Fantasy Library, Ch 306-310

Chapter 306: The Boy and the Girl

“You there, boy.”

The boy who walked up to Kaiser—despite appearing even younger than Kaiser—spoke to him in a very old-fashioned tone.

“Art thou inviting me?”

The boy’s voice was extremely androgynous, resembling that of a youth going through voice change, making it difficult to tell whether it was male or female. If one had to categorize it, it would barely fit into the baritone range.

A gentle smile adorned the boy’s face. His narrow eyes became even narrower due to the expression, and his lips curved upward in a strikingly archaic manner.

If someone who didn’t know what this boy was were to hear his tone, they’d likely think he was arrogant and pretentious—like a superior looking down on an inferior.

Fortunately, Kaiser knew what the other party was. He could even discern the language being spoken. It wasn’t English, nor was it Italian, but some kind of ancient tongue.

If not for the Librarian of the Fantasy Library’s innate language mastery, Kaiser might’ve really needed the Campione’s Thousand Languages to understand what the other was saying.

Kaiser gave the boy a faint smile.

“Not really an invitation, just thought I’d say hello.”

Kaiser spoke words incomprehensible to others.

Yet, the boy seemed to understand.

“I see. Like the trumpet blown before a battle, or the white glove thrown before a duel—thou art doing that to me now, correct?”

Though speaking of dangerous things, the boy’s smile only grew happier.

“Very well! A challenge from a strong one—I have never and will never refuse such things.” The boy looked at Kaiser with burning eyes and asked, “Boy, what is thy name?”

“You don’t need to know. After all, I’m just a modern human. Unlike you, famous and named in mythology, known to all.” Kaiser shrugged, then suddenly changed his tone and said, “But you—do you even remember your own name?”

“Me?” The boy shook his head and replied with indifference, “I truly cannot recall my name.”

“I don’t even know why I appeared here, or why I always feel as though I am incomplete, needing to recover my complete self.”

“But it matters not. Even if I don’t know my name or origin, it brings no particular trouble.”

“There is only one thing I need to know.”

Saying this, the boy calmly uttered words of extreme arrogance.

“I am the victor. Victory is ever in my hands.”

“No matter the battle, no matter the enemy, my victory will never change, nor falter.”

“Yes, that’s right. I remember now—it is because I want to experience the taste of defeat that I appeared here.”

The boy’s gaze toward Kaiser turned sharp.

“Boy, thy body seems to emit a presence much like mine. Could it be that thou art the one I have been searching for?”

A similar presence?
The boy’s words made Kaiser pause, and then he quickly understood.

As a Campione, the aura on Kaiser must not be anything pleasant to the boy—let alone something to be considered “similar.”

If there were anything on Kaiser that shared the same essence as the boy before him, it could only be one thing.

That was the Gungnir.

The spear of destiny that ensured victory upon being thrown. In some sense, it was indeed of the same essence as the boy.

After all, both were incarnations of victory, existences that always held triumph in their grasp.

“As expected of you, to even sense the Authority within me.” Kaiser remarked in admiration, then smiled. “I don’t know if I’m the one you’ve been searching for.”

“But, I did come here for you.”

“I want to defeat you.”

Upon hearing this, the boy’s eyes widened slightly, then he let out a hearty laugh.

“Thy declaration speaks directly to my soul! Boy!”

The boy laughed with genuine joy, almost as if he wanted to dance.

“This is perfect, this is perfect. I was seeking someone like thee—strong and wishing to defeat me!”

“Since we both hold the Authority of victory, it is only natural that we should determine which of us stands above!”

“My journey was not in vain!”

Leaving those words behind, the boy actually turned around as if to leave.

Nothing could be done.

“Though I still cannot recall my name, I faintly sense that in my current state, even if we fought, I would not stand the slightest chance.” The boy spoke loudly with his back to Kaiser. “To defeat thee, I must return to my peak condition as soon as possible.”

“Boy, forgive me. Grant me a few more days.”

“Once I retrieve all of my incarnations and return to my complete, invincible state, I shall accept thy challenge.”

However, just as those words left the boy’s lips and before he could leave, a voice boldly interrupted.

“How unfortunate. Now isn’t a time when you can just say pretty words and walk away unscathed, suspicious boy.”

This was spoken in Italian—standard Italian.

The speaker’s voice was like heavenly music, as enchanting as a mermaid, yet as dignified as a knight. It gave the impression of a blooming rose, sudden and brilliant.

The owner of the voice walked forward with steps even more confident and powerful than the boy’s.

Her posture—rather than walking, it was like posing under a spotlight, dazzling beyond words.

Seeing her, the boy’s response was calm, but Kaiser raised his brows and turned to observe.

Upon closer inspection, the person who came into view matched her voice—an extraordinarily eye-catching existence.

She had long golden hair and wore a vibrant red outfit. Her appearance was stunning, her figure elegant and voluptuous—like a masterpiece crafted meticulously by a god, surpassing any doll in grace and liveliness, full of nobility and confidence.

Every move she made radiated elegance, and her every step displayed refined upbringing. She seemed like the daughter of a wealthy household, or a noble lady, but more than anything, she resembled a queen, a knight, a blooming red rose.

Looking at her, Kaiser was reminded of Rias.

Both were equally confident, equally dignified, and equally beautiful. Only, Rias felt more like a noble lady, while the girl before him seemed more like a divine warrior from a prestigious lineage.

“I am Erica Blandelli, the noble one destined to be known as the Diavolo Rosso. I ask the two of you to remember this name and etch it deep within your souls.”

The girl—Erica’s demeanor was confident to the point of arrogance, yet it didn’t come across as conceited or aggressive. Instead, her confidence carried a clear sense of etiquette that others could feel, making people instinctively admire her while also feeling respected.

Though in some people’s eyes, such upright confidence might be irritating, neither of the two men here today were of such shallow character.

Thus, Erica’s entrance, in their eyes, was not flawed—but rather, full of substance.

Unfortunately…

“Regretfully, I’ve already found what I must do. So, girl, don’t obstruct me.”

