Leveling with the Gods

"Join our side..."

Zeus was still there.

An unreadable expression and voice.

As expected, he was a difficult person to talk to.

"What do you mean?"

Something was going on.

Zeus recognized it immediately.

It must be Zeus who was imprisoned and couldn't get out, but rather, his expression and tone seemed more relaxed.

"There will be a war."

"Do you mean Ragnarok?"

"...Did you know?"

Zeus knew about Ragnarok.

'How the hell'.

Question marks floated above YuWon's head, but he didn't show them.

It was Zeus.

Although it was the first time he had a proper conversation with him, he turned out to be a difficult person to handle even verbally.

But he couldn't be deterred.

"It'll be easier to talk to you if you know."

Sensing that this was going to be a long conversation, YuWon sat up straight.

"That's right. It's Ragnarok."

"And when you say 'us,' you mean Asgard, right?"

"Yes, that's right. That's where we'll imprison you."

"You have the audacity to suggest that."

"I don't care."

It was also strange for YuWon to make such a suggestion.

If it weren't for Hercules's approval, he wouldn't have made the offer.

No.

"If it weren't for OhGong, I wouldn't even dream of it."

This choice was a combination of OhGong and Hercules.

Hercules agreed to join Zeus. Furthermore, in the future where Son OhGong existed, Zeus finally fought against Hercules and other colleagues.

He couldn't be sure that Zeus in the present would lend a hand in Ragnarok just because the outcome in the distant future worked out that way.

So it's 50%.

Half and half.

"So I ask you. Will you?"

"Outside of here, don't you think I'll betray you?"

"If you were, you wouldn't be saying this."

"And what if I'm saying this because I hope you think that way?"

The words went round and round in circles.

YuWon sighed in frustration.

"Don't play with me."

"I haven't had a conversation with people in a long time, so forgive me."

Zeus raised his hand.

That gesture...

It made all the conversations they had had so far nonexistent.

He really had skills in dealing with many people. Zeus grasped the essence of the previous conversation as a 'flow.'

The time Zeus lived was much longer than YuWon's, who returned using the Clock Movement.

Of course...

YuWon's time was not so watery and blind as to be caught by such words.

"Let's not say anything insincere from now on."

Pak.

YuWon's eyes burned.

One golden eye and one red eye.

[The 'Golden Cinder Eyes' capture the truth]

The Golden Cinder Eyes met Zeus's eyes.

"Neither you nor me."

"...Are those the Golden Cinder Eyes?"

Indeed, Zeus also knew about the Golden Cinder Eyes.

The Golden Cinder Eyes might not fully comprehend the true intentions of a high-ranking being like Zeus, but they could get a clue about whether his words were sincere or not.

From this moment on, it was a matter of YuWon's abilities.

And the YuWon that Zeus knew was a being with the ability to see one step ahead of himself.

"You're not fun."

"Is it fun to see a human playing with your tongue?"

"Is that so?"

It was difficult to lie to someone who has the Golden Cinder Eyes. Zeus had no choice but to accept that.

"What do I get?"

A direct question.

Now there was a bit of dialogue.

"I will let you go."

"Then I'll have to ask you the same question again."

As if already knowing the answer, Zeus asked again.

"Outside of here, don't you think I'll betray you?"

"I think it's very possible."

"And?"

"Then I'll have to capture you."

"You? Me?"

"Three years."

YuWon raised three fingers.

"That's the time you will have to use your power to help us, after that, you are free."

"Just..."

"I think it's worth making a bet of that level. If you can turn the King of Olympus into our ally, don't you think?"

Zeus frowned.

Three years.

Only three years.

YuWon was saying that within three years, Zeus would be released and could undo his debt with his enemies.

It seemed like a joke, perhaps.

But Zeus simply didn't see it that way.

YuWon told Zeus not to tell lies.

-"Neither you nor me."

Were those empty words or a trick?

It didn't seem so.

But then...

"I'm serious."

YuWon's words now meant that they were sincere.

Two people had the same conversation. But the three years were not the same for both.

'Three years is a long time.'

YuWon was in no way underestimating or belittling Zeus.

'He has experience in the game.'

Time flows the same for everyone, but the value of time is not the same for everyone.

If he lost three years for this, YuWon's plans would be seriously compromised.

"I'm not going to propose this multiple times. The fact that you consider it too much means it will be difficult to become allies."

Absolutely true.

"Decide here."

YuWon crossed his arms where he was sitting, waiting for Zeus's response.

"Will you be released and fight with us? Or will you remain imprisoned here until your punishment is complete?"

Floor 55.

The world of the night, with its very short days and very long nights.

Also known as the Demon Realm.

"Is Asgard preparing for battle?"

"Already in Muspelheim, OhGong challenged Surt to a fight."

"He gets into trouble as soon as he goes out."

"You don't understand. No matter how high that guy's rank is, the opponent is Surt."

"But really, is this the beginning of a battle between Muspelheim and Asgard? This is going to get big."

The race that ruled the Demon Realm was the Demons.

