Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Novel MTL - Chapter 703

Chapter 703

A dark beast gazed down upon Washington City with clouded eyes.

Others might have failed to identify it, but I could not mistake who that was.

Without a doubt, that being was Yoo Jonghyuk.

[Please confirm the ‘new sub-scenario’.]

<Sub Scenario – Beast Hunt>

Category: Sub

Difficulty: ???

Clear Conditions: Subdue the ‘black beast’ that has dominion over Washington City.

Time Limit: —

Reward: narrative-grade story, 300,000 coins, S-grade skill selection, ???

Failure: —

What in the world was happening?

I had come here clearly to exorcise the ‘ruler of the Washington Dome’. So why had a scenario to eliminate Yoo Jonghyuk suddenly appeared?

‘Constellation-nim?’

But Kim Dokja offered no reply.

Instead, a faint voice echoed in my mind.

—Constellation. How did things turn out like this…?

It was an informal tone. Kim Dokja seemed to be interrogating Bihyung about the scenario.

—This wasn’t our plan… It’s true we sold the constellation’s modifier, but…

It appeared this scenario was not Bihyung’s intention.

In any case, the situation was dire.

Gradually, the expressions of the incarnations began to shift.

«Hey. Did you see the reward?»

«Yeah.»

«If I pull this off, I’ll be set for life.»

The incarnations, who had initially been terrified of the black beast, were slowly gathering again near the Capitol.

300,000 coins and a fable-grade story.

On top of that, the chance to select an S-grade skill.

It was a reward far beyond what any ordinary ‘sub-scenario’ could offer.

—Youngest. From now on, listen to me carefully.

Kim Dokja returned just then and spoke to me.

—That guy has now awakened two ‘Story Imprints’.

‘What exactly is a story imprint?’

Since ‘engraving a tale’ was a concept that hadn’t appeared in ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint,’ I listened calmly to Kim Dokja’s explanation.

According to him, there were three ‘Story Imprints’ etched onto Yoo Jonghyuk’s being.

「 Redemption of Truth 」

「 Restraint of Emotions 」

「 Redemption of Life 」

—’Redemption of Truth’ is a power that can be used at the cost of fragments of one’s past memories. For an ordinary person, overusing it would lead to idiocy, but for that guy, who still retains his memories, it’s not a significant burden.

I had also learned of the first story imprint from Anna Croft.

Yoo Jonghyuk, after activating that imprint, had once slaughtered four viscount-level demons simultaneously.

The problem was the second story imprint.

—’Emotional Restraint’ is an imprint that demands a price for one’s emotions. Using it causes a gradual loss of one’s human identity. Almost as if…

‘It means turning into an animal.’

—Correct.

Was that why Yoo Jonghyuk had become a beast?

—But normally, using ‘Emotional Restraint’ doesn’t lead to such extreme ‘beastification’. At most, an arm or a leg might transform. But that guy has now fully become a beast, and his physical prowess has risen by several levels.

‘I think I just found a clue.’

Tiny, glimmering fragments lay on the ground near the Capitol.

—Grab it! Now!

I hurried over, bent down, and picked up the shards.

[A minuscule ‘Kim Dokja Fragment’ has been acquired.]

[The fragment is too small to be registered as a ‘loss’.]

[The legendary story ‘Heir to the Eternal Name’ seems dissatisfied and consumes the fragment.]

[Your lifespan has increased slightly.]

[A 5-minute time limit has been added.]

A slight extension of lifespan.

And then.

「 … 」

A story began to unfold.

It was the tale of a demon.

A demon born as a guardian of darkness, who evolved by gathering ‘Fragments of Kim Dokja’. The memory of a being who longed only to escape its role as an extra.

«You will perish here.»

「 [Incarnation ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ activates ‘Binding of Truth’!] 」

Yoo Jonghyuk of the 41st regression was formidably powerful.

His combat ability was on par with a ‘marquis-level demon’. After trading over a hundred blows in an instant, the two opponents paused, catching their breath and seeking an opening.

Scratching, tearing, cutting, stabbing.

As wounds covered its body, the demon gradually shrank.

It had believed itself powerful.

It had slain and consumed many humans, stealing their strength.

But what kind of ‘human’ was this?

「 «In the end, one imprint is sufficient. This wasn’t the intended use for this power, but…» 」

As Yoo Jonghyuk muttered this, his body was enveloped in a dark light.

「 [Incarnation ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’ activates ‘Emotional Restraint’!] 」

Finally, Yoo Jonghyuk’s second story imprint was triggered.

