Chapter 735

Upon first hearing my account, my companions appeared to believe I had lost my mind.

I understood their reaction.

To abruptly demand we summon ‘The Oldest Dream’ undoubtedly sounded insane. So I repeated everything that had occurred.

I told them of the ‘Demon King of Salvation’ I had encountered—and of the ‘brothers’ he had spoken of.

“So, the premise is that there may be another ‘Kim Dokja’ in addition to the ‘Demon King of Salvation’.”

When the perceptive Ye Hyunwoo laid it out so clearly, Killer King twitched his lips and asked.

“Then how many Kim Dokjas are there?”

“It is likely divided by modifier.”

Then Kyung Sein asked, her voice full of confusion.

“Why would it happen that way? Didn’t Kim Dokja return in the end?”

“That is…”

I too am uncertain about that part.

My intention was for ‘Kim Dokja’ to rejoin his companions at the conclusion of the main story. Yet, something went awry, and his existence fragmented into separate modifiers.

My companions fell deep into thought, pondering the dilemma.

“So how many are there? Is there an ‘Ugly King’ too?”

“You really didn’t read it enough times. That’s not a modifier. And it’s ‘ugliest’, not ‘ugly’.”

“What about the ‘Prisoner of the Headband’ in this world line?”

“That is a worthwhile question, Yerin.”

Listening to them talk, I also mentally reviewed the modifiers I knew Kim Dokja possessed.

To my knowledge, he had four.

The Demon King of Salvation.
Watcher of light and darkness.
Prisoner of the Constrictive Headband.
The Oldest Dream.

Kim Dokja earned each modifier in different scenarios.

The ‘Demon King of Salvation’ came from ‘The 73rd Demon King’, the ‘Watcher of Light and Darkness’ from the ‘Holy Demon War’, and the ‘Prisoner of the Constrictive Headband’ from the ‘Journey to the West’ scenario.

And the ‘Oldest Dream’…

“But if it’s the ‘Oldest Dream’, wouldn’t he be watching us already?”

It was Dansu ahjussi who posed this fundamental question.

“The ‘Oldest Dream’… if I understand correctly, is ‘Kim Dokja, who watches over all world lines’. I believe he is already observing us without needing to be summoned.”

Ahjussi was right.

Ye Hyunwoo asked me.

“Have you attempted to speak with the ‘Oldest Dream’?”

“I already tried.”

When I made the sign for the ‘Demon King of Salvation’, I called for the ‘Oldest Dream’. However, only sparks flared around me, and there was no response.

“Why wouldn’t he answer? Could it be that the ‘Oldest Dream’ doesn’t exist…?”

“If this world is the ’41st round’ we know, then the ‘Oldest Dream’ must exist, because his incarnation is here.”

“Oh, that’s true.”

The group looked down at the small Yoo Jonghyuk, who was fast asleep.

The ‘Oldest Dream’ is Yoo Jonghyuk’s sponsor.

Therefore, he cannot not exist.

“Now that I think of it, Yoo Jonghyuk never received a reply from his sponsor either.”

If I recall, it was similar in the main story.

Yoo Jonghyuk never knew who his sponsor was and they never properly communicated.

That is because the ‘Oldest Dream’ in that story was Kim Dokja’s childhood self.

A powerful [Fourth Wall] stood between them.

So, should the ‘Oldest Dream’ of this world also be considered ‘Kim Dokja’s childhood self’?

“Did you try the other modifiers? Like Watcher of Light and Dark—”

“I tried. The only one that worked was ‘Demon King of Salvation’.”

Then Ye Hyunwoo, who had been沉思, spoke up hesitantly.

“Actually, I attempted something similar. Once I had saved enough coins, I bought a ‘sponsorship contract’ and tried to make a pact with the Demon King of Salvation…”

As expected, Ye Hyunwoo had already tried it.

Since he still lacked a sponsor, it was a logical attempt.

“It failed. None of Kim Dokja’s modifiers, including the ‘Demon King of Salvation’, responded. But Inho-ssi succeeded in contracting with the ‘Demon King of Salvation’.”

