"My body is the vessel of the world's salvation!"
Kawashima Toya's voice thundered across the firmament, carrying the weight of absolute authority.
"I am the Last Savior of Humanity! Manifest!"
In an instant, streams of starlight and golden radiance surged from the earth and sky, pouring into Toya's body. His aura expanded without limit, the very breath of the era reviving around him to grant nearly infinite reinforcement.
[The Savior of Humanity has manifested. Host, please utilize the power of humanity to subjugate the Heretic God Cundi.]
[At this moment, no one can refuse your call.]
A flicker of realization passed through Toya's clear blue eyes.
"Holy Lance, Rhongomyniad!"
BOOM—
A colossal sound shook the sky as a lance slowly descended from the void.
It was not a lance in the conventional sense, but a construct of pure, solidified light. The divine shaft was bound by layers of blazing white rings, restraining the terrifying power within.
This was the weapon of the Lion King, Artoria: the Holy Lance, Rhongomyniad. It was also known as the "Lance that Shines to the Ends of the World."
While similar to Excalibur, its function was fundamentally different. The Holy Lance was originally the "Tower of Light" that anchored the World of Fairies to the planet, preventing the texture of reality from peeling away.
Like the Holy Sword, it possessed Thirteen Restraints. Only by releasing them could its true power be unleashed. However, unlike the sword, which had specific conditions for its release, the lance was a weapon of pure, unadulterated force. While it might slightly lag behind the sword in terms of saving the world from conceptual threats, its raw destructive power against a single enemy was far superior.
Toya raised Rhongomyniad high, aiming its tip at the vast sky.
"Light, release from the ends of the world. Anchor of the storm that splits the sky and connects the land!"
"Lance that Shines to the Ends of the World!"
"Rhongomyniad!"
His voice, filled with infinite fury, resounded through the firmament. The Holy Lance suddenly erupted with brilliant light. The shaft of pure energy expanded infinitely, forming a spiraling pillar of destruction.
The mystery of the Age of Gods wrapped around the lance, releasing an aura so heavy that the very atmosphere seemed to collapse. Any existence facing this power would be forced to kneel.
Cundi struggled to lift his head. His eyes, usually filled with the wisdom of the Dharma, were now wide with disbelief as he stared at the blinding light.
"What... is this?"
"Why does a radiance that does not belong to this world appear here?"
Toya thrust the shining lance forward, driving it straight toward the Heretic God.
BOOM—
The Holy Lance pierced the void. A peerless, scorching white light engulfed Cundi's body instantly. The majestic, terrifying force churned the ocean below into a frenzy, raising massive waves that threatened to swallow everything.
[SystemNotice: Successfully subjugated the Heretic God Cundi. World Mission Complete!]
[Rewards: Constitution of a Campione, Divine Authorities, and 50,000 Origin Points.]
An indescribable wave of exhaustion washed over Toya's soul. He slowly closed his eyes and began to fall from the sky toward the ocean below.
Rhongomyniad slipped from his grasp, dissolving into particles of light.
Splash!
Toya plunged into the vast ocean, sinking into the depths.
Suddenly, a chaotic, writhing tentacle reached out and grabbed him, gently lifting him toward the surface. On the beach, Nyaruko used her tentacles to bring Toya onto the sand.
"Darling is so amazing!" Nyaruko clapped her hands proudly, celebrating his victory. Even she hadn't been fully prepared for him to actually succeed in slaying a god.
"Darling, you actually defeated a Heretic God!"
"That guy Cundi with his constant preaching must be furious right now."
"You really achieved the impossible feat of god-slaying!"
.....
A long time later, Toya slowly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was an unfamiliar ceiling and the texture of tatami mats beneath him.
"Was I... saved?"
He sat up slowly and looked around.
"Oh, I'm back home." Seeing the familiar decor, he felt a sense of relief. He hadn't been picked up by strangers or washed up on a deserted island; he was safely back at the Trash Fox Manor.
"Master! I sensed you waking up, so I made a bowl of soup to warm you up!"
Tohru, the dragon maid, walked in excitedly carrying a large basin of soup. She rushed to his side with concern. "Master, drink this quickly to recover your strength."
"There is something wrong with this soup," Toya said, eyeing the strange chunks of meat floating in the broth. "Tohru, at least try to hide it."
"Do you think I can't tell what kind of meat this is?"
Dragon tail meat had a very distinct look. There was no way he would miss it.
"Aww, Master, just take one bite!" Tohru pleaded. "I prepared this meat soup with lots of love. It's great for recovery!"
"Thanks, but no thanks," Toya refused firmly. "My body feels better than ever. I don't need to recover."
He could feel it. His current state was leagues ahead of where he was yesterday. The difference in power was like heaven and earth. If he were to face Cundi again, he was confident he could defeat him easily without ending up unconscious in the ocean.
Seeing Toya's resolute refusal, Tohru pouted. "It's clearly delicious, and yet you refuse..."
Saying that, she lifted the basin and downed the entire soup in one go.
"So tasty!"
"..." Toya looked at her in silence, then stood up and left the room without a word.
A dragon eating her own dragon meat and calling it delicious... that was truly diabolical.
Toya walked out of the manor into the warm sunlight. He closed his eyes and began to inspect the rewards from defeating Cundi.
The upgrade of his body to the level of a Campione was just one part of the reward. The main prize was the Authority usurped from the fallen god.
Successfully defeating a Heretic God allowed one to steal one of their Authorities. It could be Cundi's Golden Body of the Buddha, the Palm of the Tathagata, or perhaps the concept of All Life is Suffering.
As long as it was an ability Cundi possessed in myth, there was a chance to obtain it.
"What kind of Authority will it be?" Toya began to sense the new power within him with anticipation.
A moment later, his expression soured. "The Authority is... this?"
"I am the Savior of Humanity who saved the era and the world. And yet, the Authority with the best affinity for me is Cundi's Salvation ability?"
[Authority: Benefactor, You Share a Destiny With the Buddha]
[Effect: By reciting any Buddhist scripture, the user can activate this Authority, releasing radiant Buddhist light to purify and baptize enemies.]
[Any existence subjected to this baptism will view the owner of the Authority as their highest object of faith.]
"Looks like I took a huge loss."
Toya sighed softly.
The ability he hated the most was Cundi's power of forced conversion. And now, it seemed this Authority was destined to gather dust in his arsenal.
"Look on the bright side. At least I have the invincible body and lifespan of a Campione now."