Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint Chapter 544 - Epilogue 4 – The Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint (9)

“...I just scribbled some things down, hoping to preserve a record of our journey. Who knows, maybe one day Kim Dok-Ja will awaken. And if that truly comes to pass, he will have likely forgotten every bit of us by then.”

The companions spent their time absorbing Han Su-Yeong’s novel.

Shin Yu-Seung, eyes swollen and red from weeping, snapped at Yi Gil-Yeong to scroll at a slower pace, even as the boy continued to sniffle while clicking his mouse. Nearby, Yu Sang-Ah, Jeong Hui-Won, and Jang Ha-Yeong had each copied the file to pore over the story on their own devices.

Yu Sang-Ah let out a soft, melancholic smile as she scanned the passage detailing her own appearance. “...I really did say something like that, didn’t I?”

Perhaps she was yearning for those bygone days, as her fingers gently traced the lines on her screen. It was as if that simple gesture might allow her to reach out and actually touch Kim Dok-Ja.

Yi Ji-Hye drained the remaining liquor from her bottle before standing up with a wobble. “What the hell is this? Is it actually that entertaining?”

“Ah?! Noona!”

Drunkenly stumbling, Yi Ji-Hye shoved Yi Gil-Yeong aside, claiming the notebook PC for herself. She smacked her own cheeks in an attempt to focus her hazy gaze upon the display.

How much time had trickled away?

“Sob, sooob, waaah! This book is just too devastating, you know?!”

“...You’ve only managed to finish the first chapter, so why are you...”

Yi Ji-Hye blew her nose loudly before lobbing a crumpled tissue at Yi Gil-Yeong. She didn’t pay any mind to the boy’s indignant protests. Her excitement only heightened as she scrolled down to the segment covering her own debut in Chungmuro.

“A girl wielding a lengthy sword stood at the exit as the faint rays of light shone through. While looking at Yi Ji-Hye’s hair dancing in the winds intermittently blowing in.... Keuh-euuh, I’m sooo uber-cool, aren’t I??”

“Argh, seriously now?! Go back up already!”

Disregarding Yi Gil-Yeong’s scolding, Yi Ji-Hye continued her rambling.

“Like, what happens afterwards? What becomes of Kim Dok-Ja....”

Eventually, the alcohol won the battle; her forehead hit the table with a thud. Shin Yu-Seung reclaimed the notebook, taking over the task of scrolling. “...Do I show up later on as well?”

“Everyone plays their part. Though, the level of importance for each person naturally varies,” Han Su-Yeong explained.

“B-but, I really put in my best, you know.”

“Yes, I know. Rest assured, your story features quite prominently later on.”

They each possessed the knowledge of the story’s conclusion. They knew the fate of Kim Dok-Ja, the trials his companions would face, and the tragedy of their shattered dreams. They understood all of it far too clearly.

Yet, understanding did not stop Shin Yu-Seung from pressing on with the narrative.

They marched toward that fixed conclusion, one sentence at a time. The story they had no power to alter lay before them. Shin Yu-Seung devoured every line, treasuring the words as if each one disappearing from view was a sorrowful loss.

“...How wonderful would it have been if Dok-Ja ahjussi were here to read this.”

“Should we bring him the book and read it aloud?”

Han Su-Yeong thought of Kim Dok-Ja, currently slumbering within Yi Seol-Hwa’s hospital. Though she had penned this novel for him, she held little hope that he would be reading it anytime soon.

⸢Could it be that, just maybe, this was the completion of this story?⸥

Could the true purpose of this novel be to offer an ending to those who had lost everything? Were these people, perhaps, the only true readers this story would ever have?

“Do you think that ahjussi in other timelines would enjoy reading it, too?”

This simple story could not save the companions, but at the very least, it might provide the strength to endure their present existence. Much like Kim Dok-Ja had once turned to ‘Ways of Survival’ for comfort.

“I wonder. Perhaps.”

“Ahjussi is likely ahjussi in that place, too. Most definitely.”

“Who knows, he might have been reborn as a bug.”

“Keep saying stuff like that if you want to die, Yi Gil-Yeong.”

“I’d have cherished him even if he were an insect, you know? I would have read books to him every single day.”

The adults chuckled softly at the boy’s nonsensical musings.

Yu Sang-Ah spoke up gently. “Regardless of where he is born or what he becomes, Dok-Ja-ssi will always remain Dok-Ja-ssi.”

