Leveling with the Gods

"Take it from me."

Hearing that, it was Poseidon who was surprised by YuWon's confident attitude.

He could tell by the look on Zeus' face that this was no mere bluff.

'Do you have any other cards you haven't shown?'

Rather, it was Poseidon who was surprised to see YuWon come out with such confidence.

Obviously, his skills were still superior. However, YuWon had abilities that he could not comprehend.

And at the thought that even this scene could be on the board he had drawn, Poseidon felt a pang of worry.

But only for a moment...

'After all, he's bluffing.

In the first place, this fight should be won by him.

Hercules, who seemed to be YuWon's friend, was distracted by Zeus.

After the fight, there was a good chance that he would get out if he attacked YuWon.

Also, he would have to return to his prison in Asgard after this fight.

There was only one chance to get hold of the Lightning Bolt and the Sea Stone.

'It's now or never.

"As you say."

Bang-.

The moisture gathered around Poseidon, and the Arcane Power that had gathered dispersed and spread through the air.

'No regrets.

Kkuudeuk, kkudeuk-.

Poseidon's Arcane Power began to crush YuWon's body.

It wasn't a special ability.

It was water pressure.

'It has already begun.'

There was no need for a long fight.

No.

This was a fight that could not be won by prolonging it.

This battle must be as short as possible.

Poseidon knew that too.

Phaat-.

Poseidon's trident extended through the waves. At the same time, the armor around YuWon's body, Triaina, reacted.

Ung-.

The moisture dispersed in the air trembled.

Poseidon's influence and Triaina's influence collided.

The moisture was temporarily trapped.

Poseidon paused for a moment before swinging his trident again.

Boom-.

Boom!

The spearhead slammed into the ground, splitting it in three. It was then that Hades, who had joined Hercules in the fight against Zeus, became aware of Poseidon's actions.

"Poseidon!"

Hades turned around.

The fight with Zeus he could leave to Hercules for now.

For the current Zeus was at a level that Hercules could handle on his own.

But if his relationship with YuWon deteriorated in the future, Olympus could be in trouble.

'That stupid bastard...'

Poseidon gritted his teeth at Hades' reaction.

And so did Hades.

At this point, there really wasn't much time left.

'All that's left is...'

Gii-.

The Arcane Power that had paused for a moment began to move again.

Boggle, Boggle-.

The sea shook. The sea churned as if it were alive, and soon it was moving as if it were angry.

The waves moved along the tip of the spear.

Now there was only one way out.

'A frontal assault.'

All he could do was crush YuWon to death and take everything he had.

Chaaaaaaaah!

A huge wave engulfed him.

It swallowed YuWon like a monster's mouth.

Even with Triaina's power, the opponent was Poseidon.

An opponent who could not disperse Arcane Power as easily as Theseus.

'Frontal attack...'

Poseidon's thoughts were as clear as the palm of his hand.

It wasn't a bad idea.

When you're in a hurry, like now, going straight is better than circling.

If so, now was the time to respond in kind.

Pajik-.

A Lightning bolt moved in his hand.

It was speaking to him.

He could fight.

'...Let's go all out.'

The situation wasn't bad.

Even Poseidon couldn't unleash his full power while under Triaina's influence.

Besides, he was holding a lightning bolt in his hand, an object with the opposite attribute of water.

Pajik-!

[Creating a 'Lightning Bolt']

['Kyneē' reacts with 'Lightning']

The lightning bolt in his hand turned black.

YuWon's hand stretched forward.

And the next moment...

Purrrrrrrr-!

Poseidon's wave crashed into YuWon.

* * *

Pow!

The wave crashed into the ground. The turbulent waters crushed the rocks to dust and pushed the ground down.

With a single wave of his hand, Poseidon changed the landscape.

Hades ran toward him.

"Poseidon!"

With a thud...

Hades grabbed Poseidon by the neck and lifted him up.

Although it wasn't enough compared to the Mana he normally wields, but with this power, some High Ranks would be crushed to death.

"You bastard, how dare you do this..."

YuWon was the benefactor of Olympus.

Thanks to him, Hercules was able to find his way and avoid a great war that would have stained the tower with blood.

He was able to do the impossible: destroy Olympus.

But to think that Poseidon would kill YuWon with his own hands.

Hades' eyes flashed with rage.

But then...

"...No."

"What?"

Hades studied Poseidon's expression.

Poseidon's eyes wavered.

The man who had been on top of the world a moment ago muttered helplessly to himself.

"I failed."

"You failed?"

Hades turned his head.

To the place where Yuwon had been.

A line had risen where the giant waters had fallen.

It was a familiar scene.

'No way...'

Zeus blocking Poseidon's currents with one hand and parting the sea.

His figure was superimposed on that of a single human.

Bang-.

In the rippling water.

YuWon walked out. Hades felt a shiver run down his spine when he saw the figure walk out.

