"You...fool...you'll be too weak without me..." Half of the final disaster's face was twisted in fear, while the other half stood defiant.

Despite the precarious situation he found himself in, Jung Youngho foolishly looked at the boy in-front of him.

"Kiddo, is it you?"

With a strained face, Eun HaNa eventually took over control over the body, holding his arms close to his chest and gouging his nails into his arms. He shakingly looked over at Jung Youngho with a smile.

His smile confirmed the answer to Jung Youngho's question.

"Tell me, what can I do to help?" Jung Youngho prompted anxiously, knowing of an internal struggle within Eun HaNa.

Eun HaNa shook his head in a silent refusal.

As if in pain, Eun HaNa flinched and pursed his lips, wincing as he willed his body to move back. He was trying to put as much distance there was from Jung Youngho.

The boy took one step, then two steps, three steps...

Eventually, Eun HaNa was forced to stop not too far away.

"Can't...hold them back for much longer..." Eun HaNa's eyes bristled with struggling clarity over the black sclera after becoming an undead.

"Kiddo!" Jung Youngho cried out desperately.

Eun HaNa convulsed as he waged his internal battle, squeezing his eyes shut, knowing his grip over his body was slipping little by little.

The undead stood on stand-by, watching Eun HaNa with rapt attention, waiting for the return of their sovereign. Their bodies caged in the two people on the stage playing out their last act.

It was only a matter of time.

"Ahjussi...Noona...please get away from this place." Eun HaNa struggled to speak.

Upon Jung Youngho's face, I saw the same despair he had when he watched the boy being overwhelmed by the stampede in the first scenario. Although the situation was different, Jung Youngho was once again faced with the same powerlessness.

It mattered not that he had higher stats or skills.

In the face of this, Jung Youngho was just as helpless as his past self.

But suddenly, with eyes red with madness, sorrow and regret, Jung Youngho looked back at me.

[Incarnation, 'Jung Youngho' is...]

I was startled, while his eyes lit up with a tiny spark as he saw something only he could.

Without hesitation, Jung Youngho dropped his halberd.

It clattered to the ground beside him, and the undead eerily did not move.

With a languished slovenly posture, Jung Youngho walked neither too fast nor too slow in Eun HaNa's direction.

Eun HaNa didn't notice anything until he felt a presence on his head.

He snapped his eyes open, and saw that Jung Youngho had placed a hand on his hair and was ruffling it messily.

"Wha-" Eun HaNa couldn't help but exclaim, his confused expression the same as when he wondered why his ahjussi looked at him with despair and horror that day when the first scenario began.

"You're not leaving this time, kiddo." As if venting his grievance, Jung Youngho placed his other hand through Eun HaNa's dark locks and began to ruffle it with an increased intensity.

Eun HaNa resisted subconsciously, trying to pull his head away, but in the end, he was not able to evade.

"You haven't tried the new burger flavor yet. I haven't brought you to the amusement park either. Nor have I told you the secret to that magic trick." Jung Youngho tried to say these sentences nonchalantly, as if it was just another day of the week, but his voice held a tremor he could not hide, "And...you haven't watched me rise to the top as the Legendary Magic King."

Eun HaNa lowered his head.

"Ahjussi...I'm already dead."

He was telling Jung Youngho that he was already long gone, and that could not change. They were already standing at the opposite sides on the stage, one belonging to the living, and the other, the dead.

There were no longer two people having fun in a crumbling apartment, deriving enjoyment over the simplest things, but two performers taking their place, weaving a story of life and death for the constellations. And, by the end, there must be only one on stage.

"That doesn't matter." Jung Youngho snorted, "Dead or alive, does it make a difference?"

If anyone else was listening to Jung Youngho's words, they would find them ridiculous. 

But here, no one could retort.

"What matters is that you're right here, kiddo. What magic trick do you want to see?"

Now scratching his arms hard enough to draw blood as the undead energy flared around Eun HaNa unstably, Eun HaNa's face was caked with indecision.

