Singularity (8)

I looked up at the darkening night sky, the sunset already long gone, and muttered to myself.

"…I'm gonna get an earful for this."

I'd forgotten to mark my companions with Hiraishin seals, and flying back on a body already worn out from combat meant it took me a painfully long time to rejoin them.

I activated flight, then Clairvoyance, scanning for the party. Far off, I spotted lights. That had to be them — we hadn't been far from where we'd split up.

I touched down near the glow and found my companions staring back at me, weapons ready, eyes sharp with caution. I waved, offering an awkward smile.

"Safe, right?"

"……………."

Apparently my answer didn't land. The three beauties put their weapons away, crossed their arms, and glared.

Kim Dokja stepped forward first.

"What happened to the guy who said he'd be back by dinner?"

"…Well, I got a little too into hunting to raise my skill levels, and I was covered in monster blood, so I figured I'd shower first, and then…"

"And then?"

Under the burning stares of Kim Dokja, Yoo Sangah, and Han Sooyoung, my knees hit the ground of their own accord.

"…Yes. It's all my fault. So please, my ladies, spare me those eyes…"

I, Park Jinwoo, a man whose knees go weak before strong-willed beauties. This level of humiliation had long since become ordinary life.

I kept my gaze down, voice thick with genuine apology. Soft sighs came from Kim Dokja, Yoo Sangah, and Han Sooyoung, and when they spoke again, the edge had dulled a little.

"You said you'd be back by dinner. When you still weren't here this late, we got worried."

"Dokja's right, Jinwoo. Do you have any idea how worried we were?"

"These two next to me and Yooseung kept asking if we should go look for you. I nearly died trying to stop them."

Footsteps pounded from inside the building, growing closer. I lifted my head toward the sound.

Shin Yooseung came flying at me, eyes shining.

"Oppa!"

Whump!

It had only been half a day. What was she so happy about? Yooseung threw her arms around my neck with a bright smile and clung on.

"Whoa there. Did you have fun with the unnies, Yooseung?"

"Yes! I was fine!"

I slipped an arm under her knees and another behind her back so she could hang on comfortably. She nodded like a carefree child, still smiling.

I looked up at Kim Dokja.

"So what did you all do while I was gone?"

"Today? Just hunted monsters for coins, taught Yooseung some combat basics like you asked. And…"

"And?"

Oddly, Kim Dokja trailed off and avoided my eyes. I glanced at Yoo Sangah and Han Sooyoung — both of them looked away too.

Flinch.

Even Yooseung, still smiling with her arms around my neck, stiffened a little, then buried her face against me and ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hid.

"…Don't tell me."

Reading their reactions, I shot the group a look. Every one of them stayed silent and kept dodging my gaze.

I let out a small sigh and stood.

"You were planning countermeasures for the Central Disaster, and Yooseung overheard. Right?"

"…Yeah."

Kim Dokja gave a tiny nod. Yoo Sangah fretted with her hands in silence. Han Sooyoung turned her head away.

"…Haa."

Flinch.

When I sighed in frustration, the girl with her face buried in my neck twitched. I gently patted her back, soothing her.

"Yooseung."

"…Yes."

Her arms tightened around my neck. I called her name again, unhurried.

"Yooseung."

"…………."

I said it slowly, carefully, so I wouldn't startle her. She lifted her head a fraction.

I met her eyes.

"What's our Yooseung so worried about? Oppa's right here."

"But I have to die…"

"Why would you have to die?"

"Oppa… I'm not the good kid you think I am. I'm actually a bad kid…"

In a voice thick with tears, Shin Yooseung began to explain why she was bad.

How, to survive the first scenario, she had killed the puppy she raised.

I killed it….

How she stole a coat from an old man already beaten and collapsed.

I'm sorry….

How she abandoned the woman who had always taken care of her, just to protect her own Green Zone.

I'm sorry….

How she handed a man being chased over to a mob in exchange for food.

I'm sorry….

