:
***
Min Sung slowly got up and scanned the reporters, celebrities, and the cameras in the hall.
He remembered the expressions on every single one of their faces.
Many of them were crying.
Some were trembling in fear while others were focused on doing their job as reporters.
And some others were abandoning their computers so that they could go and see their precious loved ones.
Min Sung watched them for a long time.
They watched him with gazes that contained many emotions.
Min Sung then turned around and slowly walked off the stage.
The only thing that could be heard in the silence were the sounds of Min Sung’s footsteps.
But at that moment.
Clap, clap… Clap, clap.
Another noise could be heard.
Min Sung stopped in his tracks and looked behind him.
Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap!
The loud sound of clapping could be heard.
“…?”
Min Sung scanned the audience with confused eyes.
The reporters and the invited celebrities inside the hall were all clapping with tears in their eyes.
When he turned around, he also noticed the host clapping with mascara smeared all over her wet eyes.
He felt weird.
He felt his heart feel the slightest bit of emotion, which was unusual for him.
And at that moment.
Remember to eat.
For some reason, he was reminded of the words that were written on the note that he saw when he first returned to the current world.
During his 100 years in the Demonic Realm, emotions were nothing but a hindrance.
But he felt a kind of pain in his heart.
Min Sung clenched down on his teeth and knitted his brows.
This felt unfamiliar.
Min Sung looked down at his chest for a moment.
He felt his heart pounding.
Min Sung smiled bitterly and looked back up.
He saw people clapping to the point where their hands were getting sore.
Min Sung watched them before turning to walk off the stage.
***
Although Min Sung was already off the stage, the clapping continued past the 10-minute mark.
Woong Jang and Sia Jang, who were late because of Sia Jang’s studies, stood next to Ho Sung Lee.
Sia Jang was sniffling while wiping her tears away, while Woong Jang watched Min Sung walk off the stage with wet eyes.
On the other hand, Ho Sung Lee glared toward the stage with his arms crossed.
“Chef, doesn’t it seem like he changed? He seems a little weird. But people don’t change, right? What’s happening? He’s a cold-blooded person.”
Woong Jang smiled with his eyes still on the stage.
“I think his cold heart is starting to open up.”
Woong Jang looked back at Ho Sung Lee with a smile.
“And it’s not changed,” Woong Jang said.
“Pardon?”
“He didn’t change…”
Woong Jang continued,
“That’s just who he really is.”
Ho Sung Lee stared in the same direction and then laughed at the thought of Min Sung.
“Come on, no way.”
In response, Woong Jang laughed along with him and calmed down Sia Jang, who was still crying.
Ho Sung Lee glanced over at Sia Jang.
“Hey, Sia,” he called with a strong voice.
Sia Jang sniffled as she glared at Ho Sung Lee.
Ho Sung Lee beamed a smile and stood in front of Sia Jang.
“Don’t worry.”
“…?”
“I’ll protect you,” Ho Sung Lee said as she patted her head.
Sia Jang’s big eyes shook a little.
Her face flushed as she scoffed and kneed Ho Sung Lee in the pressure point.
Pow!
“Shut up! You perverted middle-aged man.”
Sia Jang then ran off.
“Ugh…!”
Ho Sung Lee grabbed his private area and plopped down on his knees and trembled.
Woong Jang looked in the direction her granddaughter ran and sighed as he patted Ho Sung Lee.
“A-are you okay?”
Ho Sung Lee was still trembling on the floor.
“… I think it broke.”
Woong Jang’s face turned blue.
“Really?”
“F-find me a healer. If not, call 911…”
“I’m sorry. My granddaughter has a lot to lea…”
“Healer! 911!”
Ho Sung Lee screamed as he trembled even harder.
***
Min Sung’s interview moved the entire world.
People talked about the extinction of mankind on the streets causing religious groups to gather.
Posts fearing devils took over the internet while people all over the world struggled to escape the shock and fear.
However, their mindsets changed as time went on.
People started working less and focused more on people and their hobbies.
And those who had already given up on their dreams began pursuing them again.
People of all ages dropped everything and headed out on their dream vacation.
The travel agencies were reeling it in.
***
“Huff… Huff…! Huff!”
Ho Sung Lee panted while looking at Min Sung.
Unlike Ho Sung Lee, Min Sung’s breathing was as stable as always.
