The atmosphere was tense, and Kim Dokja knew that it wouldn't change until this scenario was over. It was hard seeing himself fight against Yoo Joonghyuk like this, even in a life or death situation.
Though he was formulating his own plans—hoping that his future self remembered the existence of his own sword, just in case—he was still ultimately helpless in the face of this future. Shouting at the screen when a character in a drama was making a stupid decision wouldn't change anything, and it wouldn't work here either.
[many constellations are watching the current events with anticipation.]
All Kim Dokja could do was allow the children to grab onto his hands and hope that he could stop Yoo Joonghyuk from making a terrible mistake.
While the others all brace themselves against the shockwave from their clash, Joonghyuk tries to reason that this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. While looking at Joonghyuk's determined gaze, Dokja thinks back to a description of the protagonist and his strength. As he looks into Joonghyuk's determined eyes, an expression of unguarded horror crosses Dokja's face as he realizes something: [The Fourth Wall] is helping him deal with the pain caused by the amount of force they're both exerting, but Joonghyuk is enduring all that pain without a wall to help him. After a moment, Dokja grits his teeth as he steels his resolve.
You're telling me that it's okay for you to regress since it won't affect this world?
Breaking their parry, Dokja leaves Joonghyuk unsteady as he firmly disagrees with the protagonist's proposal. Looking up at Joonghyuk, he declares that this isn't in the 'ending' that he wants.
You're willing to sacrifice yourself in order to end this scenario?
"Are you serious?" Jung Heewon hissed, shooting Yoo Joonghyuk a disbelieving glance. "You did not just tell him that killing you is a once in a lifetime opportunity."
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is pointing out that most people can only be killed once.]
While that was technically true, that was not the point that Jung Heewon was making here. Kim Dokja appreciated that she was speaking up, honestly—it was killing him inside to see the protagonist act like this. Killing him was the absolute last thing that Kim Dokja ever wanted to do, regardless of circumstances.
The only time that he would kill Yoo Joonghyuk with his own hands was if he had no other option, and even then, Kim Dokja knew that he would hate himself for it. Or, more than he already did, anyway.
"You are strong, Joonghyuk-ssi, but that doesn't mean that you should endure pain just because you can," Lee Seolhwa told him sternly, making the man shift a bit uncomfortably to avoid looking back at her. Maybe she had told Yoo Joonghyuk that before, once upon a time, or maybe he was simply too accustomed to hearing her scold him for his decisions.
[the constellation 'lily blooming in aquarius' is agreeing with the opinion of the incarnation 'lee seolhwa'.]
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is declaring that pain is cool.]
As Kim Dokja revealed that this clash between them was hurting him enough that his skill had to get involved, though, Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes began to shake. Though he didn't like the feeling of pain whatsoever, Kim Dokja was not above using that as leverage to make Yoo Joonghyuk back down if he had to.
"Dokja-ssi, will you be alright?" Yoo Sangah asked worriedly, and Kim Dokja nodded once.
[The Fourth Wall] would help him as much as it could, and he was honestly more worried for the man who had no such protections. It was hard to fathom just how far Yoo Joonghyuk was willing to go to prevent his death, but every new piece of evidence was getting stacked on a scale that Kim Dokja was trying so hard to keep from tipping.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is nodding tearfully in agreement with the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
As Kim Dokja rejected Yoo Joonghyuk's plan, declaring that it wasn't part of the ending that he wanted, Han Sooyoung shot him a suspicious look. "Hey, that other time you said that you never claimed to want a happy ending, so what the hell do you want?"
What did he want…?
Kim Dokja looked down, trying to figure out how to word this, but eventually decided on the simplest possible answer.
"I want Yoo Joonghyuk to live a long and happy life in a world free of the scenarios."
He thought that he might have heard Yoo Joonghyuk's breath hitch, but it was immediately drowned out by Lee Jihye's gasp.
"Ahjussi, that's so good!" she almost wailed emotionally, but she managed to quiet herself after a moment. "But… wait, ahjussi, what about the rest of us?"
[the constellation 'maritime war god' is extremely curious about the answer to his incarnation's question.]
Ah… that was a hard question. Kim Dokja wasn't sure what to tell her, but he had to be realistic.
"In the apocalypse, it's hard to know who will survive until the ending," he admitted quietly, shrugging as he did. "Ideally, everyone will survive, but I can't assume that will happen for sure. That doesn't mean I won't try to keep you alive—because I will—but even I can't predict everything perfectly and there's always the chance of any of us making fatal mistakes."
