The tracks of Chungmuro Station were stained even further.
Four of the five Apostles who had come here were already crushed beyond recognition.
"Cough..."
I grabbed the neck of the last remaining one and stared him down.
"Who... the hell are you?"
The man managed to choke out a question while I strangled him. It was a fair question. Everyone he brought had been slaughtered, and he himself had been neutralized in an instant. It would have made sense if this was Yoo Joonghyuk’s doing, but since he was being dismantled by someone whose face and description he’d never seen, he must have been dying of curiosity.
But this guy really didn't know his place.
" I don't recall giving you the right to speak."
"What?"
I applied more pressure to the arm holding his throat. His neck snapped, and his head separated from his body.
However, the head just stared at me as if nothing had happened.
"Hmm..."
"W-what? Got another problem?!"
"It’s unpleasant. Having just a head staring at me."
"Hah?! You’re the one who did it...!"
This guy still hadn't learned his lesson. I looked down at the rolling head.
"You seem relaxed because it's just an Avatar."
"What? You know about Avatars?"
"Of course. Anyone with the 'Writer' attribute can use them."
At my words, the First Apostle looked at me in shock.
"Are you a Prophet...? No, this isn't something the Prophets should know. Who are you?"
"Like I said, I didn't tell you to ask questions."
For a self-proclaimed plagiarist, he was remarkably slow.
"I can find out where your real body is."
"Are you bluffing now?"
"What if I told you I know what you actually look like?"
"This is my real face. What are you talking about?"
The head mocked me, even as it rolled on the ground. He must have taken me for a meathead who only had strength. Unfortunately for him... I remembered him clearly because he plays a significant role until the latter half of the story.
"You're a woman, for starters."
"What?"
"You're under 160cm tall. But you have good proportions, so people tell you that you look taller."
"Wh-what are you..."
"You hear that you have a 'cat-like' face and that you're pretty quite often."
The head fell silent, staring up at me.
"Want me to keep going?"
"You lunatic... how do you know that? Did you meet my clone?"
Clone. I had a feeling I knew who she was talking about. But unfortunately, that person probably doesn't exist in this world right now. Not that it matters.
"Is this the time to be questioning that? You should be feeling a sense of crisis."
"..."
She finally seemed to feel the weight of the situation, looking up at me with a deeply conflicted expression.
"F-fine. How about we cooperate?"
"Why would I do that?"
"I’m pretty in my own way. A genius beauty... ah, if you were the type to be swayed by that, you would have caved already."
"At least you're quick on the uptake."
"What’s your type? I can change my appearance to whatever you want."
"You wouldn't be able to handle it. I care about personality too."
She sighed at my attitude. She realized it wasn't going to work.
"I could be useful."
"I don't need your help. I have a more capable companion than you."
"Are you talking about Yoo Joonghyuk? Hah, the current Joonghyuk is incomplete. Holding my hand would be—"
"I wasn't talking about him. Did you forget? There's someone else who ruined your plans."
I picked up the head from the floor.
"My friend knows more than you do."
"Impossible... there’s no way such a crazy person exists in this world... unless."
The head tried to say something, but I had no reason to hang around a chatterbox of a decapitated head anymore. The person she actually needed to talk to was approaching.
"Heave-ho."
I tossed the head away. What happens after it leaves my hand is none of my business. It’s just a head that's no longer my problem.
"It went pretty far."
Maybe she'll be more aggressive next time we meet. Even if we become allies in the future... I'll make sure she pays for what happened today.
By the time we returned to the surface, the sun was slowly setting, dyeing the sky a deep red.
"..."
Coming up to the streets of Chungmuro, the sight of destruction met my eyes. The typical look of an apocalypse from the movies. As expected... it’s not a sight you ever get used to.
"Why am I getting so sentimental?"
I chewed on the anger that had flared up earlier. The reason wasn't hard to find. At first, I thought it was because I made a mistake, but thinking about it now, that wasn't it. I was angry because my companions had been hurt.
