"...You know me?"
"A little. I've only heard about you through someone else."
A taut tension hung between Yoo Joonghyuk and me.
"And who would that someone be?"
"My little sister. She's a huge fan of yours. She praised you until she was blue in the face. I actually got insanely jealous. Pro gamer Yoo Joonghyuk."
Yoo Joonghyuk had been wary that I knew her, but once I revealed that I knew of her through my sister's fandom from her pro gamer days, she seemed to understand to some extent.
Of course, that was half-lie, half-truth.
Lies work best when you mix in a bit of truth.
It was true that my sister was a fan, but she liked her as the protagonist of [Ways of Survival], not as a pro gamer.
"For that to be true, you seemed to already know I was in this car..."
"Who knows. I only came here to warn the murderer who wiped out an entire train car that if she touches my sister, I'll kill her."
"Are you the only survivor in this car?"
"Look at the door behind you. Six of us. Everyone but me got off a while ago."
Understanding wasn't the same as lowering her guard.
Perhaps that was why Yoo Joonghyuk glared at me, her caution only intensifying.
"Now it's my turn to talk. Don't kill my sister."
"...And if I can't do that?"
"Then the conversation ends here."
Clench.
If someone intended to kill Dokja, I was always ready to fight, whether it was a Constellation or a human.
Even if it earned Dokja's resentment, even if she hated me forever.
To me, Dokja's life came first.
"You think you can beat me?"
"Maybe not later. But right now, I can at least give it a shot."
[Many Constellations swallow hard at the rising tension.]
"No one gets to touch my sister, Kim Dokja. Even if... it's you."
Thud!
"Ah, damn it! Why is her body so hard?!"
Even with all my strength behind that punch, Yoo Joonghyuk didn't budge an inch.
"Done?"
"You crazy son of a—!"
KWA-BOOM!!!!
In return, a single punch from Joonghyuk sent me flying with enough force to dent the subway wall.
Was I wrong?!
I thought Yoo Joonghyuk at this point hadn't grown properly yet, so I believed I could stop her on my own.
That delusion shattered the moment I took a single hit.
I knew she'd probably used Coins, but I figured at most she'd only raised her Strength.
I was wrong.
She was someone who had swept through an entire train car by herself.
Even after the deduction, that was still a full 100 Coins.
Assuming Car 3707 had a number of people similar to the others here, and if Yoo Joonghyuk had the Scenario clear reward on top of sponsorships from the Constellations...
Then on average, her stats had to be at least 10 or higher.
My attribute activated roughly when Dokja was in danger, so right now the only stat I had that stood out was Stamina.
If I didn't have that Stamina, that one blow would've punched straight through my stomach.
"Looks like you've already learned how to use Coins."
"If I hadn't, I'd already be dead."
How was I supposed to endure barehanded against someone whose fists sounded like bombs?
Crack.
"Kgh!"
Yoo Joonghyuk grabbed me by the throat and lifted me up.
If she put in just a little more force, my neck would snap and I'd die instantly.
"Before I kill you, let me ask one thing. How did you survive?"
"I killed that brat, Kim Namwoon or whatever his name was."
"I see. Then you might be somewhat usef—"
[Attribute: 'Support Raised with an Abandoned Dream' is activating.]
[All stats increase by 10.]
"Fuck off!"
Smash!
"Khk!"
My Strength was now 15. That should put me around Yoo Joonghyuk's level.
But... why had my attribute activated?
My attribute was definitely tied to Dokja's safety.
If it had activated, then... Dokja was in danger?!
"What the hell is that...!"
The scene outside, visible through the open subway doors, was horrific.
The bridge had collapsed, and the corpses of the dead were crawling toward Dokja.
"Damn it! I have to help Dokja—!"
"Still immature. To let your attention wander at a time like this."
"!!"
Bang!
Kugagagagagagang!!!
One blow from Yoo Joonghyuk sent me crashing down into the middle of the broken bridge.
That hurts like hell.
My current Stamina was 19. For a punch to break through even that, just how strong was she?
"You bastard! Get over here!"
Even after Yoo Joonghyuk got off the subway, she ignored me completely and headed straight for Dokja.
<Sub Scenario - Escape>
Category: Sub
Difficulty: D
Clear Conditions: Cross the broken bridge and enter Oksu Station.
Time Limit: 20 minutes
Reward: 200 Coins
Failure: ???
[Time Remaining: 10 minutes 11 seconds]
[Deus Ex Machina - Even-Numbered Bridge]
A bridge of light created through a Constellation's blessing.
Only an 'even' number of people may cross the bridge.
