Daddy is too Strong-Chapter 175

When adventurers moved between floors, there was a very slim chance they might find themselves in the Buffer Zone. For those fortunate enough to arrive here, Cecilia would present a small gift. It could be an artifact or a strategy for tackling the Core. Occasionally, adventurers would make outrageous demands and resort to violence, but whenever that occurred, Cecilia would simply send them off to the next floor.

This place was entirely her domain. Here, no one could stand against her.

Well, except for one person.

***

Born in the Core, Cecilia possessed a unique skill from birth known as the “Eye of Truth,” which enabled her to access information about others. Basically, this skill allowed her to see others’ Status Windows, which objectively quantified one’s power. Some viewed the Status Window as a curse, while others saw it as a blessing.

The Eye of Truth had brought Cecilia many benefits, but it also caused her suffering.

Then, for the first time, she saw an unexpected and astonishing message while using the Eye of Truth.

[You may not dare to access this information.]

Her power even worked on the Transcendents, Solomon’s demons, and dragons. But there was one person on whom it was completely ineffective. Can’t access? And with the word “dare,” no less?

“It’s been a while,” Do-Jun said as he was teleported into the Buffer Zone while on his way down to the sixth floor from the fifth.

Cecilia was genuinely surprised. It was the first time an adventurer had come to the Buffer Zone twice. Moreover, the realization that her Eye of Truth didn’t work on him gave her an inexplicable sense of déjà vu. Still, Cecilia pretended to remain unaffected and nodded.

“I should’ve brought Yong-Yong along,” Do-Jun muttered.

Cecilia already knew who he meant by Yong-Yong—the Dragon Lord Izaas, who had once ruled the Deep Realm thousands of years ago. Do-Jun claimed to have “adopted” the Dragon Lord. But was that even possible?

“What’s that?” Do-Jun pointed at a book lying upside down on the floor. The title, “The Supreme Heavenly Demon,” piqued his curiosity.

“Oh, that’s just a novel I read when I am bored.”

“I see. Well, being alone in a place like this, hobbies like that must be important,” Do-Jun said, nodding as if he understood.

But Cecilia wondered whether Do-Jun knew that this book wasn’t merely a novel. Its secret was known only to Cecilia.

She observed Do-Jun, who seemed disinterested in the book, and teased, “Adventurer, do you know the secret of the Status Window?”

“Secret?”

“Yes.”

“Not really,” Do-Jun admitted.

“Well, I’ll tell you. I’m bored, anyway.”

Cecilia cleared her throat and explained, “The Status Window is a system designed to help people survive in the Core. As I’ve mentioned before, the Core carries out something called Encroachment on entire planets. Once the Encroachment is complete, the people of that planet are transferred to the Core. That’s why we call the Status Window a blessing.”

Cecilia tapped the air with her finger, and a Status Window appeared before them. It wasn’t hers, nor was it Do-Jun’s.

[Status Window (Purple)]

Name: Imfelheim

Mastery: 87.9458%

Title: Transcendent

Strength: 180

Agility: 173

Stamina: 265

Magic: 331

Physical Resistance: 89

Magic Resistance: 108

Registered Skills: Sword—Veligia, Time Slip, Phantom Step, Scales of Balance, Cloak of Morian, Light of Space-Time, Soul Eater.

Imfelheim, ranked second in the Core, was the adventurer closest to a god. From his time as an adventurer, he had breezed through the tutorial and adapted seamlessly to the Deep Realm, achieving overwhelming and unparalleled feats.

He possessed seven skills on his seven-stage skill ring from the tutorial and used them with precision in critical situations. What stood out most was the color of his Status Window and its mastery.

“This is Imfelheim’s Status Window. He is the strongest of the seven adventurers who eventually became Transcendents,” Cecilia said.

She watched Do-Jun intently, curious to see how he would react. Surprise, despair—any emotion would do. She simply wanted to see his response.

However, Do-Jun’s voice remained calm and devoid of emotion. “I see.”

“There are seven colors that a Status Window can have. Among them, the purple window has the greatest potential, and his mastery is at nearly eighty-eight percent. Additionally, he has seven registered skills. Frankly, the only one in the Deep Realm who might stand a chance against him is Demon King Baal.”

Cecilia’s initially calm tone sounded increasingly depressed. Imfelheim had sealed the Demon King’s soul. Knowing this, her voice slowly trembled with anger, or was it sadness?

“Adventurer, I told you before. When all planets are eventually transferred to the Core, the one who claims the throne of the Deep Realm will become a god, ruling over all dimensions. Naturally, both Baal and Imfelheim are vying for that position.”

“A god, huh...” Do-Jun chuckled, finding the idea amusing. His tone was detached, as if he believed this had nothing to do with him.

This lack of reaction caused Cecilia’s emotions to boil over. She wanted to understand this man who eluded all measures, even her Eye of Truth.

“How...?” she muttered.

Crash!

Lightning cracked in the dry, pastel sky above. The Buffer Zone, governed by Cecilia’s emotions, reflected her inner turmoil.

“How can you be so calm after hearing all this?” she asked Do-Jun.

