Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

— Happy Reading —

The plan should have succeeded by now. Dazai Osamu should have been dead after jumping from the tallest building of the Port Mafia headquarters.

Yet here he was, sitting inside a crowded subway car filled with office workers returning home.

Dazai noticed a few passengers stealing glances at him—most likely because of his strange clothing, or perhaps the bandages wrapped around nearly his entire body, covering even half his face.

The bandages weren’t exactly pleasant to look at, but Dazai didn’t care. His attention was fixed on his surroundings, not even acknowledging the teenagers who were secretly snapping photos of him as if he hadn’t noticed.

Dazai Osamu—always alert. As the Boss of the Port Mafia, danger constantly lurked nearby. Even when he was just Mori’s right-hand man and executive, there had been countless people who wanted him dead.

Then, without warning, a small, round, furry creature with tiny horns appeared out of nowhere.

Gasps of shock filled the train. Passengers whispered, wondering what that thing could be.

Along with the creature’s sudden appearance, a transparent blue screen materialized in the air.

[ The free service of System Planet 8612 has ended. ]

[ The Main Scenario has begun. ]

Dazai’s expression immediately hardened, his sharp gaze fixed on the horned, doll-like creature.

But then his eyes shifted toward a man in his late twenties, dressed like an ordinary office worker.

Something about him felt familiar—someone who seemed to know what was really happening. A faint smirk tugged at Dazai’s lips, as though he had already anticipated that this man might be useful.

—Kim Dokja’s POV—

「 Dokkaebi. That’s what someone once called it the first time it appeared. 」

I didn’t know why, but that line suddenly echoed inside my head.

The halted subway car. The pitch-black interior. Déjà vu crashed over me.

The subway had stopped before, though rarely. But why? These details felt like they were straight out of a novel. Ridiculous, impossible… wasn’t it?

At that moment, the doors of car 3807 slid open, and the lights flickered back on.

Yoo Sangah, sitting beside me, whispered.

“...Dokkaebi?”

Her words made my head ring. My whole body trembled with unease as the novel I knew and the reality before me overlapped.

「 With two small horns and a straw mat draped across its tiny body, the strange furry creature hovered in the air. 」

「 Too odd to be called a fairy, too sinister to be called an angel, too calm to be called a demon. 」

「 Thus, it was called a ‘dokkaebi.’ 」

And I already knew the very first thing a dokkaebi would say.

{ &아#@!&아#@! ..... }

{ &아#@!&아#@!...... }

Right then, fiction and reality collided.

“What is that thing?”

“Eh, is this AR? (Augmented Reality?)”

Amidst the noise, only I felt like I’d been thrown into another world.

No mistake. That creature was a dokkaebi—the very one that would open the gates of tragedy for thousands of lives in the world of Ways of Survival.

Yoo Sangah’s voice pulled me back from my spiraling thoughts.

“It sounds kind of like Spanish. Should I try talking to it?”

I froze before blurting out, “...Yoo Sangah-ssi, do you even know what that thing is? You planning to ask it for money or something?”

“N-no, that’s not— I just thought...”

But then the dokkaebi suddenly spoke fluent Korean.

{ Ah. Ah. Testing, testing. Ugh, that Korean patch almost didn’t work. Okay—hi everyone, can you all understand me now?}

Hearing their mother tongue from such a bizarre creature seemed to calm some passengers. One of them even stepped forward, his body tall and broad, dressed in a neat suit.

“Hey! What’s going on here?”

{ ....Hmm?}

“Is this some kind of movie shoot? Sorry, but I have an audition scheduled right now, so I really need to hurry.”

Turns out he was an actor—or at least, he claimed to be. Judging from his unfamiliar face, probably not a famous one. Still, if I were a casting director, I might have chosen him for his energy alone.

Unfortunately, the creature in front of him wasn’t a casting director.

{ Ah, an audition? Well, I guess you could call this an audition too. Haha. Seems like my intel was a bit off—I heard most of you agreed to start the paid service at 7:00 p.m.}

“Huh? What do you mean?”

{ Okay, okay. Everyone, please sit quietly and listen. I’m about to announce something very important to you all!}

My chest tightened.

“What the hell? Get out of here already!”

“Somebody call the conductor!”

“What is this crap? Doing whatever you want without permission?”

“Mama, is that thing from anime?”

There was no doubt anymore. I knew this storyline. I didn’t want to be caught in it... but what choice did I have? No one here would listen to a cute, CG-like creature.

The only thing I could do was stop Yoo Sangah from leaving her seat.

“Yoo Sangah-ssi, don’t move. It’s dangerous.”

“Huh?”

She stared at me wide-eyed. My warning probably sounded strange amidst the chaos, but I had no way to explain myself.

Nor did I need to—

{ Haha, you’re all too noisy. }

Because there was someone far more persuasive about to explain it for me.

{ I told you to be quiet. }

The dokkaebi’s eyes glowed crimson. I shut mine slowly, bracing myself for what came next.

A sharp pop echoed through the train. Silence fell instantly.

“Uh...uhhh...”

The eager “actor” now had a gaping hole in his forehead. His lifeless body collapsed.

{ This isn’t a film shoot. }

Another pop. Another corpse—this time, the man who had shouted for the conductor.

{ This isn’t a dream. It’s not a novel either. }

One after another, heads burst open.

Blood sprayed across the car, shrieks cut short as bodies fell. Anyone who made the slightest sound met the same fate.

In moments, the subway car was drenched in blood.

{ This isn’t the ‘reality’ you once knew. Understand? So sit down and listen. }

Over half the passengers lay dead. Crimson stains painted the walls, the seats, the ceiling. No one dared scream now. Like prey frozen before a predator, the survivors stared at the dokkaebi in paralyzed terror.

A muffled sob escaped Yoo Sangah. I gripped her shoulders tightly.

This was real. The strange voice in my head, the transparent blue screens, the dokkaebi before my eyes, the blood-soaked train...

{ You’ve all lived comfortably, haven’t you? }

On the priority seat, an old grandmother met the dokkaebi’s gaze.

{ You’ve lived free of charge for too long. The moment you were born, you breathed for free, ate for free, relieved yourselves for free, even reproduced for free! Ha! Isn’t life too easy? }

Free life? Not a single person in this train lived for free. They had all worked themselves to the bone just to survive, heading home exhausted from their jobs.

But no one dared protest.

{ Well, those easy days are over. How much longer do you plan to live without paying? To gain happiness, you must pay. Isn’t that only natural? }

The crowd sat frozen, too afraid to respond. Finally, someone raised a trembling hand.

“A-Are you asking for money?”

I blinked, shocked that anyone still dared speak up. But when I saw who it was, recognition struck me.

“Yoo Sangah-ssi, isn’t that Division Head Han from the finance department?”

“...Yes.”

Of course. Han Myungoh. The type who relied on connections more than merit. Universally disliked by new hires.

He had just shown off his brand-new Mercedes Benz not long ago—so why was he riding the subway?

“I’ll give you my money. Take it, I don’t care.”

He pulled out his business card, and some passengers even cheered him on like he was a hero negotiating with terrorists.

“How much do you want? This much? Double?”

The amount he offered was more than most branch managers earned in a year. Rumor had it Han Myungoh was the youngest son of our company’s CEO. Right now, I was sure that rumor was true.

Not that I could ever carry a check that large in my wallet.

{ Money, huh. Plant fiber scraps that most humans use.}

Han’s face lit up with relief. He clearly thought money could solve anything.

“I only have this with me right now, but—”

{ Valid only in your dimension. }

“Eh?”

Flames burst out of nowhere, consuming the check in his hand. Han screamed.

{ That paper has no value in the wider universe. Try that again, and I’ll blow your head off. }

“U-uhhh...”

The train fell silent once more. Everyone’s fear was palpable.

「 What’s going to happen next? 」

I knew. I was the only one who did.

{ Phew, your debt has only grown during all this noise. Anyway, instead of wasting time explaining everything, wouldn’t it be more efficient if you experience it for yourselves while earning money? }

The dokkaebi’s horns extended like antennae as its body floated toward the ceiling.

Moments later, another announcement rang out.

[ Channel #BI-7623 has been opened. ]

[ Constellations are entering the channel. ]

A smaller blue screen appeared before every passenger’s eyes.

[ The Main Scenario has arrived! ]

+++

[ Main Scenario #1 – Prove Your Worth ]

Category: Main.

Difficulty: F

Objective: Kill one or more living beings.

Time Limit: 30 minutes.

Reward: 300 Coins.

