After Ten Millennia in Hell

"Yes, I just received a revelation," Gaia said with a nod.

She had summoned the core members of Guardians to the Hall of Protection, which included Kim Si-Hun, Grace McCubbin, Cha Yeon-Joo, and Tian Wuchen. They had gathered in the meeting room.

Si-Hun looked over the documents, which detailed the movements of the Watchers of Light on a map.

He remarked, "The Watchers of Light we've been watching have also made their move."

"It seems they decided to make a base in Africa," Yeon-Joo said after taking a glimpse at the documents.

Si-Hun nodded. "Yes. They're currently building a base where the confrontation between Lucifer and Satan took place. It seems like they're considering a long-term battle against Satan."

"From the pictures, it looks more like a fortress than some outpost."

Yeon-Joo laughed in disbelief.

As angels began to cross over to Earth, the Watchers of Light also made their move.

"How are they building this? I don't think there were more than a hundred Watchers of Light."

"The angels are also helping build the fortress, but what helps with the construction the most is… Do you see this in the photo?"

"What's this rock?"

"I believe it's a golem that moves with some sort of magical contraption. They're using this golem to build the fortress."

Yeon-Joo tilted her head in confusion.

The scale of their forces was far too big for their purpose to be simply investigating traces of Lucifer.

"It's likely their goal has changed," Kang-Woo answered. "They must have concluded that taking care of the Demon of Prophecy is more urgent than Lucifer."

"Makes sense…" Yeon-Joo nodded.

The scale of their forces indicated that they were more concerned about the Demon of Prophecy.

"But considering they're building their base there of all places, they don't seem to have given up on tracking down Lucifer yet."

"I think it is safe to assume… that the goal of the angels is to eradicate all demons."

"Isn't that better for us?"

As the meeting continued, most of the topics covered were things that Kang-Woo was already aware of, so he wasn't able to get new information.

"There is a problem," Gaia said. "According to the revelation… Lord Raphael has put off his cooperation with the gods of Earth."

"…"

"We seem to have lost his trust," Gaia explained in a heavy voice.

The expressions of the other Guardians members darkened. It was obvious why they had lost Raphael's trust.

"...Ludwig."

The other Guardians members remained silent as that name left Si-Hun's mouth.

The saint who had been corrupted by Satan, the Demon of Prophecy… It seemed that Ludwig was an apostle whom Raphael cared for deeply. The angels were shocked and extremely enraged by Ludwig's death. Naturally, Raphael was angry at Guardians, who had failed to protect Ludwig.

It was as if a country had accepted another country's request for support and dispatched a soldier to help that country, but that soldier ended up getting kidnapped and brutally murdered by foreign terrorists. Even if the fault was on the terrorists, the country that had sent the soldier would be angry at the country they had tried to help.

"This is no time to be frustrated," Gaia said in response to the grim atmosphere. "Lady Gaia's agent, Lord Uranus, is currently trying to convince Lord Raphael. Thankfully, he hasn't completely refused to cooperate. Most importantly…"

Gaia hesitated for a moment before continuing, "Lord Raphael said he wants to meet Protector Kim Si-Hun."

"Me…?"

"Yes."

Si-Hun was surprised at the sudden mention of his name.

Gaia explained, "It seems like Lord Ludwig had given Lord Raphael a report regarding you. Moreover, you're the next person to be chosen by the holy sword after Ludwig, so Lord Raphael said he would like to meet you himself."

Si-Hun remained silent and lowered his head while making a grim expression.

He seemed to be wondering if he had the right to meet Raphael considering he hadn't been able to do a thing when Satan corrupted Ludwig.

Si-Hun hesitated for a bit and then raised his head.

"I will go," he said in a firm voice.

If he avoided it, it would be like turning away from Ludwig's wretched death.

If he were truly saddened by Ludwig's death and felt guilty… If he truly wanted to inherit Ludwig's sword and his beliefs… Si-Hun couldn't ignore Raphael's proposal.

"I will try to convince Lord Raphael."

"Protector Kim Si-Hun…"

Gaia extended her hand while making a worried expression. Si-Hun grabbed her hand.

They were not allies yet, so sending Si-Hun into Raphael's territory would be dangerous. In the worst-case scenario, Raphael might take the holy sword and make Si-Hun pay the price of not being able to protect Ludwig.

If things were to go wrong, there was a chance they might end up becoming enemies.

"It's okay, Gaia."

Si-Hun grabbed her hand tighter, causing Gaia to blush.

"I will convince Lord Raphael and have him cooperate with Guardians," Si-Hun stated.

"But…"

"I know very well what you're worried about, but if I don't go… our relationship with them will never recover."

"…"

Gaia remained silent.

Si-Hun's role was undeniably important in Guardians.

Satan was strong. As the Demon of Prophecy, he possessed tremendous power known as the Demonic Sea, and he could freely use hundreds of different Authorities. He had been so powerful that not even Gaia, Goddess of the Earth, had been able to fully stop him even while consuming all of her Divinity.

