After Ten Millennia in Hell

He couldn't see anything. It was as if the entire world had been encroached upon by darkness.

He moved his hand, twisted his body, and struggled.

He felt something sticky pulling him as if he'd fallen into a swamp.

'Where…'

His memories were blurry as if he were high on drugs. He turned his head and saw something being absorbed into the darkness.

'Baek Kang-Hyun.'

A faint memory came to mind.

He remembered seeing a giant mouth devour Kang-Hyun whole. Kang-Hyun had been eaten pathetically after struggling and resisting like a madman.

While seeing Kang-Hyun sinking deep into the sea, Kang-Woo realized what he needed to do right now.

'I have to get out of here.'

He raised his head. He still couldn't see anything around him.

He kicked his feet violently.

Up, up.

He felt his body going up little by little.

Crunch!

'Kurgh.'

Something bit his ankle.

He looked down.

A giant mouth bit his ankle and pulled him down. He sank back down.

Kang-Woo twisted his body and pulled on his ankle with all his might. It was cut off by the giant mouth.

'Now.'

He flapped both arms, twisted his body, and kicked with his remaining foot to escape the darkness.

Mouths—those of predators with sharp teeth—appeared all around him.

His entire body was bitten, his arms were cut, and half his face was bitten off.

Kang-Woo, however, still didn't stop.

He knew better than anyone that if he stopped here, he would never be able to go back.

He raised his head. There was a wide-open door within the nothingness.

He turned toward the door.

The giant mouth had devoured his lower body.

He desperately struggled while screaming, but the mouths devouring him did not easily let him go. His consciousness started to fade, and his sight became blurry.

'Ah…'

He couldn't remember where he was or who he was. His name, age, and past were all a blur. He thought that it would be comfortable if he were to just sink deeper into the sea.

"Kang… Woo!"

He heard a voice. It was the voice of a girl.

His fading consciousness regained form.

'Focus.'

He bit his lip. He had to remember his name. He had to think about who he was, why he was here, and how to get out.

'I am…'

He extended his hand and grabbed the doorknob of the wide-open door. He pulled with all his might.

The door closed.

* * *

"Huff! Huff! Huff!!"

"K-Kang-Woo! Are you okay?"

He regained consciousness. As he opened his eyes and panted heavily, he saw Echidna grabbing his face.

"Where…"

He looked around. It was the place where he'd fought Kang-Hyun.

"What happened to the Rift?"

"… It disappeared when the demon died."

"Fuu. Then I guess we've put out the biggest fire."

Kang-Woo felt relieved, and he collapsed to the floor.

Echidna looked down at him while trembling. Transparent tears dripped down her cheeks.

"Kang-Woo… you almost disappeared."

"…"

"I could tell since I'm your summoned beast. Kang-Woo, you almost died."

"Risking your life in situations like this is the cool thing to do."

"Don't joke…!" Echidna angrily glared at him. "You said that you wouldn't let me be all alone anymore…!"

He extended his hands and caressed her cheeks wet with tears.

"I'm sorry."

"Sniff. Waaaaahhhh!"

Echidna hugged him.

Kang-Woo gently patted her head and fell into thought.

'I knew opening the door now was too risky.'

The act of opening the door was a way to force the Ten Thousand Demon Core, which could be considered a sea of demonic energy, out of control.

Even while in Hell, he always saved it as the very last resort.

It wasn't hard to see why.

'It could devour me.'

The Ten Thousand Demon Core was colossal, and even Kang-Woo didn't know everything about it. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it, with the demonic energies of hundreds of thousands of demons intermingling, another world.

Forcing something so colossal to run out of control came with equally colossal risks.

'But I never had a problem with just the First Door.'

After the Gaia System had sealed his power, the Ten Thousand Demon Core seemed to have become harder to control.

'I shouldn't use it unless absolutely necessary.'

The risk had been bigger than he had expected. If it hadn't been for Echidna's faint voice, it wouldn't have been weird for him to have been devoured by the sea of demonic energy.

He would have to refrain from using it until he recovered his original power and could better control the Ten Thousand Demon Core.

'I can't die after all I've gone through.'

Kang-Woo looked down at Echidna, who was hugging him.

Although it hadn't been long since he had returned to Earth, many things had happened. He'd been able to experience the joys of eating and taking a break. He'd also gotten important people and those he had to protect.

He had ended up getting reasons to not die.

Ring.

[You have successfully defeated Amdusias, a demon of the Eighth Hell.]

[Your level is capped. The rewarded EXP will be accumulated.]

[Demonic Energy has risen by 5.]

[You have acquired the Authority of Sealing.]

"Wow."

Five Demonic Energy stat points!

It was a lot considering that his Demonic Energy stat was now similar to the main stat of a Player whose level was in the mid-nineties. It was as if he could permanently use Kraken's Rage, which he could only use for one minute.

'It finally surpassed 100.'

Kang-Woo checked his Status Window.

His Demonic Energy stat was at 103!

He'd only been able to reach three digits after using Kraken's Rage, but now it was his baseline stat value.

