As the system on the screen dinged with the sponsorship offers that Kim Dokja had received, everyone paid attention to the names displayed there.
[Several constellations are shocked.]
To be fair, that was a perfectly reasonable reaction, considering just who had put their names forward to be his sponsor right at the beginning.
Dokja looks at the screen for the sponsor selection appraisingly, noticing that he has four options.
-Select a constellation.
-The selected constellation will be your reliable sponsor.
Abyssal Black Flame Dragon
Demon-like Judge of Fire
Secretive Plotter
Prisoner of the Golden Headband
Well, now everyone knew who offered him a sponsorship, Kim Dokja mused as he watched the shocked faces of the people around him. Even Yoo Joonghyuk's somehow perfectly groomed brow was raised in surprise.
[The constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' declares that he is the best of the list.]
[The constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' picks his nose.]
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is fluttering her wings in excitement.]
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is smiling mysteriously.]
Some incarnations grumbled in jealousy, and Kim Dokja worried a bit, knowing they would all probably feel extremely let down shortly.
As he thinks, Sangah comes up to him nervously. "Dokja? Two strange options suddenly popped up…"
"I don't know anything either," Dokja lies easily, "just think of it as taking an aptitude test."
As she thinks over her options, Dokja muses that she's lucky to have received two offers.
The ones who provide support to us are the constellations. And now,
The streaming interface appears on the screen, focused on Dokja. There are four hands offering him coins as the constellations talk in the chat.
[Abyssal Black Flame Dragon: Why did he kill Namwoon?]
[Secretive Plotter: He shouldn't have used his coins.]
[Demon-like Judge of Fire: Now that is justice LOL]
[Prisoner of the Golden Headband: I just knew he would kill the grasshopper.]
Each of them has sponsored him 100 coins.
And in my case, four constellations want to sponsor me as their incarnation, but the constellations never reveal their true name.
Dokja knows that four options isn't a small number at all, considering that TWSA's protagonist had five options to start. Honestly, it's impressive.
"Hyung is impressive!" Lee Gilyoung declared happily. "Of course you'd get some awesome constellations trying to sponsor you."
Well, it's not like he was trying to achieve that. Still, Kim Dokja ruffled Lee Gilyoung's fluffy hair with a small smile.
"Wait a minute," Jung Heewon said suddenly, "was that the interface that the constellations see?"
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' says that it is.]
"So you guys really just have a whole chat window to comment on the scenarios?"
Apparently so. To be honest, even Kim Dokja was surprised to see their comments on the screen. It humanized them, in a way.
Using the hints in their nicknames, like 'Abyssal', 'Demon', and 'Garden', we must try to deduce their identities ourselves. Well, it's a piece of cake for a reader of TWSA like me.
His gaze falls upon the modifier 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' first. The image displayed is an imposing and powerful-looking black dragon with wings extended menacingly that could make any chuunibyou cry tears of joy.
He's a powerful being that leads the Black Cloud nebula. From what I recall, his true name was quite long. His incarnation receives an additional boost to their power level. Considering that stamina and strength are vital in the early scenarios, it would be smart to select him as my sponsor. Unfortunately, the benefits end there. The more you use his power, the more you lose your senses. Eventually, you'll end up as a psychotic killer. Usually, he supports edgelord attributes.
I'm pretty sure he was the constellation who supported Kim Namwoon in the novel, so why did he choose me?
Dokja's expression falls flat as he thinks and looks back at his screen. 'I don't know about him. I'll just put him on hold for now.'
[The constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' is offended.]
Yeah, that was expected.
[The constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' claims that incarnation 'Kim Dokja' should have chosen him.]
Nope, no chance in hell of that one. The last thing he wanted was to be wrapping bandages around his wrist and striking some lame pose while saying something about the dark evil flame of destruction, or whatever other chuuni bullshit the dragon wanted him to talk about.
Kim Namwoon could do it without shame since the guy was already so deep in his delusion that it didn't matter, but Kim Dokja was a wholeass adult. He wouldn't be caught dead doing that.
'My second option is…' He's amazed to see the next name on his list—'Demon-like Judge of Fire'.
Judging from the name, one could assume this constellation is a demon.
A horrifying demon, massive and fierce, appears on the screen.
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is baffled.]
Oh no.
[The constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' laughs at constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire'.]
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' says that's not what she looks like.]
But, ironically, demon-like means that this constellation isn't a demon. The words fire and judge indicate that this entity makes judgements through fire. That means she's actually…
A brilliant golden aura fills the screen as wings unfurl to reveal an angel holding a sword and set of scales.
Archangel Uriel.
