Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 565

Chapter 565

565 Episode 3. Protagonist(?) (2)
Wait. How many is that?

<Sponsor Selection>

—Please choose your sponsor.

—The constellation you select will become your powerful backer.

1. Monarch of the Small Fries

2. Dragon Lying Down

3. Sneaking Schemer

…….

I blinked in disbelief.

This many constellations wanted to sponsor me?

How did they even hear about me?

[The constellations are waiting for your decision.]

It was impossible to know. I’d have to evaluate each one.

Just because there were many applicants didn’t mean they were all qualified.

First was the ‘Monarch of the Small Fries’.

I’d expected this one.

In Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, he was the sponsor of Bang Cheolsoo, the temporary leader at Geumho Station. He vanished not long after the beginning.

In short, he wasn’t worth considering.

[The constellation ‘Monarch of the Small Fries’ is glaring at you.]

Second was the ‘Dragon Lying Down’.

This was the Crouching Dragon, ‘Zhu Ge Liang’. He had impressive stats for a narrative-grade constellation.

He must have been swayed by my killing tactic, but I had no intention of choosing him.

[The constellation ‘Dragon Lying Down’ is frowning.]

Next was…… Huh?

For a second, I thought I’d misread the title.

Third, the ‘Sneaking Schemer’.

I mistook it for ‘Secretive Plotter’.

A cheap copy?

Now that I thought about it, I couldn’t recall any constellation with that name.

[The constellation ‘Sneaking Schemer’ claims to be very powerful and urges you to pick him.]

His manner of speech didn’t match the title. He was probably just imitating the ‘Secretive Plotter’.

As Kim Dokja said, it was unlikely a constellation with such a weak-sounding modifier would be strong.

4. Abyssal Black Flame Dragon

I drew a sharp breath.

Who did I just see?

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ has come after hearing rumors about you.]

Abyssal Black Flame Dragon.

The one who sponsored the Black Flame Demon Ruler Han Sooyoung in Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, and one of the ‘first four’ in Bihyung’s channel.

It had been a long time since I’d seen that name.

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ tells you to hurry up and decide.]

Come to think of it, he’d been involved with Kim Namwoon, Han Sooyoung, Kim Dokja, and Yoo Joonghyuk before.

Did that mean I was also a main character?

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ is withdrawing his ‘Sponsor Application’.]

[The number of available sponsors has been reduced to 9.]

What a short fuse.

It wasn’t a loss since I hadn’t planned to choose him anyway.

There were still six left.

5. Nail-Eating Rat

I suddenly felt a pang of regret over losing the Black Flame Dragon.

6. Primordial Cow

7. Rice Cake-Eating Tiger

Not yet.

Three more remained.

8. Pig Living in a Brick House

9. Dog Who Threw Himself Into the Flames

What in the world was this?

Was there some kind of ‘zodiac-only’ event happening?

I closed my eyes, took a slow, deep breath, and whispered my personal mantra.

「 I am Kim Dokja. 」

Then I checked the final constellation.

10. ???

Three question marks?

Was that even a modifier?

As I pondered, a bolt of lightning seemed to strike my mind, and the image of a dark theater appeared.

「 «In Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, what is the identity of the constellation shown as ‘???’?» 」

This question had indeed come up during <Kim Dokja’s Banquet> before.

I knew the answer.

In all of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, only one constellation had the modifier ‘???’.

He was the supreme being overseeing the entire universe.

He was the sponsor of the regressor Yoo Joonghyuk, who sought only the next story.

[A constellation that has not revealed its modifier is watching you.]

The protagonist of 『Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint』.

I looked up at the ceiling, my eyes trembling.

「 The Oldest Dream. 」

The entity known as «The Oldest Dream» in Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint is split into two.

One is the ‘young Kim Dokja’ who appears early in the story.

The other is the ‘adult Kim Dokja’ who inherits the title later on.

Unless I was being deceived by a high-level illusion, this was clearly the story’s beginning.

The presence of Bihyung and Lee Jihye from ‘Daepong Girls’ High School’ confirmed it.

