Leveling with the Gods

C319

The lightning that separated from the ring followed YuWon's hand's path.

Behemoth's gaze followed the lightning. It was a very short instant, but it felt like a very long time.

It was at that moment when time returned to flow normally that the finger with the ring was directed towards Behemoth.

Flash!

A yellow light filled Behemoth's field of vision.

In that instant, Behemoth felt an electric shock coursing through his entire body.

Kwang!

The sound came a little late.

-Kaaaah!

It was then that Behemoth screamed.

His body was charred and staggering. The sight of a single large creature being struck by lightning and trembling was truly magnificent.

But Behemoth didn't fall immediately.

While clutching onto his consciousness, which seemed like it was about to drift far away, Behemoth quickly searched for YuWon with his eyes.

"Where did he go?"

Surely, until just before the light burst out, YuWon was nearby.

But in that short moment, YuWon disappeared before his eyes.

From the beginning of the fight until now, YuWon had always moved out of Behemoth's reach.

And at that moment...

Zzwaah-.

A flow of mana was felt above Behemoth's head.

It was then when he lifted his head and saw YuWon.

Thump-.

An inflated arm.

[The power of a Giant accumulates in your arm]

YuWon's body was suddenly floating above Behemoth's head.

And in the next instant...

Shwack-.

YuWon's fist descended vertically onto Behemoth's head.

Jwaaah-!

Kwaaaang-!

Behemoth's head was crushed against the ground.

The upturned earth rose. The mouths of the demons observing from afar opened wide, and Diablo, immersed in the fight, deflected the flying rock fragments with his hand.

"Wow."

The frustration and anger he had just a moment ago disappeared for a moment.

YuWon's punch awakened a fighting spirit in Diablo.

"He really has become strong."

It didn't take much time.

For demons who lived much longer than humans and even for rankers with a guaranteed eternal life, it was a time as short as an instant.

And in that very short time, he had grown so much.

It was incredible that in such a short time, he could bring down Behemoth with a single blow.

Thump, thump-.

YuWon looked at the fist that had struck Behemoth's head.

In that brief moment, Uranus transformed into a gauntlet on YuWon's hand.

The fist used with the power of the Giant was covered with the sturdy gauntlet.

"My Gigantification skill has improved a lot," thought YuWon as he observed the scene before him. However, what he lacked were the necessary stats to fully control this skill. Although he had gained experience and skill in using Gigantification, his strength and stamina attributes were still insufficient.

The scene in front of him was proof of that. Behemoth slowly got up, staggering, and looked at YuWon. Despite taking a direct hit, he got up unscathed. If it had been Hercules who had hit him with that punch, the outcome would have been different.

"I'm still not good enough to handle giants."

"I still lack the skill to handle Gigantification," thought YuWon. No matter how valuable the objects or skills he possessed, if he didn't have the necessary skills to handle them, the results would be disappointing. He watched Behemoth from where he had fallen.

When their gazes met, YuWon noticed a slight tremor in Behemoth's body. Why was such a huge guy so scared?

"Do you have something else to do?" YuWon asked, slowly approaching.

-You... Growled Behemoth, showing his fangs. In his expression, there was more a sign of defense than threat.

Behemoth was scared.

The fight was over.

When YuWon took a step forward, Behemoth trembled and took a step back.

But due to his corpulence, Behemoth couldn't move easily. When he took a step back, the sound of the trembling earth was heard.

"Are you surrendering?" Someone asked.

Behemoth turned his head toward the voice that resonated in his ears.

Diablo.

He was looking at him with a smile and his fangs bared.

-I won't surrender!

Behemoth shouted proudly, observing YuWon's reactions.

Could he win if he continued fighting here?

Behemoth had no confidence.

No.

He was sure he couldn't win.

"Darn it. I was wrong," he thought. Losing here would be a total disgrace. Even though YuWon had become a High-Ranker in the shortest time possible, YuWon was still just a rising star.

For him, a third-ranking Demon King, to be defeated by someone like that would be very humiliating.

Moreover, it was a situation where he could lose everything.

And then...

YuWon's figure disappeared from the spot.

This time, he didn't seem to have vanished. Behemoth saw YuWon move with his own eyes and turned his horns in that direction.

Crash!

The horns and YuWon's fist clashed.

Ziiiiing!

Thwack!

The impact of the collision pushed Behemoth back a step. Above all, what Behemoth couldn't understand in any way was that he couldn't overpower YuWon's strength.

'I can't win this.'

Behemoth's advantage was his overwhelming strength and resistance emanating from his size.

However, YuWon wasn't falling behind in that strength. For some reason, YuWon was unleashing several times more brute force than usual using his abilities.

As Behemoth found himself in this situation, unable to do anything...

"Can we have a little chat?"

YuWon, who was suddenly on top of his nose, whispered.

-What...?

"Don't speak too loud, or do you want others to hear us?"

