Fantasy Library, Ch 381-385

Chapter 381: Inexhaustible, Limitless

“Rumble—”

Thunder rumbled like firecrackers, constantly roaring across the sky, causing electric flashes and lightning to flicker endlessly—dangerous and manic.

As the thunder and lightning gathered, Lancelot seemed to have transformed into a power generator, with violent lightning flickering all over his body.

“To answer the prayer of my beloved daughter, to crush a worthy foe, I now become lightning and entrust my life to you!”

The witch’s guardian loudly chanted his kotodama, absorbing all the thunder and lightning that had gathered around him.

“I hereby proclaim: I will not retreat, I will not fear, I am an unyielding knight, I can only advance forward—with singular resolve, I will break through and pierce my God-Slaying nemesis!”

The moment the kotodama descended, Lancelot charged down.

“Boom!”

It was the roar of the atmosphere.

The knight atop the white horse stepped into the realm of divine speed at that very moment, seemingly transformed into a lightning lance, charging straight toward Mount Nantai.

The atmosphere howled under the friction of the lightning lance, rising in heat, causing the firelight to flicker faintly.

An astonishing amount of Magical Power surged like divine aura, erupting with earth-shattering force as it plummeted downward.

Anyone could see—it was an astonishing assault.

Anyone could see—how terrifying the destructive power was.

At this moment, Lancelot’s charge was like a massive meteor falling from the sky, carrying an equally massive impact and destructive force, rushing toward Kaiser.

Judging from the momentum, Kaiser had no doubt—if that strike landed, the entirety of Mount Nantai would instantly be reduced to dust, completely destroyed.

Under this astonishing charge, Kaiser’s state also fully erupted.

He turned his gaze toward his hand, looking at the platinum-colored divine sword.

“So be it,” Kaiser murmured, “just let me take this chance to witness your might.”

With that, Kaiser raised the Divine Blade of Salvation.

“O white light of salvation—strike down my nemesis.”

His kotodama wasn’t loud; on the contrary, it was unusually calm.

Yet, the moment that short kotodama was chanted, a scene equally astonishing as Lancelot’s charge appeared.

A platinum-colored star rose from the divine sword, ascending above Kaiser’s head.

In the next second, a flash of light burst forth from within the platinum star.

“BOOM!!!”

The bursting flash collided abruptly with the incoming lightning lance, sparking an ear-splitting roar.

The shockwave rampaged like a storm, warping space itself, the atmosphere wailing continuously. Blinding light bloomed from the center of the collision, radiating light and heat outward, exhibiting an extraordinarily terrifying destructiveness.

The charging Lancelot was blown away in the collision, flying all the way into the clouds before he barely managed to stabilize himself.

“How is this possible…?!”

Guinevere, sitting in front of Lancelot, cried out in shock.

“To think he could actually wield my lord’s divine blade…”

Even Lancelot himself seemed somewhat incredulous.

The Divine Blade of Salvation—that was a heroic sword that only a brave one who slayed Demon Lords could wield. It was the signature weapon of the Last King, the strongest divine tool.

And now, this divine blade meant to slay Campiones was being wielded with such mastery by a Campione. To Lancelot and Guinevere, this impact was no less than the revelation that the Last King had been defeated.

But this was only the beginning.

As a collection of divine tools used by the gods of heaven, the Divine Blade of Salvation possessed terrifying might.

Its sharpness and durability needed no further mention. The white star created by the divine blade existed for the purpose of releasing salvation thunder.

The true form of the platinum flash was the thunder light forged from the weapons of the heavenly gods—each strike possessed the power to slay a Campione.

And such salvation thunder existed in inexhaustible, limitless quantity within the divine blade.

Thus, the white star began releasing countless dense flashes outward, like a rain of falling lightning, unleashing salvation thunder that blotted out the sky, covering Lancelot.

“——!”

Lancelot felt an overwhelming sense of alarm rise in his heart, the shadow of death rapidly approaching. Even the hand gripping his spear trembled, and his Magical Power became chaotic.

Not daring to slack off, Lancelot galloped on his white horse, darting back and forth through the sky with astonishing speed, dodging each incoming salvation thunderbolt.

“Uncle!”

Guinevere belatedly cried out, but could no longer elicit a response from Lancelot.

He had devoted his entire body and mind to evasion, unleashing all his focus and lifelong martial skill, just to dodge those countless salvation thunders.

In that dense, endless barrage of flashes, each bolt represented a divine weapon from the gods, each carried devastating power. A single grazing hit could cost an arm or a leg—and that would be the best-case scenario.

If struck directly, even a god would suffer mortal damage instantly.

Therefore, being hit was absolutely not an option.

“Please hold on! Uncle!”

Guinevere also understood how critical the situation was, her little face pale as she shouted.

“Though the Divine Blade of Salvation holds inexhaustible thunder within, the power of its wielder is limited. As long as we endure this most difficult period, that hateful Demon Lord will exhaust himself and offer up his neck!”

Though the Divine Blade of Salvation held infinite power, it was precisely because of its might—because it bore the powers of numerous divine weapons—that wielding it consumed a terrifying amount of energy.

The sustenance of the Divine Blade of Salvation was the life force of the earth. If it could absorb the earth’s essence, it could be used freely for a certain period. But without a vast reservoir of earth energy as fuel, the wielder had to provide the energy themselves.

This was no joke. With the divine blade’s power, its consumption per second was enormous. Even a Campione, who possessed hundreds of times the Magical Power of a human mage, would be exhausted to death in a short time if supplying it alone.

Thus, so long as one could endure, the barrage of salvation thunder would eventually cease, and the time to counterattack would arrive.

“Mist wind—rise!”

Lancelot also seemed intent on stalling for time, chanting a new kotodama.

This was a blessing borrowed from the Great Grandmother, Goddess of Water. It could summon fog around and even turn himself and his steed into mist—a very practical Authority.

A thick fog rose at that moment, concealing Lancelot’s figure and shrouding the entire sky in mist.

“Who do you think you’re underestimating?”

Seeing this scene, Kaiser narrowed his eyes.

Sensing his remaining Magical Power, Kaiser didn’t hesitate to release more salvation thunder, letting the endless flashes rain upon the sky. Even the platinum star ascended again, plunging into the thick fog.