If this were after the main events of ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’, Bihyung and Lee Jihye wouldn’t appear like this.

「 So, is ‘???’ the ‘young Kim Dokja’? 」

But that didn’t add up.

Throughout ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’, ‘Young Kim Dokja’ rarely interfered, except to regress Yoo Joonghyuk.

He probably didn’t even know he was a god.

And now he was sending me a ‘Sponsor Application’, even though I wasn’t in ‘Ways of Survival’?

While he was already Yoo Joonghyuk’s sponsor?

「 Then, is ‘???’ the ‘adult Kim Dokja’? 」

That didn’t make sense either.

By the end of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, the ‘adult Kim Dokja’ had his soul shattered into molecules and scattered across the universe.

[A constellation that has not revealed its modifier is waiting for your choice.]

A cold tension crept down my spine.

«You…… Who are you?»

I asked without expecting a reply, but.

[A constellation that has not revealed its modifier is gazing at you.]

My breath caught, and a chill spread through me.

A *tsuchuchut* sound followed, and my body glowed blue. An agonizing pain, as if my spine were on fire, overwhelmed my consciousness.

.

.

.

【⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛.】

【This is ⬛⬛⬛ playground.】

【You may not intervene in ⬛⬛⬛ story.】

【Even if you ⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛ ⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛.】

.

.

.

When I opened my eyes again, the ahjussi was shaking me.

«Wake up, mate!»

My body swayed weakly.

I jolted back to awareness.

Blood was dripping from my nose.

What was that? What just happened?

Dazed, the ahjussi kept shaking me.

«I think I’m going to be sick……»

«Ah, sorry. You suddenly rolled your eyes back. What happened with the Sponsor Selection?»

«Sponsor Selection……?»

[10 seconds remain to complete the Sponsor Selection.]

Oh, hell.

I quickly checked the Sponsor Selection window.

And then.

9. Dog Who Threw Himself Into the Flames

What had occurred?

Apparently, the ’10th’ option that was there moments ago had vanished.

[5 seconds remain to complete the Sponsor Selection.]

There was no time to think.

Should I choose the best available constellation or……

I deliberated until the final moment and made my choice.

[The Sponsor Selection has ended.]

Clearly, this world was not the ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ I knew.

I couldn’t pinpoint it exactly, but this world was distorted in some crucial way.

[You did not select a sponsor.]

For now, I needed to observe. I could always choose a sponsor later.

As long as I managed to survive.

«Mate?»

«Yes.»

«Did you pick?»

I shook my head.

Dansoo ahjussi shook his head as if he understood.

«Ah, come to think of it, Kim Dokja……»

«No, no, I couldn’t decide. There were many good constellations.»

It was a lie, but I had to say it.

[The constellation ‘Rice Cake-Eating Tiger’ is relieved it turned out that way.]

[The constellation ‘Primordial Cow’ is relieved.]

[The constellation ‘Pig Living in a Brick House’ asks to be chosen next time.]

[The constellation ‘Nail-Eating Rat’ nods, saying it happens.]

By responding this way, I avoided offending the constellations that had applied.

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ calls you pathetic for missing your chance.]

[The constellation ‘Sneaking Schemer’ is watching you with narrowed eyes.]

Fortunately, the reaction was manageable.

«What about you?»

«It was quite difficult for me, too.»

«How many constellations applied?»

«Four.»

I was genuinely surprised.

He’d done some unusual things, but four?

«Were there any good ones?»

«I recognized a few names.»

«Who?»

I felt a bit nervous.

Still, he’d saved me, so there was a chance a decent constellation might appear.

Luckily, the Korean Peninsula had many good ones; even if he got the ‘Bald General’ or ‘King Heungmu’, the early scenarios would be fine.

«That…… ‘Commander of the Red Cosmos’.»

«Ah, Cosmos……»

I replied casually, then my head snapped up.

«‘Commander of the Red Cosmos’?»

