The Black King didn't blink. But his eyes caught something in Kang Woo's—confidence. Unshakable. Infinite. This brat…
The Black King slowly clapped. Then it appeared. A shimmer in the air. Not visible before—but now undeniable. Even Makima's eyes widened as the interface flickered into view.
───────
[ Demon King Quest Completed ]
Road to Demon King's Return – Special Lineage Quest
Title: Ultimate Demonic Foundation
Objectives:
• Condition 1: Demonic Energy stat reaches 60
→ (✔ Fulfilled: Kang Woo's demonic energy is infinite.)
• Condition 2: Perfectly merge three or more Authorities
→ (✔ Fulfilled: Kang Woo can create Gáe Bolg via Authority Fusion.)
• Condition 3: Form a Demonic Crystal above a certain size
→ (✔ Fulfilled: His energy has begun rewriting portions of reality. Capable of forming a reality crystal at will.)
Reward: Unknown
Black King's Note:
"You've already fulfilled these before the quest even began.
However… I'm adding a final challenge."
───────
Condition 4: Reenactment of the Quincy King's Resurrection
(A feat akin to Yhwach restoring himself after death—or a custom resurrection rite crafted by you.)
Objective:
You are a Demon King.
You already know what must be done.
→ Addendum:
Engage the Crimson King in battle. Push him back through the rifts of Todash.
Seal him within the Tower once more.
Reward from the Black King:
• Authority of Dreaming
• Authority of the Abyss
• The Ego of the Black King shall submit to Demon King Anos Voldigoad
───────
Makima stared. Her mouth parted just slightly. When he waved his hand at…
Before she could finish the thought, the Black King spoke without turning.
"It's not a ruse. That's a true interface quest system. Invisible to nearly everyone. It chooses its. Players. And in this world?"
He tilted his head toward Kang Woo. "There's only one."
Kang Woo didn't even blink. "That's what you think. There's always something that doesn't add up."
Before the silence could settle, the system shimmered again. A subtle flicker. Then, with a mechanical hum, the quest interface updated itself.
───────
[ Quest Modified by The Black King ]
Condition 4: Reenactment of the Quincy King's Resurrection
(A feat akin to Yhwach restoring himself after death—or a custom resurrection rite crafted by the Player.)
Objective:
You are a Demon King.
You already know what must be done.
→ Addendum:
Engage the Crimson King in battle.
Push him back through the rifts of Todash.
Seal him within the Tower once more.
→ Bizarre Optional Completed
An impossible path.
The Player, Oh Kang Woo, did not seal the Crimson King—he consumed him.
A feat believed to be fundamentally impossible. But it was done.
───────
Reward from the Black King after Impossible Deed Completed:
• Authority of Dreaming
• Authority of the Abyss
• Authority of Death
• Authority of Ego
• The Ego of the Black King shall submit as its faithful servant to Demon King of Tyranny ───────
The quest screen faded. The Black King just stared.
Kang Woo hadn't said a was still smirking.
The Black King blinked once. "No wow? No thanks? I just added two more Authorities and gave you my undying loyalty."
Kang Woo exhaled through his nose, visibly unimpressed. "You expected applause?"
That made the Black King twitch. "I expect a reaction. I just broke my own rules—and gave you everything!"
Kang Woo shrugged. "You want a trophy?"
"I expect—!" the Black King hissed.
Kang Woo's eyes cut sideways. "You expect too much. Lower your expectations."
The Black King gritted his teeth, jaw clenched. Narcissistic bastard… he thought bitterly. I hand him power, allegiance, and two more primordial authorities, and he acts like I just gave him a cup of water.
"Heh… I give up. I chose the worst goddamn vessel ! "
Black king form flickered, shadows curling around him like snakes. His voice deepened, the sarcasm thick in his throat.
"Maybe I was supposed to trap some dumb bastard in this fusion world. Feed them sweet lies. Offer them scraps of power.."
His eyes rolled back, then locked on Makima. "The Control Devil? Once discarded—ripe for corruption."
"Denji and that stupid dog of his, Pochita? Easy targets. Naive. Reckless. Perfect meat shields. Hell… even Homelander. That megalomaniac supe. Not the worst candidate. At least he listens when you whisper sweet power in his ear…"
The mockery faded. And what remained was loathing. Raw and cold.
"… I chose poorest decision . The Demon King of Tyranny."
He spat the words with venom. And then he cracked—his body dissolving into viscous, pitch-black ooze. The parasite. The shadow. The thing that clung. And with an eerie, slithering sound, he vanished back into Kang Woo's body.
Kang Woo didn't flinch. "I doubt anyone else could even reach where you are, Black King. Not a single human in this world understands true magic—until I showed them."
Makima, still silent beside him, spoke after a beat. Her honest. "Kang Woo… maybe I'm not in the position to say this. But that parasite might bite your ass someday. And if he does, we're all fucked. You need to kill the Black King… if you ever get the chance."
Kang Woo didn't even look at her. Instead, he focused inward—eyes half-lidded, sweat beading down his brow. He shut down his adrenaline first, forcing his heart to slow, his blood to still.
And then— THWUMMMM. A deep wooden door slammed shut through the air. No door in sight.. But the sound echoed loud, ancient. Only Makima heard it clearly. Her breath caught..
The First Door of the Demonic Sea had closed. And with it, so had the first layer of annihilation.
Kang Woo grabbed his knees, dropping down slowly. His breathing hitched—each inhale like a weight, each exhale trembling with restraint. He was holding Something catastrophic.
… if I let the seal fracture…. The universe would turn inside-out.
Three Doors Of the demonic Sea . One misstep, and they might all open.
Makima watched him, stunned—but then, without hesitation, she stepped behind him, wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and pulled him into a gentle embrace.
