Player who Returned 10,000 years Later

People were gathered on the apartment floor of a luxurious apartment on the coast of Haeundae Beach. The renovated apartment floor that Kang-Woo lived in was large enough to host a football game if all the furniture was removed. A ton of delicious-looking food filled a long table, and in the middle of it was of course an extra-large pot containing piping-hot kimchi stew filled with various meats.

Oh Kang-Woo was seated in front of the kimchi stew that could feed over fifty people, snorting in excitement.

"Right, then. Before we get this party started," said Kang-Woo as he held the hand of Han Seol-Ah sitting next to him. "Let us thank Darling for preparing all of this food for us."

"Fufu. Everything looks so delicious," Lilith remarked.

"You made all of this, sister-in-law?" Kim Si-Hun asked.

"Jesus… what’s with the size of that kimchi stew?" Cha Yeon-Joo muttered.

People stared at the food so plentiful that it could break the table legs as they licked their lips.

"N-No, umm… Echidna and Yeon-Joo helped me," Seol-Ah answered.

"Hm! Kang-Woo! Eat what I made first!" Echidna shouted as she snorted, bringing a piece of kimbap to Kang-Woo’s mouth.

"Just a second. We’re not done yet." Kang-Woo patted Echidna’s head and turned to someone. "Layla."

"I-Is it finally getting revealed?"

Kang-Woo and Yeon-Joo gulped as they stared intently at Layla wearing a beautiful dress instead of a light green tracksuit.

Layla swept her brown hair behind her ear and smiled. "Here it is. This is nectar."

She stood up and spread her arms widely like a curator displaying an item for exhibition. A giant oak barrel appeared on the ground between her hands.

"I’ll lift it, Layla," Si-Hun expressed as he stood up before Layla could lift it.

"Oh, thank you."

The oak barrel was so big that an adult man could swim in it, but Si-Hun lifted it easily and placed it next to the table. A tap was attached to the oak barrel so that it could be conveniently poured into a cup.

"I’ll take your cups one by one," said Si-Hun as he extended his arm.

"Hehe. Finally…!"

"Alcohol! ALCOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!"

Kang-Woo and Yeon-Joo handed Si-Hun their pint glasses simultaneously. Si-Hun smiled as he accepted their glasses and poured the nectar.

"Wow…"

"The scent is amazing!"

It was a purple liquid with a mystical shine to it. The alcohol that looked like melted gems gave off a scent as sweet as honey.

"Hehe. Can my share be poured into this glass, my king?" Balrog asked.

"Sure."

A glass far larger than a human head was prepared for the five-meter Balrog. Everyone’s glass was filled soon after.

"Finally…" muttered Yeon-Joo as she caressed the glass, her eyes hazy as if she were high.

Nectar, a drink that could intoxicate even the gods, looked similar to regular wine at first glance but one wouldn’t dare compare its extraordinary scent to regular wine. Its scent was so strong that it looked like the space was distorting around it.

"Right, then. Everyone has their glass, right?" Kang-Woo asked.

"Yes."

"Let’s get to drinking already!"

"Be patient. Let’s get a word from the stars of this party."

Kang-Woo smiled as he glanced at Balrog and Yurie sitting as if they were stuck to each other. All eyes fell on the couple.

"A-Ahem," Balrog coughed, not accustomed to being the center of attention, and raised his glass. "Well… I am sure you have already been given the details about her." He gently pulled Yurie close to him by her shoulder and remarked, "This is my woman."

"Damn, how manly."

"Jesus, your choice of words…" Kang-Woo squirmed, cringing at how Balrog introduced Yurie.

"Hah. In the few days I haven’t seen you… Did you threaten Miss Kurosaki or something?" asked Si-Hun as he glared at Balrog nonsensically.

He couldn’t believe Balrog had gotten a girlfriend out of nowhere, even more so because the woman in question was Kurosaki Yurie, the world-famous celestial maiden.

’She looks completely different, though.’

Si-Hun heard about her circumstances from Layla but was still having trouble believing such an elegant and gentle woman accepted Balrog’s confession of love.

’He threatened her somehow, no doubt.’

Si-Hun stared at Balrog suspiciously.

"I was not threatened in the slightest. I decided of my own accord to accept Balrog as my beloved." Yurie smiled as she caressed Balrog’s arm covered in muscles.

"B-Beloved?"

There was no way of addressing more unbefitting Balrog than that. It looked extremely unnatural how a Western beauty with golden hair and mystical purple eyes was clinging to the red giant Balrog as she called him her beloved.