Failure: Death.

+++

The dokkaebi smiled faintly before fading into another dimension.

{ Now then, I hope you all can show me an interesting story. }

Damn it. This was real. Not a dream. The novel I’d read since high school—was now reality.

Chapter Text

— Happy Reading —

Everyone reacted differently after the dokkaebi disappeared. Some tried to exit the train, while others attempted to call the police.

Dazai simply observed his surroundings before deciding to move from his seat.

He might want to die, but he certainly didn’t want to die with his head blown off or by some furry doll-like creature. Dazai Osamu hated pain.

He walked calmly, ignoring the chaos caused by the other passengers. Even a soldier trying to calm everyone down didn’t catch his attention.

His steps halted in front of a young boy with brown hair, holding a basket of insects. Dazai didn’t know how to start a conversation with a child.

He was, after all, just a reality created by Og Dazai Osamu with the help of The Book’s power.

In the memories linked to Og Dazai Osamu, there were no recollections of how to interact with children—except how Og Dazai dealt with Kyouka, Nakajima, or Akutagawa, which was far from proper child interaction, as children were “abnormal.”

Then, a long-buried memory surfaced:

A memory of how Og Odasaku taught him to interact with children, specifically the orphans he had adopted.

Dazai exhaled and crouched down to the boy’s level, speaking in the softest, gentlest voice he could manage:

“Hi there, may I have one of your insects? I think they’re really cool.”

Though awkward at first, it captured the boy’s attention. The fear in his eyes faded, replaced by a small spark of excitement.

“Really? You really think my insects are cool, hyung?”

“Hm~.”

Dazai nodded in response, making the boy smile sweetly. The boy then picked two insects and handed them to Dazai.

“These are for you, hyung. I actually knew you wanted one of my insects to do what the creature asked, so I’m giving you two—one for killing and one for you!”

The boy spoke softly, making Dazai pause for a moment before showing a slight, genuine smile—far from his usual perfect, fake smile.

“Hm~ Thank you, kid. But you have to kill one too, smart boy~”

Dazai said in a sing-song tone, gently patting the boy’s head. The boy blushed lightly at the compliment.

Dazai then took both insects, squeezing one of them, and a notification appeared:

[ You have received the ‘First Kill’ achievement! ]

[ 100 coins added as compensation bonus.]

[ You have killed a living creature. ]

[ 100 coins added as compensation bonus.]

[ You have killed a sentient creature.]

[ 100 coins added as compensation bonus.]

The continuous notifications made Dazai raise an eyebrow before chuckling, realizing that the grasshopper the boy had given him was a female about to lay eggs.

— Kim Dokja POV —

While I was focused on fighting Kim Namwoon, my attention was suddenly drawn to a series of notifications.

[ You have received the ‘First Kill’ achievement! ] 

[ 100 coins added as compensation bonus.]

[ You have killed a living creature.]

[ 100 coins added as compensation bonus.]

[ You have killed a sentient creature.]

[ 100 coins added as compensation bonus.]

I immediately looked for the source of the notifications. My gaze fell on a young man, about 22 years old, wearing extremely expensive clothing from head to toe.

But that wasn’t what caught my attention. It was the bandages wrapping most of his body and half of his face.

‘ Oh my god! Even with nearly his entire body bandaged, his face is stunning! Beautiful but not feminine, handsome but not masculine. How can a human have a face like that?! ’

I exclaimed in my head. His face was the perfect balance of beauty and handsomeness. Even his waist was slim!

God is so unfair! How can someone have such perfectly balanced features?!

Wait… why does he look so familiar?

『 He wore a long black coat that wrapped his slim figure, a contrasting white shirt beneath, a vest adding a formal touch, long black trousers, and a blood-red scarf around his neck as an accessory. The bandages were his signature, giving him a mysterious yet elegant aura. 』

『 Wherever he went, he drew all eyes to him, like a top model. That’s Dazai Osamu. 』

Damn! Could this young man really be Dazai Osamu? A cameo character who temporarily accompanied Yoo Joonghyuk in the main scenario #49!

How could he appear at the very start of the scenario?!

Before I could process the unexpected arrival of Dazai Osamu, Kim Namwoon suddenly shouted and attacked me wildly.

“Ahjussi, you shouldn’t lose focus during the fight!”

I dodged all of his erratic attacks, and then the dokkaebi reappeared:

{ Haha, according to my data, the people of this country are very skilled at games. I guess it’s time to increase the level, then? }

A massive timer appeared in mid-air. The numbers decreased rapidly.

[ Time reduced by 10 minutes. ]

[ 10 minutes remaining. ]

[ If no living creature is killed within 5 minutes, everyone in this carriage will die. ]

Then the dokkaebi vanished again, causing chaos inside the carriage to escalate.

Kim Namwoon attacked me frantically, but I dodged every strike.

I glanced around and noticed a brown-haired boy who had fallen with his box of insects.

I quickly ran to him, handed him one insect, and squeezed the other.

The notifications appeared again:

[ You have killed a living creature. ]

[ 100 coins added as compensation.]

[ You have killed a living creature.]

[ 100 coins added as compensation.]

Finally, I could exhale in relief.

I threw the remaining insects, causing all the passengers to panic, while Kim Namwoon still targeted me.

I quickly used the coins I earned to level up all my attributes.

“Damn it! Why won’t you die?!”

Kim Namwoon’s attacks became wild and uncontrolled, especially as the countdown continued.

55 seconds… 50 seconds… 45 seconds…

The blade, slightly stained with my blood, barely grazed me.

30 seconds left. Kim Namwoon began dropping his knife and knelt before me, opening his mouth:

“P-please help me!”

25 seconds.

He begged, tears falling as time ticked away.

“Please! Help me! Help me!”

I asked coldly:

“Why should I save you?”

20 seconds.

Kim Namwoon froze before stammering:

“L-life is important, right?! Right?!”

I repeated his words, coldly:

“That’s the rule in the old world. As you said, a new world means new rules.”

10 seconds.

“I-I don’t want to, I don’t want to die! AAAAARGH!”

He panicked, running toward me with his knife aimed at my eyes.

5 seconds.

Suddenly, in the last five seconds, the young man in black—Dazai Osamu—appeared and handed an insect to Kim Namwoon.

Kim Namwoon squeezed it immediately, and a notification appeared:

[ Scenario completed. ]

A loud explosion rocked the carriage.

[ Paid completion will now begin. ]

Heads inside the carriage began exploding, one by one, like New Year fireworks, marking the dawn of a new era.

I watched this scene with a strange mix of relief, sadness, and an indescribable feeling.

Why? Why was I calm witnessing this? It felt like I was watching a scene from a novel.

[ You have killed 124 lives. ]

[ Killed: One grasshopper, 123 grasshopper eggs. ]

[ You have killed defenseless creatures; coin rewards reduced by half. ]

[ 6,200 coins obtained! ]

[ Coins used for leveling automatically deducted. ]

[ Total coins: 3,500. ]

[ ‘Mass Murderer’ achievement unlocked due to excessive kills. ]

My reflection appeared in the darkened window.

The face in front of me no longer felt familiar, even after seeing it countless times in the mirror over decades.

I wiped the blood on my cheek. It didn’t disappear—it was stuck to the window.

Creak.

My body swayed as the train began moving again. The familiar creaking filled my ears.

Soon, light appeared outside the window. The train had reached the surface rails of Line 3, between Apgujeong and Oksu.

Outside, the Han River and Seoul cityscape greeted me.

A sigh escaped. I could feel an immense relief in that sound—the deep relief of surviving.

But that relief quickly shifted.

The Seoul I saw was no longer familiar. Thick black smoke and dust covered the city.

The Han River bridge had collapsed, the river’s surface red with soldiers’ corpses. Giant monsters stomped on K1 tanks like toys.

[ Main Scenario #1 – Prove Your Worth has ended. ]

[ 300 coins awarded for completion. ]

[ 100 coins deducted for channel usage. ]

[ Additional compensation distribution will begin. ]

One world had crumbled, and from its ruins, a new world was born.

…And I was the only reader who knew the ending of this new world.

---

Kim Namwoon gradually regained composure, though his body still trembled from the near-death experience.

Initially kneeling, head bowed, he now looked up at the person who saved him.

“W-why? Why did you save me?”

Dazai, who had been staring out the window, suddenly turned to him and replied:

“Because you remind me of my unruly dog.”

Kim Namwoon was stunned, then huffed:

“You’re weird, hyung.”

“I’m a genius, not weird.”

