NOVEL NEXT The Strategist V
Speedrun stream, ON.
[We've gathered almost everything we need in Japan. It's time to return to the Korean Peninsula.]
“No way! Absolutely not! I will never, under any circumstances, drift across the sea again! Never!”
Oh Dok-seo desperately resisted, adding 'sea' to the phobia section of her character sheet. However, she had nothing to worry about. There was no need to rely on Hamel's Journal again. I modified Inunaki Tunnel into the 'Korea-Japan Undersea Tunnel,' giving Oh Dok-seo a comfortable walking path.
[Oh. Be careful. If you step just one step to the left, you'll die with your limbs separated.]
“What the heck?”
Experiencing the rare event of walking through the Korea-Japan Undersea Tunnel, Oh Dok-seo was quite delighted.
“Comfortable, my ass! One wrong step and you die instantly! ...Wait, you used this place as a base in another cycle? Are you insane?”
[Progress is slow. Please hurry up. Yu Ji-won rode a bike through this void.]
“Who the hell is that?”
[Considering the early stage of the cycle, Oh Dok-seo's miko aptitude has already reached an incredible level.] We lightly dismissed the complaints of the young and MZ-generation Oh Dok-seo. Both the Saintess and I were too old to tolerate the whims of the younger generation.
[Currently, Oh Dok-seo has explored all sorts of anomalies related to creative works. The 'Korea-Japan Undersea Tunnel' you’re walking through is also a creation of imagination.]
[Hamel's Journal, Monkey's Paw, Hate Pill, Magical Girl, Undersea Tunnel. There are no other cases of someone approaching the so-called gods of creation so quickly.]
[At this rate, you’ll be able to summon the status window without any issues.]
“Oh, really?”
[Yes.]
The Saintess confirmed on my behalf. She was still on my back, maintaining a distance of several hundred meters from Oh Dok-seo.
[Especially inside this tunnel, the conditions are more favorable.]
[Since the Korea-Japan Undersea Tunnel itself is a work of fiction, it functions as a weak shrine for the Admin of the Infinite Metaverse.]
[Try calling it out as a test.]
“......”
Oh Dok-seo couldn’t see us from her position. In the dark, eerie tunnel that seemed haunted, she muttered.
“...Status window?”
Immediately, Oh Dok-seo was startled.
“I-It worked! The status window appeared!”
[Can you see the semi-transparent hologram?]
“Yes! I can see it clearly!”
I clenched my fist. It worked. Normally, the Admin of the Infinite Metaverse would descend to the surface at least five years later. But its presence was already showing. Historically, demons or gods couldn't refuse a summon. The more they resisted, the weaker they became.
With Oh Dok-seo as the 'Miko' and 'Shrine,' the Saintess’s assistance, my strategy and commands, and the 'sacrifices' of anomalies related to creative works, we were getting closer to the darkest god.
[Great. We’ve managed to summon a portion of the 'Logout Game' within a week of starting the speedrun.]
[This anomaly is an extreme hikikomori among the gods. Simply forcing it out of hiding is a significant achievement.]
[Now, let's check Oh Dok-seo’s status.]
“Ah, okay. I’ll read it out loud!”
Oh Dok-seo described her status window.
――――――――――
[Status]
Name: Oh Dok-seo
Title: 'Miko of the Admin of the Infinite Metaverse'
Class: Prophet, RPG Character, Magical Girl, Miko, LiteraryGirl, Protagonist
[Health: E] [Strength: D] [Intuition: B+] [Agility: C] [Intelligence: B] [Charm: B-]
Personality Traits: [Misanthropy] [Anthropophilia] [Timid] [Passionate] [Unluck (Status Ailment)]
Exclusive Skills: [Omniscient Regressor's Viewpoint (EX)], [AT Field (S)]
*Omniscient Regressor's Viewpoint (EX): A prophetic ability to foresee events in the world.
By reading a novel where the 'Undertaker' is the protagonist, you can perceive the upcoming scenarios.
Knowledge is power. No matter how much the world is corrupted by emptiness, for you, who knows the events in advance, it’s merely an event.
Claim the protagonist’s position.
