Leveling Up Through Eating

A commotion would break out if the librarian named Rundalla came running to search this place for someone who looked just like him. It was not appropriate for Minhyuk to kill Rundalla for no reason, just to run away.

Click, click, click–

Minhyuk’s heart rose to his throat as the door knob turned.

“Ah. So the case report is not in the room but in here.”

The door slowly clicked close as the old man’s voice drifted away. It seemed like he had something that he had to take care of.

‘Phew.’ Minhyuk sighed in relief. However, the relief in his eyes was immediately replaced with contempt and disgust.

‘Angels?’ He seethed.

Angels were beings that symbolized the Good. But after looking at the contents of this case report, one could instantly see that they were dirtier and uglier than the demons.

Minhyuk hurriedly left the library and headed back to the Boundary Between Good and Evil.

***

“You see, I…! Excuse me, I’m…!”

Aemira was still talking. She even did not forget to call out every now and then. After sending a whisper to the person that Minhyuk asked for, Verak had gone into a daze listening to Aemira’s rambling.

Minhyuk, who returned not long after, was sporting a very solemn expression on his face.

“Aemira.”

“Yes!!!” Aemira answered loudly and energetically, her eyes shining with expectations as she looked at Minhyuk.

“You don’t have to stay there anymore.”

“Yes?”

“I’ll get you out of there.”

Aemira was very surprised when she heard Minhyuk’s words. Although she had made a lot of noise, she was fully aware of her situation.

“Thi-this prison is being maintained and monitored by Heaven’s archangels. You will definitely be in danger if you try to touch this prison!”

“That’s something that I’ll worry about. Get back.” Minhyuk reassured her.

“Yes? Yes…!” Aemira took a step back.

She felt that the pressure and momentum coming off Minhyuk in waves completely differed from the warmth she had felt from him earlier. This change left her more afraid than excited.

Even though she excitedly answered Minhyuk earlier, Aemira knew better than anybody else about this prison.

‘This prison cannot be broken. I am always under their watchful gaze and must stay in this place forever.’

The reason why Aemira asked Minhyuk to kill her was because she knew that there was no way for her to get out of this place. So, why was she so excited? It was because she felt happy and delighted to imagine those scenarios in her head.

To her, there was no hope. But Minhyuk told her it was not something she should worry about as he swung his sword and struck the tiny, narrow circle that trapped her.

Bang–!

Warning lights flashed in Minhyuk’s eyes as the loud bang of the collision echoed in his ears.

[Warning.]

[Warning.]

[This prison is covered with the power of the Archangels.]

[Breaking the Archangels’ Prison is against the rules of Heaven.]

[If you continue to break down the Archangels’ Prison, the rules of Heaven will place countless restrictions upon you and leave you suffering.]

[The Archangels’ Prison cannot be broken by any special power.]

[You can only destroy it with basic attacks.]

[Attack damage is not applied to the Archangels’ Prison.]

[You can destroy the Archangels’ Prison only after completing a number of attacks.]

[Please swing your sword at the Archangels’ Prison 3,000 times to create the first crack.]

[The Archangels’ Prison has put a restriction upon your natural healing ability and all other healing abilities.]

Clang! Clang! Clang!

For an ordinary person, it was already very difficult to hold their swords and swing a hundred times. Nonetheless, Minhyuk kept swinging his sword, exceeding 1,000 strikes in one go.

Thankfully, it was only the player’s skills that had been restricted. Minhyuk’s physical abilities and stats remained the same, so he continued to strike as much as he wanted to.

Minhyuk was able to complete 3,000 strikes in less than an hour. The moment he completed the number of required hits, a crack rang in the entire area.

Crack–

A small crack appeared on the small circle that imprisoned Aemira. It looked like it had been hit by something that was blunt and not something sharp like a sword.

[The first crack has appeared.]

[You have to pay the price for breaking the Archangels’ rules.]

[Countless religions will go against you!]

Although the archangels were not gods that the humans worshiped and served, they were the symbol of sanctity. Those who were aligned with the good all received the influence of the archangels. The fact that countless religions would go against Minhyuk would definitely be a huge blow to him.

Coincidentally, these notifications also rang in Aemira’s ears.

“Please wait a bit. I’ll get you out of there.”

