Leveling with the supreme-rulers - Chapter 347

Grrrrr~

The Cerberus still stood guard against Kim YuWon and Hercules.

Although they still remembered being struck by Hercules, they didn’t back down.

They did it to protect someone.

Step, step-.

Kim YuWon took a step towards the Cerberus.

“I haven’t come to fight you. Move aside.”

Grrr, grrr-!

Finally, the Cerberus bared their fangs.

Numerous Cerberus approached menacingly.

Although YuWon tried to threaten them with his Gigantification, it seemed the Cerberus wouldn’t budge from their path.

“There’s no other choice.”

Thump, boom-.

[The power of a giant resides in your arm]

He had no choice but to use his Gigantification and confront the Cerberus.

As he got closer, the distance seemed to shrink as if he could touch them with his hand.

At that moment…

Creak, creak-.

The Cerberus lowered their tails.

“…?”

The Cerberus quickly crouched down.

Some Cerberus split in two and opened an orderly path.

It was as if someone had given them an order.

-Go ahead… enter.

A weary voice resonated from the deepest and distant part of the underground.

Kim YuWon and Hercules followed the path that appeared before them. The staircase leading underground was so long that the end couldn’t be seen.

And at the end of that staircase.

There was a large black door waiting for the two.

Creak-.

Hercules opened the door without hesitation.

And inside…

-You’ve come.

It was a much clearer voice than before. Moreover, it was a familiar and unforgettable voice.

Everything was black walls, floor, and ceiling. And in that spacious room, there was only one person.

“Great… Uncle?”

On a grand throne.

Sat a strange and bizarre skeleton with barely any flesh left.

It was an appearance that seemed almost impossible to be alive.

-I apologize for being seen in this state.

He was the Father of the Dead, the King of this hell. He was sitting in such an embarrassing manner.

Hercules approached without hesitation and asked.

“What exactly has happened?”

-It’s as you see. I am dead.

“You’re… dead…”

Hercules turned to Kim YuWon, looking at him with an expression of disbelief.

It was an expression that said, “What has happened?”.

He had clearly told him he would be alive.

Kim YuWon didn’t meet Hercules’ gaze. Instead, he looked at the strange and bizarre skeleton sitting on the grand throne.

Tsu, tsu, tsu-.

Death Energy flowed from the skeleton that was Hades.

He was clearly dead.

But that was only for now.

“He will come back to life. This time, he will.”

[The King of the Dead gazes upon those on the boundary between life and death]

[The King of the Dead venerates those who conquer death]

Hades was conquering death.

Although he was dead, Hades was preparing for his resurrection after death.

Tsu, tsu-.

In Kim YuWon’s eyes, something subtle could be seen.

Hades’ body, which originally only had bones and some flesh attached, was gradually regaining its original form.

“Resurrection of the Dead (死者蘇生).”

There was only one person in this Tower.

Someone who could conquer death and return to life.

That was Hades.

The Resurrection of the Dead was a skill only passed down in legends. It was unknown who learned it or if the skill truly existed.

The fact that the dead returned to life.

It was as rare a case as going back to the past.

“If there’s a variable, it’s that the opponent is Foolish Chaos…”

Kim YuWon looked at Hades, who had turned into a skeleton, with relief.

“Fortunately, it activated smoothly.”

The activation of the Resurrection only happened once.

Conquering death wasn’t something so easily repeatable.

Rather, it was nothing short of a miracle that no one in this Tower could accomplish.

-As that guy said. This time, I’m coming back to life.

In response to Hades’ answer, Hercules seemed finally relieved and exhaled a sigh that had been trapped in his chest.

“And now…?”

Now that it had been confirmed that Hades was alive, stopping Hera wasn’t as difficult anymore.

Hades, who was now the King of Olympus, had the pretext to expel Hera with his presence alone.

Now, they just had to wait for Hades to be resurrected.

“But who did this?”

Though relieved, Hercules looked at Hades with a severe expression, recalling the incredible fact that Hades was killed amidst Olympus.

-I don’t know.

“You don’t know?”

-I mean, I don’t know who it is. It was the first time I saw his face and the first time I heard his name.

He was found dead amidst Olympus.

And that statement meant that the fight wasn’t just a simple battle, as Hercules had thought.

Apart from murder, there was no other way to approach the situation. Hercules realized once again that Hades’ signal was more than just a simple battle.

However, before Hercules could express his thoughts, Hades interrupted.

-No, I wasn’t killed.-

Hercules’ eyes widened with surprise.

“What are you saying?”

-I wasn’t the victim of simple murder.

The answer didn’t come from Hades but from YuWon.

“There’s a much easier way to kill a High-Ranker like the Three Great supreme-rulers without anyone noticing.”

The answer came from YuWon’s lips instead of Hades.

“Eliminate the witnesses.”

Hercules’ gaze widened at YuWon’s answer, looking at him and Hades as if questioning the truth of his words.

Although Hades couldn’t react with facial expressions anymore due to his skeleton condition, he didn’t deny what was said.

-You’ll know if you see it for yourself.

In the dark interior of the room, new colors began to appear.

