After Ten Millennia in Hell

To optimize the Key of the Demonic Sea as much as possible, Oh Kang-Woo registered more weapon-type skills made with the combination of three different Authorities or below.

Since his Demonic Energy stat was at 113 and he had attained the Ultimate Demonic Body, merging three different Authorities had become a piece of cake. The number of skills increased consistently.

After registering new skills, Kang-Woo focused on trying to break the level cap.

He didn't have any idea what the condition for the Demonic Soul was, and he couldn't raise his Demonic Energy stat anymore from devouring monsters, so, for the time, he decided that he would focus on breaking the level cap.

"Fuuu. It's not breaking at all."

Kang-Woo let out a sigh and sat on the couch in the living room. He'd been trying all kinds of things for a week to break it. What Cha Yeon-Joo had jokingly said about the system having cursed him didn't sound like a joke anymore.

The reality was that most people couldn't go beyond the Sixth Awakening, the Limit of Effort. However, that only applied to average Players. Most talented Players were able to break the level cap without much difficulty.

In terms of pure talent, the only one who could be compared to him was Kim Si-Hun, so it was weird that he wasn't able to break the cap.

'I thought it would break after I achieved the Ultimate Demonic Body.'

At that point, Kang-Woo thought that it would be better to give up on leveling and try to find other ways to get stronger. After all, unlike other Players, he didn't need to rely purely on leveling to grow.

"Tsk…"

He frowned while clicking his tongue.

If leveling up only increased his stats, he would've given up a long time ago. The problem was that leveling up gave him new Traits like the Demonic Art of Creation. Not only that, it weakened the seal of the Ten Thousand Demon Core.

Weakening the seal of the Ten Thousand Demon Core was fundamental if he wanted to recover his old strength.

'I have no idea.'

If his level cap was not breaking after everything he had done, then it meant that there was a different reason, but he had no way of knowing what that was.

"Should I just hunt down the Demon Cult?"

He didn't know if it was coincidence or fate, but he had lucked out considerably every time he had confronted the Demon Cult. However, trying to find them by himself wasn't very effective.

Yeon-Joo had told him that traces of the Demon Cult had been found in Russia.

'Even if they found traces, how am I supposed to find them in that massive country?'

It would be different if they operated openly, like in Korea or Japan, but finding them while they were hiding was hard.

"Nghhh."

There was literally nothing he could do. Kang-Woo lay down on the sofa.

At that moment, Echidna trotted out of her room and sat on his stomach.

"Kang-Woo, I wanna watch TV."

"… Get down from there first."

"No. I like it here."

Echidna smiled mischievously and snorted. She'd changed a lot compared to her wary, abandoned-cat-like self when Kang-Woo had first met her.

Kang-Woo got up and put her on his knees. He turned on the TV with the remote.

"What do you want to watch?"

"Love Live!"

It was the name of a popular Japanese anime.

"What's so fun about that…?"

"The characters are cute!"

Kang-Woo smirked and changed the channel. While changing channels, he passed through the news channel. The words Breaking News entered his vision. He stopped at the channel.

[Breaking News. World Ranker Alec Osborne has visited Korea. Alec Osborne, famous for the title Sword of Justice, has said that he has come to Korea to meet Player Kim Si-Hun, who had amassed worldwide fame after resolving the Isu Station incident. Various community boards have been showing passionate responses pertaining to the meeting of two heroes, and…]

"Sword of Justice…?"

What kind of ridiculous title was that?

Kang-Woo laughed and searched up the name Alec Osborne on his smartphone.

Commenter (Hearthstone Trashy Game): Holy fk LOLOLOLOL!!

ㄴ whoa I guess Sword Dragon really is famous if Alec himself is coming to see him

Commenter (Tresha): But Sword Dragon isn't world-class yet right?

ㄴ he's honestly nowhere near Alec.

ㄴ OO: nah bruh Sword Dragon is world-class

ㄴ Sagyesu: he's probably thinking about his long-term growth possibility. It hasn't been long since Sword Dragon awakened as a Player.

Commenter (JerryM): Let's go Korea!!

ㄴ My cancer caused by Baek Kang-Hyun was cured.

Commenter (Lemme out of bronze): Sword Dragon is nothing tsk tsk u guys are so ignorant.

ㄴ frfr

ㄴ Hoot Hoot: okay next bronze Player plz

ㄴ BestTaeSoo: Hahaha! This fellow knows their stuff! Si-Hun is great and all but my hyung-nim is far better!

ㄴ Butterfly Valley: fr how do ppl not know there's someone greater

ㄴ Sosori: attention whores everywhere;;;

ㄴ Gabinji: What's wrong with these guys?

'What an uproar.'

As soon as Kang-Woo searched the name, numerous threads from community boards appeared, but what he wanted to know wasn't community reactions.

Alec Osborne (Sword of Justice) - Wiki

There was a site with lots of information about Alec.

Kang-Woo entered it and read some basic information about him.

'He's handsome.'

On the site was a photo of a handsome man with his long blond hair tied back.

There was lots of summarized information about him beneath the photo.

[Alec Osborne: British, 29 years old, World Ranker.]

