Era of Heroic Spirits: I Was Exposed by Alaya

All previous exposé videos had been about Singularities.

But this time—it was outright labeled a [Lostbelt]!

"The Lostbelt of Great Qin has arrived after all... I hope those guys from the Council of Gods don't get scared to death when they see Qin Shi Huang of the Lostbelt!"

Souma forcibly suppressed his smile, careful not to reveal his inner delight.

"Eh? What's a Lostbelt?" Roya asked in surprise.

Previously, it had all been Singularities—why the sudden shift to a Lostbelt?

Illya beside her shook her head: "No idea."

As if aware that countless people didn't understand the term, the uploader Alaya thoughtfully provided an explanation—

[Just as life on Earth competes for survival, human history also undergoes battles of victory and defeat.]

[The history of victors—those who made the right choices and achieved proper prosperity—is the Pan-Human History we currently inhabit.]

[Conversely, the history of losers—those who made the wrong choices and pursued misguided prosperity—leads humanity down a path of ruin. This is the Lostbelt.]

"Oh, I get it! For example, if in the 'Absolute Demonic Front: Babylonia' Singularity, after defeating Tiamat, instead of correcting the Singularity—"

Roya instantly grasped the explanation: "—we let the King of Heroes revive and continue his immortal rule over Uruk, allowing it to develop unchecked, that would become a Lostbelt."

"The key is history built on [wrong choices] and [misguided prosperity]."

No matter how prosperous such a history might seem, it ultimately abandons the proper course of human history, leading down an inescapable path to absolute demise.

"Here's the question—did Qin Shi Huang actually take the elixir of immortality and live forever?"

Roya recalled the final scene from the previous video about Qin Shi Huang, The First Emperor of All Ages.

After the battle against the gods concluded.

Nameless sacrificed himself, his body dissolving into light and vanishing.

Qin Shi Huang stood alone on the altar, with a million black-armored Qin soldiers below.

A ruler of the world, yet powerless to protect his teacher—a profoundly lonely image.

This was likely why Qin Shi Huang had previously bestowed upon Nameless the title of [Imperial Teacher].

And issued the decree: "Whoever dares exploit the Imperial Teacher shall face the extermination of their nine generations."

Miyu shook her head: "We'll have to watch the video to find out..."

Everything remained shrouded in mystery.

It was safe to say this new video had already maximized anticipation from the very beginning.

No one could predict what Qin Shi Huang, having consumed the elixir of immortality and lived for two thousand years, might have achieved.

In his lifetime, he had already conquered the six warring states and unified all of China.

Given another two thousand years, could he have unified the entire world?

Roya sighed softly: "Too bad even exposure videos can't stand against those Machine Gods."

Even the Olympian gods, after being defeated by the Umbral Star's vanguard, could only operate on Earth's surface.

Unless one became a terrifying Beast of Humanity like Tiamat, interstellar travel-level power remained out of reach.

Souma glanced at her but didn't say much.

Instead, he quietly sighed in relief.

Good. It seemed his Clairvoyance hadn't been unsealed yet.

That had genuinely frightened him earlier.

He looked down at the notification that had popped up on his phone—

[Alaya: Qin Shi Huang is preparing for war mobilization. Would you like to speak with him?]

Huh, so considerate?

Souma felt a surge of deep suspicion.

This sudden thoughtfulness was clearly another attempt to lure him into overworking himself to death.

He couldn't fall for it!

After a moment's thought, Souma replied: "Sure!"

Regardless, let the two billion people of China—currently stunned and terrified—finish watching the new video first.

At the previous press conference held by the Council of Gods, those space battleships were truly too astonishing.

[Alaya: I'll give you three minutes!]

"Heh, are you looking down on me?"

Souma curled his lips.

Three minutes of being a real man? You think I'm Ultraman or something!

But it's about the same.

Well then, let the projection begin.

...

Above the Epang Palace.

In the main hall, all heroic spirits had gathered.

Since the Council of Gods dared to blast through the [Heavenly Court] defense system, it was equivalent to a declaration of war.

Lü Bu answered without hesitation: "We must go to war!"

"Just some space battleships? Watch me chop them down!" Xiang Yu replied with equal dominance.

For these top-tier martial heroic spirits, not even gods could make them bow.

"Fight, fight, fight—that's all you know! Do you plan to slash space battleships with your swords?" Zhuge Liang looked at these warriors with exasperation.

A bunch of warmongers.

All they know is mindless charging. While they enjoy the fight, he, as the logistics officer, would be cursing up a storm.

Zhuge Liang gazed worriedly at the satellite monitor: "So, how do we counter these battleships?"

On the screen.

One could clearly see the enemy's fleet of terrifyingly powerful space battleships.

They hovered silently in the space above China, their massive cannons aimed directly at the country.

