Kim Dokja stared at the strange, glitchy indirect message that had appeared when the constellation left the channel with narrowed eyes. He couldn't quite make out what the channel name was due to the filtering, but something about it didn't seem right.
None of the other incarnations seemed to notice it, but if he was being honest, Kim Dokja wasn't sure if he was the only one who could see it in the first place. The constellations hadn't commented on it either.
Still, why hadn't he realized this before? The constellations were here, which meant that there had to be a dokkaebi streaming somewhere; however, Kim Dokja couldn't see any sign of one in this room. It wasn't Bihyung because he would have messaged if he was watching himself get scammed, and the channel name was censored for some reason, so Kim Dokja couldn't even use his knowledge of TWSA to figure out who was broadcasting.
Whatever, now was not the time for thinking about that. Instead, he shifted slightly to be more comfortable, and couldn't hold back a small smile when the kids moved to be right up beside him again.
They were too adorable, even if they could be terrors at times.
"Was it really okay to let those two go alone?" Hyunsung asks as he stands over the large hole in the concrete with a worried expression. Heewon is standing beside him with her arms crossed thoughtfully.
A flashback commences, and they remember Dokja crouching next to the hole with Gilyoung standing beside him.
"You're going alone with only Gilyoung?!" Heewon asks in disbelief.
"Gilyoung's ability would help us track them," Dokja replies. Heewon tries to cut in, but Dokja just continues. "And Lee Hyunsung—Jung Heewon is not fully recovered yet, so please take care of her."
This comment makes Hyunsung glance at the injuries on Heewon's neck in concern.
Back in the present, Hyunsung reminds Heewon that Dokja said he would send a signal in case of any issues while she grumbles about being fine.
Down in the darkness, the only sounds that Dokja and Gilyoung can hear are the faint sounds of their footsteps.
This is the place where Ground Rats live, the 'Edge of Darkness'. It absorbs all light, and its front, rear, ceiling, and base cannot be distinguished when it comes to their depth.
A faint light appears, highlighting Gilyoung's hand clinging to Dokja's. "This way."
Without Lee Gilyoung's [Interspecies Communication] ability, I would have ended up using coins.
As they continue walking, Gilyoung speaks suddenly. "Tell me, hyung."
"Yes?" Dokja replies, not really sure what he wants to know.
"Did you do that on purpose?" Gilyoung asks.
Dokja freezes, not expecting that question at all. "H-Huh? D-do what?"
"When the monster dragged noona and that ahjussi, you didn't help them on purpose," Gilyoung states with certainty, causing Dokja's steps to pause slightly.
"I was looking at hyung's face at that time. Why did you do that?" Gilyoung asks as he remembers watching Dokja standing still when the two were taken instead of reaching out to try and help.
[The constellations of absolute good frown upon your cruelty.]
[The eyes of constellation 'Secretive Plotter' are shining, he urges you to explain]
Yoo Sangah tensed up and she shot Kim Dokja a somewhat betrayed glance. "Logically I understand that it was best that you didn't get dragged along with us, but…"
Her voice trailed off as she looked down at the ground. "I don't know. I shouldn't be upset when you were just thinking tactically and I understand that, but I wish that you had at least moved or reacted."
She had a point, and Kim Dokja understood why she was so upset. She probably felt like he didn't care that she was taken, even though he had gone after her and Han Myungoh later. Still, Kim Dokja couldn't blame her for it.
"I'm sorry."
It wasn't much, and she probably wouldn't fully accept it, but it's all he could offer for the moment.
[The constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' is gagging at the sentimentality.]
Hey, it wasn't even that sentimental? How would that guy manage when Yoo Joonghyuk eventually reunited with Lee Seolhwa or something?
Sure, Kim Dokja knew that the regressor hadn't married her in his third round, but that didn't mean there couldn't be some lingering feelings! There was no way he was missing out on getting front-row seats to his OTP's reunion.
'He was observing me in the midst of all that ruckus. What a scary boy…' Dokja thinks. 'He's quick to catch on; I shouldn't lie.'
"I didn't help them because of the nature of the Ground Rats. They have a habit of keeping their prey where they keep their treasure. They collect rare objects and items, but the paths are so complicated that they can't be traced unless we follow the burrowed paths directly."
As Dokja speaks, the scene of the two being dragged by the Ground Rat plays once more. "I expected them to take Han Myungoh, but I didn't expect Yoo Sangah to be taken as well."
Gilyoung looks up at him curiously. "Then your true purpose isn't to save them, but to get items?"
"Yes, are you disappointed in me?" Dokja asks in return.
"No. You didn't lie, hyung. If you were really a bad person, you wouldn't have saved me in the subway," Gilyoung states bluntly, clasping Dokja's hand tighter. "I believe in you."