It had been a week since Ho Sung Lee began training with Min Sung at the training center in the Central Institute.
And for that week, it was living hell.
They had to increase their levels without the use of dungeons and towers.
And for Ho Sung Lee, who had the passive skill of being able to grow whenever he got beat up, Min Sung beat him up over and over for that entire week.
His head bled and his entire body was covered in bruises.
Although Min Sung was using a wooden sword, it didn’t look like one in Ho Sung Lee’s eyes.
Whenever Min Sung beat him, it hurt so much that it felt like he was being hit with a club.
That human being could pick up a handful of weed and still make it seem like a rock.
‘… Damn it.’
He was leveling up, but it was very painful.
He was in so much pain that he would have much rather turned into his Berserker state instead.
It was almost as if he was a little kid fighting against a strong concrete wall.
Min Sung swung his wooden sword gesturing him to come closer.
Ho Sung Lee sighed. He clenched his teeth and ran in.
The Aura around his Death Knight Sword gave off a strong light.
“You have no will to fight.”
Min Sung’s eyes grew cold.
Ho Sung Lee felt his heart sink.
He was no longer able to adjust.
‘This is too scary.’
Pow!
“Ugh…”
Min Sung’s wooden sword struck Ho Sung Lee on the side.
A loud thump could be heard, and Ho Sung Lee flew into the air and rolled onto the ground.
“Cough…!”
Ho Sung Lee coughed out blood as soon as he landed.
[Damage acquired. Level up.]
That human just hit me hard enough to make me experience the most excruciating pain.
‘That devil…’
“Don’t give up. It’s all over if you do. Get up. Do you want to get killed by a devil?”
“Damn it…”
Ho Sung Lee spat out the last of his bloody saliva and got up using his sword to prop him up.
“If I keep doing this and level up, does that mean I can defeat devils?”
“How would I know? That’s all up to you,” Min Sung said with his wooden sword over his shoulder.
Ho Sung Lee closed his eyes shut and sighed deeply.
What he just said also implied that he had gotten stronger than before.
Like Min Sung said, Ho Sung lee had pretty much given up.
Since he had been tortured for a week straight, it was no wonder he was tired.
But Min Sung continued to stress that they had to train hard every day in order to surpass their limits.
If they didn’t train hard, they were going to be easily killed by devils.
It meant something when someone as strong as Min Sung warned him of how dangerous devils were.
But whenever he got tired, he thought of one thing.
‘What if I work this hard but still get killed by a devil?’
Devils were strong beyond anyone’s imagination.
If the Black Tower was just a test, it didn’t seem possible that they could handle the real thing.
That thought constantly crossed his mind.
But when that kind of feeling lingered in his heart, Min Sung’s sword flew his way.
Just like right now…
Pow! Pow! Pow…!
“Ugh!”
Min Sung’s wooden sword struck Ho Sung Lee’s body 3 times in a row.
Ho Sung Lee was unable to endure the pain and plopped down on his knees.
[Damage acquired. Leveling up.]
At this rate, it felt like he was only leveling up by getting beat up.
“I can’t focus. My passive cool time is back.”
In response, Min Sung nodded.
Ho Sung Lee clenched down on his teeth.
‘A war with the devils? Do I look like I’m going to get killed? Well, I won’t. I’m going to survive, so I can get married!’
‘I’m going to have babies and live until I’m old.’
‘I have to get stronger.’
Ho Sung Lee held his sword with both hands.
And then…
Ho Sung Lee stabbed himself with it.
Slash!
“Ugh…!”
He lost consciousness, and his pupils lost focus.
He began his transformation into Berserker.
Min Sung leisurely watched as Ho Sung Lee transformed.
And when it was complete, he tapped his pocket.
“Bowl, come out.”
In response, Bowl wriggled out and landed on the ground.
“Yawn-”
After yawning while covering his mouth, Bowl saw Berserker and lit up his eyes with flames.
At that moment, the undead devils were summoned.
Special devil, Shaman.
The countless words in the Demonic language lit up all over his body.
Bowl looked at his summon proudly and began controlling him.
The Shaman’s mind was partially connected to Bowl’s mind.
For that reason, he never acted out on his own, meaning he could never put Ho Sung Lee in danger.
That was also a sign that Bowl had leveled up past a certain standard.
Unlike Ho Sung Lee, who leveled up by getting beat up, Bowl was continuing to grow just with the passing of time.