*AT Field (S): A power to reject external interference.
Provides an absolute barrier against all physical forces trying to impact or influence you. However, it can only be used once a day, and the barrier lasts for one minute.
You have observed this world from an 'omniscient' viewpoint. You are clearly a higher existence than the characters in the novel.
Turn a bad ending into a happy ending, or an even more tragic bad ending. You are destined to be the protagonist of this world.
May fortune be with you.
――――――――――
“That’s what it says!”
Hmm. I listened to Oh Dok-seo’s description and smiled sinisterly. Then I whispered softly so only the Saintess could hear.
“How disgraceful. The god must be in a hurry.”
-Is that so?
“Yes. It blatantly marked her as the 'Miko of the Admin of the Infinite Metaverse.' It's like putting a claim on her, a very childish instinct.”
-That sounds like good news for us.
“Indeed.”
From the god’s perspective, it must have been a shock. After all the effort to analyze and hack me, it had trained Oh Dok-seo as a champion to oppose me. Yet, here she was, working with me. It must be furious.
[The status window is practically begging you to become the protagonist.]
[No problem. We are already streaming the game. Oh Dok-seo’s success is our success. The god is cornered.]
[So, let’s fully embrace the role of the protagonist.]
Major events on the Korean Peninsula awaited us in sequence. First, the Great Void of Baekhwa High School. The Saintess, Oh Dok-seo, and I entered Baekhwa High School. Of course, the Saintess and I stayed back while Oh Dok-seo led the way. After many trials, the Infinite Void was finally subdued. There was almost no difference this time except—
—This time, Cheon Yo-hwa’s psychological state, which was closely connected to mine, was redirected.
“Dok-seo! Let’s hang out this weekend!”
Cheon Yo-hwa linked arms with Oh Dok-seo.
“Oh. Um, okay.”
“Hehe. A new amusement park void appeared where Lotte World used to be. Let’s go there!”
“…But it’s a void. Isn’t it dangerous?”
Normally, Cheon Yo-hwa’s mental state at Baekhwa High School was extremely unstable. Her disciples and school friends kept dying, naturally making her anxious. I positioned Oh Dok-seo in that psychological gap. Initially, Cheon Yo-hwa felt a strong aversion to Oh Dok-seo due to the Hate Pill. However, after experiencing the hunt for the god together, the initial negative impression was easily overcome.
[Baekhwa High School cleared in ten days.]
[Normally, Infinite Void's domain extends time like taffy, making it extremely dangerous.]
[But from another perspective, it’s like the 'Room of Spirit and Time.' We can significantly develop Oh Dok-seo here.]
While ten days passed outside, several years passed inside Infinite Void's domain. I focused on training Oh Dok-seo without attracting Cheon Yo-hwa’s attention. I didn’t even take the lead in subduing Infinite Void; I merely swung my cane-sword to deliver the final blow. All the spotlight was on Oh Dok-seo. As a result, my relationship with Cheon Yo-hwa remained distant.
“Oh, hello, security guard!”
“Yes. Hello, student council president.”
“Thank you! You too!”
Cheon Yo-hwa probably still harbored some subtle dislike for me. She didn't show it outwardly, but it didn’t matter. The speedrun broadcast continued.
[Good.]
[Oh Dok-seo has made a character who should have been fond of another character her close friend. It’s a very 'protagonist-like' action.]
[Everything is proceeding smoothly.]
“……”
Oh Dok-seo chewed her lips. I could sense she felt uneasy, but we couldn’t afford to cater to every emotion in the grand task of hunting gods.
Next.
[Ten Legs is advancing south. At this rate, the refugees north of the Han River will be annihilated.]
[The remaining military forces and some awakeners have prepared for a desperate battle, but it’s not enough.]
[We prepared Baekhwa High School in advance for this moment. Oh Dok-seo, Cheon Yo-hwa, and the awakened of Baekhwa High School will save Seoul.]
After enjoying a level-up event in Infinite Void’s domain, Oh Dok-seo’s party easily defeated the Ten Legs. I recorded the entire battle on video. Then I uploaded it to SG Net through Seo Gyu (whom I had left in Busan after saving him from the tutorial dungeon).
