[a few constellations are doubting the abilities of the incarnation 'michio shoji'.]
Well, he might not be the most useful of allies just yet, but his connections to the rest of the Japanese group could prove to be beneficial as they progressed. After all, if anyone might have a better chance of knowing where or how to find the serpent that Kim Dokja was looking for, it was him.
Yoosung curls into a ball in Dokja's pocket, wondering if she could have prevented the two Japanese incarnations from becoming disasters if she'd acted sooner. Dokja tells her not to think that since it would have been the same whether or not she stepped in—after all, humans are all capable of being disasters to one another. She looks down, wondering if that means that she'll also become a disaster. Her eyes widen and a close up of her reddened eyes appear as Dokja messages that he'll do everything he can to stop that from happening.
A couple of flies buzz past Dokja's ears suddenly, and Michio comments that since the insects are the same size here as they are on Earth, that they must be like disasters to the locals as well. Dokja verbally agrees with him, but internally, he knows better.
There's no way that can be true.
"Yoosung-ah, you can't prevent people from doing something like that," Kim Dokja told her seriously. "They made the decision to follow the scenario as it was written, and nothing would have changed their minds."
[the constellation 'maritime war god' is nodding in agreement with the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
Jung Heewon let out a sigh and her gaze seemed to be looking at somewhere that wasn't in the room as she did. "We can be disasters to each other, huh? That's true…"
Her lip trembled for a moment before she managed to take better control of her emotions, but Kim Dokja still noticed it anyway. Jung Heewon had witnessed some of the worst that humanity had to offer, after all, and he couldn't blame her for remembering that right now.
Cheon Inho and the other people from Geumho's 'major group' had been disasters for her, and to an extent, they still were. Even though they were now dead, that didn't erase the very real harm that they had done, or the long-lasting repercussions that she was still trying to deal with. Kim Dokja knew better than most how that felt.
Shin Yoosung listened and struggled to avoid crying, and Kim Dokja understood the weight behind her words.
"My future self is telling the truth," Kim Dokja reassured her in a gentle whisper. This wasn't just about Peace Land, after all. Shin Yoosung had witnessed herself become a disaster once already, and she had seen the disastrous results of that choice. Maybe words wouldn't help her too much now, but Kim Dokja knew that he would do whatever was necessary to prevent her from following in the footsteps of the Shin Yoosung of the 41st regression.
She hugged him tighter, and that was all the response that Kim Dokja needed.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is reassuring the incarnation 'shin yoosung'.]
As soon as an insect appeared on the screen, Lee Gilyoung perked up instantly. "Those flies seem really big for that world."
They did, and that was inherently suspicious. Though, if Kim Dokja had planned in advance—and knowing himself, he would have—then that was likely Lee Gilyoung making contact with insects he had brought with him. A small smile spread across his lips, and he was glad to see that their method of communication was subtle enough that other incarnations wouldn't think anything of it, even if the insects didn't fit perfectly into the world they were in.
Dokja asks Yoosung if she can understand it, and since she's not as good at understanding insects, she relays a broken message from Gilyoung explaining that they've met up with group 2. Dokja asks Yoosung if she can pass on a message for him as well at the same time as Michio asks Dokja if he's listening. A bright and goofy grin returns to the man's face when Dokja states that he remembers they were talking about isekai, bringing up that he's heard of the genre's popularity and that he's read a few himself. Internally, Dokja can't believe that Michio is talking about anime at a time like this.
Michio ecstatically rambles on about how 'isekai reincarnation' is his favourite trope, going on and on about a main character using their modern knowledge or knowledge about that specific world to their advantage. Dokja cuts in, stating that this situation might really be someone's 'isekai reincarnation' story, which is incredibly ironic. When Michio seems confused, Dokja elaborates.
"Someone out there might be this world's protagonist."
As Dokja states this line, Joonghyuk appears with his signature scowl as he seems to be drawing his sword. His hair blows dramatically in an unseen breeze, and his dark gaze seems to be staring straight into the viewer's soul. He looks as handsome as always, and even more dangerous.
