Lout Of Counts Family - Tumblr Posts

“The drops of blood were so red that they looked like flower petals fluttering in the wind, but they were too terrible and painful to be called beautiful.”
NOOOO THE PUN D:



B-but.... The Arm pun...
LETS FUCKING GOOOO
Have u guys seen the preview for tcf s3 manhwa cover???
CALE IS GORGEOUS EVENTHOUGH IT'S ONLY A PREVIEW AND A SIMPLE SKETCH.
Bro i can't wait for s3
Credit to our dear beloved lcf artist from twitter, Pansa-nim❤️
@Pan_4_

BRO MAJESTIC. HIS SMILEEE AAAAAAAAA

modern au where bunny!barrow goes solo and turns against the hunters
or bunny ws who ate too many raspberries and is waving around a flaming carrot to demand more



B-but.... The Arm pun...
Ah, thank you!
Manhwa translations continue to be a hit and miss



B-but.... The Arm pun...
Hiiiii may I request a very obvious and everyone knows it— a simp, pining, very much in love cale? With a dense reader who doesn’t realize they’re making him flustered- dense and oblivious? :>>
Thats all u can choose how u want to write it :))
Oh, ur works are so gooooodd btw :DD
LETS GO BABE !!! AND THANK YOU 🥺🥺💗
im gonna make this short as hell because i need sleep and it's three in the morning. im loopy as hell and couldnt think of how cale as a character would simp and this is the best i could do, im sorry 😭