The boy’s attitude toward Erica was not as enthusiastic as toward Kaiser, and he seemed a bit disinterested.

But Erica appeared unconcerned with the boy’s departure declaration.

“That’s why I said it’s unfortunate. Now isn’t a time when you can just say pretty words and walk away unscathed.” Erica smiled sweetly and said leisurely, “According to the members of our Copper Black Cross stationed in this remote southern location, you’ve appeared multiple times at the sites where Divine Beasts manifested across Sardinia, and are suspected of brief contact with them.”

“Bosa, Orgosolo, Barumini… wherever sightings of Divine Beasts were confirmed, you were seen nearby.”

“That can’t be a coincidence, can it?”

Erica stood casually, yet blocked the boy’s path.

“Apologies, but in order to investigate the truth behind the Heretic God who appeared on this island, I must ask you to come with me, suspicious boy.”

Saying this, Erica turned her gaze toward Kaiser’s direction.

“And you as well, mysterious individual who appeared on this island without notice, please come with us too?”

Clearly, she had no intention of letting Kaiser off the hook just because he had contact with the boy and was acting just as suspiciously.

To this, the boy said nothing in response to Erica, while Kaiser looked at her with interest.

“You’re a knight of the Copper Black Cross?”

At those words, Erica immediately corrected him.

“Wrong. I am a Great Knight of the Copper Black Cross, not someone who can be equated with ordinary knights.”

In this world, apart from gods and Campiones being overwhelmingly powerful, ordinary humans also have various professions and abilities on the mystical side, depending on the region.

Such as Miko, Spirit Seers, Spirit Users, Taoists, Martial Artists, Magicians, Curse Users, Priests, Shamans, Ninjas, Samurai… and so on—across the mystical world, many different talents exist, each mastering different abilities.

Knights are a unique profession within the European magical world.

In Italy, Spain, and other Southern European circles, knights usually refer to Paladins—successors of the historical Knights Templar.

Though the Knights Templar were destroyed in the early 14th century, a small number survived and passed down their martial skills and magic to the present.

Those who inherited this lineage are known as knights—not merely magicians, but also skilled in martial arts and embodying the noble spirit of chivalry.

And among them, only the finest among thousands throughout history are granted the title of Great Knight.

Above Great Knights are Paladins—the highest-ranking knights of the human world, titles only bestowed upon the strongest of knights. Their existence represents the pinnacle of humanity and are capable of contending with Divine Beasts or Demigods.

Since this girl before them was a Great Knight, it proved she was already close to touching that pinnacle of humanity.

A true prodigy, an unquestionable powerhouse.

Chapter 307: How about you turn back to that again?

Erica was only fifteen years old this year, yet she had already attained the rank of Great Knight, which earned her tremendous fame in the entire magic world.

Although she still couldn’t compare to the Campione, nor to those standing at the pinnacle of the mysterious side, among all others, she was likely one of the most renowned.

In the Italian magic world, Erica was even known as a prodigy. Even if one searched all of Italy, there was only one other genius who could compare to her.

In terms of talent and aptitude alone, Erica was definitely among the top tier of humanity, and her strength also belonged to the first echelon of the magic world—just beneath the top ranks.

And on top of that, her surname was Blandelli, adding another layer of radiance.

In the magic world, Blandelli was a prestigious family among prestigious families.

The most famous and respected person in this family now was the current commander of the Copper Black Cross—Paolo Blandelli.

He was Erica’s uncle, and also one of the few remaining Paladins in the world today. He had once plotted alongside the chairman of the Sage Council and succeeded in repelling a Campione, which brought him great renown and established him as one of the strongest humans in the world.

The ancestors of these two from the Blandelli family were Campione themselves, so both were descendants of Campione, enjoying great prestige in the entire mysterious side.

If it were someone else who learned of Erica’s identity and knew her strength, they would surely change their attitude.

Unfortunately, for the two people standing opposite Erica, she was nothing at all.

That young man was already preparing to leave, and Kaiser was standing there with his arms folded, a completely indifferent posture as if it had nothing to do with him.

This made Erica visibly frown and sigh.

“I originally wanted to follow basic etiquette and politely ask you to come with me, but unfortunately, you don’t appreciate it.”

“You must know, being so courteously received by me, Erica Blandelli, is already an honor in itself.”

“I’ll let you understand just what you missed.”

As her words fell, Erica began to chant a kotodama that sounded like poetry.

“Steel lion and Lionheart King, my ancestor—heed the vow of the knight Erica Blandelli!”

“I am the inheritor of the fierce horn trumpet, descendant of the black warrior. My heart shall not yield, my sword shall not break!”

“O Lionheart King, the essence of battle now reveals itself in my hands!”

Erica extended her hand, silver light flashing from it.

“The time for a duel has come—Cuore di Leone!”

As the silver light faded, a silver sword appeared in Erica’s hand.

It was a long steel sword with a slender blade.

The blade shimmered with a crisp silver radiance, its sunlit form resembling a pure beam of light, its appearance so elegant it could be considered a work of art.

However, such a beautiful sword was a magic sword capable of easily slicing through steel.

“Oh?” Only now did the youth show some interest in Erica, narrowing his eyes as he looked at her and said with a smile, “So you’re a warrior too?”

“Do you know what it means to raise your sword at me?”

Upon hearing this, Erica also narrowed her eyes slightly.

From the youth’s tone, Erica could more or less guess that his identity was probably not simple.

Although she still didn’t know exactly who he was, it was very likely that he had a deep connection with the Heretic God who had descended upon Sardinia.

Thus, Erica revealed a fearless and confident smile matching that of the youth.

“A knight should act like a knight. Although I prefer to present myself gracefully at balls like a noble, displaying valor on the battlefield like a lion is also something I love.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you.”

Saying this, Erica actually moved into action.

Her sword-drawing and forward-charging motions happened almost simultaneously, making it seem as if a flash of silver light appeared, and the elegant girl had already closed the distance.

Clearly, the gap between the two was over five meters, yet in the blink of an eye, she had bridged it.

And the target of her attack was not Kaiser.

The magic sword called Cuore di Leone shot like lightning, instantly thrusting toward the youth’s chest.

