Player who Returned 10,000 years Later
chapter-73

While leaving behind his feeling of remorse, he nodded while making an awkward smile.

"Then I'll talk to you comfortably."

"Thank you, hyeongnim."

Kim ShiHoon bowed while smiling.

'Too handsome.'

Even though they were both men, ShiHoon was handsome enough to make him tremble a bit.

"Then I'll also tell you all something I've been hiding…"

Kim ShiHoon told them that he was the successor of the Martial God and had an SSS-rank Attribute.

"Yes, an SSS-rank Attribute."

"Th-there hasn't been anyone who got that in the first Awakening. Right?"

"I knew ShiHoon hyeong was also someone exceptional, but…"

KangWoo already knew the details, but he acted as if he were surprised.

"How did you awaken as the successor of the Martial God?!"

"I'm not sure about the details. But… I got a different system message than others when I awakened."

"A different system message?"

The other party members looked at Kim ShiHoon.

It was also KangWoo's first time hearing that, so he looked at him with great interest.

"That, because the 'Gaia System' had been damaged, I was chosen as a guardian."

"Gaia System…?"

"I'm also not sure about the details, but when I first awakened as a player, I definitely got a message that said that."

KangWoo narrowed his eyes.

'To think that I'd hear about the Gaia System here.'

Even Chae YeonJoo hadn't heard about that word before.

He never expected to hear about it from Kim ShiHoon.

"ShiHoon, when did you awaken as a player?"

"May 22nd."

"Ah, isn't that the day I first met Mr. KangWoo?"

"…"

May 22nd…

It was the day KangWoo had returned to Earth.

'The day I returned to Earth, Kim ShiHoon awakened as a player.'

It wasn't hard to guess why from the explanation he gave.

'Damage done to the Gaia System.'

The defense mechanism called the Gaia System was damaged because he had returned to Earth.

'And to compensate, a guardian was chosen.'

It made sense.

KangWoo's thoughts continued.

'Then is Kim ShiHoon the key to restoring the Gaia System?'

It was impossible to know at the moment if the Gaia System could be fully restored or if a guardian was chosen because it was impossible to restore it.'

Either way, what was sure was that Kim ShiHoon could replace part of it.

'As expected, I was lucky to meet Kim ShiHoon.'

KangWoo's eyes shone.

It seemed like Kim ShiWoon was someone more important than he had initially thought.

'Our relationship is also good at this point.'

Thanks to the incident with the Demon Cult, Kim ShiHoon's trust in him had increased.

If he kept growing and was able to fulfill his role as guardian correctly, he was probably going to become a bigger force than KangWoo had initially thought.

'Although I feel a bit guilty…'

But after hearing that he was the guardian chosen by the Gaia System, he thought that he had made the correct decision in making him his familiar spirit.

Because the Gaia System kept weakening, one didn't know what would happen in the future.

To stop it from deteriorating, he had to investigate and prepare.

"Th-then is ShiHoon hyeong some sort of hero that defends Earth?"

"Haha. Hearing someone say it like that makes it sound cringe. To be honest, I'm also not sure. I indeed got a better Attribute than others in the beginning, but that's also the same for players like Chae YeonJoo or Baek KangHyun."

"But SSS-rank?! I heard that even the First Lady started with an S-rank Attribute, so isn't that really amazing?"

"But I haven't been able to accept all of the strength of the Martial God, so I can't fully use the power of the Attribute. I think that, at this point, I'm on a similar level to players that awakened an S-rank attribute at the beginning."

"But it's still quite impressive!"

TaeSoo patted Kim ShiHoon's shoulders while laughing as if he were proud of him.

Kim ShiHoon shook his head.

"Even with such a talent, I almost lost against Kim YeongHoon. The word impressive doesn't suit me."

"Haha. brother ShiHoon, you are indeed impressive. But brother KangWoo is even more so!"

TaeSoo shouted excitedly.

KangWoo smirked and stood up.

"Keep doing a good job with the party. Also, call me if there's anything you need."

"I'm going to do my best to be useful to hyeongnim."

You could feel a strong will in his voice.

KangWoo nodded with a satisfied expression.

Because what was restraining him had disappeared, it was good that he had another goal.

"But take a break until your body fully recovers."

"Understood…"

"Then I'll let you rest. I'll be going."

KangWoo turned around, and Kim ShiHoon looked a bit disappointed.

"Are you leaving already…?"

"Huh? Yes. I have things to do."

KangWoo couldn't hide his surprise. It was as if he didn't want him to leave.

'What's wrong with him?'

He felt that it was beyond the level of just having a good relationship.

'Don't tell me…'

KangWoo shook his head. He didn't even want to think of that.

Familiar spirits oftentimes became interested in their masters because their souls were subordinated to their master.

—They were subconsciously attracted to their master.

'Please…'

You could feel the despair in KangWoo’s eyes.

He didn't want to think that was the case with Kim ShiHoon.

KangWoo walked out of the room without looking back.

* * *

After paying a visit to the hospital, KangWoo became really busy.

