Return of the Sword God-Rank Civil Servant - Chapter 99
Chapter 99
The Nemean Lion.
It was a mythical lion known only to those familiar with legends, marking the first of the famous twelve labors of the semi-divine hero, ‘Heracles.’
‘And it’s also known as the qualification test for those who aspire to become the renowned ‘Heracles Candidate.’’
The Nemean Lion was not merely a lion in name.
The creature was named the Monster Lion because of the Nemean Lion’s moniker, the ‘Monster Lion.’
Thus, by defeating it, one could naturally obtain one of Heracles’ powers.
‘The power of Heracles. This time, it will be mine.’
Suho recalled the man known as Heracles in his past life.
He was a black man who had achieved the twelve labors faster than any other challengers of Heracles’ trials scattered worldwide.
‘That’s how the ‘Black Heracles’ came to be.’
It wasn’t racial discrimination.
He had asked to be called that himself.
He was a man with a great pride in his skin color.
Thus, to signify that he had reincarnated Heracles, he called himself the Black Heracles, or ‘Bless’ for short.
‘Bless was a good man too.’
Suho didn’t just know about Bless in passing.
He shared a deep camaraderie with Bless.
Bless was an individual with immense pride in Heracles and walked a heroic path, believing he too should follow the way of Heracles—a path Suho shared in many ways.
That was why Suho knew all the strategies for the twelve labors in Heracles’ trials.
But.
‘Sorry, Bless, but this time, I’m taking Heracles’ power.’
A trustworthy companion he could entrust his back to?
That was important, too.
At least, until he was betrayed by those he thought were his allies.
But after clearing the first calamity-grade gate and experiencing the blade in his back, Suho’s values changed significantly.
For instance, while the original Suho believed in entrusting fields he was lacking in to other experts, now he intended to acquire everything on his own.
Finishing his thoughts, Suho discarded his sword.
Would his Blood Sword work against a creature that even Ghost Shadow Spear couldn’t penetrate?
Most likely, even Severing Steel and Cloud Slash wouldn’t work.
Therefore, something else was needed to face this creature.
Suho canceled the Blood Sword, then transformed his Blood Weapon into double gauntlets that covered his entire arms and shoulders.
Blood Gauntlet.
Suho decided to call it the ‘Blood Armor.’
Bang!
Once Suho finished equipping the Blood Armor, he clashed his fists together, flaunting the strength of the Blood Armor.
At that moment, the Nemean Lion, observing him, pounced in an instant with the characteristic leap of the feline species.
– Roar!!
As the creature lunged, Suho also rushed towards it.
“Insane!”
Jung Chulmin, watching, was horrified.
Facing it head-on, when even fighting from a distance would be risky?
And on top of that, a close-quarters battle?
The Nemean Lion, which ruled over the Iron Gorge, wasn’t only famous for its invincible, armor-like hide.
Its powerful claws, capable of tearing apart any shield or armor, were equally renowned.
And yet, Suho was choosing to face the Nemean Lion’s claws head-on?
For a moment, Jung Chulmin questioned if Suho had gone mad.
However.
Boom!!
A massive roar.
Simultaneously, Jung Chulmin’s eyes widened larger than plates.
“Cra-Crazy!”
A different kind of exclamation of madness escaped his lips this time.
It was understandable since Suho had shockingly taken on the infamous Monster Lion’s attack directly.
– Roar!!
Suho locked eyes with the Nemean Lion, whose jaws gaped menacingly right in front of him.
Golden irises set against a deep green backdrop.
It was a gaze that held a uniquely chilling aura, unlike that of reptiles.
‘Many players probably faltered under this gaze.’
A powerful monster’s gaze could instill a fear effect as potent as their aura.
But Suho was different.
To him, who bore the bloodlines of dragons and vampires, a mere lion’s gaze was no more intimidating than the stare of a housecat.
“Hah…!”
Suho exhaled deeply between his clasped hands.
It was a pause to ready himself for his next action.
The claws hadn’t reached him.
Suho’s hands were securely locked between the creature’s paw pads.
It was common sense.
No matter how skilled Suho was, the Monster Lion’s claws were a force to be reckoned with.
‘I’m going for it!’
With his breathing steadied, Suho unleashed the power he had been saving in an explosive burst.
In an instant, the Nemean Lion wobbled, momentarily losing its balance.
But a lion is still a lion.
The feline, classified as such, quickly extended its legs to regain its balance.
However, in that brief moment.
Suho managed to seize the creature’s back.
“Got you!”
– Roar!!
As soon as Suho grabbed the lion’s back, he wrapped his arm tightly around its neck.
The technique to subdue the Nemean Lion.
It was a chokehold.
Even the legendary hero Heracles, unable to penetrate the Monster Lion’s invincible hide, had ultimately resorted to choking it out.
Thus, Bless had used the same method, and so did Suho.
– Roarrr!!
[The Monster Lion uses its Boss Monster-level Fear.]
[Dragon Blood activates.]