At this moment, when the Tower was in an unfavorable position.

They were excited for the upcoming battle.

"So, which side are we on?"

"What are you talking about? Muspelheim."

"That's right. Are Asgard and we on good terms?"

"Well, the final decision is still..."

"Forget it, have a drink."

Dum-.

The tall glasses clinked. The strong yellow liquor swirled, and the demons began to drink.

And there was a person watching that scene. No, a demon was present.

"These pitiful things..."

Mamos.

After descending to floor 58, he came to have a drink alone and was annoyed by the conversation he heard behind him.

The war.

That terrifying and immense word they spoke so easily.

The demons should view it with more seriousness than anyone else, but they spoke of it as if it were a party.

That was how it was.

The reason the 'Demon King' Guild couldn't simply watch the fight between Muspelheim and Asgard.

"It's because of idiots like them that we're always at war."

To maintain the guild, there was no choice but to pay attention to the guild members.

No matter how big and powerful a guild may be, members will leave the guild if it doesn't fit their personality and preferences.

This is especially true in the case of demons.

They loved to fight, they loved blood.

That's why they chose the Demon King Guild, not other guilds.

Such a Demon King would not be able to avoid this great war.

"Hah-."

Mamos put down his glass with a sigh and clenched his jaw.

"I'm bored."

He had stopped and descended from the Tower at the behest of his father, Belial, but there was nothing else to do here.

A boring day.

There was nothing to do here.

"Hyung-nim (older brother) seems to be having fun lately."

Mamos muttered as he placed his Player Kit on the table.

"I have nothing to do..."

Ding-.

Then, his Player Kit buzzed.

'A message from father?'

But Mamos' eyes widened as he read the text.

"Eh?"

[My dear brother Kim YuWon: Where are you?]

A message from the saved number of YuWon.

Mamos, who was drinking alone, quickly replied.

[At a bar on floor 58]

[My dear brother Kim YuWon: Where is the bar?]

[This is the XXXX bar, and it's in the city center]

There was no response.

Mamos bit his nails and stared at the Player Kit.

'Why did he ask for my location, maybe...?'

His hands trembled with excitement.

His heart swelled at the thought that perhaps, just perhaps, he would be reunited with YuWon.

At that moment...

Clack-.

The tavern door opened, and a new customer entered.

Mamos' eyes remained fixed on his Player Kit.

Naturally, his eyes did not turn to his surroundings.

But then...

"You were close."

A familiar voice came from behind him.

Mamos turned his head upon hearing the voice, and his eyes caught sight of YuWon's face.

"H-Hyung?"

"How have you been?"

Druk-.

YuWon immediately sat down in front of Mamos.

A cold greeting.

Mamos smiled widely and nodded, as if nothing had changed.

"I've been good, and what about you, hyung?"

He was about to ask, "How have you been?" but Mamos nodded.

"Even if I didn't have to ask how you've been, I could hear it all."

Rumors about YuWon were heard even if one didn't want to hear them. Even Mamos was interested in YuWon.

"I heard that you rescued the Great Sage, Heaven's Equal from the Celestial Realm, and even gained a ranking because of it."

"That's what everyone says."

It was because of that ranking that the Golden Castle and the Valkyries were interested in YuWon.

He knew that rankings were important for Rankers, but it seemed to be the same for players.

"It's unusual... No, it's unprecedented, so it makes sense for them to say something."

"I know."

"But why are you here? I heard that you've already climbed more than 60 floors."

Once YuWon climbed up, he rarely came back down.

That was something Mamos knew well, as he had climbed the tower with YuWon once, albeit for a short time.

But then YuWon came back down.

Right here.

In the Demon Realm.

Mamos's eyes sparkled.

He suddenly remembered the conversation from the table behind him.

Mamos asked incredulously, "Could it be... that the Great Sage, Heaven's Equal has something to do with the fight against Muspelheim?"

YuWon saved the Great Sage, Heaven's Equal on the 50th floor.

He knew YuWon was more calculated and foresighted than anyone.

He had saved the Great Sage, Heaven's Equal, and the fact that the Great Sage, Heaven's Equal was moving so conspicuously now...

Mamos thought it had something to do with YuWon.

Or maybe not.

"It's not entirely unrelated."

YuWon didn't deny Mamos's words.

"Even with Asgard?"

"Yes."

Mamos felt his head warming up at YuWon's response.

The boredom and freedom he had felt moments ago had disappeared.

Like a child in an amusement park for the first time in his life, Mamos laughed and asked, "What are you going to do now?"

"I see the word has already spread around here."

"Well, if it's going to be a war, it's more fun to do it with you."

Mamos laughed heartily.

As expected, the demons of the Demon Realm would never engage in a fight like this.

"I have to ask you a favor."

Upon descending to the Demon Realm, the first thing YuWon thought of was Mamos.

For two reasons.

The first reason was that he was the friendliest to him among the demons he knew.

And the second reason was...

"Where is your father?"

It was because of his origin and affiliation.

"I need to meet the Demon King."