Leveling with the Gods

C441

Yggdrasil.

Also known as the Tree of the Universe, it is the largest and most magnificent tree in the Tower.

It is said that all life in the world, including all trees and plants, originates from Yggdrasil, making it the source of life.

"Mimir."

"Yes."

"I had a dream."

It was an ordinary day when Odin, climbing the Tower as usual, mentioned bewildering words on the 65th floor.

"What's your dream about?"

"There was a giant tree."

"A tree?"

"It was enormously large, so much that I can't describe it with words. I'm not exactly sure, but it could probably traverse several Floors."

"That's nonsense. How can you see it with your own eyes?"

"Exactly, that's what I thought too. It surprises me as well."

At first, he thought it was just a dream, nothing more.

But that changed.

Seeing something in a dream that couldn't happen in reality is common after all; it's the power of imagination.

"However, the root of that tree was planted inside me."

"Lucky you. Now, it will probably grow and come out through your nose."

Mimir laughed while sipping his coffee.

However, Odin spoke seriously, unlike his usual jokes.

"I'm not joking."

"What's wrong? Why that reaction?"

"You probably won't understand. It's a feeling I can't explain more than as a simple dream. That dream was more vivid than the reality in which we're drinking coffee right now."

He thought it was of no importance.

The conversation back then left a lasting impression on Mimir. The gigantic tree spanning the Tower and the dream that Odin had, more real than reality itself.

But perhaps because he wasn't too interested, Mimir soon forgot that conversation. Probably when he was about to conquer the Tower and become a Ranker.

"It was Yggdrasil."

The tree that was planted inside Odin.

-Beeeeh-.

The Black Goat of the Woods raised its head.

With every step Odin took towards Shub-Niggurath, life in the dead forest came to life.

As he got closer, he felt it more intensely.

How great that calamity was.

"They say it's called déjà vu."

In Odin's mind, he remembered the moment he first encountered the true form of Shub-Niggurath.

Although it hadn't been long, the memory was so vivid that he remembered it clearly.

"Even though the circumstances are different from that time. You and I."

['The roots of 'Yggdrasil' reside in your body']

A feeling of energy filled his entire body.

It had been a long time since he felt this sensation.

This also meant that it had been a long time since he used Yggdrasil.

Odin struck both his legs firmly on the ground and stood before Shub-Niggurath.

The size of Shub-Niggurath, towering like a mountain, and its eight horns sharper than Diablo's, made it more menacing than any monster Odin had seen before.

However...

Crash!

In front of Yggdrasil, all creatures were just tiny and miserable cosmic dust.

Huuup!

A direct punch forward.

...!

It was the moment when the fist reached Shub-Niggurath's forehead...

Bam!

-Beeehh-.

Shub-Niggurath writhed in agony as it shook its head. Without stopping, Odin lifted Gungnir in his other hand and swung it with all his might.

Buuuuum...

Schaaaaa!

The top of Shub-Niggurath's thigh split like paper. Magic filled Odin's fist, which sank deeply into the flesh through the spurting blood.

Wuuung, wuuuung...

Dozens.

No, hundreds of magic circles.

"Monsters as big as you..."

All the magic circles shared a common property.

An open palm.

And when that struck Shub-Niggurath's head.

"The weight of his body is his greatest weakness."

Gruuuung...

Thud!

The body that couldn't overcome its own weight collapsed on the ground, crushing the forest.

Gravity.

Even with the same force applied, the heavier the body, the greater the resulting force. The countless magics accumulated in Odin's hand crushed Shub-Niggurath's body the moment it touched his head.

Toc.

So, standing on Shub-Niggurath's head...

"Don't make futile moves."

Odin asked as he pressed with both feet.

"This isn't all you have, is it?"

Wuuuuuuung...

Magic dispersed from Odin's hand. Something had interfered with the countless magic circles, forcing them to disperse.

-Beeeeeeeh-.

-Beeeeeh-.

Shub-Niggurath's bleats resounded repeatedly.

A tree began to grow from Shub-Niggurath's body beneath Odin's feet. Clicking his tongue, Odin struck again forcefully.

Crash!

The trees shattered into pieces.

Green energy flowed into Odin's body. The power of Yggdrasil was resisting the power of the Black Woods.

"...As I thought."

He grumbled.

The forest was draining life. Yggdrasil was doing its best to protect Odin, but it couldn't say the same for others.

"I'm... suffocating..."

"I feel... strength leaving my body..."

The Rankers trapped in the forest began to lose consciousness.

Shub-Niggurath's bleats materialized and appeared.

Ssssh, ssssh...

The Black Woods' trees extended their branches toward Odin. Odin pushed them aside with his hand and then turned his head in the direction of Shub-Niggurath's bleat.

Thud!

A heavy step echoed.

Another goat appeared in the Black Woods. Shub-Niggurath wasn't just one.

No.

'To be exact, those are just a part of him.'

The Black Woods was not just the place where Shub-Niggurath lived.

The sheep/goat within it, and even the form of the gigantic billy goat, were all Shub-Niggurath itself.

