As everyone was still caught up in their awe at Asuka Ren's attribute and resulting skill, Kim Dokja had to wonder just what would happen from there. Would they try to fight, now that they had the 'god' of this world on their side? Or would they choose to turn tail and flee?
[the constellation 'maritime war god' is hoping for a tactical retreat.]
As the two men curse and hack at the roots, Asuka grabs Dokja by the wrist and rushes forward to their destination. With every step, more roots burst forth to cover their path as the forest continues to grow. They keep running forward before a stern voice asks who they are, and the sheer amount of pressure exuded makes them halt as Dokja instantly realizes who is speaking to them.
Having escaped the roots, their pursuers catch up. As they are poised to attack, there's a rumble and a sudden crackle as both are shocked by lighting, falling to the ground as charred corpses.
[I'll ask again, who are you?] the voice demands, causing Dokja to break his gaze away from the dead incarnations to look at a bright figure hovering above them.
So they were choosing to run. Good. Kim Dokja let out a sigh as he and Asuka Ren tried to flee from the Japanese incarnations as quickly as their tiny bodies could take them.
"That was the right decision," Yoo Joonghyuk said firmly, glancing over at Kim Dokja. It was the only tactical decision they could make, really, in those circumstances.
Now, with any luck, they'd be able to hide somewhere for long enough that their pursuers would lose them. Their diminutive stature had to be good for something, after all.
[many constellations are impressed by the attribute of the incarnation 'asuka ren'.]
Suddenly, Kim Dokja froze when someone spoke to them. The voice was silky smooth, light and airy, and sounded very much like the lofty masters in c-dramas. Still, despite its inherent elegance, there was a threat hiding beneath—a blade sharp enough to cut through anything.
"Is that the person you're looking for, ahjussi?" Shin Yoosung wondered curiously. "Maybe he'll help you!"
"Maybe—"
And then in a single instant, their pursuers were dead, and Kim Dokja couldn't even finish the rest of his thoughts as his jaw dropped. Those guys… they were alive, and then they simply… weren't.
"Holy shit," Han Sooyoung whispered, her eyes blown wide in panic.
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is gasping in shock.]
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is gleefully admiring the charred bodies.]
Jung Heewon turned to look at Kim Dokja fearfully. "We didn't believe you when you said the person you were looking for was stronger than him—" she tilted her head in Yoo Joonghyuk's direction "—but he might as well have just vaporized those guys."
Yeah. Reading that he was strong and seeing it were two different things, and Kim Dokja just had to nod wordlessly.
The Lightning of White Purity. A voice that sounds like a constellation's true voice, despite not being one. Possessing the power strong enough to turn disasters into dust in an instant despite being a small person. Originating from Peace Land, the strongest returnee in TWSA—Kyrgios Rodgraim.
The bright lighting fades enough for a man who can only be described as ethereal to emerge. His hair is pale blue, tied back with a flowing red ribbon, and he's wearing eastern-style robes that don't seem to fit in with the more european-style fantasy world in which he lives. Kyrgios looks down on them with an impassive expression and icy eyes, his thoughts impossible to discern.
[many constellations are wondering about the power of the returnee 'kyrgios rodgraim'.]
Lee Hyunsung shook from fright, clearly intimidated by the man suddenly appearing on the screen. "How does his voice do that when he's not a constellation?"
Kim Dokja honestly wasn't entirely certain, but it probably had to do with transcendence somehow. Still, the fact that he was this strong while being a mortal was terrifying, and it was astounding to think that Yoo Joonghyuk might eventually be able to fight him on even footing in his later rounds, if Kim Dokja's super rough power scaling was remotely correct.
As the bright light faded, several gasps sounded out in the room.
"Oh, he's quite beautiful," Yoo Sangah exclaimed in surprise. "I wonder if Asuka Ren-ssi tried to create the most beautiful person she could draw in his case."
Lee Seolhwa nodded, but she was also frowning. "His clothes seem incredibly out of place, though."
Yoo Joonghyuk, however, suddenly seemed more alert and Kim Dokja knew why. Those were clothes that had come from the First Murim world, where he remembered that Kyrgios had once trained—just like the protagonist himself. Maybe he was getting nostalgic upon seeing it.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is cautiously taking note of the returnee 'kyrgios rodgraim'.]
