Fantasy Library, Ch 316-320

Chapter 316: The Highest-Level Treatment

Today was destined to be a rather special day.

Originally cloudless and as sunny as summer, the skies above Sardinia suddenly turned gloomy.

Gray clouds emerged from all directions, gradually covering the sky as they darkened further and further, plunging all of Sardinia into darkness without a shred of light.

People looked up at the oppressive sky and rushed back to their residences while constantly complaining.

"Why did it suddenly get so dark?"

"Is it going to rain?"

"There was a storm not long ago, and now it’s going to rain again?"

"What’s going on with Sardinia?"

"If I had known, I wouldn’t have chosen this time to travel..."

Some complained, some worried, and others looked grim, as all sorts of undercurrents surged beneath the surface.

There was no helping it—this was the Mediterranean, warm, dry, and rarely rainy. Sardinia was located within the Mediterranean, and normally, it didn’t rain.

But this year’s Sardinia had suddenly been hit with a massive storm not long ago, and now such abnormal weather had appeared again. Even ordinary people found this puzzling, let alone the members of the supernatural side active on the island.

Kaiser was also standing by the window of his hotel room, lifting the curtain, opening the window, and looking at the pitch-black sky outside with slightly narrowed eyes.

“Is it Melqart?”

He could already sense it—a vast amount of magical power was continuously gathering in the sky.

After observing the sky for a while, Kaiser turned around, left the room, and pushed open the door.

“Your Majesty.”

Erica was right outside the door, seemingly about to knock. Seeing Kaiser come out, she immediately prepared to salute.

“Don’t be so formal. Be careful or someone might see and get the wrong idea about my... peculiar tastes.”

Kaiser stopped Erica and said with a touch of annoyance, continuing to walk outside.

“Please rest assured.” Erica followed closely behind, like a retainer, trailing behind Kaiser and said, “This hotel has already been requisitioned by the Copper Black Cross. Other than Your Majesty, everyone else here is staff sent by the Copper Black Cross. Especially this floor—only Your Majesty resides here, and only I am allowed up.”

“Oh?” Kaiser raised an eyebrow and looked at Erica. “The Copper Black Cross moves this fast?”

He had only revealed his identity to Erica yesterday, so the Copper Black Cross couldn’t have known about his arrival for more than a day.

And within less than a day, they had already sent people to secure the entire hotel?

Though it wasn’t an extravagant move, it was certainly fast.

“This is the treatment Your Majesty deserves.” Erica smiled matter-of-factly. “My uncle… the Commander of the Copper Black Cross, also asked me to convey his greetings to you and apologize for not being able to come to Sardinia personally to pay his respects to the new King.”

“I don’t care about that.” Kaiser shook his head and said, “You don’t need to go through all this trouble either. After all, I’m not the King of Italy.”

“Even if you’re not the King of Italy, you still deserve the treatment of a King. Otherwise, foreign powers will look down on us.” Erica smiled sweetly. “Please rest assured, Your Majesty. We merely wish to provide you with a comfortable living environment. No one will casually disturb you.”

These were nice-sounding words, of course.

Rather than saying no one would casually disturb Kaiser, it was more accurate to say—even if someone wanted to, they wouldn’t dare.

If they accidentally provoked the new King, it would only bring immense trouble to the Copper Black Cross and others.

So, Erica was the only one who would attend to Kaiser at his side, ready to receive his orders. Everyone else would avoid appearing before him as much as possible.

Including the supernatural factions currently present on Sardinia—seeing the Copper Black Cross's actions, they had likely already realized something but didn’t dare to come pay their respects to the new King casually.

“Alright, that saves me the effort.”

Naturally, Kaiser didn’t want to waste time exchanging pleasantries with irrelevant people, so he nodded and dropped the subject.

After descending from the top floor, the two took the elevator down to the first floor.

There was a restaurant here—very high-end. As Kaiser descended, he saw members of the Copper Black Cross moving crates of fresh ingredients, which were clearly expensive and carefully prepared.

Kaiser walked into the restaurant, and immediately a group of waiters ran over, respectfully welcoming him and leading the way. It looked as if they were escorting royalty, guiding Kaiser to the best seat in the house.

It’s worth mentioning that all the regular tables in the restaurant had been cleared out and replaced with a long dining table at least ten meters long, covered with exquisite tablecloths—the kind you’d only see in noble households on TV.

And as soon as Kaiser sat at the head of the table, Erica clapped her hands, and a large group of chefs in uniforms pushed in luxurious food carts, placing steaming hot dishes before him.

“............”

Kaiser was rendered speechless by the sheer scale.

Because the dishes laid out in front of him covered the entire massive dining table.

And they weren’t just Italian cuisine—there was Chinese food, Japanese food, Western food, French dishes, Thai cuisine, Mexican food, and more—a banquet of delicacies from around the world.

This wasn’t a Manchu Han Imperial Feast—it was a World Feast.

The Copper Black Cross had even prepared several attendants. Without Kaiser even speaking, as soon as his gaze swept to a dish, a server would bring it before him. If it was fish, they’d debone it; if it was meat, they’d slice it neatly on the spot. The service was so attentive it surpassed even royal treatment.

“Please enjoy, Your Majesty.” Erica now resembled a servant or perhaps a butler as she introduced, “All of these were freshly flown and shipped in this morning. Every ingredient has passed at least thirteen quality inspections. The chefs, though recruited temporarily, are all renowned local talents. Until Your Majesty departs Sardinia, they will serve you alone.”

“I particularly recommend the local specialties like seafood pearl pasta, crepe with raw meat slices, and pecorino sheep’s milk. The chefs preparing these three are the most skilled among them all.”

“Of course, if you’re not accustomed to the local cuisine, we also have Eastern Chinese and Japanese dishes to ensure your dining experience is absolutely delightful.”

Erica’s calm and composed voice, combined with the grand setting, would make anyone who saw this feel sincere admiration for the Copper Black Cross’s capabilities.

In any case, although Kaiser was left speechless, he had to admit—he was in a great mood. He was indeed being served comfortably.

Compared to the History Compilation Committee, the Copper Black Cross clearly understood how to serve a Campione. They already had a mature protocol for hosting a Campione.

If Sayanomiya Kaoru and Tōuma were here to witness this, they would surely be stunned.

“That’s enough. I’ll do it myself.” Kaiser waved his hand to dismiss the waiter slicing his steak, then looked at Erica. “You’re not joining?”

“Of course not.” Erica smiled leisurely. “Though I am a knight, not a servant, dining at the same table with the King might be a bit too presumptuous.”

“Suit yourself.” Kaiser didn’t press her, picking up his knife and fork and eating the steak as he said, “Just make sure that when trouble really comes, you still have the strength to run.”

