Player who Returned 10,000 years Later - Chapter 259

In the middle of a desert…

An old man who was so thin that he looked like a skeleton was walking through the endless sand, supporting himself with a cane.

A sandstorm hit the old man.

Tap-

He swung his cane, which emitted black demonic energy that touched the sandstorm.

Pang-!

The sandstorm exploded and scattered away.

The old man, who’d just stopped a natural disaster with one simple movement, turned his body while making a calm expression.

He started to walk again… Nonstop.

Soon, completely collapsed ruins appeared in front of him.

The old man looked around with sharp eyes, and…

“Aah…”

A short exclamation came out of him.

He trembled in excitement, leaned over, and dug through the sand.

A book with a black cover appeared from the sand.

“He, hehe…”

A chilling laugh came out of him.

“Finally, finally…!”

He trembled while holding the book in his hands.

“I’ve found the truth!”

He laughed in a similar manner to how Archimedes would have shouted ‘eureka!’

He cheered.

A mad energy poured from the old man.

“He, hehe.”

He turned his body to the desert.

Earth…

A planet where innumerable humans lived—a star where countless evil and crazy things happened.

To him, this planet, and all the people that breathed and lived on it, were a target of hate.

“Now…”

The ends of the old man’s mouth went up.

“The end is going to come.”

* * *

“Hngh. You care more about that human than I thought,” Lilith said in surprise.

After spending so many years with KangWoo, she learned how much he cared for his subordinates, yet she’d never seen him caring for someone and ensuring they grew.

“I’m a bit jealous,” Lilith said playfully and grabbed KangWoo’s arms.

KangWoo smirked.

“Rather than caring, it’s a matter of effectiveness.

Even if he killed Kalgia with his own hands, there wasn’t much he could gain from it.

Taking into consideration their current strength, there were only three that could fight against a Phase of Evil on their own…

‘Halcyon, Balrog, and Kim ShiHoon.’

The strongest one was Halcyon; then Balrog and Kim ShiHoon.

‘The one who can profit the most from hunting Kalgia is…’

There was no need to think too deeply.

There was one big difference between Balrog and Kim ShiHoon.

‘Kim ShiHoon is a player.’

He’d received the blessing of the system.

Basically, he could obtain experience and level by killing Kalgia, but that wasn’t the case for Balrog and Halcyon.

Levels and experience didn’t apply to them.

It was inevitable that the growth expectancy between them was different.

‘Well, thinking about Balrog’s recent doings, maybe that’s not the case.’

Recently, Balrog had awakened a new power called ‘Overlord’s Armor’.

That was, in reality, something that didn’t make sense.

‘After all, the limit of a demon is decided the moment they’re born.’

An archduke was born as an archduke, a demon of the 9th hell was born in the 9th hell, and a demon of the 8th hell was born in the 8th hell.

Surpassing that wall with their own strength was almost impossible.

Somehow, Balrog had gone beyond that wall.

He’d overcome his limits and killed Belphegor.

It wasn’t only because Balrog had become stronger thanks to his demonic energy stat increasing.

One couldn’t kill an archduke just because their available demonic energy had increased.

‘From now on, he’ll probably grow more.’

Someone who’d gone beyond a limit could see and imagine beyond that.

Just like he’d already done, Balrog would probably keep getting stronger.

That was why Balrog had been focusing on training.

“Anyway, can you make the preparations?”

“Yes. As soon as I’ve figured out the location, I’ll send a message so they can move.”

“We can’t send ShiHoon alone… So try to send an army along with him.”

There was no way Kalgia was moving alone.

There was a chance that the remaining forces of the Demon Cult were gathered around Kalgia.

‘After all, he’s the last remaining Phase of Evil.’

From the Demon Cult’s point of view, he was their last hope.

Then, to make sure Kalgia fought Kim ShiHoon in a one-on-one, it was necessary that he was accompanied by an army,

“Everything as the Demon King wishes.”

Lilith lifted her skirt slightly and lowered her head.

“…”

KangWoo silently looked at her.

He remembered the recent incident with Halcyon.

“There’s something I wanted to ask.”

“Yes.”

“You said you can’t tell human beauty, right?”

“Ah, yes.”

“Do you find them a bit disgusting?”

“…”

Lilith remained silent.

Even if they looked at humans as beings that were like fish, if someone asked if they found a fish beautiful, the answer would most likely be a ‘no’.

‘For example, fish are quite ugly.’

Although it depended on the species, the ones that lived in the deepest part of the sea looked like demons.

“Hmm. I don’t find them beautiful or pretty, at least,” Lilith answered while making a troubled expression.

If she’d said it like that, then that probably meant she found humans quite disgusting.

“Then does that mean that I also look like that?”

“Fufu,” Lilith laughed lightly.

