Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 696

Chapter 696

696 Episode 24 Expert (6)
Why is Kim Dokja, the neighborhood hyung, so furious?

The initial thought that surfaced was ‘comrade.’

He had witnessed the conclusion of the scenarios alongside Yoo Jonghyuk in the third turn.

Having observed Yoo Jonghyuk in the 41st regression, the neighborhood hyung might have been reminded of those times. Even though he was aware that the Yoo Jonghyuk of this world was not the one from his memories, the neighborhood hyung was still shaken by his peril.

「 Is that truly the explanation? 」

While it was a deeply sentimental reason, to be honest, it didn’t completely convince me.

The Kim Dokja I had observed until now had a deeply complex and stubborn side to him.

I wasn’t sure if all the fragmented Kim Dokjas were like this, or just the ‘Demon King of Salvation’…

「 He reminds me a lot of the Kim Dokja from the early parts of ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’. 」

The Kim Dokja who adored ‘Ways of Survival’.

The Kim Dokja who considered Yoo Jonghyuk a psychopath and maintained a peculiar distance from the story’s characters.

The Kim Dokja who was an expert at navigating scenarios.

If my guess is right, this is the source of Kim Dokja’s current anger.

「 He is dissatisfied with this ‘story’ as it is unfolding. 」

Sparks flickered softly in the air. Even though this was a connection made through [Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint], the intensity of his emotion was visible as a blue hue.

Anna Croft’s pupils trembled in astonishment.

[Eyes of the Great Devil.]

The moment I saw Anna’s crimson eyes ignite, I considered whether I should intervene.

If things continue like this.

[The exclusive skill ‘Fourth Wall’ is activated!]

[The activation of ‘Eyes of the Great Devil’ is neutralized by the effect of the ‘Fourth Wall’.]

Anna Croft might die before we can learn if Yoo Jonghyuk is still alive.

«Tch—»

A sharp, cracking sound followed as blood vessels ruptured in Anna’s eyes. Clutching one eye, she staggered backward.

«How could you possibly—»

«I will ask you once more.»

Kim Dokja’s hand gradually shifted to the grip of his sword.

«Where is Yoo Jonghyuk right now—»

The lights in the vicinity flickered as if from a sudden blackout. In the next instant, the light vanished from Kim Dokja’s eyes, like a factory whose power had been shut down.

I understood instantly what was occurring.

[The exclusive skill ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ has been deactivated.]

—Ah, I forgot about the time limit.

‘Constellation-nim?’

—I’ll transfer some coins to you. Hold on.

‘Kim Dokja-ssi! Kim Dokja! You!’

There was no response from Kim Dokja.

If you vanish like this, what will they do to me?

By now, the members of ‘Zarathustra’ were regrouping around Anna Croft.

The tense incarnations wore expressions filled with malice and intent to kill, while Selena Kim observed the standoff with a concerned look.

And my body remained upright, unconscious.

‘Damn it.’

It was surprising that my unconscious form was still standing.

Does Kim Dokja possess a ‘tightrope walker’ narrative?

To make things worse, because my eyes were narrowed, she hadn’t even realized I had lost consciousness.

«You… what exactly are you?»

Anna glared at me and continued speaking.

«This feeling is definitely different from before… Are you truly Cheon Inho? Even back then—»

«…»

«Will you continue to remain silent?»

Despite Anna Croft’s questioning, my body stayed quiet and still.

Anna Croft’s expression hardened, as if she interpreted this silence as a form of answer.

Because I had collapsed while gripping my sword, it appeared as though I was deliberating whether to slaughter the incarnations before me.

Anna Croft spoke again, her voice resolute.

«I don’t know what your intentions are, but this is Zarathustra. If you attempt to destroy this place—»

«Anna!»

Selena Kim, her face visibly pale, finally stepped in.

«You must not fight Cheon Inho-ssi. He is not an enemy.»

«Selena?»

«This person… offered me a Korean beverage. It was very good.»

«What are you talking about?»

Selena Kim, nervously avoiding eye contact, glanced toward me.

I wondered why she was so anxious, but then I remembered a valid reason.

«Cheo-Cheon Inho is a demon king.»

Damn.

«A demon king?»

«Well, Christina…»

A wave of unrest spread through the hall; some individuals screamed and collapsed. They had only heard the term ‘demon king’ (마왕), yet the terrified crowd looked at me and recoiled.

