Leveling with the Gods

C451

Even when he reviewed it again, it was the same.

There were a total of 31 messages. However, there was no clue that could be relevant to the 'Celestial Floor' in any of them.

"This stupid and idiotic monkey..."

Yuwon wrote a text message, listing all the words that Son OhGong didn't like.

Frustration made him sigh.

[So, where is that place?]

He texted the Kit, and even after a few minutes, there was no response.

First of all, he wasn't the type to check the Kit much, and judging by the urgency of the content, it seems that the situation at that time was urgent.

Yuwon gave up on waiting for a response from Son OhGong and contacted someone else.

"...What should I tell him?"

The first thing he worried about was how to address that person. After thinking for a moment, YuWon decided that it was the right time to address various issues and sent a message to the Kit.

He stood up from his seat.

"There's no time to rest."

"Abba~"

Yuwon carried Danpung on his shoulder. Although not all doubts had been resolved, it seemed that he should move first.

"Let's talk about it later."

The situation was out of control in the Murim World.

Floor 10. A world consisting of the lowest floor of a Tower with a total of 100 floors.

Although it was a peaceful world with little strength, unusually, a giant had appeared.

Step by step...

Thump, thump, thump...

An imposing presence that made even the high Heavenly Mountain seem small.

Although he ventured into the Heavenly Mountain without permission, the Heavenly Demon Cult could do nothing about it.

This was partly due to the merger of the Heavenly Demon Cult and the Murim Alliance, which resulted in half of its power coming out of the Heavenly Demon Cult...

"A monster has arrived."

Kwon Cheonjoo and Pung Baeklim swallowed saliva as they watched the red-haired giant approach with firm steps.

As a Martial Artist of the Heavenly Demon Cult, Pung Baeklim thought it was natural to want to challenge a strong person when he saw one. In reality, he wished to fight the Heavenly Demon someday.

But the man in front of him did not inspire that kind of desire.

It was like standing before death.

Thump...

In the Heavenly Demon Cult...

Diablo appeared in front of Chun Mujin, the current Heavenly Demon.

"What is this commotion?"

Chun Mujin, who was lost in thought with his chin resting on his hand, slowly opened his eyes. Diablo's appearance was significant enough to make the normally quiet Heavenly Mountain noisy.

Diablo.

He was at the top of the Demons and possessed enough power to fight against the entire Heavenly Demon Cult by himself.

Even Chun Mujin, considered the Sky of the Heavenly Demon Cult, could do nothing against him.

"I just came for a walk. What's the problem?"

"Your mere existence is the problem."

"Is my step that strong?"

"The children are trembling."

"So fearful. You, on the other hand..."

Diablo mockingly stuck out his tongue.

His red eyes quickly turned towards Chun Mujin.

"By any chance, are you afraid of me too?"

"I know you're not here as an enemy."

"You realize quickly."

Diablo showed no hostility.

As if he had important matters, his gaze was full of seriousness, but at least he didn't seem to come to fight.

Above all, there was no reason for Diablo to descend so low and kill humans at a time like this.

"I came to ask you a favor."

"What kind of favor?"

"I would like you to teach me your Martial Techniques."

"Martial Techniques?"

"I've heard that Asura was also a person from this world. Indra as well."

It wasn't difficult to understand. Diablo, who had been recognized by everyone in the Tower as strong, had suffered great damage to his personal pride due to the fight with Shub-Niggurath, and although he prepared for the next confrontation, in the end, he couldn't do anything.

That's why...

For the first time, he felt interest in 'Martial Techniques.'

The problem was that this place was the Heavenly Demon Cult, and the opponent was the Heavenly Demon, the Sky of the Heavenly Demon Cult.

"If so, why don't you go look for Asura?"

The Martial Techniques of the Heavenly Demon Cult were not taught to anyone. Just as YuWon obtained the Heavenly Demon Spirit through the Cult's trial, Martial Techniques could only be officially learned by passing the Heavenly Demon Cult's trial.

But Diablo was asking for Chun Mujin's Martial Techniques as if they were something that could simply be handed over.

"There's no guarantee that a strong person is a good teacher just because they're strong."

"Then, you don't seem like a good disciple either."

Their gazes clashed in the air. Realizing that Diablo was not welcome, he sat in his place, as if undecided.

"I don't know. If you don't accept me, I'll stay here to live."

"Aigoo~."

Chun Mujin sighed.

After thinking for a moment, he opened his mouth.

"How about we do it this way?"

Yuwon walked through the halls of Valhalla Castle when he stopped for a moment and looked out the window.

The sky, which had been darkened by Shub-Niggurath, had regained its blue color.

Closing his eyes for a moment and listening to the wind coming in through the window, he heard voices.

"Dad! Dad...!"

"You're in a good place, son..."

"Why does the world have to be punished like this? The world...!"

"Are you okay, friend?"

"My third son died. My third son..."

"Lucky."

"Lucky?"

"My wife, my daughter, and even my son have died."

Ten days had already passed since the fight had ended, but the world continued to mourn. Quickly checking the Kit, YuWon found out that 40% of the residents of Floor 65 had lost their lives.

Yuwon continued to listen to the heart-wrenching cries.

It was late, but he had to listen.

Going back to the past, remembering the sounds he had forgotten over time.

To prevent those sounds from coming back, he had to go all the way to the end.

"What are you doing here?"

The approaching voice blended with the wind as someone spoke to him.

Opening his eyes and looking around, Brunhilde was approaching YuWon.

"Odin is waiting for you."

"For me?"

"He heard that you woke up."

"Then tell Odin to come himself."

"While you were sleeping, he came to visit you several times. Only you didn't wake up."

