The Descent of the Heretic God

"Don't worry, Arianna," Erica said with confidence. "I have the Prometheus' Grimoire, which allows me to steal divine authority. Once I obtain a god's power, I can launch attacks as powerful as a Godslayer's. The odds of success are in my favor."

Her voice was relaxed, reflecting her certainty about the upcoming battle. She paused and added, "Besides, soon, someone far stronger than Godslayers and Heretic Gods will arrive to assist me. This is as good as a guaranteed victory."

"A stronger being than a Godslayer? Lady Erica, this is no time for dreaming," Arianna replied skeptically, unable to believe anyone could surpass Godslayers, whom she considered the strongest in existence.

"Heh, Arianna, I'm serious. You'll see soon enough," Erica smiled. She hadn't told anyone about the chat group or her recent power boost, which kept Arianna's understanding limited. If Erica weren't part of the chat group, she would've shared Arianna's belief that Heretic Gods and Godslayers were the pinnacle of strength.

Just then, a voice sounded from the back seat of the car, startling Arianna. "Oh? Were you two talking about me?"

The sudden voice made Arianna slam on the brakes and turn the wheel sharply. The car skidded to a halt at the side of the road.

"Arianna, be more careful," Erica complained as the sudden stop almost threw her from the passenger seat. Thankfully, she was buckled in. Turning around, she spotted Eriri lounging comfortably in the back seat, her familiar and beautiful face immediately putting Erica at ease.

"Eriri-sama, you've arrived! Thank you so much for the points you provided last time." Erica quickly unbuckled her seatbelt, hopped out of the passenger seat, and moved to sit beside Eriri in the back.

Eriri had teleported directly into the car without Erica or Arianna noticing. The two had been speaking in Italian, but that posed no issue for Eriri, who instantly mastered the language.

"No need to thank me, like I said before, we're all sisters here. No need to be so formal. Now, what's your plan? Don't worry about your safety with me around, but you need to focus on how to defeat the Heretic God."

Sitting in the driver's seat, Arianna stole a glance at Eriri, wondering about this girl who appeared to be around Erica's age but carried such an air of confidence and authority. From Erica's words and tone, Arianna realized this must be the person far stronger than any Godslayer or Heretic God. Still, it was hard for her to believe. The way Eriri spoke so casually about facing gods left Arianna brimming with questions, but as a maid, she knew better than to pry.

"Well," Erica began, "I plan to intervene in the battle between the Warrior God Verethragna and Melqart. I'll use the Prometheus' Grimoire to steal a power from one of them, and once I've gotten the Golden Sword from Verethragna, it should be game over. Besides, they can't hurt me with you protecting me, right?"

With Eriri's assurances, Erica was even considering jumping back and forth between the two Heretic Gods during their fight.

The Prometheus' Grimoire is a legendary artifact with the power of theft. Just as Prometheus stole fire for humanity, the tablet could steal a god's authority and store it for a single use.

"That works. Go ahead. To ensure everything goes smoothly, I'll place a reserve of energy in your body. If something goes wrong, just activate this power, and you'll have enough strength to defeat any opponent, even one at Fifth Level or higher."

Eriri decided to give Erica a final failsafe, since relying solely on the Prometheus' Grimoire for god-slaying was uncertain.

"Thank you for your help!" Erica was overjoyed. With this additional boost, her chances of success, which she had already estimated at 90%, now felt like a guaranteed 100%.

Though excited, Erica didn't let it go to her head. She knew that it was only because she was part of the chat group that Eriri was willing to help her so generously. Without that connection, Erica would have been on her own.

The car resumed its journey, speeding toward their destination. However, the drive wasn't exactly peaceful. While Arianna wasn't as smooth a driver as Aoi Kujo, she at least kept things under control. That is, until now. As Arianna sped along, she began to drift the car around corners, driving it like a race car. Had a normal person been in the car, they'd likely be sick by now.

Eventually, after a sharp drift and sudden stop, the red car pulled up to a barren plain on Sardinia, the predicted landing site for the Heretic Gods.

"Arianna, you should leave now!" Erica urged. As a regular human, it would be far too dangerous for Arianna to remain.

"Yes, good luck, Lady Erica," Arianna said without hesitation. She turned the car around and sped away from the battlefield.

Sardinia was known for its clear weather, with little to no rain.

"Erica, let me set up a defensive barrier and charge you with some energy," Eriri offered.

"Thank you, Eriri-sama!" Erica stood still as Eriri lightly tapped her, enveloping her in a protective white glow before it vanished into her body.

Next, Eriri raised her hand, and a white energy sphere formed, radiating a terrifying power that sent shivers down Erica's spine. Eriri took Erica's hand and transferred the energy into her right palm.

"All set. You now have an invincible defense and the power of a full-force Fifth Level attack. The defense will activate automatically, protecting you from all physical, elemental, and even mental attacks. As for the energy attack, you can either shoot it out with your mind or imbue it into your sword for a devastating strike."

