Chapter 178  : Growing Stronger (1)

‘There is also a barrier.’

It was a barrier with multiple layers.

If he was just a chaos being, it would be impossible to pass through it.

In the end, really surprising things existed in the dimensional system.

‘That is?’

Surprisingly, there was a mysterious barrier that only a Hwanmong Ruler could pass through.

What was behind this barrier?

Shuuuuok!

Kang-jun finally pierced through the barrier and a tunnel with an unknown end appeared.

‘What is that tunnel?’

What was at the end of it?

There was no need to worry because he would see it eventually.

As a Hwangmong Ruler, what did he have to be afraid of?

Shuuuuu-

Kang-jun flew through the tunnel. He seemed to be moving slowly, but he was actually doing a series of space warps.

’Even a chaos being would deteriorate in a tunnel like this.’

There were dimensional traps scattered all over the tunnel that only a Hwanmong Ruler or top demonic god could withstand.

The moment they were caught in the trap, they would be warped to an unknown spacesimilar to the Abyss.

Of course, it was a one way trip, but a Hwanmong Ruler wouldn’t get caught up in the trap.

However, it was impossible for those who only understood the nature of chaos or destruction.

They would be caught in a dimensional trap and moved to an unknown place.

It would be impossible for them to return to the tunnel.

It might be possible to come back by travelling through many distant dimensions, but at that point, they would be trapped again and moved somewhere else.

So, Kang-jun had become more curious about where the tunnel would lead to.

It meant that no one would be able to reach the end of this tunnel unless they were a Hwanmong Ruler.

Shuuuuu-

He didn’t know how long he had been moving for.

Kang-jun was nervous because he could feel a strong presence approaching from up ahead.

’There is someone else in a place like this.’

Who was it? Moreover, the unknown presence seemed to give off an enormous hostility.

"Kukukuku!”

After a while, the unknown presence was revealed—his whole body was obscured by a black hood and robe.

He looked similar to the shadows and the amount power pouring from him was similar to that of the great demonic gods.

"Who are you?"

Kang-jun asked the shadow, but the shadow simply attacked Kang-jun instead of answering.

Hwaaack!

The ultimate light of destruction! It was like the energy that filled the Abyss.

However, this energy was scattered due to the light from Kang-jun’s hands and the shadow in front of him vanished without a trace.

’He was roughly Thanatos’ level.’

Presences that even the chief gods and great demonic god would find hard to deal with...

If they came to this tunnel, they would have been killed by the shadow Kang-jun had just met.

Of course, for Kang-jun, he could take care of the opponent with a quick gesture of his hand.

“Kikikiki!”

"Kukukuku!”

After the first shadow, two were killed, then four more appeared.

The shadows grew exponentially.

However, they scattered with one gesture from Kang-jun as soon as they appeared.

After hundreds of shadows were killed by Kang-jun, they stopped appearing.

He no longer saw any shadows.

‘This place?’

After fighting the shadows, everything turned into a vast space. The end of the tunnel was behind Kang-jun.

‘What’s this vast space?’

Kang-jun soon realized he had reached an unknown place through the tunnel.

The shadows had desperately tried to block Kang-jun from coming here.

However, it was also a test of Kang-jun’s qualifications to enter this place.

If he had just reached the threshold of a Hwanmong Ruler, he would have been hit by the shadows.

‘This is a mysterious place in Hwanmong that sustains itself.’

It was an infinite space that couldn’t be detected by the power of a Hwanmong Ruler.

At that time, Kang-jun felt another presence rushing toward him.

It was different from the shadows he had confronted before.

Surprisingly, it was a person that had the power of a Hwanmong Ruler!

’Who is that?’

Kang-jun was filled with tension. There was no doubt it was another Hwanmong Ruler.

However, why was he hostile?

Regardless of the reason...

If the opponent was hostile, then Kang-jun would have no choice but to fight.

Chuoot!

A transparent and shining sword appeared in Kang-jun’s hand.

It was the Hwanmong Sword created through his will.

Kang-jun stared at what was before him with an intense light in his eyes.

It was the first time since becoming a Hwanmong Ruler that had he met an opponent he couldn’t be sure about defeating.

In the case of Cardia, she had fought with all of her might, but she hadn’t been a match for him.

Kang-jun had the advantage in that battle.

However, his current opponent’s power was relatively even.

Flash!Kwaang!Kwarurung!

It was another shadow. Surprisingly, there was also a Hwanmong Sword in the shadow’s hands as he attacked Kang-jun.

Kwang!Kwakwang!Kwaaaaang!

This was a clash betweentwo Hwanmong Swords!

The dimensional space started to split and crumble.

Fortunately, there were no small worlds here.

If there were, the collision between Kang-jun and the shadow would have blown away various small worlds.

