"Divinity Release!" Poseidon's aura surged as she gently parted her lips and spoke in a solemn voice.
Poseidon, the sea god in ancient Greek mythology, was one of the Twelve Olympians. She was also the goddess who governed horses. It was said that Poseidon gifted humanity with the first horse, and her steed was a golden chariot drawn by white horses.
When Poseidon grew angry, sea monsters would emerge from the depths. With a swing of her trident, she could summon raging waves, unleash storms and tsunamis, sink continents, shatter heaven and earth, and smash all things into pieces. She could even trigger great earthquakes. When her chariot raced across the sea, the waves would grow calm, and dolphins would follow alongside.
And now, as though the myths had been reborn, after releasing her divinity, Poseidon's body radiated dazzling divine light. In her hand appeared a harpoon, her divine armament! Behind her unfolded visions of oceans, steeds, sea monsters, dolphins, and storms.
From nothing, torrents of seawater surged forth upon the White Night Horizon, turning the devastated land into a vast ocean!
Poseidon's power had ascended to its peak!
"Divinity Release!" Athena, her expression equally grave, released her divinity as well.
In an instant, white radiance enveloped Athena's body. Her silver hair streamed wildly as brilliant divine light poured down from the heavens!
Athena was the goddess of wisdom in Greek mythology, one of the Twelve Olympians. She was also the goddess of the arts, of weaving and crafts. Hymns of the mysteries hailed her as the "originator of the arts." She taught humanity weaving, gardening, pottery, animal husbandry, as well as painting, sculpture, and music, bestowing hope upon mortals.
She was also the goddess of military strategy, the protector of navigation, agriculture, and medicine, as well as the goddess of law and order who established the very first human court.
This legacy forged Athena's mighty divinity in Little Garden. With her divinity released, her achievements shone forth again, bathing the White Night Horizon in dazzling divine light. The simultaneous release of divinity by two main gods caused an upheaval that shook half of the White Night Horizon.
"Truly, this is becoming more and more entertaining." From afar, the Queen of Halloween gazed elegantly through her domain, the corners of her lips curving into a smile. "You're making me look forward to how this will develop."
Riku had shocked her again and again. Now, she was curious to see just where his limits lay. What gave him the confidence to invite her and the White Night King into his community?
"Athena and Poseidon aren't so easily dealt with. Sheer strength won't be enough. How will you manage this?" the Queen of Halloween murmured.
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"Heh, impressive power. Let's continue enjoying this battle." In his Super Saiyan 3–like state, Riku had grown far more battle-hungry. He swept his gaze across Athena and Poseidon, now cloaked in divine radiance, his lips curling as his fighting spirit soared.
"Poseidon, let's attack together!" Athena's voice was grave as she spoke slowly.
"Mm." Hearing this, Poseidon gave a small nod, her expression solemn.
"Splash!!" In the next moment, Poseidon brandished her harpoon, divine light surging around her. The ocean below roared in upheaval, forming a towering waterspout that twisted the void itself as it hurtled toward Riku.
Meanwhile, Athena gripped the Spear of Victory. Empowered by her divine legacy, she thrust forward. The strike tore through space as if to pierce sun and moon, stabbing ruthlessly toward Riku.
"Crack!" In response, Riku's aura flared. With a shockwave, he shattered the divinity-charged waterspout, and in his palm gathered a golden energy pillar, which he fired head-on against the divine light of Athena's Spear of Victory. It was annihilated instantly, the energy pillar still driving forward toward Athena.
"Clang!" With a grave face, Athena raised her serpent-etched Aegis shield to block the golden beam, diverting it so it vanished into the distant horizon.
"Boom!" The violent energy erupted far away, flattening everything and leaving a vast crater. The entire White Night Horizon trembled.
At that same moment, Riku vanished and reappeared before Athena, his leg sweeping in a vicious roundhouse aimed directly at her.
