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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 201
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The Wicked One IV
5
Another day passed.
Another innocent reader was struck down.
Along with them, the prestige of the martial world fell to the ground.
It would have been shocking enough if the readers had beaten up the author, but the author knocking out the readers with her fists? Unbelievable!
Readers who had traveled to Busan with beaming smiles, hoping to get an autograph from the "Literature Girl," urgently convened a strategy meeting.
"Another champion was defeated this morning."
"......"
"Who would have thought that the 'Literature Girl's' combat power was this high? I had no idea."
Among them, surprisingly, was Cheon Yohwa, the Demon Head of Baekhwa High School.
In fact, she was an avid reader who had passionately supported The Epilogue of the Regressor (often shortened to RepLog) since its early days.
When RepLog had barely published 12 chapters, Cheon Yohwa had stumbled upon it, immediately rushed to the free board, and posted three separate recommendations, pleading for others to check out this "god-tier" work.
Though they were called recommendations, given Cheon Yohwa’s social status and temperament, it was practically as if the Minister of Education had designated it as a required reading.
From that day on, a new textbook was added to the school bags of Baekhwa High School students.
Just in case the venerable student council president asked, "What's your favorite episode in RepLog?" they needed to be ready to answer immediately: "The Executioner!"
Given all this, Cheon Yohwa was one of the most furious people over the "Seven-Year Hiatus Incident."
It was not an exaggeration to say that RepLog gained momentum and rapidly increased readership thanks to Cheon Yohwa’s recommendation!
But now, not only had the author pulled a hiatus, she had officially announced her intention to go on a permanent break? Outrageous!
"Ordinary people should step back. If we mess this up, someone could die."
"But......"
"No buts. According to what I personally investigated... shockingly, the Literature Girl’s power is nearly equal to mine. She might even be stronger."
Murmurs spread among the five hundred readers. Could someone stronger than the Demon Head of Baekhwa High really exist on this peninsula, other than the Three Thousand Witch and the Three Kingdom’s Heavenly Demon?
"Besides, most ordinary people have been reading pirated copies, haven't they? What right do they have to attend a fan meeting? Everyone, get out."
The ordinary readers had no choice but to leave, tears of frustration in their eyes. How could they possibly have read RepLog without access to SGNet? Not being born with an awakened spoon in their mouth was a lifelong regret.
Once the ordinary readers had exited, only two hundred remained in the meeting room. Yoo Jiwon, who had been silently observing until now, finally spoke up.
"Didn't I warn you this might happen? The Literature Girl's strength is not to be underestimated, and we need to select a champion among us carefully. We've already lost two people, leaving us only 26 chances."
A glare was cast at Yoo Jiwon, who lived solely for the chance to say, "See, I told you so." If not for her position as a government official, she would have already tasted the bitter side of the martial world.
Thunk.
Cheon Yohwa raised her hand. Immediately, the tension in the room dissipated.
"Yes, you're right. We underestimated the Literature Girl. Looking back now, RepLog was full of details that could only be captured by an expert in void arts. Our author was a master from the start."
"Indeed......"
"Now that you mention it, it did feel oddly realistic."
Sighs of realization echoed throughout the room.
The truth was, during the seven-year hiatus, the Literature Girl had gained immense power, and a regressor provided the details in the novel. But how could the readers know that?
"If we let our guard down now, we'll just become a laughingstock. Let's go with a round-robin format."
"A round-robin?"
"We'll select the 24 strongest readers, including those who haven't arrived in Busan yet. I'll be the 25th, following after you all."
"Ohho."
Forcing the Literature Girl into 24 consecutive days of combat, only to have the strongest reader, the Demon Head of Baekhwa High, deliver the final blow—
It was a shameless strategy, but effective. Sometimes you had to put aside pride to ensure victory.
Just as people were about to nod in agreement, Cheon Yohwa continued.
"I think it's best to start the duels around 10:30 in the morning each day."
"Mm? Are you planning just to leave the Literature Girl standing outside from 6 a.m.? If your goal is to exhaust her as much as possible, I agree, but someone of her strength isn’t going to get tired just from standing around for a few hours."
"No."
Cheon Yohwa shook her head.
"We’ll poison the Babel Tower Square."
"...What?"
"The author mentioned in the notice, right? She said she’d be at the Babel Tower Square in Busan from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. for 28 days."
The corners of the Demon Head’s mouth curved into a smile.
"In other words, if the Literature Girl leaves the Babel Tower Square first, she’ll be breaking her promise. We readers will win by default."
"......!"
