Chapter 512
As the screen opened, a familiar face appeared.
The master of flame, iron, and hammer.
It was ‘Orun the Blacksmith.’
Maybe from all the trouble he’d endured, but his already wrinkled face looked even more deeply creased.
[Kuh, kuhmm! What’s the matter?]
A sigh even deeper than his wrinkles slipped out.
“Ah, old man Orun. Have you been well?”
[I’ve been well. Just fine—until you contacted me.]
“Haha, always with the jokes… By the way, how’s the restoration I asked for going? I told you it was important, not that I’d kill you if you failed… just that’s how important it was.”
[Napoleon’s Coronation].
In order to recreate its past glory, the restoration was absolutely necessary.
And before coming here, Jinhyuk had entrusted Orun with restoring the painting.
He hadn’t paid him a single cent, though.
[To survive, I haven’t slept or eaten—just working nonstop. At this rate, I might die of exhaustion before it’s done.]
Orun moaned.
Trying to earn even a little sympathy.
Of course, it didn’t work on Jinhyuk.
Years spent as a BJ, surviving on just 2–3 hours of sleep a day, burning through his body was as natural as breathing.
“Your dark circles look fine, you don’t even have any nosebleeds. Just keep working on that. But for now, can you make me a sturdy chariot? It needs to go at high speed, so it can’t break down. Oh, and you have to use these materials you see here.”
Jinhyuk nudged at the pieces of wood scattered on the ground with his foot.
[I can do it, but… how soon do you need it?]
“One hour.”
To be exact, he’d spent about three minutes talking, so there were about 56 minutes and 32 seconds left.
[Hohoho, you’re joking, right?]
“Have you ever seen me joke about something like this? If you can’t do it, just say so. I can make it easy for you.”
He’d make it easy for him forever, if that’s what he wanted.
Gulp.
Jinhyuk could even hear Orun swallowing on the other side of the screen.
[50 minutes is plenty to make rice cakes. Of course it’s possible, hohoho!]
Wiping cold sweat, Orun instantly grabbed his hammer.
⁕ ⁕ ⁕
On one of the many floating stones.
There was a strange tension among the deities of Olympus gathered here.
“…Still, after the golden apple, I thought there might be a chance to pull him to our side.”
“It was impossible.”
“We have no choice. If anyone gets in the way, we’ll crush them.”
The twelve pillars supporting Olympus.
Each of the twelve chief gods voiced their thoughts.
All agreeing that now, as enemies, he had to be thoroughly crushed.
But one person.
Only Athena wore a cautious expression, fidgeting with her spear and shield.
“Father.”
A short voice came forth.
The enormous man seated deepest within responded.
Among the twelve chief gods, the greatest absolute being.
Even if all the other chief gods attacked, none could hope to win against the strongest deity of Olympus: ‘Zeus.’
“What is it, Athena?”
“If you go after that human now, you’ll come into conflict with the higher factions supporting him. Especially since one of Egypt’s and one of the Demon Realm’s Demon Kings openly back Kang Jinhyuk.”
Anubis and Berial.
Both were forces not easily ignored.
Besides them, there were several other factions who favored Jinhyuk.
If they intervened carelessly, it could lead to all-out war with every one of these factions.
That was what Athena feared.
“Hmm. I know what you’re worried about. But I’ve considered all of that.”
No sooner had Zeus finished speaking—
Step.
The gods of the Millennium appeared beside Zeus.
“Hello, friends?”
“This is the first time we’ve all met together like this.”
Kali… and Indra, another core deity of the Millennium.
They were all key chief gods of the Millennium.
Their presence alone stirred the floating stone with a surge of immense magic.
At the same time.
From the opposite side, more figures appeared.
This time, residents of the upper floors with white wings.
The archangel ‘Uriel,’ symbolizing Eden, and the angels under his command.
“I’m a little late, had to handle some internal matters. My apologies.”
Uriel shook the rain from his wings.
“Father…? Who are these people?”
“Kuhahaha! Zeus, you’re up to something interesting again.”
“Now it’s really about to begin.”
Athena was surprised, but Poseidon and Hades only burst into raucous laughter, as if they’d been waiting for this.
Zeus clenched his fist.
Bzzzt!
Blue lightning scattered in all directions.
“For too long, we’ve divided the floors. There are far too many factions clinging to limited resources. Many of them are unqualified, just worms content to rot away.”
From the 30th to the 49th floor.
Nineteen floors were far too few.
It wasn’t enough to contain the ambitions and desires of the gods who once ruled the world.
The 50th floor was impossible for them to even dream of for now.
If that’s the case…
Then they had to seize all the floors below.
Only then—
Someday at the top of this Tower, they could drive out the ancient beings who looked down on them with arrogance, and show who truly ruled the Tower.
“My brothers. My sons and daughters.”
Zeus slowly rose from his seat.
