Leveling with the Gods
chapter-575

Side Story 51

A pillar of Blue and Yellow Lightning Bolts rose towards the sky.

The blackened rocks turned into dust and vanished, leaving a circular hole as if the clouds had been cleanly cut.

For a while, the sight and sound were devoured by the Lightning Bolt.

As the sound of the Lightning Bolt continued incessantly, Zeus stood at the center watching Ananta fall to the ground.

Craack-le~

The valley after the Divine Punishment was unrecognizable.

The surrounding topography had changed.

The massive crater was too deep to measure its depth, and its extent was large enough to erase several cities from the map.

The group, riding on Son OhGong's Flying Nimbus, hurriedly took refuge in the sky.

YuWon frowned as he looked at the hole below.

"It seems like he still doesn't think about the team."

That's why YuWon had put Zeus at the forefront instead of Hercules.

It was true that Indra's power was the nemesis of Ananta, but, in the first place, Zeus was not the type to fight as a team.

Lightning was the attribute type with the highest rank among many. And Zeus was the pinnacle of existence in that type of Lightning.

Maybe if his control had been perfect as always, but when using Indra's Arcane Power, it was impossible to control the range.

"...I've only heard about it, but it's the first time seeing it in person."

That was the Bull Demon King's comment as he observed the changed terrain from the Flying Nimbus.

"How many Myths has that guy written?"

The Myths created by Zeus were countless.

Rank 1.

That was the reason he was the greatest being in the Tower.

It was all thanks to the overwhelming power now manifesting before his eyes.

"There are probably countless ones. That guy has lived for that."

At YuWon's response, the Bull Demon King's gaze turned to him.

A vaguely familiar face.

"Do we know each other?"

"Let's say we do. In this situation."

"Right. I guess it's better if we move as a team."

He seemed to have a good relationship with Son OhGong. Moreover, YuWon had appeared here alongside Zeus and Hercules.

He couldn't have interfered in this game if he lacked the ability.

"Let's trust him."

While Zeus bought time, the Bull Demon King, who had already recovered considerably, stood up and stood on the Flying Nimbus.

Feeling strangely cheerful despite the situation.

"It's similar to when I met that guy, OhGong."

A guy he could trust and believe in.

Somehow, he even had the illusion that he would never lose.

"It could have ended already. After taking a direct hit from that."

That was Hercules' evaluation, who had witnessed Zeus's ability with his own eyes.

Divine Punishment.

Among the abilities Zeus could use, it was the most powerful technique.

Especially the Divine Punishment unfolding before his eyes was the most formidable Hercules had seen so far.

There was no way anyone could survive such a thing.

"It's not over."

"It's not over."

YuWon and the Bull Demon King responded at the same time.

In the face of Hercules' expression of doubt, Son OhGong laughed and added:

"If it ended with something like that, I wouldn't have gone through so much trouble."

Three people sure that it wasn't over.

And as expected...

Kyaaaaah!

Zzzt, zzzt.

Ananta's roar echoed from the bottom of the huge crater.

Pat-.

"It's starting to get interesting," YuWon muttered as he checked his Player Kit and jumped down from the Flying Nimbus.

"Also from here."

Craack-le~

Electricity ran through Zeus's body.

An uncontrollable manifestation of his last strength. Without a change of expression, a drop of sweat ran down Zeus's forehead and slid down his chin.

Flutter~

Ananta spread its wings and rose, revealing its form.

Uncommon gaps were seen between its thousands of heads.

Heads disintegrated by the Divine Punishment.

"Is your talent only brute resistance?"

"That can't be."

Roar~

Ananta folded its wings and lowered its body.

"Now I'll show you."

Ananta's golden pupils injected with blood.

Its lowered body quickly shrank, condensing the demonic energy that formed its massive being.

"Where to?"

Swoosh~

Not knowing its intentions, Zeus didn't let it be.

With no time to create a Lightning Bolt, he quickly launched a blue electric attack with two fingers towards Ananta.

Using every last drop of his remaining Arcane Power.

Rumble!

Thunder resonated on the ground as the Blue Lightning Bolt enveloped Ananta's body.

And then...

"You have an impatient personality, don't you?"

Thud, thud~

Unkempt yellow hair covering his eyes, bronze skin,

A tall man with a mischievous smile.

Zeus frowned at the man who appeared suddenly.

"Ananta?"

"Quick reflexes."

His smiling and carefree face contrasted with the monster he had fought before.

"Thanks to you, I lost some precious heads. I should at least thank you."

Zeus's Divine Punishment had taken more than a hundred of its heads.

Ananta's heads symbolized the magnitude of its power, so the loss was significant.

Of course, for Zeus, who had tried to finish him off with the previous attack, the result was not satisfactory.

"Is that your true form?"

"Who knows."

"...Doesn't matter."

Swoosh~

Zeus turned around.

Ananta looked in perplexity at the back Zeus presented to him.

"What...?"

Boom!

A swift fist hit him.

Bang!

Ananta's body staggered backward from the explosion of Lightning Bolt before its eyes.

Chrrr~

Ananta, who stopped firmly on the ground, looked at the man who had thrown the punch.

"Your body is small, but still heavy."

Hercules, with sore wrists from such a strong punch for a long time.

