Leveling with the Gods

C473

As expected.

For YuWon, who had returned, what came back was Pandora's fiery fist.

He had left Pandora with the promise that he would return soon, but that "soon" had turned into several days, and she greeted him with such an intense reaction.

YuWon's reaction wasn't much different from the one he had with Hephaestus.

He could dodge the blow, but he took it. Hoping that the feeling of the punch impact might alleviate Pandora's anger a bit.

-How many times do you plan on using that stupid method?

"Next time, I'll try to dodge it. It hurts more than I thought."

Ugh...

YuWon clutched his stomach, struck by Pandora, with one hand and frowned.

Pandora's fist turned out to be stronger than he thought. It was a shocking blow to receive without any preparation.

I'd prefer being hit in the head with Hephaestus's hammer.

"So, how long do you plan on staying here?"

-It's been a while since I went out, so I feel a bit reluctant to leave so soon.

"I'll call you again soon, so for now, come in. There will come a time when you'll have to fight, whether you like it or not."

-Really? Well, okay. I'm curious to see who my next opponent will be.

Puff...

Susanoo's soul that lingered around YuWon disappeared. He seemed bored after a year without being called to fight.

YuWon, who had been touching his sore chest, finally stood up. In the meantime, Pandora watched him from next to the door.

"...Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine; it's just this."

Walking outside, YuWon was followed by Pandora. YuWon glanced at Pandora and asked.

"Are you really okay?"

"What?"

"The fight might be quite tough. You're strong enough, but... probably that's not enough."

Pandora wasn't in YuWon's plans.

Of course, she had enough strength to join the fight. But she hadn't become stronger of her own accord.

That was the reason.

For a long time, he hesitated to travel with her.

But YuWon wasn't the type to avoid difficulties.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

She raised her eyebrows as if asking what the problem was.

YuWon had already thought it would be like this, but still, the answer was too easy.

Momentarily relieved to see her smile so brightly, YuWon finally smiled and patted Pandora's head.

"It's okay. I understand."

"Are we going together this time?"

"Yes, we're going together this time."

YuWon nodded.

Perhaps that answer gave her the reassurance she needed?

Pandora, tightly gripping the sleeve of his clothes, finally let out a wide laugh.

And so, their journey together began.

In the deep night.

In the middle of the vast forest that extended to the end of the world, Hargan stood firmly on the ground.

Crack...

Thus, by pressing his foot on the ground, he firmly fixed the elbow to extend the fist.

Hercules wasn't just strong.

From his stance to the direction of the fingertips on the fist. Everything was a skill to harness that overwhelming strength.

Kwak...

Hargan's fist-holding posture became quite similar to that of Hercules.

Thus, fully harnessing the power of the Lightning residing in his heart, Hargan threw a punch with all his might.

Bum!

A lightning bolt shot straight. The trees in the forest collapsed.

The forest lit up as if it were daytime. Once the intensely bright flash that illuminated the night disappeared, the forest returned to darkness.

Tsu, tsu, tsu...

Looking at the landscape he had just created, Hargan smiled with an expression full of emotion.

The punch he had just thrown was a difficult attack to block even for High-Rankers. Staring at the remaining Lightning in his fist, Hargan muttered.

"It's okay..."

Although he had only imitated it to some extent.

Definitely, his fist resembled Hercules.

Pum, pum, pum...

At the sound of applause coming from behind, Hargan turned his head.

Naturally, he thought it was Hercules, but when Hargan turned his head, his eyes widened.

"That form is quite convincing."

"...Great Sage, Heaven's Equal?"

A white-haired man sitting on a thin branch that seemed to break at any moment.

It was Son OhGong.

At the edge of the world, he thought there wouldn't be anyone else besides him and Hercules in such distant places. But suddenly, Son OhGong appeared.

Crack.

Watching Hargan step back unknowingly, Son OhGong, who was clapping, stopped and asked.

"What's wrong, are you scared?"

"Scared?"

"I have no intentions of harming you. You're Kim YuWon's friend, even Hercules's brother."

Smiling carelessly, Son OhGong lightly jumped from under the tree.

"So don't be so afraid. After all, aren't all friends friends of friends?"

Although Son OhGong was trying to smile, Hargan couldn't easily approach him.

"Even if you say that..."

Grrr.

A strange pressure was felt behind Son OhGong.

Perhaps because of that, Hargan felt like his heart was about to burst.

"If you exhale so much power, who wouldn't be scared?"

Thud.

At that moment, another giant appeared in the forest behind.

Hercules, who had been with Hargan for the past year, felt the presence of Son OhGong in the midnight, woke up, and came out.

"Sorry, I just remembered you."

"If that was the case, you could have shouted."

"I just didn't want to call only you."

With a gentle laugh, the pressure felt behind Son OhGong disappeared.

