Yoo Joonghyuk's quiet remark faded into the hum of broken lights. The dokkaebi, oblivious to his disdain, straightened itself mid-air as if nothing had happened. Its mischievous grin returned, wide and glimmering, as it turned once more to address the unseen audience of stars above.
[Ah, well! Enough of that, my dear Constellations~ Let's get back to the main event!]
With a snap of its fingers, the dim carriage flickered with a strange light. The dokkaebi twirled mid-air like a host stepping back onto a stage, its voice booming with exaggerated cheer.
[Now now, shouldn't there be a reward for overcoming all those hardships?] It gestured grandly toward Yoo Joonghyuk, as though presenting him before an invisible crowd. [As a reward for clearing the first scenario, you are now eligible for sponsorship from the mighty Constellations! Waaaahhh! How about that? Aren't you thrilled?]
It paused, expecting excitement—perhaps awe, or even gratitude. But Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes remained fixed, cold and unmoved.
The dokkaebi blinked, its grin faltering slightly as it looked around at the empty, blood-streaked carriage. [Hmm… no applause? Not even a smile? Aigo, this is really a big deal…]
Silence hung heavy in the air. The stars above shimmered faintly.
The dokkaebi's exaggerated smile lingered for a moment too long before it finally sighed, scratching the side of its head.
[Ah… really, incarnations these days. No sense of drama at all.]
Its voice trailed off into a mutter as it flicked its fingers again. Light began to gather in the center of the carriage, gathering into a translucent blue window. Lines of text appeared.
[Sponsor Selection]– Please select your sponsor.– Your chosen sponsor will be your strong supporter.
1. Prisoner of the Golden Headband
2. Abyssal Black Flame Dragon
3. Demon-like Judge of Fire
4. Queen of the Darkest Spring
5. The Lone Star of the Azaleas
The air shimmered faintly as messages began to appear, one after another. Yoo Joonghyuk stared at them without interest. He didn't need to read the details to understand what this was.
[A Constellation who hasn't revealed their modifier is revealing their modifier!]
[The Constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' is greatly amused by your ruthlessness.]
[The Constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' wishes to sponsor you.]
Yoo Joonghyuk's gaze lingered on it for a moment before the next string of text appeared.
[A Constellation who hasn't revealed their modifier is revealing their modifier!]
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is impressed by your discipline and resolve.]
[The Constellation 'The Lone Star of the Azaleas' laughs at your defiance.]
. . .
The air grew heavier with each new message, filled with unseen gazes pressing in from the void. He stood motionless, the dull hum of broken lights filling the silence between the messages. But his expression didn't waver.
The dokkaebi hovered nearby, its earlier excitement fading into something halfway between annoyance and sarcasm. The mischievous sparkle in its eyes dimmed as it crossed its arms, floating lazily in front of Yoo Joonghyuk.
[Well, aren't you a bundle of joy,] it said dryly, lips twisting into a pout before forcing a grin. [Fine, fine. Just take a look at the selection for now! I have another carriage to take care of, too. You're not the only star of the show, you know~]
It gave a mocking little salute, the edges of its form flickering like static. [Good luck to you, hikiki~]
With a distorted laugh, the dokkaebi's body unraveled into fragments of light and vanished, leaving only the faint echo of its chuckle hanging in the cold air.
Yoo Joonghyuk's gaze lingered on the spot for a heartbeat longer before he turned back. Without the dokkaebi's voice filling the air, the silence of the carriage felt heavier than before. Only the hum of broken lights and the faint creak of twisted metal remained.
Yoo Joonghyuk stared at the glowing blue screen for a long time, its light washing over the blood-smeared walls. The list of constellations lingered before him, flickering faintly, waiting for his choice.
He didn't move.
Somewhere above, the air seemed to tremble. The Constellations stirred in irritation. He could almost feel their gazes. A faint pressure pushed against his chest, as if demanding attention.
He ignored it.
Turning away from the window, he began walking toward the front of the carriage. His boots clicked against the metal floor, the sound dull and echoing in the stillness. The air was heavy with the scent of iron and smoke. The corpses of the other passengers lay where they had fallen, their blood drying into dark stains across the floor.
Yoo Joonghyuk didn't spare them a glance.
When he reached the door leading to the next carriage, he paused. Through the small, cracked window, a faint light glimmered from the other side—the next car. He could see vague shapes moving, he could recognize those faces—he had been waiting for their appearance.
He reached for the door handle.
The moment his hand touched it, a shock of resistance pulsed against his palm. A faint shimmer rippled across the surface—a barrier. His brows drew together.
"…Tch."
He turned his head toward the floating sponsor selection window that still hovered persistently beside him, trailing his every movement like an unwanted shadow. The faint blue light reflected off the blood on his knuckles, flickering in rhythm with the carriage's unstable power.
A muscle in his jaw twitched. The list of sponsors pulsed faintly as if demanding his attention, but Yoo Joonghyuk's patience had already worn thin.
With a low, annoyed breath, he lifted a finger toward the corner of the screen. The small 'X' icon glowed there—mocking him with its simplicity.
"Enough of this," he muttered.
His finger hovered over the button, the veins in his hand tightening as he resisted the urge to simply smash the entire screen out of existence.
He was ready to close it and move on—to tear down the door to the next carriage and leave this farce behind.
But before his finger could touch the button, a burst of light flickered beside him.
[Wait!! Wait, wait, wait! What do you think you're doing?!]
The dokkaebi suddenly appeared out of nowhere, flailing both arms wildly as if trying to stop him by sheer panic. Its face was flushed with frustration, the tips of its hair sparking faintly with light.
[Seeing you about to close the sponsor window even made me come back here! Do you know how annoying that is?!] it exclaimed, clutching its head dramatically. [You weren't even supposed to see me again until the next scenario announcement!]
Yoo Joonghyuk looked at him blankly. "…Then go back."
[Wh—what? That's not the point!] The dokkaebi's jaw dropped. [Why aren't you choosing a sponsor?!]
"I'm not interested."
[Not—interested?!] the dokkaebi shrieked, floating in frantic little circles. [Are you serious right now?! Do you even understand what this means? These are Constellations! Higher beings offering you their power, their blessings—and you're just going to ignore them?!]
"I don't need them." Yoo Joonghyuk's tone was flat, calm, as if he were merely stating a fact.
The dokkaebi froze midair, mouth hanging open. Then, with a twitch of irritation, it swiped open a glowing panel beside it. [Unbelievable… Let's just see what kind of nonsense you're trying to pull this time.]
The dokkaebi squinted at Yoo Joonghyuk, suspicion flickering across its face. It floated a little closer, muttering something as a faint light began to form in front of it.
[The dokkaebi 'Bihyung' has used 'System Interference' on you.]
A wave of energy rippled through the air. The translucent window beside Bihyung expanded, lines of Information and light waving into the shape of a screen—floating mid-air.
System interference—it was an absolute interference skill that could only be used by dokkaebis with the right to interfere in the scenario.
Bihyung leaned forward, eyes narrowing as the screen appeared in front of him. [Let's see here... stats, ah! Here they are—] The dokkaebi stopped mid-sentence, its grin slowly fade, Its pupils dilated in confusion as it stared at the shocked text in front of It.
[...Huh?]