Leveling with the Gods
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chapter-535
C11
"Fortunately, you didn't arrive late."
Kneeling and body bent, Blue Hand felt relieved inside.
The Administrator of the 95th Floor. His god had arrived at this place without delay.
In other words, the situation had been reversed.Even someone like Vishnu wouldn't dare to confront the Administrator.
And besides...
'We have a great numerical advantage.'
Vishnu's companion was only Yama.
Although he was also a High-Ranker of Deva, on this side, there were tens of thousands of Envoys.
'It's a sure victory.'
Boooooom-.At that moment...
The trees created by Vishnu that filled the Administration Bureau began to move in unison.
"...!"
Trees with hundreds of millions of thorns.
They swept through the Administration Bureau.
Fwhaaaaaaak-!
The trees turned into a wave of voracious monsters that devoured the Envoys immediately.
The thorns of the trees, imbued with Vishnu's magic, were harder than any steel and sharper than the tip of a master-made spear.
Kakaakaak-.
Certainly, Blue Hand was one of the strongest Envoys.
He barely managed to block the tree's thorns with his whole body, bleeding.
"Kugh..."
Fwooosh-.
A thorn pierced his outstretched palm to avoid a fatal blow, coming out the other side.
If he had reacted a bit later, his body would have been pierced like the other Envoys.
"And the others?"
Blue Hand, who had finally taken cover, looked around.
It was hard to imagine the magnitude of the damage that such massive thorn trees would cause.
Right away...
"This is madness..."
The terrible scene surrounding him filled his eyes.
Blue Hand was horrified at the corpses of the Envoys that filled his field of vision.
Most of the Envoys who were hit by the thorns died, bathed in blood.
Fortunately, the range didn't reach the entire Administration Bureau.
Thanks to the Administrator.
Kooookookoo-.
The trees, crushed by gravity, fell back to the ground with broken thorns.
The confrontation between the Administrator and Vishnu.
The Administrator stared at Vishnu with fiery eyes.
"Is it necessary to be so brutal?"
"First, you have to get rid of the nuisances. I don't want them to get in my way."
"But the opponent is me."
"Isn't it thanks to you that it has come to this?"
Pshhht-.
Vishnu's earlobe tore and bled.
In that brief moment, the Administrator had protected the Envoys from Vishnu's attack and simultaneously counterattacked.
"A very precise attack. You almost pierced my neck."
"Even so, you wouldn't have died, right? Just a scratch."
"You're a bit different from the other Administrators."
"In what way?"
"You're more..."
Udddddd-.
Following Vishnu's gesture.
"Unfortunate."
Kwaaaak-!
The trees on the ground suddenly sprouted and began to devour the Administrator.
Kuuuudddddd-!
The Administrator's body was crushed inside with overwhelming force.
Vishnu extended his hand forward and released a bright green magic from the tips of his fingers.
Kuuuudddddd-.
The thorn-covered trees pressed against the Administrator.
Crush, crush~
A drop of sweat ran down Vishnu's forehead.
As Arcane Power infused, the pressure of the tree enveloping the Administrator also increased proportionally.
And at that moment...
Crack, crack-.
The Administrator wrapped in the tree began to open her arms, freeing herself from the pressure.
"It's quite an aggressive greeting for the first time in a long time."
Fizz, fizz-.
The Administrator, bleeding all over her body and with her head pierced by thorns, emitted a red glow from her eyes.
"Can we start moving too?"
Crunch, crunch-.
The pierced body quickly regenerated. The wounds on the Administrator's body absorbed the surrounding Arcane Power and instantly recovered their original form.
Right away, the Administrator's order came.
"Kill them both."
And at that moment...
[The Administrator of the 95th Floor recognizes you as enemies]
[All Envoys recognize you as enemies]
This world judged Vishnu and Yama as enemies.
"Vishnu-nim."
Yama turned his head at the message that echoed in his mind in the same way.
Igniting his aura, he stood in front of Vishnu.
"Yama."
And to him...
"Survive."
Vishnu gave the order.
"...Yes?"
"The Administrator's target is me. She knew I would come from the beginning."
Judging by the prior preparation of thousands of Envoys, she knew Vishnu would come from the beginning.
That means one thing.
"There's a mole among the Devas."
It meant that the information had been leaked in advance.
"Not just the Devas. Maybe Olympus or even other Guilds..."
As he muttered, Vishnu's shoulder exploded.
Blood splattered Yama's face.
Black pupils dilated, and Yama shouted.
"Vishnu-nim-!"
"Calm down, Yama."
It was a strangely calm voice in contrast to the situation. Surprisingly, his voice instantly calmed the anger that had surged.
"Calm down."
"But."
"I don't intend to die either, Yama."
Vishnu's smiling face didn't seem at all like that of someone facing a life-or-death crisis.
'I know I shouldn't be fooled by that smile.'
Yama realized that Vishnu was making that expression to reassure him.
However...
"...I understand."
He simply couldn't overcome that expression from Vishnu. He couldn't disobey the order. After all, Yama had never disobeyed an order from Vishnu even once.
He applied force to his legs and turned with difficulty.
Numerous Envoys and Blue Hand blocked Yama's path.
"Step aside."
Sssss-.
A black tattoo began to appear on Yama's face.