Indeed, the Divine Blade of Salvation’s consumption was terrifying, but after recognizing Kaiser as its master, the blade’s consumption had been reduced. Furthermore, Kaiser’s own Magical Power far surpassed that of an ordinary Campione—he alone exceeded all other Campiones combined.

Thus, he could unleash salvation thunder recklessly, without worrying about exhaustion.

And so, the endless flashes pierced through the clouds, the platinum star evaporated the fog, forcing Lancelot’s figure to flee out in a wretched state.

“Boom!”

Finally, one flash struck Lancelot, penetrating his entire body and sending him bleeding heavily as he plummeted from midair.

“Uncle!”

The fallen Guinevere, battered and bruised, let out a shriek.

Lancelot slammed hard into the ground, shattering it and sinking downward, creating a large crater.

“…This is bad.”

He wobbled as he rose from the crater, blood streaming from his body.

Being struck directly by a salvation thunderbolt capable of killing a Campione—that damage was immense, so immense that he instantly approached the verge of death.

“Swish!”

Kaiser’s figure appeared as if through teleportation, landing before Lancelot.

“Though you are a god, being only a divine shadow created to protect others is ultimately lacking.”

Kaiser slowly walked toward Lancelot, holding the Divine Blade of Salvation radiating platinum light.

“As one qualified to stand beside the Last King and fight alongside him, even if you are not the strongest Steel, you should be a Steel hero second only to the Last King, no?”

This point had already been confirmed by the Ame no Murakumo within Kaiser.

It told Kaiser that the Lancelot before him was, like itself, a pure-blooded Steel—a most pure Steel God.

Compared to the Heretic Sun Wukong, the god before him was even purer, lacking the complicated Divinity and godly nature, and thus even more threatening.

If he had manifested as a Heretic God on earth, he likely would’ve been able to exhibit power on par with Sun Wukong.

Unfortunately, Lancelot, as merely a divine shadow, had limited threat.

“It’s a pity, but this is the end, Lancelot du Lac.”

Saying so, Kaiser raised the Divine Blade of Salvation, letting the platinum star rise once more.

“Boom!”

A platinum flash burst from it, instantly striking Lancelot and fully penetrating his body.

“Urgh…AAAAAHHHHHHH…!”

Lancelot let out a cry of anguish. His entire form began to dissipate like mist, slowly disintegrating.

“Uncle!”

Guinevere’s despairing and grief-filled scream followed, echoing through heaven and earth.

“Damnable Demon Lord! Damnable God-Slayer!”

Guinevere glared hatefully at Kaiser, then immediately activated a flight spell, swiftly flying off toward the horizon.

“Boom!”

A platinum flash streaked across space, striking the fleeing Guinevere and engulfing her petite figure.

Chapter 382: The Heretic Athena

The platinum radiance only began to dim after Guinevere’s figure vanished into thin air.

At the foot of Mount Nantai, having personally disposed of the unexpected enemy assault, Kaiser finally lowered the Divine Blade of Salvation in his hand.

“Not bad, it lived up to my earlier expectations.”

Kaiser was quite satisfied with the performance of the Divine Blade of Salvation.

There was no need to mention Guinevere, but even Lancelot—an actual god—was unable to withstand two bolts of salvation lightning. The destructive power was undoubtedly maxed out.

It should be known that the Divine Blade of Salvation housed an inexhaustible number of such salvation lightning bolts. As long as Kaiser could withstand the consumption, he could continue to scour the land with them. At that point, not to mention destroying a city, even annihilating an entire country would be possible in a short amount of time.

And this was not even the true power of the Divine Blade of Salvation.

This divine blade, formed from the weapons of the gods of heaven, had yet to reveal its true form.

If it did, the blade would immediately transform into a square-shaped mandala-style magic cube—becoming the Divine Blade Mandala—unleashing the weapons of the gods and firing them as lightning.

It could also absorb the earth’s essence, converting that energy into its own power, turning the land into a barren wasteland.

As the strongest steel, it was furthermore the bane of dragons and serpents, the nemesis of earth goddesses. Even the Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, being pure-blooded steel, could not compare to it in restraining dragon-serpent attributes.

In this world, there existed no divine instrument stronger than this, nor a weapon more terrifying.

As long as Kaiser willed it, the weapons of the gods used to forge this divine blade could be freely accessed—testament to its value.

One could only say that its earlier display was merely a minor test of the blade's edge.

If Kaiser were to go all out with it, whether the city of Nikko would still exist would be a matter of uncertainty.

“Too bad Lancelot was merely a divine shadow protecting Guinevere, not a Heretic God who had truly descended upon Earth. Even if defeated, no Authority could be usurped from him.”

Though it was a shame, Kaiser felt no regret.

At this point, gaining one more Authority or one less no longer made much of a difference to him.

Moreover, while he hadn’t acquired Lancelot’s Authority, he had definitely obtained Sun Wukong’s.

At this thought, Kaiser put away the Divine Blade of Salvation and summoned another weapon.

Golden bands on either end, black iron in the middle, and inscribed near the golden bands were the engraved words—“Ruyi Jingu Bang, weight: thirteen thousand five hundred jin.”

Yes, it was Sun Wukong’s signature weapon—the Ruyi Jingu Bang.

“Rise!”

Kaiser hurled the rod into the sky.

Immediately, under his control, the divine staff began to dance in midair.

Its ability could be gleaned from the word "Ruyi" meaning "as desired".

To summarize its power in one phrase: size at will, transformation at will.

It could freely change its size, length, and shape. With the wind it expanded, in water it enlarged. At its smallest, it could become a sewing needle, light and convenient. At its largest, it could reach the Thirty-Three Heavens above and the Eighteen Hells below—transforming into a pillar that pierced the heavens, as heavy as Mount Tai, utterly unmovable.

It could also turn into a rain of thousands of weapons, or morph into various other forms.

In the story of Journey to the West, Sun Wukong once turned the rod into a solid steel file, a three-pronged drill, a barber’s razor, even a hooked blade, and once into seventy-one twin-pronged forks to stir silk.

Besides that, the rod itself was a pure yang item, containing intense yang energy, which had a strong restraining effect against sinister forces—including dragons and serpents, which symbolized life and death and were deeply connected to the underworld and the night. The divine staff could suppress them.