"What exactly about Balrog… did you fall in love with?" asked Yeon-Joo as she chuckled due to the absurdity.

Yurie answered without hesitation, "These toned and dependable muscles."

She gently caressed Balrog’s chest.

"..."

Silence fell among the women. It would have made sense if the muscles were modestly toned, but Balrog was so abnormally muscular that it would even make a gym rat shit his pants. At that point, the muscles were more disgusting than charming.

"Well, regardless. Let’s congratulate them." Kang-Woo raised his glass. "Congratulations, man. I thought you’d die forever alone but look at you now, leaving the nest."

"What do you mean by leaving? The most important individual in my life is still you, my king."

"Please fuck off."

"Kehehehehe!"

The others raised their glass one after another.

"Right! To their cherished, healthy, Tigrex, unmoving love! Adamantium!!"

"What the fuck was that in the middle?"

"I couldn’t think of anything else."

"Dumbass."

"ADAMANTIUUUUUUM!!"

"What the… Argh, fuck it. ADAMANTIUUUUUUUM!!!"

Clink!

The sound of glasses hitting echoed.

"And now! To Yeon-Joo, the last remaining "Ada"mantium[1]!"

"Motherfucker!!"

"Kurgh!"

Bash!

Red hair fluttered in the air. Kang-Woo flew into the air after getting kicked and tumbled across the ground. He deserved it.

"Cough! Cough! A-Ahem. Jeez, it was just a joke…"

"Hohoho. Here you go, my king."

Lilith smiled and handed Kang-Woo the glass of alcohol she somehow grabbed in the air without it spilling. Echidna sat next to Kang-Woo and pulled on his clothes.

"Kang-Woo. I haven’t mated either. I wanna be Adamantium too!" said Echidna as she snorted, likely mistaking it for some honorable title.

"It’s too early for you, Echidna."

"Urgh…"

Kang-Woo patted the dejected Echidna’s head and raised his glass again in the boisterous atmosphere. He brought the glass to his lips, full of anticipation.

’Leaving aside everyone else, I wonder if I can get drunk?’

Kang-Woo was not just any individual with Deific Essence; he was the Demonic Sea itself, every cell in his body made of the Demonic Sea. Not even he knew whether or not the nectar could intoxicate him.

’Well, I guess I’ll find out.’

He stopped thinking and took a sip of the nectar.

Gulp, gulp.

"...!"

"Huh?!"

Kang-Woo and Yeon-Joo’s eyes widened and they stared at each other.

"This is fucking delicious!!"

"Wow, the fuck? They were hogging something like this all for themselves?"

It wasn’t as sweet as one might expect from its scent. Rather, it had just the right amount of bitterness and fizziness. It looked like wine but tasted more like beer. Most of all, regular alcohol couldn’t compare to how it spread throughout the body as if it were smearing into their souls.

"DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYUM!!!"

"Hey! Male prostitute! Pour me another glass!"

"M-Male prostitute?"

"Chop chop!"

"Ngh…"

Yeon-Joo and Kang-Woo’s moods skyrocketed. Si-Hun, sitting next to the oak barrel, had become the server before he knew it.

"Ah… this is delicious, Kang-Woo."

"My, so this is what alcohol tastes like."

Seol-Ah and Lilith were also wide-eyed as they sipped the nectar.

"That’s enough serving. You have some too, Si-Hun," said Layla as she smiled and handed him a glass.

She was smiling but her eyes were like a beast eyeing its prey.

"Oh, thank you very much, Layla."

Si-Hun also sipped the nectar, not noticing her gaze.

Bang!

"Kaaaaaahh! This is fantastic stuff!" shouted Balrog as he laughed heartily, smashing down his giant glass.

"You have some alcohol left on your lips, my beloved."

Yurie wiped Balrog’s lips with a handkerchief.

"Hm? Oh, thank you."

Balrog smiled as he pulled Yurie toward him with his arm around her waist.

"Hah, would you look at that?"

"I guess it’s true that late bloomers aren’t to be trifled with."

Kang-Woo and Yeon-Joo commentated from the sidelines.

"That aside, how do you feel? Are you feeling it yet?" Kang-Wo asked.

"Not sure… I do feel a little tipsy but not that much."

Yeon-Joo tilted her head and chugged another pint of nectar. Kang-Woo followed suit.

’I think I’m getting a little drunk.’

He had yet to see a noticeable change but he felt slightly tipsy. It seemed to be the truth that beings with Deific Essence could get drunk with nectar.

’In that case…’

Kang-Woo’s eyes shone.

"Once, more, ADAMANTIUUUUUUUUM!!"

The rowdy alcohol party continued.

***

"Hyung-nim! No, hyung!!" A flushed Si-Hun slammed down his pint glass and grabbed Kang-Woo’s hand. "Do you know?! How much I love you, hyung?!"

"Yeah, I think I do. More importantly, you good?"

"Am I gooooooooood? I’m completely fine!"

"You don’t look fine at all."

Si-Hun, drunk out of his mind, staggered as he giggled.

"I’m gonna get even stronger! Stronger and stronger!" Si-Hun gripped Kang-Woo’s hand harder and bit his lip. "And… never again… will I leave you to fight on your own…"

Si-Hun passed out, his head slamming on the table.

"Hah, you little…" Kang-Woo chuckled and patted Si-Hun’s shoulder. "Layla, you should take this guy home—"

"YAHOOOOOOOOOOOO! What do you think about this kind of roleplay, Seol-Ah?!"

"Gasp! I-I never imagined something like this existed!"

’What the fuck is that woman doing?’

"I guess not. Hey, Balrog. Take this guy—"

"GRAAAAAAHHH! MY KIIIIIIIIIIIING!!"

"Kurgh!"

"I OFFER YOU MY LOYALTY! MY SOUL! MY EVERYTHING TO YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU!!"

"Y-You’re crushing me… S-Stop…"

Kang-Woo flapped his legs with a pale expression, getting crushed by Balrog’s bulging muscles.

Squelch.

Just then, purple tentacles wrapped around Balrog and Kang-Woo.

"Hohoho. He’s gotten a bit too drunk. I will take my beloved home."

"GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHH!! Don’t wrap me with him! Release me!!!" Kang-Woo screamed as he struggled to get out of Balrog’s grasp. "Huff, huff."

The room had become a mess. Empty pint glasses were rolling across the floor and chaos ensued as everyone was drunk. An hour had to pass until the chaos that seemed to last forever died down.

"Everyone’s… passed out."

Kang-Woo chuckled as he stared at everyone sprawled out all over the place. He felt like he was the last one alive in a warzone.

’I guess I can’t get completely drunk.’

Likely because of the Demonic Sea, he didn’t get drunk out of his mind like everyone else despite drinking just as much if not more. He was only drunk to the point that he could feel good from its effects.

’I guess it’s better than nothing.’

It had been a while since Kang-Woo felt drunk.

"Right, then."

Kang-Woo, the only survivor in the mess of a house, was about to shove Layla and Si-Hun into an unused room.

"Oh, I’m okay," Layla suddenly remarked.

"Eh? What? You weren’t drunk?"

"Yes. I’m quite a heavy drinker," she answered as she stood up and lifted Si-Hun.

"Wait just a goddamn second. You were teaching Seol-Ah weird shit because you were drunk."

"Fufu. That’s just because I wanted to."

"You bitch."

"Well then, I’ll be on my way with my puppy~"

Layla left with a lecherous smile and Si-Hun in her arms. Kang-Woo simply stared at her from behind in exasperation.

’She used to be so innocent back when she was in her wheelchair…’

No one could have known this was her true self.

"Now, then."

Since Yurie had taken Balrog with her, only Yeon-Joo, Lilith, Echidna, and Seol-Ah remained. It just so happened the only ones left were his lovers, although one was yet to be decided.

"First, Lilith…"

Kang-Woo lifted Lilith and carried her to a room. He laid her on the bed and put a blanket over her.

"Sweet dreams."

He kissed her forehead and turned to leave.

Click.

"Huh?"

The door suddenly locked.

"Where do you think you’re going?" someone whispered in his ear seductively.

Kang-Woo slowly turned around to see Lilith, perched on the bed with one leg over the other, her clothes slightly disheveled.

He approached her and asked, "Why did you get up? You should get some rest."

He did not get an answer. He tilted his head in wonder and called, "Lilith…?"

Lilith narrowed her eyes.

Swoosh!

Her hair wrapped around Kang-Woo and pushed him to the ground.

"Urgh!"

Kang-Woo wrapped in black hair and pushed to the ground, looked up at Lilith in confusion. Lilith brought her foot, covered in tights, close to Kang-Woo’s face and smiled lecherously.

"Who said you could call me Lilith?" She caressed Kang-Woo’s chin with the tips of her feet and giggled. "That’s my queen to you."

1. Ada (아다) means virgin in Korean. ☜