Chapter 7: The God King Above All Gods

However, Phoenix wasn't quite sure about the other figure. But if Ai-chan hadn't lied to her, this god must be a God King. After all, while Michael's rank is high, he isn't a God King.

While Phoenix was trying to guess the identity of the other Heretic God, the archangel Michael suddenly shouted the name of the hulking god before them.

"Beelzebub!"

The Lord of the Heavens, one of the Seven Deadly Sins—Gluttony... the Demon Lord of Gluttony, Beelzebub.

However, Beelzebub held more than just the title of a Demon Lord of Hell. It possessed numerous identities.

Originally, Beelzebub (Baal-Zebub) was a Phoenician god, meaning "Lord of the Heavens."

Yet in rabbinic literature (texts from Jewish religious leaders), the name Beelzebub came to signify "Lord of Flies," being viewed as a demon that causes diseases.

Demonology classified him as the Prime Minister of Hell, though some works portrayed him as the Emperor of Hell, with Satan merely a "wild party leader" who came to seek Beelzebub's cooperation against Heaven.

In Paradise Lost, he was depicted as a wise and contemplative figure, second only to Lucifer among the fallen angels.

Solomon's writings described him as a massive bull or a ram with a long tail.

Perhaps his most famous form was that of a giant fly, earning him the nickname "Lord of Flies."

However... Beelzebub was actually the child of Elohim, the Creator and Eternal God of the Shemite religion, and once served as the chief deity of Canaanite religion.

Later, Beelzebub (Ba'al) became just like Yahweh, both representing the divine title of 'God'.

The Creator and Eternal God Elohim had three famous sons and one daughter: Ba'al Hadad, the god of thunderstorms and war (also known as Beelzebub), Yam, the sea god, Mot, the god of the underworld, and Anat, the goddess of love and fertility.

Anat helped her eldest brother and lover Ba'al defeat their other brothers and overthrow their father El, becoming the God of Gods and gaining control over the universe.

Due to Ba'al's widespread worship, it became the greatest threat to Israel's monotheistic faith. In the Bible, the god Ba'al was demonized as Beelzebub.

Both Ba'al and Yahweh belonged to the twenty-five deities of the ancient Near East's Levant region.

Additionally, in the medieval work Solomon's Minor Key, among the seventy-two Demon Gods, Ba'al is also recorded. His alternative name is "Bayal", ranking first as the Demon Lord.

Ba'al holds the first position among Solomon's seventy-two Demon Gods.

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In short, the Beelzebub before her was the King of Hell, the number one among Solomon's 72 Demon Gods, and the former God of Gods in the Canaanite religion.

Faced with such an opponent, Phoenix couldn't contain her excitement...

What authority could I gain by killing these two gods before me?

"Phoenix-nee, the monsters ahead... they possess power at the Judgment Rank or even higher..." Higokumaru observed the battle between the two Heretic Gods up ahead. The entire island might be destroyed in the next instant.

Though not true gods, their power was beyond what mortals could withstand. Even the most powerful mages would be nothing before these Heretic Gods.

For mortals to slay a Heretic God was an impossible miracle. Strength and wisdom held little value against them, for no matter how powerful a mortal's strength or wisdom might be, it would always remain insignificant and humble before the gods. This is why Campione are considered living miracles.

In this world, the primary method for mortals to kill a god was actually—pure luck!

In this world, those blessed with such luck naturally became Campione. Those without it, no matter how powerful their magic or knightly prowess, could never achieve this grand feat.

Whether it's called fate or luck, such things are beyond measurement and alteration.

The fact that only a few Campione have emerged in this world over countless years and populations serves as the best evidence.

None of this world's Campione were simply powerful knights or mages.

Each Campione's success was utterly unique and unreplicable.

This was because the cultivation systems of this world proved so utterly inadequate when facing Heretic Gods.

But this only applied to the people of this world. Did Phoenix need any of this?

No.

For everything before her, brute force would suffice!

"The path of martial arts knows no end!"

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"Heretic! Evil Demon King! By the authority of the Archangel, I shall purify you here!"

Within the raging thunder, a red-haired Archangel of peerless beauty spread his fiery wings. Clutching a crimson cross-sword, he clashed with Beelzebub before him.

Though Beelzebub wielded immense power... the Archangel, who fought for the Lord, conquered the world in His name, and commanded all the angels of heaven, was no less formidable.

In the Bible's descriptions, he didn't appear as an angel, but as the Son of God.

He stood as the chief warrior by God's side, the supreme commander of the angelic host. Known by titles such as "Great Prince," "Archangel," and "Prince of Light," Michael had indeed fought to preserve God's dominion against Satan's rebellion, living up to his name.

In the Old Testament, only Michael and Gabriel are named among the angels. Yet in Christian tradition, Michael remains the most luminous and renowned Archangel.

As the archangel of the Lord of Light, Michael feared no god—not even the kings of various pantheons or the Demon Lord of hell.

"Michael, I am El like Yahweh. You shall call me Father!"

Beelzebub looked at Michael before him, not angry but mocking instead.

During the religious wars, both Ba'al and God had used the title "El."

If Ba'al hadn't lost in the struggle between his faith and God's among the Israelites and Jews, he would have been equal to the Lord.

"Heretical nonsense! Accept judgment!"

Michael's fury erupted at Beelzebub's words!

The Father (God) was the foundation of Michael's faith. Any who dared insult the Father must be destroyed.

As they spoke, the two gods clashed again... The earth split open, the sky tore apart, and a scene reminiscent of Judgment Day unfolded before Phoenix and Higokumaru, casting its shadow over the entire island.

The blazing sun instantly withered the green trees into flames. Thunder crashed repeatedly, carving massive craters into the ground. A tsunami engulfed the island, while a colossal tornado rampaged unchecked.

This was a battle beyond mortal imagination, a doomsday scenario where even the most powerful mages could only flee in despair.

These were the Heretic Gods—deities that had broken free from mythology to descend upon the earth. They were walking natural disasters, bearers of despair and calamity. Even the most benevolent gods of myth became beings whose every action brought death and tears to humanity when they transformed into Heretic Gods.

One might say that to humans, gods themselves were synonymous with disaster. Whether benevolent or malevolent, mortals could not endure either divine grace or punishment. Thus these gods were woven into myths, sealed away so they could no longer threaten the world.