Aki didn't look away from Kang Woo, even as tears gathered in his eyes. He grit his teeth. His voice cracked.
"What you're trying to say… is that we're fated to lose, Whether the Gun Devil is killed or erased, the outcome's the same. People will suffer. People will die. The only difference—" his voice dipped, trembling "—is that if it's erased, everyone on Earth is left defenseless."
Kang Woo eyes didn't soften. He just Watched Aki's breakdown start to settle. Like the first steps of a mind trying—just trying—to piece itself back together. Bit by bit.
Then, without shifting his stance, Kang Woo spoke.
"That's an amusing thought you just had," he said. "But have you ever considered… sealing it? Just the Gun Devil itself."
Aki blinked. "What? What do you mean by that?"
Kang Woo gestured lazily, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I mean—what if you sealed the Gun Devil in a box? Five by five. Maybe even throw it into a phantom zone, if this world even has one. Let it rot in a pocket of nothing. It stays dangerous—but if it can't hurt anyone?"
He shrugged. "Then everyone's happy, right?"
Himeno furrowed her brow, half-exasperated. "Then what was the point of all that build-up? You could've just said so from the beginning!"
Kang Woo tilted his head, the flicker of a shadow behind his eyes. "If I opened with 'Hey, just seal it,' what would your reaction be? Probably something like, 'Are you being delusional, Kang Woo? But now… now you've seen what I'm capable of. You've felt it. So when I say I'm not bullshitting… you will believe me. And right now, Aki, I'm not in the mood for jokes."
Aki exhaled, the tension in his shoulders finally loosening. A small, tired smile tugged at his lips.
"I know you're not joking," he said. "But you always drag things out. Even now—we still don't know what the hell you actually are. Only thing we know for sure… is that you're not from here. You're an alien."
Kang Woo didn't answer out loud.
Not everyone knows yet…
Only the Black King and Makima understand what I really am.
Anos Voldigoad. The Demon King of Tyranny itself. The true ruler of demons and devils.
Instead, he waved a hand and turned away slightly.
"Get some sleep, Aki. You've heard enough of my rambling."
Aki stretched his back, still wincing from his earlier punch.
"That's a good suggestion," he muttered. "I need a break after listening to all your damn rambles."
He gave a tired wave and made his way out of the lab section, his steps heavy as he headed down the hall toward the hotel room.
Himeno trailed behind him, but paused at the doorway.
"I gotta say, Kang Woo," she remarked with a half-smirk, "you've got some serious tsundere traits, you know that?"
Without waiting for a response, she followed Aki out, her light chuckle echoing behind her.
Kobeni lingered behind, fidgeting a little before glancing at Kang Woo.
"Um… Kang Woo," she said awkwardly, "do you… want to sleep together in the hotel room? I mean—not like that, just, uh—"
Kang Woo shook his head without lifting it. Sitting against the lab wall, he closed his eyes briefly.
"I'll sleep here," he said quietly. "If you can call it sleep. Closing my eyes is the best I can manage. Nightmares don't give a damn about rest."
Makima, without a word, walked over and sat beside him.
"I'll stay here too," she said calmly. "My husband has a bad habit of disappearing without a trace. I'm not taking my eyes off him tonight."
Kang Woo gave a half-smile.
"You should at least get a futon for your back," he murmured. "You'll screw up your spine lying like that."
Makima leaned against the wall beside him, her tone light but watchful.
"Better my spine than letting you wander off again."
Suddenly, the glass door slid open with a soft hiss. Kobeni stumbled in, panting and a little shaky, carrying three futons stacked awkwardly in her arms. With a grunt, she dropped them beside Kang Woo.
"I brought them, Kang Woo… we can sleep together," she said, cheeks slightly red from the effort—and maybe something else.
Kang Woo exhaled, clearly unamused. "Like I said, I don't need a bed or anything—"
Before he could finish, both Makima and Kobeni moved as one. In a rare show of synchronized insistence, they forced Kang Woo away from the cold wall and quickly laid a futon behind him, making sure his back rested on something soft.