However, this dazzling strike ended in a complete miss.

The youth, who had been locked onto by Erica, had at some point turned into a gust of wind and vanished.

“Although it seems rather interesting, unfortunately, I don’t have time to play with you right now.”

The youth’s voice leisurely rang out, reaching Erica’s ears.

“To defeat strong enemies and grasp victory, I must embark on the journey to rediscover myself.”

“But seeing as you have such courage, I’ll kindly give you a word of advice.”

“Don’t stay here any longer, or something truly troublesome might be coming”

Leaving behind these words, the youth’s wind-like figure vanished completely, and his voice faded away as well.

Kaiser could feel the youth’s presence rapidly moving away, extinguishing the fighting spirit that had inexplicably risen within him.

“Well, that was decisive.”

Kaiser chuckled and shook his head, then prepared to leave as well.

“Don’t think you can escape!”

But just as Kaiser turned around, Erica rushed over with her sword, launching a blindingly fast thrust.

“Swish!”

The air was sliced open, and sharp blades of wind swirled around.

Kaiser slightly shifted his body, and the thin sword with its sharp edge grazed past his chest.

“Hah!”

Erica’s footwork was refined, and her swordsmanship even sharper. After missing one strike, she immediately stepped in closer, unleashing thrusts aimed at Kaiser’s side, arm, and cheek—three flashes of silver light flickered past simultaneously.

Kaiser slightly adjusted his posture, stepping left and right in succession, easily dodging Erica’s fierce sword strikes.

“Hmph.”

Erica’s gaze sharpened slightly. While creating some distance between them, she smiled meaningfully.

“As expected, you’re not an ordinary person. Even Liliana would have to take that last round of attacks seriously, yet you dodged them effortlessly. What more is there to say?”

Her tone practically accused Kaiser of being the culprit behind what had happened to Sardinia.

“Just because I dodged your attack, I have to give you an explanation?” Kaiser said calmly. “That’s definitely slander, you know?”

“I, Erica Blandelli, though not infallible, absolutely don’t make mistakes on small matters like this,” Erica said firmly. “That youth is definitely connected to a Heretic God. If you can get along with such an existence, how could you possibly be an outsider?”

“Speak. Who exactly are you?”

“A magician? Or a priest or cleric from some religion?”

“Don’t tell me... it was your group that summoned the Heretic God to Sardinia?”

Erica was indeed reasonably suspecting this.

If Kaiser was truly in league with that youth, then Erica might have guessed right.

But Kaiser was innocent.

“What if I said I just met him a moment ago, only exchanged a few words, and barely know him—would you believe me?”

Kaiser said this with a smile.

“What do you think?”

Erica’s face also wore a smile, though it gave off a dangerous vibe.

Smiling, she raised her sword once more.

Her posture while holding the sword was truly beautiful, exuding a functional elegance that discarded all unnecessary things.

“Looks like if I don’t get more serious, you’re not going to reveal the truth.”

Erica began to chant a kotodama.

“Boom!”

Four bluish flames, each about the size of a palm, suddenly appeared around her.

“Go.”

Under Erica’s command, the four bluish flames shot toward Kaiser.

Kaiser didn’t resist, nor did he dodge. He simply watched indifferently as the flames landed on him.

“Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!”

Four not-so-loud explosions rang out as the bluish flames burst on Kaiser.

It seemed Erica had indeed held back. Though the flames looked intimidating, they were actually only strong enough to knock someone away and make them roll a few times. Even if injured, it wouldn’t be serious—ordinary people could endure it, let alone someone with Magical Power.

She likely intended to use this to restrain Kaiser, then move in with her sword once he responded.

However, Erica was quickly surprised.

Because the flames that exploded on Kaiser had no effect at all. It was as if they were deflected by some invisible force, never actually touching his body.

“This is...”

Erica didn’t hide her shock.

Kaiser, meanwhile, patted the clothes on his body, as if what had just landed on him was dust, not magic.

“Can I go now?”

Kaiser’s tone sounded like he was humoring a spoiled little girl.

This made Erica’s brows sharply rise—she finally decided to get serious.

The flame magic just now was child’s play—at least to Erica.

What she truly excelled at was Iron Refining Magic, which allowed her to freely manipulate steel. She was particularly skilled at magic involving creation, transformation, destruction, and enhancement.

“Cuore di Leone, grant your mission to the steel lion!”

“Tear, pierce, crush!”

“Strike down, annihilate, and triumph!”

“I entrust you to this battlefield!”

Erica’s kotodama turned solemn as she tossed her magic sword into the air, like a mighty Lion King summoning her pride.

The magic sword twisted and shattered, its fragments transforming into massive steel lions that surrounded Kaiser.

“Whoa, isn’t this a bit excessive?”

Seeing this scene, Kaiser was dumbfounded.

He had already noticed that passersby were drawn to the commotion. Upon seeing what was happening, they immediately cried out and screamed, creating a small disturbance.

“Don’t worry, they won’t harm you.”

Erica offered a seemingly kind reminder.

“If you don’t want to be crushed by them, you’d best surrender quickly.”

Hearing this, Kaiser looked around.

Staring at the steel lions eyeing him hungrily, he suddenly smiled.

“Not enough.”

Kaiser uttered these words.

“What?”

Erica was stunned.

“I said...” Kaiser spoke in a calm tone, “This level isn’t enough to make me surrender.”

Erica’s expression instantly vanished, replaced by a bewitching, beautiful smile—thorny like a rose.

The next second, the steel lions around Kaiser let out roars and pounced at him in unison.

“Boom!”

Just as the pride was about to crush Kaiser, a thunderous boom echoed.

A purple halo spread out from beneath Kaiser’s feet, instantly dyeing the ground in the same hue.

In that moment, with Kaiser at the center, a radius of several dozen meters turned into a high-gravity zone, pressing all the steel lions to the ground.

“!!!”

Erica’s expression changed dramatically. She hadn’t even had time to react before the expanding purple halo engulfed her as well, pressing her to the ground. She couldn’t move at all.

“Ugh...!”

