This isn't sympathy. If I had to put in the words to describe this, I would call it hypocrisy.'
[A few Constellations are impressed with your good deed.]
[Constellations have sponsored 200 coins.]
'There is no shame to be felt here. It can't be helped with how the world is now. Because I, too, want to live. I must live to see the end.'
"Kim Dokja." Yoo Joonghyuk started harshly, snapping to look at him with eyes of molten fire and something more complicated. "Did you save the child just for coins?"
To his side, Han Sooyoung grumbles and mutters under her breath. "As if you don't kill an entire subway cabin for early coin advantage."
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is feeling uncertain.]
Jung Heewon also looked somewhat uncomfortable at the idea, leaning away from Kim Dokja again -he can feel the warmth leaving and pulling away intricately- to settle in her chair with a face that looks upsettingly contemplative. It makes sense. They're all good people, at their core.
Kim Dokja never claimed to be, or wanted to be for that matter, a good person. He won't try to explain himself here, just like he hadn't explained himself anytime before. It's better for them to draw their own conclusions.
Gilyoung leans his head away from where he had laid it when the hug turned into some form of cuddling(?), turning a hard look to the adults in the room and then looking at Dokja with a softer one.
"It doesn't matter to me that hyung saved me just for the coins." he states, as full of confidence as he could hold in that little body, looking self assured. "I'm glad I was useful to you, enough that you let me keep tagging along."
And, wow, this kid really needed a talking to. By literally anyone but Kim Dokja. That is a lot to touch upon and he honestly doesn't think he could really do any good there. He thinks Yoo Sangah would probably be able to help him. He smiles at the kid anyway, it's a sad thing that doesn't quite reach his eyes but he seems happy with it anyway, and sighs through his nose when he looks up and away again.
Considering what he knows of the story, DOkja knows he needs to get the constellations' attention if he wants to stand a chance. Gilyoung grabs onto his arm and Dokja reaches forward with a hesitant hand. After an internal battle, he sets it on his head trying to give him whatever small comfort he can. It will only get worse from here.
[A lot of interesting things happened today,] the dokkaebi remarks. [The guy in the next cabin was also a total nutcase.]
"Then are- are you going to let us go now?" Myungoh asks, and Dokja thinks that he has to be a really lucky guy for even managing to survive. However, he can't understand why the manager was even on the subway in the first place, considering how the man had been bragging about his new Mercedes lately.
The dokkaebi sneers. [Let you go? Haven't you seen what's going on outside? Are you sure you want me to let you go?]
It's then that a perfectly times roaring ichthyosaur interrupts the conversation, vibrating the subway cabin with the loud sound. It terrifies the manager, making him yelp in fear and back further away from the windows. Wimp.
[Anyway, I'm impressed. I didn't have any expectations for this cabin, but you all survived the first scenario. You have proven that even bugs deserve to live.]
Dokja catches what the dokkaebi is trying to say, calling them bugs. He guesses the creature isn't wrong, they are being treated like bugs here.
"Was that what he meant?" Hyunsung asks, a nervous edge to his voice as he realies he missed an underlying meaning to the dokkaebis words. Trying to be nice, Dokja answers as vaguely and brief as he can.
"It's a way someone can take that statement."
Dokja frowns at the thought. They're nothing but insects to the dokkaebi, and he knows it. The dokkaebi proceeds to gleefully explain that their reward for thus scenario is that they're qualified to be sponsored by a constellation. When no one seems enthusiastic, he tells them that it's a pretty big deal.
'Of course they wouldn't know.' Dokja thinks, deadpanning at the dokkaebi with really really tired eyes. 'I'm the only one here who even knows what a constellation or sponsor are.'
The dokkaebi continues, that haughty demeanor not diminishing even with the lack of expected response. [Let me break it down for you. All of you are so terribly weak right now. If you were to just move onto the next scenario in this state, you wouldn't be killed by a weak ground rat, let alone a kruk. But, there are great beings in this world who pity you and wish to sponsor you. Do you understand?"
It's here that Dokja zones out of the chattering coming from the dokkaebi, drifting off to think about what could possibly be going on for the next couple of scenarios. Right now, there are a couple of different things he could do. It's just important to determine what route will be the best for making it to the end.
A devious grin splits across his face as he continues to think. Of course, he'll go with his favorite plan... This is going to be fun.
The dokkaebi snaps and the window that pops up snap Dokja out of his thoughts, the sponsor selection screen that will set the course of their fates appear in front of everyone.