The surroundings instantly changed, filled with a bright glow. A grand hall spread out before them, adorned with a red carpet and luxurious decorations.

It was a place Hercules had seen once before.

“Olympus…”

The King of Olympus.

Hades, in his complete form, sat on his throne.

And right beside him, a little away, the figure of the hooded person who concealed his face with a robe was revealed.

It was the memory of that day when Hades was killed.

—————————-

-Would it be better to give everything to that woman?

The scene began there.

YuWon and Hercules felt Hades’ concern in his brief murmur.

And then…

-That’s right.

Foolish Chaos spoke.

Hades noticed Foolish Chaos’ presence.

Someone had appeared in a place that clearly should have been empty. And he did so silently, without warning.

Hades looked at him cautiously.

-Who are you?

-I introduce myself for the first time. I come on behalf of Hera. My name is Foolish Chaos.

Foolish Chaos.

He bowed in a brief greeting.

In response to Hades’ call, darkness emerged from Foolish Chaos’ shadows and enveloped him completely.

In an instant, Foolish Chaos, who was shrouded in shadows, disappeared without a trace.

Hades stood up.

He couldn’t feel anything in his hand.

-You’re not an ordinary opponent.

Thus, the fight began.

Foolish Chaos emerged from the shadows and extended his hand from behind his robe.

A massive purple wave filled the room. The mist scattered like a cloud, turning into a torrent rushing towards Hades.

Hades’ dark power and Foolish Chaos’ purple wave clashed.

The door of the room swung wide open due to the impact of their powers.

-Hades, sir!

-What’s happening…?

Thud.

The Players and Rankers of Olympus who entered the room fell to the ground. Some didn’t lose consciousness but couldn’t approach any closer as if something was preventing them from doing so.

Behind Foolish Chaos, who avoided the intervention of the other Players…

-Admirable skill, but… (Hades)

A sharp scythe suddenly appeared.

-It was a mistake to underestimate me.

Hades’ scythe and Foolish Chaos’ hand collided.

Foolish Chaos’s hand, which blocked the scythe with his claw, trembled. The collision cracked the floor of the room and caused the Great Palace of Olympus to shake.

But that was only for a moment.

Crack, crunch.

In the instant Hades’ scythe began to crack…

-…!

-It’s a waste of points, but…

Hades’ scythe broke.

-Your death will be worth more than that.

Foolish Chaos’ other arm pierced through Hades’ chest.

Thud, thud.

Blood flowing from Hades’ chest dripped onto the floor. When Foolish Chaos withdrew the arm that had pierced through Hades’ chest, Hades’ body slumped forward weakly.

Thud.

Foolish Chaos looked at Hades, who lay collapsed on the ground and barely breathing.

And then, without further ado, Foolish Chaos turned his gaze towards the Players who had entered the room.

-Erase the memories of this place. Leave no trace behind.

With those words…

Sssshhh…

The purple mist that filled the room began to disperse outward. The mist spread throughout Olympus as Foolish Chaos raised his hand into the air.

The floor was stained with blood.

And the floors and walls cracked.

Craaack, crunch, crunch…

Then, under Foolish Chaos’ magic, the floor adhered, and the traces of the battle disappeared.

-With your death…

Creak…

Foolish Chaos’ foot stepped on Hades’ neck.

-Now, Olympus will disappear.

Grrrr…

Sssshhhhhh…

The scene came to an end with the sound of Hades’ neck snapping.

In the landscape that returned to normal, only Hades’ bones remained.

Having lost the fight, he didn’t die as Foolish Chaos had predicted.

-I let my guard down… even though I tried to justify it, it wasn’t just that. Even if we were to fight again, the outcome wouldn’t be different.

Hades recalled his fight with Foolish Chaos.

From this wide seat where he could do nothing, he thought and pondered about Foolish Chaos.

Who was he, and what power was he using?

What did it mean to waste points?

Although he thought about it, he didn’t come to any conclusion. He didn’t even think that the result would change if they were to fight again.

However…

Even when facing Foolish Chaos, YuWon’s eyes didn’t seem to waver.

-It seems you found out I was alive and came looking for me.

Hades knew YuWon well.

He didn’t believe that YuWon had come here by mere chance.

And he didn’t believe that he was only concerned about his well-being.

-Is it a situation where you need me?

“Yes.”

The answer came immediately.

Hercules looked at YuWon. Was it such a dangerous situation that they couldn’t afford to have Hades absent?

A brief silence.

The corner of YuWon’s lips curved up.

“Not now, but later.”

-Later?

It was a meaningful statement.

As if everything would be resolved when that time came.

YuWon spoke with assurance in his voice.

“When you have regained your strength and everything is over. You just have to return to your place as if nothing happened.”

-Perhaps that means…?

“Yes.”

While working together with Hercules on the Labors.

Hades died, and the mission was ruined. Olympus had suspended all its activities due to the fight against Hera.

“We’ve been hit hard up until now.”

It was the Twelfth Labor.

When YuWon received the request from Olympus, he considered this moment as a turning point.

Only up to this point…

“Now, the counterattack will begin.”

He had already won half of the battle, so to speak.