After Ten Millennia in Hell

Ludwig trembled, his mouth gaping open in surprise. His head was burning from the rage boiling up within him.

"A-Arghh."

He put his hands on his cheeks. He couldn't even form proper words, and his head felt fuzzy.

'It's over.'

Ludwig could tell from the grim expressions of the Guardians members and from Kim Si-Hun's anguished expression that he was screwed. He couldn't understand how a demon had edited his words in such a way, but the result was impressive even to him.

'No matter who hears it…'

The recorded message sounded like Ludwig's last words, spoken after falling for the schemes of a demon and becoming corrupted. His message said that it was already too late for him and that they shouldn't go find him.

After receiving such a message, who in the world would think that he hadn't been corrupted?

"Y-You're wrong!" Ludwig shook his head and pointed at Kang-Woo. "This is all part of that scumbag's pl—"

Gurgle, gurgle.

At that moment, a green tentacle stuck to the back of his head wriggled. It was the tentacle that Kang-Woo had placed on Ludwig to speak into his mind.

The tentacle branched out into dozens of tendrils and traveled down Ludwig's body. They were not attacking him; they were moving across his body and sticking to his skin to make it look like his blood vessels were protruding from his skin in a horrifying manner.

Then…

"As expected, he's being eroded by the demonic energy," Kang-Woo remarked while lowering his head.

Horrifying green blood vessels had become visible all over Ludwig's body. Objectively speaking, Ludwig appeared to be in an abnormal state. There was no better word to describe it than 'erosion.'

"No, this isn't—"

"Shut up, you evil demon!!" Kang-Woo screamed at Ludwig in disgust, and his lips trembled. "I already know that Ludwig isn't there anymore. He completely disappeared after you took over his body!"

"Everyone…"

"Sniff. Ludwig… How could this have…"

"Please, listen to m—"

"We will… never forget you, Ludwig…"

"For fuck's sake."

Ludwig grabbed his head as if he was about to go insane. His mind was in jumbles. He looked up to see everyone else staring at him with eyes full of pity and sadness.

"Ludwig…" Si-Hun uttered.

He closed his eyes and squirmed, unable to get over the shock.

Everyone's reaction was different, but they all had something in common… They believed Kang-Woo rather than Ludwig.

"H-Haha," Ludwig laughed in disbelief.

He couldn't even think of anything to refute the situation. It was far more difficult to prove a person's innocence than to prove that they were guilty. His back had been put up against the wall of the situation.

'It can't be reversed.'

Such a thought crossed his mind, and anger surged within him.

Ludwig paled as he looked at Kang-Woo. He saw the tips of Kang-Woo's mouth curl up into a smile.

'Oh Kang-Woo.'

Thoughts flashed through his mind. All of the puzzle pieces in his mind had come together.

The one who had tampered with the Gate leading from the Hall of Protection to Africa, the one who had received his transmission from the Gate, and the Demon of Prophecy, the master of the Demonic Sea, who had infiltrated Guardians…

"It… was you," Ludwig stated.

He trembled, and his eyes widened. Mad with anger, rage took control over him. He lost his reason as his emotions burst forth.

"It was you," Ludwig repeated.

That was the only possible explanation.

It didn't matter whether he had truly been corrupted. It had become the truth the moment that everyone deemed that he had been corrupted.

All his efforts to cast aside Satan's temptations and to keep his beliefs from wavering had been for naught.

"Oh Kang-Woooooooooooooooo!!!"

He let madness take control of his body and stomped on the ground. Ludwig gripped his holy sword, and blinding light followed his movements.

He'd used most of his power to escape the dungeon, but he couldn't afford to fall yet.

"Raaaaaaaaaaaahh!!"

Ludwig had to tell Raphael the truth about the demon king and the woman named Han Seol-Ah.

However, none of those things mattered at the moment. Kang-Woo was right in front of him.

The demon who had infiltrated Guardians, the group of people protecting Earth, was mocking him despicably. Kang-Woo was a monster wearing human skin.

His sneer was engraved in Ludwig's mind.

"DIIIIE!!" Ludwig roared.

He swung down the holy sword.

Claaang!!

However, Si-Hun blocked the sword, which was covered in brilliant light.

He wore an anxious expression as he said, "Lud… wig…"

"Moooove!! You are all being deceived!! You are all being played by that demon!!" Ludwig screamed.

"Kuh."

"Damn idiots!! And you call yourselves the protectors of Earth?!!"

"Ludwig!" Si-Hun exclaimed desperately while looking at Ludwig, who had been taken over by madness.

It hadn't been long since they had met—only about a week. Si-Hun had only shown Ludwig the many different cultures on Earth that he had been curious about, so their relationship was a bit ambiguous for him to call Ludwig his friend. Nevertheless…

"Shit, shit, shit!!" Si-Hun cursed.

Ludwig was covered in pure-white light, but he couldn't look any more horrid. His eyes were filled with madness, and he was panting heavily. Most of all, green blood vessels were protruding from his skin, which proved that he had been taken over by a demon.

They all meant one thing… Ludwig had passed the point of no return.

'Hyung-nim.'

As if asking for an answer, Si-Hun turned to look at Kang-Woo.

Kang-Woo closed his eyes and shook his head, implying that it was too late for Ludwig.

Si-Hun silently gripped his sword tighter.

Kang-Woo grabbed his shoulder and said, "Si-Hun, let me—"

"No," Si-Hun replied in a low voice, suppressing his sorrow. "I'll do it. This is… something I have to do."

