"What if this King Arthur were to appear in the form of a Devil King?"
Su Mo's casual words left the three of them slightly stunned.
"A Devil King?" Artoria tilted her head, not quite understanding her Master's meaning.
"In this world, an existence that abuses the authority of a host is branded as a Devil King. However, it's not that troublesome for you."
As he spoke, Su Mo reached out and placed his hand on Artoria's head. "This might sting a little."
"Master!"
Feeling the warmth of her Master's palm, the golden ahoge girl's expression relaxed a little, and she rubbed against Su Mo's palm obediently like a large cat.
Just then, Su Mo grabbed Artoria's ahoge and gave it a gentle tug.
At the same time, the Zoroastrian cosmology of Good vs. Evil Dualism was activated. Within the flames, a black and red roulette wheel appeared.
Like a ruler who transcended good and evil, Su Mo, who had devoured Angra Mainyu and the entire Zoroastrian pantheon, gently pushed the scales of good and evil, transforming Artoria's originally shining soul of light into a state filled with an aura of darkness.
In an instant, good and evil were reversed, and her spiritual rank was transformed.
Along with the change in her aura, Artoria's entire image also changed. Her originally bright golden hair became slightly pale, her bright silver armor and white battle skirt switched to black and red, and her holy blue-green, clear eyes also became the intimidating vertical pupils of a great dragon.
Her originally beautiful features did not change, but her temperament transformed from that of a wise king to a tyrant. The clear light in her eyes dissipated, leaving only a domineering and sinister aura that looked down on everyone.
In the blink of an eye, Artoria had switched to her Saber Alter state, and her entire aura had become much colder and sharper.
Even the way she looked at Su Mo, although her loyalty of a full 100% remained unchanged, from her fiercely hidden fiery gaze, one could tell that unlike the calm and restrained ahoge king who knew how to control her emotions, Saber Alter might not necessarily abide by the etiquette of a knight in this regard.
If there was an opportunity, in the physical sense, it was not impossible for her to try to counter or overthrow him.
If the previous Artoria was an upright and honest King of Knights, then her current image, whoever saw it, would think she was a Devil King.
"She has a form like this? So cool!"
Seeing Saber Alter before her, Shiroyasha's first impression was still a little offbeat.
"I see, so you're using this method to draw a line..."
In contrast, the Halloween Queen quickly understood Su Mo's meaning and nodded thoughtfully.
"From the pantheons' perspective, if it were a King Arthur summoned by me, for the sake of reviving the Celtic pantheon, I would never allow her to walk the path of a Devil King."
A mere Devil King who abused the authority of a host was no big deal for an existence of Three-Digits or higher like them. In the dawn of Little Garden, who wasn't a Devil King?
Even the current head of the Heavenly Army, Indra, was once an evil god and Devil King who bore the banner of Zoroastrianism. He had killed many gods, but who would dare to bring up this past now?
Not to mention the Halloween Queen, a famous problem child, and Shiroyasha, a former Last Embryo of humanity.
As long as one chose to be pragmatic and cooperate with the pantheons' rule after the dawn of Little Garden, even a Devil King would be tolerated and even whitewashed. This was a tacit understanding. Only someone like Algol, who couldn't read the situation and still jumped around, would be sanctioned.
However, the times were different, and the tolerance for Devil Kings was also different.
In this era, let alone a terrifying existence like a Last Embryo of humanity, even an ordinary Devil King was enough to cause mass panic. The tragedy of the vampire race in the past was a clear proof of this.
They had merely produced a single Devil King, yet they were stigmatized by the poets and feared by everyone. In the end, the entire race was demoted from the knights of Little Garden to low-class monsters.
Although the vampire race's lack of a backer was a factor, the biggest reason was that the times had changed. The protection provided by the vampire race had been too effective, and people had not seen a genuine Devil King for too long, yet they retained their fear of them, to the point that any organization that produced a Devil King would be viewed with vigilance.
Under these circumstances, an organization that produced a Devil King was almost impossible to be recognized by the people, let alone revive a pantheon.
Therefore, in the eyes of the pantheons, Saber Alter could not possibly be an existence summoned by the Halloween Queen.
So the question was, if Artoria was not summoned by the Halloween Queen, then how did she appear in Little Garden?
"When the Knights of Avalon were attacked back then, were there really no survivors? Was the Devil King sent to carry out the mission really trustworthy... The mastermind will definitely think so, right!" Su Mo said with great interest.
"Once they have doubts, they will definitely take corresponding actions."
The Halloween Queen's eyes lit up. "At that time, we just need to keep an eye on the pantheons to find clues about the mastermind!"
This was the closest she had ever been to the mastermind, and she couldn't help but be excited.
