The Lion of Nemea.

    A mythical creature known to those well-versed in lore. It was the first of the legendary Twelve Labors completed by the demigod hero Heracles.

    ‘And it’s also infamous as the qualification test for those aiming to become “Heracles Candidates.”’

    The Lion of Nemea wasn’t named so for nothing. Its alias, the “Monster Lion,” was derived directly from the myths surrounding the Lion of Nemea.

    Defeating this creature granted the victor one of the Powers of Heracles.

    ‘The Power of Heracles... This time, it’ll be mine.’

    Su-ho recalled the man who once bore the title of Heracles in his past life.

    He was a towering Black man, the first to complete the Twelve Labors spread across the world.

    ‘That’s how the “Black Heracles” was born.’

    It wasn’t about racial stereotypes—he had chosen the name himself.

    He took immense pride in his skin color and referred to himself as Black Heracles, or simply Bless.

    ‘Bless... He was a good man.’

    Su-ho didn’t just know of Bless; he was close friends with him.

    Bless, proud of the Heracles title, walked a path of heroism and ideals that aligned closely with Su-ho’s.

    Because of this, Su-ho knew all the strategies for overcoming the Twelve Labors.

    But now...

    ‘Sorry, Bless. This time, I’m taking the Power of Heracles.’

    While trustworthy allies were important, that principle had changed after Su-ho’s betrayal in the wake of conquering his first cataclysmic gate.

    The knife stabbed into his back had reshaped his values.

    Where once he believed in delegation—letting experts handle what he couldn’t—he now resolved to acquire every skill and power for himself.

    Su-ho discarded his sword.

    If the Phantom Spear couldn’t pierce the lion, his Blood Sword wouldn’t fare any better. Neither would his blade techniques like Steel Slice or Cloud Cleave.@@@@

    He needed a different approach.

    Deactivating the Blood Sword, Su-ho transformed the Blood Weapon into double gauntlets that encased his arms and shoulders.

    Blood Gauntlets.

    Su-ho decided to call them Blood Gloves.

    Bang!

    He slammed his fists together, testing their durability.

    Seeing this, the Lion of Nemea leaped at him with the agility of a feline predator.

    Grrraaahh!!

    As the lion charged, Su-ho didn’t retreat. He ran straight toward it.

    “What the hell?!”

    Graaaahhh!!Graaaahhh!!

    It wasn’t exactly the most “Sword Saint-like” method, but against the Lion of Nemea’s defense, human ingenuity was the best weapon.

    Even Heracles himself had resorted to this very technique.

    Graaaaahhh!!

    The lion thrashed violently, its efforts growing more desperate.

    But the harder it struggled, the more firmly Su-ho clung to its back like a stubborn insect.

    Letting go wasn’t an option.

    If Su-ho released the chokehold, there wouldn’t be a second chance.

    ‘This is it. My first and only opportunity.’

    Su-ho clenched his teeth, pouring all his strength into the hold.

    Though his level was only in the 70s, his stats were far beyond that, thanks to countless battles and meticulous planning.

    ‘The Lion of Nemea will only grow stronger. Today is the weakest it’ll ever be.’

    Su-ho remembered a quote from a luxury brand CEO: “Our products are cheapest today.”

    The same applied here.

    The Lion of Nemea grew stronger as it leveled up, making it increasingly impossible to conquer the gate it guarded. This scaling system filtered out all but the most worthy challengers for the title of Heracles Candidate.

    Su-ho’s body bore the brunt of the lion’s struggles. He was battered and bruised, his arms and legs scratched and bloodied.

    The Blood Gloves endured the onslaught, regenerating with each blow. Ordinary armor would have long been shredded to ribbons.

    “Please...!”

    From a distance, Jeong clasped his hands in prayer, sweat dripping from his brow as he watched the brutal battle unfold.

    The clash of dragon and lion stretched on for what felt like an eternity, leaving parts of the valley shattered and the air thick with dust.

    Finally, the chaos subsided.

    [ The ruler of Iron Valley, the Monster Lion, has been defeated. ]

    [ The gate has been conquered. ]

    [ MVP: An Su-ho. ]

    Jeong stared at the notification in stunned silence before erupting with a shout.

    “Yes!!”

    His prayer had been answered.

    Meanwhile, Su-ho, seeing the same notification, finally released his grip on the lion and collapsed onto the ground.

    [ Bonus EXP granted for MVP selection. ]

    [ One bonus stat awarded. ]

    [ Level up! All stats increased by 1. ]

    As the notifications rolled in, Su-ho chuckled at the sight of the lion sprawled lifelessly beside him.

    “Damn stubborn thing...”

    Even in a world turned into a game, who could have imagined defeating a lion with a chokehold?

    It had been a grueling yet oddly exhilarating experience.

    “Now then... Time to clean up.”

    Despite his aching muscles, Su-ho summoned the Phantom Spear to finish the job.