Kim Dokja was running to Myung Ilsang’s direction.
From Cale Henituse characteristics in Ways of Survival, he and his group won’t kill Myung Ilsang. That means I need to do something. Kim Dokja thought.
Damn, I wish I had talent. It would be preferable if I could steal someone’s talent. Kim Dokja thought as he looked at the moving tree roots that attacking Myung Ilsang.
…Eh? Wait. Steal? A dull shock filled my head. So far, my main weapon was ‘information.’ However, there were so much ‘information’ that I actually forgot some of them. Kim Dokja suddenly remembered about his skill.
Pathetic. Why the hell did I forget about this skill? Wasn’t this the first thing I should’ve done? Maybe if I could steal Cale’s group skills... Kim Dokja didn’t realized that he suddenly smiled like a villain.
[The exclusive skill ‘Bookmark’ can now be activated.]
[‘Character Bookmarks’ is activated.]
[Available Bookmark Slots: 4]
[Bringing up the list of available bookmarks.]
+
[People Listed in the Bookmark Slots]
1. The Delusion Demon Kim Namwoon (Understanding 35).
2. Steel Sword Lee Hyunsung (Understanding 75).
3. Demagogue Cheon Inho (Understanding 20).
4. Empty slot.
+
There was no change apart from the one additional slot. Kim Dokja looked at the slots.
Kim Dokja chose the empty slot.
+
[List of People who can be Registered on the Bookmarks]
1. Poisoner Lee Seolhwa (Understanding 10).
2. King of Beauty Min Jiwon (Understanding 25).
3. Tyrant King Jung Youngho (Understanding 10).
4. Hermit King of Shadows Han Donghoon (Understanding 30).
5. The Prophet Anna Croft (Understanding 1).
6. Armed Fortress Master Gong Pildu (Understanding 30).
7. Otherworlder Cale Henituse (Understanding 0.55) (unable to unlock because of restrictions of the world)
8. Otherworlder Alberu Crossman (Understanding 0.55) (unable to unlock because of ??? protection)
9. Otherworlder Choi Han (Understanding 0.5) (unable to unlock because of the restrictions of the world)
10. Otherworlder Mary (Understanding 0.5) (unable to unlock because of the condition can’t be met)
11. Otherworlder Clopeh Sekka (Understanding 0.25) (locked)
.
.
As expected, Yoo Jonghyuk’s name wasn’t on the list. The main character was the main character. Special conditions must be met before he was unlocked...but that group also similar. But what is this explanations mean? Kim Dokja looked at the locked names in the list while feeling a bit disappointed while having a lot of questions.
But he continue to look at the list.
Kim Dokja looked at Han Sooyoung that using her avatar to attack Myung Ilsang.
In addition, people who weren’t characters like Han Sooyoung, Yoo Sangah and Lee Gilyoung weren’t on the list. Kim Dokja continues to look at the list to find a way to defeat Myung Ilsang.
It didn’t matter. They weren’t the people I needed right now. I scrolled for a bit and finally found the person I wanted. Kim Dokja finally decided his choice.
There he was. Why did I forget that he was also a ‘character.’ Kim Dokja didn’t hesitate to put him in the fourth bookmark as it was similar to his plan.
[The level of the Bookmark skill is low, shortening the activation time.]
[Activation Time: 30 minutes]
[Your understanding of the character is significant. You can select some of his skills to import.]
Kim Dokja chose a skill from the list.
The next moment, a silver storm emerged around Kim Dokja body. I felt the courage of a wolf nestle in my body.
Damn, I felt like a fool. What had I been trying to learn so far? I wasn’t a regressor or a returnee. Kim Dokja thought.
[The character ‘Prince Lycaon of the Imyuntar’ has been registered on bookmark 4.]
[The number four bookmark has been activated.]
I was a ‘reader.’
[Way of the Wind Lv. 8 has been activated.]
And this was the way I fought.
As Kim Dokja felt the refreshing wind wrap around his body, he recalled the sentences that appeared in Ways of Survival.
Han Sooyoung was summoning avatars when she noticed the skill Kim Dokja was going to use.
“What? I thought you didn’t learn this?”
Not only Han Sooyoung but also the Wind Elementals.
• Cale, that person suddenly able to control the wind like the wolf.
They reported about Kim Dokja sudden change as he suddenly able to control the wind.
