#1254 The Evil God is Suppressed 

The divine punishment against the heretic god Zeus is still ongoing. 
Even after all this, it still isn’t over. It really shows just how deep his sins run. 

“Forgive us, Saint... for stirring such turmoil upon the earth...” 

Next to the furious brawl, the god Hades steps closer to me. 

“’Tis troublesome that strife among gods doth descend unto the mortal realm. Yet if the calamity itself hath appeared upon earth, it cannot be helped. To guard the peace of both heaven and earth, I beg thee, suffer this tumult a while longer.” 

Well, that’s only fair... after all, they did rush here to save us. 

But still, how did the gods manage to descend so easily? 

Zeus aside, since he’s basically a villain with no regard for rules, I thought that gods weren’t allowed to just descend whenever they felt like it.  
Is this some kind of emergency override? 

“Nay, we descended in proper accord with the laws as usual.” 

Huh? 

“I had deemed forced descent inevitable given the crisis, but lo, to find the king of the dead already upon the earth was a boon indeed.” 

Is he referring to Sensei? 
...Ah, Sensei’s collapsed from exhaustion way over there! 
I’ve never seen him run out of stamina before! 

Don’t tell me he summoned all these gods at once?! 
You worked hard, Sensei! 

“A-A new record...! A personal best...!” 

No, forget that; call it a world record!  
The world was saved thanks to you, Sensei!!! 

“In truth, ‘twas not needful for so many to come. Yet the moment word spread that Zeus could be smitten, all heaven cried as one, ‘Let me strike him also!’” 

Usually, when people unite against a great enemy, it’s for the sake of power. This time, it was because their grudges were just that big. 

“That they had already gathered for a grand assembly did aid matters, yet still, who would have thought such a host might be rallied? And mark thee this, the gods hastened not from this world alone.” 

Huh? 

“Hm? Who standeth there?!” 

Someone is standing above Zeus... 
It’s a one-eyed chief god. 

“Hm... it seemeth thy chief god is of ill taste indeed. How unlike the gods of Asgard.” 
“How darest thou! To speak thus to me, king of gods! Who art thou, that I know thee not? Surely some lowly god of no account!” 
“Since thou hast asked, I must answer.” 

The god of war raises his spear and says, “I am Odin, king of the Æsir of Asgard, who holdeth valor as pride and shield. A king of gods as art thou, yet methinks a fair measure higher in worth.” 
“Asgardian gods?! Why should gods of another realm intrude here?!” 
“Why, to smite such a wretch as thou. Now taste it, the spear that never misseth its mark, that never faileth to pierce its foe once aimed. The doom-sure spear, by name...” 

Odin hefts his spear high... 

“Gungnir.” 

The weapon of this chief deity, supreme among his arms, flies swift as lightning, slamming into Zeus. The strike erupts in a massive explosion, fire and light swallowing the heretic god whole. 

...That looked like a nuke. 

“Such is the might of Asgard’s war-born gods... verily, their powers lean toward battle indeed.” 

Hades mutters in admiration. 
When the blast clears, Zeus staggers out, tattered but still intact. 
I guess the evil god he’s fused with is stronger than I thought to survive that. 

“Guh... wh-what?! I am dragged below?! What is this?! Though I be beaten, there is still more torment?!” 

Huh?  
Zeus is being dragged into the earth? 
No. 
Blood pools at his feet, from which corpses and scorpion-like things crawl forth, seizing him. 

“Avicii Hell, the Filth Mire.” 
“Another unknown god?! From what host this time?!” 

Is that Lord Enma, king of hell and judge of the afterlife?! 
Why are gods from other worlds showing up, too?! 

“We were but playing Momotetsu together...what timing, eh!” 

Momotetsu?!  
What? They were hanging out playing board games?! 

“Wretched! Wouldst thou cast me, a chief god, into hell?! Such impiety!” 
“Be thou god or mortal, none escapeth the judgment of hell. Most of all one such as thee, who sinneth without remorse.” 

