Player Who Returned 10,000 Years Later
"…"
There was a heavy silence.
Cheon MooJin, who was looking at KangWoo with sharp eyes, let out a sigh.
"Well, let's leave it there if you say so."
He still couldn't believe it.
That attitude of Cheon MooJin’s wasn't because he was dumb or prideful.
If a boxing world champion fought against a newbie who began boxing three months beforehand and the newbie fought him to a standstill, what would he think?
Of course, there would be many possible explanations, but he wouldn't think it was simple talent.
That wasn't a territory you could reach with just talent.
'And it's true.'
KangWoo didn't become strong in such a short period thanks to talent alone.
After all, he had spent many years in Hell.
But he couldn't say he was the Demon King who'd come back to Earth after living in Hell for ten thousand years.
No, even if he said the truth, they would probably think he was crazy.
'Rather than that, it's better to say it's talent.'
If they weren't going to believe either explanation, it was better for them to think he was talented rather them thinking he was someone who had lost his mind.
"H-hyeongnim…?"
Kim ShiHoon seemed lost for words.
Sword King Cheon MooJin…
To think KangWoo was able to fight on equal terms against one of the strongest people in the world!
'I knew Hyeongnim was strong…'
But he had never imagined he was that strong.
Kim ShiHoon looked at KangWoo with eyes full of respect.
His heart began beating faster.
He felt better after realizing that KangWoo, who he had chosen to trust and follow, was strong enough to fight against the Sword King.
"Then I'll be going, so do your best to learn."
"Yes, Hyeongnim!" He answered in a loud voice.
KangWoo smirked and turned around.
He noticed that Cheon SooYeon was looking at him.
'What's up with her?'
It wasn't just an expression of shock.
Her body was trembling, and she was smiling.
It was as if she couldn't control her excitement.
It was as if she'd gotten the winning lottery ticket.
"Fu, fufufu. This… Wasn't something I was expecting."
Cheon SooYeon licked her lips while blushing. She looked like a predator who had found prey.
Cheon MooJin grabbed his head and sighed.
After running toward him, she spoke in an excited voice tone.
"I was really surprised. There was a reason why you were so confident in front of father."
"I'm not stupid enough not to be able to differentiate courage and arrogance."
"Fufu. It's just like you say. Oh, do you have time in the afternoon? It's my first time in Korea, so I would like you to take me around."
"I'm sorry, but I already have plans."
He was set to meet up with Chae YeonJoo and hear news related to the Demon Cult.
Cheon SooYeon seemed happier after her proposal was rejected.
"Then I'll ask you another time. Oh, this is my contact number. If there's anything you need, feel free to give me a call."
She took a presentation card and put it in KangWoo's chest pocket.
'Why is she so proactive?'
KangWoo couldn't understand why she was showing so much interest in him.
The problem was that they'd known about each other for a short period.
'What a weird taste.'
He couldn't understand why she was like that with him even though Kim ShiHoon was there.
KangWoo took the card and put it inside his wallet. Anyway, she was the daughter of the Sword King. It wouldn't be harmful to build a good relationship with her.
"Fufu, I'll be waiting for your call."
Cheon SooYeon turned around after giving him a seductive smile.
KangWoo clicked his tongue after looking at her turn around.
'I guess she'll calm down soon.'
He couldn't understand why she was so interested in him.
But emotions that burn fast die down very fast as well.
KangWoo left the training room after saying goodbye to Cheon MooJin.
"Father…"
There was an awkward silence after KangWoo left the training room. Cheon SooYeon's voice spread through the room.
She turned her body around to Cheon MooJin while smiling.
"I think I've found him."
"…"
Cheon MooJin remained silent.
There was no need to ask what she was talking about.
'I screwed up.'
His plan was progressing in the opposite direction.
He wanted Kim ShiHoon and Cheon SooYeon to become a couple.
The biggest reason was Kim ShiHoon's talent.
Talent in martial arts was transmitted through the gens.
That meant that if Cheon SooYeon and Kim ShiHoon had a baby, there was a chance that a kid with an incredible talent would be born.
But in KangWoo's case, it was different.
From what Cheon MooJin had seen, KangWoo didn't have talent in martial arts. The source of his current power wasn't probably talent but a lot of effort and experience.
If Cheon SooYeon and KangWoo had a kid, there was a chance that their descendent wouldn't have talent in martial arts.
'I have no other choice.'
He turned around to Kim ShiHoon.
He grabbed the practice sword and opened his mouth.
"We're going to start immediately. Dragon Sword, grab the sword."
"Ah, yes. Understood."
Cheon MooJin's eyes shone.
'I'll make Dragon Sword stronger.'
—Even if he had to put everything on the line.
* * *
KangWoo received a call after leaving the building.
It was Chae YeonJoo.
[Come to the office right now. We have to go to the Hwarang Squad's office.]
"The Hwarang Squad's office? Why?"
[HwaYeon said that something urgent had happened.]
"What happened?"
[I also haven't heard the details yet, but it seems like captain Jang HyunJae returned from Japan. It seems like it's related to that.]
"Hmm…"
Jang HyunJae was the leader of the Hwarang First Squad.
