Chapter 404: Chapter 404 - Stay In There Forever

“The hell is this thing?” Oh Kang-Woo tilted his head as he stared at the black lump in his hand.

It was squirming happily like a dog begging to be petted by its owner.

‘Huh?’

It felt extremely familiar for some reason as if he had found the missing half of a precious item. Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes as he stared at the black lump in his hand.

“Wh-Why...”

Tai Wuji collapsed to his knees in despair. After experiencing a moment of hope, the despair that came after was soul-crushing.

“How many goddamn times are you gonna say that?” Kang-Woo asked.

‘Are you trying to fill the page space?’

“Why do you have so many goddamn things to ask? Just accept things as they are.”

Kang-Woo smirked and walked toward Tai Wuji. Seeing the state he was in, extending the fight any longer seemed meaningless.

‘I’m not completely satisfied, but...’

Kang-Woo smiled as he recalled the sense of despair and vanity he felt when he first met Tai Wuji. The sparks of pleasure that he felt could not be compared to anything else.

‘I wonder how many more times I’ll be able to experience something like this?’

Kang-Woo smiled bitterly. It had been an extremely long time since he had faced his limits. He faced the despairingly insurmountable wall and then surpassed it like he had always done. The pleasure that came with surpassing his limits was so sweet that he felt like his brain was melting.

“Haaa,” Kang-Woo sighed.

His mind was unexpectedly clear despite opening two Doors.

‘What in the world is happening to me?’

Kang-Woo had no idea; he had long since become an unprecedented being. He was growing at an unfathomable rate. Not even he knew what would be waiting for him at the end of the road.

“Well, I guess it doesn’t matter.”

He didn’t care much about what would be waiting for him at the end. He would just move forward like he had always done.

“Let’s end this,” Kang-Woo stated as he slowly walked toward Tai Wuji, who had his head lowered while on his knees.

He raised his arm that burned fiercely with the Flames of Voracity. Just then...

Wriggle.

The black lump on his hand squirmed. It slowly moved toward the black ring on his right hand. Then, Kang-Woo’s field of vision turned black.

‘What the hell?’

He suddenly saw an endless black sea and was pulled into it.

Wriggle—!

The sea pulsed, and the world distorted. Something was trying to crawl out from the deepest part of the black sea.

[Finally, finally!]

The sea split in half. The first thing that Kang-Woo saw was the giant eye that spanned a kilometer, which he had seen before. Dozens of such eyes within pulsating darkness appeared from the split sea. It was a Titan so large that no words could describe its size.

‘You’re...’

Kang-Woo stared at the Titan with deeply sunken eyes.

The Titan shouted ecstatically, [The key that will free me has finally appeared!]

The Titan smiled and extended his arm toward Kang-Woo. Once he did, the ring on Kang-Woo’s right hand was pulled out. The Key of the Demonic Sea combined with the black lump and slowly fell toward the Titan.

[Kehe, kahahahahahaha!!]

The Demon God’s crazed laughter shook the Demonic Sea. Kang-Woo slowly looked down at the massive Titan and smiled.

“You’re trying to crawl out again? I’m surprised you don’t get tired of it,” Kang-Woo remarked mockingly.

The Demon God blinked; just that was enough to cause massive waves in the sea.

[He... Hehehe. Cursed puppet. Do you have any idea how long the time of prophecy has been delayed because of you?]

“How should I fucking know? Forget that.” Kang-Woo pointed at the falling Key of the Demonic Sea while staring at the Demon God. “Why don’t you return what’s mine first?”

[Hah! The Key of the Demonic Sea is yours, you say?]

The Demon God feigned laughter.

Boom!

The Demon God stomped his feet, shaking the entire Demonic Sea.

[I am the true owner of this key!]

The Demon God burst into laughter as he looked at the ring slowly falling toward him. His hand was getting closer to reaching the Key of the Demonic Sea.

[Finally... I can get out of the Abyss of the Demonic Sea.] He had been imprisoned here for far too long. He cackled as he stared at Kang-Woo. [I will make good use of your body.]

“Jesus, man.” Kang-Woo frowned. He had felt this when he met the Demon God for the first time, but... “Why are each of your lines so goddamn shitty?”

‘Are you from the DC Universe?’

“And you call yourself a final boss? Huh? Try to at least sound badass. There’s no tension in the story whatsoever because you’re being such a dickhead. Come up with some kind of cool persona like Tai Wuji. Barking like a mutt does nothing for you.”

Kang-Woo looked down at the Demon God in dissatisfaction. Having the character that was supposed to be the mastermind spouting lame lines like that completely killed the tension in the air.

The Demon God was lost for words. Rage filled his massive eyes. [A mere puppet dares—]

“There you go with the crap lines again.”

[Your leisurely attitude ends now!]

“Jesus Christ. You never learn.”

Kang-Woo sighed in disappointment. The Demon God extended his arm toward the Key of the Demonic Sea while gritting his teeth.

[Come!]

His thunderous voice shook the black sea. Kang-Woo looked down at him in silence and then slowly extended his arm as well.

Fwoosh.

The Flames of Voracity burned on his hand, and then the Key of the Demonic Sea that had been falling toward the Demon God stopped.

[What?]

The Demon God’s eyes shook. The black lump peeked out of the Key of the Demonic Sea and looked around like a lost puppy looking for its owner. It looked back and forth at Kang-Woo and the Demon God.

[Over here! I am your master!] the Demon God shouted.

