[Translator - Jjescus]
[Proofreader - Gun]
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Chapter 200
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The Wicked One III
4
Have you ever heard of the term “the paradox of reading”? Of course, you haven’t, because I made it up.
As ntioned in this episode, Oh Dokseo of the 888th turn had fallen into an unprecedented slump. Relying on AI to do her thinking because she couldn’t write? In all of literary history, finding soone as disgraceful as “Author Oh Dokseo” would be as difficult as getting Seo Gyu to speak without using profanity.
But what if we were talking about “Awakened Oh Dokseo”?
“Mister.”
“Yes?”
“I’m going to Seoul for a bit.”
A 7-year hiatus.
The readers of SGnet fell into grief and despair, and Oh Dokseo was declared a public enemy in the world of martial arts.
Whenever the “Literature Girl” appeared on the SGnet forum, readers would rush in to curse together, bonding over their shared animosity.
Oh Dokseo responded by displaying the typical cliché of a protagonist in a martial arts novel targeted as a public enemy.
She had truly “awakened.”
“Why Seoul all of a sudden?”
“Just going to raid Sauron’s Tower lightly.”
“…That place is pretty tough, you know?”
“Even better.”
Oh Dokseo. Hobby: Void hunting.
With the casualness of soone going for a stroll, Oh Dokseo left the Inunaki Tunnel and actually returned after single-handedly destroying a Great Void.
“Agh. There were rumors of One Piece treasure in Sauron’s Tower loot, but it was all a lie.”
“…….”
“Ahh-. After crushing a Void, there’s nothing like sipping an espresso made by you, Mister. That’s what life is all about, I think.”
“Oh Dokseo.”
“Yes?”
“That coffee cup is expensive, so please don’t use your aura carelessly. If it breaks, I won’t be able to replace it.”
“Ah-! Sorry, sorry, Mister. I’ve been running my protective aura 24/7 lately. I’m not as used to it as you are, so I’m a bit clumsy!”
“No……. You’re really doing well. I’m sure you can guarantee a win against Cheon Yohwa.”
“Hey! I’m not that good yet! Hehe.”
As Oh Dokseo grinned widely, a blood-red aura shimred and fluttered around her entire body in real-ti.
It was the very essence of Conqueror's Haki.
I felt as if I’d heard that a friend who signed up for the gym to take care of their health suddenly entered the Mr. Olympia bodybuilding competition.
Several guild mbers discreetly exited in the presence of that overwhelming aura.
“…Guild Master, I’ll be leaving first…….”
“…Oppa. Bye.”
Even Sim Aryeon, who used to mock Oh Dokseo at every turn a few years ago, couldn’t et her gaze now.
The survival instinct had kicked in, warning her that she might die if she provoked her.
Hayul was the sa. Both of them trembled like small, cute creatures.
Oh Dokseo, on the other hand, glanced at the two retreating won and let out a “hmph” of disdain. Despite the obvious mockery, Sim Aryeon and Lee Hayul didn’t dare to retaliate and fled even more pitifully…….
I looked up at the ceiling and sighed.
‘How did it co to this?’
It wasn’t like this from the start.
-Mister. I’m going to the Void.
-The Void? All of a sudden?
-Yes. I think what I lack as a writer right now is overwhelming experience.
Seven years ago, Oh Dokseo spoke with determination.
-Only by entering a battlefield where life and death, reason and the anomalies, sunlight and darkness clash violently, can I, as the Literature Girl, finally type away at the typewriter…….
Like many authors, Oh Dokseo was also caught in the misconception that as long as intense “experiences” were input, an equally amazing work would be output.
Oh Dokseo road the Voids like a madman. The Great Voids, places no sane person would enter even for a fortune, were places Oh Dokseo willingly sought out.
-If only I could get out of this damn slump! I’d sell my soul!
It was a crazy act that would require more than ten lives, but I was there with her.
Oh Dokseo was the first and most frequent listener of my tales. There was no one else who could be called my direct disciple in the field of the anomalies.
When things got truly dangerous, I’d save her myself, sotis alerted by the Saintess.
And so,
-Mister.
-Hmm?
-I’m not afraid of the anomalies anymore for so reason.
For so reason, Oh Dokseo, whose muscles had visibly solidified and whose aura had taken on a terrifying hue compared to other turns, declared with a blank expression.
-These days, when I see anomalies, I can’t help but think, “Who do these trashy things think they are to dare challenge a human?”
-…….
Oh Dokseo’s Paradox.
1. When “Author Oh Dokseo” focuses on writing novels based on my tales = She has less ti to train herself, so “Awakened Oh Dokseo” becos weaker.
