Leveling Up Through Eating

Chapter 980

Minhyuk struck the Heart of Oppression without any hesitation.

Baaaaaaaaaang–!

[The Heart of Oppression cannot easily be destroyed.]

[The Heart of Oppression will constantly interfere with you, who is set to destroy it through various methods.]

It was just as Minhyuk expected. The Heart of Oppression had put all of the ingredients under oppression and had been sucking up their powers for hundreds of years. It was only natural that it would be tough to destroy. But Minhyuk was not deterred. He continued to swing and hack at it with his sword.

Bang–!

Boom–!

Bang, bang–!

He did not waver as he swung his sword as swiftly as possible.

‘Of course, I’m sad too.’

That was right. Minhyuk felt it was a pity that he wouldn’t be able to get 100% of the power of the Oppression’s Beef Grill Set. After all, at 100%, his level could increase by four just by eating it. His stats would also increase by 45% and his HP and MP by 80%. Even the level of his skills would increase by +5 while the chosen skill would increase by +3.

Minhyuk was sure he would leave everyone in the dust if he ate a dish from the Oppression’s Ingredient.

‘Everything comes with a price. In Athenae, easily obtaining power like this would mean that you have to pay a price.’

Take the Oppression’s Beef Grill Set as an example. If Minhyuk ate this, he would grow strong. However, the Eight Pillars might target him and knock on his doors. Aside from that, there was also an unpredictable system. There was a chance that it could overwhelm and even restrict Minhyuk.

‘Instead of only one delighting in something delicious, it’s better to share the delight of eating something delicious with everyone.’

Minhyuk was convinced that Utopia, a world where food had been banned and oppressed, had some specialty. If he ate the Oppression’s Beef Grill Set, not only would all of the ingredients disappear, but even that specialty would disappear.

‘I don’t want to be in a situation where others would not be able to eat just because I want to become stronger.’

This was the greatest reason for Minhyuk’s choice. Minhyuk knew hunger better than anybody else. He could not allow others to live in eternal hunger just because he wanted to become stronger. And he also wanted to see it.

‘The people of Utopia laughing and eating happily.’

Minhyuk tightened his grip on his sword, his strikes growing fiercer and fiercer by the second.

Bang–!

Bang, bang, bang–!

He would let them know the pleasure of eating!

Bang–!

The feeling of delight when one came back from work and sat around with their families to talk while having a meal and eating delicious dishes.

Boom–!

Boom, boom, boom–!

A small smile appeared on Minhyuk’s face. He could feel a slight jolt from the Heart of Oppression with every hit he landed.

“I understand now.”

He heard the voice of one of the people who introduced themselves as the heroes of Utopia. Minhyuk did not trust them at all. He had been vigilant ever since they introduced themselves as “heroes.”

[Hero King Rakk. Level 808.]

First, the level of the man named Rakk, the very same man trying to talk to him, was very unusual. And it was not just him.

[Hero Ender. Level 777.]

[Hero Broden. Level 786.]

[Hero Iyasdar. Level 791.]

Even the level of the other heroes who accompanied him was not low. On top of that, this was the place “where something was being oppressed and subdued.” It was obvious that they had a purpose for coming to such a place.

“You’re the Food God.”

Rakk knew that only the Food God would show such a crazy desire for food, even in the face of a strong power. At this moment, Rakk decided to put away all sense of pretense.

“Ah. I will never forget it. The god who only knows how to eat.”

He realized that the one who killed the divine dragon was the Food God.

“I don’t know how you killed the divine dragon. But if you back off now, then I won’t kill you.” Rakk smiled viciously. “Then, the Heart of Oppression will not be destroyed. Ah, you should know that the more you try to destroy it, the more it will tighten its hold on you and tempt you.”

“Even if you destroy the Heart of Oppression, you will still die under our hands. This transparent barrier would disappear when the Heart of Oppression is destroyed, or the ingredient is born.”

The Heart of Oppression was already 95% completed. If it were broken, they would still be able to remake it, and it would even be completed much faster.

“Was it you?” Minhyuk asked, his face twisting into an ugly expression. His sharp and vicious glare turned to look at the Hero King Rakk and the other heroes.

“...”

“...”

Minhyuk’s CHA, a stat that affected his majesty and momentum and even his battle intent, had already gone beyond anyone’s imagination. The battle intent that Minhyuk released weighed upon the heroes in the dungeon.

‘What the hell? His gaze…’

‘How can a god like the Food God show this much killing intent…?’

Minhyuk took one slow step after another until he reached the portion of the transparent barrier that blocked the heroes.

“I promise…”

“...”

“...”

“...that I will kill you all with my own hands.”

An indescribable anger bubbled deep inside Minhyuk. These people controlled everyone's food just to fulfill their selfish greed.

But then, Rakk giggled. “Pfft…!”

The killing intent that he had released just now was horrifying. But that was all. The man in front of them did not even look like he was any more substantial than Rakk.

“Just with you alone?”

He was alone, while there were four people on their side. They were also hailed as the heroes of Utopia—Utopia’s Hero was not an empty title. Yet the man, Minhyuk, just told them that he would personally kill them.

“Aaaah. Yes, that’s right. You have a way to deal with us.” Rakk flashed a dark smile at Minhyuk. “You can probably do it if you wait a week and eat the ingredient that would be born from the Heart of Oppression. Fufufufufu!”

Rakk’s mocking laughter resonated in the area.

“Of course, we would still be able to kill you by then. Huh? You should remember this well.” Rakk guffawed. “I have more than 4,000 half-gods and half-transcendentals under my command.”

