Leveling with the Gods

C368

Kak, kak...

Minota, trapped in YuWon's grip, struggled with all his might to break free.

But he couldn't.

Kak...

The grip's strength tightened more and more, as if he was caught in a deep, sturdy trap.

"Haaah...!"

Thud!

Finally, Minota fell to his knees and screamed desperately.

"Kwaaah!"

Minota was even taller than YuWon.

However, to the other Rankers, YuWon, who was partially hidden behind Minota, looked much larger.

"Minota-nim..."

"Is he losing in strength?"

Minota.

A High-Ranker of the Zodiac Guild, representing the Sign of Taurus.

With a ranking of 102, he was known as someone who would become a double-digit High-Ranker in a few years.

His might rivaled that of Hercules, or at least that's what he claimed. His strength was recognized by everyone in the Zodiac Guild.

But here he was, being overpowered by someone who wasn't even Hercules.

It was an incredible scene to witness.

"Was Kim YuWon also a strength-focused user?"

"I heard he wields a sword..."

"He must surely have skills..."

"What's going on? Was the information wrong?"

Known Rankers usually had distinctive characteristics.

Some fought with weapons, others specialized in close combat using their strength, and some even used magic skills.

And with those characteristics came specific tactics to face them.

YuWon had his own specialty too.

It was said he fought from a distance using weapons like swords or spears.

Naturally, the Rankers who had prepared to fight him were left baffled.

"If anyone knows how to deal with a strong fighter, it's me."

Whoosh...

Robin, the High-Ranker of the Zodiac Guild representing the Sign of Sagittarius (Archer), leaped onto Minota's shoulder.

An impressive jump that took him to the heights of the sky.

"Robin?"

"Yes, if the opponent is a strength specialist, he'll be able to help us."

"It's lucky that Robin is with us."

Words of relief were spoken by the Zodiac Guild Rankers.

Robin was the fastest High-Ranker in the Zodiac Guild.

Physical strength users had the common characteristic of having great strength but limited combat reach and slow movements.

For such users, Robin was practically a natural enemy.

Shing...

With a bow in one hand, Robin aimed at YuWon.

The bowstring was taut.

"Physical strength users will never be able to catch me..."

At that moment...

Boooom!

A column of fire surged towards the sky.

After reaching the sky's heights, the column fell back down, and the burnt Robin fell helplessly to the ground.

"Kyaaah...!"

Clang~

Robin, whose eyes went blank, fell behind YuWon. From the kneeling Minota to Robin, who had fallen and got caught in the column of fire. In an instant, two of the Zodiac Guild's High-Rankers collapsed.

It was then that YuWon's other hand grabbed Minota's head and slammed it against the ground.

Crack!

Minota was left with his head stuck to the ground.

"I don't have much time."

YuWon then released his hand and began walking towards the other Zodiac Guild High-Rankers.

An electric shock crackled in his hand.

"Since I can't wait for you to come first..."

Odin was sent first.

YuWon couldn't afford to waste time here.

"I'll strike first from this side."

YuWon threw up a Golden Lightning Bolt he had in his hand.

Then...

Kwoong!

In the twilight sky, a yellow Lightning Bolt began to descend.

[The 'Uranus Heart' creates a 'Lightning Bolt']

"What... what is this?"

The Zodiac Guild Rankers were taken aback as they saw the Lightning Bolt surging in the sky.

There was no place to dodge. They couldn't block it either.

Rank 53.

A High-Ranker rivaling Hades, one of the Three Great Gods of Olympus.

They didn't dare to underestimate him.

That's what they thought.

"This is unlike anything..."

"Rank 53? That's absurd..."

"Damn it, what the hell is happening!"

Rank 53 was an incomprehensible classification.

Not even the Guild Leader of the Zodiac Guild, representing the Lion, had power like this.

From the outset, the amount of Arcane Power that YuWon's ability emanated was of a different dimension.

Power that could change the world. In the Tower, there wouldn't be more than thirty people capable of that.

"Let's run first!"

"Really?"

"We have nowhere to go if we run! If we fight together, surely..."

"Damn it, I don't even know what to do!"

The Rankers turned and fled.

Even those who wanted to face the Lightning Bolt.

Decisions varied depending on the situation, but everyone had the same thought.

After this fight... Kim YuWon's ranking would surely be much higher than it is now.

Crack!

Kugugugung...

The Lightning Bolt fell from the sky. Terror-filled screams were drowned in the Arcane Power storm that swept a wide area.

And in the midst of that storm...

"I'll bind your movements!"

There were still those who wouldn't give up.

Chwaaak...

The High-Ranker of the Aries Sign of the Zodiac Guild, with his snowy hair surrounding YuWon.

"I'll cut his legs."

The High-Ranker of the Cancer Sign, with his four Crab-shaped swords poised to cut both of YuWon's legs.

Finally...

Sshh...

Quietly, a drop of green poison splashed towards YuWon's neck.

Almost at the same time, the High-Rankers pounced from three directions.

At that moment, when all the attacks were about to hit YuWon...

Zing, Zasujung-!

Chyaa-!

Pu-ah...

Something emerged from YuWon's shadow and blocked the attacks.

Kang, Gagagang-.