'I remember someone chose her as their sponsor in the novel,' he thinks contemplatively. 'Uriel isn't a bad choice, but I'll explore my other options first. Constellations of absolute good are powerful, but they impose strict restrictions on their incarnations.
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is flustered.]
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' admits that this is true.]
Considering the types of stories that were common for the angels, Kim Dokja was fairly confident that he made the right choice, even if having her as a sponsor would have put a very powerful tool in his arsenal.
"Still," Yoo Sangah says with an admiring glance, "Uriel-nim is very beautiful in that picture."
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is blushing.]
So, even the archangel that purges evil and defeats demons can be cute? That was kind of surprising, considering she didn't really tend to act that way in TWSA.
And the third…'
'Secretive Plotter'.
He appears on the screen as a mysterious figure in space, white eyes glowing through the veil he wears that covers his head, and robes that conceal all other physical details. Everything about him is in question.
Dokja narrows his eyes and frowns. He's never seen this option anywhere in TWSA before, but maybe he could figure it out if he could go back and read the novel again. There's a chance this constellation was mentioned offhand once or twice, but there's one thing of which he's certain: Secretive Plotter is not a powerful being.
The adjective 'secretive' sounds so feeble.
'Ah, shit,' Kim Dokja cringed as the first indirect message popped up.
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is flabbergasted.]
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is offended by the assumption of incarnation 'Kim Dokja'.]
Well, sorry?
It's not like anything had happened yet to prove otherwise, though. The only thing that he could say for sure was that the Secretive Plotter had a decent number of coins that he could sponsor despite being an unknown constellation. That… was honestly kind of suspicious.
Kim Dokja thought for a moment, trying to find any kind of answer to that question. He knew that more powerful constellations sometimes had more than one modifier, so maybe the 'Secretive Plotter' was actually from a well-known nebula and was just going incognito in Bihyung's channel for some reason?
Still, were there any constellations he knew of whose actions would have earned them that kind of modifier who fit the other criteria? And why would a constellation like that use their incognito modifier during Sponsor Selection instead of a modifier that would be more likely to get chosen?
"Wow," Han Sooyoung said, amused, cutting off Kim Dokja's thoughts, "you really are out to make all the constellations your enemies, aren't you?"
Well, not intentionally yet, but that was probably true. Kim Dokja just sighed and rolled his eyes.
Without a second thought, he moves on. The last one is 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband'.
His heart pounds and Dokja has to grasp onto his shirt to try and calm himself. He can't believe that this constellation has made an offer already.
'Prisoner'. This adjective may sound negative at first, but you have to pay attention to the proper noun. 'Golden Headband'. The smallest prison in the world. The owner of Mount Huaguo who lives with the pain of the binding head shackle. The handsome monkey king with the golden gaze and furious eyes.
The screen shows the silhouette of the monkey king himself with glowing eyes, imposing and fierce.
The great sage, heaven's equal Sun Wukong. One of the characters was sponsored by him in the novel.
He has the power to crush hundreds of incarnations with a single swing of his staff, and eradicate thousands of monsters with a single lightning bolt.
The passage was extremely memorable to Dokja, considering how the author emphasized it. The only problem is that he can't understand why someone so powerful would be interested in him.
If I choose the great sage, heaven's equal as my sponsor…
He glances up past everyone else, and his gaze locks onto the window at the end of the cabin that leads to cabin 3707.
… will I be able to beat him?
[The constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' is pleased that he is considered handsome.]
Well, he had been described in TWSA as good-looking, but Kim Dokja had never seen the constellation for himself to say for sure. Still, he wasn't described as being able to slap Yoo Joonghyuk's cheeks, so at least there was a maximum level of handsomeness he could reach.
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is frowning.]
Okay, but why? Kim Dokja didn't understand, but maybe the Secretive Plotter was still upset from the last section?
[The constellation 'God of Wine and Ecstasy' says that he is more handsome.]
Yeah, doubtful.
At the glance toward cabin 3707, however, Kim Dokja noticed that Yoo Joonghyuk's frown deepened. Well, he had been debating about whether or not he'd be able to kick the protagonist's ass with the power of the great sage, so it was probably justified.
A few moments later, a popup appears.
[The Sponsor Selection has ended.]
The dokkaebi pops back in, and gleefully remarks that someone has made a very interesting choice, but also reminds them that there will be more opportunities in the future. Now that the Sponsor Selection is over, he declares a short break and vanishes again to prepare the next scenario, which will start in ten minutes.
The moment he's gone, Dokja gathers everyone in the cabin for introductions. As he shakes Hyunsung's hand, Dokja remarks on his strong grip. It makes sense, considering Hyunsung is the designated tanker in the early stages of TWSA. At that moment, Dokja reaffirms that he needs to recruit the lieutenant.