Black fur began to cover Yoo Jonghyuk’s entire form. His chest and thighs swelled, veins bulged, and thick muscles twitched.

Beyond that point, the demon’s memory was partially damaged. A scene of something pitch-black racing forward. A scene of being sliced, torn apart, and devoured.

Only emotions saturated with fear and horror remained concentrated in the fragments.

「 The demon was unlucky. It had encountered the ‘king’. 」

The demon, torn to pieces, desperately reached out a hand as if pleading for mercy—a gesture it had learned from the countless humans it had killed.

「 The demon was fortunate. Its final encounter was with ‘Yoo Jonghyuk’. 」

An ordinary Yoo Jonghyuk would never have taken the demon’s hand.

However, in that moment, Yoo Jonghyuk had activated two ‘Story Imprints’.

A portion of his memory was suppressed due to the ‘Restraint of Truth’, and a part of his reason was numbed by the ‘Restraint of Emotions’.

Yoo Jonghyuk, driven purely by instinct, reached out as if compelled the instant he saw the glittering fragment at the demon’s fingertips.

「 Fragment of Kim Dokja. 」

The moment Yoo Jonghyuk’s hand touched the fragment, his eyes grew vacant.

As his soul wavered, a gap appeared in [Sage’s Eyes] and his [Mental Barrier] was disrupted.

The demon seized its final opportunity.

「 The demon had finally found its chance to become the protagonist of this story. 」

Goosebumps prickled across my skin.

I instinctively called out to Yoo Jonghyuk, who stood atop the Capitol.

«Yoo Jonghyuk?»

The black beast looked down at me. Its gaze held no recognition.

«Demon.»

A black beast now filled only with profound distrust and hatred for the world.

The creature released a long, soul-shaking roar over Washington.

Several incarnations fainted and collapsed under the force of the howl.

Yet, some were only further incited.

«Kill it! We’ll claim the reward!»

The first to advance was a group of incarnations from the Middle East.

Dressed in aged combat uniforms and caps, they immediately raised their guns and opened fire.

«Open fire!»

As magic bullets, reminiscent of [Gangmashi], wove a net of fire, the Capitol was swiftly engulfed in pale dust.

«Wait! Stop! Hold your fire!»

I shouted, running toward them. It wasn’t Yoo Jonghyuk I was worried about.

«Kwaaaaak!»

Blood sprayed through the dusty haze. Incarnations, now only torsos, crumpled like broken dolls.

—Damn it, youngest.

‘The demon is inside Yoo Jonghyuk now, right?’

—Yes.

‘Do we need an exorcism?’

—The Vatican group isn’t here. And no ordinary exorcist can manage it. That demon is also ‘Marquis’ level.

‘Are you certain?’

—You must first remove the Story Imprint.

Just as I was about to ask how to do that.

[Special clear conditions for this ‘sub-scenario’ have been revealed.]

A scenario message materialized before my eyes.

1. To eliminate the ‘black beast’, the ‘eight fragments’ embedded in the beast’s back must be extracted.
2. Great rewards will be granted upon consecrating the successfully removed fragments to the nebula.

The identity of the eight fragments protruding from Yoo Jonghyuk’s back was obvious.

‘Fragments of Kim Dokja.’

I recalled the 4th-grade Earth Dragon, which had exhibited abnormal strength.

If the Earth Dragon, which absorbed just one fragment, was ‘4th grade’, how powerful was Yoo Jonghyuk, who had absorbed eight?

At that moment, the beast’s golden eyes shifted in our direction.

To be precise, it was not looking at me, but at the woman beside me.

「 The demon sensed an inexplicable killing intent. 」

I turned to look at her at almost the same instant the beast vanished.

That ‘black beast’ had shed its reason and was now pure instinct.

«Anna!»

And right beside me was Yoo Jonghyuk’s most despised enemy.

In a flash, the beast’s front paw shot forward, aimed directly at Anna’s head. As Anna, eyes wide, stumbled backward, the king’s guardian who had been waiting behind her sprang into action.

«Goddess!»

The ‘Shield of Aegis’ materialized from Selena Kim’s hand.

In the 3rd round, Selena Kim had received blessings from the goddess Athena.

She had likely been gifted a sacred relic this time as well.

Quaaaaaaaaa!

The ‘Shield of Aegis’ met Yoo Jonghyuk’s descending paw.

A relic of a legendary constellation.

And Selena Kim, who wielded holy relics, was a powerhouse listed among the ‘100 strongest people in Ways of Survival’ in later times.

Yet she could not withstand a single blow and was thrown back dozens of meters.

Selena Kim struggled to her feet, one knee seemingly shattered.