Enma’s hell drags Zeus down deeper.  
Already half his massive body is sunk into the blood swamp. 

“Then let thy judgment be sealed, noble Lord Michizane.” 
“To stand beside Enma as arbiter, ’tis as though I were Sugawara no Takanomaro himself.” 

Oh, Michizane. 
He came, too, huh? 

“Eek! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!” 

Zeus shrieks in panic at the mere sight of him. 
What’s that about? 

“Methinks he recalled the thrashing thou gave him before and still quaketh in terror.” says Hades. 

“That he doth tremble at mine appearance shows he remembereth my chastisement. Yet that he still schemeth evil means my rod was too light. Then once more must I unveil the dread visage of a god of vengeance.” 
“Nayyyyy! Spare me! Help meeeeeee!” 
“If thou wouldst not be chastened, then sin not. ‘Tis simple.” 

Michizane raises a finger skyward. 
The heavens blacken, thunderclouds roiling... 

And like a hammer falling, the lightning strikes. 

“Thunder of Retribution!” 
“GYAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!” 

Zeus writhes, his body flashing, skeleton showing clear through, until he falls silent at last. 

Every god of this world, plus even foreign deities, together in a colossal beatdown. 
Talk about overkill. 

*** 

“So... what now?” 

Zeus lies broken.  
He was already on his last legs when I hit him with my sword flash, so at this point, he’s beyond recovery.  
His spirit is broken, too. The fight is well and truly finished. 

“Bluhhh... guhhehh...!” 
“But how did this abomination of the abyss breach Hephaestus’ sealing-space? No fool he, to leave such gaps.” says Hades, eyeing his ruined brother. 

“Heh, hehehehe- I mean, iaiyayaya... ye third-rate gods cannot ken it! The true chief god ever findeth a chance to rise, no matter the peril!” 
“Do you think you’re the hero or something?” 
“Nay! I am no hero! I am a god! Ye may spurn me, but destiny itself ordains my return! For I am fused with the abyssal Outer God! No forge-born seal of Hephaestus may hold me! Again and again shall I burst forth to plague the world!” 

Wow. Zero remorse. 
Guess I’ll just have to blast him myself...! 

But Hades cuts in, almost gently: 

“Zeus, dost thou prattle of fusion still? Thou art not fused.” 
“Hah?! Speakest thou nonsense! Lo, I and the Outer God art perfectly joined, an eight-score and seven measure, if graded!” 
“Nay. Thou art not fusing... thou art being consumed.” 
“...Eh?” 

Tentacles writhe, seizing Zeus tight.  
A predator’s grip on prey it will not release. 

“W-Wait! Halt! My body sinketh into the Outer God itself! Help me, my brethren!” 
“Nay.” 
“Wherefore?! Brothers should aid each other! A man in need! Hast thou no mercy, cold-hearted wretches?!” 
“Speak not of mercy, god of greed.” 

The monstrous bulk writhes, slipping back into the rift.  
Zeus isn’t steering it anymore. 
The evil god itself is in control. 

It turns out Zeus thought they’d fused, but he was really just being eaten. 

“Wait! Not back into the abyss with me still bound! AHHHHHHHHH!!!” 

His screams fade as the abomination vanishes, chirping hideously, beyond the rift. 

So... what becomes of Zeus now? 

“Methinks he shall live on, as naught but a part of the evil god. A fool he was. Had he repented and lain quiet within the seal, mayhap a billion or trillion years hence some chance of release might come. Now nevermore.” 
“Aye. Yet at least one shadow over the future hath been dispelled. We may breathe easier...” 

Hades and Poseidon both wear sour looks.  
For all their strife, he was still their brother. 

Thus, this grand uproar, dragging in gods from far and wide, comes to an end. 

========== 
Momotetsu is short for momotaro densetsu, a jp board game series.