Player 10,000 Year Later (Chainsaw Man / The Boys) Multiverse later

Suddenly, a knock echoed on the dark cocoon. It was Aki, his tone flat but laced with exasperation. "Have you two finished your intimate moments?"

Kang Woo sighed dramatically, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Shame. We were just about to continue our lovey-dovey moments."

Makima chuckled lightly, her voice carrying a playful tone. "Kuhuhuhu."

The cocoon began to disperse as Makima shifted the conversation. "What about the psionics reward? The true reward—is it worth it?"

Kang Woo didn't answer. He simply smiled, the silence heavy with mystery. As the cocoon dissolved completely,

Makima thought to herself, No more information... it's a surprise, huh?

The group turned their attention to Himeno, who was still visibly shaken by the Watcher's earlier words. Her usual spirited demeanor had dimmed, and her reflection in the moment was almost heartbreaking. The Watcher, observing from his hologram, seemed to hesitate, guilt flickering across his expression as if he wanted to speak.

But Kang Woo raised his hand slightly, signaling the Watcher to remain silent. He turned his attention to Himeno, letting her gather her thoughts.

Himeno's voice trembled slightly as she spoke, her words carrying the weight of self-doubt. "Kang Woo... how threatening is Stephen Strange, really? And... am I still just Himeno the drunkard? Even though I have Lucky Drunkard, which can generate and manipulate water with alcohol properties, it feels... useless. Just a formality, right?" Her voice cracked as she acknowledged how she had misread the situation, a rare moment of vulnerability shining through her usual bravado.

Aki stepped forward, wrapping his arms around her in a comforting embrace. "You're more than that, Himeno-senpai," he said softly, his tone gentle but firm.

Kang Woo's voice broke the silence, his tone steady yet filled with a subtle challenge. "How much have you played RPGs in your life, Himeno?"

Himeno blinked, surprised by the sudden question. "My whole life," she admitted, her voice quieter now. "To escape from cruel reality—the tragedies I've faced, losing my comrades over and over while working for Public Safety. But... even in RPGs, water magic is useless, right? Always at the bottom tier..."

Kang Woo interrupted her mid-thought, his smirk returning. "Let's play a game," he suggested, his tone light yet commanding. "One more time. Only this time, I'm the one setting the rules—not Aki trying to punch me for fun."

Himeno tilted her head, a flicker of curiosity sparking in her eyes despite her sadness. "What's the game?"

Kang Woo's grin widened. "If you manage to land a scratch on me—just one—I'll show you something special. Something no one else has seen before. And it just so happens to involve water attributes."

For the first time since the Watcher's words, a smile crept back onto Himeno's face, tentative but growing genuine. "Alright, let's see—"

Before she could finish her sentence, a massive Heilig Pfeil shot past her, landing with a thunderous impact. Startled, she turned to see Kang Woo standing confidently, already prepared with a fully charged Sankt Bogen, its 32 glowing arrows shimmering ominously.

In her thoughts, Himeno could only mutter, A final boss doesn't wait for the player to return, huh?

Without a word, she broke into a sprint, dodging the arrows as they shot toward her with blinding speed. The ground around her erupted with every impact, leaving her breathless as she narrowly evaded them. Despite her efforts, her body finally gave out, and she fell, panting heavily, unable to keep up with the relentless assault. The glowing bow in Kang Woo's hands still held 16 remaining arrows, glowing brighter with each passing second.

Himeno crouched in silence, her mind racing. A giant whale attack in an RPG... something like that could be amazing, she thought, closing her eyes and focusing on the thought. She concentrated deeply, pulling on every ounce of her willpower and imagination as the remaining arrows whistled toward her.

Suddenly, with a surge of power, a massive water whale emerged beneath her, its shimmering form blocking the incoming arrows with a tremendous splash. The whale propelled her into the air, lifting her high above the battlefield as she stood atop it, riding its back with wide, exhilarated eyes.

"Wowwwwww!" Himeno shouted, her voice filled with pure excitement and joy as the colossal water creature carried her forward, crashing directly into Kang Woo.

As the whale slammed into him, the force sent waves of water spraying across the area. However, Kang Woo remained completely unharmed, standing firm and smirking with amusement as the water receded. Himeno leaped from the whale's back, landing gracefully and sticking Aki's katana toward Kang Woo's neck.

"How do I start become the best magic user, like you?" Himeno asked, her voice a mix of determination and hope.

Kang Woo chuckled softly, his eyes glinting with pride. "Looks like you already have ."

He stepped back, lowering the katana gently with a single finger. "You won," he admitted, his tone light. "But you still need more techniques and sub-abilities to round it all out."

Himeno's face lit up with an excited grin, her earlier self-doubt washed away by the thrill of her newfound ability. Meanwhile, Aki watched the scene unfold, murmuring quietly to himself, "While I respect Makima... maybe Himeno's teacher—ironically—was always going to be Kang Woo, the man she keeps calling a narcissistic jerk."

Suddenly, a hologram appeared before Himeno, glowing softly.

.............

The Demon King Quest: Prove Your Worth

Status: Completed

Objective: Damage the Demon King—even a scratch counts as damage. Isn't every quest of the player to defeat the Demon King in the end?

Reward:

Trait: Mana Core (Increases mana capacity and allows the use of magic even when there is no mana in the atmosphere)

Advanced Water Manipulation

Salon Solitaire (Furina Version)

Defeat Condition: Do you really need to read this? You already won.

................

Himeno stared at the hologram, her mouth slightly agape. She turned her gaze to Kang Woo, confusion and realization flickering in her eyes. "There's no one else who could have set this up... except the Watcher. But this time, it's definitely your doing, Kang Woo."

