Leveling with the Gods

C369

"It's chaos lately!"

"Indeed, it is. Zeus got dragged down, then Ragnarok happened. And now, even an Administrator..."

Zzrrr-.

A commotion in broad daylight.

The Martial World of Floor 10 of the Tower. Players seated amidst the crowd drank and ate snacks.

"It's the end of times, isn't it? What will the world be like now?"

"If the Administrator is dead, what will happen to Floor 1?"

"Who knows? It's probably going to be a total disaster."

"Yes, but, on the other hand, I feel a bit liberated."

"Why?"

"Well, we don't have restrictions anymore. They say there are no penalties now, right?"

"Really? So, is that a good thing?"

"Bah, how can it be good that an Administrator has died? Without them, this Tower will turn into total chaos."

"No, but..."

A world without Administrators.

It was the hottest topic among Players lately.

For those who had been born and raised in the Tower, the existence of Administrators was like the air they breathed, always present.

And the same applied to new Players entering the Tower; the absence of Administrators was inconceivable to them.

The entire Tower system revolved around Administrators, and a world without them was hard to imagine.

But if there were no Administrators...

What would the world be like then?

No one could know. So opinions were divided, and those who wanted to break free from the influence of the Administrators emerged.

Of course...

"Anyway, what does it matter? It doesn't have anything to do with us."

For those who had settled on Floor 10 and had established themselves in the Martial World, it was a topic that didn't affect them much.

"I've been in this Tower for five hundred years..."

"Don't talk nonsense! It must be fifty years, and you're bragging again."

"Really?"

"How could you have lived for five hundred years with those skills? You surely would have aged and died a long time ago."

"Oh, let me tell you what I used to do back then, I..."

The conversation's topic quickly changed.

The news of Poseidon on Floor 1 killing the Administrators and forming new factions was something very distant to them.

Now, they were simply content to settle into a relatively peaceful world, looking for daily jobs and drinking to enjoy their days.

But...

Woong, woong-.

Uwoooong-.

Players' Kits began vibrating in unison.

"Oh, wait a moment. I got a message on my Player Kit..."

"Me too."

"What's going on? All at the same time?"

They all received the same message on their Player Kits.

They didn't expect much.

These kinds of things happened often.

"Probably another announcement from some sect or guild..."

But...

"Eh?"

As they read the content of the message, Players began to rise from their seats one by one.

"I think... I should go see."

"Really? You too?"

"I'm a bit..."

"Idiots!"

Seeing their hesitant friends, one Player let out an irritated sigh.

"It's an opportunity, understand?"

Kwaak-.

With the Player Kit in hand.

Recalling the message he had received, he looked at his just-drunk liquor.

"An opportunity to fulfill our dream again."

Craaack, crackle-.

A world surrounded by Golden Lightning Bolts.

In the midst of that world where all sounds disappeared, Poseidon spoke.

"Father..."

His eyes seemed lost in some distant place.

Zeus had never seen those eyes in Poseidon before.

In the midst of the storm of Golden Lightning Bolts raging in all directions, Chronos closed his eyes for a while.

Finally...

After a long while, he opened his eyes and asked.

"Do you remember me?"

"Chronos. The king who ruled my kingdom before I took control of Olympus. My father."

There were many ways to describe the person in front of him.

Zeus had finally remembered clearly who he was.

In fact, it would be more accurate to say that he finally "thought" of him.

"Why haven't I remembered you until now?"

Zeus was different from others.

Unlike friends or acquaintances, who became strangers if you forgot them, Zeus and Chronos were bound by blood.

There were no children without a father.

But Zeus had never thought of the existence of a "father" all this time.

It was strange to think about it.

Chronos: "So, what will happen now?"

Zeus imagined it.

If there was a blood connection, why hadn't he remembered his father until now? Or was it that, after such a long time, there had been some kind of contact that caused some change?

Zeus responded to Chronos's question.

"Do you think anything will change?"

Craaack, craackle-.

The storm of Golden Lightning Bolts surrounding them suddenly changed.

"You are my enemies."

"Why?"

"Because the Interior and the Exterior of this world cannot coexist."

Kyaaaah!

Like a roaring dragon, the Golden Lightning Bolts rose into the sky following Zeus's fingertips.

"Did you get your answer?"

Interior and Exterior.

Zeus had already divided the boundaries between both worlds.

Furthermore, he also knew that they wouldn't leave his world in peace.

"Return to your world."

Zeus understood it clearly.

Kwarrung-.

A gigantic storm of Golden Lightning Bolts covered Chronos's body. The earth crumbled, and in an instant, the world was engulfed in a golden glow.

Craaaaack, craacckle-.

And in the midst of the storm, Poseidon's body that occupied Chronos was torn to pieces and consumed by the flames.

The power of the sea that protected him was no longer of use.

"I hoped... it would be like this."

As his body was torn apart.

