Leveling with the Gods

[Holy Blessing]

[Angel’s Wings]

[Strength of a Giant]

In a hurry, Ro’el directed her skills at the players spread around her.

She made their bodies lighter, protected their bodies from the fire, buffed their strength, and more. She had used over ten types of buffs on her team.

Her abilities were so versatile that any team with her on board could double their power.

But then why…?

‘What’s up with this?’ Ro’el wondered. She started sweating seeing YuWon just standing still.

She was unable to stop the fire YuWon controlled with her skills.

On top of that, the dozens of players were busy running from the fire as if they were put under some illusion.

No matter how powerful a buff she casted, nothing would change. She couldn’t stop the fire, nor could they injure YuWon, let alone approach him.

Ro’el grit her teeth, focused her sights, and aimed her hands at YuWon.

She specialized in healing and buffing, but those weren’t the only abilities she had. If that were the case, she wouldn’t have managed to become nearly as famous as she was.

Whirrrr—

Above YuWon’s head, a giant, yellow, glowing sword appeared.

[Sword of Execution]

It was the only attack skill that the Angel Ro’el possessed, but that was good enough because this skill was said to be one of the most lethal man-to-man attack skills.

“Die!” Ro’el shouted as she swung her hands down.

The sword made of light above YuWon’s head fell toward him.

In response…

Shnk—

… YuWon, who had been standing still all this time, drew his sword.

Thwack—!

Whirrrrr—

The [Sword of Execution] released a powerful light, enough to light up the whole forest.

Ro’el and the other players heard the loud ringing caused by the collision.

Riiiiing—

It echoed in their ears.

Through the blinding light, Ro’el could see her sword getting shattered.

‘The Sword of Execution…’

Ro’el’s eyes widened.

The shock from what she witnessed made her numb to the blinding light.

Her [Sword of Execution] was destroyed, not even by some special skill, but from a normal swing of a sword.

Ro’el had a flashback of what Hoon told her.

“We will all die.”

Ro’el’s eyes locked with YuWon.

She felt a shiver down her spine and even took a step back subconsciously.

There didn’t seem to be anything she could do against him.

“This is cheating…” she muttered.

After looking around, Ro’el noticed that most of the players had already run away.

She changed her mind. ‘There’s no point in fighting anymore.’

Hoon was right. Ro’el didn’t know what made him come to that conclusion, but YuWon was not an opponent they could face.

Even though he was still only a player, his strength was beyond their measure.

Ro’el bit her lip.

“Everyone, let’s retreat,” Ro’el telepathically communicated to all the players of Team B that had received a buff from her. “We don’t stand a chance. If all of us die here, even if we get his ‘king,’ we will still lose this test.”

After hearing Ro’el’s words, the players of Team B looked at one another and nodded their heads.

She was right.

Their original plan was to get YuWon and the ‘king,’ but currently both seemed impossible.

“Make sure you leave your flags behind,” YuWon said out loud.

This caught Ro’el off guard.

“Did you hear all that?” she asked.

YuWon responded, “I don’t need to hear anything to know what’s going on in your head.”

“… And if I say we’re just going to leave?”

“I won’t let you guys go,” YuWon said while signaling with his fingers to hand the flags over.

He did feel like he was taking a kid’s lunch money, but that was kind of what was happening.

After contemplating, Ro’el ended up handing her flags over.

[You obtained 8 flags.]

[You obtained 80cp.]

As expected, she had quite a few flags on her.

This was one more than the seven flags that Hoon had on him.

‘A support plays a bigger role in the team than a lone swordsman, so that makes sense,’ YuWon thought.

It was a natural way for a team to distribute the gains.

The other players followed Ro’el and handed YuWon their flags.

There were no casualties yet.

“Will you really not kill anyone?” Ro’el asked, as YuWon was finishing up collecting the flags.

YuWon nodded. Since he got all their flags, there was no need to kill anyone.

“How come? You don’t seem like someone who’d hesitate to kill people.”

“That’s true, but I don’t particularly like killing either.”

“Will you really be okay? You might be taking all our flags, but we’ll just go collect more. You’re by yourself. You might lose your ‘king,’ and with the remaining time…”

“Are you asking me to kill you?” YuWon asked.

After getting goosebumps from locking eyes with YuWon, Ro’el took a few steps back.

“What is it that you want?” YuWon followed up with another question.

“A talk with you,” she responded.

“A talk?”

“I heard that you rejected all the sponsorship offers from major guilds.”

YuWon nodded his head.

Many players from major guilds had met up with him. He was even personally visited by a few Rankers.

But every time, he said no.

Ro’el knew this, and that was why she had approached YuWon.

“Why did you do that?” she asked.

“What is this? Is this a recruitment offer?”

“Zion* can offer you the best treatment possible. I’m certain they’ll treat you even better than me,” Ro’el spoke with a spark in her eyes.

*TL/N: Zion means Heaven.

YuWon couldn’t believe she was making such an offer when just a moment ago they were fighting over the flags.

‘So she’s sponsored by Zion,’ YuWon thought to himself. He was amazed that a player on the lower floors was already sponsored by such a major faction, but it made sense as Ro’el’s ability fit them.

“No thanks,” YuWon rejected her offer.

“Why?”

“It’s annoying, having to repeat myself. Just leave.”