Kang Woo smirked, his hands casually tucked into his pockets. "Why are you looking at me like that? I only did my part of the deal, didn't I?"

Himeno raised an eyebrow, her voice dripping with incredulity. "A Demon King asking someone to defeat him, huh?"

Kang Woo's grin widened. "You're obsessed with RPG games, right? Why not make them your reality?"

Himeno blinked at him before a faint smile crossed her face. "Rather than a Demon King, you're more like a nice person, Kang Woo," she said softly, surprising even herself with the admission.

Makima, who had been silently observing the exchange, smiled subtly. Without hesitation, she turned her attention to the glowing hologram before her and pressed the Y button. The hologram flickered for a moment before dissolving into light, and the initial payment from the Watcher's quest flowed into her. Attributes began manifesting one by one, each absorbed seamlessly into her being.

In her palm, Makima noticed a swirling blue strand of light, almost resembling DNA, along with intricate formulas.

 Kang Woo's voice broke through her quiet awe. "That's your Magic Creation Ability—it's yours now."

Around makima, a radiant aura of blue mana began to form, wrapping her like a protective veil. The energy pulsed gently, as though recognizing its rightful master.

Kang Woo observed, a flicker of approval in his gaze. " The Loved by Mana blessing. Feels like a mother finally finding her child, doesn't it?"

Makima nodded slightly, examining the unenchanted grimoire now resting in her left hand. She tilted her head, her calm demeanor unchanged. "Even with all of this, I'll still need to rely on my knowledge," she murmured, turning the grimoire over in her hands.

After a brief moment of silence, she looked at Kang Woo and said, "Shouldn't we stop keeping the Watcher waiting? My adventure is about to begin."

Kang Woo chuckled, shaking his head in mock defeat. "My adventure just got hijacked"

Makima smirked faintly, holding the grimoire close. "Consider it a shared journey, Kang Woo."

Kang Woo, Makima, and Kobeni stepped forward, approaching the rift Kang Woo had previously torn open with his bare hands. The swirling portal shimmered with an otherworldly glow, leading to the Lost Library of Cagliostro Universe, the birthplace of Strange Supreme.

As the trio entered, the rift began to close behind them. Himeno called out, her voice laced with uncharacteristic sincerity. "Kang Woo, thank you for everything. And don't die yet—not at least until I can punch your face."

Kang Woo turned his head slightly and smiled, offering her a silent acknowledgment. Makima, walking beside him, raised her hand in a playful V-sign, her calm confidence never wavering. The rift sealed with a final shimmer, leaving the room in silence.

The Watcher's hologram flickered one last time, his voice calm yet filled with a storyteller's cadence. "And so, the Demon King, the Control Devil, and a chef embark on a journey to save the universe…"

Angel Devil, munching on a fresh cone of ice cream, tilted his head. "Wowwww, you really like to narrate, huh? Just like Kang Woo said."

Reze crossed her arms, her gaze shifting to the fading hologram. "Bald Head, The Watcher," she said with a faint edge of sarcasm, "is my boss going to be alright?"

The Watcher's hologram gave a faint shimmer, as though contemplating her question. "I don't know. In the multiverse, everything is possible. But shouldn't you be more worried about yourself? You doubt your alignment now, don't you? Torn between the man who showed you miracles and the organization you serve."

Reze froze for a moment, her thoughts racing. Ahhhh, this bald-headed god is way too chatty, she thought with mild irritation.

The Watcher's hologram flickered one last time before fading entirely, leaving behind his parting words. "I bid you farewell. May your life and journey succeed."

As the remnants of the rift disappeared, Aki glanced at Reze, his expression calm yet thoughtful. "Not going to try to figure out what the Watcher said, but you know..." He paused, his tone lightening. "Makima and Kang Woo nearly killed each other the first time they met. That means he'll probably accept you anyway, Reze."

Reze blinked, caught off guard by Aki's comment, but before she could respond, the Angel Devil's attention shifted. His gaze locked on a small rift that had appeared—one leading to his private beach, where his resurrected family resided. A secret that Kang Woo had sworn him to protect: no one must know Kang Woo's ability to resurrect the dead.

The Angel Devil sighed, his expression unreadable. "Better I go. I need to rest my brain, considering Kang Woo killed me multiple times."

Aki, catching the opportunity, smirked sarcastically. "Yeah, don't come back, Angel. What Kang Woo did to you was totally worth it, right? Isn't that right, Angel?"

The Angel Devil gave a faint, tired smile. "Take care of your new wife, Aki," he replied smoothly, turning toward the rift. With a final wave, he stepped through, the portal closing behind him.

Meanwhile, Aki's attention shifted to the commotion near the magic circle, where he spotted Himeno and Taiyo enthusiastically gathering gold, diamonds, and other treasures strewn across the area. Aki raised an eyebrow, exasperation creeping into his voice. "Uh, Himeno-senpai, what are you doing with my brother?"

Taiyo looked up, grinning. "We're getting rich, Aki! Kang Woo's probably gonna ignore all of this anyway."

Himeno chimed in, her voice cheerful and excited. "Yeah! Let's party! Beers, cigars, and pipes—the fancy kind rich folks use!" She tossed another handful of gold into a makeshift sack, her enthusiasm infectious.

Reze, watching the scene unfold, sighed and decided to contribute. "I'll start tidying up all these artifacts," she offered, gesturing to the mess around the magic circle. "But I'm not touching the dangerous ones—or the Infinity Stones. I value my life, thank you very much."

Himeno glanced at her with a grin. "No one asked anyway," she teased, sticking her tongue out.

Aki shrugged, shaking his head with a faint smirk. "Suit yourself, Reze."