The God of Fate's combat abilities were weak. It was a specialized deity, never meant to battle Campiones—that duty belonged to the Last King. With the Last King now slain, the God of Fate should have had no means to resist Roy, a Campione.
Yet it possessed one unimaginable Authority: the power to manipulate fate and invoke Roy's 'karmic ties,' summoning gods from the realm of the undead as Heretic Gods. This mechanism was akin to summoning heroic spirits through 'karmic bonds.'
The knowledge and power imbued in Roy's Sword of Judgment were meant to sever the God of Fate. But now, other Heretic Gods stood in his path, rendering the strike ineffective.
"Hahaha!! Long time no see, Demon King! It seems my sword suits you well!"
Verethragna, in his youthful form, brightened at the sight of Roy's sword strike and laughed heartily.
Though once a defeated foe—the undefeated God of War now bore a stain on his record—seeing his Authority wielded to perfection by his enemy, used once more to triumph over numerous adversaries, the Eastern God of War couldn't help but feel a sense of gratification.
"The Sword of Wisdom of the God of War is indeed extraordinary, and the power of the God of War is of great use to me. It is precisely because of your strength that I have undergone this transformation."
Facing the descent of so many Heretic Gods, Roy felt no pressure. He laughed heartily, treating these deities as if they were nothing. Regardless of the preparations he had made in advance, his sheer composure alone earned the silent admiration of the many gods present, who praised him as the strongest Campione of all time—one who had even shattered the Last Steel.
Verethragna's authority was indeed crucial to Roy. If Michael's authority marked the beginning of Roy's path as a Campione, then Verethragna's authority represented the pinnacle of that journey.
Aside from his mysterious right hand, the Sword of Judgment, fused with the Golden Sword, was now the ability with the highest potential for growth that Roy foresaw. It was a power capable of cleaving all things with a single strike, severing the fourfold world—though Roy was still some distance from reaching that level.
"My ability does share some similarities with this fellow. It brings me great joy that my power has been of use to you," Verethragna said with a smile, gesturing toward the Heretic God Michael beside him. He bore no hatred toward Roy, nor any resentment for being slain by him. Instead, he took pride in the fact that his power had aided Roy, making him even stronger.
Such was the magnanimity of the Eastern God of War. To the undefeated deity, the idea that his strength could render others undefeated was itself a manifestation of his glory.
The angel with fiery red hair and striking beauty, exuding an aura of unwavering righteousness, ignored the God of War's teasing. Instead, he fixed his gaze on Roy, his equally vivid crimson eyes filled with indescribable emotion. In a solemn and majestic voice, he spoke: "...Fallen Demon King, your slaying of the Archangel was a grave sin. Yet the Lord has bestowed upon you grace and miracles, and the power you now wield surpasses even mine!"
"...Under the guidance of the Lord's providence, we meet again. This is all the will of God!"
Roy's heart stirred. He sensed profound meaning behind Michael's seemingly simple words.
For instance, though it was the power of the God of Fate that had guided the 'threads of destiny' to summon the Heretic God Michael, in Michael's words, it seemed as though he believed this to be the 'Lord's' divine revelation.
Especially when he spoke of the 'will of God,' it did not seem to refer to the will of the gods in the world of Campione, but rather to the will of the Lord he worshipped. Though his words were brief, they carried the implication that the Lord was an existence far beyond the gods.
Michael's gaze drifted subtly toward the distorted void on Roy's right shoulder, his eyes filled with hidden meaning. His righteous gaze seemed to hold a trace of reverence and humility.
Metatron was no different.
This angel of Judaism should not have been standing alongside Michael, as their positions in their respective religions were both equivalent and contradictory. Just as Roy had initially expected when he first saw them, these two great archangels should have clashed the moment they met.
But now, the scribe with thirty-six pairs of wings paid no attention to Michael beside him. Instead, like Michael, he fixed his gaze on Roy's right shoulder, even the emotions contained within his look identical to Michael's.
This made Roy's heart skip a beat, as he felt these two angels seemed to know something.
"Since we have been summoned here, let us join forces to defeat this Demon King!"
Seeing that none of the others showed any intention to act, Susanoo boomed in a voice as loud as a bell.
Unlike the other gods, Susanoo held some resentment toward Roy. Although he had indeed played some tricks in the Netherworld, the results showed these tricks had little effect on Roy.
What Susanoo hadn't expected was that Roy would hold such a grudge over such a minor matter, chasing him down in the Netherworld like a hound, forcing him to flee like a stray dog.
Even more unexpected was Janaki's betrayal. Despite his cunning and multiple hideouts, he couldn't escape Roy's relentless pursuit, ultimately meeting a bitter end.
For a Heretic God, returning to myth was akin to death. For Susanoo, who had lived for millennia in seclusion within the Netherworld, returning to the immortal realm of myth was the last thing he desired. Now, by sheer luck, fate had drawn him back, allowing him to descend once more as a Heretic God. Eager to settle the score, he was itching for a fight...
However, Susanoo knew he stood no chance against Roy alone, so naturally, he tried to rally the other Heretic Gods to join him.
"This Demon King fought me in three hundred rounds and defeated me. I admire him greatly—how could I stoop to such petty schemes?"
The usually hot-tempered Great Sage Equal to Heaven had remained uncharacteristically silent since his appearance. But upon hearing Susanoo's words, he immediately erupted in fury: "...Compared to the Demon King, it's you, this god Japan, who dared to use underhanded tricks, binding me with the curse of the Keeper of Horses! Right now, I'd rather smash your dog head with my staff!"
The Great Sage bared his teeth, his thunder-god face twisting into a fearsome snarl.
Seeing the Great Sage's rage, Susanoo hastily bowed and pleaded, "...Great Sage, calm your anger! Great Sage, calm your anger!"
This noble of Takamagahara knew he was in the wrong—and in a fight, he was no match for Sun Wukong—so he could only beg for mercy.
Failing to secure the monkey's aid, Susanoo turned his gaze to the other Heretic Gods.
The youthful Eastern God of War laughed loudly and declared, "...Though I wish to battle the Demon King once more, to imprison him atop the sacred mountain like the demon dragon and cleanse my shame, I would only do so by my own will, in a fair and honorable fight—not by following some damned guidance of fate, and certainly not with others interfering!"
Verethragna firmly rejected Susanoo's proposal.
Michael didn't even spare Susanoo a glance. The Archangel simply stated, "...I would never raise a hand against one blessed by the Lord. That would be a blasphemy against my faith!"
"The same goes for me."
Metatron spoke in a gentle voice. This angel of Judaism—this pseudo-angel of Christianity—stood on the same side as Michael.
Left speechless, Susanoo could only stew in frustration. If none of you are fighting, what's the point of me trying?
For a moment, the scene was quite awkward. The God of Fate had summoned numerous Heretic Gods connected to Roy by 'fate,' yet none of them made a move.
Fortunately, the God of Fate lacked independent thought, or it might have been furious enough to spit blood by now.
"Since none of you will act, I shall take the initiative. That executor of fate over there is the one I have sworn to kill!"
Roy's right shoulder dipped slightly as, under the gaze of the many Heretic Gods, he unfurled his Holy Right—the miracle of Christianity!
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