The [Humanity's Final Trial] only appears at the end of humanity's accumulated history, in the moment of humanity's potential annihilation.
It bestows humanity with its final ordeal.
If humanity cannot cross the boundary, then there is no future.
If it fails to transcend, there is also no future.
It is the ultimate existence that humanity absolutely cannot overcome, yet must overcome.
And yet, until now, no [History Revision Phase] had appeared in the chronicles of humanity. No paradox had emerged that would give birth to the [Humanity's Final Trial].
But here, before their very eyes, the [Humanity's Final Trial] had manifested and even more terrifyingly, had appeared on this battlefield.
Facing this natural enemy of the gods, this true god-slayer, Indra, Brahma, and the million-strong host of gods all felt their Authorities trembling.
Even the members of [Disboard] grew heavy-hearted, for in their understanding, the [Humanity's Final Trial] was utterly unique. Its enemy was all life itself.
Even the Twin Goddesses felt the weight. The memory of the [Heliocentrism] during the Dawn Era, standing alone against tens of millions of divine hosts, remained vivid.
"[Perpetual Motion Engine], ravage the gods at will." Riku glanced at the [Humanity's Final Trial] at his side, the corner of his lips curling as he gave the order.
The [Humanity's Final Trial] summoned by the [System] was not born of the paradox of Little Garden. Though it possessed the same [Godslaying] nature, the swelling Authority, the might of the strongest god-slayer, and the aura of a Demon Lord, it still obeyed its master, Riku, without a trace of rebellion.
"My Lord… leave it to me." The [Perpetual Motion Engine] opened its ruby-like eyes, its voice cold, carrying a chill that shattered the courage of the gods!
"The [Humanity's Final Trial]… actually calls a human its master!? Impossible!" Alpha and Omega both lost their composure, staring at the [Perpetual Motion Engine] and Riku in shock.
Even the Twin Goddesses were shaken. The divine hosts below were utterly dumbfounded. The [Humanity's Final Trial] was the loftiest and most solitary Demon Lord. Their very existence was destruction, unstoppable by anything.
That such a being would listen to a human's command overturned their entire worldview.
"Gods, exhaust your wisdom, spend all your might, and try to resist my rampage." The [Perpetual Motion Engine], carrying a great banner upon its back, let its lips curl into a cruel smile.
As those words fell, the [Perpetual Motion Engine]'s Authority swelled without end.
The [Perpetual Motion Engine] transcends limits, endlessly absorbing energy.
The gods released their Authorities into the environment, but that very power was ceaselessly drawn in, devoured, and converted into the [Perpetual Motion Engine]'s own Authority.
In simple terms, the more gods there were, and the stronger their divinity, the more the [Humanity's Final Trial: Perpetual Motion Engine] would swell until it reached unimaginable heights.
This was the true terror of the [Perpetual Motion Engine]!
And this was the battlefield. The Twin Goddesses of [Thousand Eyes] and [Twelve Devas] had gathered a million gods!
Add in the forces of [Disboard], and their numbers were far beyond a million.
This was the ideal battlefield for the [Perpetual Motion Engine].
Thus, in the instant its Authority erupted, its presence swelled without limit so immense that even the Twin Goddesses could scarcely compare.
The oppressive might of the [Humanity's Final Trial] descended upon heaven and earth. The million gods below turned pale with terror. Their courage was blown away, their wisdom shattered. All they could do was stare blankly at that fearsome figure.
"This… this Authority, how could it be possible!" Indra's face was full of disbelief. He could not imagine an Authority so overwhelmingly powerful. This was outright cheating!
This [Humanity's Final Trial] was absurdly strong. In some sense, perhaps even stronger than the [Heliocentrism]
Those who understood more like the Halloween Queen and the Lord of White Night could only watch in awe. As expected of the [Perpetual Motion Engine]. Terrifying indeed. Worthy of the name [Humanity's Final Trial].
"We cannot let its Authority continue to swell any further!" At last, the Twin Goddesses awakened from their shock at seeing the [Perpetual Motion Engine] obey Riku. Alpha and Omega's faces hardened with grim severity.
They struck simultaneously. Their two-digit Authorities erupted, the white hurricane of [Creation] and the black [Winds of Demise] interweaving into a pure white storm, surging straight toward the [Perpetual Motion Engine].
