Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 699

Chapter 699

Of course. Here is the paraphrased chapter:

699 Episode 25 Demon King (2)

As though he had been anticipated, the demon noble serenely turned to face the Capitol’s entrance.

Yet Yoo Jonghyuk did not advance a single step. The voices of his past lives were speaking to him.

*That is a trap.*

Even if it were not an ambush, he placed no trust in the words of the Demon King’s envoy.

«Prophet.»

Anna Croft had no response for Yoo Jonghyuk’s call.

When he glanced at her, he saw Anna Croft swaying unsteadily, her face ashen.

«I don’t know why, but [Future Sight] is not functioning.»

[Future Sight doesn’t work. Even in his last life, Anna Croft’s abilities frequently failed at critical moments.]

But the timing was exceptionally suspicious.

Yoo Jonghyuk analyzed Anna Croft’s condition with dispassionate eyes and reached a swift conclusion.

«You are useless when it matters most.»

The demon noble was now more than twenty paces away.

Yoo Jonghyuk had already gleaned information about this entity using [Sage’s Eyes].

‘It is Viscount Nihterida the Devil.’

This individual was a ‘self-made devil’.

Judging by the original scenario’s difficulty, such a foe should only appear in the eighth scenario.

That being had said, ‘The Demon King of Salvation is waiting’.

Inside the Capitol, there was a genuine agent of the ‘Demon King’.

Most likely, the chance of an incarnation capable of being possessed by the Demon King was higher than the possibility of a symbolic body being present.

If that were the case, it had to be considered at least an earl-level Demon King.

Yoo Jonghyuk drew a deep breath. With each inhalation, the magical power condensed throughout his body continued its rotation.

Typically, ‘Iljucheon’ refers to circulating the magic power contained in the Danjeon to all microscopic blood vessels.

However, with his master, ‘Iljucheon’ held a different meaning.

Only when the circulating magic completes a full circle does the body itself become an eye.

Eyes that perceive the world through expanded senses.

Through those eyes, a human sees the sky. One realizes the sky, which seemed beautiful and vast, was in truth a prison within a terrible scenario.

「 «In essence, it is to recognize this entire world as merely a jest of the heavens. That is Iljucheon, the gateway to Pacheon.» 」

At this stage, it was still difficult to count the stars in the sky. Yet it was not difficult to count the demon species on the ground.

«A total of four?»

A shocked Viscount Nihterida looked back.

Next, three stone statues emitted a sinister light from atop the Capitol’s stone building.

[The evil Viscount ‘Bricolakas’ is hostile towards you.]

[The evil Viscount ‘Scupedia’ is showing hostility towards you.]

[The evil Viscount ‘Myrmicoleon’ shows his hostility towards you.]

Four demon viscounts.

In no previous round had he confronted four self-made demons simultaneously during the seventh scenario.

*Coo coo coo coo coo.*

Anna Croft bit her lip as she felt the oppressive pressure of the demonic species bearing down on the area.

«Those are the demons who slaughtered my comrades.»

These demons had likely been summoned in the fifth scenario. Starting from only the fifth scenario, it was obvious no nation could handle a difficulty of this magnitude.

As a sharp light emanated from Yoo Jonghyuk’s eyes, the viscounts glanced at each other with curiosity.

*Coo coo coo coo.*

Had this been a previous round, or even the one before that, Yoo Jonghyuk would never have engaged them. To fight four viscount-level combatants in the seventh scenario was tantamount to suicide.

But Yoo Jonghyuk did not retreat. Because this round was neither the 39th nor the 40th.

This world was the 41st round.

The instant Yoo Jonghyuk’s body vanished, the three Viscounts simultaneously aimed their weapons at his location.

Brycolakas brandished his long incense stick, his primary weapon, Scoupedia readied his dual-wielding daggers, and Myrmicleon hefted his swollen drumstick.

Magical energy, saturated with profound evil karma, erupted in a semicircle around the three demons.

In that moment, Yoo Jonghyuk’s agility had reached the scenario’s limit. However, in the eyes of the demonic viscounts, it was an undesirable speed.

The viscounts’ gazes all fixed on a single point in the air.

