When they first heard my story, my companions seemed to think I was crazy.
I understand.
It might sound strange to suddenly call for 'The Oldest Dream'. So I told them again what had happened.
About the 'Demon King of Salvation' I met—and about his 'brothers' he told me about.
"So, the story is that there may be another 'Kim Dokja' besides the 'Demon King of Salvation'."
When the smart Ye Hyunwoo stated this premise, Killer King twitched his lips and asked.
"Then how many Kim Dokjas exist?"
"It's probably divided by modifier."
Then Kyung Sein asked in a voice that showed she could not understand.
"Why did it happen like that? Didn't Kim Dokja come back in the end?"
"That is..."
I don't know exactly about that part either.
According to my intention, 'Kim Dokja' should have returned to the group at the end of the main story. However, something went wrong along the way, and Kim Dokja's existence was split into modifiers.
The companions put their heads together and thought hard about it.
"Then how many Kim Dokjas are there? Is there even an 'Ugly King'?"
"As expected of a guy who read it less times. That's not a modifier. And it's not 'ugly', it's 'ugliest'."
"Who is the 'Prisoner of the Headband' in this world line?"
"That's a matter worth thinking about, Yerin."
As I listened to the conversation of my companions, I also thought of Kim Dokja's modifiers in my head.
As far as I know, Kim Dokja's modifiers were a total of four.
The Demon King of Salvation.
Watcher of light and darkness.
Prisoner of the Constrictive Headband.
The Oldest Dream.
Kim Dokja obtained the modifiers through different scenarios.
'Demon King of Salvation' is from 'The 73rd Demon King', 'Watcher of Light and Darkness' is from 'Holy Demon War', and 'Prisoner of the Constrictive Headband' is from 'Journey to the West' scenario.
And the 'Oldest Dream'…
"But if it's the 'Oldest Dream', wouldn't he still be watching us?"
It was Dansu ahjussi who asked a very fundamental question.
"The 'Oldest Dream'... if I understand it, isn't it 'Kim Dokja, who watches over all world lines'? I think he's already watching us without even needing to call him."
It was just as ahjussi said.
Ye Hyunwoo asked me.
"Have you ever talked to the 'Oldest Dream'?"
"I already tried it."
When I signed with the 'Demon King of Salvation', I called the 'Oldest Dream'. However, the sparks around only grew stronger, and the 'Oldest dream' did not respond at all.
"Why was there no response? Could it be that the 'Oldest Dream' does not exist…?"
"If this world is the '41st round' we know, then the 'Oldest Dream' definitely exists, because his incarnation is here."
"Oh, that's right."
The group looked down at little Yoo Jonghyuk, who was sleeping soundly.
The 'Oldest Dream' is Yoo Jonghyuk's sponsor
So there's no way he doesn't exist.
"Now that I think about it, Yoo Jonghyuk also never received a reply from his sponsor "
If you think about it, it was similar in the main story.
Yoo Jonghyuk did not know who his sponsor was and he had never communicated properly.
That's because the 'Oldest Dream' in this story was Kim Dokja's childhood self.
There was a strong [Fourth Wall] between the two.
So, should the 'Oldest Dream' of this world also be seen as 'Kim Dokja's childhood self'?
"Have you tried any other modifiers? Like Watcher of Light and Dark—"
"I tried it, but the only one that succeeded was 'Demon King of Salvation'."
Then Ye Hyunwoo, who was thinking about something, hesitated and spoke as if confessing.
"Actually, I have tried something similar. When I had accumulated a certain amount of coins, I purchased a 'sponsorship contract' and tried to make a contract with the Demon King of Salvation…"
As expected, Ye Hyunwoo has already tried it.
Since he was still without a sponsor, it was entirely possible.
"It failed. None of Kim Dokja's modifiers, including the 'Demon King of Salvation', responded. But Inho-ssi succeeded in signing a contract with 'Demon King of Salvation'."
At those words, the eyes of my companions simultaneously turned to me.
Ye Hyuwoo continued.