Alver was a bit elated, to be honest.
After the war, things finally settled down and the lives of the citizens of the Roan Kingdom settled back to normal, or perhaps even better than before.
The talk of heroes was still a warm topic amongst the nobles and commoners, especially about Cale Henituse, the most praised hero of the continent.
Despite the heavy nickname he carries, Cale Henituse continued to be himself — not that Alver was surprised — and still became that bastard guy that Alver trusts.
Cale was chosen to handle the matters a Prime Minister would handle, gaining the position as the proxy of the Prime Minister — a position that was still vacant, of course reserved for Cale himself. But if the man himself knew of it, he'd immediately run away so Alver declared him to just be a proxy to keep the man by his side with the reason that he hasn't found someone fitting for the position yet.
Of course, Cale wasn't given as much as work as an actual Prime Minister are usually given. Alver was kind to his dongsaeng, so he would make sure Cale still has enough rest to slack off for awhile.
During those times, Cale would rarely come by to visit the Royal Palace, which was absolutely understandable. Alver himself would not want to visit his workplace if he's given a day off if he wasn't the Emperor and practically living in his workplace where a political dispute is always happening.
'He's been visiting often, hasn't he?'
Alver glanced up from his paperwork to his dongsaeng who wss reclining on the couch of his study, just sitting there and munching on cookies, this time without Raon.
"Cale..." Alver sets his fountain pen down, looking at Cale with a slight frown on his handsome face. "Is there something wrong?"
"Of course not, Your Highness," Cale answered quickly. "Nothing is wrong."
Alver pursed his lips into a thin line, not believing Cale once a bit because he knows his dongsaeng and while it is probably not something particularly serious from how lax Cale was, Alver was sure it was still something that bothers the redhead.
Alver hummed, taking another sheet of paper from the piles that were on his desk. "Then, is there a reason why you're here?"
"Can I not spend time with my Hyung-nim?" Cale asked with a raised eyebrow as if he was completely serious - Alver knows that he's not because why would Cale be here and spend time with him when he had been whining the other day about how looking at Alver's face was enough to remind him of the stress of work?
Alver shook his head, deciding to just accept Cale Henituse being contradictory as usual. He wonders why he's still so confused when he should know best that Cale Henituse is a walking contradiction and everything he does is confusing.
"Well, if you're staying here, might as well know that Dame [Name] is going to be here again for a private audience."
"From the [Last Name] Household?" Cale questioned and Alver let out a chuckle, "Is there any other one?"
You were a lady from the [Last Name] household, the head family being your single mother, Baroness Charlotte and you were the eldest one out of the three daughters the baroness had. People had originally thought the daughters were going to get married off to older noblemen who were willing to pay off their dowry but due to the Baroness' competence and your clever mind, your sisters have been pried away from the clutches of older noblemen as you were both enough to help your sisters to live.
Your household was compassionate towards orphans and the poor even before the war, providing food and shelter to the ones who needed them. This gives your family very good support from the commoners and loved ones, always being helped by the commoners with the little things. Your family had been very neutral when it comes to siding with the Princes as you all only focused on yourselves and those who are in need.
During the war, Alver had you and not your mother be in charge of sending out help to those who are in need, citizens of the Roan kingdom or not, and to make sure everyone is safe. Due to seeing his thoughtfulness, your family eventually sided with Alver. You had been exceptional in carrying out your duties and earned quite the fame for being the representative of the warm and generous Roan Kingdom, so when you returned, the title Dame was given to you for your services.
Cale would know that, not only because you were an important figure in what would be Roan Kingdom's history regarding politics and international affairs, but you had always coincidentally been wherever he was during the last few years so your title was given pretty quickly and earned much more respect from the nobles.
"Right..." Cale turns away from Alver.
Alver let the conversation to sink into his brain. Why did he have to say that to Cale? The man has been present every time you had to have a private audience with Alver, which had been a frequent event because you were building an establishment to house the homeless.
A knock was heard from the other side of the door of Alver's study.
"Come in."
You stepped into the office, dressed as formally as usual with a white shirt with ruffles and a long, fitted red skirt that flares around your lower calves. There was a folder clutched close to your chest, most likely the cause of your presence here.
"Oh!" You sound elated when you saw Cale in Alver's study but then turned back to look at Alver. "Your Highness, I didn't know you were expecting a guest."
"Dame [Name]," Alver greeted you with a relieved smile. "Please tell me you've brought me good news regarding that housing property case."
Cale stood up from the couch, approaching Alver's desk as well, curious about what good news you were bringing that you were smiling so brightly.