"You both are persistent, aren't you?" he muttered.
Makima gave a small, satisfied smile. "I'm the Control Devil, Kang Woo. Even before you empowered me, persistence and insistence were at the core of who I am. I'm proud of that."
With Kang Woo now reluctantly reclined against the futon, Makima settled at his right side. Kobeni, beaming despite her nerves, took the spot at his left.
After a moment of stillness, Kobeni glanced between them and asked quietly,
"Are we like… the three stooges you were talking about, Kang Woo?"
Kang Woo stared up at the ceiling, deadpan.
"Yup. Three idiots leaning on a wall."
Makima glanced at him, eyes half-lidded with curiosity.
"Kang Woo… what's it like? A world filled with magic, chakra, and ki? You talk about it like someone mourning something beautiful. You must've loved it… to the point you sound bitter when speaking about this world. Like you disdain how empty it is."
Kang Woo's voice was quiet, but firm.
"The pros? In worlds like that—ones filled with magic, ki, chakra, divine energy—the civilization soars. Cultures evolve fast, knowledge explodes, and people aren't just people. They become myths, legends… even Heroes in their own right. I saw it. I lived through golden ages where even children could command fire with a thought. It was amazing."
Makima tilted her head, her expression softening.
"That sounds like the kind of world I'd love to see. But… you said 'pros.' Meaning there are cons too? Why?"
Kang Woo's gaze hardened slightly.
"Because gods come with it."
Makima blinked, then frowned.
Kang woo continued. "Power attracts power. Those worlds are playgrounds for deities. And once gods take interest . They use mortals like chess pieces on a divine board. Heroes rise and fall at their whim. Kingdoms burn because some arrogant celestial had a bad mood ."
His voice dropped lower, colder. "In those worlds… our lives become entertainment."
Kobeni hesitated, then quietly asked,
"So that means… our world, the one I live in—will there be gods too?"
Kang Woo turned his head slightly, his tone flat but clear.
"There are no gods here. And that's a good thing. It means normal life still has a place."
He leaned back again, eyes half-lidded.
"If the world's mystery fades… so do the gods . Beings that were once worshipped as omnipotent become nothing more than lingering spirits. Fragments of what they were."
Kang woo closed his eyes for a moment.
"They don't vanish overnight. But they weaken—slowly. Powerless. Lost without faith or energy to sustain them. And then... they're gone."
Makima leaned slightly toward him, her tone tinged with sly interest.
"Or, you could just put them down directly— you always brag about killing the King of Olympus."
Kang Woo opened his eyes and gave a short exhale that might've been a laugh.
"That one… the King of Olympus and his whole pantheon—, they wouldn't fade naturally. Not for another ten millennia, maybe longer. They only grow stronger with time. The only way to deal with gods like that is to kill them. Directly."
He slowly raised his left hand, turning it over. A faint, blackened scar ran across the wrist, the imprint of chain links still etched into the skin. "I already destroyed the Greek pantheon down to its core. Burned Olympus from the heavens. But…"
He paused, a glint in his eyes as a memory surfaced. "I'm amused. The Black King once mentioned… there's another Greek pantheon. A different strain. He said it's locked inside The Obelisk ."
He let the thought hang, eyes narrowing just slightly. "Maybe I'll pay it a visit."
Makima's gaze lingered on him, her smile faded. Deep down, a quiet awareness stirred—this man, her husband, had a horrifying habit . The way he spoke of gods . A need to kill them.
And for what? The King of Olympus was already dead. Vengeance should've ended there. But it hadn't.
She broke the silence. "Kang Woo… can I ask you something?"
Kang woo didn't answer, just slightly tilted his head.
Makima's voice was low but firm.
"Can you let go of the ones who've never harmed you? The beings inside that Obelisk Tower… they probably haven't even met you. Why do you have to put them down too? Not every problem needs to be solved with blood."
Kang Woo's eyes darkened slightly as he looked at her, his tone calm—but loaded.
