Protagonist (5)
It must have looked quite ridiculous to anyone watching.
A full-grown adult man being dangled by the collar like a monkey.
Across the bridge on the even-numbered cars, I could see Lee Hyunseong and the others looking this way.
They looked desperate, but they likely had no idea what was happening over here. Because of the safety barrier. From this side, we could see them, but they couldn't see us.
"Your name."
"What?"
"I asked for your name."
He really speaks like a proper protagonist. But provoking him now wouldn't help.
"Kim Dokja."
"That's a strange name."
"I hear that a lot."
Suddenly, my stomach caved in and twisted. Yoo Joonghyuk's fist had slammed into my abdomen.
"...Urgh."
Even with skin tough enough to deflect knives, his hits really hurt.
"You have a solid body. Looks like you've already learned how to use coins."
"You too, clearly..."
Wham. My gut rippled again from another punch. I barely swallowed the groan rising from my throat.
This guy's strength stat must be over 15 at the very least.
And we're only one main scenario and a side one in. This is the kind of monster we're dealing with.
"No more unnecessary answers. From now on, you only respond to what I ask. Understood?"
I didn't answer.
I'd considered the possibility of this happening. But it had been the worst-case scenario, one I'd hoped would never come true.
Yoo Joonghyuk in the early game is more dangerous than any other character.
A personality worn down by three regressions. Principles deliberately shaved away to maintain an oversized ego. Yoo Joonghyuk never hesitates or wavers when it comes to his goal.
"Answer me."
"...Fine."
"Use honorifics."
"Nope."
This time I raised both hands and blocked his fist. It felt like my hand bones might crack, but I managed to dampen the impact.
Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes widened slightly in surprise.
[The character 'Yoo Joonghyuk' is now wary of you.]
Let him be. Even if you're the protagonist, I'm not just going to sit here and get beat up.
"Sorry, but you're younger than me, Pro Gamer Yoo Joonghyuk. So maybe you should be the one using honorifics."
"...You know who I am?"
"Of course. I work in the gaming industry."
That was a lie. Even if I did work at a game company, I wouldn't memorize the names of pro gamers. Until recently, Yoo Joonghyuk had just been a character in a novel to me.
"You're famous. I used to be a fan."
That "famous" part was just narrative detail, but calling myself a "fan" wasn't entirely a lie.
I liked him, hated him, resented him, and cheered for him.
I spent 3,000 chapters with Yoo Joonghyuk.
"A fan, huh. It's been a while since I heard that."
Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes briefly softened in nostalgia. But only briefly.
"I'll forgive your insolence. But your situation hasn't changed."
"Yeah, I figured."
I looked down at my legs swinging like kite tails in midair.
"There's only one thing I want to ask."
"Go ahead."
"How did you survive the subway?"
Of course that's what he'd ask.
"If I tell you, will you let me live?"
"Depends on your answer."
A lie.
You could tell just from his face. There's a reason I'm the sole reader of Ways of Survival.
Dozens of possible responses played out in my mind like simulations.
What do I have to say to convince this damn regressor?
[Your understanding of the character 'Yoo Joonghyuk' has increased.]
[Your understanding of this character is already at an extremely high level.]
…Huh?
[You have met the activation condition for the exclusive skill 'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint: Stage 2'!]
[Would you like to activate the exclusive skill?]
And a moment later, I could hear someone's thoughts pouring into my head like a waterfall.
「The only ones who should've survived that car were Lee Hyunseong and Kim Namwoon.」
「But Kim Namwoon is dead, and some other guy survived.」
「How did he survive?」
「Who is this bastard?」
「Extract information. And if there's even the slightest threat... kill him.」
Rapid, intense thoughts.
Even though I was clearly in a crisis, I couldn't stop the corners of my mouth from twitching upward.
There were only 5 minutes left until the scenario ended.
I began to speak.
It was a story told as concisely, briefly, and clearly as possible.
From the moment the dokkaebi appeared in the subway, to the end of the first scenario.
Of course, I omitted any mention of my acquired skills or key details.
"...You cleared the scenario by killing an insect?"
"Got lucky."
Yoo Joonghyuk looked so stunned he forgot his mouth was hanging open.
