Chapter 36: The Chosen One (1)

"I'm really sorry for what happened today. I'm going to kick Yeong-Ho from the guild, and I'll make sure no one else does something like this," Cha Yeon-Joo said to Oh Kang-Woo with her head bowed.

A member of her guild had been rude to a Player they'd promised to offer their full support, so even someone of her status had to lower her head in apology.

"It's fine since I've received this." Kang-Woo lightly slapped the Gargoyle Armor he had received from Mun Yeong-Ho.

He looked at the armor and opened its information window.

[Equipment Information]

[Equipment Name: Gargoyle Armor

Grade: Unique

Basic Effect: Physical Defense +200, Magical Defense +80

Special Effect: Allows the wearer to use 'Petrification', which doubles their physical defense. Can only be used once every 24 hours.]

'As expected from a piece of Unique-grade equipment.'

With just one Unique-grade item, Kang-Woo's physical defense had increased by a number that was even greater than the total additions to his physical defense that his three rented Epic-grade items had provided.

'The special effect is good too.'

Moreover, the Gargoyle Armor's special effect was far more useful than the one that the Shadow Armor had. While thinking this, Kang-Woo looked at the Gargoyle Armor in satisfaction.

Then he turned toward Yeon-Joo and said, "However, if something like this happens again, I'll have to rethink my relationship with the Red Rose Guild."

Kang-Woo had to draw a clear line even though he had received a piece of Unique equipment because of the incident. After all, the incident with Yeong-Ho had occurred because Yeon-Joo had failed to control her subordinate. Kang-Woo had chosen to accept Yeong-Ho's proposal, but the proposal should never have been made in the first place.

'Although I can more or less understand the reason behind his actions.'

Kang-Woo's body was closer to that of a demon than a human, so he was highly sensitive to the desires of others. He instinctively knew what the others wanted and how much they craved it.

'I guess he was blinded by love.'

That expression was an apt description of Yeong-Ho's situation.

"…I'm sorry. I have no excuse." Yeon-Joo sighed and asked for forgiveness once again.

However, Yeong-Ho wasn't the only reason why Yeon-Joo was acting in such a way. It was also because of the strength that Kang-Woo had shown. The fact that he'd only been a Player for two weeks and had been able to defeat someone who had achieved their Seventh Awakening was enough to change her attitude.

Kang-Woo had gone from being a Player with whom it would be worth maintaining a good relationship to someone she needed to have a good relationship with no matter what. The power dynamic had changed completely. Now, even Yeon-Joo, who possessed a fierce personality, couldn't just walk all over Kang-Woo.

"Then let's stay in touch." Kang-Woo waved goodbye to Yeon-Joo and turned around.

Yeon-Joo watched him walk away in silence.

"Haaa," she sighed deeply.

'Is he truly human?'?

Yeon-Joo wondered inwardly.

It was no longer a matter of whether Kang-Woo was talented. He possessed great power that defied common sense.

'I think I could beat him at present, but…'

With Kang-Woo's growth speed, it wouldn't surprise Yeon-Joo if he soon surpassed her. His growth speed was so scary that she thought it might be better to do something about him before he became too strong.

"At this rate, a World Ranker may appear in Korea."

The World Rankers were the eight strongest known Players in the entire world, and there wasn't a Korean among them currently. Korea's top Ranker, Baek Kang-Hyun, once had a chance of becoming a World Ranker, but he had ultimately failed to do so.

'But maybe if it's Kang-Woo…'

Kang-Woo was a monster who was growing at an unprecedented speed, so Yeon-Joo thought that becoming a World Ranker might not be hard for someone like him.

While Yeon-Joo was immersed in her thoughts, Park Hyun-Woo walked toward her.

"Guildmaster, did Kang-Woo go back?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah. He just left," Yeon-Joo replied.

"I heard that something happened between him and Yeong-Ho…"

"Yes, I plan to hold a disciplinary meeting and kick Yeong-Ho out of the Guild."

"…"

"Don't make that face. This is all Yeong-Ho's fault."

"Understood," Hyun-Woo replied and nodded with a bitter smile. Then he said, "I have something I need to tell you."

"What is it?"

"The government has managed to implant a spy in the Demon Cult."

"…"

"If we're lucky, we'll finally be able to get some evidence of their deeds."

