Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 661

Chapter 661

661 Episode 19 Reader (3)
Fiction and reality are not the same.

The moment he took over Kang Ilhun’s body, the first thing Killer King did was translate what he saw into written words.

[Incarnation ‘Kang Ilhun’ activates Observation Lv.4!]

Killer King did not pride himself on knowing the future scenarios by heart.

He calmly absorbed the scenes unfolding before him, converting each image into text, processing it into usable intelligence.

Read. Record. Cross-reference.

He continued constructing his own vast repository of knowledge.

[Signs of the fifth main scenario emerge.]

That very repository was now alerting Killer King.

«That’s dangerous.»

Acting on instinct, Killer King moved away from the meteor, shielding his sister.

A crimson meteorite, fractured and glowing.

It was a meteorite described in the original story.

There was no way to be sure if its color and form matched what Kim Dokja had witnessed. Still, judging by its shattered appearance and the radiance spilling out, it undoubtedly housed a monster on the level of a ‘disaster’.

Even with danger closing in, Killer King kept observing.

First, a green liquid oozing from the rock.

The fluid ate into the ground on contact.

Powerful acid produced clouds of vapor.

Within the dense mist, something larger than the meteor itself began to rise.

The thud of heavy footsteps announced its arrival. Immediately, Killer King reached into his coat and launched a flare into the dark labyrinth.

Then, two sharp blue eyes glinted from the ceiling in the pitch black.

A monster nearly ten meters tall.

[Level 3 poisonous dragon species (lower), ‘Lesser Dragon Poisoner’ has appeared!]

A gigantic lizard blanketed in green scales.

It was a creature rivaling the ‘S-class Fire Dragon’.

«Was this the doing of the Misreading association?»

Killer King gritted his teeth quietly.

The plan of the Misreading association was straightforward.

First, collect seven star jewels and concentrate them in one person, turning them into a monster. Then, trigger a disaster before that transformed Avatar, forcing a battle between them.

The assassin king fleeing earlier had said: if you don’t hand the star jewel to Cheon Inho, everyone here will die.

A collective groan swept through the crowd.

The poisonous aura of the dragon’s chime made people collapse where they stood.

In previous rounds, more Avatars had failed to escape using the ‘safe zone’.

«Madness. What is that!»

«See, I said we should have left earlier!»

«But the star jewel—»

They didn’t seem to be incarnations aligned with the Union.

«Sa, save me! Somebody help!»

«What’s going on? The scenario never mentioned anything like this!»

Minor factions that supported neither the union nor the apostles. Among them were kings bearing brown or purple banners. [Inference] triggered in Killer King’s mind.

‘They were waiting for a chance and entered the fight right after the alliance withdrew.’

‘They’re after the star jewels themselves, so an alliance is out of the question,’ Killer King swiftly decided. He took a steadying breath and scanned the area.

The altered maze now formed a large clearing centered around the Lesser Dragon Poisoner.

Though there were pathways around the edges, all were sealed by shimmering, translucent barriers.

«It’s blocked here too! Damn it!»

Just like the first scenario.

A ‘closed scenario’ that locks down a specific zone.

Killer King was sure.

«A hidden Scenario is about to begin.»

On cue, a dokkaebi materialized mid-air amid a faint crackle.

[Well now. This is quite a problem. Summoning a star-borne disaster!]

Killer King knew this dokkaebi instantly.

「 It wasn’t a lower-tier dokkaebi like Bihyung. Dressed in a sharp suit, it had two small horns atop its head. 」

Intermediate dokkaebi Paul.

A dokkaebi who had meddled with Kim Dokja’s plans from the start, only to be outmaneuvered and reported to the executives.

[Lately, incarnations have been getting recklessly bold, but to do this inside a dungeon… Waking a ‘Material Disaster’ when you haven’t even cleared the fourth scenario? What are you thinking?]

The dialogue was nearly identical to the original.

This meant that even though the disaster type differed, the major story beats remained.

Paul’s gaze swept over the incarnations.

Cheon Inho, Lee Dansu, Literature Girl 64, and Shin Yoosoung. Finally, Paul’s eyes met Killer King’s, and he offered an odd, knowing smile.

