If there's anything in this world more painful than One Thousand Years of Death (Sennen Goroshi), it's definitely being watched by a crowd while receiving One Thousand Years of Death.
Then, is there anything even more painful?
Yes!
It's when you try to block it with your hand, succeed, but also fail at the same time.
And the most painful thing is that Messiah is now experiencing the combined package of one, two, and three.
The spear pierced his palm, pointing straight at his vital area, trembling slightly with his breathing.
"Is there still time for me to erase this memory?"
Among the spectators, a relatively weaker god and Buddha said with a trembling voice.
Is this a spectacle they're allowed to witness? Will the Holy Son really not kill Punishment them?
If it were them, they'd bet their lives that if even one person survived, they'd lose the bet.
"Hard to say. I only know I'm blind and saw nothing. So, brother, can you tell me what just happened?"
"I'll tell you…"
"Sorry, I don't know what just happened. This little monk suddenly went deaf. Excuse me, benefactor, did you say something?"
"So, can we go home alive?"
"Difficult…"
One by one, the gods and Buddhas secretly communicated, quietly praying for their future.
If the previous hell jokes could only be considered naughty child mischief, then the current situation was a bit too excessive.
Especially because of Aslan and Shiroyasha's antics, almost all the gods and Buddhas here knew Messiah was the Holy Son's incarnation.
After all, they were Two-Digits, long-standing at Little Garden's peak, and the highest experts who had lost qualification to participate in Gift Games.
The only thing they cared about was their honor, and now, the Holy Son could be said to have lost all honor.
Honor lost worse than Shiroyasha's.
Shiroyasha only lost to the Double Goddess and became their follower, but something this embarrassing had never happened.
And now, in the church ruins.
The awkward atmosphere still lingered.
"So, would you believe me if I said it was an accident?"
Aslan awkwardly looked at Messiah lying on the ground, shielding Shiroyasha in front of him, trying to stay calm.
"This was purely my instinctive reaction. You know I'm not good at close combat, so I deliberately found someone to practice with."
"So, isn't it perfectly normal to unconsciously counter when sneak-attacked?"
"Perfectly normal."
Indra nodded, secretly stepping back a few paces. Seeing Messiah still on the ground, his steps grew larger.
If blood splattered on him, it wouldn't be good.
Even Indra didn't expect things to become this outrageous.
This matter really couldn't blame Aslan. He only came for revenge.
Who told the Holy Son to first send his incarnation Mithras to attack Aslan?
(Damn! Wait! I think I killed Mithras!)
Indra's expression instantly soured.
"Aslan? I remember you."
Flames erupted, burning the spear to ashes. Messiah glanced at Aslan with a gaze like looking at a dead man.
He stood up, patted the dust off his clothes, and silently left.
"Enjoy your final moments."
At that moment, Aslan said softly.
"Then you'd better hope you can win the Campione War. King of the End position—who knows whose hands it'll fall into?"
Messiah's footsteps halted. His face, turned away from Aslan, became pitch black.
Finally, he snorted coldly, walked out of the church ruins, and gradually disappeared.
Shiroyasha stared at Messiah's departing position for a while, then smiled and patted Aslan's shoulder.
"Wow, you can make that guy remember you—you're impressive."
"Disperse, disperse! The house wins! The house wins!"
Indra, the skilled bookmaker, clapped while smiling, ushering the god and Buddha incarnations away one by one.
After the crowd sufficiently dispersed, he set up a hidden barrier, stared at Aslan for a long time, and finally sighed.
"Tell me, what exactly are you trying to do?"
"How should I put it? What am I trying to do?"
Aslan frowned, asking with slight confusion.
"Still playing dumb? Isn't this your goal?"
Indra rolled his eyes.
"You think I can't see it?"
Hearing that, Aslan looked at him strangely.
"Then try saying what you see."
"Yo, still won't admit it."
Indra slapped his shoulder hard, hooking Aslan's neck.
"From the start, you wanted to create an unending enmity with the Holy Son."
"From those hell jokes to the scene just now, your goal was to draw hatred."
"But you also know your identity determines some existences won't let you face trouble. They're even happy you're disrupting the Holy Son."
