Fantasy Library, Ch 371-375: I Am the Heaven, the One Who Equals Heaven!

Chapter 371: The Ancient Serpent of Distant Recollection

At the same time...

On a stormy coast on the opposite side of the globe from the Far East, a girl appeared.

She was an exceptionally beautiful girl.

The girl's apparent age was around thirteen or fourteen. Her appearance matched her youthful age, and her face was so delicate and pitiful like an angel that describing her with the word "beautiful" was absolutely appropriate.

She wore a thin sweater, a miniskirt, and over-the-knee socks. On her head was a blue knitted hat. Her attire was no different from that of a modern girl.

The sea breeze brushed by, lifting the silver hair that peeked out from beneath her knitted hat.

That shoulder-length silver hair reflected a faint light as if it were merging with the moonlight. At the same time, her pupils, like the dark of night—pitch black like an abyss—shimmered like those of an owl, shining brightly in the darkness.

At this moment, her eyes seemed as though they could pierce through the night, the sea, and space itself, seeing the scenery of a distant foreign land.

"So that's how it is."

The girl uttered in a slightly emotionless yet endearing voice.

"My ‘serpent’ has crossed the sea and fallen into the hands of a foreign enemy?"

She did not actually see that scene.

However, the moment the "serpent" was handed over to the enemy, she naturally sensed it in her heart and knew what had happened.

Because the "serpent" was a part of her—something bound to her by an incorruptible connection.

This bond would guide her to the side of the "serpent" and allow her to sense its current condition.

"It feels like my 'serpent' is writhing, is delighted, and is undergoing some sort of transformation even I cannot perceive."

"What exactly is going on?"

"The ancient wisdom I lost, a part of my very existence—why is it undergoing such a change?"

A hint of confusion appeared in her eyes.

This was a rare occurrence.

Although she had lost that ancient wisdom, as the goddess symbolizing intelligence, she had not lost her intellect or her extraordinary insight.

Therefore, there were very few things in this world that could confuse her—especially when it was something intimately connected to her own existence.

"Is it in the far East?"

Unable to figure it out, the girl simply turned her gaze in that direction.

"In that case, I shall go and confirm it myself."

Saying this, the girl stepped forward.

"What I seek is the Gorgoneion, once engraved upon my shield, residing now within the distant ancient serpent of recollection."

Chanting an ancient song naturally from her lips, she walked forward.

"What I seek is the Gorgoneion. O serpent, bestow the ancient authority upon the defiant me."

She reached the edge of the shore and continued onward.

"What I seek is the Gorgoneion. Ancient serpent, may you guide the journey of the unyielding queen and grant me once more the wisdom of darkness, earth, and heavens."

Splash—just then, a wave surged high, about to engulf the small goddess.

However, the unyielding goddess transformed into an owl and soared high into the sky.

"O earth, bear witness to my rising resolve!"

"O darkness, understand my impassioned will!"

"I am the goddess who represents darkness, the queen of the night, the ruler of the underworld!"

"I am the goddess who blesses the earth, the queen of the land, the master of the stone chamber!"

"Therefore, receive the curse I bestow—become a cold corpse lying in the underworld."

"Therefore, receive the blessing I grant—become a cold statue and return to the dust."

As the owl flew toward the other side of the sea, it sang loudly.

"I am Athena!"

"I am Metis!"

"I am Medusa!"

Athena, the goddess in Greek mythology, one of the twelve Olympians, was the goddess of wisdom, arts, weaving, painting, gardening, craftsmanship, agriculture, animal husbandry, navigation, and warfare.

She was the goddess of art, the guardian of craftsmanship, the wisdom goddess who taught humanity textile arts, cooking, gardening, pottery, and other crafts. She was also the teacher of painting, music, poetry, and dance—an originator of art and creator of wisdom. At the same time, she was the protector of warfare, agriculture, medicine, navigation, animal husbandry, as well as the guardian of courts and order.

She longed for independence, insisted on remaining unmarried, and, along with Artemis and Hestia, was considered one of the three virgin goddesses of Mount Olympus. She was the protector of maidens and unmarried girls, as well as the guardian of women's labor and childbirth.

At the same time, she was the daughter of Zeus, the king of gods in Greek mythology, and Metis, the wisdom goddess of the previous generation. Because of a prophecy by Gaia and Uranus, Zeus feared her, and when Metis was still pregnant with her, he swallowed her. Later, Athena burst forth from Zeus’s head—a goddess born of his skull.

She was a goddess crowned with a helm, clad in serpent armor, wielding a spear of victory, bearing a golden-fringed shield. She protected countless heroes and guided many humans, helping them make their names known throughout the world. She was the most famous goddess in existence—perhaps without equal.

However, in the ancient era before Greek mythology existed, the goddess named "Athena" was in fact the queen of the Mediterranean, a trinity of the holy mother.

She bore many names, and whether it was "Gorgon" or "Medusa," they were merely names she once held, all representing the same meaning.

Even the goddess Metis, known in Greek myth as her mother, was actually herself.

In Greek, "Metis" means wisdom, and it is also the etymological root of the word "Medusa."

In other words, the words "Metis" and "Medusa" carried the same meaning and were names deeply connected to Athena.

Metis, Medusa, Athena... they were originally the same being, the trinity queen and goddess.

With the passage of time and the evolution of mythologies, the great queen fell from the divine throne, replaced and diminished by so-called Greek mythology. The trinity queen was forcibly split into three separate goddesses, one of whom was even degraded into a monster—a snake demon, a draconic serpent slain by a steel hero.

Now, the ancient Earth Mother Goddess returns. She has stepped onto the path of reclaiming her origin and regaining her once singular position.

The Gorgoneion, holding the part of the "serpent" she had lost and representing her aspect as "Medusa," was the divine relic she must reclaim.

Thus, the most beautiful goddess embarked on a journey eastward, flying continuously across the sea.

Unbeknownst to her, someone was already waiting ahead for her arrival...

