Player who Returned 10,000 years Later - Chapter 268

“Ha… That son of a bitch.”

A beautiful girl with short, red hair stood in front of a high-rise building and sighed.

She began to kick pebbles around on the ground but couldn’t contain her anger and swung her fist toward the wall.

Paf.

Her fist left a noticeable imprint on the orderly brick wall.

Tap-

A young man with astonishing beauty approached her while pushing a wheelchair.

A thin woman with light brown hair sat in the wheelchair.

“Ah, Ms. YeonJoo, so you were already here.”

“Didn’t you know that I live here?”

“Ah, that’s right.”

“I came out here because of you guys. In reality, I just have to take the elevator.”

Kim ShiHoon, the man who was pushing the wheelchair, made a light laugh.

“Is KangWoo okay? It’s only been a week, so I’m unsure if we can visit yet…” Gaia said in a worried voice.

Chae YeonJoo snorted.

“Didn’t you see how fast his body regenerates? The body bastard who said he’d lived a good life began regenerating like a monster. It was so impressive that even the healer taking care of him was surprised.”

“W-we already knew that Hyeongnim had an incredible regenerative ability.”

“No, but why did such a bastard say bullshit like that? Ugh! Just thinking about that makes me angry. That son of a b…”

“M-Ms. YeonJoo.”

“What! Do you have a problem?!”

Kim ShiHoon flinched at Chae YeonJoo’s intense eyes.

He recalled how he’d screamed while holding KangWoo.

He looked and acted as if he were about to die, but soon after a healer started taking care of him, his body regenerated as if nothing had happened, so it was understandable that he reacted like that.

‘I had forgotten about Hyeongnim’s regenerative capabilities.’

Kim ShiHoon scratched his cheeks while remembering how he’d shouted.

According to KangWoo, his blood ended up having a strong regenerative capability due to how much he’d struggled in Hell.

He’d drunk KangWoo’s blood before when he was almost about to die. At that time, his body regenerated, so he already knew about it, but seeing how messed up KangWoo’s body became made him forget.

‘Although it seems like only the external wounds are healed…’

Even if his body had healed, KangWoo stayed in a coma for five days.

That meant that KangWoo’s regenerative ability wasn’t omnipotent.

After he almost died at the hands of Halphas, his wounds ended up healing, but he still couldn’t move properly for a while.

‘That means…’

Kim ShiHoon’s expression darkened.

If KangWoo’s body became that ruined despite his impressive regenerative ability, it meant he’d been hurt without any reprieve.

His anger and resentment toward Rakiel were only building.

‘I’ll at least get that bastard…’

He would tear each of his ten wings apart and force him to eat them.

“Haa.”

Kim ShiHoon took a deep breath.

Gaia carefully spoke.

“Uhm. Mr. ShiHoon…”

“Ah, yes?”

“There aren’t any angels around… right?”

“Right, there aren’t.”

Kim ShiHoon extended his senses and looked around.

After the previous incident, their relationship with the angels had become awkward.

There was no way they’d come to see how KangWoo was doing.

Gaia nodded and opened her mouth.

“Then… have you heard anything about Balrog or Echidna?”

Balrog, Echidna, Halcyon, Lilith…

Those four were KangWoo’s direct underlings. They were beings that were closer to evil.

Of course, Gaia, Kim ShiHoon, Han Seol-ah, and Chae YeonJoo had learned that KangWoo had suddenly been dragged to Hell and was forced to become a demon, so they were able to accept them, but that wasn’t the case for angels.

Angels would surely try to eliminate them.

”Ah, I heard that KangWoo hyeongnim’s subordinates were found where the middle bosses of the dungeon were. Lilith managed to rescue them, and they’re currently being healed at Balrog’s residence.”

“Their wounds…”

“I heard that they were in a severe state when they were first found, but it seems like they’re okay now.”

“I’m glad.”

Gaia smiled.

Unlike KangWoo, they weren’t beings that had accepted the light after throwing their demonic energy, but she knew they were more loyal to KangWoo than anyone else.

Since KangWoo was walking the path of light, they were naturally going to follow him.

“Haha, I’m a bit envious,” Kim ShiHoon said in a bitter voice.

Gaia tilted her head.

“You’re envious?”

“Yes. Hyeongnim became wounded after he moved with his subordinates. I can understand how much he believes in them just by seeing that he hadn’t told us anything.”

“Th-that’s probably not the case! Mr. ShiHoon, your duty was to eliminate the last remaining Phase of Evil. That’s probably why he didn’t call you.”

“Haha. Still… it’s just that I think he talks more comfortably and frankly with his subordinates.”

Kim ShiHoon wanted to say that he also wanted to become his subordinate. He scratched his head while smiling awkwardly.

Gaia tried to reply that wasn’t the case.

At that moment…

“I know how much you want KangWoo’s ass, so stop.”

“A-ass?”

