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Unfulfilled Role (4)

Clang!

An empty bottle of beer that was probably owned by someone in the station shatters to pieces after Kim Dokja accidentally knocked them down.

"Dokja-ssi!"

Someone called out to him in concern, but he wasn't paying any attention as he stared deeply at the scattered glass.

He had a bad feeling for some reason, and moreso as he immediately thought of Cale.

'... Is that bastard okay? He's alone out there. What if something happens to him?'

His frown deepened.

In all honesty, he wasn't sure why he cared so much. It hasn't been that long since he first met Cale Henituse, but still, that man is someone he talked to before the apocalypse. Cale treated him like how someone would treat a friend. Their relationship is unlike his with Yoo Sangah— although they had warm interactions, they weren't close considering Sangah is practically untouchable when they were still co-workers. However, with Cale, since they're fellow readers with the same taste, it wasn't difficult to talk about something they both have an interest in.

In short, Cale is probably the only one he considers as an... almost friend.

Kim Dokja couldn't help but feel worry about the stupid person with zero sense of danger.

When he felt a tap on his shoulder, he turned around to meet the concerned gaze of now-conscious Jung Heewon.

"Dokja-ssi, are you alright?"

"Ah, I'm okay. I was just thinking."

She raised an eyebrow. "About?"

"Cale."

[The constellation ‘Prisoner of the Golden Headband’ is satisfied.]

[100 coins have been sponsored.]

He ignored that message.

"I see." Heewon nodded slowly with an understanding smile. "Well, Cale-ssi can be quite worrying, can't he? But... he'll be okay. We're going to meet him again, I'm sure of it."

Even after her attempt to comfort, the swirling uneasiness in his chest didn't disappear as he looked at the blue window that's been showing up for a while.

[There are 1 hour and 30 minutes before the third scenario is activated.]

He can't lose his composure at a time like this.

'Cale, you better survive, you little punk.'

• • •

Saga watched the other dokkaebis run around in panic. The atmosphere was tense, but his blank expression made it seem as if he wasn't fazed by the sight.

To sum up the whole situation, Bureau, the administration that manages the whole Star Stream, is in chaos.

He didn't know of the details, but based on the conversations he heard from other dokkaebis, there was apparently a mysterious figure that committed a massacre. Usually, something like that would be ignored since it wasn't an uncommon event, and some constellations enjoy that type of stuff, but the ones who got killed are the 'prophets'. People which the stream deemed as special cases.

Moreover, the power that this unknown person displayed was... out of this world.

It was something that made even the big nebulas feel cautious.

'Can a mere incarnation do that? There's no way this person is normal,' Saga thought, but his mind suddenly remembered someone.

'I wonder how he's doing...'

Cale had told the cream dokkaebi to not focus the channel on him until he returns. Right now, he's unsupervised, completely alone with no one knowing what he's doing. It's only natural for Saga to feel curious.

Before arriving here, he asked his colleague, Bihyung, to manage his channel for a while so he can get a good grasp of the current problem.

It's a good thing that Bihyung is trustworthy and reasonable. Despite acting pretentious at times, he never unnecessarily tormented the humans. That's why both of them can work well together.

Saga's gaze landed on the paused video that showed a masked man with flowing crimson hair, pointing towards the screen, or the constellations in particular.

It was taken before the streams shut down upon having no more incarnations in their respective channels.

His eyes twinkled slightly.

'It's getting more interesting.'

Ever since he met Cale, strange things keep happening. For once, he felt... entertained and intrigued.

Isn't it only fair for him to pay Cale for giving him an amusing show?

'I should check up on him,' He decided.

• • •

Cale slowly opened his eyes, squinting when he was met with a bright light. He didn't think much of it though. There was only one thing on his mind.

He's extremely hungry.

He blinked a few times to get rid of the blurriness in his vision before furrowing his brows in confusion.

In front of him was a floating window. Weirdly enough, it wasn't a scenario nor a constellation's indirect message.

> [ Cale, where are you? ]

The message was sent a few hours ago, probably when he was unconscious.

He realized there was only one person capable of doing this.

> { Saga? }

It only took a few seconds until he received a response.

> [ Yes, it's me. Where are you? ]

> { Why? I thought I told you to forget about me until I come back. }

> [ I can't check up on you now? ]

The message sounded greatly displeased, and Cale smirked. He could imagine Saga grumbling somewhere.

> { We were never in that stage of relationship. }

> [ Fair point. But answer me. ]

> { Dongmyo Station. }

> [ Okay. ]

After reading the message, he heard the static sound of glitch coming from the air.

Sparks of probability could be seen, and Saga emerged from them. The calm expression of the dokkaebi shifted into a frown as soon as he sees Cale's awful state.

