After Ten Millennia in Hell

Alex was excessively honest and upright.

'How could a person be like that?'

He had honestly been shocked by Alec's monologue.

Alec had spoken nonsense like some protagonist of a shonen manga.

"Even shonen mangas aren't that cringe these days."

Kang-Woo laughed in disbelief. It wasn't that he thought that saving people and protecting the weak was funny—he thought it was worthy of praise.

Even if Kang-Woo wasn't that kind of person himself, he wouldn't make fun of someone who was.

'But saving everyone is pushing it.'

The problem was that Alec wanted to save everyone. The moment that word was mentioned, his speech had turned into nothing more than the words of a madman drunk on hollow ideals.

It wasn't a matter of conviction; it was physically impossible.

Kang-Woo couldn't help but cringe after hearing someone say something like that in such a serious tone… especially the part about suppressing people who'd turned into demonic beasts and waiting for a cure to be invented. This part sounded like the words of a true madman.

It was no different from someone saying they would capture and lock away zombies indefinitely until they could find a cure.

'Extreme altruism fosters insanity.'

He still wasn't sure what kind of person Alec was, but he definitely felt uncomfortable about him.

"In such cases, it's best to check for oneself."

There would be nothing he could do if he had no way of knowing, but that wasn't the case. He couldn't be carefree enough to neglect the unknown.

Kang-Woo used the Authority of Stealth and followed Alec.

"Haaa." Alec sighed. "I didn't think he'd refuse…"

Kang-Woo could hear him mumbling. It seemed Alec was quite shocked that his invitation to join Guardians was rejected.

"But I'll convince him, no matter what!"

He clenched both fists and shouted.

Kang-Woo frowned.

'How persistent of him.'

He didn't like Alec. Si-Hun was his Familiar, so it was easy to make Si-Hun refuse the offer, but he couldn't stop him from being influenced by Alec.

The influence Alec had on Si-Hun wasn't helpful at all. No, there was a high chance that it could harm Si-Hun.

'I'll have to make him give up on Si-Hun.'

Kang-Woo's eyes shone sharply.

If Alec didn't want to give up, there was no other way but force.

"Who's there?!"

While Kang-Woo was thinking, Alec suddenly shouted.

'Did he sense me?'

Kang-Woo raised his head.

Alec wasn't looking at him but at a secluded alleyway.

"I'm surprised you noticed me."

"You're…"

A man walked out from the secluded alleyway. He was wearing a dark robe and a red demon mask. Demonic energy was fiercely emanating from him.

Alec's expression hardened.

"You followed me all the way here?"

"You have to pay the price for meddling in our plan."

Alec unsheathed his sword.

The masked man spread out his hands, and sharp claws similar to those of beasts grew from his ten fingers.

'Is that the assassin Alec mentioned before?'

Kang-Woo went up to the terrace and looked down at their confrontation.

Alec had mentioned that assassins from the Demon Cult had been coming after him because of the previous incident that he had been involved in. Judging by that and the fact that he had asked the assassin if he had followed him all the way here, it really seemed to be an assassin.

'What great timing.'

Kang-Woo laughed. It was a great opportunity to get information about Alec. It also wouldn't be bad if Alec died fighting the Demon Cultist. After all, Kang-Woo's goal was to ensure that Si-Hun wouldn't get involved with Alec.

'This should be interesting.'

Kang-Woo looked at both of them with great interest while listening to their conversation.

"You should really give it a rest now," Alec remarked.

"I swear I'll put you in your place this time!" the assassin exclaimed in anger.

Kang-Woo frowned.

'This time?'

Why would an assassin say something like that?

There was no next time for an assassination; it was kill or be killed.

But by their conversation, it seemed as if they had fought numerous times.

'What's going on?'

Kang-Woo decided to watch their confrontation.

The two of them soon began fighting.

Clang! Clang!

The assassin's sharp claws targeted Alec.

Alec raised his sword and blocked the attack. A white light came out of his sword and exuded pressure on their surroundings.

The battle continued for a while.

The assassin was extremely skilled. He was exuding enough demonic energy for it to make sense that he had come alone to assassinate a World Ranker.

His mind was not being eroded by the demonic energy. His movements were clean, and his attacks were powerful. His control over demonic energy was better than Baek Kang-Hyun and Akiyama, the Demon Cultist whom Kang-Woo had fought in Japan.

