Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 672

Chapter 672

With a thunderous blast, a cloud of dense debris billowed up from the earth.

«Han Sooyoung!»

I sprinted toward the heart of Gwanghwamun, where Han Sooyoung had collapsed. No matter how many times I called her name, there was no response from her.

Coo coo coo coo.

The ‘Absolute Throne’ at the center of Gwanghwamun was lifting higher into the sky.

【Ooooooooooooo.】

A distant, otherworldly wail echoed from afar.

It was unmistakably the voice of an outer god.

Thankfully, the sound was faint enough that I didn’t collapse or cough up blood, but the gravity of the moment was undeniable.

「 This did not occur in the previous ‘Absolute Throne’ scenario. 」

The outer gods had interfered.

Had Han Sooyoung been fighting something like that?

Why?

Wasn’t her goal to bring ruin to this world?

«Han Sooyoung!»

I shouted again, but Han Sooyoung remained out of sight. As the dust began to settle, I spotted Yoo Jonghyuk’s form in the distance.

He was slumped over, completely unconscious.

«Yoo Jonghyuk!»

Crimson threads extended from the ‘Absolute Throne,’ connecting to Yoo Jonghyuk’s entire body.

The ascending Absolute Throne and the fallen Yoo Jonghyuk.

Slowly, the gap between Yoo Jonghyuk and the throne was closing.

[The ‘Throne Succession Ceremony’ has begun.]

The stream of constellations continued.

Founder of the Absolute Throne. It was the will of that outer god.

«Hey, look over there!»

«It’s Yoo Jonghyuk!»

Incarnations in the vicinity, finally noticing the scene, began to yell.

[«Well, well, things are getting interesting. It seems we’ve reached the climax of this scenario.»]

To make a bad situation worse, the dokkaebi Paul appeared and initiated a sub-scenario.

[A new sub-scenario has arrived.]

<Sub Scenario – Stealing the Throne>

Category: Sub

Difficulty: A

Clear Condition: A new king is about to be crowned on the Korean Peninsula. Defeat the incarnation Yoo Jonghyuk as he attempts to claim the throne, and seize the ‘Absolute Throne’ for yourself.

Time limit: 30 minutes

Reward: 7,000 coins

Failure: —

[Now, everyone. This is your final opportunity. Will you watch the king’s rise, or will you become the one to steal his crown?]

The intermediate dokkaebi laughed, clearly relishing the chaos.

[The constellation ‘Bald General of Justice’ anxiously polishes his head.]

[The constellation ‘Maritime War God’ gazes at the throne with a heavy sigh.]

[The constellation ‘Founder of Hangul’ watches on in sorrowful silence.]

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ stares intently at the foreign god.]

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ taunts everyone for their cowardice!]

Though the constellations were apprehensive, they couldn’t look away.

Even with the scenario announced, none of the incarnations made a move.

It was understandable.

The one about to inherit the throne was the greatest incarnation, Yoo Jonghyuk.

No one dared challenge the man who had single-handedly dethroned every king.

Except for one person.

«Yoo Jonghyuk!»

Except me.

«Yoo Jonghyuk, wake up! If you sit there, everything is finished!»

I pushed through the crowd, heading for the throne, and moved closer.

This has to be stopped. It can be stopped. There’s still time.

«Ahjussi.»

What stopped me was that.

«Don’t come any closer.»

A slender girl gripping a long sword.

«Lee Jihye.»

Yoo Jonghyuk’s royal guard was blocking the way to the throne.

«Take one more step, and you die, understand?»

Delusional Demon Kim Namwoon.

Moreover, there were groups of people loyal to the king.

«The king! The Supreme King!»

«He is the new ruler of the Korean Peninsula!»

A woman with disheveled white hair stood among them.

Incarnation Lee Seolhwa.

It struck me once more.

The Yoo Jonghyuk of the 41st round had already gathered so many companions.

He hadn’t paused for a second, steadily moving toward the conclusion of this world.

«I said you can’t pass.»

The moment I took a decisive step, Lee Jihye drew her sword. It was no empty threat. If I advanced now, I would be cut down.

A bolt of lightning flashed, revealing Yoo Jonghyuk now even nearer to the throne.

Han Sooyoung had likely fought alone to prevent this.

When I last saw Han Sooyoung, I had spoken to her with arrogance.

I am also the creator of this story.

I’ll make you understand.

I will finish the story you started.

So what was the story I had written?

I scanned Gwanghwamun.

Everything lay in ruins.

Dying incarnations squirmed on the ground. The stars above glittered mockingly.

I thought I could handle this.

I believed I knew the entire story.

[The exclusive skill ‘Three Ways to Survive in a Ruined World’ is activating intermittently.]

Rare fragments of ‘Ways of Survival’ reached my ears.

Perhaps this skill was a gift from Han Sooyoung.

I let out a bitter, frustrated laugh.

Without this skill, I would have died long ago.

As I took another slow step forward, Lee Jihye’s sword shot out toward me.

«Move again, and I’ll have no choice but to strike you down.»