Hence, it was also known as the Lingyang Rod, for being a pure yang object.

It’s worth noting that many believe the rod was called the Sea-Calming Divine Needle because it had the power to pacify the sea, but that is a misconception.

During flood control, Da Yu did indeed borrow the rod from the Grand Supreme Elder Lord, but it was used to measure the depth of rivers and seas—not to suppress them.

Because the rod was extremely heavy and could change its size at will, it was convenient for measuring depth at the bottom of lakes, seas, and rivers. That was why Da Yu borrowed it and used it extensively across various waters.

As a result, the rod came to be known as the “Celestial River Bottom-Setting Divine Treasure Iron.” The term “Divine Needle” was a mistaken transmission; the original text only used “Divine Treasure,” meaning a miraculous treasure.

After that, the divine staff was left in the human realm. During the peaceful era that followed flood control and mountain-cutting, it drifted to the depths of the Eastern Seas, ending up in the Dragon Palace.

To the Eastern Sea Dragon King’s family, it was nothing more than a measuring staff, and so the sea tribes paid it little heed, making the rod an unregarded object—until Sun Wukong came and it returned to the world.

If it truly had sea-pacifying powers, it never would have been ignored, nor would Sun Wukong have taken it so easily.

Thus, the rod in fact has no such powers related to calming the sea. It has no connection to “sea” or “water” concepts.

Its special abilities are summed up in that one phrase: size at will, transformation at will, pure yang energy, banishing evil.

“Though its powers aren’t especially exotic, it’s precisely this simple and unadorned nature that highlights its strength.”

If nothing else, Kaiser could simply toss the divine staff into the air, enlarge it to mountain size, and slam it down. The destruction caused would definitely rival a falling asteroid.

And if Kaiser were to go all out, disregarding the cost, enlarging it to pierce the sky and tossing it from space—then the mass extinction event of the dinosaurs might very well play out again on Earth.

From this, it was clear the divine staff was also an extremely powerful divine instrument—it all depended on how it was used.

Watching the rod dance freely in the air, growing and shrinking, multiplying and diminishing, shifting into all kinds of forms, Kaiser was quite satisfied as he stowed it away.

With that, the Heretic God descent event in Nikko City came to an end.

However, Kaiser did not leave immediately.

“You’ve been watching for a while now. Isn’t it about time you came out?”

Kaiser suddenly spoke toward a corner.

“————”

The air abruptly fell silent, a hushed atmosphere spreading.

“Do you want me to invite you out?” Kaiser said lazily. “I don’t mind doing so. After all, I’m far from unable to fight again.”

At these words, a cool, clear voice rang out.

“That’s quite unfair.”

As the voice echoed, an owl flew in from afar.

The owl landed before Kaiser and gradually transformed into the form of a girl.

It was a silver-haired girl dressed in modern attire, yet the aura around her clashed clearly with modernity—an ancient and dark presence.

“O slayer of gods, do you think I intended to strike you from the shadows while you were exhausted from battle with a foreign ‘steel’?”

The girl stared at Kaiser with bright eyes, a clear displeasure in them.

“That is a disrespectful notion—a grave slander upon me.”

“Though I govern wisdom, force and victory are likewise my servants.”

“Therefore, I would never commit such an act.”

The girl spoke as though declaring some heavenly principle, proclaiming her will.

Under her displeased gaze, Kaiser first raised an eyebrow, then smiled.

“You’re Athena?”

Kaiser didn’t pursue the previous topic, but directly revealed her identity.

“Oh?” Athena narrowed her eyes, as if trying to see through him. “So, you knew I would come.”

“Of course,” Kaiser said with a smile. “After all, your ‘serpent’ is in my hands. If you wish to return to your Trinity Queen form, you would definitely come seek me out.”

“I just didn’t expect you to come so soon.”

Kaiser’s frank words made Athena’s eyes narrow further.

“It’s just a matter of crossing the sea. For one such as I who can freely traverse the Underworld, so long as the destination is known, arriving is as easy as spreading my wings.”

As she spoke, Athena’s voice grew more elevated.

“Well then, slayer of gods, since you admit that my ‘serpent’ is in your hands, surely you won’t refuse to hand it over?”

Athena’s pupils became like those of a true owl, growing piercing.

The surrounding light seemed to dim, space itself darkening, and the aura of death and shadow quietly emerged.

Being stared at by those eyes, Kaiser felt as though bound by a serpent—his entire body slightly restrained.

But that sensation quickly vanished, bounced away by his extraordinary Magical Power resistance.

“This is what you want, right?”

Kaiser opened his hand to reveal a stone emblem resting in his palm.

It was the Gorgoneion.

Seeing that ancient stone, a flicker of realization surfaced on Athena’s face.

She could feel the call of ancient wisdom.

She could feel her body longing for it.

It was her lost incarnation—one side of herself.

Driven by instinct, Athena almost reflexively reached out, summoning the Gorgoneion into her grasp.

“Heh heh…”

In that moment, a rare smile finally surfaced on the goddess’s otherwise expressionless, exquisite face.

“Ancient serpent, lost serpent, my discarded half and wisdom…”

“I have finally found you, returned you to my side.”

“With this, I can return to the Athena of old—the Trinity Queen, ruler of death and darkness, of sky and earth alike.”

To Athena, being written into Greek mythology as Zeus’s daughter was the height of humiliation.

Her Trinity Divinity had been split—one part defiled as Zeus’s woman, another degraded into a monster to be slain. It was a past she wished to forget.

What goddess of Greek myth?

What chief Olympian deity?

She was not that.

She was the Holy Mother who once ruled the Mediterranean—the Trinity God-King!

“I chant, I chant the hymn of the Trinity Goddess, linking sky, earth, and darkness—this is the cycle and wisdom.”

“I chant, I chant the song of the degraded goddess, the queen regarded as the forbidden serpent—this is the queen’s lament.”

“I chant, I chant the poetry of the sundered goddess, ravished by the exalted father—this is the compassionate mother’s humiliation.”

“My name is Athena, daughter of Zeus, guardian of Athens, eternal virgin.”

Driven by instinct and fervor, Athena raised the Gorgoneion high, weaving a Kotodama hymn aloud.

“Once, I was the Mother of Earth who birthed all things!”

“Once, I was the Queen of the Underworld who ruled the darkness!”

