A few minutes ago—while Kang Woo slumbered inside Makima—he found something close to serenity. The constant battles, the endless destruction, the weight of his title as the Demon King… all of it faded into silence. It was a rare moment of peace, one where he attempted to restore the emotions he had lost recently .
Yet, despite his efforts, nothing changed.
The emptiness remained.
Still, the peace was enough.
Until the dream shifted.
Suddenly, he found himself standing in an unfamiliar space. A vast, colorless void stretched endlessly around him. The serenity that had briefly embraced him was gone, replaced by a strange scene unfolding before his eyes.
A boy stood before him—Denji, the Chainsaw Man. His form was fully transformed, chainsaws protruding from his limbs, his mechanical, snarling head tilted slightly as if ready to strike.
Next to him was Starlight, the chosen hero of this world, her radiant golden light flickering in the eerie void. Her expression was grim, determined.
And finally—
Makima.
Tears streamed down her face, yet her grip on the weapon she held remained firm. A gleaming blade, trembling in her hands, was plunged straight through Kang Woo's chest.
All of them, together, had driven their weapons into him, as if signaling the "defeat" of the Demon King.
Kang Woo stared at them, at the absurdity of it all.
Then—
He erased it.
With a mere thought, his Space Between Time ability surged, distorting the false reality into nothingness.
How foolish.
Even in his dreams, these illusions tried to defy him.
Yet, a flicker of memory surfaced—
A scene, not from a dream, but from Hell itself.
Astaroth, the once-mighty demon, lay defeated before him. The air was thick with the scent of sulfur and the remnants of battle. His body, broken and dying, twitched as he gasped his final words.
"Hey, Kang Woo…"
Astaroth coughed, blood dripping from his lips.
"Or should I say, Anos Voldigoad? A Demon Prince… in his own castle…"
His eyes dimmed, the last traces of life slipping away.
"Dies."
A small, weak laugh escaped him.
"Think anybody will notice?"
And with that, he was gone.
—
Kang Woo's eyes snapped open.
The dream faded, replaced by the cool night air of Fujimono Café's streets.
He stood there, fully awake, his form now changed.
His body was different—his frame more defined, his presence more overwhelming. His usual coat was gone, leaving his upper body exposed, revealing a physique carved from sheer power. In his right hand, a dark sword gleamed under the moonlight, its surface absorbing rather than reflecting light.
Beneath him, water pooled, rippling outward.
And within that reflection—
A single red eye, filled with pulsating roots, stared back.
A silhouette loomed behind him, a towering representation of his power. His Sin Demonic Trigger Form.
Two pairs of wings unfurled from his back, casting elongated shadows over the street. The horns atop his head had grown longer, pulsing with incandescent orange light. His entire form was wrapped in demonic flames, flickering wildly. His body seemed forged from a fusion of black demonic stone and metal, his exposed "skin" covered in a dense layer of square-shaped scales.
Then—
Kang Woo opened his eyes.
This time, his Magic Eyes of Destruction were unmistakable.
But there was something new.
His usual three pupils had changed. Now—
He had four.
"Ahhh…" He exhaled, stretching his neck slightly. His voice was relaxed, yet carried an eerie undertone. "A sudden awakening is nice."
His lips curled into something wicked.
"Such a wonderful dream."
His gaze, now half-lidded and unreadable, carried a sinister glint.
"Particularly…" He chuckled, tilting his head slightly.
"Nightmares are the most enjoyable."
—
From the entrance of the restaurant, Quanxi observed in silence.
Her sharp eyes darted to Kang Woo's pupils.
She whispered to Kishibe, keeping her voice low.
"Didn't you say Kang Woo had three pupils?"
Kishibe, for once, had nothing to say.
He simply stood there, staring.
Meanwhile, Aki and Himeno remained frozen.
A single thought ran through their minds—
The only ability we know of is the Almighty… but if he has this…
Their eyes flickered to the pool of water beneath Kang Woo, watching his distorted reflection.
Even with the mana he granted us… even with everything we have…
It's impossible. Our world, no matter how much we try, can never defeat him.
The realization settled over them like a crushing weight.
Makima, standing closest to him, felt something stir within her. Something dangerously close to concern. She stepped forward, her gaze locked onto his.
"Have you had a nice sleep, my king?" she asked, her voice softer than usual.
Kang Woo tilted his head slightly, his crimson pupils flickering with something unreadable.
"A bit of a nightmare," he murmured. Then, with a smirk, he added—
"Nothing to be concerned about."
His gaze swept across the streets, the Almighty activating instinctively. The world unfolded before him, every timeline splintering into endless possibilities.
As expected, victory was inevitable. No ambush, no plan, no force in this world could overpower him. He saw it all—every move, every outcome, every desperate attempt.
And yet— A blank spot. A gap in the timeline.
Kang Woo's smirk didn't fade, but his thoughts sharpened.
Someone's interfering.
Before he could pinpoint the disturbance, a figure stumbled into view—a ragged, blood-soaked wreck of a man. His tattered clothes clung to his body, barely concealing the grotesque mix of bruises and smeared makeup caked over his face.
Barem Bridge.
Kang Woo's eyes narrowed slightly as Barem collapsed onto the pavement, his breath ragged, his hands trembling.
And then—
A hundred angry civilians emerged , faces twisted in fury, voices rising into a maddened roar.
"Help me!" Barem's voice cracked, raw with desperation. "The Control Devil is controlling me! She—she did this to me! She made me like this!"
Aki stepped forward, jaw clenched. His grip on his sword tightened.
"That's a lie," he said coldly. "Ms. Makima wouldn't do something like that. She's a devil, sure, but this—" His voice wavered for a fraction of a second before steadying. "This isn't her doing."
Himeno, however, wasn't focused on Barem. Her heart pounded as she glanced at Kang Woo, her gut twisting with an ominous realization.
It's not the mobs. It's not even Barem. Kang Woo just woke up, and right now… he's like a walking nightmare. Kang Woo is going to kill them.
Kishibe exhaled, flicking his cigarette away. His expression was unreadable, but his stance had shifted—slightly lower, slightly more prepared.
"Alright, alright," he muttered, voice gravelly. "Let's all calm down and take a deep breath."
His gaze darkened as it settled on Barem.
"And you—" A shadow flickered over his face.
"This ain't the time for your JOKESSSSS!"
But Barem wasn't done.
He ripped a gun from his pocket, waving it wildly, his breath coming in short, frantic bursts.
"Help me! Please! I don't want to die! She's taking over my body!"
Makima's Yellow -ringed eyes gleamed coldly. Chains erupted from the ground, twisting toward Barem and the civilians, poised to subdue them all.
Makima's fingers twitched, and in an instant, her chains shot forward, aiming to subdue the mob before they could escalate further.
But then— A voice. Smooth. Cold. Absolute.
"Very poor choice," Kang Woo murmured.
THUMP.
A heartbeat echoed through the air.
The world shuddered.
Then—
Silence.
The civilians were gone.
No sound.
No bodies.
No blood.
Just—
Gone.
The street stood empty.
A suffocating stillness settled over them, pressing against their lungs like an unseen force.
Kobeni's breath hitched. Her hands trembled.
"K-Kang Woo…" she whispered. "Where did they—"
BOOM.
A red cross burst into the sky, exploding like a dying star.
And then—
The rain fell.
Thick. Crimson. Dripping from the sky like the blood of something greater than any of them could comprehend.
The streets were drenched in red.
Kang Woo stood motionless. Unmoving. Silent. Watching.
Barem Bridge, still panting, took a staggering step back. His eyes darted from the sky—where the crimson rain continued to fall—back to the empty streets where the civilians had once been.
"You… you killed them." His voice was laced with a mixture of rage and disbelief. "You filthy Korean—you killed those civilians!"
Kang Woo turned his gaze toward Barem. Slowly, he stepped forward, his presence alone making the air feel suffocating.
"Authority of Hellfire," he murmured.