While Yoo Jonghyuk was building his narrative, where had I been, and what had I done?

「 There were so many stories I wanted to tell. 」

I wanted to give voice to characters overlooked in the main plot. The lives of the extras. I wanted to write for those forgotten in Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, who never earned a single line.

I wanted to save the Yoo Jonghyuk of the 41st round.

「 Was any of it right? 」

For the first time, I felt the weight of my inadequacy as a writer.

«I am.»

「 I failed to change this story. 」

I took another step, meeting Lee Jihye’s sword with a steady gaze.

「 If this is my punishment for corrupting the narrative. 」

Lee Jihye’s eyes hardened with resolve. The moment the girl’s blade swept toward me with a sharp whistle.

«Jihye-ssi.»

Someone caught Lee Jihye’s blade.

«Please let Inho-ssi through.»

It was a woman shorter than me.

«Inho-ssi has something he must do.»

Hearing her voice, a faint warmth stirred deep within me.

[Fable ‘Recorder of things that will disappear’ begins its storytelling.]

That warmth soon took the form of words.

「 The reader who was more fearful than anyone stood there. 」

Kyung Sein. The second reader I had met. The one who admired Jung Heewon most of all. Someone who grew stronger wanting to be like Lee Hyunsung.

She must have endured great suffering; her body was covered in wounds.

«Sein-ssi.»

Trembling, Kyung Sein looked back at me.

«Inho-ssi.»

No matter how strong Kyung Sein had become, her opponent was the protagonist of this world.

She was no physical match for him.

Yet, Kyung Sein held her ground.

«I don’t want to watch this world be destroyed.»

Lee Jihye’s expression turned icy as she listened.

«You would fight us now?»

Her chilling aura intensified, swirling around her sword. This blade of wisdom, glowing with a deep blue light, began to move.

«Do you have any idea how powerful I am?»

A direct hit from that would mean certain death, regardless of one’s strength.

As a panicked Kyung Sein pulled me down to shield me, someone intercepted Lee Jihye’s sword, knocking it off course. A kick sent Lee Jihye’s blade veering away.

«What—»

Lee Jihye retreated, clutching her wrist. Kim Namwoon, watching, grinned with delight.

«Oh? This is getting entertaining?»

「 There stood a reader who had consumed more stories than anyone. 」

Literature Girl 64.

Ja Yerin engaged her [combat action mode] and parried Lee Jihye’s sword.

«Yerin. What’s our time limit?»

«Three minutes.»

«We need to end this within that time.»

«It’s enough.»

「 There stood a reader who wished to be Yoo Jonghyuk more than anyone. 」

Killer King Ja Sungwoo offered his hand to me where I sat on the ground.

«Get up, Kim Dokja.»

Even now, he stayed true to his character. I rose, gripping his hand.

Lee Jihye snarled.

«Are you serious? You all have a death wish?»

«Nobody wants to die.»

「 There stood a reader who longed to see this world’s ending without any more sacrifices. 」

Lee Dansu, carrying Shin Yoosoung, placed a hand on my shoulder.

«Everyone here came together so that no one else has to die.»

Something about those words seemed to amuse Kim Namwoon, the Delusional Demon, who burst into laughter.

«Hahaha! How amusing! Straight out of a novel.»

In an instant, the Delusional Demon’s sword hissed through the air as he eyed us. Dark energy radiated from his entire being.

«Let’s hear some more of those grand lines, shall we?»

As the Delusional Demon closed the distance in a flash and threw a punch, Yerin was sent flying.

Kim Namwoon laughed, deflecting an angry Killer King’s crossbow bolt with his forearm.

«That toy looks fun.»

Black flames erupted from Kim Namwoon’s hand, incinerating Killer King’s weapon. The siblings, suddenly in peril, were saved by a projectile fired from elsewhere.

«Second apostle! Get down!»

「 There stood a reader who seemed the most logical, but was in truth the most fervent of all. 」

Cannon smoke filled the area with a deafening roar.

Ye Hyunwoo charged through the dust cloud, supporting his comrades. Gong Pildu provided cover behind him. I even saw Max the dog barking fiercely beside me.

«Break through! We cannot let the throne be taken!»

At Ye Hyeonwoo’s command, the Chungmuro troops surged forward with battle cries.

But their opponents were Lee Jihye and Kim Namwoon.

«Charge!»

«Kaaaaaaak!»

Screams erupted as limbs were severed with a single slash. Ja Yerin and Killer King. Lee Dansu and Kyung Sein joined the fray.

But they were already worn out from overcoming the scenario, their stamina depleted.

They stood little chance against Lee Jihye and Kim Namwoon.

«Inho-ssi, go!»

I ran along the path they had carved for me.

Lee Jihye shouted.

Ignoring the dizzying fear for my life, I quickened my pace. Even after breaking through those two lines of defense, many of Yoo Jonghyuk’s followers still remained.

All of this was the legacy built by the Yoo Jonghyuk of the 41st round.

«Stop him.»

At Lee Seolhwa’s calm command, Yoo Jonghyuk’s adherents raised their banners.

