Leveling with the Gods

C437

"Why are you here?"

Zeus asked the same question. Both had the same question in mind: why was the other here?

"I've lost my son."

"Your son?"

"Yes. So I was looking for him a bit."

Despite hearing the reason, Zeus had difficulty understanding. He frowned, wondering what was going on.

"And you, why are you here?"

"That goat woman brought me here."

"Shu-Ni-a?"

"It seems you know her name."

"I suppose."

Asking how he knew that didn't seem to lead to an answer.

Almost no one knew anything about YuWon. Odin might have had a clue, but getting Odin to talk was complicated.

Furthermore, YuWon and Zeus were not yet friends or colleagues. Initially, they were enemies who had faced each other in a fight to the death.

"Anyway, I was about to burn down this whole forest."

"Not a bad idea. But wait a bit longer."

"Why?"

"There's a better way."

"Is there a way?"

"It's not easy. But if we succeed, you could also hit that goat woman."

Firee~

YuWon's eyes turned red.

"The problem is what's outside..."

Beyond the forest, where Zeus had arrived.

The fight with Shub-Niggurath still continued. Although Shub-Niggurath had not revealed her true form, losing too much power here was not an option.

Fortunately...

"Everything will work out there somehow."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because we have Hercules."

"...?"

YuWon made a surprised expression, wondering what he was talking about.

Hercules.

Certainly, he was impressive. He was the most respected High-Ranker by YuWon along with Son OhGong and Odin.

However, this time the situation was not favorable. The fight with Shub-Niggurath was not something that Hercules could handle alone.

Zeus was also aware of that.

Zeus's explanation continued with YuWon's puzzled expression.

"Hercules is a son of mine who comes very close to what I had planned."

"I know. Thanks to that, he... in the Gigantification..."

"No. You don't know."

Zeus shook his head firmly.

"Because, until now, that boy is not fully developed."

It was a statement mixed with significant laughter. Even YuWon, who thought he knew everything about Hercules, could not understand all of this.

Hercules was not fully developed.

Was there something more after achieving Divinity?

However, as if getting back at YuWon, who always gave vague explanations, Zeus only piqued his curiosity and gave no further explanation.

"Anyway, you don't need to worry too much about that side. It's probably fine for a while."

"So... what should we do here?"

Craack, craack-le...

As if he was about to unleash a Lightning Bolt at any moment, Zeus gathered his Arcane Power.

However...

"Danpung!"

Suddenly, YuWon shouted with surprise.

"Beeee-eeeh."

Beeee-eeeh.

What returned was only the sound of bleating sheep.

Craaack~

Zeus, who moments ago was confidently preparing to unleash his Lightning Bolt, now looked at YuWon with bewilderment on his face.

And once again, YuWon shouted, "Danpung!" and looked at Zeus.

"What are you doing? Don't follow me."

"What the hell is happening now...?"

"Danpung!"

YuWon's voice echoed like an echo.

In this way, YuWon walked into the dark forest in search of Danpung.

And behind YuWon, Zeus muttered with effort.

"Da..."

With force in his forehead, Zeus finally managed to articulate words.

"Danpung!"

Buuummm...

Clang-!

Hercules's fist struck Shub-Niggurath's body.

Shub-Niggurath's body stumbled a bit under the power that could shatter even mountains. Hercules, not stopping, holding a club in his other hand, asked:

"Where did you send it?"

-You worry a lot, don't you?

"Answer!"

Crash-!

The club made of Yggdrasil struck Shub-Niggurath's head.

It seemed like it was going to be completely destroyed, but Shub-Niggurath's head split in half.

"Father and son. A tragic relationship, isn't it? On the outside, they pretend to be strong, but they have deep wounds in their hearts. Like fragile children, isn't it?"

Two goats with demon horns and purple eyes stared at Hercules from both sides.

A chilling fear. Hercules shook it off and released the power of the End of Gigantification.

"Shut up!"

Mmm, mmm, mmm...

"I told you to answer!"

Crash-!

The club struck both goats. The explosive power that momentarily accumulated not only affected Shub-Niggurath but also destroyed the ground beneath Hercules.

And in the next moment...

"Protect Hercules!"

"Deal with the main body!"

The Rankers who had pushed their way through the sheep followed Hercules. Leading this group of Rankers was Behemoth, a High-Ranker who led the Demon King Guild on behalf of Diablo.

The Rankers rushed in a frenzy.

It was strange.

They were definitely not opponents who would be easily pushed back, and yet, they had already managed to drive away the sheep and receive support from their allies.

Goo, goo, goo...

Shub-Niggurath began to tremble on the ground where it was embedded.

-This is excellent.

Shub-Niggurath's voice ominously resounded. It was an eerie omen. Hercules's eyes turned towards the allied Rankers who began to gather from behind.