A surge of black and purple flames erupted from the ground, engulfing Barem instantly.
"ARGGHHHHHH—!"
Barem screamed as the hellfire consumed him. The flames tore through his body, burning him from the inside out. His skin melted, his bones cracked—his voice turned hoarse before finally fading into nothing.
He was dead.
Then—
THUMP.
The sound of a heartbeat.
The flames vanished.
And there, standing perfectly intact, was Barem Bridge.
"Huh…?" Barem gasped, touching his face, his arms—his body was fine. No burns. No pain. "I'm fine?" he muttered in confusion.
Kang Woo snapped his fingers.
Barem exploded into pieces.
A grotesque spray of red splattered across the pavement. Limbs, flesh, and organs scattered in a gruesome mess. The air was thick with the scent of blood.
Then—
THUMP.
Another heartbeat.
And just like that, Barem was whole again.
Aki's breath hitched as he leaned toward Makima, whispering urgently, "Ms. Makima… did Kang Woo just use the Almighty to bring Barem back? Again? Like… multiple times?"
Makima remained silent, her gaze locked onto Kang Woo.
This… she thought, a rare shiver running down her spine. This is the truly terrifying use of the Almighty.
Kang Woo can kill someone as many times as he wants… and bring them back just as easily. Over and over again.
Barem stood there, his body trembling, his lips pressed together in a tight line. He didn't speak. He didn't dare.
His eyes, once filled with mockery, were now completely empty—void of any confidence, of any defiance.
Kang Woo tilted his head, his crimson pupils gleaming as he watched the silence take hold.
" At the moment of time ," he murmured, his voice smooth, pleased.
"That's a good choice."
"Now," Kang Woo spoke again, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable weight, "who ordered this clownery?"
Barem swallowed, his throat clicking audibly. He forced a shaky grin. "I—I'm just jok—"
Kang Woo raised his hand. His fingers twitched.
Barem's face lost all color. He knew exactly what was coming.
The snap.
He had already felt it before. Dying. Being reborn. Dying again. Over and over. A nightmare with no end.
"Wait!" Barem's hand shot to his pocket, pulling out a phone with trembling fingers. He pressed it against his ear, his voice frantic as he spoke into the receiver.
"Bring the Prime Minister." His breath came in uneven gasps. "And everyone involved. Right now."
Kang Woo lowered his hand. He slipped it casually into his pocket, his expression unreadable.
Then—
A portal opened beside him.
Large. Too large. A swirling mass of deep blue energy expanded outward, twisting the space around it.
Kang Woo's eyes narrowed slightly. This isn't my doing.
His Almighty scanned the future Again —yet a portion of it was blocked. A gap. Something—or someone—was interfering.
Interesting.
Makima approached, her presence calm but deliberate. She stepped beside Kang Woo, close enough that she could hear the faintest shift in his breathing.
"Have you calmed down, my king?" she asked, her voice smooth, carrying an air of familiarity.
Kang Woo didn't answer right away.
His four crimson pupils flickered as they swept over the scene—the swirling blue portal, the unnatural distortion in the air, and the trembling, battered figure of Barem Bridge kneeling before him.
Then, slowly, without a word, he gave a silent nod.
Barem's breathing was ragged. Blood dripped from his lips as his fingers dug into the pavement. Then, with a glare full of pure hatred, he lifted his head and spat:
"You destroyed the promise of peace you made makima ."
His voice was hoarse, but venomous.
"When you abandoned your post as the Prime Minister's lapdog, you broke the one thing keeping Japan stable. And now look at it—look at what you've done." His eyes darkened, voice shaking with fury.
"You abandoned Japan, and now it's a fucking wasteland."
His body trembled, his bloodshot eyes locked onto Makima with undisguised loathing.
"Fuck you, Makima."
A sharp wind passed through the empty streets.
Makima's expression didn't change.
Her yellow-ringed eyes were as unreadable as ever.
Not a flicker of anger. Not a trace of guilt.
She simply stood there—calm, unwavering.
"I didn't break it," she said, her voice as smooth as ever.
"Kentaro left me for dead in Aokigahara." Her yellow-ringed eyes gleamed under the flickering streetlights. "Him. And Vought."
She stepped forward.
"And, like I've always said…" Her voice softened, but only slightly.
"I've already gained what I've always wanted."
Her fingers twitched at her side, as if recalling something—someone.
"Kang Woo gave it to me."
"No fear. No hesitation. Just a warm embrace that healed my heart."
The words hung in the air. Barem froze. But then—
Makima's expression shifted. A cold, sharp glint flickered through her yellow-ringed eyes.
"But it was you who betrayed me, Barem," she said. "You. And your Prime Minister."
Her lips curled, just slightly. "And you conveniently forgot something."
Barem's breathing grew unsteady.
Makima's gaze bore into him, unrelenting.
"The Prime Minister himself issued a national order," she continued, her voice carrying the weight of undeniable truth.
"No one in this country is allowed to harm me or Kang Woo."
Her voice softened into something dangerously quiet.
"But I'm surprised." She tilted her head, a hint of mockery in her voice.
"It's Kentaro. Again." The amusement in her tone was sharp.
"The same Prime Minister dragging Japan into yet another crisis."
Barem's entire body slumped.
His once-tense shoulders sagged in complete and utter defeat.
He sat there, on the cold pavement—helpless.
For a long moment, there was nothing but silence.
Then—
A familiar, deep voice broke through.
Kishibe took a long drag of his cigarette, exhaling the smoke slowly as he watched Kang Woo carefully. his tone was calm. Unwavering.
"Kang Woo," he said, flicking the ash off his cigarette. His eyes didn't leave him.
"Are you gonna kill the Prime Minister now?"
Kang Woo said nothing. His gaze flickered between the swirling blue portal beside him and the growing tension in the air. The weight of his presence had been suffocating, an unseen force that made the atmosphere thick, the air itself heavy. But then—
It vanished.
With nothing but a thought, he deactivated the Almighty.
The oppressive force that had locked the world in place disappeared as if it had never been there at all. His mana and demonic energy, which had seeped into the air like an abyss with no end, withdrew completely. The suffocating aura, the overwhelming dominance—gone.
His eyes returned to normal.
Crimson. Deep. Unfathomable.
Makima's yellow-ringed eyes sharpened, her mind immediately analyzing the shift.
He's suppressing his power, she thought. Why?
For the first time since his awakening, Kang Woo wasn't just observing—he was calculating. His gaze kept shifting, sweeping across the area, lingering between the portal beside him and the forces assembling in front of him. Something had changed.
Makima spoke first. "He won't kill the Prime Minister."
Kishibe took a slow drag of his cigarette, exhaling smoke through his nose. "That so?"
Makima didn't take her eyes off Kang Woo. Every movement, every subtle shift in his stance told her something. "If he kills Kentaro now, the country will plunge further into chaos," she said evenly. "And Kang Woo doesn't waste time on meaningless destruction."
Then, with the faintest smirk, she glanced toward Kishibe. "Would you like me to do it instead?"
Kishibe exhaled again, the cigarette resting between his fingers. "The next Prime Minister would be a pain to replace," he admitted. "At least for now, the current figureheads are easier to negotiate with."
Makima chuckled softly.
Then—rumbling.
The deep grind of armored vehicles against the pavement. The synchronized stomp of marching soldiers. The low hum of aircraft circling overhead.
The convoy had arrived. Kentaro was here. And he hadn't come alone.
A full JSDF force had been deployed. Tanks rolled into position, their steel hulls glinting under the city lights. Helicopters hovered above like predatory birds, their blades slicing through the night. Fighter jets streaked across the sky, their engines roaring—a declaration of power.
But even with all that firepower, there was no confidence in the men stepping out of the convoy.
Kentaro emerged first, his face pale, his hands clasped too tightly together. Behind him, a procession of high-ranking officials followed, their expressions varying from stiff apprehension to outright terror. Among them sat a frail man in a wheelchair—Tadashi Hasegawa, the former Minister of Finance. His skin was sallow, his eyes sunken with exhaustion.