Hearing that, Erica’s smile faded.

“So it really is Melqart’s doing?”

Erica looked at the pitch-black sky outside and, after a moment of hesitation, asked Kaiser.

“Nine times out of ten.” Kaiser didn’t bother looking outside anymore, eating slowly as he said, “A god capable of manipulating the sky like this—only Melqart comes to mind.”

Melqart was the god of the sky, so of course he could manipulate it.

In contrast, Verethragna had many avatars, each with unique Authorities, but among his ten avatars, not one could affect the sky in such a way.

“Isn’t he still injured?” Erica’s expression changed slightly. “Could it be that he’s already healed?”

“Not that fast.” Kaiser dismissed Erica’s guess. “Although a god’s vitality is extraordinary and recovery shouldn’t take long, he was stabbed by the Golden Sword that can sever Divinity. Unless that broken sword is dealt with, he absolutely cannot recover.”

“Then the sky outside...?”

Erica furrowed her brow.

“Did you misunderstand something?” Kaiser glanced at Erica and said calmly, “That’s a god, not a human. So what if he’s injured?”

“You think being hurt is entirely a bad thing for him?”

Kaiser’s words instantly made Erica understand.

“Got it?” Kaiser finished a steak and began eating a large lobster, speaking leisurely as he said, “Gods and Campione are essentially the same as wild beasts. Even when wounded, it only rouses their ferocity.”

“The more severe the injury, the harsher the situation, the more their special nature becomes evident.”

“To survive, to defeat powerful foes, they sometimes unleash power that defies logic.”

“So, the more perilous the situation, the more it stirs a god’s fighting spirit and battle intent, putting them in full combat mode.”

“At that point, instead of weakening due to injuries, they become even stronger.”

Melqart was likely in such a state now.

“Yesterday’s strike, though it didn’t cause him serious harm, completely awakened his fighting spirit and battle intent.”

“Knowing that his opponent and nemesis are on this island, he’s going all out.”

“Sardinia’s current abnormal weather is likely the result of his power becoming fully activated.”

In other words, although Melqart had not yet recovered, in his current state, his recovery would likely accelerate greatly.

“Verethragna might also have been provoked, and his speed in reclaiming avatars should increase.” Kaiser picked up a napkin, wiped his mouth, then turned to Erica and asked, “Yesterday and today, have any new Divine Beasts appeared?”

“Yes.” Erica had clearly already investigated and immediately replied, “Yesterday, in the town of Dolgali, two Divine Beasts manifested one after another.”

“The first was a goat that manipulates lightning.”

“Then, as if drawn in, a golden phoenix appeared.”

According to intelligence from the Copper Black Cross, the two Divine Beasts fought fiercely after manifesting, nearly destroying the entire town of Dolgali.

Just as the people of Dolgali were mentally preparing for the worst, a Golden Sword suddenly shot down from the sky, first piercing through the “goat” and reducing it to ash, then pursuing the fleeing “phoenix,” with both vanishing into the heavens.

“This time it was the ‘goat’ and the ‘phoenix’?”

Kaiser muttered.

“Together with the previous ‘camel,’ ‘shepherd,’ ‘bull,’ ‘boar,’ ‘strong wind,’ and ‘warrior’... that makes eight avatars, right?”

Erica said the same.

“No, it should be nine.” Kaiser shook his head. “There’s also the ‘youth’ avatar, which should’ve been reclaimed long ago.”

“No, that’s not right either.”

“Rather, that ‘youth’ avatar is actually the other party’s main body—it’s been with Verethragna from the start.”

Hearing that, Erica was stunned, then her pupils contracted.

At that moment, the boy who had spoken with Kaiser when they first met surfaced in her mind.

That boy who always appeared where Divine Beasts manifested—could he be...

Before Erica could finish the thought, Kaiser cut her off.

“If nothing unexpected happens, the only one Verethragna hasn’t reclaimed is the ‘white horse.’”

Kaiser smiled, calm yet full of anticipation.

“Looks like the time for battle is approaching.”

These words, paired with Kaiser’s calm yet expectant tone, made Erica feel as though he had become far more savage.

It was the expression of a hunter who had locked onto his prey.

It was the expression of a warrior eager to fight.

Knowing that both gods who would soon be his opponents were rapidly recovering in their own ways, this Campione not only didn’t feel displeased—he was genuinely pleased.

Indeed... this man was a Campione, a King, a Conqueror, and a Demon Lord.

“If there’s any news of the ‘white horse’ manifesting, be sure to let me know.”

Kaiser had finished eating and stood up, speaking to Erica.

“Once the ‘white horse’ appears and is reclaimed, Verethragna will immediately return to full power.”

“At that time, he’ll either come to me directly, or go after Melqart.”

“So, once you hear about the ‘white horse,’ that will be the start of the battle.”

“Make sure to gather your people and organize civilian evacuation. Otherwise...”

Leaving those words behind, Kaiser turned and left.

Only Erica remained, gazing out at the sky—feeling a deep chill all over her body.

Chapter 317: They're All My Prey

"Rumble—"

No one knew when it began, but in the pitch-black sky, lightning and thunder started to erupt.

Lightning flickered within the dark clouds, sometimes flashing, sometimes streaking across, creating a scene akin to doomsday, causing unease throughout all of Sardinia.

Howling storms gradually emerged, growing fiercer and fiercer, and before long evolved into a massive typhoon.

Rain poured down from the sky like sharp arrows, sweeping across the Mediterranean in a deluge, shrouding Sardinia in a grand curtain of rain.

"Crack..."

On the rooftop of a high-class hotel, the door at the entrance suddenly swung open.

Kaiser stepped out, entering the storm, yet his body remained untouched by the rain.

At some unknown moment, his body had become hot, scorching even, like a furnace, with tremendous magical power turning into invisible heat that poured out from him.

The rain and storm surged toward him, but all were blocked by the heat-like torrent of magical power, unable to come anywhere near Kaiser.

Kaiser strolled through the storm and arrived at the edge of the rooftop.

"Is it coming?"

Feeling the change in his body, and sensing the battle spirit and fighting intent welling up uncontrollably from deep within his heart, Kaiser knew—the enemy he had been waiting for had appeared.

"Is it time to depart, my King?"

Erica's figure silently appeared behind Kaiser, kneeling on one knee and offering the salute of a knight.

"Don't follow me this time, young lady." Kaiser spoke without turning his head. "The battlefield ahead is not a place you should follow me to."

"...Indeed. That is a battlefield for gods and kings—a forbidden domain that no mortal must set foot in." Erica spoke with a complicated tone. "Unfortunately, our allied lord has ultimately failed to arrive in time to fight alongside you."