"Wait, are those my bugs!?" Lee Gilyoung asked excitedly, looking up at Kim Dokja with reverence. "I found you, hyung!"
Lee Hyunsung's jaw dropped and he looked at the two kids in awe. "I never even thought to see if Yoosung-ie could understand bugs. This is a perfect way of communicating secretly between two groups!"
[a constellation who enjoys military strategy is applauding the idea.]
"Group 2…" Yoo Sangah mused. "Do you remember who was in that one?"
Kim Dokja hummed, trying to think, before shrugging. "I'm not sure…"
Honestly, even if he had known in advance, then there was the chance that the group numbers had been changed once the two women had dropped out. The only thing he could be sure of was that Lee Gilyoung and Lee Jihye had rendezvoused with two adults.
"Wait, no, I do know," Kim Dokja said as he had a sudden realization. "Group 2 has to be Hyunsung-ssi and that old lady. Joonghyuk-ie would never let anyone else take 'group 1', so that can't be me and Yoosung-ie either."
"Shit, you're right," Han Sooyoung muttered, shooting a look of disbelief at the protagonist, who just ignored her. His silence was still oddly telling, because that was exactly something that he would do.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is sighing and shaking his head.]
"This might as well be an isekai story," Lee Jihye muttered. "It's kind of hilarious and also sad that he's talking about something like that with ahjussi."
Ah… it was kind of ironic, wasn't it?
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is snickering.]
"But ahjussi didn't get reincarnated," Yoo Mia stated, frowning. "It's not actual isekai then, right?"
"That's right," Han Sooyoung said with a nod, "you'd probably consider this reverse isekai because the fantasy stuff is coming into the real world."
That was true, but it was also equally important to recognize that those worlds still had a protagonist. Sometimes in both isekai and reverse isekai, the new protagonist completely supplanted the old one, but Kim Dokja refused to do that. After all, Yoo Joonghyuk was truly the protagonist of this world, and he was the only one who could fill that role. Kim Dokja just wanted to support him and help clear his path to the end—he had no desire to become a protagonist himself.
A reader was meant to watch from the sidelines, after all.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is thrilled by the words of the incarnation 'kim dokja']
"Master, you look amazing there!" Lee Jihye exclaimed excitedly with a bright grin on her face. Yoo Mia nodded in agreement, clearly pleased that her brother was getting praised.
Kim Dokja had to agree too, honestly. He looked so good there—so fierce and determined. Yoo Joonghyuk was truly a perfect protagonist in all the ways that counted—well, except for good manners, Kim Dokja supposed, but the protagonist's face might as well have had enough probability to bypass the need for manners entirely.
Michio pauses before saying that Dokja sounds like something that his mangaka friend—Asuka Ren—said, and explaining that she was part of the first Japanese group. Upon hearing her name, Dokja's eyes widen and the screen suddenly transitions to show a set of unfinished manga pages, their text bubbles still in progress. A pen then dips into the ink before zooming out to show a red-haired girl from behind as she continues her work, a notebook of character designs to her right on the somewhat disorganized desk.
As Dokja tries to ask about her location, Michio states that they've arrived at their destination, completely cutting off his question. On a nearby tree, a spiral mark has been carved into the bark, which Michio explains was a marker left by the first batch of participants. He states with certainty that Izumi's group has passed through the area, and that they're probably nearby.
"Asuka Ren?" Lee Seolhwa wondered, looking surprised to see Kim Dokja's response to hearing her name. "Dokja-ssi, is she important somehow?"
He nodded, and noticed Yoo Joonghyuk glance over at him curiously. It made sense—the protagonist hadn't realized her importance to this scenario until a few hundred rounds in because he kept brute-forcing everything, or they simply never crossed paths.
"We need to get her on our side no matter what," Kim Dokja told everyone. "When it comes to Peace Land, Asuka Ren might as well be one of the most important pieces on the board."
