Thick smoke lingered. Tree roots had been reduced to charcoal. This place was a purgatory. No signs of life remained.
"Cough... *hack*!"
No... there was one exception. The victor.
"Finally... I... made it!" Tang Ping collapsed on all fours, gasping for air. His face was caked in dust, his clothes shredded into rags; he looked no different from a beggar. Most horrifying of all, not a single inch of his skin was intact—he was covered in blackened burns. An ordinary human would have died a dozen times over.
But, favored by a God as he was, he wouldn't perish so easily. The **Azure Wood Bracelet** on his left wrist glowed, activating its once-a-day healing spell. Before long, his wounds began to scab over and flake off, revealing fresh, unblemished skin beneath.
"Just now... that was..." Only now did Tang Ping regain his senses, feeling an immense wave of relief.
At the moment the slash collided with the comet and exploded, the white tentacles on his back had moved on their own. Without any command, they had extended forward, cocooning his body tightly to ensure the golden flames didn't incinerate him. Though they only held for about a minute, it was enough for him to survive.
The spherical monster hadn't been so lucky; it had been blown to smithereens, leaving not a single scrap of wreckage behind.
"That was too close... Huh? What's this?" Tang Ping realized he was kneeling on something. He picked it up.
It was a sheet of paper. Unlike common printing paper, it had a certain thickness and felt soft to the touch, with a slight brownish tint. It felt more like a scroll than a piece of paper. What shocked Tang Ping most was that despite the dust-choked air and being pressed into the mud, the paper remained pristine—spotless as if brand new.
*Wait? Is something written on it?* Unknown characters were inscribed in golden ink. Tang Ping couldn't read them, but as he touched the script, a faint warmth radiated from the paper. *This might be a treasure dropped from defeating the monster. I'll take it back to show Tanosi.*
Tang Ping stored the paper within the Water God's Seal and called out to Tanosi in his mind.
"Lady Tanosi, how are things on your end? I'm coming to help you now!"
*It should be over by now,* he thought. *She's so powerful—she can wipe out millions in a single night and terraform a deserted island. There's nothing in this world she can't do.*
"!"
Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Tang Ping's head. A slideshow of images began to play before his eyes. It was... Tanosi's silhouette?
"Tanos—!"
The moment Tang Ping spoke, he saw a scene that made his heart seize. The omnipotent, invincible Goddess—was currently kneeling on the ground.
High above, twelve metallic spheres hovered silently. No wind. No sound. Only—chains. Arm-thick chains extended from the spheres, embedded deep into her arms, shoulders, and even her spine. She was being suspended like a puppet.
"..."
Her silver hair hung limp, no longer shimmering. It was matted with mud and blood.
*Drip. Drip.*
Blue blood slid from her fingertips. One drop. Then another. Gradually, they gathered into a thick, foul-smelling puddle.
"Lady... Tanosi?" Tang Ping's voice trembled. He couldn't comprehend it. The being who could remodel an entire island with a wave of her hand. The "absolute" God in his eyes. Why—why was she in this state?
"...Loyal Servant..." She lifted her head. That face had lost its usual composure and playfulness. Only pallor and weakness remained. "Run... to that castle... hurry..."
"What are you talking about?!" Tang Ping roared, taking a violent step forward. "I'm coming to save you right now! Wait for me—"
"YOU IDIOT!!!"
The scream tore through the air. Tang Ping froze mid-stride.
"How do you think... I lost..." Her voice was fractured, yet hauntingly clear. "And how do you think... you won?"
"..."
In an instant, the pieces clicked together in Tang Ping's mind. The explosive power. The slash that tore through the monster. And... her rapidly fading strength.
"No way..." Tang Ping finally realized the price of his victory.
"Go...!"
The chains tightened once more. Her bones let out a faint, sickening creak.
"Don't... drag me down... anymore..."
"...!"
Those words hit heavier than any physical blow. Tang Ping's feet felt like lead. He wanted to rush back and save her. But—if he went there, he would only accelerate her death.
"Dammit!" Tang Ping gritted his teeth, his nails digging deep into his palms. "..."
