Chapter 55: The Prince of Chaos

The results from Dark City were as follows.

40 million Evolution Points and an increase in the digestion rate of inorganic matter.

And information soon to be obtained from Charigna.

“I hope it’s useful information. Let’s start with the Evolution Code synthesis first.”

Currently, with 40 million points, the only thing he could do was Evolution Code synthesis.

To undergo Species Evolution or unlock a Hive Class, 100 million Evolution Points were required. It was an amount he would need to fight about 2.5 more battles similar to the recent one to obtain.

“Should I just devour the Doomwheel too?”

The Doomwheel, a fortress of the Ruin Legion. It wasn’t very far since it was near the Ma Woo Sea, and the Demons of Ruin gave a lot of Evolution Points because their individuals were strong. The Magic Beasts were generally the same.

There were 10,000 Demons and about 3 million Magic Beasts in the Doomwheel, so he could gain at least 40 million Evolution Points there.

“There are quite a lot of Demons, though…”

Ten thousand Demons of Ruin was a force greater than the Big Three Guilds of South Korea combined. It was truly a national-level military force. Even Iselin would find it difficult to touch them easily. To minimize losses, the entirety of Derrael would have to step in, and the high-ranking Demons of Ruin wouldn’t just stand by in such a situation.

“I’ll think about it later. First, let’s head to the Evolution Chamber.”

Choi Kangjoong moved to the Evolution Chamber.

[Synthesizing Combat Muscle of Origin and Muscle of Superhuman Strength for 10 million Evolution Points.]
[Extracting Origin Muscle and Muscle Compression from Combat Muscle of Origin.]
[Extracting Reinforced Muscle and Instantaneous Strength Enhancement from Muscle of Superhuman Strength.]
[Psionic Combat Nerve intervenes in the Evolution Code synthesis.]
[Source Energy is imbued into the new Evolution Code.]
[Combat Muscle of Origin and Muscle of Superhuman Strength are synthesized into Predatory Muscle of Origin.]

“I wonder what changed?”

Choi Kangjoong had never seen an Origin-series Evolution Code before, so he had to check it. He went to the backyard and summoned Lutal.

Thud.

Even though it wasn’t incredibly vast, it was a space where several cars could be parked, but with Lutal there, it felt completely packed.

“Is it because your tail is so long?”

“Kuruk.”

Lutal curled his tail and tucked it tightly against his back.

“Good job. Now jump.”

Lutal leaped. Because of his great strength, he soared 30 meters into the air. Choi Kangjoong used Source Energy to guide Lutal to a soft landing, fearing the ground might crack.

“He definitely seems stronger. The efficiency of Source Energy consumption has increased too. He even absorbs Mana?”

Lutal’s Chitin Gauntlet was sucking in Mana.

To be precise, it was because of the suction power generated from his muscles.

The Mana passed through the Source Generation Organ, became Source Energy, and was supplied to the entire body.

“So that’s why it’s called Predatory Muscle. It preys on Mana.”

“Kuruk.”

Lutal was also pleased. With this kind of ability, it didn’t seem like he would get tired even if he fought all day.

“It’s been a while since we were here, so we should have a match, right?”

“Kuruk!”

Lutal took a combat stance without extending the Abyssal Claw on his middle legs. He lowered his waist to drop his center of gravity and stared straight at Choi Kangjoong. His glossy black eyes evoked a strange sense of fear.

“What are you doing? You have to use your middle legs too!”

“Kuruk…”

Lutal hesitantly extended the Abyssal Claw on his middle legs. The Abyssal Claw, which had been folded under his forearms, spread out and locked firmly into place.

“Come at me!”

Choi Kangjoong shouted boldly, and Lutal charged.

One second later.

Crash!

Choi Kangjoong was sent flying. He had blocked the upper Abyssal Claws several times, but he was so distracted by them that he failed to notice the middle Abyssal Claws.

“I’m at a disadvantage because I only have two hands. You use only two as well.”

“Kuruk!”

Lutal folded the Abyssal Claws on his middle legs.

“Come at me!”

Crash!

“One more time.”

Crash!

“If I tell you not to use your legs, are you going to use your tail? Don’t use your tail either!”

Thwack!

Choi Kangjoong was struck by Lutal’s shoulder and flew back, colliding with the wall.

Crumble!

