Leveling with the Gods

C255

It wasn't entirely a lie.

This war would end with the defeat of Muspelheim.

Even if it wasn't originally, it would definitely be so.

'Because I will make it so.'

There was confidence.

Ragnarok would end with the victory of Asgard.

That was the reason YuWon had returned.

Now that he knew Ragnarok was unstoppable, he was determined to turn the tide.

With that purpose, he sent OhGong to Muspelheim and met with Zeus.

That was the reason for his encounter with the Demon King.

If they, who fought on the side of Muspelheim in Ragnarok, joined Asgard instead...

Nothing could be more beneficial than having an enemy on your side.

"Now it's my turn, isn't it?"

-...Yes.

"Which side are the Demon Kings on, Asgard or Muspelheim?"

Directly asking about the sides.

It was the first time in the entire round of questions and answers that a question was not vague.

After a moment, Belial responded.

-The Demon Kings have sided with Muspelheim.

An uneasy voice.

Just moments ago, YuWon had predicted the defeat of Muspelheim.

And yet, the Demon Kings were on the side of Muspelheim. This was a question in which one could never lie.

Unable to decide if the answer was true or not, YuWon still had one more chance to ask a question.

YuWon asked.

"Do you still hold the same thought?"

-Haha...

A harsh laugh escaped.

In that voice, YuWon could feel Belial's emotions.

Belial was amused.

Furthermore...

He was astonished, bewildered, and cautious.

-It seems you are only focused on stripping me of everything without gaining anything in return.

This question and answer method imbued with the power of the system was Belial's authority.

It was Belial's power to draw out sincerity from his opponents and, conversely, distract them with lies.

This power earned Belial the title of Lord of Lies.

However, Belial had gained nothing from the questionnaire but revealed his true nature.

-I certainly think differently. What you said did shake me a bit.

The second truth was revealed.

At this point, it could be said that half of the objective was achieved.

YuWon's purpose in the first place was to meet Belial and shake up a pillar of the Demon King.

The corner of YuWon's mouth lifted.

That was enough.

"Do you want to continue?"

"...Curse."

Hua-ak-.

The darkness enveloping YuWon lifted.

He hadn't even been devoured by it in the first place, but he felt his vision was brighter now.

"Let's stop, let's stop. If we continue like this, we'll end up completely exposed."

Shaking his head, Belial pulled off the mask covering his face.

Mamos looked perplexed at the suddenly illuminated background.

What the hell had just happened?

Soon, the two reacted, and Mamos asked incredulously.

"Elder brother, perhaps...?"

"Yes, we already played that game of questions."

He couldn't believe it.

But their reactions were too different.

Belial with a ruined expression and YuWon with a satisfied expression.

The winner was clear.

"You won?"

YuWon shrugged.

There were no punches, no fighting, no injuries, no deaths.

How could there be a victory or defeat in such a fight?

At least, for him, it was a fight without victory or defeat.

But.

"What the hell is this guy doing?"

It was different for Belial.

He had been playing this game countless times.

Belial was a master of lies, and he was equally skilled at seeing through his opponent's lies.

However...

Belial had been defeated by YuWon in a game of trivialities.

"I have learned a lot from you, thank you."

YuWon bowed respectfully to Belial once again.

It was he who bowed, but Belial sighed.

YuWon raised his head again and looked at his mask with a smile on his face.

It was a fight he was destined to win.

YuWon had information.

Information about Belial.

And information about the future, all of it.

The question and answer system only indicated whether YuWon's words were true or false, but it did not reveal all the information YuWon knew.

YuWon knew information that Belial had no choice but to lie about.

On the other hand, he also had information that Belial would never believe.

That's why this was a battle that could only be won in the first place.

"What did you learn?"

"Anyway, with this, I think we have something to talk about."

"...Just as Diablo said."

A furrow formed between Belial's half-glassy brows hidden by the mask.

"You're a strange guy. And elusive."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"I need time. It's not a decision I can make alone."

"Then?"

"I will summon the Demon Kings."

Mamos' eyes widened.

YuWon, on the other hand, nodded in approval.

"Please."

"You speak so easily."

It was an invocation to the Demon Kings.

One of the most influential race-level Guilds within this Tower.

It was an event that would shake the Tower if the leaders of such a guild, the Demon Kings, gathered.

Whether he knew the weight of that or not, YuWon spoke as if it were natural.

"Wait."

Tsk-tsk-.

Belial's eyes closed again.

"It won't take long."

At the same time, Belial's figure disappeared again, like a mirage.

Mamos, still looking bewildered.

Pak-.

YuWon placed his hand on Mamos' shoulder and looked around.

"I guess I'll have to stay here for a while."

A palace with dozens of rooms.

"Give me a room."

Mamos sighed, his liver trembling, but casually looked for a room.

Mamos let out a heavy sigh and turned around.

"Follow me."

YuWon unpacked his belongings from the inventory.

The room was spacious.

Hwaluk-.

He lit a fire, simply adding warmth to the room.

Sometimes the skills obtained as a Player came in handy.

