Chapter 328: Ninth Awakening (1)

Crunch, crunch.

Black blood poured as bones were chewed and flesh was torn. The Authority of Predation devoured Rakiel without leaving a single mound of flesh.

Riiing.

[You have successfully devoured the Constellation of Corruption!]

[Devouring the Constellation of Corruption's Divine Essence.]

[A fragment of Transcendent-rank Divine Essence has been detected. Would you like to devour it?]

"Transcendent-rank Divine Essence?"

Oh Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes. He recalled how Rakiel had suddenly gotten stronger during his battle against Gaia.

'So that was thanks to this.'

It was not difficult to guess who the fragment of Transcendent-rank Divine Essence came from.

'Demon God Bauli.'

The power was likely one that he had sown into Rakiel.

"Mm..."

Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes again. He could more or less understand the situation.

'Rakiel's Divine Essence is around Lower Intermediate-rank without the Demon God's help, and he possessed a portion of the Demon God's Divine Essence.'

If that was the case, he needed to make a decision.

'Should I eat only Rakiel's Divine Essence, or eat the Demon God's Divine Essence along with it?'

He did not have to think for very long, since he had thought something similar back when he had received the mission to go to Aernor from Gaia.

"I don't have to go out of my way to risk danger."

The Divine Essence of the Demon God was more valuable than anything else in the world, even if it was merely a fragment.

'But I don't see a need to eat it while risking my body being taken over.'

It was a completely different case from improving his demonic energy control through molting. Although molting was a high-risk high-return training method, he had already gone through it dozens of times in Hell, and even in the worst-case scenario, it would only end with him dying.

'But this doesn't end with just me dying.'

Although Kang-Woo had no idea what Bauli had in store, it was an undeniable fact that everything around Kang-Woo would get caught up in it as soon as his body was taken over.

'I don't need a ticking time bomb in my hands.'

There was absolutely no merit to having power if it was uncontrollable. Kang-Woo absorbed the Divine Essence of only Rakiel, excluding that of the Demon God.

[You have devoured the Divine Essence of the Constellation of Corruption.]

[The Divine Essence absorbed through the Authority of Predation is interfering with the limits of the system.]

[Raising level cap from 79 to 86!]

"What?" Kang-Woo became wide-eyed from seeing the message that had popped up in front of him. "Oh... I completely forgot that I was a Player."

It had been so long since he had been stuck on his level cap that he had even forgotten he was a Player. In novel terms, it had been roughly 165 chapters since his level cap has been broken.

'I had pretty much half given up since it didn't break even after becoming a Protector.'

Kang-Woo had thought at first that the Gaia System was what had been preventing him from leveling; after all, his cap had broken after killing Alec Osborne. However, he had realized from the unchanged level cap even after becoming a Protector that the Gaia System was not the only problem.

'The Gaia System is but a tiny portion of a colossal system.'

It was highly likely that the power that the gods called providence was putting a cap on his level.

'Come to think of it, the other gods aside from Gaia also had limiters placed on them by the system.'

Although they were not limited in the form of a level cap like Kang-Woo, they were also unable to use their powers recklessly in the mundane realm.

'Although it's different from god to god, it doesn't change the fact that they have limits placed on them.'

The only beings that were free from the system's restrictions were the outer gods that the goddess Benigoa had mentioned.

'So why...'

Why had his level cap been broken from absorbing Rakiel's Divine Essence? Kang-Woo fell into thought while narrowing his eyes.

"Oh, I get it," he said as he snapped his finger.

It had not been difficult to figure out the reason.

'Divinity has the power to interfere with the system.'

If that was the case, it also made sense that Divine Essence also alleviated the restrictions of the system somewhat. Divine Essence could be considered a classification of rank that only those that wielded Divinity could earn. In terms of magic, Divinity was like mana, and Divine Essence was like the mana circles.

'Lower Intermediate-rank is about 3rd-Circle.'

He was not sure if it was accurate, but it was likely something along those lines.

'If Lower Intermediate Divine Essence gives me this much...'

Kang-Woo's desires surged. He wondered how far his level cap would break if he absorbed Transcendent-rank Divine Essence. No, he might be able to gain far more than just that.

"Tsk," Kang-Woo clicked his tongue.

He created a dagger with the Authority of Blades and stabbed it into his left collarbone without hesitation. Crack, crack. He forcibly twisted the dagger; his flesh ripped apart, and black blood poured out.

"Haaa," Kang-Woo sighed.

The searing pain of his collarbone suppressed his surging desire.

'I can't believe I'm still not used to it yet.'

Controlling his desire was still hard to do despite ten millennia having passed. Kang-Woo did his best to think about other things. Thankfully, message windows popped up just in time.

[Your level has risen to 86 due to the accumulated EXP.]

[You have reached Level 80 and have achieved your Ninth Awakening.]

