Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 687

Chapter 687

687 Episode 23 Fragments of God (2)
If I truly am the reincarnation of 49% of Kim Dokja, and thus hold a fragment of him, then this method should be possible.

「 It consumes me and propels the narrative. 」

If what you hunger for is ‘Kim Dokja’, then I will let you feast until you are sated.

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ is observing you with intense focus.]

Kim Dokja’s voice echoed inside my skull.

—Hey! Hold on!

I ignored him and sank my teeth deep into my own forearm. I didn’t know if my actions would truly trigger story predation. But…

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ is intrigued by your story fragment.]

A performance designed to lure it in.

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ bites into your right arm!]

Tsssk, tsssk, tsssk!

A sensation like sharp fangs tearing through the muscle of my forearm, followed by an excruciating wave of pain.

Blood sprayed into the air, immediately replaced by a sharp, burning agony.

I managed a smile even through the suffering.

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ consumes a portion of your story!]

The world blinked, and the snowy field scenery flickered.

I don’t want to forget anything.

Tsssk, tsssk, tsssk, tsssk.

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ is feeling nauseated!]

Huh?

—See? What did I tell you?

I heard Kim Dokja click his tongue in my mind.

As if he had anticipated this outcome.

The Heir to the Eternal Name, having consumed my story, was now in distress.

I was weeping.

[The fragment ‘Crazy Soldier Yoo Jonghyuk’ rejects assimilation!]

[The story fragment ‘Crazy Soldier Yoo Jonghyuk’ runs wild!]

Crazy soldier?

Why do I possess this fragment?

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

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ has absorbed incompatible fables.]

[The designated ‘Story Fragments’ cannot be consumed conventionally.]

[Due to incomplete predation, an additional 10 minutes have been granted!]

[Time remaining until death: 12:59]

I had bought some time, at least.

[Skill seal penalty has been revoked.]

Furthermore, the penalty was lifted.

I instantly activated ‘Blade of Faith’ and swiftly cut down several of the creatures charging at me.

I heard a cry from someone buried beneath a heap of monsters.

Clearing away the mountain of corpses, I saw a single human hand reaching out.

«Grab on!»

I seized her hand and pulled with all my strength, dragging the woman free as she wept.

She was crying, clutching the body of a dead man.

«Get inside, I’ll hold them off here.»

«But—»

«Now!»

The woman gave a quick nod and fled into the living area.

I used the monsters’ own bodies to barricade the shelter entrance before turning back.

In the distance, the battle raged on.

A group led by Bang Cheolsoo and the mother-daughter pair were locked in a fierce melee nearby, while on the front lines, the siblings Jung Heewon and Jung Eunho fought together against the dragons.

—One 5th grade and one 4th grade. Can you handle it?

«What can a guy who’s been bedridden for 45 days even do?»

Most incarnations now possessed overall abilities on par with mine.

My joining the fray wouldn’t drastically change the situation.

Just the sound of the dragon species roaring in the distance was enough to make my instincts recoil.

In my current state, pushing through the horde to reach the front seemed impossible.

«I need your help.»

—You’ve got some nerve, you bastard.

«Start acting like a constellation now.»

Even if not a myth-grade, the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ is a narrative-grade constellation.

A being of the highest rank within its class.

«Give me some coins. I need to boost my stats.»

—Where would I get coins?

«Why does my own constellation not have any coins?»

—If I had any, would I have made a collect call?

Now that he mentioned it, his first contact *was* a collect call.

I thought it was just him being a miser, but did he genuinely have no funds?

«You had plenty of coins when you were an incarnation, right?»

—I spent it all because of you. I’m practically penniless. Did you forget?

A memory surfaced then.

When I first contracted with the ‘Demon King of Salvation’, I borrowed his story, ‘The King of a Kingless World’. Did he cover the probability cost for that with coins?

«But you only lent me one story…»

—It was the story of my birth, wasn’t it?

«So, you’re saying you have no coins at all?»

—I told you, I don’t.

I felt a strong urge to use [Lie Detection].

«Then what good are you?»

—Well…

A sudden thought struck me.

What exactly were the benefits of being Kim Dokja’s incarnation?

Come to think of it, didn’t Shin Yoosoung, his incarnation in the main storyline, grow largely on her own without much direct support?

—How about some moral support?

I decapitated a Grol charging at me without dignifying that with a response.

—Hey, don’t kill it like that.

«Please be quiet, you’re distracting me.»