[many constellations are curious about the incarnation 'asuka ren']
"Damn, that looks like a lot of work," Jung Heewon observed as they watched her work on a manga. Kim Dokja was no expert on how that worked or anything, but he at least knew enough to know that making a good manga was a difficult task.
Of course, no one had any idea of how important that manga truly was.
Upon seeing the markings carved into the trees, Kim Dokja saw Yoo Joonghyuk nod at the idea.
"That's a good plan. Without context, enemies aren't likely to follow you since they'll be suspicious of the markings' purpose," he said, looking satisfied. Trail markers were an excellent idea, and Yoo Joonghyuk was absolutely correct that most people would assume it was an activation for a trap, or a hidden message rather than something to be followed.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is hoping for another fight soon.]
As the two walk cautiously into a clearing, Michio steps onto an invisible marking on the ground, causing them to enter the [Phantom Encampment], a skill which reduces their stats within its area of effect. Dokja mentally remarks that this is a stigma unique to Japanese constellations and was the technique that made Izumi so strong. Michio calls out for the man as Dokja guesses that this can't be Izumi's [One Hundred-Phantom Encampment], because if it was, he wouldn't be able to stand so easily.
Which means the one who cast this skill was not the 'King of a Hundred Yōkai', Izumi.
A line from TWSA flashes by as Dokja guesses that the 'serpent's incarnation' must be nearby, since only a select few other Japanese incarnations can use this skill. A group of hooded figures appear wearing oni masks. One of them steps forward and immediately identifies Dokja as a Korean. Michio tries to inform them that Dokja saved his life and therefore isn't their enemy, but is cut off by the incarnation who asks which group Michio is from. When he says that he's part of Izumi's group, many of the masked figures dissolve into laughter as the one designated as their representative says, "Izumi? That group doesn't exist anymore."
"Oh shit," Han Sooyoung cursed when the two men activated a trap skill. "Does that mean that the Izumi guy is nearby?"
No, that couldn't be right… The skill looked like it was simply too weak to belong to Izumi. Had this particular one been left behind by a subordinate so their King could conserve his energy? Or was this caused by someone else entirely?
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is narrowing his eyes suspiciously.]
"Is his skill really that strong?" Lee Seolhwa wondered upon hearing Kim Dokja's reasoning, and he had to nod.
"He's Japan's King for a reason; both his skills and sponsor are nothing to sneeze at," Kim Dokja replied grimly.
He didn't like the looks of all these random people who came out of the woodwork, but at least Michio Shoji was trying to defend him. That was nice, but it wasn't like he needed that much defending in the first place.
"Why are they laughing?" Shin Yoosung asked with a frown. "Isn't it a good thing to be in the King's group?"
It would be… unless the King's group had disbanded somehow. That really sounded bad, and Kim Dokja had to wonder what the fuck was even going on in Japan.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is concerned about the safety of the incarnation 'izumi hiroki'.]
Michio looks startled and immediately asks what they mean, but unfortunately he's cut off again as the incarnation states that Michio really has no clue what happened. Michio starts pleading, desperation evident in his voice, as he demands to know if Izumi has been killed.
An incarnation resembling a bipedal wolf taps his earpiece which acts as a scanner, identifying Michio's name, his capabilities, and that he has no sponsor. He labels Michio as a nobody. The masked incarnation states that he doesn't matter enough to be told, telling him to get lost and they'll spare his life.
Dokja then steps forward, in front of Michio, and asks what they see for him. The incarnations continue to snicker as the wolf man scans once more. A notification pops up, stating that someone using a
[many constellations are curious to know what happened.]
"That guy can't be dead, right?" Lee Gilyoung demanded, looking somewhat worried. It was a bit weird for him to be worried for someone he didn't even know—
"He's probably not as strong as hyung—or the sooty bastard, I guess—but if there's someone strong enough to kill him, then we might have to worry, right?"
Okay, yeah, that was a valid thing to worry about, honestly.