[Reason why he is called "Sword of Justice": Alec Osborne is famous for wielding his sword not only for the British people but also for the weak all around the world. Two months ago, after the Isu Station incident, he made it public that he had also been fighting against the Demon Cult for quite some time. One month ago, he had attacked a Demon Cult branch in Europe and stopped their attack ahead of time.]

"Hmm…"

He could only find positive things about the guy on the internet. He was a good person and was hard-working and kind to everyone.

'He's kinda like Si-Hun.'

They were very similar purely in terms of personality.

'He said he came to Korea to meet Si-Hun.'

Kang-Woo put Echidna down and stood up. He couldn't stay still in such a situation. He had to know why Alec had come to meet Si-Hun.

'Our Si-Hun sure is popular.'

First, it was Tian Wuchen, and now, Alec Osborne.

As expected from the protagonist, he was receiving the attention of important people worldwide.

"Kang-Woo, where are you going?"

"To meet up with Si-Hun."

He didn't have training with Wuchen today. Kang-Woo had heard that Wuchen was going to be hunting with Han Seol-Ah, Kang Tae-Soo, and Choi Eun-Bi.

"I wanna go too."

"Weren't you gonna watch TV?"

"I like being with you more."

Echidna grabbed his sleeves. Kang-Woo smirked and nodded.

"Let's go."

'I believe they're hunting at the A-rank Gate in Incheon.'

He'd asked Seol-Ah this morning where they were going to hunt.

Kang-Woo drove toward Incheon.

* * *

"Kang-Woo hyung-nim!! Over here!!"

Inside a cafe near the A-rank Gate, Kang-Woo saw a group of four people waiting for him. He pulled a chair over and sat down.

He said, "You could've just stayed inside the Gate. I would've just come to you."

"Hahaha! We can't do that when you're coming, hyung-nim. Leaving that aside, we were planning to stop hunting for the day," Tae-Soo said.

"Because of Alec Osborne?"

"Oh, you must've seen the news too."

"I came because of that. But more importantly, how did you guys hear the news? You were inside the gate."

"The Players who entered the gate after us recognized Si-Hun and told us."

Kang-Woo nodded and turned his head toward Si-Hun.

'What's up with him?'

Si-Hun was shaking as if he were holding in his pee. He was also smiling weirdly.

"Is something wrong?" Kang-Woo asked.

"N-Not at all!!" Si-Hun shook his head. "I-It's just… I can't believe it. To think that the Sword of Justice would come all the way to Korea to see me…"

"… Are you that happy?"

"O-of course! It's the Sword of Justice! The sword for the weak! How cool is that?!"

'I'm not sure what's cool about it.'

Kang-Woo would be embarrassed to death if he had a title like that.

'Well, it's Si-Hun, after all.'

He couldn't deny that Alec seemed the type of person Si-Hun would like.

"Hmm…"

Kang-Woo remained silent. Something was bothering him, but he couldn't tell what it was either.

"Are you leveling up okay?"

"Ah, yes! I've finally passed Level 60 recently!"

"… What?"

Kang-Woo couldn't hide his surprise after hearing that Si-Hun had surpassed him in terms of level.

"What about the level cap?"

"Oh… You see…"

Si-Hun scratched his head while smiling awkwardly.

Seol-Ah answered for him, "Si-Hun said there was no cap in particular for him."

"…"

Considering that he was having such a hard time with his own level cap, Kang-Woo found the situation unfair.

'Damn cheater.'

Even if Si-Hun had the protagonist buff, it didn't make sense that he didn't have a level cap.

"What about the other people…?"

"Tae-Soo and I have only just reached the level cap. Eun-Bi's level is still around the mid-fifties."

"Urgh… This is all because Si-Hun oppa swept them all away before I could cast magic! Not just that, he's the only one without a level cap! This is unfair!"

Eun-Bi shouted in frustration.

'I also think it's unfair.'

Kang-Woo grabbed his head.

'You damn talented fucker.'

Kang-Woo had no right to say that, but even so, having no level cap was too much. He sighed.

Si-Hun said, "B-But what should I do? Should I go to the airport to meet him in pers—"

"No, you won't need to do that."

Kang-Woo picked up the cup of coffee and took a sip.

Si-Hun looked at him with a confused expression.

"I'm sure he'll come to see you himself."

Alec was a World Ranker, so there was no way he didn't have a basic information network.

Click.

"Huh?"

As soon as Kang-Woo finished, the door of the cafe swung open.

A handsome young man with a low ponytail entered the coffee shop.

"A-Alec Osborne."

Si-Hun's voice trembled.

Alec smiled after finding Si-Hun. He took out a round device from his pocket and put it on his neck.

"Nice to meet you. Are you Sword Dragon Kim Si-Hun?" he asked in Korean.

Si-Hun nodded with a dumbfounded expression.

"Y-Yes! I'm Kim Si-Hun."

"Haha, it's good to see you. My name is Alec Osborne."

"Oh… Yes."

"It's an honor to meet with the hero of Korea."

Alec extended his hand. Si-Hun grabbed it and replied in a surprised voice, "A-An honor?! No, the honor is all mine!"

Si-Hun's eyes were full of excitement, and he was blushing. He looked like a little girl who had met an idol.

"…"

Kang-Woo remained silent. He couldn't understand why, but he felt a bit annoyed.

'You've never made that kind of expression to me.'

He didn't like it.