«Anna, get away…!»

«Step aside, Prophet!»

The one who charged forward courageously was Elliot Haston, the incarnation of Lancelot.

Elliot drew his sword, radiating a pure white light, and galloped forth on his steed, Griffith.

A dozen knights followed close behind him.

«Constellations of the Round Table!»

[At the request of incarnation ‘Elliot Haston’, ‘Round Table Justice’ is activated!]

[The ‘Round Table Council’ is convened.]

Round Table Council.

I stared in astonishment.

‘Constellation-nim, is that—’

—Wow, I’m seeing this for the first time too.

Just as the ‘Judge of Destruction’ could activate [Time of Judgment] with the consensus of constellations from ‘Absolute Good’, the ‘Knights of the Round Table’ could activate [Justice of the Round Table] with the agreement of the ‘Round Table Council’.

[‘Round Table Council’ grants approval to activate the skill.]

[The incarnation ‘Elliot Haston’ activates ‘Round Table Justice’!]

The spirit of the legendary round table surged through Elliot Haston.

As if in response, a brilliant radiance emanated from the knights.

«Slay the monster!»

The knights, formed into a wedge, charged fiercely at Yoo Jonghyuk. For a moment, it seemed they might actually inflict damage.

Then, explosive magical energy erupted from the black beast. The power concentrated in its paws shot toward the knights like cannon fire.

[Pacheonbongkwon.]

Screams and groans echoed from all directions.

As the thick dust settled, the full horror of the battlefield was laid bare. All around the Capitol, knights with severed limbs hung like discarded dolls.

It was a massacre.

«How— how is this—»

Elliot, too, had a gaping wound in his abdomen and was vomiting blood.

Even the formidable Knights of the Round Table had failed to subdue Yoo Jonghyuk.

In my head, I heard Kim Dokja click his tongue.

—He can’t be beaten. It’s better to retreat. The current Yoo Jonghyuk cannot be halted, not even by Fei Hu or Ranbir Khan.

As Kim Dokja spoke, a faint sense of guilt washed over me.

I felt that perhaps all of this was my fault.

「 «Stop this.» 」

Maybe Yoo Jonghyuk had known it would come to this, which was why he had tried to take me with him.

「 «I don’t fully understand why, but whenever I receive that memory, I cease to function.» 」

I bit my lip.

‘There must be a way.’

The reason Yoo Jonghyuk’s mind had been shaken was the memory within the ‘Kim Dokja fragment’.

So what if I could shake his mind once more, with even greater force?

In other words, strike him with an overwhelmingly powerful memory.

‘Constellation-nim. Possess me again.’

Unfortunately, this was not something I could achieve alone.

—No.

‘Why not?’

—The cooldown hasn’t ended. And there aren’t enough coins to cover the probability cost.

‘I’ll cover the coins. How long until the cooldown is over?’

—10 minutes.

My head spun.

In 10 minutes, the entire Washington area could be laid to waste, and every incarnation here could be wiped out.

I glanced back at Anna.

We had no choice. We would have to withdraw and seek another opportunity—

«Cheon Inho.»

But Anna’s expression was strange. Her eyes swirled with a sinister light. Sparks danced wildly around her.

I understood what was happening.

«Are you seeing the future?»

«He is coming.»

Anna’s voice was tense.

Before I could ask who was coming, I saw a portal swirling in the distance.

Hadn’t all the noteworthy incarnations already arrived?

Whoever came through now would only meet their end.

Even if Fei Hu or Ranbir Khan appeared, it would change nothing.

Then, emerging from the portal was the front paw of an enormous creature.

Coo coo coo coo.

Incarnations riding monsters that resembled elephants.

Indian incarnations? Had Ranbir Khan come?

Laughter echoed from somewhere.

The moment I saw the incarnations forming the front line, a realization struck me.

«Hahaha! Yoo Jonghyuk! I’ve arrived!»

Why had I forgotten about his existence?

I recalled the ‘seventh scenario’ from the 3rd round.

In the original third round, Seoul had been seized by a religious group.

But this time, I had heard no such news, so I assumed the ‘church’ had vanished with the changing scenario.

That had been a naive assumption.

—Oh, perhaps.

He was the sole incarnation who had defeated the ‘King’ in the 3rd round.

A beautiful man, arms spread wide like a blooming lotus flower, addressed Yoo Jonghyuk.

«You look magnificent, Yoo Jonghyuk.»

The leader of the Salvation Church, Nirvana Moebius, had come to Washington.

«But why have you merged with a being other than me?»

He seemed slightly offended.