After a few days, Kim Dokja finally arrived with us, along with Heewon.
Everyone went to greet him, but I stayed a little bit off since I really don't think I'm part of that group anyway… After all… I'm going to do something that might… make them hate me...But I'll try my best to avoid it.
[The constellation, The demon-like fire judge, finds your actions seem like an adorable, shy cat.]
[You have been given 50 coins]
"Join us, Ayanokouji-ssi," Lee Hyunsung said with a gentle smile for someone with his build.
So I decided to move a little closer until it arrived.
Tap tap!
Tap tap!
A group of people surrounded all of us, and everyone was holding weapons.
Next to them was Han Myungoh, who seemed to be trembling slightly.
"Y-You!" He shouted as he pointed at Kim Dokja. "Get him out of here! He's the worst—pure evil!"
"HAHAHAH, relax hyung-nim, don't be mean," said a slim man with light hair, who seemed to have his eyes somewhat closed.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. You must be the new guy. Could you tell me your name? I'm Inho Cheon."
"Kim Dokja"
"The others who came with you told me you fought the monsters and saved my men," Inho said. "Hey everyone, come here! Our brave new member got us food!"
"food!"
"What great food!"
"Anything to eat?"
Everyone blamed the lack of supplies or their mismanagement.
"Welcome to Geumho Station, Kim Dokja," Cheon Inho finished saying.
Cheon Inho stepped back a little, and Lee Hyunsung took that moment to explain the situation to Kim Dokja.
"In total, there are 87 people at the station, and if we count you, there are 88."
"There are fewer than I expected," Kim Dokja said.
"Only those who were in a train car or near the station managed to survive," Lee Hyunsung said. "No one talks about it, but everyone completed the first event."
After he finished saying this, Lee Hyun-sung seemed a bit sad, especially after his last words, so I decided to take over the explanation.
"The station was divided into two: the mainstream-group, which is made up of the strongest, and the rest," I said.
Cheon Inho turned to look at us again as we spoke, with a hint of malice in his small eyes.
"The mainstream-group is the one that distributes the food, but since there's so little, they send some people to get more." I explained- "The girl you saved was part of the group, and her name is Jung Heewon-ssi."
"Others had gone with her, but... the others never came back," Lee Hyunsung said.
"So you two didn't join the mainstream group?," Kim Dokja said, referring to Hyunsung and me. "I imagine they wanted you in the group."
"Ah, yes," said Lee Hyun-sung.
"They didn't invite me... I guess I didn't look strong enough," I said with a disappointed expression.
[Some constellations wonder if you're sad, disappointed, or indifferent.]
[The constellation, Abyssal Black Flame Dragon, laughs at you.]
[The constellation, Secretive Plotter, is impressed that you never change your expression.]
Well, at least I thought…
"To me, it seemed like I shouldn't be in the mainstream group," Lee Hyun-sung said. "I don't know much about morality or ethics, but I felt like there was something wrong with the mainstream group. But I guess I'm a hypocrite for worrying about that after everything that's happened."
Kim Dokja gave Hyunsung a friendly punch on the chest, trying to cheer him up a bit.
"It's better to worry about good and evil as a hypocrite than to ignore the issue; never forget that."
"Dokja-ssi..." Lee Hyunsung said, his eyes sparkling.
It seems Dokja managed to cheer him up, although there wasn't much time before Cheon Inho interrupted Hyunsung:
"Kim Dokja-nim, can I talk to you?" he said. "I'll get straight to the point: join my group. I'm offering you a high-ranking position. I want you to lead the group alongside me."
"And what if I refuse?"
Cheon Inho laughed at what Dokja said.
"Refuse? how interesting.I never thought about that," he said. "You're a hero; you saved others with your power. Don't you have an obligation to lead these poor people?"
Cheon Inho was trying to make Dokja feel bad by using the other people, and he was also saying this in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, in order to create social pressure that would make someone with social anxiety agree without hesitation—but… Dokja doesn't seem to be that kind of person.
"I'm not talking about something ostentatious; I'm just asking you to contribute to everyone's survival. Don't you see how much they're suffering?"
To which Kim Dokja only looked at him and rejected his offer.
"Come if you change your mind."
"That's never going to happen," Dokja said.
"We'll see," Cheon Ihno concluded the conversation as he walked away.
After that conversation, we all sat together and Sangah took care of Heewon.
"Do you think rejecting him was a good idea?" Hyunsung asked Dokja.
"Did you want me to accept it?" he replied.
"No, of course not," Hyunsung said, "but I can't stop thinking about the last thing Inho said."
"It's like what he said to him: we'll see what happens. Anyway, it's dinnertime, right? Aren't you hungry?"
Dokja said as he offered us food, which I quickly took.
"Oh? Can we?"
"This time it'll be free, but next time you'll have to pay," Dokja said.
"What? How much?"
"Don't you have any coins?. There will only be 10 for each one."
