The Great Sage's Ruyi Jingu Bang, capable of sundering the heavens, was caught mid-descent by a holy hand extending from Roy's right shoulder.
Roy's right hand could adjust its strength and size according to the opponent. Now that the golden staff spanned over a kilometer, the golden right arm from his shoulder grew equally massive. A thousand-meter-long divine hand gripping a radiant golden rod—a sight straight out of mythology—unfolded before countless witnesses.
For a moment, the people of Kyoto, ravaged by floods and earthquakes, stood dumbfounded as they gazed at the miraculous sight that pierced the heavens and the earth. Even the sorcerers and shrine maidens who had been blown several kilometers away, barely managing to shield themselves from the aftermath of the battle between the Campione and the Heretic God, stared blankly at this incredible and magnificent spectacle.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH————————"
The Great Sage, Equal of Heaven, let out the final roar of his life. But the colossal hand clamped down like an iron vise, firmly gripping Sun Wukong's legendary Ruyi Jingu Bang, renowned throughout the world. No matter how desperately he struggled, no matter how fiercely he channeled his divine power, the iron staff remained immovable, unable to advance even an inch.
At this moment, even Sun Wukong felt despair. Faced with Roy's awe-inspiring Holy Right Hand, he seemed to see once more the Buddha's Five-Finger Mountain. No matter how vast his powers, this monkey could not escape the grasp of those five fingers.
"Great Sage, rest here and return to the myth that belongs to you!"
Roy's voice gradually rose in intensity:
"I ask you—Who is most like a god?!"
As Roy uttered the divine words, the Holy Right Hand unleashed a Light of the Right, shining like a supernova, illuminating all directions and bestowing boundless radiance.
Under the Light of the Right, Sun Wukong's Ruyi Jingu Bang cracked inch by inch, and his golden chainmail turned to dust. Only his unyielding eyes, the legendary Fiery Golden Eyes, still flickered stubbornly with flame—though that flame now seemed as small as a bean, as if it could be extinguished by the slightest breeze.
Seeing that Sun Wukong had lost all chance of victory yet remained so tenacious even in defeat, Roy couldn't help but admire the Great Sage. But his actions did not slow in the slightest.
A blood-red cruciform sword appeared in the palm of the Holy Right Hand, stretching a thousand meters long. Its tip aimed straight at Sun Wukong's chest, and with unstoppable force, it descended!
The thousand-meter-long sword pierced through the Great Sage's chest, driving deep into the earth and creating a massive crater. The stone monkey's body was impaled hundreds of meters underground. Then, raising his own shattered left hand, Roy unleashed his final divine words:
"...Your sins have reached the ears of the Lord. Sulfur and heavenly fire shall consume all!"
High above, swirling clouds of fire gathered, and with piercing shrieks, heavenly flames descended while earthly fires surged forth. Like lightning drawn to a lightning rod, the heavenly flames struck the Sword of Judgment, channeling down its length into the earth. Together with the earthly fires, they subjected the Great Sage to the scorching wrath of heaven and earth.
This was the solar flame—the bane of "Steel"!
BOOOOOOOOOOM————————
Magma churned, and volcanoes erupted. The divine monkey, who had nearly perfected the secret art to become the Final Steel, was finally reduced to ashes in the flames, returning to the myth that belonged to him.
With Sun Wukong's disappearance, the Heretic Gods Zhu Wuneng and Sha Wujing, summoned by his sorcery, lost their anchor. Their bodies froze mid-motion before completely disintegrating into dust.
The moment the god was slain, Roy's consciousness transcended time and space, journeying to the Netherworld.
This time, Roy traversed the Netherworld with practiced ease. This was, after all, the realm of the mind—where distance held no meaning. Knowing the coordinates allowed one to reach any destination, and Roy was now heading toward a place shrouded in profound mystery even within the Netherworld: Pandora's divine domain, a world few could ever reach through sheer willpower.
In this timeless, spaceless world of the psyche, Roy took but a single step forward and found himself in a mist-veiled realm.