"Of course," you say, closing the door behind you and approaching Alver's desk. "The verdict's out -- the housing property is still within its area and not Viscount Chers'. We sued Viscount Chers for destroying some of the building he claimed to have entered his estate and won, so he has to pay for the cost, damages, and also interest."
Cale has heard of the case before. Viscount Chers had thought the housing property was being built on his land and had ordered his guards to destroy some of the building. With you supervising the project, you immediately sued Viscount Chers for his actions.
"Dame [Name], have I ever told you that I love you?" Alver smiled at you as he received the folder in your hand.
Cale jolted a bit upon hearing Alver's words and glanced at you, seeing your smile as you spoke, "Flattery gets you nowhere, Your Highness."
Alver sighed. "Shame."
Cale wanted to ask since when were you and Alver gotten close enough to be joking around like that. Of course you had been close to the two of them, but it seemed you have gotten more familiar with Alver. Just in time, Alver caught his gaze and raised an eyebrow, confused why Cale looked like he had a lot on his mind.
"How's your family, Dame [Name]?"
"Oh, my, thank you for asking." You cupped your cheek and closed your eyes as you continued, "My mother is well, but my sisters have been going out to parties more than ever. I think they're starting to have people they fancy."
Cale tilted his head, interested. "You seem relaxed about that."
"It's a part of being young," you told him. "Besides, I'm so busy to the point I can't really keep them safe forever. It's like having kids of your own, I guess. What about you, Cale-nim? What would you do with your own kids?"
Cale let his mouth speak before thinking properly, stumbling out his words. "I guess if we have kids -- wait, no, I mean, I already have kids, like Raon, Ohn, and Hong."
Alver watched this with a raised eyebrow, a knowing smirk forming on his lips as he watched his sworn brother trip over his own words and overexplain things. 'Is this why he had been in my office for the last few days?'
"I'm not the type to restrict them too much from experiencing life," Cale told you. "I don't want to be someone they grew to hate because I held them back from living their lives."
You smiled softly at him and Cale grinned, patting himselfon the back for his answer. "That's actually a very good insight for parenting. I might need to remember it once I have kids of my own."
"Aw, look at you both, talking about kids," Alver teased, the shit-eating grin on his face made the alarms in Cale's head come to life.
He caught on.
"Speaking of, Dame [Name], I heard you've been getting many letters regarding marriage," Alver brought up the rumor he had picked up a few weeks ago. He didn't think that such a rumor would end up being something so useful.
"Marriage?" Cale asked, his whole body going tense.
Your cheeks are tinted red as you laughed away Alver's words. "Oh, please, all of them are only sent because they heard you were handing me one of your major projects for developing the kingdom. I'm not dumb enough to see they're simply trying to get to you and Cale-nim."
"You should tell them that you're with my sworn brother so they won't bother you," Alver said, wasting no time to immediately struck that nerve.
You laughed again. "Oh, no, I don't want Cale-nim to get entangled in weird rumors."
"I don't mind."
Cale's cheeks are red when he said that and he wanted to hide from you when you and Alver turned to look at him. He cleared his throat and continued, stuttering a bit when he spoke; "I-I mean, just use my name if they caused you trouble. I don't mind."
"Oh, my, thank you so much, Cale-nim!" You grasped his hand with both hands, the smile on your face so bright that Cale's face immediately darkened with so much blood rushing to his face.
"I might overuse it so much that no one will dare to get close to me," you say, letting go of his hands.
'Oh, please do overuse it,' thought Cale.
"I think that's what my sworn brother would like," Alver added with a grin.
Cale wanted to kick Alver in the shin.
"Do you hate the idea of me with another man that much, Cale-nim?" You asked with a playful grin.
Cale opened his mouth to defend himself but no sound came out when he saw your smile and the red flush of your skin. He closed his mouth and decided to just stand there like an idiot.
"I don't think another man could live up to my standards considering I have been spending so much time with the both of you," you continued shyly. "Perhaps I should linger with the others lest my mother will complain about my being single."
"Or you could just keep spending time with us," Cale prompted, shrugging his shoulders to appear nonchalant. "There's no harm in that. Keep all of the bugging men away."
He doesn't miss the raised blond eyebrow Alver was giving him while you weren't looking.
"Perhaps," you murmured, beginning to walk towards the door. "Talking with the both of you is wonderful but I do have to rush to handle these paperwork."
"What time do you get off work?" Cale questioned quickly.
You stopped, turning to look at the red-head. "Around four. Planning on taking me home and meeting my mother, Cale-nim?"
"She loves the cakes from that dessert shop, right?"
You laughed, shaking your head in disbelief. "Yes, Cale-nim. The strawberry shortcakes are her favorite."
Cale nodded. "Noted."
You bowed to the both of them, excusing yourself out and leaving the two brothers inside the study.
Cale let out a sigh. "Well, I'll be leaving—"
Alver grabbed a discarded paper and crumpled it into a ball, throwing it at Cale who frowns. "What?"
"I cannot believe you came here just so you could ask Dame [Name] on a date."




