"He's right," Jung Heewon said firmly, regaining her resolve. "Thank you, Joonghyuk-ssi. I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I ignored this either."
Kim Dokja agreed, feeling relief as he realized that she'd be alright. Even the strongest could falter, but that was why trustworthy allies to pick you back up were so important.
Lee Hyunsung nodded and squeezed Jung Heewon's hand a bit tighter. "We'll be with you the whole time, Heewon-ssi, no matter what happens."
[the constellation 'master of steel' is looking fondly at his incarnation.]
As Heewon slumps to the ground, digesting the information and wondering what Dokja wants to do by reaching 'the end of all scenarios', Reinheit states that the fact that no one has ever reached it is why he created Paradise. However, it's about to fall due to the imbalance between the numbers of humans and demons, leaving him with a lack of resources.
Looking at her with a smile, Reinheit tells Heewon how well she would sustain the flower. "For someone like you, chosen by the archangel, you would last a minimum of ten years. As for Kim Dokja, he would be able to maintain the vitality of Paradise for more than 200 years since he became a constellation."
Heewon's eyes widen and Dokja's clear gaze flashes in her mind. Gritting her teeth, she asks why he thinks she would ever accept his deal. Still grasping the upper hand in the conversation, Reinheit states that it would be because she's the incarnation of an archangel. By sacrificing herself, he wouldn't need to punish people for minor offenses, and she could save hundreds or thousands of lives and protect Paradise. Her shoulders shake as she realizes that if she doesn't die, then all these other people will.
"Just because no one has ever done something doesn't mean that it's impossible," Lee Seolhwa pointed out softly. "All it means is that it hasn't been done yet."
Yoo Sangah nodded and smiled gently. "So many things that have happened in history would seem impossible even ten or twenty years beforehand, after all."
There were so many things like that—the creation of gunpowder, harnessing electricity, humans being able to achieve flight, being able to talk to people anywhere in the world instantaneously, and even having photos taken on other planets. Kim Dokja also knew that it happened many times in TWSA as well. Over and over, Yoo Joonghyuk had absolutely shattered the constellations' expectations, going far beyond anything they could have anticipated. Even now, he had no doubts that the protagonist would be able to do it again in this life.
[several constellations are agreeing with the words of the incarnation 'yoo sangah'.]
As Reinheit mentioned the imbalance, Shin Yoosung's eyes widened. "There's not enough resources…? Ahjussi, what does that mean?"
Kim Dokja clicked his tongue and narrowed his eyes. He had known that the state of Paradise was already getting rather dire, but to think that he had already switched to looking for quality over quantity…
"Normally, he'd feed Perpetual Motion with a certain number of incarnations per month, but now there aren't enough people to do that and keep producing monsters at the rate that they're needed," Kim Dokja explained, patting her head as she nodded to show that she understood.
Sure enough, in his very next statement, he was appraising Jung Heewon's potential as 'fertilizer'.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is infuriated by the words of the demon 'reinheit von djerba'.]
"What?" Jung Heewon gasped as her face paled slightly. "He was planning to…"
Lee Jihye's eyes widened and she grinned excitedly. "I think I get it! If these regular people are like prawn crackers, then Heewon-unnie is like a plate of kimbap and Dokja-ahjussi is like a 2-hour all-you-can-eat barbeque."
… What the hell even was that analogy?
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' does not think that the incarnation 'kim dokja' would be good barbeque.]
[many constellations are thinking that stories taste better.]
"Not literally! It's just that when you only eat prawn crackers, it takes a long time to get full, right?" Lee Jihye explained way-too-seriously. "But kimbap will fill you up for a bit, so it's better as a quick meal in a pinch. Of course, if you take advantage of the full two hours at the barbeque restaurant, then you're going to feel full for at least another day if you do it right."
Lee Hyunsung blinked in confusion. "I think that makes sense…?"