[Some constellations are moved to tears.]
[You have been sponsored 200 Coins.]
Gilyoung's statement makes Dokja go quiet. '... That makes you believe in me so much.'
I thought he was a mature boy, but he's still a kid at heart. In this world, there are people who would take advantage of such 'maturity'.
Lee Gilyoung was silent, and almost pensive. Kim Dokja wasn't sure what to tell him; he didn't know how kids should be comforted.
"You said you were going for the items, but you still went out of your way to save us," Yoo Sangah said quietly. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still unhappy with you, but I am grateful that you got me out of there."
"At least you didn't lie to me," Lee Gilyoung whispered. "Thank you."
Just how many people had lied to this kid before? Why would he be so starved for attention and honesty?
You know why, Kim Dokja thought to himself. You've felt it all before.
"Ahjussi?" Shin Yoosung asked, gently tugging on his clothes. "You started breathing weird for a second."
What? Oh.
[A constellation who likes children is frowning.]
He was fine. Kim Dokja looked back at the screen after forcing himself to look confident enough that the young girl wouldn't worry.
He would be fine as long as he forced himself to be.
As they continue to walk, following the line of light from Gilyoung's hand, he speaks once more. "We're almost there."
[A few constellations are holding their breaths.]
"Hyung," Gilyoung says, breaking the silence once more. "Are you the God of this world? Or maybe, the 'Main Character'?"
[Some constellations are taken aback by the outrageous assumption of the incarnation 'Lee Gilyoung'.]
Kim Dokja knew that he was no god, but it wasn't unreasonable for a kid to wonder about someone who seemed to know far too much. Still, he would see the truth eventually. Kim Dokja just sighed and shook his head, taking a moment to ruffle Lee Gilyoung's hair as he did.
At this question, Dokja can't help but look shocked. 'This boy, he is more perceptive than I thought!! But he still knows nothing.'
"I'm not the main character. Rather, I've always been envious of the main character," Dokja replies.
"Yet you still know a lot about this world, don't you?"
"...That's right," Dokja admits after a moment of hesitation.
"In that case, at the end of all the scenarios, can we make a wish?" Gilyoung asks, sounding more like the child he is.
A wish?
"Usually there's a reward waiting at the end of stories like this," Gilyoung states, trembling slightly as he stands ready to fight. "Isn't that right?"
People who adapt to this kind of world suffer in different ways. Some go mad. Some become fanatics. And some become irrationally optimistic.
"Yes, there is," Dokja tells him, resting a hand on his shoulder.
I'm grateful that this place is dark. This way, he can't see the expression on my face right now. It isn't good to be cruel, but I have to be so that this child can survive.
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is feeling conflicted.]
Yeah, Kim Dokja knew why. As a constellation of the absolute good alignment, Uriel disliked liars; however, he was lying to protect the mind of a child.
This is why he had never believed in things like "absolute good" or "absolute evil". Humans weren't like that—sometimes they did bad things for good reasons, or good things because they just wanted the benefits. Was the cause more important than the act, or was the act itself what had meaning?
Humanity worked in shades of grey, and Kim Dokja knew he was more aware of that than most.
Yoo Joonghyuk studied his expression intently for a moment. "Isn't it more cruel to give someone false hope?"
Was it?
Perhaps that was where they were different. Yoo Joonghyuk, despite how he looked, was an idealist at heart. He wouldn't have been able to keep going with his regressions without his genuine belief that someday he would succeed and that things would get better. He didn't need things like lies or empty promises to move forward when all he needed was his conviction—strong enough to even make others have faith in him.
Yoo Joonghyuk was truly a protagonist at his core.
Kim Dokja wasn't that good of a person. He'd rather tell a lie to comfort someone here and now than leave them with brutal, heartbreaking honesty.
Lee Gilyoung, who had definitely heard the protagonist, didn't say anything. Instead, he just stiffened for a moment before relaxing slightly. With a small sigh, Yoo Joonghyuk turned back to the screen. If he hadn't been listening carefully, Kim Dokja wouldn't have heard his next words.
"And if I'm the main character you were envious of, forget it. There's nothing to envy in this hell."
Kim Dokja didn't know how to reply to that—to voice the myriad of emotions that had dwelled inside of him for over a decade—so he didn't say anything at all.
Dokja and Gilyoung pass through a barrier, much like the one they passed through before. It seems to mark the end of their dark journey.
[The contents of the sub-scenario have been updated.]
A room full of roots and blue flares is revealed, with a large black treasure chest in the center. The chest has runes written across it and it faintly glows with purple light.
[You have entered the 'Ground Rat's Treasure Room'.]
"Hyung! This.." Gilyoung begins before Dokja stops him, bending down and covering Gilyoung's mouth with his hand.
