Leveling with the Gods - Chapter 633

* * *

It was a day with a warm sun shining.

Player Kim Chul-soo.

He had always lived being mistaken for someone else.

“It’s Kim Yu-won!”

“Really?”

There was a commotion because Kim Yu-won had appeared on the 8th floor.

However.

‘You’ve got the wrong person, you idiots!’

Of course, Chul-soo was busy lowering his head and slipping away through the crowd.

Kim Chul-soo.

He had been mistaken for countless people for no other reason than that he looked exactly like Kim Yu-won.

Black hair, cold expression, handsome features.

Like a doppelganger, he looked exactly like Kim Yu-won.

“Haa.”

Sighing deeply, he took out his kit.

[Points in possession: 102]

His balance was starting to show the bottom.

He was in a situation where he had to worry about his next meal if he didn’t hurry to the next floor.

‘I wonder if I’ll do well on the next test.’

It was tiring to always be mistaken for Kim Yu-won and somehow getting out of the situation.

Chul-soo wanted to hurry and become a proper player himself.

So that he could become a ranker someday.

So that there would come a day when he would be called ranker Kim Chul-soo, not Kim Yu-won.

‘I have to earn points.’

Points.

As a player who had not succeeded properly, he had no way to earn the currency of the Tower.

There were two ways for a player to earn points.

Either by going up and getting rewards, or by getting support from a guild.

If not, there was no choice but to end up on the streets.

Clang-.

Chul-soo, who had entered the alley leading to his accommodation, clenched his fist around his kit and made up his mind once again.

“I absolutely have to pass the next test…….”

“Kyaaaah-!”

It was then that he heard a familiar scream.

It wasn’t a sound he had only heard once or twice.

Chul-soo turned his head further into the alley and his eyes widened.

‘Ji-won?’

It was the scream of his younger sister, Kim Ji-won.

Chul-soo ran towards the direction of the sound and his eyes fell on his sister with short hair that reached her shoulders.

Kim Ji-won.

She was Chul-soo’s sister who had entered the Tower with him and climbed the Tower together.

“Chul-soo, where did that bastard go?”

“You bitch, you won’t answer and just scream-.”

“Hey!”

Chul-soo’s voice echoed through the alley.

“What are you guys doing!”

As he shouted, the players who had surrounded Ji-won turned to look at Chul-soo.

Some flinched as they met his gaze.

“Oh, Chul-soo’s here.”

“Ah, damn. I can’t get used to that bastard’s face no matter how many times I see it.”

They were familiar faces.

They were players who had been lending Chul-soo points for a few months now.

“Hey, the due date for the interest has already passed by a week.”

“The interest has surpassed the principal? So, do you have a way to pay it back?”

“Are you going to get by just shouting, customer?”

“Do you have any points left? Okay, just hand that over first. I can’t wait any longer.”

A loan shark that lends money to players who have no points for the test and charges expensive interest.

It was a mistake to reach out to them thinking it would be okay just once.

The bastards were more persistent than he had thought, and they had followed him all the way to the 8th floor with the points he had borrowed on the 5th floor.

‘Even if I try to pay back the principal, they won’t let me, so what do they want me to do?’

Snap-.

There were two ways to get out of their clutches.

Find a guild that would protect him, or become a high-level player with the power to protect himself.

If he could just become a ranker, he wouldn’t have to be pushed around by such punks anymore.

‘Damn it. If I give them this too, then it’s really…….’

As he was racking his brains.

“Hey, Kim Yu-won! You’re here fast?”

An upbeat voice that didn’t fit the situation cut in.

Jingle-.

Wow-.

Shiny blonde hair that seemed to glow on its own.

His dazzling appearance, which seemed to emit light on its own, drew attention. Anyone interested in the rankings would know who he was. ‘Ha, Hargan?’ Overshadowed by Kim Yu-won, he was a player who had also become a ranker at an incredible pace. Thanks to his talent and ambition, he had emerged as the most promising successor to Olympus. He was originally a great being who could not be seen on the lower floors, but… Clack. “Who are these guys? Do you know them?” He put his arm around Cheol-su’s shoulder. “Re, really?” “Are you an idiot? Can’t you tell? It’s Hargan.” “I heard that the two of you were tutorial buddies…” Cheol-su changed his expression as he watched the gangsters cautiously observing them. He didn’t know what was going on, but this was his chance. “What were you talking about before?” “Eek!” “Th, that…” “There seems to be a misunderstanding…” The gangsters’ expressions turned pale as they met Cheol-su’s gaze. When they thought he was Kim Cheol-su, they were only a little intimidated, but when they thought he was the real Kim Yu-won, they felt like they were going to throw up. “Did you borrow money?” “Yes?” Ji-won was startled by Cheol-su’s question and answered. “Yes… But I paid off the principal a long time ago, and yet…” “Is that true?” Thud, thud. The bodies of the men who had been so imposing with just a glare and a word began to tremble. The men surrounding Ji-won mumbled without answering. “Th, that…” “Don’t even think about lying. It won’t work.” It wasn’t a lie. Kim Yu-won’s known skill, ‘Fire and Gold Eyes’, had the power to discern the truth and falsehood of his opponent. If the real Kim Yu-won were here right now, he would be able to tell the moment they lied. “I, I’ll burn it right away! So please spare my life…” “Here, here it is!” Whoosh. The contract quickly burned before their eyes. Cheol-su nodded slightly, hiding his pounding heart. “Get lost.” He uttered one word indifferently. “Eek!” “I, I’m sorry!” “L, l, let’s go!” The loan sharks surrounding Ji-won hurriedly left their seats. They had just been spewing harsh words at Kim Yu-won, so they were afraid that he might curse them. “What’s wrong, guys?” Of course, Hargan, who didn’t know the situation, was just confused. Hargan tilted his head, then patted Cheol-su’s shoulder as if he didn’t care. Thud, thud. “Let’s go eat.” And so, the unexpected companionship began. * * * The place where Hargan had just been. Yu-won arrived at the meeting place about five minutes late and muttered with his arms crossed. “He said he’d be here first.” Yu-won waited for Hargan, wondering where he had gone for a moment. Not knowing that he had already started eating. * * * “You really hate crowded places.” Hargan had rented out an entire restaurant. He asked, picking up a piece of meat with his fork. “Why? Was it more comfortable when you were forgotten for a few years?” “That…” What should he say? Cheol-su nodded after thinking for a moment. “Yes, it was.” “Really? I guess it could be comfortable. I’ve been like that lately too…” Hargan’s words went in one ear and out the other. He had all sorts of thoughts running through his head right now. ‘Is this okay?’ He had acted to avoid the situation. Thanks to that, he was able to get rid of the gangsters who had been harassing them with the loan as collateral, and he thought it was going smoothly. But now, this place. This place where he was sitting across from Hargan and cutting meat felt like he had escaped the wolf only to encounter a tiger.

