>10< Erica's Resolve

Chapter 10: Erica's Resolve

In a white, silent space, a purple-haired girl with twin tails, appearing around ten years old, gently cradled a young man's head on her lap.

"Awaken, my child," came a soft and warm voice that reached Zaimokuza's ears, drawing him from unconsciousness.

"Mother?" Zaimokuza murmured in confusion.

"Oh my, someone's finally called me Mother," the purple-haired girl replied happily.

When Zaimokuza opened his eyes, he saw an incredibly cute girl.

"Pandora?"

"Yes, it seems you know quite a bit," she said with a slight nod.

"Being here means I've succeeded in slaying Verethragna."

"Exactly, well done, my child. He was a main god-level deity. However, it's a pity that the Heretic Gods you encounter are only avatars, possessing just a third of their true power. So, the authorities you gain will have certain flaws."

"Flaws? What kind of flaws will my usurped authorities have?"

"Yes, since Verethragna has ten different authorities, there are limitations. For instance, you can only use each authority once per day, the White Stallion authority can only be used against those with great sins, and the Raptor authority poses a significant burden on your body."

Zaimokuza couldn't help but smirk; the more authorities he gained, the more drawbacks seemed to accompany them.

Seeing his speechless expression, Pandora chuckled softly and said, "But there's a way. I can help you retain three authorities without any side effects. As long as your magical power suffices, you can use them freely. How about it?"

Zaimokuza couldn't help but feel excited as he responded, "Really? Thank you, Mom... Mother, I want to keep the Warrior, White Stallion, and Raptor authorities."

"Oh my, you're calling me Mother again. What a sweet child you are. I'll do my best to help you retain these three authorities, my dearest child," Pandora said happily, drawing Zaimokuza into her embrace.

Although he didn't feel a mother's presence in the traditional sense, the warmth of her hug brought him an unusual sense of comfort.

"Ah, right, there's still the other Heretic God, Melqart, in the real world. I need to hurry back."

"Be careful, my child. Though you might forget this once you leave, I'll tell you anyway: if you can pull the true form of a Heretic God from myth and defeat it, you can erase it entirely from myth, gaining all its authorities completely."

"Alright, I'll try my best to remember."

"Now, the ceremony is about to begin. I hope you'll visit me often," Pandora said with a gentle smile.

Looking around at the silent and cold space, Zaimokuza hugged Pandora back and said, "Yes, I will, Mother. After I deal with Melqart, let's catch up."

"What a considerate child," Pandora said, smiling with a motherly affection while ruffling Zaimokuza's hair.

.....

In the present world,

"Hahaha, I never expected that the war god would be taken down by this human!" Melqart laughed unabashedly at Verethragna.

Looking at Zaimokuza, who lay unconscious on Erica, Melqart added with a smirk, "Witch, then hand this kid over to me. I'll personally send him to hell."

"Lord God King, this warrior has not yet completed the reincarnation ceremony. Please wait," Erica urged Melqart, attempting to reason with him.

"There's no way I would let my enemy, the Godslayer, increase in number."

"God King, if you truly wish to lay hands on this warrior, you'll have to step over my dead body first," Erica said resolutely, summoning her weapon to face Melqart.

"Witch, your courage in facing a deity is commendable, but you need to understand the gap between us," Melqart roared.

With that, he swung his massive club down towards Erica.

Quickly, she grabbed Zaimokuza and sprinted toward Arianna's car.

"Boom!" The club missed and struck the ground, creating a massive crater several meters deep.

Seeing this, Erica's pupils dilated. To be honest, if she had taken that hit directly, there would have been nothing left of her.

A brilliant light emanated from Zaimokuza, signifying that the ceremony had officially begun.

Her duty was to protect the king in the time to come; it was her knightly honor and a way to repay a debt of gratitude.

Erica placed Zaimokuza in the car and urgently shouted to Arianna, "Arianna, get ready to run!"

"Yes, Miss Erica!" Arianna replied, revving the engine and accelerating to 120 km/h.

Melqart wore a mocking grin as he said, "Are you trying to play cat and mouse?" With that, he summoned a swarm of locusts, which rushed towards the vehicle with a frenzy.

Wherever the locusts swarmed, the grass turned barren in an instant, and water from rivers dried up, leaving behind a scene reminiscent of a famine.

