Roy silently observed as Susanoo's lifeless body dissolved into streams of radiant light. The Ame-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi, which had fallen beside him, shattered into several fragments before likewise dispersing into firefly-like motes of light—the inevitable fate of a Heretic God upon death.
Susanoo had returned to myth. Unless someone deliberately performed a ritual to summon him, the chances of this god manifesting again as a Heretic God were now exceedingly slim.
In the myriad myths of the world, gods and deities are countless, yet only a select few descend to the earth as Heretic Gods. The emergence of each Heretic God is influenced by numerous factors. Moreover, even if Susanoo were to descend again, reverting to his true nature as a Heretic God, he would become a storm deity—bold yet tyrannical. Compared to his current scheming, shadowy self, that version of Susanoo might actually earn Roy's admiration.
Killing Susanoo left Roy unfazed. Gone was the exhilaration and joy of his first triumph as a Campione. No matter what it was, repetition dulled the thrill. With Roy's current power, slaying Susanoo hardly felt like defeating a formidable foe.
"Has he returned to the myths?"
A gentle, lively feminine voice came from behind Roy. Turning, he saw Janaki standing not far away, clad in a twelve-layered kimono, her glass-like eyes shimmering with quiet warmth.
"Yes, Susanoo is dead. Are you grieving for him?"
Janaki chuckled softly and shook her head. "...He is a god of steel, while I am an earth mother goddess. His death here brings me nothing but joy—why would I grieve?"
She took two light steps forward, closing the distance between them. A faint fragrance drifted in the air, teasing Roy's senses.
"I know you're striving to eliminate Prince Veeraj. Even using the fairy's authority to return to the past is part of your preparations. Do you feel confident now?"
Janaki's voice was soft. In myth, she had always been a woman of unwavering virtue. Now, as a Divine Ancestor, and with Roy lacking the stench of a Campione, she naturally devoted herself wholeheartedly to his cause.
"I am confident. I will send Veeraj back to the myths forever, sparing him this tragic fate. Two thousand years ago, I caught a glimpse of him and could tell that even Veeraj himself no longer wished to endure this endless, fruitless wandering. Otherwise, he wouldn't still be dormant."
For millennia, Veeraj would awaken only to slay his enemies, then return to eternal slumber. His existence was akin to a tool—unless he were truly a machine, unless he lacked self-awareness, he must have longed to defy this fate.
"But the mission to destroy the Demon King was ordained by the gods. Alone, the prince cannot resist this destiny. He can only trudge forward, numb. If you truly end his duty, he may even feel gratitude toward you."
Janaki sighed. "...Though I resent him for killing me, stealing my divinity and essence to corrupt me, I also pity him. I hope you, the Demon King, can slay him and grant him eternal rest."
"Hearing you say that makes me a little uncomfortable. After all these years, you're still thinking about your 'husband'—enough to make me jealous."
Roy teased.
Janaki's glass-like eyes flickered with coquetry as she parted her crimson lips. "...He never laid a hand on me. How could he be my husband? Rather, it was a certain bold Demon King who abducted this princess, leaving me no choice but to yield!"
The goddess's charming expression stirred Roy's heart, prompting him to step forward and embrace her. Breathing in the faint fragrance from Janaki's body, he felt her slender and graceful figure through the thick layers of her twelve-layered kimono. His hand rested on her back, fingers itching to undo the sash at her waist.
A blush tinged Janaki's cheeks as she raised a hand to stop Roy, murmuring, "...Demon King, you still have important matters to attend to. Now is not the time for such things with me."
Hearing her words, Roy paused his movements, suddenly remembering he was currently in the Netherworld. After slaying Susanoo-no-Mikoto, the god's "death" could have triggered the Pandora's Circle of Usurpation. However, being in the Netherworld meant his consciousness hadn't been pulled into Pandora's divine realm.
Though the Netherworld housed many Heretic Gods, even Marquis Voban—who took pleasure in deicide—had never come here to hunt them. This was mainly because Heretic Gods in the Netherworld had effectively abandoned their divine stations. Killing them wouldn't grant access to Pandora's realm or initiate the god-slaying ritual.
Without any benefits to gain, aside from that fool Salvatore, no one would trouble these reclusive Heretic Gods.
Yet nothing was absolute. Slaying a Heretic God remained the key to activating the ritual. In the Netherworld, one needed to actively seek out Pandora's realm to proceed. Other Campiones didn't know the location of Pandora's domain, leaving them helpless—but Roy was an exception.
He temporarily released Janaki, straightening the slightly disheveled sash at her waist with a smile. "...Wait here a moment, Janaki. I'll go find Pandora now!"
"So you do know where Pandora's realm is. I was just about to take you there."
Janaki exhaled softly, whispering, "...Then go quickly, Demon King!"
Roy nodded, suddenly realizing his physical body being in the Netherworld presented the perfect opportunity to infiltrate Pandora's realm and usurp her knowledge.
This thought made him somewhat impatient. After exchanging a few more words with Janaki, he immediately activated a spell, transporting himself to the coordinates in his mind.
Watching Roy vanish, Janaki knew he'd gone to find Pandora. The ancient agricultural goddess gazed blankly at the empty Netherworld sky, smiling bitterly. "...What a karmic bond. Even after two thousand years, this twisted fate remains unbroken..."
The Netherworld was a realm of the mind. With the right coordinates and appropriate magecraft, one could reach anywhere in an instant.
One moment Roy stood in Susanoo-no-Mikoto's hidden domain; the next, he found himself in a world of gray mist—the very place that confined Pandora, preventing her departure, and where Campiones were born.
"Little Roy's come to play with Mama again!"
The moment he stepped into this realm, an excited, cheerful voice reached him—childlike yet bearing mature undertones, a contradiction in terms.
Then, before Roy appeared a beautiful goddess with a petite and slender figure. She had striking purple twin tails, wore a simple strapless long dress that revealed her fragrant shoulders, skin as white as snow, and a small, youthful face brimming with an alluring charm.
"I want to obtain your knowledge, Mother!"
Roy spoke bluntly, his words growing bolder after Athena.
Pandora's delicate face flushed red. Clutching the hem of her dress, her eyes held a mix of coquettishness, delight, and shyness as she murmured, "...Little Roy has finally reached this point~~"
Thus spoke the goddess who brought both calamity and hope to humanity.
***
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