Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 686

Chapter 686

686 Episode 23 Fragments of God (1)
[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ has commenced its narration!]

A powerful sensation of something alien filled my head. Where my consciousness should have been, a story had taken root.

It was issuing a command.

「 I am the only one 」

Goosebumps rose on my skin the instant I heard that first phrase. I recognized what kind of statement it was.

「 who knows the ending of this world 」

The opening line of 『Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint』.

The sentence I had once composed had now come back to me as a curse.

It was complete.

「 I am the only Kim Dokja 」

The universe seemed to unfold before my eyes, and a vision of countless meteors scattering all at once filled my mind.

「 If I can’t be Kim Dokja 」

「 I would rather Kim Dokja did not exist in this universe. 」

Whose desire was this? I had no idea where these words originated.

I was certain I had never written this, and it was impossible that Han Sooyoung had written it either.

The presence of this sentence meant that this story, too, sprang from ‘Kim Dokja’.

«Inho-ssi!»

I noticed Lee Dansu hurrying toward me.

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ is craving sustenance.]

The ‘thoughts’ shaped like a bracelet morphed into the tattered bamboo armor of Master Samyeong.

The hand gripping the bamboo pole trembled.

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ commands you to feast.]

I seized the wrist holding the pole with my free hand.

«Be silent.»

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ is glaring at you.]

I had declared I would become Kim Dokja. But that meant I would carry Kim Dokja’s burdens, not obey the story’s irrational demands.

«Ahjussi—»

Perhaps I had also changed after encountering Kim Dokja, the ‘Demon King of Salvation’.

Even if the world itself were to seize and shake me, I would not yield to this story’s madness.

If I did not master the story, it would master me.

«You are my story. You will obey me.»

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ is laughing at you.]

I bit my lip, watching the readers rushing in my direction.

This story was beyond my current ability to control.

The weight of Kim Dokja’s name was immense, and the person I was now felt insufficient.

I was weak.

«I.»

But I had sworn an oath. I had promised Han Sooyoung, the one who wrote this story.

«I am Kim Dokja.”

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ seizes control of your right arm.]

As if it hadn’t heard me, my right arm began to surge with magical power.

The story was manipulating my arm. It intended to use my own hand to kill the readers and take what it wanted.

«I gave you a warning.»

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ frowns.]

[The story declares that if the heir of the eternal name does not consume another ‘Kim Dokja’, you will vanish.]

I refuse to survive like that.

I would rather—

«Oh, ahjussi! Don’t! Ahjussi.»

Shin Yoosoung, sensing something terrible, clung tightly to my waist.

«It’s alright.»

I used [Incite] to transform the ‘damaged master’s bamboo pole’ into ‘Broken Faith’. The blade ignited with a brilliant light.

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ is staring intently at you!]

Sparks erupted from the story as it tried to dominate me, constricting my entire body. I pushed back against it with all my magical energy.

Fine, we’ll settle this.

One of us will prevail.

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ is taken aback.]

I restrained my ‘Broken Faith’ and drove the blade directly into my own abdomen.

.

.

.

Despite the searing agony, I clung to consciousness. If I blacked out, the story would command my body.

«Did he injure himself?»

«Chaotic sparks are erupting all over his body.»

«Get a blood transfusion pack, now!»

«A transfusion won’t suffice. Use this.»

«This is—»

«It’s my story.»

Voices filtered through to my wavering awareness.

«Inho-ssi! Inho-ssi! No, why has Inho-ssi ended up like this!»

What?

«Save him immediately. If he dies, I will kill every one of you.»

The sound of explosions echoed intermittently.

«What’s happening? All of a sudden—»

«Dammit, an emergency scenario has started!»

«Oh my god. Monsters—»

«There’s little strength left here. The United States is the primary focus of the seventh scenario.»

«What do we do then!»

«We must head to Gwanghwamun.»

«But Inho-ssi—»

.

.

.

[‘Midday Tryst’ has been reconnected.]

—Get up, youngest.

I opened my eyes to a torturous pain in my abdomen.

I breathed heavily, enduring the nauseating sensation.

My thoughts gradually sharpened.