"I solved your problem, right, Makima? I gave you intimacy. Love. And as a bonus? Sanctuary. As my first wife in this world."
His hand lightly brushed her hair—almost gentle—before his voice dropped cold again.
"The moment they harm even a strand of your hair, I'll make sure they're fucked."
Makima didn't flinch. She'd heard that kind of promise before. " I know. You gave me all that."
She leaned in just enough that her shoulder touched his. "But… must you eliminate everyone? Can't you let go of the old vengeance? The wars from another world ?"
Her words softened, nearly a whisper. "Can't you just live here? With us? In this world—devoid of everything you disdain? Just… live a normal life?"
Kang Woo didn't respond right away. His eyes remained distant, fixed on nothing. When he spoke, his voice was calm—too calm.
"Get some sleep, Makima. You've got to face the Black King tomorrow. Best you do it in top condition so your chances of winning increase."
He turned his head slightly, the faintest curve of a smile playing at his lips.
"And Makima… how many times are you going to offer me a normal life?"
Makima didn't blink. "As many as I can," she said softly. "I'll never stop insisting on that."
Kang Woo exhaled, eyes sliding shut, but that faint smile lingered. It wasn't joy. It was something deeper. Tired, maybe. Or something long buried.
Beside him, Kobeni shifted slightly, hesitant. Then she leaned toward Makima and whispered,
"Um… Makima-san. What did you mean by Kang Woo's other wars…?"
Makima's gaze lowered. She didn't answer right away. But when she did, her tone was quiet and deliberate.
"Keep it close, Kobeni-chan. What I'm about to tell you is safely guarded… and I don't want to make Kang Woo upset."
Kobeni simply nodded in silence. The night stretched on around them. Cold. Still. And heavy with truths not yet spoken.
Time passed in the lab section. Quiet murmurs occasionally broke the silence—Makima explaining everything she knew about Kang Woo. Bits and pieces of what he'd revealed to her in private. His origin. His nature. His rule.
Kobeni sat nearby, hugging her knees, eyes flicking anxiously between Kang Woo—who rested with his eyes closed against the wall—and Makima, who paced slowly back and forth. Once. Twice. A third time. She didn't say much now, but the weight of her earlier words lingered.
Kobeni swallowed hard, heart pounding. Then leaned closer to Makima.
"Umm… Makima-san," she whispered, her voice shaking slightly, "should I—should I bow? Or kneel? Since…"
Her eyes flicked toward Kang Woo.
"Since Kang Woo is … the ruler of devils and… his own kind. Demons."
Makima stopped pacing. She looked at Kobeni with a faint smile and shook her head.
"Please don't do that. He hates it. Truly. Even when I tried, he got visibly annoyed."
Kobeni blinked fast. "He… does?"
Kang Woo, eyes still closed, reached out and patted her head. His tone was brusque but carried an odd gentleness. "Anyone close to me—like those stooges in the hotel room, Division 4 included—if they ever try to bow or grovel before me, I don't like it. It's unnecessary and embarrassing. Save that for the demons. They're the ones who need to remember their place."
Kobeni swallowed, her face flushing with a strange mix of relief and awkwardness. "O-oh. Okay. Umm… Kang Woo—since you said you aim for a harem…" Her voice trailed off. She couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence. Could I be your second wife? The thought made her heart race. Being near him felt like standing inside a shadow where nothing could ever harm her.
Kobeni glanced toward Makima, a flicker of envy tightening in her chest. Makima had been both discarded and chosen—cast out by the old order, only to be claimed by a new king.
"Makima-san," Kobeni said softly, then asked her next question, "Did you see Kang Woo's armies with your own eyes?"
Makima's expression grew distant. "I have. They're a vast green sea—countless, moving like a living tide. Their formations are beyond comprehension. Some of them still look down on me; after all, I was once a fear-based devil. Demons wield real magic, and to them, that makes them legends. Kang Woo's army might respect his will, but they still have pride—and some are jealous, even resentful, that someone like me could stand beside their king, even though he was the one who granted me that power."
