I had become Gojo Satoru.
It wasn't just a name change. White hair, blue eyes—the exact face that comes to mind when you think of "Gojo Satoru."
Perhaps because I possessed the actual Six Eyes, a pair of sunglasses had appeared to protect my vision.
Good sense of style, I had to admit.
Just like I would on any normal day, I wrote up a post to ask the internet about this baffling situation.
{Q. I turned into an anime character.}
{A. Don't troll.}
"I'm not trolling, though..."
Click.
I took a selfie at the perfect angle—the kind used by internet models—and uploaded the post again.
{Re. Q. I turned into an anime character.}
{A. Never seen this character before. But damn, you're handsome. You got a death wish posting that?}
"Wait, seriously?"
To be honest, this face was incredibly handsome. Even in the original series, Gojo Satoru knew this fact and flaunted it shamelessly.
For instance, there was that episode where he went into an all-girls school supposedly to protect a student, only to steal the hearts of every girl there.
Scratching my head, I turned off my phone, grabbed my bag, and left the school.
I knew that staying there and panicking wouldn't solve anything. Even if my home was empty, just being in a place I called "home" would do wonders for my peace of mind.
"Ah, I think he could use a method of travel similar to teleportation using his Cursed Technique."
I wasn't sure yet. In the first place, I didn't even know if I could actually use Cursed Energy.
I slid the sunglasses down my nose for a second, then pushed them back up.
"Hmm. I guess I'll be able to use Jujutsu eventually."
I think I understand why Satoru covered his eyes now.
It's exhausting as hell.
...
Rattle. Rattle.
I barely managed to throw myself onto the subway heading home.
If I knew how to use even one of this body's abilities, I wouldn't have to suffer like this. I thought that to myself, but nothing changed.
Right. This was all the fault of me, a nobody, who couldn't utilize this magnificent body.
"Wow... look at that guy..."
From the moment I stepped onto the subway, I could feel the gazes.
When I turned my head toward the source of the stares, I was actually quite surprised. The eyes on me belonged to women, and most of them were filled with admiration.
Ah, Gojo Satoru. Are you the Strongest even in looks?
Even sunglasses can't hide this beauty. I'll accept it gratefully.
"Guess I should listen to some music."
However, this sudden beauty drew too much attention. I was realizing that becoming popular overnight wasn't entirely a good thing. The real Satoru would have probably enjoyed even these stares.
I took out my phone to play a song and unlocked the screen.
6:55 PM.
School ended around two, so why was it nearly seven? I distinctly remembered that cleaning the storage room took less than an hour.
The missing time... was probably due to me falling asleep while my appearance changed.
I opened YouTube to play some music and tapped the search bar.
"Let's see..."
I typed 'J'. The moment I pressed that single letter, I felt the air shift.
Immediately after, the subway lights cut out, plunging the interior into darkness. As if there were a blackout.
"...?"
SCREEEEEECH!
The subway shook violently, emitting a horrific metallic shriek. The voices that had been whispering about me moments ago turned into screams. I looked around and slipped my phone back into my pocket.
"What the..."
It was nearly 7:00 PM.
And then, the conductor's announcement echoed through the subway car.
–Attention all passengers. Attention all passengers.
The chaotic interior fell silent. Everyone held their breath to listen to the announcement.
–Everyone, everyone run...! Everyone...!
Beep.
The announcement cut off with an unpleasant screech that seemed to pierce our ears.
I definitely remembered reading the opening of this story.
As if on cue, amidst the pandemonium, I took off my sunglasses and read the information.
I knew this story clearly. The story I had read as a webtoon, and then binge-read the entire web novel in a single week.
"...Found it."
[The free service for Planetary System 8612 has ended.]
[The Main Scenario has started.]
This was a story I knew.
This was a story that shouldn't happen in reality.
It should have remained a story just for entertainment.
"Ah, we're screwed. Seriously."
The subway screeching to a halt, the blacked-out carriage.
And the strange creature appearing before my eyes was screaming that this story was real.
[&#@Ah&@Ee#@]
At the appearance of the monster, people showed various reactions—some looked shocked, others took out their phones to take pictures.
It was funny hearing someone mutter, "It's ugly." Well, Dokkaebis are ugly, after all.
