They grabbed Hong JunTae and stopped him from being the whistleblower who would make Korea a clean country.

Rather than that, KangWoo turned him into a tool that would let him control him. He sighed in relief and returned to the special conservation room.

Cha YeonJoo approached him.

"How did it end?"

"I told him to report that he hasn't been able to find any weird things. Of course, I stopped him from becoming a whistleblower."

"Oof. That's good to hear."

"Yeah. All the corruption of Korea almost came to light."

The fact that Korea's political scene was still dirty and corrupt made them sigh in relief.

"..."

"Why?"

"No... It's nothing."

Baek HwaYeon grabbed her forehead in confusion.

She didn't know if she should be happy or not because of that situation.

'The world is a complex place.'

She had difficulty getting used to things like that because she'd lived her whole life like a soldier.

"Now that the bothersome thing has been solved, should I put it on?"

Expectantly, KangWoo put on the Black Pearl Coat.

Ting-.

[You've put on legendary-rank equipment.]

[Starting the imprinting ceremony with the Black Pearl Coat.]

He heard a clear bell sound.

Whir-

A complex magic circle appeared on the Black Pearl Coat.

A blue magic circle flowed into KangWoo's body.

Ting-

[The imprinting ceremony has succeeded.]

[The Black Pearl Coat has accepted player 'Oh KangWoo' as its owner.]

[Your Demonic Energy stat has increased by 5.]

After getting a blue message window, KangWoo felt his body change.

Suddenly, his demonic energy went from 83 to 88.

As if something had been created out of nothing, demonic energy flowed through KangWoo's body.

It was the power of the system that KangWoo couldn't understand yet.

'Amazing.'

KangWoo looked at the coat in surprise.

After his demonic energy stat surpassed 80, one stat point made a huge difference.

'The bonus is already this huge. If I use the skill on top of that...'

Although there was a time restriction, his demonic energy could reach 93.

KangWoo smiled, satisfied.

'I wasn't expecting it to increase my demonic energy stat.'

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that it was destiny.

KangWoo checked out his status window.

[Status Window]

Player Name: Oh KangWoo.

Level: 54 [Sixth Awakening]

h ltt nd mt ulr nvl t lghtnvlubm

First Awakening Attribute: Authority of Predation (Rank: ???) * Most of the characteristics of the Authority are sealed.

Second Awakening Attribute: Unfulfilled Hunger (Rank: C)

Third Awakening Attribute: Mana-craving Demon (Rank: A)

Fourth Awakening Attribute: Ruler of Demonic Energy (Rank: A)

Fifth Awakening Attribute: Demonic Monster Summon (Rank: S)

Sixth Awakening Attribute: ??? (Rank: ???)

* The Attribute unlocks once you reach Extreme Demonic Energy Body.

Strength: 38

Agility: 35

Vitality: 32

Mana: 0

Demonic Energy (Unique Stat): 88 (+5)

Intelligence: 25

Wisdom: 23

* Effects of the item being used.

Physical Defense: 990

Magical Defense: 650

"Good."

He had only put on one legendary-rank equipment, yet the changes in his status window were clearly visible.

It wasn't just the demonic energy that had increased; his physical and magical defense had also increased a lot.

'Is it okay if an item's effects are so great?'

He thought he'd be able to face the world rankers if he could walk around with tens of pieces of legendary-ranked equipment on.

'Although that won't happen.'

One legendary-rank equipment had caused such a huge uproar.

A legendary-rank equipment wasn't something you could buy just because you had lots of money.

But it wasn't impossible.

If you had the people and the ingredients, it was something that you could make.

KangWoo asked Chae YeonJoo about it.

She smirked.

"That's impossible. Leaving ranks aside, you can only use five items."

"Five?"

"Yes. I told you that the mana flowing out of the item covers your body. Right? If you apply more than five, the effect disappears."

'What a comfortable setting...'

KangWoo nodded in disappointment.

He was planning to get as many legendary items in the future as possible, but it seemed like he had to give up on that dream for the moment.

'After all, I can use up to five.'

If he could get legendary items that increased his unique stat, they'd be of great help.

"Did you like the effect of the legendaries?"

"Yes."

KangWoo nodded without hesitation.

"I want to check out how strong I became."

"Hmm..."

Chae YeonJoo, who was thinking for a bit, spoke.

"Then how about you spar with me?"

h ltt nd mt ulr nvl t lghtnvlubm

"Spar?"