'Although Lady Gaia has sealed most of his power…'

It had been two years since Gaia had used her Divinity to seal the Demonic Sea. Even if Satan was the Demon of Prophecy, there was no way he'd be able to unseal it in just two years, but still…

'The Demonic Sea is…'

It was an undeniably incredible power, and they couldn't relax just because it was sealed.

'We need the help of angels.'

After Gaia exhausted most of her Divinity, the gods of Earth lost most of their power to interfere with what was happening on Earth. Consequently, help from the celestial realm was necessary in such a situation.

"...I will trust you, Protector Kim Si-Hun," Gaia expressed, nodding with a smile.

After talking to Gaia, Si-Hun stood up and walked over to Kang-Woo.

"I'll get going then, hyung-nim," he said.

Kang-Woo lightly patted Si-Hun's shoulder and replied, "I have no doubt you'll be able to do it."

If possible, Kang-Woo would have wanted to go and see Raphael with Si-Hun, but what Raphael wished for was to talk with Si-Hun alone. If a third party went along with him, there was a chance that it could cause Raphael to turn hostile.

'But of course, I'm not just gonna sit around and do nothing.'

* * *

After the meeting, Kang-Woo secretly followed Si-Hun to Africa and saw the angels who were in the process of building their gigantic base.

'They really are building it like a fortress.'

He could feel their determination to find and kill Satan.

Whoom.

A communication crystal orb rang. It wasn't the one used by Guardians; it was the one he used to contact Lilith.

"What is it?" Kang-Woo asked.

[I have information that I must convey to you.]

"What sort of information?"

[The Demon Cult is making their move.]

"...Now?"

Kang-Woo narrowed his eyes.

The timing was too good.

[How should we proceed?]

"Stand by for now."

He didn't have the leeway to deal with the Demon Cult at the moment. He had to focus on getting the cooperation of the celestial realm through the meeting between Raphael and Si-Hun.

[Understood.]

The call was cut.

"Now then…"

Kang-Woo closed his eyes and used an Authority.

Riiing.

[Activating the Authority of Subordination.]

[Sharing senses with your Familiar.]

He saw the angels through Si-Hun's eyes. They wore silver armor and emitted a soft radiance.

Among them…

'That must be Raphael.'

Kang-Woo saw an angel with eight wings, enveloped in brilliant light. The angel was around five meters tall, and his build was similar to Balrog's.

'But he looks more like a human.'

His stature couldn't be considered to be that of a human, but in terms of his looks, he certainly appeared very much like one. Furthermore, he was very good-looking. His blond hair resembled a lion's mane, and there was his angular face gave off a sense of wildness.

'That's not fucking fair.'

Kang-Woo thought it would've been nice if demons looked like humans too. He recalled Lilith and quickly shook his head.

Si-Hun knelt on one knee in front of Raphael, who was sitting on a giant chair.

- So, you are the human who has inherited Ludwig's sword.

- That is correct.

Kang-Woo heard Raphael and Si-Hun's conversation. He couldn't hear any animosity in Raphael's voice. It seemed to be a fairly decent start.

'For him to gain a bit more trust…'

[Sending sacred power to Familiar Kim Si-Hun.]

Kang-Woo sent the sacred power that he had to Si-Hun.

- You have even accepted sacred power.

"All right," Kang-Woo muttered.

Raphael's tone had brightened a little. He seemed to find humans with sacred power more trustworthy than others.

- I have come here today to offer my apologies… for my friend Ludwig's death.

"Nice line."

Kang-Woo nodded after hearing Si-Hun's sincere words.

Asking for the angels' cooperation right off the bat was not a good idea. Untangling the negative emotions that had arisen from Ludwig's death was more important.

"Well done, my boy!" Kang-Woo cheered for Si-Hun.

That was all he could do. From here on, it all depended on Si-Hun.

'Authority of Coloring.'

Kang-Woo used an Authority that changed the colors of objects to create two sticks with fluorescent colors on them.

"Good luck, Si-Hun!"

He waved the light sticks.

- I see. Such a thing…

- Yes. When I arrived, he had already been…

The conversation went smoothly.

Just as Kang-Woo was thinking that they would easily be able to acquire Raphael's cooperation…

- L-Lord Raphael!!

- What is it?

- An apostle of a demon has appeared!

"What?"

Kang-Woo frowned at the unexpected development of events. He checked what was happening through Si-Hun's eyes.

He saw a woman covered in bandages.

- Oh, apostles of light… My name is Julia, a being of darkness who serves Satan.

- …You dare come here so brazenly?

- I have come to tell you the truth, Lord Raphael.

- The truth?

Julia Vilkova, who was kneeling in front of Raphael, continued, - We were not the ones who had corrupted the Watcher of Light. The true culprits behind his corruption are…

She turned her head and looked at Si-Hun with eyes full of resentment.

- Guardians.

There was a heavy silence.

"Hah." Kang-Woo's expression crumpled in anger. "How dare they…"

He clenched his hands into fists.

"How dare they try to fabricate a lie?!"

Rage boiled within him after hearing the Demon Cult's blatant lie.