[A few constellations are concerned for the incarnations.]
[Several constellations are cheering at the exciting scenario.]
[The constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' is roaring in excitement.]
As much as Kim Dokja hated to admit it, watching a bunch of new incarnations run straight for the monsters that would surely tear them to shreds was probably pretty exciting for those thrill-seeker constellations. However, he couldn't be happier that they wouldn't get to see the bloodshed they were looking for, though.
A few minutes before midnight, Dokja had explained what they needed to do to survive, including the very important instructions of making sure they look towards the left wall as they run towards the monster spawn point. Recalling this, Sangah repeats his instructions as she runs and her eyes widen as she spots a Green Zone located on the wall.
The monsters begin to rush at them, and time seems to slow down as the trio reaches towards the Green Zone desperately. When Sangah's hand touches the lit up area on the wall, a pop-up appears and declares that someone has found the hidden feature, [Green Zone for the Brave]. Heewon reaches the Zone as well only a few seconds later; however, Hyunsung isn't there yet. Glancing over her shoulder, Sangah sees Hyunsung blocking a monster's jaws with his shield, so she calls his name and uses Ariadne's thread to grab him. Immediately, Heewon pulls him over to touch the wall, finally filling their Green Zone.
In the third main scenario, there are several Hidden Green Zones.
The trio, now safe, hurry to try and see through the horde of monsters in the hopes of seeing how Dokja and Gilyoung are faring.
It's activated on a 'Specific Wall' every time and can only be seen once the scenario has begun. These Green Zones are attached to a wall. Come to think of it, humans were the only ones who took its concept as a 'Room' in the first place.
Dokja grits his teeth as he does his best to carry Gilyoung away, but the monsters are hot on their tail. Monsters snap their jaws at his legs and he does his best to kick them away, while Gilyoung attacks any stragglers with his mace.
'There are only two 'Green Zones' hidden on the platform of line 3. I'm sure the second one's somewhere around here…!'
"Ahjussi…" Shin Yoosung whispered, voice trembling as she clung to him. "Please tell me you were okay!"
Well, okay was very subjective in this case. Still, he had been physically unharmed, other than some comparatively light scratches. Kim Dokja petted her head and pulled her a bit closer to help comfort her.
"Don't worry, Yoosung-ah. I was fine."
Lee Gilyoung tensed up slightly and his lower lip wobbled—it looked like he was trying to keep himself from crying. There wasn't really anything Kim Dokja could say to him, though. They had lived through this together, and he had just done whatever was necessary to survive.
Yoo Sangah clenched her fists and glanced over at Kim Dokja worriedly. "We lost sight of you around that point, Dokja-ssi."
Ah, right. No one except Lee Gilyoung and Yoo Joonghyuk even had half the story of what had happened that night, and judging by their expressions, neither of them seemed likely to talk about it just yet.
Both Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung looked torn over being left in the dark yet again, and Kim Dokja could almost tell that they were wishing that one of them had been in Lee Gilyoung's place instead. He appreciated that they wanted to help, but he had taken Lee Gilyoung with him for a reason. At the very least, he could keep the kid away from any shorter monsters, and Lee Gilyoung would be able to (quite literally) watch his back.
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is worried for the incarnations 'Lee Gilyoung' and 'Kim Dokja'.]
As they're fighting through the swarm of monsters, the boy from earlier can just barely be seen through the chaos, watching them in fear from his Room. Dokja grimaces to himself. 'Shit, I honestly just want to take over his place.'
Biyhung then laughs, clearly entertained, and declares that there should be some sort of penalty. This makes a few of the existing Green Zones disappear, including the one in which the boy is trembling. Screams echo throughout the station as the monsters leap on their unprepared prey, tearing them to shreds and gorging themselves as if at a feast.
'To keep on fighting these monsters till sunrise… Yoo Joonghyuk sure is a monster,' Dokja thinks as he continues to fight off the monsters, now using his sword after putting Gilyoung down. Both of them protect each other's backs to the best of their ability as they fight their way towards the second Hidden Green Zone.
