Chapter 24: Demon Followers (3)

"Then search for more info about the demon cult."

"U-understood."

Jo DeokHyun bowed after hearing KangWoo's order.

His expression was full of fear.

It wasn't simple fear, but he had completely surrendered to the human called Oh KangWoo.

It was clear that he had been influenced by the Authority of Fear.

"Don't perform any more ceremonies, understood?"

"Yes!"

Jo DeokHyun quickly nodded at KangWoo's words.

KangWoo smiled, satisfied at his answer.

'I guess this much pressure is going to be enough.'

He couldn't let Andras guild members kidnap humans that were alive anymore.

Of course, the moral behind it was one of the reasons, but there was also another one, which was the current status of the Andras guild.

Government agencies were watching the Andras guild's movements closely, so if they kept going around as they'd been doing, they would soon be found out.

'Even if they don't do anything and stay still, what they've done will probably come to light sooner or later.'

They'd done so many things that there was no way that they wouldn't be found out.

They'd sacrificed living players numerous times, so they would be punished for sure.

'Once that happens, I can just throw them away.'

For the moment, the members of the Andras Guild would be useful to him in finding more information about the Demon Cult.

They knew and had demonic energy.

That would probably make it easier for them to find the Demon Cult compared to a normal player, who didn't know about demonic energy.

That's why he could just use them until the government discovered them.

'I've also used the Authority of Fear in him, so he wouldn't leak information.'

With a tired expression on his face, KangWoo turned around.

Was it because he'd used the Authority of Fear, which consumed a lot of demonic energy? He felt his whole body weighed down by tiredness.

'I want to heal.'

After solving the Andras Guild's issue after hunting, he felt a strong desire to take a rest.

'The best thing for healing is that...'

KangWoo's eyes shone.

The best way to heal he knew about was just particular for him.

The tip of KangWoo's mouth went up, and his steps became lighter.

He walked toward Han Seol-ah's house while humming.

"Let's go to eat kimchi stew!!"

The thought of eating a hot kimchi stew with meat made the tiredness he was feeling blow away.

KangWoo used the remaining demonic energy to use the Authority of Sky and flew through the sky.

* * *

Click-

"Mr. K-KangWoo!"

As KangWoo opened the door and entered the house, an anxious Han Seol-ah approached him.

KangWoo looked at her while tilting his head.

"Did something happen?"

"That's what I wanted to ask! It's been a while since you entered the gate, and I didn't receive any updates from you... And you didn't even answer my calls."

"Ah."

After leaving the gate, he'd gone directly to the Andras Guild's hideout, so it was true that he was later than usual.

"I'm sorry, things happened."

"Oof. I was worried about you. I thought that something may have happened."

Han Seol-ah sighed in relief.

KangWoo smiled while looking at her.

"Thank you for worrying. Next time, I'll let you know beforehand."

"Ah, okay."

Han Seol-ah's cheeks became a bit red at his honest reply, and she avoided looking at him.

"Since you're here, I'm going to prepare dinner. Is there something you want to eat?"

"Kimchi stew," KangWoo replied immediately.

"Ah... Yes, well. I was expecting that reply from Mr. KangWoo."

Han Seol-ah laughed at that answer.

"And also meat, please..."

"Yes, I bought good meat."

* * *

"Oh!'

"Fufu. This is all thanks to Mr. KangWoo."

The money KangWoo had given them had been like rain during a drought.

Of course, it wasn't like KangWoo had given her all the money he had earned.

But players earned so much money that, even if he'd given her a considerable amount, it didn't make any difference in his daily life.

"Haha. You cook me delicious food every day, so that much was nothing. If you need more money, feel free to ask me."

"N-no! I finished the second awakening, so it's time for me to earn money and pay you back."

"Oh!"

KangWoo looked at her with great interest.

"When did you finish the second awakening?"

"I leveled up today while hunting a goblin."

Han Seol-ah slightly puffed her chest out as if she were proud of having reached the second awakening.

Her voluminous chest entered his sight.

'Mahayabanyabaramildabodhisattvabodhisattva.'

KangWoo tried his best to shake off from his mind what had just entered his sight.

After calming down, he turned his head to Han Seol-ah again.

"What ranking attribute did you get?"

"Fufufu. Listen carefully, Mr. KangWoo."

Han Seol-ah said with her eyes shining and an excited voice.

"I got B-rank! After completing the second awakening, I got a B-rank attribute called Blessing of Light!"

"Woah."

KangWoo let out a short exclamation.

Healer-type players were rare on their own, but on top of that, she'd gotten a high-ranking attribute.

'If she parties with TaeSoo, it will be no joke.'

A high-ranking tanker and a healer...

They'd probably have an offensive power comparable to a bus party with the combination of those two.