[ ... What happened to you? ]

The young man shrugged nonchalantly. "Stuff happened. Anyways, I need the dokkaebi bag."

He was met with Saga's bewildered expression.

"How did you know about the dokkaebi bag?"

"I just do. Take my coins. I'm really hungry."

Saga stared at Cale in disbelief. He practically looks like he's dying and all he can think about is food? Using the dokkaebi bag?

[ Haah... okay. ]

The dokkaebi bought the food. Soon, there were 6 samgak kimbap floating beside Cale, which the man immediately ate one by one.

There was a short term silence before Saga broke it.

[ Are you really not going to elaborate about what happened? ]

"Yes," Cale answered flatly, munching on his food.

[ Why? ]

"You're really nosy."

[ And your conscience is questionable. Tell me what happened. ]

He sighed, but stayed silent.

[ ... That person I saw on the stream. It was you, wasn't it? ]

Cale paused before continuing his meal. However, Saga didn't miss his stiff movement.

[ Why did you do it? ]

"I don't know what you're talking about."

The denial was swift, but after watching millions of incarnations, Saga easily recognized the type of people like Cale.

[ What a foolish guy. ]

The man tried to not grimace at the comment.

[ Fine. I'll go along with your schemes again this time. ]

From the look in Cale's eyes, Saga could tell that he felt grateful. The dokkaebi flew closer and sat down beside him.

[ It seems the 3rd Main Scenario did not apply to you... since you've become the scenario's enemy. In short, you were the 3rd Main Scenario, ] Saga informed, which Cale greatly appreciated. [ So what are you going to do now? ]

"Wait for the next scenario. I have to lay low for a while."

Letting the storm pass. That's what he's aiming for.

As the masked man, he had displayed powers similar to Cale Henituse. However, they're vastly different, that's why he wasn't worried much. As Cale, he hadn't shown the extent of his powers, and he would always cough up blood after using them. Meanwhile, as the White Star, his powers were almost godly. Of course, he also never showed any weakness. Plus, it's not strange for people to have similar skills.

Once he was finished with his food, Cale looked down towards Saga. "What about your channel?"

Saga shrugged. [ Bihyung is managing it in the meantime. He will cover for me. ]

"Bihyung? The streamer that Kim Dokja is working with?"

[ Yes. ]

"Are you sure you won't get in trouble for doing this?" Cale asked with a confused expression.

[ I won't. Even if I'm an intermediate dokkaebi, I'm also one of the oldest. They can't easily touch me. Besides, I think it's a bad idea to leave you alone when you're like this. ]

"But I'm okay?"

Saga stared at him blankly, not buying the bullsh*t he's saying, before averting his gaze.

[ I'm going to keep watch. Sleep again for a bit. ]

"Alright."

Cale took his spatial pocket bag and pulled out a sleeping bag, blanket, and eye mask. At this, Saga isn't even surprised anymore. He concluded that Cale is simply extraordinary and cannot be comprehended by a normal brain.

The stoic black haired man quickly fell asleep after making himself comfortable.

Keeping his word, Saga kept watch while occasionally sending glances towards the sleeping figure.

Then he began questioning something.

'Why am I here again?'

Of course, he knew. He was doing this for Cale. Perhaps as some kind of compensation, but knowing it, he's not really complaining. This is just a small price to pay.

'Still. Doing this for a mere incarnation? How funny.'

Amidst the silence, Saga internally scorned himself.

The others were right. What a weird dokkaebi indeed.

When Cale woke up, Saga could no longer be seen, but there was a stamina potion left on his previous spot.

Just like that, a week slowly went by.

• • •

Kim Dokja stands tall in front of Kang Ilhun, the man who had aimed for Chungmuro Station.

Kang Ilhun was trying to stay calm.

“… What will you do with me now?”

“It depends on how much information you can give me.”

“Are you basing the standards on usability?”

The guy talked back even in this situation, causing Namwoon to click his tongue and pull out his black dagger that's covered in bloody red aura.

"He's annoying. Let's just kill him."

Kang Ilhun's eyes shook.

Meanwhile, Jung Heewon tilted her head. "Hold on. The constellations see him as ‘wicked.’ How about trying torture instead?" She suggested.

“Why bother?" Dokja replied. "Namwoon is right. He'll be useless so just kill him if he doesn’t speak.”

“Huh?”

Kim Dokja pulled out his sword without hesitation. Kang Ilhun trembled as he looked up at him

“From now on, I will count to three. If you don’t open your mouth in that time, you will die. There is no reversal." He deliberately triggered White Pure Star Energy and inserted the sword into the ground. "One."