«Yes……»

I stared in disbelief at the nervous-looking Dansoo ahjussi.

The star he mentioned was a narrative-grade constellation. Commander of the Red Cosmos.

‘Archangel Jophiel’ of <Eden>.

A constellation on par with Uriel, who visited the worldline of the 1,863rd regression with Kim Dokja and later ruled <Eden>.

A single use of Jophiel’s stigma could annihilate lower-tier demons instantly.

«Is she a great constellation?»

«Yes. She’s very powerful.»

«To be honest, I don’t remember much about her…… The novel had complex language, and it’s been a while……»

I asked, trying to steady my slightly trembling lips.

«And the second?»

This time, he sounded more confident.

«‘Goryeo’s First Sword’.»

I gasped.

Goryeo’s First Sword, ‘Cheok Jungyeong’.

The so-called ‘Swordmaster Cheok’, a mighty Korean constellation.

Considering his long-term potential, he wasn’t a bad alternative to a narrative-grade.

«Wow, that’s impressive. What about the third?»

At that moment, Dansoo ahjussi’s expression turned oddly solemn.

The reason soon became clear.

«The third was ‘God of Wine and Ecstasy’.»

I wondered if I’d heard wrong.

«Who?»

«God of Wine and Ecstasy……»

«Really? You’re not joking, are you?»

«Why would I lie?»

Ahjussi looked annoyed.

I wanted to use [Lie Detection] on him.

No, this didn’t make sense.

Jophiel, Goryeo’s First Sword.

And God of Wine and Ecstasy, Dionysus?

Who was Dionysus?

One of the twelve gods of the great nebula <Olympus>, a powerful narrative-grade constellation who had supported Kim Dokja from the early stages of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint?

Why were these constellations appearing?

I was happy for him, but also a little jealous and irritated.

«Who was the last? Don’t tell me the last was……»

«Well, the last constellation really surprised me.»

Surprised?

For a moment, I thought of ‘???’

Did that option appear for him, too?

«It was a constellation named ‘Sneaking Schemer’.»

So it was the Secretive Plotter impersonator.

Luckily, that last one wasn’t a big deal.

«He applied for me, too.»

Ahjussi sounded strangely let down.

«Can I ask what yours were like?»

«I had about ten.»

«What, ten?»

«Yeah, well, I didn’t end up choosing anyone.»

«Could you tell me which ones?»

«Well, the Black Flame Dragon and……»

«Black Flame Dragon!»

Dansoo ahjussi’s eyes lit up like a child’s as he nodded.

But no matter how I thought about it, none of the others were as notable as the Black Flame Dragon.

[The constellation ‘Nail-Eating Rat’ is frowning.]

After a moment’s thought, I decided to be diplomatic and spare everyone’s pride.

«And a dragon as renowned as the Black Flame Dragon.»

«That’s amazing.»

[The constellation ‘Dragon Lying Down’ is touched by your words and has sponsored you 100 coins.]

«And…… There were a few constellations on the level of the Prisoner of the Golden Headband……»

«On the level of the Prisoner of the Golden Headband……»

[The constellation ‘Rice Cake-Eating Tiger’ has sponsored you 100 coins.]

[The constellation ‘Primordial Cow’ has sponsored you 100 coins.]

[The constellation ‘Nail-Eating Rat’ has sponsored you 100 coins.]

[The constellation ‘Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames’ has sponsored you 100 coins.]

The Prisoner of the Golden Headband is a formidable monkey.

He didn’t know it, but they were undoubtedly strong tigers, strong cows, strong rats, and strong dogs, so I wasn’t completely wrong.

Seeing them celebrate made me feel good, too.

[The constellation ‘Monarch of the Small Fries’ is staring at you in disbelief.]

[The constellation ‘Monarch of the Small Fries’ is calling for the ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’.]

……No way.

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ has entered the channel.]

Wait, hold on.

[The constellation ‘Rice Cake-Eating Tiger’ has left the channel.]

[The constellation ‘Primordial Cow’ has left the channel.]

