After Ten Millennia in Hell

[Guardians is currently investigating a possible connection between this and the Grand Canyon volcanic eruption incident, but they have not been able to find any such connections.]

[Since the appearance of the blue Gate, sounds and sightings of explosions have been detected all over the world. Although there have not been civilian casualties since most of the incidents have been occurring in areas inhabited by monsters, it seems necessary to place particular attention on this matter.]

"I guess things are going smoothly."

The tips of Oh Kang-Woo's mouth went up while he watched the television.

Using Lucis as a provocation had been a success. Lucifer had crossed over to Earth and was engaging in an all-out war with the Demon Cult while exuding hostility toward Satan. The battle was an overwhelming victory for Lucifer's forces.

Kang-Woo wasn't sure how Lucifer's forces were finding the Demon Cult's branches, but they were very good at it.

The entire world had a hard time finding the locations of the Demon Cult branches, yet Lucifer's forces were finding them easily and even smashing them with overwhelming power. It was as if the lukewarm actions of Lucifer's forces until this point had been to build the foundations for this.

From what he was hearing from Lilith, the Demon Cult was being pummeled so one-sidedly that Kang-Woo honestly felt sorry for them.

'I was hoping for the Demon Cult to put up a bit more resistance.'

He did not think that this was all the Demon Cult had.

They might not be able to reverse the situation, but he wished they would reduce at least Lucifer's forces at least a little.

'I guess not everything goes as intended.'

Unlike Kang-Woo's expectations, the Demon Cult was being slaughtered. Nevertheless, he did not feel as anxious as he had been in the past.

Kang-Woo looked down at his hands.

He'd already grown strong enough to fight against the princes of Hell. He no longer needed to try to exhaust Lucifer like he had originally planned.

'I'm also preparing a trump card.'

Kang-Woo leisurely laid back on the couch.

Whatever the case, the only thing he had to do was watch the fight between Lucifer and the Demon Cult from a distance.

"Kang-Woo, I wanna watch anime. Konosuba airs today," Echidna said as she walked toward him.

She sat on her exclusive seat, Kang-Woo's thighs, and spread open her small hands.

Kang-Woo smiled and gave her the remote.

"Hm! Hm!"

Echidna changed the channels while snorting, but her expression soon filled with disappointment.

"It was canceled again…" she muttered, lowering her head with a pout.

Most shows had been canceled because of the Gate that Lucifer had used to cross to Earth.

"It'll calm down soon."

"Okay."

Echidna turned and pulled on Kang-Woo's clothes.

"Kang-Woo, I learned another dragon tongue magic today. I can use three of them now."

"Woah, you learned another one?"

Kang-Woo patted Echidna's head to show that he was proud of her.

Hatchlings couldn't use dragon tongue magic, the exclusive magic of dragons. Only adult dragons could.

Echidna was connected with Kang-Woo through the soul and could receive his power, but making the innately impossible possible required an astronomical amount of effort.

"Maybe you'll be able to use Breath soon, huh?" Kang-Woo asked playfully.

"Hm! Hm! I'll do my best!" Echidna answered while snorting.

"Well… I don't think it's something you can do with just effort, though."

Kang-Woo laughed softly.

Based on what he had heard from her, only a select few dragons, even among ancient dragons, were able to use Breath. Maybe Echidna would be able to do it in the future, but she was just a hatchling at the moment. Furthermore, it was an extremely difficult technique to use.

"Kang-Woo, Kang-Woo. Are you still busy these days?" Echidna asked carefully.

Kang-Woo had been very busy trying to master Mammon's Authority over the past few months, so it wasn't an unexpected question.

Kang-Woo patted her head while making a bitter smile. "Yeah, but I think things will calm down soon."

Once he devoured Lucifer, he would be able to fulfill his immediate objective.

Of course, he would have to train to master both the Authorities of Lucifer and Mammon, but he wouldn't need to hurry like he was doing right now.

“...I see."

Echidna lowered her head while making a sad expression.

Kang-Woo patted her head and asked, "How about we go on a picnic once this is over?"

"A picnic?"

"Yeah, with Seol-Ah."

"Hm! Hm! Yeah! Okay!"

Echidna nodded in excitement.

Kang-Woo smiled.

'This is what I call healing.'

He thought that if he ended up having a child with Han Seol-Ah one day like he hoped, this was what it would probably feel like.

Kang-Woo smiled while imagining it.

"Let's take Lilith and Balrog along," Echidna suggested.

"...Why them?"

"They aren't that close to Seol-Ah. Lilith and Balrog are super nice. I want everyone to get along."

"…"

Kang-Woo thought about it.

The companions he'd made on Earth did not really interact with his companions from Hell, Balrog and Lilith. It was mainly because Balrog and Lilith knew him too well. They knew what kind of person he was and what he had done in Hell.

'That's a bit…'

He'd warned them about what not to say, but he still found it troublesome.

Still, it wouldn't be good if Lilith, Balrog, Kim Si-Hun, Seol-Ah, and the others weren't well-acquainted with each other.

'I'll have to think about it later.'

It was important for his allies to have a good relationship with each other if he wanted a cohesive force.

There might be a day when Balrog and Si-Hun had to fight alongside one another or when Seol-Ah had to heal Lilith.

"Well, I have things to do, so I'll get going. Where's Seol-Ah?" Kang-Woo asked.

"She went out with the redhead."

"With Cha Yeon-Joo?"

"Yeah. They've been hanging out a lot lately."

"Hmm."

Kang-Woo nodded and got up.

Cha Yeon-Joo and Seol-Ah… At first glance, they were like oil and water.

'Well, maybe that's why they became friends.'