Even if I invest all my coins into my stats… would it be possible for me as well…?
The exhaustion settling into Dokja's body is more obvious as they go on. Noticing this, Gilyoung decides to speak up, and Dokja asks him to say whatever it is quickly because they need to focus. What comes out of the boy's mouth catches him entirely off guard.
"You can just leave me here."
[Constellations who like children are distraught.]
Yoo Sangah covered her mouth with her hand after letting out a sharp gasp, her eyes wide in horror. Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung didn't look much better, and even Han Sooyoung's jaw dropped so far that the lemon candy she had been sucking on nearly fell out of her mouth.
"Don't say stupid stuff like that!" Yoo Mia yelled suddenly, shooting an almost desperate look at Lee Gilyoung.
The boy flinched, but he looked back at her with a large frown. "And why not? It's obvious that I was slowing hyung down. It was the logical choice!"
No… Lee Gilyoung shouldn't be thinking like that. Kim Dokja knew that he should at least try to intervene, to try and remind him that he had to try to live no matter what. "Gilyoung-ah, I—"
He didn't have the chance to finish his thought before Yoo Mia interrupted him.
"If you were slowing him down, then what does that mean for me!?" Yoo Mia sobbed, burying her face in her hands. "I don't even have a skill that's good for attacking like you. I'm not useful."
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is speechless.]
Kim Dokja could only watch as Yoo Joonghyuk's face fell into an expression of despair as he stared at his little sister in disbelief. It was like his heart was made of fragile glass, and his sister's words were a hammer that had shattered it in a single blow. His eyes were wider than Kim Dokja had ever seen before, and all the blood seemed to have drained from his cheeks, leaving him pale. Worse still, Kim Dokja could clearly see that the protagonist's hands were trembling and he seemed to be at a loss for words, but Yoo Mia wasn't done yet.
"I know my oppa is amazing. I know that! But he can't spend all his time protecting me when he has to go and clear scenarios because he's the strongest. And he can't just leave me with babysitters and spend all his time wondering about me while he's away either." Her voice faded into a whisper, fragile and faint. "If it's better that the ugly ahjussi leaves you behind because you're holding him back, then does that mean I should just die so my oppa doesn't need to worry about me anymore?"
Both Lee Gilyoung and Kim Dokja were struck speechless by Yoo Mia's distress, but it wouldn't have mattered even if they could form a coherent thought.
Yoo Joonghyuk grabbed onto her shoulders immediately, maybe even a bit too hard, and crushed her to his chest in a hug. "Don't you dare think that!"
Yoo Joonghyuk buried his nose in his sister's wavy hair and closed his eyes as he spoke to her and only her. "You're not a burden, and if I worry, that's on me. I will not lose you again, Mia-yah. I would do anything to keep you safe, no matter what."
He was hugging her so tightly that Kim Dokja wouldn't be surprised if Yoo Joonghyuk wished he could open up his own rib cage and surround her with it if only it would keep her safe. He had raised Yoo Mia ever since she was a toddler, and he was as much her father as he was her brother. This was the kind of love that could only be felt by a proper guardian.
Kim Dokja couldn't understand any of that at all.
Yoo Mia continued to sob, fisting her hands in the fabric of Yoo Joonghyuk's coat and burying her face in his chest. After a moment, Kim Dokja forced himself to look away. This was a moment of vulnerability for both of them, and he refused to stare or let anyone else be invasive.
He shot the rest of the group a telling look, and though the adults looked sickened and horrified, they nodded and slowly looked back up at the screen, hoping that the fact that they were paying attention was enough for it to continue.
Too preoccupied with that, Kim Dokja never noticed the way Shin Yoosung's eyes had dulled with every word that had spilled from Yoo Mia's mouth.
Dokja's eyes widen, even as he blocks another attack with his sword on instinct alone, glancing over his shoulder in concern. Unbothered, Gilyoung continues, "I don't get it, why are you helping me and the others? If you were alone, you could survive on your own."
Dokja freezes and he looks back at Gilyoung in shock as his thoughts begin to run wild.