Rakk was extremely confident with his influence and power.

“And I also have a huge army with more than half a million troops that would move with just a single word from me.”

Although he did not know, Minhyuk had an army of more than one million under his command.

“Want to hear something more amazing?”

Rakk, with a greedy expression, pointed at the transparent barrier and said, “After eating that ingredient, I will kill the god of this land. Not only that, I will move to your world and become the Battle God.”

“???”

Minhyuk tilted his head when he heard Rakk’s ambitious words. Battle God? What an extremely familiar god, no? At this moment, Rakk had revealed to Minhyuk a part of the reason why he created the Heart of Oppression.

“From what I heard, the Battle God is a great monarch who leads thousands of gods under his command. He’s an Absolute God who rules all the world's armies!”

“???”

“I will be that Battle God. Once I become the Battle God, a bug like you will stand no chance!”

The other heroes were also giggling.

“A trivial and useless god like you would not even be able to make eye contact with a great god like the Battle God.”

“Sir Rakk is the man who will become the Battle God. It’s an honor for such a lowly god like you to even be able to converse with him like this.”

“Have you ever been able to talk to the Battle God before, huh? You must not have had the chance. He won’t deal with such a trivial and useless god like you! Hahaha!”

Minhyuk was feeling so freaking honored because of them that he was rendered speechless.

“I also know the Battle God.”

After all, Minhyuk was the Battle God himself. He had all the qualifications to become the great sovereign who would lead all of the gods.

Rakk grew even prouder. “Even though you’re just the Food God, the fact that you killed the divine dragon means you have a use. If you choose to become my dog and stop destroying the Heart of Oppression, I will leave a place for you once I become the Battle God.”

Minhyuk was none other than the Battle God that he was talking about. It was funny to see Rakk babbling about giving the Battle God a position under him. However, Minhyuk had judged that he would gain nothing if he revealed that he was the Battle God right here and now. As he listened to the heroes weave their fantasies, Minhyuk’s head began to spin and weigh the pros and cons of the situation.

‘Would it be beneficial for us to have them come here?’

Of course, the “them” he was talking about was the people of the Beyond the Heavens Empire. Minhyuk, who finally found the answer, nodded to himself.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t give his orders to his people or the players under his command because he was in Utopia, a different world from theirs. And since he couldn’t even use the skill that would allow him to summon Spear God Ben, he would not be able to use the Almond of Subordinates. However, that did not mean that there was no way at all.

Minhyuk quickly disappeared from Rakk and the other heroes’ view. He logged out. And around ten minutes later, Minhyuk returned.

“He must have needed the time to think.” Rakk snickered. He thought that Minhyuk would soon kneel in front of him and beg.

However, Minhyuk grinned at them and said, “I told you. I promise that I will kill you with my own hands.”

After leaving those words behind, he turned around and began attacking the Heart of Oppression again. Minhyuk was the type of person who would always follow through with the words that he had said. Not only that, he was also the type of person who would finish what he had started.

Bang, bang, bang–!

***

At the same time.

Genie hurriedly called for an emergency meeting after receiving a call from her dear boyfriend, Minhyuk, also known as the Battle God and the Emperor of the Beyond the Heavens Empire.

“I believe all of you understand the current situation, right?”

Of course, all the players and NPCs, including the demoted Brod, who immediately ran the moment he was notified of the meeting, were present.

Sitting among them, Haze was tapping the calculator in her head furiously.

“To deal with Hero King Rakk and the heroes, it’s only natural for us to gather the team of our empire’s best.”

But if they went to that world filled with uncertainties, they might get hurt again. Also, the best of the best of the Beyond the Heavens Empire were those who could raise enormous funds to help the empire daily.

“His Majesty is in danger. Shouldn’t we go right away?”

Some of the NPCs nodded in agreement to Brod’s words. However, Haze remained calm as he pondered the matter deeply.

First, they had to determine how many people would go. Then, they had to decide who should go and who would be most efficient.

‘Right now, the Luvien Empire and the Beyond the Heavens Empire are in a truce. There’s no one trying to fight a war against us.’

Not only did she have to take into account the previously mentioned matters, but she also had to take into account Hero King Rakk, the heroes, and the countless other variables that Minhyuk was facing right now. It did not take too long for Haze to conclude.

‘It’s okay for us to send many of the Beyond the Heavens Empire’s talents to that place.’

Haze not only considered Minhyuk’s safety and rescue but also considered the material benefits that they would receive.

‘His Majesty has developed a close relationship with the man who would most likely become the god of that new world. This means that His Majesty will probably have him under his command.’

Once Minhyuk sat on the Battle God’s throne completely, there was a chance he would have the entire Utopia in his hands. If that were the case, then how much would they be able to profit from it?

‘Perhaps we would gain over hundreds of billions of platinum?’

If Beyond the Heavens Empire could interact and maintain a relationship with Utopia, they could gain something the Luvien Empire did not have.

The NPCs and players all turned to look at Haze with nervous expressions. Haze usually opposed sending the talents of the Beyond the Heavens Empire out. She did not want to send them carelessly anywhere, and since they were strong, she always tended to select the fewest people to deal with the matter. This was because this was the most efficient way.

But today was different.

“We will send everyone, except for the least number of talents needed to maintain the function of the empire, to Utopia.”

Haze had never sent a large number of people out since she always said that having the least number of people was the most efficient. But now, Haze gave her approval, which corresponded to Minhyuk’s approval, to send all of the Beyond the Heavens Empire’s high-rankers and NPCs.

Haze smiled silently and said, “Let’s go and suck every last bit of profit that we can get from that place.”