Parts of Shub-Niggurath.

There was no original form.

That made it even more terrifying.

Odin realized that when Shub-Niggurath first appeared in this world.

Thud!

"I will destroy everything."

He already knew the truth. It wouldn't change anything.

The Shub-Nigguraths were approaching from the other side of the Black Woods.

Yggdrasil began to shine against them.

Thud!

Odin's punch struck Shub-Niggurath's head.

Almost simultaneously, the tail of another Shub-Niggurath fell onto Odin's head.

Jjeoung!

Odin was sent flying by the blow and fell to the ground. The green energy surrounding him slowly dissipated.

"Ugh!"

Gungnir in Odin's hand gleamed brightly.

The process was quick. The tip of the spear that slipped from his hand pierced Shub-Niggurath's chest.

Kwuuung!

It was the fifth time today already.

Mimir, who had been observing the fight from a distance, began to worry.

"Are you okay?" This was the question Hercules had been holding back.

Odin, who was alone in the middle of the Black Woods, fighting Shub-Niggurath, was undeniably astonishing. It was a breathtaking spectacle.

He could understand why Odin had never fallen in the Ranking.

But today, his opponent was no pushover.

Tss, tss, tss...

The immediate problem was the forest.

Hercules, who was trying to recover and become more familiar with the power of the Lightning Bolt, found it more challenging to recover since the forest appeared.

The Black Woods was sapping vitality. Those with weak wills not only lost their strength but also experienced strange hallucinations and delusions.

In this situation, who would have the advantage over whom?

According to what he had thought, they were definitely not on the winning side.

Mimir probably knew that.

However...

"We need a decisive attack."

Mimir's thoughts were a bit different from Hercules'.

"What do you think you can change if you go out now? The guy who still can't control his power properly?"

"At least we should try, right?"

"You're right. Try it, but try what specifically?"

"So, what...?"

"Just wait."

Wait for what?

At some point, Mimir had started to frown and hold his head with his hand as if he had an unbearable headache.

As if he couldn't bear it any longer.

"Odin, if it's him, he will hold out. Just wait a little longer."

Mimir's words ended there.

Hercules nodded as he gripped his thigh with his hands. If he hadn't, he might have rushed to help without even realizing it.

Pweeok!

One of Shub-Niggurath's horns impaled Odin's body.

Crack, crack...

The horn broke through the golden armor that surrounded Odin's body. It was the highest-quality item made of half adamantium and half mithril, created in Asgard.

"Klok!"

Blood spurted from Odin's mouth.

Fortunately, the injuries were not severe. Only the horn had pierced through his body without causing too much damage.

However, many magics woven into his armor broke, and the Arcane Power flowing through his body reversed. It was almost as if his blood were flowing backward.

['The Roots of Yggdrasil' stabilize the flow of Arcane Power]

['The Black Woods' are infecting 'the Roots of Yggdrasil']

Messages with unclear meaning.

Odin felt like he was reaching the end. It seemed that it wouldn't be long before the roots he had planted rotted away and lost their power.

Kwok...

He held Shub-Niggurath's broken horns with both hands. With all his strength, he lifted Shub-Niggurath and threw it upward, away from him.

Buwooong...

So, Shub-Niggurath soared high into the air.

Pazzz...

Gungnir radiated light once again.

Kwuuung...

Gungnir's spear strike pierced through Shub-Niggurath's body.

This was the sixth attempt in a single day.

'Thanks to Yggdrasil, I was able to significantly reduce the cooldown time of the ability, but...'

Tremble, tremble~

The arm that threw the spear trembled. It was reaching its limit.

'Six times in a single day.'

When had he thrown Gungnir so many times? If he remembered correctly, during his battle with Surt, it had been three times at most. This number was truly unprecedented.

But it still wasn't enough.

Gungnir returned to Odin's hand. Odin grasped his trembling arm with his other hand to steady himself, then looked at the Black Woods.

"There's still a long way to go."

He could still fight.

So could Yggdrasil.

It wouldn't be defeated by a forest like that.

Thinking so, when Odin was about to take his next step...

Clack, clack...

The trees of the Black Woods grabbed Odin's arms and legs.

They appeared to be withered trees that should have died, but...

"Aigoo..."

The trees emerging from the ground bound him. Even though they were withered trees, Odin couldn't escape from them.

"My strength..."

Odin's eyes trembled.

['The Roots of Yggdrasil' have been infected]

The force that was holding Odin vanished.

Shuaaak!

The trees of the Black Woods pierced Odin's eyes.

And in that moment...

Kwaang!

A Golden Lightning Bolt came flying from somewhere.

It blocked the trees that were closing in on Odin.

"I should have let your followers see this scene."

Mocking laughter was mixed with his words.

Under different circumstances, that tone of voice would have been unbearable to him.

But at this moment, there was nothing he could trust more than that.

Thud...

Two people emerged from the depths of the Black Woods.

"...You're late."

Watching YuWon and Zeus, Odin muttered.

KO-FI