Leveling with the Gods

C435

Zeus, the God of the Sky.

And Hercules, the Giant Slayer.

Both were recognized High-Rankers in this Tower. There is no need to mention Zeus, the King of Olympus, and Hercules, the Hero of the Giant War.

Although they were just two individuals, their appearance was enough to change the atmosphere of the battlefield.

Step~

"Why are you here?"

It was Hercules' question to Susanoo.

A question about why YuWon was not here, and also a question about where YuWon was.

"The master sent me."

"The master?"

Hercules seemed surprised for a moment, wondering if that's how Susanoo referred to YuWon. No one could have imagined such a term coming from Susanoo's mouth, even in the relationship between a summoner and their summon.

"What's wrong?"

"It's nothing, just..."

"Why do you care about the treatment? It's not the time for that, right?"

His tone was sharp, as if he was making accusations.

In his heart, he wanted to take a little more risk and confront him, but it certainly wasn't the right time for that.

"That's true."

"They are having a pointless conversation."

Susanoo and Hercules both closed their mouths at the same time in response to Zeus' observation.

It wasn't an order from YuWon, and there was no need to listen to it, but Susanoo couldn't rebel against Zeus' words so easily. From Zeus, Susanoo could feel a certain majesty, just like with Odin.

"Now, first, we must deal with that fool."

As soon as Zeus' words fell...

Fireeee-!

Something was shot from the pillar of fire created by Diablo.

A red dot flying into the sky.

It quickly fell down.

Crash!

Goooou-.

A circular crater formed on the ground where the dot fell. When Susanoo turned his head in the direction where the crater had formed, he saw Diablo lying on the ground, drawing the Chinese character "da" (大).

"Tsk. He came back somehow."

"It doesn't seem like he's alright."

"Somehow, he's alive, that's what matters."

Crackle-.

Scratching the ground with his long nails, Diablo staggered to his feet.

As soon as he stood up, he grabbed his head immediately. Diablo, vigorously shaking his head, muttered.

"What the hell happened?"

A tone of voice mixed with a lot of irritation.

Being interrupted in the middle of a fight was something that Diablo hated more than anything.

In Diablo's gaze when he turned his head, he saw an old man with deep wrinkles around his eyes.

"Individual actions are prohibited."

The reason why Diablo was blown away.

It was because of Mimir's magic.

Diablo, who opened his eyes and looked at Mimir, staggered a bit when getting up from where he had fallen.

What the hell happened?

"Take a moment to recover. Your body and mind are a mess right now."

"What?"

Diablo, who staggered briefly, searched his memories.

He was definitely fighting Shub-Niggurath amidst the flames.

But in fact, he had no enthusiasm for that fight. He had no memories of the fight, so it was natural.

There was really nothing left in his head.

"Curse."

Crackle-.

The sound of sharp teeth grinding. Mimir looked at Diablo contemptuously, as if he were pathetic.

"If losing makes you so angry, don't force yourself..."

"It's not fun if you do this."

"What?"

Mimir's strange tone.

Although he had lived for a long time and knew many things, it was the first time he had seen someone so insane.

Mimir's judgment of Diablo, whose eyes were obsessed with the fight, was one thing.

'Not even the Curse of Knowledge can understand it.'

Such a crazy guy in the world.

Still, it seemed that Mimir knew something about who Diablo was. That's why Mimir could find a way to control him when Diablo was about to go crazy again.

"Will you listen to me?"

Words.

"Allow me to give you the opportunity to have the most exciting fight of your life."

Diablo's eyes lit up.

As crazy as he was about the fight, he knew the other party was Mimir.

If he had a plan in his mind, he could surely trust him.

Whirr-.

The place where Diablo was expelled.

The view that was hidden behind the flames covering Shub-Niggurath was revealed again as the flames cleared.

Mimir looked at Shub-Niggurath. Over her face, which appeared somewhat angry in places, there were slightly scratched marks.

"It wasn't a complete waste, it seems."

Diablo, who was eyeing her warily, still burned with overflowing Demonic Energy and flames.

Seeing him like this, Mimir raised his head.

"The result that Diablo obtained by risking his life was just that."

As soon as that thought crossed his mind.

"She's a monster."

Diablo, who struggled to get up, spoke while supporting his body.

"You and Odin saw the real body of that woman on the first floor, didn't you?"

"That's right."

"Although it's only a hunch for now... it's probably not all."

It's probably not all...

"What do you mean?"

It was clearly not a very long period.

However, during that time, Diablo seemed to sense many things in his fight with Shub-Niggurath.

"She has no intention of fighting right now."

Sometimes, actions and looks spoke louder than words. Diablo was especially prone to feeling this way during fights.

When their fists clashed up close and they locked eyes, he could understand.

This battle was exclusively theirs at that moment. But surprisingly, Shub-Niggurath, who was his opponent, didn't show much interest in this fight.

She was waiting now.

"She's waiting for something. Someone who is not here."

Until that person arrived, Shub-Niggurath was fully enjoying the situation.

"There was an intruder."

Despite being interrupted in the same way in the fight, the reactions of Shub-Niggurath and Diablo were completely different.