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is wondering if such an ending is possible.]
Shin Yoosung shifted nervously next to him. "In the novel, we didn't survive most of the time, did we?"
Kim Dokja let out a shaky exhale. "No, you didn't."
"Some of us had to have outlived Joonghyuk-ssi in some lives, right?" Lee Hyunsung muttered.
He was right, of course. "Sometimes, but not always."
Still, shouldn't all of this be even more proof that Yoo Joonghyuk deserved to live in this life? If he died here, then that ending could never be reached, and he would inevitably continue suffering for another 1800 regressions. If Kim Dokja could make a regression where absolutely nobody died out of the members of their group, then he would do everything he could to accomplish it.
Immediately, the two of them devolve into a verbal sparring match over who will become the Demon King and sacrifice themselves. To the side, their companions watch on in a tense silence. When Joonghyuk points out in a frantic yell that Dokja's resurrection ability will be useless if he's expelled from the scenario, Dokja can't help but think that maybe Joonghyuk doesn't understand his words and that there's a huge wall between them.
However, Dokja also knows that it's only because of this wall that he could see Joonghyuk again—his remorse, his despair, his dreams, and his indomitable will. Thanks to this single story of a man who never gave up, no matter what, Dokja has been able to overcome all the tragedies of his life and survive until now. Certain in his decision, Dokja answers calmly. "Think about it. Who's going to read a story without the protagonist? I'm just paying back my debt."
When Joonghyuk asks him what he means by 'debt' in a confused tone, Dokja just smiles fondly. "You saved me once before, so I'll save you this time."
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is pitying the incarnations.]
God, it was so hard listening to this. Kim Dokja had to be the one sacrificed here, no matter what—he simply wouldn't accept any other outcome.
"Neither of you should do this," Yoo Mia whispered as she clutched onto her brother even tighter. "Ahjussi, oppa… you're both stupid."
Well, even if he was stupid, Kim Dokja couldn't change his course. Right now, preventing Yoo Joonghyuk from regressing was the most important thing. Still, the protagonist pointed out the other failure penalty of being expelled, and Kim Dokja cursed internally. Dammit, why did he have to bring that up?
"You won't be able to survive that, Kim Dokja," Yoo Joonghyuk told him in a tone that was shaking as much as his eyes were. "If I regress, my body vanishes, and I will not have to suffer that fate."
Kim Dokja bit his lip angrily. "That doesn't make it better, you bastard."
[many constellations are muttering about being expelled from the scenarios.]
[the constellation 'god of wine and ecstasy' is taking a long sip from his glass.]
Yoo Joonghyuk didn't say anything more, but Yoo Sangah just sighed. "Dokja-ssi, I don't think you're going to be able to change Joonghyuk-ssi's mind, and at the same time, he won't be able to change yours."
That was true, he supposed. They were both extremely stubborn, after all.
Han Sooyoung, however, snorted. "Yeah, you sure as hell have a wall in between you—it's called your bullshit skill."
Maybe, but it was keeping his mind as clear as possible, and Kim Dokja knew that his future self would not be able to cope with this at all without it. It was necessary to allow him to be able to do what needed to be done.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is feeling very emotional.]
[several constellations are feeling somewhat touched by the thoughts of the incarnation 'yoo joonghyuk'.]
Hearing it like that… Kim Dokja knew that he had clung to life only through the life of a man who was doomed to perpetual suffering. He also knew that it was because of the wall—and the story contained within its pages—that he had been able to live so long in this broken world. The Yoo Joonghyuk who had unknowingly held his hand to lead him through all his worst times may not be exactly the same person as the protagonist sitting near him, but that didn't mean that Kim Dokja cared any less.
Kim Dokja let out a deep sigh, trying not to let it show how affected he truly was. It felt like being dissected live on screen and having his deepest thoughts revealed, even the ones he didn't want to admit out loud.
"You really relied on Joonghyuk-ssi a lot, didn't you?" Jung Heewon said sympathetically, and he couldn't even respond because they all already knew the answer to that. What more was there to say, at this point?
[a few constellations are wondering what the incarnation 'kim dokja' will do.]
Then, Kim Dokja's future self looked up and spoke, and he felt the tension leave his shoulders at the realization that he wouldn't be giving in.