late valentine cards
Cale Henituse every time some hoes decided to threaten his loved ones

Cale Henituse as the story progresses
KRS!Cale: It's also a great stand in for wood varnish, window cleaners, pesticides, gasoline, vaccines, hair-growth syrums, cooking oils, war rations, holy water, the primordial sea, and is a very strong nuclear reactant :)
Og!Cale: ....What the actual fu—
Og!cale: I have these sevem products for my skin, these five for my hair and these three for the rest of my body
KRS!Cale: oh I have this one product for all my body and the floor of my house
Og!cale: ...
Periodt.
Seriously, with the ever increasing bullshitery that Cale is going through in part 2, he needs all the help he can need.
Not to mention, he can't be with them all the time or forever. They will need to fight one day, whether literally or figuratively.
It's better they start getting used to it now when there are still reliable adults around to guide and help them if they ever need it instead of being coddled for "being kids" and end being unprepared/caught off guard in the future when they get older.
Involving kids in battles
There are a lot of opinions about Cale Henituse, formerly known as Kim Rok Soo. Some readers love him and some readers don't. Some find him funny and some think he's annoying. Some see his selflessness and some judge him as selfish.
He's a very complex character that is just tired of the bullshit the gods did to a lot of people including himself.
But the one thing that some readers do not like about him is how he includes kids in wars and battles against multiple powerful threats.
I've made a post about female characters that slightly mentions this. It can be found during On's part in the post if you're curious.
So here's the thing about the kids in TCF, or rather, the kids in Cale's group. They're strong in different ways.
And most of them, excluding Lily and Basen, are not humans.
To understand why I think their presence in battles are okay, let me first bring up Kim Rok Soo's past to understand the way he thinks.
As we all know, at least the ones who finished the first book, Kim Rok Soo did not have the best life. His parents died from a car accident when he was young and he was left to his abusive uncle. He was mostly alone with no connections to other people (for reasons you need to read about if you haven't yet) until the apocalypse (when he was a young part-timer) happened where he had to survive by himself until he became a member of a team with different abilities. He was a member who had to fight and watch people die when he was young until he's 36 years old.
He doesn't have a normal life and childhood.
'Kim Rok Soo had once had to starve in the past. He did not enjoy seeing children looking so skinny. Although Lock had always looked feeble and his tall height made him skinny from the start, he seemed even thinner now.' - Chapter 234: Something Obvious (3)
So if a person who grew up under these circumstances is suddenly thrusted into another world where anyone can die easily, what would he do?
Basen and Lily


His first reaction to the idea of Basen being sent to the plaza where Cale knows a tragedy might happen, is to agree with Deruth's idea of replacing Basen, knowing full well that his younger brother will not come back completely fine, especially since he's a normal kid. He chose to sacrifice his safety for a brother he barely knows since he recently just got transmigrated in this strange world. Basen is more fit to help in their territory than to fight in battles. And he does not see this as a weakness.
When Lily asks for a sword instead of a normal toy a child of her age would normally want, he easily agrees. This is a kid who wants to learn how to fight. He knows that there will be war coming to Roan Kingdom and their territory will be the first to face this danger. So the idea of her learning how to fight, with the mindset of someone who survived in an apocalypse, made him agree without complaints.
Raon Miru

Fast forward and he gained the trust of three children who are harmed by a tribe and a cruel noble. He pities them but also understands their pain at the same time, especially after everything he went through. He knows coddling them would not make things better since they already know how harsh the world is.
Raon is a baby dragon but he's stronger than all of the people in his group, except Eruhaben. He's a kid who easily talks about destroying the world if Cale doesn't wake up after fainting. He's a kid who wants revenge against Venion and he never let go of that anger even when he was freed by Cale and his group. He knows he's stronger than Cale and does not want to leave this "weak" human despite the strong enemies they face.
But Cale, even with this thought of "putting him to use" at first, told him to hide himself in all battles and when around strangers.
Even though he knows Raon can fight, it's obvious the little dragon will face potential problems if everyone knows there's a dragon in the group. Arm would do everything to get Raon and bring him to DHB, the nobles would probably become greedy, a lot of people will rely on him for things he shouldn't even need to do, and Raon will never be truly free from all the expectations placed on him.
He could leave Raon with Elves and Eruhaben but considering what Arm did to the elves, Eruhaben's lair, and Olienne, there are no safe places to leave him.
Cale gave him the freedom of choice. He can live freely as a dragon without trusting a human. He was fully confident that Raon will not follow him. But he did. So Raon is his responsibility now.
I made a post about liking both Cale and Reigen Arataka and I can honestly see their similarities in this part. They know the kid with them is stronger than them but they also know that fully placing all the responsibilities and expectations on this kid will ruin them.
He, like Reigen, tells his kids that it's okay to run when facing a strong opponent. That it's okay to rely and let the adults handle the hard part of the battle. He respects and relies on them when necessary and pulls them back when they face real danger.
When the White Star first appeared, Cale's first instinct was to hide Raon in his arms and to defend themselves from the man. He was also prepared to fight until Eruhaben appeared. No matter how much Raon wanted to fight, Cale kept hiding him and was genuinely scared for the dragon.
So yes, he cares for the kids in his own way but doesn't treat them in a patronizing manner.
On and Hong