Most incarnations think that the strongest beings in the Star Stream are the constellations. However, there are other beings who are powerful enough to go against constellations. There are the Demon Kings—those who have risen to the pinnacle of the demons—who have refused the path to obtaining the status of constellations, despite having the qualifications to do so, and there are also the dragons who rule at the peak of all monsters from the moment of their birth.
An inked drawing of a demon emerges on an old looking parchment before molding itself into the head of a dragon following the narration. Finally it turns into the figure of a man as Dokja asks the question of if humans could ever reach the point of rivaling constellations.
The answer to that question is standing right before me.
Dokja greets Kyrgios politely, sheathing his sword, before expertly catching Asuka as she faints from the strain of listening to the power of his voice. Kyrgios states that they are interesting for giving up their own existence for the survival of another planet. Out of respect for their courage, he tells Dokja to take his friend and get out of his sight.
Lee Jihye let out a shaky breath. "I didn't realize the Demon Kings were that dangerous. I mean, I knew they were strong and also really bad, but to fight constellations…"
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is expressing her displeasure with the 'demon kings'.]
At the mention of dragons, though, Shin Yoosung perked up instantly and turned to glance at Kim Dokja with a pleading expression—not unlike a child trying to convince their parents to buy them a puppy they had seen in a store.
"Yoosung-ah, we are not going out to find a dragon," Kim Dokja said firmly, and though she seemed disappointed for a moment that he had figured her out without even asking, it looked like she understood. Still, she leaned across Kim Dokja's lap to elbow Lee Gilyoung when he laughed.
Yoo Mia, on the other hand, was extremely pouty as she realized that Kyrgios truly was stronger than her brother. Clearly, that was something she was loath to admit.
"Ahjussi," she said suddenly, pinning Kim Dokja under her gaze, "my oppa is gonna get that strong someday, right?"
Kim Dokja hummed for a moment. "It's certainly a possibility. I know it seems hard to believe, but the Joonghyuk-ie from TWSA was able to kill Myth-Grade constellations eventually."
Yoo Joonghyuk glanced at him, and it seemed that he was pleased to hear such a thing. Well, it made sense—he hated the constellations more than anything, and to know that he was able to kill even the highest ranking ones… well, Kim Dokja honestly couldn't think of anything that might make him happier.
[many constellations are laughing at the bold claim of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is smirking at the words of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
[the constellation 'scribe of heaven' is scoffing.]
"He's telling you to leave…" Yoo Sangah said sadly as soon as Kyrgios told them to get lost, clearly disappointed that he wasn't even planning to hear them out first. Suddenly, she sighed. "Why do I have the feeling that Dokja-ssi is going to do something foolish?"
… as much as Kim Dokja wanted to disagree, he didn't think he had much choice here. At the very least, he had planned for this as much as he could. He would be fine—probably.
Returnees. They are beings who were born with special talents and who have transcended their mortal existence under the blessing of the Star Stream.
Kyrgios looks at them, and a subtle frown and furrowing of the brows mar his delicate features.
Among them was one who had obtained an exceedingly strong power—Kyrgios, a special being who obtained a level of status strong enough to not get dragged into the gravity of the scenarios made by the dokkaebi.
Kneeling on the ground as he supports Asuka, Dokja tells Kyrgios that he has something to say. Kyrgios snorts, [You dare to think you're in a position to talk to me when I am the White Storm of Paradox?]
Dokja's eyes widen as Kygios pierces him with an intense stare. The screen seems to darken and shake as the only clear features on the man's face are his ice-cold eyes. Dokja's skin prickles from the strength behind it as [The Fourth Wall] kicks in. Noticing the sudden change, Kyrgios' gaze turns searching as he asks if Dokja has received the protection of another being of high status. Next, to Dokja's relief, he gets a notification alerting him to the fact that Kyrgios has taken an interest in him.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is wondering if all returnees are this fun.]
Of course he'd be thinking about something like that when they were one blunder away from getting murdered by a short-tempered pretty boy.
"Wait, so he's just strong enough to ignore the scenarios!?" Jung Heewon gasped. "How is that even fair!?"