Clear tears rolled down the face of a child who truly regretted every wicked thing she had done, who grieved under the weight of her guilt.

I'll be punished. I don't deserve to live….

I watched her in silence. Even as her tears soaked my coat, even as she clung to my neck and trembled, I simply kept looking at her, endlessly, quietly.

Kim Dokja, Han Sooyoung, and Yoo Sangah watched us both without a word.

After a while, her crying began to subside. Her voice came out stuffy and nasal from all the tears.

"I-I'm… ready. Kill m—"

Thwack!

"Ugh…?!"

I flicked her forehead hard — right as she tried to put on a brave face through the tears and snot and tell me to kill her.

Yooseung clutched the spot with both hands, staring up at me with raw shock, pain, and confusion written all over her face.

"Don't talk about dying when you're not even a middle schooler yet. You're way too young for that. Way too early."

"B-but…!"

"Yooseung. The oppa standing in front of you is strong enough to toy with and kill the things they call Disasters. A Disaster like that is nothing more than a living sandbag to me."

"…W-what?"

Her pupils darted, her expression blank with shock as she stared at me.

"The Central Disaster? What's the big deal? Oppa's gonna carry the whole thing."

I'd had countermeasures for the Disaster of Flooding ready for ages. Shin Yooseung's Legendary attribute, Monster Gate? 7th Grade monsters? 6th Grade? Even the so-called Minor Disasters at 5th Grade?

What did any of that matter? They were all going to get wrecked by me anyway.

When the Disaster of Flooding came, I was going to screw over the 41st-turn Shin Yooseung, the Intermediate Dokkaebi Paul, every Constellation that burned Probability to side with him, and every spectator Constellation watching our fight for thrills.

I'd been laying the groundwork since Chungmuro Station. And I'd already locked in a way to twist the story for good this time.

I looked at Yooseung — still sniffling, tears and snot everywhere — and gave her a confident smile.

"Just trust Oppa. Has Oppa ever let you down?"

I swear it again, right here in front of you, so you can rest easy. When the Disaster of Flooding hits, I'm going to put on the greatest chaos show you've ever seen.

All of it for my own amusement. For the story I want. For the happy ending I want.

My expression hardened as I turned toward Lycaon, who was watching us from a corner of the ruined building with serious eyes.

"Lycaon."

"Yes, Hoju."

"You gave Yooseung combat instruction, right? How's she doing? Keeping up?"

"Yes. Lady Yooseung possesses considerable talent. She followed my guidance without great difficulty."

"Good. That's a relief. Thank you, Lycaon."

Lycaon bowed his head slightly and stepped back.

Kim Dokja, who had been listening from a short distance, came over to us.

"Jinwoo's right, Yooseung."

"…Dokja unnie?"

"Neither I, nor Sooyoung, nor Sangah want you to die."

Yooseung's eyes wavered. She looked past Kim Dokja at Han Sooyoung and Yoo Sangah.

Both of them gave small nods. Kim Dokja continued.

"There is a way to stop the Disaster. If you help us, it's more than possible."

Yooseung mumbled in a stuffy voice, full of self-doubt.

"But what can I even do? I'm just a kid, and I don't even have a Sponsor…"

"Who says you don't have a Sponsor?"

Kim Dokja smiled and tapped my shoulder. I stared at her in confusion; she just shrugged and kept smiling.

"Jinwoo here can be your Spons—"

"Uh, jumping the gun a bit. I don't think I can be Yooseung's Sponsor…?"

"……………."

I cut her off with an apologetic look and tone. Kim Dokja froze solid.

Then she snapped back, whipped her head toward me, and glared.

"What kind of bullshit is that? Aren't you a Constellation right now? If you don't do it, who—"

"……………."

I kept my face still and glanced at the Constellation messages floating beside me.

Not every Constellation looked on me kindly. Some never sent indirect messages or chat, but hostile ones were definitely in Bihyung's channel. And after all the chaos I'd caused, there would be Dokkaebis who didn't like me either.

If Yooseung becomes my Incarnation, it could put her in serious danger.

