Leveling with the Gods
chapter-518

C518

Brunhilde approached Odin and knelt down.

It was a miracle that she could walk there. Her armor was shattered, and her pale complexion seemed like she would faint at any moment.

"You've worked too hard," Brunhilde said.

Who was talking to whom?

Odin shook his head.

"I'm still fine."

"Let me see your wounds."

"It's nothing."

Brunhilde's hand rested on Odin's back. Arcane Power flowed through her palms, trying to calm his upset stomach.

But then...

"?!?!"

Brunhilde's eyes widened.

As the Valkyrie Leader, she was an expert in fencing, leadership, and healing. Although not as proficient as The Heaven's Archangels, she could take care of severely wounded without any issues.

The problem was Odin's condition.

"How is it possible that you're alive?"

Drip~

And apparently, these words were the trigger, as blood started to flow from Odin's nose.

Not only that.

When Odin opened his mouth to answer the question, his mouth was filled with blood that had surged from his torn intestines.

"I have to endure until I can."

The "King of Asgard" gave him the ability to absorb the damage his allies received within his area of influence. However, even Odin couldn't absorb infinite damage.

'No way...'

Click~

Brunhilde, realizing this too late, hurriedly removed Odin's golden armor and tore the cloth he wore underneath.

On the bare back, what she expected appeared...

Uuuu, uuu-

Giii-

Odin was covered in magic circles. And all those magic circles had a single purpose: to reduce impact and heal the body.

Since the battle began, Odin had been covered in them.

"Don't strain yourself too much."

The magic circles were dangerously wavering.

That waver was equivalent to Odin's life.

"What's so special about me? Many people are dying at this very moment."

From the perspective of loss of lives, Odin's point of view wasn't wrong.

But Brunhilde couldn't agree with that.

Odin was the greatest King in the Tower, ruling a vast realm spanning five floors.

And now, he was the leader of this battlefield.

But Brunhilde couldn't tell Odin to stop.

His Myth, "The King of Asgard," not only absorbed the damage from his allies but also proved that the mighty King Odin was present on the battlefield and resisting with strength.

If Odin's death were to be made public...

"Rafael! Uriel!"

The battlefield would collapse in an instant.

Brunhilde quickly called The Heaven's Archangels.

She didn't believe they could save him immediately.

But, for a split second, for a thousandth of a second, they had to delay his death.

["King of Asgard" is leading the battlefield]

Odin's name couldn't be erased from this battlefield.

Rafael and Uriel rushed over.

"Please, heal him!" Brunhilde pleaded.

The two Archangels approached Odin and began to heal him.

Odin took a deep breath as he received his treatment.

He knew this cure would only delay his death a little. However, Odin didn't reject it because he knew his presence was needed on the battlefield right now.

'How long can you hold on?'

Odin exhaled with difficulty and heard the sound of a distant Lightning Bolt.

"Hercules."

CRACK!

CRAAAACK-!

Hercules' extended fist struck the giant's jaw.

The massive body suddenly rose up. The giant, who had struggled to get up from his place, stumbled once again.

Thump~

The sensation in Hercules' fist was unusual.

He hit it so hard that his fist hurt.

Crack!

As he pounded the giant's body, something grabbed Hercules' legs.

It was a considerable grip force. Hercules, who was spinning, stopped his movement, and his body flew from the grip's force.

Buuuuuuuuuuuu!

Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa!

Hercules' flying body flipped the earth. Hercules punched the ground while flying and quickly focused.

"What other guy is doing...?"

Hercules' view, raised his head, darkened.

He couldn't even finish speaking when he was already flying towards him.

Buuuuuuuuuuuuu!

Kwaang!

The impact was so enormous that a giant crater formed.

Craack, craack-le-.

Luckily, Hercules managed to escape that place by quickly changing his body into electricity.

Then, Hercules confirmed the existence of the Outer who attacked him.

He had a huge body, as if he were a giant, but he wasn't a giant.

['Giant Slayer' feels great confusion from the opponent.]

['Giant Slayer' does not respond.]

He was a headless type, like the undead monster, Dullahan. His body was fat and swollen, and he couldn't believe he could move so fast.

There was a strange mouth with the tongue out on both hands. For some reason, blood flowed from Hercules' calf. It seems he was bitten by the teeth on that hand.

[Being Intelligent Distorted]

Hercules was tired of seeing Names.

After confirming the Name of the guy, Hercules muttered with a bored face.

"He's a guy who looks exactly like his Name."

Headless, with mouths on the hands.

His entire appearance was distorted.

The energy he felt was nothing to laugh about.

