After Ten Millennia in Hell

Chapter 197 - A Hero Is Born from Despair (2)

'How should I go about it?'

Oh Kang-Woo was leisurely sitting on a chair while watching Kim Si-Hun cry through the training room walls.

It had been three months. Nearly a hundred days had passed.

'It hasn't been that long.'

It couldn't be said to have been short, but it wasn't that long either.

Lucifer's forces and the Demon Cult had been fighting for the past three months, but there hadn't been much progress. Although they'd been fighting, it seemed they were feeling each other out; neither side had truly gone on the offensive.

'But…'

For Si-Hun, the past hundred days had likely felt like forever.

Kang-Woo looked at Si-Hun with sunken eyes. Si-Hun was crying while desperately trying to hold his sword. It had gone past being sad, and it now looked wretched.

'I'm sure he has never experienced such a serious block before.'

It was the first time Si-Hun had fallen this far since becoming a Player. Thanks to his talent and knowledge, Si-Hun had grown at a faster pace than anyone else. He also had the Heavenly Martial Physique.

Kang-Woo didn't know much about martial arts, but according to Tian Wuchen, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Si-Hun's talent had been bestowed by the heavens.

Si-Hun had truly grown at an unbelievable pace, by human standards. He also did not have to go through the Limit of Effort like all other Players.

He thought he was nothing special because he was comparing himself to none other than Kang-Woo, but he had never experienced a block in his growth.

No, the problem wasn't that his growth was blocked.

'He hit rock bottom.'

A swordsman who can't hold a sword… The foundation of Si-Hun's identity was crumbling. To make a comparison, he was currently no better than trash.

"FUUUUCK!!" Si-Hun cursed.

Kang-Woo's expression hardened. He was expecting this to happen, but it was hard to see Si-Hun at rock bottom.

Kang-Woo stood up and turned around.

'I should get things ready.'

Kang-Woo couldn't do it alone. No, to be more precise, he wouldn't be involved in the plan. He first went to see Balrog. There was also Vaal Zahak, who was doing the laundry, as well as Lilith.

[Kekeke, what can I, the ruler of death, Vaal Zahak, do for you?]

"… I told you to take off that damn apron." Kang-Woo sighed while looking at the pink apron beneath Vaal Zahak's robe. "I called you all here because…"

Kang-Woo explained his plan to his three subordinates. The more he went on, the more intensely the yellow eyes in Vaal Zahak's eye sockets shone. Lilith smiled in excitement.

Balrog, however, frowned in displeasure.

[Is that human worth going so far for?]

He couldn't understand it.

Kang-Woo nodded without hesitation.

"He's more than worth it."

Si-Hun could grow to become stronger than Balrog. This wasn't a groundless assumption—just looking at Si-Hun's status window made it clear.

'An SSS-rank Trait.'

The rank of the first Trait Si-Hun had awakened…

Kang-Woo hadn't managed to acquire a Trait of that rank during his eight Awakenings.

'Even Prince Slayer is only an SS-rank Trait.'

Even an overpowered Trait that allowed him to use the powers of the princes of Hell was SS rank.

If Si-Hun could use the full power of his SSS-rank Trait, there was a chance he might surpass Balrog and become as strong as a prince of Hell.

'No, maybe even stronger.'

Si-Hun was practically blessed by everything that could possibly bless him in this world.

Kang-Woo had a feeling that he could reach some place even higher.

[… If you say so, my king, I will do as you say.]

Balrog bowed his head while making an unpleasant expression.

Kang-Woo smiled and patted his shoulder.

"You'll come to find out for yourself if you spend some more time with Si-Hun."

[Ngh. I still do not like the fact that I have to take action for the benefit of someone other than you, my king.]

"It is for me," he firmly said.

It wasn't because he sympathized with Si-Hun or because of the bond they had built after all this time.

'I need him.'

Kang-Woo couldn't do everything by himself. He wasn't a god—he wasn't almighty. No, not even the gods were almighty. He'd learned that through Gaia.

If Balrog, Lilith, and Echidna hadn't been with him during the war in Tibet, he would not have been able to stop the volcano from erupting.

It wasn't hard to imagine what would've happened if the volcano erupted. Guardians would've been massacred, and the world that had been painstakingly gathered as one would've been torn apart once again.

"Even if I didn't consider Si-Hun my brother, I would've still done this the same way."

It was better to have as many powerful cards to play as possible, and Si-Hun was one of the most powerful ones.

"You can do it, right?" he asked them.

Balrog, Lilith, and Vaal Zahak knelt before him and bowed their heads.

[May your will be done, my king.]

Kang-Woo nodded and turned around. Getting these three to participate in the plan had not been hard in the slightest. Since Lilith would be in charge of coordinating the plan, there was no need to worry about its quality.

'The problem is…'

He narrowed his eyes. It wasn't enough with just these three. He had the protagonist and the antagonist, but there wasn't a heroine. He lacked the decisive spice that would set Si-Hun's heart ablaze and push him even further down the depths of wretched despair.

Kang-Woo couldn't do it because he was too strong to need help, so using himself wouldn't stimulate Si-Hun.

'In that case…'

There was only one possible person.

Kang-Woo threw the transparent crystal orb, and the gate that led to the Hall of Protection opened.

* * *

"I'm sorry…?"

The woman—with light brown hair, pale skin, and a body so frail that it stirred the desire to protect her in everyone around her and looked as if it would break from the slightest touch—trembled.

"What do you mean?"

"It's for Si-Hun."

"B-But still!"

Gaia sprang up from the wheelchair. She lost her balance and collapsed.

Kang-Woo caught her before she could fall down and carefully sat her back in the wheelchair.

