After Ten Millennia in Hell

Cheon Myeong-Ho's eyes widened as he looked down at his squashed axe on the ground in disbelief. He was trembling.

This couldn't be happening. This was something that simply couldn't possibly happen. A person crushing an axe with his bare hands…? That was impossible unless he was a certain green monster from films.

"Urgh!" Myeong-Ho uttered and let go of his axe handle.

He lifted his right fist, and his arm muscles grew so large that they seemed like they were about to burst. Myeong-Ho then targeted Oh Kang-Woo's head with his right fist, which had become harder than steel.

Tap.

However, the same thing happened again. Kang-Woo leisurely caught Myeong-Ho's punch with one hand. The difference in the sizes of their hands was like comparing an adult's hands to a child's, yet Kang-Woo had blocked Myeong-Ho's punch easily.

Crack.

"Aaarrggghhh!!"

The sound of Myeong-Ho's bones breaking was accompanied by his screams.

Kang-Woo kicked Myeong-Ho's chest. His feet pushed in deeply due to his amplified strength from using the Authority of Titanic Might, which made him stronger than a Giant Ogre.

Bash!

"Kurgh! Urgh! Cough! Cough!"

Myeong-Ho, who had fallen to the ground, coughed up blood. The fear he felt was visible on his face.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Kim Yeong-Hun shouted at him.

Myeong-Ho stood up while trembling and replied, "I-I apologize, sir."

"Damn it... Who the hell is that guy?" Yeong-Hun said, chewing his nails anxiously.

He didn't know who was the arrogant prick that had just appeared. The only thing Yeong-Hun knew was that he and Myeong-Ho wouldn't be able to win against the prick.

'There's no other choice.'

Yeong-Hun's eyes narrowed as he ordered, "Cheon Myeong-Ho, use demonic energy."

"..."

"What are you doing?! Hurry up and use demonic energy!" Yeong-Hun shouted angrily at Myeong-Ho.

Myeong-Ho's lips trembled as he stood up with a grim expression.

"... Yes, sir," he replied.

Myeong-Ho placed his hand on his chest where he could feel his heart beating. The dense and dark demonic energy hidden within it spread through and enveloped him.

"A-Ahhh," Myeong-Ho uttered with his mouth wide open.

His eyes dyed red, and his blood vessels protruded, appearing hideous. Myeong-Ho's skin turned black, goat horns sprouted on his forehead, and wings resembling that of bats burst out through his back.

The energy of Hell that had been contained in his heart was changing him into a demonic beast. A strong desire for destruction rose from inside Myeong-Ho and devoured his sense of reason while enlarging his body.

"GRRRR..." Myeong-Ho growled like a wild beast and flapped his wings.

"Wow!" Kang-Woo uttered with bright eyes upon seeing Myeong-Ho's transformation.

'His transformation is the closest to a demon among all the other transformations that I've seen until now.'

Kang-Woo had seen many people accept demonic energy, but none of them managed to get this close to transforming into a true demon.

'But...'

Kang-Woo laughed.

Even if he had turned into a demon, nothing would change. Kang-Woo was close to achieving his Sixth Awakening, and he was almost at the same level of strength as Cha Yeon-Joo. Demonification wouldn't help Myeong-Ho close the gap between him and Kang-Woo.

"Kill him already!" Yeong-Hun yelled.

The overflowing power that Yeong-Hun felt from Myeong-Ho consolidated his confidence.

'I'll be the one to come out victorious in the end,' Yeong-Ho thought.

It had always been like that. To him, hardship and adversity were simply brief periods of entertainment that made life less boring. Yeong-Ho had been born a winner, and he had never lost even once.

'Bugs like you need to know your place and crawl at the level of my feet.'

Yeong-Hun smiled while looking at Kim Si-Hun and his partners.

As if agreeing with Yeong-Ho's thoughts, Myeong-Ho, who had been fully transformed into a demonic beast, let out a scream, "GRRAARR!"

His chilling red eyes locked onto Kang-Woo.

Myeong-Ho flapped his wings and flew toward Kang-Woo at a frightening speed.

Yeong-Ho laughed, "Hahahahaha! You're dead n—"

Crack!!

Myeong-Ho's bones cracked as he was flung backward after colliding with Kang-Woo. It almost felt unrealistic to see Myeong-Ho get sent tumbling to the ground so easily even after turning into a demonic beast.

"Huh?" Yeong-Hun uttered in disbelief.

Boom! Crunch!

"Gaaaaahhh!!"

The horrifying violence ensued. Kang-Woo, the meddler whose identity was unknown to Yeong-Hun and Myeong-Ho, leaped ferociously toward Myeong-Ho. He punched Myeong-Ho, who had collapsed onto the ground, with fists covered in black energy. Every time he hit Myeong-Ho, there was a sound that resembled an explosion.

It felt like the roles of demon and human had been reversed. One might even feel sorry for Myeong-Ho, who had turned into a demon for no reason.

'What the...?' Yeong-Hun thought.

He couldn't believe that Myeong-Ho was being thrashed.

"What the hell is he...?"

Yeong-Hun trembled. Fear was engulfing his body. He realized that something had gone very wrong.

'Is he a Ranker or something?'

Someone couldn't have such an overwhelming win against Myeong-Ho, who was using demonic energy, unless they were as strong as Yeong-Hun's father or Cha Yeon-Joo.

Yeong-Hun turned around with a pale face.

Ultimately, it didn't matter if Kang-Woo was a Ranker. The important thing was that Yeong-Hun would become the next target after Myeong-Ho.

Yeong-Hun ran away without looking back.

"Huff! Huff!"