-Anonymous: Who are these people? They’re insanely strong;
-Anonymous: Didn’t the military get wiped out by the Ten Legs? How did they kill them so easily?
-Officer: Although much younger than me, I sincerely respect them. Seeing proof that hope still exists in the world warms my heart.
-Anonymous: What are their names?
-[Samcheon] Witch Judge: Oh Dok-seo and Cheon Yo-hwa.
└Anonymous: Hey, call her Oh Dok-seo 'nim.'
-OldManGoryeo: Honestly, wasn't the magical girl transformation scene pretty cringey? lmao
└Anonymous: You could tell Oh Dok-seo was super embarrassed after transforming lololol
└Anonymous: It’s surreal that the hope of the Korean Peninsula is a magical girl and the student council president...
└Anonymous: I’m grateful they defeated the Ten Legs, but it’s still kind of awkward.
In the apocalyptic era, the title of 'awakened who fought to protect refugees and won a miraculous victory' was worth its weight in gold. Reputation was a valuable resource. Leveraging her newfound fame, Oh Dok-seo posted on SG Net.
-LiteraryGirl: [Tip] How to quickly grow your awakening abilities using the 'status window.'txt
-LiteraryGirl: Normally, I wouldn’t share such tips, but I can’t keep it to myself in this difficult apocalypse. So I’m revealing it now.
-LiteraryGirl: I know everyone makes fun of me for transforming into a magical girl on SG Net.
-LiteraryGirl: But actually, the magical girl transformation isn’t my unique ability; it’s something anyone can achieve through specific steps.
-LiteraryGirl: There’s an organization in Japan called the Magical Girl Association, and the Great Priestess is an awakener...
Awakeners were intensely interested. The person with the highest reputation on the Korean Peninsula was sharing valuable tips, but it wasn't just because of her fame. Oh Dok-seo was flaunting overwhelming achievements, yet the underlying aversion caused by the Hate Pill lingered. People subtly thought, “Is she really that amazing?” and attributed her success to some hidden cheat. When Oh Dok-seo revealed her 'secret know-how,' the awakeners were quick to take the bait, mistaking it for her secret to success.
I immediately invited the Great Priestess from the Magical Girl Association via Inunaki Tunnel.
“Could it be? Are there really this many Koreans interested in joining our cooperative?”
The Great Priestess's eyes widened at the sight of the crowded group of awakeners in Haeundae.
“Truly, beauty knows no borders. To think our comrades were so numerous abroad! Indeed, magical girls are beautiful, and beauty is justice! I was not wrong!”
“Hey, what is that person with the fox tail shouting about?”
“I don’t know. It's Japanese, but her accent is so thick I can’t understand...”
“That’s not just an accent; it sounds like ancient language.”
Moved, the Great Priestess established the 'Korean Branch of the Magical Girl Association' and appointed Oh Dok-seo as the branch head. She also contracted hundreds of Koreans as magical girls on the spot. However, the truth was that Korean awakeners weren't drawn by the beauty of magical girls. In Korea, known for its performance-oriented culture, the rumor that the magical girl class was overpowered led people to eagerly press the transfer button.
-LiteraryGirl: And one more thing to keep in mind when making a magical girl contract.
Oh Dok-seo delivered a final blow to the performance-oriented players.
-LiteraryGirl: You need to decide which guardian deity you will serve.
-LiteraryGirl: Technically, a pet or even a plant can be a guardian deity, but the stronger the deity, the more powerful the magical girl becomes.
-LiteraryGirl: I recommend a god called the Admin of the Infinite Metaverse.
-LiteraryGirl: I guarantee 100% that contracting with this god will let you see the status window immediately, understand your abilities, and efficiently grow your awakening powers.
That day, four hundred awakeners formed contracts with the god, who had never shown itself, as their guardian deity. In the end—
[The Admin of the Infinite Metaverse responds to the users' call.]
The god’s notification echoed in everyone's minds.
[The Admin of the Infinite Metaverse officially opens the game.]
On the 30th day of the speedrun, we succeeded in dragging the reclusive god out of hiding into the open world.
Footnotes:
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