[Ah. Ah. Can you hear me? Goodness, the Korean language patch didn't work, what a hassle. Everyone, can you hear me well?]
Perhaps because the bizarre language ended and a familiar voice spoke, the people around me seemed to relax a little.
But, unaware that relaxing too much was dangerous, a man standing nearby stepped forward and approached the Dokkaebi.
"What are you doing right now?"
[Excuse me?]
"Is this a movie shoot? I have an audition, I need to leave quickly."
That man probably had no idea what he was doing.
[Ha, haha. An audition. I see. Auditions even at this hour. My research was lacking, truly lacking. I was told that if I started the monetization around 7 PM, the most people would be watching.]
"Hah, what are you talking about..."
[Everyone, please calm down and take your seats so you can listen to me. From now on, I have something very important to tell you—]
"What is this! Start the train immediately!"
Encouraged by that man, people from all over the car began to clamor and shout at the Dokkaebi.
In a way, even if these people were agitated by that man, they weren't wrong. There was nothing I could do.
The only thing I could offer was my condolences.
[Ah, so noisy. I'm pretty sure I told you to be quiet.]
The Dokkaebi blinked once. With a sickening splat, the sound of something bursting shocked everyone in the subway.
A large hole appeared in the forehead of the man who said he had an audition, and he stumbled before collapsing to the floor.
He was the first casualty of this incident.
[This isn't a movie shoot.]
Splat. Pop.
The heads of the people who were making noise began to explode in the same fashion.
[This isn't a dream, it isn't a novel, and it isn't the reality you're used to. Do you understand?!]
Only after the Dokkaebi's anger had passed did the sound of exploding heads subside.
[Everyone, you've lived quite well until now. Right? Being born and breathing, eating, shitting, and reproducing as you please without paying a price! Ha. You really lived in a great world!]
The Dokkaebi laughed as if it were hilarious, then looked at the people.
[But what to do? Those good times are over. You can't enjoy free things forever!]
"Do you need money?"
Another person walked past me, approaching the Dokkaebi.
"I can give you as much money as you want..."
"No, there's no way a supernatural being like that wants our money."
I grabbed the arm of the man moving forward, stopping him.
"Who are y—"
[Correct. That money is useless to us. Those scraps of paper have no value. If... it weren't for that man, your head would have exploded too.]
At the Dokkaebi's chilling words, the man looked back and forth between the Dokkaebi and me, then retreated trembling in fear.
[While we're chatting, your debt is piling up... Ah, right. Rather than me explaining it a hundred times, it's better for you to earn some money yourselves, right?]
The Dokkaebi immediately extended its horn upward like an antenna.
A moment later, a message rang out.
[Channel #BI-7623 has opened.]
[ The Constellations have entered. ]
[ The Main Scenario has arrived. ]
< Main Scenario #1 - Proof of Value >
Kill one or more living organisms.
Category: Main
Difficulty: F
Time Limit: 30 minutes
Reward: 300 Coins
Penalty for Failure: Death
Once the scenario arrived, the Dokkaebi began to fade away, as if its job was done.
[Well then, please show me an interesting story.]
It was the beginning of the story.
As the story began, I watched the developments I had seen in the webtoon and web novel unfold with my own eyes. Lee Hyunsung stepped up, followed by the Prime Minister dying on the broadcast. The scenario time dropped from 30 minutes to 10, and the catastrophe at Taepung Girls' High School was displayed on the screen for all to see. And finally, everyone began to panic.
"..."
Until all those situations played out, the protagonist of the story I read, the 'Reader', did not step forward. He probably thought Yoo Joonghyuk would step in if this was the story he knew. But there was something he was overlooking. Yoo Joonghyuk did not exist here.
In the meantime, I opened my attribute window to inspect my stats.
Name: Choi Gang-hoon (■■ ■■■)
Age: 29
Sponsor: None
Attributes: Special Grade Sorcerer (Hero), Modern Era's Strongest Sorcerer (Legend)
Exclusive Skills: [Six Eyes Lv.10], [Reverse Cursed Technique Lv.10], [Black Flash Lv.10], [Limitless Cursed Technique Lv.10], [Cursed Technique Lapse: Blue Lv.10], [Cursed Technique Reversal: Red Lv.10], [Hollow Technique: Purple Lv.10], [Domain Expansion: Unlimited Void Lv.10] ….
