Chapter 303 - The Secret That Oh Kang-Woo Had Been Hiding

"Why did you leave me on read yesterday?!" Uriel angrily shouted.

Having gone to the angels' fortress in Africa in search of Uriel, Oh Kang-Woo gave a bitter smile.

"There was a bit of a situation."

"What situation?"

"Well..."

Kang-Woo, who couldn't say that he had been waiting for Uriel to fall from grace, slurred while smiling awkwardly.

Uriel's eyes sharpened.

"Tell me what—"

"More importantly, Lord Uriel," Kang-Woo interjected. "There are a few things that I want to ask. Is that okay?"

"... What is it?" Uriel pouted and nodded.

It seemed like he had complaints due to what happened the day before, but it didn't seem like he would ignore Kang-Woo's request.

"Do you know of something called the 'Seed of Corruption'?"

"..."

There was a heavy silence.

Uriel's eyes widened.

"Where... did you hear that?" he asked in a low voice.

"I came across it while I had been investigating Rakiel on my own time," Kang-Woo answered while making a calm expression.

Uriel groaned. "You know that all angels are instinctively obsessed with something, right?"

"Yes."

"If that obsession becomes uncontrollable, their wings start to turn black, and if it worsens from there and enters the territory of madness..."

"You fall from grace."

"Yeah." Uriel nodded. "The Seed of Corruption refers to the stage right before the fall. In other words, the stage where the wings flicker black sometimes."

"Can the individual know if the Seed of Corruption has been sown in themselves?"

"No, they can't. I'm sure that others wouldn't be able to tell either. The flickering happens in the blink of an eye, which is why one must be even more cautious. It only takes an instant for an obsession to become madness."

Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes.

'So they themselves don't know.'

Uriel didn't seem to be lying.

'In that case, Uriel doesn't know he's falling either.'

Based on his reaction, that seemed to be the case.

Considering Uriel's personality, Uriel wouldn't be so calm if he knew he was falling.

"What kind of changes happen when an angel falls from grace?"

With demons, if they couldn't control their desires, they turned into mindless demonic beasts, but based on records regarding Rakiel and having witnessed Raphael's fall, it didn't seem like fallen angels lost their ability to reason.

"The biggest difference is that the wings turn black and their sacred power turns into demonic energy. Oh, and they become far stronger in exchange for being unable to use divine magic."

In other words, they gained power in exchange for technique. It was similar to demons becoming demonic beasts where they lost their intelligence in exchange for overwhelming physical prowess.

"Is that all? You don't lose your mind or anything?"

"No, but... since their obsession borders on the line of madness, their actions turn very extreme. That's why, even if they can still reason, we kill them."

Uriel's expression darkened as he said that—he was probably thinking about his friend he'd killed with his own hands.

"Can an angel who fell from grace rise back up?" Kang-Woo asked, recalling from the system window that the fall would be acknowledged even if it was a temporary one.

Uriel shook his head.

"It's usually impossible, but... they can be brought back to normal right at the moment of the fall. As for Raphael... it was too late for him." Uriel looked down in sorrow. As he wiped away his tears with the back of his hand, he said, "But why are you asking me about that all of a sudden?"

"Oh, I was just curious about it since I came across it during my Rakiel investigations," he calmly answered.

All hail the Rakiel cheat code.

"Rakiel is a bit different in the sense that he fell from grace of his own accord."

"What was Rakiel's obsession?"

"I don't know. It's never been recorded."

Kang-Woo nodded. He had expected the answer.

"Lord Uriel, you said that you were obsessed with affection, right?"

"Y-Yeah."

"Then you must be having a hard time since you've been alone all the time lately. And with... what happened to Lord Raphael."

Uriel's expression darkened. "I-I'm fine. I can easily control my instinctive urges."

'Bullshit.'

It was easy to see that his obsession was worsening. If not, the Seed of Corruption wouldn't have been sown in him.

"Is that why you've been sending me so many messages?"

"N-Not at all!" he shouted.

Kang-Woo laughed.

Uriel turned his head as if he were sulking.

'I've heard everything I need to.'

His curiosity regarding the fall from grace had been more or less resolved.

'In that case...'

Kang-Woo licked his lips.

'Like I thought, that should be the best way to go about it.'

Only now when he was sure that Uriel's obsession was directed toward him would the plan that he had in mind work.

'I can't just lie around doing nothing.'

After the Seed of Corruption inside Uriel had stopped growing, he realized he couldn't just wait around. It was an undeniable fact that Uriel's obsession with affection was directed toward Kang-Woo after losing Raphael and being left all by himself.

Kang-Woo needed to pull some strings if he wanted to turn that obsession into madness.

"Shall we go search for traces of Rakiel?"

"... I thought you said you were busy."

"It's okay. My investigations into Rakiel haven't been going anywhere, so... I decided to put it on hold for the time being."

