Episode 10. Writer (1)
*
Half an hour later, I hunted down the 'Giant Centipede' and organized the items I obtained.
[Giant Centipede Core].
[Giant Centipede Carapace Fragment].
I managed to grab these two items in a hurry.
I didn't have any use for them right now, so I put them up for sale on the exchange through
Bihyung.
The centipede's core is used as an ingredient for the panacea, so there was a chance that Chinese
incarnations like Pei Hu would buy them.
Come to think of it, I completely forgot about the overseas side.
There are translations of 'Omniscient Reader' in foreign languages, so maybe there are some
transmigrated foreign readers.
"Inho-ssi, we're ready."
I turned around to find Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi waiting for me.
"Okay. Let's go."
We went straight to Ye Hyunwoo.
When we told him what we wanted to do, he had the expected reaction.
"You want to go to the Theater Dungeon now?"
Ye Hyunwoo thought for a moment, then asked Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi to leave for a
moment.
When they stepped back, Ye Hyunwoo asked in a low voice.
"Does this have anything to do with Yoo Joonghyuk?"
As expected of the 7th Apostle.
I simply nodded and replied.
"Because the only place Yoo Joonghyuk can go right now is the 'Theater Dungeon'."
"Hmm, I guess so too."
Ye Hyunwoo's gaze drifted upward toward the top of the station.
Somewhere up there, Yoo Joonghyuk, who had entered the theater, was probably slashing at
monsters.
"I heard from Sein-ssi last time. The Yoo Joonghyuk of this world is the 41st turn, right?"
"That's right."
"Which 41st turn?"
"If you ask me which one."
"There were two 41st turns. One before Shin Yooseung became the Disaster of Floods, and one
after."
I smiled bitterly to myself.
This was no ordinary reader, indeed.
My expression must have been serious, because Ye Hyunwoo laughed.
"You can pretend like you don't know, and I won't bother using Lie Detection."
I felt a little numb as I watched him smile.
What a clever reader.
"Probably the former."
"Then it's the '41st turn' from Omniscient Reader. The one where he failed the scenario and
turned Shin Yooseung into the 'Disaster of Floods'... and you're still going to the 'Theater
Dungeon'?"
I was at a loss for words.
"You saw him yourself, Inho-ssi. He destroyed all the green zones and tried to kill us."
It was true. We were almost wiped out in the Emergency Defense Battle because of Yoo
Joonghyuk.
However....
「"If you're really Cheon Inho, you can do this alone."」
If I think he did it because he believed in me that much, I wonder if I'm putting too much hope
into it.
"If you go to the Theater Dungeon now, you might end up fighting Yoo Joonghyuk."
"I know, but I'm going anyway."
Ye Hyunwoo sighed and asked.
"Will the three of you be alright? Would you like some reinforcements?"
"Are you going to help me?"
"We can't afford to lose Inho-ssi in a place like this. And."
Ye Hyunwoo added hesitantly.
"I saw Inho-ssi talking to Yoo Joonghyuk on the railroad tracks. I don't know what happened
between you two, but Inho-ssi seemed to be on the same page with Yoo Joonghyuk."
I've never thought about it like that.
"We're okay. I'm sorry if it seems like I'm leaving you to do the finishing touches, since the
scenario isn't even finished yet."
"No, I was planning on passing on the Theater Dungeon anyway. It's hard enough to organize the
rewards here, and... I've already received enough support."
Apparently, Ye Hyunwoo has gotten quite a few coins with his new techtree, 'Infinite Uroboros'
or something.
Apparently, he hasn't even picked a sponsor yet, so he won't have to worry about sponsorship for
a while.
I can't wait to see what he picks the next time we meet.
"By the way, I was surprised that Inho-ssi used the 'Poison Bomb'."
I didn't understand Ye Hyunwoo's words for a moment, as his voice lacked the slightest hint of
hostility.
"I thought the recipe for that bomb was still only known to the Misreading Association."
Ye Hyunwoo's eyes were calm as he looked at me. I answered, pretending to be calm too.
"I picked one up the last time I was with Killer King against the Misreading Association."
Ye Hyunwoo smirked.
"It's not that I think Inho-ssi is from the Misreading Association, I just...."
I was a little nervous.
Did Ye Hyunwoo see me use the 'Idea of Almost Anything'?
Even though the 'Idea of Almost Everything' wasn't an item that appeared in Omniscient Reader,
Ye Hyunwoo's perceptive mind could have picked up on something in that moment.
"Inho-ssi."
"Yes."
