Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 697

Chapter 697

Of course. Here is the paraphrased chapter:

**697 Episode 24 Expert (7)**

An hour after Cheon Inho lost consciousness, Yoo Jonghyuk arrived in Las Vegas.

The party that had accompanied him consisted of the following individuals.

The Steel Emperor, Lee Hyunsung.
The Maritime Admiral, Lee Jihye.
The Delusional Demon, Kim Namwoon.
The Doctor, Lee Seolhwa.
The Beast Tamer, Shin Yoosoung.

These were the five incarnations who had stood beside him across dozens of lifetimes.

Upon closer inspection, each of them possessed a notable flaw.

Lee Hyunsung was overly naive, and Lee Jihye was too straightforward. Kim Namwoon was utterly unhinged, and Lee Seolhwa often carried a trace of bitterness. Shin Yoosoung was fragile in spirit.

He had experimented with different core members and formed new parties countless times.

Yet, in the end, these five were the ones who remained. They were the sole constants who had stayed with Yoo Jonghyuk until the very last moment.

«Ugh, my first time in America. Have you been here before, Seolhwa?»

Lee Seolhwa responded to Lee Jihye’s question with a soft smile. «Once, when I was younger.»

«Tsk. I know all about America. Want me to tell you, Jihye?»

«No.»

«I’m feeling anxious; the only other time I was deployed was to Iraq.»

«Hyunsung, you’re always anxious.»

The group’s atmosphere was significantly lighter compared to the previous regression. Yoo Jonghyuk noticed Shin Yoosoung standing by herself, silent amidst the lively chatter. While she naturally had a reserved disposition, the shadow now clouding her features seemed deeper than mere personality.

As Yoo Jonghyuk moved to approach her, a voice interrupted from behind.

«Quite impressive. Is this the stature of the ‘Five Heavenly Emperors’ who guard the Supreme King?»

Yoo Jonghyuk frowned at the thought. Looking back, there was another ‘group that had come with him’. He simply did not consider them his comrades.

«Five Heavenly Emperors? Did we have a title like that?»
«I just made it up.»
«Do not defile the Book of Revelation.»

A beautiful woman let out a light sigh behind the two bickering young men.

Yoo Jonghyuk knew who they were.

Kang Ilhoon, whose harsh tone belied his status as the incarnation of an archangel.
Ye Hyunwoo, the effective leader of the Chungmuro Group and comrade to the Armed Castle Lord, Gong Pildu.
Lee Seyeon, who possessed formidable close-quarter combat skills and was equipped with items rated S-class or higher.

They were incarnations who had rapidly ascended as new power players in this regression. Though he had never spoken it aloud, Yoo Jonghyuk was aware of one commonality they shared.

‘They were all former evildoers.’

Their names were etched in his memories from the last round that flickered in his mind.

Petty villains who had been major thieves, betrayed their parties, or turned into looters. Now, these very individuals were proudly leading the front lines of the main scenario.

To be precise, it wasn’t only them.

«Dansu ahjussi, why are you sighing like that?»

Another man and woman followed behind them. Yoo Jonghyuk knew their names as well.

«I can’t help but worry about Inho-ssi. Perhaps I should have stayed behind too.»

Though not as resilient as Lee Hyunsung, Kyung Sein was the second-most durable tank after him.
While his combat skills were unremarkable, Lee Dansu reminded him of ‘Selena Kim’, the previous round’s Immortal King.

If his memory served, he had also clashed with these very incarnations in a certain regression.

‘Is it coincidence? Or something else…’

Even if it were a coincidence, it wouldn’t be particularly strange. In the countless cycles of his existence, every human, Yoo Jonghyuk included, had been a villain at least once.

What Yoo Jonghyuk had learned from this was that humans are merely empty vessels. They become entirely different beings based on the ‘stories’ they encounter and the narratives they live.

He knew this to be true. However, accepting that a single man had been the catalyst for it was not easy.

‘Cheon Inho.’

Without a single exception, ‘Cheon Inho’ had always been a villain in every prior round. Whether a minor or major obstacle, he inevitably became an antagonist who blocked Yoo Jonghyuk’s path, as if it were his absolute purpose.

Yet, the ‘Cheon Inho’ of this regression had not become a villain. Yoo Jonghyuk found that fact profoundly strange.

«What are you thinking about?» Yoo Mia, walking beside him, squeezed his left hand. Yoo Jonghyuk spoke without letting go.

«Nothing.»
«You were thinking about that man with the narrow eyes.»
«He is dangerous.»
«He reminds me of that old swindler.»
«Correct.»
«But from what people say, he seems to be a good kind of swindler.»

‘A good swindler.’ Yoo Jonghyuk was briefly surprised that the young Yoo Mia knew such an expression, and he pondered whether he should correct its inherent contradiction. But he could think of no suitable rebuttal.

Instead, Yoo Jonghyuk chose to recall memories from the last regression. How vile that man had been, how perilous it was to ever trust him…

[‘The Redemption of Truth’ is controlling your memory.]

Redemption of Truth. One of the three stories he had engraved. This imprint sealed away certain memories in exchange for immense power. Although he was somewhat concerned that this particular memory was locked away, Yoo Jonghyuk didn’t dwell on it. The crucial ‘memory’ needed to clear this round was held by someone else, not him.

«It has been a long time, King Yoo Jonghyuk.»

Standing before the casino hotel was the very person whose memories he sought. The representative of Zarathustra and his longtime adversary.