The overwhelming gravity crushed Erica’s internal organs, causing her to groan in pain.

In this area, even the atmosphere was dragged down by gravity. Wherever the purple light reached, the airflow became chaotic and strange.

Only Kaiser moved freely within the gravity zone, his expression unchanged.

“Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!” “Boom!”...

Before long, the immense gravity focused on the steel lions, crushing them all.

As for Erica, she wasn’t crushed. The gravity in her area suddenly reversed, becoming anti-gravity and launching her into the air like a rocket.

“Fly! Boots of Hermes!”

As her body began to fall back down, Erica loudly chanted a new kotodama, activating a jump magic.

This was a spell that made the caster’s body extremely light, allowing them to leap up walls or easily jump ten to several dozen meters high.

With the jump magic activated, Erica’s body became light as a feather, fluttering to the ground with the wind.

“Huff... huff...”

Erica began to pant a little heavily, looking as if she had narrowly escaped danger.

In contrast, Kaiser remained standing there, watching Erica calmly.

“You...”

Erica’s gaze toward Kaiser had changed.

That gravity just now... was that a kind of magic?

But gravity strong enough to instantly crush steel—could such a gravity magic really exist?

That strength of gravity had already exceeded the normal limits of magic!

“Who exactly are you?”

Erica asked the question again.

“Only now are you willing to talk properly? Isn’t it a bit late?” Kaiser didn’t answer immediately, but said half-smiling, “I actually preferred your rebellious side just now. How about you turn back to that again?”

Erica’s eye twitched, her expression angry.

“I...”

Erica just began to speak when Kaiser suddenly turned his head, looking in a certain direction.

“Boom!”

A deafening roar suddenly erupted.

Chapter 308: That Belongs to Someone Else

“Boom——”

It was an extremely intense tremor.

The tremor came primarily from the ground, but also from a certain space.

Right in the central area of Cagliari, a gigantic creature suddenly rose from the earth, like a mountain bursting out from underground, shaking both the ground and the atmosphere as it emerged, knocking down the surrounding buildings one after another and causing them to collapse in succession.

“Roar!!!”

A roar that shook heaven and earth spread out as sound waves, causing even greater destruction, turning everything within several kilometers around the giant creature into a shattered ruin.

People had long been stunned by this terrifying supernatural phenomenon, unable to react for a while. Once they did, they immediately let out hysterical screams and began to flee in a panic.

“Th-That is…?!”

Erica, who had originally been facing off against Kaiser, had a drastic change of expression on the spot.

Under her gaze, the giant creature gradually revealed its full form and true appearance.

It was actually an extremely enormous wild boar.

The wild boar was at least fifty meters in length, and its height also exceeded ten meters, looking like a small mountain in itself.

It had sharp claws, pitch-black fur, and the bristles on its back glowed with a golden hue. Combined with two sharp tusks and crimson eyes, the whole image appeared extremely ferocious, like the embodiment of destruction, terrifying to behold.

“Roar!!!”

The massive wild boar roared, its voice turning into shockwaves that destroyed everything nearby. Each time its massive legs struck the ground, it triggered earthquakes of magnitude five or higher, creating an overwhelming force and immense destructive power.

“It’s a Divine Beast!”

Erica cried out in panic.

“After the ‘Bull,’ the ‘Sheep,’ and the ‘Camel,’ the fourth Divine Beast—the ‘Wild Boar’ has appeared!”

What appeared before everyone was, just like a Heretic God, a mythical beast that should only exist in legends, not in the modern world—a Divine Beast.

And the moment this Divine Beast manifested, it went completely berserk.

“Boom!”

It roared while charging forward, smashing through a pile of rubble.

“Boom—Boom—Boom—Boom—Boom—”

Wherever the wild boar passed, all ruins, debris, stone piles, buildings, and even broken walls were sent flying. The ground shook violently under its feet, shattering and cracking open, as shockwaves and dust storms swept outward like tsunamis.

“This is bad!”

Erica had completely lost her previous composure and confidence, as if she finally realized the situation had turned dire, her face growing pale.

“We’ve been targeted!”

That’s right—Erica had been targeted by the massive wild boar.

Or rather, the one being targeted wasn’t Erica, but Kaiser who stood opposite her.

As if provoked by the aura of an enemy, or perhaps sensing a threat, the massive wild boar charged forward, trampling everything in its path, rushing straight toward Kaiser’s location.

“Fly…”

Erica tried to chant the spell for a jump-type magic, but she had only uttered one syllable when her nape was grabbed by a hand.

“Swish!”

With one hand holding Erica, Kaiser’s figure suddenly vanished from the spot, reappearing in mid-air.

“Boom!”

At the exact moment Kaiser vanished, the massive wild boar arrived at that location, bringing with it terrifying momentum and a turbulent blast of air, trampling through that spot with tremendous force.

Just like that, the massive wild boar continued to rampage as if still unsatisfied, roaring and charging in all directions, smashing through building after building.

“That thing really doesn’t hold back.”

Floating in mid-air by manipulating gravity, Kaiser looked down at the scene of destruction and remarked with no sense of urgency.

This finally snapped Erica out of her daze.

“You—what are you still doing just watching?! Hurry up and stop it!” Erica struggled and shouted loudly, as if humiliated. “To actually carry a lady in your hand like this… is there something wrong with your brain?!”

“The one who suddenly jumped out and attacked a stranger on the street has no right to say that, don’t you think?” Kaiser glanced at the struggling Erica in his hand and said, “If I hadn’t helped you, you might’ve already been stomped into the dirt like those rubble pieces and turned into a smear of sludge, you know?”

“I don’t need your help!” Erica was no longer the elegant noble lady, nor the gallant knight, but a petulant girl, shouting noisily, “Even without you, I could’ve easily dodged that level of charge!”

Naturally, that was just bluster.

Even for a Great Knight, facing a Divine Beast was a challenge beyond reach.

While Divine Beasts weren’t as overwhelmingly powerful as gods, dealing with such beings wasn’t something just anyone could do. Unless a human at the Paladin level took action, it was virtually impossible to defeat one.

