Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint, Vol. 2, page 6
Gilyeong nodded. Only Sangah hesitated.
“Can I ask what it is?”
I nodded and went up the stairs to the transfer point for Line 4.
“Our first option is that.”
They all turned to where I pointed. There were five people looking at us warily, holding up their weapons with trembling hands.
[Green Zone 5/5]
“They’re occupying a room for exactly five people. Their stats aren’t very high. It probably won’t even take all of us to—”
“Hang on! Dokja, are you suggesting we should…?!”
“Yes. We kill them and take their room.”
My companions shuddered at my calm response. Huiwon had a look of betrayal on her face.
“That’s your genius idea? You think we haven’t already thought of that?”
“If that’s what you want, I can do it.”
Gilyeong was the first to step up.
“I’m not afraid. I’ll do it.”
“Gilyeong, no!”
Sangah grabbed the boy’s shoulder. I looked at her and continued, putting on a nonchalant tone on purpose.
“Those people probably killed others for that room, too. And to be frank, we won’t survive the future scenarios unless we get used to that kind of thing.”
“Dokja.”
Huiwon cut me off.
“I killed a man in Geumho Station. I did it because I wanted to, and I don’t regret it. But…”
“……”
“…Just because I’ve become a murderer, it doesn’t mean I enjoy killing people. I don’t want to become a monster.”
“……”
“…Dokja, I’d like to hear about the second option.”
I closed my eyes for a moment after hearing Hyeonseong’s request.
“Very well. I understand how you all feel.”
Yes, I’ve heard enough.
“Let’s go with the second option.”
Everyone’s face lit up at these words. I had planned to use the second option from the beginning. I could kill others in order to survive. But I wouldn’t get the attention of the constellations by taking the easy route from the jump.
However, the second option would require a great deal of determination, not only on my part but also on everyone else’s. So it had been necessary to find out how everyone felt and what they thought.
Huiwon let out an empty laugh.
“I knew it. Why did you test us if you were gonna go with number two anyway?”
“I wasn’t testing you. Whatever your choice was, I would’ve respected it.”
As I said that, I patted Gilyeong on the head as he looked at me with concern. Sangah sighed and then spoke up.
“You’re so mean, Dokja.”
“I’m sorry that I’m not nice.”
“So what’s the second option?”
“The second option doesn’t require us to kill anyone, but it’s a very difficult task.”
My companions’ faces hardened at my grave tone.
“If you choose the second option, you must follow my directions no matter what. Even if it makes no sense, please trust me. If just one person doubts my plan…”
“……”
“…we’ll all die.”
Someone swallowed hard. Everyone nodded almost at the same time. Hyeonseong spoke for the whole group.
“We trust you, Dokja. I mean, we’ve come this far because of you.”
[Five minutes remaining until the third scenario is activated.]
“Then follow me.”
I led my companions to the train track of Line 3. I passed the broken safety screen doors and stood before the entrance of the tunnel to Euljiro 3(sam)-ga Station. Within the dark tunnel was a “Red Zone” glowing with a crimson light.
“The monsters will likely appear from there and rampage through Line 3, then go up floor by floor.”
“…So you want us to fight them here?” Hyeonseong asked nervously.
“No, we can’t fight them. We’ll all die.”
Fighting against hordes of those fearsome monsters and surviving until daybreak without the safety of a Green Zone was something only Junghyeok could pull off.
This time, it was Huiwon who offered a guess.
“Then should we run toward Dongguk University Station?”
“That won’t work either. While the scenario is active, you’ll be killed the moment you step outside of Chungmuro.”
“Then what…?”
“For this operation, we have to split up. Hyeonseong, Sangah, and Huiwon, once the monsters appear, start running straight toward them.”
“What…?”
“Do you understand? Run straight toward them. Right before you crash into them, check the left wall. Then you’ll understand what I’m talking about. Got it?”
My companions didn’t seem to get it, but there was no time to explain everything.
“Just trust me. If you don’t, we all die. Don’t forget to check the left wall.”
“Okay, Dokja.”
Sangah was the first to reply. It looked like she had an idea of what my plan was.
“And make sure you start running after the monsters appear.”
I picked up a pebble and threw it toward the tunnel. It bounced off something, sending sparks into the air. Hyeonseong and Huiwon nodded in understanding now, too.
“What about you, Dokja?”
“I’ll find another way with Gilyeong.”
This option wouldn’t work if my companions didn’t trust me completely. After all, who in their right mind would agree to run right into a swarm of monsters?
The rest was up to them.
[The third main scenario has been activated.]
The barrier blocking the tunnel toward Euljiro 3(sam)-ga faded away.
“Run!”
The three, who had been crouched in preparation, began to sprint at my signal.
Krrr…!
Monsters began appearing in the red zone. Most of them were level-9 subterranean species ground rats. I spotted some level-8 subterranean species grolls in the mix as well. They were bear-like monsters with black manes. The sharp horn on each of their heads made them especially dangerous.