“Whatever you say, hyung.”

[ Character ‹Kim Namwoon› has begun liking character ‹Dazai Osamu› ]

Chapter Text

— Happy Reading —

The subway finally came to a halt in the middle of Dongho Bridge.

"Oh God..."

The remaining passengers in the car stood up and gazed out the window. The view was shocking: Seoul lay in ruins, buildings collapsed, and destruction stretched as far as the eye could see.

Emerging from the surface of the Han River was a swarm of massive, snake-like monsters feasting on the wreckage of fighter jets.

"Oh my gosh, what is that thing...!"

Kim Dokja recognized the creature immediately.

An Ichthyosaurus—a sea serpent. In the Survival Guide world, it would later be classified as a Level 7 monster.

One of the ichthyosaurs turned to look at their train.

"U-Uwaaah! It’s looking at us!"

People screamed in fear. But not Kim Dokja or Dazai Osamu.

Kim Dokja paid no mind to the ichthyosaurus, knowing it wasn’t yet a threat.

Dazai Osamu, on the other hand, merely watched with curiosity—and briefly wondered what it would feel like to be swallowed by such a creature. Quickly, he dismissed the thought. Forget it! Dying from acidic gastric fluids would be painful and disgusting to even imagine.

Kurururung!

The ichthyosaurus coiled around a pillar of Dongho Bridge, then transformed into a cloud of bubbles and vanished. In the Survival Guide world, “scenarios” were absolute rules that could not be tampered with.

As long as they remained protected by the scenario, they wouldn’t face deadly monsters without warning—at least, for now.

[ Compensation is delayed due to a sudden evaluation of the scenario. Please wait. ]

The compensation should have already been processed, but an error message appeared in the air.

‘ Maybe it’s because of me and Dazai’s appearance in the subway. ’

Kim Dokja thought, glancing at Kim Namwoon, who was enthusiastically interacting with Dazai Osamu.

In Three Ways of Survival, Kim Namwoon was supposed to kill almost everyone in this car and advance to the next scenario.

‘ But it didn’t happen, because the presence of me and Dazai Osamu prevented Kim Namwoon from killing half the passengers, as written in the novel. ’

Kim Dokja reflected before turning his attention to the notifications floating in the air.

[ Some Constellations admire your scenario.]

[ Constellations have sponsored 500 coins for you. ]

Constellations... they were mysterious entities in the Survival Guide, watching this world unfold from their seats in distant nebulae. They were also the ones orchestrating these tragedies.

As messages indicating the preferences of the Constellations appeared, Kim Dokja realized the real show was about to begin.

He felt a twinge of amusement. Just yesterday, he and his allies had been at odds. Today, they were being observed.

"...Dokja-ssi? Are you okay?"

Kim Dokja turned to see Yoo Sangah. Her shoulders sagged, her white blouse was stained with blood, and her stockings torn.

The Yoo Sangah he once knew seemed gone.

"Sorry... I couldn’t save the old lady."

Kim Dokja glanced at the old lady’s headless corpse on the floor. He didn’t even know her name. Likely, many more people would die like this. Yoo Sangah looked at him with an unreadable expression.

"How did you... Dokja-ssi?"

"Hm?"

Kim Dokja understood what Yoo Sangah wanted to ask but chose to feign ignorance. Unbeknownst to him, Dazai had been observing his act all along.

‘Wow, that was a terrible act…’

Dazai thought, watching Kim Dokja wait silently.

"Ah, no. Actually... thank you."

"For what?"

"For that..."

Kim Dokja recalled the earlier scene, understanding what had transpired.

"It was just coincidence. Next time, you might not be so lucky."

"Ah..."

Yoo Sangah nodded silently, understanding the meaning despite not knowing the full truth.

Some live because of Kim Dokja’s actions, others die. Regardless of how one survives, he felt he didn’t deserve gratitude.

{ Wow, incredible. }

The Dokkaebi appeared again in the air.

{ What exactly is happening here? I was watching the other carriage… }

Stars twinkled above its head. Kim Dokja counted them: one, two, three… twenty-one. The Dokkaebi was clearly delighted.

{ There are 21 constellations connected to my channel… Haha, isn’t that amazing? Thank you for your sponsorship, everyone! Did you showcase your abilities properly? }

The number of stars represented the number of Constellations linked to the channel. Twenty-one wasn’t a huge number, but for a rookie Dokkaebi, it was impressive.

{ Many survivors, huh? Even the people in the next car are crazy… Seems like today has many interesting stories. }

The Dokkaebi waved its hands in the air, operating some invisible controls. Soon, a list of survivors appeared.

[Survivors from Subway 3434 Bulgwang Line, Car 3807: Kim Dokja, Lee Hyunsung, Yoo Sangah, Han Myungoh, Lee Gilyoung, Dazai Osamu, and Kim Namwoon. Total survivors: 7.]

Seven survivors—more than Kim Dokja expected.

He observed each survivor. Lee Hyunsung had a fit body and incredible motor skills, so Dokja was confident in his survival. Yoo Sangah, he thought, might survive as well.

And then there was Lee Gilyoung, the boy standing next to Dazai Osamu, his hands still covered in crushed dead grasshoppers.

The boy silently watched his mother’s beheaded corpse. She had abandoned him to kill the old woman. From start to finish, he had silently witnessed it all.

Dokja wanted to approach him but heard Dazai’s gentle yet awkward voice.

"Your name is Lee Gilyoung, right?"

Gilyoung nodded. Dazai crouched to his level.

"Listen, life is a brief yet beautiful journey, while death is a quiet night, awaiting the end of every story."

Dazai spoke in a soothing tone, gently placing a hand on Gilyoung’s shoulder.

"So, Gilyoung, do you want to live and take this brief journey with me?"

Gilyoung bit his lip and nodded firmly, accepting Dazai’s offer.

Dazai ruffled Gilyoung’s hair with a smile:

"You’re truly a smart and brave boy."

"Yak! Hyung!!! I want to go too!"

"No, you’re foolish, Kim Namwoon."

"Mou!!! No! I’m just a little weak at biology!"

"I don’t believe it~"

"Hyung!!!!"

As Dazai and Kim Namwoon argued, a message from the Constellations suddenly appeared, halting their bickering.

[ Some Constellations admire your good deed. ]

[ Constellations have sponsored 200 coins for you. ]

Dazai wanted to laugh. Being called “good”? That was absurd. All he did was manipulate Gilyoung’s fragile emotions, though part of him had acted to fulfill Og Odasaku’s past wishes.

"A-Are you going to let us go now? You’ve gotten what you wanted."

Han Myungoh shouted from behind, his shirt ripped. His voice made Dazai’s head spin, Kim Namwoon frown, and Gilyoung clutch Dazai’s pants tighter.

Han Myungoh was incredibly lucky. But Kim Dokja wondered—why was he even on this subway? He had been busy flaunting his new Mercedes Benz S-Class.

{ Released? Have you looked outside? Are you sure you want to go out there? }

The Dokkaebi chuckled.

{ You all deserve praise. I didn’t expect anything from the passengers, yet you completed the first scenario. Even the smallest insects are worthy of survival. }

Kim Dokja realized their value in the Dokkaebi’s eyes was no more than that of a grasshopper.

{ Alright, those who passed the first challenge deserve a reward. Yes, you get sponsorship from the Constellations. Waaaaw! Excited? Hmm, not very enthusiastic… This is a very important event.}

Only Kim Dokja fully understood the meaning of “sponsorship.” It meant the upcoming “Sponsor Selection” event—the most crucial event in Survival Guide—was about to begin.

{ Alright, those who survive the obstacles deserve rewards. As a reward for completing the first scenario, you are entitled to sponsorship from the Constellations. Waaaaw! Excited, aren’t you? Hmm, you seem underwhelmed. But this is a very important event. }

Only Kim Dokja understood the meaning of the Constellations’ sponsorship.

Sponsorship from the Constellations meant that one of the most crucial events in the Survival Guide—Selection of Sponsors—was about to begin.

{ Hmm, you all seem confused. Simply put, you are still very weak. If I threw you into the next scenario now, you’d die easily—even from the weakest Mole Rats, let alone the Kruk. But don’t worry, there are 'big people' in this world who pity you and are willing to sponsor you. Do you understand?}

Lee Hyunsung, still confused, asked:

"What does that mean? Who sponsors whom…?"

{ Better to see once than hear a hundred times. Try experiencing it yourselves. But some unlucky ones won’t make it. Hahahaha!}

Kim Dokja felt tense. The right choice now would make future survival much easier.

