Player who Returned 10,000 years Later - Chapter 271

“Since the existence of Rakiel has been confirmed, I’ll ask for support from the Heavens. Uriel will soon arrive.”

“Another Archangel will come?”

“Yes.”

Raphael nodded.

“If Rakiel… and other fallen constellations are free, then me alone won’t be enough.”

“…”

It made sense.

No, it was weird that only one archangel would come.

‘Still…’

KangWoo narrowed his eyes.

‘I still have some time.’

It didn’t matter which archangel came to Earth.

‘The seal hasn’t been lifted yet.’

No matter how much they tried, they wouldn’t be able to find Rakiel.

‘While they’re wasting time…’

He had to make preparations.

No, he could also think of a way to use the situation.

‘It’s too much of a waste to throw the Rakiel card away so soon.’

KangWoo’s brain began moving quickly.

If he knew that Rakiel was real and that his seal hadn’t been lifted yet, he could use that.

“Gaia’s Incarnation, I’m going to give you some advice.”

“Yes, great Raphael?”

“Be more careful about your allies than your enemies. Be prepared to doubt those you love.”

“Yes…?”

Gaia’s expression hardened.

“There’s a reason why Rakiel is called a fallen constellation, his words are sweet. Soon… No, there’s a chance that, even now, someone is being tempted.”

“…”

“During the war against the demon god, many angels were deceived by him and ended up falling.”

“I’ll be wary.”

While straightening her back, she spoke in a firm voice.

“I believe in the Guardians. These people…”

She extended her hands and held Kim ShiHoon and KangWoo’s hands.

It seemed like she felt relieved. She smiled slightly.

“They aren’t people that would fall for a demon’s deception.”

“…”

Raphael sighed.

Gaia smiled.

“I know what’s worrying you. I’m also going to be cautious just in case. You don’t need to worry.”

“I hope that belief stands true.”

Gaia lowered her head.

KangWoo and Kim ShiHoon also lowered their heads after her.

There was nothing else that needed to be discussed with Raphael.

“We’ll be going back.”

KangWoo turned his body.

“…”

After they left, Raphael looked over the base and shut his eyes.

“Haa.”

He couldn’t help but sigh.

‘To think that it’d be Rakiel…’

Raphael bit his lip.

Although Gaia said not to worry, Raphael knew everything the fallen constellation had done, so he couldn’t do that.

“Shargiel.”

“Yes?”

“Look over the Guardians. It’s okay if you do it until Uriel gets here.”

“Rather than being so anxious, why don’t you eliminate Guardian?”

Shargiel’s eyes shone sharply.

Rakiel was capable of easily making angels fall, so there was no way a human would be able to resist.

Rather than turning their backs to such a weakness, getting rid of them might be better.

Raphael shook his head.

“That’s a hasty choice. That’s your biggest problem.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Just concentrate on watching over them.”

“Yes.”

Shargiel bowed.

He knew Shargiel’s personality, so he couldn’t help but give him an uneasy look.

He shook his thoughts aside and stood.

“Then, before Uriel arrives, I will investigate Rakiel.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Did you hear how he fell?”

Shargiel shook his head.

“No… I just heard that the demon god tempted him.”

“I’m trying to investigate what kind of temptation it was.”

To face the darkness, one had to understand it.

‘There are too many things I must do.’

He had to investigate Rakiel and return to the arms of the light to heal his wounds.

Raphael once again sighed.

* * *

There was a reason for everything.

Although it might look like a coincidence, if you took a closer look, you would likely find an underlying reason.

After KangWoo separated from Gaia and Kim ShiHoon, he ran somewhere.

The reason behind it all…

No, the starting point.

“Balrog, you bastard!!!”

BOOM-!

He annihilated a ten-meter-high custom-made wall and jumped into the air, using the Authority of Sky to step on the air and spin.

Paf-!!

[Cough!!]

It was an impressive flash kick.