'But…'

Alec's sword emitted light. He restricted the assassin's movements while thrusting with his sword.

His swordsmanship was very disciplined. It was so perfect that Kang-Woo wondered if this was what the swordsmanship of a martial artist who had mastered the sword to its utmost limit would look like.

'Maybe it's because he's a Protector.'

Just like Si-Hun, Alec's talent was also impressive.

'Alec's won this.'

It wasn't that the fight had ended, but the cards were overwhelmingly in his favor.

Kang-Woo seemed disappointed because he was hoping for Alec to lose.

"Kurgh!"

The Demon Cult assassin fell to the ground.

Alec approached him while holding his sword.

The assassin noticed he'd already lost, so he said in a low voice, "Kill me."

'It's over.'

The only thing left was for Alec to behead the assassin with his sword.

Kang-Woo clicked his tongue. The battle had ended more easily than he'd hoped for.

"I cannot do that."

'What?'

Just then, unexpected words came out of Alec's mouth.

Kang-Woo's eyes widened; he couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"Every life is precious, and yours is no different."

'What the hell is this dude talking about?'

"Leave the Demon Cult. Repent for your sins and live a new life."

"…"

Kang-Woo's mouth fell open. He was at a loss for words and couldn't believe what Alec was saying.

'Is he insane?'

Telling the person who'd tried to kill him to repent for his sins and live a new life?

That wasn't something a sane person could say.

Was he the incarnation of Jesus? How could he say something like this so naturally?

"Not this bullshit again," the assassin replied.

"I will make sure to persuade you this time. Now, grab my hand. I will help you start your life anew."

Alec extended his hand, but the Demon Cult assassin obviously didn't grab it.

Kang-Woo looked at Alec's pointless actions in shock.

'What's wrong with this guy?'

It wasn't a matter of justice anymore.

How could a person in his right mind act this way?

Was it because Alec was too kind?

'Bullshit.'

Letting a Demon Cultist who had tried to kill him live because "every life was precious" was not kindness.

'That's just being moronic.'

Alec couldn't possibly be doing this unless he was thoughtless, or he was brainless. It was no different from letting a heinous serial killer off with just a light warning after telling them to repent for their sins and start their life anew.

Kang-Woo's head became messy.

"Hup!"

Boom!

"Guh?!"

The assassin, who had been on the floor, threw something from his pocket. A loud explosion rang out, smoke covering the entire alleyway.

The assassin got up and ran away. Alec pursued him.

"Stop right there!"

"I will pay you back for this humiliation next time!"

The assassin ran out of the alleyway.

Just then, a woman walking into the alleyway collided with him.

Crack!

She couldn't even scream. She had collided with a Ranker-level Player running at full speed. The impact, which was greater than being hit by a truck, sent her flying.

"A-Aaah…"

Alec, who had been chasing after the assassin, stopped. His mouth widened.

The woman who had collided with the assassin was flung into the wall, dying instantly.

"N-Noooo!!" Alec screamed in despair as he held the woman's corpse. "Sniff! H-How, wh-why…?!"

Alec cried for a while, holding the woman's corpse.

Kang-Woo looked at him in disbelief.

'You're seriously asking why this happened?'

Did he really not know why?

'I can't take it anymore.'

He thought he would die from cancer at this rate.

While holding himself back from cursing, Kang-Woo jumped down from the building.

Alec, who had just been crying while holding the woman's corpse, stood up and walked out of the alleyway.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"… Kang-Woo?"

Alec was surprised by Kang-Woo's sudden appearance.

"Why didn't you kill the assassin?"

"Were you watching?"

"Just answer the question."

Placing his hand on his sword's handle, Alec answered, "All lives are precious, and the same goes for Demon Cultists. I can't take someone's life so easily."

"Hah." Kang-Woo laughed in disbelief. "Even when an innocent person died because of it?"

"…"

Kang-Woo spat it all out, "If you'd killed that person, that woman wouldn't have died. This is your fault. You're the reason why she died."

"…"

There was a heavy silence, and Alec slowly opened his mouth.

"What… do you mean? An innocent person died?"

"What?"

"I did let the assassin slip through my fingers, but there were no victims."

"What the hell are you talking about? There's the victim right there."

Kang-Woo pointed at the woman's corpse in the alleyway.

Alec's eyes turned toward the corpse.

"Where?"

"… What?"

Alec tilted his head in confusion. "There's nothing there."