A groll could be dealt with one-on-one, but it was a problem when there were a number of them. The word “pack” wasn’t enough to describe the mass of claws, fangs, and horns rushing at us. It was more like a wave, and we would die the moment it reached us.
As Hyeonseong was about to clash with the groll at the front of the group, I yelled:
“Now!”
Sangah spotted the wall first—and the green tile with the faint light.
“Oh!”
It only took her a moment fully understand.
[Someone has activated a hidden feature of Chungmuro Station.]
[Hidden space - “Refuge of the Brave” has been activated.]
When Sangah’s hand touched the wall, it lit up brightly, and the feature was activated.
[Green Zone 1/3]
Huiwon quickly moved to Sangah’s side and stuck to the wall.
[Green Zone 2/3]
But Hyeonseong missed his opportunity. A number of ground rats were already latching onto his shield.
“Hyeonseong! Grab this!”
Sangah used her skill “Lashing Thread.” The two women pulled up Hyeonseong to help him reach the wall.
[Green Zone 3/3]
They did it.
Grrrrr!
The monsters glared at the three people angrily but couldn’t attack them since they were in a Green Zone.
“Dokja!”
Sangah called my name, but I didn’t have time to look back. I was already running with Gilyeong on my back.
…There are several hidden Green Zones in the third scenario. They appear on certain walls, but only after the scenario has started. Green Zones hidden on walls… Who’d have known? But if you think about it, perceiving them as “rooms” is a very human-specific approach.
In TWSA, Junghyeok Yu succeeded in finding a few hidden Green Zones as he went through his many regressions. Refuge of the Brave was one of them. There were only two hidden Green Zones on the Line 3 platform.
Crunch. A few ground rats came after me and bit my thigh. There wasn’t much damage because my stamina level was high, but if this kept up, I’d die by a thousand cuts.
On my back, Gilyeong used his weapon to fend off some rats. But there were too many of them. Plus, the grolls were the fastest among these monsters. From ten meters away, the boy who had guided us earlier was looking at me in terror.
[Green Zone 1/1]
Like a coward, I was briefly tempted to take the easy way.
Ha-ha-ha-ha! What a show. Now, same as yesterday, it’s time for a penalty!
System messages followed the goblin’s loud voice as it echoed through the air.
[The scenario penalty has been applied!]
[A number of Green Zones have been deactivated.]
“N-no…! G-gaaah!”
Screams were reverberating throughout Chungmuro Station. The closest came from the boy from before.
“Aaack!”
The moment his Green Zone disappeared, his small body was ripped apart and swallowed up by ground rats. As this gruesome feeding frenzy bought us some time, I ran toward the aisle with Gilyeong on my back. But the monsters coming through the broken safety screen doors blocked the passage. I put Gilyeong down behind me and pulled out Unbreakable Faith.
Shhhk!
The blade made of “White Star Weapon Aura” sliced through monsters quickly. But their numbers didn’t decrease. I couldn’t believe Junghyeok survived this wave of monsters even for one night. He was a monster himself. Even if I invested all my coins into stats, I doubted I could do it.
At that moment, Gilyeong spoke.
“Dokja.”
“Don’t talk to me now. I’m busy.”
“It’s okay if you leave me and go.”
“What?”
“To be honest, I don’t understand. Why are you even helping us? You’d have a much higher chance of surviving on your own.”
How could this little boy say such a thing so calmly while facing death? Perhaps his heart was already dead.
“Yeah, you’re right.”
Another swing of my sword, and another headless body of a ground rat fell to the floor.
“I could do everything alone, survive alone, and make a cozy living for myself. That certainly would be easier, but…”
Why did I do this? If anyone were to ask me that, I wouldn’t be able to explain clearly. But I could say this for certain:
“…I once read a novel that flopped because the main character did just that.”
“Huh?”
I’m reminded of this every time—I’m not cut out to be the leading man. I’ll never be a hero or a savior. However…
Gilyeong was trembling. I put him on my back again.
“Hold on tight.”
…Gilyeong Lee will not die. Not today.
4
As the wave of monsters approached, I controlled my breathing and focused energy on my legs. I kicked hard against the ground, and the level-15 strength concentrated in my legs propelled my body forward explosively.
I’m breaking through.
Ground rats bared their sharp fangs and came at us from every direction. The hard horn of a groll stabbed me in the waist. Although my body was tough due to my level-15 stamina, the relentless attacks from the monsters’ horns eventually made my skin bruise over and bleed.
[The first bookmark has been activated.]
“Bookmark” was activated, and Delusional Demon Namwoon Kim’s “Dark Awakening” surrounded my body. I rammed the horde of monsters head-on and surged forward. Fangs dug into my body, and ground rats bit down on my thighs. But I didn’t stop. Instead, I ran and ran as fast as I could.
There it is.
