Leveling with the Gods

C430

The mother opened her son's stomach and came out.

The woman who defied the natural order and manifested herself in the world raised her head.

The sky turned purple.

This world was the same.

"...I'm finally here."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

At that moment, a fresh air that she had never experienced before entered her lungs.

"It's really pleasant. The air of the living world."

Before, she had only caught a whiff of it.

Before she could properly enter this world, she was expelled by them and banished to the outside world.

She still felt bitter when remembering those times.

But now, she could endure it.

Swoosh-.

The woman turned her head.

In the place where her gaze landed, Agni and Kubera stood, as still as statues.

"It's been a long time."

They were definitely at a certain distance.

Far away, far enough to appear small as dots.

But somehow, the woman's voice seemed to be right in front of their noses.

"Have you been well all this time?"

Thud-.

Agni sat on the ground.

In his eyes, which had seen that woman before, it was evident.

The woman who had emerged from the belly of a goat.

Behind her was an enormous goat leading a group of goats.

-Beeeeeh-.

That was the chilling bleat of Shub-Niggurath.

"She has finally... entered..."

It had come back.

The existence they had considered a calamity the moment it entered the Tower. A monster whose name they didn't even know.

"Pull yourself together."

Kubera grabbed Agni's nape, who was on the ground, and lifted him up abruptly.

Agni, forced to stand again, looked at Kubera.

She was trembling too.

But in the end, Kubera had a stronger will.

"The situation is different now than it was back then."

Agni's gaze roamed around his surroundings at Kubera's words.

From the Demon Kings to Heaven, Asgard, and the Devas.

At this moment, countless High-Ranker Rankers were scattered all over this world.

As if they had been preparing for this day in advance, Odin had united the forces of the Guilds scattered throughout the Tower under the name of the "Day of the Meeting."

'...That's right.'

They had to stop her somehow.

They couldn't do anything kneeling on the ground. If they didn't defeat Shub-Niggurath, the fight would never end.

This was their only chance to win.

Whoosh-.

Crimson flames erupted around Agni.

Surrounded by dozens of fireballs, Agni illuminated his eyes the same color as the flames.

"Our goal is one."

"That's right."

"The Three Main Gods (Vishnu, Brahma, Shiva) shouldn't be here yet, right?"

"I'm not sure how long it will take them. They are very mysterious beings."

"...Is that so?"

They held back the fear squeezing their chests with their mental strength.

Only a few knew the true nature of Shub-Niggurath, including Agni and Kubera.

"Somehow, we have to stand together."

Until the Three Main Gods arrived, they had no other choice.

"Let's go."

Agni's command was given.

Goooooooo-.

The ship carrying the Deva Rankers started moving again. Shub-Niggurath's arrival had briefly halted the battlefield, but now life was flowing once more.

They had to fight.

That was the only thing they could do right now.

"Have you found hope?"

In Shub-Niggurath's eyes, who looked at Agni and Kubera, a sinister gleam appeared.

Her focused pupil had a smirking expression.

She remembered the moments when she simply slept in the dark forest.

A world where everything was futile.

Inside her, she even felt a kind of gratitude toward Foolish Chaos that brought her out of there.

Furthermore...

"I'll give you a name."

It was a deal that should not have been made.

Despite knowing what her goal was, the stakes were too high.

An irresistible offer.

"That name. Make sure to carry it well."

Chaang-!

Chaahng-!

Shub-Niggurath was surrounded by countless Rankers.

From the Valkyries of Asgard to the Deva Rankers and the Demon Kings, even the Angels of the Heavens.

Spears and swords were raised, and arrows were nocked. Tens of thousands of Rankers readied their skills to hunt down a single entity.

"Don't be afraid."

"It's no different from before. Think of her as hunting a high-level dungeon boss."

"Do not deviate from your position, and do not be swayed by friendly attacks..."

The Rankers moved frantically.

However, from the start, their affiliations were diverse, and they weren't organized to fight like an army.

"This one's mine!"

Swish-!

Long nails closed in on Shub-Niggurath's eyes.

One of the Demon Kings representing the Demon Kings, Asmodeus, was attacking. His nails seemed about to pierce Shub-Niggurath's eyes and split her head.

However, that...

Gyeeeeng-!

Before reaching Shub-Niggurath's eyes, the nails abruptly stopped in front of her pupils and could no longer approach.

"The first sheep/goat is you."

Swoosh-.

Shub-Niggurath extended her hand.

Asmodeus, feeling the threat, hastily retreated. If an attack failed against an opponent stronger than him, he had to pull back.

But...

"My body...?"

His outstretched nails, his fist, and his two legs on the ground...

None of them moved.

"Congratulations."

Squelch, squelch-.

Asmodeus's skin began to peel.

He couldn't do anything. When facing Shub-Niggurath at such close quarters, he felt his bones and muscles contorting, and his skin changing color.

"You will be my first sheep."

At the moment he heard her voice...

"Beeh-."

