Cha Seongwoo had always had a good memory.How good?Good enough that, at four years old, he remembered every detail of the moment his parents abandoned him and his sister in front of the orphanage—the snow-covered street, his mother’s face, his baby sister’s wailing, the cold of that predawn hour biting into his bones, second by second.Memories he wished he could forget.But because he couldn’t erase them, he decided to bury them instead—by piling up new ones until the old ones lost their weight.—“Seongwoo, you really love books. Are you going to be a writer when you grow up?”—“No. I’m just going to be someone who reads a lot.”He still remembered the expression the caretaker had made after that answer.He read. And read. And kept reading.Sometimes, he read aloud to others.—“Book. Read.”His sister didn’t remember the day they were abandoned.Maybe she’d been too young. Or maybe it was because she’d been blind from birth.Either way, Seongwoo sometimes envied her for not remembering.That might have been why he chose such dull, lifeless books to read to her—books with no colors or warmth.—“Literary magazine.”—“Read it.”Looking back, it was because of her that he ended up reading that novel.As always, he’d been reading one of her favorite authors aloud, when she suddenly said she wanted to hear the author’s newest work.So he searched it up on the caretaker’s computer.“Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint.”A strange title.His first web novel—and a long one. All the better, he’d thought. The more text he consumed, the farther his childhood memories would drift.That was the reason he began reading it.—“Brother.”But when he came to, he’d already read that novel dozens of times.—“Why do you like that story?”His sister had asked, and Seongwoo had answered:—“Because no matter how many times I read it, the ending doesn’t make sense.”All novels are fiction.In other words—lies told by a writer.He knew that.He wasn’t Kim Dokja. He wasn’t a fragment of Kim Dokja.Logically and chronologically, the idea didn’t make sense.And yet, Seongwoo often thought—What if there really was a past he couldn’t remember?What if somewhere in this universe there was the Star Stream, and Yoo Joonghyuk, and Han Sooyoung?A story he’d forgotten.A life he’d loved.What if his origin—the one that mattered—wasn’t his parents, but something older, written in a place he couldn’t reach?I am Yoo Joonghyuk.Slowly, Cha Seongwoo—Killer King—opened his eyes and took in the battlefield with cold clarity.The world that had once existed only in text—the fiction born of an author’s lie—was now spread vividly before him.“The Lesser Dragon roared into the void.”The world he’d dreamed of had become real.“The annihilation phase was beginning.”And in this world, he knew every line better than the author who had written it.“Find the foothold.”The Calamity Episode.He’d read it hundreds of times.“The monster species is different, but the scenario isn’t. Once the annihilation phase starts, there should be a hidden piece that activates a shield.”A poison-type Lesser Dragon—well within his expectations.“That way.”Literary Girl 64—Cha Yerin—spotted the platform first.The team clambered onto it together. Immediately, system messages flared before their eyes:[A Hidden Piece has been activated.][Numbered platforms are now online.][If the correct number of incarnations stand on a platform, “Absolute Shield” will activate for ten seconds.][If the number is incorrect, the shield will not activate.]Their platform read 5.Killer King counted:Me, Yerin, Lee Dansu, Shin Yuseung… and that guy.Including the unconscious Cheon Inho, they made five.The platform glowed green.[“Absolute Shield” can now be activated.]Far away, other incarnations who hadn’t found platforms were panicking. Some stepped onto the crimson buds sprouting from the ground.“What’s this—”Before the words finished, the buds bloomed.Killer King immediately triggered the shield.[Activating “Absolute Shield”!][Grade-5 Venomous Dragon “Lesser Dragon Poisoner” uses “Death’s Red Spider Lily.”]A field of blossoms burst open.Green spores filled the labyrinth in an instant.Where they touched skin, flowers erupted, and bodies shriveled into mummies.