Han Sooyoung wrinkled her nose as she scowled. "Fuck off with your stupid-ass scanner bullshit, tell us if he's fucking dead or not!"
Ah, she was probably worried for her own safety if someone—or something—strong enough to kill a King was somewhere in this scenario. In all honesty, Kim Dokja doubted it. The only person here who could probably manage it was Yoo Joonghyuk himself, and the likelihood was pretty slim of the protagonist running into and subsequently taking him out within the short time since the scenario had begun for them.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is curious to see the results of the scan.]
"Please show my stats, please show my stats…" Kim Dokja prayed under his breath, desperately hoping that he'd be able to see them for the first time ever.
…
"HAHAHAHA Holy shit!" Han Sooyoung cackled with a wheeze, "it just… it just fucking exploded!"
Fuck.
Yoo Sangah smiled weakly at him, trying to comfort him somehow. "It's okay, Dokja-ssi… at least he can't use it anymore…?"
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is extremely amused.]
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is consoling the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
He didn't want or need consolation! He just wanted to know what his goddamn attributes and stats were!
Behind Dokja's overtired look, potentially because he hoped to have been able to get an idea of his own stats through the item, Michio enthusiastically yells that this is a scene ripped straight from a manga. The others have stopped snickering by now, looking forlornly towards the broken pieces of the item. Dokja begins to draw his sword, demanding to know where their leader, 'the serpent', is. The masked man seems shocked by Dokja's knowledge but states that he cannot say, demanding to know who Dokja is. As Dokja tries to state his name, he's cut off again.
"Wait. The rude bastard in a coat who uses swords...." As the man describes Dokja, a beautiful panning shot over him appears, highlighting his face, sword, and coat. The guy then quietly states that he must be the one the dokkaebi spoke of.
What…?
Yoo Joonghyuk sighed, and for some reason, that was more difficult to deal with than Han Sooyoung's wheezing laughter.
"It's okay, ahjussi," Lee Jihye said seriously, "this is way funnier than if it worked."
Well that was all well and good, but Kim Dokja didn't want to be the Star Stream's comic relief, damn it!
[the constellation 'master of steel' is impressed by the skill 'the fourth wall']
Lee Hyunsung perked up a moment later, at least. "They know where the serpent is? And the serpent is a person??"
Kim Dokja grimaced and nodded. "My assumption is that the serpent either refers to the incarnation of a snake-like constellation, or the constellation itself."
[a few constellations look suspiciously at the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring'.]
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is smiling mysteriously.]
"Wait, they know who ahjussi is?" Yoo Mia asked, looking skeptical. "Why would they bother learning about him when my oppa exists?"
Honestly, Kim Dokja would love to disagree with her on principle, but he totally agreed. Why would anyone bother paying attention to Kim Dokja when Yoo Joonghyuk was there with his utterly impossible protagonist perfection!?
"A rude bastard with a sword and a coat," Han Sooyoung teased, shooting Kim Dokja a sly glance. "They have you pegged. The only thing they're missing is the scammer part."
He had kept that as secret as possible, thank you very much. Still, wasn't it just a bit unfair that the dokkaebi had apparently warned them in advance?
"So you're the top dog of Seoul Dome?" the man asks, receiving an absolutely bewildered expression from Dokja in response.
In the foreground, Dokja's face darkens in irritation and disbelief as the men state that his looks aren't what they'd heard, and that they really shouldn't trust rumors. A sparkling image appears in the background of Jooghyuk holding his hand to his forehead in an ikemen-type pose as descriptions of his handsome face and sharp features appear around him. Dokja grits his teeth, realizing that he's been mistaken as the protagonist and mentally calls the other man a jerk.
"Surround them! That's the 'Supreme King' from Korea!" the man yells suddenly, causing the hooded men to rush forward to close the gaps. Michio attempts to reason with them, stating that there's been a misunderstanding, but Dokja tells him to be quiet when he calls him 'Kim Dogeza' again.
Dokja asks if they're prepared for [Miniaturization] for attacking them, but the masked man states with confidence that they'll be the ones to attack first. Dokja looks confused before a man from behind them wearing an animal skull on his head speaks up.
