" and sell like wildfire through the Dokkaebi Compendium.

"Our grand martial uncle loved Murim Dumplings too. I wish he could try these dumplings."

At Namgung Jincheon's words, the martial artists around us cheered again.

"In the name of the Namgung Clan, I announce that this year's Dumpling Competition winner is..."

The Emperor Sword, Namgung Jincheon.

At least in this Murim, he wielded power comparable to the Twelve Constellations of Olympus.

No one here would dare defy his judgment.

Except for one person.

"The filling isn't cooked evenly."

As an incomprehensible silence fell over the crowd, Namgung Jincheon widened his eyes and turned to the side.

There stood an ill-mannered little brat who spat out the dumpling he had been chewing.

"This isn't Murim Dumplings."

It was Yu Junghyeok.