…………

At this moment, far away at Shichio Shrine, Kaiser had already stored away the Gorgoneion.

A smile surfaced on his face—clearly, he was in a very good mood.

The girls present did not know why he was in such good spirits, because their own moods were far from pleasant.

There was no need to mention Mariya Yuri—knowing that in addition to the imminent appearance of the Monkey God, a supreme goddess was also coming to this country, she felt nothing but concern, not joy.

Liliana was the same, though her displeasure stemmed from her fated rival.

Because Kaiser had just said something.

"Good work, Erica," Kaiser said, "From now on, you'll stay by my side."

"Yes," Erica, the only girl present still smiling, said, "It is my honor."

"Tch." Liliana clicked her tongue and couldn’t help but say to Kaiser, "My king, this is by no means a wise decision."

"Liliana, are you trying to sow discord?" Erica raised her eyebrows and spoke to Liliana, "That’s not something a proper knight would do, is it?"

"As a knight, it is only natural to offer appropriate counsel to one’s king," Liliana retorted without backing down, "No one understands you better than I do, Erica Blandelli. You are a cunning and devious devil—a scoundrel who would even use her beauty to achieve her goals. With someone like you attending the young king, one cannot help but worry if you’ll lead him astray."

"Thank you for worrying about my king, Liliana." Erica was not bothered at all by Liliana's slander; she even accepted it graciously and said with a smile, "For the sake of my king, I am indeed prepared to use any means necessary without hesitation. Please call it bold decisiveness, not cunning or deceit."

"Always so glib, you vixen." Liliana clicked her tongue again and said, "Don’t think I don’t know what you’re scheming. You’re trying to use the king’s prestige to obtain the title and position of the Diavolo Rosso, and thus become the chief knight of the Copper Black Cross, aren’t you?"

One might say—this truly was a rival who had grown up alongside her.

Liliana indeed saw through Erica’s true motive in an instant and understood exactly what she was after.

In response, Erica still admitted it openly.

"That has always belonged to me—I merely claimed it early," Erica said to Liliana with a beautiful smile, "By the way, I’ve already obtained the title of Diavolo Rosso and become the chief knight of the Copper Black Cross, you know?"

"What did you say?" Liliana froze, and then her expression changed drastically. "You already obtained the title of Diavolo Rosso?"

"After all, I fulfilled the king’s request and am already slated to become his chief knight," Erica said cheerfully, "After I secured the Gorgoneion and reported it back to the Copper Black Cross, the elders readily agreed and granted me the title of Diavolo Rosso."

"It shouldn’t be long before this news spreads throughout Milan and all of Italy, right?"

Upon hearing this, Liliana nearly drew her Il Maestro.

This vixen... as expected, she’s the type to use anything and everything to achieve her ends!

And now such a person was going to become the chief knight at the side of the new king?

Wouldn’t that throw the world into chaos?

No! This must absolutely not be allowed to happen!

Chapter 372: Just Want to Know How Pretty

One hour later...

On a wide and interconnected avenue, a black stretch limousine was driving along, heading in one direction.

The driver's seat and the passenger compartment of the limousine were completely separated, so the people sitting in the back couldn’t see the driver, and the driver couldn’t see what was happening in the compartment, ensuring that the conversations and any events occurring inside could not be peeped by outsiders.

This was a mode of transportation used only by individuals of extremely high status, particularly those whose work involved a great need for confidentiality.

And yet, all Kaiser had done was have Mariya Yuri place a call to Sayanomiya Kaoru, merely expressing a desire to take a look at Nikkō City, and the other party immediately dispatched such a stretch limousine to serve as their vehicle, allowing the four of them to safely head toward Nikkō City in Tochigi Prefecture.

The compartment was also spacious enough that even with Kaiser, Mariya Yuri, Erica, and Liliana seated inside, it didn’t feel cramped—on the contrary, it felt quite roomy.

At the moment, Kaiser and Erica were sitting together, while opposite them were Mariya Yuri and Liliana—the four of them sitting face-to-face, giving the impression of riding a train or high-speed rail, not a car.

Of course, it was one thing for Kaiser and Mariya Yuri to sit facing each other, but the atmosphere between Erica and Liliana sitting opposite one another could hardly be called pleasant.

“Say, Lili, clinging on so persistently really isn’t like your style, is it?” Erica folded her arms, crossed her legs, looked at Liliana sitting opposite, and smiled. “You’re just a maid, you really have neither the need nor the reason to follow us to the front lines, do you?”

“Shut up. I already told you not to call me Lili.” Liliana sat far more properly than Erica, with her back straight and hands resting neatly on her knees, glaring at Erica. “Don’t think you can push me aside, you vixen. I’m not going to just sit by and watch you corrupt a new King with your vile behavior.”

“That’s really a harsh thing to say. Haven’t you broken your habit of spouting nonsense when you get nervous and excited?” Erica smiled easily. “As a knight, you should be more elegant, don’t you think?”

“Don’t try to influence me with your twisted ideas. As a knight, all I need is to be honest and upright.” Liliana snorted coldly. “Elegance? You just say things that sound nice, but in the end, your aim is definitely to scheme against me, to toy with me, right?”

“That’s such a huge misunderstanding.” Erica put on an innocent face. “Lili and I are friends—how could I possibly toy with you?”

“You’re pretending to be dumb now?” Liliana suddenly grew agitated and shouted, “Have you forgotten? Two years ago, when I foolishly agreed to watch a movie with you, you tricked me with sweet words and forced me to see a romance film with intense bed scenes!”

The moment she said that, Mariya Yuri sitting beside her instantly widened her eyes, and her delicate face flushed red.

“Oh ho?”

Even Kaiser, who had been watching the scene, nearly choked on his own saliva, instantly pricking up his ears and paying close attention.