This wouldn’t occur under normal circumstances.

Incarnations in the seventh scenario shouldn’t know what a ‘Demon King’ is.

But they were different.

「 «…I also encountered the demon king’s emblem when it manifested.» 」

I could surmise the reason.

Regardless of their experiences, I am not the demon king.

My sponsor is a demon king, but that doesn’t make me one.

A clever person like Anna would know this.

Certainly, the idea that ‘I am the demon king’ is implausible at this stage.

And yet.

«Did you ultimately choose ‘that path’ in this regression as well?»

The prophet began speaking erratically.

«Everyone, fall back. We are evacuating Zarathustra’s temporary headquarters effective immediately.»

The hall descended into pandemonium. People fled the hotel, screaming.

«Selena Kim. Initiate a level 1 alert. I will hold them off. In the meantime, you—»

I couldn’t afford to wait indefinitely for Kim Dokja’s return. But what could I do, ejected from my own body?

‘Wait.’

Then I recalled a method to control my body even while unconscious.

A technique I had used previously.

[The exclusive skill ‘Incite Lv.10’ is activated.]

[Incite is directed at my unconscious self.]

「 Cheon Inho releases his grip on the sword hilt. 」

Thankfully, my body responded.

As my hand left the hilt, I saw Anna Croft, who was directing the evacuation, halt.

But this alone wasn’t sufficient.

Could a more precise incitement work?

I had no choice but to attempt it.

「 Cheon Inho speaks. 」

The next moment, a voice miraculously emerged from my incapacitated body.

«To think the simple mention of ‘demon king’ could drive you to such panic. This is the famed composure of Zarathustra?»

Anna Croft stared at me, her face a mask of disbelief.

Eyes narrowed with a faint smile. Lips curved into a characteristic smirk.

Anna Croft inquired.

«Cheon Inho. Is it possible… your memories have returned?»

This wasn’t my first meeting with ‘Anna Croft’.

Early in the scenarios, I had already encountered Anna during the ‘Phantom Prison’ incident.

「 Who are you? You… are not Cheon Inho. 」

Reflecting on it, Anna had been suspicious of me even then. Perhaps her prophetic abilities grant her exceptional perception?

Anna, who had been seated in her chair glaring at me, spoke again.

«The one who deceived the constellations. Is it truly you? I need a clear answer.»

The one who deceived the constellations.

It remained an imposing title. What had Cheon Inho done in the 40th regression to earn such a name?

«Is my identity truly that significant?»

Anna Croft scowled at my evasive response.

«How did you recover your memories? It’s impossible that Yoo Jonghyuk shared the story…»

I received a fragment of the story, but it wasn’t the full narrative.

I answered truthfully.

«I am not the ‘Cheon Inho’ you recall. All memories were reset with Yoo Jonghyuk’s [regression].»

«That can’t be…»

«Is it not the same for you? You are not the Anna Croft from the previous turn, but a new ‘Anna Croft’ who inherited memories from the past via [past tense].»

«Your convincing lies confirm it’s you.»

Anna Croft shook her head as if pained and drained her teacup in one gulp.

In the distance, I noticed Selena Kim watching us with anxiety.

I waved a hand in her direction to signal that everything was fine.

«What is this about the ‘demon king’? Why do Selena and Christina believe you are one? Did you truly form a pact with a demon king?»

He is a demon king, but whether that makes him a demon king is a nuanced question.

«Did you choose ‘that path’ again, like last time?»

That path?

«Are you certain you wish to have this discussion now?»

Since the conversation was starting on a tense note, I decided to ease the atmosphere slightly.

«Just relax and consider me the ‘new Cheon Inho’ from this point forward.»

«New Cheon Inho?»

«Not every villain is born evil, you know?»

«You are a villain.»

«Labeling them so harshly denies the world’s wrongdoers any chance of redemption.»

«What…»

«From now on, think of me as reborn. Based on your decisions, this newborn could grow into a ruthless killer or a cunning benefactor.»

«You are no newborn.»

I considered inciting myself as a ‘newborn,’ but instead said this.

«But Yoo Jonghyuk must have pondered this each time he saw me.»

«…»

«Should I eliminate him or spare him? Which choice better serves this world’s future? What tragedies might unfold if I choose incorrectly?»

