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685 chapter - Name (7)

Omniscient Reader’S Viewpoint (Web Novel Kr) — novelight.net · All chapters

685 chapter - Name (7)

“Departure is in one hour. When your preparations are complete, come to the throne in front of Gwanghwamun.”
After finishing his one-sided notice, Yu Joonghyuk once again sat cross-legged and closed his eyes.
I immediately left Yu Joonghyuk’s quarters and headed toward the tent village at Gwanghwamun where people were gathered.
While I was on the move, I had a brief conversation with Kim Dokja.
―Interesting ability. You can’t read the main text, ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) but you can read only the comments, right?
‘Yes.’
The “Demon King of Salvation” Kim Dokja, who had come to share my field of vision, had been absorbed since earlier in checking the platform app linked to the smartphone.
+
……
Episode 22. Name (3) +[8]
Episode 22. Name (2) +[11]
Episode 22. Name (1) +[14]
……
+
It seemed that the app was also linked to the smartphone I had received as a constellation relic.
Just by glancing briefly, Kim Dokja seemed to have understood what kind of situation this was.
―So this is saying your story is being serialized in real time.
‘It seems so.’
Come to think of it, Kim Dokja had experienced something similar before. At that time it wasn’t the side story of Omniscient Reader but the revised edition of the Annihilation Method.
―There was quite a long break between Episode 21 and Episode 22.
The break between Episode 21 and Episode 22 lasted exactly forty-five days.
‘That’s the same amount of time I was unconscious.’
That meant this “serialization” was being recorded only when I was awake.
‘Who is doing the serialization?’
The original author who wrote both the Annihilation Method and Omniscient Reader was Han Sooyoung.
Then could the one writing this serialization also be her?
Of course, Han Sooyoung died right before my eyes.
But…… there’s no way she truly died, is there. If it’s the Han Sooyoung I know, she definitely wouldn’t.
―How would I know that?
‘You can observe all universes.’
―That’s the “Oldest Dream’s” job.
Come to think of it, my backer was the “Demon King of Salvation.”
A strange premonition came over me.
‘Backer, what is your constellation rank?’
―What rank?
‘Among Great Figure, Tale, and Myth, which rank are you?’
In the original, Kim Dokja’s final rank was “Myth.”
However, according to what the Demon King of Salvation Kim Dokja had said, the Kim Dokja I knew was divided around “modifiers.” That meant……
―Anyway, let’s read the comments first. Use a free pass.
Judging by how he changed the subject, he probably wasn’t Myth rank.
[One daily free pass will be consumed.]
In any case, his suggestion to read the comments wasn’t bad. I needed as much information as possible right now.
I tapped the comments for the most recent episode.
[Regardless of order, one comment from the corresponding episode will be displayed at random.]
+
―Demon King of Salvation! Demon King of Salvation! Demon King of Salvation!
+
I saved the user who wrote that comment as “Demon King of Salvation Villain,” then checked the next comment.
+
―Zeus, Poseidon, Great Sage Equal to Heaven, and…… Demon King of Salvation.
+
Another “Demon King of Salvation Villain.”
I could sense Kim Dokja smiling faintly inside my head, finding something amusing.
I immediately checked the third comment.
+
―That’s not the Demon King of Salvation I knew……
+
“Finally, a normal comment.”
I didn’t know who wrote it, but they were a wise friend.
I thought I’d finally hit Kim Dokja once, but unexpectedly, his reaction was calm.
―Well. Everyone has their own idea of ‘me.’
‘You admit that easily?’
―When I first read the Annihilation Method and later reread it, my feelings about Yu Joonghyuk changed.
‘Again with Yu Joonghyuk?’
―Right now Joonghyuk’s soft, but later on he’s like a real psychopath sometimes. Especially when his coins drop—he gets very sensitive……
Indeed, this “Demon King of Salvation” resembled the cynical early-period Kim Dokja from Omniscient Reader.
An office worker who was afraid even to buy a convenience-store lunch box. A man who left work on time and read the Annihilation Method as his daily joy, living a modest happiness.
