It happened not too long after Hades told Persephone about a certain Incarnation in carriage number 3808. When Persephone was scrutinizing her soft features, Persephone felt this strangely familiar feeling. She felt strange emotions like yearning, affection, and so much more. It was her husband, Hades who found the little star but it was Persephone who fell in love at the first sight with her. She instantly took a liking towards this Incarnation.
One more strange feeling, Deja Vu, as if she had known them for a long time even if it was the first time for her to see them, appeared in her heart when she was witnessing how Yoo Joonghyuk had bravely jumped off the bridge to save Kim Dokja who fell unconscious, falling down straight to the opened mouth of the Ichthyosaurs swimming in the Han River. She swore she felt like she’d get a heart attack that time, but she felt relieved because Yoo Joonghyuk could kill that Ichthyosaur and save Kim Dokja.
Ever since that time, the Underworld couple never took their eyes off those two Incarnations.
Until one day...
Deja Vu was no longer the Deja Vu.
Persephone ‘arrived’ in this worldline after the incident on the rooftop where Yoo Joonghyuk caught Kim Dokja who jumped off the rooftop after she argued with Han Sooyoung. Blinking a single tear, Persephone reached out her hand and smiled fondly before she was chuckling in between her sniffle “My son... no, I should call her as ‘my daughter’ from now on, I guess”.
As if Fate felt pity and gave their mercy upon the couple who yearned for a presence of a child but had been being cursed of never going to get their own flesh and blood, Hades got the memory about the other version of himself in another worldline. The ones from the 1864th round regression and the 1865th round group regression.
Remembering about his death from the worldline of the 1864th round regression, the very first thing Hades did was to apologize for leaving Persephone’s side. Intertwining his hands in her knuckles, he dropped on his knees “Forgive me, for leaving you and fighting for our child, alone”.
Persephone shook her head with a shaky smile and told him that she forgave him, she understood, and he should not apologize “Silly husband, I am not alone anymore. Now, we’ve finally reunited”.
“Not yet. We haven’t reunited with our child yet”, Hades kissed her knuckles and grinned “Let’s fight together for our child, shall we?”.
Persephone smiled brightly “Of course”.
Now, Persephone only wondered about one thing.
How was Lee Sookyung doing?
By the time Lee Sookyung, the King of Wanderers arrived in the Gwanghwamun with the Wanderers, she saw her daughter, unconscious, being carried bridal style by Yoo Joonghyuk who had lent his black trench coat to Kim Dokja. Lee Sookyung closed her eyes solemnly.
“You don’t have to worry about her anymore. From now on, I will take care of her, protect her, and cherish her till death do us apart because she is my Companion in Life and Death”.
That bold statement sounded like a warning and a war declaration for her from him when they were discussing Kim Dokja’s custody after Han Youra’s death. Even if Yoo Joonghyuk only told her that he wished to be her Guardian (Kim Dokja and Han Sooyoung, to be more precise), Lee Sookyung could see through what those Abyss-like eyes desired.
He wanted Kim Dokja, her daughter.
It was not like she had any choice, given their complicated conditions. Kim Dokja was barely able to take care of herself by this point and Han Sooyoung was still in Junior High School. They both still need a figure of a Guardian who was capable to take care of them. Even if Lee Sookyung objected, she could not win in the court, especially because Han Youra had agreed to hand over the custody to Yoo Joonghyuk (it was being written in her dying wish letter) and Lee Sookyung was clearly not in a condition for being able to raise and take care of them in the prison like this. Not to mention, she was doubt that both Kim Dokja (who thought she was being neglected and most likely, must have hated her) and Han Sooyoung would agree to accept Lee Sookyung as their Guardian.
The safest choice that time was to trust them in Yoo Joonghyuk’s hands.
Cho Youngran, the First Sorcerer of Joseon, bowed behind her “Would you not go down there and join them, Your Highness?”.
“Cut off with that honorifics and formality, Cho Youngran”, Lee Sookyung watched with a yearning and nostalgic eyes when she was looking down to where Yoo Joonghyuk carried the unconscious Kim Dokja with the kids and their companions running to them “That child is safe and sound. She’s in the right hands. That’s all I need to know”.
Not yet. Not the right time.
At least, Yoo Joonghyuk kept his promise.
When Yoo Joonghyuk was looking up, he saw no one on the place where the King of Wanderers had watched over them from above.
Turning around, Yoo Joonghyuk muttered, “At least, she still has some self-conscience”.
Han Sooyoung rolled her eyes inquiringly “Huh? What did you say?”.
Yoo Joonghyuk curtly replied, “Nothing. I just feel like being watched by the unpleasant eyes for a second there”.
