Leveling with the Gods

Side Story 98

Kwakjik!

The numerous teeth of the Dragon devoured the Envoys.

With blood at the corners of their mouths, the Envoys unleashed their abilities against the Ananta Dragon, seeking its next target.

It was in vain.

Their abilities couldn't pierce Ananta's tough scales.

"What is this...?"

"Why Ananta all of a sudden?"

"Haven't we taken it down?"

Asgard and Olympus Rankers who had participated in the battle stopped and showed hostility.

He was a former enemy.

It was hard to trust him even if his attacks were directed at the Envoys.

But fortunately...

"That guy is for later."

Zeus's words echoed on the battlefield, and they could calm down.

"He's an ally now. For now."

With a confident voice, as if he knew something.

Although they were from different Guilds, Zeus was the highest-ranked player in this Tower.

In the face of his words, other Rankers on the battlefield refocused on the Envoys.

And in the next instant...

Puhaak!

One of Ananta's heads, chewing on dozens of Envoys, exploded.

-They've finally shown up.

Grrrrrrr-

The Dragons' gazes turned to one side.

It was a presence clearly different from the Envoys.

The flow of Arcane Power in the world tilted towards there, and a strange sense of disgust overcame them.

-The Administrators-nim.

Parrak-

The Administrators, wrapped in robes, appeared one by one.

In an instant, their number exceeded a dozen, and it was hard to count them at a glance.

Even Ananta couldn't be at ease with all of them in front of him.

"Didn't I tell you? I said it would be a problem if we released that guy."

"We all agreed at that time."

"I don't think this is the time to argue about that."

"Why is that guy on the Players' side?"

"It seems the tired guy has turned into an enemy."

The Administrators spoke one by one.

The Dragons trembled before the energy emanating from them.

Two or three wouldn't be a problem, but Ananta had no chance against so many at once.

-Maybe I'll burst from overeating.

Zzzh-

Zzzh-

Ananta's mouths opened towards the Administrators.

Kwawoong!

And so, the battle began.

----------------

Kwawoong!

In the distance, the roar of Ananta's breath could be heard.

Judging by the scale of the unfolding battle, it was likely that the Administrators had also appeared.

YuWon climbed the mountain at a fast pace, glancing back.

'The balance should be more or less okay.'

The enemy's power was considerable.

It would probably be a tougher battle for the Players.

The number of Envoys was much greater than that of Rankers, and the power of the Administrators surpassed even that of the highest-level High-Rankers.

But there it was.

The variable called Ananta balanced the scales.

'Now the only thing left...'

"I can't let you go alone; it gives me anxiety."

A voice that suddenly intervened.

"Slow down. It's hard for me to keep up."

"Did I not tell you to come up here too?"

"I get dizzy. You drive all you want."

Hercules and Son OhGong followed YuWon.

Behind Son OhGong, Pandora also traveled on the Flying Nimbus.

YuWon looked at Son OhGong and Hercules following him.

Son OhGong, upon catching his gaze, grinned widely.

"Why? Were you planning to go alone again?"

"No."

"Huh?"

"I knew you were following me. I wish at least one of you had stayed, but I didn't feel confident in convincing you with words."

From the beginning, YuWon and Danpung were connected by their Names.

Since Danpung, atop Pandora's head, didn't stray too far, it wasn't difficult for him to notice they were following him.

Sss-

Upon YuWon's response, Son OhGong smiled to the side.

The fact that he hadn't stopped him despite knowing meant that his role wasn't irrelevant.

'And then? Whom will we fight with...'

Chuaak-!

A giant tentacle extending from the woods flew towards Son OhGong's head.

Son OhGong's eyes, which had already activated the Golden Cinder Eyes, gleamed, and his hand reached forward.

Thud-!

The tentacle that collided with Son OhGong's fist was sent flying upwards.

In that instant, a chilling sensation surged from his fist, and Son OhGong grinned with amusement.

"They've arrived."

Kkung-

The ground trembled with the sound of heavy footsteps.

A giant monster with boar-like skin, as if proclaiming itself the mountain's owner, appeared from the bushes.

Of course...

Sss-

The Administrator, wrapped in strange tentacles, was also present.

"They said it would come up to here."

"We've given it too much time. Even my patience has a limit."

Swoosh-

YuWon's and Son OhGong's gazes moved in unison.

To see how many Administrators guarded this place.

Both of them captured the information at a glance.

"How many are there?"

"They are... quite a few."

Son OhGong answered Hercules's question with a trembling voice.

"Eight? No, maybe more?"

Son OhGong scratched his head.

Although he would normally show confidence, he was aware of his own abilities.

This was a bit too much. No, it was excessive.

He wasn't sure if he could handle it with YuWon, but...

"Should we send them?"

"Yes."

Both knew their role at this moment.

To lead YuWon to the top.

The action of the two in this battle was to create a space where YuWon and the Great Dream could fight.

Baat!

Danpung jumped from Pandora's head to YuWon's.

In the next instant...

"Will you be back?"

Pandora asked, closing her fist.