[You have acquired a new Trait.]

"Whoa."

The news was so great that it quelled his surging desire almost instantly.

'Traits are absolutely amazing.'

It was no exaggeration to say that he had surpassed his former self in Hell thanks to the power of Traits. Even his Key of the Demonic Sea had been crafted with the power of one of his Traits. The only SSS-rank Trait Kang-Woo had at the moment was 'Ruler of Demonic Energy'. Considering how useful the Trait had been, he couldn't help but hope for another of the same rank.

"Right, let's get another SSS!" Kang-Woo exclaimed energetically while opening his status window to check his Ninth Awakening Trait.

[Ninth Awakening Trait - 'Chaos Control (Rank: ???)']

[This Trait raises the control and destructive power of the Player's Chaos techniques.]

"This is..."

Kang-Woo's eyes widened. Although its description and effect was simple, its contents were not simple in the slightest.

'... Jackpot.'

He had wished for an SSS-rank, but had gotten something even better.

'I absolutely need this.'

Kang-Woo clenched his fists. He needed to raise his proficiency in Chaos techniques to acquire the fifth key of the Demonic Sea. No, even if it wasn't a quest, he needed to learn the insanely powerful Chaos techniques.

'A Bottom-rank skill was able to destroy Behemoth's horn.'

Although it came with its risks, it was not as risky as opening the Doors of the Ten Thousand Demon Core. It was more than good enough to have in hand as a trump card during combat.

'This must be what it's like to have pigeon meat!'

Kang-Woo couldn't help but smile after gaining profits that far exceeded his expectations, to the point that he was considering forgiving Rakiel for kidnapping and torturing him.

"Now, then..."

It was time to test out what he had earned. Kang-Woo focused, drawing out both demonic energy and sacred power at the same time. His left hand was wrapped in white light, while black light enveloped his right.

'Chaos - Burst.'

Kang-Woo slowly clasped his hands together. The two energies clashed against each other along with enormous repulsive force.

[Activating the effect of Trait 'Chaos Control'.]

The repulsion of the two energies lessened along with the activation of the Trait. Kang-Woo stretched out his arms forward with his hands clasped together.

━━━━━━━!

A giant explosion that engulfed even its own sound shook the dimensional crack, vaporizing the ground as if a nuclear bomb had blown up. Its destructive power was truly outstanding.

"Kurgh!" Kang-Woo grimaced.

His two hands had disappeared without a trace down from the elbow.

'It's still like this even after using the Chaos Control Trait?'

The effect of the Trait was certainly exceptional, but the side effects of Chaos Techniques were far too big.

'Even so...'

Kang-Woo felt like he had come to an understanding of the basic principles of Chaos techniques. Kang-Woo healed his two arms with the Authority of Regeneration, which took much longer than usual, likely due to the Chaos technique's side effects.

'What if I lessen the power a little...?'

Kang-Woo more or less understood its principles. This time, he infused sacred power and demonic energy respectively, on the index and middle finger of the right hand. He stretched his arm out and flicked his finger.

[You have learned the Bottom-rank Chaos technique, 'Chaos - Bullet'.]

Although the degree of explosion had been nowhere near Chaos - Burst, it was much better in terms of practicality.

"Alright." Kang-Woo smiled.

His heart raced from the fact that a whole new realm was before his very eyes. He would train in seclusion if he could.

"Mm..."

Kang-Woo thought about Han Seol-Ah.

"I'll just go home."

He had spent far more time than expected while practicing the Chaos techniques. If he stuck around here any longer, Kim Si-Hun and Uriel would come running, wondering what had happened to him.

'Darling must be worried about me too.'

There was still plenty of time until he set out for Aernor, so he also had plenty of time to train.

"Oh... Come to think of it..."

Kang-Woo clapped his hands together as if he had thought of something. He remembered what he had to do before going to Aernor.

'Shit, I almost forgot.'

He had been so excited that he had completely forgotten.

Kang-Woo turned around and walked out of the Rift, the light in his eyes slowly fading.

***

"E-Eek!"

"S-Stay away!"

Screams echoed as soon as Kang-Woo entered through the door of the giant workshop and walked past the mages leisurely.

"Wh-What do you want?! Wh-Why are you here?!" Khadgar, the head of the mages affiliated with Guardians, exclaimed in desperation.

His face was haggard as if he had stayed up several nights, and his eyes no longer held any light.

"We're... at our limit! W-We really will die if we work any more!"

They were working like Egyptian slaves to provide Guardians with high-quality magic items.

Kang-Woo replied in all seriousness while staring at Khadgar, "I have a final request."

"Final... Request?"

"Yeah. If you do what I ask, I'll free you all."

Khadgar's eyes widened. He then asked while stuttering, "Wh-What is the r-request?"

Kang-Woo slowly answered, "Well..."