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Blood dripped down her forehead.
Just a little bit more. She just needs a little bit more time.
"Haemin, retreat now."
"What are you talking about, master? I could still move."
She gave her signature grin, getting a frown from her master.
"Just a little more, master. I know that we'll leave this place alive."
"You fool, I'll kill you myself if you die."
"That's impossible but I'd rather not."
'I don't want to die again. If I ever need to, I'll do it the way I want.'
She dashed forward with her sword towards the Outer God. The destruction on First Murim was beyond imaginable. Many people died and those alive were still fighting, but they couldn't bear the immense power of the Outer God.
She managed to cut down three of the tentacles with the help of Namgung Minyoung and she is sure she can do it again.
Probability struck her but was repelled immediately.
Her fables were roaring and she was being targeted by the Outer God.
[Che eky hu man!]
Cha Haemin smirked. Her Fated Eyes skill helped her a lot in this situation. Her status was at full power.
However, she hasn't used all of her powers yet. With the combined power between her, Nyx and Hel; Cha Haemin knew she could at least push back the Outer God into their dimension.
She didn't use it yet because she knew, this is only a trial for her. In the future scenario, there will be more terrible existence coming and at that time was the perfect timing to unleash her full power.
[You should bow down to me, intruder.]
Her voice also roared loudly in the sky. Her eyes shone in a light gray colour almost white before gray mist emerged from her body.
[A new scenario has been given to you!]
[You will have the authority of people in First Murim.]
[Transfer the remaining citizens in First Murim somewhere safe.]
Cha Haemin's eyes dilated.
Really, now? After so much death has occurred? The Star Stream was giving her the right to transport these people into her realm now?
[Bullsh*t!]
She extended her hands forward, activating her skill.
[Skill 'Memoir Portal' Lv. 13(+3) has been activated.]
The grey portal emerged below the people in her peripheral view, she darted her eyes everywhere to look for the people; death and alive. She has only one chance in transporting this many people at once into her realm.
Breaking the Sky Sword Saint saw it while defending the people, but she trusted Cha Haemin's judgement.
There are no more people and sword masters that could fight, thus she made sure all people were already in the portal she created.
Her magic energy was draining rapidly after she snapped her fingers, the people vanished into the grey portal. It was her first time teleporting people and in this large amount.
She was panting, she just hoped Niflheim could be their home for a moment.
[So you are the one my foolish disciple was talking about?]
The bright blue-white lightning power was in her view. Her lips curved upwards.
[But it seems like he lied again to me.]
The small man looked down at her before turning to the Outer God in the sky.
Whatever Kim Dokja said to him, at least he is here now.
"Took you long enough."
Their helper has come.
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In the library, he met with Nirvana Moebius and the Seeker of Dream whose the Forth Wall has eaten.
The amount of the books here fascinated him to the point he wanted to know who has created this library. Unfortunately he can't get the answer.
The Outer God spoke to him again.
「 (However you have a strong ally by your side. She, the other enigma who knows the oldest dream. That guy from another world could help you but there will be a price to pay for it.) 」
An image of a certain variable of a man with red hair emerged in his mind. The guy from another world, of course Kim Dokja knew by now that man was someone who is not from this world and has his own goal to accomplish.
The price to pay might be something more complicated than he thought.
However, who is 'she' that this Outer God is talking about?
"What do you mean by the other enigma?"
「 (I can't answer that because that is something beyond my comprehension. Nonetheless, you will be protected.) 」
Wait, he remembered that sentence. He heard that before.
She said it, when the Outer God at First Murim asked her.
[An existence beyond your comprehension.]
She answered that.
What is that supposed to mean?
Cha Haemin couldn't be possible to be something else right? He knew her long enough to know that it was impossible.
Or he was just in denial.
"Cha Haemin. It was she, right?"
「 (Enigma, yes. However, there is more to this and I'd advise you something.) 」
Kim Dokja was silent. The Eater of Dream next words send a chill down his spine.
「 (Your doubt on her would ruin everything.) 」
He wanted the answer. What secret does she have? Why does she look so knowledgeable in everything in this world? He has no doubt that she has read Ways of Survival but is that all?
Her eyes were the same as that man. Her grey eyes gave him the same intensity as those reddish-brown eyes of that man from another world.
The eyes that know the end.
That is impossible. There is no way Cha Haemin knew that much. If yes, how? Or who?
Kim Dokja wasn't ready for an answer yet.
「 (You have started to doubt her.) 」
Kim Dokja flinched. He.. doubt her?
"Tell me."
He swallowed the lump in his throat. Should he ask this? It felt so wrong.
