Lance was ready to swing his sword once more, prepared to end it all.
But the fox glared, full of hatred and reluctance, then vanished into the black mist like an illusion swallowed by the night.
At the same time, the form of the ghosts summoned by the female fox slowly faded, disappearing as if swallowed by shadows.
The barrier that had previously covered the area also vanished, collapsing like a silent shattering illusion of glass. The ruined exhibition space reappeared—the floor cracked, pillars broken, and a faint scent of burning still lingered in the air.
All the ghosts that had filled the room had vanished, leaving no trace of their existence. As if they were merely a nightmare that appeared briefly in someone's sleep. Only one thing remained—the Kusanagi sword, lying on the ground with its blade slightly embedded, glimmering pale in the dim light. A silent testament that the recent scene was not just an illusion.
Lance slowly turned his body, his eyes sweeping the entire room with vigilance. No more dark breaths. No evil energy left. Silence.
Dropping loot after killing monsters was common. A ritual in this world. A reward from danger. However...
"... The monster escaped," Lance murmured in a low voice, almost annoyed.
This... made Lance somewhat uncomfortable. That entity—the multi-tailed fox—was clearly not a lowly creature. Although it was not on par with the black angel that shrank to a mini form, its spiritual power was certainly at a similar level.
The fox should possess something more valuable.
With a light gesture, Lance waved his hand. The Kusanagi sword lifted from the floor, flew towards him, and then landed steadily in the palm of Lance's hand.
As soon as Lance's fingers wrapped around the hilt of the sword, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. It felt... ordinary. Too light for a sword bearing such a grand name. Too plain for a legendary weapon.
"I expected better quality," Lance murmured quietly.
This sword... was two tiers below the bow and arrows belonging to Apollo that Lance possessed. This sword was indeed classified as an artifact, but its only ability was to open a gateway to the underworld.
An important function, but not enough to impress him.
For an artifact associated with Amatsu-Mikaboshi, this sword felt... too trivial.
That name echoed in Lance's mind again—Amatsu-Mikaboshi.
Lance was not the type to be easily impressed by titles or grand names. But this time, he remembered it clearly. Not out of admiration, but out of caution.
Amatsu-Mikaboshi.
The Japanese demon god. A dark figure that appears in Shinto beliefs. Worshipped by a handful of followers hidden in the shadows of history.
The power and status of Amatsu-Mikaboshi were said to surpass even Amaterasu, the sun goddess herself.
However, it was not that name that made Lance shudder slightly.
Another name for Amatsu-Mikaboshi was... the King of Chaos.
...
...
...
The Earth God System is divided into two main categories: the Ancient God System and the Second Generation God System. Within the second generation, the gods themselves are further divided into two groups: old gods and new gods. For example, in the Greek God System, the Titans are classified as old gods, while the Olympian gods—who overthrew the Titans—are classified as new gods.
The three brothers—Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades—led the divine revolution that overthrew the Titans' power. They imprisoned their predecessors in Tartarus, the cosmic dungeon. This pattern can also be found in Japanese mythology.
The origin of the new Japanese God System is the creator couple: Izanagi and Izanami. Amaterasu, the sun goddess known as the leader of Takamagahara, is actually just the daughter of Izanagi.
However, in the Marvel version of Earth's cosmology, the highest status of Takamagahara is still held by Izanagi. Before Izanagi created the new gods, the island world was under the control of a single dark entity: Amatsu-Mikaboshi. He is the god of darkness, ancient void, and eternal chaos.
Like the Titans, Amatsu-Mikaboshi was ultimately defeated in a great war against the new gods. Amatsu-Mikaboshi was expelled from the heavens and cast into Yomi, the underworld in Shinto tradition—equivalent to Hades in Greek mythology.
Due to Amatsu-Mikaboshi's long-defeated status, Lance had no deep impression of him. For Lance, Amatsu-Mikaboshi was just one of many ancient entities displaced by the new system—no more interesting than other dark entities on the long list of Earth mythology.
However, Amatsu-Mikaboshi was not without his glory days.
This evil god was not only a manifestation of emptiness but also an avatar of a cosmic entity named Oblivion. Amatsu-Mikaboshi possesses the characteristic traits of ancient demon gods, and his power grows by devouring other gods and demons.
In one version of a parallel reality, Amatsu-Mikaboshi evolved from a Galactic-Level threat to a Universal-Level threat. Amatsu-Mikaboshi slaughtered planetary gods, tearing apart the rulers of hell one by one. Even Zeus—whose power is said to be on par with Odin and capable of defeating Hela—could not last a single round against Amatsu-Mikaboshi.
At the peak of Amatsu-Mikaboshi's power, the Earth Goddess Gaia and the planet-eating entity Galactus were forced to intervene. All Earth heroes united in the final war, fighting desperately to confine Amatsu-Mikaboshi into a pocket universe—and even then, it was only with a narrow margin of victory.
Amatsu-Mikaboshi is the type of demon god that fits the role of a final boss. In his worst condition, Amatsu-Mikaboshi is still at a Galactic-Level. In his peak form, Amatsu-Mikaboshi's power nearly touches Multiversal-Level—enough to make the Ancient One kneel to the ground. Artifacts bestowed by Amatsu-Mikaboshi should be extraordinary.
But in reality...
When Lance received the artifact said to belong to Amatsu-Mikaboshi, his reaction was simply one of disappointment.
As a legendary artifact from Japanese mythology, it should at least be on par with Mjolnir, Thor's sacred hammer. But what did Lance get? Too embarrassing to be called a legacy of the god of ancient void.
With a sense of disappointment that was almost ridiculous, Lance played with the Kusanagi sword he had received, then tossed it carelessly onto the Infinite Altar with a sour expression.
A few seconds later, the altar responded. A dim light pulsed from its surface, and a card appeared, slowly floating towards Lance.
------------------------------
[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
[Note: 330+ latest chapters have been added! For Just 3$ You Get Access To Chapters Way Ahead,
Now you can access the chapters before Webnovel And Scribblehub by following,
Just become a patron on Patreon:
Patreon.com/Alex_Fabianoki]