After Ten Millennia in Hell

Side Story Chapter 1 - Collapsing World

Guardians, led by Kim Si-Hun and Layla, faced the monsters pouring out of the Gates and the otherworldly forces with the help of the people of Aernor and the angels.

After three years, around the time when the chaos was more or less dying down, the black sun blazing above Seoul disappeared.

"Aaaaaaahhh." Oh Kang-Woo wriggled under the blanket as the morning sun shone through the window. He stretched and furled the blanket. "Seol-Ah... is already awake."

Kang-Woo got up after seeing the bed was empty next to him. He then looked down at his hand, fingers as tiny as that of a little boy.

"When am I gonna turn back to normal...?"

It had been a month since he devoured the Demonic Sea; his body did not seem to be ready to go back to its original state.

'I feel the demonic energy circulating a little.'

Black energy lingered on his palm, but only an embarrassingly little amount despite having become one with the Demonic Sea; it was likely because the reconstruction of his body was not yet complete.

'I mean, I don't need it to be restored to normal as soon as possible...'

The rate of otherworldly invasions drastically decreased after Bael disappeared. Even if there were to be an otherworldly invasion, the dependable shield known as Kin Si-Hun existed, leaving no reason for Kang-Woo to get involved. All the conditions for the leisurely and comfy life he had dreamed of had been fulfilled. However...

Kang-Woo remained silent.

His tiny body trembled after recalling what happened last night.

Clack.

A woman opened the door and entered the room. Her dark purple hair reached her waist and she had gentle-looking eyes. Her skin was pale and flawless, and the mole under the right corner of her mouth added to her charm.

Most of all, her chest boasted an overwhelming presence despite wearing baggy clothing. Her mid was as destructive as a Level 16 Kassadin; people like Cha Yeon-Joo wouldn't stand a chance against her. The woman, so beautiful that she could be a figure of mythology, smiled at Kang-Woo.

"Good morning, Kang-Woo," Seol-Ah said as she approached him, her eyes beaming.

"Y-Yeah."

Kang-Woo slowly stepped backward as he smiled awkwardly but Seol-Ah grabbed him by the arm and yanked him toward her.

"Haaaaaaahhh! I can't stop myself!!"

She shoved his face between a pair of voluptuous mountains.

"Mmmmrp!!"

Kang-Woo wriggled his limbs as two giant mounds of flesh pushed on his cheeks. It was impossible to escape from Seol-Ah's embrace no matter how hard he tried.

"Haaa, haaa, Kang-Woo..." Seol-Ah called in a heated voice.

She aggressively kissed Kang-Woo as she panted heavily.

"W-Wai— Mmrp! Kurgh!"

Kang-Woo trembled as he was aggressively kissed like a predator devouring its prey. His mind went blank as a tongue rummaged around the inside of his mouth.

'I can't breathe...'

His vision was blurring as Seol-Ah raised him and continued to kiss him aggressively. He could barely breathe.

'The culprit is... Darling...'

Beep—!

A loud sound came from the kitchen as Kang-Woo was writing his dying message in midair with his shaking finger.

"Oh, I completely forgot. I'm sorry, Kang-Woo."

Seol-Ah let go of Kang-Woo and hurried to the kitchen; it seemed she had been in the middle of cooking.

"Huff, huff." Kang-Woo sat on the bed as he panted heavily. "I almost died."

He had become so weak that he couldn't handle Seol-Ah's obsession anymore.

"Haaa," he sighed as he swept his hair back and frowned.

'I feel like I'm being reared for real lately.'

He had barely lifted a finger to do anything for the past month. He was fed, clothed, and even washed by Seol-Ah. Even when going somewhere, Seol-Ah practically held him in her arms like a baby. As for when they were in bed, he did not even need to explain.

'At least I don't need to go to the bathroom... She would've followed me in there if I did.'

The process of waste excretion had become unnecessary for him after becoming one with the Demonic Sea because any material he ingested was fully broken down into energy.

"Kang-Woo, food is ready," said Seol-Ah with a smile after coming back to the room from the kitchen.

She casually lifted Kang-Woo and took him to the kitchen. They reached a luxurious kitchen akin to one normally seen in a luxury hotel suite. They moved to an ultra-luxury apartment on the coast of Busan after their previous apartment was destroyed in the war.

They had bought the entire building with their overflowing money and remodeled it so that Si Hun and Layla, Balrog, Lilith, Yeon-Joo, and his other comrades had floors for themselves. Even Seol-Ah's mother and brother, who had become traumatized after his encounter with Kang-Woo but was slowly recovering, were on one of the floors. Kang-Woo, Seol-Ah, and Echidna lived together on the top floor.

Kang-Woo was moved to the table as he looked at the ocean view from the window.

"Here, Kang-Woo. Ahhh~"

Seol-Ah placed Kang-Woo on her lap and brought a spoonful of rice to his mouth like a mother feeding her baby.

"I told you, I can eat by myself." Kang-Woo sighed and turned away.

"No." Seol-Ah shook her head firmly. She gently hugged Kang-Woo from behind and continued, "You're severely weakened right now. I have to help you do everything."

Kang-Woo sighed.

'I heard she waited in front of the black sun every day for the three years I was stuck in the Abyss.'

Considering how much stronger her obsession must have grown during that time, she was likely holding herself back as much as she could despite her extremely obsessive behavior.

'I guess I should be thankful she didn't fall from grace.'

Angels fell from grace when their obsession turned into madness, dying their wings black. The fact that she didn't fall from grace proved that she had become far better at controlling Seraph's power than before.

'It makes sense. Although she got help from the Titan's powers, she still brought someone back from the dead.'