Someday I'd be fighting Constellations for real. Among them would be the Demon King Andras, whom I'd already crossed; Constellations opposed to my growth and my modifiers; ones who hated human-origin Constellations; Dokkaebis — all of them were potential enemies.

I don't even have a Stigma or a proper ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠modifier yet. Protecting Yooseung from that many Constellations and Dokkaebis would be too much. Honestly, impossible.

Better to have Kim Dokja become Shin Yooseung's Sponsor, the way it went in the ORV webtoon.

Decision made, I opened Midday Tryst with Kim Dokja.

"Ah…"

Kim Dokja nodded slightly, as if something had clicked. She let out a small sigh and started to move her fingers through the air.

Tap.

I grabbed her hand on instinct. It was obvious — she was about to ask Bihyung to open the Dokkaebi Bag and sponsor Yooseung a package.

Kim Dokja looked startled.

"Jinwoo?"

"I can't be Yooseung's Sponsor, unfortunately. But I can still sponsor her."

I opened the Dokkaebi Bag through Shop User and sent Yooseung the package sets I'd bought earlier, along with a few others.

Yooseung's mouth fell open as the system messages stacked in front of her. Then her face went pale, almost frightened, as she looked up at Kim Dokja and me.

"Th-this is all…"

"Don't worry, Yooseung. Oppa's rich enough that even if you added up everyone here's coins, it still wouldn't be a quarter of what I've got."

Even after dumping a hundred thousand coins on Yooseung, I still had 1.66 million left.

For my adorable little sister, a mere hundred thousand coins…

I could spend that anytime. After all, our Yooseung's cuteness was number one in the world.

After sponsoring Yooseung the packages, I ate a quick meal and went to bed ahead of everyone else. The fatigue from slaughtering monsters all morning made sleep non-negotiable.

I must have dropped off almost immediately, because the next time I opened my eyes, a sunset was spreading across the far horizon.

"Nngh… Ahh, that was a good sleep."

I stretched, washed up quickly, and stepped out of My Room. In a corner of the ruined building, Shin Yooseung was using a skill on a baby groll.

Wooooong.

Grr! Grrrrr!

She'd been drilling her skills nonstop even before I went to sleep. When she'd caught that baby groll, I had no idea.

I plopped down nearby to watch. She was so focused on taming it that she didn't even notice I'd arrived.

Golden energy streamed from her, swirling around the baby groll. The little beast glared at both the aura and Yooseung, on high alert.

Dark circles under her eyes. Has she been practicing without sleeping at all?

I waited five quiet minutes. No sign the baby groll was going to submit.

Should I smack it once? Or grab it by the scruff and massacre its pack in front of it? That'd probably do the trick.

Novels, comics, anime — they all had those scenes. Unruly monsters either got beaten into line, or you slaughtered their kin until they learned manners.

Then a door to My Room opened in midair, and Kim Dokja stepped out.

She glanced at me lounging beside Yooseung, then approached the girl mid-skill.

"Yooseung, did you get any sleep?"

"Not yet."

"You'll take a penalty if you don't sleep. Do it after you rest."

"…Just a little longer."

Was our Yooseung already hitting her rebellious phase? That stubborn streak was no joke. I was already fretting about the future.

If future teenage Yooseung ever says, "I really hate Oppa!"…

I was confident I'd faint on the spot.

While I teared up imagining adolescent Yooseung, the golden energy around her gathered into the shape of a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠giant hand.

The hand drifted slowly toward the baby groll, as if to stroke its head.

Kiiing…! Kiiiing!

Even with that careful gesture, the baby groll bared its teeth and snarled, still deeply wary of her.

"……………."

Yooseung was casting Taming and Multi-Species Communion, but something was off — her focus kept slipping, her small face scrunching up.

Grrrk…!

KRAAAANG!!

The baby groll's ferocious (adorable) roar shattered her concentration completely. The giant hand form collapsed.

The failed tame sent the baby groll into a frenzy. It charged straight at Yooseung.

