Boom—!!!
Clang—!!!!!
"...[Grow, Big Hammer], [Uchide no Kozuchi]!!!"
The group, empowered by Haruhime's multi-level boost, charged toward Epimetheus with everything they had.
"So many of us... attacking with magic and magic swords under such an incredible buff!?"
"And he hasn't even budged...?"
Even with the full strength of the Apollo Familia joined in the fray, it wasn't enough.
Clang—!!
"Still! Nothing has changed, you trash!"
Swish—!!
"Not so fast!"
Crunch—!
Epimetheus lightly parried Akumo's holy sword while simultaneously cutting down the arrow Ryu fired at his back.
"The barrier of [Heaven's Flame]...! It's impenetrable! He's on a completely different level compared to the priestesses and the warriors!"
"More importantly... that arm is extremely dangerous..."
Asfi was horrified by his absolute protection, while Ryu remained highly wary of the black power he had stolen from Akumo.
"Do not lump me in with those priestesses. How long do you think it has been since I obtained the power of the heavens!?"
Step—
"This body is already cursed beyond measure. To put it simply, we are in different dimensions!"
Whoosh—!!!
As soon as he finished speaking, purple flames surged toward the Apollo Familia members who were struggling to keep up with the combat speed.
""""!!""""
Seeing the purple flames approaching, they felt the cold touch of death, unable to dodge.
"...!"
'I have to stop it right now...'
"Punish them... [Caucasus]!!!"
"!?"
Akumo intended to release his holy sword to save them, but—
"Make a choice! If you are a hero, then overcome this!!"
Reading his intent, Epimetheus immediately drew forth a massive wave of fire through his sword, targeting everyone.
"...[Divine Artifact]."
"You're using it!!"
In that desperate moment, Akumo pulled out the lightning spear.
K-Boom—!!!!!!!!!!!
A massive firestorm engulfed everyone, the space itself shaking with terrifying momentum.
Rumble—!!!!!!!!!!!
"...A-Are we alive...?"
"We shouldn't have been able to dodge or block that fire..."
Lili and Haruhime stared at their unharmed bodies in confusion.
Crackle—!!
"This is..."
Flare—!
"On our bodies... lightning and flames...?"
Mikoto discovered a protection of thunder and flame wrapped around them, shielding their bodies.
"As expected, a disappointing result."
Thump—!
"Is the choice you made after regaining your Falna ultimately just a power begged from the gods!!"
Boom—!!!!!!
Without a hint of hesitation, Epimetheus raised his black arm and lunged at them in an instant.
Thwack—!!!
"Urgh!?"
Crunch—!!
"Gah...!!!!"
"Ryu!! Asfi!!!!"
Epimetheus struck them down in a single blow.
"None of you are worthy of fighting me!"
Glare—!
"Foolish trash who only hope for salvation and miracles!!!!"
With his red eyes burning fiercely, Epimetheus raised his arm again to incinerate them with purple flames, but—
Wham—!!!
"...You again, trash."
"Yeah, me again, you bastard."
Akumo, clad in thunder, swiftly kicked Epimetheus in the face.
"To think this damn power is only this much..."
Though it was an attack infused with the power of a [Divine Artifact], it was far too light against Epimetheus, who had gained the power of the Black Dragon.
Grin—!
"Your pathetic hope is only worth this much."
With a viscous sneer, Epimetheus raised the hand of the Black Dragon toward Akumo.
Flash—!!!
A massive black torrent, incomparable to anything before, swallowed him whole.
"Huff... huff..."
'Zeus's spear isn't for defense...'
His instincts had screamed of death.
Akumo had barely managed to swap divine artifacts to block the black torrent aimed at him.
"Ho? Is that the armament of the Moon Goddess?"
Step, step—
"Wretchedly weak! What trashy hope."
Even a [Divine Artifact] was, in the end, borrowed power.
It could not stand against the most fundamental [Heaven's Flame], which even the gods themselves could not control.
Realizing this, Epimetheus found it absurd.
"I shall forgive your weakness and the incompetence of the gods!"
After all, his long-held desire would soon be fulfilled.
"Because you are the culmination of hope."
Grin—!
"If I kill only you, tens of thousands—no, the world will collapse."
It was a cruel truth he had realized through the ancient times and the centuries he had lived since.
"Ahahahaha!!!!!!!! I'll cremate all of you!!!"
Even with Akumo there, it would only be a matter of buying time.
"...Now!"
Akumo had been aiming for that moment of carelessness.
"[Fire Bolt]."
Epimetheus alone had failed to notice that the hero's flame had never gone out.
