Chapter 1373

Chapter 1373

Gabriel was left dumbfounded when she saw Athenae step forward.

Athenae clasped her hands tightly in front of her chest and looked up at the gods with her eyes sparkling brightly. Then, she said, “What kind of power do you have? Can you please show me?”

The power of the few words that Athenae uttered went beyond anyone’s imagination. Ares, Artemis, and Dionysius, who were beating up the angels, had already grown accustomed to the loud cheers and praises. But the moment Athenae stepped forward?

“Kyahahahahaha...? Come, you bastards!”

Ares ran wild, like a firecracker set on fire.

“Ho? So, the God of Origin is watching us.”

Dionysius’ wine squeezed and drowned the angels.

“...I see, the God of Origin, huh?”

Artemis continued to fire her arrows, although her rate of fire grew three times stronger.

What did everyone in the world wish to get? It was none other than Athenae’s recognition and praise. The gods of Olympus were no different. There was only one reason why. If they received Athenae’s praise, then it could be spun as proof that Olympus was far better and superior to the West.

Besides, receiving the praise and recognition of the mother of the West was akin to gaining the enthusiastic response and recognition of the president for members of Congress, the Senate, and all lawmakers.

‘This is what she aimed for.’

It was obvious. The four gods of Olympus were obviously being swayed by Gabriel’s words. That was until now. Athenae’s appearance burned the fire of their motivation and determination, which left Gabriel in despair.

“Burn.”

God of Sun Apollo snapped his fingers. In an instant, fire licked and burned Gabriel’s entire being. The flames of the burning sun turned her into bones, then further into ashes that scattered with the wind.

[Gabriel’s Immortality.]

[There are three resurrections left.]

Gabriel, who had already given up, appeared once more. At that moment, she heard Athenae say, “My goodness! The flames of the sun burned a being that was almost close to god in an instant!”

“Ha- HAHAHAHAHA!”

Hera’s motivation burned even brighter. Gabriel just looked blankly at the beautiful goddess and said, “Just kill me. Make it quick.”

Dozens of giants appeared around Hera. The giants, with clubs slung on their shoulders, fell from the sky. They raised their clubs high and struck Gabriel on the head at the same time.

“Oh my! As expected of the mother of Olympus, Lady Hera.”

[Gabriel’s Immortality.]

[There are two resurrections left.]

The more Athenae praised them, the more motivated and energetic they became.

“How are you going to kill me? Be gentle.”

As for the ‘sandbag’? Gabriel had already given up and let go of everything.

Hades slammed his scythe on the ground. Thick chains shot out from the ground and wrapped around Gabriel’s entire body. Then, lava erupted from the ground, splitting it open and revealing hundreds of burning human arms. The arms reached out toward Gabriel and pulled her toward them. After swallowing her up, the ground mended itself.

“As expected of Hades! He’s truly the God of the Underworld!”

Hades scratched his nose, feeling both shy and delighted at the same time

[Gabriel’s Immortality.]

[There’s only one resurrection left.]

With only one resurrection left, Gabriel looked at Poseidon coldly. She said, “Don’t make it painful.”

Poseidon raised his trident in the air.

THUD!

A jet of water rushed out from the ground and shot toward Gabriel like a spear. It pierced her from the soles of her feet to the crown of her head.

“Oh my! My, my~ So powerful.”

‘Fufu.’

[You have used up all of your resurrections.]

Gabriel looked at the gods of Olympus.

Hera was shrugging her shoulders nonchalantly. Apollo was smiling, his teeth sparkling as they peeked out of his lips. Hades continued to scratch his nose. Poseidon remained standing there with his shoulders straight and his trident in his hands. He looked like he was pretending to be the dashing hero that he thought he was.

At this moment, Gabriel realized that they no longer felt that there was any need to attack her. In fact, the gods of Olympus would retreat after killing her once. Why? Because they no longer have any interest in dealing with other things.

‘That’s right. The gods of Olympus will not really kill me. After all, they should know that killing me will make Heaven turn hostile toward them...’

Alas, Gabriel had forgotten one important thing.

Rumble!

The world shook as lightning fell from the sky.

Bang!

Gabriel could not even utter a single moan when the overwhelming force struck her from the sky above. The being that incapacitated her with just a single move was none other than Zeus. He did not come here to gain attention for himself and follow in the footsteps of Bender and the Attention Seekers. He came here purely to help Minhyuk.

Gabriel’s pupils shook when she realized that she could not move.

“Oyyy~”

Minhyuk appeared in her sight. Gabriel struggled desperately to try and get up somehow. Unfortunately for her, Zeus’ lightning had completely nerfed her. Not only did it strike her with an overwhelming force that left her bones rattling, but it also left her in a seven-second stunned state.

Thud, thud, thud!

Gabriel’s breathing turned ragged as the sound of Minhyuk’s footsteps grew louder. She, who could only kneel there, trembled in anger.

