‘Had I focused a bit more, I could have maximized the full power of the depth lightning sword….’
He was in so much pain all over that he had to scream.
However, Vulcan did not pay much attention to that.
That was because he was preoccupied with the regret for not able to perfectly execute the depth lightning sword.
Had he concentrated more intensely and executed the volcano explosion in timelier manner, he wouldn’t have been in this critical situation.
Had he done that, he would have most likely blew Kaozinta away with the awesome explosive power from the get go as his technique would have been more perfect.
However, Vulcan has failed to create the perfect result from the depth lightning sword, as he had done before, due to the unstable and dangerous situation. As a result, he was not in a situation where he might have to think about multi-layered plan against Kaozinta who was a below him.
‘Phew. Still, it was fortunate that although imperfect, the effects of the depth lightning sword has pretty much neutralized the bastard’s skills…..If that wasn’t the case….I might have died.’
Of course, it didn’t matter much even if he was killed.
He was acting and carrying out the roles of a monster in Naraka, anyway.
All he had to do was to wait inside the resurrection room for about a week, then locate Kaozinta, and carry out his revenge against him, again.
However, Vulcan was not able to even think about such situation during the most recent battle.
He felt like he was battling for his ‘real life’, in somewhere inside a demon world, rather than inside Naraka.
Therefore, Vulcan was able to stand up in this place with much more excitement and emotion than during the times of his past battles.
Unfortunately, nothing has notably changed or improved.
Still, it did not matter.
The wall or shackle that kept him from moving forward still stood before him, although he thought that they no longer existed.
Having successfully crushed that, his regret was overwhelmed by joyful emotions, at this point.
“Phew, phew. Phew.”
Vulcan regained the control of his breathing after taking several coarse breaths.
With a complicated look in his eyes, he looked down upon the fallen Kaozinta at his feet.
He, too, must have recovered his consciousness as he was looking straight at Vulcan.
However, unlike Vulcan, he was not even able to wiggle a finger, and looked resigned.
Kaozinta intensely coughed a couple of times, and spewed out blood.
With shivering voice, he spoke.
“Coughhh, ahk, ahh…. Krr, I wanted to taste your blood one more time.”
“…..”
“Die.”
“…..Will do.”
As if he was kneeled down at the guillotine, Vulcan’s swung down his sword, and terminated his life.
Vulcan had a mixed look on his face as he looked down at Kaozinta who was fiercely leered at him to the end.
In some ways, Kaozinta had been most helpful in his ability to overcome his own fear, and the mental wall.
Although he had been a horrifying adversary who gave him incredible amount of pain, he couldn’t help feel strange as Vulcan was ending Kaozinta’s life.
However, the situation did not allow him to remain quiet in such a sentimental circumstance.
With the familiar echoing sound in his ears, a quest complete message popped up before his eyes.
Ring.
[Quest successful!]
[Ordinary quest – You have completed the ‘ruler of Naraka’.]
[You’ve earned the maximum amount of experience!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
……..
[Level up!]
[You have reached the level 1,500!]
[You have earned the right to become a true god by successfully cleansing Naraka, the land of the true demons. None the less, it will require 1 year of time to make the key. Take a rest for 1 year as you prepare yourself then use the key in attempting the final test.]
[The next quest will occur 1 year later as soon as you enter the demon castle in Nurhark Dimension.]
“Hm. What is this. This is the first time the reward is being delayed.”
Vulcan murmured after reading the system message.
Up until now, the system rewarded him as soon as the quest was completed, but as was said that it required one year of time to make the key, Vulcan could not understand it clearly, this time around.
After all, they system used to provide all the materials like, with a wave of a magic wand.
In some ways, the system was viewed as being omnipotent in the past, but as it could not provide the reward right away, it even provoked some doubts.
‘….Well, don’t matter. I’d welcome some time for rest, also. And, I also have some things to take care of, before that, anyway.’
Vulcan plopped down on to the floor of the boss room which was being slowly restored, already.
As he drank a special potion made by Powell, he thought about one being.
The most hideous looking one which Vulcan still vividly remembered even it has been over 100 years since his last encounter.
And the horrible and hair-raising ambience which was only possible by gathering all the world’s desires and evil.
Thinking about Rock Seeger who was devouring up the demons of Galacko Dimension, he felt his temperature rise while engulfed in all of those thoughts.
‘How powerful has he grown by now….Since most of the high level demons of Galacko Dimension would be dead by now, the only bastards which he could absorb would be just grunts. Most likely, he did not grow by that much.’
It would still be alright even if he had grown more powerful than his expectation.
Along with the new skills like the arrival of the demon king, he was confident that he would not demonstrate shameful disposition or behavior like before.
Although the depth lightning sword was not yet perfectly mastered, he thought that he would not be pushed by someone like Rock Seeger even without that skill.
‘I’ll surely cut off that evil shackle for sure. And then….’
He will show his transformed self in an audacious manner to Powell who gave him so much support so that he could grow as if he was a fielder in Act 1.
By engaging in an extreme battle until one of them was left unable to fight, and not stopping in the middle of sparring!
‘….Well, should one of us die, will promise that whoever clears Act 3 will use a wish and raise from death.’
Having thought up to this point, Vulcan looked down on himself and examined his condition.
He wasn’t in too bad of a condition.