Kang Woo's leaned forward, the room tightening around his voice. "Makima—every army you saw, those green soldiers… the Burning Legion? They hate you. They look at you the wrong way, and I'll gut them for it without thinking twice."
Makima reached out, laid a steady hand on his arm, and squeezed. Her tone was calm enough to cool iron. "You don't need to butcher them to prove a point, Kang Woo. Thank you for the sentiment, but restraint is also strength."
Kang Woo let out a short, amused breath. "They're like grains of sand. Uncounted. And they resurrect—if one of them falls in duty, it comes back in days. Argus' time is sloppy; I forget the exact span. They're endless. and that's why I keep them: a tide I can command.
Kobeni nodded repeatedly, her heart racing before she blurted out,
"Kang Woo, I… I love you. I'll stay with you forever. You freed me from my family, and I owe you everything. But… there's something I feel. You've always been powerful—even days ago you were already beyond anything I could imagine—but now, it's different. You're unbelievably powerful, to the point where even a Primal Devil would look like a child in front of you. it doesn't stop there. It feels like there's no end to it. Every time you move, that hunger grows stronger. You're still chasing more power, Like a thirst that never ends. Can you ever be satisfied? Because… it feels like there's a hunger inside you that has no bottom."
Makima's eyes softened, though her thoughts darkened. I've already told Kang Woo this before, Kobeni-chan.. kang woo hungers for conflict . She exhaled slowly, gaze distant. That's why I keep offering him a normal life on this planet. My voice does reach him—he hears my words—but he doesn't care. He'll keep moving forward, no matter the cost.
Kang Woo didn't respond. He only leaned back against the futon, eyes closing once more, his silence heavier than any answer.
If I told them the truth—that the Hadou Gods are bound to clash again, and the multiverse, maybe all existence, will pay the price—they'd never sleep. No.That's my fight . The Demon King always stands alone against the others… as I once did, the Demon King of Act 13, a Hadou God in my own right.
Kang Woo let out a quiet sigh and opened his eyes just enough to glance at the two beside him. "Get some sleep, you two. Looks like I've dragged this topic on long enough."
Makima smiled faintly, her voice soft as she leaned closer. "Sleep well, my king. I only pray you truly rest tonight… not just close your eyes." She shifted and gently laid her head against his chest—a quiet gesture of devotion from a wife who had long accepted the weight of her husband's crown.
Kobeni hesitated, unsure what to do, her hands fidgeting in the dim light. Before she could decide, Makima reached out, pulled her gently forward, and guided her head to rest against Kang Woo's chest on the left side.
"Even if Kang Woo doesn't say it right now," Makima murmured, her tone calm but absolute, "as his other half, I say it for him—you've been accepted, Kobeni-chan. You're the Demon King's second wife."
Kobeni didn't speak. A small, trembling smile spread across her face as gratitude welled in her chest. The tension in her body eased, and soon the only sound in the room was the slow, steady rhythm of Kang Woo's heartbeat—Makima and Kobeni both resting against him, their breathing syncing to the silent pulse of the Demon King's endless power.
Then, cutting through the quiet, came a faint digital ping—a sound only Kang Woo could hear.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
[System Notification]: Soul integration from Frostmourne detected. Source: destruction caused by failed Makima experiment (Tsar Bomba-level explosion).
Total souls absorbed by host: 50,000,000.
[System Warning]: Error detected. Ten percent of soul data—approximately 5,000,000—missing. Currently processing the remaining 50 million souls to establish Familiar Control Protocol, similar to "Alucard-Type" system.
''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''
The noise faded. Kang Woo's lips curved into a faint smile. His eyes remained closed, yet the corners of his mouth lifted in quiet satisfaction. He didn't need to see the numbers—he could feel the surge, the subtle expansion of power crawling through every vein like liquid flame.
Fifty million more, he thought. And five million… missing?
He didn't have to search for the answer. He already knew. The rest went to makima .
His gaze softened behind closed lids as he felt the two resting against him—Makima on his right, Kobeni on his left.