These were the true forms of the Council of Gods's Machine Gods!

The one that had blasted through the [Heavenly Court] defense system earlier was the [Sun God] battleship.

Radiating brilliance like the sun, a single shot from it had obliterated the [Heavenly Court], which could withstand attacks below EX-rank Noble Phantasms.

Countless fragments rained down from the sky.

The pressure was suffocating for everyone present.

Zhuge Liang spoke in an extremely grave tone: "Based on the bombardment from the [Sun God] warship earlier, its power has been calculated to exceed that of a million-ton nuclear bomb—enough to obliterate a mid-sized city outright!"

And that was just a single shot from it.

Apart from the [Sun God] council member, the [Moon Goddess] council member's cannon was noticeably smaller, seemingly more specialized in precision strikes.

This pair of sibling machine gods—one excelling in large-scale destruction, the other in pinpoint assaults—formed a perfect strategic weapon combination.

The [Earth Goddess], also known as the [Agriculture Goddess] from the earlier footage, was clearly a supply and repair vessel serving as logistical support.

The [Sea King] machine god, meanwhile, evidently possessed the ability to manipulate the oceans.

Based on the intensity displayed in the previous Olympian Gods footage, Zhuge Liang estimated it could summon terrifying tsunamis capable of swallowing all of China's coastal cities.

The [God King], [Sea King], and [Underworld King]—these three belonged to the highest tier.

The flagship [God King] warship was projected to wield the terrifying power to control lightning, capable of unleashing massive thunderstorms over China's skies, directly crippling communication networks.

Once information networks were destroyed, they would be rendered utterly blind, unable to fight back at all.

The abilities of the remaining machine gods remained concealed, leaving even Zhuge Liang unable to make precise judgments.

Chen Gong spoke with deep sorrow: "It seems we have no choice but to stake everything on this battle! Xiang Yu, are you prepared?"

"...If necessary, I am absolutely willing. But let's wait a moment longer!"

Xiang Yu took half a step back.

If this guy were to assist, he would be signing his own death warrant.

He wasn't afraid of death—but he was afraid of being used as a firework.

Zhuge Liang stepped forward to report: "Your Majesty, what is your view?"

This was now an outright declaration of war.

Those false gods from the United States had blatantly seized divine-level power, arrogantly seeking to dominate the world by crushing China beneath them!

Now, the entire world was watching for their response.

If they chose to yield, it would mean being trampled underfoot forever.

The Council of Gods would ascend as true deities, demanding worship from all of humanity!

Even the corpse of the [God of War], whom the [Imperial Teacher] Nameless had painstakingly defeated, would have to be returned—along with exorbitant reparations, likely dozens or even hundreds of times the original cost.

It was the most ruthless and humiliating slap in the face imaginable.

From then on, all their heroic spirits would be forced to endure the indignity of being trampled upon.

Invite them as guests, behead them, or take them in as dogs!

Upon the throne in the grand hall, Qin Shi Huang's gaze was icy beyond measure: "This emperor will never tolerate any who dare provoke me—let alone a pack of false gods who have merely stolen power!"

This was an undisguised provocation.

Even if the enemy possessed cosmic warships, they had no choice but to fight.

In this world carved open by the axe, kneeling in submission was never an option!

Just as the response was about to be declared, Qin Shi Huang noticed a figure standing silently in the empty space at the center of the hall. He paused slightly: "Master, why have you come?"

Needless to say, this sudden arrival was none other than Nameless!

Qin Shi Huang sighed inwardly.

As expected, in moments of crisis like this, his master would always rush forward without hesitation to protect him and the people of China.

Even though his own spiritual foundation had long been shattered, his power reduced to less than a hundredth of its former strength, and despite constantly claiming he never wanted to fight again—he still gave himself so selflessly.

Qin Shi Huang was deeply moved, yet his heart ached unbearably.

"I originally intended to repay you, Master, to shelter you forever, so you could retire peacefully and enjoy a quiet life," he thought.

"Yet, my strength is still far from enough! Why am I so weak?"

Qin Shi Huang looked at the man earnestly and declared, "Master, please trust me and China. You need only stand by and watch!"

Every Heroic Spirit in the grand hall fixed their blazing gazes upon him.

In the previous video, The First Emperor of All Ages, this man had shielded Qin Shi Huang from childhood all the way to his conquest of the six states and ascension as ruler of the realm.

His merits were so vast they defied reward, his contributions so great they surpassed any title.

His achievements overshadowed even the sovereign!

Yet, Qin Shi Huang had once proclaimed, "I would gladly share this empire with you, Master," making it clear he cared not for such trivialities.

"I trust you and all the Heroic Spirits present," Nameless replied with a smile.

With the assistance of Alaya, he had descended into the hall of the Epang Palace in a projected form.