Like I've mentioned in my other post, On and Hong also did not have a great childhood. They were chased from their tribe who wanted to kill them because they're "useless" and mutants.
They did not trust anyone until they met Cale who says one thing and does the opposite. They placed their trust on Cale who may appear indifferent and cold but seems to care for them by giving them bread, medicine, and meat without having expectations from them.
Some readers might find it distasteful but it's obvious that they want to be useful, no matter how small their contribution is to the fight. I think the term "useful" makes it cruel but for them, it's something to be proud of. When he first uses this term, it's when they were saving Raon. But his next instinct was to check if they're okay after infiltrating the cave.
Is it bad to let these kids fight after they escaped death? Yes and no.
They should be safe, away from harm or danger. That's normal to think about children and I agree they need safety like normal children. But once again, these kids aren't human and they are in a different world from us. They grew up in a tribe that expects them to be strong so in every opportunity, they look for ways to be strong.
That's not exactly a normal kid's way of thinking.
And again, Cale's initial indifference to everything around him is the extension of what his former life did to his psyche. He's not a normal person either. None of these characters are normal. Oddly enough, the most normal are Litana and Valentino.
And in all honesty, knowing how he thinks and respects someone's needs and wants, if they want to stay away from danger or stop fighting, there is no doubt he would accept their wishes and let them hide somewhere far away from Arm. But like Raon, they want to fight back against the tribe who wants them dead. In a sense, they also want revenge and to prove everyone that they've become strong.
Lock and the Wolf children

Lock is still a young boy, no matter how much he shoulders after the death of his tribe. I still see him as a kid like Basen.
When Lock was having troubles during the war, Cale did not scold him. Instead, he encouraged him to eat since he noticed how Lock hasn't been eating since he first learned he can't use his berserk form. He told him that he did not need to fight. His only role was to stand and protect Raon. Simple but it made Lock feel relieved and happy that Cale didn't get angry at him for being weak.
I see it as Cale just wanting him to step back and get stronger, to rely on the rest of the adults and to not worry about regressing. I can only imagine what Kim Rok Soo went through to be so wise about this kind of situation.
This part is one of the most memorable to me because of what happens at the end of the battle,
'I am the adult.
I am the guardian of these two children.
I need to take full responsibility since I chose to take them in.
I need the Super Rock's power.'
Cale, despite all his inner complaints and initial reluctance about how he's suddenly involved in a group of children's safety and protection, finally admitted how important it is that he takes full responsibility of those he took in. And the way he does it is by "sacrificing" himself.
When Lock finally overcome his fear and was about to protect Cale, Cale got annoyed and said,
"Children grow up so fast" with a pat on Lock's head.
He sounded like a father or an uncle who was proud of Lock for overcoming his obstacles. This one scene among multitudes of others made me recognize how much he cares for these children. It's happening mid-battle but it doesn't detracts the emotional value but only increases it. It was another reason why I find Cale Henituse so interesting and mesmerizing.
Conclusion
Cale Henituse, for all his self-hatred and low self-esteem, does not bring down a child or person's confidence. He gives them the choice to become strong and protects them when they're weak.
He does not force them to do anything they can't or don't want to do. He knows what he went through as Kim Rok Soo is bad and he doesn't want them to go through the same thing.
Reading between the lines made me see that there's something deeper than what Cale shows.
___
I'm not gonna lie, I sound like Clopeh at some parts whenever I write like this. I felt the same when I was writing about the female characters lmao
I'm sorry if this is so long 😅 I became too passionate about this topic. I understand the people who are worried about the kids but this is still my opinion about it.
Choi Han chill💀

He really be out here telling the master arsonist/terrorist Cale himself to bomb-and-dash if he ever encounters a threat😂
Rasheel would approve lmao😂