Boom—!!!!!!!
"Gah...!!"
The unexpected fire attack struck Epimetheus directly in the abdomen.
"[Mud]."
Swish—!!
"...!!"
'F-Fast—'
Not missing the opening, Akumo's maximum speed thrust—
Squelch—!!!!
—took the red eye of the black dragon.
"...."
Slide—
Epimetheus blankly touched his pierced eye.
"...Ha."
He could feel the empty socket, the loss of half his vision, all too clearly.
"Filthy lightning... and a foolish goddess's flame..."
Clench—
"How unpleasant. Truly unpleasant."
As if even his sneer was no longer necessary.
Whoosh—!!
"...Bell, here he comes."
"Yeah...!!"
Epimetheus threw his sword aside.
"I'm bored of this now. This hero story."
Grip—
He grabbed his black left arm.
"...!! Master Epimetheus...!!!?"
Rhea instinctively felt that he was walking down a path from which there was no return.
'No... I have to stop him...!!!'
Rhea suddenly ran forward.
Akumo was flustered and tried to push her back, but—
—'Mom!'
From the moment she failed to protect Sion and Siate from the massive firestorm that day.
Rhea had lived hundreds of years in regret.
Dash—!!
"Shit!! Bell, you prepare to intercept!!!"
"Brother!?"
She had lived only to drive out the hateful power of the gods.
"Rhea, stop!!!!!"
The [Heaven's Flame] bestowed by the gods was so deceptive it was horrifying.
The lightning of the heavens, which didn't even allow for such deception, was detestable.
"[Caua]."
Therefore, she hated this reality where even such powers couldn't save everyone, and now she wanted to give up on everything.
Stab—!!!!
Even if it meant being a fallen existence holding a cursed sword.
"Uh...?"
"You are the same as me, Rhea."
As if to prove there are no miracles, Epimetheus raised the cursed sword with his remaining arm.
Grind—!
"E-E-Epimethe... us..."
"Quiet."
Crunch—!!
"....!!!!"
He pierced her abdomen and twisted her insides.
"You sacrificed everything to stop me, to help me?"
Slide—
"Those trivial words, and those foolish eyes staring at me right now...!!!!"
The disgusting gaze that only hoped and leaned on others repeatedly.
"Everything about you is irritating! You people are so!!! So!!!!! Unpleasant!!!!!!!!"
As he raised his sword to tear Rhea's body apart—
"[Slay]."
Crack—!!!!!!!
"[Draw]."
Clang—!!!!!!!
The fury of two warriors—
"Get lost, trash."
—thrust toward his neck and heart.
Drip—
Blood flowed from the hideous hole in her abdomen.
"Ugh...!!"
Cough—!
Her vision blurred, her body grew cold, and a dangerous sensation she shouldn't be feeling took hold.
Clang—!!
Clang—!!!!!!
Even in that chaotic situation, she could take in the scene before her eyes.
"Weak! So weak!!"
"Shut your mouth. I'm angry right now."
"How could you!!!!"
"Epimetheus!!!!!!"
Mikoto was pouring attacks onto Epimetheus, filled with a rage that surpassed her natural limits.
Akumo, protecting her while holding the lightning spear, aimed for Epimetheus's blind spots.
And Bell, supporting them by unleashing all the fiery energy created by his connection with Hestia.
Whoosh—!!!
"Look, Rhea. This is reality."
Despite this, Epimetheus, holding the cursed sword in one arm, hadn't gained a single new wound.
"...."
"No matter how much you pray, no matter how much you cry and beg."
Like a natural disaster, a calamity that arrived without warning.
The flames that swallowed Sion and Siate, instantly destroying the colors of the world.
"This is all you amount to."
As if she were seeing those flames again, Rhea's hands trembled.
"Ah..."
Stagger—
"Sion... Siate..."
As if she couldn't hold on any longer, Rhea's vision blurred and her eyes began to close.
"...Epimetheus."
Then, a man's voice reached her.
Grind—!
Akumo, who had climbed the tower where countless heroes were consumed and turned into stories of failure.
"I've decided."
Therefore, he made his decision.
"This story is [The Story of Gods and Their Familia]."
Crackle—!
The lightning spear in his hand.
"A spear that can't even reassure a single woman seeking salvation."
I don't need it.
"Let me tell you a bit of my story."
From the moment I was born into this world, when my head was smaller than a soccer ball, I struggled to survive.
Crunch—!!
Thud—!!!
I killed because I didn't want to die; I learned and grew because I wanted to live.
"I'm grateful for this talent the heavens gave me."
That's how I wrote my story.