It was the umpteenth time she had asked.

"Yes. Definitely."

This time, there was no hesitation in his response.

Pandora smiled widely.

"Take care."

His response reassured her.

YuWon began to walk towards the Administrators who had revealed their true form.

-This is the guy. The one called Kim YuHun.

-He's the one the Great Dream said we should be more careful about.

-Don't interfere with the Great Dream...

Swoosh-

YuWon's figure turned translucent.

The bewildered Administrators turned their heads.

Suddenly, a thick mist had formed where they stood.

["The Nameless Mist" conceals your figure.]

-...?

-...?

The Administrators were confused by YuWon's sudden disappearance.

As they searched for him.

"Where is everyone looking?"

In the thick mist.

Son OhGong's Golden Cinder Eyes gleamed as his Ru Yi Bang flew out.

Bam!

Thud!

At the same time, Hercules's club soared through the air.

"It feels good."

Son OhGong felt, for the first time in a long while, that his blood was boiling from the sensation of his Ru Yi Bang's tip.

Though he enjoyed the peaceful times, this kind of battlefield was what suited him best.

"It seems he left us a farewell gift."

Hercules muttered as he observed the mist spreading around him.

"Well, the meaning of quantity hasn't faded."

This mist didn't just obstruct the view.

It also blocked all senses, such as smell, hearing, and touch, of all living creatures within.

In this place, quantity no longer mattered.

YuWon also knew this, and that's why he had left the mist here.

"So..."

Bang!

Crash!

Clashing their two fists forcefully, Hercules charged towards the boar-shaped Administrator running towards him.

"Let's have some fun."

-------------------------

It didn't take long for YuWon to reach the mountain's summit.

Son OhGong and Hercules took care of the Administrators bothering him, and the path he walked was strangely silent.

As if he had purposely left it empty.

Rumble, growl-

Kyaaaah!

Upon reaching the summit, YuWon saw Players, Administrators, and Envoys fighting each other under the fragmented clouds.

Thousands of Rankers and the Monster King joined the fray.

Zeus's Lightning Bolts flew towards the Administrators, and Lee Rangjin and Diablo held them from the front.

They were doing well.

At least, it seemed that way for now.

'A bit risky... but not enough.'

He thought that maybe they could achieve it with Ananta by his side. But the absence of Hercules and Son OhGong was a tough blow.

Probably, if at least one of them had stayed, the situation would have been different.

'I need to hurry.'

Step-

Climbing to the mountain's top, he slowly unsheathed his sword.

As he approached, YuWon's sword and Divinity reacted.

[The "Otherworld Sword" opposes the "Big Dream World."]

[The "Otherworld Adversary" reacts to the "Big Dream World."]

YuWon's sword and the Otherworld Adversary were powers that only reacted to Outers.

The fact that they reacted meant one thing.

Swoosh-

It meant that the guy was here.

Crack!

Lowering the sword vertically, the space on the mountain's top opened.

A purple-colored space appeared like a long wound.

Beyond, YuWon could see the being waiting for him.

"You've been hiding in a gloomy place."

Step-

YuWon took a step towards that space.

A world completely dyed in purple.

He felt on his skin a Name different from Yog-Sothoth's, called "Sky of the World."

-It's not people like you I've been fearing and hiding from.

Crack!

In response to YuWon's words, an eye opened within.

-There was another reason why I really hid.

"Are you referring to these guys?"

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

The goats appeared. Showing their teeth rudely, as if encountering an old enemy.

Shub-Niggurath's offspring. The moment they appeared, it felt like the Great Dream was wavering.

-I always wondered how you got those Names.

"If you had remembered, you wouldn't have done something like this. Seriously."

With these words, YuWon convinced himself.

The one dreaming the Great Dream didn't know him. That was probably why he hadn't hidden completely and was waiting for him here.

"Well, since I know you, I might have found you someday."

10 years.

While he lived a peaceful everyday life, he often thought.

The Great Dream that had solidified in this world. Whether it was right to leave alone the only purple mark remaining, at the top of the Administrators.

However, that concern was pushed to the background in times of peace.

Both the search for Danpung and the search for this guy.

But now.

All the things he had postponed were resolving one by one.

"Come out, Cthulhu."

At YuWon's words, the Great Dream trembled violently again.

"You didn't hide anymore because you wanted to see the end, whether it's by killing me or eating me?"

The Great Dream was disturbed by the fact that YuWon knew his Name.

The gigantic pupil covering the purple dream was revealed.

-Since you even know my True Name, I must assume you know everything.

True Name.

The foundation and entirety that make up an existence.

The fact that he even knew that Name meant he really knew everything about the existence called Cthulhu.

Of course...

-So you know, right?

It didn't matter if he knew or not.

From the moment YuWon set foot in this place.

-Unless you are the true Azathoth, you cannot leave here alive.

He was sure of his victory.

-

KO-FI:

https://tinyurl.com/LEVELKO

-

(Up to '95' more ch4pt3rs)Publication of up to 6 weekly ch4pters, thanks.

---