“Gkkh—”One by one, the incarnations collapsed, withered to husks.The lilies grew fat on their remains.Only the circle of Absolute Shield survived the storm.[“Absolute Shield” has expired.][“Death’s Red Spider Lily” dissipates.]When the poison fog cleared, only dead stems and corpses remained.One annihilation phase—and every incarnation outside their group was gone.Terrifying, but predictable.If you knew the pattern, it could be avoided.The problem was, they couldn’t rely on the numbers lining up forever.The faint smile on Baul’s face hovering above them proved as much.If the next platform number didn’t match their headcount, someone would die.[Platforms will respawn in one minute.]Meaning they had to end this before the next annihilation phase began.“Backer.”[Constellation “Commander of the Crimson Cosmos” gazes upon his incarnation.]“Artifact support still unavailable?”[Constellation “Commander of the Crimson Cosmos” replies that your rank remains insufficient.]“Then grant me your blessing.”[Constellation “Commander of the Crimson Cosmos” demands a price.]“I’ll give half of my first King Narrative’s rights to .”[Constellation “Commander of the Crimson Cosmos” accepts your offer.][Constellation “Commander of the Crimson Cosmos” grants you ‘Blessing of the Valkyrie.’]Blessing of the Valkyrie.[‘Blessing of the Valkyrie’ temporarily activated.][Constellation adds: usable only within this scenario.]Warmth spread through Killer King’s body—a fire-element buff.He pulled from his coat a glowing azure orb.“I’ll exchange this Azure Ice Pill for Crimson Flame Pills. Use the exchange or the dokkaebi pouch—whatever’s faster. I’ll cover the fee.”The dragon turned toward him, breathing hard.[Constellation “Commander of the Crimson Cosmos” accepts your request.][Item obtained: 5 × Crimson Flame Pill!]The monster’s tail swung like a guillotine.Running, Killer King tossed a pill to his sister.“Yerin!”She was the key to the plan.Yerin swallowed the pill without hesitation.Flames flickered faintly around her body; her brows furrowed.Five pills at once—her stomach must have felt like hellfire.“Forty seconds,” she said.Meaning, forty seconds before her Fire Resistance burned out.Killer King turned to Lee Dansu.“Now.”Dansu nodded, touching the labyrinth wall.At once, black specks poured from the cracks—cockroaches.The swarm lifted like dust and swarmed the dragon’s face.Grrroooaah!Annoyed, the dragon blasted a radial breath.The insects sizzled into nothing.It snorted triumphantly—just as a flash of white light carved across its eye.A claw strike—Yerin’s White Clear River Strike, now wreathed in Crimson Flame.A clean hit, but not enough.In the main story, Kim Dokja had needed both the trait Unbreakable Faith and the stigma Song of the Sword to kill a Calamity.Yerin had neither.That’s why I have the Valkyrie’s Blessing.Reaching toward his sister, Killer King transferred his buff to her through Telepathic Resonance, their shared-skill link.White Clear River Strike.Blessing of the Valkyrie.Crimson Flame Pill.Still not enough damage.Even Kim Dokja couldn’t have slain a Calamity with just that combo.But Yerin wasn’t Kim Dokja.“Go, Yerin.”Unlike him, she had talent.Her skill growth was rapid, her overall stats higher.[Incarnation “Lee Seyun” activates skill “Battle Action Mode”!]A controller appeared in Killer King’s vision.A memory flashed—fighting over a game controller in the orphanage.He’d won that fight. He’d held the controller longer than anyone.“Dark Spinning Breaker.”[Advanced Command Input successful!]Yerin’s burning claws shredded the dragon’s hide.CRRRRRAK!The thick scales split open under the enhanced Battle Action Mode.