"If you don't move, I'll make you move."
Soon, the tattoo covered his entire face.
A completely black face, like a mask.
It seemed like he had used an ability to cover his face, but that was Yama's original face.
"Sorry, but..."
Crack, crack-.
Blue Hand, with palms pierced by Vishnu's attack, blocked Yama's path along with the Envoys.
"We're in a position where we can't avoid stopping you."
"...Yes. You're right."
Ssshhh-.
Yama's Arcane Power created a black scythe in his hand.
Yama's scythe, appearing in both hands, was considered a symbol of death alongside Hades' weapon.
And the moment that scythe moved...
[Death Sentence]
Zhuaaaack!
The scythes crossed, and the heads of the Envoys, filling Yama's sight, detached and rolled on the ground.
"So, let's clear the way."
Tuhwak!
Yama, with two scythes in his hands, lunged forward.
He didn't even look at the Arcane Power of the Administrator and Vishnu that he sensed behind him.
Although Yama was the one who cared the most about Vishnu, he now had other things to do. His sole goal was to follow Vishnu's order and get out of this place alive.
A commotion erupted on the 95th Floor.
Gugugugu-.
At first, it was thought to be just a simple earthquake.
The range was not wide either, just enough to be felt by some Players and residents.
However.
Cheek, zhejejee-.
The magnitude of the disaster quickly grew.
"What, what is that?"
"A tree?"
Kudddddd-.
A tree towering high into the sky.
The tree grew rapidly, as if to devour the 95th Floor's world.
"...Vishnu?"
Many Rankers resided on the 95th Floor.
Among them, some had fought alongside Vishnu on the battlefield, and others had indirectly experienced his power.
Vishnu's power encompassed the world.
That rumor, considered an exaggeration, was now unfolding on the 95th Floor.
"The Myth I wrote is 'Creator of Creation.'"
Juruuk-.
Blood spurted from the cross-sectional amputated arm.
But soon...
"Don't think you've won with this."
Uuuu-.
The arm, bathed in green light, quickly regenerated.
Creator of Creation.
The Myth that Vishnu had been writing for a long time in the Tower, and the name that was the source of his Divinity.
He possessed a regenerative ability faster than any other Ranker in the Tower.
"You're a resilient one."
"You always have to speak like a character from a novel."
The Administrator wiped the blood running from the corner of her mouth with her hand.
She had confirmed that they couldn't inflict serious wounds on each other with mediocre blows.
Judging by their appearances, neither the Administrator nor Vishnu had a single scratch.
"But you won't be completely unscathed on the inside, will you?"
"It's the same for both of us."
"Really. You only have a pretty face, no charm at all."
The Administrator's hands moved.
Following the movement of her hands, the Arcane Power of the air seeped towards the Administrator.
The wounds had regenerated, but Vishnu gradually felt he was approaching his limit.
More than anything...
'Does she have an infinite supply of magic?'
The more Vishnu fought, the larger he felt the Administrator in front of him became.
'This is an Administrator.'
Almost infinite magic (Arcane Power).
Beings who ruled this world as Gods even before the Players entered.
It was as if the Tower was on her side.
"Still..."
Hilkkum-.
Vishnu's gaze went to the ground. He saw Blue Hand's body, cut into pieces by the scythes.
'It seems he has at least escaped.'
Despite the pursuit of the Envoys, it was impossible to catch Yama unless the Administrator chased him personally.
Yama's nature was darkness. He had lived his entire life in Vishnu's shadow, and he was a master of stealth.
"Where are you looking?"
The voice echoed next to his ear. Suddenly, one side of Vishnu's head exploded.
His mind clouded for an instant, but when Vishnu passed his hand over his head, the damaged part quickly regenerated.
Shwip, kwakwakwak!
The thorns sprouting from the enormous tree headed towards the Administrator's body.
What followed was a fierce battle between the Administrator and Vishnu.
Vishnu's regeneration gradually slowed down.
And the Administrator, as if mocking him, constantly recovered and lunged at him.
'...It's difficult.'
Even for Vishnu, infinite regeneration was impossible.
Seeing the Administrator becoming more vigorous with each passing moment, Vishnu had no choice but to make a decision.
'Then.'
Kudddddd-.
Kwadad-.
Trees sprouted everywhere, with Vishnu and the Administrator at the center.
In the blink of an eye, the trees grew so tall that they obscured the sky, creating a forest.
"Creator of Creation..."
The Administrator's eyes narrowed at the hostile forest.
Creator of Creation.
Vishnu's Myth, a long and grand story that had been written over time as Deva.
The moment her eyes confirmed the true nature of this...
"Now I'm certain."
Although she had been playing with him until now, the Administrator finally realized.
Thousands of years had passed since the creation of the Tower.
In that long time, how high had the beings known as Players reached?
"We can't give them any more time."
Shwip!
When the Administrator extended her hand, a clear handprint appeared on Vishnu's neck.
Vishnu's neck and arms bent under the crushing pressure.
Despite the pain as if his eyes were being gouged out, Vishnu continued his Myth unfazed.
"Let's go... together."
The moment his trembling hand, which had fallen to the ground, clenched into a fist.
"Administrator."
The enormous forest devoured both of them, Vishnu and the Administrator.