#also this is very much about whatever hes doing with shin yoosung (?? btw)

[unraveling-plot]

Kim Dokja,, , , this fucking guy

Everything he does there's at least three layers to it. The first layer is the outward projection, the show, what he's performing for the Constellations and the people around him

Then the second layer is his surface thoughts, always along the lines of "this will help me achieve my goal" "I'm only helping this person so I can use them" "this will get me an advantage"

But the third layer is where I really lose it because good sir you are lying to yourself are you telling me you don't care about any of this? Are you trying to claim its all hollow??? It's all for the strategy? I think Kim Dokja doesn't know how to process or express affection so he always has to intellectualize and rationalize it to something else and I think I want to bonk him on the head

[pttucker]

Holy crap, we actually got to see Dokja's Attributes Window!

...for about two seconds before every single constellation out there tried to mentally attack him. 😞

Ugh, and his Fate still hasn't been overcome? I thought for sure that'd do it! Dude literally ate a being from the Great Hole. Well, the Fourth Wall ate it anyway.

The Fourth Wall is absolutely terrifying btw but also, uh, very protective? Maybe even a little cute? When it's not out of control trying to devour him and his family.

Dokja seems to have found some sort of understanding with it, but I'm not entirely certain I'm completely cool with something that licks its metaphorical lips when looking at him even if it is sentient enough to scold him for almost letting all the other constellations raze his mental landscape.

And I honestly can't tell if the unknown person who told him to turn it off was being helpful or not. It did seem like Fourth Wall really was going to eat him for a moment there, but turning it off also left him exposed to everyone who was just waiting to swoop in, so the cynical part of me is wondering if it wasn't just a golden opportunity for someone to try to garner information or even kill him.

And of course we've finally seen Secretive Plotter again (who we have not seen since the Banquet, I don't think) and they're pleased about something. And for the first time we've "seen" Joonghyuk's sponsor as well.

I really don't know if I want to say that Secretive Plotter was the one speaking to him or not. I will say that I don't think the thing they're happy about is the fact they found out info on Dokja since I honestly believe they already know who Dokja is. Or at least they can tell what he is. I'm leaning more towards the fact that they're happy Dokja figured out he can turn the skill off if needed or just that he lived and overcame something so impossible or something like that, and Dokja once again not recognizing that sometimes people just like him and are happy he's okay.

As for Joonghyuk's sponsor, I just have this really weird feeling that his sponsor is somebody we know already. I feel the same way about Secretive Plotter.

I feel like one or both of them are going to end up being some future or alternate version of someone we already know, like we saw with Shin Yoosung. I don't quite want to say either of them are the author because I'm still vaguely leaning towards Dokja being the author (who had his memories erased like Asuka Ren). Though now I'm liking that theory a little less since the novel is once again heavily emphasizing the importance of Dokja being a READER and how much finding the novel changed his life.

Of course, the author could still be an entirely separate being and they are the one who told Dokja to turn off the Fourth Wall. I absolutely believe that if they're not someone we already know, they are at least watching Dokja, their beloved reader.

Oh and now Dokja's down to five lives. My guy, you are rinsing though these things. And we are just now hitting the 30% mark of this novel. At chapter 181.

Hopefully whatever Joonghyuk is about to talk to his sponsor about is going to give you some dang protection. That or just stop leaving your party members behind. Bare minimum, at least take the guy who managed to help fight the outer god with his own power with you. He ran all over the dang castle looking for you so he could help you. Let him help you.