"The author can't run away, no matter what happens at Babel Tower Square. Even if poison gas is released and traps are set up all around."
The readers were appalled. Such a wicked scheme! The Demon Head’s notorious reputation was well-deserved!
One awakened person raised an objection.
"But, President, isn’t the Babel Tower Square essentially under the jurisdiction of the National Road Administration? We can’t just do as we please with it......"
Cheon Yohwa laughed heartily.
"Why? Are you scared? The National Road Administration’s operations team leader is here, and I'm the president of Baekhwa High School’s student council. What is there to worry about?"
Justice is on our side.
The Demon Head's bold declaration was not an empty boast.
Cheon Yohwa immediately negotiated with the National Road Administration and the Three Thousand Worlds to gain permission to take control of Babel Tower Square. Not only that, but they also set up various cruel traps.
The next morning.
Hm.
The Literature Girl stepped into the square and looked around.
—Aaaah…… aaaaah…….
Speakers had been set up at the edges of the square, where recordings of Tang Seorin’s Song of Eternal Shadows were being played non-stop.
As a highly trained awakened one, the Literature Girl could immediately recognize the effects of the Three Thousand Witch’s music just from the first few notes.
"Weakened body. Target locked. Sensory impairment. A triple-layered spell."
It wasn’t just the speakers surrounding her.
Her readers.
Reinforcements had arrived, swelling the ranks of devoted readers to three hundred, encircling the square.
They hadn’t entered the square’s interior. They stood on the outskirts, just outside the boundary.
Heh. The Literature Girl sneered.
"Indeed. A plan devised by Baekhwa High School’s eternal non-graduate."
"......"
"How short-sighted, just like your educational background. Even your so-called strategy is half-baked."
Don't ask me why the Literature Girl’s tone suddenly changed like this. It must be because her chronic middle school syndrome worsened from chatting with the AI chatbot all the time.
Crunch.
The Literature Girl dug her finger into her ear. Blood oozed out, then abruptly stopped.
The Literature Girl glanced around and smirked.
"I’ve just destroyed my eardrums."
"......!"
"The Three Thousand Witch’s pathetic song holds no power over me. If you have something to say, come and say it to my face. I can still read your lips."
"Ugh."
Cheon Yohwa clicked her tongue.
Indeed, Song of Eternal Shadows had such a weakness, so it was more of a buff skill than a debuff. The targets, often monsters, sometimes had no hearing, rendering the debuff useless.
But who would have thought she’d burst her eardrums without a moment’s hesitation!
If she had such precise aura control, she could have just destroyed the speakers with a single strike, yet she chose to destroy her eardrums instead—how idiotic!
"It can’t be helped. Activate the trap――."
"Denied."
Boom!
The Literature Girl stomped her foot. Red aura surged across the ground like a tidal wave.
The square trembled as if struck by an earthquake, instantly crumbling like a cookie along with all the traps set up overnight.
"No way...?"
"The relationship between an author and their readers is one of pure sincerity and affection."
Oh Dokseo squinted her eyes.
"Adding such filthy actions to this blank canvas of a relationship is an absurdity. Truly disgusting."
"You're the disgusting one, you crazy bastard!"
An awakened one finally couldn't hold back and shouted.
"Are we asking you to update your work faithfully? We'd worship you like dogs if you even uploaded one chapter a month! We'd praise you! But whose fault is it that you insist on going on indefinite hiatus?"
"I'm really disappointed in you, Author!"
"How could you punch the faces of those who've waited seven years for you instead of offering a sincere apology? Literature girl! Are you even human?"
Oh Dokseo scoffed. Then he closed her eyes.
"I see nothing."
"What?"
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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"I see nothing and hear nothing. Because I don't want to see or hear anything. My will determines my life. The life I've chosen is one of eternal hiatus."
"―(Beep)―(Beeeeep)――(Beeep)――!"
From all sides came curses so vile they couldn't pass even the loose filters of KakaoPage.
Well-wishes were exchanged for Oh Dokseo's parents, and species swapped between primates and mammals, but Oh Dokseo alone remained unbothered.
Because she didn't hear any of it.
"You despicable fiend!"
Finally, someone couldn't hold back any longer and rushed forward. It wasn't just an outburst of anger.
With sight and hearing—two of the most important human senses—disabled, when else would be a better time to kill than now?
But there was one thing the awakened one had overlooked.
As had already been proven, the 888th turn of Oh Dokseo was no longer "human."
"Gasp!"
Just before the blade the awakened one had swung reached Oh Dokseo's cheek, she swung her fist.
Boom!