I gazed out the window at the northern districts of Las Vegas.

A city laid waste by catastrophe.

Anna rose abruptly and closed the window curtains.

I addressed Anna.

«Merely knowing fragments of the future is a burden. In that case, I will simply live as a newborn who knows nothing.»

«Why did you come here?»

Anna spoke without looking at me.

«If your memories returned, you could live as you please. Do you intend to throw this regression into disarray—»

«I came because Yoo Jonghyuk summoned me.»

«Why would you tell such an obvious falsehood…?»

[The character ‘Anna Croft’ is activating ‘Lie Detection Lv.7’.]

[‘Lie Detection’ has verified that your statement is true.]

Anna Croft’s expression turned peculiar.

«You claim you came because the King called for you?»

«Correct.»

[‘Lie Detection’ has verified that your statement is true.]

«Why?»

«Because we are allies.»

[‘Lie Detection’ has verified that your statement is true.]

«You are an ally of the ‘king’?»

I turned to Anna Croft, whose lips trembled, and nodded with an air of nonchalance.

«If your curiosity is satisfied, I will now ask my question. There must have been other Koreans besides Yoo Jonghyuk. What became of them?»

«Why do you ask?»

«Because they are my comrades.»

[‘Lie Detection’ has verified that your statement is true.]

«Comrades?»

Anna Croft looked utterly bewildered.

«You worry about your comrades?»

«Naturally, I am concerned.»

«Cheon Inho, who are you, really?»

Anna Croft’s face, contorted with fury and sorrow, resembled that of a lunatic.

«I cannot trust you. I simply don’t comprehend the King. How could he enlist you after all that occurred?»

«I believe that’s not your true concern.»

Anna Croft’s eyes widened slightly at my words.

«As expected, you acquired memories from the ‘previous regression’.»

I abandoned denial and opted to align with Anna Croft’s misconception.

Anna took a moment to collect her thoughts before speaking.

«The king remains unharmed. As do your comrades.»

«They are safe?»

«For the time being.»

I nodded, feeling somewhat relieved.

«Are they currently in the ‘Washington Dome’?»

Anna nodded, her expression grim.

«Correct.»

I knew it. I promptly reviewed the scenario log.

<Main Scenario #7 – ???>

Category: Main

Difficulty: ???

Clear conditions: Proceed to the scenario area.

Time limit: ???

Reward: ???

Failure: ???

I had found it strange from the moment I checked the seventh scenario.

Even upon arriving in Las Vegas, a message instructed me to move to the ‘scenario area’. This indicated that the true setting of the seventh scenario was not ‘Las Vegas’.

«The seventh scenario is taking place in Washington.»

«What manner of ‘disaster’ is it?»

«…It seems you are already aware.»

«Did you fail the fifth scenario?»

«I dislike admitting it, but yes.»

As anticipated, the United States had failed to eliminate the final disaster of the ‘fifth scenario’.

Consequently, ‘Eastern Washington’ was lost.

The ‘Administrative Bureau’, judging that the American incarnations couldn’t handle the disaster alone, must have shifted the probability within the <Star Stream> to attract constellation interest.

As a result, the disaster scenario extended into the ‘seventh scenario’, evolving into a global event.

[New incarnations have entered the seventh scenario area!]

By now, incarnations from across the world were likely converging on the American scenario.

A misstep could trigger a world war in Washington.

«It’s lamentable. You couldn’t manage a disaster despite having [future sight]?»

My disappointment was genuine.

I hadn’t expected ‘Anna Croft’ to fail the fifth scenario.

Moreover, in the ’41st regression’, every character had surpassed my expectations.

«It’s irritating to hear that from you, but this world line was different. Events I couldn’t foresee with my [Future Sight] kept occurring.»

Events unknowable even through [Future Sight].

In the original narrative, such occurrences typically resulted from Kim Dokja’s interference in the scenarios.

However, in this regression, Kim Dokja was a constellation and hadn’t intervened until contracting with me.

But then, a hypothesis formed in my mind.

Why hadn’t I considered it before?

Such entities exist in this world line.

Individuals capable of altering the world’s future, even without being Kim Dokja.

«Cheon Inho. Have you encountered a group known as the ‘Apostles’?»

Even on this continent, there were readers who followed Kim Dokja’s story.