Chapter 57: Seems Like a Win
There are differences between pigs and pigs.
It's true for those raised by humans, and it's true for the incarnations of gods.
In another timeline, the "Central Air Conditioner" protagonist's Boar was meant for charging into large targets and pulverizing them, granting the summoner the same momentum while releasing shockwaves and triggering a "Green Boar Berserk" mode. It was a specialized DPS skill for massive targets.
But as for Vishnu's Boar incarnation...
In mythology, this boar used its tusks to prop up the sinking earth, standing firm amidst the forces of world destruction without losing a single hair. Its strength was immense, its tusks were sturdy enough to be used in advertisements, and its thick hide provided maximum defense! It was a true textbook example of "one man's meat is another's poison," or in this case, one pig's superiority over another.
"O 'Yi' of the East... you indeed do not fear the radiance of the sun," spoke the Boar that had upended a world of mudslides. "But I destroy the evils of the present world, save the correct faith, and create the new world of the future. This is the expectation the people have of me."
The words were impressive, and that hide was truly solid, but unfortunately, the tone was still just as depressed.
'Good grief! You actually really want to skip work, don't you!'
"But you are a celestial god after all, aren't you?" Hikigaya snorted, stabilizing his form amidst the sky full of earth and stone.
Vishnu's incarnations first appeared in Brahmanic mythology, born from the transition of old gods to new gods during the Vedic or early Indus Valley Civilization periods. In Brahmanism and Hinduism, Vishnu incarnated many times to save the world; later scriptures even mention twenty-two incarnations, and some say there are infinite.
However, Vishnu is most famous for his ten incarnations within the Mahayuga:
The Fish (Matsya): Saved Manu, the ancestor of mankind, from the flood. The Tortoise (Kurma): Helped the gods obtain the nectar of immortality. The Boar (Varaha): Propped up the sinking earth with his tusks. The Man-Lion (Narasimha): Slayed a demon to save the world held hostage. The Dwarf (Vamana): Crossed heaven and earth in just two steps, and with the third, stepped on Bali, sending him to the underworld. Parashurama (Rama with the Axe): Eliminated the entire clan of Kartavirya Arjuna and many Kshatriyas who were disrespectful to Brahmins, re-establishing Brahmin rule.
Prince Rama: The protagonist of the Ramayana, the King of Justice who killed the ten-headed demon king Ravana. Krishna: Of Dwarka, who removed tyrants and helped the Pandavas reclaim their throne. The Buddha: Guided demons and evil men to seek their own destruction. Kalki: The savior riding a white horse who will destroy the evils of the present world and create the future new world.
Analyzing these ten incarnations, the first five are protectors of gods and humans—clearly tribal hero archetypes possessing traits of early celestial gods, specifically solar traits. The "Kamehameha" version used by the King of the End is the essence of these incarnations, manifesting specifically as the constant throwing of suns.
The first five incarnations represent the King of the End's combat power, while the latter five represent his spirit—though Hikigaya hadn't felt that part very deeply yet. He only felt the spirit of a middle-aged uncle who just wanted to lie on the sofa and not get up.
The best way to deal with such an uncle is to hog the remote and play the programs he doesn't want to watch until he's forced to go to sleep. The "remote control" for the King of the End in this state was the life force provided by his summoner.
A golden great jar appeared before Hikigaya.
"This object..." The Boar's lazy aura momentarily stiffened.
"I think I fully understand your thoughts now. Going to work really is a pain," Hikigaya said to Him in a very sincere tone. "I'll help you clock out right now. No need to thank me."
In modern times, the Holy Grail of Magic is the key ritual tool for resurrecting the King of the End. Conversely, under the right conditions, it can also make the King of the End exit the stage early.
The goddess who appeared in ancient times had indeed summoned the King of the End. The summons was a success, but also a failure; the King of the End had descended in an incomplete state, and the only thing maintaining His activity on earth was the goddess's life force.
And now, three-quarters of the Holy Grail of Magic—capable of devouring a goddess's life in massive quantities—was in Hikigaya's possession. Though not the complete set and slightly weakened in capacity, if pushed to full throttle, it could still suck a Great Mother Goddess like Athena dry.
Pointing the Grail at the King of the End and utilizing the Authority of the Setting Sun, Hikigaya activated its power.
In the next instant, a halo of light appeared in the dark sky shrouded by earth and stone debris. The Boar incarnation possessed terrifying defensive power, but that power could not act to retain the Mother Goddess's essence within His body—essence that did not belong to Him at all. The light of the setting sun had appeared; the loss of radiance was inevitable.
The Grail caused the goddess's life force to erupt from Vishnu's incarnation, pushing everything aside. The light of the setting sun turned it into the prey of the Yi clan. Just as the Yi clan had done to the Xia clan in ancient times—this clan was an ally of the sun, but also one that would seize the suns of other clans to use as nourishment for themselves.
At this moment, a scene appeared in the sky like the birth of the solar system as imagined by future scientists. The halo formed by the goddess's life was the source of all things from which everything was born. Under its influence, the surrounding debris orbited it, devouring and colliding with one another, presenting the chaos of the beginning of creation in the sky of this era.
Hikigaya released the Grail, letting it rise into this chaos.
Freed from Hikigaya's restraint, the Grail fully displayed its predatory nature toward life force. The earth and stone debris near it were instantly erased by its power, forming a terrifying dark space. Under intense gravitational pull, the halo in the sky began to distort like pulled cotton candy, being torn apart and devoured in great gulps by the darkness.
'When I saw it sucking Athena back then, the aesthetic was clearly much better...'
But it didn't matter. A messy "eating manner" didn't matter as long as it was useful. In Hikigaya's perception, the King of the End's life reaction was now plummeting like a cliff; from his senses alone, it could be described as critical condition.
In Hikigaya's vision, the moment the halo appeared, the Boar's body collapsed, dispersing like ink dropped into clear water. When it vanished, what remained was the image of Rama—only his aura was withered, a shadow of his former self.
"Rama, no... Vishnu, what do you plan to do next?"
"You should still call me Rama; I am more accustomed to that name." The King of the End's voice remained calm.
However, Hikigaya distinctly felt that the other party was in a quite good mood; his tone had become much lighter.
"I lost this time. As expected, it is not yet time for my full manifestation. With this, I can consider my task finished."
Having said that, the King of the End exploded with a "bang" into a sky full of light particles, his presence vanishing completely.
'This guy... his log-off speed is really fast.'
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