815 Episode 40 Fear Realm (7)

I couldn't tell if what I was hearing was my heartbeat, voice, or the blood clot from the shark-head.

The call connected with a squelch-squelch sound. I was sure someone was hearing my voice on the other end of the line.

I screamed

"Please save me!"

Now that I was saying it, I felt a little embarrassed. Even so, just a few weeks ago, I was in a situation where I was being chased by the Historical-grade Constellations (not that it was my pure ability), I was being chased by the Narrative-grade Constellations (to be exact, it was the Demon King of Salvation), and I was being chased by <Olympus> and <Asgard> (this is true).

And yet I screamed for help just because of a shark-head?

"Please let me go!"

Is it really a matter of concern? If I do something wrong, I'll die.

"Hello? Kim Dokja-ssi? Can't you hear me? You called me!"

There was another noise through the phone with a tsk tsk.

Was the connection not working yet?

My heart was pounding.

"Second Kim Dokja! Second brother! No—"

First Kim Dokja—The Demon King of Salvation said. Every Kim Dokja has his own 'modifier'. That means that this second one also has a modifier that suits him.

And I already expected what that modifier would be.

"Light and Darkness—"

—Exhausted.

What?

—Heavy.

No, what is it all of a sudden?

—Sad.

I've received many calls in my life, but this was the first time someone had spoken like this.

I thought about the First's explanation about him. the Second was Kim Dokja, who understood sadness better than anyone else.

"Sad is that I'm about to die right now…"

—So I moved.

"Then please save me! Hurry up! Ugh, I'm going to get ripped apart!"

—Ugh. First, after dealing with Kim Dokja, I guess you have gained some inner strength.

Judging from the way he answered, I could guess what kind of Kim Dokja he was.

It seems that the personalities of the First and second sons of this damn Kim Dokja family are all twisted (which is only natural since they all originated from one soul).

"Please save me! Hurry up!"

I realized as I spoke. the Second won't save me. Because he's also a 'Kim Dokja'.

He must be talking about how sad and depressed he is, and he's happily watching my current situation-

—Yes

"Huh?"

—Turn to the right ten steps ahead. Then, put your hand on the tunnel wall.

I wanted to ask him if I would get my head eaten by the shark-head if I did that, but I had no other choice.

Exactly ten steps. I put my hand on the tunnel wall with the feeling of my sole sliding on the tunnel floor. Then.

Wow.

A faint green light began to glow on the tunnel wall.

"This is—"

I knew what it was.

Sanctuary of the Brave.

It was right.

This was Chungmuro's hidden space, the hidden 'Green Zone'.

Why is this here?

Quadduddudduk!

At the same time as the question, the head of the Outer God rushing toward me was crushed in the air.

The guy glared at me, dripping black blood. It seemed that even the power of that terrifying Outer God couldn't destroy this Safe Zone.

A safe zone declared for 20 minutes.

It was surprising. Nowhere in the 'Ways or Survival' or even in the expedition team's records was this kind of Fear written.

But the Second Kim Dokja knew this place.

"Kim Dokja-ssi?"

—…

"Thank you."

In any case, the Second Kim Dokja saved me.

Maybe the Second is a good guy.

"I, in fact, the First Kim Dokja... I heard various stories from the 'Demon King of Salvation'."

—A depressing story.

"It wasn't a depressing story."

—A story about looking for me.

As expected, the Second Kim Dokja already knew why I came here.

I decided to be honest with him since it had come to this.

"Yes. I need your strength."

—…

"I know very well that the situation is very difficult."

Let's think. How can I persuade the 'Second Kim Dokja'?

I thought about the Second Kim Dokja for a moment. But I had nothing to think about. Because I didn't know much.

"Isn't this all because of the 'First'? Right?"

So I decided to sell off the 'Kim Dokja' that I already knew well.

"the First guy must have done something strange to make you hide here. He wants you to."

I don't know exactly why the Second Kim Dokja hid here.

I can only guess that it was caused by the incident that occurred when the 49% and 51% Kim Dokja fought over the disposal of the 41st world line.

"But listen, Second. If you hide here now, more people will be in trouble."

I don't know if the Second will be convinced by my words.

However, he is a Kim Dokja who 'empathizes well with sadness'.