"...I'm getting tired."

His body was starting to ache. Hercules' Arcane Power was also starting to deplete, and his body was reaching its physical limit.

Despite it all, there was no other choice.

Chiji-.

Electricity enveloped his hand.

Several Lightning Bolts shot out from Hercules' hand.

Craaack, craaack-!

Being Intelligent Distorted dodged the Lightning Bolts Hercules shot.

"With that fat body, how does he have so much mobility...?"

This is a trap.

Before Hercules could finish speaking, he wrapped the power of Lightning Bolt around his Club.

Craack-!

Hercules' Club and Being Intelligent Distorted clashed.

Despite Being Intelligent Distorted's size, the guy was too fast. His strength was not negligible either, and Hercules, who was physically tired, was pushed back several times.

Bang, bang bang, bang-!

Gggack-.

So, as Hercules was pushed back little by little, a shadow that covered both of them projected upwards.

A giant's foot.

It stomped on Hercules.

Baaang!

Craack-le-!

Hercules sank into the earth. For a moment, he felt like his bones were turning into dust and crumbling, but Hercules forcefully stood up.

[The power of the giant looms over your legs]

His two legs swelled.

"Krru..."

As he stood up gritting his teeth, Hercules muttered.

"Do I have to fight with a guy like this again...?"

He smiled in disbelief.

Why did he always have to fight with such big guys?

"Are you Hercules?"

Hercules recalled a past time when he faced a giant named Gigäntes during the Gigantomachy.

At that time, Hercules was at the peak of his power. He was blinded by something and was rampaging on the battlefield, killing giants.

"You'll recognize me, won't you?"

"...Gigäntes."

Thinking about it, it was at that moment when things started to waver.

Pum!

One of the four Gigäntes approached Hercules and knelt down. (Note: Apparently, they are four beings holding the title of Gigäntes)

"I heard you have an amiable character. That you are the opposite of Zeus."

"And why does that matter?"

"I know you bear a personal grudge against us, the giants."

He didn't seem to have the intention to fight.

Gigäntes is a being on the level of the Three Gods of Olympus.

It was hard to believe that a giant would kneel of his own will.

"Hit me as much as you want until you calm down. If you want to kill me, it's fine too. But please, don't chase us anymore."

"It's foolishness. Better get up and fight."

"No. This is our best option."

Hercules hesitated for a moment.

Was it right to kill the person in front of him?

After standing there like a fool for a few minutes, Hercules took the life of that Gigäntes.

That day, the Four Gigäntes became three.

[You obtained the Title: "Giant Slayer."]

It was at that time when he got the title of "Giant Slayer" and started to be called so.

However, since then, Hercules' killing became slower and slower.

Every time he struck giants, he felt an unpleasant sensation, and his chest burned more and more from the clash between anger and guilt.

When he learned that the death of his mother Alcmena was the work of Zeus and Ares, Hercules vowed to himself in front of another Gigäntes.

That he would give his insignificant life if they asked for it.

That if that wasn't enough, he would do whatever it took to correct what was wrong.

That he would dedicate the rest of his life to it.

"...So you're telling me that the Gigantomachy was that guy's doing?"

One day, Hercules learned the truth from YuWon's mouth.

YuWon told Hercules, tormented by the memories of the Gigantomachy, that the Gigantomachy was one of Foolish Chaos's plans to exterminate the Giant Race.

"Although it was my father who carried it out."

YuWon didn't deny Hercules' words.

Although the Gigantomachy was executed by Zeus, the original plan was created by Foolish Chaos.

That guy moved for that day.

The Gigantomachy, Ragnarök, the Great Heaven Demon War...

Millions or even billions of lives died for that day.

Thinking about it, he realized it was only a few years ago. When he saw a giant, his eyes lit up, and he ran to kill it.

Now, that same him, fought with the responsibility on his shoulders.

"I should have died there that day."

The day he learned everything and confronted Gigäntes with YuWon.

The memory of the day he prepared to die still weighed on Hercules' shoulders.

[Giant Slayer faces Highest Towering Giant]

[Giant Slayer recognizes Being Intelligent Distorted as a giant.]

And this title constantly reminded him of that determination.

"Anyway, this body and this Myth are made with his blood."

[The 'Hero of the Gigantomachy' continues the Myth.]

Both Giant Slayer and the Hero of the Gigantomachy.

And Hercules' characteristic ability, "Gigantification," as well.

All were forces accumulated through the blood of giants.

"So-."

While that strength flows through his body.

"I don't care if I die here."

Hercules had no intention whatsoever of fighting carefully to save his life.