"She's got a point," Han Sooyoung snickered before giving Kim Dokja a once-over. "I'd probably pick something other than barbeque for that asshole, though."
Hey, what was she implying there? Sure, he wasn't the most muscular of guys—especially not when compared to men like Yoo Joonghyuk or Lee Hyunsung—but that didn't mean that he had none! His coin investments had increased his stats enough to affect his physique, dammit!
However, he couldn't focus on that when Reinheit insisted that Jung Heewon sacrifice herself because it was the right thing to do.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is curious to see the choice of the incarnation 'jung heewon'.]
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is declaring that being selfless is stupid.]
"You can't listen to him, noona!" Lee Gilyoung shouted suddenly, looking over at Jung Heewon desperately. "It's not going to change anything!"
Though she hesitated, Jung Heewon nodded. "I know. Even if I did decide to sacrifice myself, then all this would just start up again in ten years. It wouldn't actually change anything in the long term, and I hope my future self realizes that."
That was true. This Jung Heewon had support and second opinions, and she got to see far more context than her future self did. No matter what choice she made in that future, they would hopefully make sure that in their future, she wouldn't ever have to be put in that situation in the first place.
[constellations who like philosophy are eagerly discussing this moral dilemma.]
Suddenly, movement in her periphery catches her eye—a demon with a fishtail flops on the ground, and as Heewon looks at its face, she can barely make out that it resembles the woman from Geumho Station. Horror overcoming her, she slowly loses grip on the sword at her side. Everyone she knows from before the apocalypse is dead—her family, friends, and anyone who remembers her. The end of the scenario is impossible, and she can't help but feel that living any further is pointless.
Just then, the constellations of the Absolute Good alignment look at her as she realizes what she has to do.
If my death could save the lives of tens of thousands of people, it would be the right thing—the righteous and good thing—to do. But what is my life then?
'Just… just what was I?' Looking at her hands, Heewon feels lost before a calm voice resonates within her.
'You're good with a sword, Heewon-ssi.'
Her gaze drifts to the sword reflecting her image as her last conversation with Dokja replays in her mind. Grasping her sword, Heewon stands while guessing that Dokja always knew the reality of this scenario, and yet he never gave up.
Kim Dokja grimaced and held the kids just a bit tighter as Jung Heewon noticed the movement nearby. This couldn't be anything good, and he was proven right as she realized just who that demon had formerly been. Fuck, it had been too late after all.
Yoo Mia gasped and turned away, hiding her face in her brother's coat. "Oppa… we have to stop this. We have to."
Yoo Joonghyuk's expression softened as he gazed down at his trembling little sister and wrapped his arms around her shoulders, as though to shield her from the world. "We will."
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is reassuring the incarnation 'yoo mia'.]
With any luck, they'd be able to prevent her death in their future if they got there first. Of course, there was always the possibility that the entire situation could end up completely different because of different choices they'd make earlier in the timeline, but it was better to plan for as many situations as possible.
Kim Dokja couldn't focus on that for long, though—not when Jung Heewon's sword clattered to the ground as she began breaking down.
"You can't give up here, Heewon-ssi," Lee Hyunsung pleaded, tears already streaming down his cheeks. Her breathing shuddered and her shoulders trembled as her future self confirmed what they all already suspected. Everyone she had known was dead, and Kim Dokja remembered her talking about a little brother once.
To Kim Dokja, this proved that this world was as real as anything else. Jung Heewon wasn't even a named character in TWSA, and yet she still had a job, a family, and memories that had never been recorded anywhere.
[the constellation 'lily blooming in aquarius' is looking sadly at the incarnation 'jung heewon'.]
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is begging for her incarnation to fight back.]
"Heewon-ssi, I'm sure you've been grieving all this time, and that's completely understandable," Lee Seolhwa said quietly, "but I think there's something important to consider too."
Something important? Kim Dokja honestly had no idea what she was talking about, but he was curious.