“The selection of the high-level administrator was just a pretext. Honestly, it doesn’t matter who wins.”
“No way…”
Realizing too late, Athena inhaled sharply.
“That’s right. All these deities gathered for the election—this is the perfect chance to sweep away all the small fry.”
While everyone’s attention was focused elsewhere.
He would collapse the very balance of the Tower.
An evil smile—far too sinister for a chief god—spread across Zeus’s lips.
⁕ ⁕ ⁕
Press…
Gapellius inspected his chariot one last time.
As always, it was in perfect condition.
There could be no such thing as a variable.
Of course, that should be the case…
‘So why do I feel so uneasy?’
He couldn’t understand it.
But the tingling sensation spreading across his back was unmistakable tension.
“Aphrodite watching must be quite a burden. Kekeke.”
Godirak answered the question in his mind.
“It does seem that way.”
Aphrodite.
Just facing her was enough to leave him breathless, and now she was watching his every move.
Just knowing that made it impossible for him to stand still.
‘This time, I’ll confess my feelings.’
If he could just win here and make Godirak a high-level administrator—
Then even Aphrodite might spare him a little interest.
‘I’ll take the lead so far ahead, he won’t even see my shadow.’
Wearing his helmet, Gapellius looked toward Jinhyuk.
But—
“Huh?”
Something was strange.
Never mind the makeshift chariot roughly assembled from crude wood.
The real problem was the creatures pulling the chariot—a strong sense of wrongness radiated from them.
Gapellius shouted,
“Th… those aren’t horses!”
It was only natural.
Not a single creature attached to the chariot looked even remotely like a horse.
Jinhyuk responded in exaggerated surprise.
“Oh, these guys…? Ahem! Cough! Who says a chariot has to be pulled by horses? As long as you have four, it doesn’t matter who pulls it.”
“A chariot is supposed to be drawn by horses! What nonsense is that?!”
As expected, he wasn’t buying it.
Well, ‘chariot’ literally means ‘horse-drawn vehicle’ after all.
But there was no need to panic.
If anything, he was a master at this sort of ridiculous argument.
“These guys are horses. Right, Goguma?”
“Mo, Mogiiiiiing!”
“See? They make horse sounds just fine. They just look different because they’re a rare breed… but they’re still four-legged horses, fair and square.”
“You call that a horse…”
Gapellius pressed his fingers to his temples.
He could instinctively sense this conversation was going to be a pain.
But just then—
“It doesn’t matter. Whatever tricks he’s up to, I’ll just smash them with force.”
Heracles stepped down from Gapellius’s chariot.
Up to four people could ride each chariot.
And—
A war chariot had a driver to steer the horses and a warrior to protect them.
“So, we finally meet, brat.”
Heracles rested his trademark club on his shoulder.
Yeah…
Of course he remembered.
There was still a showdown with this great hero waiting.
‘It’s going to be a hellish fight.’
And yet, why—
The thought of competing with a legendary hero from mythology, not in a game, but in real life, made his heart pound with excitement.
“Let’s go.”
Jinhyuk climbed onto the chariot.
Chun Yoosung, Teresa, and Alice also got on and took their places.
“Guys, I don’t ask for much. Just one thing: be faster than that chariot. Got it?”
“Hmph. Even for a great divine beast like me, this won’t be easy… the basic stats are just too different.”
Pegasi with powerful muscles and sleek legs.
Meanwhile, their team was mainly made up of ancient species addicted to mana stones and plump from lack of exercise.
On top of that, teamwork was crucial in a group race—and this combination was about as bad as it got.
“It’s fine. I’ll steer you well. You won’t fall behind, trust me.”
Jinhyuk stroked the whip.
Whether beast or human, a good beating made them listen.
And with enough mental fortitude, anything was possible.
Swoosh!
The whip swept across the ground.
It left a thick mark in the dirt.
Just imagining getting hit by that on bare skin…
It was horrifying.
“How about it, think you guys can do it?”
“Mogiiiii…!”
“Miyooo!”
“Kyao! Kyao!”
“Hoohoo. I’ll try to gather the wind from even my tail and fly.”
Fired up, the summons quickly nodded their heads.
Clap!
With everything perfectly arranged, Bendivia clapped once more.
“Everyone, please take your positions. The course will follow the floating stones in the sky. The first to arrive wins. Now… let’s begin!”
A flag appeared in the air and fluttered.
At the same time—
Boomboomboomboomboom!
With blazing fire, Gapellius’s chariot shot out like lightning.
…So fast.
He’d expected it, but the explosive power at the start was truly absurd.
The chariot vanished from sight in an instant.
“Yah!”
Jinhyuk set off a half-beat later.
Immediately, Malang the Azure Dragon used the wind to lift the chariot, while Goguma and Fried flapped their wings to pick up speed.
Now the real race was about to begin.
