Leveling with the Gods

Kwaaaang-!

Over the temple sky.

Clouds flew in a circle in all directions, turning the sky into a big hole.

Jijin-.

Fortunately, Athena, who was pushed back by the impact, was not seriously damaged by the Ru Yi Bang's impact.

Shield of Aegis.

As one of the items symbolizing Olympus, it was an item reputed to be the strongest shield.

"Is it an item of Hephaestus?"

Son OhGong had a puzzled expression on his face.

He didn't know how much adamantium he had mixed in, but Aegis had an unbreakable defense, even for his Ru Yi Bang.

Of course, even more impressive was Athena, who held the shield and blocked the staff's power.

Gig, gig-.

Athena's hand trembled at the impact transmitted by the Aegis.

The Chariot of the Sun in which they were traveling was already shattered.

'The moment it passes through me, the whole line will break.'

Athena unleashed her power through her hand on the shield.

At that moment...

She was the center of the battlefield, and if she was pierced, the fight would be meaningless before it even began.

Gii-.

[Gorgon's shield is active].

[The blessing of war is upon your shield].

Aegis power.

As the effects of the item took effect, Ateanea raised her shield to block the staff.

Boom!

Ru Yi Bang's trajectory changed.

Skaaat-.

Athena, who unsheathed her sword, mounted the staff and quickly approached Son OhGong.

Shiiik-.

Shh-!

"......!"

A thin, long staff blocked the sword.

Athena's eyes widened.

'The staff?'

When had it shrunk so much?

Turning her gaze to the side, she could see the empty spot where Ru Yi Bang had disappeared.

Shiik, snap-!

Athena quickly swung her sword to block Son OhGong's staff with her shield.

As the distance shortened, Son OhGong shortened his staff and swung it like a sword.

Twack!

A heavyweight.

Not only was Son OhGong strong, but the weight of the weapon itself was considerable.

"It's not just about simply increasing and decreasing in size, it's also fast."

A staff that could extend and shorten at will.

Son OhGong's ability to wield it felt like a phantom.

He could increase in size at a moment's notice and strike his opponents from a distance, or adjust the length of the staff to the distance between them to keep the fight in his favor.

Although Athena had been through countless wars, it was the first time in her life that she had faced such weaponry.

It was then.

"Get bigger..."

The tip of the Ru Yi Bang was right in front of her.

'Ugh.'

Athena quickly lifted Aegis up.

"Kek."

Tooka-!

In an instant, Athena's body flew upwards with the staff soaring into the sky.

Ru Yi Bang soared high into the sky.

Son OhGong bit his lip in disappointment.

"Did you stop it?"

The decision to instantly raise the shield and protect the body was quite effective. It would be impossible even for Zeus to avoid Ru Yi Bang at this distance.

But despite the disappointment in his voice, the corners of Son OhGong's mouth turned up.

"It's fun, more than I thought."

Hwareuk-.

Son OhGong's Ash Golden Eyes blocked the petrifying effect of the Aegis and turned toward Athena, who floated upward.

She was indeed a High Ranker, the symbol of war on Olympus.

Unlike the first time, when he thought it would be easy, Son OhGong was beginning to enjoy this fight.

Swoosh-.

The clouds in the sky descended and gathered at Son OhGong's feet.

"The others can take care of themselves."

Swoop-.

Son OhGong's body floated upwards.

"Because I'm going to have to fight her some more."

Hua-ak-!

Son OhGong, riding his Flying Cloud, charged towards Athena.

Kwaang!

Ru Yi Bang and Aegis collided again, creating a wave of thick mana in the sky.

YuWon, who was watching the fight, shook his head.

Even though he was an alter ego, it seemed that his personality wasn't that different from his main body.

"At times like this, it would be much easier if it was the real thing."

YuWon looked at the fifty or so Rankers.

"The number of alter egos is proportional to the amount of hair on your head."

The Great Sage, Equal to Heaven had created hundreds and thousands of alter egos to fight.

Thinking about that, YuWon sighed heavily and shook his head.

After all, SonOhgong was stuck with Athena, so they were on their own.

Hwareuk-.

[The 'Ash Eyes' shake.]

['Sensory Field' is activated]

The Ash Eyes were unstable.

Fortunately, the Sensory Field activated without incident, but it didn't look like it had much longer to fight.

"Arthur."

-Yes.

"Getting out of here is more of a priority than killing the enemy."

In any case, they were Rankers.

Unless they have great loyalty, they will probably go to another guild when Olympus collapses.

There was no need to settle scores by killing them in cold blood.

Of course.

-You mean fight them without killing them?

"No."

That didn't mean they wouldn't fight.

"If necessary, we'll have to kill them."

It's about conserving energy by avoiding unnecessary fighting, not not not fighting at all.

"The war is about to begin."

* * *

Fifty Rankers.

No, it was over sixty if you counted the people already there.

Fortunately, his alter ego was able to save the day when the Great Sage, Equal to Heaven invaded.

'I can avenge Ares-nim.'

Aphesis looked at YuWon and took a step forward.

Even before he became a Player, he had longed for Olympus and had grown up in the service of Ares, the son of Zeus.

Ares was his Master and companion.

And now Ares was dead.

It was time for revenge.

At that moment...

Saaaah-.

