Chapter 305
Chapter 305
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 305
Chapter Title: Odin's Descent
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Even Thor, who had been clashing with Hades' darkness, Poseidon, who had blanketed the sky with his seas, and all the other gods—not to mention the birds and beasts—came to a halt.
Everything in the world froze in place and looked up at the heavens.
Snow-white heavenly horses, vast as clouds, spread their wings and cast shadows across the land. Atop them rode warriors bearing Asgard's emblem: the Valkyries.
Among them were Viola, who had returned to Asgard alongside Soo-hyuk, and Brunhilde as well.
But every gaze converged on one figure.
"Odin."
Posidon's eyes trembled for the first time. The lofty and mighty Triad finally revealed raw emotion.
The Triad.
He was one of the three gods who represented Olympus alongside Zeus.
But being grouped as three didn't mean they stood equal. No one disputed that Olympus's pinnacle was Zeus.
And Odin was the god of gods, a being who could rival even Zeus.
Crack—
Soo-hyuk, plummeting downward, landed on something soft. Glancing down, he saw Thor had caught him on his back, piggybacking him.
"Still alive?"
"For now."
"Good to hear you're unharmed."
"You haven't kicked the bucket either."
Thor grinned and stomped the air. He rocketed upward toward Odin, and no one dared intercept him.
Asgard had brought its army here.
Whatever their purpose, it wasn't friendly. In the worst case, war would erupt.
No foolhardy god would provoke them by attacking Thor in this situation.
Swoooosh—
Hades ascended on a tide of darkness to confront Odin as Olympus's representative.
"How did you get here?"
Odin's heavenly horse flew toward Hades. This was the first time the two faced each other so closely.
"Can't you see? We flew."
"That's not what I'm asking."
"If you're asking my purpose, then we came to rescue Asgard's benefactor."
Benefactor.
It went without saying that this didn't refer to Thor. As Asgard's prince, Thor was destined to be a hero, not a benefactor.
"I hoped it wouldn't come to a rescue."
And sure enough, his gaze fell on Soo-hyuk, slung across Thor's back.
"He's Asgard's benefactor?"
"Indeed."
Odin spoke as he drew forth the golden token passed to him by Thor.
"He was granted this. A single wish, any request to Asgard. Now that he's used it, we must aid him by any means necessary."
"What did he ask for? To steal your lightning for him?"
A black gleam flashed in Hades' eyes.
No matter how great the benefactor or the token, surely such a request couldn't be granted—or so his look demanded.
It was a natural reaction. In truth, Odin himself couldn't have fulfilled such a plea.
"It wasn't that kind of request."
But Soo-hyuk's wish had been different.
"He asked that if he were chosen by the lightning, you protect him from those who covet it."
Odin's eyes swept over Olympus's gods.
Those who coveted the lightning—it meant every god present.
"To honor that, we were prepared to war with you. But your queen intervened."
"Queen? Hera?"
"Yes. The moment the lightning's choice descended, she permitted our arrival."
In other words, their intervention was authorized.
The lightning's choice had been made, and Hera had allowed Asgard to rescue their benefactor. Might and justification both favored them.
Thanks to Hera's permission, they had reached this place without spilling a drop of blood.
But.
"This ends here."
From Odin's warning, Hades knew full well.
Any further advance would ignite war.
'No, they've already slipped away.'
Thor had vanished into the Valkyries' ranks with Soo-hyuk on his back. To pursue them now meant breaking through Odin at the vanguard.
Swoooosh—
Hades' darkness receded. At his decision, Poseidon's towering waves subsided from the skies.
With two of the Triad halting combat, the other gods followed suit.
Neighhhh!
The Valkyries' heavenly horses cried out.
A victory bellow. Though no battle had begun, Olympus yielding to Asgard secured the triumph.
Without Zeus, Olympus couldn't wage war on Asgard.
"...Do you truly trust that human?"
Hades squeezed out his final retort.
"You've experienced it yourself, haven't you? Alongside us."
"I have."
"And yet you'll repeat history?"
Even the Olympian gods who had once dismissed Soo-hyuk could no longer.
They had seen and felt it firsthand. The human battling Poseidon evoked the humans they had tried so hard to forget.
"Can you bear the responsibility?"
As Hades glared, Odin slammed Gungnir, the spear in his hand, into the empty air with a thud.