It didn't matter how many soldiers stood behind them.
These men had already suffered under Kang Woo before.
They had been dragged to the brink of death—broken, tormented, reshaped into something lesser. Not allowed to die. Not allowed to escape. They had been spared, but what they had endured was not something that could ever be forgotten.
And now, they stood before the being who had inflicted that suffering.
Himeno swallowed, her voice hushed as she turned to Aki. "Are we looking at an all-out war?"
Aki's gaze remained fixed ahead. "Doesn't matter."
Himeno frowned. "What?"
Aki exhaled, his jaw tightening slightly. "Kang Woo will win."
Himeno blinked. "You're that sure?"
"It's not about confidence, Himeno-senpai." His voice was steady, yet there was a weight behind it. "The Almighty is an instant-win button for him. Nothing they do matters."
Himeno didn't argue.
Because she already knew he was right.
Kang Woo's eyes darkened, locking onto Kentaro.
The air shifted. Not because he was releasing his power—no, he was still keeping it in check. But the sheer weight of his presence alone caused the atmosphere to shift, like reality itself was reacting to him.
Then, without a word, he raised his hand.
A blade formed in his grasp. The Chaos Excalibur.
A single-edged katana-like blade with a half circle on top of the handle with four wings , shifting like liquid but impossibly solid. The very space around it seemed to twist, refusing to fully acknowledge its existence. The Chaos blade distorted the air itself, a weapon that defied the natural order.
Kang Woo adjusted his grip. Then—he moved. The ground beneath him cracked. No—shattered.
In less than a blink, he was no longer standing still. A mere flicker of motion, and suddenly, he was upon Kentaro—his blade poised, the force behind it enough to sever him from existence.
Kentaro's eyes widened in sheer terror.
"W-WAIT! WAIT—!"
His voice cracked, hands flying up in a feeble attempt at defense.
"This escort is just for my safety!" he stammered, his words spilling out in desperate panic. "If you have any complaints, Emperor Kang Woo, I will hear them!"
At the last possible moment—
A hand touched Kang Woo's wrist. Not forceful. Not stopping him. Just… there.
Makima. She stood beside him, her yellow-ringed eyes unwavering as they met his.
"Let's hear this old fool out first, Kang Woo," she said.
Kang Woo's blade lingered in the air for a moment longer, its jagged edge still humming with an eerie pulse. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he lowered it. His crimson gaze flickered, his expression unreadable.
"Who's threatening you this time?" he asked, his voice as calm as ever.
Kishibe took a slow drag from his cigarette, exhaling before turning his gaze to Kentaro. "Vought again, huh? Do you really wanna get replaced so badly now?"
Makima shook her head slightly, her yellow-ringed eyes narrowing. "It's not Vought. They're too busy repairing New York after what Kang Woo and I did," she said, a hint of amusement in her tone. "Judgment Day—future war. That city barely held together."
Quanxi crossed her arms, glancing at the gathered officials with mild interest. "What's happening here? Did the Prime Minister just get summoned like a dog?"
Himeno smirked, but there was an edge of amusement in her voice. "You should've seen when Kang Woo tortured the higher-ups. They were getting crunched by some eldritch tentacle abomination from the sky, stuck in a constant state between death and life."
Quanxi raised a brow. "That's… bad."
Kentaro, still visibly shaken, took a deep breath before speaking. "I was told to agitate you. Or at the very least, create a situation where you would be killed… which I knew was impossible. Even now, I still don't understand what you are—why you're so important." He cast a glance at Barem Bridge before continuing. "However, whatever Barem did here wasn't part of my plan. We intended to discuss matters with you directly, Emperor Kang Woo, in the hopes of reaching a favorable outcome… at least for us."
Kishibe narrowed his eyes, his suspicion deepening. "'Barem wasn't part of my plan?'" he echoed. "That sounds like something I should've been informed about. I got promoted to be the next commander of Public Safety Devil Hunters after Makima resigned—highest command over the organization. Are you snitching on me, Kentaro?"
Kentaro stiffened, his mind racing. Shit… I didn't choose my words carefully.
Makima, ever perceptive, tilted her head slightly. "There's another commander," she added, her tone light but carrying an undeniable weight. "That's the only logical reason why Barem was able to gather and control a hundred rioters. The only way he could manipulate a situation that forced Kang Woo's hand, leading to the red rain in the sky."
Kishibe clicked his tongue, rubbing his temple. "I should've paid more attention to my damn salary," he muttered. "I had a feeling it was still too small… and I was right. Looks like I really need to review your former salary as commander, Makima, so I don't get caught in shit like this again."
Makima chuckled. "That's not how you find out when your rank's been split, Kishibe."
Kang Woo casually lifted his finger, pointing toward a cluster of JSDF soldiers. His voice was almost lazy. "Is that the one causing this ruckus?"
One of the JSDF soldiers flinched before barking out in disbelief, "Me?! Are you crazy?"
Before anyone could process what was happening,
Makima's expression shifted. A realization struck her, and her yellow-ringed eyes sharpened. "Move," she ordered, her tone absolute. "Clear that space where Kang Woo is pointing. Now."
There was hesitation—but only for a second. The soldiers nearest to the spot instinctively took a step back. Tanks adjusted their positions, their cannons slowly turning. Helicopters hovering above tilted their angles, preparing for whatever unseen threat lay ahead.
Then—it happened.
A shadow emerged.
Unlike Kang Woo's darkness, which carried an overwhelming presence of authority and control, this one was different. It melted the concrete beneath it, swallowing the very street into an Molten paste
Kang Woo let out an amused hum. "If you were just fifteen seconds late," he murmured, "you might have ended up as part of that concrete."
The soldier Kang Woo had pointed at swallowed hard, sweat forming on his brow. "Thank you, sir," he mumbled, backing away as fast as possible.
The shadow shifted, tendrils of blackness twisting and folding in on themselves, reshaping into something tangible. A figure emerged, her form no longer obscured.
She wore dark-purple thigh-high socks lined with golden frills, paired with a matching one-piece mini-dress adorned with golden flower decorations. A long, dark veil draped over part of her face, concealing her features in an eerie half-mask. Dangling from her left ear was an ornate earring, and nestled in her hair was an orange and black eight-pointed star hairpiece. ( img here )
Kang Woo's eyes narrowed.
His mind instantly recalled something—his system quest.
The reward.
The location of Satella, the Witch of Envy.
But instead of a location…
Kang Woo's lips twitched. She's here. She breached this world herself.
It made sense. Gaia—the administrator of this world—was heavily damaged. All because of him.
Before anyone could react further, a voice shattered the moment.
"Attack that shadow abomination! Now!" Tadashi Hasegawa, still bound to his wheelchair, shouted the command, his voice desperate, frantic.
Kentaro's head snapped toward him in fury. "Fucking wheelchair! We're still caught in the blast radius!"
But it was too late.
Fear ruled over reason. The soldiers obeyed instinct rather than strategy. The sky thundered with motion.
Helicopters unleashed a storm of missiles.
Tanks fired their shells, sending a barrage of destruction toward the woman cloaked in shadows.
And yet—
Satella moved. Or rather, she didn't have to.
The moment the barrage reached her, a single movement from her shadow tendrils was all it took.
Each missile, every shell, every bullet—all caught effortlessly in the grasp of her Shadow .
Then, as if dismissing them like worthless toys—they vanished.
She turned her head. Her veil fluttered slightly as she gazed at Kang Woo. A heartbeat passed.
Then, she spoke.
"I love you."
The battlefield fell silent.
Kang Woo only smirked, watching her in silence.
But Satella didn't stop.
"I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you."
Her voice, soft yet unnerving, repeated those words over and over, each declaration carrying an unsettling level of devotion.
Then—her tone changed, breathless with emotion.
"I love you. You gave me light."
Kang Woo's expression shifted. The amusement in his smirk faded into something else—something cold, detached.