Is this related to his skills? Cale thought while watching Kim Dokja.
“Step back.”
Way of the Wind.
「 There is a gale in the right hand and a storm in the left hand. The Way of the Wind will be opened when the straight lines and the curves meet. 」
The sentence that Kim Dokja couldn’t understand became a reality the moment he felt wind at his toes.
Myung Ilsang’s fist suddenly approached Kim Dokja nose.
The attack that should’ve hit was meaningless. The overwhelming power of this skill filled in Kim Dokja lacking stats.
This was the secret technique of the Imyuntar.
Myung Ilsang’s eyes shone.
“…Huh? You sped up?”
“Huh! That’s teacher wolf skill!” The twins seemed to realize Kim Dokja skill.
Kim Dokja didn’t answer as he focused on enlightenment. From now on, it was a fight against time. The remaining time for Bookmark was 30 minutes.
“Aha, I understand. Is it the skill of those wolves?” Myung Ilsang laughed at Kim Dokja. “Did you receive a great enlightenment that allowed you to use this shitty skill?”
“…”
“Do you know? I killed the king of those guys with my own hands.”
Of course I knew. Kim Dokja remembered the creatures of Chronos who died.
Prince Lycaon of the Imyuntar, Parasite Queen Antinus…
The fate of those who survived their destroyed world was to be used in the scenarios unfolding on another planet.
Kim Dokja thought that he would be in the same situation as them if Earth was destroyed.
A Medium Black Fire Cannon shot from Myung Ilsang’s right hand.
The tree branches moved and protect Kim Dokja from Myung Ilsang’s attack.
The snakes like branches keep moving to protect him as soon it turned into ashes.
With Cale help Kim Dokja able to concentrate on the skill he going to use.
「 One wind will meet another wind to form ying and yang. Once again, one wind will meet another wind to form the principles of negative and positive. 」
Kim Dokja used all his imagination and remembered what happened before in the werewolves base to put these words into images.
Hot and cold wind swirled in front of me and the direction of the wind started to twist.
The black fire was deflected once it hit the wind and energy spread in every directions.
All ether attacks were propagated through a medium.
If the root of the medium was dispersed, the attack would have no choice but to go back.
Myung Ilsang looked surprised. “…Pretty good. You must have some talent?”
Myung Ilsang once against started to flee.
[The character ‘Myung Ilsang’ has used Blink Lv. 4.]
It was another Blink.
However, it wasn’t hard for current Kim Dokja to pursue him.
Once Kim Dokja closed his eyes and concentrated on the wind, he could read everything near him.
He also able the wind seems to directing him to a direction.
Actually it was the Wind Elementals that wanted to help him to defeat Myung Ilsang because of Cale’s request.
Cale also help them to stop Myung Ilsang’s movement with the tree trunks that suddenly come from underground and trying to tied Myung Ilsang.
Kim Dokja ran along the street at a speed that matched Yoo Jonghyuk’s Red Phoenix Shunpo and found Myung Ilsang who trying to release himself from the binding.
He couldn’t continued to get closer to the people randomly and killed some of the people after asking them questions.
But as he still able to keep asking the survivors and released his seals.
Kim Dokja kicked off the steel frame of a building and flew towards Myung Ilsang.
It was a blow that would crush bone but he stood up.
[The twenty-fourth seal of the returnee ‘Myung Ilsang’ has been released.]
His next seal was released by a hair’s breadth.
“…It was ticklish?”
Myung Ilsang spoke in a playful manner.
He believed that he would win anyway.
His wounds were healed by the seal being released and as time went by, more of Kim Dokja magic power was being consumed.
“Hahaha, try to stop me!”
In fact, I couldn’t kill him if I used Way of the Wind as a buff skill. If this alone could defeat the Disaster of Questions, Chronos wouldn’t have perished in the first place. Kim Dokja understand his current limitations.
But he could also see that Myung Ilsang was hiding his flustered self from the tree trunks attack.
I had to do ‘it’. Kim Dokja thought.
The problem was…how long Cale Henituse able to buy time for me to use this technique. Kim Dokja try to calculate his plan.
…Huh? Something suddenly fell from the sky diagonal to me. It looked like a descending hawk as it pierced through the air towards Myung Ilsang. Kim Dokja try to identify the figure that getting closer from above.
Boom.
There was a terrible explosion and a small crater appeared.
