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'An additional participant? Now?'
That was quite surprising. And useless too - where had they been when the Serpent had been throwing those damn tantrums?
'I don't know the details myself, but…' Lee Hyunsung shrugged apologetically.
'This way, Ahjussi!'
Lee Jihye was waving them over to the large crowd gathered around…
Jung Minseob?!
He had horrible burn marks all over his body and was clearly in great pain, even as Lee Seolhwa tended to him. Instinctively, Kim Dokja knew - it was far too late for him.
'What happened?!'
'Dok…ja…' the words were barely audible, even though Jung Minseob was putting in extreme effort. 'You must not… come… back…'
With that, the man's eyes closed. An ominous chord struck in Kim Dokja's heart.
As Kim Dokja soon found out, nothing like this had happened with Japan, but the possibility that Gong Pildu and Asuka Ren were discussing - that something had happened as he crossed over - wasn't impossible.
However, nothing like this had happened to their groups, so it wasn't all that likely. Plus, it hadn't happened in Ways of Survivals either.
'You said Korea doesn't have an Absolute Throne, right?' Ren asked. Lee Hyunsung nodded. 'Then that could be it.'
If a country is without something like the Absolute Throne that grants absolute power, there is often a shift of power between competing groups. But we're still early in the scenarios, and there are people like Jung Heewon, Yoo Sangah and even my mother in Seoul right now.
'Nothing is certain unless we see it for ourselves.' A cloud of gloom appeared behind Kim Dokja. Yoo Joonghyuk's voice was as confident as ever, and of course, once the protagonist said it, everyone was reassured. Kim Dokja rolled his eyes, knowing full well no one else could have such an effect. Damn protagonist.
To his surprise, however, Yoo Joonghyuk lowered his voice. 'But I am concerned about that King of Wanderers. She hasn't appeared in any of my previous regressions, so I am still unaware of her identity. It's likely this is her doing.'
Kim Dokja wasn't sure, but he felt a faint is it your fault another variable survived?
He chose not to reply for a moment, thinking it over. Yoo Sangah and Jung Heewon are with her, so I doubt they'd let her do something like this. Even if that weren't the case, she should've accurately deduced my current power level and she'd know that she's not a match for me. So she wouldn't hurt someone who's my ally, at least.
'She seems smarter than that,' Kim Dokja finally replied, his tone careful not to give anything away. Yoo Joonghyuk gave him a doubtful look. However, before he could ask anything-
[The additional rewards for the main contributors have arrived.]
'The Kings' Faction has been disbanded?!'
Min Jiwon nodded in confirmation. 'The One-Eyed Maitreya was first to go… and the Wanderers were next.'
Kim Dokja felt his blood go cold. There's no way Mother went down in a couple of days…
'Don't tell me the King of the Wanderers is dead…?'
He hoped the tremble in his voice wasn't perceptible.
Min Jiwon, completely unaware of the storm raging in him replied, 'We don't whether she's dead or alive. She's missing in action. As for Jeon Ildo, the Neutral King, he's switched over to their side.'
Kim Dokja didn't know whether to feel relieved or not. He must not have been doing a good job with his poker face, because Yoo Joonghyuk gave him a somewhat curious look.
'Additionally, your friends you left with the King of the Wanderers have also been missing,' Min Jiwon finished her rundown, telling them about the Salvation Church appearing.
As she went ahead, Yoo Joonghyuk scowled. 'How could you trust the King of the Wanderers like that? Leaving those two women with her, when you don't even know her…'
His voice trailed off, as he seemed to have a realisation.
'Both of them are more than capable of handling themselves,' said Kim Dokja sharply. He hoped Yoo Joonghyuk would not finish that particular thread of thought. 'I didn't just trust her.'
'In a ruined world, people will do anything for power,' the protagonist said dismissively. 'If they think holding that woman you call Yoo Sangah hostage will get you under their thumb, they'll do it.'
He seemed extremely miffed about something. Unfortunately, it only enhanced those god-like looks.
Kim Dokja's mouth fell open in shock. 'First of all, I told you it was a misunderstanding. Second, Yoo Sangah wouldn't be captured just like that. Third, the King of Wanderers doesn't seem like the type to do something as stupid as that.'
Ratting it off in a list helped him not think too much about it.
Mother would not win against the incarnations of Olympus and Uriel. She has to know that too. And of course, she won't ever do anything that'll cause harm to her.
'Do you know her?' Yoo Joonghyuk interrupted his unpleasant thoughts rudely.
'Eh?'
How the hell had that sunfish figured it out so easily? Was he that easy to read? But that emotionally constipated protagonist wouldn't be bothering trying to read him, surely?
'Kim Dokja, speak now.' The warning was plenty clear in his tone, and sweat dripped down Kim Dokja's neck.
'Don't worry about it.' Is what he finally settled on. His face had thankfully set back on its aloof look. 'She won't do anything that won't benefit her.'
Not a very satisfactory response.
'Speak clearly, fool. What is your connection to her?'
Okay, now, Yoo Joonghyuk was clearly imagining that Kim Dokja was teaming up with another variable behind his back. Damn sunfish, can't he just trust someone for once… Kim Dokja had absolutely no intention of telling him anything about his mother.
The jerk's hand was now on his sword, but he seemed to be hesitating. Wow, he wasn't going to threaten information out of him? Character development.
At that moment, stars seemed to fly through the sky.
[New players have entered the scenario area!]
Yoo Joonghyuk was floating.
He didn't know how to describe it, but it felt… nice. It was like there was something cushioning him, keeping him afloat, as if it would never let any harm reach him.
