Leveling with the Gods

Side Story 60

Azathoth's existence was a significant variable even for the Administrators.

On one hand, his presence was a trump card ensuring victory in the war against the Outers, but on the other hand, it could also mean the destruction of the Tower.

That's why, initially, even just initially, they blamed the Tutorial Administrator who had Azathoth's Egg.

They said everything could end because of him.

They asked what the hell he was thinking to do something like that.

However.

"Azathoth has disappeared."

"Nyarlatothep, Shub-Niggurath, and Yog-Sothoth too."

"If we only look at the result, there's nothing wrong. No, it couldn't be better."

In general, things tend to work out in the end.

Thanks to Azathoth, the war against the Outers ended smoothly, and the biggest threat, Azathoth, had disappeared, so there was no reason not to applaud.

Except for one thing.

"No response."

Azathoth was gone, but the full-fledged Player with his memories was still there.

The worst possible variable that could completely ruin the Administrators' plans.

"Well, not like I really expected a response."

"You... know... please..."

Her speech was constantly interrupted by the pain tormenting her, and her body wasn't healing.

It was expected.

Even though she was only half Nyarlathotep, Chatogua's body had been pierced by Nir.

The Dark Attribute Arcane Power was corrosive. Even for a high-ranking Administrator like Chatogua, recovery would be difficult.

"Please... let us reclaim our world..."

"No."

YuWon shook his head.

"This is our world. We saved it."

Crack-.

YuWon's teeth gritted as he continued speaking.

The Administrators. The great beings ruling the order of this Tower. However, after knowing their true nature, YuWon couldn't help but feel anger.

"What were you doing while we were fighting?"

He wasn't only referring to the present.

The same happened ten years ago, during the war against the Outers, and even in the future where the Tower was destroyed.

They never stepped forward.

Even though countless Players pleaded for the Administrators' help.

However...

"They did nothing. They didn't even try to survive like us, didn't even try to protect this world."

Those who observed and those who protected.

It was evident who had the right.

"They lost that right at that moment."

Chatogua's body began to gradually crumble.

Nir's wounds deepened further.

The corrosion of her body accelerated, and she only had a few minutes of life left.

She couldn't move. She had to convey a message to her comrades.

With one last trace of courage, Chatogua looked at YuWon.

Even if she was going to die, she had to ask.

"Are you... Kim YuWon... now? Or..."

"I am Kim YuWon."

There was no hesitation in YuWon's response.

It was the answer of someone who had already chosen his path confidently.

And at that answer, Chatogua smiled for the first time since she met YuWon.

"I'm glad..."

Crack-.

Unlike her body, which had already turned to ashes, her head barely managed to utter these words.

"With that Name... you won't be able to defeat us."

Chatogua's words couldn't finish. She disappeared without a trace. It was expected, as her body had been pierced by Nir.

Raising the spear once again, YuWon looked at the place where Chatogua had disintegrated. Somehow, a persistent feeling troubled him.

"That Name..."

Initially, she had seen him as Azathoth. As the grandiose and omniscient entity possessing that Name.

However, the look she gave him after his response was different.

"What's wrong with my Name?"

YuWon's voice contained a hint of irritation.

Gathering all the Names he had uttered, YuWon turned and began to walk. Chatogua's last words echoed in his mind, refusing to disappear.

He knew the reason.

It was because, truly, there was a possibility that it was true.

----------------------

Goblin Village was always noisy.

They were a race that was always drunk. Numerous Goblins drank and sang loudly.

However, in the midst of Goblin Village, a harsh and discordant sound mixed with the songs.

"Phew, pant-"

Lee Ye staggered, leaning his body on the broken bow as he walked.

The Goblins stopped their songs and watched him.

"You arrived, human."

"Look. Didn't I say I would come in ten days? Give me my 100 points."

"Damn. I thought I would die soon."

"Isn't life originally a gamble?"

Goblins laughed and cried as they exchanged points.

Seeing them, Lee Ye muttered in disbelief.

"Did you make a bet with me?"

His mouth couldn't close due to bewilderment. It was true. It also meant that the item he had just obtained was very hard to acquire.

"You came?"

Steps so heavy they seemed to shake the ground. But more than the sound or vibration, what was heaviest was undoubtedly his presence.

The Goblin King.

An existence before which even the High-Rankers outside the Goblin Realm bowed.

If he became a Player at this moment, he could even reach the top 10.

"You survived."

"Yes. I brought it."

Lee Ye staggered forward and handed a package to the Goblin King.

"Here..."

"He's a really tough guy."

Rip~

The Goblin King opened the package Lee Ye had brought.

Stones, plant roots, and materials resembling horns.

Among them, the Goblin King found a shining jewel at the bottom of the package and asked:

"Did you give up the finger you shoot the bow with?"

"Yes."

Lee Ye looked down at the two fingers on his right hand that had been cut off.

"I gave it up."

A trial that required surrendering a necessary part of his body.