It seems like he knows the value of these very well; in fact, I'd be disappointed if anyone didn't know it at this point.
Sangah and Hyunsung seemed somewhat confused; it seems Dokja's words caught them off guard.
"Of course. I'll pay you right now. I don't need charity," said Heewon, who had been unconscious until now. "I'm Jung Heewon; thank you for helping me this morning."
"no problem"
"Yoo Sangah-ssi, Lee Hyunsung-ssi,It's not the time to make those faces." Heewon said, "He got this food by risking his own life. Did you expect to get it for free?"
"Ah..." Sangah was a bit red with embarrassment—"Sorry, of course we have to pay. I don't like charity either. I hate depending on other people."
"I also agree with Yoo Sangah-ssi; from now on, I'll pay you."
"If they insist, do you know how to give coins?" Dokja asked, and the others nodded to show that they did.
After everyone paid Dokja 10 coins, except for Lee Gilyoung who gave 20 and me, who wasn't planning to give 10 coins.
"Ayanokouji-ssi, aren't you planning to pay Kim Dokja-ssi?" Heewon asked.
"I'll use the free sample he offered us at the beginning, thank you very much,"
Heewon seemed a bit annoyed by my refusal to pay for the food Dokja had brought, but she couldn't say anything to me since we saw other people approaching us.
"Hey, you!"
"Is it true that you're monopolizing the food?"
"Are you going to keep all the food when you should be sharing it?"
The other angry people at the station said.
"I know that others went to get the food with you."
"Why do they keep it all?!"
The others kept insisting that Cheon Inho redistribute the food and that we wait to receive it like everyone else, at which point Cheon Inho decided to show up and take advantage of the situation.
"Hey, calm down, I think there was a misunderstanding," Inho said with a triumphant smile. "Dokja has already joined our group; let's gather the food to distribu—"
"Stop. Of course I'll share the food, but..."
Kim Dokja said, interrupting Cheon Inho.
"But for a price," Dokja finished saying, leaving everyone very surprised; even Cheon Inho seemed to have his eyes wide open.
"What do you mean by a price?"
"Will you sell us the food?"
People asked about the crowd.
"Exactly, I don't do charity," Dokja said, "and I don't trust those people."
Cheon Inho seemed somewhat annoyed but at the same time nervous, as everyone began to murmur.
"But at what price?" someone asked.
"Do you accept money?"
"No..." Dokja said, "I'll only accept coins."
Upon hearing this, Cheon Inho seemed willing to pay for those provisions, and he would, but not at this very moment.
"For how many coins?"
Everyone in the crowd asked how much it would cost.
"50," Dokja said.
"Don't you think it's too expensive? Why don't you charge 10 like you do with us?" Hyunsung asked.
"Let's just wait a little longer," Dokja said.
Before I knew it, nigth had fallen. Sangah and Gilyoung were the first to fall asleep, while Heewon was slowly drifting off.
"Dokja-ssi, Ayanokouji-ssi should sleep too; I'll keep watch."
"Nope, it's fine." "You should sleep first, Lee Hyunsung-ssi," Dokja replied.
"But you'll get tired."
"I have work to do."
Dokja pointed toward some people coming toward us.
.................
The next morning, when everyone woke up, they realized that Dokja had already sold almost all of his supplies. The mainstream group bought most of it, monopolizing it once again.
This made Heewon angry because she was having some issues with one of her members.
The people went past Cheon Inho, who was completely unconcerned by the violent reactions of the others.
"Do you think we don't know that the explorers get more food?" someone in the crowd said.
"Your words are true," Inho said. "If you want to receive more rations, apply to become part of the explorers."
"Almost no one returns from the explorations; only the Cheoldoo group has come back."
"Do you want us to die?"
Cheon Inho smiled and glanced sideways at Dokja, who seemed to know what was coming.
"There's a way to get food without being in the exploration party," he said. "We'll trade food for anything we see that has value. We didn't plan to do this, but Kim Dokja-ssi taught us this."
"Because of that bastard"
Everyone in the crowd turned to look at us, annoyed, but they weren't planning to do anything for now.
"And I'll use coins; how many will there be?"
"200," Inho replied.
Everyone opened their eyes in surprise at the exorbitant price they had imposed.
"How's it going?" said another dokkaebi, different from the one at the first event.
Everyone got scared when they saw him, and some tried to hide.
"My friend who was in charge of this channel is currently under disciplinary action, so I'll take over for the time being," said the dokkaebi. "They look very peaceful; that Bihyung made it too easy for them."
"What are you saying!"
"Aah, don't get mad, I came for you."
"for us?"
"Then give us food," they all demanded.
"Food? If that's what you want," the dokkaebi said, and after finishing those words, he moved his hand.
[A penalty has been added to the scenario.]
[Food accumulation has been limited]
[All the accumulated food has disappeared.]