At these words, everyone’s eyes turned to me.

Ye Hyunwoo continued.

“I’ve been thinking. To communicate with Kim Dokja in this world line, specific ‘conditions’ must be met. And among us, only Inho-ssi fulfills those ‘conditions’.”

“I agree.”

At this point, I struggled with whether to tell them about my connection to the 49% of Kim Dokja.

However, Ye Hyunwoo’s expression was peculiar.

“It’s embarrassing to admit, but I gave up on the scenario just before Inho-ssi arrived.”

Killer King, who had joined midway, muttered, “That wasn’t me,” and Cha Yerin shot him a glare.

Ye Hyunwoo went on.

“I didn’t quit from the start. This place was full of scenarios not mentioned in the Book of Revelation, but I believed we could manage. I thought my companions were strong enough. But.”

I couldn’t see Ye Hyunwoo’s expression behind his mask.

Yet, his sunken eyes hinted at the despair he must have felt.

“It only took a month. Everything fell apart in that single month. I thought I could achieve at least half of what the characters in the Book of Revelation did…”

I remembered my first meeting with Ye Hyunwoo.

The seventh apostle, brimming with pride.

A reader who had finished the novel fifty times and could analyze and predict this world better than anyone.

The confidence he once held was gone from his eyes now.

“After we reached the center and my team with Pildu-ssi was broken, things grew even more chaotic. I realized then. I am truly nothing. Knowing a bit of the Book of Revelation’s contents isn’t enough to change this world. Even hoping to survive felt like arrogance.”

Kyung Sein, Dansu ahjussi, and even Cha Yerin silently bowed their heads, looking at their feet.

“I felt relieved after giving up. Perhaps I never needed to take such risks. Maybe this is just my nature. Maybe chewing bamboo all day like a panda would suit me better.”

“Hyunwoo-ssi.”

“Inho-ssi.”

Ye Hyunwoo, once again wearing his panda mask, looked directly at me.

“I don’t know if your method can call ‘The Oldest Dream’ or not. But even if we cannot find the ‘Oldest Dream’…”

Ye Hyunwoo took a deep breath and said.

“From now on, I will call you ‘Kim Dokja’. This world needs a ‘Kim Dokja’.”

Cha Yerin nodded in agreement.
Kyung Sein and Dansu ahjussi added their support.

“Actually, I’ve thought for a while that Inho-ssi resembles Kim Dokja.”
“I agree.”

The last to respond was Killer King.

“That guy was Kim Dokja from the very beginning.”
“You finally got your wish.”

At Kyung Sein’s words, the group shared a soft laugh.

Ye Hyunwoo stepped toward me, hand extended.

“So, Kim Dokja, please promise us. You will see this world through to its end with us.”

Can I truly become their ‘Kim Dokja’?

Perhaps it is the opposite.

I spoke, reaching my hand out to his.

“Rather, I have a request. Please help me create the story of ‘Kim Dokja’.”

I cannot be like Kim Dokja alone. I need these people.

The eccentric Killer King and the aloof Cha Yerin.
The clever Ye Hyunwoo and the kind Dansu ahjussi. And Kyung Sein must be here too.

Only with their help can we see the end of this world.

As I thought this, my hand was about to grasp Ye Hyunwoo’s.

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ is craving it.]

A jolt like an electric current shot down my spine.
I pulled my hand back reflexively.

[The story ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ frowns.]

‘No.’

I desperately tried to calm the story. Yet, my own narrative continued to tremble dangerously.
A terrible hunger was rising.

[Legendary tale ‘Heir of the Eternal Name’ tells you not to interfere.]

The 「Heir of the Eternal Name」 had noticed. It had sensed a ‘fragment of Kim Dokja’ it desired within these readers before me.

The story whispered.

「 There is only one who can become Kim Dokja. 」

‘No. You cannot have them.’

「 You will regret this. 」

Finally, the story fell silent. When I looked up, my companions were watching me with concern.

I spoke to them.

“I will definitely see the ending with all of you.”