"Shh, wait. The treasure trove isn't just a normal treasure trove," Dokja whispers to him.
Green lights appear in pairs from the darkness, revealing themselves to be the glowing eyes of the Ground Rats. They patrol slowly around the room as Dokja and Gilyoung hide themselves behind some roots.
"This is all your fault, Yoo Sangah!" A voice calls out suddenly, catching the attention of Dokja and Gilyoung.
'This voice…' Dokja thinks as he glances over and sees Myungoh and Sangah entangled by some roots. There's no way they can escape on their own.
Myungoh accuses her of being at fault due to taking the subway, because if she hadn't been there, they wouldn't be in this situation. Sangah instantly realizes that Myungoh was the one who stole her bike.
As their argument continues, with Myungoh stating that it didn't matter and that she should've just accepted his offer to drive her home and Sangah trying to get the truth of the bike theft out of him, Dokja is shown looking incredibly unimpressed.
'This was why a person who drove a Mercedes-Benz took the subway…'
[The constellation 'Demon-Like Judge of Fire' hates the character 'Han Myungoh'.]
The argument escalates when Myungoh admits to taking the bike, causing Sangah to rightfully exclaim that theft is illegal. This only makes Myungoh insist again that she should have driven home with him.
[The constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' hates this trivial argument.]
"That bastard," Lee Jihye practically growled. "Unnie, he really stole your bike so you'd have no choice but to accept his offer to drive you home?"
Yoo Sangah nodded once, and Lee Jihye only seemed to get angrier at that response.
Even Kim Dokja grimaced at that. He had forgotten just how questionable that situation had really been, and considering how untrustworthy their former manager was, could he really believe any of the man's claims that it was 'just a friendly offer'?
Kim Dokja chanced glancing over at Jung Heewon, who appeared to be silently seething. After what she had been through, it made sense that she was more sensitive to situations like this. Glancing further, Yoo Sangah just looked uncomfortable.
"Well," Han Sooyoung said suddenly, "at least we know to beat this guy's ass if he ever comes near you again."
Yoo Sangah's eyes widened, as though she wasn't expecting the other woman to say anything, and then she suddenly burst out laughing.
"Well, if it makes everyone who wasn't there feel better, he didn't make it out of this unscathed."
Then, her smile widened into something sly.
"And I think that what happened is worse than anything we could have done to him anyway."
Jung Heewon furrowed her brow, trying to think of ways that mere Ground Rats could have made him learn his lesson, but she didn't appear to come up with anything.
[Some constellations are confused by the words of the incarnation 'Yoo Sangah'.]
Suddenly, as if fully realizing where their on-screen versions were, Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes widened. He turned his head to glance over at Kim Dokja quickly. Though Kim Dokja couldn't be certain of the exact words running through his head without using level two, which he wasn't going to do without permission thanks to that promise he made, he had a pretty good idea.
All he did was nod, and watched as Yoo Joonghyuk's face went pale.
Dokja facepalms as their yelling continues. 'I didn't mean to come forward this early, but… I have no choice.'
Dokja prepares the thorn in his hand, bracing himself to throw it as the argument only escalates further in the background. Now, Myungoh is claiming that it was okay because he didn't even ask Sangah for a date, and that it's her fault for refusing multiple times.
He throws the thorn and it pierces the wall next to Myungoh, barely missing him and finally cutting off the argument.
[The constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' is pleased.]
[You have been sponsored 100 coins.]
Myungoh yelps in shock as Sangah notices they're there. She looks happy to see them, and she eagerly calls out Dokja's name.
Gilyoung's face looks dark as Dokja steels himself. 'Here it comes.'
The wall cracks, and as the cracks get larger, more pressure fills the room. Eventually, the pressure gets to be too much for the bugs to bear, causing them to burst. Gilyoung's eyes grow wide as he feels their deaths and he gasps for breath. The Ground Rats cower away from the wall, feeling the pressure and shaking.
Even in the 'Edge of Darkness', there was a place where Dark Ether is in such abundance that Black Fire, which is made of it, can burn. The core of the 'Dark Root'.
The blue flames burn higher as the cracks continue to grow.
And, at the place where the 'Dark Root' is located, that creature will definitely show itself.
A large figure emerges from the wall, dwarfing humans with its size. It's surrounded by writhing tentacles, and its face looks nearly skeletal underneath its dark hooded robe. The creature's arms, each adorned with a loose bracelet, look unnaturally long.
[The 'Warden of the Dark' has appeared.]
[The sub scenario has been updated!]
['Sub scenario - Kill the Warden of the Dark' has begun!]
"How stupid are you!?" Yoo Joonghyuk asked immediately, shooting a glare at Kim Dokja. "You should have avoided awakening that thing at all costs."
Kim Dokja chuckled awkwardly. "Well, it wasn't entirely in my plans, but it worked out alright in the end."