Stories: One who escaped the Prison Realm (Legend), One who fought a bloody battle with the King of Curses (Myth)
It was broken. The exclusive skills list went on to show various other skills. Martial arts, spear techniques, and so on. It seemed I could utilize every ability Gojo Satoru originally possessed.
"...!"
After opening the attribute window, my eyes started to throb with pain, and then a massive amount of information began to flood into my brain.
I was flustered by the chaotic situation, but once I realized the nature of the information entering my mind, I barely managed to regain my composure.
"How to use my abilities..."
The method for using the abilities entered my mind all at once only after I opened the attribute window. I was taken aback by the sudden influx of data, but it slowly began to organize itself.
If my body had been my original one, there was a high probability I wouldn't have been able to handle it.
Thud.
The sound of something being struck hard and flying through the air drew my attention.
At the end of my gaze was Kim Dokja, having thrown a punch, and the white-haired high school student who had been sent flying. It was Kim Namwoon.
It seemed the story progression had already reached that point.
Kim Namwoon's agitation must have worked. That incitement that someone had to be killed anyway. However, Kim Dokja's next action wasn't directed at Kim Namwoon.
"Let me borrow this for a second. Hold this."
After borrowing an insect collecting cage from a child, Kim Dokja took a deep breath, looking as if he was ready.
"Stop right there!!"
Kim Dokja's voice halted the actions of the mob rushing to kill the grandmother. Of course, the attention that followed became a burden Kim Dokja had to bear entirely.
"Even if you kill that grandmother, you won't survive! What will you do next? You'll just kill each other! The first murder the Dokkaebi mentioned only buys time; in the end, you have to kill a person to survive."
Kim Namwoon dusted himself off and stood up.
"Ha, then we can just kill a coward like you. Don't worry about your turn in advance! The odds are 50-50, right?"
"We don't need that kind of gamble. There's a way for you to survive without becoming murderers."
Saying that, Kim Dokja showed what was in his hand to everyone.
A bug.
Seeing that bug, the people started swarming toward Kim Dokja like a swarm of insects themselves.
And then, after killing the bug in his hand, Kim Dokja threw the insect cage around his neck toward the people.
"..."
Kim Namwoon approached Kim Dokja.
They would probably have a long conversation. Kim Namwoon proposing they team up, Kim Dokja refusing. And at the end of it, a fight surpassing Kim Namwoon's one-sided scorn would break out.
I turned my gaze away to avoid watching that scene.
Partly because I knew Kim Dokja would handle it well enough, but also because I had to find my own share of bugs.
"Let's see..."
I took off my sunglasses, put them in my pocket, and slowly began to scan the surroundings. Had it been a while since it was cleaned? The interior of the subway as seen through my eyes was quite...
"Filthy."
And at the end of my gaze, I saw an object.
"Huh?"
Strange. It was something that shouldn't exist in this world. A Cursed Spirit? Why is this here? Generally, I didn't sense much Cursed Energy in this world. But... to think one would be conveniently located right here.
"You're in the wrong place, buddy."
Crack.
Expanding the Limitless technique, I crushed the seat—and the Cursed Spirit along with it—killing it instantly.
[You have killed a living organism.]
[You have earned an additional 100 Coins.]
Seeing the message pop up, it seemed the Cursed Spirit fell into the category of living organisms designated by the Dokkaebi. Well, I guess I was destined to go further into this hell. If it weren't for the Cursed Spirit, I wouldn't have been able to clear the scenario.
"I don't want to die! Please...!"
I turned my head and shifted my gaze toward Kim Namwoon and Kim Dokja. It seemed that student, who possessed all the twisted mentality of an edgy teenager, wouldn't be making it to the next stage. It meant that just a moment ago, if things had gone wrong, I could have ended up like that too.
"Please!!!"
Splat.
Five seconds passed, and Kim Namwoon's head exploded.
Except for me, probably no one saw Kim Dokja's face at that moment.
His face wore a surprisingly cold expression.