After Ten Millennia in Hell

Oh Kang-Woo couldn't help but smile.

It wasn't hard to imagine who had sent the message.

'The Demon Cult.'

He wondered why they were trying to contact him.

Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes and thought deeply about it.

"I see."

He recalled what had happened in Japan. The sight of the Demon Cultists escaping with a heavily injured Akiyama resurfaced in his mind. Kang-Woo couldn't help but think that they had leaked information about him.

'I'm not sure why they're trying to contact me though.'

Kang-Woo had stopped their summoning. It would make more sense if they were to send a kill squad after him. There was no reason for them to contact him by using a method that was akin to the ancient way of sending a message with an arrow.

"I guess I'll know once I go."

It wasn't hard to imagine why… but to be sure, it would be better to go as they requested. Still, this was an extremely dangerous act like willingly walking into a blatant trap.

'Not bad.'

Kang-Woo smiled.

It didn't matter what kind of trap or how many they'd prepared. The important thing was that the demons were likely all there.

'There's also a chance they aren't fully prepared yet.'

The Demon Cultists probably wouldn’t expect him to accept such a suspicious proposal.

'If they did, they would've at least mentioned where I should go.'

The purpose of the note they'd sent was to convey the minimum intention of wanting to meet him. The details about the time and location would probably be sent after the war was over.

'I have no reason to wait until then.'

Kang-Woo laughed.

He turned his face toward where the black hand had reached out from. Traces of demonic energy still lingered.

Kang-Woo ran, following the trail of demonic energy. The Authority of Haste surrounded his body, and he shot forward at an incredibly fast speed.

A cloud of dust appeared in Manchuria.

* * *

Earlier…

"He's quite strong."

Anton Sidorovich let out an exclamation in surprise upon seeing Kang-Woo through the eyes of the demonic beasts.

He wasn't sure why Kang-Woo had gone into the middle of the demonic beast army by himself, but he was practically massacring them.

A smile appeared on Anton's face.

"Right, then."

Anton took out a book made of black parchment—a strong weapon known as the Book of Nightmares. It had been given to him by the Aspects when they bestowed him the title of Apostle of Evil.

"Zazas, zazas, nasatanada zazas,"[1] Anton chanted.

The demonic energy of the Book of Nightmares resonated with his demonic energy. He sent a hand made of demonic energy through the insides of the Cerberus that he was using to see what was happening.

Anton watched Kang-Woo easily neutralize the attack and read the message.

"Done," Anton said, smiling with satisfaction.

One of the demons near him posed a question,

[So, what is it that we have to do? Who do we need to kill?]

"Kekeke. Don't be so hasty. We will meet him once the war is over."

Anton had a relaxed grin.

The demon frowned.

[Are you telling us to wait even longer? We are demons. We live for blood and slaughter! We cannot postpone battle for any lo—]

"Did you not understand me when I said we shouldn't be hasty?"

Anton narrowed his eyes. He exuded a wave of strong demonic energy that overwhelmed the demons.

[Kurgh...]

The demons paled, and their expressions hardened.

Anton's demonic energy was comparable to a demon of the Ninth Hell. Most of the demons here were of the Fifth and Sixth Hells, so it was too powerful for them to withstand.

The demons remained silent.

"Good."

Anton nodded while smiling. Now he just had to think of a way to make Kang-Woo come to them on his own.

'I wonder how I should do it?'

The easiest way was to take a hostage.

'It appears that he lives with a woman.'

His face took on a greedy and sly smirk. The woman he'd seen in the photos was quite beautiful. If they took her hostage, it shouldn't be hard to convince Kang-Woo to meet them.

"Oh, my. I shouldn't be thinking of doing things like that."

Anton laughed while drawing a cross on his chest with his fingers.

The goal was to recruit Kang-Woo to the Demon Cult. A rash provocation like that could stop them from achieving their goal.

'But…'

Anton's eyes shone. If Kang-Woo were to refuse his proposal, Anton would be free to deal with the hostage as he wanted.

Slurp.

He licked his lips. His ugly nature, distorted by greed hidden under a benevolent appearance, had shown itself.

"All right. That's enough for t—"

Just as Anton was about to call it a day, he felt something was off.

"Hmm?"

Anton turned his head to look. He sensed someone was getting closer to him at an incredible speed.

"Don't tell me... He's coming this way?"

Anton's face was filled with surprise.

It was true that Anton had called Kang-Woo over, but he never imagined that Kang-Woo would come after receiving just a piece of paper.

'No, more importantly, how did he locate me?'

Anton couldn't figure it out.

He used the Book of Nightmares and ordered the demons around him to leave.

"Keke. Well, I guess it doesn't matter."