Late afternoon.
Smoke began to rise from the chimneys throughout Zone 13. The incarnations were preparing food.

Killer King stood on the brick house’s roof, observing the change in Zone 13.

“Seems we might get a decent meal tonight.”

Beside him, Ye Hyunwoo murmured.
“Yeah.”

Over the past month, the two had learned what life in Zone 13 was truly like.

For them, night here was hell. Days spent trembling in fear, waiting for the wolf harvester to arrive at any moment.

But the atmosphere tonight was different.
The smoke from the chimneys was proof.

Normally, residents here never cooked at night. Lighting a fire and using a chimney could attract the wolves.

Ye Hyunwoo said.
“I’m sorry, Second Apostle.”
“What for?”
“We wouldn’t have survived the past month without you.”

The one who had protected the group in Zone 13 for the last month was Killer King.
Had he not become a ‘wolf’ himself to shield his party, they would never have endured the wolves’ threat.

“And…”

Instead of continuing, Ye Hyunwoo looked down at the empty lot below the roof.
There, Cheon Inho stood speaking with Lycaon.

Ye Hyunwoo spoke.
“You know that Dokja-ssi is hiding something.”
Killer King nodded.
“Kim Dokja is that type of person.”
“Did you ever use [Eyes of Sin] on Dokja-ssi?”

[Eyes of Sin.]
The exclusive holy soul of the Archangel ‘Jophiel’, capable of identifying evildoers.

Killer King nodded.
“He was bitter.”
“What was the result?”
“At first, he was marked as a villain who had killed over ten people. But something felt off, so I used the stigmata again and—”

Killer King blinked slowly, recalling that time.
The day he first met Cheon Inho.
That day, Killer King had approached him.

[Eyes of Sin was activated twice in total.]
“I couldn’t see anything.”
“Nothing?”
“Everything was pure white.”

Though the skill ended quickly, Killer King had seen it clearly. A vast, barren white snowy field stretched out around Cheon Inho.

“What does that mean? A villain or—”
“I don’t know either.”

Wind blew intermittently across the vacant lot below.
Cheon Inho was waving his hands in the air as if learning the intricacies of [The Way of the Wind].
Lycaon was also seen touching his forehead, seeming frustrated.

“I suppose Kim Dokja is right.”
“I suppose so.”

The two of them laughed. As their light laughter scattered on the wind, Killer King asked a question of his own.
“Are you going to be okay?”
“With what?”
“I won’t ask twice.”

Ye Hyunwoo smiled bitterly at Killer King’s question.
“It’s not a matter of being okay or not. I was never the right person to play the role of Kim Dokja in the first place.”
“Not everyone needs to be Kim Dokja. You just have to do what you’re good at. Like me.”

Killer King said these final words and jumped down from the roof.
A moment later, a loud noise came from the vacant lot. Surprisingly, the wind was moving, however faintly, at Killer King’s fingertips.
Lycaon’s small wind elasticity.

Ye Hyunwoo muttered as he watched Killer King’s meaningful smile.
“You resemble Yoo Jonghyuk a little.”

Ye Hyunwoo thought that perhaps this was why he felt so frustrated.
If that guy was Yoo Jonghyuk, then he should have been Kim Dokja more than anyone.
He should have stood by his side, defeated their enemies, compensated for his mistakes, and cleared the scenarios with confidence.

But for the past month, he had failed to fulfill that role.
Someone else had taken on the part of Kim Dokja.

He’d had similar thoughts during the ‘emergency defensive battle’ in Chungmuro and when facing the ‘absolute throne’ in Gwanghwamun.
He just hadn’t admitted it.

However, watching him stage the ‘brick house’, open the door, and walk through the storm, Ye Hyunwoo could no longer deny it.
The Kim Dokja of this world is that person.

Above that detached confidence, only one question remained.
So what am I in this world?

“I…”

The moment the words unconsciously left his lips, a star in the sky gazed down upon him.
The star, glowing with an extremely ominous light, asked him.

“Do you want to become the ‘real Kim Dokja’?”