He let out a sound he had never made before.

His consciousness faded away, and all that remained was his loyalty to Shub-Niggurath before him.

Beeeeeeh-.

And thus, another sheep was born.

"What...?"

"What is happening...?"

"Asmodeus..."

It happened in the blink of an eye.

Asmodeus was the first to charge bravely toward Shub-Niggurath.

And now, like the other sheep surrounding Shub-Niggurath, he transformed into the same appearance.

Asmodeus was someone important.

He was also one of the High-Rankers, ranked in the top 300.

But he couldn't harm Shub-Niggurath and couldn't even touch her.

"One, two, three, four..."

At that moment...

The Rankers surrounding Shub-Niggurath heard the sound of numbers she was counting.

"Throughout this time, we have lost twelve."

Twelve.

It was the number of sheep that had died.

Shub-Niggurath's eyes softened. She looked at the Rankers surrounding her and pointed her finger, as if choosing prey.

"Whom should I choose..."

Shiver~

The Rankers, realizing it was senseless to charge forward, began stepping back one by one.

This battle wasn't merely a matter of life and death.

Surviving wasn't the issue. Being a Ranker wasn't just about survival.

Most of them had come this far prepared to die.

But the idea of "might die" was very different from the idea of "it won't be me anymore."

No one truly wanted to engage in an utterly senseless fight.

Watching the Rankers retreat on their own, Shub-Niggurath spoke in a soothing tone, as if consoling a child.

"Don't worry too much."

As they took a step back, she moved closer again.

"Anyway, everyone will get to enjoy the same honor..."

Peww-!

At that moment, a white light spear thrown from a distance pierced Shub-Niggurath's body.

A spear that went through her heart. Shub-Niggurath's body staggered for a moment, but her head slowly turned forward.

"That's right."

Despite her heart being pierced, she spoke calmly.

As if she had no heart in that place.

"You were there too."

Beeeeeeh-.

Beeeeh-.

Not only Shub-Niggurath.

The other sheep following her began to bleat in the direction of the Ranker who threw the spear.

The Rankers parted left and right. Through the path thus created, a warrior in golden armor walked slowly.

Peww-.

A presence that dominated the entire battlefield.

"It has arrived..."

"At last..."

The Rankers who had been overwhelmed by Shub-Niggurath just a moment ago regained their confidence.

That's right.

With him, they could win.

"We'll see each other rather quickly."

Shub-Niggurath smiled.

With a captivating smile, she broke the white lance embedded in her chest with just the strength of her hand and asked as she caressed the sheep by her side.

"May I ask your name?"

Beeeeeeeh-.

The sheep was Asmodeus.

Now he was just one of Shub-Niggurath's thousand sheep.

Shub-Niggurath knew the name of the man approaching her.

"My name is Odin."

Shub-Niggurath.

She and Odin faced each other.

"You seem to have a strong name."

Inside the meeting room, tension hung in the air.

Shiva stared at YuWon as if he were about to kill him.

"What are you doing right now?"

Tsu, tsu, tsu...

Dark Arcane Power surrounded YuWon. Among all the attributes, darkness was particularly destructive.

"The third should back off. If you don't want to die for real."

"Try."

"What?"

"Try it. If you can."

Swish...

YuWon straightened his posture and sat down.

It was as if he were opening his chest widely and saying, "try to stab me."

However...

"..."

Shiva only made threats and did not use his power directly against YuWon.

So far, it had been the same.

The distance between YuWon and Shiva was about the width of a table. It was a distance Shiva could cross at any moment and attack.

"It's not a matter of skill right now. Well, even if it's not now, you won't die at my hands anyway, but in any case..."

Swish...

YuWon stood up from his seat.

"The reason you can't kill me right now is due to the situation, isn't it?"

YuWon smiled.

The reason why Shiva only made threats and didn't use his strength against YuWon.

"In order for you to take control, you shouldn't weaken yourself in advance, right?"

That was because they had to prepare for when the three became one again.

But naturally, Shiva did not accept YuWon's words. Instead, it seemed that he had noticed something. He sat aside and gave Brahma, who was sucking on candies, a sharp look.

"Brahma."

"What?"

"Are you just going to stay here and watch this guy?"

"And what's wrong with that? He's just sitting here doing nothing."

An indifferent response.

Well.

He wasn't wrong.

YuWon hadn't threatened Shiva or Brahma. He simply sat quietly on the side.

In fact, it was Shiva who had driven out YuWon and incited a fight by showing his killer intent.

"Don't worry too much. Anyway, when we become one again, someone like him..."

"...Is fine."

Shiva's eyebrows moved slightly at Brahma's words.

"I understand."

Despite that, the uncomfortable feeling persisted. Although Brahma's words were not wrong, YuWon's constant presence by their side was like a thorn in their throat.

Things can't go awry because of that guy.

As the uncomfortable feeling grew...

"Well, anyway..."

Swish...

Brahma stood up from his seat and turned towards the door.

"The three of us are together again."