[Now, now. Since you've overcome hardship, there should be a reward, right? You are now qualified to receive the sponsorship of the Constellations as a reward for the first scenario. How about it, aren't you excited? Huh, everyone looks unenthusiastic. This is a really amazing thing.]
The Dokkaebi tilted its head, looking as if it couldn't understand.
It pondered for a moment, then let out a faint sigh and began to explain, saying it would kindly inform us.
In the process, the sturdy man who introduced himself as a soldier asked the Dokkaebi a question, but instead of an answer, he only received insults.
How pitiful.
-Ring!
-Please select your Sponsor.
-The selected Sponsor will become your reliable supporter.
Abyssal Black Flame Dragon.
Prisoner of the Golden Headband.
Monarch of the Small Fries.
Sponsor Selection… Judging by those words, the names appearing in the blue window seemed to be the Constellations the Dokkaebi mentioned.
Abyssal Black Flame Dragon, Prisoner of the Golden Headband, Monarch of the Small Fries. Just these three.
The Abyssal Black Flame Dragon is a pass. First of all, I dislike the name because it sounds like Chuunibyou. And while Monarch of the Small Fries seems okay, the word 'Small Fries' is too bothersome.
Then the remaining one is the Prisoner of the Golden Headband.
"…Hmm."
Like the Monarch of the Small Fries, the word 'Prisoner' is deeply bothersome, but the words 'Golden Headband' bother me even more.
Golden Headband (緊箍兒). It is definitely the smallest prison in the world, placed on Sun Wukong by the Tang Monk in Journey to the West to control him.
In other words, the identity of this Constellation must be none other than Sun Wukong.
Great Sage Heaven's Equal (齊天大聖), Sun Wukong.
Even those who don't know Journey to the West are well aware of his strength.
Because various characters modeled after him have been made known through various media.
However, even so.
"Dokkaebi."
[Hmm, what is it?]
"Can I not do the Sponsor Selection now?"
[Well…, there is another chance later, but is there a reason to refuse?]
"Yeah, that's right."
Whether that Great Sage Heaven's Equal is as strong as he is portrayed in the media is another story.
And above all.
[The Sponsor Selection has ended.]
[You have not selected a Sponsor.]
I don't believe there is an easy path in a ruined world.
23 years of life. There was something I felt keenly throughout my life.
That there is no kindness without a price in this world, and that delicious-looking fruit always has thorns.
Sponsor Selection.
This was like a kind of contract.
A contract is something where there is inevitably a division between the Master and the Servant (A and B).
Then who are the Master and the Servant? I can tell without thinking deeply. The Master would be the Constellation, and the Servant would be me.
Becoming a Servant means that restrictions will be placed on all my actions.
To not be able to move according to my will in a ruined world. Isn't this practically the same as handing over the power of life and death to someone else?
So.
[Several Constellations are greatly shocked by your choice.]
[The Constellation, 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon', is greatly enraged by your choice.]
[The Constellations belonging to 'Black Cloud' are agitated by the anger of the 'Abyssal Black Flame Dragon'. You will not receive sponsorship from the Constellations of 'Black Cloud' for the time being.]
[The Constellation, 'Prisoner of the Golden Headband', finds your choice interesting.]
Keep barking like that.
Whether I will regret this choice or not.
[To think there is another person besides that one who made an interesting choice, how fun. Well, since everyone has finished their selection anyway, please rest here for a while. I have to go prepare the next scenario. See you in 10 minutes!]
With a chi-ji-jik-! sound, the Dokkaebi disappeared again.
At that sight, the others let out faint sighs of relief.
However, I cannot rest like them.
Because the time of '10 minutes' that the guy mentioned before disappearing was very bothersome.
"Hello. I am Lee Hyunsung."
"I am Kim Dokja."
Leaving behind those exchanging introductions, I looked around.
In fact, there was no need to look around. What I was looking for was the subway exit.
And since there were several exits in each subway car.
"…That person, what is he doing right now…?"
The voice of the man who had stopped the male student from killing the grandmother came from behind.
But ignoring it, I placed my hand on the exit and carefully closed my eyes.
What I wanted to recall was another technique that entered my mind simultaneously with 'Dismantle' (解).
"Excuse me! What are you doing right n—"
I also ignored the voice of the woman who was with Kim Dokja.
Since it was a technique I was using for the first time, I had to concentrate quite a bit.
Let's see, the chant is….
"Cleave (捌)."
If Dismantle was a technique that fired invisible slashes at high speed.
The technique I am trying to use now is a slash that instantly chops up the target depending on the amount of Cursed Energy used.
