Kim Dokja narrowed his eyes nervously as the next segment began. This wouldn't be a pleasant experience for anyone. With any luck, they'd be able to get through it without too much trouble, but Kim Dokja didn't feel like relying on something as fickle as luck.
[The constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' hopes to see some screaming.]
The sub scenario,
"Dokja." From the darkness, the lower half of a woman's face appears. She's covered in injuries—small bruises and cuts that litter her skin. The moment she calls his name, Dokja can't look away.
His eyes widen as he stares at the woman. Faintly, he can hear Sangah calling for him, but the woman reaches for his face and Sangah's voice fades into the fog.
The woman gently touches and caresses his cheek, like he's a precious and fragile object. Her hair is extremely messy and covers her face, and more injuries are scattered across her body.
"Dokja. You haven't seen anything, okay?" She says in an oddly calm voice.
Dokja can't look away, and he grimaces. 'Wow… I see.'
[The exclusive skill 'The Fourth Wall' has activated!]
[You have become immune to the effects of the 'Welcome Prison' due to your skill.]
With a crackle of light, the woman disappears as [The Fourth Wall] comes into effect.
[Some constellations are relieved that the skill is effective.]
[Many constellations wish they could have seen more.]
"Thank goodness for your skill, Dokja-ssi," Yoo Sangah said quietly with an uncomfortable look on her face. She glanced over at him, but Kim Dokja couldn't hear her or anyone else who might have been talking.
It felt like he had been plunged into a bath of ice water as shivers ran down his spine. Back then, [The Fourth Wall] had been able to protect him, but now? Now Kim Dokja could feel the nausea beginning to rise as his mind filled in the blanks of what should be in the darkness behind her. He wanted to throw up.
He barely managed to nod before glancing around frantically, almost as if to reassure himself that he wasn't back in that place, with all its awful memories. Jung Heewon reached out a hand, the kids clung even harder (or were they trying to hug him?), and Lee Hyunsung appeared as if he was trying to find words he could say.
Then, Kim Dokja's gaze fell across a woman with long brown hair and his eyes met hers from across the room and a freezing wave crashed over him and pulled him under before he could fight back.
No. Nonononononononono—
It couldn't be real. She couldn't be here. He was seeing things, hearing things, hearing nothing as his vision narrowed and everything became numb and panicked and senseless. Out of instinct alone, Kim Dokja squeezed his eyes shut as he curled inwards on himself, covering his ears with his hands as if that would make the ringing cacophony of silence any quieter.
"Kim Dokja."
A voice. A familiar voice. It was deep and sonorous and wonderful and it surrounded him like a comforting blanket as it cut through the cotton in his ears. He knew this voice—he had imagined it over and over and deep down, a small, vulnerable part of Kim Dokja knew that he would be safe with it.
"Kim Dokja, open your eyes."
He listened. Of course he did. What else could he do?
Opening his eyes, he immediately noticed that Yoo Joonghyuk was kneeling in front of him, hands on his shoulders. His perfect face was twisted in displeasure, and Kim Dokja couldn't help but trace the lines of his brow and his nose and his lips. The protagonist was here. Nothing could hurt him anymore.
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is trying to muffle her excitement.]
"Yoo… Yoo Joonghyuk?"
The disbelief at seeing that perfect face so close to his was enough to shock his system back into functioning semi-normally, but Kim Dokja had to check something before he could let out the tension in his entire body. Glancing back over at the other half of the room, Kim Dokja was relieved to notice that the woman was nowhere in his sight. She must have been a paranoia-induced hallucination. She wasn't here. That wasn't real.
He could relax now, and Kim Dokja let out a shaky sigh. Still, to think he had made even Yoo Joonghyuk worry about him…
The protagonist frowned. "Stay present, Kim Dokja. We won't get anywhere if you're panicking every five minutes."
Ah. Yes. He was right, wasn't he?
Inwardly, Kim Dokja shook his head at his own foolishness. Of course Yoo Joonghyuk just wanted to get through this weird recording of their journey so far as soon as possible to get back to clearing the scenarios. There was no way he would be genuinely worried.
"Sorry," Kim Dokja muttered as he clasped his trembling hands in his lap. "I'll try."
Yoo Joonghyuk looked as though he wanted to say something else for a moment, but he gave up on trying to find the words, shaking his head and looking back up at the screen in a resigned manner.
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is narrowing his eyes at the incarnation 'Yoo Joonghyuk'.]
[Welcome Prison], it's a zone that triggers your trauma to drive you insane. Even Yoo Joonghyuk would have had a difficult time here. This is the most dangerous obstacle a regressor can face.
Dokja takes a moment to breathe before he turns to the rest of the group, urging them to take deep breaths and calm down so they can break out of the prison of their own minds.
[The constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is impressed by your mental fortitude.]
[You have been gifted 100 coins.]
[A curious constellation is sad that they did not get to peek into your past.]
