Era of Heroic Spirits: I Was Exposed by Alaya

Fuyuki City.

Outside the courtyard of Rin's residence, a certain goddess stood gazing at her home from afar.

"The Goddess of the Underworld, Ereshkigal, and the Heavenly Mistress, Ishtar, in a mortal vessel?" Athena mused with interest.

A mere human could actually possess so many variants.

Perhaps it was a case of sisters united, their strength unbreakable—two goddesses sharing one vessel.

Three Rins in one!

I wonder if they'll remain so harmonious when they meet Nameless?

Athena grew even more intrigued.

As one who held the Authority of [Wisdom], she sought all knowledge.

Human emotions, however, were the most elusive sin—bound by no laws or rules, yet capable of unleashing unimaginable miracles at any moment.

For example, that man who, despite being trapped in dire straits, could summon Nameless from countless parallel worlds.

After observing for a while, Athena calmly stepped into the courtyard.

Strangely, Rin, who was watering flowers in the yard, seemed completely unaware of her presence.

Greek mythology's global influence far surpassed that of Sumerian myths, granting her power that easily eclipsed the twin goddesses.

Athena had come here to leverage Rin's connection with Nameless and truly locate him.

After all, in the Unlimited Blade Works Holy Grail War, Rin's Servant was none other than Nameless in another form—Archer!

As for why she didn't seek out King Arthur?

Simple. That king was far more powerful—and far more influential—than the goddess prone to blunders.

The ruler of the Round Table could easily defeat Athena, who couldn't manifest her true form.

Athena began her summoning—

"Let it be declared!"

"Thy body shall serve under me; my fate shall be tied to thy sword."

"Answer the call of Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, and heed this will and reason!"

"Here is my oath:"

"I am Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, and I shall aid thee in safeguarding the Human Order!"

"By the Authority of the Gods, I bestow my blessing upon thee—Nameless Hero!"

A massive magic circle manifested beneath her feet, transforming into an incredibly mysterious summoning passage.

As the summoning commenced, an aura that had been lost for countless years finally began to slowly emerge upon the magic circle.

Athena opened the subspace at the boundary between the inner and outer worlds, summoning forth the divine realm belonging to the Greek pantheon.

Her figure quietly vanished without a trace.

Rin glanced around with slight confusion. "Why do I feel like there's something here?"

"We should hold a meeting to discuss how to deal with the Greek gods!" Ishtar snapped in response.

If they could seize the opportunity to descend into the mortal world, then the Greek gods would undoubtedly do the same.

The only question was when and in what form they would appear.

In the conference room of the mind.

Ereshkigal, who was holding a small shovel, suddenly felt something strange.

It seemed... she could dig a tunnel to another world with this shovel?

Hum~

Within the divine realm forged from subspace.

Stretching as far as the eye could see was an immense grassland.

Atop a small hill in the center stood a large parasol with matching chairs and a table.

A silver-haired girl in casual white attire sat quietly sipping black tea.

This was the scene that greeted Nameless as he descended in his projected form.

"Long time no see, Nameless," Athena said with a smile.

"Indeed, it has been a while, Goddess of Wisdom."

Nameless calmly regarded her. "Goddess of Wisdom, may I ask why you've summoned me?"

"Please, have a seat."

Athena gestured to the chair opposite her with a smile and poured him a cup of black tea.

"Alright."

Nameless didn't stand on ceremony and casually took a seat.

After all, Alaya had already given him a heads-up, so he was mentally prepared.

That said, seeing Athena swap her armored, shield-bearing Valkyrie look for this soft, moe girl aesthetic was a bit jarring.

Guess this was what they called gap moe.

Nameless lifted the teacup, catching a whiff of an exceptionally fragrant aroma.

One sip, and he felt an indescribable warmth spreading through his body.

Curious, he asked, "So, what kind of tea is this?"

As a self-proclaimed [Grand Chef], he was naturally well-versed in tea arts, yet he'd never tasted anything like this before.

"This is my divine realm. Naturally, what you're drinking is my bodily fluids," Athena replied with a smile.

Her bare feet, jade-like and delicate, swung idly, showcasing their utmost charm.

"Pfft!"

Nameless was stunned. The second sip instantly made him spit it out as he gaped at her in shock. "What the hell?"

As one of the three virgin goddesses, the strategist of the Greek pantheon, and a contender for the title of most beautiful goddess, how had she turned into some kind of witch?

"These are trivial matters. The exposé video by [Alaya] has allowed us Greek deities to reconnect with the mortal world."

Athena casually refilled his cup. "Those so-called 'Machine Gods' who stole our power have long been corrupted by the lingering malice within the mechas."

"Malice?"

Nameless frowned slightly at the tea she poured, feeling an overwhelming sense of weirdness.

How twisted would one have to be to calmly drink holy water personally provided by a goddess?!

"We originally hailed from the M78 Oort Cloud. Our homeland was destroyed by a terrifying monster, and we came to Earth to rebuild our home."

Athena spoke earnestly, "Rebuilding our homeland requires either exterminating humanity or keeping them caged. Yet after being defeated by the Starfaring Vanguards, we chose to become gods who protect mankind."

"And the lingering malice within the mechas, with the involvement of the United States Council, could potentially transform into the Evils of Humanity!"

This was why the gods sought cooperation with them.