Eun HaNa knew that he should have been resolute and pushed Jung Youngho away, to protect him from the potential danger, even if that were only a few moments of reprieve.

Still, Eun HaNa made his final request.

"Can you show me how that coin disappears and then reappears?"

Jung Youngho genially smiled, before taking his hands off of Eun HaNa's head and reaching in his pocket to fish out an inconspicuous coin.

It displayed the number '1' in the center, coated with the dullness of silver, fitting snuggly in Jung Youngho's palm. 

"Are you looking properly?" Jung Youngho's posture was relaxed as he extended both hands palm up.

Eun HaNa nodded his head.

Jung Youngho closed his two hands into fists, turned them face-down and shook them.

Then he flipped one of his curled fists over, the one that held the coin, and opened it up. However, the coin was nowhere to be seen.

A smile spread across Eun HaNa's face.

"Wow, it really disappeared, ahjussi."

"Yes, it did indeed."

Jung Youngho then slowly revealed his other palm, showing a coin with a '1' in its center.

Eun HaNa looked up from the coin to Jung Youngho, and Jung Youngho looked back at him. The boy was looking at the magician.

A streak of black tears trailed from Eun HaNa's eyes to his chin, despite the foolish smile presented on his face.

"Ahjussi, do you still remember your promise?"

Jung Youngho's eyes reddened, and his pupils trembled with emotion. He tried to keep his voice level, but couldn't help choking up, "Yes."

"Then defeat me and become the only Legendary Magic King in the World."

In the end, the boy's selfishness preceded. Eun HaNa selfishly asked this of Jung Youngho.

[Incarnation, 'Jung Youngho' has awakened a new attribute.]

[His new attribute is...]

Eun HaNa's eyes closed, and the arms drawing large gouges of blackened wounds on his arms fell to his side, limp.

Those wounds rapidly closed up, before a malevolent gaze snapped open in place. 

Jung Youngho had instantly leapt backward and grabbed his <Invisibility Cloak Replica>, covering the both of us.

Initially, the invisibility cloak only worked when staying still in place. However,

"YOU CAN'T RUN-!" The final disaster bellowed and leapt over to gouge out the two humans hiding under the cloak only to find its strikes had met only air.

Disbelief marred itself onto the final disaster.

As if sensing something, the final disaster whipped around.

"Whew." And then the two of us had appeared in a different place far away from the final disaster.

Jung Youngho clasped the invisibility cloak onto his shoulders.

[The exclusive skill, 'Costume change lv. 1' has been activated.]

Jung Youngho's clothes had rapidly changed, and a simple but decorative tuxedo appeared on his body, the tail-coat resembling a swallow's tail. The white blouse underneath was buttoned up all the way to his neck while a black bow extended itself out of the collar.

A royal purple coat that was loosely buttoned refracted the light in wavy bands hung off his body.

Lifting his hands, Jung Youngho adjusted the top-hat on his head and tapped his cane onto the ground. Like this, he wiped away the unshed tears.

But despite restrictive the tuxedo, Jung Youngho somehow still looked as relaxed and slovenly as he always did.

With a pair of white gloves on his hand, Jung Youngho wriggled his fingers in a resemblance of a wave toward the final disaster.

"Did you enjoy our impromptu disappearing act?" Jung Youngho smirked, his eyes still carrying a faint red.

[Incarnation 'Jung Youngho' has awakened the attribute, 'Legendary Magician' (Rare - Heroic).]

[The drive of incarnation 'Jung Youngho's' heart determines whether this attribute can still evolve.]

This was now a magician's stage to shine.

"Looks like those guys don't seem entertained either." Jung Youngho clicked his tongue at the hissing undead.

Under the order of the final disaster, they no longer stood passively around, lunging at us with their fangs and claws to rip apart the pretentious living in-front of them.

"Whoops! Goodbye!" With a few solid whacks of his newly formed cane, Jung Youngho dispatched several of the undead.

Checking the place where the final disaster had once stood, we once again discovered that it had disappeared.