"No one can hold us accountable. Dare they."
"..."
No retort came to Hades against that resolute declaration. Asgard's king had decided, and his Valkyries filled Olympus's skies in testament.
In the end, he yielded the lightning he so desired, eyes blazing.
But.
"...?"
In that moment of reluctant gaze,
Soo-hyuk's arm rose from atop Thor's back, locking eyes with Hades.
And in that instant, Hades saw it clearly.
The middle finger aimed straight at him.
Soo-hyuk hadn't forgotten the missions sponsored by Safe Asset and Clementine.
Acquire the lightning and flip off Hades. An absurd mission, but the reward was too tempting to ignore.
His lips stretched so wide they nearly reached his ears. The elation surpassed even claiming the lightning—proving the viewers right that he had become a money grubber.
And it didn't end there.
Soo-hyuk collected settlements for all the backlog missions—from slaying the Hydra to meeting Olympus's Twelve Gods.
With everything cleared, including minor ones, the mission rewards alone neared 7 million points.
The missions were tough, but the payoff was worth it. Clementine's had been a shortcut to goals that once seemed distant.
With all missions done, exhaustion crashed over Soo-hyuk like a wave. He desperately wanted to collapse right there.
Thor carried him aboard a chariot led by a heavenly horse.
Tyr awaited them inside.
"You're a mess."
His words belied the shock in his eyes.
Just recently, this guy had been a nobody—one flick of a finger could have ended him. Yet he'd survived a duel with Poseidon and returned.
How much time had passed since then?
Tyr felt a phantom ache in his long-severed arm. Clutching his opposite shoulder with his remaining hand, he eyed Thor.
"Did you get what you wanted?"
"Thanks to you."
"...Now it's truly complete."
Tyr looked down at Soo-hyuk.
Their eyes met, and Soo-hyuk gave a brief nod.
He surely hadn't come here lightly. His missing arm told that tale.
All the pieces were gathered in one place. Soo-hyuk had reached his initial goal.
What would bloom from them now? No one knew.
"Let's return."
At his command, Brunhilde nodded. The Valkyrie commander issued orders, and the heavenly horses filling the sky wheeled about.
"To Asgard."
+ All Stats +[x]
+ Skill Points +[x]
The city of Hamelin on the 8th floor was a neutral haven, unaffiliated with any guild.
A place primarily for residents born and raised in the tower, not players.
Far from player conflicts or politics, it was a relatively peaceful city.
In one such Hamelin household.
"What are you watching now?"
Mother Galen sat at the table, picking at her meal, while Kit peered into his device.
"Lee Soo-hyuk."
"That streamer?"
"Yeah. Someday when I become a player, I'll be like him."
Her son had long dreamed of becoming a player.
Convinced the tower would choose him one day, he'd studied and trained on his own in preparation.
Lately, he'd found an idol.
It used to be Kim Il-su.
"You like him that much?"
"Yeah. He's the best, for real."
"Because he's strong?"
"He's strong, sure, but more than that—he's got something special."
"Something special?"
"Mental fortitude!"
His eyes sparkled.
"Never giving up no matter the hardship—that's so cool. And the skill to overcome it? Top-tier."
"Sounds like quite the guy. Keep this up, and you'll surpass the real Lee Soo-hyuk soon."
"Already did! He just hit the 9th floor. Prime Soo-hyuk got stuck at the Hydra, right?"
"Yeah, and that same Soo-hyuk took down the Hydra."
"He beat it solo—that's even more impressive!"
Mother and son favored different eras of Lee Soo-hyuk. The old-school Galen admired his past feats; the new-gen kid idolized his current run.
Still, Galen never dismissed her son's fandom.
Idols varied, and streamer Lee Soo-hyuk had become idol-worthy for many.
"Stop watching and eat before it gets cold."
Galen smiled and resumed her meal.
But her son froze pale, staring at his screen instead of eating.
"What's wrong?"
"M-Mom."
"Yeah?"
"Out... outside..."
The window he pointed to was pitch black, though sunset was hours away. Maybe rain?
Wondering, Galen looked out—and blanched whiter than her son.
"W-Wh-What's that...?"
Rooooaaarrrr!!!
A colossal body blotting out the sky.
"What is that?"
A serpent with nine heads engulfed the city.