He walked off while thinking that.

* * *

Tap.

A man walked through a dark, humid cave and sloshed through the water pooled on the floor.

The metallic scent of blood filled the tunnel.

"Cough… Cough."

He heard someone coughing weakly.

Kang-Woo took out his red demon mask and put it on.

"You are a tough one," he remarked.

"…"

Lucis had been tied up and neutralized by the Authority of Sealing. There were wounds all around his body. He was in a dreadful state.

He glared at Kang-Woo and said, "Kill me."

"I will not."

"KILL ME!!"

"Hahaha. There is no way I would kill you."

Kang-Woo smirked, reached out, and grabbed a handful of Lucis's silver hair.

"Do not plead for death. It is my choice whether you live or die," Kang-Woo stated.

"…"

Lucis frowned.

Kang-Woo turned his head and saw Vaal Zahak, who had on a black robe with blood splattered all over it. He wasn't wearing the cute apron that he liked to wear.

"Are you having trouble making him submit?"

[I apologize, Lord Satan.] Vaal Zahak bowed. [I have tried all the black magic that I know, but… he refuses to break.]

"Hm."

Kang-Woo thought, 'How unexpected.'

He wasn't expecting Lucis to be this tenacious.

'That's not good.'

Kang-Woo frowned.

If Lucis didn't submit, it would throw a wrench in the works of his plan.

"Kek." Lucis cackled like a madman. "Kill me. I will never submit to you."

"Mmm…"

Kang-Woo had initially thought that Lucis was just a character with a severe case of chuunibyou, but this had honestly been unexpected. His unbending will truly surprised Kang-Woo.

'What else could I do?'

Even though he had weakened Lucis's power with the Authority of Sealing, none of the mind-control Authorities like Subordination or Fear worked on him. Lucis seemed to be proving that he really had the blood of a prince of Hell.

'What should I do?' Kang-Woo sighed. 'Maybe a change of plan is in order.'

He could make a compromise, but he didn't like the idea of it. It felt as if he had lost to a character who was all bark and no bite. It was a highly unpleasant feeling.

Splash.

"I knew you would be here, Lord Satan," Lilith said as she entered the cave. She glanced at Lucis and frowned. "Has that brat still not submitted?"

"Yeah."

"Hmph. He dares to inconvenience Lord Satan…"

Lilith frowned in displeasure.

She walked toward Kang-Woo and touched sensually.

"You're quite tired because of that brat, are you not?" she asked.

"Not really…"

"I should be comforting you at times like this, my k—Lord Satan." A wide smile appeared on Lilith's face. "Come to think of it, it has been a while since I have spent the night with you. How about you forget all of your worries and let me comfort you tonight?”

"Save me."

Lilith's sudden proposal… was probably because she had been suppressing all her desires while gathering information from all over the world regarding the battles between Lucifer and the Demon Cult. Now, her pent-up desires had reached their limit.

"Fufufu."

Squelch, squelch.

Lilith's beautiful, brown hair started to turn into green tentacles. Her face split, and eighteen eyes appeared.

Kang-Woo subconsciously took a step back.

Then…

"G-Gasp!!"

'Hm?' Kang-Woo wondered.

He noticed Lucis, who had kept his cool for the entire time of his capture, gasp and widen his eyes.

'What's with him?'

Lucis looked as if he'd just seen a ghost. He was even trembling.

There was no way a demon would be scared after seeing a ghost, so Kang-Woo wasn't sure why Lucis was reacting like that.

'Is he also shocked by Lilith's appearance?'

Kang-Woo was starting to feel a bit empathetic toward Lucis when…

"By the gods… such a beauty…" Lucis voiced.

"What?"

"Wh-Why is… such a beautiful woman following a scumbag like him?"

"The fuck d'you say?"

Kang-Woo felt as if he had been struck on the back of the head.

Lilith snorted while looking at Lucis. "Hmph, I guess even a brat like you knows beauty when you see it."

'No.'

"Go drink more of your mother's milk."

'The hell is happening?'

Kang-Woo was confused. What he saw didn't match what Lucis was saying.

Lucis bit his lip and shouted, "You are being deceived!"

"What do you mean?"

"A woman as beautiful as you… is not meant for trash like him!"

"...I will tear that mouth off if you dare to call my king trash again."

"Kuh!"

Tears dripped from Lucis's eyes.

"Please, come to your senses. I-I have fallen in love with you at first sight. I would like to protect you," he said in a trembling voice.

'What? Fallen in… What?'

"Hohohoho! How cute."

'Holy fuck… This is how it ends up?'

Kang-Woo was so surprised that he found it difficult to close his mouth. He grabbed his head in confusion.

At that moment, Lilith put her lips over Kang-Woo's ears.

"My king, you mentioned that you've been having trouble making that brat submit, right?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Fufu. I guess I have no choice. I, Lilith, will take care of this."

Lilith walked toward Lucis elegantly and said, "You fell in love with me at first sight, you say?"

"Y-Yes," Lucis answered.

"Fufufu. Now that I take a closer look, you are rather cute. Why don't you… show me how you feel?"

Squelch, squelch.

Tentacles spread from Lilith's body and surrounded Lucis.

"A-Aahh! H-How beautiful… Y-You…"

"Call me Lilith."

"L-Lady Lilith… A-Aaahhh!"

"Hohoho!!!"

"Nnn… Nngh!"

"…"

Thud.

Kang-Woo fell to the floor.

Something he couldn't believe—something he didn't want to believe—was happening in front of him.

A man in a demon cosplay was moaning while being violated by tentacles.

"Urpp." Kang-Woo covered his mouth and lowered his head. "Bleeeeegggghhh."