“You look like a lovestruck teenage girl.”

Chae YeonJoo rolled her eyes, and then she spat on the floor.

Kim ShiHoon opened his mouth while making a flustered expression.

“It… it’s nothing like that! It’s just that I really admire Hyeongnim! And if it’s someone that I love…”

Kim ShiHoon took a glimpse at Gaia.

“Ah…”

It seemed like Gaia knew what would be said next, so she blushed and raised her hands to cover her cheeks.

Chae YeonJoo frowned.

“Fuck…”

She shook her head as if she couldn’t stand looking at them; then she asked, “Isn’t anyone else coming?”

“TaeSoo, Cheon SooYeon, and master said they wanted to come… but we thought that so many people visiting while KangWoo is still in recovery would be bad, so we decided to pick different dates.”

“Ah, really? I also told HwaYeon and old man HyunJae to come later.”

Chae YeonJoo turned and nodded.

She grabbed a basket of fruits that were on the floor.

“Then let’s get going. It’s weird to keep talking outside.”

“Ok.”

“I’ll have to hear what happened in great detail.”

“Haha. Hyeongnim just started recovering, so don’t be too harsh on him.”

“Bullshit. He’s done wrong to me, so…”

Chae YeonJoo hit her chest as if it still angered her.

Chae YeonJoo, Kim ShiHoon, and Gaia went toward KangWoo’s apartment.

As they knocked on the door, a kind-looking woman opened it.

“Oh.”

“We came to visit.”

Chae YeonJoo raised her fruit basket.

“How are you doing? After that… light came out of your body…”

“I’m not sure. To be honest, I don’t remember much from that day… but I’m doing okay.”

“Really? That’s good to hear,” Han Seol-ah replied with a smile on her face.

Chae YeonJoo visited the house often, so they had been close for a while.

After KangWoo became busier, she spent more time with Chae YeonJoo than KangWoo.

* * *

“Wait…”

Han Seol-ah carefully closed the door and came out.

“Hmm?”

“I’m… sorry. You came all the way here, but I don’t think Mr. KangWoo has reached a state where he can meet other people.”

“Why? Did he say that his body still hurts? I talked to him yesterday, and he said he’s doing okay.”

“He said he wants to rest for a bit more…”

“That bastard…”

Chae YeonJoo’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m sorry.”

“No. If Hyeongnim said he wants to take a break, we should respect his decision. I already talked to him via telephone, so contact me once he’s improved.”

“Yes, thank you.”

As Han Seol-ah apologized and bowed, Chae YeonJoo shook her hands.

“Tsk… Then do you want to go to my house? It’s on the 5th floor.”

“Ah, okay.”

“Grace said she’s going to take care of today’s work, so I can come as well.”

Kim ShiHoon and Gaia nodded.

Han Seol-ah returned to the apartment after guiding them to the elevator.

Clack-

As she opened the door, she saw KangWoo on the bed.

“Ah, Mr. KangWoo, lay back down.”

As KangWoo tried to get up, Han Seol-ah ran toward him.

KangWoo nodded while smiling bitterly.

“I still feel heavy.”

“You’ve suffered from some major injuries, after all. It’s already a miracle that you were able to recover like this…” Han Seol-ah answered sadly as if she’d remembered how KangWoo looked when Rakiel had been holding him captive.

KangWoo quickly waved his hand.

“There’s no need to be that worried.”

“No. KangWoo, you need to take better care of your body,” Han Seol-ah firmly replied.

KangWoo smiled bitterly and lay on the bed.

‘To be honest, I’m really okay.’

The wounded body was the fake he’d created using the Authority of Cloning.

Not only was he okay, but he was also feeling suffocated after staying in bed for over a week.

‘But still…’

There was nothing he could do about it.

KangWoo clicked his tongue.

‘People would suspect me if I wandered around after being severely wounded.’

As the person who’d planned the ‘Rescue Oh KangWoo’ plan, he had to be careful about the details.

He was planning to regenerate the external wounds slowly, but people around him cried so much that he was forced to use the Authority of Regeneration to heal the clone’s body.

‘ShiHoon and the other people already knew about the Authority of Regeneration.’

He’d fully regenerated Kim ShiHoon’s arm after it had melted down, after all.

More than that…

“Cough, cough!”

“M-Mr. KangWoo!”

Han Seol-ah quickly approached him and held his body.

After holding him carefully as if he were a wounded baby, she carefully placed her hands on his chest.

A white light came out of Han Seol-ah’s hand and covered his entire body.

KangWoo’s mouth relaxed.

He felt happy at the sensation that was spreading through his body.

‘I even became able to receive such care from darling.’

It was like hitting two birds with one stone.

To be honest, he wanted to stay like that for a month or two.

‘Well, I cannot do that.’

The Four Kings of Hell and Fallen Angel Rakiel…

He couldn’t stay still and do nothing after making up so many things.