"If you don't mind, can you get me an item from the fifth floor of the Theater Dungeon? I'll buy
it."
"What?"
Look at this.
"What item do you want?"
The fifth floor of the Theater Dungeon is the [rewards room] where the replica items are located.
After thinking for a moment, Ye Hyunwoo said.
"It's the 'Divine Weapon (神機箭)'."
Amazing. I know what it is.
The question is.
"But I don't know if that item is there...."
"I'm sure it does. It was in a movie too. It wasn't in Omniscient Reader, but there's no way it isn't
there, it must be there."
Speaking seriously, Ye Hyunwoo glanced at the 'Idea of Almost Anything' wrapped in my arm
and added.
"Because that's what I need for the '5th stage of the Invincible Castellan techtree'."
What a clever reader.
*
"What were you talking about with the Apostle?"
"Nothing much. We decided that instead of going to the Theater Dungeon by ourselves, we'd
take care of some items for him."
"Aha."
I briefly recounted the story to Dansoo ahjussi and Kyung Sein.
"You did well, it can't hurt to have a good relationship with the 7th ranked."
"I agree."
My thoughts were the same.
After all, Ye Hyunwoo didn't seem like a bad guy.
"Okay, so now...."
I turned to my last colleague, who was staring blankly into space.
"Heewon-ssi."
Jung Heewon, who was sitting on a bench, looked up with difficulty. For some reason, her
expression was strangely grim.
"Inho-ssi."
"Yes."
"I'm sorry."
"What?"
The sudden apology caught me off guard. The reason quickly became apparent.
"If only I was a little stronger."
Jung Heewon scratched the subway floor with the tip of her ground rat knife. She must have
been doing it for some time, the bottom of the bench was all scratched.
"That's vandalism."
It was a joke, but it didn't work very well.
[The character 'Jung Heewon' feels guilty about you.]
Guilt. Perhaps she was blaming herself for not being able to save me.
"Heewon-ssi."
I knelt down on one knee and grabbed Jung Heewon's hand holding the sword with both hands.
Her hand was rough and firm from who knows how many times she had swung the sword by
now.
I carefully took the sword from her hand and began to draw on the subway floor. Using Jung
Heewon's scratches as a guide, I drew a human face. I also drew a small speech bubble next to it.
「ᅲ ᅲ」
When I finished, you couldn't tell if it was a person or a dumpling.
Jung Heewon stared down at the graffiti and muttered.
"You said it was vandalism."
I looked at her and said.
"You're not the one who should feel sorry right now."
Jung Heewon did her best.
It was me who fell short.
「All '⬜⬜' tells me about is 'my danger'."」
Looking back on it now, it was a dizzying situation. What if there had been a more powerful
beast than the giant centipede?
「Jung Heewon could have died.」
Just thinking about it made my heart go cold. Maybe I was getting too carried away by the story.
I'm not Kim Dokja.
I'll never be as lucky as he is, or as loved by the stars.
But I have to keep living on this story.
"We're colleagues."
"...."
"I'll be strong enough to not need you to protect me. I won't hide behind you forever."
Jung Heewon's eyes shook as she looked at me.
[The character 'Jung Heewon' is sad because of you.]
Sad?
I quickly added as I handed her back the ground rat knife.
"But this means that I'm going to hide behind Heewon-ssi for a little while longer until I get
stronger."
Jung Heewon opened her mouth a little.
"...."
[The character 'Jung Heewon' is delighted by your words.]
[Your understanding of the character 'Jung Heewon' has increased.]
I understood Jung Heewon's situation.
Perhaps this is how she can endure this crazy world.
"So, this is why I need your help again, Heewon-ssi."
"Where else are you going?"
Jung Heewon asked as she wiped her ground rat knife clean with a piece of cloth.
She had just killed a giant centipede with that worn-out sword.
No matter where she is, Jung Heewon is Jung Heewon.
Come to think of it, she had switched to a new weapon around this time in the 'Omniscient
Reader'.
"I'm going to the theater upstairs."
"Theater? At this time?"
"You should change your weapon sooner or later. There are some good items upstairs, so why
don't you come with me?"
Kyung Sein interjected and quickly changed the subject.
"Oh, that's why you're going? But I'm fine with my sword."
"Oh, that girl, Lee Jihye, was carrying a decent one too."
As we headed upstairs, a figure stopped us at the ticket gate.
I didn't have to ask who it was.
"Lee Jihye."
Lee Jihye, leaning against the vending machine, glared at me.
"Huh. What."
"Thanks for earlier."