"The only side effect of this plan is that the news of King Arthur falling into a Devil King might be detrimental to the Celtic pantheon," Su Mo reminded her, seeing her excitement. "Are you willing to take such a risk to retaliate against the pantheons?"
"A risk?" Hearing this, the Halloween Queen shook her head on the spot without a second's hesitation. "Not to mention that the mastermind themselves are more worried about this news leaking than we are. Even if we don't consider that, as long as I can get my revenge, what's a little loss like this!"
As she spoke, her eyes became slightly cold. "Reviving the Celtic pantheon was just a task forced upon me by others. But to secretly attack my subordinates is an infringement on my authority. This crime alone is enough for those rats in the gutter to die a thousand deaths!"
Feeling the killing intent in the Halloween Queen's words, Shiroyasha was a little tongue-tied for a moment. This woman was really capable of going to war with the pantheons for the sake of face. The cost was completely out of her consideration.
"Very good."
Su Mo was very satisfied with the Halloween Queen's answer. He didn't need a wavering ally.
"So, what are you going to do next to attract the pantheons' attention?"
"As a Devil King, there is naturally only one way to attract the pantheons' attention," Su Mo said very calmly.
"You want her to unfold her host authority and fall into a true Devil King?" Shiroyasha immediately guessed Su Mo's plan.
"Only in this way can we attract the attention of the Heavenly Army and let the pantheons behind them get the news," Su Mo replied briefly.
"Alright, if she's willing, there's no problem... but it's not that simple to attract the attention of the Heavenly Army just by revealing your identity as a Devil King now," Shiroyasha nodded, then said with concern. "Ever since the subjugation of the Dystopia Devil King, the Devil Kings in Little Garden have basically been dealt with by Arcadia. A Devil King's debut basically has to pass through them first."
Ever since the implementation of the Floor Master system, ordinary Devil Kings were all dealt with by the Floor Masters, and the Heavenly Army was generally put on the back burner. It was not an easy task for an ordinary Devil King to get past Arcadia.
"Arcadia?" Thinking of the "No Names" in the original work, Su Mo shook his head. "Since we have to go through them no matter what, let's just go after them directly!"
"Huh?" Hearing this, Shiroyasha was stunned. "Wait, we're pretending to be a Devil King, not really becoming one, are we?" she, a former Devil King, tried to ask clearly.
"Our goal is to deal with the mastermind behind the pantheons. Arcadia should be our ally. Su Mo, you're not really going to attack them, are you?"
"Of course not. It's just to startle the snake out of its grass," Su Mo shook his head, first reassuring Shiroyasha, then changing the subject. "Of course, as a Devil King, it's impossible to not do anything bad. That would be too easy to see through."
"I remember, there's another Celestial Spirit who was called one of the three great problem children of Little Garden along with you two, who was made into a Gift and is now in the hands of a community allied with the Arcadia Grand Alliance, right?"
With their current strength, they could be said to be a force to be reckoned with in the world of Little Garden, but if they were to face a top-tier pantheon, they were still a little lacking. So, if there was an opportunity to slightly make up for the number of combatants, Su Mo would not miss it.
"You mean Algol?"
Shiroyasha naturally also knew about her ill-fated kinsman. She had been worried that Su Mo would be too heavy-handed and would harm her friends, but after hearing Su Mo's goal, she showed a troubled expression.
As a Three-Digit Celestial Spirit, Algol had been demoted to a god, and then repeatedly slandered and sealed, until now she was only at the level of a demon. Without unsealing her, she might not even be a Four-Digit. If Su Mo could really snatch her over, it would naturally be a good thing for Algol, but for others, it would be a bit of a torment.
"Al-chan's strength in her prime was not bad, but her personality is too difficult to handle. Are you sure you want to recruit her?"
"It's just making the best use of things. After being so slandered by the pantheons, her position should be unquestionable," Su Mo naturally had no intention of letting this fighter go. Anyway, she would be a subordinate, so there was no need to worry about her being disobedient.
"Even if Arcadia insists on interfering, we can use this to see the attitude of the Heavenly Army. Whether they will forcibly intervene when they are not needed is also a good measuring stick."
Seeing that Su Mo had already made a decision, Shiroyasha, who had no better way, did not continue to stop him. But after thinking about it, she still asked, "Since it's just an act, should we notify Canary in advance, so we can coordinate—"
"No!" Before she could finish, the Halloween Queen flatly refused.
"Since it's a secret, it's not suitable for too many people to know. Canary is trustworthy, but those alliance communities have their own agendas and backgrounds. With Perseus's relationship with the Greek pantheon, we must not let them have a chance to know the truth!"
Evidently, her attitude was very cautious.
"...Alright!" Shiroyaha had wanted to object, but what the Halloween Queen said was too reasonable, so in the end, she gave up the idea.