After Ten Millennia in Hell

Chapter 407 - It’s Only Thanks To You That I Managed To Come This Far

The war against the Constellations of Evil came to an end and the one who had become the most famous after it was without a doubt Oh Kang-Woo. He was a hero who had appeared on the battlefield while it had been plunging into despair. He was enveloped in radiant light and had eradicated the entire demonic beast army in an instant.

The people of the continent worshiped Kang-Woo as the God of Splendor. After finding out that he and Kim Si-Hun were brothers, their fame skyrocketed. Even a church had been formed to worship the two of them like gods.

“O Messiah.”

“O Savior of Light.”

The people bowed in the direction of Arnan’s imperial palace that Kang-Woo was residing in, at least three times a day. Kang-Woo sighed as he stared at his devotees praying while gathered around the palace.

“... Shit.” He frowned while groaning.

‘This wasn’t my intention.’

Si-Hun needed to become the target of worship as per his original plan, but Kang-Woo ended up becoming more famous instead.

“Haaa,” Kang-Woo sighed.

He had no choice but to do something to divert the people’s attention from Balrog to himself, but it had worked a little too well. He had made a mistake.

‘I got too worked up.’

He had gotten a bit too enraged after seeing Balrog on the verge of death and used way more power than necessary to kill the demonic beasts.

“The plan has gone a bit awry,” Kang-Woo mumbled while leaning on his chair.

In the first place, he had appointed Si-Hun as the savior instead of himself to fool the high elves, who were able to detect all that was demonic.

‘But I don’t think I’d get caught now.’

Considering the abilities that he had gained after awakening as the God of Splendor, even a high elf might not be able to figure out his true identity.

‘Even so...’

It was wise to take as little risks as possible. It would not end with just his plan failing if the manifested high elf found out his identity.

Kang-Woo stood up from the chair and looked at the mirror on the table. He could see his familiar face, one with sharp eyes and a ferocious appearance.

“...” He remained silent and closed his eyes.

‘I wonder... how long I can remain human for?’

Kang-Woo placed his hand on his chest while smiling bitterly and felt the black sea within his heart.

‘I didn’t suffer side effects from opening the Doors this time.’

Nothing happened after he closed the Doors of the Ten Thousand Demon Core; he did not feel pain as if his soul was being torn apart or pressure as if his entire body was being squashed.

“Shit.”

He could not welcome the fact that there had been no side effects. It was like feeling no pain when one smashed down a hammer on their finger. After all, the fact that there were no side effects meant that something important within him had broken.

“Ngh.”

Kang-Woo grabbed his forehead. Side effects occurred after opening the Doors because he forcibly pushed the immense power flooding into himself back into the Ten Thousand Demon Core. However, there had been no side effects this time.

‘I’m being eaten away by the Demonic Sea.’

It was even possible that he was becoming one with the Demonic Sea.

“I should leave it for the absolute worst-case scenarios.”

Whatever the case, it was true that his body was changing in unexpected ways. Although it couldn’t be helped if the situation called for it, he should refrain from opening the Doors as much as possible from now on.

‘Well, I can face most enemies even without opening the Doors now.’

Kang-Woo lightly snapped his finger.

Fwoosh.

Gold and black flames blazed from the end of his finger. It was the Flames of Voracity. He was not able to turn his entire body into flames like he had been able to while the Doors were open, but being able to use it was more than enough.

It was so powerful that the Authority of Blaze felt like child’s play. In terms of power, only the Chaos skills would be able to hold up to it, but using the Flames of Voracity was nowhere near as risky as the Chaos skills.

‘The only downside is that it stimulates my desire.’

However, Kang-Woo was more than able to handle the risk since he was confident in being able to keep his desire in check.

Someone knocked on the door.

“Come in,” Kang-Woo said.

Creak. Han Seol-Ah entered the room. She carefully approached Kang-Woo, embraced him, and then kissed him.

“How are Si-Hun and Layla?” Kang-Woo asked.