Memories drifted lazily in his head, and he sluggishly tried to reach for them. But the presence just wanted him to sleep… maybe he should just take it easy… for once…
He awoke with a jolt. "Take it easy for once?" There was something in his mind.
He desperately reached for his last memory-
A man smiling so, so warmly at him. Stars shone in his eyes as his very being seemed to envelope Yoo Joonghyuk. A familiar grin appeared on the familiar face.
'Gosh, that took you long enough. Rest for a minute.'
Yoo Joonghyuk had only been too happy to surrender himself over, knowing no harm would come to him now, as illogical as the thought might have been.
'Damn Kim Dokja…!'
The presence flinched.
When the hell did you get up? Go rest. I'll take care of this.
Why the hell was Kim Dokja in his head? Wait, isn't that…
'Yoo Joonghyuk! You've finally accepted me!'
The reincarnator sounded as crazy as ever. It made Yoo Joonghyuk's blood boil and he instinctively reached for his sword.
'And… you're here too.'
A ghost(?) Kim Dokja was floating in the air. What had this bastard done now?!
Their surroundings were weird. It was definitely not the dome. Azure light was floating around them, and if Yoo Joonghyuk didn't know better, he'd have said they were in space.
Wait. Knowing Kim Dokja…
We're not in space, you idiot. Just go back to sleep and hurry up with it! I need to-
'You're not "taking care" of it, Kim Dokja!' growled Yoo Joonghyuk. Did the fool not see their enemy right there?
His vision went black. It seemed as if Kim Dokja didn't want to listen.
Fine. Yoo Joonghyuk went motionless and pretended to fall back asleep. This might be his only opportunity to look into this damn enigma's mind.
[N o.]
Sparks seemed to explode in his eyes and Yoo Joonghyuk hurriedly pulled away from the other's consciousness. Somehow, Kim Dokja didn't realise it, too busy watching Nirvana's form change. It wasn't him who had pushed him away.
Then… what was that thing that had spoken?
He reached again.
[Ba ck of f. Yo u ar e not sup os sed t o be he re.]
Yoo Joonghyuk bore the sparks this time. An extremely faint emotion, which didn't quite feel like his, entered his mind.
Fear.
Fear? But Kim Dokja's gloating right now…
Indeed, the man was explaining reincarnation to the reincarnator.
An image appeared in his mind. A woman with long brown hair, a wide grin that was somehow chilling and a somewhat familiar outfit.
Mother.
The word seemed to evoke anger, grief and currently fear in Kim Dokja.
That thing finally got the better of him and Yoo Joonghyuk was completely cut off from more of this mystery's thoughts. Pain wracked him, and it was clear he wouldn't be able to do something like that again. He didn't know how long he stayed like that.
The pain was well worth the new information, though. That woman… she looked vaguely familiar.
Wait.
This was her.
So that's why Kim Dokja had been acting so shifty earlier. Interesting.
He peeked into the fight again. Hmm? His eyes were opening and they were back in the dome, it seemed. It was already over?
The blanket around his existence was fading away.
Hey, Yoo Joonghyuk. Please save Yoo Sangah.
With that, the man completely disappeared from his mind. The warmth disappeared, and Yoo Joonghyuk unconsciously reached for it. But it was no longer there, as if it had never existed.
In front of him, Nirvana's body was turning into dust. Huh. So Kim Dokja had managed to take care of it.
[The strongest incarnation is none other than…]
The dokkaebi? They were seriously still doing this? Damn it.
[…the Ugliest King, Kim Dokja!]
Yoo Joonghyuk froze.
…What?
He was lying in a pool of his own blood, face still scrunched up in pain. He had chosen to take a dagger to the heart, bleeding out bit-by-bit.
Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes shook.
Kim Dokja didn't… did he know all along? But he lost the King of No Killing attribute earlier…
There was no doubt about it.
Kim Dokja was dead.
Permanently, this time.
Hey, Yoo Joonghyuk. Please save Yoo Sangah.
So that is why he entrusted this task to him. Because he knew what would happen.
Yoo Joonghyuk turned away from the body, as the rest of them chattered on jokingly, clearly still expecting Kim Dokja to wake up.
'Master, aren't you going to stay to get your hit in too?' Lee Jihye grinned at him, blissfully unaware of everything.
This man had saved all of them, throwing away his life like it was nothing but spare change. He'd somehow defeated Nirvana, and he'd still died. Another debt racked up in Yoo Joonghyuk's mental list. This marked one more time Kim Dokja had saved him by spilling his own blood. Some unknown anguish gnawed at the edges of his mind.
'Hmph.'
At the very least, he'd go save that damned incarnation of Olympus. It was all he could do for his dead companion.
…Companion?
Is that what Kim Dokja is was?
The word seemed correct.
There was no way to explain it but it just… fit.
As Yoo Joonghyuk freed the woman from her bonds, he told her unflinchingly that Kim Dokja was dead. Her face twisted in utter devastation.
An unnamed emotion flashed briefly on his face, as he sheathed his sword in irritation.
'But he will rise again, I am sure of it.'
Kim Dokja had to come back. There was no way he'd simply die like that, after everything he had done.
'What about Kim Dokja's family?'
The King of the Wanderers was his mother.
No wonder she'd survived - her son must've gone out of his way to help her. That would be the reasonable assumption. But the sheer hatred that word had evoked - even though Yoo Joonghyuk had only experienced a faint echo of the emotion in Kim Dokja's mind, it was tremendous. It didn't really seem like he'd want her to survive.
Just another mystery with this man.
And that thing, which had blocked him. Was that what even the Eye of the Sage couldn't penetrate? It had seemed sentient... just what was Kim Dokja involved in?
He sighed.
Well, no doubt the fool would be back soon.
There was plenty of time to get the answers he wanted.