The great and mighty Raon Miru is great and mighty Raon Miru-ing
If he said "fuck" instead of marry, the kids will probably ask about it to Cale, Ron or Eruhaben because of the different context it was used in (besides the context they were already used to) either way, someone's dad mode will kick in so Alberu would either need to wake up to a complex, ridiculous prank (or a kingdom's worth of paperwork) or just straight up find himself in GoD's doorstep😂
Alberu: A group of kids averaging 10 years old tried to fight me today, but by pure coincidence I happened go know their dad on a first name basis. I called his name, he looked at me and smiled, and after that, I told them; "I'm gonna marry your dad." I gave those children more sociological damage then any past trauma they have ever had.
THIS! THIS IS WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT IN MY OTHER REBLOG!! Love it or hate it, this is literally the truth.
Cale Henituse and Kim Rok Soo
After I posted yesterday, I saw an opinion that I kind of agree with about the difference between Cale Henituse and Kim Rok Soo.
I'm gonna say my opinion without trying to offend the whole fandom. Again, you can read fics about OG Cale as MC. I will not stop you just because I have my own opinion. You are free to read whatever you want. If you don't agree with this, it's fine and if you do, don't antagonize or attack the fanfiction authors who made these fics. Let them do their own thing, okay?
This post is not a rant but me sharing my own thoughts and opinions about this topic.
To make this easier, I'll call OG Cale as Cale and OG KRS as KRS.
[✋SPOILERS for the first part of the novel✋]

