Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 667

Chapter 667

Of course. Here is the paraphrased chapter:

667 Episode 21 Kim Dokja (3)
I tried to use [Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint] right away.

Surely, someone out there must be thinking about me at this moment.

If even a single person was, then I could understand what was happening.

[The skill cannot currently be used.]

A throbbing pain shot through my skull.

Was it that no one was thinking of me, or was this just the price for overusing my abilities?

A faint, swaying light in the distance grew brighter, coming toward me.

«Author?»

A woman stood in the shadows. She was dressed in a royal hanbok of deep, fiery colors, a crown resting upon her head.

For someone like her to call me ‘Author’ was so startling my thoughts froze.

«Who are you?»

She looked at me with a hint of disappointment, her voice like the clear clinking of glass beads.

«You don’t recognize me?»

To be honest, I had already realized it. There was only one person in this entire world who would refer to me that way.

But I still needed to be sure.

«When was the first chapter of Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint published?»

«January 2nd, during my second year at the company.»

«What is the significance of the number 1,863?»

«You use it all the time without even knowing.»

«Which round is this world line?»

«The 41st.»

I felt like I could cry.

It was certain. This was absolutely true.

The person before me was my one and only editor.

«Editor.»

«Author.»

For a moment, we held each other’s hands, our eyes glistening.

Back when ORV had just started serialization, a reader once asked me a question.

—If you could possess any character, who would you choose?

I sometimes wonder now if that comment was left by Representative Kim Dokja himself.

—Well, there are characters I’d like to be… But to be honest, there are also those I’d never want to be. For instance…

I had typed a reply back then but never sent it.

I didn’t want to disrupt the readers’ immersion by interjecting with the author’s personal biases.

So, I had just written, ‘Shall we think about it until the story is finished?’

Ji Eunyu, who saw that comment, had said this.

—First of all, I would never choose to be Kim Dokja.

—Because he keeps dying?

—Exactly.

—Then who would you…

—Maybe Jung Heewon or Lee Hyunsung…

—But they also came close to death. Didn’t Lee Hyunsung die once?

That was true.

When I thought about it, there was really only one character in ORV who kept their sanity and made it to the very end.

—The best character is the one who survives all the way through, as quietly and unobtrusively as possible.

It was a remark worthy of a seasoned web novel editor.

Perhaps the reason Ji Eunyu was now inhabiting that very person was because of that conversation.

So, was Ji Eunyu happy with her choice?

«Anyway, Min Jiwon is a little…»

It didn’t seem like it.

The character Ji Eunyu had possessed was Min Jiwon, the King of Beauty.

In the original story, she was the incarnation of a Silla monarch, one of the most beautiful figures in all of ‘Ways of Survival’, who even briefly showed a romantic interest in Kim Dokja.

«I thought she was the perfect character for you—someone who survives quietly, almost like they aren’t even there.»

«No. How could anyone have known I’d actually end up possessing someone? This wasn’t your doing, was it, Author?»

I protested as Ji Eunyu gave me a sharp, suspicious look.

«If I were directing this whole situation, would I have gone through the trouble of ending up as Cheon Inho?»

«Still.»

Ji Eunyu nodded thoughtfully before adding.

“But is Cheon Inho supposed to look like that? It seems like he’s had some work done.»

«I never specifically described Cheon Inho as unattractive.»

We stared at each other for a moment, and I was suddenly reminded of exactly who Ji Eunyu was.

She was the type to debate a single sentence with me for half an hour. She was a person who never accepted prose that felt out of place or disrupted the story’s rhythm.

She supported my writing more than anyone, but she never hesitated to push back when the plot felt unstable or the narrative balance was off.

«Anyway, I’m just relieved you’re alive, author.»

She always said what I needed to hear before I could say it myself.

«Editor.»

«There’s so much I want to ask, but I don’t think now is the time for just the two of us to catch up, is it?»

I agreed with a nod.

But I was at a loss for what to do next.

Thankfully, Ji Eunyu was an expert at knowing what needed to happen in moments like these.

[Incarnation: Min Jiwon activates Cannery Factory Lv.3.]

The environment around us shimmered as if viewed through a filter, then transformed into a familiar setting.

«This place-»

«Has it been a while?»

I never imagined I would see this room again.