“I didn’t know it was that kind of movie either,” Erica still wore an innocent expression, but her gaze toward Liliana became teasing. “Besides, weren’t you quite enjoying it at the time? I remember you were so captivated halfway through that you were completely entranced, weren’t you?”

Now it was Liliana’s turn to blush.

“I—I was just momentarily confused… and I wasn’t entranced! Stop spouting nonsense!”

Perhaps recalling what happened at the time, Liliana quickly changed the subject.

“And last year, when you said you were buying me clothes as a gift, you dragged me out without a word, shoved me into the fitting room of a boutique, and handed me a bunch of shameless outfits that were cut wide open at the chest and back, even showing the navel! When I refused to wear them, you even took my clothes away!”

Liliana nearly forgot how she managed to escape and make it home that time.

In order to stop her from summoning her combat outfit with magic, this woman even placed magical interference on her, making it impossible to use magic.

So, Liliana had no choice but to wrap herself up like a rice dumpling in the curtain and flee in haste, drawing countless strange looks along the way…

The shame from that time surged back to her heart, making Liliana’s hand itch to draw the Il Maestro again.

Meanwhile, Erica remained composed as ever, smiling brightly.

“Weren’t those outfits quite beautiful?” Erica blinked and said, “I even bought the same styles for myself and wore them home. What’s the problem?”

What’s the problem?

There were huge problems!

Liliana looked silently at Erica’s proud chest, then at her own shy, budding flower, and felt that the world was full of malice.

Those high-slit outfits—if she wore them, they would surely slip right off onto the floor, leaving her with nothing. But if Erica wore them, she’d look like a real succubus. The rate of heads turning on the street would be a full hundred percent. Especially the men—their eyes would practically fall into the deep slit of that dress.

Don’t ask how she knew what would happen if she wore those clothes. If you must ask—it’s because she eventually couldn’t resist trying them on at home…

Fortunately, it was at home. If it had been outside, Liliana felt she might have seriously considered summoning a Heretic God to destroy either the world or herself.

At this moment, Kaiser finally broke his silence.

“What kind of clothes are those, exactly?” Kaiser spoke up, his tone serious. “Don’t misunderstand—I just want to know how pretty those clothes are.”

“If the King wants to see them, I’ll have the maids send them over when we get back,” Erica immediately offered sweetly. “I’ll wear them for you tonight. Yuri should try them too—her figure may not match mine, but she’d still fit just fine.”

“W-what?” Mariya Yuri was startled, waving her hands and shaking her head in panic, her face burning. “I don’t need them! And they don’t suit me! Please don’t make me wear them!”

Just hearing it made Mariya Yuri feel like she would die of embarrassment. If she really had to wear something like that, she might truly consider death.

Chest and back cut wide open, even the navel showing… No, no! Absolutely can’t wear that kind of outfit!

“Great idea.” Kaiser, however, seemed completely unaware of her resistance, nodding solemnly. “Mariya does need some new clothes. She’s always in either her school uniform or shrine maiden attire. A blossoming young girl shouldn’t be dressing like that all the time.”

“How about this—have the clothes brought to me first. I’ll personally help her pick.”

Faced with the King's request, how could Erica, a loyal knight, possibly refuse?

“Understood, my King. I’ll have it arranged right away.”

Erica readily agreed.

Immediately, Mariya Yuri felt like her world had collapsed.

“Damn fox woman! You really do take pleasure in toying with others! Don’t think you can egg the King on to do these lewd things with you!”

Liliana finally exploded, pulling out her Il Maestro.

The entire limousine compartment instantly filled with clattering chaos. The tires lost balance, causing the limousine to skid several times, spinning wildly and startling the cars passing by. Some people even misunderstood, imagining who knows what, and wore perverted expressions.

As for the driver—tears were already streaming down his face.

“Since when did being a chauffeur become a high-risk job? Maybe I really should quit…”

Today’s driver, Touma Amakasu, was utterly defeated.

…………

Nikkō City, outskirts.

By the time the stretch limousine arrived in this place in a suspiciously battered and broken state, the commotion in the compartment had finally subsided.

Kaiser and his group disembarked from the vehicle, each in different states.

Erica and Liliana alighted shoulder to shoulder—one with a smile, the other with a face full of indignation.

Mariya Yuri looked thoroughly shaken, clearly still affected by the earlier experience, which had been a bit too intense for the delicate Hime-Miko.

As for Kaiser… he appeared completely unbothered, as if nothing had happened. The moment he stepped out, his eyes immediately turned to the front.

What first entered his sight was a massive torii gate.

Yes, a torii.

On the outskirts of Nikkō City, not only had multiple torii gates been erected, but also other elements that shouldn’t have been present—such as Buddhist altars, sacrificial platforms, high platforms, bonfires, and banners.

They were arranged in an orderly fashion, surrounded by people dressed in priestly robes, monk attire, shrine maiden garments, and pure white robes.

Some of them were sitting cross-legged with closed eyes, others were chanting spells, and some were dancing while holding ritual implements—altogether creating a scene filled with solemn and sacred atmosphere.

“This is really…”

“So these are this country’s magicians?”

Erica and Liliana’s attention was immediately captured, their expressions growing serious.

They could clearly tell—this area had become a ritual market full of Magical Power.

The natural environment had turned into a sacred domain, and the flowing air had become ancient and mysterious, causing a vast force to rise like smoke, winding its way around all of Nikkō City.

This force resembled a barrier, as it blocked the abnormal divine power from flowing out of Nikkō City, yet it also acted like a flame, filled with aggression, continuously rushing inward toward the city.

Under the influence of this force, the transformed Nikkō City’s power could not spread outward, and was now entangled with it, engaged in a fierce struggle.

“Quite the grand spectacle.”

“The power of this country is clearly higher than I imagined.”

Erica and Liliana each gave their opinions.

Kaiser watched for a while, then turned to Mariya Yuri.

“Can you see anything? Mariya?”

At those words, Mariya Yuri pushed down the swirling emotions in her heart and turned her attention seriously toward the city ahead.