‘Our victory was guaranteed in this war. We had a 100% chance of winning.’

Unfortunately for them, Minhyuk was able to devise a groundbreaking method that no one had ever considered, breaking through the situation.

‘I can’t believe that he used Olympus.’

Was there truly a madman who could come up with such an unconventional and crazy idea?

Minhyuk looked down at Gabriel, his gaze filled with arrogance. Then, he smiled and said, “Did you know?”

“...”

“This is my first time swinging my sword today.”

He had not raised a finger during this time.

Gabriel struggled to look behind her. That was when she saw it. Most of Heaven’s army that swept away the Land of the Gods before had now died in the hands of Ares and the other gods of Olympus. Then, there were Michael and Raphael. The two archangels had already thrown their weapons to the ground and surrendered.

The moment she realized what had happened, an indescribable anger surged within her. Gabriel shouted, “You f*cking b*tch...!”

Swoosh!

Minhyuk swung his sword without any hesitation. There were no obstructions either. Just like that, the head of Gabriel, the person who dreamt of becoming the second Athenae, fell on the ground with a thud. The devil, wearing the mask of an angel, turned into light that faded into nothingness. Surprisingly enough, she looked like an angel at the time of her death.

Clap, clap, clap!

At that moment, the sound of someone clapping echoed in the area. Everyone turned to look in the direction from which the sound came. There, they saw a man sitting atop the body of one of Heaven’s monsters. It was none other than Divine Transcendental Anas.

“Should I thank you for this?”

Divine Transcendental Anas had been standing on the sidelines. Although he looked like he had allied with the archangels, the truth was that Anas only needed someone to release him from his chains. In fact, the only thing that stopped Anas from attacking Gabriel and Heaven was the oath that he swore when she released him from Hell’s Abyss.

When the gods of Olympus appeared, he felt like the restrictions stopping him from doing whatever he wanted were being released. So, he chose not to step up and just continued to watch from the sidelines.

‘The biggest and greatest hurdle still remains. Regardless, with the gods of Olympus on our side...’

Minhyuk immediately tried to coax the gods of Olympus to help them.

“Killing Divine Transcendental Anas will probably make you the hero of the West. The gods of Olympus aren’t scared of him, no?”

“Heehee. Kikikikiki. Keufufufufufu...” Ares' wild cackles slowly died down. Then, he climbed atop his black warhorse and said, “This is enough fun for me.”

“...What?” Minhyuk stuttered, embarrassment evident on his face.

After dealing with most of the angels and the monsters of Heaven, the gods of Olympus began preparing for their return to the Gaia Continent. As for Zeus? He kept Michael and Raphael tied with Lightning Chains.

“Eating Child, do things in moderation. You’re going too far in trying to use us.”

“No, wait. You’re just going to leave like that? If you kill him, then...”

Zeus stepped forward.

[That’s all for today. This is all that we can do for you.]

The gods of Olympus might be tricked and used by Minhyuk. However, the main reason they came to help was because Zeus ordered them to do so. And they agreed with a premise.

‘The premise is that we won’t be in danger.’

The gods of Olympus responded in agreement because they were confident that they could have Heaven in the palm of their hands. The story was different with Anas. If the gods of Olympus, Minhyuk, and the rest of the gods present joined hands, then they might win. Alas, there was no guarantee that everyone would come out alive.

Ares and his warhorse were the first to disappear. Just like that, the gods of Olympus disappeared one after another. Minhyuk’s face grew ugly.

[Divine Power Devourer.]

[Divine Transcendental Anas has activated Divine Power Devourer.]

[The gods who had been cut down or attacked by Anas will have their divine power absorbed and devoured by him.]

[Only your divine power will be affected. It will not affect your stats, skills, or damage.]

[More divine power will be absorbed from those who possess high holy power.]

[The more divine power Anas absorbs, the stronger he will become.]

‘Our enemy was not Heaven.’

This was what Minhyuk realized when he felt the strong killing intent coming off of Anas.

The real enemy was Anas, who could grow stronger whenever he absorbed his enemies’ divine power.

Minhyuk hurriedly gave orders. “This is an order! Gods, enter the Land of the Gods, now!!!”

The gods hurriedly ran and tried to enter the wide and open doors that led deeper into the Land of the Gods. Minhyuk had judged that the only ones who could try to stop Anas were he and the rest of the players. The gods should avoid as much contact with Anas as possible.

“Absolute De...”

[First Kill.]

This was Anas’ one-shot, one-kill skill, a power that no one could avoid or resist.

Thud!

Minhyuk’s expression twisted.

[Your HP has dropped to 0%.]

Anas' sword appeared in an instant and pierced Minhyuk’s Transcendental Armor and his heart.

[Those who had been killed by First Skill cannot use any resurrection items.]

“Minhyuk?!”

“Battle God!”

“This can’t be happening...”