“Once, I was the Queen of Wisdom who knew the dispersed wisdom of heaven!”

“I vow—Athena shall now return to the original Athena!”

The Gorgoneion raised high in her hand came alive, the eyes of the engraved gorgon shining, its serpent hair writhing.

Darkness coiled around it.

The stench of death spread outward.

The awakened ancient serpent-dragon manifested, and the Gorgoneion merged into Athena’s body.

In that instant, Athena’s form began to change.

Her figure grew taller, limbs lengthened, and an ancient aura thickened around her. Her clothes changed from modern attire to a white robe with an archaic style.

In the blink of an eye, the pitiful girl vanished—replaced by a stately, graceful queen with no trace of childishness, appearing seventeen or eighteen years old.

“I am the Mistress of the Underworld, the Queen of Darkness, Goddess of Death, descendant of the Earth Mother!”

Her blank expression gone, the returned goddess now wore a radiant smile upon her breathtaking face—vivid and enchanting.

She was now Athena, and also Metis, and even Medusa.

If Earth Mother Goddesses had rankings, then this being before him was undoubtedly the highest-ranked, strongest Earth Mother Goddess.

Having returned to her original, strongest form, Athena smiled as she looked at Kaiser.

“To think you would calmly watch all this happen. Truly beyond my expectations.”

Athena had thought Kaiser would at least try to stop her.

She never imagined he would simply stand there quietly and observe from beginning to end.

And not only that—upon seeing her return to her original form, the smile on Kaiser’s face was as radiant as hers.

That expression was exactly like a cat who had just stolen a fish.

Chapter 383: Gained a Goddess

At this moment, Athena had not noticed Kaiser's strange behavior at all.

Though she was the goddess of wisdom, once she had become a Heretic God, she was naturally ruled by the madness of being a being contrary to the divine order. As a result, her current manifestation leaned more toward her aspect as the goddess of victory. That is to say, she seemed to be of the intellectual type, but in truth was completely of the martial type.

This could be clearly seen from the fact that, despite witnessing Kaiser's back-to-back battles against two gods and his overwhelming victories, she still chose to appear before him in such an open and upright manner.

Not to mention, Athena was still immersed in the exhilaration of returning to her original form, which dulled her observation skills considerably, causing her to overlook the strangeness of the situation.

By the time Athena had finished reveling in her excitement, Kaiser was still just smiling at her, causing her to withdraw the expression on her face.

“It’s quite something that you’ve waited this long,” Athena said meaningfully. “You deliberately waited for me to return to my trinity form, didn’t you?”

“Now that you’ve seen me in this form, is the warrior in you already itching to move?”

Clearly, Athena had misunderstood.

She misunderstood that Kaiser had intentionally yielded the Gorgoneion, wanting her to return to her full power before challenging her.

As the goddess of victory, and also the one in myths who constantly blessed and guided heroes and warriors, she knew very well just how prideful these powerful warriors were, and what beliefs they held while they fought.

“What do you think?” Kaiser asked, still unhurried, and even teasing, as though flirting with Athena.

“There’s no need to deny it, God-Slayer. You cannot fool me,” Athena said with firm conviction. “Since you are a Campione, it is impossible for you not to desire a battle with us.”

“Since you are a Campione, it is impossible for you not to want to slay gods.”

“I am the Queen of the Night, a descendant of the Mother Earth. To you, who has obtained the strongest steel, I am without a doubt the best prey.”

As she spoke, Athena raised her hand, and in it appeared a pitch-black scythe.

It was a scythe brimming with the aura of death, as black as a bottomless swamp.

The scythe absorbed light, and even the life force in the air—it was a scythe of death.

As long as one was grazed by this death scythe, the aura of death upon it would immediately steal their life.

Holding such a scythe, Athena loudly declared:

“Do you think I would fear?”

“Even if facing the strongest steel, I shall not shrink from battle!”

“You may not be one of those hateful steel-using heroes, but since you wield the strongest steel and are a God-Slayer, then you are naturally my enemy!”

“The first battle after my return to the trinity form as Queen—it is only fitting that you be my opponent!”

Even though she knew that the God-Slayer before her wielded divine blades and divine artifacts that countered her, Athena showed not a trace of fear.

On the contrary, the fighting spirit in her heart flared even brighter. Her gaze toward Kaiser burned hotly, as though truly seeing him as the destined rival she must defeat, fully entering a battle-ready state.

If it were before Kaiser obtained the Gorgoneion, he might have been somewhat interested in this battle.

Unfortunately, the current Athena no longer had the qualifications to fight him.

No...

It should be said, the current Athena no longer had the necessity to fight him.

Under Athena’s blazing gaze, Kaiser walked toward her with no defenses at all.

Athena’s eyes immediately narrowed dangerously, like a serpent’s vertical pupils.

She could see clearly that the God-Slayer in front of her truly had no defenses at all while approaching her, not even pretending.

His body was completely relaxed, not a hint of Magical Power leaking out, and his steps were like a casual stroll—he showed absolutely no sign of caution.

Was this… underestimating her?

The light in Athena’s eyes grew even more dangerous, and the aura of death leaked outward like black miasma.

At that moment, the area around Athena had entirely become a domain of darkness, even transforming into a realm of the Underworld.

This was a realm forbidden to the living, a territory ruled by the dead.

Even a Campione would be heavily affected by entering such a domain.

Yet Kaiser stepped right into it, relying on his astonishing resistance to Magical Power to ignore the miasma formed by the aura of death.

"Swish!"

Athena apparently had no intention of relying solely on the Underworld’s aura to deal with Kaiser. Seeing him step into her territory, she immediately raised the scythe of death, slicing through the miasma, and swung it fiercely at Kaiser’s head.

However, just as the blade of the death scythe was about to touch Kaiser’s head, Athena’s entire body froze in place, unable to move.

“————!”

Athena’s pupils shrank abruptly to pinpoints, and she instinctively began to struggle desperately.

But her struggling was utterly meaningless. Even when she mobilized all of her Magical Power, she still could not move at all.

Under such conditions, Kaiser stepped right up to Athena.

Then, he reached out his hand and caressed Athena’s exquisite and beautiful face.

“…What did you do to me?”

Athena, unable to control her body, had her face gently cupped by Kaiser. She immediately glared at him in anger.

