Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 570

Chapter 570

«They say there’s nothing up ahead.»

Thanks to the cockroaches alerting us to danger, we were able to advance more quickly than we had been.

Kyung Sein remarked with admiration.

«These cockroaches are seriously overpowered.»

«What does that mean?»

«It’s… just that they’re incredibly useful. Maybe your sponsor is better than I imagined?»

[The constellation ‘Sneaking Schemer’ mutters in annoyance, ‘You’re only figuring that out now?’]

Things were certainly looking up.

At this point, Dansoo ahjussi could easily fill the role that Lee Gilyoung played in the original story.

We continued walking for about ten minutes.

He came to a halt for the first time.

«There’s something ahead of us.»

We all held our breath at once.

A few cockroaches scrambled back toward him, their antennae shaking intensely.

«I believe it’s a single ground rat.»

I hadn’t expected to find ground rats in this part of the tunnel.

After a moment’s thought, I said,

«Let’s wait. It might be one that got separated from its group and is lost.»

I wanted to avoid a confrontation. We hid ourselves and waited.

One minute, five minutes, ten minutes.

The ground rat showed no intention of leaving.

Dansoo ahjussi looked somewhat drained, as if he had overused [Diverse Communication] in a short span.

«What should we do?»

Oksu Station was very close now. It would be frustrating to turn back.

«It’s just one. Let’s take it down.»

Kyung Sein was the first to suggest it.

«We’ll have to fight eventually. We can’t complete the scenario without defeating one. It’s a monster that both Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung managed to kill, so we shouldn’t be afraid.»

She had a point.

Rolling her shoulders and stretching her neck, Kyung Sein went on.

«If any of you have useful skills, don’t hold back. For your information, I have [Average Correction].»

As I suspected. If she was a dedicated reader, she would have at least one trick up her sleeve.

Incidentally, [Average Correction].

It wasn’t a skill detailed in Omniscient Reader, but I remembered creating it.

«It’s a bit complex to explain, but if you increase one of your stats, the others adjust to 70% of your highest stat. For example, if you raise your physique to level 10, your strength and agility will perform at level 7 without any additional investment.»

«Wow, that’s an impressive skill.»

It was undoubtedly powerful. It meant Kyung Sein could now focus entirely on just one primary stat.

In the early stages, when coins for stats are scarce, there’s hardly a better skill.

«I only have the [Diverse Communication] I showed you earlier… What about you, partner?»

I reviewed my skills one by one.

[⬜⬜]

[Character List]

[Incite]

These were the only three skills I was aware of.

I sometimes hear a character’s inner thoughts, so I think I have a skill similar to [Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint], but I haven’t learned how to activate it yet.

«Sadly, my skills are all about persuasion through speech. As you can see, I’m Cheon Inho.»

«Sigh, it can’t be helped, but the situation isn’t terrible. There are three of us and one of it. On the count of three, we all rush in and attack.»

«Let’s be careful not to get injured.»

We exchanged glances and cautiously moved toward the ground rat.

We had taken about thirty steps.

A monster’s shadow loomed out of the darkness.

「 The size of a full-grown wolf. A mole-like creature with powerful forelimbs. 」

There was no doubt.

It was a 9th grade underground species, the ground rat.

But… was it always that large?

«Uh, hold on.»

Kyung Sein also stopped walking, seeming to notice something was off.

Grrrrrr.

A menacing growl.

A pair of yellow eyes shone in the dark, and a boar-like creature charged at us. The ground vibrated faintly, and pebbles skittered across the track.

Did the physically weak Kim Dokja really defeat something like this?

«Hyahhh!»

Dansoo ahjussi let out a peculiar yell and swung his pipe in a frantic motion.

But his weak strike merely glanced off the ground rat’s face.

«Ahjussi!»

Dansoo ahjussi barely managed to roll out of the path of the charge.

I was next.

Come on.

My strength is level 10. There’s no way I can’t handle a monster that a child like Lee Gilyoung could defeat.

I swung the pipe with all my strength, but it missed. The moment my swing connected, the ground rat swiftly ducked its head.

Oh no.

I spun around and landed hard on my backside.

As I quickly looked up, the ground rat was already rushing past me toward its target. It had instinctively chosen the most vulnerable-looking prey among us.

«Sein-ssi!»

A terrified Kyung Sein raised her pipe, her arms trembling.

«Uh, Waaaah!»

She threw the pipe, turned around, and started to run.

«What are you doing? Fight it!»

«H-How am I supposed to fight that!»

The difference between the story and reality was staggering.

Was that truly the same creature Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung fought?

Kyung Sein, running desperately, tripped over the tracks and fell. The ground rat seized the opportunity, lunged, and struck her.

With a heavy thud, she was thrown back against the tunnel wall.

I thought she was dead, but surprisingly, Kyung Sein shakily got to her feet.

«Waaaa! It hurts! It hurts!»

The reason was clear.

Kyung Sein had invested everything into her physique.