«Anna Croft.»

While traveling to the Washington Dome, Yoo Jonghyuk tried to avoid looking directly at Anna Croft as much as possible.

[‘Emotional restraint’ is stirring.]

It was difficult to manage the rising agitation in real time. He regretted not bringing Cheon Inho to prepare for this exact situation. But it was too late to turn back now.

«Prophet. There is a memory I require. Use [Past Tense] on me.»
«I have already exhausted all my uses for today.»

[You are using ‘Lie Detection’.]
[‘Lie Detection’ has confirmed the statement is true.]

Anna Croft’s expression hardened at the message indicating his skill use. «Lie Detection? Do you possess not even a minimum of trust?»
«I would sooner trust a good swindler than place my trust in you.»
«Who is this good swindler?»
«Do not pry into matters that don’t concern you.»
«You were the one who brought it—»
«Know this: my patience is particularly short in this regression.»

Instead of answering, Anna Croft fixed him with a disapproving glare. In that moment, Yoo Jonghyuk felt a powerful urge to draw his spear and strike her head. Dozens of past tragedies caused by Anna Croft flooded his mind all at once.

[Exclusive skill ‘Redemption Lv.5’ is being activated.]
[The influence of ‘Redemption’ is temporarily weakened by the effect of ‘Three Persons’.]

But he had to endure. At the very least, she would be useful until every constellation in this world was extinguished. However, the moment Yoo Jonghyuk assessed the local situation, he began to doubt Anna Croft’s purported ‘usefulness’.

«Why has the scenario progressed to this state?»

It was only the fifth scenario, yet the entire Washington Dome had been corrupted. The surviving incarnations numbered roughly five percent of the dome’s original population. This was an outcome that had never occurred in any previous round.

«An unforeseen situation arose.»
«There is always an unforeseen situation.»
«I had a plan.»
«A plan that fails is worthless. If you cannot provide a convincing answer, you will die here.»

Anna Croft released a deep sigh at his threat. It was an uncharacteristically despondent sound, one he had never heard from her in any other regression.

«Yoo Jonghyuk. Have you encountered a group calling themselves the ‘Apostles’?»

Yoo Jonghyuk nodded.
«As I suspected… it seems they reached Korea as well.»

Judging by her tone, Washington’s downfall was connected to these ‘Apostles’.
«Could it be that Korea also failed to eliminate the Disasters?»
«I was in Korea.»
«Naturally. I was merely confirming.»

Yoo Jonghyuk had successfully concluded the fifth scenario in Korea. A Disaster different from his memories had appeared, and the method of dealing with it had varied from previous rounds, but the scenario had ultimately proceeded smoothly.

«It has not been smooth for us.»
«I believe I understand the situation well enough.»

Yoo Jonghyuk had also heard rumors of the ‘Apostles’. Beings who possessed knowledge of the world’s ‘future’.
«This is the consequence of relying excessively on abilities like [Future Sight]. You should know better than anyone that there is no such thing as a fixed future.»
«The future *was* written. Until they appeared.»

Anna Croft had always cleared scenarios by reading the future and preparing for it. But in this regression, the variable of the ‘Apostles’ had interfered, throwing all her plans into disarray.

«If you assist me in this matter, I will repay the debt, King.»
«I expect you to remain useful long enough for that debt to be settled.»

The moment they stepped through the portal, the surrounding scenery dissolved into waves. Yoo Jonghyuk had his companions wait and ascended a nearby high-rise building to survey the area.

This was not his first visit to the Washington Dome. But the sight before him was entirely new. It was as if the entire city had been submerged in pitch-black ash. No signs of living incarnations were visible anywhere.

The skyscrapers were reduced to ruins, and the sky was choked with a fog so thick it blotted out the starlight. On the building’s rooftop, black roots, reminiscent of an upside-down tree, had sprouted.

Yoo Jonghyuk tore one of the roots off without hesitation. A furious black ether poured from the torn end.

A ‘Dark Root’ that vomited demonic energy. It was confirmed.

‘The Demon Realm.’

He did not know which number this realm was, but the ‘Washington Dome’ had been invaded by a demon realm. Yoo Jonghyuk landed lightly on the ground and questioned Anna.

«Have you secured the parts from the Earth Dragon species?»
«We are in the process.»

Fighting in an invaded demon world required essential [Purification] work. Otherwise, a curse was inevitable.

[Currently, the ‘Washington Dome’ has been eroded by the demon realm.]
[‘Local Curse’ is activated!]
[Spiritual power is slightly decreased in the area!]
[All stats are partially reduced in this area!]

Judging by the extent of the invasion, it was not yet irreversible. However, if the scenario continued unchecked, Washington would truly become part of the ‘Demon Realm’. Over time, the Demon Realm would expand, eventually subsuming the entire Earth under a Demon King. This had to be prevented at all costs.

«Which Demon King is it?»

This was the seventh scenario; the Demon King could not descend in person. Therefore, the ruler of this dome was likely a subordinate of a specific Demon King.

«It was a name I have never heard before for a Demon King.»
«You had never heard it?»

Yoo Jonghyuk knew the true names of all 72 Demon Kings who ruled the demon worlds. The prophet before him should have as well. If a Demon King with an unknown name had appeared, the implication was clear.

«Christina confirmed—»

A new ‘Demon King’ had emerged in the Demon Realm in this regression.

«They called their master the ‘Demon King of Salvation’.»