While Diablo was filled with rage, she simply clenched and unclenched her fists with a disappointed expression.

"I almost had him in my hands."

Bee-eeh-.

Bee-eeh-.

The surroundings resonated with the bleating of the sheep in response to Shub-Niggurath's disappointment.

And among them, there was one sheep in particular that bleated loudly.

Bee-eeh-!

Shub-Niggurath's gaze especially turned to the sheep that bleated loudly.

She didn't remember the names of all the sheep she led, but she remembered this sheep's name.

She had no choice.

It was her new offspring that she had just acquired.

"Do you want that guy too, Asmodeus?"

Bee-eeh-.

The sheep responded.

Asmodeus was the sheep that knew Diablo best. And his memories and emotions flowed clearly to Shub-Niggurath.

Diablo.

The Lord of Demons.

Asmodeus bowed his head to him in an attempt to survive the humiliation.

Asmodeus deeply desired it.

He hoped that Diablo would end up in the same situation as him.

"Just wait a little longer."

Swish-.

While stroking Asmodeus' fur, Shub-Niggurath calmly whispered.

"He hasn't arrived yet..."

Crash!

Then, a Golden Bolt fell from the sky. The body of the sheep Shub-Niggurath was caressing was instantly charred black by the Golden Bolt that filled the world with gold.

Craaack, craaack-le.

Like well-cooked meat, smoke emanated from the body of the sheep that had momentarily staggered before falling to the ground.

"What a pity."

Swish-.

Shub-Niggurath shook her hands from the lingering stinging sensation at her fingertips.

"It's a pity."

Swish-.

When Shub-Niggurath turned her head, she saw a man with golden hair approaching her from a distance, the owner of the Lightning Bolt.

And probably the most threatening opponent on the battlefield.

Shub-Niggurath's gaze widened as she looked at him.

"So, you've come as well."

"My name is Zeus."

Craaack, craack-.

Zeus was the first to reveal his name.

She wondered what he was doing exactly. Did he want to make some sort of declaration amidst this?

Nevertheless, Shub-Niggurath, thinking it didn't matter, revealed her own name.

"Shb-Nr*th."

"It's an incomprehensible word."

"Naturally, it won't sound familiar to you. It's not a name allowed for you."

That's why she hadn't been willing to reveal her name in the first place.

Still, for some reason, she found it interesting. The aura she felt from Zeus in front of her surpassed anyone else on the battlefield.

"However, if it's you, perhaps you deserve to hear another name."

"Another name?"

"The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young."

Zeus's eyes narrowed slightly.

That was a name he had heard before.

"It's the 'Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young.'"

That's what YuWon had said when one of the sheep led by Shub-Niggurath first appeared on the First Floor.

"It's one of my names. Engrave it in your mind."

YuWon knew the name of that monster.

"The Black Goat of the Woods with a Thousand Young..."

"That's right."

"I understand."

Swish-.

Zeus's hand extended forward at that moment.

And in that instant...

Flash-!

Craaaaaash-!

With a light that completely filled Shub-Niggurath's sight, the bodies of the sheep surrounding her were instantly burned black.

Craaack, craaack-le-.

"How many more are left?"

"..."

"It seems you should change your name," Zeus muttered.

Shub-Niggurath's eyebrows arched slightly.

Such a swift attack that couldn't even be seen. The amount of Arcane Power emanating just from extending his palm was considerable.

Craaack, craaack-le-.

The amount of energy emanating from Zeus while launching Bolts was not normal.

And with Zeus at the forefront...

Boom-.

A threatening fist descended onto Shub-Niggurath's body.

Thuuuud!

The earth flipped over and rose toward the sky. A sheep's body exploded, and Shub-Niggurath, who had momentarily disappeared, reappeared among the heaps of sheep's wool.

Sssshh-.

The upturned earth rose.

Looking at the man's figure who had caused this spectacle with a single blow, Shub-Niggurath felt a real threat for the first time.

"This is... a bit dangerous."

The man's fist barely contained Arcane Power. However, the man's fist had enough power to threaten Shub-Niggurath's body.

Hercules, the Giant Slayer.

He had come with Zeus to challenge Shub-Niggurath head-on.

And furthermore...

Weeeeeeng-.

Another.

There was a presence that also represented a threat to Shub-Niggurath.

Kwa-aaa-ang!

A pillar of white light pierced Shub-Niggurath's body and rose to the sky, illuminating the purple sky with blue.

A pillar of light rising to the sky.

The appearance of this pillar made Susanoo mutter.

"As expected. This guy won't die easily."

Speaking as if he knew.

Purple...

The pillar of light challenging Shub-Niggurath's energy.

And the giant spear that created that pillar.

There were only two people in this entire world who could throw a spear with such power in this tower.

One of them was her master, YuWon, and the other was...

-Odin.

The King of Asgard.

It was Odin.

Kwa-aaaaa-.

Within the pillar of light created by Gungnir...

Within that pillar, which turned white and lost its color, gradually revealed the face of something that was not human.

"...Alright, I had forgotten you for a moment."

A gigantic goat. The Fertility Goddess who carried a thousand sheep.

-Odin.

Shub-Niggurath's face.