Lee Seolhwa allowed a small, sad smile to cross her lips. "We know that the Star Stream works on stories, and now you're the only one who can tell theirs. Their stories and memories live on through you."
Ah… so that's what it was. Kim Dokja's gaze softened slightly as he contemplated her words. While that wasn't exactly how the stories of the Star Stream worked, it was definitely a nice way of looking at things. Maybe it wouldn't provide her much comfort, but it was better than nothing.
Though she was silent for a moment, Jung Heewon wiped at her eyes before nodding. "I'm not a good storyteller, but maybe it won't be so bad to tell you about them. Maybe we can all swap stories."
"I'd like that," Yoo Sangah said with a smile, and Kim Dokja agreed with her. He wouldn't really have much to share himself—especially not with this scenario digging into all his personal business already—but he always loved hearing stories.
Lee Jihye perked up. "Yeah! I have so many fun stories about Bori and our other friends too, it would be nice to share them."
The three kids were oddly silent, but Kim Dokja figured that they were all a bit overwhelmed and were just trying to hold themselves together. Hopefully they'd all be feeling alright.
Han Sooyoung glanced over at her for a while before sighing and allowing a wicked grin to cross her face. "I'm an only child so don't expect any kind of sappy shit from me, but I have so much dirt on classmates from university and I'm a phenomenal storyteller."
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is excited to hear all the blackmail.]
[the constellation 'god of wine and ecstasy' is wondering about sponsoring drinks for such an occasion.]
Seriously? At least Jung Heewon was laughing now, and Lee Hyunsung was trying to hold back more tears.
At the very least, the future Jung Heewon remembered what Kim Dokja had told her and that seemed to be helping her get back in control of herself. He could feel the kids let out audible sighs of relief as they relaxed.
Thank goodness.
I killed too many people. Maybe I've been waiting for this moment so that I could repent.
'But, all those choices were ones I made in order to live.' Fire burns in Heewon's eyes as she locks her determined gaze on the demon before her.
I want to continue living. Even if many people were to die from my choice, I will learn to live with that fact.
As Heewon states that she can't die here, Reinheit bluntly refutes that by telling her that she should obediently become the nutrients for Paradise. With a wave of his hand, the mass of demons rush towards the woman who sets her sword alight with the archangel's flames.
Suddenly, a loud crash behind her distracts her as a familiar voice calls out her name. Rushing to her defense, Hyunsung punches the face of the demon trying to ambush Heewon before smashing it into the ground with a steel fist. Following quickly behind him with the kids, the teary Jihye asks why Heewon ran off on her own again.
With the four of them at her back, she smiles slightly. The one smiling more, however, is Reinheit who just smiles evilly as he casually observes that there is an abundance of nutrients before him.
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is tearing out his hair in excitement.]
"That's right, unnie! Ahjussi said the same thing to me before too!" Shin Yoosung exclaimed, looking desperately over at Jung Heewon. "If I'm not a bad person, then neither are you."
Jung Heewon's expression relaxed slightly and a small smile crossed her face. "Yeah, you're right."
Yoo Joonghyuk looked at the screen impassively, and to Kim Dokja's surprise, he spoke up. "That is the only way to live in a world like this. People will die at your hands, and you have to move past it or the guilt will eat you alive."
Exactly. The key was finding the balance—moving past it so it didn't drag you down, but also not allowing yourself to become so unbothered that you lose your empathy. That was something that even the protagonist had struggled with in several regressions, on both ends of the scale. He was human too, at the end of the day, no matter how much strength he accumulated.
[many constellations are eagerly awaiting a good fight.]
The kids cheered as Jung Heewon set her sword ablaze and began fighting back against the horde of monsters at Reinheit's command. As pleased as Kim Dokja was that she was standing up for herself despite her previous turmoil, he couldn't bring himself to be as enthusiastic as the kids. Looking at this scene, he frowned. Jung Heewon was powerful—there was no doubt about that one—but even she could get overpowered and overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Even though she was essentially a demon-killing machine thanks to Uriel's stigma, Jung Heewon didn't yet have the skill to face down this many enemies without backup. No matter how many she burnt into ash, they would always be replaced mere seconds later.