Grip—
"Heroic tales? Success stories? Failures?"
They were stories from a different world to me.
Instead of a hero's path or great deeds, I chose clever schemes and survival tricks.
Instead of a brilliant golden road, I chose a merry clown's stroll.
"...That's why I'm a greedy man."
Paradoxically, because I'd grown up a bit, I wanted to become a hero.
—'[Lævateinn]'
I became addicted to the first wish I ever fulfilled, and I spent years floundering in that addiction.
I just prayed and waited for hardships to come...
—'[[Black Dragon]]'
—'[[Excalibur]]'
It's time to finally admit it.
"I'm a crazy piece of trash."
I want a lot, I have clear likes and dislikes, and I'm incredibly stubborn...
"A clown and a hero."
Whoosh—!
The Zeus's spear I threw cut through the air and was cast onto the floor.
"Akumo....!!?"
My Goddess, who had been pretending to be fine since I picked up the lightning spear, but was actually filled with anxiety and worry.
Tremble—
And Lady Freya, who couldn't hide her shaking body.
"That madman...!!"
"Do you plan to die!!?"
Hedin and Horn, who were protecting those goddesses, shouted at me in shock.
"If I'm going to be cursed anyway, I might as well open my mouth wide~"
What I want isn't a table set for me, nor a hero's chessboard already made.
Grin—!
Come, hardships; even so, I desire happiness.
"This is the last time I'll protect you without a price, Rhea."
I stopped attacking Epimetheus and approached Rhea, willingly taking her blood-soaked hand.
"What reckless bravado, worthy of foolish trash!!!!"
Step—!
"Become ashes along with that foolish priestess!!!!"
Whoosh—!!!!!
Aiming for my back, Epimetheus reached out and fired black flames from the cursed sword.
"[Fire Bolt]!!!!!"
'I'll block it no matter what!!!!'
"[Futsu-no-Mitama]!!!!!"
'Blocking...!!'
I felt the magic of my two reliable companions divert the trajectory of that attack.
"Hmph! A meaningless gesture."
Even so, his mocking voice reached me from behind.
"What can a mere priestess like that do!?"
"Do you truly believe in a madman who turns his back for the sake of a mere priestess!?"
Such insults.
"You're right."
It was an incredibly realistic and obvious thing to say.
"...How."
Was Rhea thinking the same? I could feel her trembling through my hand.
"Just how do you plan to save me!!!!"
Slap—!
She roughly brushed my hand away.
"Just how.... what can you possibly do!!!"
Clench—!!
"How can I believe you can protect me!!!"
But...
"Even if you hear an answer, it won't change the fact that it's meaningless nonsense."
Just as Epimetheus cruelly stated, the difference in power was all too clear.
"How..."
Above all, she couldn't ask for help.
—'Mom!'
Smile—!
The images of her lovely daughters smiling at her.
"How could I say 'save me'!!!!"
How could someone who couldn't even protect her own children, who couldn't even keep a broken family together...
"I've fallen to this state.... how could I ever go to see my children...."
She would suffer even in death.
It seemed Rhea regarded that thought as natural and correct.
"...So~"
Of course, that didn't matter much to me.
"Tell me your true feelings, sincerely."
"...What?"
I'm getting bored of things going a certain way because of tragedies or failures, or stories of revenge and corruption.
I'm tired of seeing horrific bloodbaths as a result.
"Right now, you're the only one here not saying what you really want."
[The Story of Gods and Their Familia].
Even Epimetheus moved within that story for the sake of his own desires.
"...."
Grind—!
Rhea's teeth gnashed.
"Shut up!!!!!"
Spurt—!
"Don't talk like you know everything, you who hasn't even birthed a child!!!"
Vomiting blood, Rhea ranted at me as I stood before her.
"Even if the method is wrong! A parent is someone who willingly commits sins for their child, that's what a parent is!!!"
Thud—!!
"My children are still.... suffering like that....!!"
Thud—!!
Thud—!!
Her fists were light. Not because she was dying, but because they were fists holding onto such empty and hollow thoughts.
—Waaaaah!!!!!!!!
"If I could just stop that wailing, I would gladly sacrifice not only the gods but even all of you!!!"
The nightmare-like screams of her children that must have hovered by her side for hundreds of years.
"Even if the oracles and the words of heroes are all lies!!"
"As long as I am here, I will save my children!!!!"
Thud—!!!!!!!!
Finally, her fist, drained of all strength, reached me.
"That is where everything went wrong..."
"That's just your greed."
There's no time.
But I have to say what needs to be said before I go, right?
========================
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