“With this blade… I will seal your Authority!”
With Kusanagi Godo’s cry, a golden sword sliced through the air and surged toward me. It wasn't a physical blade; it was a conceptual strike designed to sever the link to the divine power rooted deep within my soul.
Whirring—!
I instinctively awakened Medusa’s power within me. Simply blocking it wouldn't be enough. That golden blade was a force that burrowed into the essence of its target through knowledge. If that was the case, I had to freeze my very domain into an immutable law.
Opening my eyes, now turned a deathly ash-gray, I recited an incantation of absolute defense.
“I proclaim to the place where my gaze rests, to every realm where my will reaches. Let all that breathes find eternal rest within the Garden of Stone!”
The space in a dozens-of-meters radius around me was bleached gray. Time stuttered to a halt, and the very atmosphere hardened like granite. Even the flying golden slash slowed significantly within that solidified space. My will petrified the world, rejecting the golden sword.
But Godo didn’t stop. Holding the golden sword high, he began to dissect every detail of Medusa’s true myth—information he had heard from Erica and realized through his own instincts.
“Medusa! She was never originally a hideous monster! Before the Olympian gods arrived, she was the great goddess who ruled the lands of North Africa! A noble Earth Mother who governed both life and death, and a Queen of the Sky with golden wings!”
As Godo’s words of power continued, the golden sword vibrated with even more ferocity. These were words of power that dug past the monster Medusa and into the essence of the goddess hidden behind her.
“But you were defeated! Stripped of your status as a beautiful goddess, your place usurped by the new rulers! Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, cursed you out of jealousy, and your noble form was degraded into the hideous Gorgon with snakes for hair!”
CRASH—!
My petrified domain shrieked. Medusa’s divinity, squirming within me, rapidly shrank as her tragic past and vulnerabilities were exposed. I poured mana into the domain to maintain it, but Godo’s blade relentlessly gouged out the weaknesses of my Authority.
“Your petrification is no mere curse! It is the death-bringing Authority of the Mother Earth! A remnant of absolute power that returns life to soil and stone! But even that power was helpless before the wisdom of the hero Perseus!”
Godo closed the distance in an instant and brought the sword down.
“You were turned to stone by your own reflection in Athena’s shield, the Aegis, and your head was taken by Hermes’ sickle! Your flowing blood became deadly venom, and from your severed neck, the celestial horse Pegasus and the golden-sword warrior Chrysaor were born! This was the death of the goddess and the end of the monster!”
Godo’s shout reached its climax.
“The Goddess of the Earth, the fallen monster, and the tragic deity who became a hero's trophy! By the warrior’s blade, I sever your myth here!”
C-C-CRACK—!
The golden strike split my ash-gray barrier in half. The laws of space I had forcibly hardened shattered like glass shards. That light pierced through my chest, striking the Medusa Authority lodged deep within my soul with pinpoint precision.
“Guh…!”
A groan escaped my lips. It wasn’t the pain of flesh being cut. It was the horrific sense of loss, as if a part of my soul—an Authority that was like an extension of my own limbs—was being forcibly ripped away. A sickeningly unpleasant sensation, as if a vital organ was being extracted alive, swept through my entire body.
Thud.
Medusa’s Authority went silent. The connection was severed. The seal was perfect.
Godo gasped for air, leaning on his knees. It was a strike into which he had poured every ounce of his strength. The golden sword lost its luster and vanished, and he looked up at me with trembling eyes. He was hoping I had collapsed, or at least lost the will to fight.
But I didn't fall. Suppressing the repulsive sensation, I cracked my stiff neck from side to side.
Crack.
“…Heh.”
A dry laugh escaped me. In reality, cold sweat was pouring down my back like rain.
Dammit, that sensation of an Authority being extracted… that is genuinely absurd pain.
It was on a completely different level from a physical wound. A horrific loss and agony, as if a piece of my soul had been torn out raw. However, I adjusted my posture, pretending to be unbothered. I had my dignity as a senior to maintain, after all.
“You pass, brat.”
At my words, Godo’s face lit up.
“R-Really? Then now…”
“Yeah. You perfectly severed one of my primary Authorities. Not through simple brute force, but through the wisdom to see into your opponent’s essence and strike their weakness. You are qualified enough to be entrusted with my territory.”
