He thinks I'm not a Heretic God, but a Campione…
Lucius lowered his gaze, instantly grasping Metatron's intent.
As Enoch or Metatron, he felt guilt for defying the Lord by becoming a Heretic God.
He hoped Lucius's hand would deliver him to death under the Lord's judgment.
In his view, his death would transfer his power to Lucius as an Authority.
In a sense, this would keep Metatron's power in the world, a testament to the Lord's enduring glory.
It was, to some extent, an act of atonement.
But—
Lucius sighed inwardly.
He wasn't a Campione. Killing Metatron wouldn't grant him an Authority, only the angel's divine power.
Even the Book of Enoch, stolen via the Prometheus Grimoire, would vanish upon Metatron's death.
What a pity.
Gazing at the unresisting Metatron, Lucius felt a pang of regret.
He quite liked the Book of Enoch's power.
He even envied Campiones' Authorities.
Compared to them, he lacked high-damage abilities.
He briefly considered sparing Metatron, sealing him in the abyss to keep using the Book of Enoch.
But he dismissed the idea.
First, Metatron longed to return to the Lord's embrace. If he wished to return to myth, Lucius couldn't stop him.
If Metatron sensed his intent, he might fight to the death.
Second—
The Prometheus Grimoire, used to steal the Book of Enoch, showed faint cracks.
Enoch and Metatron, a dual existence, ranked just below God in the Hebrew system.
Their power surpassed Prometheus's.
The Grimoire's ability to steal the Book of Enoch and sustain its use was already remarkable.
Now, it neared its limit, liable to shatter at any moment.
Reluctantly, Lucius abandoned the tempting plan.
Without hesitation, he ended Metatron's life, sending him back to myth.
When a Heretic God dies, their body weathers away quickly.
Lucius wasted no time, absorbing the divine power of both Metatron and Verethragna.
"It's over," He said, feeling his mana surge as he opened his eyes.
Absorbing two Heretic Gods' power at once, his mana growth exceeded his previous total.
His mana now rivaled four times that of a standard Heretic God!
The only downside was his lack of effective attack methods. Beyond Process Skipping, his mana had little outlet.
With his increased mana, Process Skipping's limits weren't mana but cooldowns and mental fatigue.
Despite his vast mana, he felt it was underutilized.
As the Heretic Gods' bodies weathered away, the Book of Enoch in Lucius's hand faded, deepening his regret.
"It's a shame. My mana far exceeds Campiones', but I lack their Authorities," He mused, unsatisfied.
He clenched his fist, feeling the physical boost from his surging mana.
"Could you be any greedier?" Mozlis, the loli demon, half-opened her dark golden vertical pupils, her demeanor mirroring Lucius's. "Process Skipping handles most situations, and Worldview Correction is a trump card. Your mana is nearly four times a Heretic God's—unimaginable for Campiones."
"Unsatisfaction drives progress!" Lucius replied calmly.
"Fair point. Here's good news, then," Mozlis said, her eyes glinting warmly. "Authorities? Raise your worldview a bit more, and you'll get them."
"All the Authorities of the Heretic Gods you've absorbed will be yours to use."
"Raise it how much?" Lucius asked, unenthused.
"Oh, just enough to not need Authorities at all," Mozlis said with an innocent grin. "Hehe!"
"You're asking for a smack," Lucius said, deadpan.
"There are other ways, but they're rare. Few are foolish enough to offer such a chance. Meeting a Heretic God and getting that opportunity is rarer than stumbling across one on a walk."
"Then don't bother mentioning it. I don't trust my luck."
"I think you'll find such a fool eventually," Mozlis said playfully.
As Lucius and Mozlis chatted, Verethragna and Metatron's remains nearly vanished.
A sea breeze swept away the last of Verethragna's traces.
Then, Metatron's remains disappeared.
But—
Clatter.
Something fell to the ground.
Lucius paused, looking down.
Dragonbone.
The rare remnants—flesh, bone, or items—left by a Heretic God after losing their body.
In some regions, it's called "Angel's Relic" Or "Holy Relic."
Even as remnants, they hold divine essence, surpassing divine beasts, granting mages immense power and becoming objects of worship. But they're exceedingly rare—harder to find than the gods themselves.
A famous example: the Sword of Salvation, left by the Last King, who appears to slay Campiones when their numbers grow too great.
***
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