A wave of demonic energy pulsed from his body, rolling through the air like a shockwave. The sheer force of it distorted the space around him, sending cracks spiraling through the ground.
Above, the sky darkened unnaturally.
A single crimson eye manifested in the heavens, glaring down upon the world.
Beneath it, an enormous transparent tree stretched across the sky—The Imagery Tree, a construct of absolute authority. Its ghostly branches expanded infinitely, reaching toward every corner of reality itself. ( img here )
Kang Woo lifted his gaze, his crimson pupils gleaming with something sharp.
"I think you're following the wrong light…" His voice was smooth, yet laced with something dangerously final.
Then, his smirk returned—mocking, cruel.
"In the wrong world."
His eyes locked onto her, his presence growing heavier.
"Third-rate witch."
Kang Woo locked eyes with Satella, their mutual gaze heavy with an intensity that shook the very air around them. The oppressive aura of his demonic energy surged, wrapping around Satella's shadow like an iron grip. The sheer force of it spread outwards, pressing down on everything in its path as a manifestation of his power took form—a single, ominous crimson eye appeared in the sky, and a transparent Tree of Imagery loomed above, twisting reality itself.
The effect was immediate and devastating.
The JSDF soldiers nearest to him dropped their weapons, eyes wide with terror as they clutched their stomachs, bile rising in their throats. A wave of nausea swept through the crowd, and soon soldiers and personnel were vomiting uncontrollably, unable to withstand the weight of Kang Woo's demonic presence. Helicopter pilots struggled to control their crafts, landing roughly before they too stumbled out, collapsing to the ground and retching.
The Prime Minister and his ministers, faces pale and drenched in sweat, fell to their knees, unable to remain standing beneath the crushing power. The air itself felt heavy, as if the weight of an entire world had settled on their shoulders.
Kishibe, standing amidst the chaos, was shocked to find himself unaffected. He glanced to his side and noticed the faint glow of blue and white auras emanating from Aki and Himeno, who stood nearby, their bodies trembling as they strained to contain Kang Woo's energy.
In that instant, Kishibe came to a realization. I'm shielded because of them… because of my proximity to my former disciples.
Himeno grit her teeth, sweat dripping down her forehead as she looked at Aki. "Aki… we can't hold this much longer. His demonic energy… it's destroying everyone without mana from the inside out."
Quanxi, who had positioned herself beside Kishibe, observed the chaos with narrowed eyes. The oppressive aura clawed at her senses, and yet she remained standing—protected by the combined efforts of Aki and Himeno's mana. "Is this Kang Woo's true power?" she asked, her tone grim.
Aki's jaw tightened. "Normally, he uses his Authorities to channel and control his demonic energy. But right now… I don't know what he's doing." His voice was strained, muscles tense as he pushed back against the overwhelming force.
Satella's trembling form slowly stabilized as the chaotic swirl of shadows around her receded. The sheer weight of Kang Woo's demonic energy pressed against her existence, forcing the Witch of Envy to subside—if only for now. She had managed to suppress that maddening presence within herself, but Kang Woo could tell. He already knew.
She had a split personality.
And right now, the one standing before him was the more rational side. The one that wasn't consumed by blind obsession.
Yet, he didn't withdraw his energy.
Not yet.
Not when she had just managed to condense her original world—a world vast enough to equal this planet or 2 times —into something as small as a mere island. That alone was proof of how dangerous she truly was.
Then, she spoke. Her voice was soft, distant, yet carrying an unsettling certainty.
"You're just like me," Satella whispered, her violet eyes locked onto his. "Alone. They left you… just like they left me."
Kang Woo's smirk didn't waver. "Nope."
He tilted his head slightly, watching her reaction with amusement.
"They never left me. I left them."
Satella's eyes flickered with something unreadable.
Kang Woo continued, his voice steady. "I ditched my entire army. Do you want to know why?"
Without waiting for an answer, he dismissed Chaos Excalibur in a flicker of black light. The cursed blade disappeared from his grip, replaced by something far more volatile.
A storm of pure demonic energy gathered in his palm, twisting violently as three of his Authorities merged into one.
Authority of Dark Spear.
Authority of Hell Flame.
Authority of Spallation.
The energy condensed, collapsing inward as the sky above shuddered. The air itself twisted, space warping unnaturally as the sheer force of the fusion created something new.
A crimson-black spear materialized in Kang Woo's right hand.
Kang Woo's voice echoed through the battlefield, sharp and commanding.
"Gae Bolg."( Img here )
The name alone carried weight, sending an unnatural stillness across the land.
A spear of deep crimson and obsidian black manifested in his right hand, its jagged, blood-stained edge gleaming with a murderous aura. The sheer presence of the weapon sent visible ripples through reality, warping everything around it. Space itself twisted unnaturally, as if rejecting the existence of such a weapon.
Kang Woo lifted it, letting the weight settle in his grasp. The movement was effortless, natural—like an executioner testing his blade before delivering judgment. His smirk widened.
"I'll tell you my reason," he said, his voice laced with dark amusement, his eyes narrowing. "If you manage to survive."
His grip on the spear tightened.
"This is an immortal-killing spear. It was said that the Witch of Envy is unkillable… but tales and reality rarely align." His voice dropped to something almost mocking. "Reality is often disappointing."
The space surrounding him cracked—no, it was rejecting him entirely, as if his mere existence had become something beyond comprehension.
Himeno's breath hitched. "This is the first time… I've seen Kang Woo use anything other than his sword."
Kishibe narrowed his eyes, exhaling smoke through his nose. "Is that one of his Authorities?" His voice was low. "He called it… Gae Bolg?"
Aki remained silent, his hands clenched as he watched the scene unfold. But in his mind, a thought surfaced—one that sent a cold weight settling in his chest.
Kang Woo… He's regained his power again. And this time, it's worse.
Unlike the Commandments he used to enforce penalties, this… this is destruction itself.
From the sidelines, Makima watched, her expression unreadable, but her actions swift. Without hesitation, she already channeled her magic, invoking Mystic Arts: Shield of Seraphim. A translucent barrier, glowing with golden-white light, expanded around her, shielding not just herself but also Kobeni and Reze from the sheer force of Kang Woo's demonic energy.
Kobeni's voice wavered as she clutched the barrier's edge, her eyes locked onto the unfolding scene. "That girl… the one Kang Woo's about to strike… she's not even resisting."
Reze, her gaze sharp, observed as well. "She's surrendering," she muttered. "There's no struggle… no attempt to escape."
Something was wrong.
Makima's yellow-ringed eyes flickered with realization.
She's not fighting back. She's accepting it.
A cold thought struck her—one that made her fingers tighten around the darkness she was already beginning to mold. She's suffering loneliness… just like I did.
Satella, the feared Witch of Envy, stood still, watching Kang Woo, unflinching, unafraid. Not because she had accepted death… but because she wanted it.
Makima's body moved before she even processed her next thought.
Kang Woo launched the spear.
The world itself Terrified .
With a single flick of his wrist, Gae Bolg shot through the air, reality distorting around it, locking its target in fate. A weapon that guaranteed to strike the heart, no matter what. There was no dodging it. No blocking it. No escaping it.
Makima refused to let it happen.
Black shadows erupted from her back, forming into a single large wing—Darkness Manifestation. It surged behind her, propelling her forward with unnatural speed. The very moment the spear closed in on Satella, she caught it.
Makima's fingers clenched around the crimson shaft of Gae Bolg, her mana veins bursting with raw power, glowing blue as she forced every ounce of strength into stopping it. The moment her fingers met the spear, the force behind it rattled her body from the inside out. This wasn't an ordinary weapon. This wasn't something meant to be caught.
It was inevitable.
Kang Woo's eyes widened in rare surprise.
His spear, an authority that guaranteed death to most beings , stopped—if only for two seconds.
A mere two seconds.
The mana coursing through Makima's body flared violently, her arms trembling, her veins burning as the power behind the spear fought to complete its path. Her feet dug into the shattered ground, her entire body resisting the fatal pull.
