Leveling with the Gods

Side Story 88

The flame giant was a nightmare for Asgard.

The King of Muspelheim who fought against Odin.

Surt, the strongest giant and the worst demon, had his entire body covered in flames.

Frrr-!

Flames erupted from the giant's body.

His fist struck the ground, and the Golden Castle trembled.

Tremble-!

The ground collapsed.

Hercules withstood the giant's punch and opened his eyes.

'It's different from what I heard from that Monkey.'

Before coming here.

Sun Wukong had shared information about the Administrators with Hercules through a clone.

"Administrators? They're nothing. So, bam!, and he collapsed."

He was a guy who always exaggerated a bit.

He probably exaggerated quite a bit in his story.

But even taking that into account...

'...He definitely wasn't that strong.'

The Administrator he fought against was from the 20th floor, he said.

If the level of Administrators varies according to the floor, then that must be an Administrator from a fairly low floor.

It makes sense that Sun Wukong dominated him without much difficulty.

In that case...

"What floor are you on?"

Hercules asked while holding the giant's body with both arms.

The flame giant replied.

"I am Cthugha, the Administrator of Floor 97."

"Cthugha..."

Hercules, who had been obsessed with Names since he forgot YuWon's name a decade ago, memorized the Name in his mind.

"Pleased to meet you, Cthugha."

Kuuuk-.

Hercules's arms holding Cthugha's body swelled.

Hercules's muscles expanded, and his green veins stood out.

Craaack!

[The full strength of the giant resides in your arms.]

[The power of Lightning Bolt resides in your arms.]

[You have surpassed the strength of the giant.]

['Gigantification' recognizes the opponent as a 'Giant.']

Arms imbued with Lightning Bolt. Hercules, who could barely hold Cthugha's body with both arms, lifted it with a single arm.

And right after...

Boooom-.

With his now free hand, he kicked him in the foot.

Zheeng!

Kwaang!

Cthugha's body, which collided with the ground with a thunderous sound, rose again.

Part of his ankle, struck by the Lightning Bolt-infused fist, had torn, and the flesh had fallen to the ground.

And in that gap.

Sssaaa-.

A massive serpent coiled in the sky.

"A snake?"

"What is that...?"

"It covers the sky..."

As if the flame giant, Cthugha, was nothing.

The snake covered the sky with its body, blocking the sunlight falling on the Golden Castle.

A snake that floated in the sky as if it wanted to envelop the world.

With two heads, it looked at Hercules with eyes that shone like red jewels.

"All the power you wield comes from us."

Sssaaa-.

Venom dripped from the snake's mouth as it flicked its bifurcated tongue.

"Do you dare to use that power against us?"

Craack-.

Hercules felt the power of Lightning Bolt flowing through his body resisting.

An uncomfortable sensation, as if wearing tight and annoying clothes.

As if his own Arcane Power refused to fight against the Administrators.

"This too... is the feeling that Monkey mentioned."

"It's a bit uncomfortable. When I fought those guys, I felt dizzy and nauseous. Like I suddenly had to go to the bathroom."

"It's probably due to the control of Arcane Power. Administrators have a special power."

If it weren't for Zeus's explanation, it would have been difficult to understand.

He would have thought that he really had to go to the bathroom while fighting.

'Control of Arcane Power, huh...'

If it's as he says, it's a really cheaty ability.

Even I, with the power of Lightning Bolt flowing through me, am feeling this discomfort.

How will the other Rankers feel?

'War of attrition tactics won't work.'

It seems I understand why Zeus didn't prepare another Olympus army.

Numbers mean nothing to them.

"Huuup-."

He inhaled deeply, filling his lungs.

He expelled the force that uncomfortably stirred his insides and increased his concentration.

He already knows what he has to do at this moment.

He had heard it from Sun Wukong before.

"In the end, it all comes down to a battle of time. Increase your concentration and endure the discomfort as much as you can. If it becomes a battle of attrition, you'll lose."

'Although you can't always trust what that guy says...'

Hercules's eyes shone.

'No one can keep up with me in this.'

Monkey, empty-headed, etc...

There were many names for Sun Wukong that meant "fool."

But in a situation, he becomes a genius smarter than anyone.

Just when he is fighting.

'I trust you, Monkey.'

Thus, Hercules raised his concentration to the maximum. Resisting the power of the Administrators that churned his stomach, he focused his strength on his legs. Toward the enormous snake floating in the sky.

Bang!

Hitting the ground, he jumped high.

Thud!

He grabbed the club made from a branch of the World Tree that he had hung on his back.

And when he jumped to the height of the eyes of the enormous snake floating in the sky...

"In one of the Labors assigned to me by my stepmother, I hunted a nine-headed serpent."

Although he was much larger.

Hercules's club had the Myth of having subdued it.

['The 12 Labors' manifests]

['The One Who Hunted the Nine-Headed Serpent' manifests]

The Myth of defeating the Hydra was imbued in the club.

The serpent in front of him was now larger, but he erased it from his mind.

