Lakshmana had been struck by Luo Hao with a palm strike to his crown, his skull shattered and brains splattering several meters high.
This shadow of Veeraj—who in myth had followed his elder brother through countless campaigns, and in reality had fought alongside Veeraj against the Demon Kings for millennia as an ancient Heretic God—finally collapsed lifeless to the ground, returning completely to the myth.
Veeraj naturally held deep affection for this younger brother. Though he knew Lakshmana wasn't truly dead—merely returned to the myth—Heretic Gods who returned to mythology almost never descended again as Heretic Gods, especially lesser-known deities like Lakshmana. Thus, Lakshmana's death was effectively a permanent farewell.
Mad with grief, Veeraj unleashed his divine power without restraint. A divine energy dozens of times greater than a Campione's erupted violently, reaching such quantity that it triggered qualitative transformation. The sheer terrifying pressure alone made Roy's bones creak audibly.
But Roy paid no heed to his body's suffering. He laughed wildly toward Luo Hao: "...Well done, sister!"
Immediately, Roy also erupted with all his curse power, using it to resist Veeraj's divine energy. Striding forward through air thick as quagmire, he had to stop Veeraj from going after Luo Hao. If the currently enraged Veeraj were allowed to strike, this ancient Chinese Campione who had scored the first victory by eliminating her opponent might well perish in just a few moves.
"Wait here for me briefly, dear brother. Let your sister slay all these Heretic Gods first, then we'll reunite these brothers in their myth together," declared Luo Hao with unrestrained arrogance, her cloud-like hair whipping wildly in the gale like a demonic goddess, her heroic spirit soaring skyward.
Seeing Roy intercept the Last King, Luo Hao didn't dare delay. She immediately charged toward Hanuman.
Killing Lakshmana had left Luo Hao somewhat injured. Under normal circumstances, Luo Hao could have slain this Heretic God without injury. But knowing Roy faced immense pressure against the Last King, she willingly took some damage to eliminate her opponent quickly and assist Roy.
Even though Luo Hao knew her strength wouldn't be of much help in the battle against the Last King, someone as proud as the sect leader could never stand idly by while her recognized sworn brother fought a life-and-death battle, leisurely engaging in combat with others.
Seeing Luo Hao charging in, Annie Charlton was prepared. She swiftly transformed into the Flame of Annihilation, igniting the withered, parched land with solar flames, while simultaneously loading her magic gun, ready to unleash Artemis' Arrow.
"Sect Leader, lend me your strength!"
"Very well!"
Without hesitation, Luo Hao let out a mighty shout and transformed once more into a colossal Vajra Warrior, striking out with the Tathagata's Divine Palm!
At the same time, Annie Charlton's Flame of Annihilation surged violently, dispersing the fierce winds summoned by Hanuman. She raised her revolver and pulled the trigger, aiming directly at Hanuman.
This gun was specially forged for Annie by the famous dwarf king of Norse mythology. It possessed numerous supernatural abilities—even in the hands of an ordinary magus, it would be a divine weapon. But in the hands of its true master, Annie Charlton, it could unleash its full power.
Annie Charlton's Artemis' Arrow, much like Roy's former authority, could only be used once every six days. This limitation alone spoke volumes about the sheer power of this arrow. Precisely because of its overwhelming might, Annie found it difficult to aim accurately. Thus, she had this magic gun crafted, transforming the magic arrow into a bullet to assist her targeting—its function being 'superior aim.'
An arrow, like a beam of moonlight, was shot by Annie. Under the dominion of the Queen of the Night, the pitch-black darkness was when the power of the stars and moon was at its strongest. The Moon Goddess's arrow tore through the heavens and earth, drawing upon the divine power of the bright moon hidden behind the night sky. With unstoppable momentum, it pierced through the fierce winds and embedded itself into Hanuman's body.
The ancient Indian wind god's body froze for a moment, the bandages covering him shattering inch by inch, revealing his true form beneath—a terrifying, monstrous monkey, resembling the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, in its grotesque appearance.
The god of steel and wind opened his mouth, as if to say something to his master. But in the next moment, a pillar of light descended from the moon above, enveloping him. The moon in the sky resonated with the Moon Goddess's arrow embedded in his body, and after a brief pause, erupted into a dazzling radiance that connected heaven and earth!
There was no earth-shattering explosion, nor any other colors—only the brilliant glow of the moon, erasing the land beneath their feet. The world's largest uninhabited island, after enduring the fierce battles of numerous Campiones and Heretic Gods, was struck by Artemis' Arrow and finally collapsed entirely.