Every single one of these monsters was an expendable body that Reinheit was throwing at her in an attempt to find and take advantage of even the smallest crack in her defenses. If she didn't get some backup soon, Kim Dokja knew that she might get overrun.
As if on cue, Lee Hyunsung called her name, and she turned to look at him in surprise. "You came…?"
Lee Hyunsung smiled brightly. "Of course. You can always rely on me, Heewon-ssi!"
Kim Dokja could see the emotions dancing in her eyes, especially after witnessing him dispatch a demon that had been trying to jump her in the nick of time. She seemed to be debating something for a moment before she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"Thank you."
[many constellations are endeared by this turn of events.]
Though Lee Hyunsung was beet red and stammering that he didn't deserve thanks for something like that, he nearly returned the hug. Instead of touching her, though, his arms hovered an inch or two away from her body.
Lee Jihye was in tears and looking extremely emotional over this sight, and for once, Kim Dokja couldn't blame her. Now, if she could just devote all the brainpower usually wasted on her bullshit to helping Lee Hyunsung be less awkward in his love life, then that would be perfect.
"We're all there!" Lee Gilyoung exclaimed, drawing Kim Dokja's attention back to the screen. Apparently, the kids weren't all that interested in watching whatever the adults were doing, and instead they were getting more and more excited about the fact that they had also come to help.
[the constellation 'maritime war god' is relieved to see the other incarnations.]
Reinheit might be confident, but Kim Dokja had faith that they'd all be alright so long as they worked together. They wouldn't get out unscathed, but they were strong enough to last until help could come.
After all, in Yoo Joonghyuk's third regression, he had destroyed Paradise with his own hands.
The scene changes suddenly, back to the plains. Watching Dionysus' incarnation run off into the distance, Sooyoung scratches the back of her head, confused about what the hell the last word he said was. She's even more confused that it was filtered for Dokja too, who in turn assumes it must be related to the 'end' of the scenarios.
Deciding to move past that, Sooyoung asks what he's planning to do about the whole 'Fate' thing since it must be really dangerous for a constellation of Olympus to come and warn him. When she probes for more information, Dokja hums for a moment. Fate isn't completely inevitable, but it could never be escaped if there was even the slightest chance of it happening since it works on probability. Dionysus had told him exactly what the prophecy was, even risking losing a huge amount of probability to do so, and Dokja reveals the contents that Dionysus shared with him.
In direct contrast to Joonghyuk's horror, Sooyoung wears a WTF face before asking if Dokja even has something like that. Dokja thinks for a moment, trying to recall the faces of everyone he knows. While there is some affection here and there, there's no one he loves—in fact, 'love' is a word that he considers to be furthest from his life. After a moment, Dokja explains that he doesn't have one.
"As much as I wanted to see what happened with everyone else, it might be better that we all get a break from that stress," Yoo Sangah admitted hesitantly. "Besides, we do need to figure out what's happening with Dokja-ssi too."
Kim Dokja agreed, and he hoped that Jung Heewon would be able to take this time to make sure that she felt better. She had finally released Lee Hyunsung, but it was obvious that she was still shaken up by everything that had happened.
"Right, the shitty filtering," Han Sooyoung groaned, "almost forgot about that."
The fact that it was filtered alone meant that it was important somehow, and Kim Dokja agreed with his future self. If it was important and something he didn't already know, then chances were that it was related to the very end of the scenarios.
[several constellations are curious to know what the incarnation 'kim dokja' will do.]
That was true—Dionysus was taking a massive risk by sharing that information with him, and he wouldn't have done that if he didn't think it was worth it.
"Well, there's not much I can do, realistically," Kim Dokja admitted awkwardly. He knew that it wasn't the answer that the rest of the group wanted to hear, but it was the truth.