She extended her hand and touched KangWoo’s cheek.

“That isn’t important. It doesn’t matter how the Demon King looks. Even if you looked like a Halcyon… I would love you.”

“…”

* * *

“Do you remember when you saved me from the hands of Asmodeus? Countless demons said how much they loved me. They used to say they were willing to risk their lives for me, but…” She touched his cheeks.

It was as if she were touching an important treasure.

“Only you were willing to confront and stand before the archduke.”

“That…”

“I know. You wanted the forces that followed me.”

Lilith smiled.

“Still, I was happy. It made me think that, even if the world collapsed, I’d be happy if you were there.”

“…”

“Fufufu. Then I’ll be going. I’m going to come back once I finish the research.”

Lilith turned away.

“Thank you,” KangWoo said while looking at her walk away.

Lilith turned and smiled; then she closed the door.

Tap. Once the door closed, there was only silence left.

“Fuck…”

He grabbed his hair in confusion.

‘Well, first…’

He took a deep breath and shook his head.

He couldn’t focus on Lilith at the moment.

“Should I try to increase my control of demonic energy?”

KangWoo got up.

He wasn’t just giving prey to Kim ShiHoon to make him stronger, after all.

‘I must increase my forces as much as possible.’

The future became uncertain after the Satan coin collapsed.

‘There’s only one thing I must do, either way…’

Just like when he’d fall into Hell, when he’d entered the 9th hell for the first time, or when he declared war on the archdukes, just like he always did…

‘To a higher place.’

He had to devour everything and keep advancing to an even higher place.

* * *

“Then we’ll be going.”

Kim ShiHoon, who was standing in the front, turned.

The gate that led to the Middle East was in the Hall of Protection.

The Celestial Wolf Troops, Kim ShiHoon’s forces, stood in front of it.

“We’ll be acting on our own.”

The silver-haired Angel walked toward them.

Shargiel—Raphael’s 2nd-in-command and the angel sent to help and keep an eye on Guardian.

Behind Shargiel were angels that one could say were the elites among Raphael’s forces and the Light Watchers that were their servants.

“Yes, that would be helpful,” Kim ShiHoon said while making a relieved expression.

Although he was in charge of this plan, he still felt awkward with angels.

Leading in such a situation would be uncomfortable, so them moving on their own would be easier.

“Understood.”

Shargiel turned around.

“Then…”

Kim ShiHoon took a deep breath.

Unlike his usual self, he felt a sense of pressure and weight over his shoulders.

“Now that I think about it, where’s KangWoo?” Chae YeonJoo asked while turning her head.

She was also acting as a member of the Celestial Wolf Troops.

Because of her personality, rather than being a member of the troops, she felt like a party member.

“Hyeongnim said he couldn’t come because he’s busy with something.”

“Busy with something?”

Chae YeonJoo frowned.

“So what does he have to do now?”

It seemed she didn’t like that he wasn’t taking part in the plan.

Kim ShiHoon shook his head while making a bitter smile.

“I’m not sure, but…”

He remembered how sorry KangWoo looked because he couldn’t participate in the plan—his expression had been dark and serious.

“It seems like he thinks there’s something big going around.”

To think that someone who hated evil as much as KangWoo wouldn’t participate in the plan to eliminate the last remaining Phase of Evil…

There was probably something big that they weren’t aware of.

‘Hyeongnim…’

Kim ShiHoon thought of KangWoo, who was probably busy elsewhere.

He was someone who always thought of other people, someone who didn’t care about sacrificing himself, someone with a strong sense of justice.

He was the hyeong he respected the most.

If he hadn’t told him what was going on, it was probably something really hard and painful.

Light particles began gathering around his hand, and a sword formed.

Clack-

He grabbed Ludwig and swore an oath.

“I’ll finish the Demon Cult instead of Hyeongnim.”

* * *

Click-

“Woah, I can really do this.”

KangWoo’s eyes shone while looking at the item he’d created using the Authority of Projection and the Authority of Subordination.

The Authority he’d prepared for that moment…

In front of him, what Kim ShiHoon saw appeared in front of him as if it were a TV monitor.

“Hngh, it’s a bit troublesome.”

KangWoo looked sleepy.

For the past few days, he had continuously worked to increase his control of demonic energy without a break.

‘This isn’t something that can be recovered with the Authority of Regeneration.’

Even a Demon King couldn’t do anything against the mental tiredness that being on the verge of death numerous times each second caused.

‘To be honest, I’m really sleepy.’

Still, he couldn’t miss such an opportunity.

KangWoo extended his hand toward the object he’d prepared for that moment.

Tss-

He grabbed a can of beer and ate some of the popcorn he’d prepared beforehand.

“Go, ShiHoon!”

He waved his fluorescent sticks.

“Good luck, my little brother!!”