'I heard the minimum requirement to be a World Ranker was to have a three-digit stat.'

The minimum requisite for taking the World Ranker evaluation was to reach Level 85 and have a three-digit stat.

At just Level 59, Kang-Woo had achieved a three-digit stat, which was only barely possible even after reaching Level 89, the final point of one's Ninth Awakening.

In the end, what gave Players power wasn't their level but their stats.

Kang-Woo was currently as strong as a World Ranker. No, considering how many Authorities he could use, it wouldn't be weird if he were stronger than them.

And in only three months, no less.

'I also got an OP new Authority.'

The Authority of Sealing. It had been powerful enough to seal Kang-Woo's power. The only flaw was that the Authority had to be in contact with the target's body, but its effect more than made up for its flaw.

'I'll make very good use of this.'

Kang-Woo smiled, satisfied.

The things he'd obtained were so great that it almost made him forget that he didn't manage to break through the level cap.

"Kang-Woo!"

"Kang-Woo hyung-nim!"

"Hey! Are you okay?!"

Han Seol-Ah, Kim Si-Hun, and Cha Yeon-Joo ran to him. Behind them, he could also see Kang Tae-Soo, Baek Hwa-Yeon, and Choi Eun-Bi.

"Yeah." Kang-Woo nodded and tried to stand up. "Huh?"

However, Kang-Woo staggered and fell to the ground.

"Kang-Woo!!"

Yeon-Joo extended her hands. The chains that emerged from her bracelet wrapped around his body.

"Just stay down if you're tired! Don't make people worry!" she said while glaring at him. "And who told you to go in there by yourself?! You were the one who told us to be careful of the Demon Cult! Why did you fight by yourself?"

Kang-Woo smirked after hearing her angry voice. The sincere concern hidden behind anger made him feel good.

"I mean, 'all's well that ends well,' right?"

"That's not the important thing here! Do you have any idea how—"

"Thank you for worrying about me."

Kang-Woo placed his hand on top of Yeon-Joo's head.

She moved back in surprise.

"I-I wasn't worried!" Yeon-Joo shouted, her face as red as her hair.

Kang-Woo didn't answer, and he lay down on the floor. He was swept with fatigue that weighed down on his body.

Seol-Ah got close to Kang-Woo and placed her hand on top of his chest.

"Healing Light."

"Whoa…"

Although the fatigue hadn't completely vanished, his body didn't hurt as much as before.

"The effect is incredible."

"It's because I got my Fifth Awakening."

"What? You've already reached Level 40?"

He had no right saying this, but their leveling speed was abnormally fast.

"Si-Hun received a unique quest, and our levels shot up after completing it," Seol-Ah explained.

"A unique quest?"

"I will tell you later, hyung-nim. I think it would be better for you to get some rest for the time being."

"Hmm…"

Kang-Woo nodded.

'I feel like I'm about to pass out anyway.'

Although he felt better after receiving the Healing Light, he still felt tired.

"Are you still having trouble moving?"

"A little."

Kang-Woo nodded.

While smiling kindly, Seol-Ah picked him up. Although she looked like a frail girl, she was still a Player. Her basic stats were far beyond a normal human's. Lifting an average man was nothing for her.

"I will carry you home."

'This is a bit…'

Kang-Woo smiled awkwardly.

Leaving her strength aside, it felt extremely weird for an adult man to be carried by a delicate woman.

'I'll ask her to put me down.'

Although he had trouble moving, he could at least walk.

"Thanks, but I think—"

Squish.

At that moment, he felt something soft against his stomach—a sensation that couldn't be described with words.

It was her chest, which Eun-Bi had nicknamed Cerberus.

Kang-Woo widened his eyes.

"Do you think you can walk?"

"U-Uhhh…"

His instincts were about to overtake his reason. It did not take long for him to think.

While coughing, Kang-Woo answered while groaning, "I don't think so. Man, it sure can't be helped. It's a bit of a weird sight to see, but since I can't move an inch—"

"In that case, I will carry you, hyung-nim!" said Tae-Soo.

"Huh?"

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

"Hahaha! I'm sure you'll be more comfortable in my arms than my sister-in-law's!"

'Stay away from me.'

"As the little brother, I can't stay still when my sworn brother can barely walk!"

'No, please just stay still, man.'

"Hyung-nim! Come jump into my arms!"

'Go away.'

Tae-Soo picked up Kang-Woo.

Kang-Woo was met with the thick stench of sweat and the sensation of muscles that were as hard as stone.

"Hyung-nim! We should take you back home first and foremost! No need to worry! I will take full responsibility for taking you there!"

"No… Tae-Soo, your house is in the complete opposite direction, so…"

"Hahahaha! That doesn't matter to me as long as it is for you, hyung-nim!!"

"Put me down for a second. Now that I think about it, I think I can walk."

"You shouldn't overwork yourself! Stay still!"

Tae-Soo held Kang-Woo even tighter.

Kang-Woo was soaked with Tae-Soo's sweat.

'This ain’t it.'

Kang-Woo's face turned pale. He reached out toward Seol-Ah, but she was too far away.

'This really ain’t it…'