Not only did he have to make plans along with Chae YeonJoo and Baek HwaYeon, but he also had to check if what he had promised Kim ShiHoon was progressing well.

He then went to see Kim JaeHyun in a prison specially made for players and ordered him to reveal the information he knew about the Demon Cult.

Since they had Kim YeongHoon as a hostage, he couldn't do anything stupid.

Simultaneously, KangWoo checked that his demonic energy had increased after completing the sixth Awakening and checked how many Authorities he was able to use.

'This is too tiring.'

KangWoo sighed after thinking of the past few days.

He almost began hating that he had only one body.

'Too bad I can't use the Authority of Cloning yet.'

It was an Authority that let him create another body that shared his consciousness.

It required so much demonic energy that he couldn't use it yet, despite having unlocked the sixth Awakening.

"The problem is that I still have a lot of things to do."

KangWoo sighed and checked out his status window.

He had to reach level 59 and see if he also had a restriction to leveling up, and he also had to see what the other two conditions to achieving the Extreme Demonic Energy Body were.

But he couldn't even try to achieve those things because he'd recently been really busy.

'But it's finally over.'

Because he'd kept himself busy, he'd been able to finish most of the important things.

After completing what he had to do that day, he'd have time to relax.

"Mr. KangWoo, we've finished the preparations needed to move."

"What about your mother?"

"She said she still has some stuff to order, so she said that we should go first. She's going to take a taxi later in the day."

"Hmm…"

KangWoo nodded.

He looked around the small apartment that was completely empty.

It was the house he'd lived in after returning to Earth with Han Seol-ah.

'She probably needs some time to organize her thoughts.'

He'd only lived in that house for two months…

But Han Seol-ah's mother, Kim MiJeong, had lived there for almost 20 years, so she probably had a lot of stuff to organize.

"Then let's go first."

KangWoo asked her to get in the car. Han Seol-ah sat in the passenger seat, and Echidna was on top of his lap.

"…"

"Is something wrong, KangWoo?"

KangWoo grabbed Echidna and put her in the back seat.

"KangWoo has become colder with me."

She sadly lowered her head.

KangWoo smirked and began driving toward Seoul Station.

"Is this really okay…?"

"What?"

"It's the house Mr. KangWoo got, but for my family to move in together…"

"I told you not to worry. I also don't want to live alone in such a big house."

"B-but still…"

"And it isn't like I got it with my own money. It's a house that the Red Rose Guild provided."

"It’s from Ms. Chae YeonJoo?"

"Yes. It was one of the things she offered."

"Ugh…"

Han Seol-ah clenched her fist as if it angered her.

A house that was 165m2 big near Seoul Station was probably worth more than two million dollars.

She felt envious that YeonJoo could provide KangWoo with such an expensive house as if it were nothing.

'The two of them seem really close…'

Han Seol-ah bit her lips anxiously.

'And the house we're moving to is also close to hers.'

Thinking of KangWoo being with Chae YeonJoo made her thoughts messy.

"Oof…"

The huge gap that existed between her and Chae YeonJoo made her shrug.

There was a heavy silence in the car.

Echidna broke the silence and opened her mouth.

"KangWoo, what are you doing tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow? I'm not sure…"

Unlike those past few days, he really didn't have any plans for the following day.

"Are you also busy tomorrow…?" Echidna asked carefully. She seemed to want to play with KangWoo but didn't want to put pressure on him.

She looked like a kid asking her father if he was free on the weekend after being busy for the entire week.

KangWoo smirked.

He found those careful attitudes of Echidna cute.

'I guess there isn't anything wrong with taking a break.'

After he’d returned to Earth, the number of days he had taken a break were so few that it was embarrassing.

Considering that he would probably get even busier soon, it was probably a good idea to take a bit of a break.

"I don't have anything to do tomorrow."

"Ah! Th-then…"

"You said you wanted to go to the amusement park, right? Let's go tomorrow."

"Hng! Hng! If it's KangWoo, I'm okay with going anywhere!"

Echidna snorted, and her eyes shone expectantly.

The thought of going out with him made her excited.

"Ah…"

A short exclamation came out of Han Seol-ah's mouth.

Not only Chae YeonJoo, but Han Seol-ah felt that she was also falling behind Echidna.

'But I met him first.'

Han Seol-ah felt left behind, which made her anxious.

"Th-then I'll also go!"

"Hmm? Didn't you say that you would stay organizing stuff?"

"I can always organize things later on! I… I also want to go!" Han Seol-ah quickly replied.

"Then, Seol-ah, you come too."

KangWoo nodded.

"Ugh…"

Echidna glared at the uninvited guest while biting her lips.

…It was as if she were looking at ash being poured on top of cooked rice.

"Ha, haha."

Han Seol-ah smiled awkwardly after feeling Echidna glaring at her.

She understood Echidna's feelings of wanting to be alone with KangWoo, but there was nothing that she could do about it.

'…Because you need to fight for your love.'

If it were for him, she was willing to become the ash on top of cooked rice.