Dokja notices that his warning unfortunately came too late as Hyunsung calls out to an imaginary superior in the army, Heewon brandishes her weapon and is posed to attack a perceived enemy, while Gilyoung holds his head as he repeatedly apologizes to his mother. They all look absolutely terrified.
"Dokja?" Sangah calls,
Yes. The reason I destroyed Samyeongdang's statute to obtain this skill was so I could clear this sub scenario.
Dokja gathers his breath as Sangah protects his back, activating the skill [Dispel Evil lvl. 1] to dismantle the Prison. However, it doesn't break everyone out of their illusions.
Glancing around, Dokja sees Hyunsung start repeating a soldier's oath while bowing with his hands behind his back and his head on the ground. Sangah notices that Gilyoung has now curled into a ball on the ground, calling out to his mom in a much weaker voice while shaking heavily. The worst off is Heewon, who suddenly launches herself towards Dokja in a fierce attack, nearly stabbing his head while stating that she'll kill them all.
'Her eyes turned red! This is a sign of [Demon Slaying]!' Dokja notices as he barely manages to dodge in time. 'This is why I gave her
As she wobbles, he carefully hits the back of her neck, knocking her out. He hands her off to Sangah as windows appear saying that the sub scenario has been completed.
"Don't let your guard down." Dokja pulls out his sword as several ominous robed figures covered in a purple aura emerge from the ground. "It's not over yet."
Tier 8 Ghost Species Specter.
Gilyoung trembled violently, trying his best to hide his sobs into Kim Dokja's robe. He had no idea what the boy was reliving right now, but all he could do was put a hand on Lee Gilyoung's back and hope for the best. Glancing over at Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung, Kim Dokja cringed weakly. Lee Hyunsung's face was as pale as a sheet, and his eyes were distant.
It was never really explained in TWSA just what had happened in the army, but by the way Lee Hyunsung was acting, it likely wasn't anything good. Kim Dokja knew this all too well—after all, he had done his time at the front lines, and it had been miserable.
Jung Heewon, however, looked more upset than afraid. She grit her teeth and looked down at the floor helplessly, her fingernails digging into her legs so deeply that Kim Dokja was worried she'd manage to draw blood.
"I'm sorry," she said weakly. "Even with the robe… fuck."
She buried her face in her hands and tried to breathe deeply to keep herself from… well, Kim Dokja wasn't sure if she wanted to cry or to scream at something.
[The constellation 'Bald General of the Peasant's Army' wishes to comfort the incarnation 'Jung Heewon'.]
"Don't be," Kim Dokja replied, his voice far shakier than he would like it to be. "It's not your fault. The [Welcome Prison] controls people with their worst memories."
Hers were clearly far more recent than anyone else's, and after what had happened, he couldn't blame her for being rightfully filled with rage.
Jung Heewon shook her head and took a deep breath before glaring up at the screen. "I lost control. I won't do it again."
[The constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is cheering for the incarnation 'Jung Heewon'.]
Later, Hyunsung is lying down with his head on a backpack, groaning before he opens his eyes and yells out his rank in the army and how he doesn't copy out of instinct alone. He sits up, massaging his forehead as Sangah asks how he is from her place next to Heewon and Gilyoung, who are leaning against each other in their unconscious state.
As he asks how long he was out and what's happening, Dokja reaches for the multi-coloured jewels on the ground and a window pops up, identifying them as
"We stumbled upon monsters that created a [Welcome Prison]. We've defeated them all, so it should be okay," Dokja answers and Sangah admits that it was mostly Dokja's doing. He just shrugs. "Their attacks were mostly psychic in nature, so it wasn't too bad."
As Hyunsung thanks Dokja, Gilyoung slowly wakes up. He stumbles into a standing position as Sangah asks if he needs to rest more. He walks up to Dokja, tapping his head with his fist and mentions that it hurts.
'Maybe it was Gilyoung who had the most traumatic experience,' Dokja thinks as he remembers the boy's frantic pleading, then reaches out and pats his head. Gilyoung immediately pushes his face into Dokja's side and grits his teeth as he trembles, squeezing him around the waist in a hug as Dokja rests his hand on Gilyoung's back.
Lee Gilyoung wiped his eyes and tried to fake a smile. "I'm okay hyung, really."
Anyone could see that he wasn't, but Kim Dokja didn't want to push him. If he wanted to talk about it someday, then he would.
Shin Yoosung reached across Kim Dokja's lap to grab ahold of Lee Gilyoung's hand. "Hey, it'll be okay. Ahjussi will take good care of you—I mean, of us."
Lee Gilyoung stared at her for a moment before letting out a rough chuckle. "Yeah. Yeah, he will."
Aww, wasn't that cute? For a moment, Yoo Mia looked like she wanted to say something too, but she looked down and glanced away when the two other kids started whispering about something that made them giggle. Was she feeling left out?
[A constellation who likes children is pleased with this development.]
Maybe someday she would come out of her shell and join them, but for the moment, it didn't look like Yoo Mia was willing to leave her brother's side. Speaking of her brother, Yoo Joonghyuk had clearly noticed the
"It looks like we've almost made it," Sangah says, looking at the light that they can see further down the tunnel.