Dazai, meanwhile, raised an eyebrow. Kim Namwoon noticed and asked:

"Hyung, do you know something about this?"

Kim Namwoon and Gilyoung looked at Dazai, waiting.

"Hmm… I just feel that these so-called Constellations are gods who watch this scenario like a movie."

Kim Namwoon nodded, seemingly understanding, while Gilyoung nodded without fully grasping it.

"Dokja-ssi? Two strange options just appeared in front of me…"

Yoo Sangah spoke, staring at two choices before her.

"Even if you ask me, I don’t understand."

Sometimes, lies were necessary to avoid suspicion. Yoo Sangah was lucky.

"Just stay calm. Think of it as a sort of aptitude test."

"Aptitude test…"

"Nobody really understands this situation, so just stay calm, alright?"

"Ah… okay, I understand."

Yoo Sangah closed her mouth and focused on the empty space in front of her. Her expression was serious, seemingly captivated.

Everyone fell silent, reading their options. Kim Dokja also had options he could see.

[ Sponsor Selection ]

– Please choose your sponsor.

– Your chosen sponsor will become your strongest supporter.

+ Abyssal Black Flame Dragon.

+ Demon-like Judge of Fire.

+ Secretive Plotter.

+ Prisoner of the Golden Headband.

Four mysterious options—four Constellations interested in making Kim Dokja their incarnation.

The Constellations never revealed their real names, using aliases instead: “Abyssal,” “Demon,” “Garden,” etc.

For Kim Dokja, the puzzle was manageable.

Abyssal Black Flame Dragon: Leads the Black Cloud Constellations. Grants immense offensive power, perfect for early scenarios. However, frequent use could corrupt the user’s mind, turning them into a psychotic. Typically sponsors chuunibuyou-like people. Kim Dokja didn’t feel comfortable with this one, so he ignored it.

Demon-like Judge of Fire: First appeared in Kim Dokja’s reading. Sounds like a villain but is actually an angel. Powerful but comes with crazy conditions. Pending.

Secretive Plotter: First time Kim Dokja saw this. Identity unknown, probably not very powerful. Pending.

Prisoner of the Golden Headband: Made Kim Dokja’s heart leap. Only one in Journey to the West has a golden headband—the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. Grants incredible power capable of wiping out hundreds of incarnations at once.

While Dokja debated internally, Dazai stared blankly at his screen.

"Hyung, have you chosen?"

Kim Namwoon asked.

"You? Have you chosen?" Dazai countered.

"I chose Abyssal Black Flame Dragon because the name sounds cool."

[ Constellation «Abyssal Black Flame Dragon» approves its incarnation’s words. Name is indeed cool. ]

[ 100 Coins Sponsored. ]

A message popped up, shocking Kim Namwoon.

"Wait? You can communicate with me?! I thought Constellations couldn’t!"

[ The constellation «Abyssal Black Flame Dragon» snorted at his incarnation's words, of course he could communicate. ]

“Hmm…~ you two are getting close too quickly~,”

Dazai said with a teasing tone, glancing at Kim Namwoon, who was deeply engrossed in arguing with his Constellation. Naturally, Kim Namwoon ignored him completely.

The two had even started exchanging playful jabs with each other.

“Gilyoung, have you chosen your Constellation?”

Gilyoung nodded in response to Dazai’s question, then looked up and asked him,

“Hyung, have you chosen?”

Dazai simply shook his head, leaving Gilyoung confused, as well as several of the Constellations.

[ Many Constellations are confused by your choice. ]

[ Constellations «Abyssal Black Flame Dragon» is curious about you. ]

[ Constellations «Demon-like Judge of Fire» surprised by your choice. ]

[ Constellations «Secretive Plotter» surprised by your presence. ]

[ Constellations «Prisoner of the Golden Headband» asks why you haven’t chosen a sponsor. ]

[ Many Constellations are waiting, curious. ]

Dazai sighed and answered:

" My body cannot handle the Constellation’s power; it would reject the overload and cause death as a side effect. "

‘ Besides, I don't know if No Longer Human will have any side effects on the constellation's power. ’

In Dazai’s mind, this caused Gilyoung to widen his eyes in surprise, and Kim Namwoon, who had just finished arguing with his Constellation and had been watching all along, was equally taken a back.

[ Many Constellations are surprised by your answer! ]

[ «Secretive Plotter» anticipated your response. ]

[ 500 Coins Sponsored. ]

Dazai blinked, then asked the question on his mind:

"Constellation-ssi… have you met me before?"

.

Chapter Text

— Happy Reading —

Suddenly, everything went silent because of the question Dazai had asked. Receiving no answer, Dazai sighed and asked Gilyoung to go to Kim Namwoon.

As if understanding what Dazai intended, Kim Namwoon immediately stepped away from Dazai while taking Gilyoung along.

"Well, never mind. You don’t need to answer that question," Dazai said, as if trying to lighten the mood, before continuing.

"I hope you don’t hate me for not choosing any Constellation, because you know—even if I want to die—dying from an explosion due to overloading power isn’t on my list of ways to kill myself."

Dazai spoke in the pose of a teacher scolding students who had done something wrong—if only the topic wasn’t about suicide or his own death.

[ Some Constellations felt uneasy about the topic of the incarnation. ]

[ Constellation «Abyssal Black Flame Dragon» was shocked by the incarnation’s words! ]

[ Constellation «Demon-like Judge of Fire» was extremely surprised by the incarnation’s desire for death! ]

[ Constellation «Secretive Plotter» furrowed their brow at the incarnation’s lingering suicidal tendencies. ]

[ Constellation «Prisoner of the Golden Headband» was shocked and asked why the incarnation wanted to die? ]

Dazai ignored all the Constellations’ messages, but one caught his attention.

A question from the Constellation «Prisoner of the Golden Headband» asking why he desired death.

" Because sometimes I wonder if my existence has any meaning. Sometimes I feel like I’m not even human. I feel empty, like a body without a soul, a Marionette moved by strings. "

" So, isn’t it better to await death than to live a life without any meaning at all? "

With a vacant gaze that seemed capable of drawing anyone who looked into his eyes into an endless abyss of darkness.

All the Constellations fell silent upon hearing Dazai’s response, until an unexpected Constellation sent a message.

[ Constellation «Queen of the Darkest Spring» asked if the incarnation desired anything besides death.]

Seeing this message, a faint glimmer appeared in Dazai Osamu’s empty eyes, and he replied.

"I do not desire anything else. Why do you ask me such a question, Constellation-san?"

[ Constellation «Queen of the Darkest Spring» felt that the incarnation also had the right to live. ]

Dazai wanted to laugh mockingly at the Constellation’s message. Dazai Osamu never deserved to live or have happiness because every time he experienced even a small amount of joy, it was always cruelly taken from him.

So, was it even right for Dazai Osamu to live and obtain happiness?

"Then, Constellation-ssi, could you show me the meaning of my existence? And teach me the meaning of life?"

Dazai said, with a sweet smile etched on his handsome face. Yet, this made all the Constellations silent, until Constellation «Secretive Plotter» sent a message.

[ Constellation «Secretive Plotter» said they would show the incarnation ‹Dazai Osamu› the meaning of his existence and the purpose of life. ]

[ Constellation «Demon-like Judge of Fire» said they would also help! They would make the incarnation feel that his life is valuable! ]

[ Constellation «Abyssal Black Flame Dragon» said they would also join, because the incarnation ‹Dazai Osamu› had saved their life. ]

[ Constellation «Prisoner of the Golden Headband» said they would also join, because they still wanted to see the story that the incarnation ‹Dazai Osamu› would tell. ]

All these messages left Dazai stunned before he chuckled and said,

"I will wait and look forward to that, Constellation-san. I hope you can teach me these things, and if not, I only hope you give me a painless death, because I hate pain."

Dazai said this with a sweet smile, hands folded behind his back, body leaning slightly forward.

Before deciding to end the conversation and rejoin Kim Namwoon and Lee Gilyoung.

The survivors around them gathered, forming a circle. The first person to introduce themselves was Lee Hyunsung.

"Hello, my name is Lee Hyunsung."

"Kim Dokja."

Kim Dokja replied while extending his hand, which Lee Hyunsung shook immediately.

"Nice to meet you, Kim Dokja-ssi, though maybe greetings like this aren’t suitable for our situation. As you’ve probably heard before, I was a soldier… or rather, I used to be a soldier."

"Lee Hyunsung-ssi, have you been able to contact your unit?"

