Chapter 5

4 People went into a panic as the insects hopped all around the car. “H-hey! Why would you do such a—?” Some people froze in shock; others quickly regained their senses and shoved past me. “Bastard! I’ll get you for this.” “…You’d better hurry and catch one. Only three minutes left.” As if on cue, the people began to ransack every corner of the subway car like crazed beasts. “Yes! I got—! Gaah!” The triumph of those lucky enough to catch an insect, and the murderous desperation of the less fortunate who were trying to seize the precious critters by force…Utter mayhem broke out. “Hey, what did you do that for? You coulda just handed ’em out.” I looked to my side to see Namwoon rising to his feet. “There are twelve people left in this car.” “……Huh?” “And there were only three insects left in the cage.” Namwoon looked confused for a beat, then burst out laughing. “Twelve to three? Ha-ha-ha-ha! I see. There weren’t enough to go around, so you threw the whole cage. Is that it?” “That’s right.” “Don’t make me laugh.” “……?” “No one in their right mind would think of doing that.” Namwoon Kim’s smile widened. “Be honest. You just wanted to watch people fight for ’em, didn’t you?” I thought about the Namwoon Kim I knew from TWSA. Just then, I heard a message. [Exclusive skill “Character Profile” has been activated.] A window appeared before my eyes. I didn’t know exactly what my attribute was, but I was starting to get an idea. <Character Profile> Name: Namwoon Kim Age: 19 Sponsoring Constellation: None (Two constellations are currently interested in this character.) Exclusive Attribute: Edgelord (Common) Exclusive Skills: [Abnormal Adaptability Lv.3], [Knife Fighting Lv.1], [Dark Awakening Lv.1] Total Stats: [Stamina Lv.3], [Strength Lv.4], [Agility Lv.6], [Magic Power Lv.4] Summary: An edgy teenager who fully embraced his inner darkness following an extraordinary event. Getting involved with him is not recommended. There were a number of teenagers with delusions of grandeur in TWSA. But when their edgy daydreams became actual reality, most of them weren’t able to handle it and killed themselves. However, Namwoon Kim was different. Delusional Demon Namwoon Kim. There was a good reason he would come to be known as the “Delusional Demon.” This boy’s dark fantasies went far beyond that of the average teen edgelord. He’d been waiting for the apocalypse for a long time, so when it became reality, he was able to adapt without missing a beat. “Team up with me. What do you say?” And here he was, making me an offer. [Character Namwoon Kim expresses interest in you.] [Your understanding of character Namwoon Kim has increased.] Teaming up with Namwoon would guarantee my survival for now. Perhaps if I hadn’t read TWSA, I’d have made a different choice. “Sorry, but I prefer to go solo.” “For real? That’s too bad.” Namwoon Kim smacked his lips and stepped toward me. “Then get outta my way. I’ve got some unfinished business with granny over there.” I turned around to see what his gaze was fixed upon. The old woman lay bleeding on the ground, breathing weakly. “Aren’t you going to catch a bug?” “You mean those grasshoppers? Why would I bother with those…” Namwoon replied with a nasty grin. “…when there’s a bug right here that I’ve already caught?” His murderous intent prickled my skin. A fictional character made up of words and sentences, yet here he was—living, breathing, and every bit as crazy as he’d been described in the novel. Despite myself, I was amazed. Namwoon Kim really is just as I imagined him. [Character Namwoon Kim’s opinion of you slightly decreases.] “What’re you gawking at? I said get outta my way.” “I’m afraid I can’t do that.” “Huh?” “I’m saying, I’m not letting you get past me.” “Ha-ha. You seriously gonna play the hero now? You have a split personality or something?” I didn’t answer him. Namwoon’s face slowly darkened. The friendly interest in his eyes turned into icy disdain. “Hang on. Is this why you threw the bug cage? This was your goal all along?” “……” “Just to save that granny? Ha-ha-ha! Crazy bastard! Actually insane! You’re kidding, right?” I didn’t say anything. Looking at Namwoon in the flesh, I remembered… “So you’re one of those, huh? Man, I hate people like you.” …how much his character annoyed me the whole time I was reading TWSA. [Character Namwoon Kim despises you.] “I said, move!” I waited for the right timing, then ducked. Namwoon had thrown a punch before