In her eyes, a faint ghostly light began to gather.

Chapter 373: How Could He Not Go Take a Look Inside?

As it turned out, Mariya Yuri's Spirit Vision was indeed impressive—it had not been in vain that Kaiser had deliberately brought her under his command.

She had merely taken a few glances at Nikko City from outside, and her Spirit Vision immediately reacted and told Kaiser one thing.

"When the sun once again rises from the east, the Stone Monkey shall leap into the heavens. The Heretic God shall officially return and wreak havoc across the world."

In other words, by the latest, Sun Wukong would emerge tomorrow.

However, leisurely waiting for tomorrow to come wouldn't work either.

Because Mariya Yuri had also seen that when night fell, the magical power leaking from the Monkey God would reach its peak, just like a divine sword undergoing the final cooling stage of forging, erupting under the assault of the night's cold.

At that moment, the sealed-off Nikko City would be broken through, the entire city would be transformed into a primordial environment, and the entire island country would begin to fall one after another. In the end, everyone would be turned into monkeys, and barring any accidents, would likely never return to normal.

"Looks like I gave Him too much time to accumulate power."

Kaiser realized this.

In the original story, when the Heretic Sun Wukong appeared, he had not caused this much of an impact.

But now, He hadn’t even been born yet and had already brought about such a huge effect—it clearly showed how much power He had accumulated in order to defeat him.

This was something that shouldn't be easily achievable, yet Sun Wukong’s location at the time was the Netherworld, where the importance of the spirit far surpassed that of the body. The Realm of Immortality where the gods dwelled was much closer than the present world. Combined with the fact that this monkey was itself a special Steel Sword God, it was probably only because of all that that He could pull this off?

"Things that didn’t happen in the original might very well happen here—I must take this as a warning."

With that thought, Kaiser made his decision.

"Let’s go in and take a look."

Thus, the group crossed the defense line established by the History Compilation Committee and entered Nikko City.

In the process, no one came out to stop Kaiser and the others. Clearly, those people had been instructed beforehand.

The group of four followed the national highway toward the direction of Mount Nikko.

At this point, it was no longer possible to drive.

Because the citizens of Nikko City had all turned into monkeys, the streets were full of vehicles—some overturned, some frozen in mid-collision, and some even driven into buildings on either side of the road, making the streets a chaotic mess full of obstacles, completely impassable to cars.

It could be easily imagined that the owners of these vehicles had transformed into monkeys mid-drive, resulting in such a scene.

These monkeys, who had transformed from citizens and tourists, now behaved like actual animals. Some were climbing buildings, some playing with each other, some looting goods from supermarkets, and some munching on large bunches of bananas—it was an utter mess.

If someone were to appear in such a place, there was no guarantee that these monkeys wouldn’t suddenly rush over to attack them.

Don’t think monkeys are easy to deal with—they're far rowdier than you’d imagine.

Seeing the dense crowd of monkeys, Kaiser couldn’t help but be reminded of a time back in university when he and his roommate had gone hiking on Mount Emei.

Back then, he had run into a group of monkeys. Not only did they steal his backpack, but even the jacket he had taken off. He even got slapped by one...

Thinking back on that disgraceful memory, the look in his eyes as he stared at the monkeys became quite unfriendly.

"Forget it, forget it, they weren’t monkeys to begin with—they were originally people..."

Kaiser tried to convince himself, but the more he thought about it, the angrier he became.

To avoid venting his frustrations on the monkeyfied people and also to speed things up, Kaiser simply unleashed the power of Gravisheath, manipulated gravity, and had the group of four ascend into the air, flying toward Mount Nikko from above.

Very quickly, the group arrived at the foot of Mount Nikko. Upon seeing the current state of the mountain, all of them began to doubt their own eyes.

"Th-this is really Mount Nikko?"

Mariya Yuri looked utterly stunned.

"Are you sure this isn’t some divine realm?"

"This is completely different from the Mount Nikko I know!"

Erica and Liliana also voiced their thoughts in succession.

The originally well-developed pilgrimage trails and the beautifully landscaped Mount Nikko had completely transformed into a primordial forest.

Giant trees of kinds never seen before were growing chaotically, the terrain had undergone shocking changes, and the flora was wildly overgrown. Countless dark figures darted through the underbrush—it no longer resembled the original Mount Nikko at all.

Yet, although it had turned into a primitive mountain forest, the mountain itself didn’t appear desolate in the slightest.

It suppressed seas, surged with silvery waves, welcomed fish and dragons into caves, tossed snowy spray upon the winds. Mist spread around like a mirage, vaguely revealing crimson cliffs and fantastical rock formations, sheer bluffs and towering peaks.

Immortal herbs and rare flowers bloomed without end, verdant pine and emerald cypress flourished in eternal spring, juicy peaches dotted the wild hillsides, and fruits filled the forest. With flowing clouds, waterfalls, rivers, and celestial pillars, it practically looked like some secluded paradise from another world—breathtakingly beautiful.

"Did it really turn into Huaguo Mountain?"

Kaiser was stunned as well, surprised, even vaguely excited.

As a true descendant of the Yellow Emperor, how could he not have seen Journey to the West?

And now, the legendary Huaguo Mountain had appeared right before his eyes. Myth had become reality, and Kaiser nearly forgot that he was a Campione—a demon lord like Erlang Shen, here to subdue the demon monkey.

"How could I not go in and take a look?"

Kaiser practically reacted instinctively with such a thought.

However, just as that thought crossed his mind, numerous dark shadows flew out from the manifested Huaguo Mountain below.

"Jii jii!"

"Jii jii jii!"

There was no doubt these were monkey cries.

A group of golden-furred little monkeys, all similar in form to the Monkey God before He was unsealed, rushed out from Huaguo Mountain and landed around Kaiser and the others.

These monkeys were clearly different from ordinary monkeys. Their eyes were filled with savage malice as they looked at Kaiser’s group—they were a group of wild, unruly demon monkeys.

