After Ten Millennia in Hell

"In that case, I'll start speaking to you casually."

"Thank you very much, hyung-nim."

Kim Si-Hun bowed while smiling.

'He's way too handsome.'

Even though they were both men, Si-Hun was handsome enough to make him tremble a bit.

"… Then, I'll also disclose to you all something that I'd kept hidden until now."

Si-Hun told them that he was the Martial God's successor and that he had an SSS-rank Trait.

"A-An SSS-rank Trait?"

"Th-there hasn't been anyone who got a Trait like that in their first Awakening, has there?"

"I knew Si-Hun was no joke either, but…"

Kang-Woo already knew the details, but he acted as if he were surprised.

"H-How did you awaken as the Martial God's successor?!" Tae-Soo asked.

"I'm not sure about the details, but when I awakened as a Player, I got… a different system message than other Players."

"A different system message?"

The other party members looked at Si-Hun. It was also Kang-Woo's first time hearing about the system message, so he looked at him with great interest.

"It said that I had been selected as a 'protector' to supplement the impaired Gaia System."

"Gaia System…?"

"I don't know what it is either, but when I first awakened as a Player, I definitely got a message like that."

Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes.

'To think that I'd hear about the Gaia System here.'

Even Cha Yeon-Joo hadn't heard about it before, so he never expected to hear about it from Si-Hun.

"Si-Hun, when is the exact date that you awakened as a Player?"

"I believe it was… May 22nd."

"Oh, isn't that the day we met, Kang-Woo?" Han Seol-Ah mentioned.

"…"

May 22nd. It was the day Kang-Woo had returned to Earth.

'The day I returned to Earth, Si-Hun awakened as a Player.'

It wasn't hard to guess why based on the message that Si-Hun had claimed to have seen.

'Because of the impaired Gaia System.'

The defense mechanism called the Gaia System had been impaired because he had returned to Earth.

'And to supplement that impairment, a protector was chosen.'

It more or less made sense.

Kang-Woo's thoughts continued.

'Then, is Si-Hun the key to restoring the Gaia System?'

It was impossible to know at the moment if the word supplement in the system message meant that Si-Hun would be able to restore the impairment or if he had been chosen to take over the role because the impairment was irreversible.

'Looking at only the contents of the message, it sounds like it'd be the latter.'

Either way, what was sure was that Si-Hun could take over a portion of the system's role.

'I knew I was lucky to have met Si-Hun.'

Kang-Woo's eyes shone. It seemed that Si-Hun was far more important of an entity than Kang-Woo had initially thought.

'Our relationship is also good at this point.'

Thanks to the incident with the Demon Cult, Si-Hun's trust in him had increased. If he kept growing and was able to properly fulfill his role as protector, he would become a much stronger ally than Kang-Woo had initially thought.

'I feel a bit guilty though…'

But after hearing that Si-Hun was the protector chosen by the Gaia System, Kang-Woo thought that he had made the correct decision in making Si-Hun his Familiar.

Because the Gaia System kept weakening, one didn't know what would happen in the future. To stop it from deteriorating, Kang-Woo needed to investigate and prepare thoroughly.

"Th-Then are you some sort of hero that protects Earth?" Tae-Soo asked.

"Haha. It sounds a bit cringey to have someone say it straight to my face. To be honest, I'm not sure either. I did get a better Trait than others in the beginning, but that's also the same for Players like Cha Yeon-Joo or Baek Kang-Hyun."

"But SSS-rank?! I heard that even the First Lady started out with an S-rank Trait, so isn't that super amazing?"

"But I can't unleash the Trait's full power because I haven't been able to accept the entirety of the Martial God's power. I think right now, I'm… about the same as Players who have unlocked S-rank Traits on their First Awakening."

"That doesn't make it any less impressive!"

Tae-Soo patted Si-Hun's shoulders, laughing as if proud of him.

Si-Hun shook his head with a soft smile.

"Even with such talent, I almost lost to Kim Yeong-Hoon. The word impressive doesn't suit me."

"Hehe, true. You are indeed impressive, but Kang-Woo hyung-nim is even more so!" Tae-Soo shouted excitedly.

Kang-Woo smirked and stood up.

"I'll leave the party in your good hands. Call me if there's anything you need."

"I'll do my best to be useful to you, hyung-nim."

One could feel a strong will in Si-Hun's voice.

Kang-Woo nodded with a satisfied expression. Now that everything that had held him down in life had vanished, having gained a new goal of improving himself was a good thing.

"But take a break until your body fully recovers."

"… I understand."

"Since I'll feel bad for disturbing your rest, I'll get going."

Kang-Woo turned around, and Si-Hun looked a bit disappointed.

"Are you… leaving already?"

"Huh? Yeah. I have things to do," Kang-Woo expressed in bewilderment.

It was as if Si-Hun didn't want him to leave.

'What's up with him?'

He felt that their relationship had gone beyond the level of just good.

'Don't tell me…'

Kang-Woo shook his head. He didn't even want to think about it.

Familiars often gained affection for their masters because their souls were bound together—they were instinctively attracted to their masters.

'Please…'

Despair could be seen in Kang-Woo's eyes.

He didn't want to think that was the case with Si-Hun.

Kang-Woo walked out of the room without looking back.

* * *

After paying a visit to the hospital, Kang-Woo became really busy.

