A man looking down at me with a confident face, wearing a faint smile.
Anger surged in me for a moment because he interrupted right at the moment things were getting interesting, not even to join the battle, so I was about to fire 'Dismantle' as is, but—
"…Kim Dokja."
"Long time no see, Kang Yuhyeon-ssi. We've met before, right?"
Knowing who that man was, I withdrew my technique.
"Have you been well?"
"I haven't been unwell. You…, seem to have been quite well."
"Does it look like that?"
A woman taking a stance ready to swing her sword at any moment, and a man holding a shield looking at me with a cold expression.
The man was definitely…, the soldier named Lee Hyunsung, right? Then who is that woman?
No, leaving that aside for now.
"Well, yes. Since you've changed incomparably compared to the first scenario."
Kim Dokja.
That man has grown to an extent incomparable to others.
Of course, in terms of absolute strength, he would be weaker than that man called Yoo Joonghyuk, but in terms of growth rate, it's unbelievable.
How did he do it? What on earth did he do to become that strong?
"…It seems you both have a lot you want to say to each other, but shouldn't we resolve this first before moving on?"
"…?"
Smiling faintly, he says so while picking up an object rolling on the floor.
Looking closely, it was a human head. And.
"E, eek! Let go of this, you bastard!!"
A living human head.
"Sorry, but you don't have a choice, understand?"
"…This bastard."
"…."
It doesn't bleed. No Cursed Energy is felt either. And that unlucky way of speaking, it's very familiar somewhere.
Is it just my imagination that I recalled a character I met before?
"King of Prophets. Is it perhaps you?"
"…Hic!"
"…Did you two know each other too?"
Looking at the reaction, it seems he really is the guy who attacked us before.
I really wanted to meet him again, but to think I'd meet him again like this.
Of course, it's a bit regrettable that it's not the main body.
"Yes, because that guy attacked us before."
"…Us? Did you perhaps make a companion?"
"Companion…, you could say that. Though all she does is, well, be in charge of meals."
When I explained briefly like that, Kim Dokja asked me to tell him in more detail.
For some reason, seeing him slightly flustered, I started talking fluently.
How I was clearing the fourth scenario, meeting Ha Seo-yeon in the process, and getting involved with the King of Prophets, etc.
"…You made a quite good companion."
"Is that so? I envy you more."
Who would draw their sword to defeat the enemy immediately instead when one is in danger?
Also, simultaneously, who would raise a shield to protect one from the enemy even at the cost of sacrificing themselves?
…It sounds a bit strange saying it like this, but I didn't mean I disliked her at all.
In a ruined world, being in charge of meals was a quite important role, and above all, she wasn't a hindrance.
Occasionally, whenever she showed signs of trembling due to extreme lack of self-esteem, it bothered me a little, but it didn't reach the realm of hindrance.
"…Yuhyeon-ssi, would you perhaps like to form an alliance with us?"
"Suddenly?"
"Well, increasing forces is good, right? Ah, that doesn't mean I'm telling you to come under me. Just forming a non-aggression pact with each other…, well, something like that?"
"…Hmm."
He smiled naturally and proposed an alliance to me.
And my answer to that proposal was….
"Fine, I'll accept that much."
Naturally, it was an acceptance.
There were largely two reasons why I hadn't formed alliances until now.
One was that those who proposed alliances were utterly useless and unhelpful. And the other was that those who proposed alliances told me to come under them.
But how is Kim Dokja in front of me?
He even speaks politely, and although I'm a bit sorry to say this, in short, he was useful.
"Thank you for forming an alliance, Yuhyeon-ssi. Hmm…, it's sudden, but shall we plan for the future then? Ah, come to think of it, you said you had a companion, right? Looking at it, it seems you left her behind…."
"…Ah."
At his words, I realized instantly.
Right, I left her behind to fight that guy, didn't I?
"…I will be back quickly."
"Yes, then we will finish talking with this guy in the meantime. Hmm…, do you perhaps have anything to discuss separately with this guy?"
"I don't."
I have no business with that guy who is just a clone, not the main body.
—Having told him that, I immediately started moving hurriedly.
I confirmed there were no monsters or people when I ran here, but just in case.
"U, uwaaaaa…. M, my head is spinningggg…."
"…Was I that fast?"
"Yees…."
"…I apologize."
Carried on my back, Ha Seo-yeon with spinning eyes complains and goes limp.
I apologized to her because of the atmosphere, but honestly, I don't quite understand.
I shortened the time, so isn't that good? What's the problem.
"Ah, you're here. Yuhyeon-ssi. Good timing. Just finished talking with that guy too."
"Is that so."
No wonder I didn't hear that unlucky voice of the King of Prophets.
…Mm? Come to think of it, Yoo Joonghyuk, that guy isn't visible either. Where on earth did he go?
"Yoo Joonghyuk, that guy left for Gangbuk. To become a King, and above all, his precious younger sister is there."
…Family.
Well, certainly he has no choice but to go.
"So, have you roughly thought about the future plan?"
"Yes. Would you like to listen?"
With those words, he approached cautiously and then whispered in my ear.
Kim Dokja.
Although he was someone quite trustworthy, if the plan he spoke of was absurd or didn't please me, I intended to mercilessly decline participation in the plan and leave for Seoul Station alone, leaving Ha Seo-yeon here in Chungmuro.
…Of course, fighting while protecting her isn't that difficult for me, but just in case.
If I go to Seoul Station and think that Yoo Joonghyuk or that woman holding a sword, who is Kim Dokja's companion, is there, problems might arise.