«Is it there?»

The spear, dual daggers, and the drumstick struck that same point in the air simultaneously. The demonic viscounts laughed alongside the sound of a cruel explosion. They believed Yoo Jonghyuk had been mercilessly crushed.

However, when the black ether staining the air dissipated, Yoo Jonghyuk was not there.

«What—»

It seemed impossible. There was no way a single incarnation could evade the perception of an evolved demon noble.

The moment the demon Viscount Myrmicoleon sensed something was amiss, he opened his mouth.

*Skag.*

With a sound like the world being torn in two, the head of Demon Viscount Myrmicoleon was severed.

For the first time, agitation spread across the demons’ faces.

Suppose he had merely escaped their sight. Yet a viscount-level demon had been killed in a single strike.

«It does not make sense—»

But to the present Yoo Jonghyuk, it ‘made sense’. The power he now manifested was obtained at a great cost.

[‘Restraint of Truth’ is activated.]

One of his three story imprints, ‘The Redemption of Truth’.

[Some of your memories are sealed.]

A ‘Story Engraving’ that unleashes power in exchange for sealing away portions of his memories from the previous round.

[All your overall abilities will temporarily exceed the scenario limit!]

[Explosive power surges from your entire body!]

Within Yoo Jonghyuk’s mind, a cherished memory began to fade. It was a memory he held dear.

「 «Captain. This is a birthday present. It’s my favorite toshi…» 」

Lee Hyunsung from the 22nd round, smiling with a simple expression. The old toshi he had given him was disappearing from his mind. The warmth in his heart diminished, growing infinitely cold.

Yoo Jonghyuk would likely never recall that smile again. Instead, he would remember something else.

A memory from his long journey of regression that would not fade until the very end of his life.

「 «Captain. Will you please take revenge in the next round?» 」

«I will grant your wish, Lee Hyunsung.»

He would remember only the sorrow.

He would fight against the sky of this world, using the hatred born from that grief as his driving force.

«You! How dare you!»

The demonic Viscount Scoupedia charged at him, swinging his dual daggers. The pitch-black river forming at the tips of his weapons grazed Yoo Joonghyuk’s cheek.

But even faster, Yoo Joonghyuk had already pierced Scoupedia’s heart.

*Thump.*

Scoupedia vomited black blood and died. Enraged, Vrycolakas and Nihterida joined forces and rushed forward.

It was an attack designed to defeat Donggui.

The Ammu conjured by Nihterida obscured his field of vision, and Vrykolakas’s long spear split into a dozen fragments flying in from every direction. Several of the polearms grazed Yoo Jonghyuk’s thighs and waist.

*Skag.*

Vricolakas’s head fell.

Now, only the demonic Viscount Nihterida remained.

Nihterida, hesitating and retreating, spoke.

«What are you doing? Why are you opposing us? The Demon King holds no hostility toward you!»

Nihterida, having even discarded his pride as a demon species, shouted in panic.

«Hmm, why would you do this? The ‘Demon King of Salvation’ will surely be fine if you summon him.»

Realizing the situation was dire, Nihterida looked at him, then swiftly turned and fled.

[The exclusive skill ‘Suzaku Shinbo Lv.10’ is activated!]

Yoo Jonghyuk’s thigh muscles flexed like an animal’s once more. His footsteps dug deeply into the ground with a loud noise. Yoo Jonghyuk concentrated his magic power, spinning it through the air. [Pacheon Ganggi], which extended toward the sky with its centrifugal force.

[The exclusive skill ‘Flashlight Lv.8’ is activated!]

The gathered magic power transformed into holy light and blasted a large hole through Nihterida’s upper body.

[‘Redemption of Truth’ ends.]

The moment his magic power was exhausted, Yoo Jonghyuk retrieved an ‘Advanced Magic Power Recovery Potion’ from his coat and drank it.

The liquid seeped into his entire body.

Yoo Jonghyuk wiped his mouth with a slightly weary expression and immediately examined the equipment items dropped by the demon species.

‘Ancient demon’s necklace.’

‘Half armor of great strength.’

‘Ammu Belt.’