Han Su-Yeong nodded. Kim Dok-Ja was undoubtedly living a different life somewhere in the vast expanse of the cosmos. He was likely living, reading stories written by some unknown hand, feeling sadness, joy, or inspiration.

And the people in this world would continue to remember his tale as they navigated their own lives.

They prayed that the Kim Dok-Ja of that world remained safe from misery.

They prayed he found as much happiness as his companions felt while keeping his memory alive here.

Shin Yu-Seung, having stalled on the earlier chapters, spoke in a voice barely louder than a sigh. “I cannot read anymore. I’m simply terrified of reaching the final page.”

“It won’t end just yet,” Han Su-Yeong reassured her.

“Are you going to continue writing the next chapters?”

“I am.”

“How wonderful it would be if we could send this book to that other world. It is such a pity that only we can read it.”

...The other world?

Han Su-Yeong was briefly stunned by the unexpected thought.

She had never considered such a thing, nor had it seemed like a real possibility. She mulled over the concept, but before she could voice a response, a breaking news alert flashed across the television.

Breaking news: A terrorist has launched an attack on the ‘Scenario Museum’ in Gwanghwanmun...

“Terrorists? In this era?”

Jang Ha-Yeong shook her head, confused. Most of the system’s influence had faded from the world; Star Relics were now mere curiosities without their original power. Just then, Jeong Hui-Won’s phone began to chime.

“Hello, this is Jeong Hui-Won, representative of Iron Caps, the security firm dedicated to protecting your... Pardon? Where? Who has appeared??”

A flustered Jeong Hui-Won looked toward the television screen as the news ticker continued to crawl along the bottom.

The identity of the terrorist has been confirmed as a Transcender formerly known as the ‘Conquering King’...

...The ‘Conquering King’?

Seconds later, the face of the perpetrator appeared on the screen.

Terrorist, Conquering King Yu Jung-Hyeok. (33, unemployed)

*

“Stop him!”

Riot police converged on the museum, forming a line to block the approach of the man. Yet, he moved with unnatural agility, weaving through their attempts to strike. His pitch-black coat swirled as he engaged them, scattering the officers like autumn leaves in a gale.

“Uwaaahk!”

“He’s wielding system powers! Alert the security firm! Call the government-aligned Constellations immediately!”

Yu Jung-Hyeok’s [Red Phoenix Shunpo] flared with yellow-red flames as he charged forward. Each stride unleashed a wave of blistering heat, forcing the police to shrink back in terror. Within moments, he had reached the entrance of the [Scenario Museum].

This served as a repository for Star Relics recovered from the era of the apocalypse, housing powerful artifacts not meant for public display. The pursuing officers shouted in desperation.

“He is merely a relic from the old generation! The battle-array formation set by the North Star Constellations should be able to...”

[‘North Star Five March Formation’ has been triggered!]

Yu Jung-Hyeok assessed the internal structure of the formation with cold efficiency. It was a Murim-based array, governed by the laws of the North Star and the five elements, designed to weave the ‘life gate’ and ‘death gate’ into a unified trap. His gaze ignited with golden light as his [Dark Heavenly Demon Sword] struck seven points with surgical precision.

Kuu-rurururung!

“What in the hell... how did he do that...?!”

The young officers, ignorant of the dark history of the apocalypse, watched in paralyzed shock. They had heard the legends, of course.

Twenty years ago, there existed a man who looked upon the stars with unbridled defiance.

To them, it was just a fairy tale. A man capable of standing toe-to-toe with the Constellations? They viewed it as a myth. Unfortunately for them, the living embodiment of that story was standing right before them.

Yu Jung-Hyeok stepped over the ruins of the formation. Nobody left could impede him.

As the dust settled, someone emerged from the haze.

Conquering King, what is the meaning of this? Surely, someone of your standing has no need to pilfer mere Star Relics?

It was Han Dong-Hoon, an Incarnation in service to the state, known for his ability to broadcast messages directly into the minds of his targets.

Yu Jung-Hyeok acknowledged the message with a silent stare before pointing at the museum’s steeple. A small ship rested there, a symbol of a lost era. “I require that vessel.”

That is just a replica. It lacks the capacity to fly.

“We shall see once I activate it.”