"Can't you try something anyway, hyung?" Lee Gilyoung asked nervously, looking up at him as he did. Though he felt extremely guilty, Kim Dokja ruffled the kid's hair.
"Gilyoung-ah, many prophecies in stories and legends were fulfilled specifically because people tried to avoid them."
Lee Gilyoung blinked at him for a moment. "So? That doesn't mean you can't try. Maybe they just aren't as good at it as you are."
Yoo Sangah laughed quietly. "Well… if anyone could figure out how to scam the Star Stream and probability itself, it would be you, Dokja-ssi."
That didn't mean that he particularly wanted to find out what that would take, though.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is wondering how the incarnation 'kim dokja' feels about the prophecy.]
At the very least, his future self knew the exact wording now, but Kim Dokja wasn't anticipating anything different from his own response. No one came to mind when he thought of 'love'; in fact, he wasn't sure that he had ever experienced it in his entire life. Even as a child, he couldn't be certain that those rare good days and moments had been filled with love at all. After all, would someone who truly loved their child have done what she did?
Han Sooyoung's expression contorted for a moment before she sighed. "Fuck, I can't even make fun of you for that."
"Good, don't bother," Kim Dokja retorted, even though it came out more half-hearted than he hoped for. "I don't need to hear it."
Some people might think that a life like this was sad, but it was the only one he had. The only love that Kim Dokja had ever known was woven through words and hidden in the blank spaces in between them. It was only through the characters experiencing their own stories that he had been able to reflect those feelings onto himself and allow himself to feel. Kim Dokja, the only son, lived a bleak and loveless life. Kim Dokja, the reader, had life breathed into his soul as words and feelings danced across countless pages.
Even if he did fall in love someday, Kim Dokja wasn't even confident that he'd be able to recognize it when he had no frame of reference other than unrealistic depictions in stories. In all likelihood, it would remain unnoticed and fade away. From the beginning, he wasn't someone made to be loved.
"Besides, isn't it better if there isn't someone anyway? If the prophecy is impossible, then it can't come true," he said quietly—almost wistfully—as he looked at the screen rather than at anyone around him. Kim Dokja didn't want to see what kinds of expressions they were making.
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is frowning sadly at the words of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
Of course, this only makes him annoyed when Sooyoung instantly goes into teasing mode about the 'fate' being revoked if it's impossible or the possibility that he'll end up being the target of the biggest romance trope of all time, love at first sight. This makes Dokja confused, since it's never happened before and he thinks it's unlikely.
A 'Fate' powerful enough to send a message three times… this is confusing. Will I fall in love with someone?
"Originally, 'Fate' isn't something that should be interpreted literally. Prophecies aren't typically meant to be understood immediately. It's full of metaphors and symbols," Dokja explains as a monochrome image of an oracle and believers appear on the screen.
Since metaphors are involved, Sooyoung states that she has three questions about the prophecy that could change its meaning from something literal—the word 'incarnation', which shouldn't affect him as a constellation now; the phrasing of 'one he loves the most', which might be more of a metaphor than talking about a specific person; and the word 'death', which might not mean dying in a literal sense.
He immediately denies the first point—if it was as simple as him being a constellation now, then his fate would have been realized the moment he became a constellation. As for the second one, he begins to wonder if the 'one' in question is a personification of something, but can't think of anything further.
"I think Sooyoung-ssi has a good point," Lee Seolhwa admitted a moment later, albeit hesitantly. "Just because you have never fallen in love before doesn't mean that it could never happen. We were discussing impossibilities earlier, after all, and this is a similar situation."
That was true, but seriously? Love at first sight? That was impossible in real life.
Yoo Joonghyuk looked oddly tense as Kim Dokja sighed, and he really had no idea what was going on in the protagonist's head. Maybe he was annoyed that there wasn't someone specific who was named—Kim Dokja wouldn't put it past the protagonist to hunt down and kill the one destined to kill him just so that couldn't happen.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is gagging and declaring that love is too sappy.]