The whispering voice that sounded close sent shivers down Behemoth's spine.

But at the same time, Behemoth also felt relief.

A conversation.

Although the circumstances he found himself in only predicted his defeat, in a situation like this, perhaps a conversation could be a hope to overcome this situation smoothly.

-What do you mean?

A much softer voice than before, so only YuWon could hear it.

YuWon, standing on Behemoth's nose, opened his mouth with both feet.

"Let's make this battle a draw."

-A draw?

"In exchange..."

A condition that goes beyond the fight that can be won.

Behemoth's eyes visibly trembled at YuWon's whisper.

-That...?

"If you don't like it, then let's finish it here and now."

Kuwook~

The hand pressed Behemoth's nose.

YuWon demonstrated the difference in power once again.

If they continue fighting, the result is obvious. And more than what YuWon gains from this fight, Behemoth loses a lot.

Above all, for Behemoth, who had already been pressured once, there was no other option.

-...Fine.

A smile appeared at the corner of YuWon's lips.

He had obtained the answer he wanted. With this, he had now obtained everything he needed from the Demon Kings' side.

Only one thing remained.

"Then, now..."

As promised, only achieving the "draw" according to the agreement was left.

"Let's put on a fiery performance."

Cruaaaack!

Behemoth's horns collided with YuWon's sword.

Wooooah!

The roar of an enraged bull tore through the dark clouds of the sky. At the same time, a bright point fell from the sky.

"E-Eh?"

"It's coming this way!"

The demons who had been clustered and watching the fight from afar startled and scattered left and right.

Apparently, the YuWon who had clashed with Behemoth a moment ago was falling to the ground.

Thud!

Crash!

YuWon was thrown to the ground as he overturned the soil. Some nearby demons were dragged along, and those who managed to escape worried about YuWon's condition.

"What happened to him?"

"Is he dead?"

Thud, thud...

YuWon's figure gradually became visible among the dust and soil.

With debris of broken rocks on top of his head, YuWon was lying on the ground.

That was a natural outcome.

Look at the size of Behemoth. His size was so immense that it couldn't be described with words like "the largest creature in the Tower."

And to clash head-on against Behemoth's horns...

No matter if he had ten bodies, it still wouldn't be enough.

"The victory is Behemoth-nim's..."

Thump!

But at that moment...

Behemoth began to wobble and fell to the ground from a distance.

Of course.

After directly receiving that incredible lightning and then directly fighting YuWon, Behemoth had also accumulated damage.

Though it was apparent that YuWon was lying like that.

Behemoth stopped attacking, crouched in place, and sat down.

"What's going on?"

"So, who won?"

Who was the winner of this rank duel?

Opinions were divided.

Some said that YuWon had lost because he fell first.

Others said it wasn't a simultaneous fall.

And some said they had to wait and see who got up first.

"It's a draw."

It was at that moment when someone appeared and summed up all those claims at once.

It was the leader of all the demons, Diablo, who had been observing the fight from high above while enjoying himself.

"It was a draw..."

"A draw?"

"So, that's what happened..."

It was a disheartening reaction, but no one among the demons dared to question Diablo's decision.

The apparent result wasn't satisfactory enough to declare a victory for either side. Neither YuWon nor Behemoth moved or blinked, remaining motionless.

Above all, if Diablo said it was a draw, then it was a draw.

Because in this demon realm, where the law of the strongest is stronger than in any other world, Diablo's word is law.

[Rank Duel has ended]

[Battle between Kim YuWon and Behemoth ends in a draw]

[Kim YuWon's rank will be just below Behemoth in fourth place]

After the rank duel concluded, the Players qualified as demons received a common message.

Originally, YuWon, who didn't win the battle, shouldn't have been affected by the demon rankings.

But the result was a draw. YuWon was assigned a rank just below Behemoth.

And naturally, due to YuWon's intervention, the demon rankings gradually shifted.

However, there were no demons dissatisfied.

In fact, they were astonished and praised YuWon's skills.

"Kim YuWon is amazing too."

"Anyway, it was a draw."

"Behemoth is really incredible. Just think of all that Kim YuWon has done lately."

"Well, both are impressive."

Demons were a race that got excited over battles, and the fight between these two powerful individuals was the best spectacle worth watching, even putting their lives on the line.

Moreover, the results were considered the best for the demons.

The outcome of a draw not only confirmed that the rumors about the ascending High-Ranker YuWon were not unfounded, but also demonstrated that both YuWon and Behemoth possessed equally impressive skills.

While the demons exchanged their opinions on the battle between YuWon and Behemoth, dispersing in all directions, a voice resonated nearby.

"The stage has been set."

Thud.

YuWon slowly raised his head upon hearing the approaching voice.

Diablo, who had stealthily come closer, gazed down at him.

"How do you plan to stop this war now?"

KO-FIBUY ME A COFEE