Immediately, Jung Youngho swept his cloak-transformed cape over us.

[The skill, 'Disappearing act lv. 2' has been activated.]

-Bam!-

Where we had been, a large pit had been excavated, and the final disaster once again appeared, their cold gaze locking on our figures, clearly not amused.

Although Jung Youngho continued to smile lackadaisically, I could tell from the trembling fingers around my shoulders that the situation wasn't as bright as his 'relaxed' state appeared.

[The skill, 'Spotlight lv. 1' has been activated.]

"Hold on, this'll be a rough ride." Jung Youngho whispered.

From the gleaming darkness, a beaming light reminiscent of that of a spotlight on a stage circled the area we were standing in.

For a moment, I was speechless. It was precisely because it was so dark that we stood out like a sore thumb. With this skill, there was no chance of hiding.

As if sensing my gaze, Jung Youngho explained, "...It enhances my other skills, alright?"

I watched as all gazes of the undead suddenly converged on our bodies.

"You've got the attention of all of the undead in the area."

"They're precious audience members, brat."

"...sure." I spat out.

"You feeling better now?" Jung Youngho suddenly looked back at me from the undead.

I was startled by his question at the realization of my dissipating debilitation over my limbs.

[Your skill, 'Mental Fortitude' is currently lv. 7.]

When had this skill levelled up? I hadn't noticed.

Or...

I had once conquered this fear before.

"Can you afford to have a conversation?" The ghost-like whisper drifted out from among the undead, and where it was, the final disaster was sure to follow.

It's here...!

The final disaster had suddenly appeared right under our noses.

Then-

[Skill, 'Enhanced Reflexes lv. 5' is being activated strongly.]

-Clang!-

The next events happened so quickly.

Somehow, whether it was a factor of luck, or my exclusive skill, my dagger had met the sharp claws. I hadn't done this with conscious thought.

The shards of the inferior dagger the avatar pilfered from one of the undead before I possessed the body exploded outwards after it broke.

With the momentum interrupted, the final disaster paused mid-strike.

In the recoil, my arms snapped open, throbbing intensely in pain from forcefully blocking a blow backed up with a strength stat far eclipsing my own, but the time was enough. Reacting instantly to the turn of the situation, Jung Youngho swiftly activated his skill.

[Skill, 'Disappearing Act lv. 2 (+1)' has been activated.]

Once again, we had teleported to another location, this time farther away from the last, but still surrounded by undead, and illuminated by the obnoxious spotlight.

My hands trembled as they weakly gripped the hilt of the dagger, pain and numbness continuously shooting up my arms.

Our full attention on the movements of the final disaster, we proceeded with a game of cat-and-mouse chase.

As soon as we dispatched a few undead, and the final disaster appeared at the slightest hint, we hightailed our way out of there.

In the process, I absorbed what remained of the number of my avatars before they were destroyed. There was no point keeping them on the field for any longer if they kept being destroyed by the final disaster.

[You have recovered your avatar's memories!]

[Skill, 'Dagger Proficiency lv. 4' has leveled up to 'Dagger Proficiency lv. 7'!]

[You have recovered your avatar's memories.]

[Skill, 'Dispel Evil lv. 3' --> 'Dispel Evil lv. 5'.]

[Skill, 'Dynamic Vision lv. 5' --> 'Dynamic Vision lv. 6'.]

[Skill, 'Enhanced Reflexes lv. 5' --> 'Enhanced Reflexes lv. 6'.]

Every time I recovered an avatar, the feeling of deja vu grew stronger.

However, this chase could not continue forever. 

Panting, beads of sweat dropped down from Jung Youngho's forehead and temples, exhaustion evident in his eyes as he continuously used his skill we relied on to survive each close brush with death.

Jung Youngho's mana reserve wasn't that high to begin with, and it was reaching its limit.

Unfortunately, I had no mana transferring skill, or I was certain we could continue on infinitely.

Luckily,

"Here." Anna Croft reached out and held her hand out to support Jung Youngho's back.