"You don't need to push yourself this hard for us," she whispered, her lips close to his ear. "You've already done enough—for this world… and for me."
"If it helps… just rest. Let go. I'll carry you home."
Kang Woo's chest still rose and fell—uneven at first, like a storm trying to choke itself into calm. But the rhythm began to shift. Steadier. Slower. The chaos hadn't passed. But the eye of it… had formed.
He leaned back ever so slightly into Makima's arms, his eyes half-open, focused somewhere not in this world. He didn't speak. Couldn't. His entire concentration was turned inward—violently inward—as if his soul was gritting its teeth to keep the tides at bay.
On the outside, he looked only tired.
But Makima knew better. Through the Commandment of Piety—the very one she claimed from Kang Woo himself—she could feel it. The thread connecting her to its true source was strained, twitching, erratic. Her eyes widened. No… he's not fine. Kang Woo is having a severe anxiety attack. Something wasn't right..
, she realized. Kang woo 's mad at himself for reasons I don't yet understand… maybe he'll tell me when he's ready..
kang woo was breaking. He couldn't even define what he'd lost.. But something—some essential, stabilizing core—was absent. And the realization clawed at him. Drove him mad. He wanted to scream. To unleash the full breadth of his Demonic Sea and drown existence in a black-red tide.
His pressure spiked. Kang woo sclera turned black.
And then Thmp. A small, warm weight pressed against his chest.
Makima. Her head rested against him. Her arms circled around his body again.
Then she began to sing a song that she know .
Her voice… trembled at first. But then flowed, soft and haunting.
"Slowly they fall, though they just bloomed
Flowers die just as we do
'Falling so soon, why this year too?'
Those words that fell softly filled with regret
Looking at you—how lovely… ohhh
When I recall your face,
I just wonder how you are doing now
I wonder what you'd think if you saw me as I am
Living without you, oh I'm someone else, it's true
Everybody finds love
Everybody finds love
In the end
In the end…"
The words wrapped around him like silk. Something fragile but invincible in its care. The black faded from his eyes. His breath slowed again. Hhhhhhh—haaaaah.
The pressure in the air dropped. No more madness.. The sea has beem calmed ..
Makima stayed where she was, pressed firmly against Kang Woo's chest, her arms holding him in a gentle embrace. The song had ended, but the afterglow lingered—soft, quiet, steady. Her eyes closed as she listened.
Thump… thump… thump…
His heartbeat was slowing. Calming.
A flicker of something warm danced at the corner of her lips. Then, breaking the silence with a wry breath, makima murmured,
"I finally have an achievement I can be proud of now. If I ever meet your green army again, I can tell them I'm your emotional control device."
Kang Woo blinked—once, his breathing leveling further as clarity returned to his eyes. He steadied himself, gently leaning his forehead against hers.
. "If you'd been late by even one second …this would've been the last day anyone existed."
Then it came. A flare only he could see.
System Interface:
[Quest: Ultimate Demonic Foundation]
Status: Completed
Unknown rewards revealed:
– Incomplete Hōgyoku
– Knowledge of the Philosopher's Stone (Fullmetal Alchemist version)
Note: Current Kang Woo body, after completion of Ultimate Demonic Foundation, is comparable to Rimuru following the Harvest Festival. Kaisergesang ritual restored Anos Voldigoad's abilities by 10%.
Note: Kang Woo's current body, after completing the Ultimate Demonic Foundation, is comparable to Rimuru following the Harvest Festival. However, since the soul count numbers in the millions rather than just tens of thousands, the process is taking longer for the system to fully scan. The Kaisergesang ritual has restored 15% of Anos Voldigoad's abilities.
[Calculation Complete]
Obtained Skills and Items:
– Schrift B: The Balance
– Space Between Time (Rank: EX)
– All-Spear Authority (progression: The Raven King, obtained upon claiming Ivaldi's Gungnir)
– Almighty (current mastery: Two irises)
– Heart of Chaos (status: sealed, Rank: EX)
– Black King Authority: 4 of 4 (Dreaming, Death, The Abyss, Ego)
– Incomplete Hōgyoku
– Knowledge of the Philosopher's Stone (Fullmetal Alchemist version)
Kang Woo smiled faintly, his gaze fixed on something only he could see. Makima kept her head pressed against Kang Woo's chest, steadying him, calming him. Even after he stood upright on his own, she stayed there, her cheek resting over his heartbeat. The expression on his face was familiar—but what unsettled her wasn't the smile itself. It was the presence buried inside him.
The Black King. That parasite.. Back in Kang Woo's body again. Makima's lips tightened, just barely. She had warned him before—that one day, the thing might bite him, devour him from the inside out.
Through Kang Woo, the Black King revealed something even she couldn't ignore—a flicker in the air, a projection barely perceptible, like a sci-fi hologram. A quest interface, translucent yet sharp, unfolding as though the world itself were an RPG.
Makima said nothing. Her body remained still, her expression calm. But inwardly, she shifted. Silent. Watchful. Ready—not to fight the parasite head on , but to shield Kang Woo from himself if his recklessness went too far.
Her smile lingered—tired, faint, more mask than joy. But her thoughts cut deep.
If only I had enough power to contest that parasite. I could rip him out myself.
Mikhail's warning weighed heavy in her memory: The Black King is not an enemy you can fight.
Her smile didn't falter.
Kang Woo lowered his head, brushing his forehead against her hair as he wrapped his arms around her. His voice came low, almost playful.
"Want to go to the cinema now?"
Makima let out a quiet breath, glancing up at him. "All of Tokyo's citizens are in the safe zones after your warning about Big Red. The cinema's obviously closed, Kang Woo."