An ice-attribute mana spread throughout the temple.

A shiver that penetrated deep into the bones caused Aphesis' body to instantly stiffen.

Immediately after.

Suk-.

Arthur's sword cut off Aphesis' head.

Pot-.

Turning backwards, Aphesis unsheathed her sword.

A sword imbued with Mana.

Kwagwagwagwagwat-!

At the same time she swung her sword wildly, and a dozen sword strikes shot out.

However...

Zzerzer~

Is he frozen?

The mana that gushed out with the sword attacks froze.

Frozen mana?

Even he, who had lived long before becoming a Ranker, had never seen or heard of such a thing.

"Look out!"

Boom, boom, boom!

An intruding colleague blocked Arthur's sword. The forcibly pushed back colleague flew backwards, grabbing Aphesis by the back of the neck at the same time and pulling him down.

Flick!

Aphesis, who had fallen to the ground from the blow, looked stunned.

'Is this an Undead?'

In his innermost self, he glared at Arthur.

Even if he was the King of Britain and the King of Knights, he would be weakened by becoming Undead.

If so, he had to be an ordinary Ranker or worse, or so he thought....

'It's no different from the rumors, is it?

Rumors about the King of Knights have been around for a long time.

Due to the fame of the Round Table, his abilities were well known, and the ones Arthur displayed now didn't differ much from the rumors.

So he was not Undead?

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Bang, cha-cha-cha-!

Arthur scattered icy mana in all directions as he fought against the Rankers.

At that moment, a Ranker froze and collapsed on the spot.

And then....

"There!"

Aphesis' head spun as she heard a Ranker's shout.

Shriek-.

YuWon, who had decapitated a Ranker, was heading towards the exit of the temple.

"Are you trying to leave?"

He didn't know why he had entered the temple and started a fight, but it seemed he had served his purpose by defeating Ares.

"I can't let you get away."

Snap-.

Aphesis gritted her teeth and stood up.

She couldn't stay like this. She had to avenge Ares.

[Lightning]

Tak-.

Aphesis, who had activated her ability, appeared behind YuWon.

Lightning was the highest ranked skill in Aphesis' arsenal, granting him several times his speed for a brief moment.

It was a skill mainly used by assassins, so it was rarely used because it was not in keeping with the spirit of the Ares Clan....

'If only I could avenge Ares-nim!'

Shuaak-.

A sword stabbing the heart from behind.

Apheses had no doubt that his sword would pierce Yuwon's body.

At that moment...

"I'm sorry, but I'm a bit tired right now."

As if time had stopped, YuWon's voice was heard completely before the sword touched his body.

No, it didn't.

'Did it stop, the sword?'

Without even touching the armor, his own sword stopped.

An incomprehensible situation.

It was definitely giving him strength, but the sword no longer entered as if something was blocking it.

[The 'Blessing of the Sea' dwells in your body.]

''I'll do my best to run away and rest for a bit.

Shriek-.

A warm sensation ran down her neck.

The world was spinning and time was slowing down. Aphesis hurried to grab her throat with both hands.

But her hands never reached her throat.

Twack!

Her neck went flying.

YuWon turned his head to look at the gushing fountain of blood.

"So I hope you stay out of the way......."

Thwack-.

Hwaahhh~

A single spear flew out and a chain of explosions engulfed it.

When the smoke from the explosion cleared, YuWon looked at the spear stuck in the ground and muttered.

"I can't even have a conversation."

Perhaps they realized YuWon's intentions, there were already more than ten Rankers standing in the direction of the exit.

Arthur was fighting hard on one side, and the fight between Ateanea and Son OhGong was in full swing in the other direction, upwards.

There was only one way out.

Then there was only one answer.

'I have no choice but to break through.'

Tsutsutsu-.

The color of the mana flowing from Yuwon's body changed.

A dull, dark red mana.

The expression of the Rankers who faced that color and the aura they felt changed.

"Demonic energy?"

"No, could it be?"

"But this..."

They had gone through countless trials to become Rankers, and had encountered Demons at least a few times in their lives.

The aura they perceived from YuWon was similar to the aura they perceived from them.

"Have you heard of the dual core?"

A power to replenish the mana spent from going overboard with Kyneē and ending the fight with Ares.

Fire~.

The dark red mana gushing from YuWon's body gave off fire.

The Demonic Energy was not mana, but a new fuel for fire.

[The 'Ash Eyes' rules over the 'Holy Fire']

The flames behind YuWon took shape.

A great purple flame leapt into the sky.

The flames spat scorching heat in all directions, carving unnecessary parts to form arms, legs and a head.

"Um, what kind of ability is that?"

"Is it a Giant?"

"Could that guy be a demon?"

The confused Rankers responded to YuWon's skill, and one by one, they used their own skills to increase their power.

Some of them cast another ability, as if to interfere with YuWon's, but it failed and dissipated.

Hwareuk-.

A long sword held in the hand of a Giant.

Swoosh-.

The Giant, in full Giant form, moved toward YuWon.

"If you don't want to die, get out of the way."

Kwak-.

Following YuWon's example of wielding the sword with both hands, the Giant adopted the stance of a double-edged sword.

[The 'Heavenly Demon Spirit' rules over the 'Sacred Fire'].

"Well, if you don't like it, don't do it."