[Several Constellation are excited for the 'Sponsor Selection']
That does make sense, considering many of them will be featured in the upcoming events. After breaking the throne, it seems many of the constellations have taken notice of Dokja. Unfortunately. To make it worse, most people probably assume he had a constellation sponsor. This would be a prime opportunity for everyone to learn who he had chosen.
A shame, really, that there won't be anything for them to use against him in the end.
Dokja looks at the screen for the sponsor selection appraisingly, noticing that he has four options.
|Select a Constellation
|(The selected Constellation will be your
|reliable sponsor);
|Abyssal Black Flame Dragon
|Demon-like Judge of Fire
|Secretive Plotter
|Prisoner of the Golden Headband
[Several Constellations are surprised]
Yeah, that was about what he had expected. It's a reasonable reaction to the big names who had put their hat in to be his sponsor. Dokja watches in amusement at the shocked faces of the people around him. Yoo Joonghyuk's brow raised in surprised tickled him a little. It's nice that he's able to surprise the unshakeable man. There are many more surprises to come, he schemes.
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' flutters her wings and hides her face shyly.]
[The Constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' picks his nose.]
[The Constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' declares he is the best of all of the options]
[The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' smiles at Incarnation 'Kim Dokja']
Well, they have been there from the very beginning, Dokja muses while he looks on at the several windows displayed in front of him.
As he thinks, Sangah comes up to him nervously. "Dokja? Two strange options suddenly popped up..."
"I'm not sure about it either." The lie spills from his lips easily, "just think of it as taking an aptitude test."
As she thinks over her options, Dokja muses that she's lucky to have received two offers.
The ones who provide support to us are the constellations. And now, [Sponsor Selection], one of the main events in TWSA has started. The sponsor selection is a system in which the constellations who watch us through the dokkaebi's channels choose a human they like as their incarnation and sponsor them.
The streaming interface appears on the screen, the window has a piece of video focused on Dokja. The backdrop that surrounds it is filled with space imagery. It's depicting the star stream. There are four hands holding a coin over the screen, offering them to him as the constellations talk in the chat.
[Abyssal Black Flame Dragon: Why did he kill Namwoon?]
[Secretive Plotter: He shouldn't hve used his coins.]
[Demon-like Judge of Fire: Now that is justice lol]
[Prisoner of the Golden Headband: I just knew he would kill the grasshopper.]
Each of them has sponsored him 100 coins.
'And in my case, four constellations want to sponsor me as their incarnation. The constellations never reveal their true name, but I can infer who each of them are.'Dokja knows that four options is no small number at all. The protagonist in TWSA had five options to start, so the amount he has here is truly impressive.
"Of course hyung would have so many awesome constellations!" Lee Gilyoung declared, looking like a preening peacock all fluffed up. " Hyung is impressive."
Shin Yoosung nods along with the boy, agreeing to anything he says. Dokja looks on unimpressed as they collude amongst each other. This is just ridiculous. He still smiles at their antics anyways, letting them have their little moment.
"Wait, we can't just move past that." Jung heewon calls out, looking to the ceiling. "Was that the interface that the constellations see?"
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' agrees that it is.]
"You guys just get a whole comment section to chat in ?"
Dokja is also pretty surprised, looking at how humanized the constellations seem with the display. It's slightly uncomfortable with how close to home it is to himself. He is going to ignore that because he can.
It's using the hints in their nicknames, like 'Abyssal' and 'Demon', that he can try to deduce their identities. Even if he hadn't known them from reading TWSA, he would have been able to know who they are criminally easily.
Picking apart 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' first, the image of an imposing and powerful looking black dragon extending it's wings menacingly is displayed. It's a sight that could make any chuunibyou cry tears of joy. Kim Dokja cringes instead.
'I'm pretty sure he was the constellation who supported Kim Namwoon in the novel, so why did he try to choose me?'
Dokja flits past that option, not even stopping to consider that one. All of his incarnations tend to go mad no matter how much of a hold on the world they have.
[The Constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' is offended]
Yeah, as much as was expected. There's not much he can do now to soothe his ego. Not like he would want to in the first place.
'The second one on the list is...' He is amazed to see the next name on the list. 'Demon-like Judge of Fire.'
If you went based solely on the first part of the name, many would assume this constellation is a demon.
A horrifying visage fills the screen, twisting feature and a figure that is both massive and fierce.
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is astonished.]
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' assures that's not what she looks like desperately]
[The Constellation 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' cackles at Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire's expense.]