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is feeling conflicted.]
Why was Uriel feeling conflicted? Kim Dokja honestly wasn't sure, but he also knew that there had to be more to this prophecy either way.
Yoo Sangah's eyes widened as she nodded. "Ah, that's right—prophecies are usually more than what the words say."
Shin Yoosung perked up. "Does that mean that ahjussi might not actually die…?"
Kim Dokja grimaced. Of all the things that were likely to be metaphors, that was likely last on the list. Those nebulae wanted him out of the picture entirely, no matter what it took. They wouldn't spend all that probability just for him to end up fine, after all.
"Shit, I have some good ideas," Han Sooyoung said before whistling lowly. "In all seriousness, though, you're lucky that you have someone as good with words as me with you."
Huh, was she actually trying to be nice?
"Thanks, I guess," Kim Dokja replied awkwardly.
Her response was a wide, cat-like grin. "Perfect, I charge 50,000 coins per hour for my services, by the way."
That little…
"Since when?" Kim Dokja scoffed, and Han Sooyoung rolled her eyes.
"Since now, duh."
[a constellation who likes capitalism is approving of the rate of the incarnation 'han sooyoung'.]
"Stop saying stupid things," Yoo Joonghyuk huffed as his eyebrow twitched again. "Focus on what's important."
Okay, fair, this prophecy was pretty important. The three things that Han Sooyoung pointed out were good things to notice too, even though his future self was immediately able to deny the first one.
As Kim Dokja began musing over the second question—whether or not 'the one he loves most' is a person at all, Lee Jihye fidgeted nervously. Her gaze seemed to be darting between Kim Dokja and elsewhere in the room, and she looked rather troubled.
For a moment, he thought she was about to say something, but she seemed to catch herself at the last second and retreated. Kim Dokja wondered if she had finally realized that any nonsense wouldn't be helpful at that point, but he had to shake it off.
The atmosphere was uncomfortable enough already. She seemed to be staring worse than usual, and something about her gaze felt almost… knowing. Kim Dokja didn't understand why, but he didn't like it at all.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is contemplating the questions proposed by the incarnation 'han sooyoung'.]
As he internally remarks that she's good at this kind of thing because of being a writer, he also wonders if she's actually a good person since she's helping him out. As he looks at her, he also muses that her looks aren't bad, even though she's a bit young in his opinion. Suddenly, he stops those thoughts, remembering that she would probably stab him—after all, she had already stabbed him once.
As Kim Dokja wondered whether or not Han Sooyoung was actually a good person, she turned to him with a baffled expression on her face. "Well, fuck you too, I guess! Just for that, you're getting charged 80,000 coins per hour, asshole."
Okay, so maybe that wasn't a great thing to say, but his confusion was understandable. Hell, even now he couldn't be sure if she was mad because he was only just realizing that she was nice, or if she was offended that he thought she was nice for even a second. Honestly, either of them seemed equally likely at this point.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is declaring that being nice is for losers.]
Unfortunately, Kim Dokja was only digging himself a deeper hole as he internally mused that her looks weren't bad.
Lee Jihye gasped dramatically, already getting frantic over nothing. "Ahjussi, why would you say that!?"
Technically, he hadn't said it, though…
"I don't think it's right to blame Dokja-ssi for something he didn't even say out loud, but I admit that it's strange for him to be noticing things like that," Yoo Sangah said after a moment.
"Hey," Jung Heewon said suddenly, her voice sounding somewhat off, "you're not going to end up falling in love with her or something, right?"
Fuck no. They could barely stand each other as acquaintances; Kim Dokja doubted that any sham of a relationship would even last a full 24 hours before they'd get fed up with each other. Thankfully, his future self came up with a perfect reason for why that would never work. She was too young for him, and also the stabbing thing was more than a bit of a problem.
