Within the Horizon of White Night, the clash shaking Little Garden only grew more intense.
The Lord of White Night struck with the crushing mass of the cosmos, crashing against the Queen of Halloween. She countered with her golden boundary, and the two forces collided and broke apart.
Then the Lord of White Night turned her fury toward Riku. He could only respond in kind, unleashing his own power without restraint to hurl her back.
Meanwhile, the Queen of Halloween, as if unwilling to make it appear she and Riku were allies, occasionally twisted the battlefield with her boundaries to harass him.
Riku, vexed, returned the favour, sometimes retaliating against the Queen of Halloween, sometimes clashing head-on with the Lord of White Night.
Though his Super Three form couldn't quite match the two irregular three-digits before him, he wasn't so weak as to be helpless. In sheer energy, he surpassed even Indra without his spirit released.
With the Third Perpetual Motion Engine sustaining him in constant peak condition, and without revealing his true strength or trump cards, neither side could gain an edge.
The Queen of Halloween was the Star Spirit of the Sun and Gold; the Lord of White Night, the Star Spirit of the Primordial Star. Neither could be killed without multiversal-destructive force.
Riku, however, was not inferior. Infinite energy and the Phoenix Flame made him just as difficult to slay, even a two-digit would find it hard. Irregular three-digits might fight on par with two-digits, but killing Riku was far out of reach.
At this rate, they could fight not just until the Sun War ended, but for a year straight without conclusion.
"Hey, brat, step aside. Don't get in the way of me killing that idiotic Queen!" The Lord of White Night's solar flames and crushing weight surged at him as she snorted coldly.
Clearly, she'd grown frustrated at her inability to put Riku down quickly, and with her real anger reserved for the Queen of Halloween, she now saw him as an obstruction.
"You've got some nerve saying that. You're the one who dragged me into this fight in the first place!" Riku barked back with a bitter laugh.
Light flared from his right hand as he aimed it forward, an aurora pillar blazing out.
The secret art of the Pseudo Star Map, a one-hit-kill worldview made manifest, tore through everything, even the Lord of White Night's flames and pressure.
But wary of Riku's star map, she dodged effortlessly, leaving the pillar to smash into the distant edge of the Horizon of White Night, annihilating all in its path.
The whole domain trembled violently.
"Hmph. I told you, your trump card won't work on me anymore." Folding a fan in her hand, the Lord of White Night sneered.
Riku shot a fist back at her, their clash erupting in an explosion that hurled them both apart.
"My, my. You two are burning with passion. Don't forget about me." The Queen of Halloween beamed, her body glowing gold as she distorted the boundaries around them.
"Idiot Queen, I don't need you to remind me!" The Lord of White Night roared, her solar fire burning through the warped space, striking at her nemesis once more.
Riku, meanwhile, had to expend far more effort to shatter the Queen's boundary.
"This is getting nowhere. It'll never end at this rate. Looks like I'll have to bring out my true power." Riku shook his head. "This form really is a bit lacking against you two."
"Hm?" Both the Lord of White Night and the Queen of Halloween froze, eyes snapping to him.
Far off, Juntan, who had been shielding himself from the shockwaves while guarding the sealed Athena and Poseidon, also stiffened. 'Leader… just how much more are you hiding?' His eyes brimmed with anticipation.
"Brat, this still isn't your true power?" The Lord of White Night's fury gave way to shock. Though weaker than them, Riku's energy outstripped even Indra without his spirit released. Among the strongest three-digits of Little Garden, few could rival him.
And yet, if this wasn't even his limit… that was truly terrifying. Beyond this lay irregular three-digit strength or even the realm of the two-digits.
"Hehe… how thrilling." Unlike the Lord of White Night, the Queen of Halloween wasn't surprised. She had been watching Riku since the Sun War began. Every time he revealed a new trump card, he gave the sense of having no ceiling at all.
So when he said he still had more, she was only intrigued.
"No helping it. With opponents like you two, the chances of victory are too low if I don't." Riku's voice was calm.
The Lord of White Night narrowed her eyes, folding fan in hand, wordless as she fixed on him.
The Queen of Halloween, too, gazed upon him with poised elegance.
Neither of these problem children made any move to stop him. Compared to the Sun War itself, their curiosity about Riku's true nature weighed heavier.
Before their eyes, Riku exhaled slowly. His aura diminished, his strength plummeting as he returned to normal. Against them, the pressure bore heavily on him again.
But his expression did not change. He centred his focus, preparing for the release to come.
As for whether the two would take advantage and strike? That was impossible. Their pride would never allow it. They had too much dignity for such a move.
The next moment, an aura surged from Riku's body, deep crimson energy flaring around him like flames.
The heavens above responded in kind, dyed red, cascading down like a waterfall of crimson boundaries that even blotted out the sun.
Riku's white hair lifted in the unseen wind, faint red markings etching across his skin.
The sight left Juntan dumbstruck.
The Lord of White Night and the Queen of Halloween both widened their eyes, gazes flashing with brilliance, their composure shattered. Even with all their knowledge, they were stunned.
"This… this is the aura of a god!" The Lord of White Night gripped her folding fan, murmuring in disbelief.
"How can a human transform into such a powerful god? Is this… some special state?" Her brows furrowed, unable to comprehend it. If Riku's explosive forms before were rare and strange, then this new figure was beyond her understanding.
"How fascinating. Truly fascinating. I've witnessed something unbelievable today. Riku, I want to know all your secrets more than ever now." The Queen of Halloween whispered with glittering eyes.
Her beautiful gaze gleamed as though beholding the rarest treasure in existence.