They also emanated dense magical power, proving they were not ordinary monkeys.

"Please be careful!" Mariya Yuri called out nervously. "These are monkey divine messengers formed from the fallen hair of the Monkey God!"

"Divine messengers" here didn’t mean envoys of the gods, but rather beings summoned by gods, similar in nature to familiars used by mages.

"Monkeys formed from Sun Wukong’s fur?" Kaiser instinctively shielded Mariya Yuri behind him as he looked at the ferocious monkeys and said, "So a whole gang of monkey grandchildren really came, huh?"

This truly was... increasingly feeling like a myth come to life.

Although Kaiser had already encountered many gods and demons and the like before, those beings had always felt distant from his former life. He might have known of their existence, but had never felt any sense of closeness.

But now, it was different. Whether it was Sun Wukong or Huaguo Mountain, they were all things he had grown up with—deeply familiar.

Now that these things were becoming real one after another, Kaiser's thoughts started to stray.

"Jii jii!"

"Jii jii jii!"

The monkey divine messengers, however, had no such sentiments. After a flurry of chattering cries, they charged at them.

Seeing this, flames of magical power ignited on Kaiser’s body—when suddenly, two figures leapt to his front.

"Steel Lion, show me the essence of combat in my hand—Cuore di Leone, it’s time to duel!"

The golden-haired knight raised her arm and summoned the immortal magic sword.

"My wings—O steel that forms the illusory blade—Il Maestro, grant me strength!"

The silver-haired knight held out her hand and summoned her silver saber.

The Diavolo Rosso and the Fairy Knight simultaneously summoned their beloved swords, and like the twin wings of Kaiser, shot forth at once to confront the incoming monkey swarm.

"Shhk!" "Shhk!" "Shhk!"...

The two girls coordinated perfectly—sometimes attacking from left and right, sometimes switching positions mid-fight, sometimes spinning back-to-back, sometimes performing fierce strikes one in front and one behind. In a sword dance that was nearly artistic, they both slew several monkey divine messengers, which screamed and dissipated into monkey fur.

"As expected, Liliana, even if your mouth always complains about me, the only one who can match my rhythm and coordinate so well with me, Erica Blandelli, is still you."

Erica, wielding Cuore di Leone, smiled boldly and fearlessly as she slew monkey divine messengers.

"I'm just afraid you'll charge in recklessly and get yourself killed in the middle of the enemy, so I’m forced to back you up!"

Though Liliana said such words, her silver saber swept past Erica’s side and skewered a monkey divine messenger that had leapt toward her back, saving her from danger.

"Let’s just go with that." Erica chuckled happily, then turned toward Kaiser and said, "My King, leave this to us."

"Lowly familiars of a god aren’t worthy of troubling the great king," Liliana said back-to-back with Erica. "Though it’s not my desire, as long as this fox woman and I are here, there’s no problem—please go meet the Great Sage Equal to Heaven."

As they spoke, the two once again coordinated their attacks—one blocked a monkey’s pounce, the other slashed through its midsection, reducing it to monkey fur.

These monkey divine messengers, while not on the level of Divine Beasts, were still magical creatures under a god’s command. They were powerful—ordinary mages stood no chance, let alone when outnumbered.

Unfortunately for them, Erica and Liliana were no ordinary mages—they were Milanese prodigies, magical geniuses, and held the rank of Great Knights.

If Erica and Liliana’s combat strength was a ten, then these monkey divine messengers were merely around four or five.

Even with a numerical advantage, they were no match against the perfectly coordinated Erica and Liliana.

"Then I’ll leave the small fry to you."

Kaiser nodded and turned back toward Huaguo Mountain.

"I’ll go deal with the big one."

Chapter 374: I Am the Heaven, the One Who Equals Heaven!

Since Mount Huaguo had appeared, then naturally the Water Curtain Cave could not be absent.

As the saying goes, “Mount Huaguo is a blessed land, and Water Curtain Cave a paradise,” if Mount Huaguo is an earthly paradise, then Water Curtain Cave is a heavenly cave dwelling, leaving a deeper impression than any other scene.

When Kaiser used Sonído to move through space and arrived at the mountain peak, he immediately saw this heavenly cave dwelling.

It was located at the spot where the Western Heavenly Palace once stood, now replaced by a cliff.

On the cliff, a waterfall cascaded down like a white rainbow, plunging straight into a lake below, splashing water and sending waves surging.

The sound of the waterfall echoed in all directions, and beneath it, the flow of water split apart to reveal an entrance.

It was a “person”-shaped entrance facing south. The waterfall's stream was only slightly obstructed, not fully covering it, instead forming a watery curtain that veiled it faintly, making it impossible to clearly see the inside of the cave.

“It’s actually become like this here?”

Standing at the former location of the Western Heavenly Palace, Kaiser looked at the Water Curtain Cave ahead and immediately understood.

“The inside of this cave entrance should be the original corridor that led to the Netherworld.”

Now, it seemed the corridor to the Netherworld had completely collapsed.

In other words, entering through this entrance no longer led to the Netherworld, but into the interior of the Water Curtain Cave—what used to be the inside of the Western Heavenly Palace.

However, that place must have changed drastically and could no longer be the original sight of the Western Heavenly Palace.

As for what was inside the Water Curtain Cave…

“Do I even need to go in and look?”

After all, the gatekeepers had already seen him.

“Roar!”

“Roar!”

The beings that let out such dragon-like roars were monkeys stationed as the left and right guardians of the Water Curtain Cave.

That's right—still monkeys, and monkeys that could roar like dragons.

Because, unlike the monkey divine envoys that had appeared below, these were over twelve meters tall, robust and brawny, with long arms and short legs, their massive frames resembling mighty apes, exuding an aura so strong it could suffocate a human.

The moment they spotted Kaiser, they immediately charged over with a speed like a storm—swift and fierce, even blasting the water into the air.

