Leveling Up through Eating

Chapter 1197

[If you cross the horizon and enter the land beyond, you will receive ten times the penalty for a forced logout.]

[If you cross the horizon and enter the land beyond, blazing flames will engulf your body, and you will be subjected to a mind-numbing and overwhelming pain created by the Red Flaming Bead.]

Athenae might be a game, but the NPCs were all living and breathing beings. That was why scenarios that could only be seen in webtoons, movies, and even novels could happen in this world—scenarios where people risked their lives to save their dear and precious friends.

These NPCs could risk or even give up their lives to save their loved ones. And just like in the movies, sometimes miracles would allow them to save their friend.

“Is there someone here who wants to run away?”

No single vassal of the Beyond the Heavens Empire wanted to leave and run away.

As for Minhyuk, he had heard something from Conir.

Minhyuk immediately realized they might be able to break that Red Flaming Bead if Conir had a sword like that.

[The weight of the sky that Herakel supports is growing heavier.]

[If the weight he supports becomes unbearable to him, he will be completely turned into stone.]

[There are forty kilometers between you and Herakel.]

Minhyuk and his vassals had just taken one step inside the land beyond the horizon, and their bodies immediately caught on fire. The problem was that the land was so damn vast.

[Fiery Red Flames attack your vassals and deal 500% additional damage per second.]

Minhyuk’s vassals remained expressionless despite the blazing flames that engulfed their bodies. They just continued to run.

[The Fiery Red Flames attack your vassals and deal 1,000% additional damage per second.]

[The Fiery Red Flames attack your vassals and deal 1,200% additional damage per second.]

The distance that they had covered was only around ten kilometers. However, Minhyuk and his vassals were already in danger of burning into ashes. Of course, Minhyuk did not come here without any preparations.

‘I can send them back right away.’

Minhyuk could use Alex’s Mass Teleport to send all of them back.

“Your Majesty, we will continue to advance.”

“We can still go further.”

“Hoho. This old man has never learned how to back down.”

Even though his vassals’ bodies were all being burned by the blazing Fiery Red Flames, they still tried to move forward. At this moment, Minhyuk realized he was not the only one who wanted to save Herakel. Nevertheless, Minhyuk was not a reckless person. The moment he judged that they were at the risk of dying, he would send them back without any hesitation.

He shelved the thought for now. This was because standing amidst his vassals being burned by the Fiery Red Flames, flames that inflicted pain that even Brod and Ben could not endure was Conir.

Minhyuk released a trembling breath as he looked at the boy.

[Sword God Conir has temporarily gone beyond his limits.]

[Sword God Conir has temporarily gone beyond his limits.]

Minhyuk knew that Conir was a unique NPC. Although he was not as strong as Brod or Ben, he could go beyond his limits when he wanted to protect something or someone. Sword God Valen had mentioned that this was because he could use the purest sword.

Slash–!

Minhyuk could not help but sigh in awe when the message resonated worldwide after he saw Conir swing his invisible sword.

Swoosh–!

Not long after, he witnessed the blazing Fiery Red Flames, which burned the bodies of his vassals and gradually disappeared. That was when Minhyuk realized Conir could activate his Ten Thousand Li Sword successfully.

[The weight of the sky that Herakel supports is growing heavier.]

[Herakel will soon turn into stone.]

Minhyuk looked back at his vassals. Now that the flames had disappeared and the pain that wracked their bodies had subsided, they were getting back on their feet, albeit with burns covering their entire being.

They did not have time left. Minhyuk began to run faster.

***

“Kyaaaaack!!!” Hera screamed as her left arm, the same arm that held the whip that tortured Herakel, fell. Her ear-piercing scream also rang from the other end of the horizon.

[Ten Thousand Li Sword.]

[The sword will cut down all enemies, no matter where they are, and inflict 15,000% additional damage.]

[The injuries of those who the Ten Thousand Li Sword had cut down will never be able to heal or recover.]

Blood spurted from the bodies of all the giants present. However, they had rigid bodies and a high HP volume. Although their damage was extremely high, the injury was not fatal.

Meanwhile, Hera felt a burning heat in her left arm. It was a pain that she had never felt in her life before. Originally, gods could reattach their limbs if they had been cut off.

Sizzle–!

When Hera felt the burning and throbbing pain from the stump that was left behind in her left arm, she realized that she had to live with this disability forever.

Hera originally wanted revenge on the bastard called the Battle God by dragging Herakel to the depths of despair. Now? She had changed her mind. She was now going to kill the Battle God and all of his vassals.

The damage the Red Flaming Bead could inflict would increase as they went deeper into the land beyond the horizon. Only after they had entered the land where Hera and Herakel were would the damage disappear. Hera had already seen them burn until they were on the brink of death. She was confident that dealing with this exhausted bunch was very easy.

She was not satisfied with that.

[You have made the sky heavier.]

She started to increase the pressure on Herakel. The pressure made the already dizzy Herakel grow even dizzier, his vision blurry and vague. At that moment, Minhyuk and his vassals stormed the place where they were. Hera screamed, “Kill them all! Don’t leave a single one of them behind! KILL THEM!!!”

The giants moved swiftly per Hera's orders.

[Giant. Level 932.]

Although they were not gods, the giants were demigods. They possessed strong defensive power and a high HP volume. They also had a firm grip so that they could tear even the gods apart with their bare hands.

Unlike those ninety or so giants, the opposing party only had around twenty people. Hera did not even feel afraid of them. Besides, they had already been burned by the flames earlier.

When Hera saw the leading giant charged toward an old man over sixty, she screamed, “Tear them all apart…!”