Anton would try and recruit Kang-Woo. If Kang-Woo refused, then Anton would just kill him. Since the two options were already decided, there was no need to hesitate.

Anton walked toward the approaching energy.

* * *

Boom!

A heavy impact shook the ground. Kang-Woo dismissed the Authority of Haste and looked at the old man in front of him.

The old man had wrinkles on his face and wore clerical clothing. He wasn’t hiding his demonic energy.

Kang-Woo used the Authority of Language and said, "You wanted to talk?"

Anton's eyes lit up as he replied, "You can speak Russian?"

"Let's just say that I can. First off..."

Kang-Woo looked around.

Although they were a fair distance away, he noticed that he was surrounded by the demons that he'd been trying to find.

The tips of his mouth curved upward.

'They're kinda low-ranking though,' he commented inwardly.

Most of the demons belonged to the Fifth Hell or lower, the Sixth Hell at most.

Upon seeing Kang-Woo, the demons showed no reaction. Rather, they were emitting strong bloodlust at him.

'None of them seem to know me.'

That was understandable. Kang-Woo had only started to gain notoriety when he'd reached the Ninth Hell. The demons might have heard rumors about him, but they probably didn't know what he looked like. In particular, this would be the case for those that were in the middle levels like the Fifth and Sixth Hells.

'It's better this way.'

Kang-Woo looked at Anton with a relaxed demeanor and asked, "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"Keke. I'm glad we're on the same wavelength. I wanted to make you a proposition."

"Proposition?"

"Yes," Anton replied with a smile. "Have you ever heard about demons?"

"Is there anyone who hasn't after all the mess you guys have made?" Kang-Woo remarked, feigning laughter.

Anton shook his head and said, "No. What I'm asking is if you are aware of the privileges possessed by demons."

"Privileges?"

"Yes. The privileges of demons that only the Demon Cult can offer you!" Anton exclaimed loudly. "Humans eventually die. It doesn't matter how wealthy you are or how many women you sleep with. Even if you have so much influence that no one would dare cross you, we all eventually die." Anton looked at Kang-Woo with intense eyes. "However, demons do not die. Their lifespan is not finite, and they do not require sustenance."

Anton was talking calmly, but his voice was strong, and his gaze intense.

'This guy would be a great spokesperson for a pyramid scheme,' Kang-Woo thought with a smirk.

"So?"

"We have the power to turn humans into demons. We can give you, a mere mortal, immortality."

"..."

"Think about it. Does it make any sense that someone like you, who was blessed with such strength, should rot among humans? That sort of life does not suit you. You are more fit to be a king who rules over the mortals."

Anton didn't get overly excited. He continued talking to Kang-Woo very calmly but powerfully. He praised Kang-Woo moderately and tried to persuade him by telling him that such a life did not suit him.

"How about it? Join us. We can promise you supremacy, power, and immortality," Anton offered with a smile. "I know you very well. I can see the desire for power in your eyes. You are the same as me. Where you are right now does not suit you."

"Here," Anton said, bowing slightly and extending his hand toward Kang-Woo. "Why don't you join us? You can also become a demon—an immortal being who has escaped from the cycle of life."

Anton knew very well how to awaken the desire in people. He spoke so smoothly that it was obvious he had made this speech more than just a few times. He talked calmly and appealed to Kang-Woo's desire. People like Fujimoto Ryoma or Baek Kang-Hyun would have accepted it without hesitation.

However… the man standing in front of Anton was none other than Kang-Woo.

"You'll make me a demon?" Kang-Woo asked. "Ha… HAHAHAHAHA!!"

He laughed so loudly that his stomach hurt. He found the situation extremely funny.

"You…" Kang-Woo uttered while trying to control his laughter. "You said you know me, right?"

"That is correct. Although this is the first time we’ve met, seeing your eyes, which are filled with desire, is enough for m—"

"HAHAHA! You're one funny guy." Kang-Woo ended up roaring with laughter again. "Do you have a scouter[2] on your eye or something? What could you possibly know just from my eyes? Not even your mom would know what the hell you are just from looking at you, man."

"...."

There was a heavy silence.

Kang-Woo continued, "Don't act as if you know me."

He raised his hand, and an intense torrent of demonic energy concentrated in it.

Crack.

Unable to withstand the force of the demonic energy, the ground split. The atmosphere went rampant as if a storm were raging.

Then he turned his hand… and the world turned upside down.

"You don't know who I am."

1. It’s pretty much a chant to open the gates of Hell. It became popular in Korea because it was used in a certain animation (if you know, you know). ☜

2. A scouter is a wearable all-purpose computer in Dragon Ball that measures power levels. ☜