"Gods… you are not my opponents!"
In the instant they attacked, the [Perpetual Motion Engine] absorbed the leakage of the Twin Goddesses' Authorities. Already so terrifying, its Authority swelled even further.
Facing their strike, the [Perpetual Motion Engine] threw a single punch and shattered it completely. The raging [Winds of Demise] burst forth with world-ending force, sweeping toward the Twin Goddesses.
Their faces changed, and they quickly raised their defences, struggling to withstand it.
"You're… absorbing divine Authority!?" Alpha and Omega's expressions grew heavier as they glimpsed part of the [Perpetual Motion Engine]'s secret.
This was troublesome. The more gods present, the stronger their divinity, the stronger the [Humanity's Final Trial] became…
This battlefield was far too advantageous for it. Against this god-slayer, sheer numbers could never bring victory.
And more terrifying still, this [Humanity's Final Trial] obeyed Riku.
"Now… do you still believe you can win?" Riku said, his lips curling into a cold smile.
"So, this is the end." Omega sighed.
Even for them, there was no chance of victory. The gods could not defeat the [Humanity's Final Trial].
And worse, the man beside it, Riku, was even more mysterious, even more unfathomable.
If there had been no million-strong divine host here, perhaps they could have gambled on a chance. But there were no "what-ifs."
"Then we can only delay." Alpha and Omega exchanged a grave look. In such a situation, even they risked annihilation if careless.
"Delay time? If you think you can… then try." Riku's lips curled as he spoke coldly.
The moment his words fell, the [Perpetual Motion Engine] moved. With speed far beyond starlight, it crossed space in an instant, appearing before the Twin Goddesses and unleashed a savage punch.
The Authority bursting forth carried such destructive might that all life felt crushed under its weight.
Omega raised her hand to block.
Boom!
But she could not withstand it. Omega was struck by the [Perpetual Motion Engine] and sent flying, bursting into starlight that vanished into the sky. And the [Perpetual Motion Engine] pursued without giving her a single breath to recover!
Alpha's expression turned grim as she tried to rush to her sister's aid.
But then
A surging energy beam tore through space, blasting toward her.
Her face changed, and she quickly dodged aside.
Boom!
In the next instant, Riku's figure appeared like a phantom above her. A powerful force gathered in his palm.
Then, a sky-shattering energy beam crashed down upon Omega, blasting her toward the earth!
Boom!
As she was blasted toward the ground, [Creation: Alpha] poured everything into her defence and finally managed to withstand Riku's strike.
Thud!
But Riku had already flashed to her front. A fist carrying the power to shatter heaven and earth erupted straight at her.
[Creation: Alpha] paled and raised a white hurricane imbued with the truth of creation to defend. Yet facing Riku in [Super Blue, Full Power] alone, she simply wasn't a match; she was brutally sent flying again, looking decidedly ragged. On the other side, [End: Omega], straining against the [Perpetual Motion Engine], was likewise in dire straits, completely suppressed. Had she not borne the doctrine of "End," her state would have been even worse.
Barring an accident, the Twin Goddesses' defeat was only a matter of time and not much time at that.
"Indra, get the divine host to break out of the encirclement now! Laplace, finish the Lord of White Night quickly! We can't stall much longer!" The Twin Goddesses sent a heavy-voiced transmission down to Indra and Laplace below.
That brief distraction let Riku and the [Perpetual Motion Engine] land another round of heavy blows, nearly injuring them badly.
"That [Humanity's Final Trial] is far too troublesome. The community is actually a burden we have to punch through!" Even as lord of the gods, Indra felt his heart clench. He never imagined there would be a day when a million-strong divine army became a liability!
"Hold nothing back! Yes, unleashing our Authorities will strengthen that thing, but there's no time to worry about that; we must retreat immediately. Otherwise, the entire community will be wiped out here!" Indra roared.
Gold lightning surged as Indra unleashed his full Authority, power spiking to its peak.
Countless vajras appeared at his call.
Brahma and the other god-kings likewise bellowed as they released their Authorities, throwing every trump card they had onto the field. [Brahmastra] and other divine armaments rained toward God.