Then, another notification rang in Minhyuk’s ears.

[Please swing your sword at the Archangels’ Prison 5,000 times to create the second crack.]

Minhyuk did not stop swinging his sword.

‘Is this why they put restrictions on my healing abilities?’

Striking something more than a thousand times in just over an hour was ridiculous. The concept of “natural healing abilities” in Athenae could supplement this.

Unfortunately, with his healing abilities restricted, Minhyuk could feel his breath grow ragged. Even his palms grew bloody from the friction created by the repeated swinging of his sword. Yet he never stopped.

[The second crack has appeared.]

[You have to pay the price for breaking the Archangels’ rules.]

[All of your holy power will be taken away from you as the price for breaking the rules.]

The notifications were shocking. Even so, Minhyuk still continued to swing his sword.

‘I did not expect this to happen. But if everything works out the way I want it to, then…’

It would be fine.

Clang, clang, clang–

Blood continued to drip from Minhyuk’s palms while sweat covered his entire body. In the end, STR was related to one’s natural healing abilities. Now that his natural healing abilities had been restricted, exhaustion came faster than ever.

Thankfully, Divine Will was triggered and gave Minhyuk more power.

[The fourth crack has appeared.]

[You have to pay the price for breaking the Archangels’ rules.]

[Heaven’s Army will start to show hostility to you.]

Then, the number of hits required reached 70,000.

Verak had been watching from the sidelines for a very long time. He could not help but be in awe of Minhyuk’s stamina and strength after seeing him swing tirelessly.

Aemira stared at the blood dripping down Minhyuk’s palms. When she looked up, she was too stunned to speak when she saw the shine in Minhyuk’s eyes. It illuminated Minhyuk’s determination to continue until he reached his goal, which was none other than Aemira’s release.

Just like that, the sun went down and darkness engulfed everything. In the darkness, the only thing that one could see was the sparks created by the collision of Minhyuk’s sword and the transparent barrier that trapped Aemira.

Crack, crack, crack–

[The fifth crack has appeared.]

[You have to pay the price for breaking the Archangels’ rules.]

[Archangel Gabriel has noticed your existence.]

[Archangel Gabriel cannot cross through the Boundary Between Good and Evil.]

[He now possesses the authority to ignore that rule!]

“W-

what do we do…” Aemira bit her lips.

According to the book that Aemira had read, Archangel Gabriel was on par with the God of Death. He led the four archangels and Heaven’s army and was also considered the father of all angels.

This very same being had taken notice of Minhyuk. However, Minhyuk did not back down.

The sun slowly rose and cleared away the darkness.

[The sixth crack has appeared.]

[You have to pay the price for breaking the Archangels’ rules.]

[Heaven’s Calamity Guardians have noticed your existence.]

[Warning.]

[Warning.]

[The Heaven’s Calamity Guardians, who are slumbering all over the world, might attack you.]

Yet he did not stop.

[The seventh crack…]

[Gabriel has made the gentle Calamity Guardians berserk and has started to summon them. They will follow his command and just like crazy hounds they will bite you and tear you apart.]

[The eight crack…]

[Gabriel has given the archangels and all of Heaven’s troops to bring judgment upon you!]

[Warning.]

[Warning.]

[Danger.]

[The next will be the final crack. The Archangels’ Prison will collapse if you can make this final crack appear.]

Minhyuk ignored everything and continued to hit the barrier again and again. After a few hours, another notification rang in his ears.

[The final crack will appear after ten strikes.]

[If the Archangels’ Prison falls, you will receive the attacks of Heaven and all of its troops.]

[Warning.]

[Warning.]

[Archangel Gabriel is leading Heaven’s army across the Boundary Between Good and Evil.]

[Archangel Gabriel addresses you.]

[Next generation Battle God, why are you doing something ridiculous?]

[If you end this now, we will stop only by taking away all of your holy power.]

[If you stop…]

But Minhyuk’s response to his words were simple. He just finished the remaining ten strikes.

BANG!

[W-what…!]

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

The loud sound of Minhyuk’s sword hitting the barrier echoed loudly as he continued with what he was doing. Minhyuk’s still warm blood had dyed his sword red. Now, there were only two strikes left.

Right before Aemira could celebrate, she caught sight of Archangel Gabriel and a huge number of troops rushing to this place.