In those two seconds, Kang Woo made a choice.
He changed its trajectory.
The moment he did, the ocean split.
A great divide, a violent rupture in the waters—a scene straight from the legends of Moses parting the sea. The sheer force of his correction sent a shockwave through the atmosphere, the split stretching miles across the horizon before the waters roared back into place.
Silence fell.
Kang Woo stood still, his gaze locked onto Makima, irritation flickering beneath the surface—but not anger. Respect. He didn't speak, only observing her carefully, acknowledging the weight of her actions.
Makima, breathing heavily, slowly released the spear. Darkness tendrils curled around her arm, mending the burns left by the sheer force she had endured. Her expression remained calm, even as her fingers twitched from the lingering pain.
Makima frowned slightly as she inspected her arm. Even with her Darkness Manipulation, a power granted to her by Kang Woo via the Commandment of Piety, the burn from Gae Bolg refused to heal. The wound remained—raw, scorched, and defying her restoration.
Kang Woo, still watching her, exhaled through his nose before casually biting the tip of his finger. A droplet of dark red blood welled up from the wound, thick with an unnatural energy. Without hesitation, he reached out and smeared it over Makima's burn.
The effect was immediate.
Her body trembled as the blood sank into her skin, and in an instant, the wound reversed itself—muscle, sinew, and tissue knitting back together perfectly. The damage done by the spear was erased, as if it had never happened.
Makima stared at her now-healed arm, then at Kang Woo, who was watching her with the slightest hint of smug amusement playing on his lips. She narrowed her eyes at him.
"…What?" Kang woo drawled lazily, arching a brow.
Makima let out a soft huff, smiling faintly, though there was an unspoken warmth in her gaze. Even after losing his joy and sorrow, he's still the Kang Woo I know.
Kishibe, watching from the sidelines, silently flipped open a notebook and began scribbling in it. His handwriting was sharp, quick, and precise, as if committing every observation to memory in case he ever needed to recall it later.
Just in case Kang Woo accidentally wiped his memories.
Or worse.
In the scrawled pages, he noted down everything:
— Kang Woo's primary power source is magic.
— His elemental usage revolves entirely around darkness, possibly needs further research.
— His original power is demonic energy, manifesting as a single crimson eye and a tree-like structure.
— Highly proficient in both swordsmanship and spearmanship.
— His blood possesses extreme healing properties.
— His trump card: The Almighty—an instant-win button, a nightmare to his enemies.
Quanxi, who had been watching him write with mild amusement, leaned over his shoulder and smirked. "If Kang Woo finds out, he's gonna burn that notebook ."
Himeno, arms crossed, glanced at the scribbled pages. "I don't think so," she countered. "If he was like that, he wouldn't have granted me or Aki magic in the first place."
Kishibe snorted, stuffing the notebook into his coat. "Better wrote it than sorry."
Kang Woo's gaze flickered as he noticed Satella standing directly in front of him, her presence so sudden it was as if she had teleported.
Beside him, Makima narrowed her yellow-ringed eyes, her thoughts quick and analytical. Was she that fast, or did she just slip past our perception entirely?
Satella, however, said nothing. She merely smiled, cheerful as ever, and gave a small, playful wave—one that contrasted entirely with the suffocating energy she had just displayed. Then, without hesitation, she turned and walked toward the swirling blue portal that had already formed few minutes ago .
Kang Woo smirked, his thoughts clicking into place. So that portal is her handiwork. His mind replayed everything—the odd gaps in his vision, the moments of uncertainty in his Almighty's foresight. That explains why I couldn't see the entire future at once. Satella's time manipulation must be interfering.
He had already known Satella had a powerful form of time manipulation, but her ability was always limited to something akin to "Return by Death"—a day-resetting mechanic, much like the Mimics from Edge of Tomorrow. That level of time manipulation, while frustrating, was average compared to the full scope of the Almighty.
Still…
Almighty does have one key weakness: past manipulation.
His version of the Almighty was identical to Yhwach's, allowing him to observe and alter the future at will. But if someone were able to change past events on a conceptual level, then his foresight could be distorted—something that even he had yet to resolve. The Soul King's version of Future manipulation could have accounted for this, but since he had never obtained it fully, this remained a blind spot in his omniscience.
Before he could ponder further,
Makima's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Do you know that woman, Kang Woo?" Her tone was casual, but there was a sharpness beneath it. "You called her the Witch of Envy."
Kang Woo's smirk didn't fade. "It's best that her attention stays on me."
Then, leaning in slightly, he whispered just loud enough for her to hear. "That woman… Satella's magic output is twice—maybe even three times yours."
Makima absorbed the information without a reaction, only giving a small nod of acknowledgment.
Kang Woo exhaled softly, retracting all of his Demonic Energy and dismissing his Unique World. The single crimson eye in the sky blinked once before vanishing, and the towering Tree of Imagery faded into nothingness.
And just like that, the night returned to normal.
The clear, open sky replaced the once-oppressive atmosphere, and the air, once thick with demonic pressure, became breathable again. The moment the suffocating force disappeared, the gathered forces reacted instinctively—deep gasps, frantic coughs, desperate gulps of air.
The JSDF soldiers, still unsteady, attempted to stand but remained dizzy, their bodies slow to recover from the unnatural pressure they had endured. Even the helicopter pilots, who had barely managed rough landings moments before, slumped against their controls, too drained to move.
Kentaro, the Prime Minister, and the other ministers fared no better. They were still kneeling, their legs weak, their balance unsteady as they struggled to find their footing. Even with the energy gone, their bodies remembered the weight of it.
Kang Woo merely stood there, watching them, amused by their pathetic state.
Then—shouting.
A sudden wave of movement rushed in from the far end of the street. A large group of reporters, cameras flashing, microphones in hand, pushed their way past the stunned JSDF soldiers. Their expressions were a mixture of panic and urgency, their voices overlapping as they bombarded the scene with frantic questions.
"What happened here?!"
"Is the city under attack?!"
"Who was responsible for the disaster we just witnessed?!"
"Prime Minister Kentaro, is this another threat from Vought?!"
"The sky—what was that?! Was it an omen?! Is the world ending?!"
Their voices rose into hysteria as they spotted him.
The moment their eyes landed on Kang Woo, standing in the center of the devastation, every single reporter went silent.
Some gulped audibly. A few instinctively took a step back.
They had all heard the rumors.
The last group of reporters who had dared to ask questions about Kang Woo or bothering makima —had never been seen again.
The fear was visible.
Makima, watching their hesitation with mild amusement, suddenly reached out, grabbing Kang Woo's wrist. Without a word, she pulled him along, guiding him toward the seating area where Kishibe, Quanxi, Himeno, and Aki were waiting.
Kang Woo let her.
They both sat down, their presence effortlessly commanding the space around them.
Then, Makima lifted a hand, fingers making a small but deliberate motion—Go ahead.
The gesture was simple, yet absolute.
The Prime Minister's security detail, overwhelmed by the number of reporters swarming in, barely managed to hold the crowd at bay. Questions exploded from all sides, but all of them were aimed at one person—Kentaro.
"Prime Minister, please clarify! Was this another attempt on your life?"
"Who was responsible for the strange phenomenon in the sky?"
"Is Vought behind this, or is there another threat at play?"
"Are we in a state of emergency?!"
"Prime Minister Kentaro, were you threatened again?!"
Kentaro, still catching his breath, gritted his teeth in frustration.
Then, finally, he snapped.
"Shut up, everybody!" His voice cracked under the strain, his panic still evident. "Let me catch my damn breath!"
The reporters hesitated—but only for a moment. Their cameras kept rolling, their microphones remained aimed at his face, waiting for an answer.
Kobeni and Reze quietly slid into place beside Makima, settling on her right.
Kobeni, nervously fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve, glanced between Kang Woo and the chaos surrounding the Prime Minister before muttering, "Kang Woo… why is it that every person who knows you is either creepy or too alien?"