Honestly, I also don't know why I am going this far, but I'm sure of one thing,
"Yes, you're right," Dokja says as he cuts down every monster around them in one fell swoop, to Gilyoung's surprise. "I can eat on my own and survive on my own. It's much easier to live on my own, but… I know a novel that has a plot based on that and the plot was ruined."
As he finishes speaking, Dokja picks up Gilyoung in his arms and smiles kindly at him.
I'm not the main character. I also can't be the 'Hero' or the 'Saviour', but… I cannot let Lee Gilyoung die. At least not today.
A blue translucent book appears behind Dokja and its pages begin to flip as he reminds Gilyoung to hold on. Dokja's [Bookmark] shows that Inho is now among those he can copy, but he chooses Namwoon's bookmark in order to be more agile. As he cuts down more monsters with swift movements, both him and Gilyoung get more tense as they fight their way down the tunnel.
Finally, Dokja notices a green light on a wall further ahead—it's the Hidden Green Zone he's been searching for. He jumps, taking advantage of the added agility to propel himself over the mob surrounding them. However, as soon as he notices something, his confidence turns to a cold dread.
Huh…?
"Fuck, what now?" Jung Heewon cursed, gritting her teeth as she watched on in worry. Kim Dokja couldn't help but cringe internally, remembering that part of the night almost viscerally clearly.
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is frustrated with all the setbacks.]
Oh god, this wasn't going to be good.
Lee Gilyoung hugged him more and more tightly as the scenes progressed, remembering exactly what had happened. It seemed he couldn't even focus on what Kim Dokja had thought at the time about not letting him die in his distressed state, and it seemed that Lee Hyunsung had noticed the child's anxiety as well.
"Dokja-ssi, you didn't… you didn't do something risky again, did you?" he asked anxiously, and Kim Dokja couldn't meet his gaze. Though 'risky' wasn't how he would have described it—no, it was perfectly calculated so he wouldn't get hurt, physically—that didn't mean that his plan was one that the others would be okay with.
Instead, all he could do was answer honestly. "I did what I had to in order to survive."
That didn't seem to give anyone else any more confidence in him, unfortunately.
Up ahead, the only thing Dokja can focus on is Joonghyuk, casually leaning against the Green Zone on the wall, safe from the monsters for the night. His expression is calm and composed despite the chaos. Joonghyuk notices Dokja approaching and he turns to the other man with an expression that was so cold that it could be a perfect match for all those dark and mysterious Grand Dukes of the North that were so prevalent in isekai rofan novels.
…Damn it.
Dokja lands, standing a few strides away before harshly asking if Joonghyuk could go somewhere else instead, his expression a mix between desperation and fury. The monsters behind him are quickly closing in with widened jaws and ravenous appetites. He points out that Joonghyuk doesn't even technically need a Green Zone, but Joonghyuk simply states that he's tired despite not even having broken a sweat.
'God damn it, how does Yoo Joonghyuk of the third regression know this place?!' Dokja wonders, fury overtaking his calmness. 'I thought I was the only one who knew to use the Hidden Green Zone because nobody had discovered it…!'
Dokja's snaps out of his thoughts when Gilyoung makes a small noise of fear, which Joonghyuk immediately notices as well. Without wasting a second, both of them speak over each other.
"At least take the kid then."
"Give me the child."
[Many constellations are protesting the unfair actions of the incarnation 'Yoo Joonghyuk'.]
[The constellation 'Queen of the Darkest Spring' is relieved that the child's wellbeing was prioritized.]
"Yoo Joonghyuk, you fucker," Jung Heewon hissed, turning to glare at the regressor. Even Han Sooyoung and Yoo Sangah looked angry, and Lee Hyunsung just seemed lost.
Ah, shit. Kim Dokja knew this would happen.
Thankfully, Yoo Mia's breakdown seemed to be over, but she looked exhausted and was slumped into her brother's lap. Yoo Joonghyuk still looked distraught and distracted, and he barely responded to Jung Heewon's insult other than a brief glance in her direction.