He was still clumsy in a fight, but I acknowledged what deserved acknowledgment. For a kid who became a King three years later than me to dismantle and seal a senior’s power—especially the tricky Medusa—using mythological knowledge was a feat bordering on a miracle.
However.
I can’t help feeling incredibly annoyed.
The hollow feeling inside my body. This unpleasantness, as if a precious weapon had been snatched away. My stomach churned and irritation surged. My personality wasn't saintly enough to just accept it coolly and call it a day. Besides, this kid looks way too relieved, doesn't he?
I stood askew and looked down at Godo. My eyes narrowed.
“By the way, Junior. Let me ask you one thing.”
“Yes?”
“As far as I know, among Verethragna’s Authorities… you have the incarnation of The Ram, which allows you to return from the dead. Is that correct?”
Godo’s expression froze. A chilling premonition ran down his spine.
“Uh… yes, I have it, but… why do you ask?”
“Good thing you have it then.”
I grinned. It wasn't a smile of praise, but the cruel smirk of a predator facing its prey.
“Since we’re testing things, shouldn’t we verify if that resurrection ability works properly too?”
“What? W-Wait a minute, Senior? What does that mean…!”
“Don't worry. It’s just dying. You can just come back after you’re dead.”
Before I even heard an answer, I unleashed the storm Authority within me. Medusa was sealed, but the King of Storms who ruled the sky remained perfectly intact. If anything, with one power gone, the remaining energy began to rage even more fiercely to fill the void.
I raised my right hand high toward the heavens.
“Hear my voice, O Heavens! Gather every wind and bolt of lightning into a single point, and bring judgment upon the arrogant!”
RUMBLE—!
The air across the entirety of Okinotori Island was sucked in as if into a vacuum. Dark clouds in the sky swirled into a massive vortex, converging on my fingertips. Hundreds of millions of volts of lightning and storms capable of shredding steel were compressed and compressed further.
It wasn't a mere lightning bolt. It was a massive, blinding spear of storm, fashioned from the very wrath of the sky. The space around the spear was distorting into blackness due to the heat and pressure.
“W-Wait! Senior! This isn't right! You said the test was over! If I get hit by that, I’ll actually die!”
Godo turned pale and scrambled backward. There was no blocking that. He had no power left to use the golden sword, and he had exhausted the White Horse. All he had left was flight.
“It’s never over until it’s actually over. And if you’re a King, you should be able to overcome even death!”
I hurled the spear without mercy.
“Take this!”
BOOOM—!
The spear of storms, flying at the speed of light, engulfed the spot where Godo stood.
“Aaaaaaaargh! Help me!”
Godo screamed and desperately threw his body aside. But the spear of storms was an area-of-effect attack capable of reshaping the island's geography.
KABOOM! CRRRRUUUUMBLE!
One end of the island was utterly obliterated. Along with a massive mushroom cloud, the shockwave split the sea, and a tidal wave rose to swallow the surrounding rocks.
A moment later, after the thick cloud of dust cleared.
There lay the wretched form of Kusanagi Godo, fallen and charred like a piece of charcoal. His breath had stopped, and his heart had ceased its beat. It was a perfect death.
“…….”
I clicked my tongue at the carnage.
“Did I throw it too hard? It’ll be a pain if he actually stayed dead.”
However, my concerns were soon dispelled.
Sacred golden particles began to gather over Godo’s fallen body. Within that light, the form of a massive, holy Ram emerged like a shimmering haze. The divine beast with golden fleece looked down upon its owner who had died in agony.
The Ram slowly bowed its head and gently licked Godo’s charred cheek. Everywhere its tongue touched, the scorched skin peeled away and new flesh began to sprout.
Soon, the Ram bent its forelegs and cozily embraced Godo’s body within its fleece. A warm light of life completely enveloped him. A sacred ritual of taking the fate of death in his stead. The image of the Ram merged into Godo’s body and gradually vanished.
“Haaah…. Cough!”
Godo exhaled sharply as his eyes snapped open before he fainted again. His stopped heart began to beat powerfully once more.
“As expected, the performance is solid.”
I nodded in satisfaction. With this much durability and recovery power, I could rest easy even if I pawned off some of my chores to him. Having the power to return even after death—nothing could be better.
I walked over to the fainted and recovering Godo. Then, I slung him over my shoulder like a sack of grain.