“What do you think?” Kaiser responded in that same flirtatious tone, lightly stroking the immobile Athena’s cheek, speaking with a faint smile: “Still calling yourself the goddess of wisdom? Didn’t you ever consider why I would so easily hand over the Gorgoneion?”

That one sentence made Athena realize everything.

“You tampered with my ‘serpent’?”

Athena’s expression became very ugly.

It wasn’t that she hadn’t thought of it, but her long-cherished wish had been right in front of her. She instinctively wanted to return to her trinity form, and thus subconsciously summoned the “serpent” that had been so close at hand.

Now it seemed, that move had been used by the God-Slayer before her.

“Who told you that the Gorgoneion, while being your lost aspect, was also an ancient divine artifact?” Kaiser said with a smile. “If you had witnessed my conversation with Guinevere, then you would have heard this line too, right?”

“Any weapon that falls into my hands—even divine blades forged from the gods’ own armories—will be completely under my control.”

“Naturally, that includes the Gorgoneion.”

The weapons targeted by Kaiser’s Authority did not just refer to arms, but also included armor and items.

As it happened, the Gorgoneion, being a divine artifact, was precisely an object affected by Kaiser’s Authority.

Thus, when Erica handed him the Gorgoneion, Kaiser had already used his Authority upon it, claiming ownership.

In other words...

“That is no longer your ‘serpent,’ but my ‘serpent.’”

“But this ancient ‘serpent’ is indeed one of your aspects, one of your lost divinities, one of your incarnations.”

“So, you could still absorb the existence of the ‘serpent’ and return to your trinity form.”

At this point, the smile on Kaiser’s face grew somewhat intriguing.

“But once you absorbed the ‘serpent’ and completely fused with it, you also replaced it—and thus became something under my control.”

If someone could see inside Athena at that moment, they would find that as the Gorgoneion fused with her, golden patterns radiated from the point where it had merged, spreading throughout her entire body.

When Athena returned to her trinity form, those golden patterns completely fused with her body.

Through the already-claimed Gorgoneion, Kaiser had indirectly claimed Athena, who had absorbed and become one with it.

This was a special case—an extremely difficult-to-replicate special case.

If the Gorgoneion had not symbolized Medusa, Athena would never have fused with it.

If Athena had not been a trinity, with Medusa as one of her aspects, she would not have been able to fuse with the Gorgoneion so completely.

One could say, the Gorgoneion was a part of Athena, and Athena was the prototype of the Gorgoneion.

Only such a connection, such a relationship, could allow the two to completely merge and result in Athena being indirectly claimed by Kaiser.

“So, the moment you returned to your trinity form, you effectively became my Gorgoneion, my divine artifact, my personal weapon.”

And Kaiser’s control over his personal weapons was absolute—even the gods could not defy it.

“…Despicable tactics.”

Realizing what had happened to her, Athena clenched her teeth and uttered those words.

Kaiser simply replied:

“Isn’t it bad to snatch something that belonged to someone else and swallow it without asking?”

As he spoke, Kaiser continued to toy with Athena’s flawless face, and added:

“From now on, you are one of my exclusive weapons. You’re my possession, goddess.”

Looking at Athena gritting her teeth and glaring at him, Kaiser seemed to recall Rias in the past when he had subdued her. The smile on his face grew larger.

The next second, he lowered his head, leaned forward, and stole the lips of the most beautiful goddess in Greek mythology.

“Mm!?”

Athena’s body tensed up entirely, and her pupils trembled violently.

Her reaction seemed somewhat different from Rias back then.

By the time Kaiser had fully savored the taste of this goddess, the once-sovereign queen was still glaring at him.

Kaiser smiled, released her lips, and also let go of her cheek.

“Buzz…”

The death aura swirling around Athena quickly retracted, enveloping her completely.

Moments later, Athena transformed into an ancient stone emblem and flew into Kaiser’s hand.

Looking closely, the front of the stone emblem had already become the profile of a goddess holding the scythe of death, while the back bore the image of a snake-haired gorgon.

“Should I keep calling you the Gorgoneion? Or Athena’s Stone?”

Kaiser thought for a moment, then chuckled.

“Either way, it’s still you—doesn’t matter.”

Kaiser then stored away the Gorgoneion, turned around in high spirits, and left.

No one knew that, in the very end, Kaiser had actually gained a goddess.

Chapter 384: Nothing More Terrifying to the Gods Than This

The next day, the lockdown on Nikkō City was lifted by the History Compilation Committee.

However, due to the immense impact caused by the battle between Kaiser and Sun Wukong, Nikkō City was now essentially uninhabitable.

Mount Nikkō, which had transformed into Mount Huaguo, directly collapsed. A large number of buildings in Nikkō City also crumbled. Even Mount Nantai suffered some damage, turning this city full of historic sites into a near-complete ruin, narrowly escaping total destruction.

The official report later released stated that Nikkō City had experienced a major earthquake, necessitating large-scale reconstruction efforts. The scale of reconstruction rivaled that of Sardinia when it had nearly sunk into the sea, making it clear that no tourists would be visiting here for quite some time.

The Tōshōgū Shrine where the Western Heaven Palace was located was also completely destroyed—utterly wiped out. Even the Monkey Deity enshrined within it vanished. As a result, the Kuhoutsuka Family, one of the Four Great Families, suffered a disastrous blow and was likely to see their status plummet, possibly even being squeezed out of the Four Families and becoming a fallen noble house.

Fortunately, when disaster struck Nikkō City, all its citizens had turned into rampaging monkey-like divine servants due to Sun Wukong’s arrival. Because of this, they inadvertently avoided much of the catastrophe.

After Sun Wukong was vanquished, the citizens of Nikkō City were also rescued. Some, due to being farther from Mount Nikkō and less affected by Sun Wukong’s magical power, returned to normal immediately. Others, having been too close and too deeply influenced by Sun Wukong’s magical power, remained in their monkey forms even now.

The History Compilation Committee was already organizing relief efforts, sending numerous magicians, onmyoji, and Hime-Miko to form a de-cursing group dedicated to studying and removing the simian transformations from the citizens, aiming to return them to normal.

At the request of Sayanomiya Kaoru, with Mariya Yuri also pleading by her side, Kaiser went to see these monkey-transformed citizens. Then, using Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi, he easily removed the simian transformation and restored them.