Unless Erica could immediately summon a hundred-strong knight squad, with every member proficient in powerful magic, there might be a chance to initiate a siege against the Divine Beast and attempt to subdue it. Otherwise, relying on her alone, she couldn’t possibly deal with a Divine Beast.

“I’ll just take that as truth.” Kaiser replied noncommittally. “Also, stop moving. If you keep squirming, your clothes will get torn.”

Erica froze completely and indeed didn’t dare move anymore.

Although she felt deeply ashamed—one might even say she’d suffered utter humiliation—seeing the massive wild boar still rampaging through Cagliari, Erica suppressed the irrelevant details.

“Put me down quickly! I must stop it!”

Erica gripped the Cuore di Leone.

She wasn’t posturing—she truly had to act.

Because she was a Great Knight of the Copper Black Cross, and the daughter of the Blandelli family, tasked with protecting ordinary civilians.

To just stand by and watch civilians suffer, to let a crazed Divine Beast destroy a town—she couldn’t possibly allow it.

Even if she wasn’t a match for that Divine Beast, she still had to act to stop it from moving forward.

Just as Erica made that resolute decision, Kaiser’s voice entered her ears.

“Even if you’re putting on a determined face, there’s no place for you to act here.” Kaiser said indifferently, “That belongs to someone else. It’s someone else’s prey.”

“Watch closely.”

“The owner is coming to retrieve it.”

Just as Kaiser’s words fell, beneath the massive wild boar rampaging through Cagliari, a breeze began to rise.

At first, it was only a light breeze, but as time passed, it gradually became a gale, then a storm, wrapping around the massive wild boar with intense force.

Soon, the storm turned into a tornado, lifting rubble and stones into the sky while also sweeping the massive wild boar upward.

“Roar!!!”

The wild boar let out a roar, its huge body struggling desperately within the tornado, yet it couldn’t escape.

The spiraling storm held the wild boar suspended in mid-air, turning it into meat on a chopping block.

In that case, there was only one end for the wild boar—

To be slaughtered.

“Shing——”

Around the tornado, a golden flash suddenly appeared, transforming into a golden arc, sharp and swift, slicing through the wild boar’s body.

“Roar!!!”

The massive wild boar’s roar instantly turned into a wail, its huge body seemingly drained of all strength, slowly turning into sand and dissipating on the spot.

The tornado that had enveloped the sand turned into a strong wind, carrying the sand remnants of the wild boar away.

Before long, the wind disappeared into the horizon, making everything seem as if nothing had ever happened—calm and peaceful once more.

“...What on earth just happened?”

Erica was already dumbfounded.

Kaiser, on the other hand, stared in the direction where the strong wind had dissipated. After a while, he turned his gaze back downward.

Down below lay the severely damaged streets.

What was once a scenic countryside had turned into a disaster zone, and what used to be a clean and elegant part of the city had become a ruin, chaotic and devastated.

Fires burned in many places, and panic gripped the crowd.

Some people were still fleeing in a panic, some stood in shock, some cried, some prayed, and others shouted out in anger, fear, sorrow—making the scene all the more chaotic.

The sight resembled hell.

…………

Unknowingly, the sun had already begun to set.

As the glow of dusk fell upon the Mediterranean, the blue waves became shimmering waters tinged with twilight—a different kind of beauty marking the end of the day.

Inside a restaurant in Cagliari, Kaiser sat there, eating pasta while watching television.

“Looks like the incident during the day didn’t make it to the news.”

Kaiser casually brought up the topic.

The television was broadcasting local news from southern Sardinia, centered around Cagliari.

There was no mention of Cagliari being attacked by a mysterious giant beast or suffering damage from it in the news report.

The news only covered the post-disaster recovery efforts and on-site clean-up in Cagliari. As for the cause of the incident, not a word was said. Or rather, they brushed it off with excuses like “a sudden earthquake,” downplaying it and shifting attention, thus significantly reducing public concern.

“...It was probably handled by the local magic society, right?”

Erica was sitting across from Kaiser. She also had a plate of pasta in front of her but didn’t touch it—instead, she sipped red wine with a sulky expression.

“Concealing and covering up miracles, allowing modern society to develop normally, is a consensus among the mystic-side forces of nearly every country.”

“Whether it’s today’s incident or the recent Divine Beast appearances across Sardinia, they’re always handled the same way in the end.”

“Any problem with that?”

Erica spoke gloomily, only to receive Kaiser’s even more indifferent reply.

“No. It has nothing to do with me anyway.”

Those words made Erica even more frustrated.

Chapter 309: The War God Who Commands Victory

Kaiser was thoroughly enjoying his meal, while Erica ate with a sullen expression, looking displeased from start to finish.

When Kaiser finished eating and left the restaurant, the young lady followed him without hesitation, continuing to display her unhappy demeanor.

The two of them walked through the gradually darkening Cagliari, strolling along the portside streets, one walking in front, the other behind. Surprisingly, it created a somewhat peculiar atmosphere.

It wasn’t until the sky had completely darkened and the lights in Cagliari began to shine one by one that Kaiser, having arrived by the sea, finally spoke.

“Say, how long are you planning to follow me?”

Faced with Kaiser’s question, Erica’s face returned to its usual confident and composed smile.

“Until you explain everything,” Erica said. “At this point, don’t even think of telling me you don’t know anything, alright?”

“I’ve never said I didn’t know anything, have I?” Kaiser said leisurely. “I only said I’m not familiar with that boy we met today.”

“But you two seemed to get along quite well.” Erica didn’t intend to let Kaiser off the hook, and like a seasoned hunter, she began to weave her words. “I don’t believe you know absolutely nothing about that boy. At the very least, you know much more than I do, don’t you?”

“What’s this? Is the Copper Black Cross’s prodigy trying to coax valuable intel from someone with this level of wordplay?” Kaiser turned to look at Erica with a half-smile and said, “Even if you’re right, that doesn’t mean I’m obligated to tell you what I know, does it?”

“Assisting the local magic societies in resolving god-related incidents is the duty of all mystic-side individuals, you know?” Erica spoke eloquently. “Could it be that in your country, there are those who cower before a god, ignoring the lives of others and the fate of their homeland?”

