Extreme Demonic Energy: The first step to becoming a 'demon god.'
1st Condition: Reach 60 Demonic Energy stat.
2nd Condition: Control more than 3 Authorities simultaneously perfectly.
3rd Condition: Create a demonic energy stone bigger than a certain size (not achieved).
'To think that the last condition was to create a demonic energy stone inside my body.'
He would've never figured it out if he hadn't learned the Psyche Style from Kim ShiHoon.
After all, he didn't know that you could create a demonic energy stone used by the demon cult using the Psyche Style.
'But is this the same demonic energy stone used by the Demon Cult?'
KangWoo concentrated on the demonic energy stone that was within his dantian.
Both had demonic energy concentrated inside. In that aspect, they were similar.
But considering the amount of demonic energy inside, they were completely different items.
'Although they're the same type, the amount of strength concentrated in them is completely different.'
It was like comparing an americano coffee and an expresso.
The demonic energy stones that the Demon Cult used felt as if the demonic energy had been watered down. The demonic energy stone in KangWoo's Dantian was thick as if an undiluted solution had been extracted.
Because the level of intensity was different, it was obvious that there was a huge difference in the amount of strength you could obtain from it.
KangWoo concentrated the demonic energy within his Dantian into his fist.
Although he hadn't used an Authority, a destructive amount of demonic energy concentrated in his fist.
To test that strength, KangWoo slightly hit the steel doll in the training room.
Pang-!
The strong steel became dust after one attack.
"A-amazing!"
Kim ShiHoon shouted in surprise.
He could also cleanly cut steel…
But KangWoo had just made it disappear without leaving a trace. That was something he couldn't even fathom doing.
"Did you have success with the Psyche Style?"
"Yes. It was of great help."
He had only used it once, so there wasn't much demonic energy inside the demonic energy stone yet.
Yet after just a single attack with the energy, the energy stone within his dantian was reduced to a third of its original size.
'Well, this was the first try, after all.'
There was no need to hurry.
Now that he'd learned the Psyche Style, he just had to use it and increase the size of the demonic energy stone.
For him, who used to control the Ten Thousand Demon Core, restricting part of that energy wasn't that hard.
KangWoo once again sat on the floor and used the Celestial Dragon's Psyche Style.
He opened his eyes while concentrating on it.
'I don't think it's necessary to do it while sitting like this.'
KangWoo got up.
If it wasn't an urgent situation like a battle, he thought that he'd be able to use it while proceeding with his daily life.
"Th-that's dangerous, Hyeongnim!"
"Hmm? What's dangerous?"
"If you stand up while using the Psyche Style…"
He wanted to warn him that he could get shocked, but Kim ShiHoon's eyes widened.
KangWoo, who had stood up, not only hadn't been shocked, but he seemed very calm.
"Did you stop using the Celestial Dragon's Psyche Style?"
"No, I'm still using it."
"Y-you can use it while moving?"
Kim ShiHoon looked at him in surprise.
There were some Psyche Style techniques that you could use without sitting in a lotus position…
But the Celestial Dragon's Psyche Style wasn't one of them.
Although you could control and restrict a huge amount of energy, you had to move it while sitting in the correct position to use it properly.
But KangWoo had bypassed that characteristic of the Celestial Dragon's Psyche Style.
"How…"
Kim ShiHoon looked at KangWoo, confused.
Using the Celestial Dragon's Psyche Style in daily life was something that not even the Martial God Cheon TaeHwang had been able to achieve.
"It isn't that hard. The energy circulates through your body's blood. Right? You just have to avoid having it clash with itself."
"But… If you move, your blood moves."
It wasn't that easy to use the Psyche Style while moving.
That was because, based on your body's movements, the position of blood also changed.
Just like going through a passageway shaking from both sides, moving your Qi if your blood moved was also very hard. No, it would be more precise to say that it was impossible.
"You just have to control it while calculating those movements."
"…"
Kim ShiHoon remained silent after hearing the words KangWoo had said so calmly.
Although he'd said it as if it were nothing, he knew how incredible that was.
It was like running full throttle along a cliff where you'd fall if you made even the slightest miscalculation.
"As expected… I can't compete with Hyeongnim."
Kim ShiHoon shook his head.
KangWoo smirked.
Controlling demonic energy along with the body's movements…
Doing that was easy compared to restricting the huge amount of demonic energy within the Ten Thousand Demon Core.
'You could call this a talent, but…'
KangWoo didn't think that was his talent.
It was something he'd learned to do in order to not be devoured for the past ten thousand years.
It couldn't be explained with the word 'talent.'
"How about you learn light work?"
"No. Let's do that another day. This is enough for now.”
He'd obtained a new possibility for growth in the form of the demonic energy stone, so he wanted to investigate a bit more about the Psyche Style and focus on cultivating the demonic energy stone.
'If I do that…'
KangWoo thought about the last condition of the Extreme Demonic Energy Body.
He still didn't know what exactly the Extreme Demonic Energy Body was, and he also didn't know what effect it had, but he was sure it wouldn't be something that would become a minus to him.
'There's a huge chance that it will become a plus.'
* * *
Even if he reached the sixth Awakening right there, he had to reach the Extreme Demonic Energy Body to be able to use that strength.
Now that he had a goal and knew what he had to do, he had no reason to focus on other things.
'I'm going to focus on the Psyche Style first.'
KangWoo naturally used the Celestial Dragon's Psyche Style.
Feeling the demonic energy all around his body gather around the dantian and create a new strength called a demonic energy stone made him feel good.