"...Who is she?"
The library is shaking. Kim Dokja looked around to see some books on the shelves were thrown out.
「 Kim Dok ja is as ki ng too much.」
The Fourth Wall was giving a warning.
「 Ans wer will co me at the rig ht time. 」
He pursed his lips. He would eventually get his answer later.
Then, that means now is not the time for him to know yet. At the right time, he will get his answer and he knows where he will get it other than from that person herself.
Cha Haemin, he didn't want to doubt her. He wouldn't doubt her. He will trust her like what he always does, and that will remain unchanged for the rest of his life.
「 (...Unfortunately, there is no more time. Remember that the great plotter is always waiting for you.) 」
The Eater of Dreams handed him a book.
「 ( And she will guard you.) 」
Opening the book to see the sentence from Yoo Joonghyuk's perspective. Ah, yes, he needs to wake up now. Then he felt like a black smoke surrounding him before he was sucked into the context of the sentences.
He needed to win this Demon King Selection first.
~
Struggling to move inside the locomotive that belonged to Surya.
Jang Hayoung, Lee Jihye and Shin Yoosung attacked the train from outside to slow down its speed meanwhile Kim Dokja, Yoo Joonghyuk, Yoo Sangah, Jung Heewon and Lee Hyunsung were moving forward inside the train.
They needed more powers to break down and destroy the door compartment for them to move forward.
However, Kim Dokja noticed the ceiling of the train started to squeeze from outside.
Then Jang Hayoung's voice was heard outside the train.
"Kim Dokja! They came! They came!"
The next seconds, the ceiling of the train was torn apart from outside to reveal Jang Hayoung and two other people he was familiar with.
Seeing the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint and his teacher, Paradox Baekchung reassured his feelings even when he would get a punishment for lying to his teacher.
Nevertheless, he didn't see someone he wished for.
As if noticing his slight distress, Namgung Minyoung voiced out to him but a loud explosion was heard from outside. When he looked outside he could see the gray colour of mist.
"She's outside if that is what you're curious about."
Namgung Minyoung said to him before she faced the constellation in front of them with Kyrgios Rodgraim.
A light formed in his eyes after he heard the part of her existence in their giant story.
With a combined power between Kim Dokja and Yoo Joonghyuk, they destroyed the last door of the compartment to be met with the constellation who controlled this train with his back facing them, Surya.
Yoo Joonghyuk deal with King Oedipus meanwhile Kim Dokja fought against Surya. The intense battle between them was narrated by the giant story. The giant story helped Kim Dokja to defeat his opponent.
A story of a reader.
He remembered back the alone time he has before, reading onto the story every time and becoming the characters he read about. He understood them and he walked on the same journeys as them through reading their stories.
[The constellation 'Director of Limbo Mist' is looking at you.]
A faint smile formed on his face. She also was there at one moment in his lonely life. The light he once had and would be retrieved back.
His Unbroken Faith shone brightly before a bright light pierced Surya's chest. King Oedipus shouted for the constellation's name.
The train started to collapse. The people started to fall towards the ground. His companion was caught by the chimera dragon controlled by Shin Yoosung. They safely landed on the ground and fortunately the industrial complex wasn't going to be hit. The shattered debris wept.
However, there is someone who is still not going to accept the loss.
King Oedipus demanded him to give the succession of the giant story.
[The Demon King of Salvation! I know that the succession of the giant story hasn't ended yet! If you give us the story, we will leave here.]
"Why should we?"
Yoo Joonghyuk replied on his stead before taking out the Black Heavenly Demon Sword.
King Oedipus threatened them to destroy the Korean Peninsula but watching in the screen, Kim Dokja can't help it but smile. Fortunately, Han Sooyoung was there.
The enraged King Oedipus was not going to stop but Surya intervened and stopped his further action, and declared their loss.
[It is our defeat.]
[The winner of the Demon King Selection has been determined.]
[The 25th main scenario has ended.]
Kim Dokja turned his head and saw Yoo Joonghyuk watching Surya's disappearance.
[The main scenario ' Demon King Selection' has been cleared.]
[The rewards for the selection are being prepared.]
[A new demon king has appeared in the Demon Realm!]
Every constellation started to congratulate him but some are not. In the end, what Kim Dokja seeks was the qualification of the end and the filtering has turned off.
Buk!
The falling sound startled him, he turned around in an instant.
"Haemin?"
He walked closer to the woman that has collapsed on the ground. Jang Hayoung was by her side to help her.
Seeing her ragged condition, he knew she had used all her energy to help them also after she just came back from First Murim.