The oppressive presence of the story that had controlled me was gone.

A feeling of relief slowly spread through me.

[Your sponsor is observing you.]

Kim Dokja’s voice resonated in the air, sounding utterly exasperated.

—Even Yoo Jonghyuk doesn’t manage his stories like *that*.

«It was the only method.»

The sole way to halt the story.

It was extreme, but it was the most decisive action I could take.

Given the story’s silence, it had worked.

«What of the other readers?»

—They are safe. But was that method truly necessary? You could have just used [Incite].

«It might not have been effective.»

—You thought that far ahead, and then stabbed yourself?

«Now I feel a little more like Kim Dokja.»

—Unbelievable.

Kim Dokja’s tone held a hint of amusement. I managed a weak smile.

Looking around, I appeared to be in a ward within a temporary shelter. As I removed the IV from my arm, my fingers trembled dangerously. My whole body felt fragile, as if it might shatter.

My very existence was unstable.

Was this what it felt like to be 49% Kim Dokja?

A distant booming sound echoed. The noise of collapsing structures. Screams and cries of pain. I stepped out of the shelter tent and looked outside.

The people who had practiced relentlessly to the end were now scattered across Gwanghwamun, battling a variety of monsters.

I quickly collected myself and asked.

«What is going on?»

—The scenario has started.

Almost instantly, a message log materialized in my mind.

[A sub-scenario is currently in progress.]

<Sub Scenario — Monster Invasion>

Category: Sub

Difficulty: A++

Clear conditions: The Balaur tribe, harboring a profound hatred for humans, has invaded the Korean peninsula. Halt their invasion and defend your world.

Timeout: —

Reward: Lesser Dragon Heart, ???

Failure: —

This wasn’t the main scenario.

It was likely one of the derivative scenarios branching from the ‘main scenario’.

«If it’s dragons, what grade are they?»

—At minimum, 5th grade.

My heart sank.

I recalled nearly dying while hunting a ‘5th grade Poisonous Dragon’ back in the fourth scenario.

But the shock quickly faded.

This was the ‘seventh scenario’ after all.

While I was unconscious, my companions must have already confronted ‘catastrophe-level’ monsters multiple times.

In other words, the current group could probably handle 5th grade creatures.

—There is a 4th grade among them as well.

«4th grade?»

I had never faced a 4th grade monster before. The difference between 5th and 4th grade was significant. But.

«Where is Yoo Jonghyuk?»

I thought of the Yoo Jonghyuk from the 41st round.

A being of overwhelming power compared to the 3rd round.

Anyone who cleared all the disaster scenarios in my absence would be capable of dealing with even a 4th grade species.

However.

«Aaaah! Stop them!»

«Help me! Someone, please!»

«Aaaahhh!»

I scanned the battlefield, but Yoo Jonghyuk was nowhere to be seen.

—He was forcibly summoned to the final stage of the ‘seventh scenario’ a short time ago.

«Ah.»

The hour I had agreed upon with Yoo Jonghyuk had already passed.

For better or worse, the readers were also absent.

Lee Dansu, Killer King, Ye Hyunwoo, and Kyung Sein.

Yoo Jonghyuk’s companions, like Lee Jihye, Lee Hyunsung, Kim Namwoon, and Lee Seolhwa, were also gone.

It seemed everyone had moved to the main scenario area.

«Then the people remaining here—»

—Only chosen incarnations can take part in the main event of the seventh scenario. These people…

They were the ones not selected.

The issue was their numbers were not small.

«Aaaahhh!»

Among them were familiar faces. Bang Cheolsoo, and the mother and daughter.

«Aaaah! Hold the line! If this continues, they’ll break through!»

«Dayoung! Over here!»

Sergeants Kim and Jung Eunho, who had fought alongside me at Seoul Station, were also visible.

«There! There’s a breach over there!»

«I’ll handle it!»

Chopsticks thrown by Jung Eunho made monsters scream and fall. Behind them, Shin Yoosoung was summoning Nagak troops to shield the people.

«Fight! Keep fighting!»

They fell helplessly before the fire breath of the Avatars.

Yet, more groups were fleeing for their lives. At the heart of the monster horde was a dragon commanding the other species.