finishing his sentence. “Oh? Not bad.” Even though I’d known full well it was coming and had successfully dodged his fist, I felt a wave of heat passing above my head. It was no ordinary punch. [Dark Awakening Lv.1] A black aura emanated from Namwoon’s body. A skill exclusive to teen edgelords. It was rare for a character to use a skill before the first scenario was over, but Namwoon was already doing it. This was why the main character had recruited him, despite all his flaws. Wham! My shoulder spasmed violently where I’d taken a hit. There was no chance of me winning like this. …Should I use that now? I was counting down to the right moment in my head when I heard a message. [Your understanding of character Namwoon Kim has increased.] [You have met the conditions for using the exclusive skill “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint” Lv.1!] Namwoon’s fist slammed down with a loud thud. “Ha-ha, what is this? I’m strong as hell!” The impact left a dent in the hard subway floor. Namwoon Kim was beginning to realize just how powerful he’d become. Each of his punches carried enough force to break my bones, but they kept landing on the floor instead. He shouted in frustration. “Gaaah! Why can’t I hit him?” Of course he couldn’t land a hit. It was thanks to my second skill. [Exclusive skill “Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint” Lv.1 has been activated.] As soon as it had activated, I could clearly see what Namwoon was targeting, as if I was reading his mind. For example… [Right hook] I quickly arched my body backward beyond his reach… [Right eye] …then ducked forward to dodge the follow-up attack. “Argh! Let me hit you, damn it!” [Left thigh] I could easily keep this up. All I had to do was stall until time ran out. I pointed at the timer as I dodged his fist. “Two minutes left, kid.” Feeling the pressure, Namwoon glanced back and forth between me and the old woman. “Aw, shit……!” His eyes settled on the latter. He had made his choice. I was forced to grab her and roll away. If she dies now, Namwoon Kim will clear the scenario. No matter what it takes, I can’t let this lunatic move on to the next scenario. “Ha-ha, I knew you’d do that.” I had a bad feeling. Namwoon was taking something out from his backpack. The bright fluorescent light of the subway car glinted off the blade in his hand. A Swiss Army knife. I’d forgotten he was a huge military nerd. Swish! This was a combination of the technical skill “Knife Fighting” and the buff skill “Dark Awakening.” And it was clear where the blade was aimed. [Heart] Even though I knew it was coming, I wouldn’t be able to avoid this attack. I quickly made a decision. If I couldn’t avoid it, I’d have to take it where it would do the least damage. The blade barely missed my heart and cut into my shoulder instead. That hurts. That really hurts. It felt like my skin was on fire. My vision went blurry, and I felt like death was just a small step away. “Ha-ha, die now!” One minute and thirty seconds remained in the scenario. I glanced at the old lady. I felt bad for her, but now I really had no choice but to use that. “Namwoon Kim, Chungil High School, eleventh grade. Let me ask you one thing.” “……Huh?” “Does an insect’s egg count as a living thing?” I took the dead grasshopper I had killed earlier out of my pocket. I felt a bulging mass on its abdomen—a full egg sac. Crunch, and viscous fluid spurted out. An unpleasant wetness spread all over my hand as the messages began. [You killed a living creature.] [You have received 100 coins as a bonus reward.] [You killed a living creature.] …… [You killed a living creature.] [You have received 100 coins as a bonus reward.] Countless messages rang in my ears. Namwoon Kim scowled. “An insect’s egg? What the hell are you talking about? Trying to buy time?” “In a way.” “How the hell would I know? I always slept through biology class.” Namwoon looked at my bloodied shoulder and grinned. “But there’s one thing I do know. Wanna hear it?” “What?” “You’re gonna die now!” Before he’d even finished speaking, he lunged at me with the knife. Another attack I wouldn’t be able to dodge. [You have obtained a large number of coins! Would you like a tutorial on coin usage?] I skipped the explanation. No need to hear it, since I already knew. “No, you’re the one who’ll die.” I retorted, then muttered a series of instructions. [You have invested 2,700 coins on stamina.] [Stamina Lv.1 → Stamina