According to the itinerary, Salvatore Doni still needed about one or two more days to reach Sardinia.

And that was based on the previous schedule.

Now, all of Sardinia and its surrounding areas were shrouded in storm, making it impossible for planes to land or ferries to enter Sardinia.

So, even if that Italian king did manage to arrive, he wouldn't be able to come directly—he would have to travel on foot from midway.

This would again delay his arrival.

Therefore, the scenario of two kings battling two gods was no longer possible. Next, Kaiser would have to charge alone into the battlefield between the two gods, very likely facing both alone.

The opponents were Heretic Gods of the highest rank—one was the King of Gods, the other an undefeated War God. Both held divinities highly adept in combat—one could easily imagine how difficult they would be to deal with.

To face two such gods simultaneously...?

There could be no worse scenario.

Verethragna and Melqart—either of them alone had the ability to crush a Campione. No Campione could claim certain victory against either of them, let alone fight both at once.

This was truly a hellish beginning...

Erica's heart was filled with indescribable anguish.

However, what Erica did not know as she thought this was that, if Salvatore Doni had come, the two gods versus two kings situation she envisioned would not happen.

What might appear instead... could be Kaiser versus all three.

After all...

"Since I’ve come here, I have no intention of letting others take my prey."

Kaiser turned around, glanced at the kneeling Erica, and smiled.

"This is my battle—don’t let anyone disturb me, alright?"

With that said, gravity twisted around Kaiser’s body, and he slowly began to float.

"My King!"

Erica couldn’t help but cry out.

"Wishing you glorious victory!"

Upon hearing this, Kaiser casually waved his hand, and then his entire figure turned into a blur, flying toward the other side of the storm.

Erica kept watching Kaiser, until his figure completely vanished, before she stood up, thoroughly soaked.

Thinking back on the encounters of the past few days, Erica couldn’t help but reflect on just how unrealistic her original lofty aspirations had been.

The imagined scene where she could display her full strength and wisdom, contend with the divine beings in Sardinia, ultimately seal them, and win great prestige and honor—that had now completely crumbled.

The only ones who could face gods were always Campiones.

And she, merely a human, had no qualifications to step onto that battlefield.

However...

"I also have things I must do, battles I must fight."

Erica’s gaze grew resolute, and she turned to leave the rooftop.

Her battlefield was not the one with one king versus two gods, but here—on Sardinia, which was about to be affected by divine battle.

To evacuate Sardinia and its citizens as far as possible from the battlefield, from the disaster, to avoid casualties—that was what she had to do, and must do.

……

"Boom!"

In the dark sky, a bolt of lightning came crashing down with tremendous force, striking directly at the shadow darting forward.

"Bang!"

Kaiser didn’t even look back. With a casual swing of his hand, he scattered the incoming lightning, causing it to break apart into countless streaks of electricity.

"Swish!" "Swish!" "Swish!"...

With successive flashes and bursts of speed, Kaiser finally flew out of Sardinia.

Or rather, he had reached the coast of Sardinia, entering the Mediterranean Sea.

There, he encountered "myth".

"You’ve come, God-Slayer."

A thunderous voice rang out.

"I’ve been waiting for you for a long time."

A brawny man exuding wild ferocity grinned and said such words.

His tangled mane fluttered in the storm. He still wore his tattered cape and leather breastplate, his attire crude to the extreme. Compared to their last encounter, he didn’t seem much different.

It was clearly Melqart.

But at this moment, compared to the last time they met in the underground temple, two massive changes had occurred to Melqart.

First, the golden sword previously embedded in his chest was gone. His entire body now radiated fearsome majesty and divinity, utterly different from his prior gravely injured state.

Second, his body had become enormous, at least fifteen meters tall. His feet were submerged in the sea, and he stood upright in the ocean like a giant reaching the sky.

"Well? This time, you don’t see me in that wretched state again, do you?" Melqart looked at Kaiser, who had flown in front of him, and said with a thunderous voice. "This is my true battle form—the form of a king, the form that the strongest hunter and warrior should possess."

Indeed, seeing Melqart in this state would instinctively fill anyone with a sense of awe and greatness.

If Erica had seen this Melqart, she would surely be forced to realize that the god who had so shaken her confidence was actually at his weakest back then.

Kaiser’s eyes gleamed, just as he was about to speak—he stopped.

"That’s something I cannot agree with, King Melqart!"

This was the passionate cry of a youth.

A strong gust countering the storm blew from Sardinia behind them, and instantly arrived before man and god.

"Indeed, thou art a powerful hunter, a majestic king, a dragon slayer, a demon god, a ghost god."

"But to call thyself the strongest warrior—that is still premature."

"After all, the one who has never known defeat—stands here still."

The hearty laughter that followed tore through the wind, and the youth appeared from it.

Long purple-black hair reaching his shoulders, a slender face, dressed in traditional garb like a desert wanderer...

"War God, Verethragna."

Melqart spoke deeply.

"So you’ve recovered as well."

The newcomer was undoubtedly the mysterious youth Kaiser had met in Cagliari when he first arrived in Sardinia.

He was the War God of ancient Persian mythology who governed the concept and law of victory—Verethragna.

"Indeed, I too have recovered," Verethragna said with one hand on his hip, floating mid-air and smiling. "Originally it wouldn’t have happened so quickly, but I made a promise with someone to fight a grand battle on this island. Given that, there was no reason to keep lazing around."

Saying so, Verethragna turned to look at Kaiser.

"As I expected, thou art here too. All the better."

At this moment, compared to the time when Kaiser first met him, Verethragna gave off a completely different feeling.

Back then, he had been mysterious, peculiar, with an elusive and fragmented aura, yet exuding peace and tranquility.

Now, the smile on Verethragna’s face brimmed with fighting spirit, his eyes were sharp, and his presence overwhelming—making it clear he was a non-human entity beyond comprehension.

This person—no, this god—though appearing as a human youth, was in truth more artificial than a true human.

A Heretic God who rebelled against orthodoxy—at this moment, Verethragna fully radiated that madness peculiar to Heretic Gods, no longer appearing gentle and kind.

"O War God."

Melqart stepped forward, raising huge waves.

"That God-Slayer is my prey. You are not allowed to attack him at will."

Melqart’s warning was met with nothing but Verethragna’s laughter.

"What? Is the King of Gods also planning a duel with this human?"

Verethragna seemed to be enjoying the situation of being attacked from both sides, his face full of delight.

"No promise was made—but he stabbed me once. That must be repaid."

Melqart glared at Verethragna and said with tremendous authority.

"I stabbed you too," Verethragna countered with a smirk. "King of Gods, if you’re going to make a move, shouldn’t it be on me first? Why fight over an enemy?"