Just as I had put all my coins into strength, she had invested all of hers into physique.

«Stop running, pick up your weapon! Over here! You monster!»

[The exclusive skill ‘Incite Lv.2’ is activated.]

I half-heartedly activated [Incite], and it turned to look at me. It didn’t seem to understand the words, but at least I had diverted its aggression.

With Kyung Sein clumsily retrieving her weapon, Dansoo ahjussi and I formed a disorganized formation.

Fortunately, the ground rat only snarled and didn’t attempt another charge.

«You said you wanted to be a man worthy of Heewon-ssi.»

«Heewon-nim is strong; I can support her as her partner!»

«You’ve killed before; you can’t just flee like this.»

I immediately regretted saying that.

Pale and upset, Kyung Sein asked,

«I killed someone? Who told you that?»

«Heewon-ssi.»

«I… I just closed my eyes and finished off the guy Heewon-nim had already half-killed.»

Watching Kyung Sein’s trembling hands gripping the pipe, it all clicked.

That explained the intense look on Jung Heewon’s face.

«If you truly don’t want to die, make a decision.»

The plan had utterly failed.

There was no way an ordinary reader in the real world could possess a character in a novel and suddenly act like Kim Dokja.

「 I wonder how many of them made it out alive. 」

Just as a sudden wave of anxiety began to overwhelm me, Dansoo ahjussi called out in a shaky voice.

«I-Inho-ssi.»

The ground rat confronting us now had four eyes.

Damn.

It had called for backup.

«Turn around.»

We started sprinting back toward Geumho Station. But the pursuing ground rats were faster.

«Ahjussi! Hurry!»

Dansoo ahjussi, with his relatively low physique and strength, was falling behind. I slowed down a bit to stay with him.

That’s when I heard a tearing sound. I glanced to the side and saw a ground rat gnawing at the edge of my clothing.

It seemed to be bleeding heavily.

I couldn’t believe I was about to die like this, not to some grand monster, but to a ground rat. Simultaneously, it occurred to me that I wanted to write a novel about this experience.

「 The Ultimate Omniscient Reader Party. Wiped out by a 9th grade underground species, the ground rat. 」

But who would want to read such a story?

I yelled and brought my pipe down on the ground rat’s head. But its grip was surprisingly strong.

«Ahjussi! Run! Go!»

I couldn’t handle both of them alone, even at full strength. It was impossible.

At the very least, I could buy some time.

[The exclusive skill ‘Incite Lv.2′ is strongly activated!]

My skill once again captured the attention of the ground rats.

I gripped the pipe with both hands like a baseball bat and swung it hard into the side of one. It writhed in pain and released me.

The problem was the other one.

With a dreadful sense of foreboding, a large shadow leaped at me from behind. It was too late to dodge.

«Move!»

A sharp voice rang out, and a pipe flew from nowhere, piercing the ground rat’s eye.

Kuaaaak!

The sharpened end of the pipe went clean through the ground rat’s skull and out the other side.

The pipe was withdrawn in a fluid motion, tracing a precise arc toward the second ground rat.

I recognized that technique.

A skill that was downplayed as minor in Omniscient Reader.

[Kendo(劍道)]

Yet, there were those who honed it to perfection and used it to behead demons.

The flowing arc of the pipe sliced through the head of the second staggering ground rat.

As it collapsed, the red light faded from its eyes as it stared at me.

«I had a feeling this would happen.»

Last time, I thought it was bearable even if Ji Eunyoo made fun of me. This time, I felt I might genuinely fall for her.

«Are you all right?»

It was Jung Heewon.

«Sniff sniff, Heewon unni, it was so difficult for us.»

Kyung Sein clung to Jung Heewon and cried for a long time. I had truly believed I was going to die. Why did she arrive only now?

«Thanks to you, I’m alive. I had no idea they were that powerful…»

Dansoo ahjussi also expressed his gratitude, utterly spent.

I did the same.

«You saved my life. That was an incredible fight.»

«Are your injuries okay?»

«Yes. It’s nothing serious, luckily.»

Fortunately, the ground rat’s teeth had only grazed my side.

Still, without Jung Heewon’s intervention, I would have died there.

I had completely misjudged our capabilities. I didn’t anticipate the readers’ party being so ineffective.

«I came because I was concerned. I saw two frail men and a small girl heading out as scouts… I was honestly apprehensive.»

Apparently, Jung Heewon was the only one who had an objective understanding of our party’s strength.

However, the previous battle was surprising even in retrospect.

Jung Heewon was this powerful.

[The exclusive skill ‘Character List’ is activated!]

<Character Summary>

Name: Jung Heewon
Age: 27 years old
Sponsor: None (Two constellations are currently showing interest in this person.)
Exclusive Attributes: Crouching Figure (Common)
Exclusive Skills: [Demon Slaying Lv.1], [Kendo Lv.1]
Stigma: None
Overall Stats: [Physique Lv.5], [Strength Lv.6], [Agility Lv.7], [Magic Power Lv.4]
Overall Evaluation: She is a ‘Crouching Figure’ with immense potential. The attribute information isn’t fully verified yet as the attribute hasn’t fully manifested. She currently holds a faint trust in you.

