KIM DOKJA'S POINT OF VIEW
The ichthyosaur queen cut through the water. The grandeur of her streamlined body filled Han River. "Uwahh, shit!"The confused incarnations immediately moved away from the Han River. "What is this?" There was a feeling of solemnity as I faced her. I was facing the ruler of a species. I once again felt how great Shin Yoosung and Lee Gilyoung were.
"Come down," The queen's whiskers touched the water at my words. Once again, it was unreasonable to have the same effect even with the same skill. It was similar to when I used Lycaon's Way of the Wind, I approached her and climbed up using the scales. The body of the queen shook like she was rejecting my touch. This was the limit for me.
Honestly, it felt like my frontal lobe was burning from the connection with the queen. I left the incarnations hunting me behind and opened my mouth, "Let's go and save my Alyona..." Then my struggle with the queen began. As if she was playing with me, the queen swam through the water regardless of my breathing.
"Puhah!" I gasped for air, looking like a wet mouse. "This...!" The surrounding ichthyosaurs poured toward me like they were amused. Alyona on the other hand was relentlessly slashing her oppressors despite her low stats already, now I kinda feel bad...
[The constellation 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband' is laughing at you.]
My control was a mess but the queen was moving in the direction I wanted. It was southwest of Yongsan-gu. It was Nodeulseom, one of the few islands in the Han River. If I remembered correctly, this island was the place with the most potential for the Disaster of Floods to hatch. Ways of Survival was a novel where the year wasn't specified.
「 The fifth disaster hatched on an artificial island in Han River. 」
Therefore, I didn't know exactly what year Ways of Survival was based. I thought it was close to the year I lived in but it had been serialized for 10 years and the technology development wasn't right. There was little mention of modern devices in Ways of Survival and sometimes there were no fixed geographical names used.
This situation was an example. 'An artificial island in Han River... where the hell is it?' Nonetheless, I was able to determine that it was Nodeulseom due to the description and the size of the meteorite.
My thoughts were interrupted by the queen's sudden stop at Alyona's falling body, I catch her before I rolled down and was thrown on Nodeulseom with Alyona, "Bitch..." Alyona rolled her eyes and stood up. Queen Mirabad glanced at us before disappearing into the Han River. Alyona was right she was a heartless jerk.
[The exclusive skill 'Bookmark' has been turned off.]
"Uweeeek," The world turned around as I coughed out the river water. I raised my head and the landscape of Nodeulseom spread out in front of me. I had never been to Nodeulseom before but something felt strange. The trees on Nodeulseom looked like they were before the world was ruined.
The ichthyosaurs disappeared and the incarnations were preparing to cross the river. I could see some of the incarnations flying through the sky. I hid behind a tree and held my breath as I watched them. "Where are they? Didn't thly come here?"
I didn't think there would be so many people who had learned Flight Maneuvers, right... Alyona was just been chased by some of them. These jerks weren't regressors, Why did they adapt so fast? Many of them landed on Nodeulseom and looked around. "Hyung, let's look around. I don't have any confidence facing them alone."
"I agree, Did you see all the stars above their head? Those two are a monster." Alyona scoffed and watch them mumble to their selves, she has disheveled hair and trembling hands. "Hero-like traits aren't necessary when dealing with a monster." I look at the talking people and gripped my sword. "...Will he be as strong as the king in the west?"
It was a conversation discussing how to kill someone. I thought it was too shameful to compare me to Yoo Jonghyuk. I wanted to hide until the end of the time limit but someone showed up from the forest on the island. "Ahjussis should be careful, Get off this island if you know what is good for you."
It was a strong voice, "Who are you?" The girl dressed in a black hoodie over her uniform walked towards the men. "A young person who is unafraid..." Lee Jihye showed up, "My armmmmm!" The people scamper out and flew off. "Uwaaaah!"
Her sword moved through the air and the men who had their arms cut off screamed. "It is her, the Duke of Loyalty and Warfare!" One of the relatively younger incarnations shouted. "What? Why is that girl here?" Lee Jihye chased after them with her sword. "Run! Run away!" The incarnations hurriedly used Flight Maneuvers but their talent wasn't as high as I thought.
A few of them were slightly strong. However, the Duke of Loyalty and Warfare wouldn't make anyone his incarnation, even if they were a descendant of his friend.
The girl pointed her sharp blade at me, and only then did I notice Alyona's long gone... "Ahjussi, are you going to come out? Why are you hiding when you have the target mark on you?" Alyona scoffed beside her. That reminded me, I still had the arrow above my head. I sighed and left the forest with both hands raised. "Are you going to kill us?"