He could use his skills to create fire at any time and place.

"No news yet."

YuWon checked his Player Kit again.

There was still no news from OhGong.

More than ten days had already passed.

Could he still be fighting?

"It's not impossible."

As far as he remembered, OhGong's longest battle lasted over fifty days. With his immortal body and tireless endurance, he could fight without stopping.

So, even though ten days had passed, YuWon couldn't be sure if OhGong had been defeated.

Of course, that didn't make him any more comfortable.

"I don't know how long he will be able to buy me time."

OhGong's support was one of the key points in this fight.

The commotion in Muspelheim was already causing a stir in the Tower, and once that battle was over, Ragnarok would truly begin.

Until then, YuWon could only be as prepared as possible.

"It seems like a lot is happening here."

Mamos, who had accompanied him to his room, patted his chest and looked out the window.

Outside was dark. The Demon Realm was dark most of the time.

But the demons were there, running about eagerly.

Everyone was anxious about the impending war.

"I guess we're in for a big fight, right?"

"Probably."

"As far as I know, this is only the second time the Demon Kings have been summoned."

Mamos was the son of Belial, one of the Demon Kings.

From a young age, he had studied many things, including the history of the Demon Realm.

"The Great War of the Heavenly Demons (천마대전), the battle between the 'Heavens (하늘)' and the 'Demon Kings (마왕)'. That great war was the first."

(Note: As you know, the Celestial Realm (仙境) (also known as Heaven) is part of Chinese Religion, but the 'Heavens (하늘)' from now on, seems to be part of Jewish Religion, so keep that in mind...)

(P.S: The Demons here also seem to allude to Jewish Religion, Heaven, Hell, cough, cough)

A battle between two feuding guilds.

In that battle, which has been compared to the Gigantomachy War, the Demon Kings gathered for the first time.

It was a rare occurrence for the highly individualistic Demon Kings to come together.

And now...

YuWon had gathered them through a question and answer session with Belial.

"The Demon Kings will probably side with Muspelheim, as there are many Demon Race giants in Muspelheim, and their personalities align well with those of the Demon Kings."

Mamos was right.

Indeed, in the future that YuWon remembered, the Demon Kings sided with Muspelheim in Ragnarok.

Meanwhile, the Great Guild of 'Heaven,' led by Metatron, sided with Asgard.

The Heavens fell, and the Demons crushed them.

Ragnarok soaked the Tower in blood and darkness.

"You're on Asgard's side, aren't you?"

"Yes."

"And do you think you can change the Demon Kings' decision?"

"I don't know."

He wasn't convinced yet.

Above all, it was a matter of whether the Demon Kings would side with Heaven.

The Demon Kings and Heaven had been rival guilds for a long time. It would be difficult for the pride of the Demon Kings to join forces with their enemies.

"I guess we'll find out sooner or later."

YuWon laid his head on the bed in his room.

Soon...

The summoning of the Demon Kings would take place, turning the tide of Ragnarok.

***

***

The summoning didn't take long.

One by one, in Belial's palace...

High-ranking Demons began to gather.

"Astaroth, rumored to be the wealthiest man in the Demon Realm..."

"Baal. Said to be the mightiest in terms of power in the Demon Realm."

"Pluton, who is said to have gone into hiding after being defeated by Michael..."

Each time a Demon King entered the palace, Mamos explained to YuWon about them.

Astaroth, Baal, Pluto, and Behemoth...

One high-ranking Demon King after another gathered.

Demon Kings, indeed.

In the presence of them, YuWon could only click his tongue.

Demons were a race that sought only blood and battle. They were also the race with the highest number of Rankers and High Ranks in relation to the population.

Such was the case now...

When the Demon Kings gathered, their aura was overwhelming.

"The Demon Kings have enough power to face both Heaven and the Celestial Realm at the same time."

Although they lost the first war, the outcome could have been different if the power of the Demon Kings had joined forces.

Knowing this, the Demon Kings prepared for the upcoming Great Celestial War.

And if YuWon's memory didn't fail him, the battle eventually ended with the Demon Kings' victory.

Even if it was due to the side effects of Ragnarok.

Tap-.

At that moment, a step with an extraordinary presence entered Belial's palace.

YuWon's gaze naturally turned to the owner of the steps.

"And he is..."

Mamos also fixed his gaze on him.

Gulp-.

Unable to speak immediately, Mamos captured the figure of the man in his black eyes.

A tall man with red hair and two black horns.

Even if it was only a back view, he would never forget it once he saw it.

"Diablo, the pinnacle of the Demon Kings."

Diablo.

The unofficial but recognized leader of the Demon Kings, the highest rank among the Demon Kings.

Although Belial was the master of the palace, he could feel the air of this room flowing around him.

And as he walked towards the center of the palace, he turned his head.

And then...

"Ah-."

The corner of Diablo's mouth curved, and his eyes met YuWon's, who was looking at him from the second floor.

"Do you have it?"

Tak-ak-.

Diablo pointed to the horns on his head.

On the tip of one of Diablo's horns...

There was a faint sign of fracture.

"My horn."