I couldn’t believe that ‘Cheon Inho’ had earned Jung Heewon’s trust.

Life truly is unpredictable.

«But why were you moving with such urgency?»

Jung Heewon’s question made both Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi look at me simultaneously.

«Because we need to rescue the survivors.»

«Survivors?»

«There’s someone I know near Oksu Station.»

Jung Heewon nodded in understanding.

«I see. Your parents? Your family?»

«If I had to say… They’re like family to me.»

Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi looked at me and nodded in agreement.

Jung Heewon said,

«In that case, I’ll assist you as well.»

«I would be very grateful.»

I thought it would be fine for Jung Heewon to join us. She was destined to be a core member of Kim Dokja’s Company, so having her with us early couldn’t hurt.

However, there was something I needed to do before we set off again.

I looked down at the bodies of the two fallen ground rats.

«Hmm? What are you planning?»

There were two primary reasons our party had performed so poorly.

First, a lack of core combat skills, and second.

«Let’s craft some weapons.»

As if remembering something, Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi jumped up.

It must be a story development they recognized.

However, Kyung Sein’s expression brightened momentarily before quickly darkening again.

«But… Inho-ssi.»

«Yes.»

«Do you know how to make them?»

That was the issue.

«Ground rat spine sword! Ground rat spine sword!»

Kyung Sein had been chanting this like a mantra for several minutes while holding a ground rat’s head.

Dansoo ahjussi asked,

«What are you doing?»

«I’m trying to manifest it.»

I think she’s seen too many cartoons.

I left Kyung Sein to her efforts and took out the knife I had borrowed from the Cheoldoo Group earlier.

Then I used Incite on myself.

[The exclusive skill ‘Incite Lv2’ is activated!]

「 This isn’t disgusting at all. I am a professional butcher. 」

I grabbed the ground rat’s head and began to skin it. Honestly, I was worried since I’d never butchered anything before, but it wasn’t as difficult as I’d feared.

On closer inspection, I noticed the skin had a dotted line along the spine. It was as if the creature was designed to be cut along that line.

I thought this would be manageable even for people who hadn’t read ‘Ways of Survival’ like Kim Dokja, but then I saw Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi retching off to the side.

Well, that’s a normal reaction.

Jung Heewon, however, stayed by my side and watched the entire process with keen interest.

«Where did you learn how to do this?»

«Self-taught.»

«Wow…»

My shoulders tensed up for no reason.

I must be fairly skilled, right? Jung Heewon added with a slight smile,

«But since you’re self-taught, your technique isn’t very refined.»

«Don’t criticize me.»

I worked for about twenty minutes.

With a final crack, the first ground rat’s spine was completely separated.

Dansoo ahjussi was impressed.

«Now that looks like the real thing.»

Even in its natural state, the ground rat’s vertebrae resembled a sword. Truly, a creature that defied evolution by having a spine made from a single bone.

«This is for Heewon-ssi.»

«Really? I can have it?»

«Because you’re the strongest member of our team.»

Jung Heewon was a monster who could take down two ground rats with just a pipe, and now I was giving her a ground rat blade?

From now on, it should be smooth sailing.

«Ah… Thank you.»

Jung Heewon accepted the blade, seeming a bit embarrassed, and then examined it carefully for a long time.

«Suddenly I feel like I’m back in the Paleolithic era.»

I paused and looked up. The line sounded familiar, and then I realized it was from Omniscient Reader.

I hesitated for a moment.

「 Should I respond? 」

I took a light breath and then replied in a somewhat dramatic tone.

«You’ll need to sharpen it a bit more for it to be effective. There are rocks around; use them to hone the edge.»

«Understood, Captain.»

Originally, this exchange had been between Kim Dokja and Jung Heewon.

Kyung Sein, who had crept up behind us, whispered a rebuke.

«Aren’t you getting a little too familiar with Heewon-nim?»

«Well, someone has to look after her. Until we find Kim Dokja.»

As I said it, I felt a growing weight in my chest.

Could I ever measure up to what Kim Dokja accomplished?

Would I be able to help Jung Heewon survive in this world?

«By the way, there’s an issue. Heewon-nim won’t develop as quickly as things are going now.»

As if reading my thoughts, Kyung Sein whispered.

«You remember, right? Heewon-nim truly becomes powerful after her awakening as the ‘Judge of Destruction’. At this rate, even if we meet the real Kim Dokja, Heewon-nim might not be as capable as she was in the original story.»

That was true.

Jung Heewon’s most powerful skill is [Hour of Judgement].

To acquire it, she must become the ‘Judge of Destruction’.

However, there are two prerequisites for this awakening.

First, she must experience brutal violence at the hands of the Cheoldoo Group.

And second.

«For Heewon-nim to awaken as in the original story, Cheon Inho-ssi must die.»

My death.