“Then at least give me your kit number…”

“I’m always happy to get a number from a beauty. That is, unless they have an ulterior motive,” YuWon said while shooing her away, “So just go. Whether it’s Zion or Asgard, I have no intention of joining anywhere.”

“Why?”

Ro’el refused to give up.

Without her persistent personality, she probably wouldn’t have managed to make it this far so quickly.

She continued, “Why are you rejecting all the offers from these major guilds? I’m sure you’re aware, but the Tower isn’t a place you can conquer by yourself. If you have something you desire…”

“It is possible,” YuWon cut Ro’el off with an annoyed tone, “even without a major guild. No, I have to solo it.”

That was the biggest thing the returner of the 「Clock Movement 」 had to keep in mind.

“You can’t join or get sponsored by some guild for just a little convenience.”

“You’re right, or they might find you suspicious.”

“And to be the center that brings the Tower together, there can’t be a guild backing them.”

“The center…”

“That won’t be easy.”

“But that’s what needs to happen, especially when the major guilds are out to get each other.”

“Damn bastards.”

“We are those bastards.”

The guilds were naturally against one another, but it was the worst among the major guilds that were trying to gain the rights to the Tower.

And the major guilds had been at this for too long. For far too long there had been rivalries, suspicion, and pride.

So in order to bring them together as one, there needed to be a new ‘center.’

“Now stop being so noisy and go away. If you stay any longer, you might actually die.”

“What?” Ro’el asked in shock, staring at YuWon.

The other players had already dispersed, and Ro’el realized she was the last one there.

She nodded her head and answered, “… I understand. Well, I hope I’ll get to see you again. And hopefully we’ll be on the same team next time.”

“Whatever suits you.”

Ro’el turned around.

YuWon watched her back for a second before adding, “Sorry, but the ‘king’ won’t die.”

Ro’el turned her head back towards him.

YuWon continued while playfully waving his hand, “So you should just root for me losing.”

“What do you mean…?” Ro’el asked in confusion.

“Now carry on,” YuWon told her to go.

Despite her confusion, she decided to keep moving.

YuWon stood in place and waited for everyone to disappear.

After a few minutes had passed…

“Everyone’s gone,” YuWon stated.

Rustle—

A sound came from behind YuWon in a direction where no one was visible.

Then out of nowhere, a gold light appeared.

“How long were you aware?”

“For a while now,” YuWon said while turning around, meeting face-to-face with Team B’s ‘king.’

A man without a face, glowing gold, the light that symbolized the ‘king.’

* * *

This man had moved alone to get YuWon.

“You’re as smart as the rumors say you are, not to mention you’re also skilled,” the ‘king’ said.

He looked around the surrounding area and was pretty impressed. After such a fight, it wouldn’t have been strange if a big fire had engulfed the forest. But instead of a fire, there weren’t even any traces of scorch marks.

There were plenty of skills with great firepower, but the ‘king’ had never heard of a skill that could burn selective targets like this.

“A fire with a will… If he saw it, he’d want it,” the ‘king’ mumbled while nodding his head.

The ‘king’ was acting quite laid back, even though he spoke like he knew what had happened between YuWon and the others from Team B.

“What’s the test examiner doing here, wearing that weird mask?”

YuWon’s question shocked the ‘king.’ Even though his eyes, nose, and mouth were obscured to the point that no one could recall them, YuWon could see him as clear as day.

The ‘king’ was no ordinary player. It was the test examiner Hypnos, a Ranker.

“You can see me?” Hypnos asked.

“Crystal clear.”

Earlier, YuWon’s eyes had changed into [Cinder Eyes.] They were eyes that could see through everything as well as discern lies and truth.

Even if the player in front of him was a Ranker, with just a simple illusion disguise, he couldn’t beat the discernment of [Cinder Eyes.]

“… That’s not possible,” Hypnos said.

“Sometimes the impossible happens.”

“Ha. You really are something.”

It was a short conversation, but Hypnos was truly amazed.

Even though he was found out, he didn’t take off his disguise. It would be terrible if people found out that Olympus’s test examiner had intervened in a test.

“I was honestly surprised. I didn’t think that you’d choose going after all the players rather than aim for the ‘king.’”

Hypnos took on the role of the ‘king’ for one reason. He had assumed YuWon would immediately go after the ‘king’ as soon as the test started because he wanted a situation like this. The opportunity to face him one-on-one.

But rather than searching for the enemy ‘king,’ YuWon moved at a leisurely pace and then picked a fight with the elites of Team B.

“I finally understand why the higher ups are so up in arms about you.”

A faint shimmer spread out from Hypnos.

The faint flow of mana slowly diffused.

As his vision and mind became hazy, YuWon tried his best to keep it together.

Hypnos was a Ranker famous for his illusion skills.

‘So, they even mobilized a test examiner,’ YuWon thought.

Fwoosh—!

YuWon drew out his mana and lit the 「Holy Fire」 ablaze.

In contrast to the fight against the players, the [Holy Fire] burned big and loud.

This was a fight he couldn’t win just by taking it easy like earlier.

‘What a mess,’ YuWon thought.

An officially registered Ranker had intervened in a test.

Olympus had taken a huge risk considering the trouble they would be in if the Administrator found out.

YuWon couldn’t help but smirk.

An Olympian Ranker had intervened despite being the test examiner. YuWon knew that they had laid out a trap for him…

‘How nice,’ he thought.

… But he was getting a much bigger catch than he had originally anticipated.