He took a step back. "I wish you... victory in battle!"
His voice was a low whisper, barely audible. In the next instant—he turned away. He didn't look back. Aside from the **Jellyfish Godspeed** active on his body, he had returned every drop of remaining energy to Tanosi.
*I hope it's in time... Don't lose... Lady Tanosi!*
Tang Ping prayed as he accelerated his pace toward the castle.
***
Seeing Tang Ping gradually distance himself, Bernidas finally let out a sigh of relief. As the vital hostage they were meant to rescue, he truly didn't want to use brute force on the man. This secret mission, beyond gathering intel on the Evil God and purging the enemy, prioritized the hostage's safe extraction above all—even if their entire squad was wiped out.
According to his internal radar, the hostage was moving away from the battlefield toward the castle. The heavy stone in Bernidas's heart finally dropped. Next... once the Evil God was slain and the hostage extracted, the mission would be a perfect success.
However... *Why has it gone so quiet?*
Weren't Caritas and Fortitudo just mocking this Evil God for being too weak? Weren't they shouting about how simple the mission was and that the Holy Kingdom didn't even need to send so many people? Why the sudden silence?
Bernidas turned around, only to find his comrades frozen in mid-air, as if encased in an invisible layer of ice.
"Caritas! Fortitudo! Hey! What's wrong with you? Wake up!"
No matter how Bernidas called out, not a soul responded. Time had been permanently frozen in this very second. Aside from Bernidas, no living being could move.
No... except for one other.
Bernidas whipped his head back to look at the Evil God below. *Thank the Heavens!* She was still bound by the chains, looking filthy, battered, and utterly defeated.
"Whew... that was close," Bernidas muttered in relief. Though his comrades were stuck in some unknown state, there would be a way to fix it. If they let this Cthulhu-type escape, not only was a future victory uncertain, but finding her again would be a nightmare.
The barrier surrounding this island was incredibly difficult to handle. More than half of their companions had succumbed to hallucinations the moment they touched it. They had only managed to cross by hiding inside the belly of a whale to deceive the detection spells, eventually bursting out once they were inside. They had even released the prisoners from the castle to create chaos and facilitate the rescue.
After so much effort, having reached 99% mission completion, he couldn't bear the thought of going back to face the Great God if they failed now. Regardless of what happened to Caritas and the others, his priority was to execute this creature.
Just as Bernidas steeled his resolve, he heard a voice from the depths of hell...
"Are you looking for me, handsome?~"
Bernidas turned and saw a radiant, smiling face—the one face he absolutely did not want to see right now. Especially not while she was completely unbound.
*Snap!*
Tanosi pinned him firmly with just one palm. Even as Bernidas struggled with all his might, pushing his divine mana to its absolute limit, he couldn't budge her fingers by a single millimeter.
"Got~cha~"
A yandere-like smile coupled with those wide, maddening purple eyes. Only one thought remained in Bernidas's mind: *I'm dead...*
***
Glimpsing from the corner of his eye, Bernidas was certain there was someone still on the chains. The "Cthulhu" should still be hanging there. But... what was this Evil God girl in front of him?!
"Abyssal Sorcery—**Tentacle Phantom.**"
"This move creates a double that perfectly evades causality-type weapons. A divine art like this is something the gods of your planet have surely never seen!" Tanosi said smugly.
"Don't look like you're in such a hurry to go home, Mr. Bubbles~ To have this time alone with you, I even lied to my boyfriend. Won't you show a little gratitude?" Tanosi pouted, looking quite aggrieved.
Everything had gone smoothly. Whether it was intentionally creating static during the call or transmitting false visions, she had successfully deceived Tang Ping. Now, she could toy with her prey to her heart's content!
Bernidas couldn't believe his eyes. Even as her fingers pierced deep into his body and malevolent energy surged in to corrode his form, his shock remained greater than his pain.
*Impossible! Those chains were forged from Solar Gold, soaked in Holy Water for ten years! We even tested them against Fafnir's scales! They pierced dark-energy-infused scales in a single strike!*
Clementia had even joked: "With a setup like this, even Lucifer would fall on the spot!"