"How could I do that to Protector Kim Si-Hun…?" Gaia lowered her head.

"I'm sure you know the state Si-Hun is in right now," he said in a low voice.

"…"

"Are you planning on just watching as Si-Hun crumbles under the weight of his own despair?"

"N-No! There's no way I'd do that!" she quickly shouted. She continued as if she couldn't understand, "But even still, doing something like that is…"

"Si-Hun's current problem isn't physical. The nerves in his hands had healed long ago."

"…"

"You know as well, don't you? The reason he can't hold a sword is purely a psychological problem."

Gaia nodded with difficulty, knowing it as well. Kang-Woo had a healing ability that could be considered almost miraculous, yet Si-Hun still couldn't hold a sword.

"Si-Hun has to overcome it on his own. We're just creating a situation that can help him with that."

"But what if Protector Kim Si-Hun breaks down completely because of—"

"He won't," he said firmly.

If this were a , Si-Hun would be the protagonist. He never gave up or backed down. Overcoming one's fear of death with sheer willpower was easier said than done; not many people were able to do such a thing.

"He won't break down over something like this."

"…"

Gaia fell silent.

"Will I really be able to do this?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"You'll be fine. You just need to scream a few times."

To be honest, Kang-Woo did not have high hopes for her acting. He'd dragged Gaia into his plan because she was the woman that the hero Kim Si-Hun had fallen in love with at first sight and had sworn to protect.

Gaia was obviously a bad liar, so he did not expect her to make a theatrical performance.

"I… understand." Gaia nodded with a heavy expression. "I will do the best I can."

Kang-Woo smiled.

'And with this…'

The actors were cast. Next was to set the scene.

'This is pretty fun.'

It felt as if he were looking at things from an omniscient viewpoint. A weird sensation of excitement ran through him.

'I should do this a few more times in the future.'

Kang-Woo smiled.

* * *

"Why did you suggest a walk out of the blue…? Is something on your mind?"

A man and a woman were walking beside a stream in a quiet and peaceful forest harboring chirping birds. It was Si-Hun and Gaia.

"N-No. It's just that you seem to be having a tough time lately, Protector Kim Si-Hun."

"…"

Si-Hun remained silent. He looked down at his hands as he pushed Gaia's wheelchair. The tips of his fingers were trembling, and he wasn't holding the wheelchair's handles. He just had his hands above them and was pushing.

To be more precise, that was the only thing he could do with these hands.

He felt a burning pain in his chest.

"I'm… fine," he said in a weak voice.

"…"

Anyone would be able to tell that he wasn't fine.

Gaia extended her hand and grabbed Si-Hun's hand.

"I… also broke down when I lost my eyesight and my legs stopped working."

"…"

"It felt as if I had become worthless trash."

"That's—"

"That's why I understand the despair that you're going through. But…" Gaia smiled and stroked his hands softly. "Please, don't resent yourself."

"Gaia…"

"Fufu. It's funny for me to say this when I'm the one always relying on others, but… I wish for you to not suffer anymore."

There was a heavy silence. A dreamy atmosphere was blossoming between Si-Hun and Gaia.

"Gaia, are you—"

As Si-Hun was about to say something—BOOM!!!—there was a huge explosion.

"Wh-What the—?!"

Black demonic energy stormed all around them, and a giant being walked out through the thickets.

[Kekekeke! I have finally found you!]

The being was easily over five meters tall and was covered in horrifying green tentacles. The enormous amount of demonic energy the demon was emitting was suffocating.

"Kieeeeek!"

"Grrk, grrk."

Undead monsters poured out from behind the tentacle monster.

"Y-You're…" Si-Hun stared at the monster as his voice trembled.

The massive demon covered in tentacles shouted, [I am the loyal subordinate of Lord Satan, Yogg-Saron!!!]

BOOM!

The demon stomped on the ground, tentacles spreading in all directions.

[Bow down before the God of Death, human!!!]

* * *

'Dayum.'

Kang-Woo was using the Authority of the Beholder from atop a tree about a hundred meters from Si-Hun and Gaia. He smiled.

'Nice production.'

The appearance Lilith herself had made for Balrog was so hideous that it made him want to vomit. Additionally, the Undead that Vaal Zahak had made were a nice addition.

'Shieet! This is great!'

Kang-Woo looked at them with shining eyes as if he were a film director.

"Kyaaaaah!!"

Balrog reached out and grabbed Gaia.

'Alright!'

The weak heroine being snatched away by a demon…

It was just like what he had imagined.

'Now if we just shut Gaia's mouth…'

They would be able to prevent Si-Hun from figuring out their plan from her bad acting.

But just then…

"S-Si-Hun!!! S-Save me!! Si-Huuuuuun!!"

'Eh?'

"L-Let me go, you filthy demon!!"

'The hell?'

She let out a desperate scream with all her heart. It was so desperate that just hearing it was enough to break one's heart.

'What's with her?'

Gaia's desperate cry continued, "Wh-What are you planning to do with me?!! Y-You horrible demons!!"

'What's happening?'

"Th-Those eyes filled with filthy lust…! Don't tell me you're planning to…"

'Why is she so good at acting?'

"You depraved servant of evil! Y-You intend to violate me with those tentacles, aren't you? Just like in an ero-manga!!"

'Excuse me, ma'am.'

"Just like in an ero-manga!!!"

'Don't say it twice.'

He covered his face with his hands as if he couldn't watch any more. He felt as if he had been hit in the back of the head with Mjolnir after witnessing a completely unexpected side of Gaia.

'Sister-in-law, why are you doing this to me…?'

This is supposed to be for all ages.