He had been part of a special squadron, and he had decided to create a group to investigate crimes committed by players. The Hwarang Squad was born after the government officially recognized that group.
He was even famous outside Korea, as he was one of the few players in Korea who could face the former number one of the country, Baek KangHyun.
"I'll come immediately," KangWoo answered shortly and hung up the phone.
After he met up with Chae YeonJoo, they immediately went to Suwon.
When they arrived at the Hwarang Squad headquarters, they saw Baek HwaYeon, waiting for them.
Goo HyunMo, leader of the Second Squad, and a man he had never seen before were within the captain’s office.
The man approached him and extended his hand.
"Nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you from HwaYeon."
"I'm Oh KangWoo."
"I'm the captain of the Hwarang First Squad."
He was a man who resembled a stone.
He seemed to be in his mid-thirties. Although he wasn't very tall, he had a muscular body.
He looked like he wouldn’t even bleed if you poked him with a needle.
But unlike his appearance, he had a very calm voice.
"Long time no see, HyunJae old man~."
"Long time no see. It seems like there was quite a huge incident in Korea… I'm sorry for not having been able to help you."
"No. Thanks to this guy, things were solved… But we couldn't stop civilian casualties."
Chae YeonJoo seemed sad after thinking of the civilians that had lost their lives during the Isu Station incident.
Jang HyunJae sighed with a heavy expression.
"It isn't your fault. Who would've thought that they would start moving actively so suddenly."
He sounded sad.
Chae YeonJoo shook her head numerous times and asked.
"So what happened?"
"I have some news related to the Demon Cult."
Chae YeonJoo's eyes shone after hearing the words ‘Demon Cult’.
Jang HyunJae looked around and then spoke in a low voice.
"I heard Japan's Demon Cult is preparing to summon a demon."
"A demon summoning? Just like they did with Oriax?"
"Yes. But this time, the scale is bigger."
"Is Japan's Demon Cult really that big?"
Jang HyunJae nodded.
"The Demon Cult’s forces in Japan are bigger and stronger."
"Oof…"
Chae YeonJoo sighed.
There had been numerous victims in Korea alone.
She couldn't even imagine how many more victims there would be if a force bigger than the one that had been in Korea moved.
"Did Japan's government ask for help?" Baek HwaYeon asked.
"Yes. Although it hasn't been reported by news media yet, it seems like the situation is quite serious."
"But Japan has Fujimoto Ryoma. Do they really need our help?"
Fujimoto Ryoma.,,
Although he was been deemed weaker than Sword King Cheon MooJin, he was still one of the eight world rankers.
His Myth-ranked item 'Susanoo's Eyes' were famous worldwide.
"If we leave Fujimoto Ryoma aside, the overall level of Japanese players isn't that high. This is a pretty serious case, so they require as many ranker players as possible."
"Hng."
"The fact that we solved a case caused by the Demon Cult also influenced the decision."
The terror incident Baek KangHyun had caused in Isu Station had become the starting signal for the other branches of the Demon Cult to take action.
Korea’s credibility had gone up because it had dealt with the situation.
"But to think that Japan would ask for Korea to help… That's unexpected." Chae YeonJoo mumbled.
Although the world had changed after the Cataclysmic Day, it wasn't that negative historical sentiments had disappeared.
That's why the relationship between Japanese and Korean players wasn't the best.
"That just shows how serious the situation is."
"That's true."
Chae YeonJoo nodded with a heavy expression. She let out a sigh.
"Just what demon are they trying to summon…?"
They were able to defeat Oriax easily because he had suddenly begun acting strange.
But it wouldn't have been an easy fight if they'd fought against it in normal conditions.
But a demon stronger than him…?
She was already starting to feel anxious before the battle had even begun.
"Hmm."
KangWoo fell into his thoughts.
'A demon.'
What he was thinking about was if he should wait until the Demon Cult summoned the demon or not.
From KangWoo's point of view, it would be better if they successfully managed to summon a demon.
Demons were an important source of demonic energy to him.
'It's been a while since my demonic energy stat stopped increasing.'
He thought that if he devoured a demon, maybe his demonic energy stat would increase.
'Letting them summon a demon and then devouring it would be the best.'
The only way for him to grow at the moment was to devour a demon.
He could already taste it when Jang HyunJae and Chae YeonJoo's conversation continued.
"I've already heard what demon they're trying to summon."
"Oh, what demon is it?"
"I heard they're trying to summon the succubus queen."
"A succubus?"
Chae YeonJoo tilted her head.
"Don't tell me… That demon who devours the vitality of men?"
"Yes. Her name is… Lilith. I heard they were trying to summon a demon called Lilith."
"Oof, as expected of the Japanese. They're trying to summon such a—"
Slam-!
A chair was turned upside down.
It was the one KangWoo was using the sit on.
"Wh-what? What happened?" Chae YeonJoo asked.
"…"
KangWoo's face turned pale.
The memories of the tentacles came back to his mind.
"We must…" He replied with a trembling voice.
"Huh?"
"Stop it."
Waiting for a summon and then devouring it?
Making his demonic energy stat grow again?
He didn't need that.
Those weren't important at all.
"We must stop the summon!" KangWoo shouted in a desperate voice.