“I…”

Usually, the old man would say, ‘I have never learned how to back down.’ The words reminded him to stay true to his faith and follow his will, that he should no longer commit senseless murder and slaughter.

Today, the old man’s words were different.

“...have learned how to kill since I was born.”

“...!”

Everything happened in a blink of an eye. The old man’s spear pierced through the giant’s eye, the only eye that it had. Then, the old man leaped to the sky and pulled out his spear.

“If your body is tough, it’s enough to target your softest and weakest parts.”

Spurt–!

Blood spurted out as the spear stabbed the leading giant’s neck. However, its tremendous regenerative ability allowed it to recover swiftly.

“If you can heal, recover, and regenerate, then all I have to do is make it so you will not be able to do so. That’s all.”

The old man, whose entire body had been burned and left charred, was simmering with fury. He raised his spear and stabbed the recovering giant’s throat dozens of times in just three seconds. He then swung his spear as hard as he could.

Swoosh–!

Hera’s face grew ugly when she saw the head of the leading giant roll on the ground.

Immediately after that, the wolf-like man made a move. Although he​​ was not as flexible as the old man, he was strong. Very strong. His strong, fast, powerful sword cut and stabbed the running giants. Every once in a while, savage wolves would shoot out of his sword and bite the giants.

Then, the boy named Conir moved with the wind. Blood would pour out of the bodies of every giant he passed by.

“I’m sure the people of Gaia Continent are stronger… than the people in our continent…”

Yes, they were weak. They knew that well. But there was one interesting fact about them.

“They are the strongest among the people of the other continent.” Minhyuk grinned as he watched his vassals slaughter the giants.

Of course, they weren’t able to simply push ahead. After all, the difference in their numbers was just too significant. And just like Hera had expected, their injuries were far too severe.

The flustered Hera soon smiled.

Rumble–!

This was because the sky responded to their resistance and grew even heavier.

Hephaestus, who stepped beside Minhyuk, quickly made the support poles.

“How long will you take?!”

“I need three minutes!”

It was shocking to imagine making a support pole that could support the sky in just three minutes. But it was still too long, and the sky grew heavier by the second.

Rumble–!

[The weight of the sky that is weighing down on Herakel has reached the highest limit.]

[Herakel can no longer support the weight.]

[If the sky falls here, everyone will die.]

[The sky will fall in two minutes.]

Minhyuk’s face grew ugly.

And Herakel? He stared at Minhyuk in a daze as his hands began to bend from the weight of the sky he was supporting. Even his knees started to bend. Fortunately, his confused mind and wandering spirit grew clear when he saw Minhyuk.

Herakel smiled at Minhyuk silently as his body started to turn into stone. The hardening process started from his toes. That was right.

[Herakel has started to turn into stone.]

Herakel held hope that he would be able to stay by their side again. He was only able to endure because of that hope. But he realized that it was that very same hope that would kill everyone here. Herakel knew the only way to save them was to turn himself into stone.

Now that he could not bear the weight of the sky, Herakel accepted that he would turn into stone. Somehow, he briefly felt the weight on his shoulders grew slightly lighter. When he turned to look beside him, he caught sight of a boy.

“Conir… loves Herakel.”

The boy Conir stepped forward and supported the sky with him. In an instant, the process of Herakel turning into stone stopped.

That was not the end. The unbearable and heavy weight of the sky on his shoulders grew lighter and lighter.

Spear God Ben smiled gently at Herakel as he stood beside him and supported the sky. There was also Brod, the wolf-like man, who discarded his sword and held the sky with both of his arms. Even the petite and slender Elizabeth supported the sky with a faint smile. All of the vassals left the giants behind to help Herakel. They left them to be dealt with by Minhyuk.

“I am supporting you too, Herakel.”

All of the vassals helped Herakel support the sky, except for Minhyuk. But Herakel, who had already turned into stone up to his upper body, laughed unknowingly at the sight. Yes, although Minhyuk was not supporting the sky beside him, he was the one who had given them the greatest support.

Hera cackled at them. This act of supporting the sky with Herakel was nothing but suicide. The fact that they abandoned their weapons to support the sky meant that they willingly left themselves defenseless against the attacks of the giants.

Minhyuk, standing among the ninety or so giants, looked at Herakel and said, “You know it, right? Herakel?”

Herakel knew Minhyuk well. He knew that his emperor was not a reckless man. Even if this man were swept away by his emotions, he would make it so he could create a breakthrough from his reckless actions.

“I know.”

Indeed. Based on the situation, Minhyuk had to deal with the ninety or so giants alone. At that moment, Herakel saw a white spear appear and revolve around Minhyuk.

Minhyuk did not know what powers the unsealed Battle God’s Guardian Spear had. However, there was a way to learn some things. Before they came here, Minhyuk had asked Hephaestus something.

–I only have two minutes. If this spear gets unsealed, will I be able to protect Herakel?

[The Battle God’s Guardian Spear’s seals will be temporarily released for two minutes.]

[You are now being controlled by AI. The Battle God’s Guardian Spear uses its power based on the current situation.]

[You will only be able to view the skill name. The skills’ special effects will not be displayed in the notifications.]

At that moment, Hephaestus answered.

–Just protecting?

[Exploding Lightning.]

Dozens of giants charged at Minhyuk, who was standing still among their ranks. At that moment, Minhyuk slammed his sword on the ground.

Crackle, crackle, crackle–!

Sparks spread widely from the ground and left all of the giants in a stunned state.

[Lightning Spear.]

BANG–!

A bolt of lightning fell from the sky and instantly blew up the head of one of the giants.

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