Chapter 123 - Red Mask (2)

[Transforming the Key of the Demonic Sea into 'Gáe Bulg'.]

[Exercising 34% of the skill's capacity.]

A blue message window popped up in front of Oh Kang-Woo.

He grabbed the Gáe Bulg, enveloped it with demonic energy, and activated the Authority of Titanic Might.

'Like I thought, this thing is overpowered.'

Although it only possessed 34% of the original version's power, it was more than adequate for him. He was able to maintain the Gáe Bulg without demonic energy and use other Authorities on top of that.

He checked the time while holding his weapon. The time on his smartphone showed 8:43 p.m.

'He should be here by 9 p.m.'

Kang-Woo smiled and lowered his stance.

There were 15 minutes left. It would be challenging to defeat a World Ranker in such a short time, but Kang-Woo was not worried.

'After all, I'm up against this guy,' Kang-Woo thought while looking at Alec Osborne.

Alec sighed and gripped his sword.

"You give me no choice," he said.

White light burst out of him as he stomped the ground. He shot forward, leaving behind a white afterimage. Alec swung his sword, which was infused with intense mana, toward Kang-Woo, aiming for his right shoulder.

Alec's swordsmanship was very orthodox. However, he had refined it to the highest limit, so his attack was simple yet very sharp.

"So what?" Kang-Woo sneered coldly.

He stuck his shoulder out and twisted his body—not to dodge the attack but to make sure it would be fatal.

"Ngh?!"

Alec realized that he was about to slash Kang-Woo's neck instead of his right shoulder. Surprised, he stopped his sword mid-swing.

Nevertheless, it wasn't easy to stop in the middle of an attack. Immense pressure weighed down on his hands. His entire body screamed in pain from the massive inertia generated, like a truck whose driver had suddenly slammed on the brake.

"See? I knew you'd do that," Kang-Woo commented.

He looked at Alec like he was pathetic and swung the Gáe Bulg. The dark-red spear shaft smashed into Alec's stomach. He was forced into a forward bend and sent flying.

Tap.

Kang-Woo swiftly caught up to Alec, who was still in midair. Then Kang-Woo slashed upward with his spear. Alec quickly twisted his body to block the attack, but he couldn't fully nullify the impact in midair with such an awkward movement.

Fwoosh!

"Kurgh!"

Black flames spewed from the Gáe Bulg's spearhead. Alec was singed by the fire and hurriedly rolled on the ground to put it out.

At that moment, Kang-Woo charged toward him. Alec then jumped back up and swung his sword. However, Kang-Woo didn't dodge; he pushed his head toward the sword's trajectory. Alec immediately changed the trajectory of his sword, letting it brush past Kang-Woo's cheeks instead.

The red mask was slightly cut, and black blood leaked out through it. Kang-Woo ignored it and clenched his hand into a fist. He took a step forward and smashed his foot onto the ground. Using the torque generated from that movement, he punched Alec.

Bash!

"Kargh!"

Blood spurted out of Alec's mouth, and he fell to the ground after receiving a direct hit from Kang-Woo, who had used Skybreaker.

"Kuh... H-How?" Alec uttered with quivering eyes.

The assassin's power was on a completely different level compared to that morning.

"Tsk," Kang-Woo clicked his tongue.

'I have to acknowledge his will at the very least.'

Seeing how Alec had avoided killing him even in the middle of such a situation, Kang-Woo had to acknowledge Alec's strong will to not kill anyone. No, at this point, it was closer to hypnosis or brainwashing.

'I had more fun against that assassin.'

Kang-Woo couldn't feel the thrill and tension that came with battle.

Alec's strategy was useful only when he was overwhelmingly more powerful than the opponent. For someone like Kang-Woo, whose strength went beyond that of World Rankers, fighting against Alec was boring and bothersome.

'Well, he's not the important one anyway.'

The fight with Alec was unimportant to Kang-Woo's plan.

Kang-Woo checked the time again.

"Haap!"

While Kang-Woo was distracted, Alec charged over and swung his sword. Once again, Kang-Woo pushed his vital point toward the sword's trajectory, causing the attack to stop.

Bash!

"Urgh!"

"Forget it. Let's just stop. This is so boring that I can't even be bothered to face you."

Kang-Woo, who'd spent so many years in Hell fighting battles that endangered his life, found this fight annoying.

'I wasn't hoping for a fight like this.'

He didn't like it at all.

Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes. There was, however, one way to relieve his irritation.

"Who... are you?" Alec spoke in a low voice.

'He isn't the person I saw earlier today,' Alec realized.

Leaving the mask aside, the clothes and voice seemed the same as those of the assassin whom Alec had met earlier that day. Despite that, he thought they were different people. The skills of the assassin before him now were on a whole other level compared to those of the assassin from earlier that day.

"You call yourself a Protector, yet you can't even figure it out?" Kang-Woo mocked Alec. "There's only one reason why a Demon Cultist would become so strong so suddenly, isn't there?"

"Don't tell me..."

Alec's eyes widened. He bit his lips.

Just like the man had said, there was only one way a Demon Cultist could've gotten so strong so quickly.

"You're a demon!" Alec exclaimed angrily.

He used his sword as a cane and got up. He exuded an intense bloodlust that Kang-Woo hadn't witnessed from him before.

