After Ten Millennia in Hell

"Uhhh... Mm."

Oh Kang-Woo looked at Elune, who was crying as if they were all doomed. There was no need to think about why his and Kim Si-Hun's paths were shrouded in darkness.

'Because I'm that fucking darkness.'

It was only natural.

"What do you mean... darkness?" Si-Hun asked with a hardened expression.

Elune wiped her tears and answered, [The paths that you two must walk are shrouded... in endless darkness.]

"... Does that mean it is dangerous?"

[It is not just dangerous!] Elune shouted. [I have... never seen such a future. It is worse than when I prophesied the continent's demise!]

"..."

[Just thinking about the despair that you two must struggle through, I...] Elune lowered her head, unable to finish her sentence.

Her slender shoulders were trembling. She was likely not this saddened simply because she was worried about Kang-Woo and Si-Hun's futures; she was probably in despair over the fact that the duty of the saviors to save the world from its demise would never be realized.

[At this rate...]

The world would inevitably end. The saviors, the continent's only hope, would ultimately be engulfed by endless darkness. Elune trembled due to the inevitable despair. She was shocked even greater than when the World Tree began to rot. It was only natural since she had just prophesied that this world had no future.

"..." Si-Hun clenched his fists and bit his lip ferociously. "Is it that bad... even after the Constellations were killed?"

He thought the darkness had been somewhat lifted after the war against the Constellations of Evil ended. He had hope that they would be able to stop the world's demise and move forward.

'But...'

Si-Hun shut his eyes tightly. Nothing had changed. His and Kang-Woo's paths were still shrouded in unfathomable darkness.

"..."

Si-Hun had already been determined to face the countless dangers that were in his and Kang-Woo's path, but hearing about it directly from Elune gave him chills. He recalled Alec and Reynald, who had died at Satan's hands, Ludwig, who had been corrupted by Rakiel, and the countless heroes devoured by the darkness.

'Maybe one day...'

Si-Hun turned his head as his eyes shook and looked at Kang-Woo, who was looking at Elune with a hardened expression.

'Hyung will also...'

Si-Hun clenched his fists to the point that his hands would break. A heavy atmosphere loomed over the room.

[Sniff... Sniff.]

'For fuck's sake.' Kang-Woo grabbed his forehead as if his head hurt. 'What am I supposed to do here?'

He couldn't come out and say honestly that the darkness Elune had seen in her foresight was him.

'I need to take care of this funeral home atmosphere first somehow.'

Kang-Woo looked beyond Si-Hun and at Layla, Cha Yeon-Joo, and his other party members. Everyone in the room looked as if they were patients who received the news from the doctor that they were terminally ill.

"A-Aaaahh. N-No," Han Seol-Ah muttered.

In the case of Seol-Ah, she looked as if she would explode if someone touched her the wrong way.

'At this rate...'

A disaster would befall them before they even tried to restore the World Tree— no, his identity might be exposed before that.

"Fuuu," Kang-Woo took a deep breath, stood up, and walked toward the crying Elune.

'If I can't reveal my identity...'

He had to go about it a different way.

'But that's...'

Kang-Woo gulped as his shoulders slightly trembled. Just thinking about the idea that he had come up with was enough for him to feel like his heart was getting squeezed. He was sure that it would work; from what Elune had shown him, he was sure that she would be convinced. But... But...

'I have no choice.'

Kang-Woo bit his lip. He had no other way to resolve this situation.

'I have to be unwavering.'

He resolved himself and walked forward.

"Lady Elune."

[... Yes?] The crying Elune raised her head. Kang-Woo stared at her with deeply sunken eyes and carefully grabbed her hand. [L-Lord Kang-Woo?]

Elune looked up at Kang-Woo perplexedly. Kang-Woo guided her by the hand toward the windowsill. He opened the window and the chilly night air flowed in. He looked up to see a dark sky without a single star.

It was only natural since using illumination magic tools was the norm in Aernor. It was especially so since they were in the capital of the Arnan Empire; just like how dark the night sky was in Seoul, the capital of Arnan was also shrouded in darkness despite each house being illuminated.

Kang-Woo looked up at the night sky and slowly turned to Elune. "The night sky... is dark."

[Yes, it is...] Elune stared at Kang-Woo dumbfoundedly as if she had no idea what Kang-Woo was trying to say.

Kang-Woo smiled and continued, "Just like our future that you prophesied."

[...]

Elune flinched. She slowly lifted her head and locked eyes with Kang-Woo.

Whoooom.

Kang-Woo slowly raised his hand and golden light poured out from it.

[Lord Kang-Woo...?]

The radiant splendor that poured out from Kang-Woo shot toward the night sky. The sky shrouded in darkness without a single star in sight was lit brightly.

[This is...]