Somehow, what had just been a monstrous giant now looked like a village idiot. Hargan's stifling breath eased, and he could breathe easily.

Son OhGong, looking at Hargan, who seemed like this, said.

"You said you lost the Lightning?"

Son OhGong, who had been observing the previous strike from above, now turned to Hercules.

"It seems you've raised him quite well."

"Really?"

Hargan alternately looked at Son OhGong and Hercules, wondering if there was something more he didn't know.

Hercules' reaction was quite calm to Son OhGong's unexpected visit. Judging by his expression, it seemed like Hercules already knew about Son OhGong's visit.

"But one is coming late."

"It seems something happened down there."

Fwoosh.

Then, Son OhGong felt a strange movement among the bushes.

Golden Cinder Eyes.

The eyes symbolizing the Great Sage, Heaven's Equal, that penetrate the truth of all things, looking through endless distances.

"Still, you came faster than I thought."

Step...

Another guest revealed herself from the bushes.

This time, it wasn't one but two.

Son OhGong, who spotted the guest, smiled as he waved.

"What's going on? It seems you've got yourself a pretty girlfriend."

"Don't talk nonsense. Don't act like you don't know."

YuWon, who arrived at the agreed-upon place, quickly cut off Son OhGong's jokes. But despite this conversation, Son OhGong, accustomed to this kind of interaction, chuckled and looked at Pandora.

"Yeah. That's right. Pandora, right?"

Pandora, clinging to YuWon, glanced at Son OhGong sideways. Although Son OhGong tried to shake hands with her, Pandora quickly turned her head.

Son OhGong would prefer them to become friends quickly, as they would have to work together for a while.

'But maybe that's asking for too much.'

Pandora just followed him.

It was impossible to expect her to share the same camaraderie or bond as he and Son OhGong did. But there was nothing wrong with her gradually relaxing.

"Is it your first time seeing her?"

"Clearly. When would we have had a chance to meet?"

Pandora was a beauty that took anyone's breath away at first sight. Even Hargan, when he first met her, experienced the feeling that the world stopped for a few seconds.

But for Son OhGong, that didn't happen.

"But it seems she's shy."

"Understandable. She has a history."

"Are you talking about the story related to Zeus?"

"Don't ask knowing. Just in case, don't mention his name anymore. She might get angrier than it seems."

"That, I understand."

YuWon and Son OhGong, along with Hercules, held a conversation.

Meanwhile, Hargan stood there, observing the situation with confusion.

The most important thing was to understand why these three people had gathered.

Crack, crack, crack.

After quickly chopping a fallen tree into pieces, they lit a fire with the wood and started cooking.

Son OhGong simply grilled some jerky, brought it to his mouth, chewed, and waited for YuWon to say something.

"We're going to catch Ubbo-Sathla."

YuWon pronounced the conclusion from the beginning.

But those words seemed hard to understand for someone.

"Uvo, what?"

"Wubo, Taphla?"

Hargan heard a part of the name, and Hercules heard the other part.

The two people who didn't know Ubbo-Sathla's true name couldn't hear his name at all.

Hercules, at least, seemed to have heard it more.

"The name doesn't matter. Anyway, if we catch that thing, we can learn something about them, right?"

The presences from outside the Tower.

Recently, inside the Tower, Hercules also showed great interest in those called "Outers."

The Outers had a strong enmity towards the creatures inside the Tower, and especially after personally facing Shub-Niggurath, Hercules began to think that they might bring about the destruction of the Tower.

So, naturally, he was curious to find out more about the Outers.

But...

"Probably."

"Probably?"

YuWon's response didn't sound convincing.

However, Hercules decided not to delve into it.

At this moment, in this position, only three High-Rankers had gathered.

Kim YuWon, Son OhGong, and Hercules.

They hadn't gathered to make a fire and roast meat for no reason. Surely, YuWon knew the answer.

The only question was...

"Is it something else you can't say? That's why you can't explain the reason and say 'probably.'"

This time, as if he didn't want to let it pass. Hercules straightened up in his seat, raising his fist to look at YuWon.

YuWon looked at him with narrowed eyes as he glanced at Pandora, who was sitting next to him, looking at the fire.

"It's a good time."

Pandora, who received the attention, showed a perplexed expression.

Hercules and Hargan were equally surprised.

The meaningful smile at the corner of Son OhGong's lips disappeared.

Even though he had spent several years with YuWon, he had no idea about the decision he had made.

"Anyway, I was about to tell you. Especially you, Hercules."

"To me?"

Hercules pointed at his own face with his finger as he asked.

YuWon nodded in response.

"It's a story that concerns Son OhGong, me, and you."

Swoosh.

Then, YuWon's gaze shifted to Hargan and Pandora, who were sitting together.

"And all of us in general."