However, as if such thoughts were pointless, the plan he spoke of was quite interesting and attracted me.
"Distributing the Prophets' Revelation to make them clash with each other and collapse all at once…."
It's a bit bland, but I liked the plan itself.
But, how does he intend to distribute it?
"Hmm, since it's Yuhyeon-ssi and no one else, I'll let you know. Though there are many eyes watching right now."
"…Ah, I see."
I think I know roughly where his gaze is heading.
Those Constellations watching this situation with amusement. It must be because of them.
Then, is the method he will use something the Constellations would be quite reluctant to see? Well. I can hear it later.
"Then should we write the Revelation starting now? Hmm, I don't have much talent for writing novels."
"No, Yuhyeon-ssi has something else to do."
"Hmm?"
Writing and distributing the Revelation is their plan. Frankly, didn't you think this plan was quite bland when you heard it? He added.
"Yuhyeon-ssi. Honestly, when I fought Yoo Joonghyuk, you were stopped suddenly, so your body is still itching, right?"
"…."
Honestly, I can't deny it.
Just as he said, not only was I regretful that the battle with Yoo Joonghyuk didn't end properly, but the excitement of battle that had slowly boiled up while exchanging blows with him hadn't fully subsided and was lingering in my heart.
"Go to Gwanghwamun first and run wild once refreshingly."
"…."
However, in such a situation.
If he tells me this and arranges a place for me.
"Since that place is full of those with Brown Flags or higher, there will be quite a taste in fighting. We will join you later."
Isn't there no reason to refuse?
[Several Constellations smack their lips at the upcoming battle.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Evil alignment cheer.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Good alignment pretend to dislike it but glance at you sideways.]
"Then let's meet again later…. Ah, before that."
"Mm?"
My heart pounded again as if hit by a hammer, so I almost forgot for a moment.
I stopped walking, turned back, and said.
"Please take good care of Seo-yeon-ssi. Even if she doesn't do much, she is my companion who is in charge of important meals."
"…Yes, understood. Shall we make an [Existence Pledge]?"
"…Existence, Pledge?"
Existence Pledge.
A restriction placed on oneself.
If the pledge is broken, blue flames burn the heart of the person under the restriction.
—Kim Dokja added the explanation.
Hmm, is it similar to a Jujutsu Sorcerer's Binding Vow?
"Then let's do that."
When I nodded, he muttered something and then ignited blue flames.
Ho-oh, so an Existence Pledge has this kind of impact. A Binding Vow doesn't really have anything visible.
"Then, I will get going."
Since the Existence Pledge is done.
I reinforced my legs with Cursed Energy and started running towards Gwanghwamun quickly.
I was also looking forward to the battle that would happen soon.
-Thump, thump….
Wondering if having a reliable companion in a ruined world felt like this, I quite liked it.
"…Is this enough?"
Kim Dokja, who watched silently the spot where Kang Yuhyeon disappeared, hardened his expression coldly and turned around.
Slowly ruminating in his head on what kind of existence Kang Yuhyeon is.
"…."
3,149.
Reading through those numerous regression turns of Ways of Survival (TwSA) at once, and recalling what kind of existence Kang Yuhyeon is along with it, wasn't difficult thanks to the exclusive skill of the attribute he possesses, [Reading Comprehension].
"Throughout Heaven and Earth, I Alone Am the Honored One [天上天下 唯我獨尊]."
Jujutsu Sorcerer, Kang Yuhyeon.
One of the sentences the author used to describe him in Ways of Survival, and a sentence he himself thought suited him best.
Because he was always in the position of an absolute strongman, he was far from love and humanity. And because of that, he was a pitiful human who was solitary.
Seen this way, he is similar to Yoo Joonghyuk…, no. Generally, his entire life was similar to Yoo Joonghyuk's.
A man who walked a solitary path because he lost everyone he loved and everyone who loved him right before his eyes through hundreds of regressions, sending them away to terrible endings every moment.
Because there was no moment in every regression turn where he wasn't strong, no one existed who tried to approach him first or understand him. Also, a man who walked a solitary path because he didn't try to empathize with such people.
The beginning was similar, and the origin was alike, but.
Nevertheless, in the end, Yoo Joonghyuk did not give up until the end for his cause, moved forward, faced the Conclusion of this world together with his companions, and remained as the Protagonist.
Kang Yuhyeon, until the very moment he was eventually killed by Yoo Joonghyuk, no one understood him in the end, and he couldn't understand anyone either, so he evaluated love as something trivial and remained as a Villain.
The Sole Reader of Ways of Survival, Kim Dokja.
If he were to choose his favorite character, he would choose Yoo Joonghyuk without a single moment of hesitation.
But if he were to choose the character he felt most pitiful for, he would choose Kang Yuhyeon without a single moment of hesitation.
Therefore, he thought.
Although he is said to be strong in every regression turn, at this moment when he is relatively weaker than other times.
If he teaches him love, humanity, and companionship, wouldn't that ending change?
Could he erase the unknown unpleasant feeling he felt every time he saw the scene of Yoo Joonghyuk's Splitting the Sky Swordsmanship piercing Kang Yuhyeon's abdomen?
Also, couldn't he see the ending of a certain story he thinks of in a very desirable form?
"…So, it would be better not to do anything useless."
"…."
At that moment, Kim Dokja's gaze turned to someone.
A gaze that was quite cold and sharpened.
However, the person receiving such a gaze sends a sneer with the question 'Why?'.
At that appearance, Kim Dokja lets out a quite deep sigh.
This is as far as he can go.
Hoping earnestly that she would understand his words properly.