But, ironically, the entire title 'demon-like' doesn't mean that this constellation is a demon. The words frie and judge also indicate that this entity makes judgement through fire. That means she's actually...
A brilliant golden aura fills the screen as wings unfurl to reveal an angel holding a sword and a set of scales.
Archangel Uriel.
'I remember someone chose her as their sponsor in the novel.' He notes contemplatively, going over her qualifications. 'Uriel wouldn't be a bad choice if I were to choose, though I probably wouldn't choose her in the end anyway. Constellations of absolute good are powerful, but they impose strict restrictions on their incarnations.'
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' is flustered at her depiction.]
"Uriel-nim is very beautiful in the picture." Yoo Sangah says with an admiring glance, the picture of the angel staying up a little longer before the screen fades back into Kim Dokja.
[The Constellation 'Demon-like Judge of Fire' twirls her hair while blushing]
That's quite cute for an archangel that purges evil and defeats demons. This wasn't exactly how she acted in TWSA...
'The third is...'
'Secretive Plotter'
The constellation appears on the screen as a vague figure, shrouded in mystery backdropped with space. There are glowing white eyes shining through the veil worn over his head. There is similarly designed robes that cover any other physical detail. There is nothing distinct about him. A big old question mark.
Dokja narrows his eyes and frowns in confusion. He brings a fist up to his mouth as he tries to think. He's never seen this constellation anywhere in TWSA before, but it may have been a detail he glossed over when reading. Going back and reading the novel again would probably give him more of a clue. He could have totally missed a detail like that after rereading the novel so many times. He genuinely doubts it.
There is a slim chance this constellation had been mentioned offhandedly once or twice, but there isn't much to glean from just the moniker. Dokja doubts the constellation could be too powerful, he's never heard of them. And the adjective 'secretive' sounds like it would be so feeble...
'Well.' Dokja thinks with a grimace and a sigh. 'I guess that was going to be pretty par for the course.'
[The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is stunned at the thoughts of Incarnation 'Kim Dokja']
[The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' is slightly offended]
[The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' asks if Incarnation 'Kim Dokja' still thinks so.]
That was about what he was expecting. The insecure questions was not on his bingo card though. There wasn't exactly anything that happened to prove Dokja wrong yet. Still, he was forced to defend himself.
"Obviously not with the amount of coins you like to throw around." He grumbles, elbowing a snickering Han Sooyoung beside him. "It's not like I was able to tell in the beginning."The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' acquiesces but only because the pretty Incarnation 'Kim Dokja' is back on screen.]
Hey now...
Without further contemplation, or any other thought on it for that matter, he moves on. The last on is 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband'.
The name alone has him excited, showing up here on his list of possible sponsors. Dokja lowers his head with a rapid grin, eyes gleaming with mischief. He can't believe that this constellation has made an offer already.
'Prisoner'. This adjective may sound negative at first, but you have to pay attention to the proper noun. 'Golden Headband'. The smallest prison in the world. The owner of the Mount Huaguo who lives with the pain of the binding head shackle. The handsome monkey king with the golden gaze and furious eyes.
The screen shows the silhouette of the monkey king himself with glowing eyes, imposing and fierce.
The great sage, heaven's equal Sun Wukong. One of the characters was sponsored by him in the novel.
-He has the power to crush hundreds of incarnations with a single swing of his staff, and eradicate thousands of monsters with a single lightning bolt.-
The passage was extremely memorable to Dokja, considering how the author had emphasized it. The only problem is he really can't understand why someone so powerful would be interested in him.
'If I choose the great sage, heaven's equal as my sponsor...'
He glances back up again, his deranged smile gone but the glint in his eyes remained, and his gaze locks onto the window at the end of the cabin that leads to cabin 3707.
'... would I be able to beat the protagonist?' The thought finishes as Dokja cocks his head to the side with a newly blank look. He shakes his head and turns away. He doesn't even know what regression this is.
[The Constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' preens at his description.]
It wasn't like he was described as being able to slap Yoo Joonghyuk's cheeks, so he probably had a limit to how handsome he actually was. He grimaces at the last bit. Again, he really doesn't like his thoughts being on display.
[The Constellation 'Secretive Plotter' snorts but then frowns.]
Yeah, what's that about? Kim Dokja is not willing to loose the brain cells trying to decipher this mans nonsense.
[The Constellation 'God of Wine and Ecstasy' boasts he is more handsome.']
Yeah right. He would think so, wouldn't he?
Notes: