NOVEL NEXT Chapter 71: Witch Of Envy
A few minutes ago—while Kang Woo slumbered inside Makima—he found something close to serenity. The constant battles, the endless destruction, the weight of his title as the Demon King… all of it faded into silence. It was a rare moment of peace, one where he attempted to restore the emotions he had lost recently .
Yet, despite his efforts, nothing changed.
The emptiness remained.
Still, the peace was enough.
Until the dream shifted.
Suddenly, he found himself standing in an unfamiliar space. A vast, colorless void stretched endlessly around him. The serenity that had briefly embraced him was gone, replaced by a strange scene unfolding before his eyes.
A boy stood before him—Denji, the Chainsaw Man. His form was fully transformed, chainsaws protruding from his limbs, his mechanical, snarling head tilted slightly as if ready to strike.
Next to him was Starlight, the chosen hero of this world, her radiant golden light flickering in the eerie void. Her expression was grim, determined.
And finally—
Makima.
Tears streamed down her face, yet her grip on the weapon she held remained firm. A gleaming blade, trembling in her hands, was plunged straight through Kang Woo's chest.
All of them, together, had driven their weapons into him, as if signaling the "defeat" of the Demon King.
Kang Woo stared at them, at the absurdity of it all.
Then—
He erased it.
With a mere thought, his Space Between Time ability surged, distorting the false reality into nothingness.
How foolish.
Even in his dreams, these illusions tried to defy him.
Yet, a flicker of memory surfaced—
A scene, not from a dream, but from Hell itself.
Astaroth, the once-mighty demon, lay defeated before him. The air was thick with the scent of sulfur and the remnants of battle. His body, broken and dying, twitched as he gasped his final words.
"Hey, Kang Woo…"
Astaroth coughed, blood dripping from his lips.
"Or should I say, Anos Voldigoad? A Demon Prince… in his own castle…"
His eyes dimmed, the last traces of life slipping away.
"Dies."
A small, weak laugh escaped him.
"Think anybody will notice?"
And with that, he was gone.
———
Kang Woo's eyes snapped open.
The dream faded, replaced by the cool night air of Fujimono Café's streets.
He stood there, fully awake, his form now changed.
His body was different—his frame more defined, his presence more overwhelming. His usual coat was gone, leaving his upper body exposed, revealing a physique carved from sheer power. In his right hand, a dark sword gleamed under the moonlight, its surface absorbing rather than reflecting light.
Beneath him, water pooled, rippling outward.
And within that reflection—
A single red eye, filled with pulsating roots, stared back.
A silhouette loomed behind him, a towering representation of his power. His Sin Demonic Trigger Form.
Two pairs of wings unfurled from his back, casting elongated shadows over the street. The horns atop his head had grown longer, pulsing with incandescent orange light. His entire form was wrapped in demonic flames, flickering wildly. His body seemed forged from a fusion of black demonic stone and metal, his exposed "skin" covered in a dense layer of square-shaped scales.
Then—
Kang Woo opened his eyes.
This time, his Magic Eyes of Destruction were unmistakable.
But there was something new.
His usual three pupils had changed. Now—
He had four.
"Ahhh…" He exhaled, stretching his neck slightly. His voice was relaxed, yet carried an eerie undertone. "A sudden awakening is nice."
His lips curled into something wicked.
"Such a wonderful dream."
His gaze, now half-lidded and unreadable, carried a sinister glint.
"Particularly…" He chuckled, tilting his head slightly.
"Nightmares are the most enjoyable."
———
From the entrance of the restaurant, Quanxi observed in silence.
Her sharp eyes darted to Kang Woo's pupils.
She whispered to Kishibe, keeping her voice low.
"Didn't you say Kang Woo had three pupils?"
Kishibe, for once, had nothing to say.
He simply stood there, staring.
Meanwhile, Aki and Himeno remained frozen.
A single thought ran through their minds—
The only ability we know of is the Almighty… but if he has this…
Their eyes flickered to the pool of water beneath Kang Woo, watching his distorted reflection.
Even with the mana he granted us… even with everything we have…
It's impossible. Our world, no matter how much we try, can never defeat him.
The realization settled over them like a crushing weight.
Makima, standing closest to him, felt something stir within her. Something dangerously close to concern. She stepped forward, her gaze locked onto his.
"Have you had a nice sleep, my king?" she asked, her voice softer than usual.
Kang Woo tilted his head slightly, his crimson pupils flickering with something unreadable.
"A bit of a nightmare," he murmured. Then, with a smirk, he added—
"Nothing to be concerned about."
His gaze swept across the streets, the Almighty activating instinctively. The world unfolded before him, every timeline splintering into endless possibilities.
As expected, victory was inevitable. No ambush, no plan, no force in this world could overpower him. He saw it all—every move, every outcome, every desperate attempt.
And yet— A blank spot. A gap in the timeline.
Kang Woo's smirk didn't fade, but his thoughts sharpened.
Someone's interfering.
Before he could pinpoint the disturbance, a figure stumbled into view—a ragged, blood-soaked wreck of a man. His tattered clothes clung to his body, barely concealing the grotesque mix of bruises and smeared makeup caked over his face.
Barem Bridge.
Kang Woo's eyes narrowed slightly as Barem collapsed onto the pavement, his breath ragged, his hands trembling.
And then—
A hundred angry civilians emerged , faces twisted in fury, voices rising into a maddened roar.
"Help me!" Barem's voice cracked, raw with desperation. "The Control Devil is controlling me! She—she did this to me! She made me like this!"
Aki stepped forward, jaw clenched. His grip on his sword tightened.
"That's a lie," he said coldly. "Ms. Makima wouldn't do something like that. She's a devil, sure, but this—" His voice wavered for a fraction of a second before steadying. "This isn't her doing."
Himeno, however, wasn't focused on Barem. Her heart pounded as she glanced at Kang Woo, her gut twisting with an ominous realization.
It's not the mobs. It's not even Barem. Kang Woo just woke up, and right now… he's like a walking nightmare. Kang Woo is going to kill them.
Kishibe exhaled, flicking his cigarette away. His expression was unreadable, but his stance had shifted—slightly lower, slightly more prepared.
"Alright, alright," he muttered, voice gravelly. "Let's all calm down and take a deep breath."
His gaze darkened as it settled on Barem.
"And you—" A shadow flickered over his face.
"This ain't the time for your JOKESSSSS!"
But Barem wasn't done.
He ripped a gun from his pocket, waving it wildly, his breath coming in short, frantic bursts.
"Help me! Please! I don't want to die! She's taking over my body!"
Makima's Yellow -ringed eyes gleamed coldly. Chains erupted from the ground, twisting toward Barem and the civilians, poised to subdue them all.
Makima's fingers twitched, and in an instant, her chains shot forward, aiming to subdue the mob before they could escalate further.
But then— A voice. Smooth. Cold. Absolute.
"Very poor choice," Kang Woo murmured.
THUMP.
A heartbeat echoed through the air.
The world shuddered.
Then—
Silence.
The civilians were gone.
No sound.
No bodies.
No blood.
Just—
Gone.
The street stood empty.
A suffocating stillness settled over them, pressing against their lungs like an unseen force.
Kobeni's breath hitched. Her hands trembled.
"K-Kang Woo…" she whispered. "Where did they—"
BOOM.
A red cross burst into the sky, exploding like a dying star.
And then—
The rain fell.
Thick. Crimson. Dripping from the sky like the blood of something greater than any of them could comprehend.
The streets were drenched in red.
Kang Woo stood motionless. Unmoving. Silent. Watching.
Barem Bridge, still panting, took a staggering step back. His eyes darted from the sky—where the crimson rain continued to fall—back to the empty streets where the civilians had once been.
"You… you killed them." His voice was laced with a mixture of rage and disbelief. "You filthy Korean—you killed those civilians!"
Kang Woo turned his gaze toward Barem. Slowly, he stepped forward, his presence alone making the air feel suffocating.
"Authority of Hellfire," he murmured.
A surge of black and purple flames erupted from the ground, engulfing Barem instantly.
"ARGGHHHHHH—!!"
Barem screamed as the hellfire consumed him. The flames tore through his body, burning him from the inside out. His skin melted, his bones cracked—his voice turned hoarse before finally fading into nothing.
He was dead.
Then—
THUMP.
The sound of a heartbeat.
The flames vanished.
And there, standing perfectly intact, was Barem Bridge.
"Huh…?" Barem gasped, touching his face, his arms—his body was fine. No burns. No pain. "I'm fine?" he muttered in confusion.
Kang Woo snapped his fingers.
Barem exploded into pieces.
A grotesque spray of red splattered across the pavement. Limbs, flesh, and organs scattered in a gruesome mess. The air was thick with the scent of blood.
Then—
THUMP.
Another heartbeat.
And just like that, Barem was whole again.
Aki's breath hitched as he leaned toward Makima, whispering urgently, "Ms. Makima… did Kang Woo just use the Almighty to bring Barem back? Again? Like… multiple times?"
Makima remained silent, her gaze locked onto Kang Woo.
This… she thought, a rare shiver running down her spine. This is the truly terrifying use of the Almighty.
Kang Woo can kill someone as many times as he wants… and bring them back just as easily. Over and over again.
Barem stood there, his body trembling, his lips pressed together in a tight line. He didn't speak. He didn't dare.
His eyes, once filled with mockery, were now completely empty—void of any confidence, of any defiance.
Kang Woo tilted his head, his crimson pupils gleaming as he watched the silence take hold.
" At the moment of time ," he murmured, his voice smooth, pleased.
"That's a good choice."
"Now," Kang Woo spoke again, his tone calm but carrying an undeniable weight, "who ordered this clownery?"
Barem swallowed, his throat clicking audibly. He forced a shaky grin. "I—I'm just jok—"
Kang Woo raised his hand. His fingers twitched.
Barem's face lost all color. He knew exactly what was coming.
The snap.
He had already felt it before. Dying. Being reborn. Dying again. Over and over. A nightmare with no end.
"Wait!" Barem's hand shot to his pocket, pulling out a phone with trembling fingers. He pressed it against his ear, his voice frantic as he spoke into the receiver.
"Bring the Prime Minister." His breath came in uneven gasps. "And everyone involved. Right now."
Kang Woo lowered his hand. He slipped it casually into his pocket, his expression unreadable.
Then—
A portal opened beside him.
Large. Too large. A swirling mass of deep blue energy expanded outward, twisting the space around it.
Kang Woo's eyes narrowed slightly. This isn't my doing.
His Almighty scanned the future Again —yet a portion of it was blocked. A gap. Something—or someone—was interfering.
Interesting.
Makima approached, her presence calm but deliberate. She stepped beside Kang Woo, close enough that she could hear the faintest shift in his breathing.
"Have you calmed down, my king?" she asked, her voice smooth, carrying an air of familiarity.
Kang Woo didn't answer right away.
His four crimson pupils flickered as they swept over the scene—the swirling blue portal, the unnatural distortion in the air, and the trembling, battered figure of Barem Bridge kneeling before him.
Then, slowly, without a word, he gave a silent nod.
Barem's breathing was ragged. Blood dripped from his lips as his fingers dug into the pavement. Then, with a glare full of pure hatred, he lifted his head and spat:
"You destroyed the promise of peace you made makima ."
His voice was hoarse, but venomous.
"When you abandoned your post as the Prime Minister's lapdog, you broke the one thing keeping Japan stable. And now look at it—look at what you've done." His eyes darkened, voice shaking with fury.
"You abandoned Japan, and now it's a fucking wasteland."
His body trembled, his bloodshot eyes locked onto Makima with undisguised loathing.
"Fuck you, Makima."
A sharp wind passed through the empty streets.
Makima's expression didn't change.
Her yellow-ringed eyes were as unreadable as ever.
Not a flicker of anger. Not a trace of guilt.
She simply stood there—calm, unwavering.
"I didn't break it," she said, her voice as smooth as ever.
"Kentaro left me for dead in Aokigahara." Her yellow-ringed eyes gleamed under the flickering streetlights. "Him. And Vought."
She stepped forward.
"And, like I've always said…" Her voice softened, but only slightly.
"I've already gained what I've always wanted."
Her fingers twitched at her side, as if recalling something—someone.
"Kang Woo gave it to me."
"No fear. No hesitation. Just a warm embrace that healed my heart."
The words hung in the air. Barem froze. But then—
Makima's expression shifted. A cold, sharp glint flickered through her yellow-ringed eyes.
"But it was you who betrayed me, Barem," she said. "You. And your Prime Minister."
Her lips curled, just slightly. "And you conveniently forgot something."
Barem's breathing grew unsteady.
Makima's gaze bore into him, unrelenting.
"The Prime Minister himself issued a national order," she continued, her voice carrying the weight of undeniable truth.
"No one in this country is allowed to harm me or Kang Woo."
Her voice softened into something dangerously quiet.
"But I'm surprised." She tilted her head, a hint of mockery in her voice.
"It's Kentaro. Again." The amusement in her tone was sharp.
"The same Prime Minister dragging Japan into yet another crisis."
Barem's entire body slumped.
His once-tense shoulders sagged in complete and utter defeat.
He sat there, on the cold pavement—helpless.
For a long moment, there was nothing but silence.
Then—
A familiar, deep voice broke through.
Kishibe took a long drag of his cigarette, exhaling the smoke slowly as he watched Kang Woo carefully. his tone was calm. Unwavering.
"Kang Woo," he said, flicking the ash off his cigarette. His eyes didn't leave him.
"Are you gonna kill the Prime Minister now?"
Kang Woo said nothing. His gaze flickered between the swirling blue portal beside him and the growing tension in the air. The weight of his presence had been suffocating, an unseen force that made the atmosphere thick, the air itself heavy. But then—
It vanished.
With nothing but a thought, he deactivated the Almighty.
The oppressive force that had locked the world in place disappeared as if it had never been there at all. His mana and demonic energy, which had seeped into the air like an abyss with no end, withdrew completely. The suffocating aura, the overwhelming dominance—gone.
His eyes returned to normal.
Crimson. Deep. Unfathomable.
Makima's yellow-ringed eyes sharpened, her mind immediately analyzing the shift.
He's suppressing his power, she thought. Why?
For the first time since his awakening, Kang Woo wasn't just observing—he was calculating. His gaze kept shifting, sweeping across the area, lingering between the portal beside him and the forces assembling in front of him. Something had changed.
Makima spoke first. "He won't kill the Prime Minister."
Kishibe took a slow drag of his cigarette, exhaling smoke through his nose. "That so?"
Makima didn't take her eyes off Kang Woo. Every movement, every subtle shift in his stance told her something. "If he kills Kentaro now, the country will plunge further into chaos," she said evenly. "And Kang Woo doesn't waste time on meaningless destruction."
Then, with the faintest smirk, she glanced toward Kishibe. "Would you like me to do it instead?"
Kishibe exhaled again, the cigarette resting between his fingers. "The next Prime Minister would be a pain to replace," he admitted. "At least for now, the current figureheads are easier to negotiate with."
Makima chuckled softly.
Then—rumbling.
The deep grind of armored vehicles against the pavement. The synchronized stomp of marching soldiers. The low hum of aircraft circling overhead.
The convoy had arrived. Kentaro was here. And he hadn't come alone.
A full JSDF force had been deployed. Tanks rolled into position, their steel hulls glinting under the city lights. Helicopters hovered above like predatory birds, their blades slicing through the night. Fighter jets streaked across the sky, their engines roaring—a declaration of power.
But even with all that firepower, there was no confidence in the men stepping out of the convoy.
Kentaro emerged first, his face pale, his hands clasped too tightly together. Behind him, a procession of high-ranking officials followed, their expressions varying from stiff apprehension to outright terror. Among them sat a frail man in a wheelchair—Tadashi Hasegawa, the former Minister of Finance. His skin was sallow, his eyes sunken with exhaustion.
It didn't matter how many soldiers stood behind them.
These men had already suffered under Kang Woo before.
They had been dragged to the brink of death—broken, tormented, reshaped into something lesser. Not allowed to die. Not allowed to escape. They had been spared, but what they had endured was not something that could ever be forgotten.
And now, they stood before the being who had inflicted that suffering.
Himeno swallowed, her voice hushed as she turned to Aki. "Are we looking at an all-out war?"