"What the actual fuck!?" Han Sooyoung raged, looking at him with a mixture of offense and bafflement on her face. "Too young!?"
"I'm twenty-eight," Kim Dokja told her bluntly, not understanding what her problem was. Why was she so offended when she didn't even like him in the first place?
Han Sooyoung grimaced. "So?"
What part of too young didn't she get…? Kim Dokja narrowed his eyes as he looked closer at her face for a few seconds, ignoring the way Yoo Joonghyuk seemed to be getting more irritated by the second because of all this nonsense interrupting actual important information.
"How old even are you?" Kim Dokja asked, relenting when he couldn't be sure. "Nineteen? Twenty?"
If she was that young, no wonder she'd be so offended by being called an ahjumma by the kids, no matter how funny it was.
"I'm twenty-fucking-six, you asshat!" Han Sooyoung shrieked before turning away with a huff. "And for the record, I'd do worse than stab you if you tried anything."
She very pointedly looked down and reached toward her weapon. Kim Dokja flinched. Okay, fuck, message received!
"Stop this nonsense and focus," Yoo Joonghyuk hissed, full-on glowering at them. "This is not the time."
Of course he'd get angry about wasting time.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is thinking that the incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk' is too insecure.]
[the constellation 'god of wine and ecstasy' is giggling that it takes one to know one.]
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is glaring at the constellation 'god of wine and ecstasy'.]
As Sooyoung finishes explaining the point about death, she sees his confusion and asks Dokja when he thinks a person dies. Bluntly, Dokja replies that it's when their life ends—when the heart stops beating, and they no longer breathe, something he's done quite a few times now.
Sighing, Sooyoung states that this must be why he kept reading TWSA, she then goes on to quote One Piece, which is hilariously censored by replacing Dr. Hiriluk with another quack, Myungoh. She then states that it's the same for constellations, which makes Dokja ask why people would forget him, even wondering about the possibility of mass amnesia. When she says that he might be forgotten in a different sense, he gets even more confused. Leveling him with an absolutely serious look, she says, "Kim Dokja. Dead people can't remember anything."
As her words settle in, he pales and his eyes go wide as he reflexively looks back towards Paradise.
… Don't tell me?
"That's a dumb question, ahjumma," Yoo Mia sighed as she patted her brother on the arm, clearly trying to not make him get even more irritated. "Ahjussi is right."
"Even if we wish he'd stop doing it," Jung Heewon muttered with a roll of her eyes.
[the constellation 'maritime war god' is hoping that the incarnation 'kim dokja' will stay alive this time.]
What did she mean by that's why he kept reading TWSA? It was a good story!
"Ah, it's similar to what I said earlier," Lee Seolhwa laughed slightly. "What a coincidence."
So… there was a chance that he'd get completely forgotten as a constellation?
"Fool, I don't forget so easily," Yoo Joongyuk grumbled, still looking incredibly irritated. Well, he would be pretty annoyed that Kim Dokja would think that he'd end up failing a scenario that would result in amnesia. And, to be fair, Kim Dokja usually had more faith in his abilities than that.
However, he sucked in a breath when Han Sooyoung finished her thought. Fuck, that meant…
"I won't forget you even if I die, hyung," Lee Gilyoung told him seriously, and Kim Dokja hated the fact that the kid didn't even hesitate. That wasn't how it worked, and yet…
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is concerned for the safety of the incarnations.]
Blood drips to the ground before the scene widens to show Heewon going ballistic on the demons while Gilyoung and Yoosung, who are riding on some demon bees, provide support from the air. Beside them, Hyunsung and Jihye do their best to take out as many demons as they can as well. However, none of them are able to protect themselves or each other from all blows, resulting in a demon injuring Heewon's arm while another bites down the bugs that the kids were using as mounts.