"You little shit — who do you think you're charging at in front of me?"

Snatch.

Kiiing! Kiiiing…!

I shot up from my seat and grabbed the baby groll by the scruff mid-lunge.

Then I hiked one knee up, set the creature on it, and pinned its back with one hand to lock it in place.

And then—

Smack!

Kiiing…!

Smack!

Kehng…!

Smack!

Kiiing…!

I spanked its rear with my bare palm.

Every slap drew a pitiful, mournful cry from the baby groll.

Once I'd given it a proper thrashing, I handed it over into Yooseung's arms.

"Uh…"

Kying… kying… kying…!

It whimpered in her embrace like it was hurting. Then it snapped back, bared its teeth at her again, and started growling.

Grrrk…!

I stepped up beside it and looked down in silence.

"……………."

Ki-kiiing… kiiing….

"……………."

Tremble-tremble-tremble.

After a long, wordless stare, the baby groll stopped baring its teeth and just shook in Yooseung's arms.

I took it by the scruff again, pulled it free of her, and whispered low enough that only it could hear.

"Hey."

Kiiing… kying…!

"You defy our Yooseung and you're dead. Got it? Defy her and I'll skin you and hang your hide in My Room myself. Understand?"

…………….

Whether it understood or not, its mournful crying stopped. It just trembled quietly.

"Also — every time you resist, I'll round up every last one of your kin within two kilometers and kill them in front of you. Your whole pack dies because of you."

Tremble-tremble-tremble.

"Oh, you like bears that much? Then I really hope you keep that energy when you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠meet a bear cub that rips Constellations apart someday, yeah?"

I set it down at Yooseung's feet. It pressed itself tight against her leg, still shaking.

I fixed it with a murderous look, pointed two fingers at my own eyes, then at its eyes.

Kying… kying…!

"A-are you okay…?"

Yooseung looked bewildered. The baby groll that had defied her all night, that refused to be tamed no matter how hard she tried, had just gotten its rear spanked by Park Jinwoo, heard something whispered, and was now trembling at her feet with pitiful little cries. She scooped it up.

She looked from the baby groll to me, then lowered her head with a gloomy expression.

"…I guess I just don't have talent. Oppa doesn't even have Taming or Multi-Species Communion, and he tames things this easily. But me…"

Kim Dokja looked flustered, forced a smile, and stroked Yooseung's hair.

"That's because Jinwoo's a mutant. And you have plenty of talent, Yooseung."

"Dokja. I'm sitting right here."

"So what."

She shot me a look and went back to comforting Yooseung. Feeling a little wronged, I sat on the ground and doodled in the dusty dirt with one finger.

"This is so unfair…"

All I'd done was subdue a bear cub that had the privilege of being tamed first by the cutest girl in the world and still chose to resist…

Kim Dokja completely ignored me and kept smiling at Yooseung, comforting her.

It seemed to help a little. Yooseung looked up at her.

"…I can do well, right?"

"Of course."

Seeing the uncertainty still on her face, Kim Dokja went on.

"I chose you over Seoul. Jinwoo did. Our whole party did. And we don't regret it."

"………."

"You can do better than anyone, Yooseung."

Yooseung looked up at Kim Dokja, then stared at me for a long moment. She lowered her head and fidgeted with her fingers. Her lips moved, and she finally spoke, slow and careful.

"If I really get strong…"

"If you get strong?"

She started, stopped, hesitated for a long time while glancing at me, then gave a faint smile. Clutching the baby groll, she bolted toward a corner of the ruined building.

"It's nothing. I'll try hard again."

"………."

She set the groll carefully on the ground and, re-energized, started casting her skill again.

I watched quietly, then stood and walked over to Kim Dokja.

"Isn't my little sister something?"

"She is impressive. But who said she's your little sister?"

"Obviously our Yooseung."

Kim Dokja gave me a look of pure disbelief. I shrugged and smiled—

Wooooong…!

"………!"

The pager in my coat pocket vibrated. I looked at Kim Dokja.