「The future has completely changed.」
Well, of course he was shocked.
Originally, Car 3807 was supposed to devolve into a battle royale with only Lee Hyunseong and Kim Namwoon surviving.
"You're sharp. How did you notice the insect in the car?"
His gaze turned dangerous, thoughts flickering again.
「Could this guy also be a regressor?」
「If so, he must die now.」
Speak of the devil. He's jumping to that conclusion already.
I quickly cut in.
"There was an explosion."
"Explosion?"
"I saw the insect because of an explosion in the car ahead."
At the word ahead, Yoo Joonghyuk froze.
"Explain clearly."
"When the explosion happened, a kid tripped and dropped a collection net. I just happened to pick it up."
"...That's suspiciously convenient."
"Coincidences are always suspicious. If you don't believe me, ask the people behind the barrier. That kid over there is the one who dropped the net."
Beyond the barrier toward Oksu Station, people were watching us.
The scenario wasn't over yet, so they couldn't approach or talk to us.
Yoo Joonghyuk glanced in their direction but didn't move.
For a moment, my vision blurred, and I saw what seemed to be Yoo Joonghyuk's memories flashing by.
「So that's it.」
「The explosion.」
「This guy isn't a regressor.」
「The future didn't change because of him. The future changed because...」
「Because of me.」
People screaming in pain amid a violent explosion. Yoo Joonghyuk watching them die with an expressionless face.
「Unlike the previous round, this time I killed them at the start.」
Maybe because of [Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint], I could feel Yoo Joonghyuk's emotional turmoil as clearly as if it were my own.
"Are we done with the questions now?"
"...Yeah."
"Then maybe let go of me? And let's get to Oksu together. The scenario's almost over."
"That would be difficult."
But he's not the protagonist for nothing.
"Everything fits too perfectly."
I've never seen a protagonist as cautious as Yoo Joonghyuk.
「No beginner should be this calm.」
「He's adapting abnormally well to this changed world.」
「The one who killed Kim Namwoon... was probably him.」
「More than just useful—he's dangerous.」
His right eye began to glow gold. And I realized what he was about to do.
Honestly, it had been a bit odd that he hadn't used that yet.
The Eye of the Sage.
Yoo Joonghyuk's ultimate detection skill. An SS-rank ability that lets him view not only a target's trait window but even their hidden information.
Now that he'd activated it, it was only a matter of time before my identity was revealed. But in a way, I was relieved.
I still didn't know what my own 'traits' or 'skill list' were.
Even if Yoo Joonghyuk learned about me, I might learn about myself in the process—and maybe use that to escape this situation.
[Exclusive skill, 'The Fourth Wall,' is activating!]
['The Fourth Wall' has detected the probing skill 'Eye of the Sage'!]
A spark flashed in the air, and Yoo Joonghyuk staggered.
「...Tch, what the hell?」
Yoo Joonghyuk was staring at me with a baffled look, clutching his right eye.
"You... what are you?"
Sorry, but I was just as curious about that myself.
[Exclusive skill, 'Fourth Wall', has blocked 'Eye of the Sage'.]
No way—I didn't expect to have a skill that could block that 'Eye of the Sage'. First [Bookmark], now [Fourth Wall].
This complicates things.
Yoo Joonghyuk would no longer trust me.
「I have to kill him here.」
Because he's not the kind of person to trust something he doesn't understand.
"Yoo Joonghyuk."
If that was the case, I had to change my strategy.
"You need a trustworthy companion."
"…What are you talking about?"
"You can't clear Scenario 46 alone. You know that, don't you?"
Yoo Joonghyuk narrowed his eyes.
"How do you know that? Just as I thought, you—"
"It doesn't matter who I am."
I looked directly into his sharp eyes.
"What matters is that I can help you."
「He's not a regressor. If he were from this world, I'd know.」
「Then what is he?」
「…No way.」
If I couldn't hide my cards or show my best hand, then there was only one option left.
That was to play a card that would lead to a misunderstanding.
"Yoo Joonghyuk, I know 'a future you don't know'."
[Character 'Yoo Joonghyuk' has activated skill 'Lie Detection'.]
['Lie Detection' confirms your statement is true.]
Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes slowly widened.
"…How?"