The ability of Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi to steal magical power was just right for this task.

As long as the foreign magical power on these monkey-formed citizens was removed, and the curse Sun Wukong had placed on them was taken away, they would naturally return to normal.

“Even if a Paladin-level grand magician came to remove these spells personally, it probably wouldn’t be easy, would it?”

“And yet, the King solved it so effortlessly… As expected of you.”

Erica and Liliana, who were watching nearby, couldn’t stop praising Kaiser’s performance.

The two of them had also played significant roles in this incident. Not only had they fought off numerous monkey divine servants and escaped unscathed, but they reportedly also encountered the monkey divine beasts that Kaiser had faced before the Water Curtain Cave, engaging in a rather grueling battle.

Erica and Liliana, whether prodigies or Great Knights, still found it quite difficult to deal with divine beasts.

Though divine beasts varied in strength, they were essentially matched against Paladins. For Great Knights to handle them was no easy task.

However, Liliana had mastery over the Kotodama of David, a battle magic secret art effective against gods. Once unleashed, and especially in a surprise scenario, it could turn the tide and allow her to defeat those monkey divine beasts with low intelligence.

Erica also possessed a combat magic of similar rank, known as the Kotodama of Golgotha.

It was the hymn called the Song of Calamity, chanted by Jesus Christ with his dying breath on the execution ground of Golgotha. It was a kotodama imbued with hatred and despair, enchanted onto weapons. When recited, it would lower the surrounding temperature, disrupt the caster’s concentration, cause trivial mistakes, and just hearing it could cause blindness in ordinary people and collapse in the frail. If the caster so willed, they could even curse everyone to death.

Just like David’s kotodama, it was a top-tier battle magic capable of harming gods.

Though still insufficient to face actual gods, it was already threatening enough when used against divine beasts.

Thus, when Liliana used the Kotodama of David to defeat one monkey divine beast, Erica likewise used the Kotodama of Golgotha to overcome another.

As for Mariya Yuri, she had remained beside Erica and Liliana the entire time. Though she did not participate in combat, her exceptional Spirit Vision ability had been repeatedly triggered throughout the otherworldly Nikkō City, providing well-timed warnings and instructions that helped Erica and Liliana evade numerous dangers.

This included when the flood Kaiser had summoned was petrified by Sun Wukong’s secret stone-formation technique and came crashing down from midair, crushing a vast area centered around Mount Huaguo. If Mariya Yuri hadn’t foreseen this through Spirit Vision and issued a warning, those at the mountain’s base might not have escaped in time.

This performance left even Erica—who was seeing Mariya Yuri’s capabilities for the first time—half surprised, half contemplative as she observed her for a long while. Later, she said to Kaiser:

“To have recruited such a capable close aide, Your Majesty’s eye for talent surpasses even Lord Salvatore’s.”

Clearly, Mariya Yuri’s abilities had earned Erica’s recognition.

But when another close aide that Kaiser had taken in from this country appeared, Erica was no longer so agreeable.

There was no helping it.

These two didn’t seem to get along.

……

Within the Shichio Shrine grounds.

When Kaiser and his group returned here by stretch limousine from Nikkō City, it was already after the city’s lockdown had been lifted.

The four of them got out of the car together, with one additional companion joining them this time.

“Once again, thank you for your assistance.”

Dressed in men’s attire, Sayanomiya Kaoru had accompanied Kaiser this time, seeing him back and offering her gratitude before departure.

Her thanks weren’t just for Kaiser resolving the issue with the Heretic God Sun Wukong, but also for returning the simian citizens back to normal.

“It was a small effort, no need to thank me over and over.” Kaiser glanced at Sayanomiya Kaoru and said, “If anyone should be thanking me, it’s those old geezers in the Netherworld, right?”

“Those old men wouldn’t dare meet you.” Sayanomiya Kaoru smiled wryly. “It’s not like we didn’t report this incident to them, but who knows what they saw—each of them now seems extremely reluctant to meet you.”

These words gave Kaiser reason to believe that those elders hiding in the Netherworld might have seen, by some means, his performance in Nikkō City.

His battle with Sun Wukong was one thing, but if they had also witnessed his fight with Lancelot, then of course they wouldn’t dare face Kaiser.

No joke—those elders had been on guard against the hidden Last King all this time, only to have him quietly eliminated by Kaiser, and even the Divine Blade ended up in Kaiser’s hands. Isn’t that terrifying?

And the Heretic God Athena, the Trinity Queen, ruler of the underworld and the earth, the supreme Mother Earth Goddess—was also easily subdued by Kaiser. If those elders had seen that, they would have been terrified enough to doubt reality.

If they still dared to meet Kaiser after that, that would be truly strange.

Especially Susanoo—he now wanted absolutely no further dealings with Kaiser.

Who knew—if he appeared in front of him again, what if it wasn’t his sword that got taken next time, but himself?

There was nothing more terrifying to the gods than this!

And so, those elders of the Netherworld had now started pretending to be deaf and mute. Some had even gone into deeper hiding, unlikely to return anytime soon.

Unless they could unravel the many still-incomprehensible mysteries surrounding Kaiser, and uncover the true nature of his bizarre ability to control various divine tools, they definitely wouldn’t dare return.

Of the two people who had appeared alongside Susanoo back then, the mage was the first to silently vanish, followed shortly by the disappearance of the old master. Only the princess with the glazed-glass eyes remained unaffected, allowing the History Compilation Committee and other official forces to maintain some contact with the Netherworld’s sages.

In any case, Kaiser had vented a massive grudge this time. From now on, those folks surely wouldn’t dare provoke him again.

“Well then, I’ll be taking my leave.”

Sayanomiya Kaoru bowed to Kaiser, then turned to Erica and Liliana.

“Miss Erica, Miss Liliana—please enjoy your stay in this country.”

She said this with a smiling face.

“I’ll observe this country with a critical eye.”

Erica replied with the elegant and confident smile of a noblewoman.

“I will.”

Liliana, less performative than Erica, responded curtly and rather coolly.

Sayanomiya Kaoru returned to the car and was driven off by Touma Amakasu.

Erica and Liliana both watched the limousine depart, then began chatting.

“To think someone like that is also a Hime-Miko… the East is truly fascinating.”