A familiar person was seen where Myung Ilsang was lying on the ground as the tree trunks started to stop his movements.
Kim Dokja looked at the man with a wide mouth and muttered, “…Yoo Jonghyuk?”
Didn’t this bastard say he would take two days to recover? Kim Dokja looked at the approaching Yoo Jonghyuk and reflexively stepped back. Surely he wasn’t planning to hit me right now?
However, Yoo Jonghyuk stopped a few steps in front of Kim Dokja and turned around.
“Get started.” Yoo Jonghyuk stood before Kim Dokja as if he knew what he was trying to do. “I’ll buy some time.”
Han Sooyoung muttered on Kim Dokja behalf from behind as run to chase both of them. “Ha, shit. As expected from the protagonist…”
But unlike her words, Yoo Jonghyuk appeared to be in a dangerous state.
His body was still unsteady and the blood vessels on his body were still bulging.
Meanwhile, Myung Ilsang who still struggling to get up from the crater, laughing while coughing up blood.
“Ah, it is a bit annoying…”
He wasn’t badly damaged despite the impact.
And although he was annoyed by the snakes like tree trunks that keep popping up from the ground and trying to suppress his movements but it seems to losing its effect on him.
As he getting stronger after he released the seal, he was able to easily destroy the tree trunks.
It was unbelievable that he was on the weak side of the ‘returnees’ who would appear.
Myung Ilsang able to get out from the crater and Yoo Jonghyuk met him.
Then Kim Dokja invoked Way of the Wind.
「 Four winds meet and form a defense. Then another four winds are added, making it the Eight Trigrams. Therefore, wind is everywhere yet exists nowhere.’ 」
It was my turn to use the verse that gave Lycaon enlightenment. Kim Dokja focus himself to the skill.
The mysterious air wall in the shape of an octagon started to swirl.
It was a small dome of space.
The tight seal choked Kim Dokja.
From now on, it was a fight against time.
Yoo Jonghyuk flew back from a blow while Myung Ilsang’s expression hardened.
He finally realized that this wasn’t a game.
“What…?!”
The next moment, all the air in the dome was removed.
Kim Dokja ears became blocked and all sound disappeared.
The wind blew terribly but the dome was as calm as the eye of a storm.
Myung Ilsang opened his mouth.
“…!”
“…?”
He moved his mouth several times but his voice wasn’t heard.
Sound wasn’t possible because there was no medium.
He was in a complete vacuum.
Due to the difference in air pressure, the air in Kim Dokja lungs momentarily escaped.
Kim Dokja quickly sucked it back in.
Outside the dome, Han Sooyoung was shouting something.
[Exclusive skill, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint stage 2 has been activated!]
「 What is this? 」
Kim Dokja could hear Myung Ilsang’s thoughts.
「 Why don’t I have a voice? Magic? 」
Myung Ilsang was shouting with confusion.
It was natural.
All returnees had a penalty.
This was especially true for returnees who could quickly recover their original strength under certain conditions.
[The penalty of the Disaster of Questions is activated.]
[The power of the returnee ‘Myung Ilsang’ has been weakened.]
[The twenty-fourth seal of the returnee ‘Myung Ilsang’ has been locked.]
「 Uwaaah, no! 」
They had the condition of being ‘weakened’ as easily as they were ‘strengthened.’
[The twenty-third seal of the returnee ‘Myung Ilsang’ has been locked.]
Why did the Disaster of Questions keep asking questions? It was simple. His abilities would weaken if he didn’t ask questions.
「 Shit! Release this! Quickly release it! 」
His fist hit the wall of air many times but the wall didn’t break easily.
In a space without a medium, the black flames didn’t burn.
[The twenty-second seal of the returnee ‘Myung Ilsang’ has been locked.]
A vacuum prison that could be made using Way of the Wind.
This was the optimum strategy against the Disaster of Questions that Kim Dokja knew.
「 Uwaaaaah! 」
Myung Ilsang belatedly rushed towards Kim Dokja.
He thought that the vacuum prison would be broken if I died but it wasn’t the case. This was a place that I made.
Kim Dokja used Way of the Wind to avoid his attack and quickly reduced the area of the prison.
Some of the winds inside the prison move independently and protect Kim Dokja.
Is Cale Henituse using his skills to help me? He’s really too overpower. Kim Dokja felt a bit relieved as he knew that Cale is helping him.