[It’s boring if everyone dies, so I’ll exercise my authority and modify the scenario.]

<Hidden Scenario — United you die, scattered you die>

Category: Hidden

Difficulty: A

Clear Condition: Defeat the Lesser Dragon Poisoner within the time limit, or survive its assaults.

Time limit: 20 minutes

Reward: 3,000 Coins

Failure: Death

*A hidden piece is concealed within this mission.

As anticipated, the scenario matched the original.

Killer King breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

Things could have been worse.

If only the panicking incarnations over there would quiet down.

«Attack! If we all strike together, we can win!»

«Don’t be afraid! Kill it and we can claim the hidden piece!»

[The king’s rallying cry raises the morale of the Avatars!]

The Avatars surged forward in a charge. The boldest among them even drove a weapon into the dragon’s body.

«See? It can be hurt—»

The incarnation’s upper torso vanished with a casual swipe of the tail. Those in the front ranks fell, severed at the waist, leaving only legs behind. Screams erupted from those at the back, horrified by the brutality.

«Aaah, help!»

Yet, some groups pressed on, accepting casualties to advance.

One, led by a king with a purple banner, was among them.

«Target its weak points! Go for the eyes and snout!»

The king yelled, hurling a magic-infused spear with all his strength.

A sound tactic against heavily armored monsters. Had the enemy been anything less than an S-class, Killer King might have admired their strategy.

A thunderous roar echoed.

Vivid green venom poured from the dragon’s maw. The enchanted spear dissolved mid-air.

The king stumbled back, muttering in disbelief.

«Impossible.»

The melting poison spread outwards, raining down on the incarnations.

The king, drenched in the toxic shower, shrieked and writhed. In under ten seconds, he was reduced to a green sludge.

«Insanity! Retreat!»

The group fractured, dissolving into a disorderly mob scrambling to escape.

This was not an enemy they could overcome.

[A handful of constellations chuckle softly!]

In their flight, several incarnations spotted Killer King’s group.

«You there! What are you standing around for? Help us!»

«Aren’t they the ones with the star jewels?»

«Star jewels! Hand them over!»

Consume star jewels, gain strength.

Grow stronger, increase your odds of survival.

Maybe even defeat a ‘disaster’.

[Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint. Even without it, their intentions are plain to see.]

Silently, Killer King leveled his crossbow at them.

«Disgusting.»

His hands held no mercy or doubt.

Those struck by his shots turned and fled, cursing.

Killer King didn’t waste arrows on the fleeing figures. They were needed as distractions for the poison dragon.

He watched, unmoved, as the dragon’s claws tore the incarnations apart.

This scent of cold steel had protected him and his sister until now. It would likely continue to do so.

[A few constellations are taken aback by the ruthlessness of incarnation ‘Kang Ilhun’.]

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ scowls at incarnation ‘Kang Ilhun’.]

Heartless or not, it was necessary. That ‘disaster’ was not an enemy easily beaten, even with foreknowledge of the scenario.

If Kim Dokja were here, he would devise a strategy.

‘Kim Dokja.’

Killer King’s gaze drifted unconsciously to the unconscious Cheon Inho.

With his pale skin and slender build, the man looked nothing like Kim Dokja.

So why did he keep reminding Killer King of him?

«I can do this.»

Shin Yoosoung’s brown hair swayed as she spoke. A faint light shimmered in her eyes.

«Everyone, stay back. I’ll take care of it.»

[Constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ observes incarnation ‘Shin Yoosoung’.]

[Constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ observes incarnation ‘Shin Yoosoung’.]

[Constellation ‘Maritime War God’ observes incarnation ‘Shin Yoosoung’ with curiosity.]

[Constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ watches incarnation ‘Shin Yoosoung’ with skepticism.]

[Several constellations question the potential of incarnation ‘Shin Yoosoung’.]

As the constellations focused their attention, faint sparks danced around Shin Yoosoung’s body. She winced, as if the energy pained her.

Killer King’s eyes narrowed.

He had read the entire novel one hundred times. The hundredth time, he had consumed it, devouring every word, savoring and dissecting the text.

