Chapter 262 : Chapter 262

Chapter 262

Neptune, ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍the God of the Sea.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was a Transcendent who enjoyed coming into contact with all manner of living creatures.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍would Polymorph and mate with lesser creatures, and he would lend vast quantities of divine power to the Temple’s priests.

A ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍god deeply interested in changes to species, creating points of contact with his divine power through many different methods.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was while he had entered the body of a young human to confirm the usable range of divine power.

[Why ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍go so far?]

Another god came to him and asked.

[Just because. It is fun.]

[Fun?]

[We live for infinite time. Without at least this kind of amusement, would we not go mad?]

[......]

[It would be ridiculous for a god to go mad and destroy the world, would it not?]

[What a foolish thought. Our divine nature will not collapse over something so trivial.]

Saying that an innate divine nature would not be shaken by such things, the god mocked Neptune for wasting divine power on lesser creatures.

Neptune, in the form of a young human, smiled back at him.

The god before him, who believed immortality would last forever, was interesting to him as well.

[There are mutations in the world that one cannot foresee.]

It seemed that, even as he smiled, his divine power had amplified more than expected.

Unable to endure Neptune’s immense divine power, the young human body had become that of an old man.

[Is this test subject to be discarded as well?]

Lost in thought with his back bent, he raised a finger.

Ssssss.

The divine power residing in the human body condensed at his fingertip.

Once all the divine power had left the body.

CRUMBLE.

The aged body crumbled away.

The divine power remaining in the air took the form of a Transcendent.

[Crumbling because one cannot endure overwhelming power. Perhaps that is something we will experience one day as well.]

[Nonsense. Such an era will never come.]

[Do not be so certain.]

A voice on an entirely different level from when he occupied a human body resounded through the area.

A higher divine nature so imposing that even the god facing him flinched.

[If you only trust and follow the Lord, a day will come when you perish in vain.]

[I will come again.]

Unable to obtain a satisfactory answer to those warning-like words, the god who had come to see him had no choice but to leave.

That god never came to Neptune again.

Because he was hunted by a mutated human.

Neptune Polymorphed and lingered around the human.

Mana.

The power of accumulating natural energy in an artificial heart and using it. That power had already reached the realm of Authority.

At that level, he would be more than capable of hunting a lower god.

[A mutation.]

The mutated human was soon subdued by higher gods, including the Lord, but the power he had amassed spread among lesser creatures and planted the seeds of new possibilities.

[Just as I thought. It is possible.]

As if mocking the dead gods, he accelerated his experiments.

An era arrived in which the power of the gods was diminished for some reason.

Temples were erected throughout the world, and the gods’ wills were contained within Divine Objects.

Once great gods, now beings in decline.

Neptune, who had been called an eccentric among the gods, accepted the new change naturally as well.

***

[Adamas, have you found a new body?]

Neptune, who had seen through Killian’s essence, reacted with interest.

“Neptune.”

[Ho. You recognized me at once. No, of course you would.]

Fwoosh.

Blue divine power rose from his blue eyes.

Divine power that had bloomed into color.

Proof that he was a higher god.

[You possess two powers within a human body.]

One was the Mana Heart he had possessed even when he was an ancient human.

The other was.

[Murus’s power.]

He identified the owner of the divine power at a glance.

[I can sense traces of others besides that as well. Did you perhaps eliminate all of them?]

“......”

Though Killian did not answer, Neptune seemed to take it as an affirmation.

Neptune burst out laughing.

[You have not changed, then or now.]

When the divine natures had been strong, he had awakened a mutation-like power and committed godslaying. Now, with the divine natures weakened, he too had become weak and continued committing godslaying.

And he had even accepted the power of the god he had hated so deeply.

[I have waited to face you someday.]

In ancient times, the Lord had acted first because his movements had drawn attention.

[But now, have you not stepped into my domain of your own accord?]

This was fate.

He said even Cronis would bless this time.

“You really are insane.”

To call him merely insane would be inadequate; he was stable enough to use Insight.

‘He should be contaminated by a Fragment of the Anomaly, yet he maintains this level of presence?’

The radiance that had burst forth when he awoke had already vanished without a trace.

Silvana, Murus, and the others. He was different somehow from the cases Killian had seen so far.

[It does not feel bad to hear that from a mutation.]

Who was he calling a mutation?

Just as Killian was about to voice that thought.

THUD.

[Ah...... Aah......]

Siren collapsed where she stood and began to tremble.

The fear she had been enduring from the instant Neptune appeared had exceeded its limit.

Only then, as if he had noticed her existence, did Neptune shift his gaze from Killian to Siren.

Neptune’s reaction was the opposite of his response to Killian.

[There is a lowly creature here that does not belong in this place.]

Just as he was about to remove Siren from before his eyes, treating her as a lesser creature.

[Hmm?]

Neptune read his own power within Siren.

He had thought she was merely a lesser creature living in the modern sea.

[You were my test subject.]

And an old one at that, which had reproduced and evolved repeatedly.

Smile.

Neptune suddenly broke into a bright smile.

Even that expression made Siren afraid.

[Ah...... Aaaaah......]

It appeared that fear imprinted upon her ancestors in the past had awakened, causing her to lower her eyes and tremble.

Since her divine power originated from Neptune, it could not be helped.

‘It will be difficult to use Siren as part of our fighting force.’

The source of the presence Killian gave off, which she had been so curious about.

Siren was so far from sane that she could not recognize it even when he was revealing his identity right in front of her.

