[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."
"......!" V/\IssịT n0(v)eL/b(i)(n).co/m for the b/est novel reading experi/en/ce
"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.
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...
[Translator - Jjescus]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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