Kim Dokja had to do something.
"Heewon-ssi, it's fine," he said firmly. "I admit that I didn't expect him to be there—since the first time he had used a Hidden Green Zone in TWSA was in his fourth regression—but I had a backup plan, and Yoo Joonghyuk is more than strong enough to keep Gilyoungie safe."
Thank god he had picked up those
The kids clung to him tighter and Kim Dokja had to suppress an instinctive shudder when Lee Gilyoung let out a weak whimper. Kim Dokja had handed him over without a second thought and he wouldn't regret it, even if it had been difficult for the boy to handle at the time.
Yoo Joonghyuk's brow furrowed ever-so-slightly in confusion when he glanced over, even though he still didn't look like he was fully present. Honestly, Kim Dokja was equally confused—had the protagonist just stumbled across the Hidden Green Zone by chance…?
He couldn't follow that train of thought any further, though, since Jung Heewon almost snarled at Kim Dokja, her eyes flaring red with the slightest tinge of [Demon Slaying]. "You really trust him when he left you out there to die!?"
"I do."
Kim Dokja hadn't even needed to think before the words were spilling from his mouth. Though he might not believe that Yoo Joonghyuk would keep him safe in that dire of a situation, Kim Dokja had absolutely no doubts that the man would protect a child without hesitation if he could. That was just the kind of person Yoo Joonghyuk was. Kim Dokja could figure out how the protagonist had discovered the Hidden Green Zone later—there were more important things to clear up first.
[The eyes of the constellation 'Secretive Plotter' are wide in disbelief.]
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is struggling to stay quiet.]
Yoo Joonghyuk's shaky gaze was on him immediately, and Kim Dokja looked him directly in the eyes. Sure, they didn't agree on everything, and maybe Yoo Joonghyuk would never truly see them as companions or friends, but this was something that he needed to hear.
"I trust you, Yoo Joonghyuk."
Gilyoung's eyes widen as Dokja shoves him into Joonghyuk's arms, and he struggles as he watches Dokja turn away. The Green Zone is filled, and Joonghyuk is forced to hold onto Gilyoung's shoulder to prevent the child from running back after Dokja. Unable to escape, all he can do is scream as he watches Dokja block a monster as large as a bear.
[The constellation 'Bald General of Justice' has closed his eyes.]
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is watching you with uncomfortable eyes.]
「I told you, you would die.」
Dokja turns, having heard Joonghyuk's thoughts due to an unconscious activation of his skill, and he makes eye contact with Joonghyuk. Bathed in a green glow, Joonghyuk looks every bit the protagonist he is, and Dokja can't help but force himself to smile confidently, even as he faces off against multiple monsters at once.
"I'm not going to die," Dokja declares right as a pile of monsters overtakes him and he vanishes beneath rippling fur and gnashing teeth.
All Gilyoung can do is scream in anguish until his throat is raw. "Hyung!"
[The constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' is tightly gripping his hair in worry.]
Fuck. Kim Dokja hoped that it wouldn't show anything he had experienced that night in the [Welcome Prison], but he wasn't confident. The last thing he wanted was for everyone to get curious—to get invasive. Even just the constellations were bad enough.
It would be like the reporters all over again, all up in his face demanding answers and opinions and asking their inane questions when all he wanted was to be left alone. Kim Dokja wasn't ready to relive that, especially without [The Fourth Wall] to keep him from slipping too deep.
"Don't sacrifice yourself like that again, hyung," Lee Gilyoung whispered quietly, drawing Kim Dokja out from his thoughts. "I can't watch that happen again."
Hearing his desperate screaming right before the world went dark had been horrific, and Kim Dokja could honestly say that he hoped to never hear it again.
"I'm sorry," Kim Dokja told him honestly. There wasn't much more he could say, really. He couldn't promise not to do it again, knowing that would be a lie. If it meant keeping the kids safe, then he would throw himself into the line of fire as many times as it took.
In the end, no matter how many plans he made or how much knowledge he possessed, Kim Dokja was only human.