"R-Really?" Uriel's expression brightened.

Kang-Woo nodded and stood up. "Let's go to Russia today, where Lord Raphael fought against Satan."

"Okay!" Uriel smiled and nodded.

Kang-Woo smirked as he saw Uriel's eight wings wagging as if they were tails.

'Corrupting a brat starved for attention is a piece of cake.'

* * *

"This is... where Raphael and Satan fought?" Uriel asked.

"Yes. To be more precise, it's where we fought against the Demon Cult's main force."

Just from looking at the snowy mountain with traces of destruction everywhere, anyone was able to tell how fierce the battle had been.

"... I certainly feel traces of demonic energy everywhere."

Uriel placed his hand on the ground and closed his eyes. Although it had been months since the battle, there were still traces of demonic energy left.

"But it'll be hard to find traces of Rakiel like this."

There were traces of demonic energy all over the place, so it was impossible to tell whether they had been left by Rakiel or the battle.

Kang-Woo nodded.

"That is why I suggested we come here. If Rakiel is hiding somewhere, there should be no better place than here."

"Oh, you have a point."

There was no better place to hide a tree than a forest—it made sense.

"Before we begin our investigations..." Kang-Woo smiled as he took out a container of kimchi stew. "We should fill our stomachs for the hard work ahead."

"Pfft, isn't it just because you want to eat?"

Uriel, also happy about eating with Kang-Woo, put his hand over a rock while grinning.

Crackle!!

The rock was carved cleanly by blue lightning as if it were being sliced by a sharp sword.

"Let's eat."

Uriel sat in front of the cut rock.

There was no way an angel with underdeveloped taste buds would be so happy at the idea of eating food. Uriel simply enjoyed the sensation of eating with someone else. It was something he hadn't been able to feel with his fellow angels.

"Hihihi."

As evidence of that, instead of eating, Uriel seemed more interested in looking at Kang-Woo eating.

Just then...

"Hm?"

Kang-Woo's hands suddenly stopped while he was eating the kimchi stew. He stared blankly into the air and then grabbed his head.

"What's wrong?"

Uriel had seen Kang-Woo do that many times while they had been searching for traces of Rakiel.

Kang-Woo shook his head and smiled awkwardly. "It's nothing."

"Nothing, my ass. You've been doing that all the time. Staring at nothing and grabbing the back of your head... Are you sure there's no problem?"

"Hahaha. I just have some things on my mind."

Kang-Woo shook his head, put kimchi on a bed of rice, and had a spoonful.

"..."

Kang-Woo's face darkened.

"Hey, what's wrong? Isn't this like your favorite food?"

"I don't really have an appetite today." Kang-Woo scratched his head as if he were also confused.

Uriel stared at Kang-Woo restlessly. An uneasy feeling crept down his spine.

"Let's eat." Kang-Woo smiled brightly and ate the kimchi stew.

"... Okay." Uriel muttered. He then asked while eating the kimchi stew, "Come to think of it... why did you join Guardians?"

"Me?"

"Yeah. The incarnation of Gaia told me that you're not a chosen protector."

"Haha. That's right."

"Then why are you trying so hard to fight, and with nothing in return? I've been searching on the Internet, and most people have only been trying to fill their stomachs while believing it's finally a time of peace."

"I'm not sure." Kang-Woo placed his hand on his chin and pretended to be in thought.

'It's finally here!'

Uriel had taken the bait without his having to do anything.

'I need to say it as calmly as possible while looking plaintive.'

He had built up enough affinity with Uriel, so deceiving him was a piece of cake.

"I don't have any grandiose goals like Si-Hun, nor do I have firm convictions like Lord Raphael."

"Then... why?"

Kang-Woo directed a faint smile that looked like it would break at any moment toward Uriel. Uriel flinched—it was that sensation again. He could feel a sense of time that far exceeded anything that a human, who had not even lived a quarter of his own lifetime, could have experienced. His eyes were mixed with an unfathomable tangle of emotions.

Kang-Woo slowly opened his mouth. "I had someone important to me. Yes, they were... very precious to me."

"..."

"I... wasn't able to protect them." Kang-Woo clenched his fists and trembled a bit, his veins bulging under the skin of his fists.

"Who... was it?"

"He was a person who protected me when I entered a Gate while knowing absolutely nothing back when I had first awakened as a Player. His name was Lee Ki-Young."

Kang-Woo said the first name that crossed his mind. It didn't matter if that person existed or not. The truth wasn't important; what mattered was that it sounded like the truth.

"He helped me a lot. If it hadn't been for him... I wouldn't be here. But... Ki-Young hyung died... at the hands of a demon-worshiping guild known as Andras. No, to be more precise... I killed him after he had been encroached by demonic energy and became a demonic beast."

Boom.

Uriel's heart beat strongly. He knew better than anyone else how painful it was to kill someone precious to oneself with one's own hands. After all, he had been forced to kill Raphael, his old friend, with his own hands.