In the past, every successful deicide had left Roy unconscious, only to be guided here by Pandora. But now, he had arrived through his own volition.
"Welcome, welcome, my little Roy... You've finally come to see your mother again~"
Amid the gray mist, a petite yet strikingly beautiful girl with purple hair knelt on the fog-formed ground. Her twin tails cascaded down her snow-white skin, and her smile was bewitchingly alluring.
At this moment, Roy was certain Pandora must have once been an Earth Mother Goddess. The aura she exuded was identical to Asherah's—a blend of youthful innocence and undeniable maturity.
Above Pandora's head hovered an iron disc adorned with dragon patterns, shimmering with an ethereal glow. Roy knew this disc was the true form of the Pandora's Circle of Usurpation—a divine artifact capable of seizing a god's authority. The conditions for activating it were exceedingly stringent: it required a god as sacrifice.
The disc's radiant flicker now signaled that all prerequisites had been met, and the usurpation ritual could commence at any moment.
This artifact, this ritual, was the greatest mystery of this world.
Noticing Roy's silent arrival and his fixation on the usurpation disc, Pandora pouted unhappily. "...Even though little Roy remembers the Netherworld and could visit anytime without slaying gods, you're such a naughty child—never once coming to see your mother. Mother is very cross with you~"
Though her tone was seductively mature, her expression resembled that of a pouting little girl demanding candy—adorably so.
Roy tore his gaze from the disc and let it settle on Pandora's poppy-like, enchanting form. With a chuckle, he began, "...Pandora—"
"Alright, alright, Mother!"
Under Pandora's hamster-like "fierce" glare, Roy laughed and corrected himself. He had no desire to argue with her over this.
"See? I've come to the Netherworld just to visit you, Mother!"
As casually as strolling through his own backyard, Roy approached Pandora. Knowing her true nature, he felt no fear toward this goddess. Sometimes, he even entertained the mischievous thought: what would happen if he killed Pandora? How would the usurpation disc react?
"Little Roy didn't come to see Mother of his own accord. Mother is very sad~ And you're not afraid of me like you were the first time you came here. My child has truly grown up."
Pandora let out a playful complaint before flashing her pearly white teeth at Roy with a bewitching smile, "...So what brings little Roy here this time? Aside from usurping authorities, could it be that you're here to devour your mother?"
"You're a married woman, Pandora! You should watch your words," Roy countered with an unflinching smile to her teasing.
In Greek mythology, Pandora was the first woman gifted to humanity by the gods. Hephaestus bestowed her with splendid robes, Aphrodite granted her the power to charm and seduce men, and Hermes taught her the art of speech. Her mythological husband was Epimetheus, representing 'hindsight'—hence those born from Pandora's ritual as Campiones were called 'Children of the Fool.'
"My, my, since when does little Roy care about such things? I thought you'd be even more excited about your mother's married status," Pandora teased, causing Roy's smile to stiffen. Clearly, this goddess had been observing him closely, keeping tabs on his worldly affairs. Her remark likely stemmed from having witnessed his unrestrained moments with Asherah.
Noticing his reaction, Pandora comforted him, "...Don't worry, Mother won't judge you! In the age of myths, your actions would have been celebrated as sacred rites by the gods. It's only because modern humans have lost divine protection and blessings that they shy away from such sacred practices. How far they've fallen."
Pausing, her voice took on a sultry tone, "...As for marriage, that's just an identity imposed by human myths. I despise it—this status is proof of my degeneration as an ancient Earth Mother Goddess. Once the Queen of Gods, reduced to being some male sky god's wife or daughter... It's an insult to all Earth Mothers. So-called marriage has always been in name only. Since ancient times, I've existed in this netherworld as a Heretic God."
Kneeling, Pandora inched forward on her snow-white knees, her flower-like smile and cherry-hued lips radiating a charm capable of captivating any man's heart.
***
Hey readers!
Want to read ahead? 📖 Join my Patreon for early access to 30+ advance chapters! Your support helps me write more and bring the story to you faster.
🔹patreon.com/aarvan🔹