“WhatiftheyfindoutthatI’mpersonatingKimYu-won?Isn’tthataseriouscrime?Atop-rankhigh-ranker,andtotopititoff,I’mpersonatingKimYu-won,sothepunishmentwillprobablybe… .”

Despiteorganizinghiscomplicatedthoughts,hecalmlycontinuedtoslicemeatandputitininhismouth.

Ican’tgetcaught.

IfIgetcaught,I’lldefinitelybeinstantlyelectrocutedbyHarkan’slightning.

Gulped-.

Alongwiththedryspit,heswallowedthesoftmeatintohisoesophagus.

Hemadeupmind.

“Let’spretend.Tilltheend.”

Ooh-.

Atthatmoment,Harkan’splayerkitrang.

Cheol-su’sbodytrembled.

Hidinghisfeelings,heasked.

“Whoisthis?”

“Oh,Iknow.Afriend.Justamoment.”

Harkanstoppedhismealandreceivedtextmessageswithhiskit.

Harkan,whohadbeenconcentratingonhiskitforawhile,broughtupthemaintopic.

“Areyougivingmeaweddinginvitation?Takeitoutfirst.”

Boom-.

ThunderroaredinCheol-su’shead.

Cometothinkofit,theymentionedthatKimYu-wonandPandora’sweddingwascomingsoon.

Itseemedthattoday’sappointmentwasbecauseofit.

“Iwascareless.”

“Careless?You?”

NooneotherthanKimYu-won?

That’showhereacted.

Certainly,evenifhethought aboutit,itwasareallyinsincereexcuse.

However.

“Well,that’spossible.”

Harkanboughtthatexcusemoreeasilythanexpected.

“Oh,Orpheuswillcomehereinawhile.Wecan’thaveaweddingwithoutasong,right?”

OrpheuswasarankerofOlympusknownforhisoutstandingperformance.

Itseemedthatthisplacewasnotonlyforweddinginvitationsbutalsovariousdiscussionsforthewedding.

Thisisgettingbigger.

Thingsaregettingbiggerandbigger.

AnalarmbellranginCheol-su’shead.

* * *

“Ugh,ugh'”

“Damn,whatthe…ugh. What’sgoingonhere?”

“Overthere…whoa-.WhyistheactualKimYu-wonwithme?”

ThemenwhoescapedfromKimYu-wonandHarkanranintoafardarkalleyandgaspedforbreath.

Theyraninagreathurry,andoneofthemencollapsedontheground.

“Shit…Ifyou’reahigh-ranker,caninterferewithotherpeople’sbusiness?”

“Hey,keepquiet.Doestheirhearingworkwell?”

“Yeah-.”

“Ah,damn.Ishould’vesuckedthatkid’sbloodmore.”

KimCheol-su.

Apatheticplayerwhohadfailedthetestseveraltimes.

He was the perfect person to get points in the long run.

“Let’s assume the guy with Harkan is the real Kim Yu-won, then where the hell is that Cheol-su bastard?”

“Thecontractisrippedapart?”

“Howdoyouknow?Willsomeonesucklikehimrealizethat?”

Thatwasright.

Anyway,KimCheol-suhasnowayofknowingthatthecontractislost.

OnlytherealkimYu-wonandHarkan know that.

Beep-.

Thekitrang,andnewscamein.

“Hey,wefoundCheol-su.”

Newsfromthemen’scolleague.

“Really?”

“Uh-huh.He’saloneinthealleywherewewereuntilnow.”

“Whyintheworldisheinthatneighborhood?Ah,damn.”

I don’t know what he’s doing there alone, but he must be Cheol-su since he’s not with Harkan.

“Shouldwegotohimnow?”

“……”

“……”

Atoneofthemen’squestions,thesurroundingsbecamequiet.

No one could answer right away.

IfKimYu-wonandHarkanwere still around, things could get really bad this time.

“Shouldwewaitabit?”

“L,let’sdothat.”

“Right.Thatbastardisinourpalm,anyway.”

“Let’swaittenminutesandleave.”

Intheend,theychosetoavoidKimYu-wonandmove.

Ofcourse.

TheresentmenttowardCheol-su,whohadcommittednowrong,grewthatmuchinsidethem.

“Cheol-su,thatbastard…… .”

Clack-.

Grittinghisteethasiftheywouldbreak.

OneturnedtoCheol-su,whowasstandingaloneattheendofthealley,andmumbled.

“Justyouwait.”

Withoutknowingwhoitwasthattheyweregrittingtheirteethtoward.

That was how they dared to show their teeth towards an entity they shouldn’t have.