The two instantly confronted each other, both vying for the opportunity to strike at Kaiser.

To this, Kaiser had only one thing to say.

"You can both come at me together." Kaiser said flatly, "After all, I’m a Campione—the enemy of gods."

You have every reason to join forces against me. Why bother going one by one?

That was what Kaiser implied.

Unfortunately, whether it was Verethragna or Melqart, both fiercely objected.

"The God-Slayer is detestable, but this arrogant War God is equally loathsome. I have no reason to ally with him!"

Melqart declared loudly. His voice blew away the storm, sending the sea surging.

"Thou art a worthy opponent I’ve set my eyes on. That King of Gods over there is one I summoned myself. As a Heretic God whose essence is battle and victory, when I desire a worthy foe, one appears. So I will not miss such a rare opportunity!"

Verethragna laughed boldly, his fighting spirit entirely different from before.

In such a situation, it was Kaiser who moved first.

A Trident appeared in his hand, and he raised it high.

"I wasn’t asking for your permission."

"To me, you’re both my enemies—my chosen prey."

"Which one to deal with first—or both at once—it makes no difference."

With those words, immense magical power surged into the Trident, its divine force erupting like a roaring ocean.

"BOOM!!!"

The sea beneath the one man and two gods surged violently, a massive wave rising from nowhere, crashing down toward Verethragna and Melqart.

"A divine artifact that controls the sea?"

Verethragna was surprised, but his reaction was swift—lightning-fast, even—transforming into a golden phoenix and shooting away at incredible speed, like a beam of golden light soaring skyward.

"Ooohhhhhhh...!"

Melqart moved much slower. His massive body was imposing, but his agility had plummeted, and he was helplessly struck by the giant wave, swept into the sea, entangled by countless currents, as though dragged to the bottom, slowly vanishing beneath the surface.

"Hmm?"

Kaiser, still holding the Trident aloft, suddenly sensed something and hurled it.

"CLANG!!!"

A sharp metallic sound rang out as the Trident struck a suddenly appearing golden sword, knocking away the youth who held it.

"Oh?" Verethragna said with surprise. "You actually saw through my 'Phoenix' transformation’s god-speed?"

"You have keen eyes, young one."

As he praised, Verethragna’s expression grew more and more delighted.

A smile also appeared on Kaiser’s face.

To stand face-to-face with a god—this reality had already ignited the god-slaying blood within him to a boil.

So, he fully immersed himself in the battle spirit and fighting will surging through his body, letting his instincts guide him.

Thanks to that, even without shutting off his senses, he could now fight by instinct alone and pierce through Verethragna’s divine speed.

"Come."

Kaiser pointed the Trident at Verethragna.

"I come!"

Verethragna wholeheartedly accepted Kaiser’s provocation, laughing as he charged forth.

A divine battle had officially begun.

The storm... continued to rage.

Chapter 318: A Power Worthy of Being Called a Cheat

As the ever-victorious war god, Verethragna possessed more Authorities than other gods, and they were also extremely diverse.

"Strong Wind," "Bull," "White Horse," "Camel," "Boar," "Youth," "Phoenix," "Shepherd," "Goat," "Warrior"… His ten incarnations, each possessed its own ability, each was an independent Authority, and not a single one was useless.

By flexibly switching between his various incarnations in battle and using different abilities against his enemies, Verethragna could always find one incarnation that had a miraculous effect, always find one incarnation that could gain the upper hand in battle and ultimately defeat the enemy.

Ten incarnations, various distinct abilities, a combat style of flexibly choosing according to the battle situation and the opponent—this was the reason Verethragna could remain undefeated.

Among the ten incarnations, the ability of the seventh incarnation, "Phoenix," was Divine Speed.

So-called Divine Speed referred to the ability to enter a world of supernormal acceleration.

It was not an ability of "moving from point A to point B at high speed," but rather an ability of "shortening the time it takes to move from point A to point B."

In other words, it was not a power that accelerated on the physical level, but a power that could distort time during movement.

Therefore, the wielder of Divine Speed could not only perform movements that were physically impossible but also execute actions that defied the laws of physics, making the body exceptionally light and capable of three-dimensional motion, reaching a realm faster than the speed of sound, equivalent to lightning.

That kind of speed was completely imperceptible to the naked eye. Even gods, if they lacked special eyesight or senses, could not react to such Divine Speed.

This ability was particularly advantageous in battle, which was why one of Verethragna’s favorite incarnations to use was the "Phoenix."

Now, Verethragna transformed into a golden phoenix and launched a charge at Kaiser.

"Swish!"

The golden phoenix shot out like a phantom at extreme speed, brushing past the hastily dodging Kaiser and stirring up a fierce gale.

Gripping the Trident tightly in his hand, golden patterns flickered within Kaiser's body, causing his body to move naturally, allowing him to evade the Divine Speed assault in the nick of time.

Although his eyes couldn’t keep up, and his mind nearly lagged behind as well, as long as he held a weapon in his hand, Kaiser could naturally enter a battle state and fully unleash the power of his weapon.

This battle state was actually very similar to the one Campiones would enter automatically when facing gods or crises—it was one of the reasons why Campiones could contend head-on with gods.

Thus, Kaiser completely entrusted his body to his Authority. As he fused with the Trident in his hand, he naturally dodged the golden phoenix’s charge and suddenly slashed down the Trident as it passed by him.

"Boom!"

A surging tide instantly rose upon the already tumultuous sea, lifting the golden phoenix away.

The golden phoenix twisted within the waves and transformed back into the form of a youth, a fearless smile surfacing on the youth's face.

"I am the strongest, the one who holds all victory, whether facing humans or demons—one who crushes all hostility from all foes! I shall destroy any enemy that stands before me!"

In order to defeat the formidable enemy before him, Verethragna began chanting a Kotodama.

Kotodama, unlike spells, was not something that absolutely had to be used.

Whether gods, Campiones, or even ordinary magicians and sorcerers, their purpose in chanting Kotodama was mainly to activate their magical power and allow it to erupt with explosive force.

Just like Kido in the Soul Society—chanting it would unleash its full power, and though skipping the chant would weaken the power, it could still be used. Kotodama worked in much the same way.

So, chanting Kotodama was not a requirement to use an Authority, but rather a way to keep the Authority active—like a flame igniting gasoline.

The Kotodama Verethragna chanted at this moment was a sacred hymn from ancient Persian mythology, which he had chanted upon descending into the world.

As the sacred hymn was sung, Verethragna’s magical power instantly ignited like a blazing flame within him.

"O protector of the righteous, I invite and offer myself unto you, bearer of victory and grace, please grant me the correct path and light!"

Verethragna’s Kotodama became righteous and majestic, causing a goat-shaped apparition to appear behind him.

