Chapter 337
C337
At the moment when Hercules swung his club towards Susanoo, he thought YuWon's spear would fly towards him.
That had been the pattern so far. There was no reason for it not to be.
Since he had been given enough time facing Susanoo, it was natural to throw the spear at that moment.
But he wondered why everything was so calm. There was a reason.
'It amplifies significantly as time passes.'
Even though he was in a position to throw the spear at any moment, he instinctively knew it was dangerous to give him time.
Even at that moment, it was still the case.
That spear was the only strike YuWon could deal that would be fatal to his own body.
Bang!
Hercules leaped with all his might.
In an instant, both felt as if all the time in the world had slowed down.
YuWon no longer hesitated.
Even though he had only taken half a step, he had to be content with that.
Shhhhh...
The Arcane Power that had been building up intensified in an instant.
Thwack!
Finally, the spear shot out of YuWon's hand.
Kagagak...
Hercules quickly stopped his flying body and gripped his club with both hands.
The tip of the spear reflected in his eyes. He prepared to swing his club with all his might towards that point.
[The power of the Giants manifests in your arms]
The power of Gigantification had taken root in his two arms. His muscles trembled as if they were about to burst.
It was different from before.
That spear could be dangerous if he didn't block it.
Wooooong...
The club, made from a branch of the World Tree, swung with all its force.
And then...
Crashhh!
When the spear and the club collided, they created a stirring shockwave.
Thud, thud...
The spear didn't immediately fly away.
The spear held firm, as if it was resisting as tenaciously as he himself was.
But...
Thwoooong!
After a long struggle, Hercules finally redirected the spear in the opposite direction.
Hwak-!
Suddenly, Hercules's imposing figure appeared before YuWon's eyes.
However...
"It's over."
Buuummm...
Hercules's club couldn't reach YuWon.
"Thirty minutes."
Kwaaang!
The club passed by him.
Instead of swinging it, the club seemed to fall downward.
YuWon didn't dodge or block the club.
Instead, he held a Player Kit in his hands.
[12:00:17]
After surpassing 30 minutes, another 17 seconds passed.
YuWon was convinced that time was almost up.
At the exact moment he thought he had done it, time ran out completely.
"I..."
YuWon said as he wiped his chest.
"I won."
---------------------
Ziiik~
Hercules ripped off the bandages he had in his inventory and wrapped them around his body.
He applied medicine to the wounds to stop the bleeding. The wounds inflicted by Kusanagi delayed the recovery, leaving visible marks for quite some time.
On the other hand, although he had no visible wounds, YuWon had almost completely depleted his Arcane Power.
Thanks to that, both sat face to face, recovering.
'There are no mortal wounds.'
YuWon examined Hercules's wounds.
'The sweat is probably due to the poison...'
The fact that the only damage Hercules received from Susanoo, who wielded Kusanagi, were only superficial wounds, showed how incredibly resilient his body was.
The wounds caused by the Lightning Bolt were not that significant either.
His skin only turned slightly red, but it wasn't a significant injury.
"You even guessed the time."
Hercules, who finished bandaging himself, opened his mouth.
YuWon shook his head.
"No."
"Then?"
"It was faster than I expected. Much faster."
Thinking about it again, it gave him chills, and YuWon shook his head.
'I thought I could prolong it for another ten minutes.'
Forty minutes.
He believed he could fight long enough until he reached the limit of his Arcane Power.
Using the Heavenly Demon Spirit and his Gigantification, fighting alongside Susanoo.
He believed he could delay enough time to fight Hercules, who was poisoned by the Hydra.
But it was unexpected.
No matter how much he had obtained Yggdrasil's club, YuWon didn't expect Hercules to be so powerful.
"If he hadn't been poisoned, maybe I could have only lasted ten minutes."
Perhaps in this fight, the greatest contribution was not made by himself or Susanoo, but by the Hydra.
A monster comparable to Yamata no Orochi.
Thanks to fighting such an enemy and finishing it off, victory was possible.
The bleeding stopped quickly.
Hercules reached out nonchalantly.
"The horns?"
"I have them in my inventory."
"Give them to me."
YuWon obediently took out the horns and handed them to Hercules.
It was a different reaction from before.
Hercules, holding the shining horns in his hand, stored them in his inventory.
"The next one is Mount Erymanthos?"
"You seem to know quite well about the Twelve Labors. You even memorized them in order."
"I've studied a bit."
"Even if I allow you to accompany me, don't interfere in the Labors."
YuWon's request only went so far: the companionship.
However, Hercules had no intention of receiving any help at all for the Labors.
"That's the condition."
"Understood."
YuWon also had no intentions of being stubborn here.
After losing the bet, he didn't think Hercules would break his promise.
But there was also a line he wouldn't cross.
If the bet's conditions hadn't been "companionship" but "doing the Labors together," Hercules wouldn't have accepted the bet in the first place.
