Leveling with the Gods

Side Story 77

['The Otherworld Adversary' confronts the Name Fragments]

['The Otherworld Sword' confronts the Name Fragments]

He raised the sword high. The sky tinted purple by Yog-Sothoth fixed on the tip of the sword raised by YuWon.

[¿Aaaaah-?]

[Aaaah-.]

The small Name Fragments blocking the path trembled in fear.

The Otherworld Sword. The Otherworld Adversary. They were all enemies as powerful as the records and time that YuWon had accumulated fighting the Outers. And in YuWon's name and sword. The fulfiller of events or the existence of an endless void. Like the Sky of the World. The mythology that severed the Name of Yog Sothoth was imbued.

[Divine Power is amplified by The Otherworld Sword]

With a single blow, the Name Fragments disappeared from the world without a trace, as if an eraser erased a color. The traces turned into purple dust and scattered across the sky.

In an instant, the Outers blocking their view had completely vanished.

Tsukuyomi was breathless at the cruel yet beautiful sight.

"You... were this strong?"

Not long ago, she had fought alongside YuWon against Ananta. Even then, YuWon's skills were formidable. Undoubtedly, YuWon had contributed the most to Ananta's capture.

Moreover, he even possessed the Name of Shub-Niggurath, meaning that, despite not being in the Ranking, he actually had the ability to surpass Zeus.

However...

"But even so, he wasn't this strong before, right?"

Not even in the battle against Ananta had she felt such pressure.

How many had he killed with a single blow?

Even using Izanagi, she couldn't see it with her eyes.

If he had had such power, he should have been able to subdue Ananta in a one-on-one fight.

"I am his natural enemy."

YuWon responded as he sheathed his sword.

"For a long time. Quite a long time."

The Otherworld Adversary hadn't been created in just a few years. Long before using the Clock Movement to return to this place. In a time when the world was being invaded by the Outers, and he had fought against them for centuries.

That was the result of all those accumulated days.

"I will keep creating the path, so follow me well. From now on, I don't think it will be easy."

"Do you know where we're going?"

"I know, but someone has been playing around a bit."

"Sothoth?"

Tsukuyomi recalled the words YuWon had murmured before wielding his sword.

'He seemed like a different person.'

It was only an instant. But during that brief moment, YuWon, when uttering the name Sothoth, felt like a different person.

It's not that he had really become another person. However, Tsukuyomi was sure that her intuition had not deceived her.

-- "It's the house where the Great Father of this world lived. Sothoth copied his name."

Sothoth.

It wasn't the first time she had heard that name.

-- "That is Ubbo-Sathla, The Amorphous Idiot."

Ubbo-Sathla, The Amorphous Idiot. The name of the Outer that had created the giant Outer that appeared in Nibelung.

YuWon said it was "Sothoth."

"Yes. That guy."

"He's a troublesome one."

"Troublesome... Yes, he is."

YuWon nodded, unable to contain a mocking smile. It was true, but not to that extent. Although he was eventually devoured by Nyarlathotep, that guy was undoubtedly the true owner of this world in the absence of Azathoth.

The Finisher of Events. The Void Without Existence. The Sky of the World.

The power and magnitude of these three Names could not be compared to a small goat like Shub-Niggurath.

"He was a troublesome guy."

In the instant he said those words, YuWon couldn't accurately know who he was referring to. And after that brief confusion, YuWon smiled.

"It's close."

Perhaps really here.

YuWon took the next step.

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

Six months had passed since YuWon disappeared.

Six months.

For Rankers living in eternal time, it wasn't such a long period. However, for the Administrators who had been enduring for so long, each day was a day approaching a critical point.

"Wasn't it an illusion?"

"No matter how much we search, we can't find him. Black Woods Goats, what an absurd rumor."

Like-minded Administrators gathered once again.

Six months ago. The Administrators, upon hearing the news of the appearance of Black Woods Goats in the battle against Ananta, had huddled for a while to catch their breath.

Black Woods Goats.

Shub-Niggurath was half of Yog-Sothoth, whom even the Administrators feared.

"It was just a summoner who could summon goats. Stupid Players saw that and remembered Shub-Niggurath."

"Wait a moment. Aren't you being too hasty?"

Over time, the Administrators' perception of the Outers had also changed.

Fear tends to split in two after a long time. It either becomes stronger or dilutes over time. And those Administrators whose fear had diluted could no longer tolerate the same passive attitude as before.

"Do you want us to lock ourselves up in the Administration Office again like before?"

"Well, that. Do you want to sleep forever?"

"Do we have to hide again just because some goats appeared? I couldn't accept that from the beginning."

Rebellion was intensifying day by day. In the end, even the Administrators who had wanted to be cautious had no choice but to be persuaded. After all, they too were the ones who wanted to take control of the Tower away from the Players.

However...

"In the worst case, we may have to face the 'Sky of the World.'"

One of them.

The atmosphere changed as the Administrator mentioned the "Sky of the World."

"That is..."

The atmosphere became serious again. There was nothing to be done as they had decided to pour cold water on it.