Feeling the immense power hidden within her, Erica's gratitude and admiration for Eriri soared even higher. Unable to contain herself, she knelt before Eriri with a look of reverence. "Eriri-sama, please allow me, Erica Blandelli, to pledge my loyalty to you as your knight!"

"Wait, Erica, you're about to become a Godslayer. Why would you want to be my knight?"

"Before becoming a Godslayer, I was a knight. And besides, without your help, I wouldn't be able to achieve god-slaying feat at all!" Erica replied firmly. She understood that, without Eriri's protective measures, she wouldn't even be able to approach the battlefield safely, let alone survive a Heretic God's attack.

"Plus, even Godslayers are nothing compared to you, Eriri-sama!"

"You don't have to do this. We're all sisters in the chat group. Look at how casually Chika and the others interact with me. Like today, if you ever need help, I'll be there," Eriri explained. She did find the idea of Erica being her knight somewhat appealing, but she felt there was no need to make it formal.

"No, this is my decision, and it has nothing to do with the others. Please accept my loyalty!" Erica insisted, still kneeling, determined not to stand until Eriri agreed.

"… Well, since you're so adamant, it'd be rude of me to refuse. Alright, I accept. You can stand now."

"Thank you for accepting me, Eriri-sama. From this day forward, I shall be your sword and serve you faithfully!" Erica performed a formal knight's salute, her face beaming with joy.

...

An hour later, dark storm clouds gathered over Sardinia, with flashes of white lightning illuminating the sky. Thunder roared across the island, and rain began to fall heavily.

At that moment, a massive figure appeared beneath the storm clouds. The giant, standing several dozen meters tall, had the appearance of a burly man with wild, unkempt hair and a thick beard that covered the lower half of his face. His muscles bulged like boulders, and his entire presence radiated overwhelming strength.

Despite his rough appearance and ragged clothing, the figure exuded a sense of majesty. This was Melqart, the God King of the Mediterranean.

Opposite him stood a young man, Warrior God Verethragna, who had appeared just as suddenly. The two Heretic Gods glared at each other, ready for battle.

Violent winds and rain lashed the island, transforming its once-beautiful landscape into a desolate wasteland.

"Eriri-sama, I'm going in!" Erica said, taking a deep breath as she prepared to enter the battlefield.

At that moment, Eriri was lounging on a soft chair she had conjured up, enjoying a massage from Erica as they waited for the Heretic Gods to descend. While Erica's technique was unrefined compared to Aoi Kujo's, it had a unique charm.

"Alright, go ahead, but don't forget to start the livestream. Chika and the others are eager to watch," Eriri reminded her.

The chat group had been buzzing with messages from members impatiently waiting for the battle to begin. Chika, Asuna, and Ruri Gokou had all faked being sick to get out of class, but after waiting over an hour, they had dozed off in the school nurse's office.

"Understood," Erica replied, opening the chat group interface to start the livestream.

[Ding, Red Devil has started a livestream. Members can close their eyes to experience full immersion.]

The notification roused Fujiwara Chika and the others from their nap. They immediately jumped into the chat group and joined the livestream without hesitation.

As more time passed, more group members joined the stream, and the chat grew lively once again.

[Chika Fujiwara: Finally! I've been waiting forever.]

[Fallen Angel Black Cat: I even took a nap in the nurse's office.]

[Asuna: Same here.]

[Red Devil: Sorry about that. Blame the Heretic Gods for taking so long to descend. Don't worry, I'll make them pay.]

[Flower Hashira: Whoa, is that a Heretic God? He's huge! Compared to the boy on the other side, he's got to be at least 20 meters tall!]

[Arifureta (Group Leader): That boy is Verethragna, the Warrior God. The giant is Melqart, the God King. He may be ugly, but he's got some power.]

[Ashen Witch: That God King looks weird.]

[Fallen Angel Black Cat: Cough, cough, maybe he was born that way. You shouldn't insult someone for their looks.]

[Arche Eeb Rile Furt: …]

[Iron-Blooded Hot-Blooded Cold-Blooded Vampire: Haha, was that on purpose?]

[Chika Fujiwara: Wow, Ruri's got a bit of sass!]

[Fallen Angel Black Cat: No way! I'm just speaking the truth. He can't help being ugly, right? Sincere.jpg]

[Kashiwagi Eri: Hmm, I believe you. Do you believe her?]

[Fallen Angel Black Cat: I don't!]

[Red Devil: Alright, everyone, get ready to watch me slay a god! Time to shine!]

[Chika Fujiwara: Go for it!]

[Kashiwagi Eri: Go for it!]

[Arifureta (Group Leader): Go for it!]

[Flower Hashira: Go for it!]

[Asuna: Go for it!]

[Fallen Angel Black Cat: Go for it!]

[...]

Erica.jpg