At this moment, Verethragna used the ninth incarnation—“Goat’s” ability.

"Boom!"

As Verethragna stretched out a palm, scorching lightning suddenly erupted and shot forth at incredible speed, striking the surging waves and dispersing them.

The ninth incarnation—"Goat"—possessed the power of lightning attacks.

Lightning pierced through the waves, repelled the water, and with scorching air, blasted toward Kaiser who was behind the tide.

"Bang!"

Kaiser swung the Trident, striking the incoming lightning and knocking it aside. The lightning turned into a flash of thunder and flew into the sky.

"Again!"

Verethragna's eyes lit up. Seeing Kaiser easily strike down the lightning he had launched, not only did he feel no anger, he seemed even more delighted, launching bolts of lightning repeatedly with both hands, causing countless lightning strikes to rain down on Kaiser.

"Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!" "Bang!"...

Kaiser struck away the incoming lightning one by one—some were knocked into the sky, some were slammed into the ground, and some were even blasted toward Sardinia, striking buildings and setting them ablaze as they collapsed.

The Trident in his hand not only controlled the sea but could cleave mountains, turn stones into islands, summon storms and tsunamis, submerge continents, shatter the heavens and earth, smash all things to dust, cause massive earthquakes, and unleash unprecedented catastrophes.

Controlling the sea, summoning storms and tsunamis, smashing all things, causing earthquakes, forming islands… The Trident held all these powers—naturally, striking down mere lightning bolts was no issue.

Kaiser calmly struck away all the lightning and pointed toward the sea. The surface once again surged with wave after wave, transforming into towering water curtains that rushed toward Verethragna, who was unleashing lightning.

However...

"Begone!"

Facing the layers upon layers of water curtains, Verethragna merely gave a light shout, and the waves actually froze mid-air, as if driven back by the shout, all retreating from around Verethragna.

This was the power of Verethragna's sixth incarnation—"Youth."

A radiant fifteen-year-old youth, in the doctrine protected by Verethragna, this image symbolized the “hero.”

When receiving the command of the Lord to bring order to a chaotic world and to subjugate rebellious Heretic Gods, Verethragna would take on the form of this youthful hero.

For this reason, although Verethragna had ten incarnations, he most favored appearing as the "Youth," for it best represented his identity as a guardian deity of his people and protector of royal authority.

In this form, Verethragna also gained Authorities related to protection and kingship, granting him powers to bestow blessings upon others and to dominate external forces.

Just now, Verethragna used his power of domination to seize control over the waves and repel them with a mere shout.

"I see… I've almost figured out the divinity of that sacred artifact in your hand."

Though Verethragna fought with high excitement, his eyes remained calm and sharp, fixed on the Trident in Kaiser’s hand, seeing through its true identity.

"Lightning… Trident… Helm of Invisibility… This was forged by the Cyclopes of Greece to assist those three brothers in overthrowing their father."

"They aided those gods in toppling the tyrannical rule of the Father God, allowing the twelve gods to ascend Mount Olympus and become the Twelve Olympians."

"Later, the three brothers drew lots to divide their realms of dominion. The one who drew the sea became the god who ruled the ocean—owner of this Trident."

The words Verethragna spoke were not just idle talk.

With every line he uttered, dazzling spheres of light would appear around him—the more he spoke, the more numerous and brighter the spheres became. Eventually, they solidified into actual power, causing the Trident in Kaiser’s hand to suddenly dim and lose its radiance.

"Clang!"

Vaguely, Kaiser seemed to see a golden sword falling, striking the Trident in his hand and severing it.

This didn’t happen in reality, yet the Trident in his hand, though not physically broken, lost all its power—becoming nothing more than scrap metal.

This was—

"The Golden Sword that severs divinity!"

Kaiser's gaze sharpened.

Verethragna’s tenth incarnation—“Warrior”—often appeared in ancient Persian mythology wielding a golden sword.

As the guardian deity serving the God of Light, Mithra, Verethragna was frequently entrusted with the task of subduing numerous hostile gods who defied the chief deity.

The golden sword of the tenth incarnation “Warrior” was the ultimate sword used to sever divinity, cut off divine power, and seal Authorities. It was also a sword of knowledge and wisdom.

When one had sufficient understanding of the enemy god and deep knowledge of their associated myths, that knowledge could be used to refine the Golden Sword, making it sharper and stronger.

In other words, once Verethragna fully understood and saw through a god, that god could no longer defeat him.

When using the “Warrior” incarnation, every line Verethragna spoke to expose the enemy’s essence would become Kotodama, forming a radiant Golden Sword to slay the enemy god.

At the same time, Verethragna’s physical abilities would also be enhanced while using this incarnation, and he would gain the eyes to perceive the essence of the enemy god.

Indeed, being too famous was also a kind of flaw. As the Trident—Poseidon's primary weapon as one of the Twelve Olympians in Greek mythology—its reputation was simply too renowned. It was immediately seen through by Verethragna, and its divinity and divine power were instantly severed, rendering it powerless.

"Truly a power that can be called a cheat in this world..."

No wonder the "Warrior" incarnation was the original protagonist's trump card—whenever the protagonist encountered an unbeatable enemy, it would help him overcome and win.

Kaiser put away the now powerless Trident and abandoned the idea of using the True Longinus.

As strong as the True Longinus was, its name was even more renowned than the Trident. If he dared to take it out, Verethragna would see through it at a glance and use the Golden Sword to seal it before he could even throw it.

To counter the “Warrior” incarnation, one must use a weapon never mentioned in mythology.

With that in mind, even the True Longinus might be unusable before Verethragna, because its origin was the spear that pierced Jesus Christ—the Lance of Longinus.

As for the Boosted Gear and Divine Dividing, the Red Dragon and White Dragon both originated from the ancient dragons of Welsh legend. The cores of these two Sacred Gears symbolized the Ouroboros, the eternal cycle—one of the world’s oldest mythological symbols, appearing in Aztec, Middle Eastern, Native American, and many other ancient mythologies including Christianity, Hinduism, and Norse myth. If he dared to reveal them, Verethragna would definitely see through them as well.

In other words, the best options Kaiser had now were Orga Luxes and Zanpakutō.

Although Kaiser’s Orga Lux had grown significantly stronger after becoming a Campione, it might not be enough to slay a god.

In that case, the choice of weapon became obvious.

"Sit upon the frozen heavens..."

A blade suddenly appeared in Kaiser's hand—a sword with a crescent-shaped chain at the end of its hilt.

"Hyōrinmaru!"

At that moment, an endless surge of cold air turned into white mist, erupting from Kaiser’s body.

The chill froze the atmosphere and the moisture in the air, forming a dragon of ice and water around Kaiser that let out a mighty roar.