If humanity were to be wiped out, even gods who had become guardians of human civilization would inevitably face destruction.

Prosperity and decline are shared by all.

"So, you want me to fight?"

Nameless sighed softly, "Sorry, but after resting for countless years, I just want to retire now."

"If you were truly heartless, you could simply watch Illya and the others die—but you can't."

Athena gazed at him calmly, "All misfortunes in this world stem from the lack of ability of those involved. And I offer you the power to resolve these misfortunes."

"..."

Nameless fell silent.

These words were true.

He also wanted to completely lay back and rest, but how could he stand idly by when his loved ones and friends were threatened?

"You are blessed by Alaya, possessing the ability of [Return by Death]—a power surpassing even the gods."

Athena continued, "This allows you to traverse timelines, reviving again and again after death."

"Until you reach the happy ending you desire, you can unhesitatingly choose to sacrifice yourself."

This hero before her, blessed by [Alaya], was nothing short of an unprecedented miracle.

"So, you still want me to sacrifice myself?" Nameless' professional smile faded.

The so-called Return by Death still hurts.

In fact, it's even more painful than true death.

Because you experience every moment of it firsthand.

"No, no, I won't ask you to sacrifice yourself. I only wish to assist you with all my strength."

Athena's smile grew brighter, "To put it in gaming terms, I want to see all the CG side stories through you, to witness every possible variation."

"I'm so curious!"

As she spoke, she unconsciously stood up, leaning forward with her hands on the table.

Her eyes burned with a flame called desire.

"You're truly insatiable!"

Nameless was taken aback.

"Indeed, as a goddess who governs [Wisdom], I naturally revel in pursuing all mysteries of knowledge."

Athena smiled warmly, "To satisfy this curiosity of mine, you may use me to your heart's content—even my body is yours to enjoy as you please."

"I want you, I desire you—this is my most sincere, honest confession!"

"Use me as you please, to seize the future!"

The string of words left Nameless momentarily stunned.

No wonder she had remained so composed, showing no trace of affection toward him—clearly, she was far more terrifying than deities like the Moon Goddess.

Was this still the elegant Valkyrie he knew?

Why did she suddenly seem greedier than a devil?

"I need to think about it!"

Nameless instinctively wanted to distance himself from her.

Truly, gods were beings who did whatever they pleased—impossible to comprehend with human logic.

"Of course." Athena smiled.

She didn't seem the least bit impatient.

Truth be told, the moment he descended into the Age of Greek Gods, she had already regarded him as the greatest miracle.

After Nameless left, Athena continued sipping her tea with perfect grace—until she noticed the ground in front of her sink slightly.

Moments later, a small shovel emerged from the depression, accompanied by an astonished voice—

"Ishtar, Rin, look what I dug up!"

???

What in the—?

Athena's composure shattered instantly.

In that moment, she suddenly understood how King of Heroes Gilgamesh must have felt in Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia when he learned that his Uruk had been hollowed out from below by Ereshkigal and was just three days away from collapsing into the Underworld.

This was a subspace she had created, a bounded field akin to Unlimited Blade Works—

And you dug a tunnel into it?

Are you and that mouse Jerry siblings or something?

Athena looked down at the girl peeking out from the hole. "So… why are you here?"

"Uh, sorry, wrong dig!"

Ereshkigal blinked, reflexively replied, then swiftly retreated.

She had sensed a peculiar connection earlier, but why had she ended up digging into the domain of the Greek gods?

Rin couldn't help but snark, "Ereshkigal, are you some kind of tomb raider? How did you manage to dig up the Greek pantheon's grave?"

"Uh… no idea." Ereshkigal shook her head.

In their mental conference.

The three of them exchanged glances—so the Greek gods really had descended!

After returning, Souma sat on the sofa, gazing absently out the window.

Athena's proposal naturally weighed heavily on him.

Back when he personally executed the United States Council member who controlled the [God of War] mech, he had undoubtedly made himself a thorn in their side.

Given the aggressive nature of the United States Divine Council, they wouldn't just swallow this insult.

"Seriously… is it so hard to get a moment's peace?"

Souma sighed softly.

Aside from the United States gods, there were also the Star-Spangled Banner lurking on the moon and the great spider slumbering in South America—all terrifying existences.

"What's wrong? Who pissed you off?" Roya asked, eyeing his gloomy expression with curiosity.

"Nothing."

Souma glanced at her.

He'd almost forgotten—this sealed apocalyptic demon lord was right beside him.

Truly, the tree may crave calm, but the wind never ceases.

Roya leaned over, casually propping her legs on his lap. "Tch, I wonder how Qin Shi Huang's doing in that Singularity. Hope he's impressive enough."

"Probably…"

Souma replied absentmindedly.

"Impressive" was an understatement—he'd practically blind her with his brilliance.

If the Great Qin from the Lostbelt truly descended upon the world, then the Pantheon of the United States would be nothing in comparison.

Unfortunately, that was clearly impossible.

Nameless glanced at the Heracles sitting beside him, feeling increasingly helpless.

First, there was the gluttonous Artoria, and now the equally voracious Heracles. Even a wealthy household would be eaten out of house and home by you all!

If you want to raise a daughter, why don't you go earn money by doing manual labor?

"I hope Qin Shi Huang is strong enough to stand against the United States," Illya said, equally hopeful.

***

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