"And now... I have people just as important to me."

"That... Kim Si-Hun human?"

"Him among many others." Kang-Woo smirked and looked up into the air as he spoke in a longing voice, "I don't really care what happens to this world, but I don't... want to lose any more people precious to me."

Kang-Woo made a smile that looked as if it would break at any moment. Uriel could feel the fear in his voice. Uriel remained silent and saw himself after having lost Raphael, in Kang-Woo.

'That's right.'

Kang-Woo inwardly laughed. He could see Uriel's fluctuating emotions on his face, as well as the blossoming of trust and sympathy toward him.

'Of course he'd sympathize.'

Just like how people who had experienced harsh breakups sympathized with people who had also gone through the same thing, it was only instinct for a living being to sympathize and console someone else who had gone through similar misfortunes.

'Now, Uriel...'

Kang-Woo looked at Uriel, who'd fallen into thought.

'Cling to me more.'

The empty void that Raphael had left...

'Fill it with me.'

Only then would his plan succeed.

Kang-Woo leisurely waited for Uriel's answer.

Uriel slowly opened his mouth as he looked at the smiling young man. "I don't know much about you, but... I think I know why Lord Tirion chose you as his apostle."

"Haha. You flatter me. I was just lucky."

"You think a god's choice depends on luck?" Uriel looked at him with serious eyes.

He'd heard about Kang-Woo in detail from Gaia and how hard he'd fought against the demons, as well as the accomplishments he had made and the legend he had built.

According to Gaia, if it weren't for Kang-Woo, Earth would've already become riddled with demons. Hearing his achievements, Uriel couldn't help but agree. Although it was not widely spread among the public, Kang-Woo had been the decisive factor in taking down the Demon Cult.

'He doesn't want to lose any more people precious to him.'

Uriel closed his eyes and remembered Raphael, his friend he'd spent thousands of years with, and how much he had despaired after killing him.

'He's the same as me.'

They were not different in any way. Uriel's heart resonated. The difference between the usual Kang-Woo and his smile that would shatter at any moment gave him mixed feelings. Uriel held Kang-Woo's hand without holding back the wave of emotions he was feeling.

"I'll help you too."

"..."

"I'll lend you my strength so you don't have to lose anything else."

"Haha..." Kang-Woo's eyes teared up, and a dry laugh left his mouth. "Thank you. Thank you... very much."

"A-Ahem."

"Haha. This is the first time I've told this to anyone."

"You didn't tell Kim Si-Hun?"

"Yes. I didn't want him to worry. I've never even mentioned it to my lover."

"R-really? Then I'm the first?"

"Yes."

Uriel's expression brightened.

The fact that he was the first to hear the truth that Oh Kang-Woo had been hiding made him feel happy, and he felt his face reddening.

"R-Right, then, let's get on with the investigation!" Uriel quickly stood up.

Kang-Woo smirked and nodded. "Yes, of course."

Kang-Woo put the empty kimchi stew pot away and stood up. He followed after Uriel and investigated the traces of demonic energy all around them.

Then...

"Huh...?"

Uriel's eyes widened. He found traces that were more recent than the other traces around them. The demonic energy signature was capable of making him, an archangel, shudder.

"Th-This isn't simply recent..."

It had literally been left moments ago.

"Watch ou—"

Crackle!

Black lightning poured down like rain the moment he stood up with a pale face. Uriel spread his wings and flew to the side while grabbing Kang-Woo.

"Wh-What the—?!"

"Shit! So this is where Rakiel was hiding!!"

It was good that they'd finally found Rakiel, but the problem was that it was Rakiel who found them first.

Step, step.

"Hmm, I was wondering what insects were scurrying around here."

A being with silver hair that reached far down his shoulder, ten black wings, and armor made of wriggling green tentacles slowly walked toward them. He smiled while looking at Kang-Woo.

"Kekeke, I'm surprised you are still alive. I didn't think you'd last this long."

Uriel did not understand what he meant by that.

"Rakiel..."

Uriel's fists trembled, and blue lightning danced off of him.

"Kang-Woo! I'll buy you time, so contact Guardians!" he said while standing between Kang-Woo and Rakiel.

However, there was no reply.

"... Kang-Woo?"

Uriel turned his head.

"A-Arghh."

There, he saw Kang-Woo holding his head and groaning in pain.

"Wh-What's wrong?"

Uriel's expression paled. He had seen Kang-Woo like this before, when he saw Rakiel's demonic energy in the angel fortress when they first met.

"A-Aaaaahh!"

Kang-Woo knelt and collapsed while clenching his head. His mouth frothed, and his eyes rolled back.

"Oh Kang-Woo!!"

Uriel grabbed Kang-Woo, who was scrunched up on the ground, and...

"Huh...?"

He undoubtedly felt demonic energy from Kang-Woo's body.