Yuwon looked at Brunhilde and wondered about the meaning of Brunhilde's new way of speaking.

Had all that doubt been revealed in Yuwon's facial expression?

Brunhilde added words to address YuWon's doubts.

"It's a struggle that nearly destroyed not only Valhalla but all of Asgard. Thanks to the 'Benefactor,' we were able to stop at this level."

"So, are you calling me your Benefactor?"

"You were listening to the cries of the people, weren't you?"

YuWon was surprised by the sudden question.

He didn't expect to be found out. He hadn't used Arcane Power; he had just focused on his hearing to listen to the sounds.

"Don't think that the deaths are your fault. Instead of mourning the dead, look at those you have saved."

"Are you suggesting a change in perspective?"

"Sometimes, we can't do difficult things by trying to do difficult things. Change your perspective. It seems easy, but it's probably hard for you, our Benefactor."

Brunhilde's mouth curled up slightly as she said that.

Over her eyes that looked at YuWon, he remembered the young appearance of Odin in his youth.

"You can become a great king."

Such a respectful attitude was uncomfortable. It meant that YuWon's position in Asgard had increased.

Although it was an unexpected encounter, Brunhilde's advice was very helpful for YuWon.

"Let's go together. Besides, I was on my way to Odin."

Anyway, Brunhilde was kind to YuWon.

Very kind.

But...

Woong-.

Suddenly, Yuwon received a message from the Kit, preventing him from continuing the conversation with Brunhilde.

"Just in time."

"Yes?"

"I was going to contact that guy with the Kit later, but I guess I can talk to him in person."

"What are you saying...?"

"I'm leaving."

Please take care of the preparations.

YuWon's figure disappeared from Brunhilde's sight.

And his voice echoed in the place.

Brunhilde woke up abruptly. As if she had slept a moment standing and had woken up, Yuwon had disappeared from her view.

"...Preparations?"

A shadow crossed over the walls of the Valhalla Castle.

YuWon looked down at the bustling city below, stretching as far as the eye could see. After hearing Brunhilde's words, his heart seemed a little lighter than before.

'Thinking about the living instead of the dead...'

It was a strangely comforting feeling. Although he couldn't save everyone, the guilt for not being able to do so seemed to have diminished.

Originally, he would have bid farewell to Odin with a brief encounter. No, he would have spent more time in the castle, beyond simple farewells.

But in that short interval, the situation changed.

[Bull Demon King: Go up to the 99th floor for now.]

A message came not from Son OhGong, whom he had not been in contact with all the time, but from the Bull Demon King.

Instead of contacting Son OhGong, who had moved much earlier than YuWon to find Son OhGong, YuWon communicated with the Bull Demon King. After all, the Bull Demon King had moved much earlier than YuWon to find Son OhGong.

The Bull Demon King knew the location of the Celestial Floor.

Perhaps the Bull Demon King's help was what allowed Son OhGong to find the Celestial Floor.

'The arrival at the Celestial Floor was in the hands of the Bull Demon King at that time. Maybe it was a waste of effort at that time.'

Son OhGong's quest to find the Celestial Floor wasn't for one or two days. He wanted to reach the Celestial Floor to find the Buddhist Scriptures and undo the seal of the Golden Headband that restricted his strength.

But in the end, Son OhGong couldn't find the Buddhist Scriptures, and the war with the Outers started in such an incomplete state.

'Hercules gained the power of Lightning. Although it doesn't seem like he's using that power fully...'

Hercules using the lightning.

Remembering the figure of him wrapped in golden streams, YuWon suddenly wondered about his Ranking.

'If Zeus's words are true, that should be the real Hercules.'

He stopped his pace and searched for the Rankings through his Kit.

He didn't need to search anymore.

What YuWon wanted to know right now was Hercules's Ranking.

[1st place: Vishnu]

[2nd place: Odin]

[3rd place: Hercules]

As expected.

Hercules's Ranking had increased significantly.

'In the third place... that was Vishnu's original place.'

Had there ever been such a drastic increase in Ranking?

Not only had Hercules risen to a single digit, but he had even surpassed his father Zeus's Ranking.

Perhaps he himself didn't expect that result.

Of course...

Not only Hercules had experienced a significant change in his Ranking.

'What is this?'

[4th place: Zeus]

[5th place: Kim YuWon]

[6th place: Son OhGong]

Suddenly, his Ranking rose to a single digit, even reaching the fifth place.

He hadn't thought that the Ranking would increase so rapidly. First of all, YuWon's contributions were more in the actions he took from behind than the ones he took directly.

Still...

'Did the Ranking increase this way because of Danpung?'

He fought quite well, but it wasn't enough to rise so much in rank.

Hercules showed his power using Lightning, so that's fine, but the increase in his own Ranking was a difficult part to accept.

Still, seeing this Ranking, YuWon's first thought was...

'I'm one step ahead of that idiotic monkey.'

If he met Son OhGong again, he might mock him.

In the past life, he had never experienced YuWon's Ranking being higher than Son OhGong's, so if they met again, it would surely be surprising.

That's if the Ranking isn't wrong.

"The 99th floor..."

YuWon stopped in his tracks and looked around the castle.

From the 65th floor to the 99th floor, it was a considerable distance. He could climb using conventional methods, but he didn't know the situation, so he wanted to hurry as much as possible.

It wasn't necessary to use Golden Cinder Eyes.

If the person he was looking for was still here, it would definitely attract attention.

And as expected...

'He's still here.'

In the midst of the bustling City of Valhalla.

Thud, thud.

The brothers Apollo and Artemis strolled in a large, noisy chariot.

KO-FI