If Hitsugaya Tōshirō were here to witness this, his eyes would surely pop out in shock.

Because the ice and water dragon surrounding Kaiser was at least a thousand times larger than the ice dragon that appeared when he released his Zanpakutō!

The enormous ice dragon could swallow a mountain with just its head. Its roar froze even the storm itself, turning the downpour into blizzard, and the tempest into a snowstorm that engulfed the entire ocean.

"Crack crack crack...!"

Amid the chilling sounds of solidification, the sea surface froze at astonishing speed.

In the blink of an eye, an icy world descended, turning the Mediterranean Sea into a frozen ocean.

"What?"

Verethragna was greatly shocked, and was immediately struck by the blizzard, his whole body blown away and frozen within the snowstorm.

"Swish!"

Kaiser stepped with Shunpo, flashing amid the snow and ice, arriving above Verethragna’s head.

"Boom!!!"

A whip kick landed heavily on the ice statue that was Verethragna, shattering the ice and sending the youth flying like a cannonball, crashing into the frozen sea.

Massive ice currents gushed forth, surging like spray.

Verethragna’s figure vanished beneath the icy sea, his whereabouts unknown.

Chapter 319: The Only Pursuit Is Victory

In the Mediterranean Sea, the blizzard still raged, turning the world into a vast expanse of white.

The torrent of icy currents, surging like ocean waves, quickly pounded onto the snowy and icy terrain, shattering much of the frozen surface.

Kaiser, borrowing the power of Gravisheath, manipulated the gravity around him and remained suspended in midair, not falling onto the icy sea below.

Holding Hyōrinmaru, which continuously emitted cold air, Kaiser looked down from above at the shattered ice, his eyes as sharp as torches.

He did not believe that kick just now could defeat Verethragna.

Although, in that kick, Kaiser had not only applied explosive gravity to massively increase its force upon impact, but also activated the boosting power of the Boosted Gear to double its strength—this blow, powerful enough to blast apart a mountain, whether it could take down a god was still questionable.

“The Circle of Usurpation didn’t react either, so you’re still alive, right?”

Kaiser muttered to himself in a low voice.

“In that case, why don’t you come up and continue the battle?”

This sentence was extremely light, completely unable to penetrate the howling blizzard to reach the seabed below.

But he still heard it.

There was no helping it—he was a God of War. It was impossible for him not to hear a challenge.

“Boom!”

The shattered ice surface exploded again as a violent wind rushed out from the turbulent seabed, accompanied by towering waves, appearing before Kaiser.

“…To think, I would actually be struck first by you.”

Verethragna’s voice, unable to hide his delight, came forth, and his battered appearance entered Kaiser’s view.

At this moment, Verethragna was not only bleeding all over, but his chest was also heavily caved in.

“I am the strongest, the one who holds all victories, who eliminates all enemies that dare stand before me, who crushes all obstacles…”

Chanting the sacred words that represented himself, Verethragna’s body emitted a thick vitality that continuously healed his injuries.

That was the ability of his eighth incarnation—“Shepherd.”

Verethragna’s eighth incarnation “Shepherd” was the ultimate manifestation of life force.

In ancient times when pastoral ability was directly equated with wealth, sheep that could grow quickly and had strong reproductive ability symbolized vitality and affluence.

Abundant, fertile, and prosperous… Such a display of life was perfectly suited for the God of War, who had to guard kingship and wage endless battles.

Thus, when using the “Shepherd” incarnation, Verethragna would gain extreme vitality—so much so that even if he died once, his body could be regenerated and revived.

“O God-Slayer, your strength astonishes me!”

While letting the power of “Shepherd” heal him, Verethragna stared at Kaiser with fervent eyes and spoke joyfully.

“Indeed, you are the long-sought formidable foe, the one capable of defeating me and letting me taste the flavor of defeat!”

As a God of War who pursued victory, Verethragna was now completely dominated by the madness of a Heretic God. Even though severely wounded, he was genuinely enjoying the battle and feeling joy at his opponent’s strength.

“If you so desire defeat, why not simply surrender?” Kaiser said with a faint smile.

“Of course not!” Verethragna answered without hesitation. “Though I wish to taste defeat, losing to another and losing to oneself are worlds apart!”

“If I casually surrender, then I’ve only lost to myself—that’s not what I desire!”

“Only when I give my all, exhausting every bit of my strength, wisdom, tactics, skill, and even spirit, and still lose to a powerful enemy—that is a true defeat!”

“Such a defeat is meaningful!”

Upon hearing this, Kaiser chuckled mockingly.

“From what I see, you never even considered the possibility of losing, did you?” Kaiser said indifferently. “As the always-victorious God of War, all you’ve ever pursued is victory.”

“What you crave is not an opponent who can defeat you, but an enemy capable of defeating you, yet still overcome by your all-out effort.”

“Even defeat must be conquered—only then is it the ultimate enjoyment, the greatest victory to you.”

“At least, that’s how it is for you now, isn’t it?”

As the protector god of the people and the guardian of kingship, Verethragna was undoubtedly a benevolent deity.

He was a member of the faction of light, a retainer of the light-representing Mithra, and himself a symbol of justice, an existence that stood against demons.

“Against all enemies, whether human or demon, crush their hostility”—this sacred hymn already expressed Verethragna’s stance.

Therefore, if he were his original self, upon realizing that his identity as a Heretic God would bring calamity to the world, he would certainly hope someone could stop him, defeat him.

But as a Heretic God ruled by madness, Verethragna had long since forgotten all that.

Now, he was merely a God of War who pursued powerful opponents by any means, eager to defeat them and transcend defeat.

“Hahahaha!”

Exposed by Kaiser, Verethragna could not help but laugh maniacally.

The laughter was not unpleasant, but it was filled with the madness of battle.

“That’s right! I am now a deviant!”

“I was once the guardian of light and justice, but now I am merely a deviant God of War!”

“To seek strong enemies! To transcend defeat! To shine the brilliance of victory! This is all that I am now!”

Verethragna’s wounds were fully healed, and his divine power burst forth like a storm, shaking the icy world.

“The stronger you are, the more joy I’ll gain from defeating you!”

“All formidable enemies capable of defeating me shall ultimately be overcome by me!”

“Victory is my essence, my pursuit!”

As the words fell, Verethragna instantly transformed into a fierce gale and charged toward Kaiser.

Verethragna’s first incarnation “Gale” had a very pure ability—it allowed him to become the wind and possess the power of tornadoes.

If someone called Verethragna’s name, he could also use “Wind” to instantly teleport to that person’s location, no matter how far.

