#101 That Crazy Bastard Got Even Stronger.

The abyss. The entire world was shrouded in pitch-black darkness. At the farthest depths underground in the Demon Realm, where not a single ray of light could penetrate, this realm cloaked in shadows was called the Demon Sea.

In the center of the Demon Sea stood a lone man, eyes closed, standing utterly still.

Whenever he closed his eyes, vague memories flickered and faded away. Strange recollections that he couldn't possibly know, yet clearly existed in his mind. Each fragmented memory carried lingering emotions. Recalling those odd feelings made his heart race uncontrollably.

Suddenly, a sharp jolt pierced Baal's mind.

Agares, his loyal subordinate and the second-in-command of the Demon Realm! The mental link connecting him to Agares had snapped.

The shocks kept coming.

The strong-eat-strong Demon Realm! It meant that all four of the top warlords who dominated that world had perished.

The man recalled their final destination.

Earth, the place they had headed to. Something had clearly happened there. If there was someone strong enough to take them down, they must possess the item the man was seeking.

Thump— Thump— His heart pounded. All around him lay grotesque monsters with misshapen limbs—some vaguely human-like, others utterly alien. The pure demonic energy filling the Demon Sea had birthed these abyssal horrors, the wraiths of the Demon Sea! He stood ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠alone amid the fallen in this world.

Flash—!

In the man's mind, Agares's final vision appeared. He saw a man. The instant he glimpsed him, agony exploded in his head like an earthquake.

A chill ran through his entire body from the immense power emanating from that man. It was familiar—undeniably so—yet he couldn't remember.

But one thing was certain. Beings from beyond the world! His mind held only the command to exterminate them. He lived solely ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to eradicate them. Any who interfered would be eliminated.

Kwaaaaa—!

Vast demonic energy erupted in all directions. The man's name was Tana'an Ishtar Baal! He was Baal, the absolute ruler of the Demon Realm.

Seol-a, who had been staring blankly at the TV, looked down at the little one clutched in her arms and spoke.

"Hey~"

The toddler's head perked up. With cheeks like mochi and aquamarine eyes, the child tilted her head cutely while gazing up at Seol-a.

"Flowers."

The toddler looked at the flowers Seol-a pointed to. Everything was brand new to her. After staring quietly at Seol-a, she finally spoke.

"Me."

That was the only word she could say.

"Yeah!"

Communicating with her was one of Seol-a's favorite hobbies. Seol-a nodded eagerly, hugging the toddler tight and pressing her forehead to the child's cheek.

"Good."

"Me."

"Cute."

Seol-a pondered for a moment before replying.

"Mommy."

Seol-a had decided to be the toddler's mom.

Han Su-hwa, watching from the table, chimed in gently.

"Seol-a is big sis."

"Big sis?"

Han Su-hwa smiled broadly, and Seol-a thought it over before responding.

"I'm big sis!"

"Me!"

the toddler replied. Han Su-hwa covered her mouth to laugh, then glanced out the window.

Incredible.

Cheorwon was ablaze with vibrant flowers everywhere. She didn't hate this warm, breezy world. As a possessor of an Eternal Crystal that could manipulate climate—one of the rare powers held only by certain fantasy beasts from the northern fantasy realm of Murim—she had never seen anything like this before.

The Heavenly Demon might be able to...

She thought of the Heavenly Demon. Cheon Hwi-je, the absolute ruler of Murim, was a monster who could rend the heavens and upheave the earth.

How many more such beings exist across the dimensions?

And the bizarre crystalline embodiment of power that she—and they—possessed.

Thump— Thump—

She placed a hand over her heart.

What the hell is this power?

* * *

Kang-ho felt the new power surging through his body. A vast, scorching energy enveloped him completely. He looked up at the blue light piercing down from the sky, as if a hymn of newfound strength from the distant world beyond was resounding across the entire planet.

At the same time, entirely new presences entered his vision. One man stood at the heart of the abyss, staring right at him.

"......!"

It was a man very familiar to Kang-ho.

Kang Jun-seok...!

His old friend, whom he'd once been forced to cut down long ago. The one who'd stubbornly haunted his distant memories. He'd missed him, but not like this. Now, that man had become the absolute of the Demon Realm, Baal. The warmth in his eyes was gone, replaced by a cold gaze.

Kang-ho stared intently at Kang Jun-seok—no, Baal.