That kind of power—these couldn’t be divine envoys anymore; they were unquestionably Divine Beasts!

“Roar!”

“Roar!”

The two monkey Divine Beasts charged toward Kaiser, opening their massive mouths—one spewed crimson lotus flames, the other unleashed a raging gale—combining into a fiery storm that surged toward Kaiser.

Judging by that form and that power, calling them monkeys was an understatement; they were comparable to dragons.

If it were Erica and Liliana instead, even together they might barely be able to handle one.

Even Seishuin Ena, wielding Sode no Shirayuki and using Spirit Possession, would likely only manage to contend with one. To face two at once, she would need to be holding Ame no Murakumo no Tsurugi.

Even the strongest Paladin-class human would struggle to deal with these two monkey Divine Beasts and would need to exhaust every possible means just to win.

Unfortunately, what they faced was not a human, but a Demon Lord, a Rakshasa, the ruler who slays gods.

“Boom!”

The waves that had been blown skyward suddenly surged.

No, it wasn’t just the waves—it was the entire waterfall, the entire lake, all the rivers flowing through Mount Huaguo.

Whether it was the waterfall, the lake, or the rivers across Mount Huaguo, all surged at once, raising towering torrents that formed fierce water tornadoes rising from every direction, rapidly converging here.

In the blink of an eye, a sky-covering water dragon took shape, roaring as it charged forward.

It swallowed the crimson lotus flames, extinguishing the fire beneath the pressure of surging water.

It tore through the violent storm like a raging beast in a tempest, silencing the winds.

The two monkey Divine Beasts didn’t even have time to react before they were devoured by the water dragon's roaring maw.

Blue blood immediately appeared in the water, and the water dragon dove down into the lake with a thunderous crash, making the lake tumultuous, stirring wave after wave without end.

The entire mountaintop of Mount Huaguo was instantly overwhelmed by the surging waves.

“Still not coming out?”

Kaiser stood atop the waves, as if walking on water, and at some point had a trident gripped in his hand.

“If you don’t come out, I’ll go in, okay?”

At Kaiser’s call, within the Water Curtain Cave already engulfed by furious waves, a stone monkey opened its Fiery Golden Eyes.

“Boom!”

The stone monkey’s entire body trembled and erupted, sending countless stones flying from the blast’s center.

And at the heart of that explosion, a golden figure soared into the sky, shattering the Water Curtain Cave's ceiling, smashing through the cliff face of the waterfall, soaring straight into the heavens.

At that moment, everyone saw the figure rising from the summit of Mount Huaguo.

It passed through the clouds and across the sky, its voice thundering like a storm.

“I pray for purity and freedom from defilement!”

“With the six senses pure, thus my five viscera gods find peace!”

“Because of peace, I share the same roots as the gods of heaven and earth!”

“Now, grant me a pure body and Divinity!”

“I am the heaven, the one who equals heaven!”

The monkey god who made his declaration to heaven and earth landed upon the clouds, riding the mist, radiating golden light.

He stood around 160 centimeters tall, clad in a yellow jacket, with a hairy face and thunderous mouth, wielding a golden iron staff, and his aura soared sky-high.

“The Great Sage Equaling Heaven, Sun Wukong, is here!”

That voice echoed clearly between heaven and earth, entering everyone’s ears.

“Chichi!”

“Chichichichi!”

In Nikko City, all the monkeys suddenly screamed with excitement. Whether transformed humans or monkey-haired beings, they all shouted as if seeing their king, filling the entire city with monkey cries.

“The Heretic God Sun Wukong!”

“Has emerged!”

At the foot of the mountain, Erica and Liliana, who were confronting a group of monkey divine envoys, simultaneously looked up to the sky.

“Fiery Golden Eyes, iron head and arms, copper back and body, boundless divine powers, infinite transformations…”

Mariya Yuri, protected by Erica and Liliana, also looked to the sky, muttering in a daze.

“Fierce and manifesting evil, surname Sun, given name Wukong, self-proclaimed—Great Sage Equaling Heaven!”

Kaiser’s gaze spanned several thousand meters, looking at Sun Wukong standing atop the clouds, a smile appearing on his face.

“At last, he shows himself.”

He really made him wait a long time.

……

At Mount Lu, Luo Hao, dressed in Hanfu and resembling a descended immortal lady, was moved by a sudden premonition, stepping out from her temple to the cliff’s edge, gazing toward the distant East.

As a Daoist priestess, Luo Hao possessed the Thousand-Mile Eye ability, and hers was far stronger than any current practitioner.

She could fly straight from Mount Lu to Tokyo—naturally, she could also see Nikko City from here, see Mount Huaguo, and see the monkey god atop the clouds, even hear his proclamation.

“Great Sage Equaling Heaven, finally liberated from that disgusting short stature.”

The Martial Arts King of China smiled beautifully, both dazzling and cold.

“Excellent. Only in such a form do you deserve to be called a hero of our nation.”

“Seeing you like this brings back the shame of a hundred years ago.”

“Feel honored, Heretic God Sun Wukong. For my younger brother’s sake, the one who shall bestow you with a glorious death will be him.”

Luo Hao’s gaze turned toward the summit of Mount Huaguo, watching Kaiser walking on the waves, her smile deepened.

“Dear younger brother Kaiser, show yourself to your elder sister. Let me see whether you truly have the power to repel the Wolf King and slay the monkey god.”

As Luo Hao’s arrogant words faded into the wind, in the distant sky, the monkey god wielding the golden staff rode the clouds, descending toward Mount Huaguo.

……

“Splash—”

The sound of surging waves still echoed across Mount Huaguo, churning wave after wave, lingering endlessly.

The monkey god, riding clouds and mist, arrived, looking down at the figure walking atop the water, and laughed heartily.

“You’re even more impatient than I expected.”

The Heretic God Sun Wukong made such a statement.

“I thought you’d at least wait until tomorrow’s sunrise, for me to find you myself!”