Knowing that divine speed was useless against Kaiser, Verethragna no longer used the “Phoenix” incarnation to charge but instead turned directly into a raging wind and swept toward Kaiser.

“Prismatic Ice Array!”

Kaiser immediately raised Hyōrinmaru, and from its blade tip, a massive chill emanated.

The chill froze the air, and a finely structured ice wall composed of intricate ice formations bloomed like a frost flower in front of Kaiser.

“Boom!”

The howling gale crashed into the ice wall, triggering a deafening roar and blasting out countless shards of ice and debris.

“Bang!”

Soon, the wind broke through the ice wall and reformed into the figure of a youth before Kaiser.

“O bull with golden horns shining bright, lend me your aid!”

“O wicked being, fear me! Grant me a strong body with the fierce mark of the camel!”

While loudly chanting Kotodama, Verethragna launched a frenzied assault on Kaiser.

It was a bout of combat to the extreme. Verethragna’s legs kicked out like lightning, each blow triggering a burst of sonic booms. The speed was astonishing, and in the blink of an eye, the strikes all landed on Kaiser.

“Bang!”

Struck repeatedly by heavy kicks, Kaiser’s whole body shattered like ice.

Frost bloomed in midair, causing Verethragna’s eyes to narrow sharply.

“An ice clone?”

Just as Verethragna said that, Kaiser twisted space and used Sonído to appear behind him.

“Ice Dragon Tail Whip!”

Hyōrinmaru was pulled back to the limit, and Kaiser slashed fiercely toward Verethragna’s back. The path traced by the blade erupted with a roar and instantly turned into a field of ice.

It was like the tail whip of an ice dragon, resembling the breath of frost.

But—

“Useless!”

Facing a strike like an ice dragon’s tail whip, Verethragna casually kicked, and shockingly shattered the entire glacial field of ice.

Verethragna’s second incarnation “Bull” was the embodiment of strength.

Its ability was to grant overwhelming brute strength beyond human limits during battle and to enhance the body.

The stronger and larger the enemy, the more terrifying the “Bull’s” power became.

Verethragna’s fourth incarnation “Camel,” on the other hand, allowed the user to attain divine-level kicking techniques. The power of the kicks and the durability of the body would drastically increase, and combat technique and battle awareness would reach the realm of gods. It also numbed pain, dulled the sensation of suffering, and could even stop bleeding.

Now, Verethragna was simultaneously using the powers of “Bull” and “Camel,” possessing peerless brute strength and divine-tier kicking skills. His physical toughness and endurance had greatly increased, making his close-combat ability terrifying.

“Flock of Ice Pillars!”

Kaiser did not stop his attack. With a swing of Hyōrinmaru, countless ice projectiles shot out like a swarm of icy birds, striking at Verethragna.

“I told you—it’s useless!”

Verethragna grinned wildly and confidently. His legs moved with godlike precision, shattering all the incoming ice birds with successive kicks.

However, the shattered ice birds did not vanish. Instead, they seemed to bloom on Verethragna’s body, and ice formed at all the points of contact.

“Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!”…

At this moment, one giant ice pillar after another rose up from the frozen ground below.

“Thousand-Year Ice Prison!”

Kaiser pointed Hyōrinmaru at Verethragna and, like turning a lock, gave it a sudden spin.

“BOOM!!!”

The massive ice pillars violently crashed inward, smashing into Verethragna amidst a thunderous explosion, trapping him within the ice.

A massive prison of ice appeared on the frozen plain—towering to the heavens and standing immovable.

That scene was like a reenactment of myth—majestic and magnificent…

Chapter 320: The Demon Sword That Severed the Sun

The Thousand-Year Ice Prison—among all of Hyōrinmaru’s ultimate techniques, this ranked second in terms of strength.

It manipulated the moisture in the atmosphere to form countless massive ice pillars around the target, freezing and sealing the opponent. Once formed, unless externally disrupted, the resulting ice prison would take a thousand years to melt.

Hence, it was called the Thousand-Year Ice Prison.

This technique, if used by Hitsugaya Tōshirō, could only be employed in the Bankai state.

In Shikai, Hitsugaya Tōshirō could not unleash such a powerful technique.

But Kaiser was different. Even while in Shikai, he could execute all of Hyōrinmaru’s techniques, including those accessible only in Bankai.

Because his Hyōrinmaru, even in Shikai, was vastly more powerful than Hitsugaya Tōshirō’s Bankai.

The current Hyōrinmaru was the true strongest ice-type Zanpakutō, capable of contending equally with Ryūjin Jakka.

Of course, this was in comparison to Kaiser’s own Ryūjin Jakka. Compared to Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni’s Ryūjin Jakka, such a comparison was already meaningless.

Now that Kaiser had become a Campione, with a substantial power increase, he could easily defeat Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni without using any specialized weapon—there was simply no need to draw his Zanpakutō.

That Ryūjin Jakka, which Yamamoto Genryūsai Shigekuni had mastered through two thousand years of training, could no longer even come close to Kaiser’s Ryūjin Jakka. Even with elemental compatibility in its favor, it was impossible for it to surpass Kaiser’s Hyōrinmaru.

Under such circumstances, even in its Shikai state, Hyōrinmaru was sufficient to battle against gods.

As for Bankai… Kaiser simply dared not use it now.

He had no choice. Sardinia was nearby, and even just Shikai had already plunged the entire island into a blizzard. The Mediterranean Sea had turned into a frozen field. If he used Bankai, Sardinia would undoubtedly become an ice island, and everyone on it would be turned into ice sculptures.

Just as Ryūjin Jakka’s Bankai was enough to destroy the Soul Society, the Hyōrinmaru in Kaiser’s hand, on par with Ryūjin Jakka, once in Bankai would absolutely turn the entire Soul Society into a forbidden zone for life—a world of ice.

Glancing at Sardinia behind him, battered by the blizzard, Kaiser instinctively canceled Hyōrinmaru’s release, returning it to its sealed form.

Thanks to this, the blizzard began to weaken.

“Crack...”

Suddenly, a cracking sound emerged.

Kaiser swiftly turned his head to look in the direction of the ice prison.

“Crack crack crack…!”

One crack after another suddenly spread across the ice prison, as the sound of splintering continued.

“Boom!!!”

Before long, the ice prison shattered explosively, turning into countless shards that scattered into the frozen sea below.

“Roar!!!”

With a familiar roar, a massive wild boar smashed through the thousand-year unmelting ice, struggling out of the prison.

Its body was covered in jet-black fur, stretching several dozen meters long. Golden bristles grew from its back, its tusks jutted out like blades, and its eyes gleamed blood-red.

That was the same “boar” Kaiser had seen once in Cagliari.

“Roar!!!”

With a savage roar, the massive boar’s voice turned into a shockwave, shattering the entire ice prison.