"...No."

Apparently still unaware of anything, they approached Hercules.

And in the next instant...

Kwadak, kwaddak...

Black horns sprouted from the ground.

Puk, puk, puk...

The horns violently rose as if piercing the body.

[The power of a Giant resides in your arms]

The Arcane Power imbued in Hercules's arms crossed. He crossed his arms to protect his side from the incoming horns.

He didn't need a shield.

Hercules's body was more solid than any item in this Tower.

Puek, puek...

Puek, puek...

However, Hercules couldn't fully block the horns sprouting from the ground. Some of the horns pierced his solid body, and Hercules flew straight into the sky.

"Ugh...!"

He felt pain in his body. Although they didn't pierce through his body completely, the horns that reached him made his entire body feel like it had been bruised.

Hercules's vision was filled with black horns.

A forest of black horns stretched out on the battlefield. And that forest didn't just cover Hercules.

'What about the others?'

Hercules's gaze turned to the Rankers who were running at full speed.

Hercules's eyes shook violently.

"Curse!"

A battlefield turned into chaos.

Rankers' bodies scattered around Hercules. This time, more than a thousand Rankers had died with a single blow.

And the few Rankers who survived...

"Kugh..."

"I almost died..."

"This... is on a completely different level, isn't it?"

The Rankers who had rushed into the fight without thinking, and Behemoth, the High-Ranker on the Demon King's side who led them, were pale and hesitant.

"M-M-Monster..."

Some Rankers had seen this fight as an opportunity to improve their Ranking. If they could elevate their position by fighting the sheep and, especially, Shub-Niggurath, they would surely get a Ranking boost.

But now they finally understood.

Thud...

Shub-Niggurath emerged from the forest of black horns.

She was a completely different existence from them.

-Half of them survived.

Shub-Niggurath looked at the Rankers who had taken refuge in the magic circle.

It was Odin and Mimir who had saved them. It was an incredible achievement to gather so many in such a short time, and Shub-Niggurath wished to applaud.

"Ugh, ugh..."

Odin, who had fought Shub-Niggurath head-on and thrown two Gungnirs, was visibly exhausted among his group.

He would probably need a good rest before he could fight like before.

The real issue was on the other side.

Thud...

Hercules appeared once again in front of Shub-Niggurath. His determination hadn't wavered at all despite the bruises and bloodstains on his body.

"You're persistent."

Shub-Niggurath's eyes shifted.

"Even after seeing something like this."

The corpses of the Rankers who had died instantly were reflected in her eyes. Hercules also understood what Shub-Niggurath meant and nodded. His grip on the club tightened.

"That's right. And thanks to that, I've made a decision."

"A decision?"

Shub-Niggurath, who was half-human and half-goat, tilted her head as if asking what he was talking about.

And at that reaction from Shub-Niggurath, Hercules realized that she couldn't completely see inside Hercules.

"I haven't hesitated from the beginning."

Swish...

Hercules turned his head.

The battlefield was in total chaos. Rankers still fighting sheep and those who had already died.

From the beginning, Shub-Niggurath was not an opponent they could fight in this way.

Grr, grr

[The power of a Giant resides in your arms]

[The power of the 'Giant Slayer' dwells within your body]

[The power of the 'Twelve Labors' resides in your arms]

[The power of the 'End of Gigantification' dwells within your body]

Hercules's body expanded as Arcane Power, Titles, and Divine Power intertwined within him.

-Indeed...

Shub-Niggurath admired greatly.

-In terms of status, you could match my father.

Greed sparkled in Shub-Niggurath's eyes.

It was a kind of look similar to when you see someone of the opposite gender as attractive. She felt the energy radiating from Hercules's body and imagined turning him into her sheep.

-It's magnificent.

A pure admiration.

But Hercules wasn't interested in Shub-Niggurath's admiration.

Craaack...

A Golden Lightning Bolt erupted from Hercules's fist.

It was a type of power completely different from the other energies that focused on strengthening his body.

At first, it seemed somewhat uncomfortable.

After all, Hercules had never dealt with this kind of attribute-related magic before.

However...

Craack, craack-le...

The Golden Lightning Bolt that started flowing from Hercules's fist gradually acquired a uniform concentration and began to take shape.

-This is...

Shub-Niggurath showed curiosity about the magic that began to emanate from Hercules's body.

Though still insufficient, that power was undeniably...

-The power of that guy.

The one who had been trapped in the Black Woods.

Zeus.

The power of Lightning he wielded could also be felt from Hercules's body.

Kwaak...

Hercules clenched his fist. He looked up at the sky, raising his head. Somewhere far away, above the clouds, he felt a gaze watching him.

It took some time to make a decision, but...

Bam-!

[The power of 'Lightning' resides in your arms]

Finally, the Hero had been completed.