He stared at the corrupted saint.

Si-Hun had never seen this side of Ludwig before—the side that had lost his mind to rage. He saw the pendant he'd given to Ludwig hanging on his neck.

Si-Hun felt like he was tearing up and closed his eyes.

'I have to do it.'

Even if it was painful, no… he had to be the one to do it because it was this painful. He couldn't let anyone else do it.

'Ludwig.'

He didn't know which demon had corrupted Ludwig, but it wasn't hard to guess who it was. From what he knew, there weren't many demons capable of corrupting a saint with such firm beliefs like Ludwig.

'Focus.'

Si-Hun eliminated all useless thoughts and cast aside his emotions, focusing only on what he had to do,

His eyes sank deep into their sockets, momentarily becoming similar to Kang-Woo's.

"Fuuu."

Si-Hun took a deep breath, gripped his sword with both hands, and lowered his posture. He stomped on the ground and rushed forward.

"Aaaaaahh!!" Ludwig screamed.

He was thrashing about while being tainted by madness.

"Don't worry, Ludwig," Si-Hun said shortly.

"You motherfuckerssssssss!!!"

"I'll end your pain with my own hands."

"Fucking listen to meeeeeeeeeee!!!" Ludwig shouted like a madman.

For a moment, a hopeful thought that maybe Ludwig would be able to escape from the demon's influence crossed Si-Hun's mind.

'Don't think about nonsense,' Si-Hun told himself.

He remembered Kang-Woo's words that it was already too late for Ludwig. There was likely a reason why Kang-Woo had said such a thing.

Kang-Woo's abilities were far more extraordinary than what Si-Hun could imagine. So, if Kang-Woo was certain of it, then it was bound to be true.

"I'm sorry," Si-Hun apologized.

After that, he stretched his hands forward, and his sword flew through the air as if it were alive. He closed his eyes and focused.

'Heavenly Dragon Flash.'

There was a flash of light as the sword pierced Ludwig. Red blood splattered on the ground, and the smell of iron wafted from his wound.

"Cough!"

"Ludwig…" Si-Hun cried.

He caught the falling Ludwig with one arm and embraced him.

"I'll remember you," Si-Hun said.

"U-Urghh…"

Ludwig teared up.

Clatter.

The holy sword fell to the ground.

Si-Hun and Ludwig… The protector and the corrupted saint painted a moving scene.

Kang-Woo lowered his head and pretended like he was crying, but he was actually glancing at the holy sword that had fallen to the ground.

Gulp.

'I'm sure it's at least Mythic-grade.'

He couldn't help but feel excited.

'It could even have a unique stat boost effect!'

If Holy Sword Ludwig had such an effect, it could even have the goofy effect of a holy sword boosting his Demonic Energy stat. It seemed possible since Seol-Ah's Grace of Light had boosted his Demonic Energy stat before.

Kang-Woo carefully walked toward the two of them and picked up the holy sword.

Ring!

[Holy Sword Ludwig is rejecting the filthy soul!!]

Whoom.

White light burst out from the holy sword.

'A filthy soul, you say?'

Kang-Woo frowned. He couldn't understand the message window at all; there was no soul more pure than his.

'The system is so unreliable.'

Ring!

[Holy Sword Ludwig is being tainted by darkness due to the overwhelmingly filthy soul!]

'Bro.'

[Holy Sword Ludwig is vomiting in disgust!]

'Swords don't fucking vomit.'

[The sacred power of Holy Sword Ludwig is starting to be annihilated!]

'What the f—'

[The holy sword is being decomposed! The blessing of the high elves, Demon-Detecting Light, has been damaged!]

'Fine. I won't use you, so stop, dammit.'

Kang-Woo frowned while holding the sword. Sacred power was gushing out from the tip of the holy sword as if it were actually vomiting.

He didn't care that its ability to detect demonic energy was damaged, but the Mythic-grade weapon could disappear at this rate.

"Si-Hun."

"Hyung-nim…"

Kang-Woo put his hand on Si-Hun's shoulder and handed Holy Sword Ludwig to him.

The sword stopped vomiting sacred power.

"Ah…"

"From what I know, the name of this sword is also Ludwig," Kang-Woo said.

"...Yes," Si-Hun replied with a nod.

The first day that they met Ludwig, Ludwig had mentioned the sword's name.

Kang-Woo gripped Si-Hun's shoulder and spoke in a firm voice, "Take this sword. Only you have the right to wield it."

"Hyung-nim… I… wasn't able to save him."

"Yes, you weren't. Since you weren't able to save him, take this sword and save even more people with it."

"Kang-Woo hyung-nim…"

"Never forget."

Kang-Woo and Si-Hun, who was crying, looked down at Ludwig's corpse.

Ludwig, the saint who had been corrupted by an evil demon… His eyes were wide open, seemingly bitter about his death.

Kang-Woo closed Ludwig's eyes for him.

"Ludwig will always be with you," Kang-Woo told Si-Hun.

"...Sniff."

Si-Hun lowered his head, and tears flowed down his cheeks. He took off the pendant on Ludwig's neck while holding the holy sword.

"Okay," Si-Hun said. He put the pendant around his neck. "I will never forget."

When he stood back up, there was an intense light burning in his eyes.

Ludwig, a Watcher of Light… He'd been corrupted by a demon, but his strong will and beliefs managed to be passed down to Si-Hun.