Leveling with the Gods

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Translator – NumbaWon

Proofreader – BringTheRayn

 

* * *

 

YuWon stepped outside and waited for Hargaan and Hephaestus’s talk to end.

The two conversed for a long time.

Gigantomachy.
After that word was uttered, Hargaan’s heart started beating rapidly.

“The weapons I made pierced the hearts of the Giants.” 

The Giants were one of the races that ruled the Tower, achieving that position through their natural strength and large physique. 

Hephaestus continued “They viewed Olympus as allies.” 

He then shook his head and mumbled, “No.
They saw us as friends, or both actually.”

Hephaestus raised his head and stared into Hargaan’s eyes.

“Others might point fingers at them for being hideous, but we shouldn’t have done so.
Olympus only got to where they are thanks to the Giants.”

“Such a thing happened?” Hargaan asked.

“This is a story that kids nowadays don’t really know.
You might know if you’re an old Ranker, but young ones have probably only heard the inaccurate retelling.”

Hephaestus pulled out the ‘back in my day’ card.
As a Ranker who was thousands of years old, there was much that he knew. 

“Anyway, when the Giants started getting ostracized, Olympus declared war against them.”

Hargaan’s brow furrowed as he asked, “What was the reason?”

“It was political.
Others weren’t viewing them very kindly, but also by taking care of them, Olympus could take full control of the floors they shared with them.”

“They did that for such a petty reason?”

“I’m glad.”

“Excuse me?”

“You might think it’s petty, but most people don’t see it that way,” Hephaestus mumbled, “including our father.” 

“…”

“And the war that we waged against the Giants was the Gigantomachy.
It involved Asgardian Giants, Olympian Giants, and Rankers from various guilds who wanted the rights we were fighting over.
The war continued to get bigger, and the weapons I made ended up taking the lives of my friends.”

YuWon, who had been eavesdropping, lowered his head.

This was the second time he had heard this story, and because Hephaestus was even closer to YuWon back then, Hephaestus had shown his vulnerability.
Hephaestus had let out massive sobs while he told YuWon about the past.

YuWon was certain that Hephaestus was feeling just as torn up right now as back then, but Hephaestus was probably holding back his tears as hard as he could to save face.

“They were sacrificed for Olympus to increase their influence and to wash off the dishonor that Olympus was once an ally of the Giants,” he said.
“And was that when… When I stopped doing anything for Olympus and also when I stopped making weapons.”

Grit—

Instead of crying, Hephaestus clenched his teeth and showed anger. 

“But then a few decades ago, they suddenly asked me to make weapons again.”

Hargaan caught on quickly.

“Are they…?”

“There are still Giants left.”

“So will the Gigantomachy be happening again?”

“They’re probably still only in the planning stage, but it’s highly likely,” he couldn’t deny the possibility.

Hephaestus was the greatest blacksmith in the Tower.
The weapons he made made a bigger impact the larger the war was. 

There was a reason why some people say that Hephaestus was one of the people that made Olympus into what it was today.

As such, preparing for the next Gigantomachy was a possible reason why Olympus was hellbent on capturing Hephaestus.

“It’s your choice which side you want to believe.
It’s entirely possible that I’m lying,” Hephaestus said while getting up.
He didn’t have much more to say.
“I am going to fight against Olympus.”

It was time.
YuWon got up from his seat and reentered the room.

Hephaestus looked over at YuWon and said, “I know that you didn’t come here just to introduce him to me.” 

“Yes.”

“The stuff’s in the storage over there,” he said while pointing to the basement storage of the workshop.
“Follow me.”

 

* * *

 

Hargaan didn’t follow them and instead stayed inside the workshop.

He had a lot to think about. 

On the surface, he might have seemed like a carefree, loose cannon, but he was actually quite thoughtful.

‘I’m sure he needs some time to process this,’ YuWon thought. 

YuWon was aware that Hargaan didn’t blindly trust Olympus.
Just take what happened on the 1st Floor as an example.
That wasn’t something where one could say that Olympus were the good guys.

However, the Gigantomachy was a whole different problem.

‘If he accepts ahjussi’s words as the truth, Olympus will no longer be the good guys to him.’

For Hargaan, the pillar that he had relied on his entire life would be shaken, so it would likely take him quite a bit of time to make a decision.

While leading the way, Hephaestus said, “He seems like a good kid.” 

It was rare for him to compliment anyone.

“I could tell why you brought him.”

“Really?”

“Are you going to continue traveling with him?”

It appeared that Hephaestus thought Hargaan was a part of YuWon’s team.

YuWon didn’t answer right away as he was still thinking about it.

“You think way too much,” Hephaestus grumbled. 

“I don’t think you’re in any position to be telling me that, ahjussi.”

“What? Me?”

“I know you don’t fully trust him yet.”

“He’s still at an age where he can be swayed easily.
Since there’s no way to tell which direction he’ll go towards, I have no choice but to continue observing.”

“Is age the only reason?”

“Of course not, or else I wouldn’t be able to trust you either.”

Thunk—

Creak, creeeeak—

Multiple layers of chains were undone, and a thick steel door was opened.

“I did end up making it, but a bit of a troublesome thing ended up getting created,” Hephaestus said while undoing a sealing chain.

As soon as the door was opened, black-colored mana started to slowly flow out, giving YuWon the chills.

“I already named it,” Hephaestus said, having disliked the name YuWon had given his sword. 

Opening the doors wide, Hephaestus introduced his new masterpiece, “This is Kyneē.*”

*TL/N: Kyneē is the Greek name for the Helm of Invisibility, which up till now, I have been translating as Helm of Invisibility.
It shall be referred to as Kyneē from now on due to a reason that will be revealed in the next chapter. 

 

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