A cramped reading room desk in a space of about 8 pyeong. A single computer on each desk. A messy pile of instant coffee mixes and biscuit wrappers on the central table.

This was the ‘writing room’ at Ji Eunyu’s company.

«Perhaps it’s because I’m an editor that I ended up with this skill.»

Also known as the ‘cannery factory’.

A place designed to trap writers who missed their serialization deadlines or had tried to escape them.

I myself had been confined here several times to write when I was starting a new project.

«Time moves slowly here. One second in the real world is about ten minutes in this room.»

It was an incredible time dilation.

«However, the skill has a long cooldown and a short duration. Right now, it will only last about ten minutes. In real time, that’s roughly one second.»

Ten minutes.

It was a short window, but it was precisely the time I desperately needed.

Grateful for Ji Eunyu’s foresight, I sorted through the situation in my head before speaking.

«Can I ask you some questions now?»

«Go ahead.»

«What happened to the people who were with me?»

I had been with the Killer King’s group just before meeting Ji Eunyu. But now, my companions were gone.

«The apostle.»

As expected, Ji Eunyu was also aware of the ‘Apostles’.

«He went to take part in the ‘Last King’s Qualification’. He placated them by saying he would stop the world from being destroyed.»

I didn’t need to ask who had said that.

I looked again at the message log I had received earlier.

[The owner of the final absolute throne is incarnation Yoo Jonghyuk.]

Even though the apostles had joined the ‘struggle for the throne’, that message had appeared.

The situation was clear.

[Killer King and the apostles were defeated.]

None of them had been able to stand against Yoo Jonghyuk. My mind went blank for a second.

「 What became of the apostles? Killer King, Ja Yerin, Dansu ahjussi, Ye Hyunwoo… 」

「 Did Yoo Jonghyuk kill them? 」

「 What happens now? 」

「 The Absolute Throne is linked to the Other World. Seoul is now—! 」

«Author, you disapprove of how the story is unfolding.»

«Pardon?»

Even now, Ji Eunyu spoke like she was holding a manuscript. Perhaps that was why I also began thinking like a writer.

«I don’t approve. Yoo Jonghyuk has the ‘Absolute Throne’.»

«And why is that?»

«If he uses his inherited memories to secure the ‘absolute throne’, this world will be ruined. You know that.»

«But that is the original plot.»

I fell silent.

She was correct.

This was the predetermined development of the 41st round in ‘Ways of Survival’.

Yoo Jonghyuk claims the absolute throne, and the world marches toward its end.

Shin Yoosoung becomes a wanderer between world lines.

«Are you doing this out of pity for the characters? Are you trying to save them by altering the story?»

«…»

«Is that truly the right decision? Perhaps this is how it is meant to be. In the 41st round, Yoo Jonghyuk meets his destined end, Shin Yoosoung travels to the past, and that is how the Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint we know begins.»

«…»

«The author understands better than anyone the catastrophe that can come from a story warped by excessive desire.»

At least when it came to manuscripts, Ji Eunyu was almost always right.

In some narratives, changing one small detail can make the entire structure fall apart. Trying to save one world line could cause the entire universe of world lines to collapse.

But this time, I had a reason.

If this were merely a novel, I would have accepted Ji Eunyu’s argument. But this world was no longer just a ‘story’.

«There are readers who have been pulled into this world.»

«I know. I am one of them.»

Despite the life-and-death stakes, Ji Eunyu remained composed.

«But you did not start this. Did you make the readers possess these characters?»

«No.»

«Then it is not your responsibility to fix it.»

Had Ji Eunyu always been this pragmatic?

«Let me put it another way. Now that we know this world is not ‘yours’, the tragedies that happen here are not your burden to bear.»

Responsibility.

«You always joked that Han Sooyoung wrote this, meaning it isn’t our job to put everything back in its place or provide an ending.»

Ji Eunyu continued.

The responsibility for a story lies with the one who began it.

So who began this story?

Was it Han Sooyoung? Was it Representative Kim Dokja?

I gazed blankly at the computers in the writing room. No one was sitting at any of them.

Without thinking, I reached for a chair, and Ji Eunyu added one more thing.

«If you change the plot, this truly becomes your story.»

My story.

«If someone dies or is hurt because of the changes you make, that responsibility will fall entirely on you. Can you handle that? You struggled to read even a single negative comment before. This is on a completely different scale.»