Some say that Cale Henituse and Kim Rok Soo are the same person. While I don't know if this is true because I haven't read the second part of the novel yet, in my opinion, they are not the same.
Again, I repeat, I like Cale Henituse. He's very intelligent and kind to Basen to the point of destroying his own reputation, he targets thugs and scammers whenever he's "drunk", he's willing to sacrifice his whole identity in order to save his world after surviving for twenty years by himself. He's a complex character and in another world, if given the chance, he would've been a great MC.
But that's the thing, he is not the MC of TCF, Kim Rok Soo is. And I think some fans forget the reason why Kim Rok Soo became the MC and not Cale Henituse. Because in some fics that I see whenever I scroll down to look for something to read, Cale completely replaces KRS' presence in the story, to the point that he doesn't exist anymore.
Let me explain.
Kim Rok Soo
Kim Rok Soo is a very integral part of the story. You can't easily replace him with another person, normal or otherwise, and expect the story to go the same way it did in the novel. He did things his way because he's a chaotic little shit. He's a different person from Cale, no matter how many or few similarities they both have.
It's not because he's simply smart or OP (as some would say) that he won a war that ended in only two years, but it's also because of his past and the bonds he made as himself.
He's a person full of empathy for these people that he meets wherever he goes, regardless whether he knows them from a book or not, because he understands them and their pain. He does not hide his personality and in a way, his charisma attracts these people who see him for who he is, a kind person.
Kim Rok Soo is different because he survived in an apocalypse by himself until he meets Lee Soo Hyuk and Choi Jung Soo. Plus, he did not have a great childhood. He was abused and lived by himself for the rest of his childhood and teenage years because of a curse (or maybe because his uncle is just a shitty person, who knows).
The opinions he has and the way he thinks are shaped by his own experiences. He is the Kim Rok Soo we see in the novel because he grew up under these circumstances.
To say that he's easily replaceable would be too disrespectful to the sacrifices he made as both Kim Rok Soo and Cale Henituse.
Cale Henituse
Cale, on the other hand, is different. He lived alone for how many years because he deliberately pushed everyone away because of his grief and after what Jour told him. It's not because of a curse that he became this way but because he chose to.
Yes, everyone he knows should've tried to make an effort by comforting him or talking with him (his family, the nobles he's close to, Ron and Beacrox) but that did not happen because he's the one who chose to live like this. I've mentioned it in my post about Deruth but if a person doesn't want comfort or doesn't want to talk, they will not talk, especially someone as stubborn as Cale. To blame all these people (including the kids) and the rest of the world because of his own choice is simply not right or fair since the only one responsible to actually help him is Deruth. Violan is not given this chance nor did she try as his stepmother but it all comes down to Deruth. But of course, he did not get any help nor did he seek any.
He lived his years shrouded in grief until the very end. He's a kind person but unfortunately, life is not kind to him.
Later, he survives in the war until the White Star kills him. What did he choose to do in the end when he made that deal with the God of Death? To return to the past so he can save everyone? No. Instead, he chose to go to KRS' world to find his mother. If CJS were given the chance to decline a proposal, why didn't Cale? He could've said he'll do it himself but instead, he left it to KRS. We all know he's stubborn enough to ruin his reputation, is he not stubborn enough to make a deal to save his world as himself?
You can argue it's maybe because the God of Death didn't give him the chance to argue with it but there are other ways the god could've sent KRS to this world. Like Choi Han or Choi Jung Soo.
Choi Jung Soo
Choi Jung Soo is a prime example of what could've and couldn't have happened if he agreed with the God of Death's proposal. He is not KRS. He has his own opinions and experiences that make him unique. He is not like Choi Han who drowned in his despair in TBoaH but instead, is a man who wants to survive with his friends (brothers) and smile with them despite the pain he suffers in.
If he were to replace KRS, the story would've gone differently. He might find Choi Han and they would do their best to survive in this new world together. He may or may not find Raon and the kittens, depending on the time and location when he arrives in this world. Alberu may or may not completely trust him like how he didn't completely trust Choi Han in TBoaH because unlike KRS who is too similar with Alberu, CJS is different. He might not look for the ancient powers since he has his own ability, leaving some that the White Star could've taken like the Sky Eating Water and Super Rock. In fact, the shield could've been left at the tree unless CJS knows about it and takes it. (Let me remind you that no one in this world knows there's an ancient power in that tree in the Henituse territory.)
I can list down things he could've or couldn't have done but it might be too long.
But my point is, it could've been Cale, Alberu, or Choi Han who were sent to the past but the story would've gone differently because these people are all different in their own ways. Heck, if the God of Death truly wants to save this world, he could've sent back Choi Han or Alberu instead of Cale. Because these two are also powerful in their own ways that do not need the help of ancient powers. Just give them enough information and they could've ended the war faster than twenty years.
Conclusion
So, yeah. Kim Rok Soo became the main character for several reasons. He was an ability user and team leader back in his world, he has the curse attached to him because of the White Star, he was an abused kid who had a sad childhood.
And I think there are other reasons why, if KRS is not the MC, that the story could've ended differently. Put aside Raon who is powerful and has a connection to Sheritt and the Dragon Slayers and would be integral to the story, On and Hong could've died with no one knowing about them because they were barely mentioned in the books. Mary could've stayed in the City of Life because no one would need her to help Ron. Hannah and Jack could've died because no one would've known that they were killed. Paseton has a chance to live but no one knows where he is.
Some characters would live and some would die if Kim Rok Soo is not the main character. That's basically what I think about all of this.
The reason why they survived, aside from the books, is because Kim Rok Soo's heart is so big that he wants to help people or give them the chance to survive. Some people would ignore or not notice these people because they have their own problems to deal with.
But Kim Rok Soo just wants to live. And I think that's why the story went the way it did.
Kim Rok Soo, the man who became Cale. His life motto was pretty simple.
Living long without pain. Enjoying the small joys of life.
Living a peaceful life.
- Chapter 2: When I Opened My Eyes

Again, I'm not stopping you from reading these fics nor am I telling you to attack fanfic authors because of what they write. This whole post is just me sharing my opinion.
You don't have to agree with anything I said. You can ignore this and read whatever you want to read.
This is not a post undermining or disrespecting what Cale sacrificed and felt as a person. This is a post to share my opinion that Cale and Kim Rok Soo both deserve the respect that they should get for everything they did and to not completely erase a character for the other. But if someone does it, then I can't do anything about it.
As a Mob Psycho 100 fan, I will end this with one line that perfectly summarizes what I think about this topic.
Your life is your own.
Bro stop😭 You legit kicked me in my feels because of my love for these two mfs
Slacker-chan is like Kim Dokja, shattered all over the place.