Everyone who was urgently hungry began to shout and curse.
"From now on, we're going to have fun," said the dokkaebi, snapping his fingers again.
[A penalty has been added]
[the cost of survival has been added]
[From now on, you'll have to pay 100 coins every night; if you don't, you'll die.]
[This will continue until the second scenario is completed.]
(A/N: Now Ayanokouji's actions will finally begin; from now on we'll see him speak more, and he won't wait in the background anymore. I realized I was sidelining Ayanokouji and I want to make him shine even more, so the group will split up for a while.)
After seeing the penalty, I've decided to leave this place; maybe I should have left with Yoo Joonhyuk.
When I was walking away, Sangah noticed.
"Ayanokouji-ssi, where will you go?" she asked.
"I'll go ahead of you; I'll see you soon."
I said as I walked away, heading toward a tunnel.
"Why don't you stay with us?"
Although I managed to hear Sangah's words, I decided to pretend I hadn't and left without looking back, though I'm sure we'll see each other very soon.
As soon as I reached the tunnel, I started moving through it; the darkness was intense, but my eyes could adjust to it quickly. So it hasn't been much of a challenge so far.
I kept going forward until I saw a notification.
[Second main event activated]
[MAIN EVENT 2: The Encounter]
Category: Main
Difficulty: E
Victory conditions: make your way through the tunnel and meet up with the other survivors in the safe zone.
Time limit: none
Reward: 500 coins
Punishment if you fail: ???
[The next shelter area is in Chungmuro]
I kept moving forward and came across some mutant rats that I'd have to face bare-handed, but I wasn't sure if I could pull it off since there were at least ten of them...
A rat ran straight at me, but I managed to dodge it easily; then one jumped at me, but it was intercepted by a kick to the face, and I landed cleanly on the ground.
The rat fell dead next to me.
Nice.
I took a step.
The second rat attacked me from my left; before its claws could touch me, I managed to duck, dodging its claws as they passed overhead.
I took advantage of being on top of her and grabbed her by the neck, and as soon as I twisted my wrist
CRUNCH!
It sounded like her neck snapped, leaving her lying lifeless on the floor.
The other rats just watched me, which I took advantage of to rip the claws off their paws.
Two rats attacked me from both sides, so I used my claws.
Throwing them at the rats' necks, killing them.
There are six more left...
Now they all came after me, so I used my claws, scratching the eyes of two of them.
I jumped up, causing them to collide with each other, and used the momentum to kick another one in the head, shattering her skull.
[The Constellation Atrocious God of War spend 1500 coins to give you a random weapon]
A sashimi knife appeared in my hands; it was… perfect for ending the lives of many monsters or... people.
I quickly threw the knife at a rat, which took the full force of it.
I ran toward the rat, pulled out the knife, and plunged it into its stomach, slicing it open.
I quickly finished off the other rats easily…
[You have earned 1,000 coins for ending the lives of 10 rats]
[The Constellation abyssal black flame dragon smiles at your great combat prowess.]
[The constellation Secretive Plotter is interested in you]
[The constellation Atrocious God of War is impressed by your skill]
[The constellation Demon-like Judge of Fire is impressed by your talent]
[You have been given 50 coins]
It was good to kill small bugs and the occasional monster while we waited for Dokja…
—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
COINS: 5950→8700→5550…
[Attributes window]
Name: Ayanokouji Kiyotaka
Age: 16
constellation: none
Personal attributes: puppeteer (mythic), absolute master of adaptation (hero), masterpiece (Legend), ■■■
Personal skills: [manipulation lv 4] [lie detection lv 8] [poker face] [ability concealment lv 10] [Absolue adaptation lv 10] [Master of all combat arts lv 5] [master of all weapons lv 5→6] [master of everything lv 4] [Advanced mental barrier lv 4] [Reasoning lv 8]
Stigma: N/A
General statistics: [Stamina level 10→12], [Strength level 10→13], [Agility level 10→13], [Magic power level 5]
….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….….…....
A/N: Dokja, while waiting for Dokja, took the opportunity to look for small animals, creature eggs, or the occasional weak monster to earn coins, which he then spent on what he has →. While waiting for Dokja, Dokja took the opportunity to search for small animals, creature eggs, or the occasional weak monster to earn coins, which he spent on what he had →.
His All-Weapons Mastery skill leveled up when he used the sashimi knife; I chose that weapon as a reference to The Academy's Sashimi Sword Master, lol.
Sorry if you don't like the episode, and if you do, please show your support by leaving a review. If you don't want to, then oh well.
I also apologize for taking so long to upload episodes; I've just been busy these past few weeks, but next week I'll be uploading more regularly—or at least I hope so.
As always... Tell me how to improve or give me some things you'd like to see in this story; I'll take them into account, believe me.
Quick question:
Should Ayanokoji have any romantic interest?
I was thinking of not putting any, but if you want, I'll do it.