Aki's gaze remained fixed ahead. "Doesn't matter."
Himeno frowned. "What?"
Aki exhaled, his jaw tightening slightly. "Kang Woo will win."
Himeno blinked. "You're that sure?"
"It's not about confidence, Himeno-senpai." His voice was steady, yet there was a weight behind it. "The Almighty is an instant-win button for him. Nothing they do matters."
Himeno didn't argue.
Because she already knew he was right.
Kang Woo's eyes darkened, locking onto Kentaro.
The air shifted. Not because he was releasing his power—no, he was still keeping it in check. But the sheer weight of his presence alone caused the atmosphere to shift, like reality itself was reacting to him.
Then, without a word, he raised his hand.
A blade formed in his grasp. The Chaos Excalibur.
A single-edged katana-like blade with a half circle on top of the handle with four wings , shifting like liquid but impossibly solid. The very space around it seemed to twist, refusing to fully acknowledge its existence. The Chaos blade distorted the air itself, a weapon that defied the natural order.
Kang Woo adjusted his grip. Then—he moved. The ground beneath him cracked. No—shattered.
In less than a blink, he was no longer standing still. A mere flicker of motion, and suddenly, he was upon Kentaro—his blade poised, the force behind it enough to sever him from existence.
Kentaro's eyes widened in sheer terror.
"W-WAIT! WAIT—!"
His voice cracked, hands flying up in a feeble attempt at defense.
"This escort is just for my safety!" he stammered, his words spilling out in desperate panic. "If you have any complaints, Emperor Kang Woo, I will hear them!"
At the last possible moment—
A hand touched Kang Woo's wrist. Not forceful. Not stopping him. Just… there.
Makima. She stood beside him, her yellow-ringed eyes unwavering as they met his.
"Let's hear this old fool out first, Kang Woo," she said.
Kang Woo's blade lingered in the air for a moment longer, its jagged edge still humming with an eerie pulse. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, he lowered it. His crimson gaze flickered, his expression unreadable.
"Who's threatening you this time?" he asked, his voice as calm as ever.
Kishibe took a slow drag from his cigarette, exhaling before turning his gaze to Kentaro. "Vought again, huh? Do you really wanna get replaced so badly now?"
Makima shook her head slightly, her yellow-ringed eyes narrowing. "It's not Vought. They're too busy repairing New York after what Kang Woo and I did," she said, a hint of amusement in her tone. "Judgment Day—future war. That city barely held together."
Quanxi crossed her arms, glancing at the gathered officials with mild interest. "What's happening here? Did the Prime Minister just get summoned like a dog?"
Himeno smirked, but there was an edge of amusement in her voice. "You should've seen when Kang Woo tortured the higher-ups. They were getting crunched by some eldritch tentacle abomination from the sky, stuck in a constant state between death and life."
Quanxi raised a brow. "That's… bad."
Kentaro, still visibly shaken, took a deep breath before speaking. "I was told to agitate you. Or at the very least, create a situation where you would be killed… which I knew was impossible. Even now, I still don't understand what you are—why you're so important." He cast a glance at Barem Bridge before continuing. "However, whatever Barem did here wasn't part of my plan. We intended to discuss matters with you directly, Emperor Kang Woo, in the hopes of reaching a favorable outcome… at least for us."
Kishibe narrowed his eyes, his suspicion deepening. "'Barem wasn't part of my plan?'" he echoed. "That sounds like something I should've been informed about. I got promoted to be the next commander of Public Safety Devil Hunters after Makima resigned—highest command over the organization. Are you snitching on me, Kentaro?"
Kentaro stiffened, his mind racing. Shit… I didn't choose my words carefully.
Makima, ever perceptive, tilted her head slightly. "There's another commander," she added, her tone light but carrying an undeniable weight. "That's the only logical reason why Barem was able to gather and control a hundred rioters. The only way he could manipulate a situation that forced Kang Woo's hand, leading to the red rain in the sky."
Kishibe clicked his tongue, rubbing his temple. "I should've paid more attention to my damn salary," he muttered. "I had a feeling it was still too small… and I was right. Looks like I really need to review your former salary as commander, Makima, so I don't get caught in shit like this again."