Not only did he have to plan measures for the days ahead with Yeon-Joo and Baek Hwa-Yeon, but he also had to check if what he had promised Si-Hun was progressing well.

He then went to see Kim Jae-Hyun in a prison specially made for Players and reconfirmed the information that Jae-Hyun had told them about the Demon Cult.

Kang-Woo made sure Jae-Hyun knew that funny business would not be tolerated since they had Kim Yeong-Hun as a hostage.

Kang-Woo also checked how much his demonic energy stores had increased after achieving his Sixth Awakening and how easily he could use the Authorities available to him.

'This is exhausting.'

Kang-Woo sighed after thinking of the past few days. He almost began hating that he had only one body.

'Too bad I can't use the Authority of Cloning yet.'

The Authority of Cloning was an Authority that let him create another version of himself that shared his consciousness. It required so much demonic energy that he couldn't use it yet despite having achieved his Sixth Awakening.

"I'll still have a mountain of things to do even with another me."

Kang-Woo sighed and opened his status window.

He had to reach Level 59 to check if he would also have a leveling restriction like other Players, and he also had to find out what the other two conditions to achieving the Ultimate Demonic Body were.

However, he couldn't even attempt these tasks because his schedule was packed beyond belief.

'But it's finally over.'

Because he'd kept himself busy for the past few days, he'd been able to finish most of the urgent matters. Once he finished what he needed to do today, he'd have time to relax.

"Kang-Woo, we've finished packing up for the move."

"What about your mother?"

"She said she still had some stuff to organize, so she told us to go ahead first. She'll be taking a taxi later in the day."

"Hmm."

Kang-Woo nodded.

He looked around the empty sixty-six-square-meter apartment. It was the house he'd lived in with Seol-Ah after returning to Earth.

'She probably needs some time to organize her thoughts.'

He'd barely lived here for two months, but Seol-Ah's mother, Kim Mi-Jeong, had lived there for almost twenty years. It likely wasn't just items alone that she needed to organize

"Then let's go first," Kang-Woo said as he got in the car.

Seol-Ah sat in the passenger seat, and Echidna sat on top of his lap.

"…"

"What's wrong, Kang-Woo?"

Kang-Woo lifted Echidna up without a word and put her in the back seat.

"Kang-Woo has become colder with me."

Echidna lowered her head in sorrow.

Kang-Woo smirked and drove toward Seoul Station.

"… Is this really okay?"

"What is?"

"Y-You're the one who purchased the house. Taking me and my mother to live there with you is…"

"I told you not to worry about it. I don't want to live alone in such a big house."

"B-but still…"

"And it's not like I bought it with my own money. Red Rose prepared it for me."

"Ms. Cha Yeon-Joo?"

"Yup. It was included in my contract conditions."

"Nghh…"

Seol-Ah clenched her fists in frustration.

The house was 165 square meters wide. Not just that, the prices of land near Seoul Station had skyrocketed ever since the Player Management Office and the guild houses of the five great guilds were built there. Hence, this house easily surpassed two billion won.

She felt envious that Yeon-Joo could provide Kang-Woo with such an expensive house as if it were nothing.

'The two of them seem really close…'

Seol-Ah bit her lips anxiously.

'And the house we're moving to is also close to hers.'

Thinking of Kang-Woo being with Yeon-Joo turned her head into jumbles.

Seol-Ah let out a sigh.

The huge gap between her and Yeon-Joo made her shoulders drop.

A heavy silence befell the car.

Echidna opened her mouth and broke the silence.

"Kang-Woo, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? I'm not sure…"

Unlike the past few days, he really didn't have any plans for tomorrow.

"… Are you super busy tomorrow too?" Echidna asked cautiously.

She seemed to want to play with Kang-Woo but didn't want to burden him. She looked like a kid asking her father, who was swamped with work, if he had any days off.

Kang-Woo smirked, finding Echidna's cautious attitude awfully cute.

'I guess there's no harm in taking a break for one day.'

After he'd returned to Earth, the days he had taken a break were so few that it was embarrassing. Considering that he would probably get even busier soon, it was probably a good idea to take some time off.

"I don't have any work tomorrow."

"Ah! Th-Then…"

"You said last time that you wanted to go somewhere together to play, right? Let's go tomorrow."

"Hm! Hm! I'm okay with anywhere as long as it's with you, Kang-Woo!" Echidna said while snorting. Her eyes shone expectantly. The thought of going out with Kang-Woo made her excited.

"Ah…"

A short exclamation came out of Seol-Ah's mouth. Seol-Ah felt as if she was falling behind as a love rival against not only Yeon-Joo but also Echidna, who had joined late in the game.

'I met him first.'

Seol-Ah felt left behind, which made her anxious.

"Th-then I'm coming too!"

"Hmm? Didn't you say that you would spend the whole day unpacking?"

"I can always unpack later! I-I would also like to go!" Seol-Ah quickly replied.

"Okay, Seol-Ah. You can come too."

Kang-Woo gladly nodded.

"Ngh…"

Echidna glared at the uninvited guest while pouting, disapproving of Seol-Ah's wet-blanket attitude.

"H-Haha."

Seol-Ah laughed awkwardly after feeling Echidna glaring at her. She understood Echidna's feelings of wanting to be alone with Kang-Woo, but there was nothing Seol-Ah could do about it.

'A-All's fair in love and war.'

Seol-Ah was willing to be a wet blanket if it meant that she could make Kang-Woo hers.