Joonghyuk

[bloodread]

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[bloodread]

[ He's seen a lot, but he's never quite seen different realities collide quite like this. ]

The fuck? Was that a game or—again? [ Akira stares at his right hand for a long moment before looking at Joonghyuk. ]

[malewife]

… It’s a nightmare from my first life, but it was something I went through. I was scarred the first time. [ … ] I didn’t fumble that much on my second try and onward.

[ Imagine just telling someone it got easier to kill people. ]

You can say it was a game to the gods watching.

[ Yet from the memory of a nightmare, it’s so real. ]

[bloodread]

[ Akira takes a moment to try to process everything he saw, then shakes his head when it doesn't get any clearer. He flexes his hand and then refocuses. ]

Your second life. [ It doesn't so much as incredulous as him needing to repeat the statement. ]

...I feel like I'm missing a lot, but flashbacks always work like that. You don't need to explain, if you don't want.

[malewife]

You can ask if you wish. It's not private knowledge when "living" and "dying" are listed on my profile.

[ And he supposes he's fine with answering Akira's questions. ]

[bloodread]

A lot of crap is on mine too, but I don't go around answering everything. [ But he will take this opportunity. ]

...how many lives have you lived?

[malewife]

[ He hopes that Akira doesn't get freaked out by it. He's too tired and old, to be honest. ]

... 1865 lives.

[bloodread]

[ His eyes go wide momentarily and then he settles. ]

...seriously?

[malewife]

Yes. I recently regressed, so I will be on my 1866th now.

[ Sometimes... You're actually tens of thousands of years old? ]

[bloodread]

[ ...this explains so much. ]

I think I'd go crazy. How do you do it?

[malewife]

... Out of stubbornness.

[ That's the real answer. ]

I also had no choice. Once I accepted the power to regress, I couldn't give it back if I was tired.

[bloodread]

Some choices really aren't one.

[ A shake of his head. ]

...is a game like this normal to you, then?

[malewife]

... Yes, if not kinder than what I'm used to.

Many of the early scenarios pit people against each other and there isn't a lot of time to rest. [ Annoying. ] It isn't uncommon to see children shove their guardians to their death so that they can survive.

If it isn't the scenario, then you have to deal with monsters roaming around.

[bloodread]

Why? You said it was because of a God?

[malewife]

Yes... The will of the universe listens to the desires of gods. They must have gotten bored of another world and moved onto mine.

[bloodread]

[ He could ask so many things, but instead: ]

...have you at least gotten to fight that asshole yet?

[malewife]

I vowed to kill every star in the sky.

[ So basically, all the Constellations that did this to his world. ]

And I've fought and won against many of them. Mythical grades like Zeus and Poseidon as well. Olympus truly is the worst group.

[bloodread]

[ A huff that's almost a laughter, but not quite. ]

That's what I'd do. How many more do you have to go?

[malewife]

[ ... He's quiet, kind of pensive over that question. It has always been his goal back then, to pull the gods down from their seat in the sky, but things have changed. ]

I have a different goal now.

[bloodread]

I won't ask. But are you satisfied with your new one?

[malewife]

[ Well, that's Akira's choice if he wants to ask or not. ]

... I will be when we bring him back home.

[bloodread]

[ It's just who he is as a person, privacy comes paramount to everything else and if everyone stayed in their lane life would be so much simpler. But, those are just the thoughts of a teenage recluse who's fed up with too many things at the young age of eighteen.

He nods though, and looks up as thoughts turn in his head. ]

Does the same go for this place?

[malewife]

[ Akira is a good boy and that's why Joonghyuk likes him, though he has never voiced it. Joonghyuk understands similar thoughts, but he also understands the desire for companionship... Alongside the struggles of it. ]

... This place is just a detour. This isn't the first time I've been sent to another world to terrorize others.

[bloodread]

I'd pay to see you terrorize whoever's running the show here. [ With a ghost of a smile. ]

But we still gotta figure that out first.

[malewife]

[ That is better than terrorizing the native populace of another world, yeah. He takes comfort in that. ]

We do and I plan to make it so this won't happen never again.

[ Big words for one person, to be honest. ]

[bloodread]

[ Akira's silent for a while, playing with the ends of his hood. ]

...I might be able to find out. Or at least figure out more than I've been able to until now.