Once the wall shrank, I made a narrow passage and escaped outside the dome with Yoo Jonghyuk. Now Myung Ilsang was the only one left inside the dome. Kim Dokja unconsciously grinned as he looked at Myung Ilsang.
「 …You jerk! 」
A returnee wasn’t a returnee for nothing.
The dome cracked a little bit under his power.
Kim Dokja raised his hand and the wind filled in the weak spot.
Then the size of the dome started to shrink rapidly.
Blood flowed from Kim Dokja nose due to my excessive concentration.
My ultimate goal was to limit the vacuum prison to his body.
However, it wasn’t easy to control.
Shit, Yoo Jonghyuk had managed it easily and I also get Cale Henituse’s help. Why was this so difficult? Kim Dokja cursed.
“Don’t try to control it. You must lead the wind.” Yoo Jonghyuk’s voice was heard.
At that moment, Kim Dokja received enlightenment.
Kim Dokja realized that the wind that protecting him seems to telling him something.
Is this what he meant when he said to listen to the wind? Kim Dokja remembered what Cale said when he give the explanations to Lycaon before.
Maybe it was my mistake to make a ‘wall.’ The important thing was to remove the medium around his body. Kim Dokja who realized the clues from the Wind Elementals started to follow the flow that they showed him.
「 U-Uwaaah, uwaaaaah! I’m choking! 」
Myung Ilsang frantically scratched at his neck, causing himself to bleed.
“…Pretty good. Although you still aren’t very talented.” Yoo Jonghyuk’s voice was heard again.
Then Myung Ilsang attempted his last hurrah.
[The character ‘Myung Ilsang’ has used Great Black Fire Cannon Lv. 3.]
Myung Ilsang’s right arm was surrounded by dark flames.
To Kim Dokja surprise, the great flames shot through the dome of wind.
Kim Dokja fell down while protecting Yoo Jonghyuk’s body.
A dull impact filled Kim Dokja head.
Myung Ilsang seemed to be squeezing out his remaining magic power as the black fire cannon continued.
But the wind wasn’t still.
The Wind Elementals help Kim Dokja to maintain the prison.
Once the black fire cannon was fired through the dome, wind instantly filled up the spot again.
The last hurrah didn’t change anything.
The problem was that people were dying from the black flames.
Yoo Jonghyuk saw my face and said, “Kim Dokja, don’t think about it. They wouldn’t care if you died.”
“There are people like that."
But it didn’t last long as the silver shield appeared and protect the people outside of the prison.
Kim Dokja got up and confronted the black flames.
The black flames were scattered and twisted by the power of the strongly rotating dome.
A terrible pain followed.
It was because Kim Dokja intercepted the majority of the black flames.
Kim Dokja know that it was a foolish move.
The black flames burned his skin and the sensation in Kim Dokja’s bones faded little by little.
I could do it. He wasn’t strong right now. I could only kill him if I do this.
At this moment, Kim Dokja reached an area beyond his limits.
As Kim Dokja senses became faint, my body was like the wind.
[A constellation who loves effort enjoys your pain.]
[A touch of talent sleeping in your soul has blossomed.]
Kim Dokja controlled the vacuum prison with his left hand while moving the wind with his right hand to dissipate the energy of the black flames.
In a complete trance, Kim Dokja tasted new heights in Way of the Wind with the Wind Elementals help.
The wind at Kim Dokja fingertips was creating a landscape he had never known before.
[The thickness of the exclusive skill ‘Fourth Wall’ has temporarily thinned.]
It was a strange feeling.
This was how the ‘characters’ saw the world. Then how that group see the world? Kim Dokja thought while feeling the wind that directing him.
No matter how hard Kim Dokja read the text, he didn’t know what to feel.
Even when he tried really hard to imagine it like when he was learning the Way of the Wind from Lycaon, he can’t understand about what he need to feel.
Kim Dokja felt that a part of the narrative that was felt through the pages touching his fingertip, which he could never full reach, was now completely understood.
Reading was different from understanding.
Maybe I still didn’t understand one percentage of this world yet. Kim Dokja thought.
<to be continue>
Author’s note: If I should describe what the fans will do while imitating from Overlord, "Sasuga Cale-nim! This must be already in his plan!" They will say it with shining eyes while kneeling and clasping their hands while watching all the things that happened.
Thank you for reading, votes and comments.
I hope you enjoy the story and have a great week. GBU