"Be careful, Athena!"
After learning of the Last King's awakening, Roy gazed solemnly at the Queen of the Night before him, speaking with grave caution.
"Hmm?"
Athena blinked in surprise. The petite goddess tilted her head slightly, her lips curling into a charming smile. "...Roy, are you worried about me?"
"Exactly. I am worried about you. Steel Gods are the natural enemies of Earth Mother Goddesses, and the Last King is the strongest steel of all. You'd be in extreme danger facing Him. If you were merely slain and regressed into a Divine Ancestor, that would be manageable—I've already created a ritual to restore Divine Ancestors to their Earth Mother Goddess divinity. But if you were to perish completely here, it would break my heart!"
Roy stared intently at the beautiful goddess before him, openly expressing his concern without reservation.
The tenderness in his voice and expression made Athena's heart flutter.
The difference between Heretic Gods and heroic spirits was that even when Heretic Gods returned to myth, they retained memories from previous descents upon their next manifestation. However, compared to heroic spirits, consecutive multiple descents were exceedingly difficult for Heretic Gods. In all recorded history, no single Heretic God had descended twice—meaning if one died and returned to myth, it was nearly impossible for them to reappear in the mortal world.
Thus, Roy feared Athena might fall in battle against the Last Steel and return to the heavens forever.
"I am the Goddess of Wisdom and War, the Deity of Strife. Even among Earth Mother Goddesses, I possess formidable combat prowess. Roy, your words insult me—they reek of contempt for my capabilities!"
The Queen of the Night declared imperiously, her amber eyes burning with martial fervor.
Earth Mothers were typically associated with harvest, earth, and fertility deities, but Athena was one of the rare war-capable Earth Mothers.
Yet after delivering this rebuke, before Roy could respond, Athena's expression suddenly softened. She murmured, "...In the past, I would have said exactly that—perhaps even taken offense at your perceived disrespect and severed ties with you."
"...But now I recognize your concern. I understand you don't look down on me or doubt my strength, but rather fear what I might lose. Your solicitude... I've felt it keenly."
"However, Roy, anxiety clouds judgment. I'm no Aphrodite—no powerless deity. Even the Last Steel would find killing me no easy feat."
With graceful steps, Athena approached Roy. Her luminous eyes radiated warmth as the goddess slowly extended her jade-like hand to caress his face. Her fingers traced his lips, his nose, his eyes and forehead—as if committing every contour to memory through touch alone.
Roy gently grasped her delicate hand and brought it to his lips for a tender kiss. Athena's jade-like hand was warm, yet unlike mortal hands that might grow clammy with sweat—it felt like holding a piece of eternally warm jade in his palm.
Athena smiled bewitchingly. Though her form was petite, it radiated an intoxicating allure—lingering, sweet, and cloying.
Outside the door, Aphrodite leaned against the frame, eavesdropping on the scene within. After a long while, she finally pouted and muttered, "...Hmph. Sorry I can't fight, I guess. All you ever care about is that battle-crazed brute of a woman."
Though she said this, there was a hint of worry in Aphrodite's eyes. Athena, as one of the few combat-oriented Earth Mother Goddesses, was practically the face of their kind. Even in this patriarchal society, Athena's divine status hadn't declined significantly. Despite their poor compatibility and constant quarrels, Aphrodite didn't truly wish for Athena to be slain by the Last King.
"You still have some conscience left."
Aphrodite murmured these words, though they were directed at Roy. Since he had found a way to restore the Earth Mother Goddesses' divine status, she could forgive him for stripping her of her divinity.
She pressed her ear against the door again, listening carefully to the sounds inside. Her golden eyes gradually grew hazy, but after a moment's thought, she quietly stepped away. The battle against the Last Steel still required them—today, she would give them this chance to be alone.
With this in mind, Aphrodite returned to her bedroom by herself.
...
Meanwhile, chaos erupted in Japan's Natural Disaster Observation Bureau. Countless people frantically made phone calls, staring in horror at the data on their screens.
This was a newly established department, formed eight months ago when volcanic activity around the world began fluctuating. Japan had set it up to monitor volcanic conditions within its borders.
Situated at the junction of tectonic plates, Japan had always been plagued by natural disasters. While this brought immense suffering to its people, it also meant Japan had the world's most advanced disaster response systems for earthquakes and other calamities.
"Someone explain to me why every single volcano has become active—why Mount Fuji and Mount Aso are on the verge of eruption!"
The director's finger trembled as he pointed at the screen. This wasn't just any ordinary volcanic activity—it was more like the Earth itself unleashing its pent-up energy. If this eruption fully manifested, half of Japan could be destroyed.
The past three years had been nothing but misfortune for Japan. Tokyo and Kyoto, its two largest cities, had suffered severe damage. Not long ago, a tsunami had struck, and now an even greater catastrophe loomed—one that could potentially wipe out the entire nation.
If anyone was to blame, it was the Last King for choosing to slumber in Japan. Had he not, the country might not have suffered so terribly.
But the experts in the observation bureau had no idea the Last King was about to awaken. They simply treated this volcanic unrest as part of Earth's natural environmental shifts—like the ice ages of millions of years past or mass extinction events.
At this moment, no matter how brilliant the scholars or scientists, all they could do in the face of such a natural disaster was remain silent.
...
On the outskirts of Tokyo, two figures suddenly halted. Guinevere's face lit up with excitement as she whispered, "...This is the King's presence. The King has finally awakened!"
She lifted her gaze to the sky, her expression bitter. "...So the King was slumbering in the heavens all along. No wonder we couldn't find any trace of him after searching Japan for over a year."
Behind Guinevere, Lancelot shook his head helplessly and said, "...Lord Roy didn't deceive us after all. The King was indeed slumbering in this island nation. It's just that we were too presumptuous—we never imagined the King's resting place wasn't on the ground, but in the sky."
"Never mind. Although we failed to wake the King early, giving the Demon Kings time to prepare, as long as the King awakens, the Campiones will surely perish. Uncle, let's hurry to where the King sleeps! I must present the Holy Grail to him immediately!" Guinevere urged anxiously.
This time, Lancelot remained silent. Instead, she lifted Guinevere into her arms and, with a surge of divine power, soared into the sky.
In the distance, Salvatore Doni, who had been secretly following the pair, watched them ascend with barely contained excitement. Gripping his sword tightly, he murmured, "...After trailing them for so long, it's finally paying off. And I can sense it too—that power in the sky! Though... it doesn't seem as strong as I imagined?"
The Sword King frowned slightly in confusion, but being single-minded, he didn't dwell on it. Channeling his magical energy, he shot upward after Guinevere and Lancelot.
----------
For advance chapters join my Patreon.
[email protected]/Aarvan