"Dokja. I need to step out for a bit."

"Again?"

"Yeah. This time it's actually important."

"……………."

Kim Dokja scrunched her face and studied mine from every angle.

Clunk!

Right on cue, Yoo Sangah, Han Sooyoung, and Lycaon came out through the My Room door.

"Sorry. I'll be back by tonight."

"Haa… Fine. Go."

"Sorry. And thank you."

I gave a wry smile at her reluctant permission, handed the group a chunk of Sea Serpent meat from last time, and spoke.

"Activating Hiraishin no Jutsu."

Raising Hiraishin no Jutsu to level 4 meant I could finally reach the Western Disaster's territory.

The skill kicked in. My vision warped, and the ruined building around me flipped into a wide open lot where a cold wind howled.

I looked around. Lee Seolhwa's eyes went huge at my sudden appearance behind her. Lee Jihye and Lee Hyunsung both looked stunned.

And last of all — Yoo Joonghyuk, staring at me with a twitching eye.

I grinned at their shock.

"Hey there, Joonghyuk-Joonghyuk. Long time no see — our Joonghyuk, cute Jihye, reliable Hyunsung, and the lovely Seolhwa."

"J-Jinwoo?! How on earth did you—?!"

"O-Oppa? Jinwoo oppa just appeared out of thin air?!"

"My… so that's why you gave us this signal device."

I left the three of them fussing and looked at Yoo Joonghyuk, who was scowling daggers at me. I covered my face with one hand.

"Joonghyuk… that intense stare is a little much…"

"……What the hell are you doing here."

"Mmm… there's a reason taller than Everest and deeper than the Mariana Trench…"

"Cut the crap and explain, Park Jinwoo."

Still no sense of humor. I pouted and answered sulkily.

"Really, our Joonghyuk is way too serious."

Shiiing.

"O-okay! I'll explain! Put the sword away!"

I'd stalled too long. Yoo Joonghyuk's patience snapped — she started drawing Jincheon Paedo from its sheath. I waved my hands frantically.

Click.

She slid the partially drawn blade back home and glared.

"Last chance. Why are you here?"

"I came to freeload on the Western Disaster raid?"

Shiiing.

That did it. Her face twisted hard and she drew Jincheon Paedo fully.

"If you want to die that badly, I'll kill you right now."

"Hey now! Our Joonghyuk is way too impatient…. I came with pure intentions to help."

"This is…"

Yoo Joonghyuk and the other three checked the system windows in front of them, eyes going wide.

"Well? Helpful enough?"

BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!!

From far off came the sound of something massive and heavy moving. Yoo Joonghyuk looked between the system message and me, clearly wrestling with the decision.

Lee Hyunsung spoke up.

"Joonghyuk-ssi. Having even one more person would make facing the Disaster easier, wouldn't it?"

Lee Jihye piled on.

"Hyunsung ajusshi's right, Master! If Oppa's here, we can take down that Ice Disaster way easier!"

"I agree, Joonghyuk-ssi. You said yourself yesterday that Jinwoo is strong."

"Huh? Really?"

My eyes lit up at Lee Seolhwa's words. That Yoo Joonghyuk had acknowledged my strength? I could barely believe it.

Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes twitched. She scowled.

"…I don't remember saying that."

"…Heh. Then it must have been my mistake."

BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!!

While we talked, the moving sound drew closer.

I turned toward it. Far away, a colossal shape with something on its back was walking straight toward us.

"……Oh my god. What the hell is that."

A monster that looked easily fifteen stories tall.

Six thick legs. A mass of ice on its back like a glacier. A face shaped like a giant turtle. A super-colossal ice turtle was marching this way.

Every step froze the ground around it solid. A white blizzard swirled around its body.

Monsters and what looked like wanderers nearby had already frozen solid and died.

"Whoa… is this the Godzilla universe?"

That thing was ridiculously huge.

Looking at the super-colossal ice turtle that belonged in a Godzilla movie, I couldn't help swearing under my breath.