Tsrrrk-.

The four swords aimed at his legs fell to the ground. The hair surrounding his body was cut into countless red lines and dispersed like dust.

Finally, the venomous needle pierced the arm of the man who appeared in front of YuWon.

-It's poisonous.

Chiii-.

The flesh where the needle pierced melted.

The man showed no signs of surprise.

-Are these the Rankers of the Zodiac Guild?

"S-Susanoo?"

-Oh, that guy. It's been a long time.

The High-Ranker of the Cancer Sign, wielding four swords with four arms, was startled when he recognized Susanoo.

Susanoo.

The strongest of the Three Precious Children. Cancer and Susanoo had once clashed a long time ago.

Of course, Cancer had been defeated.

Back then, he had suffered such a blow that he couldn't wield a sword for a while.

-What do I do with them?

Holding Kusanagi in his hand, Susanoo asked with an expectant voice, as if he were asking for orders quickly.

After coming out into the outside world after a long time and starting to wield his sword again, he had a demonic expression once more.

And, of course, YuWon's response to that question was obvious.

"Eradicate them."

Since Susanoo was summoned, that was already decided.

At the same time.

Kwaang-!

Not far from there, in another world, a force of the same attribute made a thunderous noise.

Kugung, Kugugu-.

Under the attack of a Lightning Bolt falling from the sky, Poseidon was buried deep in the earth.

Great craters.

The falling Lightning Bolt announced as if it were the end of the world, emitting a deafening noise once again.

Kwarrung-!

Like a scene from a horror movie, Zeus emerged under the dazzling Lightning Bolt. In the midst of the enormous craters, Zeus looked at the fallen Poseidon.

"Are you dead?"

Crack, crackle-.

If he was still alive, he seemed on the brink of ceasing to breathe.

Zeus looked at Poseidon as he held another Lightning Bolt in his hand.

Unlike the corpses lying on the ground, there were no major wounds on Poseidon's body.

As expected.

Crack-.

Leaning on one hand, Poseidon slowly rose from the ground.

"You really know how to say arrogant words with impeccable courtesy."

It was a relaxed voice as if he were asking what had happened. In the midst of the water flowing beneath the vanished city and the craters, Poseidon raised his dust-covered face.

"So, is this it?"

He was truly fed up.

How many times had he risen again until now?

"Elder brother, you resemble a cockroach."

Poseidon's attribute was water.

And Arcane Power of the water attribute specialized in defense.

Even partly, in healing.

Therefore, Poseidon, who possessed the power of the sea, was more specialized in long-term battles than anyone else.

By protecting his body and recovering, he could fight endlessly.

The only way to defeat Poseidon was to attack with force that surpassed his defense and recovery.

And Zeus believed he had the ability to do that.

But...

"Thanks for the compliment."

It didn't go as expected.

Wriggling, the moisture surrounding Poseidon's body stirred.

Not only around Poseidon.

Gwud, Gwudeuk-.

A pressure that crushed Zeus's body.

Swish-.

Poseidon reached out his hand towards Zeus, who stood atop the sky.

"Do you know?"

Kwaaaah-.

Poseidon's hand clenched. And along with the force of his grip, the force applied to Zeus's body also grew more intense.

"Water is everywhere."

Ggudeuk, Gwudeuk-.

Zeus's arm twisted. What Poseidon was intensely targeting was the arm holding the Lightning Bolt.

Crack, crack-le

The Lightning Bolt trembled unsteadily.

As the arm moved, so did the shape of the Lightning Bolt he held in his hand.

Zeus's gaze turned to his own arm, which was being crushed and twisted by the pressure.

To be able to apply so much pressure from this distance?

"It seems you've improved not only in endurance and recovery."

Poseidon had become stronger.

He was sure that now he was an entirely different person than he used to be.

"But, you know something?"

Gguuuuk-.

The arm swelled.

The water crushing Zeus's arm gradually returned to its place. Veins stood out clearly, and the Lightning Bolt in his hand regained its strength.

"I'm stronger than you."

Kwarrung-!

The Lightning Bolt burst with a furious noise. The moisture that had wrapped around Zeus's arm dispersed, and the momentum passed in an instant.

Kwarrung, Kwarrurung-!

That wasn't all.

Hundreds of Lightning Bolts began to surround Poseidon. Zeus descended slowly from the sky and positioned himself at Poseidon's level.

A storm of furious lightning.

This time, unlike before, he didn't immediately attack Poseidon's body.

"What are you doing...?"

"I remember now."

It wasn't a short period.

When Zeus looked at Poseidon, he could be sure that this wasn't the elder brother he had always known.

And now...

"Who are you?"

Through Poseidon's eyes in front of him, Zeus saw a completely different face.

Swish-.

Saying that, Zeus looked up at the sky.

The sky gradually began to change color to purple. It wasn't the first time Zeus had seen this purple sky.

It was probably the second time.

The first time was when he was dragged from the throne of Olympus and descended, and the second time was...

"Thank that guy. Because I was able to see you again."

It was when that person appeared in front of him on the day the purple sky opened.

The day when countless Outsiders from outside the Tower were revealed...

"That's right, isn't it? Father."

It was he who appeared in front of Zeus at that moment.