Minhyuk just looked back at Archangel Gabriel and sneered.

Bang!

Then, he struck the barrier once again.

Crack, crack, crack!

A huge crack spread through the transparent barrier that formed the prison. There was only one strike left. When Minhyuk tried to swing his sword, Aemira shouted, “STOOOOOP!!!”

“...?”

Minhyuk looked at Aemira in confusion.

***

Aemira knew better than anybody else that she could not get out of this prison. She did not have any memory of her life before this place. All she knew was that she was brought to this place and was forced to live the rest of her life in this tiny space.

Of course, it was only natural that she would feel lonely. One day, a book was given to her. That book allowed her to see the world. No matter how many times she read the book, she knew that it was impossible for her to see that world. She knew that very well. She knew it even after watching Minhyuk strike the prison that trapped her like crazy.

‘I can’t get out of here.’

A tiny glimmer of hope appeared in front of her and led her this far. Yet this was the result. Archangel Gabriel and the troops of Heaven rushed to this place with an order to give immediate judgment upon Minhyuk.

‘I’m the only one who should be in pain. I can’t share this pain with him.’

At the very last moment, the most angelic of thoughts flashed in Aemira’s head. She said, “Please, just stop!”

She grabbed her head and wept. “I told you! I told you to kill me. Otherwise, I am destined to live in this small space!”

“...”

“Do you want me to say it again? I want to die! I’d rather die than remain in this place for a minute longer. As for the hard work and effort that you have done? Thank you but that’s enough. In the end, it’s nothing but a presumptuous thought. You will not be able to save me from this place. J-just let me die! Please!”

She knew that it was impossible. Between dying and getting out of this place, dying was the easier option. That was why she had to say it plainly to the man in front of her. Otherwise, they had to face the reality that was fast approaching.

Sadness weighed heavily upon Aemira. Her body started to tremble fiercely as she cried and wept to the point where she could not even breathe.

“I beg you, please just kill me. Why are you doing this…”

‘Please, please just go back. Consider this as my wish. I don’t want the kind and good person that I have met to meet any harm.’

However, Minhyuk just stared at her. Then, he swung his sword.

Bang!

The huge crack spread on the transparent barrier. And with a loud bang, the transparent barrier completely collapsed.

Clank, clank, clank!

Minhyuk crouched down and gently picked the weeping Aemira. Then, he turned around and walked toward the charging angels.

“Wh-what in the world are you doing…?!”

“How is it? How does the world beyond your small 1.5 meter space feel?”

“...?!”

This was a place that Aemira could only look at every single day. She moved further and further away from the hellish prison that trapped her for thousands of years with every step that Minhyuk took.

“It’s just ten steps but you have already gone far away from the hellish prison that trapped you, no? How is it?” Minhyuk asked, a gentle smile on his face. “Now, you can go to the sea and watch the sky.”

Minhyuk slowly put Aemira down as he continued to speak. “Now, you can run as far as you want.”

Minhyuk gently patted Aemira’s shoulder as she began to sob with her head bowed. Then, he asked again, “Don’t lie and tell me honestly. What do you want?”

When she heard the soft, warm and gentle question of the man beside her, Aemira finally released the words that had been waiting to burst from the depths of her heart.

“Save me…”

‘I don’t want to stay in that hellish prison any longer.’

“Please save me.”

She looked at the sky and the ground where she could run and jump on.

“Please save me!”

Shing–!

The sound of Minhyuk pulling his sword out of its sheath rang crisply in the air.

“Do you remember, Aemira?” The tone of Minhyuk’s voice changed. The charisma of an emperor who ruled and led tens of millions of people stained his voice as he said, “You asked me why I’m doing this? Why am I going this far?”

Aemira slowly nodded.

‘Why?’

“You promised me. You said you will be one of my peoplewhen you leave this place.”

Now, Aemira was one of Minhyuk’s people.

Not long after, Archangel Gabriel and his huge army arrived in front of Minhyuk. The millions of troops were obviously accompanied by an overwhelmingly fierce momentum.

Minhyuk walked toward the angels and said, “I have never, and will never, turn my back on my people.”

[The Battle God’s Achievement System has been activated.]

[For the sake of just one of his people, the Battle God…]

[...raises his sword.]