CH. 286: Defeat

Asahi connected the dots after Ishtar's triumphant words. His lips formed a flat line. He was so lost in the heat of battle that the gods got the chance to use the Divine Mirror to peek on him.

'I don't care if they expose me, this bitch is going down today.'

If his peaceful days were about to end, he wanted to make them go with a bang.

"Ya outplayed us," Loki admitted with an honest smile. "Still, what can ya do with this trick?"

Ishtar grinned. "I can smash Astraea's reputation into the ground. Their so-called justice will be worth shit if people don't believe in them. Or I can start a war if I told them Asahi possessed a yet undocumented rare skill that could bind a top-tier adventurer."

Loki silently clicked her tongue. Both options hit the critical points.

A faction of male adventurers was dissatisfied with Astraea after she recruited one man. They criticized her dignity for pulling off a stunt like that. Her prestige will fall even further if they knew Astraea lied about his level to the Guild.

The latter threat was even worse. If gods decide to check Asahi's status, his real level will be exposed, and wars will be waged over him. She had gotten Ouranos's word to prevent that very future.

Loki wanted to smack Ishtar's grinning face.

Alise and Kaguya left the choice to their goddess. They would follow whichever path Astraea chose, whether it was justice or love.

Ishtar looked at Astraea. "What will it be? My freedom or your demise!"

Even if Astraea wasn't well-versed in politics like Loki, she comprehended the threat just fine. A pure, destructive emotion flowed in her heart. She wanted to punch Ishtar in the face for using Asahi in such a disgusting way.

'Is this rage?'

When Evilus waged war and citizens died, she hadn't felt such raw emotions. She couldn't stomach any threat toward Asahi.

'What do I do?'

With emotions clouding her judgment, she unconsciously put her justice aside.

"You know," Asahi said and walked toward Ishtar. "I don't like it when someone threatens me or my women."

He casually sat beside Loki, keeping his calm eyes on Ishtar. "Go on. Tell your pawns to expose my level. You think I give a damn?"

Loki blinked her eyes at his surprisingly calm display. It was different from his usual laidback, teasing behavior.

'What is his plan?'

Meanwhile, Ishtar shook from the strong determination dwelling in Asahi's eyes. He truly didn't care about her threat. She read such desire from his body language and gritted her teeth. A goddess or not, he treated her as nothing more than a pebble on the roadside.

"You'll let your woman be defamed to satisfy your fury? Is this the man Astraea chose after thousands of years? Top-notch skills but a disappointment in everything else—"

"Shut up."

A soft growl silenced Ishtar.

Ryuu, who had been silent until now, glared at Ishtar despite her senses telling her not to.

"A corrupted goddess like you don't have the right to insult him."

Alise and Kaguya watched as their elf friend bad-mouthed a goddess, even when she was shaking in fear. The residents of the mortal world tried their best to never offend a god, even the greatest villains never directly targeted a god unless they were dumb. Gods were responsible for judging the souls and reincarnation. Even if someone killed a god here, his soul would end up in heaven one day. There would be no escaping the fate that god designated for them.

Ishtar's eyes turned cold. She unconsciously released her charm, doing nothing more than spreading her scent.

Another failure.

Asahi looked at Ryuu in wonder. Out of all the people here, he didn't expect her to speak for him. He rubbed her cheeks with his telekinesis.

"It's alright, Ryuu. I can handle this."

Ryuu nodded shyly. Alise gave a thumbs up to Ryuu for doing something she couldn't, then she lightly jabbed Kaguya with her elbow.

"We're being useless again."

"I know. But it's a conflict between gods…" Kaguya sighed. "We can't do much. Asahi-kun can handle this. I believe in his strength."

"Lazy woman."

"Oh, then tell me what do I do other than killing Ishtar-sama?"

Alise couldn't reply. There was nothing for them except standing. They accompanied Astraea to suppress the adventurers but a battle happened and ended before they blinked their eyes.

Asahi chuckled at the girls bickering before glancing up at the ceiling with a smile. "You guys want entertainment, right?"

He pulled out his trump card and placed it on the table.

All three goddesses shook, a look of similar terror on their faces. Even the arcanum in their body wriggled uncomfortably.

The crimson spear on the table radiated an aura they were familiar with. A cursed weapon with a beyond deadly curse.

"That spear is cool!" Alise chirped, ignoring the somber situation.

"This… what the hell is this?" Ishtar asked.

"This is Gae Bolg," Asahi said and yanked the spear with telekinesis. "The cursed spear that alters fate and causality. I wonder if a goddess will survive its wrath."

He threatened Ishtar with a soft smile.

"Altering fate and cause?" Ishtar scowled. "Who do you think you are?"

Phryne stumbled back into the room, rubbing her bloody face. "My beautiful face. You, you ruined it!"

Asahi smirked and lightly swung the spear. A bolt of crimson lightning streaked through the air. It bent and twisted numerous times before shooting through Phryne's chest. Her heart exploded, and blood flew out of her mouth. She slumped to the ground like a doll that lost its strings.

Ishtar's pupils shrunk. Phryne died before moving a finger.

"Wanna see more? I can kill your lover too if I want."

Asahi in her eyes was a reaper and his spear was a scythe that hung over her head, ready to decapitate her.

"What will it be? Your demise in peace or your demise with force!" He looked up. "The same for you all. Cross me, and I won't stop until I annihilate you and your Familia."

Ishtar could imagine the four deities cowering in their homes just like herself. A level 5, the cream of the crop of Orario, couldn't react to a weapon's speed and met her death. She doubted Ottar could do anything to stop this young man and his cursed spear.

Did Astraea's reputation even matter when there was such a powerhouse supporting them?

"I lost."

She was impulsive, she was manipulative, she was sinister in her methods.

Above all, she was crazy to overtake Freya as the Goddess of Beauty.

She was everything but wasn't an idiot.

This time, she couldn't defeat her opponent. The branches of schemes in her mind were obstructed by the wall of absolute strength, the impact of which made her heart tremble.

"I'll pay for everything I did. Don't send me to Heaven," she pleaded earnestly. "I swear to become better."

She was willing to beg as long as it meant staying in this world.