Chapter 445: Beheading Susanoo
A jet-black sword had thrust out from Susanoo's [Godou Kusanagi's] chest.
It was as if he had been stabbed from behind, his body run through.
Yet, eerily, there was no one behind Susanoo.
The sword appeared to have erupted from within his own body.
Moreover, the sword radiated an intense divine power—clearly a Divine Artifact, and one Erica recognized.
It was the sword wielded by the girl named Seishuuin Ena—Ama no Murakumo.
At the same time, an abnormal phenomenon occurred: cracks began to spread from the point where Susanoo was struck. These fissures didn't spread across his body but across the surrounding space, spreading throughout the entire bounded world.
Crack! Shatter!
It shattered like a silver mirror, then dissolved into motes of light and vanished.
Thus, what reappeared in Erica's vision was the exact same initial scene, as if time had reversed once more.
However, this time, an additional figure was present: Ena, holding the Ama no Murakumo sword, which remained embedded in Susanoo's body.
But this Ena seemed off—as if she were being controlled by Ama no Murakumo.
Speaking of which, hadn't Ama no Murakumo previously taken human form?
After Susanoo's mythological divinity was destroyed, its human form had reverted back into a sword.
It was likely that sensing Susanoo's presence, the sword had reawakened and was now manipulating the woman to attack him.
Moreover, Erica now understood what Susanoo meant when he said it wasn't a reversal of time.
From the very beginning, she had been deceived as well—they had all fallen into an illusion.
No, it would be more accurate to say they had been pulled into a mental world, and a layered one at that.
Each time it was destroyed, it seemed as though they had returned to reality, back to the starting point, but in truth, it was merely a form of mental deception.
Thus, as this final layer of the mental world collapsed, Erica confirmed that she had truly returned to the real world.
Ena, on the other hand, had clearly not been drawn into the mental world from the start, which was why she managed to succeed in her sudden ambush.
"Ena, your attack was truly sharp."
"Not directly cutting off Grandfather's head is Ena's way of repaying him for his long-standing care."
A voice filled with gritted teeth and pain spilled from Ena's lips.
In reality, it couldn't be said that she was being controlled by Ama no Murakumo.
The consciousness within Ama no Murakumo had long been tormented by Susanoo to the point of being little more than a puppet that obeyed commands; its earlier awakening was only temporary.
To completely break free from control, it had to die and return to myth.
Therefore, the primary wielder of Ama no Murakumo's power at this moment was Ena herself, not its original consciousness—otherwise, she would have been unable to strike at Susanoo.
But as a mere human, even if she was an exceptionally skilled Hime-Miko, directly wielding divine power came with a significant burden.
Especially when channeling enough power to harm the god disguised in human flesh before her—such power would corrode her and bring her death.
Yet, Ena paid it no mind. She had always been someone who clearly distinguished love and hate, and she understood that she was nothing more than a tool to be used.
And this tool included reproduction.
Originally, Susanoo had intended for Godou Kusanagi to become a Campione, not to possess him, but rather for the two to merge into one.
In other words, the current Susanoo was both Godou Kusanagi and Susanoo, indistinguishable from one another.
In the original plan, while Godou Kusanagi was to become a Campione, Ena was designated as the Hime-Miko who would bear his children, giving birth to descendants who could serve as vessels for Susanoo's incarnation.
But now, with the forced fusion with Godou Kusanagi, an impure soul had been incorporated, which would inevitably weaken Susanoo to some extent.
And after this fusion, Ena knew she would still be treated as a tool for reproduction. The mere thought of this made her nauseous.
A fierce hatred and killing intent surged within her—she would repay her "respectable grandfather" with a fitting gift.
So, when the mist seemed to beckon her, she charged in. Seeing her grandfather motionless, she naturally seized the opportunity to strike him through from behind.
But how did she come to know these secrets? It was Ama no Murakumo—the Eight Maidens—that had told her...
Susanoo's true goal was ultimately to establish a divine realm in the mortal world, free from the constraints of myth!
"Is that so? What a fine granddaughter you are."
As Susanoo's words fell, his sword plunged into the earth, and lightning poured into the ground, causing it to boil.
The lightning did not immediately strike the granddaughter behind him, but instead surged from the ground, transforming into eight thunder serpents—this was actually the fusion of the power he had stripped from Yamata no Orochi.
One serpent lunged to tear at Ena, another charged toward the golden-haired woman to bite and kill, while the remaining ones all rushed to tear at the Apocalypse Knight before him—this guy was the real enemy.
Thud—thud, thud, thud!
It sounded like blades piercing flesh, accompanied by eerie, agonized screams.
These screams came from the eight thunder serpents, now pinned in mid-air by golden swords striking from all directions, writhing in torment.
As the saying goes, the fingers are connected to the heart—so as the releaser, Susanoo, his face contorted into a hideous grimace.
"Unfortunately, it's already too late."
The speaker—Renji—finished his words and lightly waved his hand once more, sending more golden swords to pierce the eight thunder serpents until they resembled hedgehogs.
Simultaneously, the reenactment of Takeru on the stage now drew to a close, his head severed from his body, frozen in that moment.
All that remained was the 4.7 Susanoo, cloaked in human skin.
As Renji approached him and raised the Golden Sword to strike him down, the other suddenly spoke.
"The Last King—do you know?"
"I know. So what?"
"The Last King was actually sealed away in a certain place by one of us, the God of Steel. If I—"
Thud—!
A head was cleanly severed by Renji's own hand.
Wasn't he just trying to say that if he were killed, The Last King would be released from the seal?
Using that to threaten him?
Not only that, he was probably planning some other tricks as well. Renji could see madness in Susanoo's eyes.
Therefore, after beheading him, the power within his body suddenly dissipated in a bizarre manner.
Clearly, the other party had just been preparing to self-destruct.