"...Yes."

Their hands were still clasped, and Kim Dokja could feel the firm grip—a display of a tanker's strength that appeared early in the Three Ways of Survival scenario.

Kim Dokja knew he had to bring Lee Hyunsung along. Even though Lee Hyunsung seemed ordinary now, by the end of Three Ways of Survival, he would become a very important figure.

"Ah, Dokja-ssi."

"Yes?"

"I want to thank you. If it weren’t for your idea, we would all be dead."

"No, it had nothing to do with me."

"Even if I could survive on my own, I doubt I could live as a human again. Truly, thank you. And… I also feel ashamed of myself."

Lee Hyunsung bowed respectfully, giving Kim Dokja a complicated feeling. After all, even without his help, Lee Hyunsung would have survived.

"Tch, what’s with that old man? That same man almost killed me if Hyung hadn’t helped just in time," Kim Namwoon sneered at Lee Hyunsung, still bowing to Kim Dokja, hands folded.

Lee Gilyoung just nodded, as before, it was Dazai who first came up with the idea after Kim Dokja had carelessly thrown his insect basket.

Gilyoung did not dislike Kim Dokja, but he felt Lee Hyunsung was overdoing his expression of gratitude.

Then someone grabbed Kim Dokja’s shoulder.

"Hahaha, our contract worker has done something impressive. Dokja-ssi, do you know who I am?"

Even without turning, Kim Dokja knew who it was. He quickly brushed the hand off his shoulder.

"Yes, Han Myungoh-ssi."

Kim Dokja’s reply made Han Myungoh furrow his brow and say,

"Han Myungoh-ssi? Shouldn’t you call me Department Head?"

Han Myungoh, who had been talking nonsense all this time, angered Kim Namwoon, who had been watching, and he quickly spoke up.

"Oi! Old man this isn’t a company! So don’t use your useless title here."

Kim Namwoon’s words shocked everyone, especially after what he said at the beginning of the scenario. Han Myungoh, hearing this, became angry.

Pointing at Kim Namwoon, he shouted,

"Y-you! Brat! Is that how you speak to your elders?!"

Han Myungoh shouted angrily, but Kim Namwoon was unfazed and lightly replied,

"Does an annoying person like you, old man, deserve to be treated like a normal elder? Besides, open your eyes and look at our current situation."

Kim Namwoon said arrogantly, spreading his hands as if to show Han Myungoh that the world had changed.

"Are you still unable to open your eyes and understand the situation? Haven’t you been beaten by that weird creature? Minosoft? Do you think your company still exists while the world is in ruins?"

Han Myungoh was stunned by Kim Namwoon’s words, and the other survivors were also taken aback.

Meanwhile, Dazai, who had been watching the scene unfold, raised an eyebrow and observed it with amusement.

And for Kim Dokja, he felt strangely satisfied that Kim Namwoon had silenced the boastful Han Myungoh.

" Wow, those were some impressive words, Namwoon-ah~ I didn’t expect you could string words together like that with that brain of yours."

Dazai, who had been observing the debate, finally felt bored and decided to intervene.

" Hey! Hyung! My brain isn’t like your genius one! So don’t compare it to mine! And thanks for the compliment. "

Kim Namwoon said angrily, but it was clear his eyes shone as he heard Dazai’s teasing praise.

'Oh!!!! Is this the voice of Dazai Osamu, the cameo character?! Damn, his voice is so melodious!!! No wonder the author wrote such a detailed and dramatic description of Dazai Osamu’s voice and appearance!'

Kim Dokja’s mind screamed as he finally heard the voice of one of his favorite characters in Three Ways of Survival, his second favorite character.

"Are you one of the survivors in this car, sir?"

Yoo Sangha asked Dazai, who blinked before introducing himself.

"Yes, I am one of the survivors here, Yoo Sangha-ssi. My name is Dazai, Dazai Osamu."

Dazai introduced himself with a faint smile, hands in the pockets of his coat.

‘YES!!! One of Dazai’s iconic lines is when he introduces himself!!!’

Kim Dokja’s mind screamed again hearing the iconic line of his favorite character.

After Dazai introduced himself, Kim Namwoon followed.

"Kim Namwoon."

And Lee Gilyoung, who had been quiet and hiding next to Dazai since returning, also introduced himself softly.

"Lee Gilyoung..."

He spoke so quietly that he immediately hid behind Dazai Osamu again, reminding Dazai of young, shy Akutagawa Gin, who would hide when he was little.

Then Dazai spoke to Han Myungoh about the changed world.

"Han Myungoh-ssi? Do you really think this is just a dream or an illusion? After all this destruction? Haven’t you used your limited brain to realize that your stupid company is most likely gone?”

Han Myungoh turned pale at Dazai’s words, which oddly pleased Kim Dokja.

Because now Han Myungoh would hear another line from Dazai Osamu!

" Not just Han Myungoh-ssi, all of you, wake up. You heard the Dokkaebi, this is not a game. "

All the surviving passengers went silent after hearing Dazai’s words.

"…"

Kim Dokja continued Dazai’s explanation.

"At least you should be able to guess what kind of situation we’re in. Exclusive Skills, Attribute Window, video game-like visuals. So, does anyone still not understand?"

And indeed, no one raised their hand. For South Koreans, understanding this situation was easy. Thanks to smartphones being widespread, everyone had at least tried an RPG or read a fantasy novel.

Lee Hyunsung sighed.

"This situation is like the novel I read when I was on duty. But it’s hard to believe. This isn’t a dream, right?"

"Yes, this is reality."

Kim Dokja’s firm reply changed Lee Hyunsung’s gaze slightly and caught Dazai Osamu’s attention.

Dazai, who had been watching Kim Dokja, hid a grin behind his hand.

Many scenarios formed in Dazai’s mind, ready to be realized, and the key was the office worker Kim Dokja.

[ Character ‘Lee Hyunsung’ places a bit of trust in you. ]

[ Your understanding of the character ‘Lee Hyunsung’ has increased. ]

A message surprised Kim Dokja, coming from his always-active skill.

Lee Hyunsung nodded, then asked Kim Dokja.

"Alright, if you’re sure. So, what should we do now? Do you have a suggestion, Dokja-ssi?"

"We have to get out of here."

Kim Dokja replied without hesitation.

"G-Get out? Are you crazy?"

Han Myungoh panicked at Kim Dokja’s answer, questioning his sanity.

"Dokja-ssi, I also don’t..."

Yoo Sangha even protested this time. Not everyone had realized the situation yet.

"Then, how long do we stay here?"

In truth, Kim Dokja’s argument made sense. Outside was a haven for monsters. But Kim Dokja knew they had to leave the train immediately.

"Have you thought about your parents? Are they safe amidst this situation?"

" M-My network has been down for a while. KakaoTalk isn’t active either... "

Yoo Sangha lamented in despair.

Indeed, Confucian values still ran strong in South Korea. Even Lee Hyunsung and Han Myungoh looked anxious hearing the word 'parents'.

Yoo Sangha was the first to rise from her worry.

"Alright. I’ll get out of here."

"W-Wait! Didn’t you hear what that creature said? Stay here! What if our heads explode if we leave suddenly?!"

Han Myungoh panicked, contradicting Yoo Sangha.

"Then let’s take a majority vote."

Kim Dokja said firmly, which impressed Dazai.

Yoo Sangha responded first, raising her hand, followed by Dazai Osamu, Kim Namwoon, Lee Gilyoung, and Kim Dokja himself. But the number of hands raised stopped there.

"I have to go to headquarters, but it seems too dangerous. There’s even a disaster warning."

Lee Hyunsung didn’t raise his hand, explaining his reason.

" Damnit, you guys go on your own! I’m not joining! I don’t want to go out there! "

As for Han Myungoh, he was just a cowardly, annoying old man, making Dazai roll his eyes and Kim Namwoon sigh in annoyance at the nonsense.

Kim Dokja ignored Han Myungoh, focusing on Lee Hyunsung. He had to bring Lee Hyunsung along…

Bwoong!

The metal door connecting car 3707 made a loud noise. It appeared slightly dented now.

"W-What is that?"

Han Myungoh’s hysterical scream was nearly drowned out by another loud noise from the door.

Bwoong!

Someone was trying to break the door from the other side. Now, it was truly an unexpected situation. Kim Dokja had to think fast. Had a new scenario begun? No, the Dokkaebi hadn’t returned yet. That meant…

Kim Dokja’s mind raced. Goosebumps rose, and he shivered. ‘He’ was coming.