That was supposed to be the day of Sun Wukong’s emergence, as prophesied by Mariya Yuri.

But Kaiser hadn’t waited until then.

“Who told you to make such a huge scene?” Kaiser’s mood had already calmed. He said, “I don’t want to fight in a place full of monkeys.”

“Are you scared?” Sun Wukong raised a brow and said, “Well, my monkeys and grandchildren have even fought ten thousand celestial soldiers—what’s one little God-Slayer daring to face me alone?”

“Just shrimp soldiers and crab generals. Don’t take them too seriously.” Kaiser looked up at the Sun Wukong standing atop the clouds and said, “Don’t think I haven’t noticed. Your power has already reached its peak. The reason you haven’t revealed yourself until now is because you were preparing thoroughly.”

Kaiser’s eyes glowed faintly gold—he had used the special vision granted by the Golden Sword’s “Warrior” incarnation to see through Sun Wukong’s nature.

“If I really waited until tomorrow’s sunrise, all the people who turned into monkeys would become your soldiers, transformed into divine envoys, maybe even into Divine Beasts.”

“To muster the strength of an entire nation just to deal with the so-called trivial God-Slayer you mock—such caution doesn’t match your usual style.”

“Isn’t the Great Sage Equaling Heaven the one who dared to barge into the Jade Emperor’s palace alone?”

Kaiser suddenly smiled and said:

“Seems like the one who’s afraid… is actually you.”

Hearing this, Sun Wukong burst into loud laughter.

“So you even saw through my secret preparation—the Great Assimilation Curse?”

“Well, that’s nothing. After all, I am the one who once stole immortal pills, drank heavenly wine, and snuck peaches in the Celestial Palace.”

“Since you’ve seen through it, then let’s fight fair and square, fellow God-Slayer from my homeland!”

Chapter 375: Doomsday-like Fierce Battle!

"Boom!"

As magical power burned like flames above the clouds, Sun Wukong had already raised the iron staff in his hand.

It was a long staff with golden hoops at both ends and a section of black iron in the middle.

On the long staff, right next to the golden hoop, there was an engraved line of words.

"Ruyi Jingu Bang, weighs thirteen thousand five hundred catties."

The Ruyi Jingu Bang, also referred to as the “Golden-Hooped Staff” or “Ruyi Staff,” also known as “Lingyang Rod,” “Heavenly River Bottom-Fixing Divine Iron,” “Heavenly River Bottom-Stabilizing Divine Treasure,” was the treasure of the East Sea Dragon Palace, forged by the Grand Supreme Elder Lord. It was once borrowed by Yu the Great to control the floods and eventually became the divine weapon used by the Great Sage Equal to Heaven, Sun Wukong, throughout his life.

Originally, it was a piece of “Melted Iron” from the primordial chaos era, acquired by the Grand Supreme Elder Lord—one of the Three Pure Ones—who personally forged it using the Eight Trigram Furnace into a long rod that could change size at will. Later, it was borrowed by Yu the Great to measure the depth of rivers and seas during flood control, thus earning the alternate name “Heavenly River Bottom-Fixing Divine Iron.” Eventually, it ended up in the East Sea Palace, where it stood as a towering iron pillar in the sea treasury. After ages passed, it was retrieved by Sun Wukong when he sought a weapon from the Dragon King of the East Sea, and from then on, it became his exclusive weapon.

In the land of China, this is one of the most famous mythological weapons.

And in this world, it is also a divine artifact known across the globe.

Besides his mystical transformations and divine powers, Sun Wukong’s most proficient combat method is wielding the Ruyi Staff.

Thus, when he raised the Golden-Hooped Staff and struck toward Kaiser, an attack of boundless might was unleashed.

"Boom!"

With the atmospheric burst, the Ruyi Jingu Bang instantly grew in size.

This was no metaphor—it truly grew larger.

At the moment it was swung, it lengthened at divine speed, and expanded at divine speed. By the time Kaiser reacted, a colossal iron rod as thick as a heavenly pillar had already descended from the sky, crashing down upon him like Mount Tai falling from the heavens.

"Boom!!!"

The Ruyi Jingu Bang, transformed into a sky-piercing pillar, shattered the peak of Mount Huaguo, blasting away roaring waves and boulders in a tremendous crash, which poured down from the mountain top.

"Swish!"

Kaiser used Shunpo to reappear in midair but was immediately met with Sun Wukong’s pursuit.

"Hyah! Eat my staff!"

Treading on floating clouds, Sun Wukong burst forth with terrifying speed. In just the blink of an eye, he was in front of Kaiser, swinging the Ruyi Staff straight at him.

It was undoubtedly divine speed!

Just like when Verethragna once used the "Phoenix" transformation, Sun Wukong, treading on clouds, unquestionably mastered divine speed.

In legend, Sun Wukong was taught by the Patriarch Bodhi of Mount Potalaka and obtained the technique of Somersault Cloud, capable of leaping one hundred and eight thousand li in a single bound, crossing entire continents in an instant.

This legend bestowed upon Sun Wukong mastery over the domain of divine speed—faster than sound, equivalent to lightning, able to shorten movement time and act at speeds beyond three-dimensional constraints.

"Clang!!!"

The heavy iron staff crashed down, colliding violently with the trident raised by Kaiser, unleashing astonishing power and slamming Kaiser to the ground.

Endless currents immediately surged in from all directions, lifting Kaiser’s body and steadying his stance.

"Haha! Come on!"

Sun Wukong seemed to have become unusually excited upon entering combat. His figure reentered the realm of divine speed, as though he had entered a world where time was slowed. Like a phantom, he swooped down again, lifting his staff to strike.

But this time, Kaiser acted faster.

He swung his trident. Though he couldn’t see Sun Wukong’s form, it was as if he instinctively knew where he would come from. The trident’s shaft sliced across the sky with a whistling wind and fiercely struck Sun Wukong.

"Clang!"