If an odd number of people attempts to cross, the bridge will immediately disappear.
The moment I fell onto the ruined bridge, messages poured in as if they'd been waiting.
And the corpses rushed at me, sensing my weakened state.
Yoo Joonghyuk knew.
She knew those corpses would be enough to deal with someone in my condition.
No, regardless of my Stamina, if they overwhelmed me with sheer numbers, they'd drag things out long enough for the Sub Scenario to end in failure.
"Anyone willing to sponsor me a little?"
[The majority of Constellations remain silent.]
I knew it.
To anyone watching, I looked like an Incarnation who was destined to fail the Scenario.
What Constellation would pour Coins into an Incarnation like that?
That would be no different from throwing Coins away.
"Demon-like Judge of Fire. Are you there?"
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' reveals herself in response to your words.]
"Good, you're here. Spend some Coins on me."
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' expresses disbelief at your demand.]
"Disbelief?"
Who was the one who really had the right to be stunned here?
I hadn't asked for anything grand.
Just for Dokja to be able to live like a human being.
Only that one thing.
And right before I could finally make that happen, the world turned into this mess.
So let me ask again.
Who should really be the one in disbelief?
"When I was little, I leaned on the sky every single day. I begged it to save us. I begged it not to let us starve. Every day I did hard labor, got hurt, got scarred, and still I prayed. I prayed that at least Dokja wouldn't end up with wounds like these. That you could kill me if you wanted, but at least let Dokja live."
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is flustered by your appeal.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Good alignment are listening to your story.]
"But do you know what came back? Silence. The silence of your heavens. It would've been better if that had been the end of it. Dokja nearly made an extreme choice. Wounds of the heart are more dangerous, even if you can't see them. That was... your answer."
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' avoids your eyes.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Good alignment cannot meet your gaze.]
"So give me at least as many Coins as the prayers I offered! I'm already at a disadvantage, so shouldn't my stats at least be on the same level?! You've done nothing but watch and stay silent until now... so answer my prayers, even now."
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' apologizes to you.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Good alignment bow their heads to you.]
"Don't just talk! Whether you send them to Dokja or to me... hand over the Coins!! Show it with your actions!!!"
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' hesitates for a moment.]
[You have been sponsored 3,000 Coins.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Good alignment raise their heads and look at you.]
[You have been sponsored 5,000 Coins.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Evil alignment are displeased by the hypocrisy of the Absolute Good Constellations.]
I'll raise all my stats to 10.
[300 Coins have been invested in Stamina.]
[Stamina Lv.9 -> Lv.10]
[Your body's durability increases.]
[1,500 Coins have been invested in Strength.]
[Strength Lv.5 -> Lv.10]
[Your Strength level increases.]
[Powerful force surges through your muscles.]
[2,400 Coins have been invested in Agility.]
[Agility Lv.2 -> Lv.10]
[Your Agility level greatly increases.]
[You can move far more nimbly.]
[2,700 Coins have been invested in Magic Power.]
[Magic Power Lv.1 -> Lv.10]
[Your Magic Power level greatly increases.]
[A mysterious energy settles deeply into your soul.]
[The Demon King 'Demon King of Wrath and Lust' is excited by your twisted love.]
.
.
.
"You... how are you still alive?"
The 'first' way to survive in a ruined world.
The woman gripping my throat was living proof of that method.
The regressor, Yoo Joonghyuk.
The grand tragedy of this world began with this very person.
"Name."
"What?"
"What's your name?"
"Kim Dokja."
"Ah, the younger sister of the man I just killed?"
"...What?!"
Did Yoo Joonghyuk just say she killed Oppa?
Dokja stared at Yoo Joonghyuk in a half-dazed state.
She couldn't believe that the protagonist she had loved most had killed the last family she had left, the person she loved most.
Her brother, Kim Dokyun, who had given up everything for her.
He had definitely said he'd follow right behind her.
Liar!
"Huh? Are you crying?"
When Dokja realized that her family had died worrying only about her until the very end, tears spilled from her eyes before she even knew it.
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' says your brother isn't dead.]
"He's... alive?"
"What?"
This time, Yoo Joonghyuk was the one left puzzled.
He had definitely been overwhelmed after taking her attack, unable even to control his body, and then buried under the demonic corpses.
In that state, there was no way he could have survived.
There was no way.
"Who the hell!!!"
"!!!"
At the booming voice coming from the path they'd passed through, Dokja and Joonghyuk turned around.
"Made our Dokja cry!!!"
"How?!"
"Round two... should start now, right?"
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