Even so, as Neptune’s interest shifted to Siren, he saw through her origin.

[Siren. You are that wing-broken lesser creature from back then.]

Neptune seemed somewhat surprised.

What he had done to the Siren species was not even worthy of being called an experiment.

He had asked for its consent, then forcibly injected divine power into it.

The last time he had watched, it had been too weak to endure the immense power, had grown sickly, and had even begun to lose its innate abilities.

Yet not only had it survived to the modern age instead of going extinct.

[You evolved into an interesting species.]

The demonic energy unique to monsters and divine power had fused evenly.

Even for him, it was a successful specimen he had seen only a few times.

A being the gods had begun calling a Demigod at some point.

“That is enough.”

[Hmm?]

“I said that is enough admiration for the fruit of the seed you sowed.”

[Ah.]

Neptune turned his head and smiled brightly once more.

[Do not worry, Adamas. You are my sole, foremost interest.]

His manner was like that of someone dealing with a sulking pet.

‘I thought I had developed some resistance to it by now.’

“You are still revolting.”

Perhaps things might have been a little different if he had treated Killian as the others did.

‘Understanding the situation comes first now.’

There was a high chance Neptune had come into contact with the Monster Lord or the Anomaly.

[I gave this space to the stubborn bastard who calls himself the king of monsters.]

“......”

[And that stubborn bastard brought the power of an aberration called the Anomaly into this place. Is that all you wished to know?]

His attitude said he could see straight through Killian’s thoughts.

It was how the gods had acted in the past, when Insight remained intact.

“Your insight is quite good. The others were not like that.”

[Not all gods are the same, even if they are gods.]

“......”

[Ah, was that another thing you used to say habitually?]

‘This is troublesome. Can I cut down someone at this level with my present presence?’

The tiniest doubt began to sprout in Killian’s mind.

Killian shook his head.

‘No. I can cut him down.’

Like the other gods, he was a god who had vanished.

He looked whole, but there had to be some restriction.

[Yes...... You have faced a contaminated Silvana before.]

Adamas Style, Pa—Break.

“Black Flash.”

BANG!

Neptune’s form, struck directly by Anima, scattered.

RUMBLEEEEE.

Killian raised a barrier to block the scattering divine power, then gripped his sword again.

FWOOSH!

Blue Flame clung to the blue divine power and began burning away the remnants of the god.

WHOOOOOSH.

It took only about three seconds for the mana he unleashed at full power to burn away every last remnant.

[It is useless.]

“......”

Killian glared at Siren, who had risen to her feet.

Unlike before, she neither trembled under the grip of fear nor let out a groan.

[You cannot erase me with that level of power.]

All those who inherited his power would fall under his control.

[There are only two here beyond my control, including you.]

He kindly explained his ability.

Siren’s eyes quivered. Neptune, who had taken control of her body, was reading her memories.

CLANG!

Killian’s thrusting sword was stopped by the Trident now in her grasp.

[You are still carrying out your task. What a truly interesting fate.]

The corner of his mouth twitched as he understood Killian’s circumstances.

[How about inheriting my power?]

RUMBLE.

Immense divine power poured from Siren’s body.

[I think I would be more useful to you than Murus.]

There was hierarchy even among the gods.

[Adamas, accept my power.]

If he did.

[You will surely obtain the same presence as before.]

He said Killian would regain his lost divine nature in an instant.

[An XX like XX is spouting whatever he pleases.]

Hot-tempered Murus, who had listened in silence, cursed.

He seemed properly enraged at Neptune for treating him as inferior.

[You were not swayed by such XX words from that XX, were you?]

At the question ringing through his mind.

“As if.”

Killian gave the obvious answer.

[Tell Neptune to stop hovering around my believer and get lost.]

[Ooh...... Are all gods ultimately destined to perish?]

[I should break that mental strength first.]

Ignoring the gods’ voices.

“Carpe.”

Killian unleashed his Haki.

***

CRACK.

Levia swung her sword and knocked away the staff.

Armin was approaching her again with vacant eyes.

“High Priest Armin!”

She tried calling out with a mana-amplified voice, but that was all.

High Priest Armin simply continued approaching without any change, swinging his Divine Object.

‘What is going on?’

The moment Killian vanished along with Siren.

The eyes of Armin and the Telesas, who had been hostile toward one another, had gone vacant at the same time.

As though someone were controlling them.

‘Did he fail to cut the Core?’

The moment Levia sensed something amiss.

Armin thrust his staff forward, filled with divine power.

BANG!

“Kgh......”

Enduring the throbbing pain, she instinctively threw herself aside.

WHOOOOSH!

The Telesas’ soundwaves struck the spot where she had been.

“This will not do.”

She gripped the pendant around her neck.

The violet pendant Killian Eurasia had given her before they passed through the Warp Gate.

He had said he had stored his mana in it, just as Prince Julian did with his own, and that infusing it with mana in danger would save her life at least once.

‘Even if I use the Eye and the mana stored in the pendant...... At my level, I can only manage 6-Star at best.’

That would not be enough for her to face those before her alone.

But she had no other method.

‘I have no choice but to buy time.’

She infused teal mana into the pendant.

Fwoooooosh.

The pendant responded and released violet mana.

Her entire body grew burning hot.

BANG!!

It sounded as though space itself had torn apart.

Then the violet mana cut through space, and a Gate opened.

From there.

“What an exceedingly strange way you have chosen to contact me.”

A woman in flowing violet robes appeared.