"Therefore, this confrontation will evolve into a battle between you and the Holy Son in the Campione War, preventing the opponent from gaining even one Authority, then finding opportunities to build good relations with other qualified King of the End candidates."
"Ultimately, letting him become King of the End and Two-Digit. That way, under his and Shiroyasha's protection, you'll weather the Holy Son crisis."
"Based on your recent closeness with Athena, plus the Trinity Spirit Status Athena created, she's probably not far from completing that Spirit Status."
"Meaning, as long as you block the Holy Son, Athena's chances of winning the Campione War are very high."
"Wow, going this far for Athena? Aren't you afraid that crazy woman will sell you out in the end?"
Aslan looked at Indra and said with a deep gaze.
"What if I said King of the End can descend early?"
In fact, it was exactly as Indra said. That was indeed Aslan's surface plan.
Only Athena didn't need to participate in the Campione War to perfect the Trinity Spirit Status. She needed Pantheon power.
The one truly participating in the Campione War to gather experience was Athēna.
The real goal was to force the Holy Son, under his threat, to choose fighting King of the End early in the Campione War.
In The Great Ritual of the Old Covenant, King of the End's power equals the combined power of all participating Heretic Gods and God Slayers in the Campione War.
Meaning, the fewer God Slayers and Heretic Gods, the weaker King of the End's power.
Then, when are God Slayers and Heretic Gods fewest?
Of course, when most die at war's end.
And at war's start, before they can act.
At these two points, God Slayers and Heretic Gods are fewest, and King of the End's power is weakest.
At this time, just find a way to summon King of the End, kill him, and seize his destiny.
That way, he could also take King of the End responsibility in the next Campione War.
Compared to the uncertainty of God Slayers achieving final victory, King of the End's chances are clearly higher than God Slayers.
Especially for the Holy Son, because in the next war, he'd definitely become a public enemy, surrounded.
Now with Aslan added—currently Little Garden's strongest Spatial ability user besides Queen Halloween. He might not gain a single Authority until Campione War's end.
So for the Holy Son, he had only one choice: do everything to summon King of the End and seize his destiny, replacing Arthur as King of the End, before Campione War intensity rises.
Otherwise, he'd lose everything sacrificed to participate first in the Campione War.
Aslan didn't know what the Holy Son sacrificed, but he could guess it was quite a large sacrifice.
Tearing Messiah's Spirit Status, the wound inflicted on the Holy Son would need at least a thousand years to heal. Meaning, while Messiah is out of the arena…
For a thousand years, Aslan wouldn't need to worry about the Holy Son's threat at all.
As for after a thousand years… by then, believe him, he'd prove One-Digit to him?
And one more thing—for these old folks, with their experience, on high foundations, they'd definitely use equal power far better than Aslan.
Plus diverse Authority combinations, if it really reached Campione War's end, even as King of the End, he might not defeat those who survived.
Conversely, early on, when everyone is still weak, Aslan was more confident defeating the old folks.
Like two ordinary people, the armed one is definitely superior.
But what if both are star-destroying level God Slayers and King of the End, also with diverse Authorities?
The experienced one would definitely defeat the inexperienced. Even if Aslan took the extra Star Holy Sword, Divine Sword of Salvation, it wouldn't help.
At late stages, weapon proportion isn't that high.
While early, when everyone lacks many Authorities, the gap between parties might not be that large.
Meaning, with a little trick from Aslan, there's still a good chance to kill Messiah as King of the End.
As long as Messiah is out, with the Holy Son's condition, he definitely won't have time to deal with him.
After all, Aslan thinks Messiah's Spirit Status is pretty good…
"Summon early?"
Indra's eyes widened, saying incredulously.
"Is there such a hidden rule?"
"If you're willing to pay the information fee, I can tell you too."
Aslan patted his pocket, gesturing for Indra to understand.
After all, this news would leak sooner or later. Better make money while he can.
Honestly, making money from information fees is really fast. Aslan finally understood why Thousand Eyes, Little Garden's largest commercial community, didn't operate in commerce.
Business isn't as fast as selling information.
"Then forget it. I still need to refill my little treasures."
Indra showed a disgusted expression.
He only had this remaining portion now. If he gave more, he'd be drinking northwest wind.