[W: I'm sleep-deprived, writing this.]
So I was tryin to find a way to read Tcf's chapter 257 of book 2 but then I started to drift across platforms trying to get even a lick of the chapter when I came across the novel updates page of TCF.
So as a bored person who can't find the chapter she's lookin for, I decided to scroll through the page when I reached the reviews section.
Safe to say, I'm between offended for Cale and amused as hell.
![[W: I'm Sleep-deprived, Writing This.]](https://64.media.tumblr.com/cd6a34319e31ed55ae0bc24f77ce0d43/dd887f086ac2c611-bc/s1280x1920/e5816cb04b80db84a9c3ad7f910918dfaf1813ab.jpg)
How is he a pushover?
The reason Cale survived until now is meddling in the business of others, bro💀 He should've just let ppl die, ig
Also, Cale is the type of person whose thoughts contradict his actions, he says he hates cats, then proceeds to adopt two of em and make another one into a king.
It's literally his characterization at this point.
That he's such an unreliable asf narrator to the point that even his own readers wanna smack him in the head.
Not to mention, Cale is not "reincarnated" he's a transmigrator it was never alluded to that he died and got there, y'all this is too funny I don't think this reviewer got very far in the novel xD
But then I thought; 'What would Cale think of this?'
And just envisioned the dude reading the review, probly being offended he's in a novel, totally agreeing he ain't unique or special in any way, and then complaining in his head that he didn't want the problems, the problems wanted him💀
What I really got vaguely annoyed about tho is the last snippet.
Rating something as 1 star when even you feel that it's 3 stars just to try to bring down its "undeserving" high rating? What is dis pettiness bro
TCF helped me get through the pandemic and I'm gonna defend this novel with m life.
Also, just a bonus one.
![[W: I'm Sleep-deprived, Writing This.]](https://64.media.tumblr.com/130ebdf163722bff75774de61899bedd/dd887f086ac2c611-0c/s540x810/b069428621d4dc6d494dc951bf4586ea13e53997.jpg)
The review itself is aight but the "There's no real goal that the MC tries to accomplish" part??? Help—😂
Even some readers don't see Cale's dream of a Slacker life as true, poor dude. ( ಡ ͜ ʖ ಡ)
*Puts my reading glasses on*
Well someone didn't read the source material before leaving a review.

1.) This reviewer probably: "Dragons, Magic, Mythical creatures, Reincarnators, Transmigrators, and LITERAL MULTIPLE GODS are realistic enough but the MC not being a bumbling fckin idiot?? Hell no! that's where I DRAW THE LINE!!!
Also, 100 is literally the average IQ.
I don't know what's up with people hating it when an MC doesn't have the intelligence of a soggy piece of bread, but seriously? Why?
2.) The foundation of transmigration stories are built on lies. Where the hell have you seen an MC that upon transmigration, just straight announced that they're not the original?
Obviously a person will lie to get benefits, ESPECIALLY when said person just suddenly found themself stranded in another fuckin WORLD with a goddamn WAR on the horizon!!!
3.) This review was made in 2023. The reviewer probably didn't even bother reaching past chapter 50 if they can say that Cale is evil this confidently.
Like– ARE WE READING THE SAME NOVEL???
This reviewer literally said: "He helps the crazy people in a war so that his kingdom can grow better and he can live in peace"
IN WHAT WORLD IS THAT EVIL?!?!
Not to mention, the reviewer omitted that Cale helped the "crazy people" in a war against a bastard who had no problem EXPERIMENTING on the innocent. But apparently, that makes him evil because the ones he helped aren't mentally sane.
And yes, Cale "scams" people into thinking he's a good person, but don't you think they would've left him by now through their adventures if he wasn't actually a good person? None of the ppl close to him are fckin idiots. They would've realized it already if he was actually a rotten man by heart.
Does the novel literally need to spell shit out nowadays just because some people seem to be incapable of reading between the lines??
The reviewer: *Complains that MC's intelligence is unrealistic*
Also the reviewer: *Wants an MC that isn't selfish, bad, or (probly) morally gray*
GUYS ASAP HOW OLD ARE JACK AND HANNAH?!?! PLEASE I NEED IT FOR A FF DRAFT I BEG YOU ALLL