She had monstrous talent but she was just usually overshadowed by Si-Hun. No, in non-combative terms, Seol-Ah surpassed Si-Hun in talent.

'I should wait until her obsession dies down.'

Her obsession had been building up for the past three years. It would be a stretch for it to be fulfilled in just a month.

"Do you... dislike the way that I'm acting?" Seol-Ah asked carefully.

She couldn't be happier that she was taking care of everything for Kang-Woo by his side, but she had no choice but to stop if Kang-Woo wasn't.

"No, it's not that." Kang-Woo shook his head.

Honestly speaking, he did not dislike it. He couldn't complain when everything was being done for him.

'But I wouldn't say that I like it either.'

Being treated like a baby did not give Kang-Woo the feeling that he was spending quality time with his lover. Above all else, his sense of shame was through the roof.

'Still.'

He would endure it if it could serve as a reward for Seol-Ah waiting for him for the past three years.

"I guess we can... keep this up for a while longer."

"R-Really?!" Seol-Ah's eyes beamed as she brightened. "Haaa, haaa, Kang-Woo."

She panted heavily as she hugged Kang-Woo tighter, her eyes bloodshot. She dug her nose into Kang-Woo's hair and sniffed extensively as if smelling an expensive glass of wine. Her heated breaths tickled Kang-Woo's neck.

"Darling?"

"Haaa. Yes, Kang-Woo?"

Seol-Ah exhaled heatedly as she slowly snuck her hands under Kang-Woo's clothes. Kang-Woo shifted uncomfortably.

"Ahem. That aside, where's Echidna?"

He changed the subject to bring Seol-Ah back to normal as her instincts took over.

"Oh..." Seol-Ah pouted in disappointment. "She went to work. She'll be busy for a while."

"Work? What work?"

This was the first time Kang-Woo was hearing that Echidna had a job.

"Mm... I'll keep it a secret for now," replied Seol-Ah after staying in thought for a moment. She then said alluringly, "More importantly, Kang-Woo."

Her hands began to move again. They gently caressed Kang-Woo's chest.

"You're finished with your meal... right?" Seol-Ah licked Kang-Woo's neck. She seductively whispered in Kang-Woo's ear, "In that case..." She licked her lips and teasingly bit Kang-Woo's cheek. "It's time... for my meal ❤."

Kang-Woo gulped. His heart beat faster, and sparks traveled throughout his body from his cheek. No man could resist such blatant and loving temptation, especially if it was from the woman whom he promised to spend the rest of his life with.

"Come here, Darling."

Kang-Wo snorted like Echidna and grabbed Seol-Ah's hand. It had not even been thirty minutes since he got up from bed but it did not matter.

'I went at it a bit hard last night, but...'

Kang-Woo looked down at his groin. He clenched his fists and resolved himself.

'Stay strong for a bit longer, Fran?ois!'

Kang-Woo confidently headed to the bedroom as he felt Fran?ois, the indomitable warrior, rising no matter the trial he faced.

***

"Fuuu."

It was already noon after the great battle. Kang-Woo looked down proudly at Fran?ois after he overcame yet another fierce trial.

'Thank goodness Fran?ois didn't shrink.'

The rest of his body had shrunk, but Fran?ois miraculously stayed his regular size.

"Hngh, Kang-Woo," Seol-Ah moaned in satisfaction and hugged Kang-Woo.

Kang-Woo gently caressed Seol-Ah's back and smiled.

'I guess a life like this isn't so bad.'

He had dreamed of a life where he could spend every hour of the day with the woman he loved without worries.

'I don't mind if my powers return slowly.'

It didn't matter if his body's reconstruction was slow; he was fine as long as this life could continue.

'I've kept going without rest until now.'

He had reached this point after walking forward without ever stopping. He felt he could now slow down his pace as if he were going on a stroll.

Wriggle, wriggle.

"Hm?"

Just then, he felt his bones and muscles moving.

'Is the reconstruction complete?'

Kang-Woo tilted his head in wonder and focused on the changes in his body.

"Doesn't feel like it."

Kang-Woo clicked his tongue in disappointment after observing the changes. He was not being restored to his original form.

'To put it simply... it's being optimized.'

His bones and muscles had been reconstructed to a more optimal form to fit his suddenly shrunken body.

'Considering these changes, I guess the reconstruction will take a long time.'

There would be no point in optimizing to fit the small body better if the reconstruction was almost complete.

'It's a good thing.'

He had already decided to take his time to regain his power. Since his body was optimized, it would be easier to move around.

"Huh...? K-Kang-Woo?"

Seol-Ah stared at Kang-Woo, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Hm? What's wrong, Darling?"

Kang-Woo tilted his head and looked down at the area where she was looking— between his legs.

"What... the hell?"

Kang-Woo's eyes widened, shaking uncontrollably from the unimaginable shock, and he froze.

"N-No."

He panted heavily; he could barely breathe. His vision was blurring. He felt dizzy, as if the world was upturned.

"It has to be a lie."

Since his body was optimized to fit his smaller stature better, all parts of his body had become standardized to that size. That only meant one thing.

"N-No..."

Kang-Woo stared at his lifeless Fran?ois. He had been miserably dwarfed as if his manly form had been an illusion.

"Oh, my." Seol-Ah covered her mouth, wide-eyed. She smiled widely and giggled. "You've become so cute, Kang-Woo."

Rumble.

Kang-Woo could hear the world collapsing— no, it was undoubtedly collapsing.

"A-Aaaahh." Kang-Woo pulled his hair and trembled. "FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!"

He gained a reason to regain his power as soon as possible.