*And yet... how? How is she completely unharmed?!*
"How... did you... escape?"
"Is that really the first thing you want to ask? *Sigh*... It seems being insensitive is a common affliction among all male creatures~"
With that, Tanosi exerted a fraction of pressure with her palm.
*Creeeeak—Snap!*
Several massive, web-like cracks instantly spidered across the surface of the metallic sphere.
"AAAAAARGH!"
Watching Bernidas wail in agony, Tanosi covered her mouth with her left hand, her voice dripping with sadistic glee. "Oh my, you seem to be in quite a bit of pain. Should big sister loosen her grip and let you catch your breath? IN YOUR DREAMS!!!"
Tanosi increased the pressure once more.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!"
"I told you countless times just now: 'Stop! It hurts! No!' And yet, you pieces of garbage didn't listen to a word, did you? You were all so eager to drive your blades into me!"
With a violent wrench, Tanosi tore the mechanical arm from Bernidas's right side. The scream that followed ripped through the sky, but no one was there to care. Only hell awaited him.
"Hm? What's this?"
As she injected her divine power into the sphere, Tanosi was surprised to find a hidden divine art embedded within its core. Whenever her power drew near, the technique would radiate a holy energy, systematically purging the encroaching darkness.
"Holy Light... Hmph! How loathsome."
Though she didn't know the specifics of the spell, she decided it was best to erase it just in case. She surged her mana, intending to turn the sphere into her puppet in one fell swoop. To her surprise, however, the energy within held its ground against her pressure, growing even stronger under duress. The holy power began to proliferate wildly, coursing through the machine's internal conduits.
"AAAAAAAAGH!"
With two diametrically opposed energies clashing within him, Bernidas felt his mind fracturing. To combat the evil force, the holy energy forced open every node in his body, forming a complete circuit. The appearance of the metallic sphere began to warp. The massive orb shrank, elongating and shifting until it assumed a humanoid form.
He appeared as a man clad in a classical, snow-white robe, a golden cross emblem stitched upon his chest. His limbs were encased in silver light-armor that matched the hue of the original sphere. Yet, the most striking feature was the pair of wings at his back—so flawlessly white they seemed untouched by any pollution since the dawn of creation. It was a symbol of purity, a gift from the gods to allow their messengers to spread the gospel to the corners of the world.
"A Winged One?" Tanosi blinked in surprise.
Though her homeland had Winged Ones, they looked nothing like this. In her world, their hands and wings were fused, they possessed more avian features, and they specialized in wind magic. The unlucky soul she held was more like a "stitching" of a human with wings attached and light magic pre-installed. What kind of a joke was this?
"Whatever. It's none of my business anyway... time for the real work."
"Let... go... of... me!" Even with his neck held firmly, Bernidas showed no sign of backing down.
"Don't be so grumpy! Look, we're both of the God-race. Even if we were born on different planets, our essences are the same. Let's just get along and be best friends!" Tanosi flashed a smile—a "Holy Mother" face capable of healing hearts.
Had it not been for the fact that her grip on his throat was tightening by the second, Bernidas might have actually believed her.
"Disgusting monster! Do not dare group us with the likes of you!"
Bernidas could clearly see the massive web of karmic lines clinging to her, along with a wraith-like aura of death so thick it was practically solid. This was proof of having slaughtered countless lives—a warning label from the world itself. Even a world-conquering dictator or a monster hiding in high society would only possess a mist-like red shroud.
But this seductive beauty was different. Her aura of death was as crimson as fresh blood, surging like a torrential waterfall. The lives she had taken numbered in the millions, if not tens of millions. The tragedy at the Beginner City was undoubtedly her handiwork.
*This woman is dangerous. RUN!!!!!*
His brain fired escape signals incessantly, but he was powerless. He had a premonition that he and his comrades would fall here. Even so, he refused to surrender easily. Gritting his teeth against the pain, he gasped, "Justice... will never yield to... evil!"
"Even if... we all die here... one day... a hero inheriting our will... will appear."