"Sometimes the supporting cast is interesting enough to carry a story without the protagonist," Han Sooyoung declared offhandedly, but she shot Kim Dokja a slightly judgmental look, "but TWSA sure as hell wasn't one of those stories."
Okay, well, she just had shit taste. No matter what she believed, TWSA's supporting cast was good, even if Yoo Joonghyuk was still better. Anyway, it felt almost relieving to be able to say that he was finally paying back that debt. It was only a life for a life—and maybe this was only a small portion of his debt being paid back—but it was the best that Kim Dokja could do for now.
"You fool," Yoo Joonghyuk hissed. "You don't owe me any debt."
But he did, and that wasn't something that a few words from the protagonist could just erase.
[the constellation 'secretive plotter' is frowning deeply.]
"I used you, Joonghyuk-ah," Kim Dokja replied with a dry laugh. "Isn't that enough for you to feel even a bit resentful?"
In response, Yoo Joonghyuk only scoffed and stared at him intensely. "I am only in my third regression; you 'used' a version of me that does not exist. Stop making excuses."
It was true that Kim Dokja was changing things from the very beginning of the novel, but that still didn't feel like enough to atone for his actions. That kind of feeling—the feeling of siphoning off of a story just to live like some kind of narrative leech—wasn't something that Yoo Joonghyuk, who always persevered for as long as he could with his own strength, would ever understand.
Kim Dokja didn't answer, even though he could feel that Yoo Joonghyuk was still looking at him. There was no answer he could give that could be both what the others wanted to hear and the truth, after all.
Lauching himself off a pillar, Dokja successfully uses the high ground and a timely deactivation of [Miniaturization] as their swords are about to clash—something that Dokja had only thought was theoretically possible, but it's all he can think of right now to stop Joonghyuk from sacrificing himself. Joonghyuk's eyes go wide in astonishment and he gasps out Dokja's name before the sudden burst of electricity sends him hurtling into the wall, making the both his sword and the jade fly out of his hands as he coughs up blood.
[Electrification] is a skill that can only be used when you're a 'small person'. But, if I deactivate [Miniaturization] while using [Electrification], I can use the power of [Electrification] with my original body for a brief moment. Though that would leave my body on the brink of death, the ability of [Electrification] becomes amplified in the short moment [Miniaturization] is deactivated.
The jade falls, bouncing twice before coming to a stop on the very cracked ground. After a moment, a small hand reaches down and picks it up. Panting, Dokja steps forwards and calls Gilyoung's name, making the boy flinch and tightly clutch the jade between his two hands, as if to hide it from Dokja's gaze.
[the constellation 'prisoner of the golden headband' is surprised by the strategy of the incarnation 'kim dokja'.]
"Is now really the time to try out things like that?" Lee Hyunsung wondered as Kim Dokja mused that his plan was completely untested.
"If not now, then when?" Kim Dokja replied with a slightly forced shrug. Since Kyrgios had never appeared in TWSA in person, no one had ever properly learned his techniques. Even if they had, it was hard to say whether [Electrification] requiring the user to be a small person was only a restriction that Kim Dokja had because of bookmarking Kyrgios instead of learning it properly. As a result, there was no way to know whether something like this was possible based on the contents of the novel alone.
As Kim Dokja's size suddenly returned to normal, he couldn't help but gasp in surprise at just how well his half-baked theory had worked. Although he didn't love the way that Yoo Mia flinched the second that her brother was sent flying into a wall, he didn't have any other choices right now if he wanted to stop Yoo Joonghyuk.
[the constellation 'maritime war god' is shocked by this turn of events.]
"I hope that Joonghyuk-ssi is alright," Lee Seolhwa mused with a concerned expression.
Considering the blood that he was coughing up, it was likely a bit worse than Kim Dokja had intended, but Kim Dokja also couldn't feel too sorry for him. If he hadn't inflicted enough damage, then the protagonist wouldn't have dropped that jade for anything. And, noticing the sword going flying, Kim Dokja internally sighed in relief. If it was in an inconvenient spot, then Yoo Joonghyuk might have no choice but to use the other one that was hidden away in his coat.
"Okay, that's actually kind of smart," Han Sooyoung admitted as Kim Dokja's narration explained how his attack had worked, though she looked like she really didn't want to do that.
Well, too bad for her. Kim Dokja knew that his ideas were good, and he didn't need her validation anyway.
