After Ten Millennia in Hell

“So...” Oh Kang-Woo slurred. “Your name was... uhhh... Deok-Gu, right?”

“It’s Tae-Soo! Kang Tae-Soo! I can’t believe you forgot my name even if it’s been a while, hyung-nim!”

“Hahaha. I’m just joking, man.”

‘Sorry. I actually forgot. Can you blame me when you’ve barely appeared?’

How was he supposed to remember a character that vanished into thin air in a long novel like this?

‘Well, whatever the case, this isn’t the time.’

Kang-Woo turned to Tian Wuchen and asked, “What’s going on?”

“That’s what I would like to ask. Didn’t you all... go to another dimension to fulfill a mission that Lady Gaia gave you?” Wuchen asked.

“This is that dimension.”

“Wh-what?”

Wuchen looked around in surprise. The surroundings had been destroyed beyond recognition due to Kang-Woo’s battle against Bael, to the point that the Nine Hells would look better.

“Was the continent of Aernor... this hideous a place?”

“No, this is just from a battle that took place here.”

“What sort of battle would level the surroundings like this...?”

Wuchen’s expression hardened as if he couldn’t imagine it. The area around them looked as if a battle between Titans of myth had taken place.

“More importantly, could you answer my earlier question?” Kang-Woo asked.

“Oh, my apologies. We were... It was called North Korea, correct?”

“Yes.”

It was one of the counties that had fallen during the Day of Calamity.

“A giant Gate suddenly appeared there. As you can see... It was well over several kilometers wide,” Wuchen mentioned.

“And so Guardians sent you to investigate?”

Wuchen nodded. “After all, there hasn’t been a Gate as large as this even during the Day of Calamity. Although... I never expected this place to be a continent of another world.”

“...” Kang-Woo remained silent.

As he had expected, Earth and Aernor seemed to have been linked.

‘Why?’

It had not been impossible to cross between Earth and Aernor; Lucifer, Uriel, and even Kang-Woo and his party members had crossed the dimensional wall.

‘But this is different.’

Kang-Woo looked up at the Rift that looked easily above ten kilometers in diameter. The Flames of Voracity had managed to stop its expansion, but it did not disappear. It was as if a bridge had been built between two islands that previously required a boat to go back and forth. Just like what Wuchen and the others did, anyone would be able to cross between Earth and Aernor through the Rift.

‘...’ There was only one explanation for why this happened. ‘The Gaia System’s collapse.’

The protective barrier on Earth had completely vanished.

‘The invasion on Earth has already begun.’

The first world that invaded Earth was Aernor, the world closest to Earth.

“... Goddammit,” Kang-Woo cursed.

The link between Earth and Aernor was not a big problem; Kang-Woo welcomed the fact that he could freely cross between Earth and Aernor.

‘But that’s surely not the end of it.’

Aernor was only the beginning. All sorts of outer worlds would begin to invade Earth after the Triad.

‘And I’m sure the Nine Hells will be among them.’

Kang-Woo frowned fiercely. The worst possible situation that he had imagined after he discovered the true nature of the Gaia System had occurred.

‘It’s too late to restore the Gaia System now.’

They had only just barely managed to fix the hole that Kang-Woo had made, and that had taken years of effort. Not only that, but the fix had only been temporary. Now that the entire Gaia System had collapsed, there was no practical way to restore it anymore. That fact would not change even if Kang-Woo were to find Bael and kill him immediately.

‘Motherfucker.’

The situation could not be any worse. A sense of powerlessness spread over him.

[M-my children! Are you alright?!]

Just then, a brown-haired woman with a gentle appearance and emitting faint light came out of the Rift and ran toward Kang-Woo and his party members. Kang-Woo’s eyes widened.

‘The hell? Why is Gaia here?’

His confusion only grew. The gods of the divine realm could only manifest in the physical realm through their incarnations; coming to the physical realm in their true form was impossible unless they were to risk the System annihilating their Deific Essence.

“L-Lady Gaia?” Layla also stared at Gaia in surprise and asked in pallor, “Wh-what is happening? If you manifest directly like this, the restriction...”

[There is no need to worry. Well, that is not quite true, but...] Gaia sighed deeply and continued, [The Law’s restrictions have vanished.]

“... What?”

[Those possessing Deific Essence are no longer under restriction... They can freely use their power in the physical realm.]

“...”

A heavy silence fell. Kang-Woo bit his lip. It was not hard to imagine who had eradicated the Laws of Titans that restricted the actions of gods.

‘Bael, that crazy motherfucker...’

Not only had he destroyed Earth’s protective barrier, but he had also freed the gods from their chains. He had pretty much quickened Earth’s journey to its demise.

