Chapter Text
Yoo Joonghyuk furrowed his finely sculpted brows into a familiar glare as soon as his dark eyes flew open. A glint of steel amid the smoldering flames caught his eye: the bomber Choi Hangyu's survival knife. The only other thing that miraculously survived the blast. He snatched it up. Bihyung's announcement of how the sponsor selection has ended only sparked a murderous glint in his eyes.
It wasn’t intimidating at all. Especially since Yoo Joonghyuk was facing the wrong way, shooting daggers at the empty space.
An echo of “I’ll kill you, Kim Dokja” popped into my mind. I banished that unwanted train of thought. The 0th turn’s Yoo Joonghyuk hasn’t said anything yet as he sifted through the debris with surprising care.
‘The 0th turn’s Yoo Joonghyuk still acts the same when he’s infuriated. Good. He had me worried in the first scenario.’
He was still acting somewhat out of character, his shaking hands lingering over something not burned beyond recognition. Someone's…wrist? There's no point checking for a pulse. Even if by some other miracle they survived the explosion, the price for failing Main Scenario #1 was their lives. Strange. Yoo Joonghyuk should have known how futile it was to search for survivors. He must have gotten a notification similar to the caption I saw on my blue viewing screen:
[#BI-7623 channel. The 3434 Train to Bulgwang, Carriage 3707 survivor: Yoo Joonghyuk.]
[The Fourth Wall] cackled. ⸢Kim Dok ja is be ing petty.⸥
‘I had to make sure that he wouldn’t choose any other backers besides me.’
⸢Kim Dokja wanted to prove that the Demon King of Salvation is not a weakling.⸥
Now was the perfect time to fiddle with the settings of the screen I had access to as a constellation. The message log exploded after the little stunt I pulled.
[Constellation, 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', roars who has a death wish!]
[Constellation, 'God of Wine and Ecstasy', points out that Incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk didn't say who he would select before being knocked out.]
[Constellation, 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', boasts that Incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk spent the longest time considering his modifier.]
[Constellation, 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', warns that someone better fess up fast or else!]
[Constellation, 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', is covering half his face with his bandaged hand.]
[Constellation, 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', turns towards the 'Mouse—
[You have muted the 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' for the next ten minutes.]
It wasn't the right time to taunt the kid throwing a tantrum in the chat. Yoo Joonghyuk didn't know which of the three potential sponsors prevented him from selecting that delusional dragon. I could get away with smacking the feeble 0th turn's head and still get into his good graces for future scenarios. It was a win-win situation. Now, I just had to figure out how to get Yoo Joonghyuk to make me his companion in this world-line. What could I say to convince him?
[Constellation, 'Demon King of Salvation', tells Incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk to get off the subway and cross the bridge before it gets destroyed!]
Yoo Joonghyuk looked through the shattered window. The charred remains of what might have been a backpack fell from his slackened grip. There was no glass to separate him from what was now his reality: monsters roaming between skyscrapers and reshaping Seoul’s skyline. As surreal as it must seem, the next sub scenario will become nigh impossible to clear if the bridge gets destroyed without outside intervention so…
[Constellation, 'Demon King of Salvation', tells Incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk to—
“Why should I listen to you?”
At least his voice wasn't wavering, I'll give him that.
[Constellation, 'Demon King of Salvation', says to think of him as a helpful video game walkthrough.]
“Never needed one before.”
...This sunfish’s poor survival instincts must have become nonexistent after that smack. Was the word ‘walkthrough’ not simple enough for a pro gamer like him to understand?
Maybe I would have gotten a slightly less cold response if I had introduced myself as a prophet—just like I did a long time ago. Back then, an incarnation posing as a prophet was intriguing. But a constellation making that same claim? It’s an immediate threat. I wasn't planning to go up against the real prophets like Poked Out His Eyes and the big nebulae. At least not yet.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Right now, those high-grade monsters should be the least of Yoo Joonghyuk's worries. The early scenarios were about incarnations fighting one another to cull the weak, culminating in a "choice" to sacrifice the strongest incarnation in Main Scenario #8 to rebalance the playing field. Stories that spoke of high-grade monsters, demon kings, and constellations as the antagonists occur much later. Once the fights become less one-sided and more entertaining. Even constellations grow bored of simply watching incarnations getting squashed like bugs.