Not only that, but he couldn’t absorb Belphegor’s demonic energy, and he wasn’t able to discover the last condition to becoming a demon god.

He had no way of knowing the last condition, so he had to increase his control of demonic energy to absorb Belphegor’s demonic energy.

‘There’s also a chance that both are related.’

He had a lot of things to do, so he couldn’t stay still and do nothing.

‘But still…’

There was no reason for him not to enjoy the situation.

“A-are you feeling better?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Haa. I’m glad to hear that.”

“Leaving that aside, Seol-ah, how have you been feeling since that day?”

“D-did you hear?”

“Yes. ShiHoon told me.”

Not only that, but he’d seen it with his own eyes. Other than just seeing it, he’d felt as if he were a vampire hit with the sunlight. The light had made his body burn.

‘What was that?’

He had no way of knowing, but it was definitely a strength that was beyond logic, and that strength was connected to the angelic pattern on Han Seol-ah’s back.

“To be honest, I’m also not sure. At that moment… I just thought that I had to save you, Mr. KangWoo.”

“So you can’t use it now?”

“I cannot.”

“Hmm…”

“B-but you don’t need to be worried! I haven’t had any problems since then!”

Han Seol-ah raised her thin arms and showed off her muscles.

KangWoo nodded.

‘I’m glad, but…’

He couldn’t help but be worried.

The strength she showed was…

‘Probably…’

It was a strength that was beyond his max demonic energy output.

It was a mind-blowing strength.

‘I should investigate that.’

The wings that had appeared on Han Seol-ah’s back were blurry.

That meant that, if the wings’ forms became clearer, she might be able to use even greater strength.

‘It makes no sense.’

He was really surprised by it.

He couldn’t understand it. She had shown more strength than he could muster, even though he was stronger than the peak he had reached in Hell.

He was thinking that when he felt something soft on his cheeks.

Han Seol-ah had put her hands on his cheeks.

“Don’t worry. Mr. KangWoo, I’m okay.”

She got up after saying that.

“Wait a bit.”

After walking out of the room, she came back with porridge.

“I found a good abalone, so I made this.”

“I’m not hurt enough to eat porridge. I think kimchi stew would be…”

“Shh. You still haven’t recovered, so be quiet,” Han Seol-ah said in a strict voice.

KangWoo nodded while making a sad expression.

Han Seol-ah took a spoon of porridge and then started blowing on it.

“Say, ‘ah~’”

“I’m not a baby. I can eat on my own.”

“Say, ‘ah’.”

“Yes.”

KangWoo opened his mouth and ate a spoon of porridge.

‘It’s delicious.”

KangWoo made a happy smile.

It was true that the porridge was delicious, but the situation also made him feel happy.

‘Have I ever received such care…?’

KangWoo smirked after thinking of the past.

‘No way.’

When he grew up at the orphanage, when he left it and began working, and then during the ten thousand years he’d spent in Hell…

He couldn’t remember someone ever taking care of him in such a manner.

‘This feels good.’

He was feeling a sense of happiness that was hard to explain.

“Fufu. You ate it all.”

Han Seol-ah cleaned his mouth with a handkerchief.

KangWoo felt as if he’d become a kid. He opened his arms after being dragged into the strange atmosphere coming out of Han Seol-ah.

“Hug me.”

“Oh.”

Han Seol-ah smiled while covering her mouth.

“I never imagined you’d look like this, Mr. KangWoo.”

“It’s a bit disgusting, right…?”

“No. What are you talking about?”

Han Seol-ah hugged KangWoo.

“I also liked the current Mr. KangWoo.”

“…”

It tickled a bit.

To be honest, it made him want to puke.

“I… prefer this to your usual self…”

“Hmm?”

“Fufu. Yes… I’d like to take care of you like this. Forever.”

“Darling?”

Han Seol-ah mumbled as if she were dreaming.

She laughed while giving a mysterious atmosphere; then she let KangWoo go from her hug.

She put away the pillow and sat on the bed.

“Mr. KangWoo…”

She lightly slapped her thighs.

“This is a bit…”

“Hurry.”

KangWoo felt that he couldn’t say no, so he changed his position.

A soft sensation spread through his body as he put his head on her thighs.

“Ah.”

For some reason…

He felt that he was about to cry.

“You had dinner, so you should take a rest.”

Han Seol-ah softly touched KangWoo’s cheeks.

Although his body didn’t need to sleep, he started feeling sleepy.

Then suddenly…

“Now that I think about it, didn’t ShiHoon and YeonJoo come? They said they were going to visit today.”

“Ah.”

Han Seol-ah let out a short exclamation.

“They contacted me and said they were busy and couldn’t come today.”

“Really?”

“Yes. So, Mr. KangWoo, don’t worry about anything, and get some sleep.”

Han Seol-ah touched KangWoo’s checks as if she were touching an important treasure.

A kind smile lit up her face.