Everyone was left shocked when they saw how Minhyuk was forced to log out in just a single strike. Minhyuk’s body slowly turned into ashes that were scattered by the wind.

Anas had fought a battle with Minhyuk recently. He had seen many of his skills and had felt that there was no need to find such a protracted battle with him.

“This will be a delightful banquet. Heaven has made it easier for me to eat and devour the gods. All of the Absolute Gods had been incapacitated, and Athenae is right where I can see her. Battle God, you know?”

Anas smirked as he patted Minhyuk on the cheek.

“There are times when you are stronger than I, yes. But the depths of the Abyss are filled with monsters that are far stronger than I. And you? What can you do? I admit that you’re amazing. After all, you, a foreigner, had climbed to this position. You deserve the credit for achieving something like that. But... what else can you do?”

Anas was a very cruel person. He wanted to leave Minhyuk feeling helpless and useless as he trampled on him.

Terror enveloped Minhyuk. This was an abnormal status imposed on him by Anas’ power. This power could leave the enemy incapacitated with frustration, leaving them feeling as if they were nothing but an insignificant speck of dust.

Of course, anyone who was sent to their death with a single attack and ravaged by an abnormal status was bound to feel deep frustration. The same went for Minhyuk.

“The only thing that you can do right now is watch the destruction of the Land of the Gods, the land that you must protect, and the death of Athenae. I will devour Athenae and become the strongest god in this world.”

Anas walked forward.

[Anas has absorbed your divine power and has become stronger.]

[The only way to stop Anas’ Divine Power Devourer is to reduce his HP to 70%.]

Every skill had a disadvantage. Although Anas’ Divine Power Devourer could devour divine power, it could also be terminated. But who would be able to do it? Minhyuk was already slowly falling to the ground.

Minhyuk looked at Anas, who was moving swiftly toward his target, through his blurring vision. The players tried to stop him, but he easily sent them flying away. He also saw Athenae trying to escape with the other Absolute Gods.

Athenae’s mouth opened. She seemed to be saying,

‘Barr...’

But Anas was a step faster.

Ping!

The power of Divine Power Control stretched out and immediately cancelled Athenae’s Barrier. Flustered, Athenae stopped in her tracks for a moment. However, this brief lapse in judgment had left her just five meters away from Anas.

Anas raised his sword to cut off Athenae’s head.

[You have been forced to...]

Minhyuk felt like he was sinking deep into the darkness of the abyss. He could only stare at Anas’ back with both despair and helplessness.

What Anas said was true. Athenae was a game, and it would always continue to produce stronger enemies. He would struggle to fight against them every single time.

‘What can I do?’

A huge sense of helplessness washed over Minhyuk. He felt like he had gone back to the time when he first contracted his eating addiction, and he could only stand there and watch the fear of his disease devour him.

‘I want to live.’

For a moment, he gave up his desire to live because he knew that he couldn't do so.

‘I want to live. So, what did I do?’

Swoosh!

Strength slowly surged within Minhyuk’s slowly disintegrating body. This surge of power reminded him of what he did back then. When he finally reached his death, it came to him...

[Immortal Monarch.]

(

Immortal Monarch

)

Rank

: Absolute God

Passive Skill

Level

: None.

Penalty for Use

: None.

Effects

:

•In a moment of desperation and despair, you will be presented with various methods that will allow you to break through the situation.

•However, this skill only has a 5% chance of being triggered. Triggering might also bring about after-effects.

The power that he acquired when he became the Battle God suddenly got triggered.

[You have reached the moment of desperation and despair.]

[You have made a breakthrough.]

[At this moment, you can use the power of the Pillars that you have befriended once!]

[You can use the power of Athenae, Hephaestus, Beladon, Louis, and Obren as long as it is within an acceptable range.]

[You have used Mother’s Mercy.]

[All of your HP and MP have been restored to 100%.]

[The forced logout notification has been terminated.]

Rip!

Minhyuk ripped the Teleport Parchment. He appeared right in front of Athenae and stopped Anas’ sword from descending.

“Absolute Defense.”

Minhyuk grabbed Anas by the neck and dragged him away.

“Khggggk! How?!”

“I WANT TO LIVE!”

“What bullshit...!”

Minhyuk tightened his grip on Anas’ neck as he ran further away from Athenae.

‘Transcendence.’

He let go of his hold on Anas. Then, he pulled his sword out and raised it high into the sky.

“Whether it’s in the past, the future, or the present, I will not change in front of that fear! You asked what I can do?!”

He swung his sword down with all of his might and cut Anas down.

Spurt!

“I will wake up earlier than everybody else in the morning.”

That was the only thing that he could do.

Then, Minhyuk created the Transcendental’s Spear and threw it with all his might.

“I will sleep later than everybody else at night.”

This was the life of the man named Minhyuk, and it would never change.

Thud!

The Transcendental Spear pierced through Anas’ chest.