"I'd like to but Master will be sad... besides, I can't kill Alyona-Unni..." The long-haired girl, Lee Jihye put away her sword with a laugh. Her strength had increased in the 10 days we hadn't met. Lee Jihye saw my injured arm and said to me. "How have you been? I don't think you have been well." Alyona sighed and went to my side.
"Then why ask? I thought you had returned to Daepong High School. Why are you here?" Lee Jihye stared at Alyona and smiled, "Master and Alyona-Unni picked me up a few days ago. I don't know how they found me." Right, Alyona was with them for a few days... But, Yoo Jonghyuk? I knew that Lee Jihye was a key member of Yoo Jonghyuk's party but to go there and find her...
I looked at her physical body stats using Calm Observation. The total value was roughly over 160. Her strength and physique seemed slightly lower but she had reached the limit on her stats for the fifth scenario. Moreover, Demon Slayer and Sword Training had improved further.
It seemed that all characters in Ways of Survival grew faster when they weren't around me. Did they all have a mental block because of me? "Why are you thinking that?" I look startled at Alyona, "What about Ahjussi's party? Have you meet Heewon unni?" I returned my attention to her and shook my head.
"The others are waiting in Yongsan-g, We haven't met Heewon-ssi yet." This time it was Alyona who answered. "Too bad, She wanted to see you." Come to think of it, Jung Heewon and Lee Jihye were in similar positions. I looked around carefully and asked, "Did you come with Yoo Jonghyuk?"
"Huh? Why does Ahjussi know everything?" Alyona's body dried in instantly when a green color encompasses her whole form. "The hell was that?" Lee Jihye stood agape beside us watching the spectacle. "That was me... Using magic to dry my clothes, So I don't announce myself with squeaky footsteps like the man beside me."
I scoffed at her and uncomfortably wriggles my toes in my shoes, "Haha, look at him..." Alyona laughed at me and did the same 'magic' to dry my clothes off too. At this moment, I heard a sound from the edge of Nodeulseom. Incarnations who had been fighting the ichthyosaurs finished and approached the island.
Some came on duck boats and some swam. Some of them came on boats or used special skills. They looked like group tourists.
"I found them! There they are!" We were the tour product, Lee Jihye became angry when she saw the incarnations. "Why did you drag that bunch of trash here?" Some people were preparing themselves for the disaster but not everyone. "I brought them to catch the disaster." Those who didn't belong to any groups were hiding all over Seoul, waiting for someone to clear the main scenario.
Then they would take action in the resulting power loss. The last disaster couldn't be broken by such a flimsy determination. "Why did you do that? There is no point." If everyone didn't fight together... "Huh?" Alyona stopped in her tracks and look at me. "There won't be a disaster, Master is taking care of it." My eyes stared at Lee Jihye with disbelief.
"The last disaster won't be dangerous at all. Instead, useless people can't enter the island... shit, they are entering." Lee Jihye once again pulled out her sword. This was the reason why she controlled the island. Lee Jihye wasn't the only one controlling entrance to the island. A large person waved towards an incoming ship.
"It fucking slipped my mind..! That bastard!!" Alyona flew towards where the meteorite is and left me with Lee Jihye... "Everyone, you aren't allowed inside here. This is a danger zone!" I was still in confusion, however. "What? Who are you?"
"A lieutenant of the 6502 unit..." Lee Hyunsung's physique grew buffer than the last time I saw him. "What nonsense is this?!" A flying blade was caught in the man's hands and he stated, "...It is dangerous to resist the authorities." The lieutenant wore a suit reminiscent of a giant bear and had a dirty beard. "Y-You!"
"I will take you to a safe place," The lieutenant lifted the man with one hand and threw him to the other side of the Han River. The man flew across the Han River at a great speed and landed on the other side. The lieutenant asked, "Is there anyone who needs guidance?"
"Crazy! A monster!" The lieutenant facing the incarnations had tired eyes like a mountain had piled up on his shoulders. It was a face that looked terribly weary. "Lee Hyunsung-ssi," At that moment, Lee Hyunsung looked at me. His expression was like he found an oasis in the middle of a desert.
「 It is hard... .」
「 I think I will die... 」
「 Dokja-ssi, where are you? 」
「Alyona-ssi, why did you leave me with that monster? 」
"Dokja... Dokja-ssi..? are you with Alyona-ssi?" Lee Hyunsung came toward me. I instinctively took a step back. "D-Dokja-ssi! It's me! Lee Hyunsung!" I was about to open my mouth when another group of incarnations disembarked. "There he is! Catch him!"
