The Lion of Nemea.
A mythical creature known to those well-versed in lore. It was the first of the legendary Twelve Labors completed by the demigod hero Heracles.
‘And it’s also infamous as the qualification test for those aiming to become “Heracles Candidates.”’
The Lion of Nemea wasn’t named so for nothing. Its alias, the “Monster Lion,” was derived directly from the myths surrounding the Lion of Nemea.
Defeating this creature granted the victor one of the Powers of Heracles.
‘The Power of Heracles... This time, it’ll be mine.’
Su-ho recalled the man who once bore the title of Heracles in his past life.
He was a towering Black man, the first to complete the Twelve Labors spread across the world.
‘That’s how the “Black Heracles” was born.’
It wasn’t about racial stereotypes—he had chosen the name himself.
He took immense pride in his skin color and referred to himself as Black Heracles, or simply Bless.
‘Bless... He was a good man.’
Su-ho didn’t just know of Bless; he was close friends with him.
Bless, proud of the Heracles title, walked a path of heroism and ideals that aligned closely with Su-ho’s.
Because of this, Su-ho knew all the strategies for overcoming the Twelve Labors.
But now...
‘Sorry, Bless. This time, I’m taking the Power of Heracles.’
While trustworthy allies were important, that principle had changed after Su-ho’s betrayal in the wake of conquering his first cataclysmic gate.
The knife stabbed into his back had reshaped his values.
Where once he believed in delegation—letting experts handle what he couldn’t—he now resolved to acquire every skill and power for himself.
Su-ho discarded his sword.
If the Phantom Spear couldn’t pierce the lion, his Blood Sword wouldn’t fare any better. Neither would his blade techniques like Steel Slice or Cloud Cleave.
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He needed a different approach.
Deactivating the Blood Sword, Su-ho transformed the Blood Weapon into double gauntlets that encased his arms and shoulders.
Blood Gauntlets.
Su-ho decided to call them Blood Gloves.
Bang!
He slammed his fists together, testing their durability.
Seeing this, the Lion of Nemea leaped at him with the agility of a feline predator.
“What the hell?!”
Jeong Cheol-min shouted in disbelief.
He had expected Su-ho to keep his distance, using ranged attacks to wear the lion down. Instead, Su-ho opted for a head-on collision, even engaging in hand-to-hand combat.
The Lion of Nemea wasn’t just famous for its near-indestructible hide. Its razor-sharp claws were legendary, capable of tearing through any shield or armor.
And yet, Su-ho charged directly into those claws.
Boom!
A thunderous sound echoed as Su-ho’s and the lion’s clash shook the valley.
“No... freaking... way!”
Jeong gasped in awe as Su-ho not only endured the lion’s attack but met it head-on.
Su-ho stared into the lion’s fierce, golden eyes tinged with deep green—a gaze that radiated a chilling, reptilian menace.
‘Most players would lose their nerve just from this stare.’
The gaze of a powerful monster carried a psychological effect as strong as its fear aura.
But Su-ho was different.
With the blood of dragons and vampires coursing through his veins, the lion’s intimidating gaze was no more threatening than a kitten’s glare.
“Whew...”
Exhaling through clenched fists, Su-ho stabilized his footing.
The lion’s claws never made contact; Su-ho had caught the creature’s paw between his hands.
This was basic common sense.
No matter how strong Su-ho was, the lion’s claws were a deadly force to be reckoned with. Carelessness would mean death.
‘Let’s go!’
Taking a deep breath, Su-ho unleashed a sudden burst of strength.
The Lion of Nemea staggered, momentarily losing its balance.
Though the lion quickly regained its footing, it wasn’t fast enough. In that fleeting moment, Su-ho darted behind it.
“Gotcha!”
The Lion of Nemea’s Weakness.
Even the mythical Heracles couldn’t pierce its hide and had to resort to strangulation to defeat it.
Bless had used the same method, and so would Su-ho.
[ Dragon Blood Activated. ]
[ Fear is negated by the Dragon Spirit Effect. ]
The lion roared in desperation, thrashing wildly. Its instincts warned it of imminent danger, and it struggled to escape the chokehold.
But Su-ho’s grip only tightened. The lion’s roars were nothing more than a cat’s cries to someone protected by dragon blood.
‘I never thought I’d be putting a lion in a rear-naked choke.’
It wasn’t exactly the most “Sword Saint-like” method, but against the Lion of Nemea’s defense, human ingenuity was the best weapon.
Even Heracles himself had resorted to this very technique.
But the harder it struggled, the more firmly Su-ho clung to its back like a stubborn insect.
Letting go wasn’t an option.
If Su-ho released the chokehold, there wouldn’t be a second chance.
‘This is it. My first and only opportunity.’
Su-ho clenched his teeth, pouring all his strength into the hold.
Though his level was only in the 70s, his stats were far beyond that, thanks to countless battles and meticulous planning.
‘The Lion of Nemea will only grow stronger. Today is the weakest it’ll ever be.’
Su-ho remembered a quote from a luxury brand CEO: “Our products are cheapest today.”
The same applied here.
The Lion of Nemea grew stronger as it leveled up, making it increasingly impossible to conquer the gate it guarded. This scaling system filtered out all but the most worthy challengers for the title of Heracles Candidate.
Su-ho’s body bore the brunt of the lion’s struggles. He was battered and bruised, his arms and legs scratched and bloodied.
The Blood Gloves endured the onslaught, regenerating with each blow. Ordinary armor would have long been shredded to ribbons.
“Please...!”
From a distance, Jeong clasped his hands in prayer, sweat dripping from his brow as he watched the brutal battle unfold.
The clash of dragon and lion stretched on for what felt like an eternity, leaving parts of the valley shattered and the air thick with dust.
Finally, the chaos subsided.
[ The ruler of Iron Valley, the Monster Lion, has been defeated. ]
[ The gate has been conquered. ]
[ MVP: An Su-ho. ]
Jeong stared at the notification in stunned silence before erupting with a shout.
“Yes!!”
His prayer had been answered.
Meanwhile, Su-ho, seeing the same notification, finally released his grip on the lion and collapsed onto the ground.
[ Bonus EXP granted for MVP selection. ]
[ One bonus stat awarded. ]
[ Level up! All stats increased by 1. ]
As the notifications rolled in, Su-ho chuckled at the sight of the lion sprawled lifelessly beside him.
“Damn stubborn thing...”
Even in a world turned into a game, who could have imagined defeating a lion with a chokehold?
It had been a grueling yet oddly exhilarating experience.
“Now then... Time to clean up.”
Despite his aching muscles, Su-ho summoned the Phantom Spear to finish the job.