His breathing got heavier the more he ran. The route to the Gate's exit felt far too long.

'I-I have to... contact Father!'

Yeong-Hun had always turned to his father for help whenever he was in a predicament. He was sure that his father, Kim Jae-Hyun, would be able to resolve the issue and bring him victory.

With that in mind, Yeong-Hun took out an orb as big as his fist from his pocket. It was a magic tool that allowed a Player to make calls from inside Gates.

Right when he was about to activate it…

Smack!

"Kurgh!"

Yeong-Hun was hit and sent tumbling to the ground.

"Y-You!" he uttered.

Yeong-Hun paled as he looked at the person who had made him fall to the ground. Kang-Woo looked at him with a smile on his face.

"Where are you running so eagerly?" Kang-Woo asked.

"Wh-Who the hell are you?!"

"Why do you all say the same thing in situations like this?" Kang-Woo remarked. He squatted next to Yeong-Hun and looked at him disappointedly. Then Kang-Woo said, "Hand it over."

"H-Hand what over...?"

"You were about to contact Kim Jae-Hyun, weren't you?" Kang-Woo asked while pointing at the crystal orb with his finger.

With trembling hands, Yeong-Hun handed over the crystal orb, which Kang-Woo then activated immediately.

After a few dial tones, Kang-Woo finally heard the voice he had been waiting for.

[What is it?]

It was a stiff and low-pitched voice.

Kang-Woo's smile deepened after hearing Jae-Hyun's voice come through the crystal orb.

"Are you Kim Jae-Hyun?"

[... Who is this?]

"Mmm... Maybe you'll understand what's going on if I say that I'm the person who has taken your son hostage."

[...]

There was a heavy silence.

Kang-Woo realized that even though Jae-Hyun wasn't saying anything, his breathing had gotten rougher.

'He seems quite surprised,' Kang-Woo thought.

It would be weirder if Jae-Hyun were calm in that situation. After all, it was unlikely that there was a father in this world who could remain calm after hearing that his son had been taken hostage.

"F-Father! Th-This motherfucker dared to—!"

Bash!

"Kurgh!"

Kang-Woo kicked Yeong-Hun, who tried to grab the crystal orb, in the stomach. Yeong-Hun moaned in pain and curled up into a ball.

"You stay put," Kang-Woo said.

He used the Authority of Restraint and created chains made of demonic energy to restrain Yeong-Hun, wrapping around him like a chrysalis.

Struggling to break free, Yeong-Hun exclaimed, "G-Get this damn thing off of me, you bastard!!"

"Sigh, you don't listen, do you? Are you in puberty or something?"

Kang-Woo kicked Yeong-Hun in the head. There was a dull thud sound, and blood flew out of Yeong-Hun's mouth.

[Enough.]

"Hmph. I guess even human garbage like you worries about his son, huh?" Kang-Woo remarked.

[What do you want?] Jae-Hyun asked angrily.

It seemed like he had understood the situation quickly.

Kang-Woo smiled in satisfaction upon seeing that he had the chance to have a proper conversation with Jae-Hyun.

"If you want to save your son, come to the Mok-dong C-rank Gate right now."

[Alone, I'm guessing?]

"Hahahahaha!" Kang-Woo laughed. "Would you actually come alone if I told you to? No, right?"

[...]

"I know guys like you very well. Don't make it so complicated for yourself. Prepare as much as you'd like."

Kang-Woo was saying that Jae-Hyun could bring as much help as he wished.

Jae-Hyun let out a forced laugh and asked, [Are you out of your mind?]

"What, you don't like my thoughtful gesture? Fine. Come alone, then."

[... I'll make you regret those words.]

"Okay, okay. I'll be looking forward to it," Kang-Woo said. He placed his foot on Yeong-Hun's right ankle. Then Kang-Woo added, "If you don't come within twenty minutes, I'll begin crushing your son's limbs one by one, so take that into consideration."

[Wha...] Jae-Hyun uttered, his rage seeping into his voice. [Does a military unit under the government seriously think they can handle the consequences of torture? Furthermore, torture done to my son?]

"Huh? Government?"

It seemed that, just like Myeong-Ho, Jae-Hyun thought that Kang-Woo was part of the Hwarang Corps.

Kang-Woo smirked.

He said, "I'm not affiliated with the government, though…?"

[Don't tell me you're by yourself right now?]

"Yeah. I'm still single."

[You're insane.]

Jae-Hyun could tell that although Kang-Woo was joking around, he was telling the truth. He thought that Kang-Woo had truly done something so insane by himself.

[Did you do this while knowing who I am?] Jae-Hyun asked angrily.

He was the CEO of Mir Electronics, a multinational business. On top of that, he was the leader of one of Korea's five great guilds, the Mir Guild. He wasn't just wealthy; he also had such great influence that not even government officials could recklessly lay a hand on him. On top of that, he was one of Korea's most powerful players, just like Baek Kang-Hyun and Cha Yeon-Joo.

Money, authority, strength… Jae-Hyun was on top in every aspect. Even a World Ranker wouldn't dare to do something like what Kang-Woo was doing now.

"Hahaha!" Kang-Woo laughed and stepped even harder on Yeong-Hun's right ankle.

Yeong-Hun screamed in pain.

"What about you? Do you know who I am?" Kang-Woo asked.

[...]

"You don't. Do you?"

Crack.

Kang-Woo broke Yeong-Hun's ankle, causing it to twist at a weird angle. Yeong-Hun squirmed in pain while crying.

While looking down at him, Kang-Woo smiled. It was a creepy smile that resembled a demon's.

He continued, "If you don't, then you'll need a beating."