He would never break a promise like that.
However...
"Just in case, though."
There was something he needed to point out.
"Do you think Hera will stay idle?"
"I don't think so. Although I'm full of muscles, that doesn't mean my brain is the same."
That was true.
In terms of having the brain turned into muscles, he was closer to Sun Wukong than to Hercules.
Contrary to appearances, Hercules was quite deep and quick in his thinking. It's just that his unwavering sense of justice sometimes limited his vision.
"She's probably planning something right now."
"But why?"
"Still, it's a clear fact that she won't break our promise."
Hercules blinked his bright blue eyes as he spoke.
"If she does, I'll twist her neck first."
It was an unusually violent and frightening statement.
It also meant that Hercules was prepared for many things in this bet.
And this was a reality that Hera surely knew as well.
It was a bet with Hercules, no one else. If she didn't fulfill it, she would become his enemy.
It definitely shouldn't happen.
But for some reason, YuWon felt unease about these Labors.
"Do you think the Labors will go smoothly?"
"What are you saying?"
"What makes you think she'll just do that?"
It was Hercules, not anyone else.
He wasn't a man someone should worry about.
In a sense, he was similar to Sun Wukong, who possessed the power of immortality.
An absolute body that no sword or ability could affect.
He took Susanoo's sword, the Tower's greatest swordsman, with his own body, despite being poisoned by the Hydra's venom.
It can't be helped to believe in it.
Still, YuWon chose Hercules' side over Hera.
There were two reasons for that.
The first was Hargan's request.
To find Hercules and ensure his safety.
However, YuWon didn't come to look for Hercules solely because of that request.
"If I have to choose between Olympus and Hercules..."
There was no need to think much.
"Clearly, it's the latter."
Despite feeling sorry for Olympus, he had no other choice.
Since YuWon knew better than anyone the value of Hercules, even compared to all the Rankers of Olympus except Zeus, he had no choice but to make this decision.
Hercules' value was much higher than that of all the Rankers of Olympus, except Zeus.
From now on, his role would be to handle any variables that arose in the Labors.
He only wished for the safety of Olympus.
YuWon thought briefly to himself.
Please.
Let the current matter be just a small setback arising from Hera's ambition.
-------------------------
The palace/castle of Olympus was filled with Players.
Over a thousand Players. Several hundred Rankers.
A large number of people gathered and discussed a single topic.
It was about Hera, the High-Ranker who was the core of Olympus.
"If Hera doesn't back down, we have no choice but to respond firmly."
"That's right. The true ruler of Olympus, no matter what others say, is Hades-nim."
"He can unleash an army from the Underworld."
"There's no need to go that far. In our Dionysius altar..."
It was all words adorned with flattery and praise.
This was the second time the king changed in Olympus in its thousands of years of history.
When there's a change of leadership, the power dynamics change completely. Especially when a High-Ranker like Hades, who had no interest in politics, becomes king, this becomes even more inevitable.
To be able to be at the center of power, it was necessary to draw as much attention from Hades as possible.
Everyone present saw the conflict with Hera as an opportunity.
"It's a meaningless time."
Hades believed in the power of collective thinking, which said it's better to have more than one.
He thought that if he gathered a group of people in this number, at least one brilliant idea would come out.
But it turns out it wasn't so.
The people gathered here were so busy flattering that there wasn't a single person who presented a proper thought.
"Disperse."
"Then, in our Demeter's altar... what about?"
"It doesn't matter, just disperse."
A calm and dispassionate voice echoed in the hall.
The Rankers and Players who were hesitant quickly got up from their seats.
Hades was left alone in his seat, sinking his buttocks into the throne and looking up at the ceiling.
He felt exhausted.
"It seems this place is not suitable for me after all."
Poseidon and Zeus headed to Floor 100.
To break through the Ceiling and go even higher.
But Hades couldn't do that.
At that moment, Hera started to move, and Hades couldn't leave Olympus, which was already unstable.
But, after all, he wasn't fit for this position either.
No.
In reality, he didn't fit into mingling with so many people.
He hated complicated and difficult things, so he got stuck in the Underworld, where it was hard to find the shadow of a person. By seeking out the monsters of the Underworld, he became their savior and, as a result, became their king.
But for some reason, two of the Three Gods disappeared, and Hades ascended to the throne of Olympus.
A place that didn't belong to him.
"It would be better to hand it over to someone else."
To Hera.
It was at that moment he muttered that...
"That's right."
Tak~
Hades raised his head and looked straight ahead.
From the door to where the throne was, a long carpet extended.
In the center, a figure in a hooded robe walked slowly.
"Who are you?"
"Allow me to introduce myself for the first time."
In response to Hades' question, the hooded figure courteously bowed at the waist as a greeting.
"I come on behalf of Hera. My name is Foolish Chaos."
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