—Look closely, see that line on its neck? If you stab it there, you can take it down efficiently. Jonghyuk only figured that out after the 40th regression…

I stabbed one in the neck as it lunged blindly.

Had I accidentally hit the spot Kim Dokja mentioned?

The Grol went limp instantly, with minimal effort.

«An incision line?»

—There, look carefully! A bit further in!

Squinting, I noticed faint incision marks on each Grol’s neck. By adjusting my force and aiming with precision, I began dispatching them instantly.

Two, three, four…

I took down about sixty in under a minute. The number of nearby Grols thinned considerably.

—How’s that?

More helpful than I’d expected.

As expected, knowing ‘Ways of Survival’ made a difference.

With the rear being cleared quickly, the intense fighting continued.

The Geumho Station group also seemed to catch a brief respite.

«Hyung!»

Bang Cheolsoo spotted me and waved.

Fortunately, the Geumho Station Group hadn’t sustained major losses yet.

The real issue was the dragons holding the center of Gwanghwamun.

[4th grade Earth Dragon species ‘Earth Python’ roars!]

The roar sent a wave of pallor through the incarnations.

«Everyone, cover your ears!»

At Shin Yoosoung’s sharp command, a small ensemble of Nagaks began playing at the front.

As a dozen or so Nagak players poured out their music, some of the dragon’s roar directed at the incarnations was neutralized.

Some Nagaks used their shells to form a barrier against the attack.

But the small Nagaks were only 8th grade marine species. Their shells eventually shattered under the strain.

Shin Yoosoung, who had been sheltering inside one, stumbled and fell.

«Miss Yoosoung!»

I rushed over and caught Shin Yoosoung. Checking her pulse, I found her magic circuits were already completely shattered.

I handed the unconscious Shin Yoosoung over to Bang Cheolsoo.

«Hyung?»

Bang Cheolsoo, accepting her with a stunned expression, looked at me.

In the past, I would never have entrusted Shin Yoosoung to him.

[‘Geumho Station Group’ is rallying around the incarnation ‘Bang Cheolsoo’.]

But things were different now.

It was clear from the way the Geumho Station people still followed him.

«Bang Cheolsoo. Protect her, no matter what.»

«But it’s too dangerous up ahead! Let’s retreat! While Heewon buys us time—»

«Bang Cheolsoo.»

Bang Cheolsoo looked at me with trembling eyes and finally nodded with great difficulty.

«Alright. I understand.»

«I’m counting on you.»

I sprinted straight toward the front line where Jung Heewon was holding firm.

Six minutes remained.

Sergeant Kim, carrying an exhausted Jung Eunho, was retreating, breathing heavily.

«Inho-ssi! You must not come forward!»

Now, Jung Heewon was the only one left defending the front.

She was fighting simultaneously against a 4th grade earth dragon and a 5th grade gold dragon species.

With both [Demon Slayer] and [Madness] active, her body radiated terrifying energy.

It was reminiscent of Yoo Jonghyuk.

But it was obvious to everyone that she couldn’t maintain it much longer.

Blood streamed continuously from her nose and ears.

The dragon species, perhaps sensing her condition, weren’t pressing their attack aggressively.

I asked, cutting down the monsters blocking my path one by one.

‘Do you know the dragons’ weaknesses?’

—I do, but. They’ll be difficult for you to handle with your current stats.

‘I just need higher overall stats.’

—Do you have the coins?

If there was one thing I was more confident about than other incarnations, it was this.

[Coins held: 418,000C]

This time, even Kim Dokja seemed taken aback.

—What, did you scam a constellation?

‘I defeated a demon lord.’

The 300,000 coins from Asmodeus at the theater must have been a significant part of it.

That bastard. He probably never imagined his coins would be put to such use.

—Time to go all in, then.

‘It’s been a while since I’ve heard that.’

I opened my wallet without a second thought.

[You have invested 24,000 coins into Strength.]

[Strength Lv.40 -> Strength Lv.70]

[Your power has attracted the attention of the giants.]

Strength.

[You have invested 24,000 coins into Stamina.]

[Stamina Lv.40 -> Stamina Lv.70]

[Your stamina has piqued the curiosity of the heroes.]

Stamina.

[You have invested 24,000 coins into Agility.]

[Agility Lv.40 -> Agility Lv.70]

[The Miao people are astonished by your agility.]

Agility.

[You have invested 24,000 coins into Magic Power.]

