Leveling with the Gods

C334

Long and sharp horns extended.

So sharp and smooth they seemed to have been precisely carved.

Shining in a golden glow.

And within them, an strange energy was perceived, so mysterious it was astonishing.

"What do you see?"

In response to YuWon's question, Hercules nodded confidently.

"It seems to be true."

It was just as he had heard.

The Horns of Ceryneia possessed a mysterious power, capable of turning into a celestial elixir when boiled.

There was no way YuWon could have concocted something like this, nor was it his style to deceive others with tricks.

Then...

Swish.

YuWon threw the Horns of Ceryneia into the air and caught them gently with his hand.

"You caught it and were preparing in advance?"

Hercules's gaze fixed on the Horns of Ceryneia.

Though he didn't know how YuWon had captured them, it was YuWon who had accomplished it.

The possession was in YuWon's hands, and with that, his mission became as fleeting as a bubble.

"If you carry this, there won't be major problems with the Labors."

"Are you willing to negotiate?"

"Yes."

"How much do you expect to receive in return?"

It wasn't Hercules's usual gaze.

YuWon couldn't understand what kind of bet he had made with Hera, but his hostility was at its peak.

He felt a bit of danger.

There was only one occasion when Hercules showed such a gaze.

When he was determined.

When he believed he was doing what was right, that it was justice.

In most cases, he was not mistaken in such situations, but...

"Stubbornness has always been his greatest disadvantage."

YuWon tightly clenched the Horns of Ceryneia in his hand.

The situation with Hercules was dangerous.

If the negotiation didn't go well, he might try to forcibly take the horns.

Perhaps, reading YuWon's caution...

Hercules stood up.

"I'm not seeking points for what I did. (You know this is not just about points)."

YuWon told Hercules.

"Then?"

"We'll travel together from now on."

"Travel together?"

"I heard you are undertaking the Twelve Labors."

"Do you want to come with me and travel together?"

Hercules frowned. A displeased expression manifested on his face. Hercules didn't easily show his bad mood over trivial matters.

"It doesn't make sense if I don't do it alone."

"Well, then..."

With a suspicious look, YuWon stroked his chin as he locked eyes with Hercules.

"What kind of bet did you make?"

Swish.

One eye was red, while the other was golden and radiant.

To understand his inner thoughts, there was nothing better than the Golden Cinder Eyes. Even Hercules realized that YuWon was trying to uncover his true nature.

'The Golden Cinder Eyes...'

Eyes that could see through lies.

He could have used any excuse to avoid those eyes, but Hercules sighed and expressed what he had in his heart.

"Hera thinks my Father's authority should belong to her."

"You mean the throne of the king?"

"Yes. She says that throne shouldn't be Hades's or Poseidon's, but hers."

He wasn't entirely wrong.

The reason Hades took Zeus's place was because Hades was the main actor in the destruction of Olympus.

The new king who had ousted the tyrant Zeus.

If Zeus was excluded, Hades had the highest rank within Olympus, so he lacked no power.

However, from Hera's perspective, that wasn't enough.

"Actually, Hera's power within Olympus is greater than that of the Great Uncles. It's because she naturally absorbed the forces that used to follow Zeus."

"So, that's the reason this problem arose."

"Yes. The balance has been disturbed."

Hades had a high rank, but he was the Lord of the Underworld.

With relatively limited power, Hades couldn't establish as strong a foothold as others.

On the other hand, despite her relatively low rank, Hera possessed countless Rankers and forces at her disposal.

It was a challenging enough situation to start a fight.

Furthermore, she had enough justification to claim the throne of the king.

"We can't judge who's right or wrong. It's only natural for her to seek to reclaim Father's position."

"And what about Hades?"

"He takes the stance that history cannot repeat itself. If Hera regains power, it could trigger a new war against the Giants."

For a long time, Hades had been trying to stop the war against the Giants and seek reconciliation.

On the other hand, Hera held the position that Hades had ruined what Zeus had accomplished.

The important thing was Hercules. Depending on which side he chose, the outcome of this fight between Hades and Hera would differ.

"Which side are you on?"

"I want to avoid fighting the Giants if possible."

"So, you've already made your decision."

"But..."

But.

In the moment those words were spoken, YuWon knew what kind of story lay ahead.

"I don't want to shed more blood."

He was an idealist and a pacifist.

He wanted to resolve conflicts without fighting.

That ambition had led him to take on this place as Hercules.

"That's why I went to find her, to ask her to stop the fight."

"And she proposed this bet to you."

"That's right."

Hercules nodded.

"She said that if I successfully completed the Twelve Labors, she would give up everything and retire."

He knew it would be like this.

Although he had only seen her once, YuWon vividly remembered the impression Hera left on him.

A single glance was enough to etch Hera's image into his memory.

'She's still the same.'

Ambition, desire, and determination.

Those were the words that could describe Hera.

She didn't hesitate to use whatever means necessary to achieve her goals. To overcome the great obstacle called Hercules, she chose the path of the Twelve Labors.

