Leveling Up through Eating

[Congratulations.]

[You are the first player to have reached Level 700!]

[Your achievements will be made known to the world.]

[You have acquired the Title: Absolute Pioneer]

[You will receive rewards for reaching Level 700!]

[All five of your primary stats will increase by 12%.]

[Your resistance to abnormal status will increase by 20%.]

[Your basic and magic attack power will increase by 6%.]

[Your basic and magic defensive power will increase by 6%.]

Despite the harsh and ragged breathing, delight was evident on Minhyuk’s face. Although he had always been unrivaled when it came to taking first place, the word “first” always made his heart thump wildly.

Reaching Level 700 would allow Minhyuk to kickstart the stagnant power of the Food God and help bring himself, the next-generation Battle God, closer to becoming the true Battle God.

Minhyuk had already found most of the power of the Food God. As a Continental God, he could enjoy almost all of the privileges of being the Food God initially. However, this also restricted him. After all, unlike ordinary gods, a Continental God could not gain anything in the latter half of their gameplay.

Thanks to the remarkable power that Jack-of-all-Trades Rocado had left to Minhyuk, he would still be able to develop and grow the powers of the Food God.

[You have reached Level 700.]

[You can now take on the quest to find Rocado’s power.]

[The quest to find Rocado’s power will be triggered independently. It will start soon.]

Minhyuk wanted to check the power that Rocado had left for him right away, but it seemed like it was not yet time. The word “soon” meant it would appear, leading Minhyuk to where the power had been hidden for about a week.

And there was one more important thing. Those who participated in the Succession Ceremony and successfully inherited the position of the gods would be able to unlock a portion of their power whenever they broke through a certain level.

In the case of the Battle God, the opening of the second level of power was set at Level 700 and the final level was set to open at Level 800.

[The Battle God’s 2nd Level of Power has been released!]

[Your CHA has increased by 30%!]

[The total volume of your HP has increased by 4%.]

[The total volume of your MP has increased by 3%.]

[You will be able to receive the rest of the additional powers after receiving a quest from the Battle God.]

‘Are you saying you won’t give it to me easily?’

Or it was because opening the second level of power would give him too much power. There were still a lot of things that he found regrettable. But now that he had reached Level 700, it was only time for him to reach Level 800. Of course, that was if he took it step by step.

Although acquiring Rocado’s quest and the Battle God’s power had been delayed, Minhyuk had become 10% stronger by reaching Level 700.

[You have acquired the Title: Absolute Pioneer.]

Minhyuk had obtained the title “Pioneer” when he reached Level 600, which had excellent effects. Now, this title had been upgraded to “Absolute Pioneer.”

(Absolute Pioneer)

Unique Title

Requirements: The first one to reach Level 700

Title Effects:

•The equipped weapon’s basic and skill attack power will increase by 25%.

•All of the skills that you possess will increase by one level.

•Your reward acquisition rate will increase by 10% if you achieve something for the first time.

The previous title only increased his equipped weapon’s basic and skill attack powers by 20%. The upgrade had increased that percentage by a whopping 5%. This was a truly amazing reward. There was also one of the title effects. It had changed entirely.

‘Would you look at this?’

The final effect of the previous title did not have the words, ‘If you achieve something for the very first time.’ Initially, it was supposed to be: ‘Whenever a surprising achievement has been made, special rewards and world messages can be obtained.’

Minhyuk clicked his tongue. Having come this far, he had made various achievements, including killing Helenia and reaching Level 700. However, the rewards he received from the title for making those achievements were only a thing or two.

‘Maybe it’s because the rewards system’s conditions are very strict?’

In Minhyuk’s opinion, the answer to that question was a resounding: No. This was probably because the rewards he received for those achievements were already outstanding. Any additional rewards given to him would probably make the balance collapse.

‘It’s impossible for Joy Co. Ltd. to intervene with Athenae directly.’

This was something that Minhyuk was sure of. After all, he would occasionally talk to Team Leader Park or President Kang on the phone. If that was the case, the only answer was that the one who “maintained” the balance suppressed his rewards to ensure the balance remained. This entity had deferred giving Minhyuk the proper rewards. It was a problem(?) that Minhyuk thought would be solved soon.

As he pondered over the notifications about the rewards, the notifications continued to ring in his ears.

[You have gained 100 billion EXP.]

[You have gained 100 billion EXP.]

[You have gained 100 billion EXP.]

[You have leveled up.]

[You have leveled up.]

Fortunately, the problem about the amount of EXP, which was the total EXP from Level 650 to Level 699, that he needed to go from Level 699 to Level 700 had been resolved. From what Minhyuk could tell, they had set it up so it would be difficult to break through the Level 700 wall.

‘I think the amount of EXP I need to level up again is around 10% of the total EXP to go from Level 699 to Level 700, right?’

Fortunately, he was able to break through Level 700. However, for some reason, Minhyuk got goosebumps thinking about the wall that he had to face when aiming for Level 800. And just like that, the ridiculous amount of EXP acquisition notifications ringing in his ears suddenly stopped.

[The EXP you can earn in a day has reached the limit.]

[You still have 2.1 trillion EXP left to acquire.]

“...?”

Minhyuk was quite surprised. Had he reached the limit of the amount of EXP he could earn in a day?

‘The amount of EXP I needed to go from Level 699 to Level 700 was ridiculous.’

Shockingly enough, he had acquired more than 1.5 trillion EXP from this. If he could devour all of the EXP he had obtained, then the remaining EXP could directly take him to Level 730. That was just how much EXP he had obtained.

‘Uhm…’

But Minhyuk thought it was still too early for him to get angry.