―Still, Joonghyuk has his own sense of loyalty. From what I see, the 41st round isn’t entirely hopeless……
The one who was saved by “Yu Joonghyuk’s” story, the one who loved the Annihilation Method more than anyone.
Sometimes selfish, sometimes mischievous, yet with a sliver of warmth toward humanity.
―If you make good use of that trait and steer the 41st round well, even if your situation is terrible……
He didn’t have any grand sense of justice, but Kim Dokja was the kind of person who would protect those within his circle at any cost.
―Are you listening to me?
‘Yes. Let’s see the last comment.’
I used the last free pass.
+
―Another death crisis. At this point I almost pity him. Well, that’s why the backer happens to be the Demon King of Salvation……
+
We were both silent at the same time. It was too obvious who was in danger.
‘What do you think this means.’
―Hmm.
‘Could it be related to the seventh scenario?’
Yu Joonghyuk had said that the final battle of the seventh scenario would involve Anna Croft.
That meant the finale of this scenario would be a kind of national cooperative battle like Peace Land……
What was going to happen there?
While Kim Dokja was deep in thought, he suddenly asked,
―How different do you think the narrative timeline is from our current time?
‘They’re almost the same. I think the latest installment depicts a slightly near future.’
―So it’s like Anna Croft’s short-term future vision. Since we have to guess from comments, the accuracy of analysis is a bit low.
‘Yes, that’s true.’
―How’s the development speed per episode?
‘It’s not fast, in my opinion.’
―Then the crisis might not be related to the scenario.
That was true as well.
Then what is this crisis?
At least I seemed to have escaped being beaten to death by Yu Joonghyuk.
―Since you woke up, haven’t you felt anything strange?
My backer seemed to have a hunch about something.
‘Strange?’
―I thought “that” would be starting soon.
‘Could you not use such ominous wording? You could just tell me directly.’
―When I was an avatar, I also thought that way, but phrasing it like this consumes less plausibility cost.
‘Even in the rendezvous room, plausibility cost is consumed?’
―Do you think it’s easy for a constellation to transmit information? I think by now you……
‘Yes?’
With a crackling noise, tsutsu-tsut, interference entered Kim Dokja’s voice, and soon a light spark flickered on the smartphone.
[<Midday Rendezvous> has been temporarily suspended due to an error.]
I immediately checked the smartphone. I wondered if the constellation relic was defective, but that didn’t seem to be the case.
“Hello?”
Kim Dokja didn’t speak. No indirect messages came either.
Had there suddenly been a plausibility aftershock?
That was possible.
Even if the “Demon King of Salvation” wasn’t Myth rank, a constellation was still a constellation.
Just calling their names consumed plausibility, which was why they were referred to by “modifiers.”
And yet I had been having a live conversation with a constellation. Even if the relic had shared the plausibility burden, it couldn’t have been easy for Kim Dokja.
Anyway, this was troublesome.
He had seemed about to say something important just before the connection cut……
While thinking about all that, I found myself entering the tent village.
“Sir?”
At the entrance, a girl was waiting for me.
“Oh.”
It was Shin Yuseung.
+
I remembered the last time I met Shin Yuseung.
We had met in the one-person dungeon “Hall of Na-gak” and explored the Star Gem Dungeon together.
「‘If you give me one word, I’ll kill them all.’」
At that time, Shin Yuseung had definitely not been the Shin Yuseung of the 41st round.
“It’s been a while. How have you been?”
“Yes!”
As Shin Yuseung answered brightly, I quietly examined her. That characteristic white and pure face—just a short glance was enough.
There was no longer the same feeling as before.
The golden glow that had once made my back go cold just by facing her could no longer be felt.
Then had Shin Yuseung’s possession ended?
If it had ended, why?
A bad thought crossed my mind.
Could something have happened to <Kim Dokja Company>?
“Do you remember what happened in the Star Gem Dungeon?”
I hadn’t asked expecting much. I was just curious about the child’s condition.
If the Shin Yuseung of the 1,864th round had possessed her, what state had this child been in during that possession?
“Of course. I remember everything.”
She remembered?
“Do you remember taming the ancient Na-gak?”
“Of course! But……”
Shin Yuseung paused for a moment before continuing.