The Swamp Lord, the Hydra.

Recalling the sensation of defeating the nine-headed creature, Hercules brandished his club.

"Do you dare!"

Puhaaaah!

The two-headed serpent spat venom from its mouth.

A black smoke with acid that could melt any hard metal enveloped Hercules's body.

Flash!

A Golden Bolt burst within the smoke.

Kwaang!

With a banging sound, Hercules knocked down one of the serpent's heads.

------------

Zeus, staggering on his feet, sat back on the ground.

It was because the tension was suddenly released.

'They've arrived.'

The figures of YuWon and Pandora entered Zeus's blurry sight.

Pandora, who had always been fearful or tense when looking at him, had a shocked expression.

It was understandable.

It was the first time she saw him bleeding and injured.

"You're late."

"We arrived early. As soon as we could."

YuWon replied while checking the time on the kit.

"It's been just over a year. Later than I thought."

Thanks to finding Danpung earlier than expected, the time distortion wasn't as severe.

He knew he was late. But he didn't let it show on his face. He didn't know what other complaints that guy would have if he did.

"Cover your ears. Don't listen to that nonsense."

Zeus was injured and weakened. It was natural that his mental strength would also weaken when his body weakened.

That guy knew it, so he was taking advantage of this moment.

Thinking that the current Zeus was vulnerable enough to intrude into his dreams.

"What is that?"

"A voice you shouldn't hear. What's happening now is because of him."

"Do you know what's going on?"

"I saw it on my way here. In Muspelheim."

"I see."

Zeus, as if understanding YuWon's words, began to coagulate his blood.

He felt that if he lost more blood, he would also lose the little sanity he had left.

'It's strange.'

There was curiosity in Zeus's eyes as he looked at the purple mist.

A moment ago...

Immediately after hearing that guy's voice, he started having thoughts he wouldn't normally have.

It felt different from the illusion hypnosis skill.

The process of those thoughts was so natural that he didn't even suspect it.

Above all, he didn't feel any Arcane Power.

That's why even more.

'It's a dangerous feeling.'

Originally, the most terrifying thing is what you can't understand.

The same applied to beings that came from outside the Tower. Their power and existence, originating from their Names, were beyond the understanding of Players inside the Tower.

But now...

He felt a similar sensation to them in the purple mist in front of him.

His vision gradually blurred. His thoughts became superficial, and his strength drained from his body.

At that moment, when it became difficult for him to maintain sanity...

"Pandora."

YuWon looked at Pandora with an apologetic expression.

It was a difficult request to make with words.

He asked her to protect the guy who had imprisoned him for over a thousand years.

While he hesitated to speak, she said.

"It's okay."

"Abba-."

When Pandora nodded, Danpung over her head raised his hand abruptly.

As if asking to entrust him to them.

YuWon's lips curved into a smile at that sight.

Although she didn't like it. No, even if she clearly disliked it, she agreed to his request.

In that case...

"In exchange, when you wake up, hit him yourself."

Later, when Zeus recovers, he can give her another chance.

A chance to vent the anger that had built up for a long time.

'Since he saved my life, I guess that's fine.'

YuWon left Zeus in their care and walked towards the purple mist.

He observed him from the mist, confused.

-Who are you?

He couldn't recognize him.

Of course, he wouldn't remember the name "Kim YuWon," not even the name given to him.

It would take more time, contact, and a strong impact to uncover him.

Originally, he planned to remain hidden for a while longer. As Zeus said, his existence was the key to winning this battle, and the more confused they were, the better for them.

However...

'There's no need for that anymore.'

That plan was only valid until he found Danpung.

"I've been waiting for you for a long time."

What he had in front of him was only a small fragment of that guy.

The Rankers lying on the ground.

Those were nothing more than the assembly of small fragments he had planted in their bodies, taking shape temporarily.

"While you feed on the dreams of others. You've been avoiding the sky of the world and crawling at the bottom of the highest place."

The mist stirred even more with YuWon's words.

The hidden being in the mist observed YuWon with the eyes hiding inside him.

He seemed to be trying to identify the existence in front of him.

"Do you know who I am?"

"Yes, I do."

YuWon answered without hesitation.

"The one who dreams big dreams. The one who sleeps in the depths of the sea. The one who crawls at the bottom of the upper world."

All those names were names that dwelled in that being.

"Isn't that enough to describe you?"

It was a warning.

I know you.

So keep crawling at the bottom as you always have.

Stop here and now.

"Who are you? Are you Kim YuHun?"

Kim YuHun.

It seemed that the fictitious name YuWon had created had also reached the ears of the Administrators.

Judging by the question, it seemed they thought it was a false name created by one of the Tower's Rankers.

"That's also correct. And furthermore."

He no longer liked being recognized by that name.

He only needed one thing from the being in front of him.

Exactly-.

"Who do you think killed Yog-Sothoth?"

It was that he felt fear towards him (YuWon) himself.

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KO-FI:

https://tinyurl.com/LEVELKO

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