Finally, I saw the wall that was written about in the novel. Using the head of a charging ground rat as a jumping board, I leaped forward, toward the gleaming light of the two-person Green Zone.
But…damn it.
[Green Zone 1/2]
It was already occupied.
“……”
I momentarily forgot about the wave of monsters behind me and stared at the figure inside.
There stood the man who shouldn’t have been there.
“Hey.”
He looked back at me.
“Can you step aside? I know you can survive out here.”
“I’d rather not. I’m a bit tired today.”
I wanted to slap his cocky face. I couldn’t understand it. How did Junghyeok Yu already know about this spot on his third loop? He shouldn’t start using hidden Green Zones until his fourth loop… Damn it. Had he already learned about this spot during his second loop, and it simply wasn’t mentioned in TWSA? Then why didn’t he use it on his third loop in the original story?
Grrrrr!
The growl of a ground rat came from behind. There was no time to curse the author. I could feel Gilyeong’s shaky breathing. I made direct eye contact with Junghyeok. We spoke at almost the same time.
“I can take the kid.”
“Take the kid at least.”
I was relieved, even though he’d no doubt said that only because he knew the constellations were watching.
[Green Zone 2/2]
The Green Zone’s sign changed as soon as I let Gilyeong down. He’d be safe now.
“No, wait! Dokja!”
Gilyeong instantly tried to run back toward me, but Junghyeok firmly held onto his shoulder. I swung my sword at the ground rats coming for me.
[Constellation Bald Leader of the Peasants’ Army closes his eyes.]
[Constellation Demonic Judge of Fire gazes at you with pity.]
But not before seeing Junghyeok’s mouth moving.
“I told you you’d die.”
A wave of monsters was rushing at me. There were no Green Zones left.
“I told you I wouldn’t.”
Ignoring the monsters, I reached inside my shirt. I really didn’t want to use this because I wasn’t sure what the side effects would be. Yet I had no choice but to trust “The Fourth Wall.”
[Is that…?]
A look of shock came over Junghyeok’s eyes. That’s right, you bastard. Do you get it now? Well, even if you understand, it’s not something you can ever try.
I looked at the white stone shining in my hand.
The Specter’s Spirit Stone.
The item I had obtained after hunting a specter, a ghost species, on the way to Chungmuro.
Crunch. Dozens of ground rats started ripping apart my body. I was bloody and bruised red.
My body’s durability was rapidly decreasing as I put the spirit stone in my mouth. Something that looked like steam escaped through my teeth and turned into a fog that soon engulfed the entire area.
[Illusory Prison has been activated.]
The ground rats and grolls attacking me stopped all at once. Everything around me began to distort, including the platform, Junghyeok, and Gilyeong, who was desperately calling my name.
Just like that, I had turned into a ghost species.
“Dokja.”
I realized right away that this was a dream when I heard my mother’s voice.
I struggled desperately not to fall into it, but it was difficult this time. It felt like I was sinking to the bottom of a swamp.
[The effects of “The Fourth Wall” are temporarily diminished due to excessive immersion.]
My expanded consciousness began to show me scenes from my past. The living room covered in blood. The cold corpse of a man. The back of woman looking down at the corpse. No. Anything but this memory. I mustn’t remember it.
I shook my head hard and struggled for minutes until the scene finally began to disperse.
Damn trauma…
I, too, had memories I didn’t wish to dredge up.
This was why I’d been so hesitant to use the Specter’s Spirit Stone. When consumed, this item temporarily turned you into a ghost species, making you invisible to monsters. However, it had the side effect of amplifying the user’s trauma.
That was also the reason I couldn’t give it to my companions. If anyone else had used the spirit stone, their sanity would’ve been instantly shattered.
…My head hurts like hell, but I think I’ll live.
“The Fourth Wall” was really something else. That skill was the one reason I was relatively fine. Even a high-level “Mental Barrier” skill couldn’t be as effective as this. But that wasn’t all. If I’m right, this skill is—
“Junghyeok Yu? Are you Junghyeok Yu?”
I thought my trauma was rearing up again, but I didn’t recognize the voice. That meant the voice wasn’t from my memory. When I turned around, there stood a stranger.
“…No, you’re not him. You look Korean. Who are you?”
A foreigner with blond hair. The short girl in a sporty outfit stared at me in puzzlement for a long time.
“I…don’t understand. I have seen the future many times, but I’ve never seen you…”
The iris of the girl’s left eye was an ominous red swirl. Pages of TWSA rapidly fluttered by in my head. I knew this character. In fact, she was someone I couldn’t not recognize. But why now…?
[Exclusive skill “Character Profile” has been activated.]
[Character Anna Croft is using exclusive skill “Mental Barrier” Lv.6.]
[“Character Profile” overrides “Mental Barrier” Lv.6.]
[There is too much information about this character. Switching to a summarized view.]
Name: Anna Croft
Exclusive Attributes: Prophet (Legendary), Savior (Legendary)
