Challenging the Legend
This giant was a mishmash creation blending Sisyphus and Atlas. He'd pissed off Jupiter and ended up in the underworld, where he tricked Hades, the god of the dead, to bask in immortality. But Jupiter caught wind of it and slapped him with the punishment of holding up an enormous city on his two shoulders. After enduring that torment for thousands of years, when the sky city finally crumbled, he got a reduced sentence—guarding the holy sword for another millennium or so.
Whoooosh!
BOOM!
"What the fuck!"
The bastard slammed down the spear he was holding. Even from a distance, the sheer wind pressure felt insane. Getting hit by that would pulverize bones to dust, no doubt about it.
I'd grown stronger with protagonist buffs and the gods' attention, but challenging a myth was no joke.
I had no idea how a sword made from Vivian's hair had turned into a primordial god's blade, but the gist of the lore lined up.
In the novel, even the protagonist hadn't snagged the holy sword easily. They'd set it up to create tension around mythic trials, and now it was butterfly-effecting into this shitshow!
Bang! Bang!
Kaboom!
The thing was smashing everything around with terrifying speed—was it some guardian zeal? More precisely, swinging that spear wrecked the surroundings, but the watching gods and this Sisyphus knockoff didn't give a damn.
If it were me, I'd have slapped some restrictions on it in the name of preserving the temple... Nah. The novel hadn't used any such limits.
But I wasn't some pushover either. At minimum, I was as strong as when the novel's protagonist offed this guy.
I leaped up and smacked the giant's hand.
KABOOM!
"Grrgh!"
"As expected of one chosen by the gods!"
The bastard dropped his spear, shoved his shield forward, and whipped out a gladius, swinging wildly. The sword felt faster than the spear.
Bang! Bang!
Like some primitive tribe hunting salmon, it chopped at me as I dodged every which way. Wind pressure raged in all directions, flipping the earth upside down. Dust clouds billowed, turning rocks into deadly projectiles.
The giant itself seemed barely scratched.
'Where's the weak spot again?'
I racked my brain desperately. At this rate, death was certain. Sure, no one in this world could match me—but myths were different. I had to stay sharp.
Then a massive boulder fragment slammed into my chest, sending me flying.
BOOM!
"Gah! Cough!"
My chest tightened, and I puked blood.
Sneaky bastards. But gods didn't go back on their word.
"You think I'm dying here?!"
Rumble!
I dodged frantically, brain in overdrive. As death loomed, it hit me.
Right! The Achilles tendon. Hit it repeatedly, and it weakens—shrinks too.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
I slid between its legs through the rock barrage and slashed the ankle.
Slash!
"Gaaaaah!"
Finally, real damage. Sisyphus shrank from 10 meters to 9.
His rage spiked proportionally, swinging the gladius like a maniac. Now with shield bashes too—I barely dodged, sliding under repeatedly to carve the ankle until he dwindled below 5 meters, then 3.
At human-ish size, he ditched sword and shield for bare-knuckle brawling.
BOOM!
"Grah!"
But I wasn't a punching bag.
BOOM!
"Grah!"
Now it was a battle of wills. Fisticuffs? I had confidence. No clue how long my body would hold, but doable.
Bang! Bang!
"Gek!"
"Gah! Damn it!"
I'd lost track of how much blood I'd spat. Sisyphus's face was a bloody mess, unrecognizable—mine too.
When he shrank to my height, mental fatigue set in. Were we both gonna drop dead here? Despair crept up.
[I salute your mental fortitude.]
[Jupiter is moved by you.]
[Thunder energy rises by 50%.]
Bzzz!
A fiercer thunder god aura descended. Lightning churned inside me. I channeled massive thunder into my fist and swung.
Something was different. With 50% boosted thunder, it felt like yanking bolts from the clouds.
KABOOM!
"Gaaaah!"
Splat!
"Die, you fucker!"
Thud!
I closed in fast, piercing his chest.
Splat!
His heart burst—sensation transmitted perfectly. Sisyphus knelt, chest gaping.
Thud!
"Finally..."
"Huff! Huff!"
Mouth reeked of blood from all the hits. Throat still bubbling—might be coughing blood for days if unlucky.
Meant to be Herculean Knight, Invincible Knight, but that half-assed tension birthed disaster. Next myth? I'd be stronger.
"...The curse ends. Thank you..."
Sisyphus's eyes lost focus, body slumping.
Finally offed this damn tough bastard.
Step step.
Hacking up blood, I climbed the stairs—felt like a zombie. At last, I gripped the holy sword with its striking white blade.
[Mahadev is moved by you.]
[Strength increases by 20%.]
[Vivian is moved by you.]
[Mana increases by 50%.]
[Demeter is moved by you.]
[Grain production rises by 20%.]
[Savitri shows favor.]
[Boon of the Arts perk unlocks.]
[Synergy perk: Illusory Charm activates.]
[Vulcanus shows favor.]
[Boon of Construction perk unlocks.]
[Synergy perk: Construction Amplification activates.]
A barrage of insane alerts. Powerful boons I couldn't even parse yet. Light poured from my body—strength and mana surged, bones cracking as something shifted.
Biggest win: Vulcanus's boon. Savitri's arts and illusory charm? No clue. This system spilled petty details when it wanted but played coy like a riddle otherwise.
Figure it out later...
Drawing the holy sword healed my wounds instantly. Then a flood of knowledge crashed in.
"Urk!"
The sheer volume made me stagger.
Helpfully, the mythic item Veratus's description followed.
◈ Exerts absolute authority over Titanborn.
◈ Imprints fragments of primordial martial arts.
◈ All stats +20%.
◈ Movement speed +30%.
"...Had I detailed it this much?"
Thinking back, no. It was crafted referencing the novel's lore. Made me seriously ponder the limits. Conquer the whole continent?
Munchkins had boundaries, but here gods were going wild, erasing them.
Anyway. With Veratus, time to wrap up the Titanborn.
Boom!
Kaboom!
Each step boomed as I shot forward—practically flying.
Stats stacked who-knows-how-many times. Primordial arts included lightness skill; I grasped hyper-movement.
Simply put, I soared on wind and mana. Against headwinds, zigzagged like a triangular sail. Mana flows propelled me; with sword, +30% speed—inhuman velocity.
Plus foundations in primordial swordsmanship, fisticuffs, spearmanship, magic. Physics laws, mana essence, optimal use, body application.
Same techniques, now hyper-efficient. Felt like a demigod in munchkin skin. Could solo territory wars solo.
Return and unify imperial east, musing thus, I hit a hill overlooking a bloated, stagnant city.
Map checked—spot on.
"Waaaaah!"
Cheers beyond the city. Clashing steel, blood sprays, screaming officers, war drums.
Titanborn remnants—main force crushed—mustered 100k troops. Holding even against my army.
Battle fresh; perfect timing.
"Perfect. Time to test on those bastards."
I launched from the hill, soaring over the city on wind and mana. Bounced off buildings, landed smack in the battlefield heart.
Presence announced, I dropped center-stage.
BOOM!
"Your new master has arrived!"