At that moment, Son OhGong and the Bull Demon King arrived on the Flying Nimbus from behind Ananta.

"I'm already recovered, idiot!"

Son OhGong, with a fierce look, rushed towards Ananta without hesitation, extending his Ru Yi Bang.

And in that instant...

"You could stay on the ground a bit longer."

Crunch~

Ananta grabbed Son OhGong by the head.

In the moment Son OhGong raised his head, surprised by a speed even the Golden Cinder Eyes couldn't follow, Ananta's palm covered his face.

Bang!

Ananta was sent flying at the same time.

The Bull Demon King's Mixed Iron Rod, who was next to Son OhGong, forcefully struck Ananta.

"Isn't this a familiar situation?"

The Bull Demon King, supporting the Mixed Iron Rod on his shoulder, looked at Ananta.

"This time, you'll be sealed again, Ananta."

"If you're going to seal me, you should have brought a million people like last time."

Ananta with a confident expression. Without hesitation, he ran towards Son OhGong and the Bull Demon King.

Kwaang, kwang-!

Every time Ananta's fist extended, thunder sounded.

Son OhGong and the Bull Demon King. And then Hercules joined them, cornering Ananta.

On top of that...

Baang-!

Along with the distant thunder, a Blue Lightning Bolt pierced through Ananta's shoulder.

"Not even ten are necessary."

Zeus.

He had returned to his position and was keeping his distance, acting as an archer. Although he couldn't launch as powerful a Lightning Bolt as before since he was fighting as a team.

Knowing Zeus's power, Ananta was forced to be cautious in his movements to avoid Zeus's spear.

"It doesn't matter."

Ananta ran towards Hercules, blocking him directly. Hercules clicked his tongue seeing Ananta running towards him, ignoring the spear stuck in his body.

"How foolish."

In close combat, no one could keep up with Hercules's pace.

[The Giant's strength resides in your entire body.]

[The power of 'Gigantomachy' resides in your body.]

The Arcane Power residing in Hercules's body. The power of Gigantomachy focused in his clenched fist and was launched towards Ananta.

Kwaang-!

Craack-!

"…!"

A Lightning Bolt exploded between Hercules and Ananta. Hercules looked wide-eyed at Ananta's fist that didn't retreat.

'This guy, his strength...'

A strength that even he couldn't reject head-on.

Hercules had been deceived by his external appearance and had forgotten for a moment.

His opponent was Ananta.

The fact that he was a giant monster with a thousand Dragon heads.

Jump-!

Ananta jumped high in the air the moment he clashed fists with Hercules.

Flutter~

Immediately, his wings spread on his back.

"What...?"

"Are you going to run away?"

It was impossible for Ananta to choose to flee instead of fighting.

Faced with the unexpected situation, Son OhGong and the Bull Demon King moved quickly.

They rushed to jump into the sky to chase Ananta, but...

Flutter-.

Wings blocked the path of Son OhGong and the Bull Demon King.

Vritra, who had been subdued by Son OhGong, had awakened and blocked their way.

-You cannot pass.

Grrrrrrr-.

Vritra gritted his teeth and exhaled fire, gathering his last strength.

Unable to pass over him just like that, the Bull Demon King looked at Son OhGong and reproached him.

"Hadn't you cut his throat?"

"I wasn't interested in a guy who couldn't fight..."

"It's my fault for entrusting it to you."

The Bull Demon King sighed deeply.

As much as they hurried to defeat Vritra, it was now difficult to pursue Ananta, who had decided to escape.

Just when Ananta was about to escape from the battlefield...

Shrak-!

Space tore in front of Ananta, revealing a black world.

"How annoying."

Ananta, who thought everything was over, frowned.

"...Was there one more?"

A man with black hair.

In YuWon's hand was gripped a young man with messy gray hair.

"Gandharva?"

A faithful follower of Ananta.

The mist, which no one had been able to catch, was now like a mirage in YuWon's hands.

"You can't pass."

A black glow emanated from the cold ring on his right hand, the "Uranus Heart."

"Neither you nor this guy."

Fwhaaaah-!

The space where YuWon was...

The Arcane Power emanating from Tartarus enveloped Ananta.

[Tartarus Prison is binding the target]

Ananta's eyes widened at the power emanating from YuWon.

For a brief moment, a long time ago.

The face of a great Ranker freely wielding the power of Tartarus and Lightning Bolt overlapped with his own.

"...Was it you? The one who created this board."

The true possessor of Uranus's power was before his eyes.

Zeus was only a torso.

The true head moving that torso was the black-haired man in front of him.

Craaaaaack-!

Ananta, with electricity running through his entire body, glowed with golden eyes.

Bang-!

Ananta jumped into Tartarus's prison. Thick darkness enveloped Ananta's body.

The glow of Lightning Bolt illuminated the darkness, and two attributes from different vertices collided.

Crack-!

Fwhaaaah-.

Failed to escape in one blow.

Behind him, Vritra's cry was heard.

The Rankers, including Son OhGong, would probably arrive soon.

"We can't afford a calm fight."

The time Vritra could gain was only one minute.

Ananta decided upon seeing YuWon unsheathe his sword.

'I'll deliver some heads.'