Leveling Up Through Eating

Chapter 976

Rhoando believed that he could do it. He hoped he could return the food taken away from everyone. He had judged that he could take down the Level 750 half-god, half-dragon as long as he fought alongside the rebels. However, that was nothing but mere arrogance.

The moment Rhoando realized that the half-god, half-dragons were twins, he instantly understood that they could not and would not be able to win. Looking back, he saw Minhyuk and the rebels, who wanted to create a new world with him.

“Everyone, run!!!”

Rhoando’s instincts were shouting at him, ‘If you want to live, then run away.’

The rebels also understood the current situation that they were in. But just when they were about to run back to where they came from, the half-god, half-dragon with the wings of a mantis appeared and blocked their path. The worst part? More than 700 gigantic wasps flew out from the wall that the half-god, half-dragon with the wings of a bee destroyed.

[Giant Wasps. Level 608.]

They were suddenly thrust into a challenging situation. But that was not the end. A powerful force suddenly started to gather in the mouth of the first dragon with the wings of a mantis.

Slash, slash, slash, slash, slash–!

Blood spurted out of the bodies of the rebels as hundreds of blades shot out and cut them down.

“Uwaaaaaaaaack!”

Many of the rebels screamed as they received severe injuries from the attack. Even the more than 700 giant wasps fired countless venomous needles from the tips of their tails.

[You got hit by a Wasp Stinger.]

[You will fall into a two-second stunned state.]

[Your HP will continuously fall for two hours. Your body will suffer from a boiling heat, and you will experience severe dizziness.]

The rebels’ bodies turned stiff. Even though he saw his comrades unable to move, Rhoando’s head was uncharacteristically cool and composed. Even his pounding heart slowly turned calm. At this moment, Rhoando was more sober and calm than anybody else, and he grasped the situation firmly.

Then, Rhoando turned to Minhyuk and said, “Hyung-nim, can you please let the world know?”

Minhyuk looked at Rhoando in confusion. He was caught off-guard by the attack of the first dragon. Minhyuk was much stronger than what Rhoando and the rebels thought of. If he could react and respond appropriately to the attack, he would have been able to help them.

However, Rhoando did not know this fact and said, “Please let the world know that there were people who fought so that everyone could eat once again.”

“...”

“We don’t want anything grand. We just wanted to see everyone return home after going about their daily lives and eat with their families happily.”

“...”

“Please, please let the world know.”

A shudder ran down Minhyuk’s spine. They did not want anything grand. They just wanted everyone in the world to be able to eat delicious food. This was Rhoando’s wish.

At that moment, a notification rang in Minhyuk’s ears.

[Rhoando is the progeny who inherited the blood of the Food God.]

[You are this era’s Food God.]

[Right now, you are witnessing the pride of the Food God’s progeny.]

[Even if he risks dying, he would still take a step toward his enemies.]

“Hyung-nim, you should go now!!!”

[He is the successor and the progeny of the Food God, a god who loves to eat. Yet he has lived and is still living in a world where food, cooking, and eating are controlled.]

Determined to remain standing by Rhoando’s side even at their last moments, the rebels grabbed their weapons and stood up again.

[You, the Food God, are watching these people make a stand despite their fear to protect and allow the people of this world to eat to their heart’s content.]

“Please go quickly, hyung-nim!”

“Go and use the return stone!”

“Please– Please don’t forget about us!”

“Hyung-nim! Thank you for the delicious chicken porridge!”

[They are taking a huge step toward something trivial yet bigger than anything else.]

Shwaaaaaaaaaaaa–!

At that moment, a powerful force rose from Rhoando’s body. This was none other than the power of the Overlapping Delight.

Because food was controlled in this world, his Overlapping Delight transformed and manifested differently. In his version, he could still get a strong buff despite not eating any food.

However, in exchange, he would only be able to receive the effects of the skills for an entire minute. But in that one minute, Rhoando probably had the power to transcend even god.

Then, another series of notifications rang.

[You will now hear why food has disappeared from Utopia.]

[Food God Allen received a warm welcome from everyone when he arrived in Utopia.]

[Everyone was excited at the descent of a true and complete god, not someone with only half the blood of a god.]

[However, the Food God was nothing but a god who loved to eat.]

[Many of those who carried the power of half-gods and the half-transcendentals laughed at the Food God.]

[He was neither strong nor was he superior to others.]

[However, some people recognized Allen’s true worth.]

[Aleia, someone who carried the power of a half-transcendental, had fallen in love and spent a long time with him.]

[Two children were born from the love between the two. Their first child, a child who was half-god, half-transcendental, became the Sky of Utopia.]

[Their second child inherited only the power of a half-god and led a normal life.]

[Their first child was ashamed at the fact that he had inherited the blood of the Food God, a god who had received the criticism and ridicule of everyone in Utopia.]

[Because of that, he erased everything related to the Food God, including his name and even the food in the world.]

Minhyuk finally knew the reason why god had taken food away from Utopia.

[But Rhoando, the half-god, half-elf who had inherited half of the Food God’s blood, was of a different mind from the first child.]

[My father is great. I will prove it.]

Minhyuk looked at Rhoando’s back as he used Overlapping Delight to slaughter the giant wasps coming his way.

[He was born with the blood of someone constantly mocked and ridiculed.]

[However, he was proud of it and had always worked hard to prove to them how great his father was.]

[He was teased and criticized for inheriting the blood of the Food God.]

[But now, in this journey to find and bring back food, he showed courage and bravery that far surpassed anybody else.]