Kang-Woo nodded and smiled, satisfied.

"Yes, that's better."

He thought that he'd finally be able to experience a proper fight.

Alec raised his sword. The two superhumans once again clashed against each other on the hotel rooftop.

Boom!

The entire hotel shook as if there were an earthquake. They exchanged numerous attacks in a short frame of time, but Kang-Woo was not having fun.

'This guy's still like this.'

Even though Kang-Woo had said that he was a demon, Alec still wasn't attacking to kill. He was only trying to restrain Kang-Woo. Nevertheless, at least Alec wasn't saying bullshit like he would protect even a demon's life.

'Maybe it's because of how I look.'

Kang-Woo still had the appearance of a human. That was the most likely reason why Alec was hesitant to kill him.

He understood the reason behind Alec's actions. After all, between a human that looked like a monster and a monster that looked like a human, it was very simple which one would be easier to kill.

'You don't have the right to be a Protector.'

Kang-Woo lowered his gaze.

He wasn't sure what exactly the purpose of a Protector was, but one thing for sure was that they had the duty of protecting Earth from outside invaders. That included the continent of Aernor where Reynald was from and the world of the gods where Susanoo resided. If Alec couldn't kill something just because it looked like a human, that meant he was useless as a Protector.

Crack!

"Kargh!"

Kang-Woo grabbed Alec's neck and lifted him off the ground. Alec struggled to free himself.

"Cough! Cough! L-Let me go!" Alec squeezed out.

"Seriously, what a fucking joke."

Kang-Woo gripped Alec's neck even more tightly.

He couldn't help but sigh and wonder, 'Are World Rankers ranked by how moronic they are?'

This experience with Alec made him realize just how nice of a person Tian Wuchen was.

Kang-Woo checked the time. The battle had ended faster than he'd thought. It was no surprise since he'd fought an idiot who couldn't kill people.

'There's still some time left.'

Thinking of venting his frustration with the remaining time, Kang-Woo said, "Of course, you probably have your reasons."

Humans didn't break so easily. Alec had probably been broken beyond repair due to sorrow that was far too great for a person to handle.

Kang-Woo continued, "I'm sure you have a story that would be a tearjerker if made into a film."

That was the only possible reason he could think of.

"But so what? Does the world disappear because you close your eyes? Do things that have already happened vanish because you avert your gaze from it?" he questioned.

"Kuh!"

"Be honest." Kang-Woo twisted his mouth. "You know, don't you?"

"What do you m—"

"The woman who died in the alleyway today. You saw her, didn't you?"

"..."

Alec remained silent. He couldn't understand what Kang-Woo was talking about.

Bzzt.

Alec's vision became blurry.

"A-Aaah!"

He saw himself agonizing over a woman's death. It was a scene he had never seen, a scene he didn't remember.

Nevertheless, his mouth opened without conscious thought and uttered, "Shut... the fuck up!"

"Haha, you finally feel like a human now that you're cursing." Kang-Woo laughed out loud. "Wake up, man. What you're doing is just masturbation, okay? You're just shaking your hand so that you can feel good."

As the mockery dug into Alec's ears, memories he had forgotten came back to him.

His eyes widened in shock.

'Erina.'

Alec saw the woman he'd promised to spend the rest of his life with. He saw himself crying in despair as someone killed her.

Alec screamed like a madman, "You know nothing about me!"

"What? Do you want others to understand your tragic past? Do you want them to grab your hand and sympathize with you?" Kang-Woo spat on the floor. "Whether you bawl your eyes out or become autistic with screws loose in your head, no one will give a flying fuck, so enough with the pity show."

Many people who fell into despair thought the world was depressing. Since they were sad, they believed that everyone else should be just as sad as them. But reality wasn't like that. It had never been like that.

"A-Aarrgghh!! K-Kurgh!" Alec screamed and squirmed.

Kang-Woo tightened his grip around Alec's neck, causing a desperate scream to emerge from Alec's mouth.

Then Kang-Woo smiled and said, "Shit, man. I feel so refreshed now."

He felt as refreshed as if he'd gulped down some cold cider to quench his thirst.

The reason why Kang-Woo had said all those things had nothing to do with wanting Alec to get better. He just wanted to give Alec a reality check since all of Alec's pretty little words had annoyed him to no end.

"That aside, what's taking him so long?" Kang-Woo muttered with a frown.

He'd talked for a long time, but the protagonist had yet to appear.

Right then…

Slam!

'Speak of the Devil.'

The door to the rooftop flew open and an unrealistically handsome young man appeared.

While panting heavily, he cried out, "Alec!!"

Kim Si-Hun's scream reverberated through the area.

Kang-Woo enveloped himself with demonic energy, shrouding himself in darkness.

'Oh, I should alter my voice.'

Acting all serious, he said, [It seems we have ourselves a small fry.]

Kim Si-Hun unsheathed his sword and shouted, "Who are you?!"

When he saw his role model, Alec, being grabbed by the neck, Si-Hun trembled, and his breath became heavier. He didn't want to believe what he was seeing. An intense rage surged within him.

[Who am I?]

Kang-Woo, who was covered by darkness, turned to face Si-Hun.

[I am death. I am the end. I am the father of all wrath, and I am wrath itself.]

Only the red mask could be seen in the pitch-black darkness.

[I am Satan.]