Chat Group: Anime Girls are Moist-Chapter 498: You want this? Here you go...

Melqart, the King of Gods, was clearly using his most formidable authority.

Faced with hundreds of lightning bolts fired from every direction,

Verethragna showed no trace of fear.

In his eyes burned only fervent battle lust.

"Hahahaha, excellent!"

He laughed.

It was excitement, thrill, and hunger for combat.

"This is the level of power a King of Gods should show me. In that case, I shall repay you with a battle worthy of such grandeur!"

Verethragna likewise invoked his divine authority in a godly proclamation:

"Come forth to me in the name of victory!

Immortal Sun, grant me your shining steed!

Spirit-Stallion with swift hooves, bring along the wheel that symbolizes your master!"

With that declaration, the wheel behind Verethragna blazed with brilliant light in the shape of a horse.

This was the authority of his White Stallion incarnation.

In stellar atmospheres, eruptions known as solar flares occasionally occur.

Now, from the eastern sky, white flames akin to solar flares shot forth.

Verethragna's voice resounded as though roaring straight into the heavens.

The radiance pierced the darkness of the dense clouds, casting its glow upon the land beneath.

A second sun slowly rose!

"Neiigh—!"

A horse's cry reverberated across the land from that new sun in the eastern sky.

A majestic White Stallion emerged in all its glory.

And then, a sun seemed to fall from on high!

From that sun, which soared up amid the turbulent skies, the White Stallion—wreathed in golden flames hot enough to scorch the sky—streaked through the air, descending from above.

Wherever the divine steed passed, space quaked, and even the air temperature surged dramatically.

Like a living flame, the White Stallion dove earthward, its goal: to meet those countless lightning bolts head-on.

The White Stallion that carries the sun would confront the storm's lightning with the sun's flames.

Boom!

A massive shockwave erupted.

Returning to his usual form, Melqart looked none too pleased.

His lightning was no match for the sun's fire.

Verethragna's expression turned resolute:

"Steed of the sun, bring me victory!"

The authority of the White Stallion continued to shine.

Enveloped in blazing golden flames, the White Stallion galloped across the void at extreme speed toward Melqart.

In the blink of an eye, the distance between them vanished.

And as it charged, the torrential rain around it evaporated instantly under that solar heat.

"Hah... It's so hot..."

Kasumigaoka Utaha panted, crystalline beads of sweat slipping down her face.

Ever since the White Stallion appeared, the world's temperature had skyrocketed. As an ordinary human, Utaha was struggling.

"Here, take my hand."

Rei Ao offered his right hand to Utaha, his left still holding the Gorgoneion.

Instinctively, she took it.

At once, a penetrating coolness washed over her, body and mind, banishing the scorching heat.

"Rei Ao-kun, there must be plenty of ways to cool her off—magic or whatever. You didn't need to hold her hand."

Eriri's gaze was fixed darkly on their joined hands.

"Heh."

Rei Ao merely chuckled, without further explanation.

If there was a way to get a little closer, why bother with anything else?

"..."

Utaha also realized exactly what was happening.

Yet despite knowing she was being taken advantage of, she felt no anger—only a faint gladness.

She didn't show it outwardly, merely sneaking a glance at Rei Ao's profile.

She failed to notice Eriri grinding her little canine tooth in jealousy.

She was jealous!

Seethingly jealous!

Seeing the way Utaha was staring at him, Eriri sensed that this flirting vixen was scheming to seduce her man!

Eriri had once been a "loser," but now—evolved into a main heroine—she picked up that cunning minx vibe right away.

Just as she was about to intervene in Utaha's little fantasy:

"Could you return that to me?"

A voice spoke.

Athena had arrived!

Rei Ao's eyes lit with interest.

Simply by glancing at her, he confirmed her identity.

Erica also reacted swiftly:

"Rei Ao-san, that's—!"

"A Heretic God. Athena."

Rei Ao named her openly.

"Oh?"

The girl-form Athena had been fixated on the Gorgoneion in his hand, but at that statement, she turned her gaze upon him, curious.

"Human boy, have we met?"

"In a manner of speaking," he answered vaguely, drawing her interest further.

"Since you know I am Athena, you must realize I'm a Heretic God—just like those two over there, equally fearsome. Why don't I see the slightest fear on your face?"

"I've been watching two Heretic Gods battle. Did you see me looking afraid at all?"

He didn't truly reply but posed a question in return.

"Huh, I guess not."

Athena stared into Rei Ao's eyes.

"Deep and tranquil eyes, carrying a hint of amusement—like you're treating their fight as a show. Indeed, you're simply enjoying the spectacle."

As expected of the Goddess of Wisdom, she perceived at a glance that Rei Ao was taking pleasure in it all.

No matter how frightening Verethragna or Melqart might appear, to him they were mere playthings he could toy with at will.

And the same held true for Athena herself.

Being inspected and trivialized like that didn't upset Athena.

"Human, could you return the Gorgoneion in your hand to me? It belongs to me."

"Heretic God Athena, you want it to restore your power, right?"

Erica's eyes were sharp.

"Athena, Medusa, Metis—together, they form the triple deity. They were worshiped around the Mediterranean. Athena's origin was a North African goddess. If you recover the Gorgoneion, in essence you'll retrieve Medusa's portion. Then you'll revert to your triple divinity!"

Having explained all she knew about Athena, Erica declared firmly,

"So we're not handing it over!"

Her reasoning was simple:

Heretic Gods are disasters, dangers, enemies—to be destroyed.

Letting Athena regain her triune godhood would be giving power to an enemy.

That would be foolish.

But suddenly, a graceful arc flashed before Erica's eyes.

"Here you go."

Tap.

Athena lifted her hand and caught the object tossed her way:

The Gorgoneion!

"???"

Erica stared slack-jawed, turning blankly toward Rei Ao, who wore a slight smile.

"It belongs to her, doesn't it? So let's return it and be done with it—back to its rightful owner."

~~~

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