Through this bet, Hercules had decided to take on the internal conflicts of Olympus himself.

If it was to avoid a fight where blood must flow like a river, he would never easily back down.

"Do you think Hera will keep her promise?"

"She will. If not, I'll break her neck."

A voice full of conviction.

Of course.

No matter how much she was Hera, she wouldn't have the courage to break her promise with Hercules.

If she did, she would inevitably turn a monster who had so far maintained neutrality into an enemy.

"Now that you know, hand it over. As an outsider, you have no place to meddle in this bet."

"I know, but..."

To YuWon, it already seemed that Hercules had fallen into the trap.

But explaining it became difficult due to the stubbornness deeply rooted in Hercules.

"I still can't trust her."

"It seems you don't understand me."

"Is it really necessary to be so stubborn? I'm not trying to interfere with your Labor."

"The Labor must be overcome with my own power alone. That's the core of this bet."

Clearly, this wouldn't be resolved with words.

YuWon glanced at the wound on Hercules's shoulder.

The wound caused by the Hydra.

After briefly examining it, YuWon spoke.

"The Third Labor is probably the most difficult for you. It would be better to fight since you seem more skilled in hunting."

"Still, I'm not someone who can't catch a simple hind."

"It's not just a hind, it's Ceryneian. Even Artemis had difficulties catching it."

Hercules's face distorted even more.

"And so what?"

"You must choose between the two options."

With a swift movement, YuWon stashed the horns in his inventory as if he was about to take them out at any moment.

"Either you join me on this journey, or you stop here."

Hercules's eyebrows furrowed at those words.

"If that's the proposal, I refuse it."

Hercules's stubbornness couldn't be stopped by anyone. If there was someone who rivaled Sun OhGong in stubbornness, it was him.

But YuWon knew the only way to break that stubbornness.

"Then, let's make a bet, you and me."

"A bet?"

"A fight between you and me."

Hercules showed a perplexed expression.

"It's a very favorable bet for me."

Even though YuWon's ranking had increased considerably, the gap between Hercules and YuWon was not small.

And of course, YuWon wasn't someone who ignored that.

"Yes, that's right."

"Despite knowing that, you propose such a bet?"

"30 minutes."

"30 minutes?"

"If you defeat me in the next 30 minutes, you win. If the fight doesn't end within that time, I win."

YuWon said that, shrugging his shoulders, and added cheekily:

"Because it's impossible for me to defeat you in the first place."

He might have had some chance if he could throw Nir, but there was no way he could do that while facing Hercules.

This fight wasn't a fight he had to win.

30 minutes.

That was a considerable amount of time.

Usually, it would pass so fast he wouldn't even know when it had passed, but in a fight where life was at stake, time flowed in different currents.

Even more so considering the considerable difference in skill.

"What you just said..."

Kwak-.

Hercules clenched his fist.

"Don't regret it."

That was the moment the bet was established.

Thump, thump-.

Both of them stepped away in opposite directions.

They walked until the distance between them widened enough, and Hercules opened his mouth.

"You always help me."

Woosh-.

Without needing anyone to mention it first, both of them turned their bodies at the same time.

"Making the hardest Labor seem so easy to solve."

"It's still too early to say it's solved."

"Well-."

Thud-.

One more step.

The sound of Hercules' footsteps towards YuWon echoed on the ground.

How powerful was the force that transmitted through the soles of the feet to the ground?

The feeling of being crushed entirely became overwhelming.

"I don't think so."

Kug, kug-.

Sweat began to drip from YuWon's forehead, oppressed by Hercules' atmosphere.

An energy that almost took his breath away emanated from his towering two-meter-tall body.

Gulp-.

Saliva slid with difficulty down his dry throat.

'Maybe it's the toughest fight.'

It was an impromptu bet.

It didn't make much sense.

He had to endure for 30 minutes against Hercules, wielding his Yggdrasil mace.

But he had no other choice.

From Hercules' perspective, if it wasn't a 100% surefire winning bet, he wouldn't have accepted the bet in the first place.

Indeed, although he was convinced of his own victory, he showed a moment of doubt.

Yes...

Although it was difficult, in the end, that was the only way to break that stubborn obstinacy.

YuWon took out his Player Kit and checked the time.

"It's 11:28 right now."

Tic, tac~

"31 seconds."

"We'll start when it's 11:30."

"Yes, alright."

One minute and thirty seconds.

It was a tight time to sketch the fight while controlling his breathing.

YuWon closed his eyes.

How could he solve this fight?

With a clock in his mind, he began to draw a picture in black and white.

Time passed this way.

Clack-.

YuWon opened his eyes and unsheathed his sword.

It was the moment.

[The 'Golden Cinder Eyes' read the path]

['Sensory Field' has been activated]

Hwaryuk-.

Suaaaa-.

YuWon's eyes glowed with different colors, and all perceptions around him became sharp.

He couldn't afford to save energy in this fight.

This fight probably...

"Let's begin."

Would require his full power even if he gave it his all.