Athena's expression shifted. Having just defended against the last attack, she had no strength left to perfectly defend this strike. If it landed, she would not escape unscathed!
Fortunately, at that critical instant, Poseidon directed surging divine water to crash against Riku. The sea roared, waves surged, and a water shield materialised before Athena.
Riku's kick slammed into the water barrier, its force cut by half.
"Thud!"
Seizing the opening, Athena quickly raised her shield to block the remaining force. But even so, the shield trembled violently, and the backlash numbed her arm. Her body was blasted away by the shockwave.
"This power… It's simply too excessive…!" Athena thought bitterly as she struggled to stabilise herself.
Just as Riku prepared to pursue, Poseidon made her move.
"Don't forget about me!" Poseidon said coldly.
The surging sea had already formed massive walls of water, enclosing Riku within a gigantic sphere, a world of water.
Chains of divine water entwined his hands and feet. A massive sea dragon roared within, lunging at him with bared fangs.
"Troublesome water." Riku frowned. His body erupted with blazing Phoenix Fire, instantly evaporating the divine water that bound him. He then smashed the sea dragon apart with a single brutal punch.
"Tch, this is ridiculous…" Poseidon muttered helplessly. Her attack had been nullified, and even with her support, Athena had still been sent flying.
Originally, she thought Riku's current power was about on par with Indra's. Now she realised she had underestimated him. At this moment, Riku was unquestionably stronger than Indra in his normal state!
"Lady Poseidon, now is hardly the time for distraction." Suddenly, Riku lifted his hand, unleashing a massive energy cannon straight at her.
Poseidon's face changed. She hastily summoned an immense torrent of seawater to shield herself, but the blast still blew her away. Though uninjured, she looked thoroughly dishevelled.
Having sent both Athena and Poseidon flying, Riku did not chase. Instead, his calm gaze fell upon Athena, whose eyes flickered with hesitation and conflict. In a low, steady voice, he said:
"Use every card you have left. Otherwise, if this drags on, your defeat is inevitable."
"Hah… looks like winning without taking risks is impossible after all." Athena stared straight at Riku and sighed.
"I had originally planned to use this against Indra, but it seems I can't hold back anymore." Athena then spoke slowly.
"Well, it can't be helped. His strength has surpassed what you anticipated." Poseidon spread her hands helplessly. "Dragging this out any further won't work either. If we draw the attention of those two, the consequences would be unimaginable."
"Those two…" Athena's expression stiffened upon hearing this. The White Night King and the Queen of Halloween, during the Sun War, were the two opponents no faction wished to encounter.
At least, not in the first few days of the Sun War. Facing them on the very last day would be best. Exceptional three-digit beings, their power was absurdly unfair.
"Oh? Finally going to use your trump card? The main god–level Host Authority." Riku's lips curled upward as he spoke leisurely.
"…You noticed?" Athena narrowed her eyes, astonished.
"In that case, let's begin the game." Athena declared solemnly.
With those words, she swung the Spear of Victory toward Riku.
This time, it carried no offensive power. Instead, a burst of light enveloped Riku.
In the next moment, Riku's vision shifted. He now stood above an endless ocean.
Everywhere he looked, there was only seawater.
In his hand appeared a parchment scroll.
The Host Authority was a power created specifically as a countermeasure against the oldest Demon Lords. It released the host's divinity, manifesting their trials as Divine-Demonic Authorities.
Even two-digit Shura gods and buddhas could not ignore the Host Authority, let alone at Athena's level.
Used well, the Host Authority was a technique powerful enough to seal even humanity's Final Trial.
[Gift Game: War of Gods and Demons]
Host: Athena, Goddess of War and Wisdom, of the Twelve Olympians.
Participants: Riku Dola of [Disboard], Poseidon of the Twelve Olympians.
Rules of the Game:
Reenact all achievements and myths of the Host. Conceal all truths and reasons behind the Host. Participants may oppose each other. Should Poseidon be defeated, she must pay the price to both the Host and Riku Dola.