"He-hey? Everyone, hold the door!"

Han Myungoh shouted, running to the train door. Lee Hyunsung also started to run before Dazai held his hand.

"You two won’t be able to hold the door."

Dazai Osamu’s words confused Lee Hyunsung.

"Eh?"

"We have to get out of here."

Dazai stared at the metal door seriously.

"Eh? But..."

"If we don’t leave now—"

Lee Hyunsung and Han Myungoh tried to argue, making Dazai exhale in annoyance and speak harshly.

"We must get out of this car! The person behind that door doesn’t have bugs or luck like us. Behind that door is a madman who will likely slaughter everyone in this car!"

Dazai’s words made all the survivors pale. Kim Dokja knew exactly who Dazai was referring to behind the door.

The sole survivor from car 3707. Kim Dokja knew perfectly who was behind that metal door.

"We’ll die before the next scenario starts, and I don’t want to die with my head separated from my body!"

Dazai shouted, venting his frustration at how slowly the survivors understood.

[ Constellation «Secretive Plotter» felt slightly offended by the incarnation ‹Dazai Osamu›’s words. ]

The Constellation’s message left Dazai, who was frustrated, confused.

"Huh?"

[ Constellation «Secretive Plotter» said not to worry about that and urged the incarnation ‹Dazai Osamu› to leave the car immediately before the dangerous person finds him! ]

Even without the Constellation’s request, Dazai of course wanted to get out! Oh, come on, he wanted to die, but not in such a brutal way! Perhaps dying from poison would be better than having his body cut apart by swords or knives!

"Lee Hyunsung-ssi, use your skill."

Kim Dokja said, looking at Lee Hyunsung. Lee Hyunsung, confused, tried to follow Kim Dokja’s instructions.

Quickly, Lee Hyunsung did his best to open the train car door, creating tension as survivors in the next car continued pounding on their door.

As Lee Hyunsung tried to open the door, his biceps swelled after activating his skill:

Great Mountain Push.

"Wow! Amazing skill, Ahjussi!!!"

Kim Namwoon shouted, impressed, as did Lee Gilyoung, whose eyes sparkled seeing Lee Hyunsung efficiently pry open the metal door.

"We need to get out of here!"

As soon as Kim Dokja said this, all survivors except Han Myungoh jumped out of the train carriage.

Chapter Text

— Happy Reading —

Seeing the survivors finally running out, without even looking back or caring about Han Myungoh who stubbornly refused to leave the train car.

Then, the Dokkaebi appeared once again out of thin air, sighing as he spoke.

{ …Ah, you humans really are something. I knew this would happen. Even after seeing with my own eyes what they did earlier? Didn’t I already tell you not to go anywhere yet? Damn it! The scenario isn’t even ready yet— }

The Dokkaebi, who seemed irritated, revealed himself, floating above Dongho Bridge.

“See! Didn’t I tell you not to leave already?!”

Han Myungoh screamed while clutching his head tightly, as though worried it would explode. But there was nothing to worry about.

{ Haa…~ Well, what can I do? You humans really are both lucky and stubborn. }

The Dokkaebi said, then snapped his fingers. A transparent screen appeared, displaying the next Scenario which had already started the moment the train doors opened.

[ Scenario #2 has arrived! ]

+

[ Scenario #2 – Escape ]

Category: Additional

Difficulty: E

Clear Condition: Cross the broken bridge and enter Oksu Station.

Time Limit: 20 minutes.

Reward: 200 coins.

Penalty: ???

+

Yoo Sangah, who saw the screen, was confused and asked Kim Dokja while running beside him.

“Dokja-ssi, something’s strange. It says here ‘broken bridge’ but the bridge isn’t… yet—”

Kim Dokja, running and hearing Yoo Sangah’s words, quickly responded.

“Don’t think about it, just run!”

“O-Okay!”

Indeed, as Yoo Sangah had noticed, the bridge wasn’t broken yet. Which meant it was about to be destroyed.

“Dokja-ssi, hurry!”

“Yes, yes.”

The bridge hadn’t been destroyed yet because they exited the train too quickly. The Dokkaebi had said preparations would take ten minutes, but they came out three minutes earlier.

Some might think this was cheating or cowardly, but the scenario couldn’t be cleared without shortcuts.

Especially since Kim Dokja was stuck with a burden—Yoo Sangah. Meanwhile, Lee Gilyoung was currently being carried on the back of Kim Namwoon, who was already running behind Dazai Osamu.

“Haa, haa. Lee Hyunsung-ssi really is a soldier, his stamina is incredible.”

Yoo Sangah commented upon seeing Lee Hyunsung running without showing signs of fatigue, which made Kim Dokja warn her to stop talking.

“Don’t speak, you’ll waste your energy.”

Yoo Sangah immediately fell silent after hearing Kim Dokja’s words. At the same time, Lee Hyunsung could be seen leading the group, followed by Kim Namwoon carrying Lee Gilyoung, and right behind them was Dazai Osamu.

The three of them were true monsters—without spending a single coin, their total stats already exceeded 23 points.

Although Dazai Osamu was more like the embodiment of a devil itself, as described in Three Ways of Survival.

Next came Yoo Sangah, then Kim Dokja, and at the very back was Han Myungoh. Despite the tight time, Kim Dokja still hoped they could escape.

“Argh! What the hell is that?!”

Suddenly Han Myungoh screamed again. A giant whirlpool appeared in the middle of the Han River, water splashing everywhere. A massive monster emerged from its center—an Ichthyosaurus.

This one was twice as large as the first they had seen from the train window.

This was no mere sea serpent—it was their commander. The Sea Serpent Commander, a level 7 monster. For reference, a level 9 monster was one difficult for ordinary humans to deal with, while a level 7 could massacre them with ease.

In other words, this was not a monster anyone could handle at the beginning scenarios. But of course, they weren’t meant to fight it now. The monster’s appearance wasn’t as an opponent.

Ku ku ku ku!

Like a tsunami, waves surged across the Han River, centered around the sea monster. And its target was the bridge pillars ahead.

“Watch out, the bridge is going to collapse!”

“Run faster! Maybe we can still cross!”

Only about 200 meters remained. According to Dazai’s estimate, at their current speed, they still had time to cross before the bridge fell.

{ If it’s too easy, the game won’t be fun. }

Dazai wanted to curse right then—because he knew what that damn furry creature was about to do.

[The scenario’s difficulty has been adjusted.]

[ Difficulty: E → D ]

The Dokkaebi’s laughter echoed. Dazai could only curse silently in his mind. Why wouldn’t that damn furball just grant him a painless death?!

{ What’s the fun in just running? Let’s spice things up a bit! }

[ The vengeful spirits of the dead have returned. ]

[ The ground is filled with elements of darkness. ]

[ The demonic humans have risen! ]

Sounds of something chasing them echoed from behind, and Kim Dokja heard Yoo Sangah muttering.

“Z-Zombies?”

Corpses resembling zombies sprinted toward them in huge numbers. Among them were the bodies of those who had been their fellow passengers earlier.

“We’re almost there! Hurry!”

Their distance from the Ichthyosaurus beneath the bridge was now less than 100 meters. Luckily, Lee Hyunsung had already crossed the safety boundary together with Kim Namwoon and the boy on his back.

The real problem was the rest—Dazai Osamu included.

Han Myungoh suddenly screamed,

“D—Damn it—!”

There were far too many demonic humans. If it had only been corpses from the train, maybe they could manage. But the real problem was…

“Kuweeeoooh!”

Drivers who had died in their cars on the bridge also revived as demonic humans. The path Lee Hyunsung and Kim Namwoon had just crossed was now flooded with them.

Dazai observed the horde ahead and the Ichthyosaurus beneath the bridge.

“…Everyone, get down!”

Too late.

Kwaaaaang!

The bridge pillar shook violently as the Ichthyosaurus sank its massive jaws into it.

Its glistening scales shimmered amid the dust clouds now covering the Han River. The pungent stench of blood and brine filled the air.

Dazai calmly assessed the situation as the dust cleared. The scene revealed itself:

Piles of concrete and shattered steel. Mangled corpses of demonic humans devoured by the Ichthyosaurus. And the bridge, with one of its pillars destroyed.

“…Dok… ssi… what?”

Yoo Sangah and Han Myungoh staggered to their feet nearby, shaken.

Dazai said nothing. He didn’t care about their panic or fear. Oh! He wouldn’t even admit that he missed his little dog right now!

One of Han Myungoh’s legs seemed injured from the tremors.