"Because if you don't, your companions will die."
Wait. they couldn't mean—
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is baffled by the current events.]
"They think you're the sooty bastard!?" Lee Gilyoung asked in complete and utter disbelief. "Hyung is so much prettier than him!"
"That's right! Ahjussi is super pretty," Shin Yoosung protested, trying to defend Kim Dokja's honour from the incarnations who were insulting his looks.
He wasn't sure if he should laugh or cry. The one time he gets mistaken for Yoo Joonghyuk, he wasn't even trying to imitate the guy.
Lee Jihye, on the other hand, was snickering. "Oh my god, I can't imagine Master ever doing anything like that! Ahjussi, what are you even imagining?"
Uh… Kim Dokja honestly didn't even know, but he was electing to ignore the very piercing look coming from the protagonist's direction. He didn't particularly want to imagine Yoo Joonghyuk doing something like that, but he did have to admit that it looked pretty ridiculous.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is scoffing at the incarnations for their lack of taste.]
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is tearing out his hair in excitement'.]
"They actually think you're the 'Supreme King'," Jung Heewon stated in disbelief as she stared at the screen. "Did he do something to make them instantly want to go after him like this?"
Yes. Knowing Yoo Joonghyuk, it could be literally anything. There were very few things he wasn't capable of, and the list of things that would worry them or piss them off was rather extensive. The only question here was what, exactly, he had done, and why Kim Dokja was the one getting blamed for it.
Was this karmic retribution for stealing his identity and fucking over the prophets in the fourth scenario or something?
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is cackling at the misfortune of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
"Wait what?" Yoo Sangah gasped. "What is he talking about!?"
Kim Dokja's hands clenched into fists, feeling a sense of anxiety wash over him. They had hostages!?
On a stump, the small figures of Hyunsung, Jihye, Gilyoung, and Prisoner 406 are bound with rope, and they all appear to be conveniently wearing handkerchiefs and clothing scraps. The incarnation is holding what appears to be a tiny sword or a small knife to threaten them as Hyunsung apologizes. Both him and Jihye look at the knife before them with fear and apprehension while Gilyoung instead looks at the chuckling old lady with concern.
Dokja looks surprised as the man asks if he understands his position. Dokja doesn't respond, and instead of worrying or saying anything, he just grins and smirks as Yoosung messages to ask what they should do now. Through his thoughts, it can be understood that his smile is due to the fact that their companions have all chosen to become miniaturized so quickly.
An alert appears once more, reminding Dokja that he only has 16 minutes before he will be stripped of his 'Disaster' status unless he kills some of the little people.
"Oh no," Lee Seolhwa gasped as soon as the four tiny figures appeared on the screen, sounding genuinely horrified. Kim Dokja understood, and instinctively held both kids closer as he stared at the screen nervously.
[the constellation 'master of steel' is concerned for his incarnation.]
[the constellation 'maritime war god' is angry at the incarnations who have taken his incarnation hostage.]
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is glaring at the japanese incarnations.]
"Oh shit," Lee Jihye cursed, and Kim Dokja didn't even have the heart to reprimand her for it because he was feeling much the same way. However, he was only half scared of the scene in the future—the rest was because of the aura of cold fury exuding from the protagonist.
Kim Dokja did not envy those incarnations who had made their way onto Yoo Joonghyuk's shit list before they had ever even met.
"That old lady is so weird," Lee Gilyoung muttered under his breath, but Kim Dokja honestly didn't have the brain power to care about that right now.
"You can't act rashly now, Kim Dokja," Yoo Joonghyuk growled, but Kim Dokja could tell that the anger wasn't directed at him this time. He was probably furious that they were in this situation in the first place—after all, this round had been a perfect one so far with no losses. To lose someone in a hostage situation would be catastrophic.
Yoo Sangah glanced over at Kim Dokja through her intense concern with a frown. "Dokja-ssi, you wanted everyone to become small?"