"Belonging to a group is a scary thing."
It's funny. A guy who never felt a sense of belonging in his entire life is now angry because his new teammates got scratched. It’s like being furious because your first precious possession got a dent.
I smirked and sat down on the ground.
"The sunset is actually quite beautiful, even for an apocalypse."
"I agree."
I turned around at the voice. Kim Dokja was standing there.
"Why are you up already? I threw the head to you so you could have a chat."
"We talked. Yoo Joonghyuk finished it off at the end."
"Is that so?"
It felt like only a moment had passed, but they were already done.
"Kim Dokja."
"Yes."
I lay flat on my back. Even from this position, Dokja’s face was clear.
"Don't die."
To be honest, I knew. As this story progresses, there will be moments where Kim Dokja’s sacrifice becomes inevitable. Still, I will do my best to keep him alive. Because I became his friend.
"You don't need to worry. I have no intention of dying."
"To see the epilogue of the novel?"
"That, too... but I have too many companions to worry about if I were to die now."
"True. I’d be pretty worried too."
"Why would I worry about you, Kang-hoon? You seem to handle yourself just fine."
"Handle myself? My misjudgment put everyone in danger."
As soon as I finished speaking, Dokja crouched down.
"You're too close."
"I would have made the same call."
"What?"
"If I had known someone was targeting Chungmuro, I would have made the same judgment."
Was he actually trying to comfort me? It wasn't like him. It wasn't bad, but that wasn't what I was regretting.
"I think it would have been better to leave Igneel to you."
"What are you talking about? I hate dealing with stuff like that."
He says that, but he's the type to handle it perfectly when pushed.
"Rather than suffering through it, it's better if you do it, Kang-hoon."
"You're not saying you couldn't do it?"
"Honestly, I’m not confident."
"You’d manage."
I sprang up from the ground. Dokja flinched and took a half-step back. I gave him a small smirk.
"Because you're my friend."
"I see."
I draped an arm over Dokja’s shoulder.
"Let's head back down. You have a plan, right?"
"Yes. I’m going to lure them in with a fake revelation."
"Nice. The target is the Tyrant King?"
"Yes. I’ll induce a fight between the First Apostle and the Tyrant King."
"Good. And you'll take them both out while they're at each other's throats?"
Dokja nodded.
"It will take a little time."
"I'll wait."
"Yes. I'll set a proper trap."
"He's asleep."
"He said there are things that can only be done while sleeping, and then just knocked out."
I looked at the uncharacteristically polite Lee Seongkuk and then turned to the sleeping Kim Dokja. It had been a few hours since Dokja set the plan in motion and spread the fake revelation. Jung Minseob and Kang Ilhoon had left under Dokja's orders to watch the First Apostle and the Tyrant King, respectively.
"Ah."
Honestly, if I hadn't known better, I would've thought he'd gone crazy and just passed out. But then I remembered why he was sleeping. This guy... even though he didn't die against Igneel, he must have unlocked 'Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint Stage 3.' I recalled him getting it through 'excessive immersion'... I don't know how he triggered it this time, but there must have been a catalyst while I was away.
"…Ugh."
"Oh, he's awake."
Dokja opened his eyes and sat up groggily.
"You were talking in your sleep."
Jung Heewon approached as soon as he woke up, giggling.
"What did I say?"
"You said... 'Mother'."
"…Mother?"
Mother, huh... I pictured Kim Dokja’s mother in my mind.
"Well, he is worried about her."
I wanted to add more, but I kept my mouth shut. If I started making comments about Dokja’s mother here, I’d just invite suspicion.
"Anyway, Heewon. I have a separate favor to ask."
"Yes?"
"Don't participate in the Gwanghwamun battle..."
Dokja whispered his instructions to Heewon. She listened, nodded, and immediately left.
"She really is fast when it comes to action."
"That’s her strength."
Dokja watched Heewon leave, then turned toward the gathered crowd.
"Everyone, gather around."
It was time to meet the other Kings.
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