Kang-Woo smiled faintly and waved around the Flames of Voracity as if he were waving food at a dog.

Wriggle. The black lump twisted around in confusion.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Kang-Woo said as if persuading the black lump. “I am the master of this Demonic Sea.”

Wriggle. The black lump twisted as if it were tilting its head.

[Bull! I am the master of the Demonic Sea!]

“Big words for a dickhead who’s stuck here and can’t even get out.” Kang-Woo snickered.

Darkness was wrapped around the Demon God’s legs like tentacles to prevent him from getting out through the split sea. He was still imprisoned in the Abyss and was unable to get out of the Demonic Sea.

“I’m sure you can see— Well, I guess you can’t see since you don’t have eyes. Regardless, you can tell who the master of this sea is, can’t you?” Kang-Woo asked the black lump.

Wriggle. The black lump moved up and down as if it were nodding.

It slipped back into the ring and slowly floated up toward Kang-Woo.

[N-No!] the Demon God shouted anxiously. He glared at Kang-Woo in fury. [How dare a mere puppet proclaim to be the master of the Demonic Sea?!]

“What~?” Kang-Woo said while putting one hand behind his ear. “I can’t hear you because you’re stuck so far down in the Abyss like a fucking loser~!”

[You son of a bitch!!]

Rumble!!

The Demon God twisted and turned like a madman, which Kang-Woo laughed at as he watched.

The Demon God shouted while glaring at Kang-Woo, [I am your creator! I made you, and I raised you!]

“Wait, what? Then... You were my mom?”

[That is not what I meant!!]

“Mom.” Kang-Woo looked down at the Demon God with trembling eyes. “I wanted to meet you so much, Mom.”

[Son of a bitch!! I told you that is not what I meant!!]

“Oh, sorry. I guess you’re my dad, right?”

[Aaarrrggghhh!!] The Demon God pounded on his chest in frustration.

He raised his colossal fist and swung it at Kang-Woo. It contained power so unfathomable that it could easily destroy a world. Kang-Woo did not dodge it— no, there was no need for him to.

Whoosh!

The fist stopped right before it hit Kang-Woo. Kang-Woo smirked as he looked at the fist that was at least a few kilometers wide.

“What? You’re not gonna kill me? If you’re so mad, why don’t you just do it?”

[U-Urghh.]

“Pfft! Bwehehehehe!!” Kang-Woo burst into laughter while gripping his stomach. “Yeah, I guess you can’t. After all, if I die and my body is annihilated, you’ll be stuck here forever.”

The Demon God remained silent.

“Oh, but you’ll still be stuck here forever even if you don’t kill me.”

[Shut... up.]

“What a dipshit. If I were in your shoes, I would have punched me at least once out of irritation.”

[I told you... to shut up.]

“Well, I guess I’d die if I got hit by you even once. Why don’t you just kill me? Hm? Do you not even have a shred of pride? Just close your eyes and swing your fist! And then, you can just rot in here for the rest of your life.”

[I told you to shut up!!] the Demon God shouted crazily as he stared daggers at Kang-Woo. [You... are nothing!!] He clenched his fists tightly as he twisted around to get out of the Abyss. [You are nothing without me!!!]

“I could say the same to you.”

[Do you seriously believe you’d be able to maintain control of the Demonic Sea without me?!]

“What does that matter? You’ll never be getting out of here anyway.”

[You are nothing but my puppet!!]

Kang-Woo licked his lips.

‘A puppet, huh?’

That could be true. Based on what the Demon God said, he seemed to have created him for real. He did not know how it happened since he had no memories of the past. However, he knew that he was a doll created by the Demon God. It was likely because of him that Kang-Woo fell into Hell and possessed the Authority of Predation from the beginning.

“So? So what? Should I say shit like “I-I’ve been a puppet all along?!” while bawling my eyes out for you? Or does something like “Th-That’s impossible!” while falling into despair feel better for you? Fuck you. Who the hell do you think you are?”

Kang-Woo slowly raised his hand, and the Key of the Demonic Sea enveloped by the Demon God’s legacy was put on his right middle finger again.

“I am the master of the Demonic Sea.”

Fwoosh! Flames surged around them.

“I am not your puppet, you son of a bitch.”

The Flames of Voracity swallowed up the Demonic Sea to grow bigger.

“And I... am... Iron M— Oh Kang-Woo.”

[What?]

“Sorry, it was a bit embarrassing to say.”

Kang-Woo raised his hand with the Key of the Demonic Sea on it.

[The Demon God’s legacy has been absorbed into the Key of the Demonic Sea.]

[All functions of the ‘Key of the Demonic Sea’ have been unlocked.]

[The ‘Key of the Demonic Sea’ has chosen the ‘God of Voracity’ as its owner!]

Rumble—!!

The Demonic Sea shook. An unfathomable amount of power surged into Kang-Woo.

Fwoosh!

Kang-Woo was set ablaze with golden flames.

[N-No...]

The Demon God reached out his arm, but the Abyss that stuck itself to his legs did not let him go.

[Aaarrrggghhh!!] The Demon God’s screams echoed throughout the Demonic Sea.

The split sea slowly began to close.

“Stop bothering to try to come out.” Kang-Woo snickered as he looked down at the struggling Demon God. “Just stay in the forever.”

Kang-Woo snapped his finger. Flames of Voracity poured out of the Key of the Demonic Sea. They devoured the sea and created a long road, and Kang-Woo followed the road out of the Demonic Sea.