“They still haven’t woken up yet.”

“Same for Balrog?”

“Balrog woke up a little while ago.”

Kang-Woo nodded. Si-Hun and Layla had been the most gravely injured in the war. He had healed them using the Authority of Regeneration, but they were not regaining consciousness because their injuries were mostly internal.

“That aside, what happened with Proserpine? I heard you chased after her,” Kang-Woo asked.

He had heard that the Constellation of Lust had run away after injuring Layla. Since the Constellation of Nightmares had also run away once Kang-Woo arrived, two Constellations had survived the war. Although they wouldn’t take action in particular since their leader Tai Wuji had died, Kang-Woo did not like the fact that risk factors remained.

“Oh...” Seol-Ah lowered her head with a dark expression. “I’m sorry, Kang-Woo. I chased after her, but she managed to escape.”

“Really?” Kang-Woo clicked his tongue.

It was unfortunate, but it was already amazing enough that they had forced a Constellation of Evil to run away.

“Umm... Kang-Woo.” Seol-Ah hugged Kang-Woo tighter.

“Hm?”

“I have something to ask you.”

“What is it?”

“Have you met Proserpine privately after our first encounter with her?”

“...?” Kang-Woo tilted his head in wonder, unable to understand why she was asking such a question. “No, I haven’t met her since the encounter at the imperial palace.”

“Hehe,” Seol-Ah giggled after hearing his answer. She leaned her head on Kang-Woo's shoulder. “That’s a relief.”

“Hm? What is?”

“Nothing at all,” Seol-Ah said as she let go of Kang-Woo. “I’ll be getting back to Layla and Si-Hun.”

“Okay. Right, how is Iris doing?”

“She hasn’t regained consciousness either.”

“Tsk. Okay.”

Iris had been unconscious for almost a month but was showing no signs of waking up.

‘Is the high elf even gonna manifest?’

Kang-Woo was slightly anxious, but there was nothing else that he could do besides waiting.

“In that case, I’ll see you in the evening, Kang-Woo.”

Seol-Ah put her arms around Kang-Woo’s neck and kissed him. Kang-Woo could feel her tongue entering his mouth.

“Mmph,” Seol-Ah moaned.

Kang-Woo gulped. Seol-Ah felt far sexier than usual.

“Hehe. I love you, Kang-Woo.”

“Me too.”

Seol-Ah turned around while slightly flushed. Kang-Woo walked with her out to the door and went back into his room.

‘That aside...’

Kang-Woo raised his right hand, extended his fingers, and stared at the ring on his right middle finger.

“What’s with this thing?”

He saw the message window saying that all powers of the Key of the Demonic Sea had been unlocked after the Demon God’s legacy was absorbed into it as well as that it had chosen him as its owner.

‘But why have there been no changes whatsoever? It doesn’t feel like it weakened in any way at least.’

In terms of its capacity, it had gotten better; however, it was nowhere near as grand as what the message window had mentioned about its powers being fully unlocked. Kang-Woo looked down at the Key of the Demonic Sea and then back up. There was something else that he needed to do.

“I should get to digesting him,” he muttered while softly pounding his chest.

Things had been so hectic after the war that he had no time to digest Tai Wuji. Kang-Woo bent down and placed his hand on the ground. Golden light spread out from his hand and lit up the room.

“Alright.”

Kang-Woo walked toward the center of the room after creating a barrier and closed his eyes. He could feel Tai Wuji’s energy within the Demonic Sea. He focused his mind and controlled the demonic energy.

Riiing.

[You have acquired Top-rank Deific Essence.]

[Raising the level cap.]

[Level cap has risen from 93 to 100.]

[You have reached the Eleventh Awakening and obtained a new Trait.]

“Hell yeah.” Kang-Woo smiled as he looked at the message window in front of him.

‘Though I was hoping for it to rise a bit more.’

He thought absorbing Top-rank Deific Essence would get him up to his Twelfth Awakening, but unfortunately not.

