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The massive tide of elemental energy slowly dissipated within the pocket dimension.
Floating in the void, Jibril had reverted to her younger form, appearing exceptionally cute. However, she was panting heavily, her eyes scanning the aftermath of their clash.
"Did I... win?" she murmured to herself.
While she had immense faith in the power of Heavenly Smite, it was just that—faith. In truth, she had held no certainty of victory.
The woman named Alfia was the most formidable opponent she had ever faced. In the heat of their battle, Jibril had steeled herself for death, a resolve she held even as she unleashed her ultimate attack.
But now, it seemed she was the one left standing.
To be honest, it felt... unreal.
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"Is she really dead?" Jibril asked herself again and again, but there was no trace of her opponent left. Everything—her body, her armor, her very existence—had vanished in that final, cataclysmic blast.
Nothing remained.
Suspended in the air, the victorious Jibril felt no elation. She stared silently at the spot where Alfia had disappeared, the silence stretching on until all traces of their battle had faded from the pocket dimension.
"I have a feeling... that woman, Alfia, isn't dead," she finally whispered.
"We will meet again."
With a profound sigh, Jibril turned and flew back towards the outside world. She was still on the front lines of the Great War; there was no telling what other enemies she might encounter. In her current, weakened state, she had no hope of victory.
She couldn't even escape.
She had to return to the Flügel encampment. Only there would she be truly safe.
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"Welcome back, Alfia. That was a magnificent duel."
In the pocket dimension outside the Elven capital, Mika greeted the returning Alfia with a light laugh. In his eyes, her battle had been truly spectacular.
"That Flügel, Jibril, is quite impressive. Her combat prowess, her intellect—I was very satisfied," Alfia said, nodding, the thrill of the fight still lingering.
"As per the mission, I forced her to use her Heavenly Smite. What's your assessment, Mika?"
"My assessment?" Recalling the scene, Mika's smile grew wider. "A truly exquisite technique."
"From that single attack, I have glimpsed the secrets of Divine Smite. Once I'm prepared, it will no longer pose a threat to me."
"Good." Alfia nodded, satisfied. The existence of the Star Grail made her unconsciously tense. The last thing she wanted was to be a hindrance to Mika.
"Since Mika's harvest was so fruitful, we'll handle the barrier," Athena proposed.
"While our plan is to eliminate all the Gods, we must be prepared for the possibility of a direct confrontation with Artosh immediately after we deal with the God of the Forest."
"Therefore, Mika, you need to prepare. We'll handle the barrier. You focus on integrating what you've learned and prepare for your duel with the God of War."
"She's right. Compared to these minor tasks, that is what's most crucial," Yahweh added.
"Alright, then." Mika nodded. After a moment's thought, he agreed.
They had yet to face a truly powerful God. All their knowledge came from Tet—the newly born God of Games. Without a true understanding of their enemy's strength, they had to be prepared for anything.
Mika began his final preparations, while Athena and Yahweh took charge of the barrier.
His work didn't take long. His accumulation of knowledge about this world was already immense; this was merely a final summary.
However, he wasn't the only one who was fast. Athena and Yahweh completed the barrier in record time.
Now, all that remained was the final battle.
Outside the Elven capital, Mika, Yahweh, Athena, and Alfia stood on a hillside, gazing into the distance.
"So, we've finally reached this point," Mika said with a sigh.
"All our preparations are complete. Let's not hesitate. Let's begin," Yahweh urged.
Mika nodded in agreement.
With a light laugh, Yahweh transformed into a beam of light and returned to Mika's body. She wouldn't be participating in this battle. Her current form was not her true body, but a spiritual entity dependent on Mika's power.
While she could use his strength for minor tasks, in a battle that required his full power, she would be nothing more than a drain.
As for Alfia? While she, too, was a spiritual entity, her existence was unique.
She possessed her own power. She could, if she chose, live independently. But she wouldn't. This, however, didn't prevent her from fighting. She would be participating in this battle, though her role would be a supporting one.
With Yahweh's departure, Mika and Athena, the main combatants, exchanged a look, their understanding absolute.