All three were decent pieces of equipment.

The ‘half armor of great strength’, which boosted physical power, was suitable for Lee Hyunsung, who focused on hand-to-hand combat. The ‘ammu belt’ was appropriate for Yoo Jonghyuk himself to wear.

‘I can give this to him.’

The ‘Ancient Demon’s Necklace’, which increased stun resistance, was for the companion who fainted often.

It was useless in its current state, but enhancing it would provide some help.

Anna Croft asked, bewildered, as she saw Yoo Jonghyuk stand up after finishing his maintenance instantly.

«What on earth did you just do?»

«There is no share for you. You provided no assistance in the battle.»

«That is not what I mean.»

In truth, Yoo Jonghyuk knew what had shocked Anna Croft.

He had been incredible. The level of prowess he had just displayed was beyond any other incarnation in the same scenario.

«Did you truly create a ‘story imprint’? Have you forgotten what happened to the villains who used that power?»

Yoo Jonghyuk also knew the fate of those ‘villains’. Some had their very existences sealed because they could find no way to remove the imprint.

«It involves borrowing and wielding a fictional ‘story’. Its power will consume your soul and memories.»

«That is not your concern.»

«What did you lose in return?»

Yoo Jonghyuk did not answer, but Anna Croft understood what he had sacrificed.

「 «Prophet. There is a necessary memory. Use [Future Sight].» 」

To a regressor, ‘memory’ is everything to their existence.

«Why would you do that… Sealed memories do not return! You have lost them forever. Do you even understand what that means?»

The vanished worlds persist only in his memories, and he maintains his identity by not forgetting them.

Yoo Jonghyuk had given his memories as payment.

«You will become someone else. You will not even know who you are.»

«You speak as if you know who you are.»

As if further conversation was pointless, Yoo Jonghyuk began walking away again. Traces of the demons’ blood marked each of his footprints.

Anna Croft stared blankly at the footprints he left behind.

If he failed, what meaning would these footprints hold?

If a time ever came when even she could no longer read the past with [Future Sight], then who would remember that regressor’s long record of failures?

Should she make it difficult?

«Wait a minute. Wait, King!»

Anna Croft, jolted from her thoughts, quickly followed Yoo Jonghyuk.

However, before he had taken more than a few steps, Yoo Jonghyuk suddenly stopped. She did not need to ask why. She also saw the figure emerging from inside the Capitol.

A formidable magical energy that made her entire body tremble.

«Run, Prophet.»

For the first time, Yoo Jonghyuk’s expression grew tense.

«It is a ‘Marquis’ level demon.»

That was where Anna Croft’s story concluded.

«Wait a minute. So what happened next?»

Wasn’t some crucial information missing?

What became of Yoo Jonghyuk, who faced a marquis-level demon?

If something like that occurred, how could he be sure his companions were safe?

And who was this ‘Demon King of Salvation’ over there?

Ultimately, I could no longer restrain myself and pressed her.

«Did you abandon Yoo Jonghyuk there and flee by yourself?»

«Before we continue, there is something I must ask you.»

I already knew what Anna Croft intended to ‘ask’.

She had begun this story from the start to buy time.

The incarnations surrounding the outside of the living room were proof of that.

Naturally, no matter how many incarnations encircled this place, it was not a significant threat to me. That is, provided the combat power of the incarnations remained within the realm of probability.

«We possess ‘tactical nuclear weapons’.»

«So?»

Tactical nuclear weapon. It seemed they had managed to secure modern weapons from the era before the scenario.

«You are not planning to deploy that against the Washington Dome, are you? You know there is no point in such an action.»

A nuclear weapon of that destructive power cannot be activated due to the constraints of the scenario’s structure.

The moment the launch button is pressed against the Washington Dome, the weapon would likely be disabled by the ensuing probability backlash.

But now, instead of aiming a tactical nuclear weapon at the Dome, she had brought it to me.

«I heard from Christina that you are a ‘family member’ of the Demon King.»

Perhaps Anna Croft had resolved herself. If necessary, she would use that ‘nuclear weapon’ here.

«Is the name of the Demon King you serve ‘Demon King of Salvation’?»