"It means that we'll be on the same side," he replied, but even he looked a bit apprehensive about his slowly ticking deadline. Only 16 minutes until the decision was made for him.
[many constellations are curious to see what the incarnation 'kim dokja' will do.]
I have to come to a decision soon.
Dokja realizes that he has to either hunt the serpent right now, or give up. Suddenly, Michio steps up beside him, his body shaking as he feels guilty for putting Dokja in this situation.
[The character 'Michio Shoji' is making a once-in-a-lifetime decision!]
Michio closes his eyes and grits his teeth, letting out a painful noise as he sweats heavily from nerves and fear. Shakily, he still draws his sword and declares that he'll take care of it, leaving Dokja dumbfounded.
[The attribute of the character 'Michio Shoji' is about to evolve!]
"You can't give up!" Yoo Mia yelled suddenly, looking far more passionate than before. "You promised to get her soul back!"
"I know," Kim Dokja replied, gritting his teeth as he did. "I just don't know where the serpent is yet. It's extremely risky, and I might not have a second chance, but making any rash moves might put everyone else's lives in danger."
It was a shitty situation, and he was more than certain that the constellations in the future were eating it up. It was sickening, but these kinds of lose-lose situations were some of the most entertaining to them.
[many constellations are thrilled by the current events.]
[a few constellations are hoping to see a good fight.]
[several constellations are urging the incarnation 'kim dokja' to help his companions.]
Shin Yoosung jolted in surprise, drawing Kim Dokja's attention back to the screen, and his jaw dropped. That guy… he was really stepping up in a circumstance like this?
"He's a better guy than I thought," Shin Yoosung admitted, and Kim Dokja had to agree.
Yoo Joonghyuk, however, scoffed. "He's a fool."
Okay, that was also probably true. Though his motivations were good, he was shaking a bit more than expected. Kim Dokja probably shouldn't count on him as much in terms of backup.
"Look well upon my person, the name's Michio Shoji! I'm not so shameless that I would turn my back on my very own benefactor!" he yells as Dokja tries to tell him to wait a minute.
"Kim Dokja-san, please run away! I'll buy you some time!" Michio declares, completely ignoring Dokja's protests and subsequent baffled expression. Although Dokja futilely tries to reach out to him, the frightened yet determined man runs towards the crowd with his sword held high, as well as sweat—and possibly tears—flowing off his cheeks. At that moment, there's only one thought in Dokja's mind.
This bastard, he knew how to pronounce my name right all along.
"So passionate…!" Lee Hyunsung exclaimed with tears in his eyes. Kim Dokja genuinely wasn't sure why he was so touched, but there was no way that he could understand the way the other man's mind worked.
Jung Heewon just laughed awkwardly. "At least he's enthusiastic?"
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is cheering on the incarnation 'michio shoji'.]
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is sighing in exasperation.]
[the constellation 'god of wine and ecstasy' is offering free wine to the other constellations.]
"Did he just…" Kim Dokja muttered as he squinted at the screen. He did, didn't he?
"Pathetic," Yoo Joonghyuk scoffed a moment later, looking completely and utterly unimpressed, as he cut off Kim Dokja's thoughts. Yeah, that was true, but more importantly…
Kim Dokja immediately turned to look at Lee Jihye with a deadpan expression, pointing directly at the man flailing about on the screen. "Please tell me that I'm at least better than him when it comes to fighting."
"A bit better," she admitted, but her grin widened until it was obviously teasing a moment later. "But he has more enthusiasm than you, ahjussi."
Wow. Just wow.
[a few constellations are laughing at the words of the incarnation 'lee jihye'.]
Han Sooyoung just snickered. "This is so fucking pathetic, oh my god."
Even Yoo Sangah looked amused as she giggled behind her hand. "Ah… it seems that Michio Shoji-ssi did know how to say Dokja-ssi's name after all."
So why the fuck did the guy keep saying 'Kim Dogeza' then? Did the entire Star Stream just hate him or something?