Chapter 73

[Goddess Ishtas' POV]

　Finally...

　After 800 years of waiting...

　A strong soul has finally appeared.

　A being that could fight Mammon.... but as a goddess, I can't directly interfere with this world.

　Mammon is now stronger than even the Demon King.

　Just with pure strength.

　Pure destructive power... But if this continues, he will eventually become a God.

　Perhaps he will become a 'God of Destruction' and even come to the world of Gods.

　But I put my last hope on a being called Ceres.

　I showed him a part of Rudy's memory as a dream to help him.

　I did not make him a Hero (Yuusha) job because he would be targeted if he became a Hero (Yuusha).

　Probably, such a soul will never appear again.

　So, if Ceres cannot win... then no human being can win.

　This world may end.

　The victory will be won by the Evil God...

　My last hope, Ceres the 'Hero (Eiyuu)' that surpasses the 'Hero (Yuusha)' I have created over time.

　... is now over.

　There is nothing I can do now.

　But if Mammon comes to the World of the Gods, I'll make sure he'll be killed with all the power of the Goddess.

　Even if it's against the law.

　After all, it's the only way I can make up for my inability to protect the world.

* * *

　[Another Goddess' POV]

　"Ishtas, why do you look so desperate?"

　"This is... the end. The end is near."

　I looked into her world.

　"Well... the end is near, that's for sure."

　"I know... it's hopeless..."

　Hmm? I don't know what Ishtas is talking about.

　Why does she look so despairing?

* * *

　[Main Character's POV]

　One of my legs is broken.

　"I'm sorry... Ceres."

　"AHHHHHH... Ceres is... Ceres is going to die."

　"Ceres... your hand... AHHHHHH..."

　"I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

　I can hear my childhood friend's sad voice.

　My eyes are blurry.... but I can see Wagyan is dying nearby.

　However, I want to deliver at least one blow... even though that won't kill him...

But my consciousness is fading... I can't do anything...

　Still, at least... at least one blow... when Mammon is approaching...

　"How could you fight this far, with only one leg left to move...? Anyway, it's over."

　Even though he said so, I won't stop until the end.

　I will attack him with what I can do...

　So, with one leg, I leap into him...

　However, with this last attack... it won't work. If this happens, I'm going to bite him.

　"Heh~ You bite me, huh...? That's good. If that's your last attack, I'll take it... but my body can't be hurt even by mithril. So, it's useless."

　Despite what he said, I bite Mammon... ignoring my teeth, which are shattered.

　At the same time, Mammon hits me... and it hurts like hell.

　I can feel my body creaking and my bones breaking.

　Still, Mammon beats me... and everything hurts...

　However, it's strange... why isn't my body torn apart...?

　Mammon is just hitting me.

　Does he want to torture me?

　Well, it hurts like hell... but I'm still alive.

　Smack! Smack! Smack!

　I can feel my flesh ripping and my bones breaking.

　But I don't die... it's hilarious.

　And Mammon is not holding back.

　"Huff, huff... Why aren't you dead...?"

　"Ah, Mammon... if you're gonna kill Ceres, just kill him once."

　"Kill us too...!"

　"If you have no pity... then kill us all at once just like you call us insects..."

　"We humans don't kill like that. We kill like normal people..."

　But I felt something completely different.

　Simply put, it looks the same, but it's almost as if hundreds of times more muscle is packed into a tiny body.

　"I'm just a human being?"

　After saying that, I ran up and hit Mammon as hard as I could.

　Mammon's body rose to the height of a small mountain.

　I jumped up and elbowed his face.

　Then, Mammon fell to the ground and a crater formed.

　"How can you be a normal human being...!?"

　"Didn't you say you wanted to fight someone stronger...? Then, don't worry about my race, and let's go."

　I bit Mammon's neck.

　"Stop it...! You're hurting me!"

　Mammon's flesh was torn off so easily.

　"Munch, munch, munch, gulp..."

　Before I knew it, my fear of Mammon was gone.