From the other side of the bridge, Lee Hyunsung, Kim Namwoon, and Lee Gilyoung shouted desperately, though their voices couldn’t reach—likely blocked by a protective barrier at the safe zone’s boundary.

What now? Dazai had prepared a plan in case the bridge collapsed. But that plan only involved himself—not Han Myungoh, Yoo Sangah, and Kim Dokja, who were now stuck with him.

At that moment, a message echoed in the air.

[ Someone has received the mercy of a Constellation. ]

[ The Scenario ‘Deus Ex Machina’ from a Constellation has been activated. ]

At the same time, a radiant bridge of light stretched across the collapsed Dongho Bridge. Then, a message window appeared before them.

+++

[ Deus Ex Machina – Even Bridge ]

Description: A bridge of light created by a Constellation. Only those in an even-numbered group may cross. If an odd number of people attempt to cross, the bridge will immediately disappear.

+++

“Dokja-ssi. What is this? Suddenly in my head—”

Dazai immediately shifted his gaze to Kim Dokja, who was exchanging confused looks with Yoo Sangah. Dazai seemed to understand what was happening.

Deus Ex Machina. The result of a Constellation making a great sacrifice to intervene in the scenario.

“…So this is because of Yoo Sangah-ssi’s Constellations. ” Dazai muttered, his curiosity piqued about the workings of star constellations—knowledge he suspected Kim Dokja possessed.

‘This world is getting more and more interesting…’

Meanwhile, Kim Dokja was deep in thought. He didn’t know who Yoo Sangah’s Constellation was, but it was clear they were desperate to keep her alive.

Deus Ex Machina was a rare phenomenon in Three Ways of Survival. And in truth, Yoo Sangah was among those who should have already died on the train.

Kim Dokja hesitated. What kind of Constellation would choose Yoo Sangah as its incarnation?

[ Information about this person cannot be read through ‘Character List’. ]

[ This person is not registered in the ‘Character List’. ]

Kim Dokja was startled—his skill didn’t work on Yoo Sangah. His mind raced with questions.

Why couldn’t he see her information? Was she special? Did she have a mental fortress? But if she had that ability from the start… Wait. Could it be…?

“Dokja-ssi, what now?”

Yoo Sangah’s voice trembled with panic. Kim Dokja couldn’t think any longer.

Ku ku ku ku!

The Han River churned once more. The Ichthyosaurus, having already bitten through one bridge pillar, now moved toward another. Kim Dokja bit his lip, rereading the bridge’s description.

Only an even number of people could cross.

In the end, ‘Deus Ex Machina’ was nothing but another cruel game devised by those damned Constellations who thrived on tragedy.

There was no way for everyone to survive.

Han Myungoh’s body shook as his eyes met Kim Dokja’s.

In the end, someone had to die.

That was Kim Dokja’s thought—until Yoo Sangah suddenly screamed.

“Dokja-ssi! Behind you!”

Kim Dokja reflexively lunged forward as a bloody fist swung through the air. He felt something fall toward him and instinctively kicked it away. He didn’t need to look back to know what it was.

A class 9 demonic human—a human mutant infected by black ether. That was why demonic humans were considered high-risk species, even at class 9. While those made from ordinary humans were like zombies, they became far more dangerous if the host had been different.

The surprise attack forced Kim Dokja to focus entirely on defending against the creature’s blows.

[ Exclusive Skill, Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Lv. 1 activated! ]

[ This entity has no consciousness. Skill deactivated. ]

Damn it!

The monster’s black claws tore through his thigh. A burning pain spread across his body as flesh ripped apart. Unlike knives, these claws could rend human skin with ease.

This was why demonic humans were so dangerous—they were far stronger than when alive.

“Yoo Sangah-ssi, hurry—” Kim Dokja’s words froze. Without even turning back, he realized what was happening.

“Let go of me! Let go! Dokja-ssi! Dokja-ssi!”

Han Myungoh, limping moments ago, had suddenly hoisted Yoo Sangah over his shoulder and sprinted across the light bridge with startling speed.

[ The Constellation « Secretive Plotter » admires how easily you were deceived. ]

[ The Constellation « Demon-like Judge of Fire » is impressed by your sacrifice. ]

[ 100 coins sponsored. ]

….

Meanwhile, further away, Dazai Osamu calmly watched everything unfold—the old man Han Myungoh running with a bizarre style. Meh, Dazai doesn't care.

[ The Constellation « Demon-like Judge of Fire » wonders why the incarnation did not immediately cross the bridge together with ‹ Kim Dokja ›. ]

“Constellation-ssi, if I were to cross with Kim Dokja-ssi right away, wouldn’t that make this scenario end poorly and less entertaining?”

Dazai replied casually, as though he weren’t surrounded by hordes of the undead.

[ The Constellation « Abyssal Black Flame Dragon » asks if the incarnation isn’t afraid of the ‘undead’ around him? ]

Seeing the message from the Constellation—if he remembered correctly, Kim Namwoon’s sponsor—Dazai sighed softly before answering.

“I’m not afraid of these undead. I’m only afraid of pain. That’s why I desire death without having to feel it.”

He spoke clearly while evading an attack from a demonic human lunging at him from behind. He dodged each strike with graceful precision, as if dancing on stage rather than fighting in an apocalypse.

Then, from his coat pocket, he pulled out his hand. A soft blue glow radiated from it.

[ Skill ‹ No Longer Human › activated ]

The blue light, inscribed with streams of kanji, enveloped the demonic human. Instantly, the creature collapsed, reverting into an ordinary corpse.

[ Several Constellations are shocked by the incarnation’s skill! ]

[ Several Constellations regret not choosing him earlier. ]

[ Several Constellations enjoy the scenario of ‹ Dazai Osamu › and wish to sponsor him in the next selection. ]

[ 500 coins sponsored. ]

Dazai ignored the messages. He simply stared at his hand, still tingling with the sensation of his ability, ‹ No Longer Human ›.

It hadn’t just nullified—the energy of darkness had completely disappeared from the demonic human. It seemed his ability had grown stronger than before.

‘Hm… Interesting~’

….

Exhaustion weighed down on Kim Dokja as his strength waned. His body felt unbearably heavy.

“Kuwoooook!”

Ten minutes remained. Demonic humans swarmed everywhere. Even with Lv. 10 physique, it was impossible to face so many.

But Kim Dokja had never intended to fight them all alone.

A bit late, but that person should be arriving now.

Kwajik! Kwajijijik!

A cracking sound echoed—as if someone had been waiting. Kim Dokja knew. He thought he could risk anything for the sake of achievements and donations.

Kwajijik! Kwajijijik!!

The sound of flesh smashing against flesh resounded, more like a mace pulverizing meat. Kim Dokja realized how foolish he had been.

From the halted train, demonic humans were hurled aside as though a tank had crashed through. Was this truly caused by a human?

“Kyaack?”

The headless demons turned in confusion—but too late. The man crushed every demon threatening him, emerging before them. A terrifying power, without weapons. He felled them with only two fists.

Even though Kim Dokja had braced himself, cold sweat dripped down his back. To face this man? Impossible. Not even doubling his stats would make him a match.

“You. Who are you?”

The man’s cold gaze fell upon him. Reflexively, Kim Dokja activated his Character List to quell the fear.

[ Exclusive Skill, Character List activated. ]

[ Too much information about this person. Character List converted into Character Summary. ]

—

[ Character Summary ]

Name: Yoo Joonghyuk

Exclusive Attribute: Regressor (3rd turn) (Myth), Pro Gamer (Rare)

Exclusive Skills: Wise Eye Lv. 8, Barehanded Combat Lv. 8, Weapon Mastery Lv. 8, Mental Fortress Lv. 5, Crowd Control Lv. 5, Reasoning Lv. 5, Lie Detection Lv. 4….

—

The list of exclusive skills continued endlessly. Before Kim Dokja could reach the end, a strong hand gripped his throat.

“You. How are you still alive?”

The ‘first method’ to survive in a ruined world—the man who proved its existence—stood before him.

Regressor Yoo Joonghyuk.

The great tragedy of this world began with him.

Chapter Text

— Happy Reading —

It would be quite a comical sight if anyone else were to see it. A grown man with a large build was being grabbed by the neck and dangled around like a monkey.

Kim Dokja could see Lee Hyunsung, Lee Gilyoung, and—surprisingly—Kim Namwoon staring toward his direction from across the bridge. Their expressions were anxious. Well, it seemed only Lee Hyunsung and Gilyoung were worried about him, because it was obvious that Kim Namwoon’s concern was for Dazai, not him.