Balrog managed to protect his chin, but still, his body ended up floating into the air and falling to the ground.

[D-Demon King?!]

“You son of a…! A name! I asked you to suggest a name! But why did you suggest that one?! Why?!”

[Cough! Wh-why are you doing this? Demon King?!]

Balrog’s shouts spread.

KangWoo tried to calm down and took a deep breath.

“Haa, haa. You… Where did you hear the name ‘Rakiel’?”

[What…?]

“I said, ‘Where did you hear the name ‘Rakiel’?’”

[Hmm. I don’t remember…]

“Remember it.”

KangWoo’s eyes shone sharply. Balrog shook and desperately nodded.

[I… I’ll remember!]

Seeing such a giant trembling in fear was weird, but it wasn’t time to think about things like that.

“Haa.”

KangWoo sat on the sofa as if his head hurt.

Clack-

“KangWoo, did something happen?”

“Mr. KangWoo! I missed you!”

A door opened, and Halcyon and Echidna appeared.

As soon as Halcyon saw KangWoo, he went running toward him.

“I was really lonely while—”

Halcyon’s words, who was speaking with a smile, were cut short.

It seemed like he’d noticed that KangWoo’s expression was serious.

“Uuh…”

“KangWoo… what happened?”

After Echidna and Halcyon, Lilith appeared.

“Did something happen?”

“Hngh.”

KangWoo grabbed his forehead while thinking about how to explain the complex situation.

“You see…”

He briefly explained to them what Raphael had said.

“Ha.”

Lilith also laughed in disbelief.

She looked at Balrog with sharp eyes.

“You don’t know Rakiel?”

[Wh-what? You do?]

“I also didn’t know he was an evil constellation, but I have heard that name before. No, you also heard it with me.”

[I… I don’t remember when…]

* * *

Balrog let the end of his sentence drop while scratching his head.

Lilith grabbed her forehead as if it hurt.

“You muscle pig…”

“Lilith, do you also know about Rakiel?”

“Yes. I’ve heard that name before.”

“From who?”

“Amon.”

Amon…

KangWoo’s eyebrows frowned as that name was mentioned.

Amon was a demon that used to be Satan’s subordinate.

No other demon was more knowledgeable about black magic in Hell than he was. He was also the one who’d opened the fissure that led toward Earth by using Hell’s Equipment.

“Amon knew Rakiel?”

“Yes. I definitely heard that name from Amon.”

“What did he say?”

“He didn’t give any details… He just mentioned it in passing. He asked if we knew about Rakiel.”

“…”

She narrowed her eyes.

He felt that something was wrong.

“Lilith, Balrog. Have you ever heard about Bauli?”

“Bauli?”

Lilith and Balrog looked at each other.

The two demons shook their heads.

“No. I haven’t heard it before.”

“Then… what about titans or void beings?”

“That also…”

Lilith dropped the end of her sentence while making a troubled expression.

‘Lilith also doesn’t know about the mythic age.’

KangWoo knew better than anyone how impressive Lilith’s information network was, but even she didn’t know about the mythic age.

‘That means that information about the mythic age hasn’t spread in Hell.’

That was weird.

How could Amon know information not even Lilith was aware of?

“Balrog, before coming here, did you see Amon acting suspiciously?”

[Leaving acting suspiciously aside, I never saw him leave his lab after you returned to Earth. If that’s acting suspiciously… Yes,] Balrog said while stroking his chin.

‘He didn’t leave the laboratory?’

He lacked information.

He couldn’t find the connection between him and the demon god.

“Lilith…”

“Yes, Demon King?”

“Figure out if there’s a way to communicate with Hell. Doomguard or Marbas—either of them is okay. I need to contact someone that has a higher rank than commander.”

“I’ll follow your orders.”

Lilith bowed.

KangWoo lay on the sofa.

He needed to organize the situation.

‘There’s no need to think about things like this right now.’

The mythic age, titans, void beings, etc…

Even if he thought about those things, he wouldn’t be able to find an answer.