"Some broken bones and magic power deflection."
The voice of Namgung Minyoung gave an answer for him. She was lucky to not lost anything anymore other than that mentioned.
"Let me."
He supported her body. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Yoo Joonghyuk walking towards them.
"Cha Haemin."
The tired Cha Haemin opened her eyes slightly. Yoo Joonghyuk raised his hand but Kim Dokja was the panicked one.
Tap!
"Ugh."
Her forehead was flicked hard by Yoo Joonghyuk and she groaned.
"You fool."
Just that and the protagonist walked away.
"...Annoying."
"Are you okay?"
She leaned onto him, she can't even stand straight right now. Her magic power was drained after the teleportation of the people in Murim. She has at least three broken ribs and she is tired. If Kyrgios and Namgung Minyoung were not there, she would have lost an arm or leg.
Fortunately, the strange giant story was helping her. There is a restriction, like she was not qualified yet to listen to all the verses. The narrating ended earlier making the probability start to hit her during the fight.
"I'm o-"
She fainted. Kim Dokja was startled and quickly carried her. He let out a sigh after he felt how light she was.
"People in First Murim should be grateful to her."
He wanted to query more but the Breaking the Sky Sword Saint vanished from his side. He looked down in his arms to see her resting face.
"You have to work so hard there."
'Let me protect you now.'
He looked to the front to see the people from different world also finished with their fight. Seeing the two unconscious people sending him a spark of concern but after the younger-looking swordmaster nodded at him with a reassuring smile, Kim Dokja felt relief even though he felt baffled to see a new face among that group.
For now, they will rest before the big catastrophe landed and he will make sure no one is going to get hurt.
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Her throbbing head was killing her. She groaned before waking up from the bed, seeing that no one was around her, she made a move to go outside to find someone to know for how long she has been unconscious.
She hoped not that long.
Walking out from Aileen's ward with a slow step, she was greeted by the people who were busy with the reconstruction of the industrial complex.
She walked towards the crowd, people were working hard to build the building again, even the people from other industrial complexes came by after the death of their duke.
"Heamin-ssi!"
Cha Haemin tilted her head to the side to see someone familiar.
"Yoo Sangah-ssi."
She was engulfed in a hug by the brunette.
"You shouldn't come out after just waking up. Are you feeling better now?"
She sent her a smile.
"I'm fully healed."
"That's a relief. I am really shocked when seeing you here. Kim Dokja said he met you at Murim. I'm glad you are fine."
Yoo Sangah's eyes turned into a sunken one. Her eyes reflected worry and sadness. She felt relief after knowing that someone she knew was in good shape. Seeing Cha Haemin in front of her makes her more than happy.
"I'm sorry for worrying you. With everything that happened around us, I am also glad to finally get to see you again, Sangah-ssi."
Yoo Sangah felt emotional. She let out a breathy chuckle and wiped out the tears that almost fell on her face.
"Dokja-ssi told us to not let you move too much and get enough rest after you're awake. He seems to know that you'll not sit still on the bed."
"That's not necessary."
However Yoo Sangah was persistent to not let her do anything. She was forced to stay down and eat much because apparently that was what Kim Dokja asked her to do. She also met with Shin Yoosung, Jung Heewon, Lee Jihye and Lee Hyunsung face on.
Seeing them in front of her and seeing them from afar held many differences. While having something to eat, she got to know that she was knockout for two days, meaning that this night the party will be held.
"So, she is the one you are talking about during the Dark Castle, Sangah-ssi?"
Jung Heewon asked.
"Haemin-ssi was the only one I know that is always with Dokja-ssi. I could have misinterpreted their relationship but he looked happy when talking about her."
Jung Heewon smirked at her with a glint of mischievousness.
"Ohh, so you are the one our Dokja-ssi been looking for? You are pretty, Heamin-ssi! He is so lucky."
"Ah er, thank you?"
"How long have you guys known each other?"
"Erm, one?"
Jung Heewon raised an eyebrow. Recalling back how Kim Dokja acted so protective over Cha Haemin when she was unconscious showed his true feelings.
How he held her close, how gentle his movement and how he looked at her.
Jung Heewon knew those kinds of gestures, and it was the first time she saw Kim Dokja so gentle around a woman before.
So she didn't expect that they just knew for one year. She thought they at least knew for more than a year.
"Heamin unnie, are you Dokja ahjussi's partner?"
Shin Yoosung asked her. Cha Haemin tilted her head.
"Oh well, if you ask we are just friends. We sometimes hang out together before."
Jung Heewon noticed now.