Her left fist twisted the blade, and her right fist landed squarely on the opponent's abdomen. The force of the blow caused a storm to erupt.
The awakened one coughed up blood. Unable to even scream, he collapsed. It was a one-hit defeat.
"So slow. Even in falling."
"……!"
"When I stepped forward just now, did you think I only destroyed the trap? How amusing. My energy has now dispersed throughout the entire square, so this place and I are one and the same. There is not a single movement you can make—be it a step or a gesture—that I won't sense."
The ultimate fantasy of all otakus: a Reality Marble!
Naturally, Oh Dokseo had worked tirelessly for seven years to bring her delusion to life.
After all, she was a prodigy with such potential that the former "The Admin of All-Play" had selected her as the opponent for the time-looping protagonist.
"It seems so trivial that I see no need to drag this out for weeks."
Oh Dokseo opened one eye and grinned.
Every single pose exuded a dense otaku aura, causing indescribable rage to well up in those who saw her. It was an innate talent.
"Come at me. If you wish, I welcome 26 of you to challenge me, one by one, right here and now."
"Tch."
Cheon Yohwa bit her lip.
To back down now after such an insult would be to disgrace Baekhwa Girls' High School!
"...We have no choice. The next participants, numbers 24 to 26, step forward in turn! It's okay if you don't win! Just do your best to wear down that author's stamina, no matter what!"
Oh Dokseo crooked a finger.
"Come."
And the result was a string of consecutive defeats.
Even the so-called elite awakened ones of the Korean Peninsula were unable to last longer than one exchange, or 20 at best, before they were knocked down.
Even Cheon Yohwa, who came last, was defeated.
The spectators were horrified. How could a mere writer possess such overwhelming martial prowess?
No matter how much of the void she'd crossed, no matter how much she'd focused on leveling up in the dream simulation of the <Rebirth Project>, was it really possible for a person to grow this strong?
Simply because she didn't feel like writing anymore? Because she wanted to do something else?
――Surprisingly, it was possible.
This fact was proven by Oh Dokseo and the 25 readers now strewn across the square like corpses.
"Phew. Disappointing. So even Baekhwa's demon head is only this much."
"Tch...!"
Cheon Yohwa, with Oh Dokseo's foot pressing on the back of her head, let out a groan.
Her life’s most humiliating moment was being uploaded in real-time to the neural grooves of the onlookers.
"There is now not a single reader left who can stop my hiatus. Despite this being a life-or-death battle, I have graciously spared your lives, so do not forget this favor and never demand updates again."
"A, there's still... someone left...!"
"Hmm?"
"Out of the 28 readers mentioned in the notice... including me, only 27 have been taken down. So there's still one more left!"
Oh Dokseo tilted her head.
"You were the strongest among my readers. How could anyone who joins now possibly defeat me?"
"They can!"
"This is interesting. Who is it?"
Cheon Yohwa shed a tear.
And with her remaining strength, she shouted.
"Teacherrrrrrr! Please help uuuuuus!"
Flinch.
Oh Dokseo took a step back. Then she quickly turned her head, glancing around.
There was no need to keep looking.
Soon, her eyes widened as she spotted me.
"Te-teacher."
"......."
"W-When did you... get here?"
I felt a little sorry for my student, as it seemed like she was about to repeat the trauma of seven years ago, but there was something I had to say first, as a matter of human decency.
"Oh Dokseo, your speech is way too cringey right now, so let's just talk like we used to."
"Ugh."
"And to answer your question, I've been here from the beginning, of course."
For the past seven years, the Saintess’s [Clairvoyance] had been monitoring Oh Dokseo, and I had subscribed to my student’s growth through the Saintess.
Why wouldn’t I?
As you all remember, I first became interested in Oh Dokseo back in the 555th turn because she was fun.
Considering the number of stories where regressors give up out of boredom, Oh Dokseo was truly the light of my life.
I put on a solemn expression.
"Why. Did you not expect me to come? I was almost always the first person to read your writing, so how could I not be here? Did you really think I wouldn’t figure out that you were avoiding me by going outside every day under the pretext of exploring the void?"
"Oh, uh, uh, umm... Teacher..."
"And since you asked me a question, I'll ask you one in return."
I surveyed the square, now in utter chaos, the disheveled Cheon Yohwa, and finally, Oh Dokseo herself.
No longer a writer, but a figure closer to the Fist King in aura.
"Answer honestly."
"...Okay..."
"Oh Dokseo, you've become a Fallen One, haven't you?"
"Oh. Yeah."
Yes.
I figured...
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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