«But the readers who are possessing people…»

«Whether they are possessing characters in a novel or not, all humans die eventually.»

Ji Eunyu spoke while pushing a chair back in.

«It might be a bit unlucky, but since we’re already here, we just have to live as the people we’ve become. You never know. Surviving here for a long time might lead to a happier life than the one ‘editor Ji Eunyu’ had.»

I looked at her.

«There is no guarantee that the story you change will be a better one.»

Ji Eunyu was telling me not to start this story.

I remembered countless projects we had worked on together, how she could often predict a story’s ending just from its beginning.

So many tales that started with excitement but were never finished.

«This time, we can’t just work on it for a year and then abandon it because it’s unpopular.»

And yet, I am always drawn to such stories.

Even though it hurts to read what I’ve written, I still feel compelled to write the next sentence.

I spend my life writing about the lives and deaths of people who are not me.

«Are you telling me not to write this story?»

«Yes.»

«Then why do you still call me Author?»

Ji Eunyu’s eyes remained fixed on me.

I continued.

«I have already written the story.»

At Geumho Station, Chungmuro, and Seoul Station, I wrote stories.

«People have already died, and others have lived, because of choices I made.»

There was no excuse for that truth.

«So I have to see it through to the end. Even if it’s not exciting or popular, even if only a single person reads it. So please, editor, help me.»

Ji Eunyu looked at me with a familiar expression.

It was the same look I saw every time I brought her a new project without a clear plan.

Is the concept fresh, is the plot detailed, does it fit the current trends? After a quick assessment, Ji Eunyu would always ask me in the exact same tone.

«Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?»

«Yes.»

I don’t want to see this world destroyed.

I want to save its people.

I will send the readers back to their original world.

I want to give this clumsily written story a proper ending.

Ji Eunyu let out a soft sigh and spoke.

«The owner of the throne has been decided, but it might not be too late yet.»

It wasn’t too late.

«King of a kingless world… Do you remember what you wrote for that round?»

A flood of fragmented memories rushed through my mind.

“Until Kim Dokja sat on the throne, the ‘Absolute Throne’ remained inactive.»

Ji Eunyu’s words naturally called forth a scene from my memory.

Kim Dokja, who proved his ‘final qualifications’ and became the ‘sole king of Seoul’.

However, because Kim Dokja refused to sit on the throne, the ‘absolute throne’ was never activated.

Which meant,

«If we can just stop Yoo Jonghyuk from sitting on the throne.»

If we can prevent the ‘coronation ceremony’ from happening.

[If we can sever the constellation of the ‘Absolute Throne’ before he takes his seat.]

Two things were needed to make that happen.

First, escape this dungeon.

And second,

[Obtaining the ‘Death Sword’ that can destroy the throne…]

[Exclusive skill, ‘Cannery Factory’ is deactivated.]

I looked down at the ‘last star gem’ lying on the floor of the starry labyrinth.

I now possessed a total of six ‘star jewels’.

「 If I gather seven star gems, I can summon the Death Sword. 」

But to summon it, I would have to withstand ‘7 stages of madness’.

[Stage 6 of madness is eroding you.]

[An unknown force is suppressing your ‘madness’.]

I looked at Ji Eunyu.

The fever gripping my head, the pain, the strange dizziness I felt—all of it seemed connected to what Ji Eunyu was experiencing. The things she hadn’t said and the questions I hadn’t asked suddenly clicked into place.

As I picked up the star gem from the floor, Ji Eunyu spoke.

«If you write it, you have to let me see it first.»

I nodded.

I didn’t know if the story we were about to change would be a success.

[Incarnation Cheon Inho has acquired all seven star gems!]

However, I am the one writing this story, and…

[Stage 7 of Madness is eroding you!]

She will be the one to edit it.

Along with Ji Eunyu’s quiet utterance, a powerful force clamped down on my consciousness.

[The supernormal ability of ‘Gingoa’ controls your ‘madness’.]

I reached out toward the emblem shining brilliantly in the air.

A sword hilt settled perfectly into my palm. The sentence I had rewritten so many times was finally becoming real.

[Incarnation ‘Cheon Inho’ has summoned the ‘Death Sword’!]

Now, it was time to go and confront the King of Seul.