[Due to the Dragon’s Mental effect from the Dragon Blood, Fear does not apply.]
The lion roared as it felt Suho’s grip on its neck.
Sensing an instinctual threat, the lion struggled frantically, letting out menacing cries in the process.
But it was all in vain.
The dragon’s lineage paid no heed to a cat’s cries, and the dragon only tightened its hold on the lion’s neck.
‘To think I’d ever have a day where I’d use a rear chokehold on a lion.’
It wasn’t exactly the way of the Sword God, but there was no other choice.
To bring down the heavily armored Nemean Lion, he had to resort to this human-developed technique.
After all, even Heracles had used the rear choke to subdue it.
– Roar!!
The lion’s struggles grew more desperate.
Naturally so.
If this continued, its life was in danger.
And it wasn’t just anywhere—it was the carotid artery.
No matter how thick and tough its hide, the vital spot that no creature could ever train was precisely its weak point, making all life forms reflexively guard it.
– Roar! Roar!!
The Nemean Lion flailed with all its might.
However, the more it resisted, the tighter Suho clung to its neck like a cicada.
Letting go here would mean his end.
At least, the one thing working in his favor was that the lion’s front paws couldn’t reach his head.
Its paws simply couldn’t reach all the way up to its neck by design.
Thus, the creature resorted to rolling and ramming into walls.
But Suho endured.
He withstood, bore it, and held on, refusing to release the firmly locked rear choke.
If he let go of the chokehold now, there would be no next time.
‘This is my first and last chance—I’ll never let it get behind me again after this!’
So he gritted his teeth and endured.
He was confident.
Although his level was only in the 70s, his stats far exceeded that.
And in that realm, even the Nemean Lion couldn’t easily ignore his strength.
‘This creature will only continue to grow. Today is, therefore, the weakest day it will ever be.’
A certain luxury brand CEO once said.
Our products are cheapest today.
The Nemean Lion was the same.
In any Iron Gorge found around the world, if hunters killed a certain number of Gorge Lions, the Monster Lion would appear.
Once summoned, the Monster Lion’s level continuously increased, and having a boss monster with an endlessly increasing level in a level-limited gate ultimately meant that the gate couldn’t be cleared.
‘Well, it’s a way to filter out those with minimum qualifications as heroes.’
For that reason, the number of ‘Heracles Candidates’ had once been fewer than ten.
The qualification requirements for the bare minimum were incredibly tough to begin with.
So for Suho, who knew all the facts and had prepared thoroughly, challenging for the title of Heracles Candidate was immensely attractive.
– Roar!!
Suho’s body became covered with wounds.
Scratches from colliding with walls and being thrown to the ground had caused them.
Meanwhile, the lion furiously raked its claws against Suho’s forearms.
It was the best option the creature could take.
That was why he wore the Blood Armor.
With ordinary armor, it would have long since been torn to shreds.
But the Blood Weapon, which was influenced by Suho’s stats, could recover as long as he had enough magic power and blood.
“Please…!”
Jung Chulmin swallowed dryly.
All he could do was clasp his hands and pray to a god he didn’t believe in from a place far from the Monster Lion’s roars.
His hands were already damp with sweat.
Watching such a fierce battle from afar made him tense up unconsciously.
Thus, several tens of minutes passed as the battle between the dragon and the lion continued.
During that time, part of the gorge was destroyed, craters formed in the ground, and thick dust clouds rose until finally, the chaos subsided.
“…”
Jung Chulmin swallowed once more.
The dust created by the peak of the struggle began to clear as a breeze blew through the gorge, revealing a silhouette.
[The ruler of the Iron Gorge, the Monster Lion, has been slain.]
[The gate has been cleared.]
[The MVP of the gate clear is ‘Ahn Suho.’]
“…!”
The notification appeared in front of Jung Chulmin’s eyes.
It was a system alert that the gate had been cleared.
“Yes!!”
Jung Chulmin, hands still clasped in prayer, shivered with excitement.
At the same time, Suho, who saw the same notification, finally let go of the lion’s neck and lay on the ground.
[As MVP, you have been awarded additional experience points.]
[As MVP, you have received one bonus stat point.]
[Your level has increased.]
[All stats have increased by 1.]
[You have gained one bonus stat point.]
A notification only visible to Suho.
Monopolizing the results was natural.
In the Iron Gorge, the only person who had risked their life was Ahn Suho.
Seeing the system alert, Suho finally rested his body on the ground.
“Damn, this bastard…”
Lying on the ground, Suho chuckled as he looked at the Nemean Lion, sprawled like a doll.
It was only natural.
Even though the world had turned into something like a game, who would have thought they’d have to defeat a lion with a rear chokehold?
Still, it was an amusing experience.
In the past, when Bless had told him this story, Suho had thought he’d like to try it at least once.
“Well, now… shall I finish it off?”
Though his muscles screamed in pain after wrestling with the lion, he still had a task to do.
This creature was no ordinary monster.
Suho first summoned Ghost Shadow Spear into his hand.