He was dehydrated as he executed the depth lightning sword in unstable conditions, and has also taken some damages by the after effects of the skill, but he wasn’t in such a bad condition overall, so he felt he could recover quickly.
He smiled as he got up, and used the system capability.
[Should you exit from here now, you will not be able to reenter for 1 year.]
[Yes/No]
Vulcan placed his hand toward Yes button.
With that, Vulcan returned to Asgarde after completing his journey in Naraka of over 100 years.
**********
It has been about one month since Vulcan returned from Naraka.
The beautiful garden, warm sunlight, and breeze all made him happy and relaxing.
To Vulcan who had always worked on training and battles, the place in Act 3 truly provided him with sweet, restful time.
Of course, Vulcan’s mind was not lazy enough to be fully immersed in that peacefulness.
It was only that he was forcing himself to take some rest as he was exhausted, having had moved restlessly all this time.
However, even that was coming to an end.
Vulcan has gone through Acts 1, 2, the demon world, and Naraka.
That was because Vulcan felt it to be a torture as it was too boring for him, rather than it being a rest.
Ultimately, without even completing the planned 3 months of rest, Vulcan took out his equipment and got ready to move to Galacko Dimension in order to hunt Rock Seeger, right away.
Unlike his expectation, he didn’t flutter in his decision.
He thought that he would get excited since he was going to go take care of the long time foe since Act 2, but as there wasn’t even any fluttering, he even felt strange about it.
Wondering as to why this was the case, Vulcan thought for a while, and then he nodded as he came to some level of understanding.
‘I’m no longer thinking about that bastard.’
That was so.
Having grown in bounds, the existence of Rock Seeger no longer gave much interest to Vulcan.
In some way, it could be said that the ill-fated relationship between them has already been severed.
Having felt that, Vulcan refreshingly smiled as he murmured.
“Not bad.”
It wasn’t bad. It truly was a good feeling.
It felt like a reconfirmation of his own mental growth which took place about a month ago, during the battle with Kaozinta.
With his eyes closed, Vulcan was immersed in that lingering imagery for a while.
However, after a few moments, he opened his eyes, and moved to Galacko Dimension without any hesitation.
At any rate, the bastard no longer affected him very much.
However, even if that was the case, it was also true that he wanted to see the end come to fruition by his own hands.
On top of that, he felt that it was the necessary step in the passage in order to ascertain the right to formerly challenge Powell who was like his own teacher.
When he thought that, he felt his heart pounding a bit, at last, and finally, he clearly saw who his ultimate opponent was supposed to be.
‘That bastard would be the only one in Galacko, anyway…. He probably has devoured any new demons as they appeared. Based on his characteristics, he won’t remain hidden. After getting immediately rid of him…. Go to Powell’s lab.’
Vulcan became like a child who wanted to show off his accomplishments.
Although Powell was refusing to see any visitors due to his important research at the moment, he wouldn’t be heartless to even reject the challenge from his beloved pupil.
Having thought this, Vulcan smiled as he saw the already changed scenery.
It was the scenery of the demon world which he was seeing for the first time in a long while.
It was the place, as familiar as Asgarde, and even friendly as he had visited often, but now, it has become an unfamiliar environment, once again.
Vulcan looked at the surrounding, red land as he reminisced.
However, his expression soon hardened in a serious manner.
It was a view that he thought would never exist.
It was because that has come into his vision.
‘Why is there…a village? It’s not the size of a city….But, that village must be formed by the demons who gathered here.’
He could not understand it, at all.
Considering the ferocity and greed which he saw on Rock Seeger at the time, there should not be any demons here.
He could see a couple of demons which might have come in to existence very recently, but he could not fathom any village like the one that came into his view.
‘Let me go and see, first!’
Vulcan cringed and looked at the village of the demons for a while.
As he thought that he would not gain anything from here, he quickly went down to the village and tried to get information out of the one who he thought was the highest level demon.
However, no matter what interrogation skill he used on him, and even when he used the skill on other demons and asked the same questions.
The bastards all said they knew nothing as if they had conspired to say it beforehand.
“Krrrrah, I’ve….not heard that such bastard was here. Of course, I was also wondering why there were only so many demons, and no demon king in the demon world… And was also curious as to why no high level demons and demon kings were here, either….But, I truly have no idea!”
The demons desperately shook their heads as if to say that they truly had no clue.
Vulcan cringed after examining their mental states by using the scan ability, and learned that they were telling the truth.
It seemed apparent that Rock Seeger was not here.
Then where has he gone to?
There was one monster like bastard who did not seem to have a single trait of reason.
It was still vivid to him that he could not even use the spatial teleportation magic, let alone opening the dimension gate…..
‘…..Let me search the demon world a little longer, first.’
As he was here already, that was.
Vulcan thought that it will be regrettable to return like this without bringing his inspection to a completion since he has even brought his magical equipment.
He went through every crack of the demon world of the Galacko Dimension in search for Rock Seeger.
However, Vulcan could not locate Rock Seeger, in the end.
That was the obvious outcome.
That was because Rock Seeger had left the place a long time ago, and he was at the closest place to him.
That was, at the place where his closest acquaintance was located.
“…..What the heck is that half baked dough.”
Powell, the war god, was studying the hand of Rock Seeger which was given to him as a gift by various demons of multiple dimensions and Vulcan.
At the place where his head turned to, there stood a much bigger, messily drooling Rock Seeger.