Yeon-Joo's eyes lit up. "Give me the details."

* * *

"Let's see…"

On his way home, Kang-Woo opened his status window.

[Status Window]

[Player Name: Oh Kang-Woo

Level: 34 (Fourth Awakening)

First Awakening Trait: Authority of Predation (Rank: ???) *The majority of the Trait's power is currently sealed.

Second Awakening Trait: Insatiable Hunger (Rank: C)

Third Awakening Trait: Mana-Hungry Demon (Rank: A)

Fourth Awakening Trait: Ruler of Demonic Energy (Rank: A)

Strength: 23

Dexterity: 21

Health: 20

Mana: 0

Demonic Energy (Unique Stat): 53

Intelligence: 11

Wisdom: 13

*Current Equipment Effects

Physical Defense: 330

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Magical Defense: 170]

If someone else had seen Kang-Woo's freakish status window, they probably wouldn't have been able to hide their shock. Normally, Fourth Awakening Players could barely reach 30 for a stat even if they were lucky, but Kang-Woo's Demonic Energy stat had already surpassed 50.

'The other stats are rising consistently too.'

His most important stat was Demonic Energy, but it wasn't like the Strength, Dexterity, and Health stats were useless. Kang-Woo could fortify his body with demonic energy, but it would reduce his reserves of demonic energy. So, if he could fortify his body with the other stats instead, he would avoid wasting demonic energy.

'But Intelligence and Wisdom are useless.'

Kang-Woo didn't have mana, so those two stats that raised the effectiveness and power of mana were useless to him.

'Too bad I can't choose which stats to raise.'

One stat was randomly selected to be raised with each level up, and the amount of increase was also random. Then, from the Second Awakening onwards, the stat related to the Trait that a Player used the most was usually supposed to be the one that rose the most. However, in Kang-Woo's case, all of his other stats had gone up instead of the Demonic Energy stat.

'Is it because my Demonic Energy stat is too high?'

It was indeed possible that it was because the number for that stat was already too high and impossible for a Level 34 Player to have. Considering that a Player's stat became harder to raise the higher it got, it made sense that Kang-Woo's Demonic Energy stat wasn't going up as he leveled.

'In other words, leveling up in the Level 30s won't raise my Demonic Energy stat.'

That probably explained why his other stats were going up instead.

"That's too bad."

Kang-Woo wanted to put all the stats in Demonic Energy with each level up, but that was impossible.

"But thanks to the Hellhound, I far surpassed my original goal."

He had been planning on leveling up to Level 30, but his level had shot up to Level 34 after hunting a Hellhound.

'If I keep up this pace, I'll get my Fifth Awakening soon.'

Thanks to the Red Rose Guild, Kang-Woo could freely access higher-ranking Gates. He could skip B-rank Gates and immediately go to A-rank ones, so leveling up was probably going to get much faster.

"That aside, I finally have some leeway."

Kang-Woo was now in a completely different position compared to back when he could barely use an Authority with his meager amount of demonic energy. During his fight against Yeong-Ho earlier, Kang-Woo realized that he was in the upper ranks of Players. He had enough strength to defend himself against strong Players.

"I should take this opportunity to help Seol-Ah and Tae-Soo grow."

After seeing how much Yeon-Joo was willing to support him, he realized something.

'It's better to invest early in Players with great potential.'

Investing early in talented Players could generate a huge return. That was why Yeon-Joo, one of the top ten Players in Korea, was investing so heavily in Kang-Woo. The value of his talent and growth potential was higher than what she was investing.

'Tae-Soo and Seol-Ah are also worth investing in.'

Tae-Soo and Seol-Ah weren't that impressive compared to Kang-Woo, but that was only in comparison to him. Compared to the average Player, a tank that had awakened an A-rank Trait with his Second Awakening and a healer with a B-rank Trait were very talented.

'And…'

The most important thing was that they thought very highly of him, so the chance that they would betray him was low.

'I'll look over their hunt and give them advice tomorrow.'

Kang-Woo wasn't planning on carrying them; that would only hinder their growth. Tae-Soo and Seol-Ah needed to gain more combat experience and receive proper guidance. They would probably be able to grow at an explosive rate once they were placed on the right path.

"I guess I'll go home."

Kang-Woo headed home while feeling the pleasant weight of the pieces of equipment he'd gotten.