After Ten Millennia in Hell

Oh Kang-Woo frowned.

He had experienced receiving the will from above through Gaia and had also received assistance in the form of quests. However, this was the first time he couldn't understand their intentions.

'Why a god from another world out of the blue?'

He narrowed his eyes.

While trying to listen to the words that resounded in her head, Gaia continued, "I'm not sure either, but they're saying this is the best that they can do…"

Kang-Woo took a deep breath.

'Why?'

Questions filled his mind. From the information he had, he couldn't think of a reason for them to drag a god over from another world.

Whooom.

Before his questions were answered, a white gate appeared inside the Hall of Protection.

A blonde woman walked out of the gate, glowing with a blinding light.

"You must be Gaia's incarnation, and… you must be Oh Kang-Woo," she said.

The woman was merely standing there talking, but her immense power was raising the hairs on their skin.

'She's in a completely different league from Tirion.'

Kang-Woo's expression hardened.

Boom!

"Hyung-nim! What was that light…?"

"What's going on, Kang-Woo?!"

"Is something wrong, Kang-Woo?"

"Wh-What was that?! What happened?"

"Hyung-nim!! What happened?!"

Kim Si-Hun, who had been in the training room, swiftly emerged. Han Seol-Ah, Echidna, Cha Yeon-Joo, and Kang Tae-Soo, who had also been training in different training rooms, all rushed out too. Their attention was placed on the woman who was radiating blinding light.

"I'm Benigoa. I've come to help you at the request of Uranus."

There was a heavy silence.

A god from another world had suddenly appeared. No one knew how to react.

Kang-Woo took a step forward, staring at her warily.

"If you're a god from another world… Are you from the continent of Aernor?" he asked.

The most likely answer was Aernor since he had come across many beings from that world.

Benigoa shook her head and answered, "No."

'No?'

Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes. He was even more confused now.

"What brings you here? What do you mean exactly… when you said that you've come to help us?" he questioned.

"You don't need to be so wary of me. I haven't come to harm any of you."

Benigoa sighed softly and explained what was going on. The more she explained, the stiffer Kang-Woo's expression became.

'Gods from other worlds receive fewer restrictions…?'

That wasn't good news at all. No, it was the worst possible news.

Uranus had asked for help from a god of another world to protect the world that Gaia was in charge of. That wasn't something that could be done lightly. It was similar to when a country went bankrupt and asked for help from the IMF.

This meant that Gaia and her aides had been driven so far into a corner that they could no longer provide proper assistance to Kang-Woo and Guardians.

'Oh, fuck.'

If, like Benigoa, gods from other worlds were to come to Earth for the sole purpose of helping out, then that was great news.

'But there's absolutely no way that's the case.'

However, there was no way that every single outer god—gods from other dimensions who received fewer restrictions from the system—would come to Earth purely to help this world. This wasn't some children's book where everyone held hands and got along.

'Oh, fuck. Then that means if a god from another world were to invade Earth right now, we would only be able to watch while sucking our thumbs.'

Of course, they wouldn't be invading anytime soon. Gaia was still alive, and the Gaia System protecting Earth had yet to disappear completely. Unless they had come to Earth with Gaia's permission like Benigoa had, an outer god would not be able to invade Earth so easily.

'But if the Gaia System completely collapses…'

Then, there was no way to know who would invade Earth.

'Useless pieces of shit.'

Kang-Woo's head hurt. He couldn't help but feel angry at Gaia and the other gods protecting Earth.

If he had to make a comparison…

'It's like when a nation's economy completely collapses, and they can only watch as foreign enterprises take over…'

No matter what the foreign powers did, the nation would be completely powerless to stop them. In the end, it would be the people who would suffer the consequences.

'Fucking hell. What the hell were they doing that it got this bad?'

He couldn't help but curse at the thought of the idiotic Gaia and her close aides.

Of course, Kang-Woo was the main culprit, but it wasn't the time to argue over such trivial details.

'The Gaia System needs to be restored as soon as possible.'

Kang-Woo bit his lip in impatience.

While his mind was swirling with all kinds of thoughts, he sighed and turned to Benigoa. She had come here to offer power to the Warrior of Light, the one who could be considered the ace of Guardians.

'Well, she's offering, so I might as well accept it.'

Kang-Woo still felt angry when he thought about the worthless gods who had let this world get to the verge of collapse, but that wasn't a reason to refuse their gift. It was pretty much a last resort, but he needed to get whatever he could.

“Mm. So, you're the Warrior of Light, huh?" Benigoa said.

She looked at Kang-Woo with a sharp gaze, evaluating him. She seemed to be wondering if she should trust him.

"...His face kind of reminds me of Lee Ki-Young," Benigoa remarked.

She felt an uncanny sense of displeasure when she looked at Kang-Woo. He seemed similar to the man who had traumatized her.

'The hell? She's not gonna give me her power after coming this far…?'

Kang-Woo frowned.

He didn't know who Lee Ki-Young was, but he could tell that Benigoa didn't trust him.

Kang-Woo felt extremely disappointed now, especially after having wondered expectantly about what sort of power she would be giving him.

"Goddess Benigoa," Si-Hun said, taking a step forward. "Please help hyung-nim protect this world."

He knelt on one knee without hesitation.

Si-Hun spoke passionately about how Kang-Woo had saved him from his wretched past and the swamp he had thought he would never be able to swim out of.

"Hyung-nim is… the person I respect and trust the most," Si-Hun declared.

'Well done, my boy!! You know that I love you, right?!' Kang-Woo thought.

"Hmm," Benigoa murmured, her eyes lighting up at Si-Hun's sincere words.