Only after passing that trial could he obtain those materials.

"No matter. I can practice shooting with the other hand. Anyway, they're just fingers."

"I see. You were lucky."

"Can you do it now?"

Lee Ye opened his mouth with an anxious face.

"...The Elixir?"

"Yes."

The Goblin King smiled widely and nodded.

"With this, I can even make two."

"Is... that true...?"

Upon that response, Lee Ye smiled brightly.

Suddenly, the tension dissipated and he collapsed onto his knees.

"Fortunately..."

Lee Ye fell to the ground, devoid of strength.

A Goblin approached him and looked at him disdainfully, clicking his tongue.

"It seems he has exceeded his limit already. I don't know how he made it here."

"It must be his mental strength. The strength of a father thinking of his daughter."

The Goblin King murmured while looking at the package he held in his hand.

'Two...'

He felt no pity for Lee Ye, who had lost consciousness and collapsed.

No matter how severe his daughter's illness is, there is no illness that the Elixir cannot cure.

And besides, the material he brought is for two people.

"This guy has been lucky too."

---------------------

The Administrator is dead.

The Deva Rankers who witnessed this gave up resistance.

It was understandable.

The Player who killed the Administrator, whom they feared, was on Yama's side.

They didn't know his name or face, but they all feared YuWon.

Tsk, tsk, tsk.

Yama, who was the first to approach YuWon, was speechless seeing the battle traces around him.

'She has been completely annihilated.'

The Administrator had disappeared without a trace.

They felt ashamed for having fled so scared.

"Take care of the cleanup."

YuWon turned around and didn't stop. In front of his figure walking away without any remorse, Yama and Varuna lowered their heads.

"Thank you."

"Thank you, Hyung-nim!"

YuWon sighed as he received the greetings from both.

Thanks...

Deva will probably be in chaos for a while.

Almost half of the Rankers had betrayed Deva, and after purging them, Deva's strength would be reduced to less than half.

Moreover, Deva didn't have Vishnu, their leader, at the moment.

YuWon put aside his worries about Deva for a moment.

'He will handle it well.'

Right now, he had no choice but to trust Yama.

The only thing he could do was to revenge in the name of Vishnu.

And besides that, there was a mountain of things to think about.

'Even with nine hundred goats, they couldn't find Ananta. And he is still undetected by Olympus surveillance.'

Ananta.

The Monster King, a dangerous existence with power even greater than the Administrators.

And not only that...

"With that Name... you won't be able to defeat us."

Chatugua's words. Those words kept haunting him, unable to overcome them.

"Curse."

YuWon scratched his head in frustration.

"I thought I could live a bit more peacefully now."

Originally, he intended to visit a few more Guilds to use the Golden Cinder Eyes and check if there were other Rankers loyal to the Administrators.

But now it seemed he had to change his plan a bit.

Whoosh, whoosh.

A Sun Chariot that had been hidden below the cliff ascended.

And on the Sun Chariot was...

"Is it over already?"

Pandora, who had been insisting on following him somehow, was standing.

Pop.

YuWon quickly boarded the Sun Chariot.

There were several reasons, but the main one for wanting to finish this quickly was Pandora.

"Is it over?"

"Yes. It's done."

"And now, are we leaving?"

"No."

YuWon frowned for a moment as he looked at Pandora.

Her face slightly puffed, as if she had just woken up.

However, her face was shining with its own light.

YuWon stared at her for a while.

Pandora tilted her head with a puzzled expression.

"What's wrong?"

"Uh."

"What?"

"Your face."

Suddenly, Pandora's expression wrinkled.

Was her face the problem?

It wasn't something that should be said in front of her, let alone something Pandora would want to hear. Faced with Pandora's sudden change of expression, YuWon hurriedly corrected his words.

"No, I mean it's too beautiful."

"Ah-."

Pandora smiled again immediately. She was really susceptible to compliments. YuWon sighed in relief and glanced at her.

"Will you cover up a bit?"

"Because I'm beautiful?"

"Yes. It's true that you're beautiful, but..."

Pandora's face was too conspicuous. It was expected that High-Rankers would recognize her face, but hers was so striking that anyone would look at her, regardless of their rank.

For YuWon, who wanted to stay unnoticed, it wasn't pleasant.

'Right now, it's better to avoid attracting the attention of the Administrators.'

Though it wasn't his intention, the fact that the Administrators had forgotten about him was an advantage at that moment.

"Is this okay?"

Pandora took a mask from her inventory and put it on her face.

YuWon looked at her for a while and then nodded.

"Yes. That's fine."

It wasn't a mask that covered her face completely, but at least no one would recognize her as Pandora.

That was enough for now.

"But where are we going?"

To Pandora, who didn't know the destination, YuWon replied.

"To Murim."

"To Murim?"

"Yes."

It was a place he hadn't been to in a long time.

The distance was so great that even with the Sun Chariot, it would take quite some time to get there.

"We have to go to the Heavenly Mountain."

-KO-FI

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