[Magic Power Lv.40 -> Magic Power Lv.70]

[Your talent has begun to draw the attention of the Magic Tower.]

And finally, Magic Power.

[Your overall abilities have nearly reached the limit for this scenario.]

As I maxed out my stats in an instant, my entire body surged with vitality.

Even with only six minutes left to live, I felt no fear.

Had I been influenced by Kim Dokja?

—Looks like we’re ready to get back on the air.

‘Back on the air?’

Now that he mentioned it, I’d barely heard any broadcast messages since waking up.

It made sense.

I had signed a sponsorship contract with the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ and terminated my exclusive contract with Bihyung.

Thanks to Bihyung’s consideration, I avoided a major penalty, but I was no longer of interest to the constellations in the ‘Finding Incarnations’ group.

I had lost my marketability.

—You have to earn back what you spend.

I dodged a magical blast from a swooping Earth Dragon.

‘That might be tough now. Besides, my contract with Bihyung is over—’

—I know. You can just renew it.

Renew it? How?

My initial contract with Bihyung was only possible because I had no sponsor. In this situation, Bihyung had no reason to agree to a new contract.

Just then, a spark of light crackled in the air, and a dokkaebi materialized.

[Well now, it’s been a while since our last broadcast from the Korean Peninsula, constellations!]

Sure enough, mention them and they shall appear.

Bihyung, now twice his previous size, was addressing the constellations, his white, plump belly on full display.

[A few constellations comment that the Korean Peninsula channel has become dull.]

[A handful of constellations ask if there are no capable incarnations left on the Korean Peninsula channel.]

It was true.

The Korean Peninsula was already in its seventh scenario.

Most of the powerful incarnations had already secured sponsors.

But amidst this, one fool was trying to promote his own incarnation.

[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ is urging others to come see his incarnation!]

It was my own pathetic sponsor.

[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ wonders why no one is watching this fascinating story.]

I felt a strange sense of déjà vu.

Is this how Han Sooyoung felt when she wrote ‘Ways of Survival’?

‘Hey, Kim Dokja-ssi. You really don’t have to—’

[A handful of constellations are annoyed, asking why they should look at someone else’s incarnation.]

[A few constellations complain that they lost a good incarnation to that fool.]

[A handful of constellations are expressing hostility toward the ‘Demon King of Salvation’!]

I didn’t want to see my sponsor being ridiculed any further.

‘Really, you should just stop—’

But Kim Dokja persisted.

[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ states that the incarnation ‘Cheon Inho’ is both his and not his incarnation.]

…What?

[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ declares that his contract with incarnation ‘Cheon Inho’ is ‘temporary’.]

What was he talking about?

I listened intently, trying to make sense of Kim Dokja’s nonsense.

[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ declares that he will harshly train incarnation ‘Cheon Inho’ for two years before returning him to the sponsorship market!]

[A handful of constellations glare at you, demanding to know how they can believe such an obvious lie.]

[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ swears an oath upon the <Star Stream>.]

It was absurd.

I wanted to ask what would happen if he swore so recklessly.

But then—Crackle, boom—!

Lightning撕裂 the sky.

The sky above the Korean Peninsula turned crimson, as if a ‘Great Hall’ had opened.

The light from the constellations momentarily altered the very color of the heavens.

[Multiple constellations have entered the channel!]

[The constellation ‘Demon-like Judge of Fire’ asks if he has finally awakened.]

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ picks his ears, saying he was bored.]

[The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ grumbles that the Korean Peninsula channel is still insignificant.]

[The constellation ‘Maritime War God’ congratulates you on your return.]

[The constellation ‘Queen of the Darkest Spring’ is interested in the ‘Demon King of Salvation’’s statement.]

[The constellation ‘God of Wine and Ecstasy’ asks for his price in two years.]

[The constellation ‘Tiger Eating Rice Cake’ sheds tears, saying it’s been too long.]

I was utterly bewildered. The incarnations, even the dragons, halted their movements, startled.

But it didn’t end there.

[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ has signed a ‘stream contract’ with the dokkaebi ‘Bihyung’.]

How had he already renewed my contract?

[The constellation ‘Demon King of Salvation’ has modified the contract terms.]

Contract terms.

I belatedly recalled the details of the contract I had signed.

‘Bihyung’ in this round was a shrewd one. He’d agreed to a donation split of 70/30.

For a renewal, the terms were bound to be even worse—

[The donation distribution has been modified to 100/0.]

My share was zero.