Erica commented with a smile.

“She may not compare to Mariya Yuri, but Sayanomiya Kaoru is still quite an exceptional Miko.”

Liliana remarked thoughtfully while watching the departing car.

“Don’t be fooled by how Kaoru—Sayanomiya—acts. She was also top of the class when serving as a Hime-Miko.”

Mariya Yuri tried to defend her crossdressing friend’s dignity.

“All right, let’s head back. I’m getting a bit hungry.”

Kaiser yawned lazily and headed toward the shrine office.

The three girls immediately followed, returning together to the office.

However, when they entered and opened the living room door, they saw a figure had arrived ahead of them, already sitting there drinking tea.

“Ena!”

Seeing the person, Mariya Yuri was the first to cry out in surprise.

“Your Majesty, Yuri—you’ve finally returned!”

Sitting with an especially dignified posture, Seishuin Ena turned her head and greeted them with a smile.

After several days, Seishuin Ena had finally returned.

Beside her, a sword bag containing a snow-white spiritual blade lay quietly, silently asserting its presence.

Chapter 385: That's Not It!

“You really did something big behind Ena's back, Your Majesty.”

Inside the shrine office, in the living room, Seishuin Ena, who had already stood and bowed to Kaiser, unusually made a complaint.

“To think you went to subjugate the Monkey God while Ena was training in the mountains—this makes Ena feel like she’s been derelict in her duty, Your Majesty.”

Seishuin Ena's cheerful face was filled with resentment. It was clear what her mood had been like upon learning about this.

Her beloved King had gone off to slay a god without his loyal Hime-Miko. Didn’t that make her seem useless?

Naturally, Seishuin Ena would feel aggrieved and dissatisfied.

“What?” Kaiser chuckled and said, “Don’t tell me you wanted to fight a god yourself?”

“Ena isn’t that arrogant, you know.” Seishuin Ena shook her head and said, “If the opponent is a god, even with Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi in hand, Ena wouldn’t dare say she has a chance of victory, let alone when it’s a divinity as powerful as the Great Sage Equal to Heaven.”

If it were a relatively weak god, with the sword Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi in hand, Seishuin Ena might have been able to put up some resistance, but the opponent was the Heretic God Sun Wukong, a powerful Steel Hero. Even with the sword, she definitely wouldn’t be his match.

“But Ena still feels unwilling. Can you understand Ena’s feelings, Your Majesty?”

Seishuin Ena’s resentment seemed significant; she had started muttering endlessly.

“You’re the one who went to the mountains to train. Who can you blame?” Kaiser shrugged. Seeing that Seishuin Ena still looked unable to let go, he finally said, “Alright, next time a god shows up, I’ll definitely bring you along. Satisfied?”

Upon hearing this, Seishuin Ena smiled.

“Then it’s a promise, Your Majesty!”

It seemed that was her true goal.

“Welcome back, Ena.”

Mariya Yuri softly greeted Ena upon seeing this.

“Mm, I’m back, Yuri.” Seishuin Ena first responded naturally, then turned to Erica and Liliana, saying, “It’s been a while, Miss Liliana. And this is...?”

“Erica Blandelli.” Erica, who had been observing Seishuin Ena, smiled as she met her gaze and said, “I’m the First Knight under His Majesty’s banner.”

As soon as those words were said, Seishuin Ena’s gaze shifted subtly.

“I can’t just pretend I didn’t hear that, Erica.” Liliana, who originally hadn’t intended to speak, couldn’t hold back now. “Even if you were indeed the first to pledge loyalty to His Majesty, being the first doesn’t mean you can call yourself the First Knight.”

Liliana clearly did not agree with this claim.

“But it’s the truth, Liliana.” Erica said unhurriedly, “Since I, Erica Blandelli, swore fealty to the King, I will be the First Knight no matter what. It truly isn’t about order—but that doesn’t change the end result.”

“…You’re still as confident as ever.” Liliana narrowed her eyes and glared at Erica with a displeased expression. “If you dare make such bold claims, then you must have the guts to accept my challenge, right?”

As she spoke, Liliana seemed ready to draw Il Maestro.

In response, Erica merely looked at her with a mocking and slightly strange expression.

“You want to fight me for the title of First Knight, Liliana?” Erica said with a sweet smile. “I don’t mind, since I’m not afraid of any challenge—but before that, shouldn’t you be a knight first?”

“What do you mean by that?” Liliana furrowed her brows and glared at Erica. “Are you saying I’m not a knight? Are you insulting me?”

“You forgot, Liliana.” Erica was unfazed by Liliana’s glare and said casually, “Right now, you’re not a knight under our King—you’re a maid who was taken captive, remember?”

Liliana was instantly petrified.

“A mere maid has no right to vie for the title of First Knight, Liliana.” Erica smiled with a look that could kill. “If you want to challenge me, you’ll first need to persuade His Majesty to revoke your maid status and reinstate you as a knight.”

Liliana opened her mouth, unable to say a word.

At that moment, Seishuin Ena spoke.

“To be able to render Miss Liliana speechless like that, it seems Miss Erica is quite formidable.” Seishuin Ena, with her usual bright expression and tone, said to Erica, “Though I don’t know when His Majesty accepted a European knight into his service, Ena doesn’t dislike the idea of settling positions through strength.”

“Even if Ena is not a knight but a concubine, Ena still wants to try challenging Miss Erica.”

“Hey, do I have that chance?”

Seishuin Ena unexpectedly showed a competitive side.

It wasn’t that Seishuin Ena couldn’t stand Erica’s confidence, nor that she felt threatened by Erica. Rather, it was the education she had received over many years—what one desires must be fought for.

When a contest appears, as the daughter of the Seishuin family, Seishuin Ena must never retreat.

The Italian beauty before her, claiming to be the King’s First Knight, was clearly not someone to be taken lightly—perhaps even a favored concubine seeking to rise in position.

In that case, Seishuin Ena had to confront her.

First Knight?

More like trying to be the First Wife, right?

That won’t do!

If it were Mariya Yuri, Seishuin Ena would have no objections. She knew Yuri well—she wasn’t someone who fought for affection and her abilities were vital to the King. If the King said Yuri should be ahead of Ena, Ena would not object.

But… this Miss Erica was a different story.