'So it was like that.'
"I didn't know ugly ahjussi could attract someone attractive like you."
Lee Jihye commented, getting a pinch by Jung Heewon.
"What do you think about Dokja-ssi, Haemin-ssi?"
Cha Haemin was baffled by the sudden question.
"Kim Dokja? He is a nice person, he is also warm and someone great. He helped people even though he sometimes didn't have the power to do so except making himself a sacrifice. If I may say, he is a fool. But that's what makes him... likable. Ah I'm not saying that he is likable because he is a fool or something. Kim Dokja is a smart person and after all of these happen, he becomes more upfront over his actions and not shy away anymore. I am happy by his development."
She smiled without noticing the stunned look by the others who were listening.
"Wow, you describe him like you've known him inside out."
"Dokja-ssi is the one who always helped me at first and I am thankful for him. But his recklessness was not appreciable."
"That's true. I am really glad that he was alive."
Jung Heewon spoke her thought first followed by Yoo Sangah and was agreed by Lee Hyunsung.
"Then, Haemin-ssi. Do you have feelings for him?"
Jung Heewon smirked. Cha Haemin blinked.
"Feelings like uh feelings? If you ask me I'd say I like him."
"Really?!"
"Unnie likes ahjussi?"
"Wait, seriously? But master is with ugly ahjussi though."
"Huh? Yes. He is my friend, I wouldn't want to dislike my friend."
The other's eyes turned into a dull one after hearing her response.
"Dokja-ssi will need to be more aggressive after this."
'Aggressive?'
"Say, what do you ever do with Kim Dokja? I mean, has he ever held your hand or did you go on a date before?"
She remembered the time before the apocalypse.
"We once went to the aquarium. Well I'm the one who held his hand because we might get separated in the crowd. Why are you asking this?"
"Hopeless. She is hopeless!"
Cha Haemin dumbfounded. What a rude reaction. What is this that makes them so eager to know about her relationship with Kim Dokja?
"Unnie, do you ever feel like you want to kiss ahjussi?"
Jung Heewon's mouth gaped at the bold question. All of them waited for an answer.
Cha Haemin was taken aback by the question. Kiss? As in kiss? She never kissed anyone before as Kang Rael. Da*n, now she was conscious of the lack of romantic stories in her life before.
'Do I want to kiss Kim Dokja?'
Remembering his face in her mind, she was pinning against the wall and he came closer. Their lips met in a gentle way.
Her face burned.
"W..why are you asking me this? I... I wouldn't. No, why. Wait, no. We are.. friends!"
"Don't you want to make him yours?"
Another question was thrown at her and she can't stop thinking of the scenario where she and Kim Dokja were in a relationship.
"Don't you want to hug him and be with him?"
She hugged him and he hugged her. So intimate. How can someone do that? Ergh, she never hugged a man before! But, but if it's Kim Dokja.. maybe....
"Think of this. What if you saw him hugging or kissing someone else so intimately?"
Oh, she recalled the event where she saw Kim Dokja and Yoo Sangah almost kissing. She felt a burning sensation in her stomach. She felt.. angry?
She had once read in a book and her sister once told her it was a symptom of jealousy. And if it was jealousy, then that means she has feelings for him.
Impossible. How can she not notice this? She must be wrong. But, does she really want Kim Dokja to kiss and be with someone else? The thought makes her so sad and angry.
She wanted him. She wanted him to herself.
"When the thought that someone might steal him, you become agitated. When the thought he will not be with you, you feel sad. Whenever and wherever you are, he is in your mind. You wanted to see him smile and protect him. That means you like him or possibly love him, unnie."
That is what her little sister said to her before. Her little sister who felt this emotion after she got to know her boyfriend.
'Ah, I like him. No, I love Kim Dokja.'
"What if Kim Dokja started to kiss someone else and declare their relationship to everyone?"
"No! He can't!"
Her sudden shout startled them. The door was opened from outside but no one noticed it.
"Erm then you are upset over it?"
"Guys-"
"Yes! I want Dokja to only kiss me!"
Plop!
They turned towards the door to see the man they kept talking about standing there with wide eyes.
Cha Haemin staggered.
Oh sh*t.
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I am addicted to Kim Dokja right at this moment. Their long journey together is about to begin and she will officially work together with KimCom after this.. secret about Kang Rael and Cha Haemin will be revealed little by little.
Feel free to give an opinion! (~‾▿‾)~
I am sorry for not replying to you comments (˘･_･˘)
I hope you enjoy this chapter, taralala~ ( ╹▽╹ )
(2/10/2023)