Makima chuckled. "That's not how you find out when your rank's been split, Kishibe."
Kang Woo casually lifted his finger, pointing toward a cluster of JSDF soldiers. His voice was almost lazy. "Is that the one causing this ruckus?"
One of the JSDF soldiers flinched before barking out in disbelief, "Me?! Are you crazy?"
Before anyone could process what was happening,
Makima's expression shifted. A realization struck her, and her yellow-ringed eyes sharpened. "Move," she ordered, her tone absolute. "Clear that space where Kang Woo is pointing. Now."
There was hesitation—but only for a second. The soldiers nearest to the spot instinctively took a step back. Tanks adjusted their positions, their cannons slowly turning. Helicopters hovering above tilted their angles, preparing for whatever unseen threat lay ahead.
Then—it happened.
A shadow emerged.
Unlike Kang Woo's darkness, which carried an overwhelming presence of authority and control, this one was different. It melted the concrete beneath it, swallowing the very street into an Molten paste
Kang Woo let out an amused hum. "If you were just fifteen seconds late," he murmured, "you might have ended up as part of that concrete."
The soldier Kang Woo had pointed at swallowed hard, sweat forming on his brow. "Thank you, sir," he mumbled, backing away as fast as possible.
The shadow shifted, tendrils of blackness twisting and folding in on themselves, reshaping into something tangible. A figure emerged, her form no longer obscured.
She wore dark-purple thigh-high socks lined with golden frills, paired with a matching one-piece mini-dress adorned with golden flower decorations. A long, dark veil draped over part of her face, concealing her features in an eerie half-mask. Dangling from her left ear was an ornate earring, and nestled in her hair was an orange and black eight-pointed star hairpiece. ( img here )
Kang Woo's eyes narrowed.
His mind instantly recalled something—his system quest.
The reward.
The location of Satella, the Witch of Envy.
But instead of a location…
Kang Woo's lips twitched. She's here. She breached this world herself.
It made sense. Gaia—the administrator of this world—was heavily damaged. All because of him.
Before anyone could react further, a voice shattered the moment.
"Attack that shadow abomination! Now!" Tadashi Hasegawa, still bound to his wheelchair, shouted the command, his voice desperate, frantic.
Kentaro's head snapped toward him in fury. "Fucking wheelchair! We're still caught in the blast radius!"
But it was too late.
Fear ruled over reason. The soldiers obeyed instinct rather than strategy. The sky thundered with motion.
Helicopters unleashed a storm of missiles.
Tanks fired their shells, sending a barrage of destruction toward the woman cloaked in shadows.
And yet—
Satella moved. Or rather, she didn't have to.
The moment the barrage reached her, a single movement from her shadow tendrils was all it took.
Each missile, every shell, every bullet—all caught effortlessly in the grasp of her Shadow .
Then, as if dismissing them like worthless toys—they vanished.
She turned her head. Her veil fluttered slightly as she gazed at Kang Woo. A heartbeat passed.
Then, she spoke.
"I love you."
The battlefield fell silent.
Kang Woo only smirked, watching her in silence.
But Satella didn't stop.
"I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you."
Her voice, soft yet unnerving, repeated those words over and over, each declaration carrying an unsettling level of devotion.
Then—her tone changed, breathless with emotion.
"I love you. You gave me light."
Kang Woo's expression shifted. The amusement in his smirk faded into something else—something cold, detached.
A wave of demonic energy pulsed from his body, rolling through the air like a shockwave. The sheer force of it distorted the space around him, sending cracks spiraling through the ground.
Above, the sky darkened unnaturally.
A single crimson eye manifested in the heavens, glaring down upon the world.
Beneath it, an enormous transparent tree stretched across the sky—The Imagery Tree, a construct of absolute authority. Its ghostly branches expanded infinitely, reaching toward every corner of reality itself. ( img here )
Kang Woo lifted his gaze, his crimson pupils gleaming with something sharp.
"I think you're following the wrong light…" His voice was smooth, yet laced with something dangerously final.
Then, his smirk returned—mocking, cruel.
"In the wrong world."
His eyes locked onto her, his presence growing heavier.
"Third-rate witch."