[Constellation “Demon of Fire’s Judgment” applauds the incarnations’ strategy!][Constellation “Prisoner of the Golden Goe” praises Incarnation “Lee Seyun’s” might!][Several constellations sponsor Incarnation “Lee Seyun” with 500 coins!]Cheers from the heavens.Killer King gripped the blazing controller and watched her move.Just a little more—just a little more—Then:[Battle Action Mode deactivated.][Battle Summary: Combo Score 91! Are you a pro gamer in disguise?]Her movements slowed.The dragon’s massive body slumped—and for a heartbeat, triumph surged up his spine.They’d done it. The plan had worked.Then—Grrrhhh—The beast rose again, devouring the corpses of plants around it.Something was wrong.Why?By all calculations, the Poisoner should have died.Grrrraaaah!Having eaten the lilies, it was regaining life at death’s edge.Killer King sprinted toward his sister.“Yerin!”Drained of mana, she forced herself to fight again—claws slashing, staggering.The dragon ignored its wounds and roared skyward.[Grade-5 Venomous Dragon “Lesser Dragon Poisoner” prepares “Death’s Red Spider Lily.”]Red buds bloomed once more.“Yerin! Get back!”She didn’t stop.Bleeding, staggering, she kept attacking, determined to strike the final blow.He seized her around the waist and dragged her back.“Let me go.”Blood poured from her mouth. The flames had burned her from within.She couldn’t fight anymore.Killer King knew it, yet said, “We’ll finish it next phase. Just hold on. There’s still a chance.”She convulsed and went limp in his arms.Four half-digested pills rolled out, flaring as they hit the ground.He picked them up.She couldn’t fight. But the dragon was also near death.One more hit. That was all.He could do it.He still had the Valkyrie’s Blessing.He still had the pills.Just one more phase.[Numbered platforms have appeared.]Conveniently, one was close by.He checked the number—and froze.4.No others.He looked around: the unconscious Cheon Inho, Shin Yuseung tending to him, and—“Brother.”Yerin shook her head weakly, as if already knowing his thoughts.He laid her gently on the platform and rose.“Please, don’t,” she whispered.“It’s fine.”He turned toward the dragon.The buds were spreading again. The next annihilation was seconds away.Where had the plan gone wrong?Was it a flaw in his tactics—or a line he’d failed to read?The platform number was 4.The survivors numbered five.If it were Kim Dokja, he thought, he’d step forward without hesitation.But Killer King couldn’t move.He didn’t need to ask why.Because he wasn’t Kim Dokja.The field filled with scarlet lilies.“Brother.”He wanted to be Yoo Joonghyuk.He wanted to be the Kim Dokja who believed that.And as he took that first step—[Numbered platform activated.]The platform turned green.[“Absolute Shield” can now be activated.]He didn’t understand. He was still on the platform—so why had it triggered?Because someone else had become Kim Dokja.He lifted his gaze.The blind man’s face met his.The one furthest from Kim Dokja in every way—a man who had spent his days searching for his daughter, who had only ever read Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint once.“Don’t blame yourself,” Lee Dansu said quietly.Killer King understood.Dansu had already lost his sight, his incarnation body nearly destroyed.Even the Spirit of the Elrain Forest couldn’t restore him.“I have nothing left to lose.”Killer King couldn’t stop him.Dansu’s choice was the right one.Everyone else here was indispensable for seeing this damned world’s ending.Only the man who’d lost everything could go.But Kim Dokja might have said something else.A thought flashed in Killer King’s mind—his pupils gleaming with light.[Eyes of Sin]The stigma of Yophiel—able to measure the sin of all incarnations.He looked into Dansu’s soul—and froze.It shone pure white, like a man wearing a white coat.He had never seen such a soul before.There might be a way for him to live, Killer King thought.But he couldn’t grasp it yet.Of course not—because that line hadn’t been written.Writing lines was the author’s role, not the reader’s.[“Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint” – Stage 3 activated.]So it would have to be me.The scenario isn’t over yet.I thought, watching Mr. Dansu walk toward the dragon.There’s a way for everyone to live.But if I use it—[Grade-5 Venomous Dragon “Lesser Dragon Poisoner” uses “Death’s Red Spider Lily.”]—Mr. Dansu will have to die, at least once.

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