The next morning, even if they actually had one more day, the Dokkaebis (especially the Intermediate Dokkaebi) appeared and decided one-sidedly to close the Sub Scenarios and started the next main scenario.
[ The Main Scenario has been updated! ]
[ Main Scenario #4 – The King’s Qualifications has begun ]
[ Main Scenario #4 – The King’s Qualifications ]
Category: Main
Difficulty: A
Clear Conditions: Occupy the ‘Absolute Throne’ located at Gwanghwamun.
Time limits: 8 hours
Rewards: 10.000 coins
Failure: —
*This Scenario can only be challenged by those who have completed the hidden scenario ‘King’s Road’.
*The Absolute King has absolute commands over all the other Kings.
*There are additional special clear conditions for this scenario.
After they finished reading the King’s Qualifications and gathered in the courtyard of Gwanghwamun near the Absolute Throne, Han Sooyoung gave the Four Yin Demonic Beheading Sword to Kim Dokja. Accepting the Sword from Han Sooyoung, Kim Dokja stared at her questioningly.
Han Sooyoung inquired curiously “What?”.
“...Han Sooyoung, back then on the rooftop, didn’t you say something about the old woman of the Seodaemun Prison being the last Prophet?”.
Han Sooyoung smiled nervously and cursed another loose-mouthed herself inwardly “Ahahaha, did I? I don’t quite remember...”.
“Also, you mentioned something like Seonbae has visited her in Seodaemun Prison, either. Did it happen when I was in a comatose sleep?”.
When Han Sooyoung was lowering her head down with a tightly closed mouth, Kim Dokja patted her head “...Alright, let’s just speak about it later”.
There were Five Kings in this test.
The King of Beauty, Min Jiwon.
The King of Mercy, Kim Dokja.
Earth Dragon King, Gu Daesung.
The Maitreya King, Cha Sangkyung.
Supreme King, Yoo Joonghyuk.
Looking at his companion who was looking around, Yoo Joonghyuk raised his eyebrow questioningly and Kim Dokja voiced out her confusion, whispering beside his ear “No, I do not know why, but... I think the Neutral King was supposed to be here, instead of the Earth Dragon King”.
It was exactly what happened in the 1864th round of Yoo Joonghyuk’s regression. The Earth Dragon King was not dead by his hand this time and knowing the Neutral King would betray them in the end, Yoo Joonghyuk had anticipated it.
“I knocked him out of commission yesterday”.
“Eh? Why? Did he do something to bother you?”.
“Sort of”.
Kim Dokja chose not to talk about it further, but they got the indirect messages afterwards.
[ The constellation ‘Secretive Plotter’ smirks in amusement ]
[ The constellation ‘Director of the Last False Act’ smiles wickedly ]
[ The constellation ‘Demon-Like Judge of Fire’ is cheering for the Incarnation ‘Kim Dokja’ and the Incarnation ‘Yoo Joonghyuk’! ]
[ The constellation ‘Prisoner of Golden Headband’ swings his light stick up to the air ]
[ The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ is looking forward to your fight ]
[ The constellation ‘Queen of the Darkest Spring’ prays for your safety and well-being ]
[ The constellation ‘Father of the Rich Night’ is looking at you ]
Even if Kim Dokja smiled, deep down her heart, she felt so nervous. It must be how it felt, being watched by the Death itself. Though, strangely she felt...
How should she describe it, anyway?
Safe.
Yeah, knowing that Hades and Persephone watched her, it made her somehow feel nervous but safe at the same time. Again, she felt Deja Vu upon their gazes, as if those gazes had watched over her, even before the Apocalypse started.
Once the barrier appeared around them after The Last King’s Qualification started, the King of Beauty Min Jiwon charged at her secretly and pointed her dagger to Kim Dokja’s neck from behind.
“Don’t move”.
Kim Dokja had gotten used to this kind of development after experiencing it multiple times, to the point she was no longer surprised when she was kidnapped or taken hostage by her enemy, like this time. Lifting her hands up, Kim Dokja flatly said.
“Seriously? Is this because we are the only women here?”.
Wrapping her arm around Kim Dokja’s neck, Min Jiwon whispered beside her ear “You should know the reason, King of Mercy”.
“Look, we are not lovers and Seonbae is an honest person deep down in his heart. He’s only Tsundere. If you confess to him properly, he will listen. The question is, will he accept and return your feeling or not. It’s your choice and whatever Seonbae’s answer, it has nothing to do with me”.
Still pointing the knife to her neck, Min Jiwon scoffed “It clearly has something to do with you, King of Mercy”.
Yoo Joonghyuk was the one who rejected her. So why would she be angry with her?
Kim Dokja rolled her eyes “It’s not my fault if you are jilted by him, okay?”.