Lv.10] [Your stamina stat has increased greatly.] [Physical durability has increased greatly.] Namwoon Kim’s Swiss Army knife pierced my heart. Or rather, it looked like it should have. However, his attack only left a small scratch on my skin, as if he’d tried to stab a rock. His eyes widened with shock. “How?!” “I’ll give you the answer to my question. An insect’s egg is a living thing.” “Wh-what?” “And during spawning season, a single grasshopper can lay more than a hundred eggs.” An egg. A living thing. One hundred of them. Sadly, there wasn’t enough time for Namwoon’s dim brain to process that information. “What the hell are you talking about?” “I didn’t think you’d understand. One minute left now.” Finally, fear spread across his face. “Gaaah! I’ll kill you! Die!” This time, his knife came directly for my neck. I didn’t block his attacks on purpose. Kriiik! Perhaps it was because he’d stabbed the skin on my neck this time rather than my chest, but it left a deeper scratch than before. But it still didn’t hurt. “Namwoon Kim.” Behind his flailing arms, I could see the other passengers still scrambling to catch the bugs. When it came to their own survival, they wouldn’t hesitate to hurt others. “You were right. You and I are not so different.” Perhaps I could’ve saved those people. “Shit! Die! Why won’t you die?!” Fifty-five seconds. Fifty seconds. Forty-five seconds. The knife could only scratch me. Though his attacks drew some blood, his blade failed to cut into my flesh. It was thirty seconds before the time limit when Namwoon opened his mouth and spoke again. He dropped his knife and knelt before me. “H-help me.” Twenty-five seconds. “Please help me, mister! I’m begging you! Please!” “Why should I?” Twenty seconds. “Because human life is precious! You’re supposed to help others in need!” “Maybe that’s how it was in the old world. But you said it yourself—a new world needs new rules.” Ten seconds. “N-no! I don’t wanna die! Damn it! Aaaah!” Five seconds. Namwoon screamed and lunged at me, his knife aimed at my eye. The moment his blade was about to pierce my retina— [The time limit has expired.] Splat! Namwoon Kim’s head exploded. [Proceeding to checkout.] One after another, people’s heads blew up throughout the subway car. One, two, three, four… Their heads exploded like fireworks announcing the beginning of the new world. I watched this gruesome spectacle with a mixture of exhilaration, guilt, and a strange sense of dissociation. How? How was it that I could be so calm watching this macabre scene? As if I was reading a novel. [You have massacred 124 living creatures.] [Your kills: 1 grasshopper and 123 grasshopper eggs.] [Because you only killed helpless creatures that offered no resistance, your earnings are halved.] [You have obtained 6,200 coins.] [The coins you used to upgrade your stats are automatically deducted.] [You have obtained a total of 3,500 coins.] [Due to your gratuitous massacre, you have unlocked the “Mass Murderer” achievement.] I could see my face reflected in the darkened subway window. In all the countless times I’d looked into the mirror, I’d never seen such an expression on my own face. I wiped at the blood on my cheek, but it wouldn’t come off. Then I realized the blood was on the window. With a lurch, the train began moving again. It clunked at regular intervals as it ran along the tracks. Soon, sunlight shined through and drove out the darkness. It was the aboveground section of Line 3, between Apgujeong and Oksu. The scenery of Seoul and the Han River could be seen out the windows. “Ahh.” Someone moaned, overcome with emotion. A sound filled with the relief of having survived. However, it wasn’t long before the triumph in their voice turned into something else. “Ah, ah…” The scene outside the windows wasn’t the Seoul we knew. Smoke and dust everywhere. The city was in ruins. The bridges spanning the Han River had collapsed. On either side of the water stained red with the blood of dead soldiers, the riverbanks were littered with the debris of fallen buildings, and gigantic monsters were crushing K1 tanks underfoot like they were toys. [Main Scenario #1 - Prove Your Worth has ended.] [You have obtained 300 coins as the standard reward for clearing the scenario.] [100 coins were deducted for channel usage fee.] [Bonus rewards are being calculated.] One world has died, and another has been born. And I’m the only one who knows how this world ends.