Melqart was the god of storms, the sea, and the sun, ruling over both harvest and desolation.

These locusts represented his powers of ruin, carrying with them a dense aura of death.

Seeing this, Erica panicked and shouted to Arianna,

"Faster, Arianna!"

"I wish I could go faster, but this car can only go so fast!" Arianna replied nervously.

As the swarm of locusts drew nearer, Erica took a deep breath and said, "Arianna, I'm going to stop these locusts. You must protect the Seventh King at all costs."

"Wait... wait, Miss Erica, you can't be thinking of—" Panic overtook Arianna as she considered the inevitable possibility.

"Yes, I am a knight, and I must protect what I hold dear." Erica gazed tenderly at Zaimokuza, still unconscious. She thought of the man who had stood in front of her to face the war god, willing to shield her with his life. With a kiss on his forehead, she whispered softly, "May you be blessed with fortune, my king!" With that, she leaped out of the car.

"Miss Erica!" Arianna cried out in despair.

Facing the swarming locusts that seemed ready to consume the entire world, Erica revealed a determined expression as she aimed her sword at them.

"Reinhardt, I entrust the battlefield to you! Steel Lion, tear apart, penetrate, and crush them!"

Transforming her sword into a steel lion, she charged towards the massive swarm.

Yet, within just a few minutes, although the number of locusts diminished, it was merely a drop in the bucket; countless locusts still lunged at her mercilessly.

As time passed, Erica felt her magical energy dwindling.

Melqart looked at Erica, a hint of admiration creeping into his voice. "What a loyal subject you are; too bad you've chosen the wrong king."

"Don't... you dare insult my king!" Erica gasped, still defiantly holding her ground.

"Hmph, foolishness. Allow me to send you to hell." Melqart raised his club toward the sky, summoning a massive lightning bolt, its power evident—far greater than that of Verethragna.

Faced with the impending lightning strike, a sense of despair washed over Erica. But her pride prevented her from simply giving up.

She placed her sword in front of her and began to chant, "Lord, why do you not save me in my hour of need?

Lord, in the light of dawn, you are silent; in the darkness, you remain mute.

O you who shall be my strength, I beseech you! Let my soul be unharmed by the poison of the sword."

As the incantation concluded, a red storm gathered around Erica's sword.

With the lightning approaching, Erica hurled the red storm toward it, initiating a struggle in the air.

But within seconds, the red storm was engulfed by the lightning.

"It seems my life is about to end once more. I wish I could experience love like an ordinary person," she remarked tearfully as tears rolled down her cheeks.

The merciless lightning broke through the last of her defenses, surging toward Erica with a devastating aura. She silently closed her eyes.

"Boom!" The lightning struck the ground, producing a colossal explosion.

Melqart surveyed the scene, but the result was grim. It appeared that not a trace of her remained, as if she had been obliterated, leaving behind only scorched earth.

....

Erica felt no pain in her body as she slowly opened her eyes. What greeted her was a handsome and exquisite face, and she realized she was lying in the strong arms of a man. Shocked, Erica took a moment to absorb the situation before she was gently set down.

"Thank you very much, unknown friend. May I ask who you are?" Erica asked, following the etiquette befitting a noble.

The handsome man looked at Erica in confusion, shook his head, and smiled. "It's me, Erica—Zaimokuza, Yoshiteru Zaimokuza, the seventh Godslayer in the world."

Erica covered her mouth in surprise as she gazed at the perfect man before her. "You're the king, really?" She recalled the stout young man she had seen earlier, unable to believe it.

"Yes, thanks to the ceremony, Pandora helped enhance my body and removed the excess fat. This is what I've transformed into," Zaimokuza said with pride, looking at Erica.

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Tears of joy welled in Erica's eyes as she exclaimed, "I knew it! I knew the king would definitely protect me!" With that, she embraced Zaimokuza tightly.

Feeling the warmth of the girl who had risked her life for him, Zaimokuza found it impossible not to be moved. He looked down at Erica and kissed her softly.

Erica was taken aback by the sudden affection, her cheeks flushing red.

"Erica, my knight, thank you for the time you secured for me. Now, let me show you how your king will bring this god down from his pedestal," Zaimokuza declared, summoning the golden sword.

Seeing his towering figure, Erica broke into a blissful smile. "Yes, my king, my only king. May you be blessed with fortune in battle."