Simple—it wasn't.
"He must have trained extremely hard for that strength," Yoo Joonghyuk stated with certainty, and the slight tinge of wistfulness in his tone told Kim Dokja that he absolutely was recalling his own training in the previous round.
[constellations who value the worth of hard work are admiring the potential of the returnee 'kyrgios rodgraim'.]
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is crossing her fingers and hoping that the incarnation 'kim dokja' won't say something dumb.]
Even Uriel didn't have that much faith in him, huh? What was going on today?
"Don't piss him off," Han Sooyoung hissed anxiously. "I don't know about you, but I'd rather not get fried by lightning when you accidentally insult him and the rest of us get dragged in by association."
"I know what I'm doing," Kim Dokja retorted, willfully ignoring the fact that he was probably winging at least 50% of this conversation. At the very least, his skill came to the rescue once again and prevented him from getting utterly crushed by the returnee's status alone.
Somehow, that was enough to pique Kyrgios' curiosity, but his words did make Kim Dokja think for a bit—what did he mean by the 'protection of a being of high status'? It was just a skill and had nothing to do with anyone else.
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is sighing in relief.]
Dokja ignores the question to tell the other man that the world needs him. When Kyrgios questions if this is why Dokja came to find him, Dokja confirms it and Kyrgios mutters about a little bastard being involved. The little bastard in question, the constellation of 'Peace Land', looks at Kyrgios tearfully and sends him ten coins.
Kyrgios' glare intensifies as he states that he doesn't need it. His gaze drifts over to the castle in the distance as he keeps a level voice and states that every world will fall and end their story eventually, and that it is now Peace Land's turn.
Dokja refutes that statement by asking why he returned to this world after having left the planet a long time ago. Kygios looks down at Asuka with an unreadable gaze before opening his mouth and saying, [Something called for me.]
"He'll decide to help, right?" Lee Hyunsung asked hopefully, brightening up a bit. "I mean, this is his home too, so…"
[the constellation 'lily blooming in aquarius' is agreeing with the words of the incarnation 'lee hyunsung'.]
Kim Dokja couldn't be sure—all he knew from TWSA was that Kyrgios was powerful, handsome, and that he had a terrible temper. That last point might end up being the most crucial here, to his dismay.
Lee Gilyoung winced when the small constellation decided to send coins to the returnee. "That wasn't a good idea…"
Well, if Kyrgios was pissed at a constellation, then he was already directing his anger somewhere else. That was probably a good thing, for the moment.
[a few constellations are pondering the words of the returnee 'kyrgios rodgraim'.]
Every world will end eventually… Kim Dokja supposed that was both true and false at once. The story itself may come to its conclusion, but so long as the story was remembered, then it wouldn't truly end. Every story lived on in the mind and imagination of its readers, after all, and Peace Land was no exception.
Yoo Mia blinked in surprise upon hearing Kyrgios' response. "Does he know she created the world?"
"Probably not," Kim Dokja replied. "Even if he suspects that she called him somehow, the likelihood of him jumping to that kind of conclusion is slim."
"Of course it would be," Yoo Sangah agreed, "after all, it's hard to believe that the person who technically created a world could ever appear in front of you."
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is agreeing with the words of the incarnation 'yoo sangah'.]
Dokja tells him not to deceive himself, asking if he returned to protect his home. When Kyrgios states that he has no good memories here, Dokja demands to know if it's because this is the place where he was born 'weak'.
Kyrgios falters as he looks down at Dokja while the man continues asking if it's because Kyrgios was born here with a cursed body. Kyrgios grits his teeth as he warns Dokja not to continue running his mouth before telling him to get lost once more before he has to repeat himself for a third time.
"Are you scared?" Dokja taunts, causing Kyrgios to look shocked and angry. At his questioning, Dokja asks once more if he's scared of the constellations desecrating the world and the wicked 'Serpent'. Before Dokja can keep going, the pressure intensifies and the ground cracks beneath him as he spits up blood.
[If your wish is to die, then I'll kill you,] Kyrgios growls as lightning makes arcs around him. Gone is the beautiful man from before as the pressure shadows his appearance to seem more like an angered deity. Only his bright blue eyes glow as he locks his gaze on Dokja's pitiful appearance.