«Kill him! He means to assassinate the king!»

Even with [Incite], the numbers were overwhelming. To force these people back using [Incite], I might not have enough magical power left to destroy the ‘Absolute Throne’.

Just then, a disruptive commotion arose from the left flank of the troops.

«Kaaaaaaaa! What is this!»

A mob was charging in, shattering the ranks of followers.

«Aaaah! Brother Inho!»

A man plowed through like a battering ram, shoving people aside.

A mother and daughter swung kitchen knives wildly to his left and right.

«Bang Cheolsoo!»

As if answering my call, Bang Cheolsoo roared, clearing a path.

«Go!»

The way to the Absolute Throne was open.

「 The people saved by Lee Hakhyun were there. 」

I sprinted down the road they had opened.

「 As if to prove his story was not a mistake. 」

Those who had lived such an imperfect narrative. Those who had embraced the clumsy changes I wrote, now made way for me to run.

Suddenly, something massive crashed down in the center of the path.

A presence so immense it stole the breath away. A colossal shadow loomed like a mountain blocking my way.

«Inho-ssi. I cannot allow you to go any further.»

Yoo Jonghyuk’s strongest shield, Lee Hyunsung.

His enormous right hand swung toward my head. It was [Smashing Mount Tai].

I instinctively channeled my magic. A direct hit would mean critical injury at best.

I ducked quickly to evade his right hand. But his left hand was waiting below. The [Taesan Push] embedded in his shield thrust precisely where I dodged. An unavoidable attack. The moment I opened my mouth to activate [Incite].

A deafening crash exploded before my eyes.

Tumbling to the ground and looking up, I first saw Lee Hyunsung’s stunned expression.

«How—»

The steel shield Lee Hyunsung held was split in two, lying on the ground. Something had countered his blow and shattered his shield.

I understood his shock.

At this stage, the only incarnation with that kind of power should be Yoo Jonghyuk.

「 And there was a sword that protected him. 」

Yet, in this 41st round, there was another incarnation with such strength.

«See what happens when you go off without me.»

The sole incarnation in this world who did not fear Yoo Jonghyuk’s blade.

「 The only sword that defended Kim Dokja in the third world line. 」

I spoke her name.

«Heewon-ssi.»

«I’ll get the story from you later. For now, get up. You have something to do, right?»

Jung Heewon, the Judge of Destruction, helped me to my feet.

«Do what you must. I’ll handle the big guy.»

«Wait!»

As Lee Hyunsung reached out in alarm, Jung Heewon’s sword met his advance.

The clash of the strongest sword and the strongest shield sent violent tremors through the area.

Leaving their battle behind, I looked up at the sky.

The gap between the Absolute Throne, soaring high, and Yoo Jonghyuk was now very small.

There was no time to waste.

«I will receive my hidden scenario reward.»

[Pending ‘Hidden Scenario’ rewards will be distributed.]

[You have achieved the first disaster hunt in a scenario!]

[An extraordinary feat has been accomplished!]

[90,000 coins have been acquired!]

…

[The management bureau grants you a scenario privilege.]

[You may select one of the following items as a reward.]

[Black Flame Half Armor: SSS grade]

[Sylphid’s Leaping Boots: SSS grade]

[Fire Dragon Egg: SS grade]

…

A mental catalog of reward items.

I answered without reading the full list.

«Sylphid’s Leaping Boots.»

An item Kim Dokja had not chosen. But for me now, it was the item I needed above all else.

[Obtained ‘Sylphid’s Leaping Boots’!]

A cool sensation touched my toes, and a soft breeze coiled around my ankles.

[Special option: Leap activated.]

I pushed off into the air with all my strength. Soaring upward, I found Yoo Jonghyuk directly before me.

«Yoo Jonghyuk.»

I had finally reached him.

But I wasn’t yet prepared to shatter the Absolute Throne. There was no one to speak for the proclaimers.

So, for the moment, I seized Yoo Jonghyuk. I thought it was mere distance keeping him from the throne, but as I gripped his arm tightly, the space before me suddenly warped.

[The ‘Theatre of the Beginning’ is activated.]

My vision spun as if I were being pulled through a vortex. When the dizziness subsided, I found myself in an unfamiliar place.

—Yoo Jonghyuk! Yoo Jonghyuk!
—Now begins the age of supremacy!

Shouts from people echoed through aged speakers. I blinked and saw a massive screen projecting the scene at Gwanghwamun.

Staring blankly at the display, I slowly turned my head.

The familiar darkness of the theater enveloped me. Hundreds of seats glowed faintly in the dark. Hundreds of readers filled those seats.

【You’ve arrived at last.】

The kkomas Kim Dokja were all watching me. Some faces were flushed, others sorrowful.

Among them, someone was speaking, clapping his hands toward the wall.

【Our abandoned protagonist.】

Unsurprisingly, it was someone I knew well.

Representative Kim Dokja rose, his face alight with excitement, and announced.

【Let us give a joyful welcome to ‘49% Kim Dokja’.】