-I see it and I don't believe it.

His first meeting with Kim YuWon.

That first encounter was something to behold now.

-Wow, this guy really stopped Zeus's lightning.

I had high hopes for him, but he fell far short of his expectations.

But that was only for a moment.

Then he captured Ares, persuaded Hercules, won Pandora to his side, and now he had survived Poseidon.

One amazing thing after another.

That wasn't the only thing.

This whole battle unfolded like a painting he had drawn.

He himself was no exception.

So he thought he was just a guy with a brain.

But that wasn't all.

'It's not like he has talent...'

Her Manna's concentration was nowhere near what it had been when she first met him.

In that brief moment, he had changed completely.

'Decided.'

Hades had made up his mind.

He would never be Kim YuWon's enemy.

It was then that the ground shook once again.

Quang-!

Woosh!

Zeus' body fell like a meteorite. Hades saw Hercules staggering in the distance.

'Looks like he's finished too.'

Hercules looked relatively unharmed, although he had burns all over his body from the lightning.

Zeus, on the other hand, was already shattered. He was no longer moving, perhaps unconscious.

'Hercules.'

After the 1st Gigantomachy, Hercules was inactive.

As such, his ranking was on par, if not above, that of the Three Gods.

But hey.

A thousand years was enough to completely change Hercules, which Hades knew.

'That kind of power without having a proper object in his hands. He's a monster.'

Even without Zeus or Poseidon, the future of Olympus was still not so bleak.

Now that everything was upside down, it was time to start over.

It was then.

Boom!

The sky opened wide.

The dark clouds lifted, and a bright light shone down from above.

"I see they've arrived."

YuWon looked up.

The guild that was most interested in this fight.

Moreover, the guild that had the deepest motives to get involved in this fight.

Kik-!

Led by dozens of white horses, several huge ships descended to the ground.

'Asgard'.

They knew about the destruction of Olympus. Moreover, Asgard was aware of the existence of the Second Gigantomachy and was on guard.

'That's it?'

YuWon studied Poseidon's face.

His face was white.

His appearance meant only one thing to him.

'Locked up again.'

It was a little later than expected, and Poseidon was furious for a moment.

Asgard never released a prisoner once they were captured. Now that the fight was considered over, it was only a matter of time before the Asgardians got Poseidon back.

Bam-.

Poseidon's teeth gnashed.

Not the Thunderbolt, not the Sea Stone, not nothing.

It was Hercules who had captured Zeus.

He had failed to seize this golden opportunity to escape from prison.

'I can't go on like this.'

I had to buy time.

Poseidon carefully swung his trident.

It would take a mighty blow to get him out of here.

Woof-.

Power gathered at the tip of the spear.

At the flow of Arcane Power and the hostility contained within it, the horses descending to the ground began to scramble.

Kkikk-!

Dozens of white horses.

Towards the Valkyries, the tip of Poseidon's spear moved.

Fuhuaak-!

Hundreds of thousands of tons of water surged upward along the spearhead.

A chance.

This chance bought him time, if only for a moment.

And Poseidon knew it, that this was all he needed to escape.

He quickly jumped into the current.

Poseidon's body glided over the current.

And distanced himself at an astonishing speed.

And so Poseidon tried to escape the Asgardians' grasp.

"Where are you going-!"

Flash-!

Over Poseidon's head, a bolt of blue lightning exploded.

BANG!

"Ugh!"

Poseidon's body reeled from the impact he felt on his head. The water that had been moving with his Mana dispersed, and his body slumped forward.

Watching from afar, YuWon sighed.

'There's no way he can escape.'

Asgard was no fool.

Poseidon might be a sinner, but he was one of the Three Gods.

To catch such a Poseidon, there was no way they would just send the Valkyries.

Of course, they should have sent a Ranker that matched their level.

YuWon looked at the man who had just brought down Poseidon's head.

'Still, I can't believe it's Thor.'

Gold-colored hair. A chiseled jaw and a trimmed beard that connected with his sideburns.

A High Rank of Asgard with Mjolnir in one hand.

Thor, son of Odin, was here with the Valkyries.

'Certainly, Thor is on the same level as Poseidon. They are equal in the ranking...'

The only difference is that unlike Poseidon, who was tired from the great battle, Thor was fresh.

Thor subdued Poseidon immediately and looked around.

"The battlefield is a mess."

It was a battlefield that had already changed as it could not find its original appearance. It was as if Gigantomaqia had occurred.

Asgard's role here was to clean up the chaotic battlefield.

To catch the sinner, Poseidon.

And secure the greater sinner, Zeus.

Thor was to play both roles.

"Take care of him, you never know when he'll try to escape again."

"Yes!"

"Also capture Zeus' surviving Ranker allies. If they resist, call on Hercules and Hades for help."

"All right!"

"Y..."

Thor and YuWon's eyes met as they scanned the battlefield.

"Are you Kim YuWon?"