𓎢𓎡　.　◞　✙　 Y/n’s breath hitched. Kim Dokja, Yoo Sangah, Lee Gilyoung and the others. They were right there, staring at him.

His heart pounded in his chest as his mind raced. How much had they seen? How long had they been standing there? Did they suspect anything?

Y/n's heart sank as dozens of translucent blue system windows popped up before him. The glowing text flickered ominously.

[ The constellation ' Abyssal Black Flame Dragon' is confused about your disappearance.]

[The constellation ‘Secretive Plotter’ is observing you closely.]

[Several constellations are discussing your sudden absence.]

[Some constellations suspect a hidden scenario.]

⠀𓉸˚̣̣̣◟　 ͜　 　𓎢𓎡 　　✚

Y/n swallowed hard and forced himself to stay calm. Don't be obvious, Chronaris had warned him. H

e clenched his fists. He couldn’t afford to slip up now.

Kim Dokja narrowed his eyes slightly. "Where did you come from?"

Y/n's throat went dry. He could feel the weight of everyone's stares pressing down on him. He needed to think—fast.

"I… got lost " he said, keeping his voice steady. "I was looking for a safe place, and I found a door. I thought it was just another part of the building, but when I stepped through… someone pulled me in there and I don't remember anymore."

It wasn’t a complete lie. But would Kim Dokja believe him?

Hyunsung tilted his head. "A door?" he repeated. Heewon frowned. "That's strange. There shouldn't be anything like that here."

Y/n forced a nervous chuckle. "Yeah, I was surprised too. But when I turned back, the door was gone." He glanced around, feigning confusion. "I guess I just got lucky."

Lee Gilyoung tugged on Kim Dokja’s sleeve. "Hyung, do you think it was a hidden scenario?"

Y/n stiffened.

Kim Dokja didn’t answer immediately. His dark eyes were still locked onto Y/n, studying him in a way that made his skin. Kim Dokja had always been observant—dangerously so. Y/n knew that better than anyone. After all, he had read about it.

Now, standing here under that sharp gaze, he felt like a book being picked apart, page by page.

“Hyung?” Lee Gilyoung tugged on Kim Dokja’s sleeve again, his curiosity unshaken. “Is it a hidden scenario?”

Kim Dokja finally blinked, his expression unreadable. “Maybe.”

That answer didn’t reassure Y/n at all. Heewon crossed her arms. “Lost or not, it doesn’t make sense. No one else disappeared. Why only you?”

　　　　　　Y/n clenched his fists. He needed to steer this conversation away from himself—fast. “Maybe it was just bad luck?” He offered a weak smile. “Or good luck, since I’m still alive.”

Yoo Sangah frowned, concern flickering across her face. “Y/n-ssi… are you hurt?” Y/n blinked at her sudden kindness.

He shook his head. “No, I’m fine. Just… a little shaken.”

Heewon let out a sigh and ran a hand through her hair. “Well, whatever happened, we should move. We’re still in the scenario."

Kim Dokja gave him one last glance before nodding. “Let’s go.”

Y/n exhaled slowly, trying to shake off his nerves as the group started moving again. But even as he followed them, he could feel Kim Dokja’s eyes on him. Chronaris’ warning echoed in his head.

Y/n had survived this encounter. But he wasn’t safe yet. And Kim Dokja… was already suspicious.

Y/n followed closely behind the group as they walked through the dim subway station. The flickering lights overhead barely illuminated the cold, bloodstained floor. The air was thick with the lingering stench of death.

' But what about me? ' Y/n thought, gripping his sleeve tightly. ' What happens to me? Will I be forced to follow the same events—or have I already changed things? '

The group finally arrived at their destination.

"Huh? What's this? The atmosphere feels tense," Heewon said, looking around. Y/N sweat-dropped, instantly recognizing this part of the scenario.

' This is going to be bloody. ' he thought, looking away.

The place was in chaos. People were desperately begging for coins, their voices filled with fear and desperation.

"It's the survival fee deadline." Y/N muttered, watching as more people pleaded for help. Kim Dokja and the others remained calm, but most of them looked visibly worried. The screams echoed through the area.

"Someone, please! Give me some coins!" "Please, lend me some coins!"

Y/N's thoughts were interrupted by a voice he despised—a voice he had been itching to silence.

"Dokja-ssi! Welcome back." Choi Inho said as he walked toward them, wearing a smile as fake as his personality. Y/N scoffed, his glare piercing through the man in front of him. He already knew what was coming. He wasn't fully prepared, but he would try.

As Choi Inho announced their return from the hunt, everyone turned their attention to Kim Dokja and his group. "Come to think of it, you've always had coins, haven't you?" Inho said, flashing another insincere smile.

The moment the words left his mouth, people swarmed toward Kim Dokja.

"A-Are you the one they call Kim Dokja?! Please, save me!" a woman cried, clutching at his sleeve. Others joined in, their voices overlapping in desperate pleas.

Choi Inho stood back, watching the chaos unfold with a smirk. Y/N clenched his teeth, struggling to hold himself back. He couldn't afford to interfere. The story had to stay on track.

Then, he glanced at Kim Dokja—and his eyes widened. Dokja had already made up his mind. He was going to confront Inho.

Y/N swallowed hard and tightened his grip on his sword, preparing for the fight. "I see... all of you want coins. " Dokja finally spoke, his voice cutting through the noise.