"Dokja-ssi… maybe don't push too far…" Lee Seolhwa warned nervously, clearly seeing the way that Kim Dokja was toeing the line of what Kyrgios would tolerate.
[a few constellations are concerned for the safety of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
Lee Jihye stared at him blankly for a moment. "Ahjussi, do you actually want to die?"
What? No!
"Of course not," he replied, shooting her a look.
Han Sooyoung snorted. "Oh yeah? Because it looks like you have a death wish to me."
Okay, sure, it looked really bad right now, but it would be fine! He had to push just far enough, even if it seemed dangerous. Kim Dokja was about to retort, but he faltered under Yoo Joonghyuk's sudden pressing glare.
"Coming back to life after he kills you will not make him more amenable to helping," the protagonist gritted out. "Stop saying foolish things."
There was a fine line between persuasive and foolish, but it's not like Yoo Joonghyuk had ever had to tread it. Still, he could maybe admit that he was being a bit reckless here. Though Kim Dokja was confident that he'd be able to verbally poke Kyrgios in all the right places to get him to comply—much like he had with Persephone earlier—there was no way he'd take a gamble like this without the failsafe of [King of No Killing].
[a constellation who likes handsome men is wishing that the returnee 'kyrgios rodgraim' would stop ruining his beauty with his anger.]
And Kim Dokja could guarantee that the returnee would absolutely go ballistic over a comment like that if he knew about it.
Shaking, Dokja tells him not to deceive himself about why he came here. When the pressure doesn't abate, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband', 'Demon-Like Judge of Fire', and 'Scribe of Heaven' all chastise the returnee through notifications.
Kyrgios seems confused by these indirect messages, and mutters that it's strange to see the monkey king and archangels chasing after Dokja, considering their pride. Still, Dokja calls his attention back, and demands to know if Kyrgios returned to see the end of the planet. Dokja is well aware that the man can't use his powers due to the probability constraints that he's under, and offers a solution that means that Kyrgios won't have to lift a finger to help.
"I will defeat the disasters of Peace Land," Dokja declares in as determined of a tone as he can manage before coughing up more blood. Looking up at the man gazing back at him with a puzzled and disdainful look, Dokja presses on. "Take me as your disciple."
Though the atmosphere in the room was incredibly tense, everyone seemed to relax somewhat when the constellations jumped to his defense. Kim Dokja was honestly a bit surprised to see Metatron among them, but he wasn't going to argue with someone that powerful having his back for the moment.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is frowning in displeasure.]
Huh, so the Secretive Plotter really wasn't there, which was odd. Maybe he was busy watching someone else? Kim Dokja honestly wasn't sure how he felt about that, and didn't know if he liked the odd discomfort in his gut at that thought. A constellation was a constellation, and he didn't care who was watching or not.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is grinning excitedly.]
As Kim Dokja listened to his own hypothesis, he had to agree with it. If Kyrgios had even a bit of nostalgia left for the place he had once called home, then maybe he had returned to stay there until the end. It was sad, but Kim Dokja couldn't think of any other reasons why he would have come back otherwise.
"Probability constraints?" Lee Jihye wondered, glancing over at Yoo Joonghyuk and Kim Dokja for an explanation.
"Remember what happened earlier with Ariadne and Dionysus?" Kim Dokja asked, wincing a bit at the second name. "They couldn't say or do too much without an Outer God being summoned."
The teenager's eyes went wide as she gasped, "Wait, so he actually can't do anything at all?"
Kim Dokja nodded solemnly. No matter how much the man may have wanted to try to defend his planet, he couldn't do anything because everything would get so much worse if he did.
[the constellation 'god of wine and ecstasy' is surprised by the restriction on the returnee 'kyrgios rodgraim'.]
And then, when Kim Dokja asked to become his disciple, Yoo Joongyuk turned to him fully, as though he was lost for words. Well, it wasn't like the protagonist ever said all that much to begin with, but clearly this had stunned him. Still, Kim Dokja had to look at him in return with a raised brow.
What, was it really that hard to imagine him actually training?
[many constellations are surprised by the declaration of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is excited for a training montage.]