The next moment, their Nen surged outwards. At the same time, Mika's Forbidden Balor View—an ability he had acquired from Gasper—enveloped the Elven capital.
Time stopped.
And in that frozen moment, their unmasked Nen instantly located their target:
Kainath, the God of the Forest.
The moment they found her, she found them.
But they were prepared. They struck first.
In an instant, Kainath was banished to a pocket dimension.
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The moment they acted, the barrier they had erected activated, its purpose to conceal their actions, to prevent any information from reaching the other Gods.
So far, their plan was proceeding smoothly.
Known versus unknown.
With the element of surprise, they had easily banished Kainath to their prepared battlefield. Now, the other Gods would sense nothing. Their plan would continue, uninterrupted.
"Who are you? What is your purpose??"
Floating in the air, Kainath calmly assessed her surroundings, her gaze falling upon the three figures before her. She was confused. But her greatest confusion was directed at Mika.
He was human. But humans shouldn't possess such power.
Mika, however, had no intention of answering her questions. He couldn't be sure his methods for preventing information leaks were foolproof. The Gods of this world might possess some unknown means of communication.
He couldn't risk it.
"You don't need to know, Kainath. I'm here to fulfill your wish," Mika said, his voice cold.
"You all intend to kill each other to become the One True God. I will simply kill all of you and claim that title for myself. There's nothing more to say. Let the slaughter begin."
"So, a rival for the throne of the One True God?" Kainath's expression cleared, a look of understanding on her face. Her gaze shifted from Mika to Athena. "I never imagined there was another of our kind I didn't know. That feeling... is it 'Wisdom'?"
She had mistaken Athena for a native God, her divine right, her God Essence, that of Wisdom. It was a natural mistake. The Gods of this world had never ventured beyond their own reality. They interpreted everything through their own limited understanding.
"Enough talk. Let's fight!"
Athena, unwilling to waste any more time, attacked. This was their first move; it had to be decisive.
Mika followed suit, his own attack a blur of motion.
Kainath, seeing their intentions, abandoned all thought of negotiation. As a veteran of countless battles, she instantly entered a combat stance.
As the God of the Forest, her power was not insignificant. Her understanding of laws, her mastery of raw power, her unique magical formulas—they were all exquisite.
But everything is relative.
Kainath was a first-rate Goddess, even by the standards of the Saint Seiya world.
But her opponents were Athena, a Chief God, and Mika—whose comprehensive combat power was her equal.
She was outmatched.
Her initial advantage lasted only for a fleeting moment. She was quickly pushed onto the defensive, and in the end, she was overwhelmed, obliterated by their combined assault.
It was an outcome that was never in doubt.
After all, two against one was simply unfair.
Even the powerful Gods of this world were no match for their combined might. Even Artosh would fall.
This was their absolute confidence.
"So, this is a God Essence?"
Mika reached out, and the glowing orb of highly concentrated energy left behind by Kainath floated into his hand. He felt the power within, the unique aura, and knew, without a doubt, what it was.
A smile spread across his face. He had obtained what he sought.
"Save the admiration for later," Athena said, her voice a gentle reminder. "We need to clean up. The situation we created outside is quite... conspicuous. We can't risk being discovered."
"I know."
Mika stored the God Essence away. As Athena said, celebration could wait.
They quickly erased all traces of their presence, leaving behind an object imbued with Kainath's aura in her secluded dwelling to maintain the illusion of her existence.
Then, they vanished, leaving the Elven capital as if they had never been there.
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"That went smoothly."
In a temporary hideout, the four of them examined Kainath'sGod Essence, sharing their insights, summarizing the lessons learned from their first encounter. They now had a better understanding of the Gods' abilities. Their next battles would be even easier.
"Since it went so well, let's not waste any time. Let's finish our mission," Yahweh proposed.
Her suggestion was met with unanimous approval.
And so, the hunt began.
All the Gods who had participated in the Great War, besides Artosh, would be eliminated by Mika.
As the saying goes, only those who are prepared to be killed have the right to kill.
Since they were all willing to slaughter each other to ascend to the throne of the One True God, they couldn't complain about being killed by Mika.
He was simply... joining their game.
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