Caught off guard, Sun Wukong was struck by Kaiser’s trident, producing a metallic clash as though it had struck steel rather than flesh.

And in fact, that wasn’t far off.

Bronze head, iron arms, indestructible body—these were Sun Wukong’s hallmarks.

As the Steel Sword God, the Great Sage Equal to Heaven also possessed a body like iron, impervious to blades and spears, his flesh nearly indestructible.

However, the weapon striking him now was not an ordinary blade, but the famed divine artifact of the sea god Poseidon.

When swung, not only could it easily stir up towering waves, but also summon storms and tsunamis, sink continents, shatter heaven and earth, destroy all things, and even cause earthquakes capable of leveling cities.

Thus, when this divine weapon capable of breaking all things struck Sun Wukong’s supposedly indestructible body, it immediately broke through it. Sun Wukong was sent flying as though struck by lightning.

"Boom—boom—boom—boom—boom—"

With a series of thunderous crashes, Sun Wukong fell from the sky, smashing into Mount Huaguo, shattering rocks, breaking the ground, toppling trees, kicking up sand and stone, flying for who knows how many li.

"It’s not over yet!"

Kaiser raised the trident high, and the waters below turned into a deluge falling from the heavens, crashing down with a momentum that seemed capable of flooding all of Mount Huaguo.

"Heaven-shaking and Earth-shocking! Heaven-Earth Transformation!"

Just as the mountain was about to be submerged by the descending flood, a roar came from within Mount Huaguo.

"Boom!"

In the next second, boulders flew, the ground quaked, and a massive figure slowly appeared.

The figure blocked out the sun and sky, immensely huge, its head reaching the clouds beneath the clear blue sky—at least two thousand meters tall, an overwhelming sight.

"You little brat, since you can break my indestructible body, then try my Heaven-Earth Transformation divine ability!"

Transformed into a two-thousand-meter-tall giant ape, Sun Wukong let out a roar that shook the atmosphere and the world. The Ruyi Jingu Bang in his hand grew proportionally, becoming a terrifying pillar of heaven under his swings, stirring layer upon layer of explosive shockwaves.

The intense friction caused the sky-piercing Ruyi Jingu Bang to turn red-hot. The shockwaves and air currents it stirred became violent like hurricanes. Before it even struck, the wind had already blown Kaiser away.

Facing such a terrifying strike, Kaiser dared not be careless and unleashed his killer move.

"With my Kotodama technique, let the justice of the world manifest. This incantation is powerful and eloquent, the sword of wisdom that summons victory!"

The Kotodama never chanted before—this time, it was finally recited by Kaiser.

Using Kotodama, he ignited his own magical power, instantly activating his immense magical energy and forcing his Authority into full release, swiftly summoning tens, hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of golden light spheres.

From within the golden spheres, Golden Swords emerged, forming a dazzling golden sword formation like a massive army, flying toward the sky-splitting Ruyi Jingu Bang.

"Clang clang clang clang clang clang clang clang clang—!"

An unending clashing of metal resounded fiercely. The Golden Swords, like moths to a flame, charged at the sky-piercing pillar, intercepting it again and again.

At a glance, these Golden Swords seemed to be overestimating their strength—compared to the massive pillar, they were so tiny they didn’t even resemble ants.

Yet every time a Golden Sword struck the Ruyi Jingu Bang, its luster dimmed. After tens of thousands of collisions, the Ruyi Jingu Bang lost its brilliance, no longer held any divine quality.

In such a state, it shrank uncontrollably, eventually becoming no bigger than a sewing needle.

"What?"

Sun Wukong let out a startled cry, having lost the divine weapon he had used all his life.

"Is that a Golden Sword capable of severing divine power?"

At this moment, the Ruyi Jingu Bang’s divine power had been cut off. It had lost its mystical properties and could no longer be used in battle.

"Didn’t I say?" Kaiser’s voice rang out at the perfect moment. "It’s not over yet."

Having dealt with the Ruyi Jingu Bang, Kaiser once again raised his trident, shaking the ground around Mount Huaguo.

"Rumble rumble—"

With a rumble, in Nikko City, massive volumes of water surged forth.

Wherever there was water, it began rising—water even burst from the sewers, converging toward Kaiser.

The entire city, like the legendary Atlantis, saw water rising everywhere. Massive streams gathered, finally forming towering waves that surged toward Mount Huaguo.

"Boom—boom—"

The towering waves surged upward, each wave thousands of meters high. Under Kaiser’s control, they pounded Sun Wukong again and again, submerging him like a reef crushed by the tide, screaming as he was engulfed.

"Trying to drown me, Old Sun? Not that easy!"

The two-thousand-meter-tall giant ape seemed to be provoked into a frenzy, letting out a sky-shaking howl, swinging his fists and stomping his legs, churning the floodwaters into violent chaos.

"Boom—boom—"

The floodwaters struck the giant ape again and again, and again and again the giant ape smashed back, stirring up the sea. Finally, he shattered the towering waves and broke free from the flood.

"Supreme is Earth’s force, nurturing all things, yielding in accordance with Heaven."

Seeing another massive wave about to surge again, Sun Wukong formed hand seals and chanted a spell.

"Earth’s terrain is Kun! Stone Mountain Cavern Secret Art! Transform!"

Immediately, the magical power on Sun Wukong’s body turned into waves, sweeping in all directions.

Wherever his magical power passed, the floodwaters rushing at Sun Wukong began to petrify.

Before long, the towering waves all turned to stone, becoming a gigantic mountain that blotted out the sky and sun, crashing to the ground and kicking up boundless dust.

Under the crushing weight of this massive stone mountain, Mount Huaguo collapsed. One building after another in Nikko City was crushed and turned to ruins.

A gigantic cloud of dust instantly rose from where Mount Nikko once stood, like a hydrogen bomb explosion, the mushroom cloud soaring high into the sky.

That sight was nothing short of apocalyptic.

(End of Chapter)

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