[the constellation 'lily blooming in aquarius' is concerned about the jade.]
As the jade landed on the ground, Kim Dokja sucked in a breath. He had to get to it, no matter what.
To his horror, it wasn't his hand that reached for it next.
"Gilyoung-ah!?" Yoo Sangah exclaimed in surprise as she turned to look at the boy. For some reason, Lee Gilyoung seemed remarkably unfazed by the situation. Instead, he looked almost determined.
"You have to give it to me, Gilyoung-ah," Kim Dokja told him quietly, hoping that his voice wasn't shaking. It was never pleasant looking towards your future and seeing death lying ahead, but he needed to get that jade out of the kid's hands.
The boy was silent for a moment, looking straight down at the floor, before inhaling deeply and staring into Kim Dokja's eyes defiantly.
"No."
[a constellation who likes children is flabbergasted by the response of the incarnation 'lee gilyoung'.]
Jung Heewon's eyes blazed. "What do you mean 'no'!?"
"I'm not giving it to hyung," Lee Gilyoung responded. "He doesn't need it."
What was he talking about? Smiling shakily, Kim Dokja tried again. "Gilyoung-ah, someone needs to become the Demon King."
Lee Gilyoung bit his lip slightly. "I know."
Kim Dokja was getting a very bad feeling about this. He didn't know what it was, but it felt like a horrific omen creeping up on him.
Suddenly, Lee Gilyoung grinned widely. "It's okay, hyung. I'll do it instead."
… What?
"That way you and the sooty bastard don't have to fight each other, and you won't die or be sad because the sooty bastard died."
No. No, this couldn't be happening. Kim Dokja's heartbeat pounded in his ears as he stared down at the boy in numb horror. He had never even considered this as a possibility.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is gasping in shock.]
[the constellation 'queen of the darkest spring' is urging the incarnation 'lee gilyoung' to think twice.]
Lee Gilyoung's smile dimmed a bit. "And you have that gi— you have Yoosung, so you won't be sad after I'm gone either."
Through fog in his mind and the utterly paralyzing shock, Kim Dokja thought he heard his mother choke back what might have seemed like a gasp. That couldn't be right. She wouldn't do that.
"No," Kim Dokja managed to force himself to say. "You're just a kid, Gilyoung-ah."
"I'm old enough to kill someone, so I'm old enough to choose to do this, right?" Lee Gilyoung responded, and even though Kim Dokja flinched, the boy remained completely still. It was like he was unaffected by the words he was saying, or that he was absolutely certain in this decision.
This couldn't happen. It would have to be over Kim Dokja's dead body.
[a constellation who likes grasshoppers is looking at the incarnation 'lee gilyoung'.]
Panting, Dokja asks for the jade with an outstretched hand, but Gilyoung looks horrified and clutches it close while slowly backing away, declaring that he won't give Dokja the jade because he heard everything and knows what will happen if Dokja gets it. Sooyoung then screams for Gilyoung to get away from Dokja, distracting the boy just long enough for Dokja to take the jade from his grasp with an apology.
Everyone seems to run towards him in slow motion as Dokja uses the jade, which forcibly deactivates [Bookmark]. Just as his body begins to struggle from the overload of [Electrification], Dokja's consciousness blurs as a wave of demonic energy flowing from the jade covers him. Suddenly, Dokja receives a message about Vedas being satisfied with this scenario, and he knows that this is the moment they've been waiting for.
Amidst the distressed calls of his friends, the jade recognises his potential and declare that he meets the qualifications to become the 73rd Demon King. A quick flurry of messages inform Dokja of the goal of the Demon King's path—to massacre all living beings on the 3rd floor of Dark Castle—and it warns him once again of the consequences for failure.
Kim Dokja knew that he had to stop Lee Gilyoung from thinking this, regardless of what happened in the future.
Carefully, he reached out and placed a hand on Lee Gilyoung's head. "I can't let you do this. It's a job for the adults, and you're important to me too."
At that, Lee Gilyoung went stiff, and his hands finally began to tremble as he clenched them into the fabric of his pants. "... as much as she is?"
"Yes," Kim Dokja said, and it felt like the truth. It was oddly freeing, like a weight being lifted off his shoulders. "You're just as much my kid as Yoosung-ie is."
[several constellations are feeling emotional.]
[a constellation who likes children is wiping a tear from their eye.]