After what'd happened with the Andras guild, he had been thinking of increasing his forces, so this was good news.

'After all, I'm not sure how strong the members of the Demon Cult are.'

It wasn't a bad idea to build up his forces to be able to face them more comfortably.

"Ms. Seol-ah, didn't you receive an invitation from other guilds?"

"I received too many," Seol-ah said with a trembling voice, as if she still couldn't believe that she had received a B-ranking attribute.

To be honest, receiving a B-ranking attribute wasn't something very rare.

But since she was a healer, her position probably differed from others with the same ranking.

"What Guild are you going to enter?"

"That..."

At KangWoo's question, Han Seol-ah blushed and moved her body hesitantly.

"I really don't want to enter a guild. I just want to be of help to Mr. KangWWoo."

"Hmm..."

KangWoo became silent for a little while. After thinking about it, he opened his mouth.

"It's true that Ms. Seol-ah has gotten a high-ranking attribute, but I don't think that it will be a good idea for you to form a party with me yet."

"Ah..."

She let out a disappointed sigh at his firm words.

"To put it realistically, I don't think you can be of help to me yet."

"I see."

Disheartened, Han Seol-ah lowered her head.

After seeing her reaction, KangWoo almost changed his thoughts, but he shook his head.

'Not yet.'

She couldn't be of help to him right then. There was more a chance of her hindering him rather than helping.

It wasn't because she was weak or something. After all, she was far more talented than most players.

'The problem is me.'

Thanks to the third awakening and the ceremony, KangWoo's demonic energy increased significantly. He had gotten a strength that one wouldn't believe belonged to a level 20 player.

Since he was too overwhelmingly strong, forming a party had become unnecessary since it would only cut the amount of EXP he gained.

'Maybe, later on, things will be different.'

From what he'd heard, from B-rank, even if you hunted a boss monster with a party, the amount of EXP you received didn't change that much.

Once he could do that, he wouldn't mind hunting with Seol-ah, TaeSoo, and a couple more people. But it wasn't the time yet.

TaeSoo and Seol-ah didn't have much fight experience, so they had to gain more of it.

'You cannot get that type of experience by being carried.'

You didn't necessarily have to put your life in danger to gain experience, but you couldn't gain that by standing still and doing nothing.

"There's an A-rank taker I got to know recently. I think that you should form a party with him and gain some fighting experience."

"I see..."

"Let's go to a gate to hunt once Ms. Seol-ah's level increases and you gain more battle experience."

"Ah...!"

She had been disappointed by the fact that she wouldn't be able to form a party with him, but she let out a short exclamation after hearing his words.

If she kept getting stronger, she'd be able to form a party with him.

This was very stimulating for her, who was not only grateful to him, but also interested in him.

"I understood. I'll form a party with the tanker."

"Both of you have high-ranking attributes, so you'll probably level up quickly."

"Yes, I want to level up quickly and be able to form a party with you."

"It probably won't take long since I'm going to give you all the support you need."

After TaeSoo and Seol-ah gained some battle experience, KangWoo was thinking of helping them level up.

He had a strength that couldn't be compared to an average high-level player, so with his help, he was sure that they'd be able to level up quickly.

'This is all an investment.'

After taking in Balrog as his underling in the Hell of Nine Skies, KangWoo had realized something:

You could do things faster and more easily with two or three people, even if it was something that you could do alone.

It was so obvious that he was ashamed to say he had realized that, but that had shocked him because he'd moved alone for such a long time.

'Up until then, I always thought that having an underling was bothersome.'

Before he'd met Balrog, he hadn't known that having a capable underling was so helpful.

"Fufu, thank you, Mr. KangWoo. Oh, time flew while we were talking. Wait for a little bit, please."

"Yes."

KangWoo was thinking about when he should help TaeSoo and Seol-ah level up while waiting for her.

He didn't need to wait for long.

Soon, Seol-ah came to him while carrying a delicious-smelling kimchi stew.

"Woah."

After looking at the kimchi stew, KangWoo approached her, snorting with excitement.

Was it because she'd used expensive pork meat?

The kimchi stew looked as if it were emitting a brilliant light.

"Thanks for the food!"

"Ah, wait. Mr. KangWoo..."

Han Seol-ah stopped KangWoo, who was about to start eating as if he were a hungry animal.

KangWoo, who was stopped from eating, looked up at her anxiously.

Han Seol-ah found that attitude cute and laughed.

"Put this on the kimchi stew."

After seeing what she had given him, KangWoo's body began trembling.

"Th-this..."

KangWoo mumbled as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.

A shock similar to lightning spread through his entire body.

"Ramyeon noddles!"

KangWoo looked at the kimchi stew, trembling in excitement.

'I don't know who you are....'

KangWoo thought while thinking about the Demon Cult as he ate.

'But I'll protect Earth!'