'Once the demonic energy stone gets bigger, I'll have to put it to the test.'
KangWoo smiled, satisfied, and turned to Kim ShiHoon.
"Let's go back."
"Are you okay not learning other martial art techniques?"
"Yes. Ah, the Celestial Dragon's Psyche Style is the one with the highest difficulty you know at the moment, right?"
"Yes. If I receive more of the strength of the martial god, I'll probably be able to learn a better one… But right now, the Celestial Dragon's Psyche Style is the best one."
"Oh."
That meant that if Kim ShiHoon became stronger and learned better Psyche Techniques, he could also become very helpful to KangWoo.
'Keep growing like this, ShiHoon!'
KangWoo looked at ShiHoon like a farmer waiting for the fruit tree to bloom.
Of course, he wasn't thinking of watching from the sides.
"ShiHoon, let's go to an S-rank gate next time."
"An S… S-rank hate?"
"Yes."
"I'm glad that Hyeongnim trusts me, but my party still isn't strong enough to hunt in an S-rank gate."
"Don't worry. I'll grab the steering wheel."
"Yes…?"
"You just have to relax and sit down."
KangWoo's bus that would make Kim ShiHoon grow exponentially…
"I'll show you hyeong's incredible driving skill."
KangWoo smiled while patting Kim ShiHoon's shoulders.
* * *
"Are you done for today?" Park HyunWoo asked him as they walked out of the training room.
"Yes. Thanks for lending me the training room."
"Aren't you going to meet the guild master?"
"I told her that I would be busy today, but I plan on meeting her next time."
"Haha. She’s going to be disappointed."
Park HyunWoo nodded while laughing softly.
"Then please come visit us again another time."
"No, thank you for always being helpful."
KangWoo and Kim ShiHoon shook hands with Park HyunWoo.
"Oh, also… Did you hear that people from the Thousand Sword Gate came to Korea?"
"Yes. I heard that."
The Thousand Sword Gate…
The Chinese guild led by Cheon MooJin, who was 8th on the world ranker list.
It was a guild with members that had a unique stat called Qi. Rather than a guild made of players, it was closer to an organization that appeared in martial arts novels.
"I heard that the forces of the Thousand Sword Gate have started moving."
"Hmm… Have you heard about their goals?"
"We still haven't heard about that yet."
KangWoo nodded.
"I'll keep that in mind."
"Be careful. Mr. KangWoo, you could be in danger if you get involved with them."
The Thousand Sword Gate had a force that wasn't comparable with any guild in Korea.
First, they had almost ten thousand members.
The Red Rose Guild had a little bit more than a thousand members, so they were ten times bigger.
"Hahaha. You don't need to worry."
"Well… I guess Mr. KangWoo will be able to dodge them easily."
"No. I don't think that I need to avoid them."
"…?"
"If we get involved, it isn't me that will be in danger."
KangWoo laughed.
There was a heavy silence.
"Then we'll get going."
The Thousand Sword Gate…
Just because they'd started moving, he didn't need to hide.
He had survived until then based on a simple rule:
Answer evil with greater evil. Return killing intent with even greater killing intent.
The moment you yield one, they'll take two away. If you bow your head, it will get trampled on.
Of course, if it were an enemy he couldn't win against, it would be the right decision to hide.
In that case, lowering your body, crawling on the floor, and waiting for your opportunity was the wisest decision.
'But it's different now.'
KangWoo knew how strong he was.
It wasn't like he'd recovered all of his original strength, but he wasn't weak enough to go around on Earth avoiding looking at other people.
"Let's go, ShiHoon."
"Yes, Hyeongnim."
After seeing KangWoo walking away, he quickly followed him.
KangWoo got into his car after exiting the Red Rose Guild.
"I'll take you home."
"It's okay, Hyeongnim. It doesn't take long with the subway."
"You even taught me martial arts, so this much is nothing. Oh, also, I'm going to get you a car."
"N-no. That's okay, Hyeongnim. I'm already grateful to you for having helped me with the hospital for my mother, so a car would be…
"It's because I'm uncomfortable. I'll get you a good one so you can come faster when I call you."
"Hyeongnim…"
Kim ShiHoon cried a bit.
KangWoo smirked.
'I wonder what would've become of him if it weren't for me.'
Kim ShiHoon had taught him martial arts.
Taking that into consideration, a car was nothing.
But for him to react like that…
He was the type of person who wouldn't notice if someone cut his nose in front of him and hit him from behind.
'Although I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen.'
While thinking that, KangWoo took Kim ShiHoon to his house.
"Hmm?"
There, he saw a group of people wearing martial arts robes.
Click-
"Who are you?" Kim ShiHoon asked them after getting out of the car.
The men looked at Kim ShiHoon.
One man with a sword wound on one eye approached Kim ShiHoon and spoke in a dim Korean pronunciation.
"I'm the leader of the Third Squad of the Thousand Sword Gate, Nam GoongJin. The Sword King wants to see Korea's Dragon Sword. Follow me."
"Yes? Sword King… A-are you talking about the Sword King Cheol MooJin?"
Kim ShiHoon shrugged after hearing the name of one of the strongest people in the world.
Nam GoongJin's eyes shone sharply.
"Don't put that person's name in your mouth so lightly. Follow me silently. I have already prepared the plane."
"That…"
Kim ShiHoon hesitated.
KangWoo grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.
Nam GoongJin's eyes locked onto KangWoo.
"Bastard, you didn’t even learn Korean properly."
"What…?"
"Why are you talking so casually to someone you've never met before?"
‘Did your tongue get cut in half?’