Instead, he needed to think about things he could actually act on.

‘It would be better if I avoid using the Rakiel card.’

If he was in a situation where it was the only way out, he would use it, but he couldn’t comfortably use it anymore.

Since he knew the seal was weakening, he had to consider the possibility that Rakiel would suddenly appear.

Also, Uriel was going to come.

It wouldn’t be weird if even more archangels came to Earth.

They were probably going to do their best to find Rakiel.

‘They won’t be able to find him.’

They were for sure going to investigate all the people they found suspicious.

For example, the person who was kidnapped by Rakiel but somehow managed to survive…

If they couldn’t get the desired result, their investigative range would spread even toward the people around them.

‘Leaving Lilith, Echidna, or Halcyon aside…’

Even if Balzac and Balrog could hide their demonic energy, they could do nothing about their aspect.

“Balzac…”

Clack.

The door of the laboratory opened, and a skeleton walked out.

“…”

He was wearing a pink hood; a pink apron was covering his ribs.

Even the duster was pink.

“You…”

[Hehe. Did something happen, Demon King?]

“That’s what I want to ask. What happened?”

[There was too much dust in the laboratory. Fufufu. Dear King, what do you want to order of me now? Should I create an undead with the corpse of a saint? should I turn all of the light’s servants into puppets…]

“Don’t say things like that while wearing such attire. I can’t concentrate.”

[Hahaha! What’s wrong with them? Aren’t they neat clothes?]

“No… Ah… I’m sorry. I… I’m sorry.”

KangWoo couldn’t keep talking and turned his eyes away.

“There’s something I wanted to ask.”

[Yes.]

“Do you know how to do black magic?”

[Of course.]

“Can you create ‘skin’ that looks like a human’s? You can use a corpse if needed.”

[Hmm. Are you talking about the tentacle decorations that Miss Lilith made before?]

“No. It must be more detailed than that. If you wear it, you should look like a human, and it should allow you to move as one.”

[It might take some time… but it’s possible. How many should I make?]

“Just for you and Balrog.”

[Mr. Balrog? Hmm. Taking into consideration Mr. Balrog’s size…]

“I can shrink his body, so don’t worry about that, but still, try to turn him into the biggest human possible.”

[Understood.]

KangWoo looked at Balrog, who seemed confused at his words.

[D-Demon King, making me smaller? What’s…]

“I’ll use an Authority to change your body. It might not be possible to fight afterward, but try to get used to it so that you can live a normal life.”

[Is there a need for me to look like a human…?]

“It’s just in case angels catch your tail.”

[Angels? I just have to annihilate them…]

“Balrog…”

KangWoo narrowed his eyes.

Balrog shivered a bit and slammed his forehead onto the ground.

[I’m sorry.]

“Okay.”

KangWoo turned his eyes from Balrog and lifted his bangs.

‘The biggest problem is the demon god.’

KangWoo thought about the tale he’d heard from Raphael.

He understood what the demon god within his Ten Thousand Demon Core wanted.

—He was targeting his body.

‘I can’t eliminate him.’

Just keeping him in place was already hard enough.

“…”

He thought about it for a while, but there was only one conclusion he could reach.

‘I must increase my control of demonic energy.’

Whether it was to stop the demon god from crawling out, to absorb Belphegor’s demonic energy and increase his stat, or to stop something unexpected from happening, increasing his level of control was critical.

‘And to make sure…’

KangWoo’s eyes deepened.

He recalled a mountain made of an endless amount of corpses.

He remembered how much he’d suffered.

‘I don’t lose anyone else…’

He needed to increase his control of demonic energy as quickly as possible.

“…”

KangWoo closed his eyes.

There was only one method that came to mind.

‘But that way…’

He hesitated a bit, but that only lasted for a short while.

“Balrog…”

[Yes, Demon King.]

“I will be undergoing metamorphosis.”

Balrog’s eyes widened.