Kang Woo smirked, resting his chin on his hand. "First off, I never met her face-to-face until now." His crimson pupil flickered in amusement. "And secondly, at least they're still humanoid, right?"
Reze shot him a teasing look. "Humanoid, sure… but a bald-headed man with glowing eyes calling himself The Watcher?" She rested her cheek on her hand, smirking. "Sounds pretty damn alien to me."
Himeno let out a laugh, stretching her arms behind her head. "Face it, Kang Woo, you're a magnet for trouble."
Across from them, Kishibe and Quanxi exchanged glances. The two seasoned hunters weren't used to being out of the loop, but this was new. Kishibe exhaled a long drag of smoke, then gave Aki a questioning look. "The hell are they talking about? Who's The Watcher?"
Aki sighed, already expecting this. "I'll explain later, Kishibe-sensei." He shook his head. "Kang Woo is pretty famous. Even other worlds recognize him."
Kishibe scoffed. "Great. So he's got interdimensional groupies now?" He clicked his tongue, rubbing his temple. "That's just what we needed."
Shifting the conversation, he turned back to Kang Woo. " Since you've got so much experience with world-hopping, tell us—how bad is it?" His expression darkened. "How far off are we from someone like that Witch of Envy?"
Kang Woo leaned back, exhaling through his nose, unimpressed. "Have you ever fought an average magic user?"
Kishibe raised an eyebrow. "No ."
"Exactly." Kang Woo tilted his head. "There aren't any in this world."
He gestured lazily toward Aki and Himeno. "And before you say it—I don't mean them. They're still noobs."
Himeno's jaw dropped. "Hey! Just because we're human doesn't mean we don't have the right to prove ourselves."
Aki, however, sighed in resignation. "Himeno-senpai, our enemies and Kang Woo's aren't even remotely the same." His voice was calm, but firm. "He fights demons regularly. Devours them. We haven't even encountered one—the closest thing we've ever seen is Kang Woo himself."
He rubbed his temples before glancing at Kang Woo. "At least lower your standards when it comes to us, will you?"
Kang Woo barely hesitated.
"Nope."
Before anyone could respond, an announcement blared across the tense air, cutting through the murmurs of the gathered crowd.
Tadashi Hasegawa, the Minister of Finance, suddenly spoke up, his voice firm yet calculated as he attempted to upstage Prime Minister Kentaro. "The enemy lies beyond that blue portal," he declared, standing from his wheelchair with an air of authority. "We, the Japanese government and the JSDF, will uphold justice against those who threaten our homeland from the other side!"
At his words, the JSDF soldiers immediately stiffened, awaiting orders, their grips tightening on their weapons.
Barem Bridge, ever the opportunist, seized the moment, stepping forward with a smug grin. "I'll personally see to it that additional personnel are deployed as reinforcements," he added, attempting to bolster his own image. "It's about time we restored order and respect to our name."
Silence.
Then—
Kang Woo threw his head back and laughed.
A deep, genuine, mocking laugh.
"AHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA—" He gripped his side as if the sheer absurdity was physically painful. "Oh, this is rich—are we seriously about to watch a bunch of sausages march straight to their deaths?" His grin stretched wider, crimson pupil glinting with cruel amusement. "Because that's exactly what's gonna happen if you walk into that portal."
Tadashi immediately shut his mouth. His hands trembled slightly, his knuckles whitening as he clenched them at his sides. If I say the wrong thing here, he thought, I might not leave this place alive.
But Barem?
Barem was too much of a bitchass to know when to shut up.
"We are the Public Safety Devil Hunters!" Barem shot back, his voice full of faux bravado. "It is our duty to uphold peace in this country. Outsider opinions are not needed."
The reporters, sensing the tension, scrambled to record everything. Pens flew across notebooks, cameras zoomed in on Kang Woo's face, and in mere seconds—
A new headline had already been drafted:
"A Man That Must Not Be Harmed: Kang Woo Versus the New Commander of the Public Safety Devil Hunters, Barem Bridge."
Kishibe, watching the disaster unfold, exhaled through his cigarette before taking a long drag. He didn't even look at Barem when he muttered—
"Yeah… I didn't like being a commander anyway."
After forty minutes, the scene had escalated far beyond anything rational. More personnel had arrived—Public Safety Devil Hunters from every division, freelancers from the private sector, and even devil-hunting students from Fourth East High School had been summoned. The military presence had doubled, with more JSDF tanks, jets, and helicopters stationed in front of the blue portal. The area was packed with weapons, soldiers, and hunters—all standing on edge, ready for whatever lay beyond.
Aki, watching from the sidelines, let out a long sigh. "Himeno-senpai… I think you might've been right," he muttered. "We're on the way to an all-out war."
Himeno, standing beside him with her arms crossed, exhaled through her nose. "At least it's not against Kang Woo," she pointed out. "Though, from the way he's smirking…" She glanced at him.
Kang Woo stood at a distance, watching the entire situation unfold like a spectator at a grand performance. His smirk was unreadable, but there was an unmistakable amusement in his eyes. It was the kind of smirk that suggested he was waiting—hoping—for them to make the mistake of targeting him instead.
Makima, standing beside Kang Woo, observed the chaotic preparation in silence before finally speaking. "Kang Woo."
He tilted his head slightly, acknowledging her but not taking his eyes off the unfolding mess.
"What do you even do in your free time at the Ninth Hell?" she asked, as if this was just casual conversation.
Kang Woo exhaled, a small grin creeping onto his face.
"…Make more enemies."
His gaze swept over the assembled Devil Hunters, private sector mercenaries, and military forces. Among them, three figures stood out to him—three from the United States. Vought spies? Or just people about to die? He couldn't decide. But the real intrigue lay elsewhere.
His eyes flickered to her. Santa. The Soviet Union's own Devil Hunter, already bound by contract to the Doll Devil. Standing beside her was her apprentice, Tolka, a fool who had bargained with the Darkness Devil itself, lured by the promise of a prize far beyond his understanding. And the target? Kang Woo smirked. Me.
His gaze shifted again.
Katana Man. And beside him, Akane Sawatari. Their intentions were just as obvious. Santa's mission might have been hidden behind layers of deception, but Katana Man? No, his grudge was personal. Kang Woo had humiliated his grandfather, crushed his pride, and left him to wallow in disgrace.
Kang Woo tapped his fingers together in thought. I could kill them all inside the blue portal… but that wouldn't be any fun. His smirk deepened. What should I do? What should I do?
His Authority of the Beholder flared, his awareness expanding in an instant, stretching through the gathered forces. Then, with a lazy step, he moved forward.
Makima followed at his side.
As Kang Woo approached, Katana Man instinctively created distance between them, his body tense. He knows his place. That was good. He still had the grudge, still had the anger—but he wasn't stupid enough to act on it.
Then—
Santa stepped forward, her expression carefully neutral, her voice smooth and composed.
"Pleasure to meet you, my name is Santa—"
Kang Woo didn't stop. He shoved her aside like an afterthought, his eyes not even meeting hers.
"Out of my way."
Santa barely staggered, but her composure wavered for a split second.
Kang Woo ignored her entirely. His attention had already moved elsewhere.
He had overheard a conversation.
Two girls.
Fourth East High School uniforms.
"Asa , you can still wear my shoes," the short-haired girl named Yuko offered, her voice filled with concern. "You forgot yours, right?"
"I'm fine, Yuko. I don't need help—" Asa Mitaka's words trailed off.
Silence.
The weight of an oppressive presence settled over them.
Kang Woo stood in front of them.
The man who had brought even the Prime Minister to his knees. The man whose name alone evoked fear.
Asa stiffened, gripping the hem of her uniform. Yuko didn't dare move.
Kang Woo tilted his head slightly, resting a hand on his chin as he studied Asa. Yoru isn't stuck to her yet, huh?
A voice broke the silence beside him.