“...”

Something snapped within Kang-Woo’s head. He felt dizzy as he imagined Bael bursting into laughter in front of him.

“P-please wait. By the restrictions being undone, you mean...” Layla looked at Gaia in shock.

Gaia nodded with a heavy expression. [Yes. It means that beings who possess Deific Essence can... manifest directly into the physical realm.]

“N-no way...” Layla collapsed to her knees.

It was obvious, but not all those who possessed Deific Essence desired to protect the world. Some were demonic in nature and could not care less if every world were to fall as long as it could fulfill their self-satisfaction. If the Law of Titans keeping those beings in check disappeared, they would rampage to their heart’s content.

“Wh-what... What happened to Earth?” Layla asked as she stuttered.

If beings who possessed Deific Essence trespassed into Earth, there would no doubt be chaos beyond the Day of Calamity. It would be no surprise even if Earth had fallen already.

[Fortunately, Uranus took quick action to block the gods from manifesting as they wanted, but... I do not know how long that will last.] Gaia bit her lip anxiously. [We have to find that Demon of Prophecy named Bael as soon as possible to avoid the worst possible scenario. My children, did you see where he went?]

Layla shook her head with a heavy expression.

[How... How could this have...] Gaia’s eyes filled with despair. She lowered her head as her shoulders trembled. [In the end... we are unable to stop the prophecy.]

Despite the Protectors doing their best to stop the end, it was coming nonetheless.

“... Let us first return to Earth and come up with a countermeasure,” Kang-Woo suggested emptily amidst the somber atmosphere.

Gaia turned to Kang-Woo. [Yes, you are right. Nothing will change even if we stay still. That aside, my child. I heard that you fought against the Demon of Prophecy. Are you feeling alr—]

As she was about to reach out to Kang-Woo in worry...

[...!]

A chill ran throughout Gaia’s body.

[A-arghh.]

She couldn’t breathe properly. A powerless feeling as if she was being sucked into an endless abyss swept over her the moment she looked into Kang-Woo’s eyes. Gaia trembled from the extreme fear.

‘What... in the...’

The sudden feeling then instantly disappeared before Gaia even had a chance to get a hold of herself. Gaia stared at Kang-Woo again with shaking eyes. Although his expression was slightly hardened, he was still the Protector of Light that she cherished.

‘What was that?’

The fear that she felt had been far too vivid for it to be an imagination. She had not felt this much fear even when she had fought against the Demon God in the past. She had seen a giant mouth with the teeth of a horrendous monster on the other side of the abyss; the image was engraved into her brain.

“Lady Gaia?” Kang-Woo called her with a gentle voice.

[Oh, I-I’m sorry.]

“Is something wrong?”

[No, it’s nothing.] Gaia shook her head.

She felt dizzy as if she had an extremely realistic dream.

“I see,” Kang-Woo answered. Gaia’s eyes staring at him were a little cold. “In that case, I will excuse myself to contact Iris before we go.”

[Iris?]

“She is Lady Elune’s incarnation. She was of great help to our explorations in Aernor.”

[Ohhh, I see.] Gaia nodded as if she understood. [Go ahead. I will make preparations to return to Earth with the other children.]

“I will leave it to you.”

Kang-Woo turned around and walked along the Nightmare Forest that had been destroyed to the point that no one would think this place used to be a forest at a glance. As he walked... and walked... and kept walking...

“... My king.”

Kang-Woo heard Lilith’s subtly trembling voice. He ignored her and continued to walk.

“My king!” Lilith shouted and grabbed Kang-Woo’s arm.

Kang-Woo turned to face Lilith.

“... Gasp.”

His pupils were stretched horizontally, the whites of his eyes had been dyed black, and his irises were bright yellow. Lilith trembled in pallor. Kang-Woo shook off Lilith’s hand and turned back around.

“Go back. I’ll be right there.”

“M-my king...”

“I told you... to go back.”

“...”

Lilith bit her lip and bowed. Kang-Woo walked until Lilith could no longer see him.

Wham—!!

He slammed down his fist.

“Hah.” Kang-Woo couldn’t help but laugh. “Ha... hahaha. Fucking hell.”

He looked up. It had truly been a while since he had lost.

“Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael, Bael,” Kang-Woo repeated as if he were singing.

His shoulders shook. He could not remember the last time he had been this enraged.

“Alright, you wanna have a go, is it?”

The corners of Kang-Woo’s mouth rose. Earth’s protective barrier was now gone. The Nine Hells would begin to invade Earth. If that was the case...

“I’ll...”

He would simply have to remind them who their king was.

“... devour you all.”

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