Verethragna’s fifth avatar—the “Boar”—was the embodiment of destruction.

This boar with razor-sharp claws was a Divine Beast from legend said to shatter anything in a single strike. It was the form Verethragna took to annihilate the enemies of the chief god Mithra.

Its roar transformed into ultrasonic waves that destroyed surrounding structures; galloping across the ground, it could trigger earthquakes of magnitude 5. It would continue destroying relentlessly until its target was turned to dust. Its charging and destructive capabilities were overwhelmingly powerful—far beyond ordinary Divine Beasts.

Verethragna had taken this form to break through the Thousand-Year Ice Prison.

“You have broken the covenant and brought sin upon the world.”

A sacred hymn transformed into Kotodama, echoing through the heavens and earth.

“The Lord saith—sinners shall be punished. Break their spine, gouge out their tendons, hair, and brain matter. Trample their blood into the dirt. If I be sharp fangs that none can approach, then in the Lord’s name, I grant you destruction!”

The massive boar chanted as it stood upon the void, its blood-red eyes locking onto Kaiser as it charged.

“Rumble—”

In an instant, a thunderous roar akin to mountains collapsing and earth splitting resounded in the sky.

The embodiment of destruction broke through everything, scattering the blizzard. Like a titanic mountain sprinting forward, it roared with earth-shaking fury, its sonic waves turning into shockwaves that shattered the dark clouds overhead.

“Hyōrinmaru!”

Staring at the massive boar charging forward with terrifying momentum, Kaiser’s pupils shrank. He loudly released Hyōrinmaru, summoning a colossal ice dragon to circle him.

“Haaaaaaah...!”

With Kaiser’s low cry, the ice dragon roared as it was hurled forward, charging head-on toward the incoming boar.

Upon the snow-covered battlefield beneath the now-clear sky, the massive ice dragon and equally massive boar each let out deafening roars before colliding fiercely.

“BOOM!!!!!!”

Impact.

The most violent impact.

As the shockwaves of the collision spread in all directions, the frozen sea below surged violently.

Countless ice fragments shattered and flew into the sky, mixed with seawater.

The ice fields crumbled, snow collapsed, and seawater and snow burst onto the surface, surging under the force of the shockwave and ultimately forming towering tsunamis and avalanches—an awe-inspiring sight.

At that moment, Sardinia seemed like a lone leaf adrift in a storm, rising and falling with the natural disaster—powerless and alone.

The tsunami and avalanche swept toward Sardinia, submerging the coastal areas and even reaching the near-shore cities, toppling countless buildings.

“Campione!”

From the shattered ice dragon emerged Verethragna, his body covered in ice shards and snowflakes, bloodied and battered.

He laughed maniacally, exalted, furious, and delighted—like the embodiment of all emotions, revealing the capriciousness of a god.

The Golden Sword was clutched tightly in his hand, slashing like a golden storm, clashing violently against Kaiser’s Hyōrinmaru.

Ice blade met golden sword. Sword light and blade gleam flew as man and god clashed like lunatics, fighting desperately. The world echoed with the sound of steel on steel, bursting with blinding sparks—dangerous and overwhelming.

Facing the nearly berserk Verethragna, Kaiser merely swung his blade calmly, countering each strike, deflecting each slash of the Golden Sword, turning each of the god’s assaults into nothingness.

“Splurt!”

Suddenly, Hyōrinmaru drew an incredible arc, bypassing Verethragna’s storm of sword strikes and slashing across his chest.

“!!!”

Verethragna’s eyes widened as he distorted his expression and pressed forward.

“Splurt!”

The next second, Kaiser’s blade struck Verethragna’s neck, cutting through it and causing blood to spray.

Clutching his bleeding neck, Verethragna staggered back as if struck by lightning, and the realization dawned in his eyes.

“A power that always hits!”

Yes.

Both of Kaiser’s strikes had carried the power of certainty.

This was naturally due to borrowing a portion of Gungnir’s power, rendering Verethragna unable to evade Kaiser’s slashes.

Although he couldn’t use those legendary mythological weapons outright, as long as he didn’t bring them out directly, Kaiser didn’t believe Verethragna could discern their origins.

Even now, Verethragna likely didn’t know that Kaiser’s strikes had hit their mark because of Gungnir.

In that case, he certainly wouldn’t think to sever Gungnir’s divinity and power with the Golden Sword.

Thus—

“Divide!”

Just as Verethragna was struck with realization, a voice rang out. A dragon’s power descended upon him.

In an instant, Verethragna’s power was halved, drastically changing his expression.

“It’s over, Verethragna.”

Kaiser stood before him, raising a pitch-black demon sword.

“Buzz!”

A vast amount of Magical Power was poured into the sword, causing the red core within to radiate with brilliance.

The black blade, forged from extreme heat, trembled. Black patterns floated around it, spiraling downward, ultimately converging into the glowing red core.

“I shall not be defeated!”

Sensing the omen of death, Verethragna let out his most piercing shout yet, beginning the chant of his final Kotodama.

“For victory, come swiftly to my side!”

“O undying sun, grant me a radiant steed!”

“O steed of swift hooves and sacred spirit, bring forth the solar halo that symbolizes your master!”

Verethragna’s seventh avatar—the “White Horse”—was brilliance, was the sun.

Since ancient times, horses had always been closely associated with solar gods.

A solar god riding a chariot from east to west—this was a recurring motif in mythologies of many civilizations.

The East, India, Norse, China, Babylon… in various myths, there were tales of sun gods being pulled across the sky by horses.

Even in ancient Persian mythology, the god of light, Mithra, was said to be carried as the sun by the white horse avatar of his servant, Verethragna—rising in the east and setting in the west, appearing by day and resting at night.

Thus, Verethragna’s seventh avatar—the White Horse—was a Divine Beast that carried the sun, a divine form capable of bringing solar flames down upon its target.

At Verethragna’s call, a divine white horse appeared in the eastern sky, neighing as it carried blazing white solar flames and dove down from the heavens.

Wherever it landed, the sea would evaporate, and the earth would melt—as if a shard of the sun had fallen upon the land, terrifying and dreadful.

Unfortunately… Verethragna, who summoned this sun-horse, now possessed only half his strength.

In other words, the “White Horse” now had much less power.

“Boom!”

The pitch-black demon sword, which suddenly extended to over a thousand meters long, tore through the skies, severed the solar fragment, and cleaved through that majestic white horse.

“Splurt!”

Without slowing down, the demon sword slashed down, finally cutting through Verethragna’s body, slicing him in two.

“————”

Verethragna stood frozen, eyes wide open.

“Whoosh!”

A disc appeared above his head, swallowing him whole.

(End of Chapter)