"I think this way. In order to communicate with Kim Dokja in this world line, certain 'conditions' are necessary. And among us, only Inho-ssi meets those 'conditions'."
"I agree."
At this point, I was struggling to tell them that I am related to 49% Kim Dokja.
However, Ye Hyunwoo's expression was a little strange.
"It's embarrassing, but I gave up on the scenario right before Inho-ssi came."
Killer King, who intervened midway, muttered, "That wasn't me," and Cha Yerin glared at him.
Ye Hyunwoo continued his words.
"I didn't give up from the beginning. This place was full of scenarios I'd never read about in the Book of Revelation, but I thought I could do it. I thought my companions were strong enough, too. But."
I couldn't tell what kind of expression Ye Hyunwoo was making through the mask.
However, his sunken eyes vaguely hinted at the despair he must have been experiencing.
"It's only been a month. Everything fell apart in that one month. I thought I could do half as much, if not as well as the characters in the Book of Revelation…"
I recalled the first time I met Ye Hyunwoo.
Seventh apostle with strong pride.
A reader who has read the entire novel 50 times and who analyzes and predicts the world better than anyone else.
The confidence he had back then was no longer visible in his eyes.
"After entering the center and the team with Pildu-ssi was torn apart, things got even more messy. I realized then. I really am nothing. I can't change this world just by knowing a little bit about the contents of the Book of Revelation. Even hoping to survive. It must be arrogance."
Kyung Sein, Dansu ahjussi, and even Cha Yerin silently lowered their heads and looked down at their toes.
"I felt relieved because I gave up. Maybe there was no need for me to take risks in the first place. Maybe this is my nature. Maybe it would suit me to just chew bamboo all day like a panda."
"Hyunwoo-ssi."
"Inho-ssi."
Ye Hyunwoo, re-dressed in his own panda mask, was looking at me.
"I don't know if I can call 'The Oldest Dream' using Inho-ssi's method or not. But even if I can't find the 'Oldest Dream'…"
Ye Hyunwoo took a deep breath and said.
"From now on, I will call Inho-ssi 'Kim Dokja'. This world needs 'Kim Dokja'."
Cha Yerin nodded her head.
Kyung Sein and Dansu ahjussi also helped.
"Actually, I thought Inho-ssi resembled Kim Dokja for a long time."
"I agree."
The last person to respond was Killer King.
"That guy was Kim Dokja from the beginning."
"You finally got your wish."
At Kyung Sein's words, the group burst into light laughter.
Ye Hyunwoo took a step towards me and said, holding out his hand.
"So, Kim Dokja, please promise me. You will definitely see the end of this world with us."
Can I become their 'Kim Dokja'?
Maybe it's the opposite.
I said, extending my hand towards him.
"Rather, I would like to ask you a favor. Please join me in creating the story of 'Kim Dokja'."
I can't do it like Kim Dokja on my own. This is possible only with these people.
The strange Killer King and the cold-hearted Cha Yerin.
Smart Ye Hyunwoo and good Dansu ahjussi. And there must be Kyung Sein.
Only with their help can we see the end of this world.
Thinking like that, I was about to hold Ye Hyunwoo's hand.
[The story 'Heir of the Eternal Name' is craving it.]
It felt like an electric current was flowing down my spine.
I reflexively withdrew my hand.
[The story 'Heir of the Eternal Name' frowns.]
'No.'
The story was desperately put to rest. Nevertheless, my story continued to shake dangerously.
A terrible hunger was coming.
[Legendary tale 'Heir of the Eternal Name' tells you not to interfere.]
The 「Heir of the Eternal Name」 noticed. That there is a 'fragment of Kim Dokja' that he likes in these readers in front of me.
The story whispered.
「 There is only one that can become Kim Dokja. 」
'No. These are a no-no.'
「 You will regret it. 」
In the end, the story stopped talking first. When I looked up, my companions were looking at me with worried expressions.
I opened my mouth to them.
"I will definitely see the ending with all of you."
Late afternoon.
Smoke began to rise from every chimney in Zone 13. The incarnations were making food.
