Leveling with the Gods

Side Story 49

Long ago.

At the peak of the battle against the Outers, Vishnu and Asura, alongside their companions, found themselves in a desperate situation.

Anticipating a partial defeat, they had started debating who would be sent back in time using the Clock Movement.

It was then that a being appeared, acting as a variable for both Inner and Outers.

"Ananta?"

"That guy has resurrected?"

Ananta, resurging magnificently, burst onto the battlefield.

Devouring the Outers who had invaded the Tower, he satisfied his voracious hunger one by one.

"Osiris was devoured by him."

"Heimdall too. That guy is devouring everything in sight."

The survivors who returned alive.

Vishnu, who had faced Ananta in the past, was filled with doubt, massaging his temples.

"Whether his resurrection will be an advantage or a disadvantage for us..."

However, initially, there was no need to worry.

There was nothing they could do, no matter how much they pondered the pros and cons.

Because Ananta, from the beginning, was not a being they could cooperate with.

Nevertheless, one thing was fortunate.

In the end, Ananta's existence turned out to be an "advantage" for them.

"Ananta stopped Shub-Niggurath."

While their companions, having discovered their base, fled, Ananta coincidentally encountered Shub-Niggurath.

And that day...

Though it was not his intention, Son OhGong and his companions were able to escape the sight of the Outers thanks to Ananta's help.

"To Shub-Niggurath?"

"What happened to that guy, Ananta? Did he eat it?"

"So? Is it dead? That huge goat?"

Faces filled with anticipation. If Shub-Niggurath had been eliminated by Ananta, the success rate, considered to be 0%, could increase by at least 1%.

In that case, there would be no need to gamble in an uncertain poker game with the Clock Movement.

However...

"Did you forget where we are?"

"Ah..."

At YuWon's words, who returned after observing the situation, his companions looked up at the sky.

A sky tinted in purple.

Under the Yog-Sothoth sky, eliminating Shub-Niggurath was a daunting task even for Ananta.

"Shub-Niggurath has joined Yog-Sothoth and Abhoth. Although I think Abhoth was devoured by Ananta on the way."

"And did he eliminate one of them in the process?"

"... They don't call him the Monster King for nothing."

Consuming everything that lives, and through that voracity, growing and strengthening, Ananta, the Dragon at the pinnacle of monsters.

Shub-Niggurath.

No, perhaps a being possessing even greater power.

That's why Son OhGong had always been curious since then.

What would it be like to fight against Ananta?, he wondered.

And now...

Kwa-rung, Kwa-uwung-!

Son OhGong was feeling that thrilling sensation he had been waiting for.

Craack-le-!

Son OhGong was enveloped in lightning. His flesh, as hard as steel, began to burn.

"Grrraaaaah-!"

Resisting the lightning, he concentrated his strength and roared.

Boooooom-.

Wielding the extended Ru Yi Bang, he aimed for Ananta's head.

Half of his clones had already been eliminated.

Craack-!

Son OhGong broke free from the lightning.

In an instant, a huge Dragon enveloped him.

Thuuuud-!

The pressure knocked him down.

And the lightning's force burned his body as if it were disintegrating.

And a lightning power that seemed to burn his entire body.

Paf!

Son OhGong ran towards Ananta, cutting through the waves of lightning.

Grabbing the Ru Yi Bang, he swung it with all his might, targeting the other heads.

Zas!

"...!"

The lightning-wrapped Dragon blocked Son OhGong's Ru Yi Bang with its teeth.

Holding the Ru Yi Bang with its teeth, the Ananta Dragon slammed OhGong to the ground.

Bum!

Craack, craaackl-e.

Electric current flowed through the ground.

Son OhGong, kneeling on the ground, grimaced in pain.

"Argh..."

His knees, as if electrified, wouldn't bend.

Bam!

With a roar, Son OhGong struck his knees with fists.

Bam, bam, bam!

After hitting his knees several times, his legs finally started moving.

His arms and legs trembled. Son OhGong stood up, leaning on the Ru Yi Bang like a staff, and raised his head.

Kyaaaah!

Craaack-le-.

The lightning-wrapped Dragons roared and looked at Son OhGong.

Although it's natural to enjoy the stronger the enemy, this was more than he expected.

"This is tough," Son OhGong muttered with a wry smile.

Every move was an effort.

For some reason, even reading his movements wasn't easy.

Ananta.

He was a more challenging opponent than he had thought.

Puf!

"Are you okay?"

The Bull Demon King landed unsteadily next to Son OhGong.

Son OhGong turned to him and asked:

"And you, Hyung-nim?"

"My body is more resistant than yours."

Being immortal didn't mean being invincible.

Son OhGong's immortality only meant he couldn't die, but the endurance and physical strength of his body had a clear limit.

The Bull Demon King still had some strength. Indeed, his body was more resistant.

"Don't you think I have more guts?"

"Guts... You say strangely intelligent things for you."

"Strangely?"

"It's a compliment."

"Doesn't seem like it."

"It does, and stop calling me 'you'."

Both of them smiled humorlessly. At this moment, neither of them was genuinely smiling.

"First, escape, Hyung-nim."

Son OhGong took a step forward.

"Anyway, I'm immortal, right? Don't worry about me and go first."

"Being immortal doesn't mean being completely invulnerable. You should know that better than me, who has lived with that body."

As expected, the Bull Demon King had no intention of retreating.