Just one look and you could tell she was here to compete for affection, unwilling to be subordinate to anyone.

Whether as a knight or as a favored consort, she aimed to be number one. Seishuin Ena could sense that inclination in her.

So she couldn’t ignore it!

“I already said, I fear no challenge.” Erica accepted Seishuin Ena’s fighting spirit with a smile. “Miss Ena, like Yuri, you’re a Hime-Miko of this country, but unlike the gentle Yuri, you clearly look strong.”

As she spoke, Erica glanced at the sword bag by Seishuin Ena’s side.

From it, she sensed an extraordinary spiritual presence.

A Hime-Miko who would appear carrying such an object—Erica was not naïve enough to think she was a helpless girl.

Liliana’s follow-up words confirmed this.

“Don’t underestimate this girl, Erica.” Liliana seemed to selectively forget what just happened and couldn’t help but say as Erica and Seishuin Ena squared off: “She’s a spirit medium who can borrow the power of gods. Even when I used Song of the Bow, I wasn’t her match.”

Upon hearing that, Erica raised her eyebrows.

“So, you’ve already lost to her, Liliana?”

Erica turned to Liliana.

“…Though it’s frustrating, you’re right. When His Majesty fought the Marquis, the one who stopped and defeated me was her.”

Liliana seemed genuinely unwilling to accept it.

Among her peers, it was her first time losing so completely. It hit her hard.

She had always been called a genius, a prodigy. Until now, only Erica had been her equal. To be defeated in this remote corner of the Far East by an unknown Hime-Miko was naturally hard for her to accept.

But Erica, upon hearing her lifelong rival had been defeated, surprisingly accepted it quickly.

“A spirit medium—who would’ve thought such a legendary existence would appear in a small country like this…”

Erica looked deeply at Seishuin Ena and spoke.

“I originally thought that the disciple of the Luo Hao Cult Leader I met in Hong Kong—that young master of the Lu family—was, besides Liliana, one of the few talented individuals comparable to me. I didn’t expect there would be a rare spirit medium hidden here.”

Though she had only heard rumors, Erica knew well how powerful spirit mediums could be.

If nothing else, just the fact that they could borrow the power of gods was already an unparalleled advantage ordinary human warriors couldn’t hope to match.

Even a tiny fragment of a god’s power was enough to rival the strongest human fighters with ease.

This same-aged Hime-Miko before her might be, aside from gods and Divine Beasts, the strongest opponent she had encountered so far.

Being able to defeat Liliana while she used the Kotodama of David—that feat alone was proof enough.

Thinking of this, Erica not only didn’t feel afraid, but her fighting spirit surged.

“To duel a priestess who serves the gods—it sounds like a very exciting experience.”

Erica reached out her hand, and as her palm gripped the air, the Cuore di Leone appeared within her grasp.

“Grandfather may still be lending power to Ena, but right now Ena is not serving the gods—she serves the King.”

Seishuin Ena stood up as well, picked up her sword bag, and smiled at Erica.

The tension between the two flared instantly. Their gazes met with such intensity it seemed sparks might fly.

“W-Wait!”

Mariya Yuri finally stood up, flustered as she tried to stop them.

“Miss Erica, and Ena, what are you doing? Why are you suddenly going to fight?”

She truly hadn’t expected these two to jump straight to combat upon meeting.

“Don’t stop me, Yuri.” Erica didn’t even glance at her, keeping her eyes on Seishuin Ena as she smiled. “This is a battle to decide who shall be the King’s closest retainer. It concerns a knight’s honor. Anyone who tries to stop us will be cursed by heaven.”

“Don’t worry, Yuri.” Seishuin Ena did turn to Mariya Yuri and said considerately, “The number one position is definitely yours. Ena will defend it for you.”

“Oh?” Only then did Erica look at Mariya Yuri, smiling faintly. “So Yuri also wants to vie for the top position?”

“This was always Yuri’s position. It’s Miss Erica who’s trying to take it, you know?” Seishuin Ena spoke on her own before Mariya Yuri could respond. “His Majesty even said it himself—Yuri ranks above Ena. So Ena will definitely help Yuri secure the top consort spot. That way, Ena can be the second to marry in.”

“I see.” Erica nodded, then looked at Mariya Yuri with a half-smile. “I underestimated you, Yuri. So this is the kind of thinking you had when you came to His Majesty’s side.”

“T-That’s not it at all!” Mariya Yuri hurriedly denied, blushing deeply. “I didn’t want to become a consort! That’s not why I pledged loyalty to His Majesty!”

At this point, Liliana spoke.

“Stop denying it, Mariya Yuri,” she said. “His Majesty fought the Marquis for your sake. This has already spread across nations.”

“Now, any well-informed magical society already knows that you, Mariya Yuri, are the woman beside the new King.”

“Even your country’s official organization… the History Compilation Committee, right? They’ve publicly acknowledged it, even pushing the Mariya family to the forefront.”

“Surely your family is already calculating how much dowry to prepare for you.”

Those words froze Mariya Yuri in place.

Only now did she recall that her parents had recently stopped asking whether she would come home at night.

In fact, when she did return home, they cautiously asked why she didn’t stay over there instead.

“It’s okay, Yuri. Dad and Mom are open-minded people. You’re of age now. If you want to stay over there… go ahead.”

“That’s right, Yuri. We have no objections—just… please be safe, okay?”

Thinking back on the way her parents had said those things, full of hidden meaning, Mariya Yuri turned beet red.

She even remembered her younger sister had said something similar:

“Is big sis going to become an adult now?”

Recalling her sister’s curious and surprised words, Mariya Yuri covered her face and crouched down.

“That’s not it at all!”

The girl’s tearful cry was no longer noticed by anyone.

“This place isn’t suitable. Let’s go outside.”

“Ena doesn’t mind. Then, Your Majesty, Ena will be back shortly.”

Erica and Seishuin Ena left together and headed outside.

“I’ll go watch.”

Naturally, Liliana wouldn’t miss this fight. After receiving Kaiser’s approval, she immediately followed.

As for Kaiser, he had been observing the whole time, detached and unconcerned, as if it didn’t matter whether Erica and Seishuin Ena fought.

“So full of energy.”

Like watching two kids about to brawl, Kaiser leisurely sipped his tea, completely at ease.

(End of Chapter)