Killer King stood on the roof of the brick house and watched the changes in Zone 13.
"I guess I can eat some decent food tonight."
Then Ye Hyunwoo, standing next to him, muttered.
"Yeah."
Over the past month, the two have experienced what Zone 13 is like.
For them, the night in 'Zone 13' was hell. Days of trembling in fear while waiting for the wolf harvester to arrive at any time.
But there was something different about the atmosphere tonight.
The smoke rising from the chimneys was the evidence.
The residents here do not normally cook at night. This is because lighting a fire and using a chimney itself could stimulate the wolves.
Ye Hyunwoo said.
"I'm sorry, Second Apostle."
"What."
"We couldn't have survived the past month without you."
The person who protected the group in Zone 13 for the past month was Killer King.
If it weren't for him who became a 'wolf' himself and protected his party, his party would never have been able to survive the threat of wolves.
"And…"
Instead of speaking next, Ye Hyunwoo looked down at the empty space below the roof.
In the center of the vacant lot, Cheon Inho was standing face to face with Lycaon and talking.
Ye Hyunwoo opened his mouth.
"You know that Dokja-ssi is hiding something."
Killer King nodded his head.
"Kim Dokja is that kind of guy."
"Have you ever used [Eyes of Sin] on Dokja-ssi?"
[Eyes of Sin.]
The exclusive holy soul of Archangel 'Jophiel' who can identify evildoers.
Killer King nodded his head.
"He was bitter."
"How did it go?"
"At first, he was marked as a villain who killed more than ten people. But something was strange, so I used the stigmata once more and—"
Killer King slowly blinked and recalled his memories from that time.
The day he first met Cheon Inho.
That day, Killer King headed toward Cheon Inho.
[Eyes of Sin was activated twice in total.]
"I couldn't see anything."
"Nothing?"
"Everything was pure white."
Although the skill ended quickly, Killer King saw the scene clearly. A distant and barren white snowy field spread around Cheon Inho.
"What does that mean? A villain or—"
"I do not know either."
The wind blew intermittently from the open space below the roof.
Cheon Inho was waving his hands in the air as if he was learning the tricks of [The Way of the Wind].
Lycaon was also seen touching his forehead as if something was not going well.
"I guess Kim Dokja is right."
"I guess so."
The two people laughed. As the light laughter dispersed with the wind, Killer King asked this time.
"Are you going to be okay?"
"What?"
"I won't ask twice."
Ye Hyunwoo smiled bitterly at Killer King's question.
"There's nothing to do about whether it's okay or not. In the first place, I'm the kind of person who can't play the role of Kim Dokja."
"Not everyone needs to be Kim Dokja. You just have to do what you're good at. Like me."
Killer King said those last words and jumped down to the roof.
After a while, a loud noise was heard from the vacant lot. Surprisingly, the wind was moving, albeit faintly, at Killer King's fingertips.
Lycaon's small wind elasticity.
Ye Hyunwoo muttered as he looked at Killer King, who was smiling meaningfully.
"You look a little like Yoo Jonghyuk."
Ye Hyunwoo thought that maybe that was why he was so angry.
If that guy was Yoo Jonghyuk, he should have been Kim Dokja more than anyone else.
He should have stood next to the guy, defeated the enemies, compensated for the guy's mistakes, and cleared the scenario confidently.
But he hasn't been able to fulfill that role for the past month.
It was someone else who took on the role of Kim Dokja.
He had similar thoughts during the 'emergency defensive battle' in Chungmuro and when he faced the 'absolute throne' in Gwanghwamun.
He just didn't admit it.
However, as he watched him stage the 'brick house', open the door, and go through the storm, Ye Hyunwoo couldn't help but admit it.
Kim Dokja of this world is that person.
Above that detached confidence, only one question remained.
So what am I in this world?
"I…"
The moment he unconsciously opened his mouth, a star in the sky looked down at him.
The star, with its extremely ominous light, was asking him.
"Do you want to become the 'real Kim Dokja'?"