On the wide-open sea...
A blond man lay sunbathing on a yacht.
He was Salvatore Doni, twenty-four years old, the sixth of the God Slayers, known as the "King of Swords" who leads the magic associations in Southern Europe.
All Demon Kings (Campiones) are lawless in their own right. It didn't matter which country's waters he was in—he would come and go as he pleased. Compared to some more uptight Demon Kings, Doni was the most laid-back and knew how to enjoy life.
He wore sunglasses, felt the sea breeze, soaked up the sun, and had subordinates on standby to serve him. Life was indeed blissful.
All of a sudden, his eyes narrowed.
He sat up abruptly, removing his sunglasses, his gaze drawn in surprise toward a certain direction.
An indistinct sense of presence tugged at his heart.
He didn't need to guess—he knew. A Godslayer and a Heretic God are inherently connected; hence he naturally sensed one's appearance.
"That location...Sardinia."
Besides the sword, Doni had little knowledge in other areas, but he could at least identify directions and places.
Battlelust shone in his eyes.
"It's not far. Heh, Heretic God, here I come!"
Amid the cries of his followers, Doni threw off his T-shirt and leapt straight into the sea.
Immediately, he moved his arms, running across the water's surface. The sea parted around him as though making way, leaving frothing waves in his wake. In the blink of an eye, he had dashed hundreds of meters ahead, his voice echoing behind:
"I'm off to Sardinia for some fun!"
Such was the sheer impulsiveness of a Godslayer.
[Heretic God]: Athena
Having returned to her original state, Athena's level soared from 28 up to 52, completely outstripping both Melqart and Verethragna.
Erica stared blankly at Athena. Simply standing there, Athena exuded a pressure so intense, it left Erica feeling suffocated and fearful.
At this moment, both Melqart and Verethragna—who had paused their own battle—appeared on the scene.
"A Goddess of Wisdom, radiant and mighty. Will you do me the honor of a duel?"
Verethragna, ever the battle maniac, felt Athena's formidable aura and promptly issued a challenge.
"Hmph! You and I have not yet finished our fight—how dare you try to slip away? Are you looking down on me?"
Melqart radiated a fierce energy. Even though he already knew he was weaker than Verethragna, he had no desire to be taken lightly.
Verethragna regarded him calmly.
"I give all warriors the respect they're due, but in the eyes of this Goddess of Wisdom, I am now the challenger. King of Gods, I believe you too hunger for a battle with her?"
His passionate gaze remained on Athena's splendor.
He felt no fear in challenging a stronger foe—on the contrary, nothing thrilled him more or set his heart aflame.
Melqart's own thoughts aligned with Verethragna's. Such is the nature of warriors.
"Our battle has yet to yield a victor, but the chance to challenge and slay an even mightier god might vanish if we hesitate."
He brandished his wooden club toward Athena.
"We can finish our fight another time. For now, I, the Dragon-Slayer, shall claim the head of the Goddess of Wisdom!"
"Hahaha, intriguing! King of Gods, your brave choice pleases me. I acknowledge you as a true dragonslayer, O Storm-King!"
Verethragna's battle spirit flared. The prospect of fighting Athena made his blood boil.
Athena merely glanced at the two of them before turning her gaze away. She had not expected it to be so easy to reclaim the Gorgoneion—but all thanks to him: Rei Ao.
Now she was more interested in seeing how this mortal who claimed he would "conquer" her in her restored form would act.
"Wow, are the three of them about to fight among themselves?"
A sudden exclamation shattered the tension. All eyes shifted at once.
Eriri hurriedly clapped a hand over her mouth. She'd just blurted out her honest reaction, but clearly realized too late that the timing was terrible. She couldn't take it back now.
The gazes of all three Heretic Gods fell on her at once, and her knees nearly buckled from the crushing pressure. Cold sweat formed at her temple. Little by little, she shuffled behind Rei Ao, clutching the hem of his shirt for a bit of safety.
"Fight among ourselves?"
Verethragna stroked his chin.
"An amusing turn of phrase. Does she see us as one group?"
He turned his smiling face to Rei Ao, who stood in front of Eriri protectively.
"Child of man, tell me—do you regard us all as the same sort of enemy?"
From his perspective, the humans here were only Erica, who seemed like a witch, plus Utaha, Eriri, and Rei Ao, who looked like ordinary humans. But right from the moment he'd first laid eyes on Rei Ao, Verethragna had sensed a faint, dangerous aura. Now, facing three Heretic Gods, Rei Ao remained utterly calm—a fact that intrigued Verethragna greatly.
Athena, likewise, watched quietly, curious.
Everyone held their breath, awaiting Rei Ao's reply.
Mabel: "I have a feeling..."
Thor: "What feeling?"
Mabel: "Rei Ao...he's about to act all badass!"
"You ask if I consider you my enemies?"
Rei Ao gave a laugh—a snort of disdain, more accurately.
"You are not worthy to be my enemies."
He lifted his right hand. His extended forefinger pointed at Melqart. Rei Ao's lips moved:
"Him... not worth mentioning."
His finger pivoted to Verethragna.
"You're no different from him."
Lastly, he pointed to Athena, and gave a faint smile.
"She couldn't possibly be my enemy. She's simply the first goddess I plan on conquering—sleeping with a goddess. Bold, yes?"
Silence fell instantly.
Erica's eyes widened. What he'd just said was pure provocation—and he'd basically dismissed all three of them as insignificant. Well, not entirely—he'd singled Athena out for a different reason...
Melqart, Verethragna, and Athena all froze in astonishment at his words. Only one thought swirled through their minds:
How brazen can one human be?!
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