#had a dream yjh was chasing me down. terrifying

[lee-hakhyun]

anyone have any interesting orv-related dreams?

[hitodama3]

The Fourth Wall vs Regression

So I've gotten into ORV through the webtoons recently. I briefly tried to move to the webnovel because the webtoon isn't updating fast enough to satisfy me, but the novel couldn't keep my attention as well. I jumped off to return to the web novel at the third or fourth destruction? The one with the *companion* scene. People who've read it know what I mean.

Anyway I thought of a really angsty prompt because we all can see where this webtoon is heading KDJ x YJH, but it made me think alot more about the fourth wall.

So in the webtoon KDJ just saw a prophet go from a 'person' who was part of the 'real world's because they were a prophet, and he was unable to see his character sheet, to being able to see the 'character sheet' which is only for characters from the novel.

KDJ also has a skill Fourth Wall that assists him in being unaffected by events or attacks that occur in the novel; usually mental attacks. Ex: The Sunfish fight the webtoon just finished.

We've also seen the warning pop up, "Character is too immersed in scenario. Fourth wall is crumbling/shaking." Which usually makes KDJ take a moment to calm down and reconsider the scenario. Usually reminding himself of the fact he's in the novel as he's trying to figure a way out of the situation.

The key point being he's not allowing himself to think of his current reality as *reality*, but a part of the novel.

Is that what gives him the Fourth Wall skill? Just like the title of the novel he's looking at it from the reader's point of view and not thinking if the characters as REAL people they are just *characters*.

So any time he gets close to considering this reality as real and the PEOPLE as real the fourth wall will shake and crumble? Will KDJ become a character if the fourth wall ever breaks?

Did the prophets become characters because they got off early and their knowledge ran out. So anything that is currently happening is unknown to them, now it is their *reality*, so they became characters?

If KDJ helps YJH clear the novel will KDJ get booted back to 'reality' or will he finally become a character and lose his abilities?

Some interesting conflicts in this. KDJ having to face losing his powers that help him survive vs opening his heart enough to have actual companionship that he could lean on to help him survive. Giving up control is hard.

Okay enough rambling. Below is my angsty YJH idea.

Some spoilers about the identities of secretive plotter and most ancient dream.

So KDJ has already brought up the concern on what happens if YJH dies and regresses. Does the timeline continue on, or reset? Do the prophets reset with him? So KDJ has to make sure YJH doesn't die because everyone may die with him, and the prophets awareness may die with him.

YJH is unaware of KDJ's unique existence. As far as YJH is aware his speed running the train and blowing part of it up is the reason KDJ is alive and running around instead of the KMJ (I think that's his name. The psychotic character from the beginning of the webtoon.).

So what if YJH resets, and the people who would have been prophets reset with him but their knowledge doesn't. YJH having now accepted KDJ as a companion breezes through the train to go and collect him, his group, and maybe KMJ as well this turn.

But he gets to the back of the car and KMJ has already killed everyone because KDJ was there, but didn't have the foreknowledge to calm everyone down. YJH sees KDJ and company dead and kills KMJ in rage. YJH moves forward with the turn because he's pretty sure he won't succeed this turn and KDJ would tell him to collect more info.

YJH resets again. He's had time to think about it and so he tries to recreate the explosion from the KDJ timeline before clearing the train.

KDJ is dead.

YJH moves forward and resets again.

Each and every time YJH changes the train scenario just a little bit until FINALLY KDJ survives the train, but dies on the bridge.

YJH resets.

KDJ finally clears the bridge and is eaten by zombies.

YJH resets.

KDJ is clear of the bridge and zombies. YJH saunters up to him pleased before recreating their ultimatum and tossing him into the monsters mouth. YJH waits at the train station. KDJ is dead.

YJH resets.

This time he grabs KDJ and demands he look at YJH. YJH remembers their first encounter, and how thrilling it was to be known and observed by those eyes. KDJ doesn't recognize YJH.

KDJ dies.

YJH resets.

YJH is going insane chasing after a ghost. Countless resets and countless world alterations yet HIS KDJ doesn't exist in a single one of them. The first KDJ had been unique some how. Different from these copies. Had it not been KDJ but something wearing his face? The world trembles. YJH had been able to keep the KDJ copy alive up to this point in this regression when a new constellation sends him a private message.

SP, "If you want YOUR KDJ you should look into finding ways into the Underworld and how to get back out. Also finding a way to contact MAD constellation."

YJH has no better ideas so he follows the constellation's guidance. Unwilling to clear the scenarios if he can't do so with his companion. He had become numb to death because it was just a new beginning where he could great old friends anew. Never having to lose them permanently as he had KDJ.

AND IT WOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO STAND. KDJ IS NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE HIM.

YJH uncovers the information SP was hinting at and is unable to stop the terrifying smirk to stretch his lips. Though he had wanted to destroy the constellations over his regressions he had never considered tearing them from the sky and binding one to human flesh before.

YJH stared at the useless copy of his companion he had kept alive. But it seems his companion had been hiding a few secrets of his own when wearing a human face. YJH would need to plan this carefully after all it wouldn't do for his companion to run as KDJ is well known for doing.

HE WOULD HAVE HIS COMPANION BACK WHETHER HE HAD TO TEAR THE GOD FROM THE HEAVENS TO DO SO.

This turned from fic idea of how would YJH deal with regressing and never being able to see KDJ and company again because they don't exist in the novel to whatever that was.

I was spoiled on who Secretive Plotter and Most Ancient Dream are.