At once, the angelic battle formation shook violently.
"We won't let you succeed." God snorted coldly, releasing his Authority as well. The angels poured out their power without reserve.
Both sides had gone all in.
Across the field, the same escalation played out.
And once again, the [Perpetual Motion Engine]'s Authority swelled.
Wearing a cruel smile, it steamrolled [End: Omega], the wounds on her body growing ever more severe.
Elsewhere, [Creation: Alpha] was likewise battered by Riku, injuries multiplying.
"[Third Stellar Particle Body]!"
As if by tacit agreement, Riku and the [Perpetual Motion Engine] both invoked their [Pseudo Star Map].
In an instant, two pillarlike auroras surged skyward, drowning Alpha and Omega within.
All of Little Garden trembled beneath that might.
When the auroras faded, Alpha and Omega reappeared, badly mauled and grievously wounded, their Authorities heavily depleted.
"The same [Pseudo Star Map]!?" They stared at Riku and the [Perpetual Motion Engine], horrified; gone was any trace of their earlier composure.
"I am the [Perpetual Motion Engine]. Gods, you cannot overleap this banner. Will you continue to resist?" The Engine's blood-red eyes fixed on Omega, its voice like ice, enough to drive gods to the brink of collapse.
"Perpetual Motion Engine… so that's how it is." A ripple passed through Omega's gaze; she had clearly guessed the truth.
And yet she could not understand it. At this point in time, a complete [Perpetual Motion Engine] shouldn't exist, much less one fallen into the role of [Humanity's Final Trial].
"It seems this is your loss, Twin Goddesses," Riku spoke airily.
"We won't deny that." Alpha sighed. To marshal a million gods against [Disboard] and end up so bedraggled, this was already a disastrous defeat.
No one imagined [Disboard] would possess a [Humanity's Final Trial]. There had been prophecies, yes, but everyone assumed only some loose connection. Who could have foreseen that Riku would be able to command it?
"At this rate, perhaps we can escape, but the million-strong god will be annihilated here." The goddesses spoke in unison.
Riku did not dispute it. At their tier, if the Twin Goddesses chose to flee, no one short of that strongest Demon Lord, the [Decadent Wind], could pin them down. But if they ran, the divine host would certainly be erased.
"However, we've bought enough time." Their voices were calm now. "We meant to keep this as a final deterrent. It seems prudence was the right choice after all."
"Oh? A rare guest indeed." Riku narrowed his eyes; the [Star of Omniscience and Omnipotence] flickered, drawing his gaze to the sky.
At that same moment, golden radiance descended from above.
It was not holy light, but Buddha's radiance, a light that bathed the earth and softened the killing intent in all present.
Within that glow, on the goddesses' side, a colossal figure took shape.
It was the Buddha, one who knew all within Little Garden. A double-digit, full-authority god and one of Little Garden's apex beings: Śākyamuni, Lord of the [Buddhist Gate].
A new full-authority presence fell upon heaven and earth.
"That's… the Buddha Śākyamuni!" Indra and the other god-kings looked up at the figure and let out a collective breath.
They hadn't expected the Twin Goddesses to invite him. With this one here, even if they couldn't win, at least the host wouldn't be exterminated.
On the other side, the Lord of White Night, having just won the Demon Lord's Gift Game against Laplace, felt the new aura and clicked her tongue in annoyance. So that baldpate had come as well, had he.
"Looks like we've lost the bride and the army both," Laplace said with a wry smile.
The Halloween Queen, Athena, and the others all halted and looked upward.
In truth, the million-strong host paused as one, their gazes collectively fixed on the four figures facing off above.
The final direction of this war would be decided by those four.
"Śākyamuni, shouldn't you be sitting tight at Great Thunderclap Temple, suppressing [Heliocentrism]? Aren't you afraid I'll pull the rug out from under you?" Riku crossed his arms and stared coldly at the Buddha.
"Benefactor, such overwhelming killing intent is not good at all," Śākyamuni said, turning his prayer beads. Buddha-sound rolled across the heavens, soothing the heart.
It could also turn listeners into believers.
"Hmph. Don't bother with that little trick." Riku clearly wasn't having it. With a cold snort, his aura surged and shattered the Buddha-sound outright.