In an instant, Lee Gilyoung's lip trembled as tears welled up in his eyes and he threw himself onto Kim Dokja's side, sobbing. "I'm sorry hyung. You really mean it?"
He did, and even Kim Dokja didn't know how to process that. As he nodded, the boy just tightened his grip around him. Shin Yoosung looked a bit fidgety, but she looked away in embarrassment. "I never wanted a stupid brother before but I guess you're not so bad, bug boy."
When Lee Gilyoung reached over to pinch her weakly for that comment, Shin Yoosung didn't pinch back.
Thankfully, he was too busy crying and dealing with Kim Dokja awkwardly patting his back to notice that his future self had lost his grip on the jade. Kim Dokja looked around at everyone else, and though Yoo Sangah looked pained, she didn't say anything. Even though he'd realize what had happened shortly, nobody wanted to send the kid back into hysterics.
[the constellation 'abyssal black flame dragon' is grumbling that it was about time.]
[the constellation 'god of wine and ecstasy' is setting his wine aside for now.]
Kim Dokja let out a slow exhale as the demonic energy washed over him, and he knew that the wheel of Fate was turning. Maybe it was just the lingering relief to know that Lee Gilyoung and Yoo Joonghyuk weren't about to throw their lives away for nothing, but Kim Dokja wasn't worried even as he watched himself take the first step towards becoming the Demon King. Naturally, Vedas decided that this was the perfect moment to send an indirect message.
"Damn it," Lee Jihye spat out under her breath. "Damn it!"
"Those damn nebulae," Jung Heewon hissed, clenching her fist tightly.
[some constellations are wondering what the qualifications are to become a 'demon king'.]
[the constellation 'scribe of heaven' is looking at the incarnation 'kim dokja' with a conflicted expression.]
He could understand why the archangel was feeling that way. After all, Kim Dokja was choosing to become a sacrifice to ensure that all the others could live, and self-sacrifice was considered an act of good. Perhaps this was just more proof that their standards couldn't work forever.
"You're not actually going to try and kill all of us, right?" Han Sooyoung asked suspiciously.
Kim Dokja shook his head. "The scenario will take control of my body, so I won't have a choice. I'll be forced to fight, but I don't want any of you to die."
The failure conditions that were once again being shoved in his face didn't bother him. In fact, if his future self was thinking something along the same lines as the ideas floating in his own mind, then this might actually work out for the best. Despite that, Kim Dokja could practically hear Yoo Joonghyuk grinding his teeth from how tightly clenched his jaw was as he stared at the screen in anger.
Maybe Yoo Joonghyuk would hate him later for what he'd inevitably have to do, but that was okay. Kim Dokja had never expected the protagonist to like him as a person in the first place, even in his most indulgent of childhood fantasies.
Dokja knows that expulsion isn't the same as dying, but rather to be kicked out of the flow controlled by the Star Stream, and that it means he'll die in a void that is out of the view of both dokkaebis and constellations. No one in the Star Stream can endure such a thing, and no constellation can exist without the scenarios, and Dokja is fully aware that this is what his Fate is pointing towards.
Looking at his approaching companions, and at Joonghyuk who is lying unconscious on the ground, Dokja speaks as the blood red light coming through the windows behind him shadow him eerily.
"I will become the new Demon King."
Kim Dokja felt the kids tremble at his sides as his narration described what being expelled from the scenarios actually entailed, and he knew that there was nothing he could do to reassure them.
"That sounds horrible, Dokja-ssi," Lee Hyunsung said, seeming like he was also barely restraining himself from letting his tears flow.
It was a terrible fate, yes, but it wasn't one that was entirely inescapable.
[the constellation 'goryeo's first sword' is clenching his hand into a fist.]
Kim Dokja glanced at the notification and felt even more certain about what he was probably planning. Unless his future self fucked something up, he wouldn't die alone in the void.
Either way, there was something far more important to pay attention to right now.
It didn't matter that everyone else was crying, cursing him out, or silent in anger or shock. It didn't matter that Yoo Joonghyuk looked almost devastated. It didn't matter that Kim Dokja couldn't bring himself to say a word of comfort to any of them.
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is distraught.]
[the constellation 'demon-like judge of fire' is refusing to believe this turn of events.]
It didn't even matter that Uriel was breaking down, not when the next 73rd Demon King was being born right before their eyes.