So I thought that maybe this persuasion would work.

"If you've been watching, you know. There are readers who have forcibly possessed others in this world."

I thought of Dansu ahjussi, Kyung Sein, Cha Sungwoo, and Cha Yerin.

"Many readers have experienced terrible things just because they liked this story. Are you going to leave them alone? Is that one of the endings of the world you ultimately want?"

I know this is a rather cowardly way of talking. The readers possessed others, so it wasn't because of 'Second Kim Dokja'.

"Please lend me your strength. Please help me save them."

Even so, I had to take them hostage. I had to persuade Second Kim Dokja this way.

"So that I can write the ending that I want, that you like..."

—I.

The voice of the Second son on the other end of the phone was truly sad. It was the voice of a person who had been crushed by a sadness, that I could not even fathom, for a very long time.

—I live in a very big house.

"Yes?"

—That's why I can't help you.

Before I could ask what he meant, the Second continued.

—Go back. Before the Recorders notice.

Recorders. I realized that it was referring to the 'Recorder of Fear'.

The moment I was about to ask about it, the Second added.

—Don't try to change this world.

That was the end of the call. With a beep, the call ended.

I blankly looked down at the screen and pressed the call button again.

Beep—beep—

The call was not connected. It felt as if the line with the Second had been cut off.

I reviewed the words of the Second again with a complicated mind.

—I live in a very big house. That's why I can't help you.

What on earth could that mean? Is it a metaphor for the cost, or… maybe.

For a brief moment, an imagination flashed through my mind, but I soon shook my head.

Surely not.

'Big house' couldn't mean that.

I pressed the call button several times after that, but the line still wouldn't connect.

Now, there were 14 minutes left.

A shark-head that had curled up about a meter away was staring at me. It seemed like the guy knew the principle of this 'Green Zone'.

I guess he was planning to attack me as soon as this 'Safe Zone' was lifted.

I bit my lip and looked down at my smartphone again. Unless Jaehwan-ssi suddenly showed up here, the only way for me to escape this situation was with this 'smartphone'.

Now that I think about it, why is 'Second Kim Dokja's' contact information saved on this phone?

I hastily checked my call log and contact list. And I checked the person I had just called at the top of the contact list.

—Second Kim Dokja.

Even when I looked again, it was definitely saved as 'Second Kim Dokja'.

There was a note below the contact that said:

It was clear who had left that note.

It occurred to me later that this ‘smartphone’ was the relic of the 'Demon King of Salvation'. The person who had saved this 'Second Kim Dokja' contact was the First Kim Dokja—in other words, the Demon King of Salvation himself.

There wasn’t even just one contact.

—Third Kim Dokja

I doubted my eyes for a moment.

No, it was this easy to contact each other as Kim Dokja?

The note written below the third person’s contact was:

Lazy?

I hesitated for a moment and pressed the call button.

I honestly thought that whether he was lazy or sad, his personality was the main issue. The person I need right now is 'Kim Dokja' who will help me.

Although the Demon King of Salvation told me to find the 'Second' first, if I think about it, there's no need to insist on the Second, right?

Tsk tsk tsk!

I almost dropped the phone call, startled by the current flowing through my ears. The call didn't go through. Does this mean that the probability is not possible? Or is the Third simply lazy and not answering the phone?

In either case, it was clear that the Third couldn't be reached either.

Then all that was left was…

—Me

That was the last name saved in my contacts.

I thought about the meaning of that word for a moment and pressed the call button.

The smartphone I have now belongs to the 'Demon King of Salvation' himself. So who would be answering the phone when I call 'me'?

After a short beep, someone answered the phone.

—You heard my curse, Youngest.

It was a voice that was both annoying and welcome.

"Wow, was it this easy to contact you?"

—This is the Fear Realm. This was also recognized as a kind of 'Fear'. Do you think breaking the [Fourth Wall] is that easy?

Was he happy to have a long-awaited conversation?

In a short time, I told the Eldest Kim Dokja everything that had happened up until now and what had just happened.

The Eldest Kim Dokja—the former Demon King of Salvation listened to me for a moment and then answered as follows.

—The Third one doesn't answer the phone well. That guy keeps putting it on airplane mode. It's been a long time since I've made a call.