«Don’t let them reach the shelter! Stop them!»

A woman stood at the center of the battlefield, facing the dragon tribe.

It was the first member of <Kim Dokja Company> I had encountered in this world.

[Incarnation ‘Jung Heewon’ activates ‘Kendo Lv.10′!]

With every swing of Jung Heewon’s sword, five or six cherubs perished.

I watched her fight, mesmerized. Her training over the past 45 days was evident in every move.

With each step, the balance of the battlefield shifted as the magical power in her strikes sent out ripples.

Krarar La La Lag!

A panicked 5th grade monster swung its tail in retaliation, but Jung Heewon’s advance was unstoppable.

In moments, she scaled the tail and delivered a flurry of sword strikes.

A blade imbued with potent magical energy.

In under five seconds, dozens of consecutive hits had pierced the 5th grade species’ eyes and skull.

Ahhh!

As one 5th grade beast fell with a roar, the expressions on the incarnations’ faces changed.

Hope flickered in their eyes.

«It’s down!»

«We can win! We can do this!»

Morale surged among the incarnations, and the monsters hesitated, crying out in fear.

Jung Heewon charged toward the next dragon without pause.

Her sweeping advance was halted by a monster the size of a ten-story building.

[4th grade monster ‘Earth Python’ is roaring!]

The howl made every incarnation in the vicinity scream and collapse simultaneously.

Even Jung Heewon staggered, blood trickling from her ears.

But she did not fall.

[Madness]

A destructive glint flashed in her eyes. The unique attribute of the ‘Mad Butcher’ was shielding her mind.

«Everyone, get up.»

At Jung Heewon’s voice, people who had been writhing on the ground rose as if infected by her fury.

They were all people pushed beyond their limits.

I couldn’t comprehend it.

Why weren’t they fleeing?

This ‘sub-scenario’ had no penalty for failure.

They could have let Gwanghwamun be destroyed without putting up a fight.

Yoo Jonghyuk must have known that too, which is why he left without intervening.

«It can’t be…»

—It is.

Before I realized it, people had formed a protective circle around my temporary shelter.

—They are protecting you.

I studied the faces of everyone who remained.

Geumho Station, Chungmuro, Seoul Station. Faces I had seen at least once before.

«Hey, it’s Inho-ssi!»

A middle-aged man who spotted me cried out joyfully.

«Everyone, look! The captain—»

A tearing sound cut him off as the man, his neck bitten by a monster, collapsed.

«Kim ahjussi!» a woman wept.

Before I could speak, a crowd surged forward, shielding the two of us. I gripped ‘Broken Faith’.

I’ll use [Incite].

I’ll incite myself to become Yoo Jonghyuk. No, Jung Heewon, or Kim Dokja. Anyone will do.

Anything—

[This skill cannot be activated.]

It felt like a gong had been struck inside my head.

[Your incarnation body is currently unstable.]

[Achieve ‘Kim Dokja’s dismissal’ within 5 minutes.]

[If a new ‘Kim Dokja Fragment’ is not acquired, you will die.]

I was dying.

Perhaps faster than them.

[Time left until death: 4:49]

The flood of stories had receded, but the penalty remained.

Yes.

I wanted to save them, but no solution came to mind.

I am powerless.

People are dying to protect me, and I can do nothing.

ㅡYoo Jonghyuk accepted you as his companion.

My constellation’s voice reached me.

ㅡYet he left you behind. Why would he do that?

I slowly lifted my head.

The reason Yoo Jonghyuk left me here.

«Did he believe I could resolve this scenario?»

Kim Dokja remained silent.

As my emotions cooled, I could assess the situation clearly.

Yoo Jonghyuk is absent.

People are dying.

[Time left until death: 3:08]

I have three minutes left to live.

To use a skill, I first had to remove this story’s penalty.

「 Only me 」

A penalty that only disappears if I consume ‘Kim Dokja’.

There was only one way to command this story.

«Heir of the Eternal Name.»

Offering the only person in this world I could use as ‘fodder’ for my story: Kim Dokja.

I raised my right arm to my mouth and commanded the story.

«Consume ‘me’.»