Her eyes shook, as if she hadn't expected to hear that.
"I was just doing you a favor."
Then she turned away.
A child will be a child.
"You saved the others, too."
I saw it clearly, even in my desperation.
Lee Jihye, who acted as if she wouldn't do anything to help, was saving people from dying in the
meantime.
Times change, world lines change, but the essence of a person doesn't change much.
"You should come with us."
"Where?"
"Where your master is."
"Master... Do you know where he is?"
"I know."
Lee Jihye's eyes were filled with agitation.
"Yoo Joonghyuk didn't tell you anything?"
Lee Jihye didn't answer, but bit her lip hard.
「Yoo Joonghyuk went to the Theater Dungeon, but he left Lee Jihye behind?」
It's a decision I don't understand.
Lee Jihye's sponsor is the 'Admiral Yi Sunsin', and there are many places in the Theater Dungeon
where naval battles are staged, but Yoo Joonghyuk left Lee Jihye alone.
It's not the 3rd turn, but the 41st turn.
Even when Lee Jihye died,
「"In the future, sea battles will be a bit difficult."」
Yoo Joonghyuk said that.
"Just... He told me to stay here and make sure you don't die."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Maybe because he trusts me?"
That's what she said, but there was no conviction in her voice. I don't know the exact situation,
but it was an opportunity for me.
[The exclusive skill 'Incite Lv.6' is activated!]
I'll do my best villainous impression for a moment.
"So your mission is over at the end of the 'Emergency Defense Battle'."
"That's true, but...."
"Yoo Joonghyuk is so selfish, right? Treating you like a child, doesn't he?"
Lee Jihye tapped her tiptoes.
"Shut up. You don't know anything."
"Come with us."
"Why would I...."
"I have information on top-grade items. When I get it, I'll give it to you."
"...."
"Don't you want a new weapon? You've been using a sword too, but if you get a new one, maybe
Yoo Joonghyuk will take you with him."
The mention of a sword made Lee Jihye pause for a moment.
"What?"
"It's the sword that's weak, not you."
Lee Jihye bit her lip.
"You're just going out for a while. We'll be back before Yoo Joonghyuk comes back."
The innocent girl nodded slightly.
[The character 'Lee Jihye' has a slight affinity for you.]
Maybe collecting
*
After a while, we arrived at the entrance of the theater.
"Where did unni learn to use the sword?"
"The kendo club at school."
"Wow, I'm self-taught. What do you learn in a kendo club?"
"How to win, but not kill."
Lee Jihye, who had joined our group on a whim, was chatting with Jung Heewon.
Jung Heewon mostly responded bluntly. Lee Jihye liked that bluntness and stuck by her side,
unable to let go.
Come to think of it, the two of them had gotten along well in Omniscient Reader.
"We're almost there, everyone, get ready."
[You are approaching the outside region. Be careful not to leave the scenario area.]
The entrance to the dungeon, the first floor, appeared. Kyung Sein muttered.
"I didn't expect to come here again."
It was a strange feeling.
This 'theater' was the same theater where the real-life 'Kim Dokja's Banquet' was held.
[You have found a 'hidden dungeon'!]
[This dungeon has already been discovered by someone. You can't get the first discovery
achievement.]
[A new hidden scenario has arrived!]
+
Category: Hidden
Difficulty: A-
Clear Conditions: Defeat the master of the Theater Dungeon.
Time Limit: None
Reward: 4,000 coins
Failure: —
+
[You have entered 'Theater Dungeon'!]
The scenario message sounded like it had been waiting for us.
We went straight to the dungeon entrance.
And the next moment.
"Stop."
Dansoo ahjussi stopped the group. The cockroach must have told him something.
"There's someone else besides us."
Suddenly, my ears perked up.
It wasn't just the first basement floor.
I made my way upstairs.
I could hear people's voices on the first above ground floor as well.
Kyung Sein and Dansoo ahjussi looked at me at the same time.
Only Kim Dokja, Yoo Joonghyuk, and some of the prophets entered this 'hidden dungeon' in
Omniscient Reader.
Since the world we've been transmigrated to isn't 'Omniscient Reader's', but 'Ways of Survival's',
there are naturally no prophets.
"Inho-ssi, are those people...."
"Yes."
At first glance, there were more than a dozen people hiding on the first floor of the basement
alone. Counting the above ground floor, the number might be over thirty or forty.
I hardened my expression and said.
"They're all readers."
Author's Note
It's already 600 episodes.
Time has flown by.
Thank you for always being with us.