“That wasn’t me.”
“Excuse me?”
“No, it was me, but…… I guess I should say it was a slightly different me……”
My heart began to beat slowly.
She had memories from the possession state.
“What do you mean?”
Shin Yuseung hesitated for a long time, as if unsure how to explain, then spoke.
“Um, do you know the skill [Taming]?”
“Yes.”
“If I had to describe it…… it felt like another me from another world tamed me and moved me. Weird, right?”
Twisting her hair with her finger, Shin Yuseung glanced at me and lowered her head.
I held her small shoulder and said, “No, it’s not weird at all.”
“Really?”
“Yes. I believe you.”
Shin Yuseung’s eyes lit up brightly. The color wasn’t gold like when she was possessed by the 41st round, but maybe even clearer than then.
Her cheeks flushed faintly, and she spoke again.
“Ah, I thought you might believe me, sir. The other me said the same thing.”
“What did she say?”
“She said you can be trusted.”
“……”
“And she said she probably wouldn’t be able to come for a while. So please take care of you……”
I didn’t know why Shin Yuseung’s possession had ended. But until the very last moment, she had been worried about me.
Shin Yuseung looked up at me and asked cautiously, “Sir? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
I quickly lifted my head and hid my eyes.
Shin Yuseung asked with an innocent voice, “Sir, can I ask one thing?”
“Yes, go ahead.”
“Who is Kim Dokja?”
Where had this child heard that name?
“Kim Dokja is……”
A ringing sounded in my ears, and my vision spun.
“Sir?”
Shin Yuseung hurriedly caught me as I staggered.
What was this. My arms and legs felt weak.
“Ah, sir! Blood……!”
Panicked, Shin Yuseung shouted and pointed at my neck. I instinctively raised my hand to my throat.
When did this happen?
From a shallow wound on my neck, blood was flowing.
Looking closely, it wasn’t blood. The blood on my fingers was crumbling into tiny tale fragments.
A Tale?
“Get back!”
The moment I reflexively pushed Shin Yuseung away, sparks burst from all over my body.
[<Star Stream> has determined the grade of the Tale to be given to you.]
Kim Dokja’s words came to mind.
His warning that my crisis might not be a “scenario.”
「I contracted with the Demon King of Salvation in a scenario-departure zone and killed an Otherworldly Divinity.」
The achievement I had made forty-five days ago was truly absurd.
And now that achievement was returning to me as a Tale.
But not all Tales bring beneficial effects to their owners.
[A new Tale related to you has been born!]
[Tale, ‘Successor of the Eternal Name,’ has been born!]
Successor of the Eternal Name.
That was the name of the Tale I had newly gained.
[The temporary grade of this Tale is ‘Quasi-Myth.’]
[The grade of this Tale may be re-evaluated later.]
[At your current rank, you cannot handle this Tale.]
Once, on the Island of Reincarnators, Yoo Hoseong of One-Strike Invincible had said something like this.
Those who cannot control a Tale will eventually be eaten by it.
「You said 49% was decided, so you have to take this too.」
For a moment, I remembered what the 49% Kim Dokja had been.
He was the [Avatar] Kim Dokja who possessed 49% of the memories.
The 51% had been the groundwork left behind for the happiness of his companions.
‘Wait, no way.’
In the 1,864th round, the 49% Kim Dokja suffered from a disease that caused his Tale to collapse little by little.
[Your physical composition is extremely unstable.]
[The durability of your body is rapidly decreasing!]
This was the price for declaring that I would become Kim Dokja.
[You are currently an incomplete ‘Kim Dokja.’]
[To survive, you must obtain additional ‘Kim Dokja fragments.’]
From afar I could see my companions running toward me—Uncle Dansoo, Gyeong Sein, and even Killer King.
But I couldn’t welcome them.
[Tale, ‘Successor of the Eternal Name,’ licks its lips.]
The Tale inside me was commanding me.
[If you do not acquire a new ‘Kim Dokja fragment’ within 50 minutes, you will die.]
To become the only Kim Dokja, annihilate all the other Kim Dokjas.
[Time remaining until death: 49:51]