"How is it now?" Kang-Woo looked up at the shining night sky with a bright smile. "Do you... see the light now?"

Elune blankly stared at the blazing light shining in the night sky with her mouth agape. It was beautiful.

[...]

Tears flowed down her cheeks unbeknownst to herself. She recalled herself crying in despair after foreseeing a future shrouded in darkness. It was unbearably embarrassing.

"Haha," Kang-Woo laughed and slowly raised his hand to wipe Elune's tears.

[L-Lord Kang-Woo.] Elune stared at Kang-Woo in surprise and then averted her eyes from him in embarrassment. Her face was slightly flushed.

"There is no need to worry, Lady Elune." Kang-Woo continued, "Light... shines brighter in the darkness."

[...]

Elune looked up at Kang-Woo as if she had never thought about it that way. The hero who had been foretold of his near-inevitable death was still shining brightly.

'But I...'

She had burst into unsightly tears from the despair that the saviors would be killed and the world would meet its demise.

'So much for being the guardian of the World Tree and one who needs to guide the saviors to the right path.'

Forget guiding them to the right path, she had lost all hope and fell into despair all by herself.

[... I apologize, dear saviors. I have shown you an unsightly side of myself.]

Elune bowed deeply with a faint smile. This was not the time to be wallowing in despair. Overcoming the immediate danger was of higher priority.

[In that case, I will guide you all to the World Tr—]

"Oh, just a moment, please," Kang-Woo interjected. "May I excuse myself for a moment?"

[Pardon? Is something wrong...?]

"Not at all. I just... want to harden my resolve," Kang-Woo remarked somewhat sorrowfully.

[Ah,] Elune expressed.

She had an idea about why Kang-Woo had said that.

'He was saying things like that, but I'm sure he was afraid too.'

She was embarrassed of herself for only saying what she wanted to say without knowing how Kang-Woo felt.

[I understand.]

Elune slowly nodded. Kang-Woo turned around and went past the door. Si-Hun tried to follow him, but Kang-Woo stopped him in his tracks.

Clack.

"..."

Kang-Woo sprinted through the hallway after closing the door behind him. He jumped into his room and locked the door.

"U-Urghhh."

He twisted and turned as if in pain.

"ALWIUDHFIWOLAUDBVLKDJHBFILWUABF." Kang-Woo screamed incomprehensible words. "Fuck, fuck, FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!"

His bellows shook the room.

"Light... shines brighter in the darkness."

The words that he had said himself replayed inside his head.

"Urpp!"

The kimchi stew that he had for dinner came all the way up to his neck due to the insanely revolting feeling. He fell to his knees, his fingers distorting as if he was having a seizure.

"Ah..."

Kang-Woo blankly stared at the night sky. His eyes were filled with an endless sense of shame and remorse; it was like staring at himself across the monitor after doing the deed to some porn.

"I wanna die. I... don't need anything else anymore... I just wanna die."

Tears flowed down his cheeks. He had prepared himself for it, but he could not get used to this pain.

"Urghh."

The road to being a hero was a harsh one. His sobs of shame continued for a very long time.

***

"Fuuu. Well, then." Kang-Woo came back after calming himself down and asked calmly, "Are we heading to the place where the World Tree is right away?"

Elune nodded. [We should go as soon as possible.]

The World Tree was rotting as they spoke, so they needed to get rid of the black thorn embedded in the World Tree as soon as possible. Kang-Woo turned around to look at his party members.

"Let's go, hyung-nim."

"Urghh, what the hell is with this development?"

"Hm! I'll go anywhere as long as it's with you, Kang-Woo!"

Each of the party members brought out their weapons as if they were indifferent to the unexpected danger. The anxiety in the air was almost palpable. Kang-Woo smiled and nodded.

"Let's go then."

[... I would like to thank you once again.] Elune bowed to the party members. [Well then, I will open the door to the World Tree right away.]

"Is it okay when your Deific Essence is unstable?"

[You're all risking your lives, so I cannot afford not to either as the guardian of the World Tree,] Elune remarked firmly.

The green light flowing out of her seeped into thin air.

[Ngh...]

She controlled her Divinity as she bit her lip as blood flowed from between them. And then...

Crack.

[... Huh?]

A crack formed in the air like a mirror and enormous black energy poured out from it.

Rumble—!!

"Kyaaaaahhh!"

"Wh-what the hell?!"

The entire imperial castle shook. Kang-Woo quickly stepped back with Elune, who had been blankly staring at the crack.

"What's going on?!" he asked.

[I-I don't know eith—]

Shatter—!!

The crack that formed in the room went out through the window and connected with the night sky. A giant Rift several kilometers wide covered the sky of the capital.

Rumble—!!

Black rotten tree roots stretched out from the Rift.

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