Hyunsung thanks him profusely for what he did earlier, even mentioning that living through the murder of others would mean that they don't deserve to live as humans. However, his heartfelt thanks are interrupted by Han Myungoh slapping a palm down on Dokja's shoulder. Sleazy as always, the man still demands the same respect he was used to in the workplace, even though the company likely no longer exists. Dokja quickly gets fed up and tells him to shut up.
After, he spends some time getting everyone to come to their senses and realize the truth of what's going on in this world. This isn't a joke.
"A game-like interface, attribute windows and skills," Dokja lists. "Is there still anyone who doesn't understand what's going on?"
Everyone is silent until Hyunsung sighs and scratches the back of his head. "It's the kind of thing I read about in novels while covering the night shift. I still can't believe this is real. This isn't a dream, right?"
Dokja shakes his head. "Unfortunately, this is now our reality."
"To think I was actually right when it came to the novel idea…" Lee Hyunsung muttered with a sigh and a shake of his head. "If you had told me this back then, I never would have guessed it could be real."
To be fair, it's not like he could have known in advance, as a character in the very novel that had come to life.
At the very least, everyone still here had managed to adapt to the circumstances as well as they could.
Since Dokja seems to be the only person who has any idea of what's going on, Hyunsung decides to ask if he has any plans. Suddenly, two popups appear in front of Dokja.
[The character 'Lee Hyunsung' has started to trust you.]
[Your understanding of the character 'Lee Hyunsung' has increased.]
There's only one thing to do. "We have to get out of here."
Everyone stares at Dokja in disbelief, except for Gilyoung. Outside, another ichthyosaur roars loudly. All at once, everyone begins talking over each other.
"Are you out of your mind!?"
"Dokja, I think that's a bit…"
"I also need to check on my unit… but I think it would be dangerous to leave the premises right now."
"Yeah! If we leave, we're going to get killed!"
Dokja sighs. 'Oh no. Even Hyunsung is against it, and I have to take him with me no matter what.'
Lee Hyunsung sent Kim Dokja a small smile. "I'm still coming to terms with everything, but at least I know that Dokja-ssi has always valued my abilities, even if you knew about them because of a novel."
That was honestly such a relief to hear.
"I'm very glad that Hyunsung-ssi is so reliable too," Kim Dokja replied, relaxing slightly when Lee Hyunsung's smile widened a bit.
They definitely wouldn't have been able to get as far as they had without him, and there was no way they could reach the ending Kim Dokja wanted if he wasn't there.
[The constellation 'Master of Steel' is smiling.]
A loud noise booms through the cabin, and it sounds like something slamming on metal. Everyone turns to look for where the sound came from, and Dokja's mind races as he tries to determine if this is the start of the next scenario. No, it couldn't be, since the dokkaebi isn't back yet. That leaves only one option for what it could be—someone slamming on the door that divides their cabin from cabin 3707.
The person on the other side of that door is the only survivor of subway cabin 3707.
A boot slams into the door even harder, denting the metal.
It was quite obvious who that was.
The slams continue, and Dokja's eyes go wide. 'He's coming.'
The true protagonist of this story.
Immediately, he jumps into action. "We have to get out of here."
When Hyunsung tries to protest, Dokja cuts him off instantly.
"If we don't leave right now, we're all going to die before the next scenario."
Hyunsung looks nervous, but tries to reason with him anyway. "D-Dokja, we can't be sure that whatever is on the other side of that door is our enemy."
"He's the survivor who killed all those people in his cabin," Dokja retorts. "Do you still want to meet him?"
Sangah and Hyunsung pause for a moment before they hurry to find a way to escape their subway cabin. Unfortunately, every door they check is broken, but at least the force field is gone. There has to be a working door somewhere, but they only have so much time.
After all, the slams on the door are getting louder.
Kim Dokja shivered slightly, remembering what would happen once the protagonist broke through that door. It had definitely been a memorable first meeting, if nothing else.
Yoo Sangah laughed awkwardly. "Yoo Joonghyuk-ssi was certainly a bit frightening at the beginning."
Was she implying that the protagonist somehow wasn't still frightening? Was she seeing the same man? Not even his godly looks would be able to save him from that accusation.
Yoo Joonghyuk, for his part, looked disgruntled as he glanced over in her direction. "I had to break through a steel door."
Well, fair enough. There was no way to gently kick down a door, after all.
Funny (or concerningly), the protagonist made no comment on the fact that everyone was certain that he would try to kill them. Kim Dokja wasn't sure how to feel about that.
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' scoffs.]