Yoo Joonghyuk snarled “King of Beauty, let her go unscathed or you will regret it”.
Min Jiwon flinched and before Yoo Joonghyuk could do something, Kim Dokja smiled confidently and raised her hand “Seonbae, I’ve got this. Just get rid of those two. Oh, don’t kill them, okay? Just render them immobile is enough”.
With that, Yoo Joonghyuk turned his back against them and charged to attack the Earth Dragon King and the Maitreya King. Not wasting her time, Kim Dokja stomped her foot on Min Jiwon’s foot. After Min Jiwon shouted in pain and lowered her hand, Kim Dokja struck her mercilessly with sending a blow to Min Jiwon’s solar plexus and lower jaw before chopping her neck with the side of her palm. As a closure, Kim Dokja grabbed her wrist and slammed her to the ground. Min Jiwon got knocked out with the twirling eyes.
Yoo Joonghyuk who saw that, walked back to her after he had finished his fight against the two other Kings “Glad to see you haven’t lost your touch, despite lacking the boost from your Stats”.
“I believe it’s my line”, Kim Dokja rolled her eyes, putting her hands on her hips “So, what now?”.
“What, do you think?”.
“If you go easy on me, I’ll be mad”.
Truthfully, he did not want to fight her, but it was unlike he had any choice. Wordlessly, they clashed their swords for several minutes before Kim Dokja surprisingly could disarm Yoo Joonghyuk whose sword had fallen to the ground beside him.
Pointing her Unbroken Faith to his throat, Kim Dokja furrowed her eyebrows “What I told you before that I’d be mad if you went easy on me?”.
Dropping one knee in front of her, Yoo Joonghyuk took her hand and kissed the back of her hand “How can I hurt you when you are the most befitting for the Throne, Kim Dokja?”.
Kim Dokja blushed furiously and pulled her hand away “No need to expose it like this!”.
The Intermediate Dokkaebi appeared after Yoo Joonghyuk surrendered and it was only Kim Dokja left [ Well, this is unexpected ]
Just like in the first worldline they were together, Kim Dokja refused to sit on the Absolute Throne and refused to let anyone sit on it either. It was to keep the Outer Gods away, yes, Yoo Joonghyuk and everyone in the group had understood it. However, they were not planning to let Kim Dokja go through the Probability Storm alone.
After Kim Dokja destroyed the Absolute Throne using the Four Yin Demonic Beheadins Sword, Kim Dokja felt like her heart would explode and threw up a lot of blood.
Then the warmth came wrapping around her body. Under the freezing drizzle, Kim Dokja opened her eyes and saw both Yoo Joonghyuk and Han Sooyoung were hugging her. Han Sooyoung leaned her head on Kim Dokja’s back, hugging her from behind. Looking behind over her shoulder, Kim Dokja saw the blood flowing out from the corner of Han Sooyoung’s mouth. In front of her, Kim Dokja saw Yoo Joonghyuk support her and Han Sooyoung, wrapping them in his embrace.
Kim Dokja croaked “Let go—”.
Despite the blood on the corner of his mouth, Yoo Joonghyuk quirked the corner of his mouth “You fool, I told you I am familiar with pain. Stop fretting over it”.
Han Sooyoung mumbled something about Yoo Joonghyuk being a masochist “Just get over with it, already”.
“Shut up, Han Sooyoung”.
And they were not alone because the Constellations supported them either.
[ The constellation ‘Secretive Plotter’ is sharing the Probability! ]
[ The constellation ‘Director of the Last False Act’ is sharing the Probability! ]
[ The constellation ‘Queen of the Darkest Spring’ is sharing the Probability! ]
[ The constellation ‘Father of the Rich Night’ is sharing the Probability! ]
[ The constellation ‘Prisoner of Golden Headband’ is sharing the Probability! ]
[ The constellation ‘Demon-Like Judge of Fire’ is sharing the Probability! ]
[ The constellation ‘Abyssal Black Flame Dragon’ is sharing the Probability! ]
[ The constellation ‘Maritime War God’ is sharing the Probability! ]
[ The constellation ‘Master of Steel’ is sharing the Probability! ]
[ The constellation ‘Bald General of Justice’ is sharing the Probability! ]
[ The constellation ‘the Founder’s Mother’ is sharing the Probability! ]
[ Majority of constellations in the Korean Peninsula are sharing the Probability! ]
The pain in their body subsided till they no longer felt the pain, only having the noseblood or the throbbing pain in some parts of their body.
[ You have gained the new Story! ]
[ The Great Story ‘King of Kingless World’ has been born ]
The problem was the next event where they got separated.
In her dream, Kim Dokja saw how her companions were doing before she got trapped in the sort-of nightmare about her unpleasant past until the Watcher of Light And Darkness pulled her out.