"Yes. There's a sparring room in the Hwarang Squad's base. Oh, HwaYeon, can we borrow the sparring room?"

"Of course."

"Okay, thanks."

Chae YeonJoo turned around to KangWoo.

"How about that?"

"I have no reason to refuse."

Chae YeonJoo was one of the top 10 rankers in Korea.

She was a good opponent to use to figure out how strong he'd become after doing the sixth Awakening and getting legendary-rank equipment.

'I also want to see how strong Chae YeonJoo is.'

They were allies.

He wanted to know how strong his ally wasthat would let him know how much his ally could do.

It wasn't just KangWoo who thought that.

Chae YeonJoo looked at KangWoo with sharp eyes.

'How strong did KangWoo become?'

The first time shed seen him, shed thought that he'd one day become stronger than her.

But she wasn't expecting him to become so strong in such an unreasonable amount of time.

His growth rate was unprecedented.

Even Grace McCarbin, whom people said was the world savior, didn't grow at such a fast pace.

'It isn't just a matter of speed.'

* * *

She'd heard KangWoo had passed level 50 and achieved the sixth Awakening after the Oriax incident.

Reaching the sixth Awakening was amazing on its own, but that wasn't the issue.

'KangWoo defeated Moon YeongHo when he had completed the third Awakening.'

The reason why player Oh KangWoo was impressive wasn't just because his leveling-up speed was fast.

The reason why she'd used the word 'impressive' was because he was unbelievably strong compared to his level.

When he was at the third Awakening, hed defeated Moon YeongHo, a player who had done the seventh Awakening.

The difference in their stats was so huge that it was like comparing an adult to a primary school kid.

Even if there was a difference in the ranking of their Attributes, it was impossible to overcome such a gap in stats.

'But KangWoo overwhelmed Moon YeongHo.'

It was true that he had lowered his guard

But an adult couldn't lose in a physical fight just because he'd relaxed in front of a kid.

He was already strong, leaving levels and stats aside.

'I'll take this opportunity and check that strength out.'

There were still too many things about KangWoo that she didn't know.

Considering what was about to happen in the near future, it would be good to know his exact strength.

"Should we start?"

"Yes."

He replied positively.

Chae YeonJoo clenched her fists slightly while walking toward the sparring room.

'I won't lose easily.'

She knew that he was already stronger than a ranker

But she didn't think that she'd easily lose against him.

Because she was one of the strongest rankers in Korea.

h ltt nd mt ulr nvl t lghtnvlubm

But

It didn't take her long to realize she'd made a mistake.

* * *

Slide-!!

Tens of chains moved over the floor. Although the floor of the sparring room had been built with special materials was scratched.

The chains were scattered away.

It was as if they were snakes that were alive.

They were like an unavoidable net of death.

Crack-!

KangWoo ran through the death net.

KangWoo used the Authority of Speed and caused a sonic boom while moving at a speed close to the speed of sound.

The chains started to follow him.

He used the Authority of Sky to ignore gravity and change direction.

The chains that were following him lost their direction.

Paf-!

He scattered the chains away with the Authority of Explosions and leaped through them.

The chains tore his skin

But he didn't care.

KangWoo leaped through the chain net at an incredible speed.

"Ugh!"

Chae YeonJoo crossed her arms in an X-shape, and the scattered chains gathered in front of her.

KangWoo opened his arms and clapped, and a loud sound spread from the clap.

Boom-!

"Kyaa!"

Piii-

Chae YeonJoo's hearing was disabled.

She grabbed her ears and crouched down. She felt her consciousness fading away, and the chain shield began losing its form.

'Authority of Destructive Void, Authority of Divine Power.'

KangWoo raised his right fist, and black energy gathered around it.

An illusion made it seem as if his fist had grown in size.

He lowered his waist

He moved his right arm and legs back and then twisted his body

He used the elasticity of his waist and threw a punch.

"Sky Break."

It was a skill that required chanting.

A power that combined the Authority of Destructive Void and the Authority of Divine Power came out from his right fist.

BOOM-!!

An energy went past Chae YeonJoo and hit the wall of the sparring room.

The wall that was one meter thick was torn apart like a piece of paper, and the sparring room crumbled.

"Ah, ugh."

Chae YeonJoo lost strength in her legs and collapsed.

She looked at KangWoo with an expression full of fear.

Not going to lose easily?

Not going to be defeated easily?

h ltt nd mt ulr nvl t lghtnvlubm

It was nonsense.

"You monster..." Chae YeonJoo mumbled in a low voice.