Which was why Yoo Joonghyuk should stop trying to break down the blood-splattered window of the door leading to carriage 3807 and get moving. He'll meet the other two survivors, his future party members, later. After he has safely crossed the soon-to-be-broken bridge. Come on, bite this fishing bait.
[Constellation, 'Demon King of Salvation', promises to show Incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk how to clear a hidden scenario.]
That finally galvanized Yoo Joonghyuk into action. He gave the jammed door one last kick before abruptly turning and vaulting out of the window behind me.
‘I said that I’ll be your walkthrough, not that you can literally walk through me.’
I grimaced, gliding along after him. The fact that I didn’t feel any sensation when he passed through me was an unnecessary reminder that I didn’t belong in this world-line either.
⸢St op com plain ing. Kim Dok ja got a clo se up of Yoo Joong hyuk’s fa ce. And a very indirect ki—⸥
‘That’s not the point.’
⸢Kim Dokja was too busy staring at his face in the first scenario. Otherwise, he would have noticed he was not wearing his trademark trench coat.⸥
‘How was I supposed to instantly tell when he’s dressed in all black either way? I can see that now. And a very indirect what? Kill?’
⸢Ne ver mi nd. Kim Dok ja’s brain can not st op work ing right n ow.⸥
[The Fourth Wall] was blathering nonsense, so I sped up to keep pace with Yoo Joonghyuk. He sprinted down Dongho Bridge, his black jacket flapping in the wind. Even without [Red Phoenix Shunpo] or [Way of the Wind], his cheat protagonist stats allowed him to rapidly close the distance to the other side. Just 300 more meters… 275 more meters, and then I could double back to help out Lee Hyunsung and Kim Namwoon. Come on, come—
[Hey! Where do you think you are going?! You’re lucky that the sub scenario is about to start.]
Bihyung had reappeared. His adorable expression did a complete 180 and turned downright demonic. A new headline appeared on my screen:
[#BI-7623 channel. Sub Scenario – Escape: Survivors of the 3434 Train to Bulgwang have 20 minutes to cross the broken bridge and enter Oksu Station. Stay tuned to see how history unfolds!]
[That doesn't mean I'll let rule-breakers like you off the hook so easily. Your meager luck is about to run out!]
[The scenario difficulty has been adjusted.]
[Scenario difficulty: E → D]
[The evil thoughts of the dead have returned.]
[The surrounding earth is filled with black ether.]
[Constellations-nim, I hope you all enjoy the surprise that I have in store. Arise!]
[The demonic people have woken up!]
The corpses of the drivers who had died on the bridge swarmed around Yoo Joonghyuk. He stabbed their weak points with the knife, slowing his progress to a crawl.
[Constellation, 'Demon King of Salvation', complains to Incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk that he shouldn’t be wasting his time on these cannon fodder. Run!]
The most troublesome one, Kim Namwoon, wasn’t even among the dead this time. Move faster!
The sudden downpour told me that it was too late.
Yoo Joonghyuk dove behind a car. It crumpled like paper under the ichthyosaur’s massive jaws.
“Holy shit! What the fuck was that?!”
Kim Namwoon and Lee Hyunsung entered the fray, a horde of demonic people hot on their heels. They just missed the rain of torn limbs, concrete, and steel the ichthyosaur left in the wake of its retreat. The demonic people blocking the way forward were gone… but so was a giant chunk of the bridge.
[The character 'Kim Namwoon' has activated the skill 'Blackening Lv. 1'.]
“You there! Identify your—no way!” The dark aura surrounding Kim Namwoon flared up. “You’re the famous pro gamer Yoo Joonghyuk!"
[The character 'Kim Namwoon' has activated the exclusive skill 'Knife Fighting Lv. 1'.]
As expected of the chuunibyou who adapted to this world at an 'unusual speed'. Kim Namwoon had already figured out how to activate his skills.
"I'm your number one fan, Kim Namwoon! This soldier ahjussi and I are the only other survivors from the subway." The excited grin on his face didn't falter. Even as he beheaded the demonic grandma sneaking up behind Yoo Joonghyuk. "You owe me one now."
「Kim Dokja was reminded of why Kim Namwoon was his least favorite character in the 'Ways of Survival'.」
"I'm glad that you also made it out of the subway, Joonghyuk-ssi," Lee Hyunsung said, unsmiling as he activated his Great Mountain Push 'stigma'. A demonic woman was sent flying right back into the horde, taking others with her into the churning waters of the Han River. “Both of you can call me Lee Hyunsung."