“In that case, I’ll have to reevaluate you.”

Undoubtedly, this was a provocation.

Although Kaiser wasn’t provoked, he understood that what Erica said was the truth.

Even Hime-Miko like Mariya Yuri, though not belonging to the History Compilation Committee, still had the duty to assist in their operations.

Such situations were not uncommon across the world. When facing a Heretic God like a natural disaster, if humanity didn’t unite and gather all available forces to resist, the end result would simply be everyone buried together under the rubble.

“So? What is it that you want to know?”

Kaiser crossed his arms and spoke to Erica.

“First of all, your identity and background,” Erica began, but then quickly changed her tone. “That’s what I’d like to say, but considering the current situation, if we don’t quickly determine the true identity of the Heretic God that descended upon Sardinia, incidents like today’s could keep happening.”

“So, let me ask about the Heretic God first.”

Erica’s composed yet serious words made Kaiser view her in a slightly new light.

“Not bad—you know how to prioritize,” Kaiser praised. “However, even if I didn’t say it, you already have some guesses about the identity of the Heretic God that descended on Sardinia, don’t you?”

“...Just a little.”

Erica didn’t deny it, her expression growing more serious.

“What appeared in Bosa was the ‘Camel.’”

“What appeared in Oristano was the ‘Shepherd.’”

“What appeared in Barumini was the ‘Bull.’”

“What appeared in Cagliari was the ‘Wild Boar.’”

“And then there was the ‘Strong Wind’ we saw today, and the flash of golden sword light that dealt the final blow to the ‘Wild Boar’…”

The answer was already quite clear.

“The Heretic God that descended upon Sardinia is the Persian god of victory—Verethragna.”

Erica stared directly at Kaiser and said each word clearly.

“I’m not wrong, am I?”

Verethragna, also known as Uruzlaghna.

His Persian name is Bahram. In Armenia, he is called Vahagn, considered equivalent to Heracles in the West and the War God in the East.

In Indian mythology, he corresponds to Indra. During the time of Alexander the Great, under cultural fusion, he came to be viewed on par with the heroic god Heracles, even acquiring the Hellenized name Artagnes. After Alexander’s death, it’s said some of his subjects, under Pompey’s guidance, migrated to southern Italy—the very region where Kaiser and Erica now stood.

In mythology, he is the War God who commands victory, guardian of kingship and people, a fusion of many divine elements—the very embodiment of the concept of victory.

He was originally a war god under the chief deity Mithra of ancient Indian mythology. Later, he was described as a heavily armed and incomparably powerful warrior who battled humans and demons, overwhelming his enemies and attaining exalted honor.

He is known as the undefeated God of Battle, always able to seize victory in any situation and conquer his enemies. The reason for this ability is that he possesses ten incarnations.

He can always appear in the most suitable form, adapting to the battlefield, fighting in ever-changing guises, and securing victory firmly in his grasp.

These ten incarnations are: “Strong Wind,” “Bull,” “White Horse,” “Camel,” “Wild Boar,” “Youth,” “Phoenix,” “Shepherd,” “Goat,” and the “Warrior” wielding a golden sword.

Each of the ten incarnations has its own ability and uniqueness.

By piecing together the Divine Beasts that have appeared across Sardinia, Erica was able to confirm that the Heretic God who descended on this island is this undefeated and unconquered God of Victory.

“Correct.” Kaiser nodded and said straightforwardly, “The Heretic God who manifested on Sardinia is Verethragna.”

“But there’s a problem here.” Erica frowned deeply. “Why are the incarnations of that War God appearing individually all over Sardinia?”

“Did that War God intentionally manifest his incarnations to run wild on this island?”

“Judging by what happened today, that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

The Divine Beast that appeared in Cagliari was clearly Verethragna’s fifth incarnation—“Wild Boar.”

But after rampaging for a while, it was suddenly swept into the sky by “Strong Wind” and then scattered by the golden sword.

That brief flash of golden sword light must have been the slash from the golden sword wielded by Verethragna’s tenth incarnation—“Warrior.”

Whether it was “Strong Wind” or the “Warrior” wielding the golden sword, they were both incarnations of Verethragna, just like the “Wild Boar.” So why were they fighting among themselves?

Something clearly wasn’t right.

Adding to that the “Bull,” “Camel,” and “Goat” incarnations that had appeared before but mysteriously vanished...

Erica had reason to believe that those three incarnations, just like the “Wild Boar” today, were all defeated by other incarnations.

What was this supposed to mean?

The War God Verethragna... was fighting himself?

Is that even allowed?

“He has no choice—he needs to reclaim the incarnations that were scattered.”

Kaiser naturally saw through Erica’s thoughts and didn’t keep her guessing, telling her directly.

“The Divine Beasts that appeared across Sardinia are all parts of Verethragna, not the War God himself.”

“The God of Victory who descended on this island, in pursuit of victory, in pursuit of powerful enemies, due to his ties with this land, summoned another Heretic God.”

“At the very beginning, didn’t an abnormal celestial phenomenon occur in Sardinia?”

“That was caused by the battle between two gods.”

At these words, Erica’s expression changed slightly.

“Two gods descended at the same time…!?”

Erica could no longer remain composed.

Each descent of a Heretic God is a major blow to the human world.

Ordinarily, one Heretic God would already be terrifying and troublesome enough, but now she was being told there were two gods on this island?

“...Even I, Erica Blandelli, wouldn’t dare to boast that I could handle a divine descent of this magnitude.”

Erica took several deep breaths, trying her best to stay calm.

“You can still go back now, you know?” Kaiser teased. “The Copper Black Cross finally produced a prodigy—if they lost you, the Blandelli family would probably be upended.”

“Anyway, you can’t possibly handle a god. Leaving this incident to someone else wouldn’t be a bad choice, would it?”

Kaiser’s provocation earned a sharp glare from Erica.

“How could I possibly do something so cowardly? That’s an insult!” Erica snorted coldly, then bit her fingernail and said, “Since the two Heretic Gods that descended upon Sardinia have already fought, then the current situation is easier to understand.”