Lee Hyunsung's expression was distorted. "I... told you it is a danger zone!" He turned around and slammed his fist into the ground. The spear in his hand electrocuted the closest incarnation to him and sent him flying like the first man.
[The character 'Lee Hyunsung' has used the stigma 'Great Mountain Smash Lv. 5.']
The entire island of Nodeulseom shook as the edges exploded. I was captivated by the second scene of incarnations flying. That Yoo Jonghyuk bastard, how did he raise a person? I asked the delighted-looking Lee Hyunsung, "Where is Yoo Jonghyuk?"I didn't have the chance to ask Alyona earlier...
"Oh, he is in the middle of the island. That..." Lee Hyunsung's expression became slightly sad. "I will be right back. Then we will talk." I ignored Lee Hyunsung's desperate gaze and ran to the centre of the island. There were many things I wanted to ask Lee Hyunsung but now wasn't the time. I had to check something quickly.
How long did I walk through the forest? I finally saw a huge meteorite stuck in the center of the forest. The size of the meteorite was overwhelming compared to the other ones. The red aura on the surface implied a sure destruction. There was a woman standing in front of the meteorite holding another woman on her. It was Alyona and she was put to sleep.
"Oh, you are...?" My expression changed at the sight of Lee Seolhwa when the person I was looking for emerged from the rear of the meteorite. "Yoo Jonghyuk," It was clear they knocked Alyona out so she wouldn't be able to stop them. Yoo Jonghyuk stood there calmly, exuding a steady presence. I asked him, "What are you doing right now?"
"You must know because you have Future Sight... Your girl is also a bit too...unpredictable." I was speechless at the calm answer. The yellow meteorite stuck in the middle of the huge disaster meteorite. I immediately noticed why Yoo Jonghyuk wanted to come here quickly. "Are you feeding the guide meteorite to the disaster?"
"The guides will only interfere later, It is better to kill them while we can handle them." Once again, my ominous feelings were always right. This bastard was trying to hatch the disaster early. He was Lee Seolhwa's lover for a reason. And, Alyona, It seems they find a way to knock her out. She was in a deep sleep.
"No, why? Putting aside the guide, why are you trying to wake up the disaster early? Have you finally gone crazy?" There was a slight disappointment in Yoo Jonghyuk's eyes as he replied, "You don't seem to know a lot this time... Even this girl, if it weren't for Seolwha she would've been able to stop me."
"What?" Alyona saw this but she... forgot? How can that be? "This disaster was my colleague in a past life." Who didn't know this? Yoo Jonghyuk declared with an arrogant expression, "That's why this disaster is safe."
...Safe? Several thoughts passed through my head... Jonghyuk. Yes, Sometimes he was too nice. I had forgotten for a while because I received his help several times. This guy in front of me was someone who barely took a step towards the end after dying over one hundred times.
[The Disaster of Floods has hatched.]
Alyona coughed a bit and pushed Lee Seolwha before landing next to me, "...Fuck! You bastard, you'll pay for that later on-" I assisted her body and saw the cracks reach her neck. "What did you do to her?" I ask them and catch the pass out Alyona again. "She's interfering with my work... Someone special is coming."
***
ALYONA'S POINT OF VIEW
As soon as I realise what I had forgotten, I sped up above and saw Lee Seolwha along with Yoo Junghyuk near the meteorite, "Junghyuk! you crazy bastard!" Yoo Junghyuk look up and saw me glide down the land. "Do you know the consequences of your action?"
He faced me and gripped his swords, "You're in no condition to fight, I could easily defeat you here right now..." I sighed and ignored all the aching parts of my body, he knows very well that my body's process of dying is being sped up. "If you know well enough... You shouldn't have left us."
I bit my lip at that, I can't blame him. I overlook it after my brain short circuits at the information. The side effects of using the reality and time stone over and over again. "I know that-" A sharp pain engulf my nape until I fell to the ground with shaky eyes. "I'm sorry, you can't interfere right now..." It was the sleeping sedative I left for them...
To think they'll use it on me like this..! "Just watch everything you plan backfire... If anything happens to Dokja you asshole, know that's it's... argh..." I hurl out blood and slumped down to the floor. "Just you wait..." Until blotches of darkness obscured my eyes, along with that the sound grew distant and my body felt paralyzed in each fiber of my muscles.
Until then, I was asleep.