Her voice, now tinged with desperation, made her realize that she had lost her composure. She lowered her head, her face shadowed by sorrow.

“Sorry. I rambled.”

Cecilia picked up the original copy of “The Supreme Heavenly Demon” from the floor. It was an anonymous novel discovered in the deepest part of the Deep Realm. At first, she dismissed it as nonsense. However, after realizing its unheard-of grade, Legend of the Deep Realm, her perspective changed.

“It looks like you treasure it,” Do-Jun remarked.

“Yeah. It’s one of my favorite hero tales.” Cecilia chuckled bitterly.

The story was set in the Core, but it was filled with absurdities. It told the tale of an unprecedented figure who surpassed the seven-colored Status Windows—the life of a man who became known as the Heavenly Demon.

“Descending from the heavens in the Celestial Dragon Chariot, the Heavenly Demon was born to bring about the world’s end.”

The novel had an open ending. What actions the Heavenly Demon ultimately took remained unclear, and the phrase “the world’s end” felt somewhat unsettling, but the overall story was a classic heroic epic.

“A novel is just a novel, but... it was still a fun read, especially the part where the protagonist acquired the black Status Window that surpassed the power of the seven colors. It symbolizes that the protagonist obtained the power to save the world, right?”

Cecilia activated the Eye of Truth again, but the result was the same.

[You may not dare to access this information.]

Being denied access was a result she had never encountered before. Cecilia thought back to the “King of Earth,” who had been by far the hottest topic on the Core forum recently. Apparently, this “king” was the most powerful being on Earth. People claimed that a man with the ordinary name Lee Do-Jun was this king.

“Sorry again. I know I talked your ears off,” she apologized.

“No, it’s fine.” Do-Jun smiled softly.

For some reason, that smile melted away Cecilia’s worries. Just looking at him filled her with an inexplicable sense of happiness. So, Cecilia decided to give him some advice.

“It would be a good idea to head to the Deep Realm before Earth’s Encroachment is complete. If you can, that is,” she said to Do-Jun.

“And why is that?”

“Whether it’s Baal, Imfelheim, or even Izaas... someone will inevitably ascend the throne. When that happens, as funny as it sounds, the safest place will be the Deep Realm itself. And hey, you might be that someone, but honestly, the odds are slim.”

Cecilia still thought the Overlord calling Do-Jun “Master” was nothing more than a joke. She believed that the former ruler of the Deep Realm wouldn’t lose to someone who was just beginning to clear the sixth floor. She assumed that the “pet” title was simply Izaas playing along.

*** 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Meanwhile, at that very moment, Hakase’s street food stall had closed early. Inside, a heated conversation was underway with over ten bottles of soju lying empty on the table. Hakase and Kiriel, flushed from the alcohol, were recounting their heroic deeds.

“I was a hero in the Deep Realm, you know, especially on Cleaning Day, when the monster hordes surged in. While those so-called emperors and kings cowered in shelters, I held back the entire army on my own,” Kiriel said.

“Hmph, then I have no choice but to share my own tale. You know Aloken, right? The demon who ranked fifty-second back then. I wiped him out with a single strike of my Dragon Spear.” Hakase didn’t back down.

“Huh? Aloken’s still alive, though.”

“Ah. Maybe it wasn’t Aloken. Anyway.”

As the two continued, Yong-Yong, who had been quietly sipping cola, couldn’t help but chuckle. “I went head-to-head with Master.”

“What...? That’s insane. You’re telling me you fought the King of Earth as an equal? I know you’re the Overlord, but the King of Earth?” Kiriel, suddenly sobered up, widened his eyes in disbelief.

Though Hakase had heard this tale before, he too leaned in, intrigued.

“Ahem.” Yong-Yong perked up his ears, glancing around to confirm that Do-Jun wasn’t nearby. He knew Do-Jun had gone on a Core exploration, so he likely wouldn’t return early.

Yong-Yong added, “And I’ll have you know that the fight took place on Earth, not inside a Fissure.”

“Is that true, Lord Izaas?” Hakase couldn't help but exclaim.

For reasons unknown, dragons experienced a significant reduction in their powers on Earth compared to within a Fissure or the Core. If Yong-Yong had managed to fight evenly with Do-Jun in that weakened state, it implied he could’ve won inside a Fissure.

Yong-Yong glanced around nervously, then shrugged as if it were only natural. Sweat trickled down his forehead. Although he wanted to boast in front of these two, guilt nagged at him for telling such a blatant lie.

“So, inside a Fissure, you would’ve won?” Kiriel asked, eyes wide.

“Y-yeah, that’s right.”

“As expected of Lord Izaas!” Hakase gave him a thumbs-up, his eyes sparkling with admiration.

“Y-yeah... But keep this between us, okay? Don’t tell Master I said any of this.”

If Do-Jun ever caught wind of this story, Yong-Yong was sure his life would be in danger. That’s when the excited expressions on Hakase and Kiriel’s faces turned pale in an instant. They hastily got up and left.

“Huh?” Puzzled, Yong-Yong turned to look behind him and froze.

Standing at the entrance of the stall was Do-Jun.

“Hic!”