Vwooooooooong–!

Rhoando leaped to the sky after sweeping away hundreds of giant wasps.

He wanted to let everyone know that the Food God was not a god who deserved to be mocked, ridiculed, and made fun of. He wanted to prove to the world what kind of god the Food God was. He also wanted to show the world how delightful it was to eat food again.

Slash, slash, slash, slash, slash–!

Rhoando’s giant axe slammed straight into the head of the first dragon.

Thud–!

He grabbed the snout of the reeling dragon and hit it like crazy. He beat the dragon until its tough skin broke apart, and he hit flesh.

“Kihyeeeeeeeeeeck!”

When the dragon crashed down on the ground after struggling fiercely against the onslaught of Rhoando’s attacks, he quickly landed and struck its head again.

Thud–! Thud, thud–! Thud–!

Blood spurted from the dragon’s body with every hit Rhoando landed on him. But at the same time, the power that the dragon carried also wreaked havoc and tore apart Rhoando’s flesh.

[He is the child of a man mocked and ridiculed.]

The notification again rang for the people trying to bring food back to the world.

[He was the child of the man who had been ignored.]

Slash, slash, slash, slash, slash–!

[And they…]

The rebels fought more fiercely. They wanted everyone to know that they fought to get food back on their tables until their last breath.

Even if we die, people will still fight for our cause. They will always, always exist.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!”

They let go of their fears and charged toward the second dragon.

[...they were the ones who did their best until their very last moments.]

At that moment, Rhoando finally brought the first divine dragon to the brink of death.

Slaaaaaash–!

Rhoando believed he only needed to hack the dragon a few more times with his axe, and he could kill him. But then, the second divine dragon, the one with the wings of a bee, roared.

“Kihyeeeeeeeeeeck!!!”

Then, thousands of poisonous needles shot out of its body and pierced through Rhoando and the rebels’ bodies.

[You have been hit by the Divine Dragon’s Poisonous Stinger.]

[Your body will be left in a paralyzed state for three minutes.]

[Your HP will continuously fall for five minutes, eventually bringing you to your death.]

Rhoando’s body turned stiff.

“Kihyeeeeeeeeck!”

The first divine dragon slapped him away, crushing a few of his bones as his body slammed into the ground.

Helpless, Rhoando could only look at the rebels sadly. He could see their faces turning blue as they stood there, paralyzed. There were even many of them vomiting blood all over the place.

[They did not regret anything.]

Everyone present was relieved. As Rhoando looked at the rebels, he tried to give them a slight nod. They were all afraid. However, they fought back their tears and held their heads up high.

[They were glad they could fight until their last breath to bring the food back to this world.]

Then, another series of notifications rang in Minhyuk’s ears.

[You have witnessed the people who would fight until the very last moment to bring food back to this world!]

[All of your stats have increased by 1%!]

[You have gained 1 Food God SP.]

All of this happened in just one minute.

Meanwhile, Rhoando, who believed that he was going to die soon, thought, ‘It’s just… there’s just one thing that I want…’

I wanted to prove it.

He wanted to prove that the Food God was not weak and trivial. He was not a god who deserved to be mocked, criticized, ridiculed, and pointed fingers at.

As Rhoando thought of his earnest wish, a notification rang.

[You, the progeny of the Food God, are praying to the Food God!]

[You hope you will one day prove to the world that the Food God is not a weak and trivial god!]

[Your prayers have reached god!]

All beings would tend to pray to god in their moments of despair. And Rhoando, who watched the furious first divine dragon roar and move to tear him apart, silently prayed to god.

“Kihyeeeeeeeck!”

Rhoando watched bitterly as the first divine dragon flew toward him at a breakneck speed.

[The Food God of the current era answers your prayers!]

[The Food God of the current era answers your prayers!]

There was someone else, someone who was not paralyzed by the poison sent by the divine dragon. And this someone moved to stand in front of Rhoando.

[The Food God of the current era is with you!]

Rhoando could not understand. No one had descended or appeared before them, yet the notification told him that the Food God of the current era was with them.

At that moment, Rhoando saw someone standing in front of him.

[The Food God of the current era looks at you!]

“...?!”

Rhoando made eye contact with the man standing in front of him. He saw a slight smile on the man’s face.

[The Food God of the current era tells you!]

“Thank you.”

[The Food God of the current era praises you and your comrades for fighting until the very last minute and for never losing the pride of the Food God as you try to bring the food back to this world.]

“I will show it to you.”

[The Food God of the current era wants to show you that the Food God is not a weak, pitiful, and trivial god.]

“I will show you what kind of god the Food God is.”

The gigantic divine dragon had already appeared right in front of Minhyuk. However, he easily and swiftly pulled his sword out and slashed the first divine dragon.

Slash, slash, slash, slash, slash, slash–!

At that moment, the divine dragon’s body was slashed and torn apart until blood spurted out all over its body. The second divine dragon seemed to have sensed that the first divine dragon was in danger. It roared loudly and quickly ran toward its brethren.

Meanwhile, Minhyuk swapped his shabby outfit for his artifacts. He donned his silver armor, gaiters, and cape, which carried the symbol of a fork and knife crossed together.

Rhoando’s jaw dropped open. Even the other rebels could not take their eyes off Minhyuk.

“Kihyeeeeeeeeck!!!”

Minhyuk swung his sword again at the charging dragon, whose mouth was wide open.

Slash, slash, slash, slash, slash–!

And just like before, blood spurted out all over its gigantic body.