Light.
A light as scorching as the death of a star swallowed everything in its path.
In that instant, the entire world trembled.
Leylines and magnetic fields descended into chaos.
Anyone who dared to gaze directly at that brilliance was immediately overwhelmed, collapsing into unconsciousness.
As a result, no one could leave any real-time records of that light.
Thanks to his Authority of speed, Alexander barely managed to escape the explosion's fiery radius.
His soaked clothes clung to his body, though it was unclear if the dampness came from seawater or the cold sweat of terror.
"Damn it... I thought I was going to die here today."
Completely drained, Alexander's face bore traces of exhaustion and lingering fear.
He knew all too well how powerful his opponent was.
When he first learned of Marquis Voban's death, he realized as much. He had taken the threat seriously, meticulously searching for weaknesses and gathering intelligence. He even went so far as to ally with an old rival who had once humiliated him.
But that monstrous goddess… Her power was like an abyss—endlessly deep.
Every time Alexander thought he had glimpsed the bottom, he was met with an even more profound despair.
"…It's not time to despair just yet."
He ruffled his damp hair, forcing himself to regain composure.
"Back when I hadn't yet become a Campione, the gap between me and the gods was even greater. If I could pull off a miracle back then, there's no reason I can't do it now."
"Think, Alexander. Don't stop thinking… If we can get our hands on that cursed sword—the one that once killed King Arthur—we might stand a chance. So, the plan hasn't changed."
"Heracles, the Heretic God, has likely returned to myth. Such a terrifying spell, even for a [Steel] Hero of his caliber, was impossible to withstand unscathed. The temperatures in that explosion—like the death of a sun—were enough to melt any [Steel] to slag."
"And that rogue Arthur just unleashed a spell of this magnitude. There's no way it didn't consume an immense amount of energy. The magical power within those circles was equivalent to the full reserves of a Campione… Plus, she took Heracles' full-power attack head-on. Even if she didn't die outright, she must be seriously injured."
Heracles' eleventh Authority, [The Arm That Held Up the Heavens], was devastatingly powerful. Even surviving it could be considered miraculous. Coupled with the overwhelming might of that [Explosion spell], it seemed impossible that anyone could come out unscathed.
And yet, Alexander's intuition screamed otherwise—that she could not have died so easily.
"A mage capable of casting a spell that powerful… How could she make such a rookie mistake as blowing herself up? Hmm?"
His brows furrowed suddenly, as though something was amiss.
There was a question he had noticed long ago but had never fully grasped. Amid his many speculations and uncertainties, he had overlooked it.
"Why can King Arthur use magic?"
The question popped back into his mind.
He had raised it once before, and Alice had casually dismissed it, saying, "Maybe it's Merlin's influence," before moving on.
There were no legends of King Arthur wielding magic. Basic enchantments like hypnosis or concealment might have been plausible, considering his association with Merlin. But casting advanced spells on par with divine Authorities? Even the great mage Merlin likely couldn't accomplish that.
Now that he thought about it, back then, they hadn't confirmed that the goddess in question was King Arthur. She had never admitted it herself.
So why had they so firmly concluded her true name was Arthur, and why had they already begun formulating strategies based on that assumption?
"Was it because of Alice's visions? Or… was it Guinevere's insistence?"
Alexander was deeply familiar with the legend of the Last King. After all, he had spent years opposing Guinevere, and among all the Campiones, he was arguably the most knowledgeable about the Last King.
He recalled the myths of the Last King:
The God of War who annihilates Demon Kings.
The Slayer of Demon Kings.
The Final King to appear on earth.
The strongest Steel.
The God who vanquishes Demon Kings.
The Child of Fate.
The King of Kings.
The greatest hero blessed with the noblest destiny.
The supreme warrior.
When the Last King roams the earth, it is said that countless phenomena unfold—whirlwinds howl, the oceans and earth boil, mountains erupt, and the heavens and earth quake in violent discord.
In the eyes of the gods, humanity is powerless before divinity and nature, destined to be controlled. Campiones are aberrations that deviate from this order, anomalies to be corrected. And so, the gods chose the Last King—the ultimate weapon to destroy Demon Kings.
However, while this goddess had indeed slain a Campione, it seemed more an act of saving lives or repaying a debt than fulfilling her divine role. Though months had passed since her emergence, she had never sought out Campiones to destroy.
In fact, she was more restrained than most Campiones. The number of rogue gods she had killed far exceeded the number of Campiones.
Moreover, the apocalyptic phenomena tied to the Last King's awakening had never occurred. There were brief signs when she first appeared, but they had been too fleeting to confirm.
"Could she… not be the Last King? Is she really King Arthur?"
Alexander's mind raced, weaving together threads of information he had once ignored.
"Alice's visions all related to King Arthur, but… they didn't necessarily refer to King Arthur himself. It could've been someone else connected to him—someone for whom Arthur held profound significance."
"The same applies to Guinevere. If this being is tied to Arthur, it would make sense for her to know Guinevere… Maybe—if I really push the theory—that being might be capable of leading Guinevere to the true King Arthur, the real Last King! That would explain why Guinevere treats her so reverently!"
Alexander grew increasingly anxious and frantic, sensing that he was on the verge of uncovering the truth.
His chaotic thoughts were like tangled threads, each knot a mystery waiting to be unraveled. Alexander desperately sought to piece them together.
Suddenly, an overwhelming, bone-chilling killing intent locked onto him.
It was as though a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, freezing his thoughts and sending a wave of terror coursing through his body.
"A little mouse who likes to play tricks… And yet, you're still lingering nearby?"
A cold, emotionless voice echoed in the air.
---
...
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