The seasons shifted. A massive pillar of light pierced the heavens as a crimson waterfall-like flame cascaded from the sky, merging into Riku. The entire Horizon of White Night trembled with this phenomenon.
At last, Riku's body was enveloped in the deep crimson aura, which stabilised into a steady form. His hair and brows glowed fluorescent red, his eyes became crimson irises surrounding golden pupils, and his entire frame burned with golden-red, flame-like spiritual energy.
"This form… it really isn't bad." Surrounded by the golden-red aura, Riku muttered to himself.
This was Super Saiyan God. The breakthrough from man to god. Its power left Super Three far behind.
At this level, non-divine beings could not perceive the fluctuations of his energy. All they could feel was a crushing, mountain-toppling pressure.
"Brat… you were human, yet without any faith to empower you, you've transformed into a god? What in the world is this power?" The Lord of White Night fixed her gaze on Riku, her voice low and grave.
It defied all common sense, so bizarre it was incomprehensible. Gods of Little Garden were born from humanity's history and faith, or bestowed divinity through divine grace. But Riku had been human, and now, without faith, without spirit support, he became a god, surpassing most gods themselves. Even calling it bizarre fell short.
"Such immense divine aura, yet without the support of faith… a state that breaks the very rules of Little Garden. Truly fascinating." The Queen of Halloween's eyes sparkled, as if she could hardly restrain herself from prying out every one of Riku's secrets.
"As I said before, join [Disboard], and I'll tell you a thing or two." Riku's crimson eyes swept over the two women as he spoke leisurely.
If Super Three was a violent force pushed to the extreme, then Super Saiyan God was a tranquil power that crushed the soul with sheer pressure.
"You are truly persistent." The Lord of White Night frowned, her sharp eyes locked on him. "I admit your strength. But there are too many unknowns about you. Your motives remain unclear. What is it you intend, gathering the Final Trials of Humanity?"
"Too many questions. That's not the way of a Demon Lord." Riku's brow furrowed. "My goal isn't the destruction of Little Garden. That's all you need to know. If you're intent on speaking for those cowardly, false gods… then I'll have to reconsider whether you're even worth inviting."
"You arrogant brat. Their life or death has nothing to do with me. If you kill them all, I'll applaud you." The Lord of White Night's face stiffened in anger, eyes narrowing as she glared at Riku.
Yet, though she seemed furious, inside she felt relief. She had feared Riku's mysterious strength and potential, worried he might become another Final Trial of Humanity and bring ruin to all of Little Garden. Now, hearing that his goal was not destruction eased her heart. The gods? Their fate meant nothing to her. She'd gladly see them wiped away.
"Seems you still hold a Demon Lord's dignity." Riku smiled faintly. "I told you before, the gods' camp isn't where you belong. You belong here. If you ever change your mind, you're welcome in my ranks."
"When that time comes, I'll march against the Buddhists myself, seize back the [Geocentrism] spirit, and let the White Night Demon Lord once again show her majesty to Little Garden!" Riku's eyes gleamed, his voice ringing with heroic force.
"..." This time, the Lord of White Night did not immediately refuse. She stayed silent, lost in thought.
"Seems I've been ignored. That doesn't sit well with me." The Queen of Halloween frowned lightly.
"But, since you've shown me such an interesting power and spoken a few amusing words, I'll forgive you." She suddenly smiled again, her mood shifting as swiftly as turning a page.
"As for your invitation… I suddenly find myself a little interested." Her words made both Riku and the Lord of White Night glance at her.
Neither showed much surprise, only a trace of curiosity. Both knew she meant more than she said.
Her pride was no less than the Lord of White Night's. A few words would never be enough to bind her to another's community.
"I am curious about your secrets. But before that, let me see whether you are qualified to invite me to your community or perhaps, whether you are qualified to join mine!" Golden brilliance surged from her as the Queen of Halloween declared her challenge.
Her ambition laid bare, she revealed the sharpness of her fangs. Among the three most infamous problem children of Little Garden, feared by gods and asuras alike, this reputation was no exaggeration.
"Interesting." Riku's grin widened, the golden-red aura around him blazing even brighter.
In Little Garden, wisdom was important, yes. But to command respect, one had to wield overwhelming power.
Far away, Juntan held his breath, not daring to make a sound. Riku's transformation into godhood, and now this tense confrontation, were both so shocking that he could barely think straight.
"This time, that idiot Queen is right. To invite us, you'll need the proper achievements. Striking at the Buddhists will be harder than you imagine." The Lord of White Night, unusually, agreed with her nemesis, folding her fan shut and speaking solemnly.
With that, she spoke no more. The Primordial Star blazed behind her, solar fire roared forth in waves, and the crushing mass of the cosmos bore down on Riku.
This time, the Lord of White Night held nothing back.
On the other side, the Queen of Halloween, too, refrained from bickering; she commanded golden boundaries, lashing out at Riku without mercy.
Clearly, both problem children now sought to test the depth of his current power.
Riku's smile deepened. He raised his left hand toward the Lord of White Night and his right toward the Queen of Halloween.
Twin streams of golden-red energy, contained yet unimaginably vast, clashed violently against their attacks.
Crack! Boom!
In an instant, the boundary strong enough to seal Indra shattered beneath his strike, the shards flashing toward the Queen of Halloween. The solar fire and crushing weight were pierced through, erupting at their core in an explosion.
The resulting blast engulfed the entire Horizon of White Night, shockwaves radiating outward, shattering space and swallowing all.
Juntan's face drained of colour. With no hesitation, he ignited his spirit, cut his gravity to near zero, and fled at full force, layering every defence he had. To be killed by stray shockwaves here would be far too shameful a death.