“The battle between the two gods must have ended in mutual destruction.”

“The War God Verethragna was scattered as a result of that battle, and his incarnations are now spread across Sardinia.”

“And the other god either returned or is wounded as severely as the War God and is recuperating.”

Kaiser immediately clapped.

“Exactly right!” Kaiser said with a smile. “Congratulations—you’ve seen through the current state of Sardinia!”

The reason why Sardinia hasn’t suffered greater catastrophe yet, and only a few Divine Beasts have caused trouble, is because both manifested gods are in poor condition.

Verethragna is reclaiming his incarnations, and the other god is doing everything possible to recover from their wounds. That’s why things are relatively peaceful for now.

However, once both recover to their peak conditions, Sardinia will once again face disaster.

This is the current situation.

Chapter 310: Let You Broaden Your Horizons

“Tch……”

At this moment, Erica was biting her fingernail harder than before.

Her mood could absolutely not be considered good—it could even be described as terrible.

The reason she came to Sardinia was her own.

Having trained since childhood under her uncle, a Paladin, and having been personally instructed in martial arts by a peak human warrior, Erica had earned the title of prodigy from a young age.

Though only fifteen years old, Erica had already obtained the rank of Great Knight, not only possessing exceptional martial prowess but also having studied many profound magics and even secret arts. Whether in terms of strength or foundation, she far surpassed her peers, and even many veterans of the previous generation were no match for her.

In Italy, the only genius who could be compared to her was just one; anyone else was either no match for her or much older.

Such a girl had already enjoyed great fame and was considered the treasure of the Copper Black Cross. There was fundamentally no need for her to come to such a remote southern land and get involved in the dangerous descent of a Heretic God.

But Erica had chosen to come here without hesitation, determined to face a god head-on.

The reason was simple—she was not satisfied with her current achievements.

Once, her uncle had joined forces with the chairman of the ruling Witenagemot to confront a Campione, and through strategy, they had successfully repelled the Demon Lord, causing a global stir.

To honor the Paladin’s feat, people had bestowed upon Erica’s uncle the title of [Diavolo Rosso], allowing his name to go down in history.

Now, nearly twenty years had passed since Erica’s uncle had been granted the title of [Diavolo Rosso].

And three months ago, her uncle returned that title.

Because he was about to become the Supreme Commander of the Copper Black Cross and could no longer serve as a knight.

However, the title of [Diavolo Rosso] had already become the greatest banner of the Copper Black Cross, the highest honorary title held by a knight representing the organization externally.

Unable to concurrently serve as a knight, her uncle returned the title to the Copper Black Cross, creating two candidates eligible to inherit it.

One of those two was Erica.

Erica wanted to inherit her uncle’s title, to obtain the greatest honor of both the Blandelli family and the Copper Black Cross.

But although she was called a prodigy, she ultimately suffered from being too young, seen as lacking in experience, with insufficient merits to justify inheriting the title, and with even less public support—her support rate was extremely low.

To earn the title of [Diavolo Rosso] and gain the supreme honor of becoming the Copper Black Cross’s premier knight, Erica was desperate to obtain achievements and renown.

Hence, Erica had volunteered to come to Sardinia.

Normally, when encountering the descent of a Heretic God, humanity could only respond in three ways.

The first method was to treat it as a natural disaster, an unavoidable calamity, and seek shelter while waiting for the god to leave, followed by post-disaster reconstruction.

The second was to defeat the god, resolve the root cause, and suppress the calamity.

The third was to use various means to seal the god.

The first method was a helpless move only chosen when resistance was absolutely impossible. Naturally, Erica did not want to see such a situation occur.

The second was far too unrealistic—not to mention a Great Knight, even if all the Paladins in the world gathered to hunt down a Heretic God, the final outcome would still be that the god casually crushed them.

The third was the most realistic. As long as ancient secrets hidden by various mystical factions or divine tools passed down since the mythological era were used, it was possible to seal gods with weaker Divinities—if lucky, even strong gods could be sealed.

Erica had come here to achieve that third objective.

As long as she could take active part in the greatest calamity in this world, the Heretic God, and seal it, Erica would earn immense achievements and renown, proving to others that she was a worthy candidate for premier knight of the Copper Black Cross.

By then, she would definitely achieve her goal and obtain the title of [Diavolo Rosso].

To someone like Erica, of course she wished that the god appearing on Sardinia would be as weak as possible—only then would the difficulty of sealing be manageable.

However, the situation developed in the worst possible direction.

The gods that appeared on Sardinia weren’t just two, and both had extraordinary origins.

Verethragna was the invincible war god—perhaps not as famous as Odin or Zeus, but his Divinity was exceptionally powerful, definitely among the top-tier of Heretic Gods.

The other god’s true name was still unknown, but being able to fight Verethragna to a standstill and perish together, scattering all his incarnations—how could such an existence be an ordinary deity?

She had to face two of the most top-tier gods!

How could she seal that?

Let alone someone as minor as a Great Knight—if even a Campione had to face two top-tier gods at once, wouldn’t they likely be forced to flee?

Just one of those gods was already enough to cause despair, let alone two.

At that point, just surviving would already be a miracle, let alone establishing merit.

If things went wrong, not only would she fail to gain merit, Erica Blandelli might die before achieving anything, sinking into the Mediterranean along with all of Sardinia.

“How could it turn out like this…”

Erica truly hadn’t expected that the event she had placed even a sliver of hope in would turn out to be such a hell-level difficulty.

“What is the true name of that other god? Do you know where He is currently recovering?”

Driven by anxiety, Erica began to fire off questions at Kaiser one after another.

“And that boy who was with you during the day—what’s his identity?”

“And you?”

“What’s your identity?”

Erica’s interrogation, however, did not bring about another generous answer from Kaiser.

“You’re asking way too many questions. I’m really not in the mood to answer them all,” Kaiser glanced at Erica, as if he could see the anxiety in her heart, and said indifferently, “You should just go back to Milan, young lady.”