Mana was being supplied from the contact from Anna's skill.

Yes, we had teleported near Anna Croft after I got a prompting from the almost-forgotten midday tryst. Our movements had been rather high-profile, after all.

Although I had been worried, Anna Croft was holding her own against the undead with her troops.

However, that didn't mean our situation was optimistic.

"Dokkaebi! The difficulty of the scenario is clearly over than what is being evaluated!" Anna Croft, supplying Jung Youngho's mana, suddenly shouted into the air.

I suddenly recalled my off-the-topic thoughts.

「Come to think of it, how come no dokkaebi has come to visit me or Jung Youngho yet, as we're foreign incarnations? What channel are we in anyway so that 'Sorrowful Heart of Silver' and 'Secretive Plotter' can watch us? 」

I had always wondered why there were a lack of dokkaebis around. But did this have something to do with Anna Croft?

Mid-way through my thoughts, Jung Youngho suddenly gathered Anna Croft and me in his arms.

[Skill, 'Disappearing Act lv. 2 (+1)' has been activated.]

The final disaster had once again caught up.

[What are you talking about, prophet? Are you here to forfeit your bet?] 

A cruel yet innocent voice, reminding us of a horrifying existence, replied to Anna's question. At some point in time, an intermediate dokkaebi was floating in the air in-front of us.

They glanced at Jung Youngho and I, foreign intruders to the scenario with a little interest.

However, I didn't welcome their presence.

"These are underhanded tricks. Tell me, are you trying to break our agreement on using external forces?" Anna Croft's tone was cold.

[But I see you also have external forces.] The intermediate dokkaebi gestured to us.

"They have been acknowledged as part of the scenario. Don't change the subject. The error in the scenario was you and those constellations’ doing, wasn't it?"

The Dokkaebi suddenly gave an unsettling smile.

[What a pity, prophet. You promised to take charge and survive the scenario without the help of Dokkaebi or constellations in the most exciting way possible. However, your performance thus far has disappointed those of the <Asgard> nebula. You've been abandoned.]

Anna Croft's face twisted.

[Hahat, how scary.]

The intermediate dokkaebi twirled one of their clawed paws in the air.

[How about this. If you forfeit the bet, maybe some constellations will take pity on you and help out? You'll have a fighting chance to overcome the scenario.]

In the midst of the conversation, Jung Youngho continuously used his skill to evade the rampaging final disaster, his face becoming paler and paler with each use.

Scarily enough, the intermediate dokkaebi followed along like a ghost, enjoying the moment. If looks could kill, then the intermediate dokkaebi would have died several times over from Anna's glare.

However, as she glanced around at the destruction of the countless dead comrades now folded into the mix of the undead army with no end in sight, the tired faces of the living, and the false night that blanketed all light and hope, Anna Croft hesitated.

Anna Croft had a conviction.

Whether it was a dokkaebi or constellation, she hated it all.

She hated how they toyed around with the fate of humans. Each human being should have their own fate that they could grasp with their hands.

But the road ahead to achieve a utopia of humans was an arduous one filled with cliffs, sins, and thorns. To achieve her goal, Anna must be prepared to sacrifice everything. It would be the only way to overcome the gap.

But she had learned precious things from someone else.

Even if Anna Croft could not remember that well anymore, she recalled that person who changed in appearance each time, bringing forward solutions that she never thought was possible.

Anna Croft looked at me, who resembled that person.

I looked back quietly with confusion. Why were there so many people who looked at me with an indescribable expression? I couldn't understand.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Then, just as I became tense, we broke eye-contact.

"Alright." Anna Croft addressed the intermediate dokkaebi.

Alarm bells rang in my mind at Anna Croft's calm voice.

My body moving faster than my mind could think, my hand reached out to cover Anna's mouth, but it was already too late.

"I forfeit." The moment these words left Anna's mouth, my hand had belatedly sealed any further sentences from exiting.

The intermediate dokkaebi giggled from above, [Hahat. Did you hear that, constellations?]