From what I've heard, it seems like all the Kim Dokjas have a 'smartphone', a sacred relic.

—By the way, is that what the Second one said? A big house?

"Yes, is there a part where he can't do it?"

—Hmm. Then the situation gets a bit serious.

"Why?"

—For now, let's take care of your situation.

Now, there are only 5 minutes left to maintain the safe zone. There's a monster shark targeting my stories right in front of me, and I have no way to deal with it.

—There really is no way?

"Actually, there is."

Kim Dokja doesn't say things like 'there is no way'. Because that's the kind of person he is. He always knows a way that no one else knows, and if there's no way, he'll find a way by any means necessary. And I was the youngest of those Kim Dokjas.

"There are about three ways."

Kim Dokja muttered as if he was in awe.

—Now you're following all the other paths.

"One way. I can become Shin Yoosoung by using [Incite]."

Kim Dokja thought for a moment and then asked back.

—Your world's Yoosoung is still weak. And even if you use [Incite], you can't get that character's skills, right?

"It's different for characters with high comprehension. It's possible to get some skills or characteristics with [Incite]. It's only for a short time and it doesn't last as long as [Bookmark], but."

—[Incite] can do that?

It can. In fact, I became 'Shin Yoosoung who tamed Queen Mirabad' in 'The Field of Nagak' in that way.

I'm much stronger now than then, so I should be able to transform into a stronger Shin Yoosoung. Even if I become the 'Beast Lord', it shouldn't be a problem if I become 'Beast Lord' Shin Yoosoung.

"However, there are some side effects, so I'll live thinking I'm really that person for a while."

—That's terrible. What are you going to do if you become Yoosoung?

"I'm going to tame Outer Gods’ spirits."

—Will that work?

It won’t work. Actually, I knew it wouldn’t work. However, even Kim Dokja always says the first method is impossible. It’s Kim Dokja’s law.

—Right from the third one.

"the second method is to use 'Thousand-Billed Manhwa Jang Haengbok' with 'Thoughts' to become a dwarf."

—What are you going to do after becoming a dwarf?

"Go into that guy’s stomach."

—Aha, getting eaten yourself is the second method?

"That’s where it gets important. What would happen if an Outer God were to eat me?"

—Wait. You.

"Do you remember what happened to the 'Dream Eater'?"

Of course, I would take a fatal blow to my incarnation body during the process of being swallowed, but I’ll become a 'dwarf' to reduce the damage.

Once I get into that guy’s stomach, other skills will take care of the rest, not me.

That’s what the [Fourth Wall] is.

"I happen to have a [Fourth Wall], and that Outer God is a guy who wants to eat Kim Dokja like the 'Dream Eater' back then. Everything is perfect."

—You really only think of methods like mine.

"Because I'm the Demon King of Salvation right now."

Actually, the second method was the best method I had imagined.

But Kim Dokja seemed to have a different opinion.

—That won't work.

"Why?"

—Then that shark bastard will also enter the [Fourth Wall].

By the way, the First Kim Dokja was currently inside the [Fourth Wall] I had created.

"You can just live together."

—No. Do you know how good this is? Now, tell me the third method.

"I need your help with the third method."

—Me? You want me to descend or something?

"Can you?"

—No.

"I didn't expect it."

Actually, even if I did, I wouldn't ask. I finally got to hear his voice, but if I do something like that, I might lose the probability and never see him again.

What I wanted to ask was something else.

—Drawing?

"Please help me find some information."

—Information? What information?

"I need information about that shark-head. Aren't you inside the [Fourth Wall] right now?"

The essence of the [Fourth Wall] is a 'library'.

Inside it are the records and history of countless 'Ways of Survival' that Kim Dokja has read.

—Well, that's right. If I knew, the [Fourth Wall] would be a bit different.

But that's the main story, and the [Fourth Wall] that I restored for the kkoma Kim Dokjas was much more incomplete and smaller.

—But as you know, there aren't that many records here. It's not a complete [Fourth Wall].

"I know. But the information I'm looking for will be there."

At least as long as the [Fourth Wall] contains the 'history of Kim Dokja', and as long as I'm a part of that 'Kim Dokja'— the 'record' I'm looking for is definitely there.

"The information I need is the 'Discarded Setting Collection'."

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