“This time’s Heretic God is indeed a bit tricky. Not just you—even if your uncle came, he wouldn’t be able to do anything.”

“If you really want to resolve the issue here, it’d be better to call over Italy’s King.”

Kaiser turned around, back facing Erica, and began to walk forward.

“Lord Salvatore is in South America right now; there’s no way he can make it back in time,” Erica followed Kaiser, unrelenting, and said, “You’re telling me to retreat from the battlefield, but what about you?”

“Do you have a way to handle those two gods?”

“Wait! Answer my questions!”

Kaiser paid no attention to the shouting behind him and walked away directly.

……

As a place famous for tourism, Cagliari had no shortage of inns.

Although Kaiser had run out of money—truthfully, even if he hadn’t, he didn’t have the local Italian currency—still, as mentioned before, money was no longer something difficult for him to acquire. If he wanted money, it would only take a few minutes.

He didn’t even have to go diving for fish. Kaiser just borrowed a bit of Hyōrinmaru’s power to create a beautiful, never-melting ice sculpture, and that alone stopped passing tourists in their tracks. Even the locals showed interest in the ice sculpture.

Eventually, a passing tycoon bought the sculpture for a large sum to add to his collection, and all Kaiser had done was place the sculpture on the road and stand beside it for a while. The issue of money was resolved just like that.

Thus, Kaiser checked into a fairly expensive inn and spent the night in a room whose decor reminded him a little of Claudia’s old dorm.

After one night, Kaiser left the inn.

What surprised him was that someone was already waiting for him outside.

“You’re still here?”

Seeing Erica in a bright red dress like some noble lady on vacation, Kaiser blinked.

“Didn’t I say it already? I, Erica Blandelli, will never retreat from the battlefield!”

Erica declared firmly.

“Who cares whether you retreat or not?” Kaiser said with some exasperation, “I meant, why are you waiting for me here?”

“You’re the one who has the most information and yet refuses to share it,” Erica said as if it were obvious, “If you’re willing to tell me everything you know, that’d be ideal.”

“Miss Erica Blandelli, I am neither your subordinate nor your boy toy. I have no reason to solve your problems,” Kaiser didn’t even look at her. As he walked past her, he said, “That I told you as much as I did yesterday was already me showing mercy because this is Sardinia.”

“Being able to receive assistance from Erica Blandelli is an honor many beg for but never get,” Erica immediately followed up, saying, “What complaint do you have?”

“Not really a complaint. I just think you’re quite clingy,” Kaiser glanced at Erica and said, “Where I’m going is very dangerous. If you keep following me and something happens, I’m not responsible.”

Upon hearing that, Erica didn’t retreat—she even smiled fearlessly.

“Is there anywhere more dangerous than a battlefield of gods?”

The implication being, if she dared to face gods, what danger could scare her?

“That’s because you’ve never seen a real god.”

Kaiser stopped, turned around, and looked at Erica.

“This must be your first time facing a Heretic God, right?”

Faced with Kaiser’s question, Erica had only one reply.

“Is there a problem?”

She still wore that fearless smile, as if she didn’t know what fear was.

Kaiser narrowed his eyes, his expression becoming meaningful.

“In that case, I hope you can maintain that confidence.”

With that, Kaiser once again began walking.

“Where are you going?” Erica followed closely and said, “Our Copper Black Cross Spirit Vision users have sensed a large concentration of Magical Power near Dolgali.”

This was something she had just learned in the morning.

“Copper Black Cross has Spirit Vision users too?” Kaiser showed a bit of interest. “Then you must’ve already gotten plenty of intel from them. Why are you still following me?”

“What do you think Spirit Vision users are? Prophets?” Erica said irritably, “Their visions are extremely limited. If not, I wouldn’t be completely clueless about the identities of the gods appearing on this island.”

Hearing this, Kaiser curled his lips.

“Then Copper Black Cross’s Spirit Vision users aren’t that impressive—much worse than the one I know.”

If it were Mariya Yuri, not to mention the identity of the god—even what the god was doing now and planning to do later could likely be seen.

Unfortunately, to Erica who didn’t know Mariya Yuri, that level of Spirit Vision was already beyond her comprehension.

“If it were Liliana, maybe we could see more—too bad she’s not here,” Erica chatted casually, “By the way, I mean Liliana, the eldest daughter of the magic noble family Kranjčar, affiliated with the Bronze Black Cross. You’ve heard of her, right?”

“Liliana Kranjčar?” Kaiser nodded vaguely and said, “The rumored [Fairy Knight], how could I not know?”

The two major magic associations that dominated the Milan magic world were the Copper Black Cross and the Bronze Black Cross.

Both were part of the [Seven Sisters], yet they were rivals—or at least competitors—and did not get along.

Each of the two groups was backed by a noble magic family—one being the Blandelli family, the other the Kranjčar family.

The former’s representative was the prodigious Erica, while the latter’s was the only peer who could compare to her in Italy—Liliana Kranjčar.

This girl was both Erica’s rival and her complicated best friend.

Unlike Erica, she was the descendant of a traditional witch, proficient in European witchcraft, and like Mariya Yuri, possessed the qualifications of a Hime-Miko and Spirit Vision ability.

Although her Spirit Vision wasn’t as powerful as Mariya Yuri’s and didn’t trigger as easily, it was still far stronger than ordinary Spirit Vision users—if lucky, she might really see the god’s identity and origin.

“So?” Erica followed Kaiser into a deserted alley and said, “Want to go to Dolgali?”

“No.” Kaiser shook his head. “I’m going to Oristano.”

“Oristano?” Erica was stunned. “Didn’t a ‘Shepherd’ incarnation already appear there?”

“I’m not going there to see an incarnation,” Kaiser looked at Erica and smiled, “This is a rare opportunity. Let me show you something amazing.”

As he spoke, Kaiser grabbed the back of Erica’s neck and lifted her up.

“Eh?”

Erica only had time to utter a dumbfounded sound before she was launched into the sky.

“Whoosh!”

Kaiser used Shunpo, and his figure vanished from the alley.

Not long after, a silhouette streaked through the sky, darting off in a certain direction...

(End of Chapter)