“Let’s go, Junior. Time for the after-party.”
On the opposite side of the island, at the edge of the forest.
The scene there was equally disastrous. Trees within a hundreds-of-meters radius had been uprooted, and the ground was cracked. These were the traces left behind by the clash between Alessandro and Erica.
In the center stood Alessandro Gaspare, his sword sheathed. There wasn't a speck of dust on his pitch-black suit, and even his breathing was steady. He had perfectly proven his skill and the King's Grace he carried.
On the other hand, opposite him, Erica Brandelli was gasping for breath. Her red and black Rosso-Nero attire was shredded and her body was covered in wounds. Her beloved sword, Cuore di Leone, was stabbed into the ground to support her weight.
“Haa… haa….”
She had even resorted to the Golgotha incantation to challenge him, but the wall that was the former Diabolosso—empowered by a King’s blessing—was far too high. Yet, her gaze remained unbroken, fixed toward the battlefield.
“Excellent work, Sir Erica Brandelli.”
Alessandro spoke calmly.
“Though you did not reach me, your fighting spirit and resolve were the real thing. The mindset of a knight who does not shy away even from taboos to protect her King… I give you a passing grade.”
“Ugh… so frustrating….”
Erica bit her lip in vexation, but she had no strength left to fight. It was then that I stepped out from the forest. Godo hung limp from my shoulder like a bag of rice.
“Godo!”
Erica screamed and came stumbling toward us. Terror filled her eyes. She feared he might be dead, or that he had been judged by a King.
I tossed Godo toward the approaching Erica.
“Catch.”
Erica hurriedly caught Godo and slumped to the ground. With trembling hands, she pressed her ear to his chest to check for a heartbeat. A regular pulse. Warm body heat.
“He’s… alive….”
She let out a sigh of relief and looked up.
“My King… this is…?”
Alessandro asked politely.
“He passed.”
I replied shortly.
“He sealed one of my Authorities, and he managed to claw his way back to life even after being struck by my final blow. With that tenacious vitality and stubbornness, he is more than fit to be entrusted with the territory of Japan.”
I looked down at Erica, who was cradling Godo.
“Are you listening, Knight? Your lord has passed the test.”
“…Thank you. For showing mercy… thank you so much.”
Erica bowed her head, her eyes welling with tears. She knew. That Godo had survived in the face of such overwhelming power was only due to the recognition the King had shown at the final moment.
I folded my arms and made a declaration.
“When Kusanagi Godo wakes up, tell him. As of today, I am delegating the management authority of my territory, Japan, to him. Regarding the specific method of granting this and the boundaries of the realm, we will hold a formal meeting through the History Compilation Committee later.”
This wasn't just mere permission. It was closer to the establishment of a feudal lord-vassal relationship, where a superior King grants territory to a junior King. But at the same time, it meant Godo now had the legitimate justification to rule Japan under my protection.
“And you, too.”
I jerked my chin toward Erica.
“Don't cause any more trouble and assist him well. If I hear anything that irritates my ears again, it won't be Alessandro coming next time—it’ll be me.”
“……I will keep that in mind.”
Erica answered, hugging Godo tightly.
“Let's go, Alessandro. We're done here.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
I turned away without a second thought. Alessandro followed behind me. My footsteps toward the waiting helicopter were light.
The annoying work was done. From now on, Godo could handle Japan however he wanted. I just needed to stop by occasionally to see if he was doing well or not.
After we disappeared, only the sound of the waves returned to the uninhabited island.
Erica carefully laid the unconscious Godo’s head on her lap. A lap pillow. His face, showing the traces of the fierce battle, looked as peaceful as a child’s.
With her scarred hand, she gently stroked Godo’s cheek.
“Dummy…. You were so reckless, and stupid….”
Yet, a radiant smile spread across her lips. Her lord had crossed the threshold of death and finally proven his worth as a King.
“But… you were the best, Godo.”
Erica slowly leaned down. Her red lips softly overlapped with Godo’s.
The sea breeze embraced the two of them. It was the sweet conclusion of a long trial, flavored with blood, sweat, and the scent of the sea.
Through the test, he had proven himself and completed his preparations to take root in this land alongside his knight.
And above them reigned the absolute senior King, watching over them—and occasionally coming by to give them a hard time.
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