She looked back and forth between Si-Hun's and Kang-Woo's faces.

"I-I feel the same way!" Seol-Ah stepped up next. "If… Kang-Woo hadn't been there for me, I would never have been able to attain such happiness."

She softly embraced Kang-Woo's arm while blushing. "Kang-Woo is… v-very precious to me."

'Shieet, darliiiiing!!!'

Kang-Woo clenched his fists while making an expression as if he were about to cry.

"Si-Hun and Sister-in-Law are right! I, Kang Tae-Soo, know Kang-Woo hyung-nim better than anyone else!"

'Tae-Soo… I had honestly forgotten about you after your importance in the story fell, but you sure are helpful in times like this.'

Support from Tae-Soo, whom Kang-Woo thought had vanished into thin air, had arrived.

Benigoa laughed upon hearing Tae-Soo's strong voice.

"Is that you, Deok-Gu?" she asked.

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Oh, sorry. There happens to be someone just like you in the world I'm in charge of."

Benigoa turned away.

After Si-Hun, Seol-Ah, and Tae-Soo, Echidna stepped up this time.

"Kang-Woo is a very good person," she stated.

Echidna grabbed Benigoa's sleeve and looked up at her with innocent eyes.

"Gasp." Benigoa took a deep breath.

She was a goddess, but her sense of beauty was similar to a human's. The way Echidna was looking up at her cautiously was so cute that Benigoa wanted to hug her right that second.

'Echidna, where did you learn such cunning techniques?'

It was obvious to Kang-Woo that Echidna was trying to look cute on purpose. He trembled upon seeing how much she'd grown.

As even Echidna had stepped up, everyone's attention shifted to Yeon-Joo.

"...What? I have to say something too?"

Yeon-Joo felt everyone's gaze on her as she stood there with her arms crossed. Based on the flow of things, it seemed like she had to say something as well.

She looked at Kang-Woo with annoyed eyes.

"To be honest, he's not that great. I have no idea why you all love such a self-centered guy who always acts on his own and doesn't seem to care about how others feel," Yeon-Joo lashed out.

"But, well…" She snorted. "He's still trustworthy."

Yeon-Joo turned her head away.

Kang-Woo could see that her cheeks were turning red.

'Which anime are you from?'

He couldn't help but chuckle at Yeon-Joo's line that seemed as if it had been ripped straight from an anime.

"Hahahahaha!" Benigoa laughed while holding her stomach.

Her laughter was so hearty that one wouldn't expect it to have come out from a goddess's mouth.

She nodded and said, "If the people around you trust you this much, I guess I can trust you."

Benigoa walked toward Kang-Woo and declared, "I will give you my power."

'Fuck yeaaaaaaahhhhhh!!'

Kang-Woo clenched his hands into fists.

He had not intended it, but she had been easily convinced thanks to the people around him.

'This is all thanks to my good karma! Yup! Karma! Of course!!!'

Kang-Woo was so happy that he could dance right here, but he suppressed his rising cheeks as much as possible.

'I should put on the face of a hero desperately struggling to protect the world.'

He shouldn't act happy at the thought of receiving a gift from a god. He had to control his emotions and show the goddess his will to protect this world with the power that she was about to give him.

“Oh, but it's not like I'm completely free from the system's restrictions. I say it's the power of a god, but it's probably not as grand as what you're thinking of," Benigoa added.

'I won't look a gift horse in the mouth!'

No matter how little the amount of power might be, Kang-Woo would still be getting something. It was as if the real Santa Claus had appeared on Christmas and had given him a gift, so there was no reason to refuse.

"It does not matter what power you give me," Kang-Woo said.

He took a step forward, grabbed Benigoa's hand, and pulled her toward him slightly.

"Ah…"

"What matters is the fact that you are looking out and caring for us, Lady Benigoa," he expressed with a serious gaze and an honest voice. "As you know, our world is not at all in a good situation. To be honest, it's a wonder why it hasn't fallen to ruin yet."

The goddess in charge of this world had almost died while trying to stop the invasion of Satan, the Demon of Prophecy. To make matters worse, Gaia's close aides were not able to help the human realm.

Kang-Woo continued, "I am sure you are also in charge of a world, Lady Benigoa. There must be things that you have to protect as well. You said it in passing, but you mentioned that you've suffered because you were deceived by a human in the past. So, I understand how hard it must be for you to lend your power to another world."

"Well…"

"I will never forget it."

Kang-Woo gripped Benigoa's hand firmly. The warmth of their hands met.

He bit his lips and put himself on the verge of tears. His voice cracked slightly, but he looked into her eyes with an unwavering gaze.

"We will never forget your kindness," he stated.

A strong sense of justice was exploding from the Warrior of Light, Oh Kang-Woo.

Benigoa trembled a little.

"...Like I thought," she voiced with a smile, "You're different."

She lightly placed her hand on Kang-Woo's shoulder.

Riiing.

[You have received Benigoa's Blessing.]

[Raising all stats excluding Demonic Energy by 10.]

[The absolute rise in Demonic Energy has been reduced due to its quality being too high.]

[Demonic Energy has risen by 3.]

'YOLO!!'

Energy invigorated his body.

"Thank you… very much," Kang-Woo said emotionally while bowing.

Benigoa smiled as she looked down at him.

The human's honest eyes, cracked voice, and tears dripping from his eyes were proof that his soul was more pure and beautiful than anyone else's.

"I think I can trust you," Benigoa concluded.

Blinding light spread far and wide.

'Of course, there isn't anyone as trustworthy as me! Huehuehuehue.'