The scene shifted. Another man appeared, sitting in the midst of a bamboo grove, lifting a bottle of liquor to his lips. His long, disheveled hair was tied back tightly; he wore traditional robes and gazed at the sky. Under the brilliant full moon, the world resembled an ink-wash painting.

Kang-ho sensed it instinctively.

This is the Heavenly Demon...!

The absolute ruler of the Murim world, the Heavenly Demon. His gaze turned to Kang-ho, and he silently offered his bottle in a toast-like gesture.

The scene changed again. A familiar man appeared—Nergan, the Grand High Priest of the Druids on the Mu continent. He sat atop the great Tree of Life in the Central Forest, smiling faintly. His lips formed a message.

Shaaaa—!

New power settled into Kang-ho's body, triggering a transformation. Crack-crack-pop! Bones ground noisily amid excruciating pain, as if his body was being torn apart and reassembled. His fingers fractured and mended repeatedly. The power raced through him madly, from head to toe, filling every inch.

"Gah!"

Kang-ho vomited black blood, but his body felt refreshingly light. His skin split, blood oozing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠out—only for tough, flexible new skin like forged steel to grow in its place.

How long had this rebirth taken? The new power seeped into his mana core.

Whoosh—!

It fused with his existing mana.

Rooooar—!

Warm winds blasted outward, heralding the birth of a new absolute.

"......!"

Kang-ho silently examined his renewed ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠body. He'd grown a handspan taller, his jade-white skin almost alien. His mana had nearly doubled, yet it felt effortless.

Coincidence or fate? He stood before the stone where he'd placed Seolhwa's egg. White snowflowers blanketed the area, as if celebrating his awakening—like Seolhwa's blossoms.

Kang-ho gazed at them and smiled faintly. Thirty years after the Great War, he'd spent ages here rambling about everything and nothing. And now, here he was reborn.

He turned to see Theo standing there. Theo rushed over at the sight of Kang-ho covered in blood.

Theo froze, sensing the immense power radiating from Kang-ho.

Kang-ho nodded slowly.

"Yeah."

Theo shook his head. This monstrous guy had gotten even stronger.

Suddenly, Kang-ho looked at him with an odd expression.

"Worried or something?"

A red aura flickered briefly over Theo before vanishing. He feigned nonchalance, but Kang-ho smirked—it wasn't unpleasant. He could now clearly sense the pure, condensed mana flowing through Theo, which he hadn't before.

* * *

Cold sweat trickled down Bassago's forehead.

His body brimmed with his own demonic energy. Yes, demonic energy. The seal Kang-ho had lifted had restored the full power of Bassago, third in the Demon Realm hierarchy.

But...

Bassago glanced at Kang-ho and recoiled in shock, stumbling back and collapsing on the spot.

"What're you doing?"

At Kang-ho's question, Bassago spasmed in response.

Theo, watching, sighed.

Bassago scrambled to his feet and awkwardly headed to the heart of Daegu's downtown, where he'd once appeared with Agares.

That crazy bastard got even stronger.

He'd returned far more powerful after just a few days. He'd been strong before, but now he was ridiculously so.

The center of Daegu's downtown was a wasteland of devastation.

I see.

Kang-ho nodded, surveying the area. Should he call it a deeper understanding of mana? After awakening his new power, he'd realized his perception of the world had completely changed.

Over there—the site of the former gate to the Demon Realm—faint demonic energy lingered. Focusing his mind, he sensed a tiny rift in the air, like a pinhole connecting to the Demon Realm. Sensations from that other world were seeping through, amplifying bit by bit.

Turning to Bassago, he saw the black demonic energy cloaking him, floating around forming geometric patterns.

—You can't see the invisible, huh.

Agares's old words echoed. Yes. This was the world seen by those who had awakened their Eternal Crystals! A new eye that pierced through essences had opened.

"Ah."

Kang-ho pulled out the Eternal Crystal from Toon World. Even its essence was visible now. Bassago accepted it.

"How long will it take?"

Kang-ho stared at Bassago. As he spoke, crimson energy flickered over him.

Kang-ho turned to Theo.

"You're fourth in the Demon Realm ranks, right?"

A blue aura rippled over Theo as he answered.

"Baal doesn't scare you?"

Theo flinched!

A red aura rippled over Theo.

So convenient.

He could even see the essence of truth and lies. Kang-ho nodded.

"Half a year?"

Kang-ho nodded again at Bassago's words.

"Bassago. For now, I'll break your legs."