But the three of them couldn’t see what was really happening here. That was because of the barrier. Kim Dokja could look out, but they couldn’t look in.

“What’s your name?” Yoo Joonghyuk asked.

“…What?”

“Your name.”

Just listen to how indifferent he sounds, like a protagonist. But provoking him here would not be wise.

“Kim Dokja.”

“That’s a strange name.”

“I’ve heard that often.”

At that moment, Yoo Joonghyuk’s fist slammed into Kim Dokja’s stomach, twisting and overturning his insides.

“…Ugh.”

Even though his body was toughened from knife reflection, the blow was painfully real.

“Your body is sturdy. Have you already mastered using coins?”

“The same could be said about you…”

Bam! Another punch landed in Kim Dokja’s stomach. He barely managed to stifle a groan. This guy’s strength had to be at least level 15. Power like that even though only one main scenario and one sub-scenario had passed. Truly, monsters were different from the moment of birth.

“Stop with the unnecessary answers. From now on, just respond to what I ask. Understood?”

Kim Dokja stayed silent. He had thought this might happen. But it was still the worst-case scenario he had hoped to avoid.

Originally, Yoo Joonghyuk was more terrifying than anyone else. His personality had eroded after experiencing regression three times. His principles were worn away in order to preserve his identity. This Yoo Joonghyuk would never hesitate if it meant achieving his goal.

“Your answer?”

“…I will.”

“Use honorifics.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

This time, Dokja raised both his hands to block the incoming fist. The pain was enough to make his bones feel like they were breaking, but he managed to lessen the impact. Yoo Joonghyuk’s eyes widened slightly, as if surprised.

[ The character ‹ Yoo Joonghyuk › is wary of you. ]

Well, that’s fine. Kim Dokja wouldn’t simply become a punching bag just because this guy was the protagonist.

“Sorry, but you’re younger than me, professional gamer Yoo Joonghyuk-ssi. So shouldn’t you be the one using honorifics?”

“…You know me?”

“I do. I work at a gaming company.” That was a lie.

Even if Kim Dokja worked at a gaming company, it would’ve been impossible to memorize the names of all pro gamers. In any case, up until now, ‘Yoo Joonghyuk’ had only ever been a character in a novel.

“You were famous. Back then, I was a big fan of yours.”

Being famous was just part of the plot. Still, it wasn’t a lie that he had been a ‘fan’. Kim Dokja liked him, hated him, complained about him, and cheered for him. That was why Kim Dokja stayed loyal to Yoo Joonghyuk for over 3,000 chapters.

“Fan… I haven’t heard that in a long time.” Yoo Joonghyuk looked nostalgic, as if trapped in old memories. But it only lasted a moment.

“I’ll forgive your rudeness this once. But your situation hasn’t changed.”

“I can see that.”

Kim Dokja looked down at his legs dangling over empty space.

Yoo Joonghyuk said, “There’s only one thing I want to ask.”

“Ask.”

“How did you survive in the subway?”

Exactly the question Kim Dokja had expected.

“Will you spare me if I answer?”

“I’ll decide after hearing it.”

That was a lie.

Dokja could tell just from his face. He was the only reader of Ways of Survival. A thousand simulated repertoires ran through his mind. What could he possibly say to convince this damned regressor?

[ Your understanding of the character ‹ Yoo Joonghyuk › has increased. ]

[ Your understanding of this person is already very high. ]

…Huh?

[ Conditions for using the exclusive skill ‘Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint’ Stage 2 have been met! ]

[ Do you wish to activate the exclusive skill?]

…..

Dazai was watching everything, watching as Kim Dokja’s neck was held by the dark-clad man. Seeing Dokja hanging like a monkey was almost entertaining. It reminded Dazai of the memories belonging to the Original Dazai, back when he was still in the Port Mafia with the Original Chuuya…

“I’m starting to miss my dog…~”

Those simple words were enough to pique the curiosity of several Constellations.

[ Several Constellations wonder if the incarnation ‹Dazai Osamu› had a pet dog before the scenario began? ]

“Yes, Constellation-ssi, I once had a dog—fiery-tempered and explosive~”

Dazai answered casually while strolling toward the other side. After fighting off several demonized humans, he had stumbled upon a detour that let him cross without using the bridge.

The Constellations watching were struck by how carefree he seemed, as if he weren’t walking through a world in the middle of apocalypse. Their curiosity deepened, and even the dokkaebi observing Dazai’s every move couldn’t resist asking:

{ Hey, aren’t you afraid of the penalty for failing the scenario? }

The milky-white dokkaebi suddenly appeared, sitting comfortably on Dazai’s shoulder as it asked.

“Wouldn’t you just take my coins as payment if I failed the scenario?”

{ And why do you assume I’d take your coins… and not your life? }

“You won’t take my life. Even if you wanted to, I would gladly offer it myself.”

The dokkaebi ignored the second part of his reply and asked again:

{ And why are you so sure? }

“Well, because if the penalty for failing the scenario was death, you would’ve written ‘Death’ outright instead of three question marks, which means there’s still room for negotiation.”

The dokkaebi chuckled in amusement at that. But Dazai didn’t care—it was obvious enough.

Even though Dazai hadn’t been in this world for long, to him it was no different from his previous world. A reality born from singularities—just like the Original Dazai Osamu, who created dozens of alternate worlds simply so Oda Sakunosuke could live.

In the end, he succeeded, though it meant in that world ‹Dazai Osamu› had to die in exchange for ‹Oda Sakunosuke› life.

….

When Dazai finally crossed the bridge and parted ways with Dori—the dokkaebi that had accompanied him—he didn’t even get the chance to rest before being slammed into by Kim Namwoon, who hugged him tightly the moment he arrived.

“Ughhh…” —  Damn, one of his ribs might have broken..

“HUAAAA!!! HYUNG!!! I THOUGHT YOU’D TURN INTO A ZOMBIE AFTER BEING STUCK WITH THEM SO LONG!!!”

Kim Namwoon, face dripping with snot and tears, yelled at the top of his lungs—making Dazai regret ever saving this kid.

“Namwoon, stop yelling and crying before I go deaf!”

“But, hyung…~”

“No.”

“Just one—…”

“No.”

At last, Kim Namwoon reluctantly let go of his death grip. If he hadn’t, Dazai might have actually died from suffocation—not that he minded dying, but certainly not in such a ridiculous way as by hug.

“Hyung…”

Lee Gilyoung, who had been hiding behind Lee Hyunsung, ran toward Dazai once Namwoon finally released him.

“Eh, Gilyoungie~? Awww~ did you miss me~?”

Dazai crouched down to match the boy’s height and hugged him. Gilyoung gave a small nod from within the embrace, which inevitably reminded Dazai of one of the memory fragments belonging to the Original Kyouka Izumi.

“Yes…”

Gilyoung answered in a quiet voice. None of them realized that their interaction was being watched by all the surviving participants. Including Yoo Joonghyuk, who had been observing the three of them the entire time.

….

Yoo Joonghyuk froze when he saw Dazai. A strange feeling welled up in his chest—as if he had met this man before. But this was his third regression. Aside from the prophet, this man was another variable who shouldn’t exist in the third round.

[ The skill ‹Sage’s Eyes› has been activated. ]

——

[ Character Profile ]

Name: Dazai Osamu

Age: 22

Supporting Constellation: None

( SEVERAL CONSTELLATIONS ARE CURRENTLY SHOWING INTEREST )

Personal Attributes: [Nullifier of Contracts] (Legendary), [Calculated Chaos] (???), [Parasite of Narratives] (???), [Masquerade Deceiver] (???)

Personal Skills: (Touch of Null Lv. 7), (Thread of Chaos Lv. 4), (Narrative Hijack Lv. 6), (Mask of Lies Lv. 5)

Stigma: None

Overall Stats: Stamina: Lv. 8 , Strength: Lv. 9, Dexterity: Lv. 20 , Mana: Lv. 29...

Overall Evaluation: Despite possessing below-average stamina and physical strength, his exceptional intellectual capacity and deceptive agility more than compensate for his weaknesses. His strategic mindset and manipulative nature make him a dangerous existence in any situation. Even without raw power, he is capable of overturning circumstances to his favor.

——

Yoo Joonghyuk’s eyes widened as he stared at Dazai’s status window. Despite the man’s weak Stamina and Strength, his Mana was remarkably high.

But what truly caught his attention were the man’s Attributes.

“…Hey, you come with me.”