No matter how good his younger brother was, he had the pride of being the older brother (Hyung-nim).

His self-esteem was too high to allow himself to run away, leaving his younger brother behind.

Moreover...

"And I have to stop that guy here."

Ananta.

The Monster King who had been sealed long ago, or rather, the monster they had barely managed to seal.

Knowing what kind of being he was, the Bull Demon King couldn't just leave like that.

"If we leave here, that guy will devour everyone he finds outside. Since he's not a Player, there won't be any penalties."

The Monster King.

The world was very different before and after his appearance.

"Sorry, OhGong-ah. My legs won't move from here."

"Damn."

Son OhGong scratched his head in frustration. He liked to fight, but he didn't want the Bull Demon King to die here.

No matter how fun it was, he didn't want to lose his Hyung-nim again.

Paf!

The Bull Demon King moved even before the impulsive Son OhGong.

The reason was obvious.

Son OhGong was just acting before he could stop himself.

"Damn Hyung-nim. Always so stubborn."

There was nothing to be done. Son OhGong frowned and lowered his head.

Kuduk-.

His shoulders trembled as if convulsing. His muscles and body contorted, and Son OhGong raised his head with rolled-back eyes.

"This state... really annoys me."

Krur-.

An animalistic growl escaped his lips. By releasing almost all of his Yokai Power, his sanity was gradually fading away.

However, this was not the first time he found himself in this state.

"So..."

Kakak-.

He clenched his fists, making his nails creak.

Grrr-.

With an animalistic roar, Son OhGong kicked the ground.

Kwang-!

Son OhGong instantly reached the Bull Demon King. Together, they climbed onto Ananta's body and began attacking the Dragon heads covered in golden scales.

Kwrang, kurur-.

Craaack-le-!

Son OhGong's claws tore through the heads as he dodged the lightning bolts.

The Bull Demon King's Mixed Iron Rod crushed Ananta's heads one by one.

Son OhGong used the Ru Yi Bang to block another head that targeted him.

Fuuuwaaaak-!

The fan's wind resisted Ananta's lightning.

Arcane Power clashed as Son OhGong and the Bull Demon King fought against Ananta's heads.

『Excellent.』

And among them, one.

『The brotherly affection moves me to tears, Demon Toro.』

Ananta's head laughed at them.

And then...

Kyaaaa-!

Countless heads of Ananta lunged at Son OhGong, who wielded his claws and the Ru Yi Bang.

Craaack-!

“Kyaaaa-!”

Son OhGong screamed as he was enveloped by the dragons and struck by lightning.

The golden chains of lightning wrapped around his body.

Ananta, who had held Son OhGong, licked his lips.

『A Monkey with the property of immortality. It's tempting. Very tempting.』

"OhGong-ah-!"

The Bull Demon King shouted in surprise.

Ananta continuously injected lightning into Son OhGong's body, with gleaming eyes.

『Aren't you curious? Whether your immortal brother can survive being devoured by me.』

Immortality. An eternal and immortal being. Son OhGong, who possessed that legendary property even within the Tower, was an irresistible target for Ananta.

"Y-you- are-."

Craaaack-le-!

Son OhGong growled and writhed within the chains of lightning.

Ananta was quite impressed that Son OhGong didn't lose consciousness even with such an electric shock.

『Seems like it's not just the immortality』

Son OhGong's power kept growing. His Yokai Power increased with his almost infinite Arcane Power base, enhancing his physical abilities as well.

And to mock him, the chains of lightning tightened even more.

Meanwhile, the Bull Demon King sweated as he blocked Ananta's teeth with the Mixed Iron Rod.

'Ananta absorbs the power and properties of his devoured opponents. Although OhGong-ah has the property of immortality, if something goes wrong-.'

Papak-.

The Bull Demon King gritted his teeth.

'It's my fault. I should have prepared better.'

His original goal was to prevent Ananta's resurrection. However, that failed, and the situation turned into an inevitable battle against the beast.

He had to do something.

If Son OhGong died by any chance... and Ananta gained the property of immortality...

It could be the birth of a monster that even surpassed Shub-Niggurath and Yog-Sothoth.

'Even if I have to die...'

Chiik-.

The Bull Demon King began drawing on the ground with the tip of his toe.

The King of Great Power and Sorcerer.

There were many ways to obtain greater power in exchange for a great price.

And at the moment the Bull Demon King's spell was completed...

“Huup-!”

An object resembling a meteorite fell from the sky.

Kwaaaang-!

Kiee eeeek-!

Ananta, struck by the falling meteorite, sank into the ground. And at that moment, the hand of the fallen meteorite reached out to Son OhGong, who was tied by Ananta.

"You bastard-!"

Ananta's panicked shout.

Hercules, who had fallen from the sky like a meteorite, grabbed Son OhGong by the neck and lifted him.

"You should have been careful with your opponent while fighting."

"If we had gone all the way, I would have won."

"You say nice things even in that state."

Son OhGong smirked. Although he didn't like that they interrupted his fight, it was a fact that he had been in danger.

Moreover.

Craaack-.

There was no way Hercules had appeared here alone.

The dark clouds covering the sky.

Above them, a different Lightning Bolt than Ananta's, flowed with determination.

Flash!

First, a blinding blue light enveloped the dark clouds.

[Lightning Bolt]

Kwaauung-!

A blue Lightning Bolt descended upon Ananta's head.

-KO-FI

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