The uninhabited island, larger than Hainan Island, shattered, triggering drastic changes in the surrounding weather. Aurora borealis from the Arctic illuminated the scene, tearing the island apart amidst chaotic force fields. The frozen sea melted instantly, giving rise to towering, tsunami-like waves.
"Don't dawdle! Help me take down that Lancelot!"
The two joined forces to slay Hanuman, leaving Luo Hao exhilarated. Her style was always like a tempest—swift and decisive, never dragging things out. No sooner had Hanuman been slain than she let out a fierce shout, prompting Annie, her helmet shattered and face pale, to nod weakly in acknowledgment.
Having transformed into the Annihilating Flame and delivered the final blow with the Arrow of Artemis, Annie was now drained of magical power and physically exhausted. Yet she knew this was not the end. Even if she could no longer assist Roy, she couldn't allow the subordinates of the Last King to interfere with him.
Gritting her teeth, Annie mustered her remaining strength and charged toward Lancelot alongside Luo Hao.
Luo Hao moved like a radiant phoenix, her toes lightly tapping on the floating debris of Devon Island scattered across the sea. Her movements were as graceful as those of a peerless master from a wuxia novel, her Hanfu robes fluttering in the air like an immortal descending from the heavens.
Even Annie found herself captivated by Luo Hao's elegance, silently marveling at the indescribable beauty.
"How can you say we have no robes? We share the same garments... When the king calls for war, we sharpen our spears and stand united against the foe!"
Before she even arrived, her voice rang out. Luo Hao invoked the "Song of Qin" through her Dragon's Roar and Tiger's Howl Great Method, summoning a gale that swept across thousands of miles.
Two Campiones and a Heretic God now faced Lancelot together. Surely, this steel deity would not last more than a few exchanges before meeting his end.
Meanwhile, Roy wielded his Sword of Judgment with peerless swordsmanship, clashing against Veeraj's divine blade, the Divine Sword of Salvation. The air rang with the sharp clang of steel.
As the great hero of Indian mythology, Veeraj was also a master swordsman. The two exchanged blows, their magical power and divine energy intertwining, their blades colliding with earth-shattering force. Each strike was delivered with full power, a thunderous clash of magic and divinity.
But gradually, Roy found himself at a disadvantage—not due to inferior swordsmanship, but because of the sheer gap in raw power between him and Veeraj. In terms of pure technique, even Scáthach would have praised Roy. Yet against such overwhelming strength, ordinary swordsmanship alone could not secure victory.
"Annihilating Thrust!"
Suddenly, Roy's stance shifted. Infinite killing intent gathered at the tip of his blade as he unleashed Scáthach's divine technique—a strike capable of obliterating an entire world. Veeraj had not anticipated this move. In truth, he had been at a disadvantage in their swordplay, only managing to suppress Roy by relying on the divine power of the Great Ritual of the Old Covenant.
Now, caught off guard by Roy's sudden ultimate technique, Veeraj failed to react in time. The Divine Sword of Salvation could not block this strike that annihilated all existence. Helpless, he watched as the blade tore through space and causality, as though a Noble Phantasm had been invoked, piercing straight through his throat.
"Gah... Gah..."
Veeraj staggered back, clutching his throat as blood gushed from the wound. The Annihilating Thrust was no ordinary stab—it carried the will of Scáthach's lifetime of god-slaying, its boundless killing intent ravaging Veeraj's body. The Last King's vision blurred as his consciousness wavered.
Roy exhaled in relief, his weary body and mind briefly resting—but in the next instant, the Divine Sword of Salvation suddenly thrust forward, piercing straight through his chest.
He stared in shock at Veeraj, only to find that the wound on the Last King's throat had already healed, his vitality restored once more. This was no mere 'immortality'—Roy's Sword of Judgment had already destroyed the 'undying' ability after slaying Susanoo, and Annihilating Thrust was meant to impart certain death upon the enemy. Yet Veeraj had bizarrely revived at full strength in an instant. This could only be the power of the Great Ritual of the Old Covenant
"Are you a believer of the Spring Brother?"
This time, it was Roy who staggered backward, clutching his chest. Even the Body of the Holy Child could not withstand the sharpness of the Divine Sword of Salvation, and Veeraj's divine power raged unchecked within his body.
A mouthful of blood surged up his throat and was spat out violently. Yet despite his injuries, Roy grinned wildly, his expression one of exhilaration.
"It's too late, Veeraj! The Human Order Incineration Protocol has already begun—you're too late to stop it now!"
"Descend, Seventy-Two Demon Gods of Solomon!!"
He laughed maniacally.
***
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