‘At least I managed to get a new Trait.’

Traits were extremely useful for his growth. Kang-Woo checked the new message windows in anticipation.

[You have obtained the new Trait ‘Chaos Domination.’]

[Your control over Chaos skills has risen.]

“Hmm.” Kang-Woo tilted his head while stroking his chin.

It seemed to be an advanced version of his Ninth Awakening Trait ‘Chaos Control.’

“It’s good, but...”

He didn’t feel good about it. He would not have much need for Chaos skills anymore now that he had the Flames of Voracity. It boasted great power, but it came at a corresponding risk.

“Well, I’ll still give it a try.”

Kang-Woo drew out both demonic energy and sacred power and forcibly mixed the opposite powers.

Rumble—!

Just the mixing of the two powers caused everything around him to shake due to the immense power. Kang-Woo’s eyes shone as he was forming Chaos.

‘The recoil has lessened.’

The two energies that used to collide against each other crazily were now heeding his control. Kang-Woo smiled widely as he stared at the gray energy. Just then...

Fwoosh!

“What the...”

The Flames of Voracity appeared all of a sudden and began to devour the gray energy like a starved beast that had found its prey. The voracious flames swallowed the Chaos energy whole.

‘What’s with this thing?’

Kang-Woo frowned as he tried to control the Flames of Voracity, but it did not budge for some reason.

Fwoosh—!!!

“Kurgh!”

The flames blazed ferociously once they finished eating the Chaos energy. The fire grew so massive that not even Kang-Woo was able to handle it. He reflexively extended his arm.

Rumble—!!

The barrier made with the power of the Demonic Sea shook. The Flames of Voracity that had eaten the Chaos energy floated around him as if it were alive.

Riiing.

[You have learned ‘Chaos - Blaze’, an Intermediate-rank Chaos skill.]

A blue window appeared in front of Kang-Woo. And then...

[All conditions of ‘Road to becoming a Demon God’ have been fulfilled.]

“Hah,” Kang-Woo chuckled.

Rather than thinking “finally”, he was thinking “just like that?” instead. The Flames of Voracity floating around him was quivering as if it was giggling.

“... Well, regardless.” Kang-Woo smiled.

He had finally completed the Road to becoming a Demon God quest.

‘It took so god damn long.’

He had obtained many things throughout the quest, but it had taken an ungodly amount of time to fulfill all the conditions. In terms of novel chapters, it had taken over three hundred chapters.

“Dayum, at least it’s finally over.”

Kang-Woo smiled as he waited for the reward that he would receive. A message window appeared moments later.

[The ‘Road to becoming a Demon God’ quest has been completed, but Player Oh Kang-Woo cannot obtain the Demon God’s Deific Essence because he already possesses the Deific Essence of ‘Voracity’.]

“What the fuck?”

After the time it had taken and the shit he had gone through to fulfill every single condition, he wouldn’t be getting any rewards since he had already acquired Deific Essence?

“Motherf...” Kang-Woo grabbed the back of his neck as he boiled with rage. “Fucking garbage System! Just you wait, motherfucker. I know you expressed emotions before. You have an ego, don’t you? In that case, I’m gonna come find you, got it? You can hear me, can’t you? I said I’m gonna come find you. I don’t know what the fuck the providence of the universe and the System are, but I’m gonna twist your head into a god damn question mark, you son of a bitch.”

Kang-Woo threatened the System in the same way that he had pledged to do a very long time ago.

“You’re a fucking useless, moronic, sorry excuse for a Sys—”

[Player Oh Kang-Woo has not been properly rewarded for completing the ‘Road to Becoming a Demon God’ quest. Hence, an alternate reward will be given.]

“—tem, but it’s true that you’ve helped me a lot thus far. I wouldn’t have been able to gain these Traits and levels if not for the System. I’m... always grateful to you. It’s only thanks to you that I managed to come this far.”

Kang-Woo smiled warmly as he stared at the blue message window.