Victory Conditions:
Unravel the riddle of the Goddess of War. Defeat the Host. Defeat the Obstructors.
Oath: By the above rules, Riku Dola, Poseidon, and Athena shall conduct this Gift Game.
Reading the game inscribed on the parchment, Riku smirked, a playful light in his eyes as he glanced at Athena and Poseidon.
Athena had used her Host Authority to drag him into a Gift Game, pulling Poseidon in as a fellow participant. This way, she could hinder him. But Little Garden's rules were relatively fair. For Poseidon to be a participant, she too had to pay the price and double at that.
Only with absolute trust could this be done. Otherwise, if Athena as host won, Poseidon would pay the price. If Riku won, Poseidon would still pay the price. For Poseidon, this game brought only loss, never gain.
As for the game itself, it was as simple and brutal as could be. Reckless enough to make even any three-digit god shiver.
Victory Condition 1: Unravel the riddle of the Goddess of War.
Athena had hidden all truths. Achieving this condition was nearly impossible. Even other Olympian main gods would find it difficult, if not impossible, to decipher. And even if they could, it would take ages.
But for Riku, this condition was laughably easy. Because he possessed the [Star of Omniscience and Omnipotence].
Athena's secrets were laid bare before him!
Of course, even with the Star of Omniscience and Omnipotence, revealing the truth would still take time. A main god's truth was vast and complicated.
Victory Condition 2: Defeat the Host.
On the surface, this seemed no different from an ordinary Gift Game. However, this game reenacted Athena's entire life of achievements. To defeat her, one had to first deal with the obstructors.
This overlapped with.
Victory Condition 3: Defeat the Obstructors.
For Riku, obstructors could mean the mighty beings summoned from Athena's achievements, Poseidon as a participant, or even Athena herself as host. All were enemies to be eliminated.
But with Conditions 2 and 3 together, Riku would have to first overcome all obstructors before he could face Athena directly.
For most contestants, that meant enduring and defeating Poseidon and countless others before reaching the final battle.
Athena, with her wisdom, had cleverly reduced the multiple possible victory paths into essentially one: defeating the obstructors.
And this third condition… even Indra would find it daunting.
Because it reenacted Athena's entire life of achievements. And throughout her life, Athena had never known defeat. She had vanquished countless foes, including powerful Demon Lords, gods, star spirits, and pure-blooded dragon species.
With such beings resurrected, plus Poseidon's interference, even Indra would be ground down to exhaustion!
This was Athena's source of confidence. As she had said, this Gift Game was designed for Indra.
But Riku's strength had surpassed their expectations, forcing her to use it early.
"Hero of humanity, faced with the entirety of my life's achievements, how do you intend to respond?" From behind, Athena spoke proudly, with endless confidence. Before her stretched an army of mighty beings, each a manifestation of her victories.
On the other side, Poseidon had returned to her true form, a human upper body with a fish's tail, harpoon in hand, standing atop surging waves. Divine might radiate from her, waterspouts whirling as her gaze locked upon Riku.
"Your Gift Game is certainly troublesome. Unfortunately for you, your opponent is me." Riku said calmly, meeting Athena's eyes.
"In fact, the moment you brought out the Host Authority and dragged Poseidon in as an obstructor to fully commit against me, you only ensured that my harvest will be even greater." His eyes gleamed with sharp brilliance, his composure giving off the aura of a man with absolute control.
"…!" Hearing this, both Athena and Poseidon felt a chill of foreboding.
"Attack!" Following her instincts, Athena commanded the mighty beings born from her achievements to charge at Riku.
Poseidon, too, unleashed her most powerful attack without holding anything back.
Yet before their attacks could reach him, the world of oceans suddenly wavered and vanished!
In its place appeared a strange realm, bristling with countless divine armaments and treasures, stabbing down from the sky!