You have been wandering the world without submitting to regular check-ins with our government, and we have turned a blind eye out of respect for your achievements during the apocalypse.

“.....”

However, that leniency ends today. If you persist in this path, we are forced to use lethal force.

The threat was underscored by a massive surge of fighting spirit erupting from Han Dong-Hoon. He, too, was a veteran of the scenarios, a powerhouse who had earned the title ‘King of Shadows’ by the time the conflict drew to a chaotic close.

“You intend to intercede?”

Yu Jung-Hyeok took a single, deliberate step forward. At that instant, those nearby collapsed to their knees. Han Dong-Hoon’s expression hardened as he hurriedly cycled through hand signs.

All units, prepare to—!

Before the command could even be transmitted, shadows clinging to the rooftop slumped like withered insects.

Tumble, drop...

The fallen agents writhed on the pavement. The precise pressure-point strikes were visible across their motionless bodies. Over thirty elite Incarnations had been present with Han Dong-Hoon, yet all had been neutralized without a single person noticing the movement.

“Out of my way.”

Han Dong-Hoon’s shoulders betrayed a slight tremor. For two decades, the strongest Incarnation he had known was the prophet Anna Croft—the only one capable of matching the status of Constellations. But even if she stood here, could she truly halt this monster?

Han Dong-Hoon, report... Han Dong-Hoon?

He realized that he would die if he remained. He understood this perfectly, yet his feet were rooted to the spot. The suffocating weight of killing intent acted like a noose around his neck. Who could possibly stop such a Transcender? The Murim masters of other worlds? Or the Constellations embarking on world tours? No, even they would find this task insurmountable.

This monster possessed power that breached the highest limits of the Transcenders. Following the destruction of the <Star Stream>, even the Constellations lacked the strength they once commanded. Because of that...

“Captain Han Dong-Hoon! Get back!!”

The strike of Yu Jung-Hyeok’s sword, Han Dong-Hoon’s desperate attempt to shield himself, and the deafening shockwave all occurred in a single, blurring heartbeat. A violent outburst of magic force hurled Han Dong-Hoon across the plaza. It had been an age since he had witnessed a clash so intense it stirred the aftermath of Probability.

Tsu-chuchuchuchu....

Clinging to a fissure in the earth to steady himself against the storm, he stared in disbelief at the unfolding spectacle.

“F*ck, man. It’s a real pain using powers that have been mothballed for so long.”

Someone had successfully blocked the Conquering King’s blade.

[Constellation, ‘Architect of the False Last Act’, is unleashing her power!]

[Fable fragments of the ‘Bureau’ are supporting the ‘Architect of the False Last Act’!]

She was one of the very few capable of holding Yu Jung-Hyeok at bay.

Purple-hued magical energy poured from her, staining the air with a foreboding aura.

“Yu Jung-Hyeok, what kind of madness is this?” demanded the Empress of Black Flames, Han Su-Yeong.

“This is none of your concern.”

“Why wouldn’t it be? Our former Regressor friend decides to launch1 a terror attack for free, so how could I simply stand by?”

“....”

“The comrade of yesteryear has lost his way and slipped into corruption, so it’s the duty of the superhero to take responsibility for his rehabilitation....”

Kwaaa-boooom!

“Goddammit, what is your problem? Why are you losing your mind here??”

“Move. I have no interest in debating with you.”

“No, you’re going to start talking. That has always been your fatal flaw. You’ve been behaving for two years, so why start this now....”

Swiiiiiish-!

She whipped a dagger from her pocket, teeth gritted, and successfully parried Yu Jung-Hyeok’s strike. The crushing weight of his sword energy forced her back, step by painful step. Han Su-Yeong darted a glance at the direction she was being pushed.

...The Scenario Museum.

The logic escaped her. Yu Jung-Hyeok had no valid reason to target such a place. He wouldn’t gain any real power from a few relics at this stage. Furthermore, anything he might actually value wouldn't be stored in this location....

And then, something caught her eye.

“Hey, you. It can’t be....”

Her hair began to drift upward, unmoored by gravity. A creeping, ominous wave of power saturated the air. Cold rage leaked into Han Su-Yeong’s voice.

“....Is this because of that?”

Yu Jung-Hyeok’s eyes burned with an intense, seething focus, his gaze locked onto the hull of the replica [Final Ark] perched atop the steeple.

<Epilogue 4. The Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint (9)> Fin.