2. When “Author Oh Dokseo” falls into a slump and doesn’t write much and roams around = “Awakened Oh Dokseo” grows stronger.
And as we’ve seen earlier, Oh Dokseo of the 888th turn had fallen into a record-breaking long-term slump.
In other words?
-Ah. Staying at ho is making restless. My muscles are itching. This won’t do. Mister! Find a suitable anomaly nearby, and I’ll go beat it up!
-…….
-Last ti, I fought an alien anomaly one-on-one and beat it to death, so this ti I’ll try fighting two at once!
The longer the hiatus,
as it stretches from 4 years, 5 years, 6 years, to 7 years,
Oh Dokseo’s aura burned more fiercely, like a wildfire.
Even Seo Gyu, who had uncontrollable anger issues, started to avoid Oh Dokseo.
-Hoo…….
At so point, the overwhelming aura that had been overflowing from Oh Dokseo’s entire body vanished without a trace.
It wasn’t that the aura had disappeared.
It had simply been perfectly “contained.”
Oh Dokseo calmly opened her eyes.
-Mister. No, Master.
-…….
-I think I finally understand what aura is. So, this is the level you were looking at, Master.
Indeed,
Oh Dokseo of the 888th turn had degenerated into an FFF-grade author―.
But at the sa ti, by sacrificing the resentnt, hatred, and curses of the readers, he had ascended to the level of an SSS-grade Awakened……!
5
One day.
A notice was posted on the peaceful novel serialization board of SG Net.
[Literature Girl] It’s . (5 minutes ago)
[Literature Girl] This is Oh Dokseo… I’m going to take a break to recharge for a while and go on hiatus… (7 years ago)
The readers were shocked.
The author, who had shalessly gone into hiding for the past 7 years and occasionally posted nonsense on the free board, had written a new notice!
“Could it be a re-serialization?”
“Is it really a rule for authors to return after 7 years?”
Thump-.
The readers quickly clicked on the notice. Despite having cursed the author to death, these loyal readers couldn’t forget the unique flavor of this series and had re-read it three, four tis over.
They didn’t think too deeply about why the author, who always started titles with “This is a misreading…”, had suddenly changed their tone to “It’s .” This wasn’t the ti for such considerations.
Soon, after reading the entire notice, the readers began to doubt the performance of their own eyeballs.
――――――――――
[Literature Girl] It’s .
I apologize for going silent and pausing the serialization for 7 years.
I’m an unworthy author.
But I want to rest more.
――――――――――
?
A question mark popped up in the readers' heads.
Regardless, the notice continued.
――――――――――
I don’t want to make long-winded excuses.
I want to rest, and so of you probably want to beat up and make resu serialization.
What does it take to get what you want?
Smooth talk? Brilliant connections? Ingenious strategies?
All wrong.
The answer is 'fists'.
――――――――――
??
――――――――――
Starting next Monday, for four weeks, I’ll be at Babel Tower Square in Busan from 6 AM to 11 AM.
[Translator - Jjescus]
[Proofreader - Gun]
w
Let’s have a one-on-one fight.
I’ll accept one challenger per day on a first-co, first-served basis for 28 days.
If even one reader manages to beat , I’ll imdiately resu the next chapter of The Epilogue of the Regressor the very next day without any excuses.
I’m not saying I’ll write just one chapter and stop. I don’t play around like that. I’ll start a consistent serialization right away.
If no one manages to beat , The Epilogue of the Regressor will officially be ‘suspended’ after this long hiatus.
This is a life-or-death battle.
Your desire for the serialization to resu.
My desire for it to end.
Let’s see whose resolve is stronger, at the boundary of life and death.
With only our fists.
――――――――――
???
Even after finishing the notice, the readers couldn't erase the question marks from their minds.
Only, there were now a lot more words attached to those question marks.
“What the hell is this crazy bastard saying?”
The readers were baffled.
The notice reeked of the unmistakable sll of iron weights from barbells and dumbbells.
Originally, since the nickna "Literature Girl" combined "literature" and "girl," it seed far from steel reinforcent. After all, these were words favored by people with small physiques.
A commotion imdiately broke out on SG Net.
-Anonymous: Is this a hack?
The first theory to erge was the ‘hacking theory’.
However, unlike the weak and soft pre-apocalypse civilization’s internet environnt, in the end-tis internet, hacking tricks were no longer feasible.
SG Net accounts were thoroughly linked to the user’s soul. The hacking theory was quickly refuted.
-Anonymous: This bastard is smart, lol. After going silent for 7 years, she probably felt too guilty to just return without saying anything, so she’s creating a pretext, lol.
└[Baekhwa]12th Grade: Ah, I get it now! Totally makes sense! >_
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