The crowd stilled.

"But why would I give you any?" he continued, his gaze sharp and filled with fury. Y/N sweat-dropped and looked away. That was cool, not gonna lie.

A pathetic laugh broke the tension.

"Pfft! Hahahaha! I knew someone like you would say that!" Choi Inho cackled, flashing a mocking grin.

Y/N sighed. He already knew what would become of this man. "You've been like this from the very start, Dokja-ssi." Inho continued, raising his arms in mock exasperation.

"You made everyone pay coins for food. " he said.

"If you hadn't done that, do you realize how many people could have afforded the survival fee by now?" His smile turned sharp, almost predatory. (This bastard is pmo )

The crowd turned on Kim Dokja in an instant. "Give me back my coins!" someone shouted.

"Yeah! Give them back!" others echoed, their voices growing into an angry mob.

Hyunsung broke into a cold sweat. "Dokja-ssi isn’t that kind of person!" he tried to reason.

Yoo Sangah looked around, worried. "Everyone, what you're doing right now is—"

Before she could finish, the group was completely surrounded. A rough shove made Y/N stumble.

"Hey, bastard, stop pushing." he growled, shooting a glare at the offender.

Choi Inho’s fake smile never faltered as he spoke.

"Give these people their coins back." His voice was sharp, authoritative, yet still coated with feigned kindness.

Kim Dokja didn’t flinch. His dark eyes remained fixed on Inho as he replied, "And if I don’t?" His tone was calm, yet the underlying anger in his gaze sent a chill through the air.

Choi Inho chuckled, shaking his head as if he had already won. "Then, the worst-case scenario for you will unfold."

At his words, the surrounding survivors turned hostile. Desperate faces twisted with fury as they stepped forward, their intent clear.

Y/n felt sweat bead on his forehead. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword, readying himself for what was about to happen. But before he could act—

A flash of silver. A scream.

Someone’s arm was severed, blood splattering onto the grimy subway floor.

Kim Dokja lowered his blade, his expression unreadable as he met Inho’s gaze. "Do you really think I’m the one responsible for this?"

Y/n involuntarily shuddered.

The man whose arm had been cut off collapsed, sobbing from the pain. Y/n looked away. It was too pitiful to watch.

Kim Dokja’s voice rang out again, cutting through the thick tension. "The truth is, all of you already know I’m not at fault." His cold gaze swept across the crowd. "You’re just scared of them."

Y/n folded his arms, watching silently. He glanced at Inho—his smile hadn’t wavered. That bastard is still grinning.

"Haha! Dokja-ssi, what nonsense are you spouting?" Choi Inho laughed, trying to regain control of the situation.

But Kim Dokja didn’t let him.

"Have any of you ever wondered why they’re stronger than you? Why they have so many coins?" His sharp question made the crowd hesitate. Slowly, their eyes turned to Inho.

Y/n sweat-dropped, glancing at the man in question. 'Seriously, how does he keep smiling like that? Who even does that? Creepy bastard.'

Doubt began to settle in the minds of the people. Suspicion spread like wildfire as someone hesitantly asked, "Choi Inho… how many coins do you have?"

Inho’s smile twitched. He opened his mouth—only to hesitate.

He’s lying.

Kim Dokja took a step forward. His voice was eerily calm, yet sharp like a dagger. "Fools. Use your brains for a second." He narrowed his eyes. "Why is it that only the weak—the marginalized—have died so far?"

A heavy silence fell over the subway station.

Then—

"Inho! What’s the meaning of this?!" someone yelled. Choi Inho’s smile was finally slipping. His face twisted in frustration as he snapped, "Shut up! I’m being framed!"

Before anyone could react, the familiar, mocking voice of a dokkaebi rang through the air.

"Hahaha! Only seven minutes left until the deadline!" the creature cackled, floating above them. "Let’s see how many of you survive!"

Panic erupted. The crowd, once unified in their anger toward Kim Dokja, now turned against each other.

Screams filled the subway station as people lunged at one another, stabbing, slashing, killing for survival. A man bashed someone’s head in with a wooden plank. Another drove a knife into a woman’s throat. Blood painted the ground in chaotic splashes.

Y/n clenched his jaw. Disgusting.

But before he could dwell on the horror, a shadow lunged at him. His instincts screamed.

Y/n barely managed to leap back as a blade slashed through the space he had just been standing in. The attacker—a crazed man, eyes bloodshot from desperation—charged again.

Y/n tightened his grip on his sword. Fine, then.

He swung.

The blade cut cleanly through flesh. A scream. Blood splattered against his cheek.

The man staggered back, clutching his deep chest wound before collapsing, lifeless.

Y/n exhaled, wiping his face. There was no time to hesitate. More people were coming.

A quick glance to the side—and he saw it.

Jung Heewon, standing over Choi Inho’s corpse. The bastard was finally dead.

A small smirk tugged at Y/n’s lips. Good. At least he won’t be smiling anymore. But there was no time to celebrate.

More enemies were closing in. And if Y/n wanted to survive—he had to keep fighting.

⠀𓉸˚̣̣̣◟　 ͜　 　𓎢𓎡 　　✚

I keep on saying this but..... MAYBEEEE I WILL REWRITE THIS PART UMM!!! buttt I'm too lazy er. r.. Cncnx maybe mayebeeeeen!!! Hit the subscribe button if you want more chapters ☝☝😵😵😎😎