The terrifying power of the Predatory Muscle of Origin crumbled the wall.

“Damn it!”

“Kuruk…”

Lutal looked at him sheepishly.

“Go back!”

Lutal returned, looking dejected.

“Since Lutal gets stronger as I get stronger, I guess the gap won’t narrow.”

Not all Evolution Codes were applied to Lutal, and Choi Kangjoong’s Evolution Code efficiency was better, so he did have the advantage.

However, almost all combat-related Evolution Codes were applied, so for now, there wasn’t a huge difference.

“Until I collect more special Evolution Codes, it will be hard to win in an individual fight.”

Of course, if he fought with the determination to devastate an entire region, he wouldn’t lose.

If he opened a Gate to receive support from the Titan Class and used Kuongi’s breath, even Lutal wouldn’t be able to defeat Choi Kangjoong easily.

In the first place, it was something that would never happen. As long as there wasn’t a parasitic organism in his hand, the hand and the head wouldn’t fight each other.

“I guess I just have to wait for Iselin to contact me.”

Choi Kangjoong spent the day exercising and sparring with the Warriors.

In the past, he couldn’t even handle three at once, but now he could easily handle six.

This was the source of the confidence he had when he tried to fight Lutal.

It was just that Lutal’s Evolution Code efficiency was better than a Warrior’s, and since he was a Central Unit originally meant for individual combat, the difference wasn’t as vast as it was with the Warriors.

-Are you there?

As soon as Choi Kangjoong washed up and entered his room, the light on Iselin’s necklace turned on.

“You only speak exactly when I enter the room.”

Choi Kangjoong thought she might be monitoring him, but he didn’t think such a thing would be possible while evading the senses of an Outer Mind.

“I’m here. What’s going to happen?”

Choi Kangjoong pressed the button on the necklace and spoke.

-I think the conversation will be long. Could you come over here?

“Alright.”

There was no reason not to. The Elf tea tasted bad, but he liked the snacks, the sofa, and the fragrance of that room.

He didn’t even put on his armor before opening a Gate to travel. Iselin greeted him with surprised eyes.

“What? You know anyway.”

“I found out while investigating the cargo ship. Are you perhaps displeased?”

“No. I’m just hiding it because of Yoonseo.”

“She’s your younger sister, right?”

“Right.”

“Why are you hiding it? Is it because of your sister’s pride?”

True to Iselin’s nature, her guess was quite elaborate.

“I’m just trying to tease her.”

“What?”

“Imagine how surprised she’ll be when she finds out that I, someone she thought was just a regular Hunter, am actually an Outer Mind.”

“Ah. So that was the reason.”

Iselin said, sounding a bit taken back. She couldn’t understand it, but she tried her best to.

“Please sit.”

Choi Kangjoong sat down, and Arthil brought out tea and snacks. He wasn’t going to touch the Elf tea, but the scent was different this time.

‘Should I try just one sip?’

Choi Kangjoong put the Elf tea to his lips but pulled it away immediately.

The taste his tongue sensed was extraordinary in a bad way.

When he recoiled, Iselin shot a glare at Arthil. Shivering with a cold sweat down her spine, Arthil bowed her head in apology where Choi Kangjoong couldn’t see.

“First, I must apologize.”

“For what?”

“Before we could get any important information from Charigna, she died.”

“Even Life Essence was useless?”

“Even after calling the best healer in Derrael and pouring in my Life Essence, it was no use.”

“It’s more surprising that there’s something you can’t save even after all that.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No. If you couldn’t save her even with Life Essence, she was destined to die.”

Choi Kangjoong was disappointed, but he didn’t want to blame Iselin. She wouldn’t have performed the interrogation of Charigna half-heartedly.

“It seemed like Charigna received the Demonic Energy of Predation from someone she called a Prince, but you didn’t get anything else?”

“I was just about to tell you about that. With the little information we got from her, we narrowed the ‘Prince’ down to two people.”

“Who are they?”

“Ventresca and Luderal.”

“Who are they?”

Ventresca was the Grand Duke of the Chaos Legion, and Luderal was the Grand Duke of the Immortal Legion.

In the Demon Realm, a Grand Duke was a rank higher than a Duke.

They were stronger than Duke Akirif or Duke Royal and ruled over more dimensions.

Since they were heirs to the Demon King, they were also called Princes.