’Shit! Where did this guy come from? Why is he so strong?’

No matter what attack Kang-jun used, the shadow blocked all of them.

Of course, Kang-jun also defended against the shadow’s attacks, but it was unlikely to last forever.

However, he still couldn’t give up.

If Kang-jun tried to escape, a person with this much hostility would chase him to the ends of the dimensional system.

Therefore, it would be better to end it here.

Otherwise, the dimensional sea and small worlds would become devastated.

Kwaang!Kwarururung!Kwa kwa kwa kwang!

He didn’t know how much time had passed.

Kang-jun, who had been fighting with the shadow for a long time, suddenly discovered that his opponent was no longer a shadow and that it had a human face.

Shockingly, the face looking back at him was Kang-jun’s face.

"Who are you?"

The shadow grinned and replied to Kang-jun’s question,

"I am you.”

“Me?”

“Yes, I am you —another you, a Hwanmong Ruler who was born from your feelings of loneliness and emptiness. I am your true self and at the same time, I will kill you. That is also your will.”

His eyes were full of darkness and loneliness.

It felt like Kang-jun was looking into a mirror.

"You want to kill me? That is why you were born?”

"Huhu, that’s right. You tried to hide it from yourself but deep inside your subconscious, there is a desire to kill yourself due to loneliness and emptiness. Admit it honestly. Do you want to do this any longer?”

“......”

Did he want to? Kang-jun suddenly felt his mind go blank.

As a Hwangmong Ruler, there was nothing he couldn’t have.

An infinite life stretched out before him, but there was nothing he wanted to do. The fact that he could do itmade him not want to do it.

No, he didn’t want to do anything because he could do it all. He didn’t feel any strong desires for anything.

As Kang-jun’s expression hardened, the shadow’s eyes lit up.

“Are you just realizing it now? You can’t die on your own, so I am an existence created for the purpose of killing you. The space at the end of the tunnel is the grave of the gods. It is a space where gods can’t resurrect.”

"Resurrection is impossible?”

“That’s right. You’re not an exception. Everything will disappear in this place. It is something that you haven’t experienced. It’s a true death and it also means complete destruction.”

“A true death.”

“It is a complete relief once you don’t exist anymore. So, don’t reject this and accept your death.”

The shadow came forward and aimed for Kang-jun’s neck.

If Kang-jun was pierced by the sword, his life as a Hwanmong Ruler would end here and he wouldn’t be resurrected.

“......”

Of course, he should avoid it. However, strangely, his body didn’t move to reject it.

Rather, it was like he was hoping to die.

At the same time, a deep loneliness and emptiness pierced his mind.

In simple terms, he had become a player in a game who couldn’t acquire experience anymore. It was like he had seen the ending and was no longer interested in the game.

Nothing was fun anymore; it was just boring.

It was now time to delete the game...

The game about Hwanmong.

He just had to wait for the sword to stab him and it would be game over. At the same time, the hard life of a Hwanmong Ruler and the loneliness would all disappear.

Kakakaang!

However, Kang-jun blocked the shadow’s sword. The shadow frowned and asked,

"Are you still willing to live? What makes you want to live?”

Kang-jun’s eyes shone intensely.

"There are still many games I haven’t played.”

"Games?”

“If I go to a PC room, there are many newly released games. There are also many games I want to try again.”

"PC room?"

The shadow’s face distorted at Kang-jun’s words.

He meant a real game and not a representation of life?

"You want to live so that you can go to a PC room and play games? Because of that?”

“Why isn’t that good enough? Should there be a more compelling reason? Additionally, I haven’t gone to the Maldives with Hayun. There are also many foods that I haven’t eaten.”

Kang-jun’s gaze became even more intense.

"I also need to explore all the small worlds that belong to Hwanmong. Moreover, I have my household members, so there is no sense of loneliness or emptiness. Rather, it awakens my sense of curiosity, adventure and joy.”

"S-shut up! It is foolish for a Hwanmong Ruler to still have trivial human needs!”

The shadow rushed forward like it was ridiculous.

Kang-jun gave him a cold smile.

"Human desires aren’t trivial. I feel alive because of them!”

A true god might feel empty and want to destroy themselves.

However, Kang-jun’s human desires were infinite.

Therefore, his desire to survive was also infinite.

So, why die now?

The shadow realized Kang-jun’s heart and gritted his teeth.

"Stop that ridiculous nonsense and die!”

The attack power of the shadow suddenly decreased.

’Why is it so weak?’

Of course, there was no need to answer the question now.

Kang-jun immediately slashed at the body of the shadow.

Flash!

A burst of light emerged from Kang-jun’s Hwanmong Sword and the body of the shadow disappeared without a trace.

Then at that moment, Kang-jun realized something.

The shadow wasn’t weaker, but Kang-jun had become stronger.