The ground was scratched with the power of White Pure Star Energy as the blade started to move towards him. Fragments of the floor flew towards his face.

“Two.”

The heat of the blade warmed his face as it approached his nose. In a short time, the ether blade would cut his eyeballs.

“Three…”

“Dongmyo Station!”

Kim Dokja smiled. Torture? There was no need for that.

Kang Ilhun gasped for breath and explained, “…About a week ago, the people called prophets from Dongmyo Station gave us information about Chungmuro.”

Dongmyo? It sounds familiar.

Kim Dokja began to frown. Upon seeing it, Kang Ilhun flinched and automatically spilled more words in fear.

"I don't know anything more than that! Believe me!"

"Really?"

"Yes! Wait- no! They died!"

Dokja's eyebrows shot up.

'Who died? The prophets?'

"Yes, I remember! The prophets died in Anguk Station when they were having a meeting the day after we traded information. It was a massacre," Kang Ilhun's voice turned grave and serious.

'What...?'

He almost couldn't believe his ears.

A massacre? Someone is killing the prophets?

"Who did it?"

"... I don't know. It was a masked man with striking red hair."

'A masked man with red hair...?'

Kim Dokja began recalling the contents of Ways of Survival, but he couldn't remember anything about someone with that description. There wasn't even a character with red hair. Shouldn't an eye-catching trait like that be easily remembered?

'Dongmyo Station... I have to check it.'

It might be dangerous, but he speculated that this person holds a strong grudge against the prophets. As long as he doesn't say he's one, he would most likely be safe. There's also no guarantee that the culprit would still be there.

To be precise, it was a gamble.

'I'll just take Hyunsung-ssi, Heewon-ssi, Namwoon, and Bori with me. Lee Jihye is taking care of Yoo Joonghyuk right now so she won't be able to tag along even if she wants to since her friend is going.'

He glanced at the others.

'... Or maybe not. It's dangerous for them. I should go alone.'

Then Kang Ilhun’s body twitched. His body was shaking like he was having seizures and his condition was strange. Everyone looked at him cauriously and Kang Ilhun shouted.

“N-No…!”

“… What is this all of a sudden?” Jung Heewon mumbled.

“D-Dongdaemun… Dongdaemun Station…!”

Saliva spilled from Kang Ilhun’s mouth as he stuttered. Dokja felt something and unintentionally put a hand on his shoulder.

Then.

[The character Kang Ilhun is now a wanderer.]

"What's happening?" Na Bori asked warily, close to reaching for her weapon.

Kim Dokja looked deep in thought. It was evident that Kang Ilhun’s affiliation to ‘Dongdaemun’ had changed.

“It seems that Dongdaemun Station has been taken over.”

He had a feeling. It was by the same person.

Kim Dokja's face became unreadable, and others who are seeing it could only watch in discomfort.

"I'll go to Dongdaemun and check."

"What?" Na Bori blinked, staring at him with an incredulous expression. "What bullsh*t are you spouting now, Ahjussi?"

Jung Heewon didn't tell her to mind her words like usual and agreed instead. "She's right. What do you mean you will go? We're obviously going with you."

Kim Dokja looked at them calmly. "It's too dangerous."

"And you think it won't be dangerous for you?"

"I'll be fine."

He trusted his instinct. This person will not harm him.

Kim Namwoon crossed his arms. "Tsk. Hyung was right. You really are someone who can't be left alone."

Kim Dokja blinked.

'Cale said what?'

"It's another stupid Ahjussi..."

He heard Han Donghoon whisper to Igneel on his shoulder. Kim Dokja pursed his lips tightly.

"... Alright. Let's go together then. Sangah-ssi, as usual, I'll leave the station in your hands."

Yoo Sangah responded by nodding firmly.

Lee Hyunsung carried Kang Ilhun on his back with ease, and the group set off on their journey.

However, they froze as soon as they arrived.

Everyone was dead, lying in a pool of blood. It was a gruesome sight.

Kim Dokja glanced at a certain platform, seeing the flag of Dongmyo Station claiming its territory.

He suddenly felt more reluctant to advance further.

"... Come on. We're almost at Dongmyo."

With heavy steps, they continued walking.

———

a/n: hello. thank you for reading this note since it's quite important.

anyways, i'm thinking of getting myself a beta reader to check for errors, whether it's grammar or lore (mis)information. i would really appreciate it if someone is willing, though they obviously have to be good at english (especially grammars and solving repetitive sentences) and have fully read both orv and tcf.

feel free to comment if you're interested. also, if you're chosen, i'm going to ask for a discord tag so i hope you do have discord. anddd, i'm only gonna pick one person, so if you're not chosen, know that there are no hard feelings.

thank you for reading. ^^

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