Since they were far from the Enterprise Union and weren’t in major conflict with them, Choi Kangjoong only learned who they were after hearing Iselin’s explanation.

“So that’s why they were called Prince?”

“The probability is high, but there are plenty of princes in other races as well.”

“We’ll find out if we catch them all and ask.”

“I hope so.”

Iselin despised demons addicted to ruin, immortality, chaos, and pleasure.

Silence followed. It wasn’t uncomfortable. Both were originally men of few words, and through two battles, they had come to trust each other more than friends of ten years. It was a time of peaceful healing. Arthil left the room extremely quietly.

After quite a while, Iselin finally spoke.

“Would you like a tour of the house?”

“No.”

“I see.”

Iselin had just suggested it, and Choi Kangjoong didn’t feel like it. Silence fell again. Iselin occasionally handled some work.

“The Elemental Cruise Ship will be going to the 6th Dimension Fortress.”

“Elemental Cruise Ship?”

“The largest cruise ship in Marsala. Elves call the largest ship of each type ‘Elemental’.”

“It must be huge.”

“It’s 6 kilometers long. You wouldn’t feel any lack even if you spent your whole life inside it.”

If it was 6 kilometers, it was a length equal to six Kuongis lined up.

“If there’s anything you need, please let me know. It’s okay to ask for that ship.”

What could he do with such a dimension ship?

‘I have enough money. It would be best to eat it and turn it into nutrients.’

Asking for something that large just to use it as nutrients was a waste. It wasn’t old like Dark City, either.

“I don’t need anything right now.”

“I thought so. But please let me know at any time.”

“Got it.”

“And would it be alright if I contacted you via phone? It’s better in many ways thanks to the communication infrastructure connecting Marsala and Earth.”

“That’s more convenient for me too.”

“Thank you.”

Choi Kangjoong stood up. Considerable time had passed since he first arrived.

“I’ll be going.”

“Please come again.”

Choi Kangjoong opened a Gate and went home.

“It’s the first time I’ve felt as comfortable as home outside of my house.”

As soon as he lay on the bed, his phone rang. He thought it was Iselin, but it was his mother, Yoo Haein.

-Kangjoong, you’re eating well, right?

“Of course. I ate a massive amount recently, so I’m still full.”

It was a story about Dark City.

-Don’t just order out; try to cook at home sometimes. Should I send you some side dishes?

“I’m still eating the 10kg of kimchi you sent last time.”

-You eat kimchi well. Isn’t it enough?

“There’s plenty left, so please just rest.”

-Is that so?

Yoo Haein felt disappointed.

-Do you know that your eldest aunt’s 60th birthday is the week after next?

“Is she 60 already?”

Choi Kangjoong’s eldest aunt had practically raised his father, Choi Jooyoung, and was the eldest elder on the father’s side.

-I know, right? She’s so active that I didn’t think she’d turn 60. Can you come then?

“I have to go.”

Choi Kangjoong had only good memories of his aunt, Choi Young-sun. Every time he saw her, he received a generous amount of pocket money, and he heard that she worried about him a lot even when he was shut away in his room.

-Oh, that’s great. Yoonseo managed to make time too, so your father will be really happy if you come as well.

“What about Yoonseo?”

-Her vacation dates changed because of the battle at the 6th Dimension Fortress. She almost couldn’t go, but the location changed to somewhere near the 6th Dimension Fortress.

Choi Kangjoong was puzzled. The 6th Dimension Fortress was a military facility, and there was nowhere nearby to hold a 60th birthday party.

“How?”

-Do you know the Elemental Cruise? They say it’s the largest cruise ship made by Elves.

“Ah, that one?”

-You know it. They advertised heavily that it was coming to the 6th Dimension Fortress. Your father entered the lottery because they said they’d choose who gets to use the party hall that way. And he actually won.

Was it really by lottery, or did Iselin intervene? Choi Kangjoong suspected the latter.

“So I just need to go there the week after next?”

-Yes. On the weekend.

“Alright. I’ll make sure to dress up in a suit.”

-Just wear something comfortable. Your aunt isn’t someone who cares about those things.

“I should at least do the basics.”

-Alright. Your father will be happy. Contact me if you need anything.

“Yes.”

Choi Kangjoong hung up the phone.

“Elemental… I hope nothing happens.”