"As everyone knows, unlike Shub-Niggurath or Nyarlathotep, he didn't show up in the war ten years ago."

"True, if he had, the war wouldn't have ended like that."

Initially, the Administrators didn't expect the war to end with the Players' victory.

There was a reason.

The Outers had the Sky of the World. The Finisher of All Events.

Yog-Sothoth.

"He is definitely alive. Maybe he was even the one who summoned the Black Woods Goats."

"So what do we do?"

"I also agree that we should start moving again. But everyone must be prepared."

The Administrator concluded his last sentence.

"Our enemy might be 'Sothoth.'"

Sothoth.

The pinnacle of the Outers and the most feared existence by the Administrators. The Administrators, who had been silent about the idea of fighting the pinnacle of the Outers, the existence they feared the most, began to speak one by one.

"No matter."

"Me too."

"I don't mind either."

They had waited too long. They could not continue waiting, misled by uncertain words about what might happen.

And so...

"...Alright."

They made a decision.

"Then, let's move."

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

Ubbo-Sathla.

He was a creature made of a single giant nest. The first creation of Yog-Sothoth, housing the Stone Tablets with Azathoth's memory.

And that creation was based on the house where Azathoth dwelled.

Undoubtedly, it should have been that way.

['The Otherworld Adversary confronts the Name Fragments']

['The Name Fragments are on guard against The Otherworld Adversary']

Inside the cave filled with countless unnamed Outers, YuWon muttered with irritation on his face.

"...He's made a mess."

Kwaat-!

The Name Fragments were once again annihilated by the sword wielded by YuWon. For them, the sword infused with Divine Power was like a nemesis.

"Are we really in the right place?"

Zzzzzz-.

The Arcane Power released from Tsukuyomi's hands froze the ground around her. A glacier that came in an instant.

Feeling the temperature around her dropping rapidly, YuWon nodded.

"Probably."

"Probably? Are you not sure?"

['Aaaaah-!']

Zzzh-!

The Name Fragment rushing towards Tsukuyomi exploded and scattered on the ground like a purple mass. Pandora, with clenched fists, turned her head towards Tsukuyomi, shaking her crimson hair.

"It has to be."

A firm tone. Among the group, Tsukuyomi was the only one who didn't fully trust YuWon.

-If the Master says "probably," it's because it's definitely here.

Even Susanoo agreed. He had observed YuWon's actions for a long time while being by his side. And in that process, he had also learned that there weren't many times when YuWon was sure of something.

[Storm]

Kyuuut-!

The sword wind whipped inside the cave. Susanoo wielded his sword tirelessly as he watched the Name Fragments splitting into thousands, tens of thousands of pieces.

-Trust him for now. There's no other choice.

"Ugh..."

Tsukuyomi nodded with a brief groan. An endless number, like a bottomless sea. Not knowing how they were going to overcome this, her desire to retreat if there was no certainty was overwhelming.

The existence of the Outers was the nemesis of the Inners.

Just by looking at them, some lost their sanity or had their souls taken.

Even if not to such an extreme, it was natural to feel a quick fatigue.

YuWon also understood Tsukuyomi's reaction.

"That guy doesn't even know what he's looking for yet."

She was different from Pandora, who had great knowledge about the Outers, or Susanoo, who had been close to YuWon all this time.

Not knowing what he was looking for or how he knew about the existence of this place, her doubts could only increase.

Suddenly...

The path leading further inside.

YuWon's gaze roamed the corners of the cave. He saw familiar paths, albeit slightly changed.

'Definitely, this is the right place.'

A long time ago.

The cave that served as the base for Ubbo-Sathla, the place where Azathoth dwelled, the Great Father who gave Name to all beings from the Otherworld.

Something was drawing him.

That dream was not just a dream.

And so, as he advanced, cutting through the Name Fragments.

"A two-forked path."

-Which way do we go?

The path split into two. YuWon alternately looked at the two paths and then said:

"Susanoo."

-What?

"Here, it splits into two. You and Tsukuyomi go the other way."

Saying that, YuWon headed to the left with Pandora.

['Aaaaah-!']

['Aaaah-!']

The Name Fragments sprouted in all directions. It was questionable why so many of them were gathered here.

['The Otherworld Adversary manifests in The Otherworld Sword']

A purple aura condensed on YuWon's sword. He swung the sword as his Divine Power rapidly drained.

Slaash-.

Bzzzt-!

A long-range purple sword cut.

Huaak-.

The beings brushed by the sword cut dispersed like a handful of light specks.

As he watched the path being created in an instant, YuWon wondered:

"What were they doing here?"

It wasn't a normal situation for so many Name Fragments to gather in one place.

Building Ubbo-Sathla based on this house. And furthermore, gathering the unnamed beings in one place like this.

"It's like..."

YuWon looked at the unnamed beings blocking his path again, and his eyes gleamed.

"Like they're protecting something."

-KO-FI

'Ko-Fi' for Advanc3 Ch4pt3rs (Up to '95' more ch4pt3rs)Publication of up to 6 weekly ch4pters, thanks.

---