Unlike Dismantle, it has the disadvantage of requiring contact, but.
-Seo-geok, seo-geok.
"…Hey! What are you trying to—!!"
-Seo-geok, seo-geok, seo-geok, seo-geok—!!!
"With this level of power, this level of disadvantage is cute."
The subway door, which had been firmly closed, shattered into pieces as if it had become a block of tofu.
Less than a second. This, if I can control my Cursed Energy better, I might be able to do it faster and stronger—
-Grab.
"I'm asking what you are doing right now—!!"
"…."
While I was immersed in the appreciation of the new technique, Cleave, someone suddenly grabbed me and started shouting incessantly.
The man who first asked what I was doing—looking at his name tag, is he called Han Myungoh?
"W-What is this madness! Did you not hear what the Dokkaebi said?! Stay here quietly—"
I don't know who this person is very well.
But he was the only person who tried to save the grandmother in the subway that had instantly turned into chaos.
Even if it was hypocrisy, he was the person who threw himself in unlike the others.
That was my evaluation of Han Myungoh.
However.
"Because of your stupid action, what if something happens to us—"
"You're noisy, so shut up a bit."
-Pit…!!
There is a limit to my patience.
"H-Hiiiiiik…!!!"
Han Myungoh slumped down and began to back away from me.
Why did he rush at me when he's so cowardly?
Well, anyway.
"I don't know what everyone here is thinking, but please live with some thought. The world has already perished. It means you have to take care of your own lives. Yet are you crazy enough to try and follow that Dokkaebi's words?"
And.
"3702. Do you want to be killed by the guy in that car behind this one?"
As I pointed to that place with my finger, the door began to shake roughly with impeccable timing.
The iron door rattled continuously with a brutal Kwa-ang-! sound.
Perhaps seeing that, everyone keenly felt how this situation was unfolding. They started to move urgently.
They should have done so earlier.
"U-Uwaaaak!!"
"Let's hurry!!"
"I will carry Gilyoung!!"
The iron door will break before long.
And the person coming out from there will be none other than the one who launched an attack powerful enough to shake the hull while the Proof of Value was in progress.
At that moment, a thought suddenly occurred to me.
Me, who can use Dismantle and Cleave, and that guy in the back.
If the two of us fought, who would survive?
-…Thump!
"…What is this?"
Suddenly, my heart beat roughly.
Why? I was momentarily flustered by the intense physical reaction I had never felt before.
A sensation that is familiar yet unfamiliar.
What on earth is the name of this sensation?
-Chi-ji-jik…!!
[…Goodness. I knew this would happen. Didn't I tell you earlier? Do not go anywhere. Damn it! The scenario preparation isn't finished yet—]
"…!!!"
"Uwaaa! I knew this would happen! I said let's not go out!"
At that moment. Without even perfectly defining that sensation, the Dokkaebi appeared with a chi-ji-jik-! sound.
Simultaneously with its appearance, Han Myungoh clutched his temples and screamed that he was dead.
But that was a needless worry.
[The second scenario has arrived.]
[Sub Scenario - Escape]
Category: Sub
Difficulty: E
Clear Condition: Cross the broken bridge and enter Oksu Station.
Time Limit: 20 minutes
Reward: 200 Coins
Failure: ???
….
A Sub Scenario, not a Main Scenario?
And what on earth is that '???' written for failure? Is it not death?
And above all, the clear condition is—
"Dokja-ssi, something is strange. It says 'broken bridge', but the bridge is still…."
"Don't worry about it and run! Quickly!"
As she said, the bridge is not broken yet.
And the strange creature existing underwater beneath the bridge, detected by the Cursed Energy I scattered around.
….
Is that it? Does it mean this bridge will soon be destroyed by that monster?!
[It's no fun if the game is too easy, right?]
At that moment, the Dokkaebi spoke with an ominous voice that sent shivers down the spine.
Wondering what was so funny, it smiled as if the corners of its mouth would tear.
[It's boring if you just run away, right? Let's create some atmosphere!]
As the sound of the Dokkaebi snapping its fingers—Snap-!—was heard, the scenario window updated.
[Scenario difficulty has been adjusted.]
[Scenario Difficulty: E → D]
[The dead man's thoughts return.]
[The surrounding earth fills with Black Ether.]
Damn it. I am ashamed that I shouted at them.
Just as it adjusted the time limit during the Proof of Value scenario, why did I overlook the fact that the content of the Sub Scenario could also change?
-Whishhh…!!!
The surroundings were dyed black.
It wasn't because the day had grown dark. The reason was none other than—
"Everyone get down."
"…Tch."
—A giant Ichthyosaur was pouncing towards us.