[The character 'Yoo Joonghyuk' has activated the skill 'Sage’s Eye Lv. 1'.]
"Woah, your right eye is glowing gold! I bet I'll awaken a demonic eye like that too." Kim Namwoon brandished his Swiss Army knife very close to his eye. "Hey, team up with me!"
The rather easy-going conversation happening amidst the chaos was at complete odds with my inner turmoil.
There were now an odd number of people.
Just like how it was a long time ago when I was stranded on the wrong side of the bridge with Yoo Sangah and Han Myungoh. Except the protagonist was already accounted for in this trio.
There would be no one else making a dramatic entrance this time.
⸢Kim Dok ja don’t fre ak out yet. Lo ok.⸥
Yoo Joonghyuk had taken control of the situation. Ordering Kim Namwoon to "Clean up the zombies. Pile them up here," and Lee Hyunsung to "Help push this concrete block over there."
‘You’re right.’
Even though this 0th turn’s Yoo Joonghyk wasn’t a regressor and wouldn’t ever become one...
⸢He was still the protagonist of this story.⸥
The ‘Ways of Survival’ never once favored its protagonist. However…
If this was the 0th turn, the beginning before the irreversible curse, before the never-ending tragedy…
And if it was the me of right now...
If it was Kim Dokja the 'Oldest Dream', then wouldn't it be possible to…
[Constellation, 'Demon King of Salvation', offers to help the remaining two people if Incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk can get one person over to the other side.]
"Demon King of Salvation, don't go back on your words," he retorted, dragging over the longest steel beam with the help of Lee Hyunsung.
[Constellation, 'Mouse that Eats Fingernails', questions why you are helping Incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk after getting rejected during the sponsor selection.]
[Constellation, 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', is boasting in your direction again.]
Has it already been ten minutes since I muted him? This dude didn't get chosen either. He should pay more attention to his own incarnation.
Speaking of the devil—or I should say, the future Delusional Demon—Kim Namwoon was dangling in the air by the collar of his school jacket. Yoo Joonghyuk hoisted him up. The beam, teetering on top of a car, sank under Kim Namwoon's weight. Its other end rose up, up, and up.
“Do it. Now.”
Lee Hyunsung, standing at the edge of the tall concrete slab, took a deep breath to steel himself. He jumped.
“Haaaat!”
His fist met steel in a move that would become the foundation of his future stigma, Great Mountain Smash. Capable of pulverizing the floor of a certain landlord’s zone in the near future. The impact dented the steel beam and crushed the car, but it had already done its job. A screaming Kim Namwoon had been catapulted over to the other side.
[Constellation, 'God of Wine and Ecstasy', is impressed by the resourcefulness of Incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk!]
[A handful of constellations eagerly await what Incarnation Yoo Joonghyuk does next!]
[1,500 Coins have been sponsored.]
[Constellation, 'Demon King of Salvation', hides his proud grin behind one of his wings.]
[Constellation, 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', applauds his incarnation for his acrobatic landing. He advises getting used to flying in the air to score a perfect ten next time.]
"Why the fuck would there be a next time! I'm not a damn dragon so…."
I was starting to miss Tartarus’ prisoner filtering system. Kim Namwoon would have already accumulated an alarming amount of penalty points by now.
“...but since you claim to be the dragon among dragons, now’s the time to show off your strength and help—”
[Constellation, 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', has become fascinated with the sight of his bandaged hand.]
"Oh come on!" Kim Namwoon could do nothing but squint into the setting sun, his eyes fixated on the two figures on top of the pile of incapacitated demonic people.
[Hahaha! What a show! Now, 'Demon King of Salvation'-nim, will you be helping these lowly incarnations? There are less than five minutes left!]
Floating in front of Yoo Joonghyuk, I could see that he hadn't stopped grimly analyzing his surroundings for alternative strategies to get across. Already bracing himself for the worst-case scenario if no help came. Yet his eyes shone with a glimmer of wary hope that had not been trampled on by time.
[Constellation, 'Demon King of Salvation', replies with, 'of course, that's what life and death companions do.']
I pretended not to hear Yoo Joonghyuk muttering, "You said you were a walkthrough," under his breath in favor of telling a story. A story about the very beginning of <Kim Dokja's Company>'s survival record.