All of a sudden, I felt like I could see the twinkle of stars breaking through the darkened canopy. Alongside the one intermediate dokkaebi, lower leveled dokkaebi also began to shed light on their presence all throughout the dome.

Then, I watched as a hot-red imprint seared itself onto Anna's left cheek. It was an indescribable pattern, but I could feel the power of a nebula imbued within it.

"Agh." Caught off guard, Anna's face contorted with pain as she brought her fingers to feel the mark, blood tainting her skin.

It wasn't just Anna Croft.

All the other incarnations within the Washington Dome were suddenly crying out in pain as a mark belonging to different nebulas and constellations appeared on their bodies.

What is this?

At the end, the intermediate dokkaebi had the gall to smile so widely their eyes became crescents.

[I wish for success in your story.]

With those parting words, I could feel a force dissolving the false night that had trapped us inside.

As the darkened dome fractured away to reveal the azure sky and sun, I could feel the gaze of countless constellations gathering around with a heightened intensity.

[The constellation, 'Croc who ate a watch' is watching the 5th main scenario.]

[The constellation, 'Monarch of the small fries' is watching the 5th main scenario.]

[The constellation, 'Morning Star' is watching the 5th main scenario.]

[The constellation, 'Thursday's Thunder' is watching the 5th main scenario.]

[The constellation, 'One-eyed father' is watching the 5th main scenario.]

[The nebula, <Asgard> is watching the 5th main scenario.]

The sun above was so, so bright. The light of daybreak caused my eyes to water from being unaccustomed to the sudden brightness.

[The 'False night' is over.]

Under the light, the undead were rapidly weakening. As for the final disaster-

"W h a t?"

Looking down at its hands, they were crumbling apart.

"How could this be? I-I still haven't gotten my revenge." A frantic expression appeared on the final disaster's face. "Dokkaebi, what is going on? This is not what was promised!"

 The intermediate dokkaebi from earlier was now in-front of the final disaster.

[My, my, you were already given a chance.]

In other words, the final disaster was no longer needed.

That one sentence flipped the switch on the final disaster.

"You lie! You lie, you LIE!" With what was left of its hands, the final disaster vainly attempted to claw the intermediate dokkaebi.

But how could they affect the bureau they sold their souls to?

"Ahh! I hate! I hate you all! Why did you all scorn me, why did you fear me, why did you isolate me?" The final disaster screamed, "I! I too am-!"

However, the final disaster would never finish its sentence. The final disaster dissipated into the air like its other undead brethren, until it was as if they never existed.

A collective silence fell upon the surviving incarnations, feeling reality to be surreal. Disbelief peppered their eyes.

The end of the nightmare...was that it? And the way things ended...

Slowly, one by one, they dazedly looked around, registering the broken debris, the dead that would never come back, and the blue sky.

"Is it...over?"

It was unsure who first spoke, but as soon as they did, a hub-bub of voices marred with relief began to ring out.

Some collapsed on the spot, while others sobbed, mourning their dead comrades, or a catharsis over their survival.

Others wondered what would happen next in despair.

I watched Anna who blankly looked at where the final disaster had disappeared, subconsciously rubbing the mark on her cheek.

Of course, I now knew what that was.

Patting the back of Jung Youngho who started to break down after holding it together for so long, I wished I had remembered things sooner.

How many times has it been now?

Two times, five times, a dozen times?

"I don't like this." I wasn't sure who I was saying it to.

One thing was for sure, however.

This was not the daybreak I wanted. 

[You are activating the skill, 'Avatar lv. MAX'.]

[You are activating the skill, 'Overwrite'.]

[Your avatar is bearing the cost of probability.]

[Warning. Your memories remaining are only: #

But, I do wonder. 

If I do succeed in rewriting the things that happen, if I make it so such tragedies never happen, does that mean things would really be okay?

Did it mean that these things would never be recorded?

I can only hope my actions have meaning.

A/N: So, I got addicted to 'Love and Deepspace'. Has any of you played it?