"On that day... will be your... end... Hahaha!"
Bernidas laughed boldly. In his final moments, he chose a noble death, hoping to drive a thin, sharp needle into the Evil God's heart.
"...You're part of a certain God-race, right? Tell me, where are your accomplices? Where is your headquarters? Who is your Great God? What is His true name and weakness?"
"..."
Bernidas ignored her. He continued to struggle, desperate to flee. The mission was a failure; if he leaked intel now, the consequences would be catastrophic. He had to escape this island—fast. He couldn't let her have his corpse.
"Hehe, still trying to resist? It's useless."
"Divine Art—**Mind Control!**"
The light vanished soundlessly the moment it touched him.
"Divine Art—**Siren's Song!**"
The same result.
Tanosi furrowed her brow. *This damn holy power is actually purifying all my spells! It seems I'll have to find another way to make him talk...*
"Fine, if you don't want to talk, forget it. I have no interest in forcing people to do things they dislike."
*Liar!!!!!* If Bernidas's gaze could turn into blades, Tanosi would be riddled with holes by now.
"By the way... you won't mind if big sister tells you a bedtime story, right?" Tanosi snapped her fingers as if a brilliant idea had just struck her.
"Hmph..." Bernidas continued to struggle. He had no time for her strange games.
"I once found a corpse by chance on the edge of this planet, in that land of ice and snow."
The moment Tanosi spoke, Bernidas stopped struggling. This wasn't because he had given up on escaping, but a desperate measure to prevent further intel leakage. With the Evil God's power currently inside him, any emotional fluctuation could allow her to deduce the truth.
However, Tanosi continued to talk to herself as if she hadn't noticed his reaction.
"He was sealed inside a tire, and his death was... quite unsightly. After reading his memories, I discovered that he, too, hailed from the world outside."
"Unlike me, he didn't cross through a space-time rift. His journey was always intended to end here, on Earth."
"....."
Bernidas remained expressionless, like a porcelain doll. Not a single ripple of emotion escaped him. Yet, Tanosi laughed inwardly; his silence was a confession in itself. The more he suppressed his reaction, the more it proved he was hiding something vital.
*What a reliable lie detector,* she thought.
"He traveled across the vast reaches of interstellar space with only one objective..."
"!"
Suddenly, Bernidas began to struggle violently, looking as though he were ready to risk everything in a final, suicidal burst. He couldn't wait any longer. He had to leave this place immediately—not a single second could be wasted!
"Honestly! Didn't your parents teach you to listen when others are speaking? Behave yourself!"
Tanosi constricted her palm, crushing his throat. Since he wasn't human, such a wound wasn't fatal, and besides, she only needed his heartbeat. Organs like a throat were... redundant.
"It seems he wasn't alone. There were many of them—so many they could blot out the entire sky. And do you know the most curious part? When I arrived on this planet, I couldn't find a single local deity. Not in any ocean, not on any continent. Tsk, tsk. Could that really be a coincidence?"
"!!!!!"
Bernidas struggled like a madman. He no longer cared about his comrades' corpses or the failure of the mission. He had to escape and notify his Master!
Tanosi continued her monologue, unfazed.
"The myths of this planet are quite fascinating. I've read about them online; there are so many wars..." She shot a glance at Bernidas. "Ragnarök, the Titanomachy, the turmoil of Takamagahara, the Investiture of the Gods... there are more such battles than I can count on both hands."
"Of course, wars between humans are normal, and even more so for the gods standing behind them. At least, that's what I thought initially."
"Until... I heard a single sentence within the corpse of that deity named Mephisto."
"!!!!!!"
Bernidas attempted to trigger his self-destruct sequence—a failsafe embedded deep within him to prevent information leaks. But to his horror, he found he couldn't do it!
"Strictly speaking, those were all parts of the same war. Though the times were different, the locations varied, and the factions involved shifted... they were all describing the same event."
"So, I'll ask you one last thing..."
Tanosi smiled. It was a radiant smile, as beautiful and intoxicating as a poppy in full bloom.
"Do you know what the **[War of the Gods]** really is?"