"I never thought I'd see the day you'd be interested in high schoolers," Makima teased, a small smirk playing on her lips.
Kang Woo barely reacted, his tone dry. "I'd only be interested if Yoru was stuck to her ass right now."
Makima chuckled. "My sister, the War Devil, wouldn't stoop to something so low—though she is quite stupid." Then, her smirk faded as a thought crossed her mind.
"The Almighty really does make the impossible possible, huh?"
Kang Woo barely gave her a glance. "If you reach my level while I'm asleep."
Then, without another word, he bent down and picked up a few small stones from the ground. In an instant, space distorted around them, the air itself shifting unnaturally. The stones reshaped, twisted, compressed—until a pair of perfectly formed shoes rested in his hand.
He held them out to Asa.
"Try them. They might fit."
Asa blinked, confused. "Thank you, but… why?"
Kang Woo's smirk returned, his crimson pupil gleaming.
"Call it an investment."
Asa Mitaka hesitated, clutching the shoes Kang Woo had handed her. She glanced at Yuko, who gave her an encouraging nod, but her fingers tightened around the shoes nonetheless. No one had ever really helped her before—at least, not without expecting something in return. But Kang Woo… He didn't seem to care about anything beyond his own amusement.
She blushed slightly, unused to the attention, and quickly looked down.
Kang Woo, however, had already moved on. His gaze swept over the gathered forces, the mercenaries, the assassins, the opportunists. The usual taunts and whispers followed him, but he hardly acknowledged them. Instead, his voice rang out, smooth and cold.
"When we cross the blue portal, everyone here will have their own agenda," he said, his tone laced with amusement. "The Soviet Union, the Yakuza, the U.S. agents… Funny thing is, you all have one common objective—my head." He chuckled, tilting his head slightly. "Now, my question is… do you have any last words?"
Silence.
Santa's expression tensed, her fingers twitching slightly. She wasn't the only one affected—her apprentice, Tolka, felt something stir deep within him like a danger when in front of primal devil .
Katana Man instinctively reached for his transformation, but before he could, Akane Sawatari grabbed his wrist. "Don't," she muttered under her breath. "If you make a scene now, you're on your own."
Meanwhile, the three Vought agents—covertly stationed among the freelancers—remained dead silent, their faces unreadable. But Kang Woo could feel it. The tension, the fear, the uncertainty. They were weighing their options, already calculating whether it was worth trying to take him down now or later.
Kang Woo's smirk deepened, his pupils shifting.
Then—he activated the Almighty.
His four pupils, each blazing crimson, rotated in his eyes, unlocking an overwhelming presence that sent a visible ripple through the air.
"We could do it right here and now," Kang Woo mused, his voice as calm as ever. "As the old soldiers say… better to be buried on your homeland rather than an unknown world."
The JSDF soldiers stiffened. Some tightened their grips on their weapons, but none dared to act. The tension grew unbearable, suffocating.
The reporters, still present, felt their hands tremble as they fumbled to turn off their cameras. Kang Woo's eyes—those horrifying, inhuman eyes—were beyond anything they had ever seen before. To capture his gaze on national broadcast could collapse entire governments.
The largest assembled force began moving toward the blue portal, a mix of Public Safety Devil Hunters, JSDF personnel, private sector freelancers, and foreign operatives. The sheer scale of the operation was massive, a force that would normally be enough to overthrow a small nation—and yet, against the unknown beyond the portal, it meant nothing.
At the podium, Whip Hybrid adjusted her suit, the synthetic fibers shifting slightly under the glare of the lights. Her whip-like tendrils swayed subtly as she took a deep breath.
"I am the Whip Hybrid," she announced, her voice strong, confident. "As for my name, you can just call me Whip. I have been assigned to lead this operation under Barem Bridge's authority."
She let her gaze sweep over the mixed crowd, pausing slightly when it reached Kang Woo's group.
"For those of you from the private sector or representing foreign interests," she continued, "you are welcome to join me. And in return…"
She smirked slightly.
"I will do my best to fulfill your requests once this mission is over."
Kang Woo grinned.
To most, her words sounded diplomatic, even accommodating.
But to him?
It was a declaration.
"Once we cross that blue portal… it's a free-for-all."
The moment they stepped through, the alliances would dissolve. The mercenaries, the foreign operatives, the devil hunters—they would all turn on each other. Betrayal was inevitable.
Makima, standing beside Kang Woo, smirked. She was already watching Whip Hybrid with mild amusement, but there was something else in her gaze.
She still holds a grudge.
Makima had long since killed her so-called "friend," Spear Hybrid. And she hadn't just killed him—she had erased him, burning his soul with Hellblaze.
A hybrid could normally regenerate, could normally resist death.
But Hellblaze?
It permanently erased existence.
And Whip Hybrid knew it.
Even as she spoke, her hatred toward Makima burned.
Makima merely smiled.
Then—Barem Bridge stepped forward, placing a hand on Whip Hybrid's shoulder.
"That's enough speeches," he muttered, voice firm. "Let's move on with the operation."
Whip Hybrid nodded, rolling her shoulders.
Then, she turned to the forces before her and shouted—
"Move out! Onward to the Blue Portal!"
With that, the largest group began marching forward.
The Public Safety Devil Hunters, the JSDF, the foreign operatives, the mercenaries, and every ambitious fool seeking glory moved toward the unknown, their backs straight, their weapons ready.
Even the freelancers, the ones who normally operated in the shadows, were swept into the march—all except for one group.
Kang Woo's group. They didn't move.
Instead, they remained exactly where they were—watching. Waiting.
Because unlike the rest of the fools who had just marched to their potential deaths, they still wanted to hear what Kang Woo had to say.
Kang Woo smirked, his crimson pupils flickering as he turned his gaze toward Quanxi. "You're late," he teased. "You should've gone with the biggest group. Some of them are from Soviet communism, right? You stick together under the red star."
Quanxi didn't flinch, her expression as unreadable as ever. "I'm not friends with Santa Claus from the Soviet Union," she said flatly. "And besides, that Almighty ability of yours, Kang Woo… it's the safest bet I'll ever take."
Aki sighed. "Quanxi, no one in this world has Almighty except him."
Himeno, resting her chin on her hand, groaned. "It's a cheat. The greatest cheat. The only thing that could beat him is a literal miracle."
Makima, standing beside Kang Woo, tilted her head slightly. "Kang Woo," she said smoothly, "what does your Almighty tell you about what happens when we cross that portal?"
Kang Woo stretched his neck, his smirk widening. "We meet more enemies," he said. "And most of them have mana inside their bodies."
Kishibe flicked the ash from his cigarette, raising a brow. "Mana? You mean magic, right? So most of them can wield magic?"
Kang Woo shook his head. "Not exactly. More like mana skin. Their bodies are layered with mana, making them ridiculously hard to penetrate. Normal attacks won't work."
Kishibe's frown deepened. "And let me guess…"
Kang Woo grinned. "The only way to counter mana skin is with magic," he confirmed. "Or with greater anti-magic."
A heavy silence settled over the group.
Aki exhaled sharply. "Which means…"
Kang Woo turned his gaze back toward the blue portal, his smirk never fading.
"It means that the largest group that just marched in," he said casually, "just got fucked."
He turned his attention toward Quanxi. "Are your devil fiends joining or not?"
Quanxi glanced at her devil fiends, her harem, and saw the clear answer in their eyes—they had no intention of separating from their mistress. Without hesitation, she replied, "They're in. We're all in for this crazy journey."
Kang Woo casually began listing off the group's lineup. "Me, Makima, and Kobeni will do the heavy lifting. Two newborn mages who don't even know their class yet—a burden."
Aki frowned. "Himeno-senpai and I aren't that useless, Kang Woo. I can wield blue fire called Azure Resolve, and Himeno-senpai has Lucky Drunkard magic—her element is water. Both of our abilities came from you, remember?"
Kang Woo scoffed. "Still useless. It's better if you fight an opponent later and see just how garbage-tier this world is."