He could see the agitation running wild in Yoo Joonghyuk's body, and Kim Dokja knew why. All the horrors that had happened in the second round had begun when Yoo Joonghyuk had defeated and killed the Warden.
Though he seemed angry, Kim Dokja knew that deep down (maybe very, very deep down), the protagonist was actually concerned.
"Hey," Kim Dokja said in a much gentler tone, "I knew what not to do, so don't worry."
Yoo Joonghyuk seemed to relax slightly at those words, but the tension in his posture didn't evaporate in the slightest.
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is watching the companionship blossom.]
Uriel, nothing is blossoming here. This is just making sure that Yoo Joonghyuk doesn't get so stressed that he falls into a regression depression.
Gilyoung kneels to the ground, gagging and covering his mouth as he attempts to speak. However, Dokja cuts him off, not wanting the kid to overdo it. 'I'll be fine, so stay back."
'All the insects sharing a mental link with Gilyoung had their bodies burst open before death. He must have suffered a lot of psychological damage,' Dokja notes mentally as Gilyoung throws up in the background.
"Gilyoung, how many more times can you use [Interspecies Communication]?" Dokja asks him.
"...I think I can still do it one or two more times," Gilyoung replies, looking very much under the weather.
"Alright, stay back and rest for a while."
Moving carefully past the Warden of the Dark, Dokja swiftly hurries to Sangah and Myungoh, cutting them loose with Namwoon's knife. Unfortunately, the power contained in the roots causes the blade to sizzle and melt in his hand once he's done.
'The more branches of the Dark Root that come in contact with the blade, the more it dissolves. Indeed, this is the power of a Demonic species,' Dokja thinks, picking up Sangah's dropped bone blade instead.
The Grade 7 Demon type species. 'Warden of the Dark'.
The Warden of the Dark turns slowly to face them, its eye glowing golden in the darkness. The imposing aura it emits is terrifying, and seems to oppressively crash down upon them.
Lee Hyunsung shuddered, looking uneasy. "You really fought that thing?"
Kim Dokja winced, but nodded. "Unfortunately."
If he could have gotten away without fighting it, he probably would have. However, he had needed a certain something from it in the end, so it was for the best that it had come out.
"I know telling you to stay safe doesn't mean much now, but I hope no one got too injured," Jung Heewon muttered. "Dammit, we should have been there to help."
Kim Dokja shook his head. "You were both tired and injured; we would have just been giving it more targets."
Lee Hyunsung clenched his fist and Jung Heewon gritted her teeth, but they both knew he was telling the truth.
[The constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' is tearing out his hair from excitement.]
Suddenly, Kim Dokja couldn't help but wonder if the great sage would even have any hair left once this was over.
Even among countless species of monsters, the Demon species are unique.
Dokja gestures for Myungoh and Sangah to stay back as he stands on guard with the sword in front of him.
The 'Treasure' of the Ground Rats actually serves as a 'Sacrificial Offering' to these Demon species. Even if Monster species were of the same grade, Grade 7 Demon species would be on a completely different level.
[The 'Warden of the Dark' has received the favour of the Demon King it worships.]
The Warden of the Dark speaks in garbled words that no one can understand as it ominously approaches the trio.
'This situation isn't good. I want to avoid fighting if I can,' Dokja notes with a grimace as the Demon continues to talk to them in a strange tongue. 'I have no idea what the hell it's saying.'
[The 'Warden of the Dark' has emitted 'Fear'.]
[The exclusive skill 'The Fourth Wall' has neutralized most of the effects of the skill 'Fear'.]
This negation only appears to make the Warden angrier as it yells again, towering over Dokja. Its jaw opens menacingly wide and its tentacles thrash as it reaches toward Dokja with a spindly hand. The Warden of the Dark seems to have chosen its first target.
"Your skill neutralizes an awful lot," Han Sooyoung remarked. "Do normal mental barrier skills do that?"
Kim Dokja thought for a moment, trying to recall the details from TWSA. From what he could remember, his skill definitely seemed to do more than the average [Mental Barrier], but he also couldn't activate it on command.
It was like the skill had a mind of its own, completely separate from his will. Thinking back, there were a few times when the skill use notifications said some odd things. Especially in the theatre dungeon…
"I don't know," Kim Dokja admitted honestly. "It definitely does more than the average skill, but I still can't tell if that should be normal or not."
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is wondering about the skill 'The Fourth Wall'.]
"At the very least, it meant that Dokja-ssi didn't get incapacitated like the rest of us on a few occasions," Yoo Sangah said, clearly reminiscing.
Whatever this skill was, Kim Dokja was grateful for it. Maybe seeing its effects while outside of a distressing situation would help them finally figure it out.
[A few constellations are looking forward to the fight.]