Our group isn't ready for a fight at the moment.
Hyunsung carefully picks up Heewon and carries her on his back with help from Sangah. As they prepare to start walking, Dokja wonders if it's ok to proceed. Still, he keeps an eye on Gilyoung, who's put on a poker face to seem stronger than he likely feels.
"Who are you people?" A girl's voice suddenly calls out, causing the group to turn and look her way. Backlit by the light at the end of the tunnel, they all see a figure wearing a hood and brandishing a sword in front of them.
"Don't you know that these hunting grounds belong to us?" She continues, an intimidating look on her face.
Shocked, Dokja wonders how long she's been standing there, and Sangah seems to recognize the girl. From her face alone, it's clear who she is—they've all seen her before during the stream in the first scenario.
The sole survivor of Taepung Girls' High school… Lee Jihye.
[The constellation 'Maritime War God' is smiling at his incarnation.]
Lee Jihye grinned widely. "Look, Master, I finally showed up!"
Yoo Joonghyuk nodded once, and though he didn't say anything, that seemed to be more than enough acknowledgement for her. It was nice seeing her in such high spirits, especially after how badly the rest of this segment had gone so far.
Taking off her hood, Jihye notices the
I knew who she was as well, because she is also one of the main characters of TWSA.
Jihye exclaims that only her master knows how to defeat the Specters as her [Character Profile] appears.
[Name: Lee Jihye
Age: 17
Constellation sponsor: Maritime War God
Personal attribute: Scarred Sword Demon (Rare)
Exclusive skills: Blade Proficiency lvl. 3, Demon Slaying lvl. 1, Perfect Senses lvl. 2, Ghost Steps lvl. 1
Stigma: Naval Warfare lvl. 1, Command Army lvl. 1
Overall stats: Stamina lvl. 13, Strength lvl. 12, Agility lvl. 13, Mana lvl. 9
General evaluation: She has become a 'Scarred Sword Demon' after killing her closest friend. This character's constellation sponsor has become fond of you and your party.
*Starter Pack is currently in use.]
'Maritime War God. Her constellation sponsor hasn't changed from the story,' Dokja thinks as he reads her profile.
[The constellation 'Bald Leader of the Peasant's Army' is moved about being reunited with an old friend.]
[Lee Jihye's constellation sponsor greets the 'Bald Leader of the Peasant's Army' happily.]
Lee Jihye, the Naval Commander. She was the reason why Yoo Joonghyuk rushed straight to Chungmuro. She's a crucial character for the naval battle that lies ahead.
Still looking at them with a degree of suspicion, Jihye turns and tells them to follow her to the station. Dokja narrows his eyes, but they all follow her as they walk down the tracks towards Chungmuro.
Yoo Joonghyuk carefully looked over his apprentice's profile with a discerning eye, and she seemed to do the same. As expected, Lee Jihye grimaced upon seeing her attribute and the evaluation, but she seemed relatively satisfied by her stats at that point.
"Master, you really went ahead just to find me?" She asked excitedly, looking at the protagonist with stars in her eyes. "All because you knew my skills were valuable?"
Yoo Joonghyuk nodded. "You're essential to winning a naval battle with the least amount of casualties."
Though she seemed pleased that she was chosen again and again as his apprentice throughout different lifetimes, something still seemed off with Lee Jihye. Kim Dokja thought that he understood. For one, it did mean that Yoo Joonghyuk probably found her predictable and wanted to make sure he had every advantage possible, especially because her skills truly were that valuable—necessary, even, for a few scenarios. Secondly, it also meant that Yoo Joonghyuk likely already knew everything there was to know about her in advance—all her secrets, and all her thoughts.
Her smile dropped off her face somewhat, but she took a deep breath anyway and tried to force it back.
"At the very least, thanks to ahjussi's skill, we know that my sponsor is fond of everyone," Lee Jihye said with a small laugh, as if she was trying to cheer up the group. It didn't really work, but Kim Dokja appreciated it anyway.
[The constellation 'Maritime War God' confirms that he is.]
That was nice of him, it was good to have another constellation they could rely on in a pinch.
"Still, a main character, huh?" she said after a moment of silence. "I guess I'm too awesome to be part of the supporting cast."
Well, at least she was looking on the bright side? Genuinely, Kim Dokja had no idea how she could be so upbeat.
Han Sooyoung rolled her eyes and shot an amused glance at Kim Dokja, and he knew why. Though Lee Jihye was definitely an important character in TWSA, she wasn't anywhere near the most important. Yoo Joonghyuk was first, of course, but the next two in line were the other characters who could be considered protagonists in their own right.
"Better than an 'extra' like me," Jung Heewon said with a wry grin, actually making a joke out of her status. That was unexpected.
Lee Jihye laughed, and just like that, some of the tension was gone. Honestly, Kim Dokja was amazed that she was able to do that so effortlessly. Maybe the next segment would go a bit better, thanks to the two of them.
Kim Dokja really, really hoped so.