He read with imagination, filling the unwritten blanks with his insight. Like Yoo Joonghyuk, who lived through 1863 turns, he read with the resolve to share that hundredth reading with Kim Dokja.

[Incarnation ‘Kang Ilhun’ Activates ‘Observation Lv.4’!]

Because he was that kind of reader, he could tell.

‘A golden glint in the eyes.’

‘Growth potential surpassing the third round.’

‘Freely usable [Gate] ability.’

‘An abnormal presence.’

Fragments of information slotted into place in his mind. Understood and unexplained data sorted itself.

It happened in an instant. Killer King reached a conclusion.

«What I’m about to say concerns a certain ‘novel’.»

Shin Yoosoung turned to look at Killer King.

Her eyes flickered with faint unease.

Killer King continued, avoiding her gaze.

«The protagonist of that novel had companions.»

The poison dragon’s tail whipped through the air nearby.

Killer King scooped up the fallen Cheon Inho and dodged.

The dragon’s tail began to spin. A pattern identical to the Fire Dragon from the original story.

«Some of his companions were regressors.»

Killer King signaled his allies and started moving counter-clockwise, evading the tail.

«There were masterful swordsmen and legendary blade-wielders. An admiral who commanded the seas, and seers who could read fate.»

Killer King glanced behind him as he spoke.

His sister and the limping Lee Dansu were following.

«There was also a boy skilled with insects.»

Killer King lifted his head calmly and finally met Shin Yoosoung’s eyes.

«And a girl gifted with animals.»

Eyes shimmering with a faint spark.

Killer King spoke, holding that gaze.

«To my knowledge, the story concluded.»

«…»

«So why is that girl still trapped within it?»

Shin Yoosoung remained silent. As if the world itself forbade an answer.

She simply clutched Cheon Inho’s thin hand and repeated her plea.

«Ahjussi, wake up. Please, Ahjussi!»

Killer King watched silently, then turned his back to look at his sister.

«Yerin. Analysis.»

“Matches the original. A degraded dragon variant.»

«Weakness.»

«Poison attribute. Earth and fire are effective. All previous attacks that caused damage were fire-based.»

«Leads to fire attribute.»

«Requires a red wreath, not an invitation.»

«Fire resistance is also necessary.»

«I possess the resistance skill. You acquired the red wreath.»

«Proceed to the next phase for now.»

Shin Yoosoung stared, wide-eyed, as the siblings conversed rapidly.

[Grade 5 monster ‘Lesser Dragon Poisoner’ prepares ‘Death’s Hianhwa’.]

The Poisoner, having retrieved its tail, roared skyward. Red flower buds began blossoming across the floor.

The attack pattern for this round was Flame of the File.

The dragon’s ultimate assault was ‘Hianhwa of Death’.

If it followed the main story, this phase meant instant death.

Yet, Killer King stepped forward without hesitation.

Shin Yoosoung grabbed his wrist.

«Wait.»

«I know you can destroy that thing.»

«…»

«But after you do, will you be alright?»

Even the constellations above dared not interfere heavily in an early scenario.

Performing a miracle sufficient to slay such a disaster would exact a severe cost, regardless of Shin Yoosoung’s divine nature.

Killer King quietly freed his wrist and prepared to nock another arrow.

«The protagonist of the novel.»

A voice emerged from Shin Yoosoung’s lips.

Killer King looked back, surprised.

Until now, Shin Yoosoung had offered no answers to his questions. The probability of this world did not permit it.

«He was always alone. Despite having so many companions, he was perpetually alone.»

A crackle of sparks. Killer King watched her in silence.

He had asked why this story continued. Shin Yoosoung had just answered in her own way.

Her eyes were red as she spoke.

«So you can’t do it alone.»

Killer King nodded slowly and replied with a sigh.

«Don’t worry.»

Shin Yoosoung recognized that expression. She had seen it on another man.

A man who seemed shabby compared to this terrifying poison dragon. So fragile, it felt like a single blow would shatter him.

A lonely soul fighting against the ending of a solitary world.

«To know the ending of this story.»

Two people now stood side by side beside that man.

«I am not alone.»