Then, his gaze shifted toward Quanxi and Kishibe. "Two old-timers—burdens, even more useless than Himeno and Aki. But at least they'll keep the party lively."
Without hesitation, Quanxi and Kishibe raised their middle fingers at him in perfect unison.
Kang Woo's smirk widened as he turned his gaze to Quanxi's devil fiends. "And lastly, four illegal passengers on board. Did I miss anything?"
Reze raised her hand.
Kang Woo tilted his head. "No, you're our cute little mascot of Futamichi Café. If you're gone, I might just blow up the whole place. So, for the sake of your own sanity, you need to stay in this world."
Reze pouted. "I want to join the crazy journey."
Kang Woo shook his head. "Alright, let me rephrase my words in a way that's a little more reasonable—I'm going to kill gods again beyond that blue portal. Makima and Kobeni are easier to protect. The rest of you?" He gestured toward the others. "You have no problem dying in another world. No hard feelings, right?"
Aki, Himeno, Kishibe, and Quanxi all stared at him, their expressions torn between disbelief and irritation.
Kang Woo grinned. "Besides, if Quanxi dies, I can just steal her devil fiends."
Without hesitation, Quanxi's form shifted as she activated her hybrid transformation. In an instant, she unleashed thirty arrows toward Kang Woo.
He caught them effortlessly—plucking them from the air without so much as a scratch—before handing them back to her. "Not fast enough."
Reze, still standing beside him, suddenly spoke up, her voice filled with curiosity. "That book… Alice in Wonderland. When you mentioned it days ago, I read the whole thing."
Kang Woo raised a brow, interested. "Oh?"
Reze's violet eyes gleamed. "Yeah. And now I want to see just how deep the rabbit hole goes… and what kind of changes you'll bring, Kang Woo."
Kang Woo only smirked in silence, his crimson pupils flickering with amusement.
Kobeni grinned nervously. "I'm rooting for Reze. She'll make things way more lively, Kang Woo. Maybe even… restore what you lost."
Makima smirked beside him, her yellow-ringed eyes gleaming with mischief. "Starting to regret picking both of us as your wives, Kang Woo?"
"Nah," Kang Woo said lazily, stretching his arms. "It's the most enjoyable outcome for me."
Aki and Himeno exchanged glances before nodding in unison, both thinking the same thing—Kang Woo always has hidden feelings, even if he won't admit it.
Himeno leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand. "Kang Woo… are you a tsundere?"
Kang Woo scoffed. "Fuck off, you one-eyed patch girl."
Quanxi, casually raised a hand. "You do know I'm also a one-eyed patch girl, right?"
Kang Woo paused, clicking his tongue. "Tch. Then fuck off, both of you."
Kishibe exhaled a slow puff of smoke. "Then it's official. Our group needs a name—something that actually represents every chaotic personality we've got… especially Kang Woo."
Aki, arms crossed, nodded. "Kang Woo, you name it. This group wouldn't exist without you."
Kang Woo raised a brow. "You sure? My names tend to be a bit gloomy, you know. Something along the lines of 'Godkiller,' 'Genocider of Worlds,' and—"
"Forget what my husband kouhai just said." Himeno cut him off, waving a hand. "Makima, you do the honors."
Makima tilted her head slightly, amusement flickering in her yellow-ringed eyes. "Shouldn't you hold a grudge against me, Himeno? I mean, before Aki moved on to you, he was in love with me." She smiled. "And that was only because I used a tiny bit of my control power."
Aki blinked. "Eh? You did, Ms. Makima?"
Makima sighed. "You really should've listened to more rumors about how dangerous I am, Aki-kun."
Himeno smirked. "Nah. Without you, Makima, Kang Woo probably would've gone full throttle on leaving this world already… or just detonated a nearby sun." She rested her chin on her palm. "From what I can see, he's been restoring his power way too quickly. A few days ago, he was powerful—but not this powerful. This is too much." She leaned back, glancing at Aki. "And lastly, because of Kang Woo—and by default, you, since he stuck around too long—Aki managed to accept me as his wife. So yeah, I don't hold a grudge against you anymore."
Makima chuckled. "How mature."
Kang Woo, listening to all this, simply sighed. "Still no group name, huh?"
Makima tapped her chin, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "I'll use Reze's idea," she said finally. "Since she read Alice in Wonderland, and I enjoy watching movies—especially romance stories—how about Mad Tea Party? It fits. This group is a gathering place where members can come and go, add or leave whenever they want, and have their own objectives."
Aki raised a brow. "Mad, huh? Well, considering Kang Woo's chaotic nature, no one can predict his mood or what he's going to do most of the time. Seems fitting."
Himeno grinned, nudging Aki. "Yeah, I agree with my kouhai. Feels appropriate."
Kishibe didn't say anything at first, simply lighting another cigarette. But there was a smirk on his face, a quiet acknowledgment of the reality they had all been pulled into. Most of their lives had changed because of Kang Woo's presence—his chaos, his unpredictability—but in a strange way, it had led to something better.
Quanxi, leaning back, turned toward her devil fiends. "What do you think?"
Pingtsi, ever the observant one, tilted her head slightly. "I think it describes the group well. It's fitting."
Reze, sitting cross-legged beside Makima, chuckled. "It's just like the Mad Hatter's tea party. A gathering of absolute lunatics."
Kang Woo finally spoke, clicking his tongue. "A group of lunatics, huh? Fine. Mad Tea Party it is."
He tilted his head slightly. "Kobeni, you've been quiet. Do you want to change the name?"
Kobeni, who had been sitting stiffly, just shook her head quickly. "No… it's fine…" Then, after a brief hesitation, she glanced at him. "Kang Woo… are you enjoying this?"
Kang Woo barely stopped himself from sighing. Ah, shit. Too much time around them isn't good for my black heart. His crimson pupils flickered as he looked at her. Stop looking at me like that, Kobeni-chan. You might infect me with your kindness.
Instead of answering, he clicked his tongue and smoothly changed the subject. "Alright, enough of that. Everyone's prepared, right?"
The Mad Tea Party all nodded, some grinning, some stretching, others simply smirking in anticipation.
Kang Woo's lips curled into a grin.
"Our first day of cool has arrived."
A flash of red lightning crackled through the air as the Mad Tea Party stepped through the blue portal.
The moment they crossed, they found themselves inside what appeared to be a cave—dark, damp, and eerily silent.
Himeno crossed her arms. "Not as scary as you made it sound, Kang Woo."
Aki's eyes trailed toward the largest group—the JSDF, the freelancers, and the majority of the Public Safety Devil Hunters. They were all gathered together, seemingly unharmed. "No danger so far."
Makima, however, narrowed her yellow-ringed eyes. "Something's wrong."
Everyone turned toward her.
"There's no mana here," she continued, her tone calm but laced with unease. "But my instincts tell me… we shouldn't be here."
Suddenly, Kang Woo's eyes flickered.
The blue portal behind them sparked violently, red lightning lashing out like veins of raw power. In his mind, Almighty replayed the vision—this wasn't just any teleportation gate.
Ah… a Red Gate. Just like in the Solo Leveling verse, huh?
Which meant…
This cave was a bluff.
They weren't supposed to stay here. They were about to be moved.
Kang Woo's smirk disappeared as he turned sharply to the others. "Brace yourselves. We're about to be teleported."
Reze tilted her head. "Teleport? Where?"
But before an answer could come—
The world shifted.
A violent pull, like gravity had turned on its head, dragged them through an unseen force. Their vision blurred, space itself twisting, their bodies weightless for a moment before—
Cold.
Biting, bone-deep cold.
When their vision cleared, the Mad Tea Party found themselves standing in a vast, endless stretch of white.
Snow.
Thick, untouched snow, stretching for miles. Towering trees covered in ice loomed around them, their skeletal branches bending under the sheer weight of frost.
A gust of wind howled past them, sharp and unforgiving.
Aki exhaled, his breath visible in the freezing air. "…Where the hell are we?"