The crumbling egg finally completely fell apart. Varoghan, stunned by the sight of the egg, grabbed his chest and screamed, “Keuaaaaaaack!!!”

Varoghan said himself that he was linked to the Growth Devourer’s Egg. So, whatever the egg experienced, he would experience himself.

Varoghan collapsed with his hand on his chest and his body twisting strangely. But there was no pity in Minhyuk’s eyes.

He looked at Varoghan coldly and said, “Is this finally the end of the fake?”

“P-please spare me… Please…!”

Minhyuk crouched down and pointed behind him. “Those guys must have said the same thing to you hundreds of times a day, no?”

Of course, Varoghan must have ignored the cries of the thousand innocent young men he had held captive just so he, a fake, could become the true “The Teacher.”

But what made Minhyuk very angry was the fact that each and every single one of these men was skinny. They all looked like skin and bones!

He looked down at the screaming Varoghan and whispered in his ear. “Ah. Make sure to leave the Pillar Ingredient to me before going.”

“...!”

Varoghan, filled with fear, eventually died from a heart attack.

[You have completed the Sudden Quest: Master’s Honor.]

[The Growth Cultivator will be available to you until Level 750.]

Additional notifications immediately rang right after.

[You have completed the Sudden Quest: Unqualified One.]

[Please receive your reward from Chaos.]

At that moment, Minhyuk caught sight of something wriggling from the remains of the crumbled egg. It was most likely the Growth Devourer and the remaining EXP that Minhyuk could not obtain yet.

As he stared at the wriggling remains of the Growth Devourer, a red ladybird beetle slowly floated down from the tower’s collapsed ceiling, courtesy of Minhyuk’s Supreme Overlord Technique.

***

As the one in charge of maintaining the balance of the world, Chaos tried to stop the advent of the Growth Devourer.

If the Growth Devourer indeed came to be and helped others grow, then the balance would genuinely be broken. On top of that, Chaos cherished the man named Beradon and could not bring himself to allow someone like Varoghan to taint the noble name of such a man.

Chaos did not oversee the world. The only times that he could see and learn about its happenings were when the balance was about to be broken.

When he saw the situation, he thought it was already too late. That was why he urged the Pillar Evaluators to go as fast as possible. But in haste, he asked someone to help settle the matter. The relationship with Minhyuk had been dubious so far.

Chaos never imagined that the man would be able to break the egg. He just asked him for help in hopes that he would be able to buy them some time. To his surprise, when he finally arrived at the tower, he saw a completely wasted and broken egg.

Chaos, who was about to say something, caught sight of Minhyuk gesturing at him with his index finger in his mouth.

“...?”

Chaos looked at Minhyuk in confusion. No one, not even an Absolute God, dared stop him like this. What was so important that he had to stop him like this? Chaos next saw Minhyuk asking his vassals to help him remove the blindfold and the ropes that bound the thousand skinny young men.

‘What? Did he judge that it’s more important than talking and meeting with me?’

He watched the young man silently as he gave the men cool and refreshing water and each a bowl of porridge. After all, their lips were chapped and dry. Only after they had filled up their stomachs to some extent did the men realize the situation that they were in.

“We’re alive. But…”

“Our village… Where do we go now?”

The man listened to their woes. Varoghan and his men had attacked the place where the people of a ruined kingdom were hiding and burned everything, except the sturdy young men, until they died.

A loud and desperate voice rang from among them. “What should we do…?!”

“U-uwaaaaah! This-this tower is already on its way to ruins!”

“In- in the end, are we still going to die?!”

“In the first place, we wouldn’t be able to live anyway,” one of the older men said.

“It doesn’t matter what kingdom or empire takes us in; they will all treat us as bugs!”

Their kingdom was ruined because they lost a war. And it was all because of the Luvien Empire. If they did not want to go against the Luvien Empire, then they had to let them take over their kingdom. So, even if they lived here, they would still die in the end.

“I’d rather be buried in this tower.” The man smiled, his smile empty and bleak.

In their eyes, the world was filled with fear. But in this world that was overcome with terror and fear, a warm and gentle voice appeared and shed some small light and warmth upon them.

“No.”

The light gradually grew larger and larger until it covered the thousand men.

“This emperor wishes to bring you to my empire. I will help you, young people, achieve your dreams and obtain the things you have had before. I will do my best to soothe the sadness and grief that you felt and will continue to feel over losing your loved ones. We will provide you with enough food and water so that you will no longer grow hungry.”

“Your lives are not yet over. Come to this emperor’s empire and live a new life. I understand that the people of your kingdom are blessed and born with high dexterity. Come, make clothes, food, shields, and swords for us. And I will protect you.”

The light that reflected upon them was too bright. However, for some reason, they felt like darkness was about to emerge from within the light once again.

“You are just like us! You’re too young! Who the hell are you?!”

The young man in front of them was far younger than them.

The young man smiled faintly and said, “This emperor is called Minhyuk. I am the Beyond the Heavens’ Emperor.”

“...!”

“...!”

“...!”

Chaos was overcome with emotions as he watched the scene.

For the world to continue to run, good and evil must coexist. The young man in front of him was the Good. Chaos felt an unknown emotion swelling within him when he looked at the Good before him. It seemed like it was what they called warmth. The proof that he was the Good was the smile of relief that appeared on the faces of the young men the moment they heard the name “Beyond the Heavens.”

The man, who was leaning on the side of Good, looked at Chaos once again. A small smile unknowingly appeared on Chaos’ face.

Then, Minhyuk’s lips twisted in a vicious smile as he called out to him, “Ladybird.”

Chaos was wrong. He was not the Good.

“So? What are you going to give to me?” He asked, a greedy look on his face.

In front of the greatest existence in the world, he was like Evil.