"How do you think?"
「No way. Could there be another prophet besides Anna Croft? In Korea, no less?」
Prophet.
A unique trait in Ways of Destruction that allows one to see the future—and the only one with a passive that nullifies detection skills.
In the world of Ways of Destruction, there was indeed one person who had the Prophet trait.
「Only a Prophet can block my 'Eye of the Sage'.」
When I didn't answer, Yoo Joonghyuk bit his lip.
"Can you use Future Sight?"
"I can do something similar."
"Then you must've known I would come here."
"Exactly."
「So that's it. If he's a Prophet, everything he's done makes sense.」
The flow was changing.
I could feel Yoo Joonghyuk's hesitation. This was my only chance.
"Yoo Joonghyuk, I know you have a special power. You also know things about the future, right?"
"…"
"But you also know that your knowledge is incomplete."
The regressor's one fatal flaw:
The moment they use knowledge of the future to change the present, the future changes. In the end, every regressor must eventually live in an 'unknown world'.
"Make me your ally. I can fill in the blanks you can't."
To Yoo Joonghyuk, there was no ally more valuable than a Prophet.
Even if I wasn't exactly a Prophet, I could play that role for now.
Because I was the only reader of this story.
[1 minute remaining until scenario ends.]
Yoo Joonghyuk bowed his head, deep in thought.
「A Prophet would definitely be helpful.」
[50 seconds remaining until scenario ends.]
「Not just for Scenario 46, but also when we face Zarathustra later… but can I trust him?」
[40 seconds remaining until scenario ends.]
「An ally…」
He finally looked up just as I anxiously glanced at the clock.
"I've decided. I'll take you as an ally."
[Excessive immersion has caused severe mental fatigue.]
[Exclusive skill, 'Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint', has been deactivated.]
Whether from relief or exhaustion, my exclusive skill suddenly deactivated at the worst possible moment.
Yoo Joonghyuk's face, now without system text, looked more unreadable than a philosophy textbook.
He began crossing the 'Even-Numbered Bridge' with me in tow.
He still had me by the collar… but maybe things were finally turning around. I couldn't help but feel proud—I'd actually persuaded this damn regressor.
But just as we were about to finish crossing the bridge and enter the safe zone, Yoo Joonghyuk suddenly stopped in his tracks.
"One last question."
"What is it?"
"If you're really a 'Prophet', then you should also know about your own future, right?"
The moment I met his calm, piercing gaze, I got chills.
His test wasn't over yet. The grip on my neck tightened, making it hard to breathe.
"Ugh."
He lifted me into the air, and then the wind began brushing against my dangling feet.
There was nothing below—just empty air.
The stench of blood mixed with the reek of the Han River. Aquatic monsters leapt up toward me, their jaws open wide.
"If I let go now, or don't—what do you think I'll do?"
Cold sweat formed on my back for the first time.
Think.
Even without the system's narration, I knew this guy better than anyone. I closed my eyes and recalled the Yoo Joonghyuk I knew.
[20 seconds remaining until scenario ends.]
And I made my decision.
"Yoo Joonghyuk."
If it were him, he'd definitely do it.
Of all the possibilities, only one matched the Yoo Joonghyuk I knew.
Looking at the sea commander approaching from below, I continued speaking.
"I'll say two things first."
"…What?"
"One, I'm not your subordinate. So from now on, treat me fairly."
"…"
"Two, just as I'll cooperate with you, you'll cooperate with me. Promise me that."
Yoo Joonghyuk looked at me with amusement and nodded.
"Interesting. So what's your answer?"
I smiled and answered.
"Let go of your damn hand and get lost, you bastard."
And then, the grip vanished.
I was reminded once again just how strong gravity could be.
Even as I fell, I caught a glimpse of Yoo Joonghyuk's face. He was smiling—brightly, joyfully, as if truly delighted.
Bastard.
"I believe you. You really are a Prophet."
Waiting at the end of my fall was the open mouth of the giant sea commander.
The icy water of the Han River crashed into me, overwhelming me with a shock that rattled my entire body. As I gasped for breath, warm, consuming darkness swallowed me whole.
[Scenario clear failed.]
…Damn it. Looks like I'll have to use that method after all.