Tsutsu, tsutsutsu-.

Suddenly, the Golden Lightning Bolts flowing toward Chronos began to stop.

No.

Tsutsu-.

More than stopping, it began to retreat.

As if the rain flowing in the normal direction was returning to the sky.

The storm of Lightning Bolts that assailed Chronos, and the purpose of the Lightning Bolts that covered him above.

All Time went backward.

"Time..."

Zeus's eyes narrowed.

Reversing in Time.

It was clearly a unique ability that Chronos possessed.

In this vast Tower filled with mysteries of different dimensions, only Chronos wielded Time.

Time that rewound within the same space.

There were changes.

Zeus suddenly found himself face to face with Poseidon, who now stood at his eye level.

Or rather, he was looking at a man with the same face as his but with black hair and beard.

"You've aged a bit more than I remember."

"It's thanks to you."

Chronos's tone sounded calm.

It was a strange feeling.

It was obvious they hadn't seen each other for a long time. According to his memories, Chronos left Olympus a long time ago.

But why?

Zeus felt that the Chronos in front of him was strange, as if he were someone entirely unknown.

"What is it that you desire?"

"To reclaim our world."

"Our world...?"

Chronos's answer made Zeus raise his head.

Suddenly, the sky turned completely purple.

"Do you mean them?"

The gates had not yet opened.

But it wouldn't be strange for them to open at any moment.

"They're not afraid, even though they've been sent to their death."

Where is all this coming from all of a sudden?

Zeus murmured as he looked at Chronos again.

When Foolish Chaos opened the door, he entered this Tower.

He was someone from this world that Zeus remembered.

But contradictorily, he was also someone who did not belong to this world.

The energy emanating from him after leaving Poseidon's body proved it.

"What has happened?"

"##. ###"

A barely audible voice from the far end.

Zeus frowned as if asking what it said.

"####. ######. ###."

"I can't hear you."

"Really?"

Chronos raised his head and looked upwards as he muttered.

"I see, since I don't have permission, I guess I can't talk about these things."

Permission?

Who is he talking about?

He couldn't make out anything important. Zeus felt frustration and decided to leave the answer to that question.

Instead...

"Then, let's change the question..."

Zeus asked another question.

"What are you trying to do here?"

As soon as those words were spoken...

Gooooh-.

In the purple sky...

Gigantic ships began to appear one after another.

From the ships sold in Asgard to transportation means created by various Guilds for moving between Tower floors.

Including the Great Guild Nova, as well as various medium-sized and small Guilds.

And even the Deva Guild, the largest Guild in the Tower by size alone.

Zeus's eyes lit up as he watched the stars begin to decorate the sky.

"With all these Guilds, do you really intend to capture the Administrators and turn the Tower upside down?"

Swoosh-.

Chronos raised his head and looked up at the sky where the Guilds appeared.

Dozens of ships and thousands, even tens of thousands, of Rankers and Players on board those ships.

Furthermore, many other Guilds and Players were gathering on the first floor.

"Everything is according to their plan."

The picture was slowly being painted.

Chronos had already seen this scene in a vision a long time ago.

Of course.

In the picture he had seen, Zeus was not here.

"Everything will flow as planned."

"...Do they really expect the Tower's destruction?"

Countless gazes turned toward him.

Zeus had never feared numbers. But this time was different.

Not only was the number of Rankers in the thousands, but there were also quite a few High-Rankers.

Moreover, there were several top Rankers that not even Zeus could ignore.

"It seems everyone got excited about the Administrator's death."

Indeed, who else could gather such strength in this Tower if not for the Administrator's death?

Thud, thud-.

Chronos's face transformed back into Poseidon's.

Anyway, they believed that Poseidon had captured the Administrator, so Chronos also changed his appearance to match.

Chronos, using the mask again, asked.

"Are you going to fight alone again?"

Again.

Zeus, as far as Chronos remembered, was truly a lone commander. Long before he was granted the Title of Three Great Gods, Zeus was exceptional and always took the lead in battling his enemies.

Chronos thought that this time wouldn't be any different.

However...

"You're wrong."

This battle was not like the previous ones.

"Unlike the older siblings who have never convinced me, this time I have someone 'by my side'."

Zwoooosh-.

The scattered Arcane Power in the air changed direction.

Arcane Power flowed towards a place, and a terrifying energy that seemed capable of consuming everything in the world blew in from afar.

"As long as those guys from the Outside are here, he won't just sit still."

Zeus turned his head towards the direction where the Arcane Power was gathering. Then, he saw a ship approaching in the distance.

A small ship that didn't fit this grand battlefield.

And at the bow of that ship, the emblem of the largest Guild was engraved.

"Asgard."

The corners of Chronos's eyes, who had Poseidon's face, trembled.

At the bow of the smaller ship that arrived later.

Odin was holding Gungnir, preparing for action.