The audio of the battle gets quieter as Dokja and Sooyoung's conversation about whether to go back to Paradise plays over top of it, with Dokja stating they'll never get back in time since they're three days away. His expression eases up when a pop-up appears, stating that someone has achieved transcendence for the first time in the scenario. Smiling with absolute confidence in the one mentioned by the notification, Dokja turns to Sooyoung.
"It's okay. By now, the strongest ally they could have asked for should be with them. It's about time for him to start acting like the main character… even though he wouldn't know that I sent him there."
"We still look like we're doing okay, at least," Lee Hyunsung said with a relieved sigh as they watched themselves fight. Of course, they were still trying to manage against an overwhelming foe, so it wasn't going to be a perfect victory.
[the constellation 'maritime war god' is nervously watching the current events.]
"If ahjussi comes back, then it'll all be okay, right?" Shin Yoosung wondered, glancing up at him pleadingly.
Unfortunately, he knew that wouldn't be happening, and his future self confirmed it just a moment later. He was too far away to help, and there was nothing he could do.
"We'll hold out as long as we can," Jung Heewon stated firmly. "No matter what happens, we're going to take down as many of his demons as possible."
Lee Jihye took a deep breath and nodded. "Exactly!"
"It's going to be fine," Kim Dokja said suddenly, relaxing as he got the pop-up about someone achieving transcendence. "My future self is right—you couldn't ask for a stronger ally."
Yoo Joonghyuk glanced over at him intently for a moment. "You didn't send me."
He could believe whatever he wanted, but the truth of the matter was that he was almost certainly on his way to Paradise, where he'd inevitably get wrapped up in the fight. Of course, Kim Dokja didn't fail to notice that the protagonist never contradicted the first part of his statement.
Still, it wasn't like it was a lie in the first place. Now that he had achieved transcendence, Yoo Joonghyuk's biggest struggle would be avoiding too much collateral damage.
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is extremely excited.]
With a loud boom like bombs falling above the cavernous dungeon, Joonghyuk comes crashing through a ceiling for the second time—this time in the midst of an ether storm. As the power rips through the branches of the Perpetual Motion, the debris of the shattered ceiling expertly hits the demons and Reinheit, burying them just like what happened to the Tyrant King. Jumping down to stand atop the pile of rubble he's created, Joonghyuk is perfectly lit by the morning light as he looks over the stunned group who had been fighting below.
"You've hidden yourself very well." Joonghyuk's expression is impassive with hints of anger and annoyance as he looks up and demands, "Where is Kim Dokja?"
"See?" Kim Dokja said smugly. "I was right, wasn't I, Joonghyuk-ah?"
Yoo Joonghyuk stared at him for a moment before scoffing. "Think whatever you want."
That wasn't a no!
[many constellations are in awe of the strength of the incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk'.]
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is cheering for the incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk'.]
"Master, do you actually have a skill that lets you make epic entrances like that?" Lee Jihye asked eagerly, her eyes shining in her excitement. "You've gotta teach it to me if it exists."
The protagonist raised a brow as he looked at her. "No. It's just the fastest route."
Incorrigible…
At the very least, the kids were finding the whole thing entertaining. Even though Shin Yoosung and Lee Gilyoung were definitely too stubborn to thank him, Kim Dokja could tell that they were grateful that Yoo Joonghyuk had arrived. Of course, it was too early to relax—Reinheit wouldn't die from something like that. Unlike the Tyrant King, he was an 800-year-old demon who was absolutely more sturdy with his maxed-out stats.
Kim Dokja did have to restrain a scoff at the protagonist's statement, though. Who was hiding here? He already knew where the dungeon was anyway, too.
However, Kim Dokja couldn't have expected his next words, and his eyes grew wide as the protagonist revealed that he was looking for Kim Dokja specifically. That couldn't be right, unless… had he figured out that Kim Dokja had nudged him in that direction just to help? Was he pissed off about it?
Or… was it related to the prophecy?
Kim Dokja honestly wasn't sure what would be worse.