[The constellation ‘Nail-Eating Rat’ has left the channel.]

[The constellation ‘Dog Who Threw Himself into the Flames’ has left the channel.]

I thought I heard Bihyung screaming from somewhere.

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ asks where everyone went.]

[The constellation ‘Pig Living in a Brick House’ says he didn’t see them because he was at home.]

As the channel descended into chaos, Dansoo ahjussi beside me kept giving me thumbs up.

«Wow, that’s incredible, all those major constellations.»

«Never mind that, who did you pick?»

He had three prime choices.

Jophiel, Cheok Jungyeong, and Dionysus.

All three were outstanding constellations, so it came down to preference.

Whomever he chose, he’d have a solid foundation at least until the mid-game scenarios.

Suddenly, Dansoo ahjussi seemed to radiate a halo.

On closer look, he was a bit older, but his eyes held a distinct spark.

Plus, he’d read all of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint.

Wait, could it be………

Is he the ‘protagonist’?

Just as Kim Dokja was the protagonist of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, perhaps the protagonist of this story was this ahjussi.

The situation was similar to Kim Dokja’s, with three major names attached to him from the start.

My heart began to pound.

If this ahjussi was the protagonist………

I recalled the first line spoken about Dansoo ahjussi.

«Sometimes I wondered. What if I were the main character.»

I found myself nodding in agreement with such a protagonist-like remark.

«If I were Kim Dokja, who would I have chosen in the first ‘Sponsor Selection’?»

In his first <Sponsor Selection>, Kim Dokja received grand offers from Uriel, the Great Sage Heaven’s Equal, the Black Flame Dragon, and the Secretive Plotter, but he erred by not choosing any.

«I was stunned. I would’ve chosen the strongest one, obviously.»

«That’s the normal response.»

Kim Dokja had read all 3,149 chapters of ‘Ways of Survival’, each with around 50,000 characters, and was a fanatic who memorized them all, so he could survive with that decision.

However, Dansoo ahjussi had only read 551 chapters of ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’, with about 5,000 characters per chapter, and even then, he didn’t grasp most of it.

«Yes…… I just went with the strongest constellation, like anyone would.»

«I think I know who you picked.»

Dansoo ahjussi smiled and nodded.

«Right. I’ve forgotten a lot, but I remember this constellation’s name because it’s the strongest in the entire novel.»

He was suddenly speaking volubly, which made me uneasy.

Come to think of it, ahjussi didn’t even remember who Cheon Inho was.

«Ahjussi. Sorry to say, but the ‘Commander of the Red Cosmos’ is strong, yet she’s not the strongest……»

«I didn’t pick the red flower or whatever.»

«The ‘God of Wine and Ecstasy’ is also narrative-grade. As you know, above narrative is myth……»

«I’m not fond of alcohol.»

I quickly glanced around and lowered my voice.

«Ahjussi, I’m Korean too, so I have great respect for ‘Goryeo’s First Sword’, but……»

«I’m not patriotic enough to call Cheok Jungyeong the strongest either.»

«Then who in the world did you choose?»

Ahjussi’s eyes, sharp as blades, gleamed with a mad light.

«Jiyoon always said this constellation is the best in Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint. That she’d even marry him one day.»

Marry?

«‘A man who endured the tragedy of endless regressions and finally witnessed the world’s conclusion’—Jiyoon had a poster of that in her room.»

Suddenly, I understood what had happened.

No, no, no.

It couldn’t be.

No reader of my novel would confuse things that badly.

But Dansoo ahjussi was smiling with the confidence of Kim Dokja who had already surpassed the [Last Wall.]

«I chose the strongest one, the ‘Sneaking Schemer’.»

[The constellation ‘Sneaking Schemer’ is smiling brightly.]

I began to think he resembled Han Myungoh, who had chosen the ‘Lame Trickster’.

[The restriction on this area has been lifted!]

In the distance, I could see men wielding pipes running toward us.

[The next scenario is about to begin.]

Perhaps we’d die before meeting Kim Dokja.