Glancing around, he could see the anger in every Heroic Spirit's eyes—yet beneath it, an endless well of worry.

It was obvious. The Council of Gods, looming high in space, exuded a terror too overwhelming.

For Heroic Spirits bound to the surface of Earth, the thought of opposing them seemed impossible.

"After watching Alaya's new video, then decide how to deal with the Council of Gods," Nameless advised. "I promise, this video will give you the confidence to defeat them!"

A new video?

At his reminder, the gathered crowd finally noticed that, just minutes ago, Alaya had released the long-teased new video—

[The Qin Lostbelt!]

The title alone made it clear: this was the story of what happened after severing the gods' connection.

The Heroic Spirits present all perked up at once.

"A masterful insight, Imperial Teacher!" Zhuge Liang bowed respectfully.

It seemed His Majesty would perform dazzlingly in this video—perhaps even more brilliantly than the King of Heroes.

That must be why the Imperial Teacher promised that, after watching, they would be qualified to face the Council of Gods's cosmic fleet.

"Very well!"

Qin Shi Huang agreed without hesitation.

He had originally intended to declare war outright, to fight the Council of Gods to the bitter end.

But now, they could first witness what had transpired in those bygone days.

"Then, take your time watching."

Nameless's figure gradually faded away.

The video was feature-length; there was no need to rush into war just yet.

After his departure—

"By my decree, announce to the nation that all shall watch this video together!"

Qin Shi Huang calmly issued his command.

"And release a proclamation: once the video concludes, we shall respond to the Council of Gods's destruction of China's Heavenly Court defense system!"

"As you command, Your Majesty!"

Zhuge Liang's expression had already relaxed considerably.

Back then, Qin Shi Huang had fought side by side with Nameless, sealing even the corrupted and terrifying Outer Gods.

There was nothing left to fear. Once the video ended, they would launch their final counterattack!

And so—

Under the watchful eyes of all the Heroic Spirits, the video began—

-[First! Finally, the First Emperor's turn!]

-[In the previous Singularity, the King of Heroes was absolutely dazzling. I wonder how the Lostbelt Qin Shi Huang will compare.]

-[Sigh, why bother with videos? We should be figuring out how to deal with the Council of Gods—they're literally spitting on our heads!]

-[We must fight! We can never kneel and beg for mercy!]

-[No matter how impressive he is, it's all just surface-level Earth stuff. How the hell are we supposed to fight their black-tech space fleet?]

[The Qin people know not the grief of subjugation, yet across the river they gaze upon the Singularity Belt!]

...

The video begins.

But it's not the scene of Qin Shi Huang watching Nameless's body collapse before his eyes.

Instead, it's on a flower-covered hillside in the long-unified lands of Wu and Yue under the Qin Empire.

Amid an endless sea of flowers.

A young girl stands quietly in the boundless floral expanse, serene and peaceful.

Nameless, who should have been guarding Qin Shi Huang, has instead quietly arrived in this field of blossoms.

Gazing at the black-haired, red-eyed girl, he speaks softly: "Immortal Yu Mei-ren… or rather, the fairy born from the Reverse Side of the World. Will you come with me?"

"I have no name. Why call me that?" The girl frowns slightly.

She bares her teeth, revealing two sharp little fangs, glaring fiercely at Nameless.

Her originally tranquil demeanor instantly turns ferocious.

Nameless pauses, then smiles. "Because you're as beautiful as this field of poppies, so that's what I'll call you."

Clearly, this fairy—or the "Primordial" of the world of magecraft—has yet to truly interact with humans.

The so-called celestial maidens and immortals passed down in China's myths are all titles acquired in later ages.

"I'm hungry! If you want to take me with you, you have to satisfy me, feed me!"

Yu Mei-ren licks her lips, her little fangs glinting in the sunlight.

She possesses a unique ability—[Bloodsucking]—allowing her to drain energy from any living being.

The man before her seems even more extraordinary than gods and immortals, clearly harboring the mysterious power to traverse endless time and space.

"Fine."

Nameless extends a finger.

He offers it without hesitation, letting those two little fangs sink in.

After drinking her fill, the girl's face flushes, her eyes sparkling with delight as she beams: "You really are a strange one. But… delicious!"

Bonk!

Nameless flicks her forehead. "If you're going to follow me, then behave like a proper human."

"You—! Just because you fed me once, you dare order me around so shamelessly. Are you out of your mind?"

Yu Mei-ren grinds her teeth and huffs. "Hmph, whatever. I'll stick with you—and I'll drain you dry!"

As a fairy born of heaven and earth, she despises being disciplined.

But this man's blood—

So fragrant!

Countless onlookers burn with envy—

-[Damn it, Nameless is wooing another girl! I'm so jealous!]

-[One drop * ten drops of blood, hurry up and drain Nameless dry!]

-[Yu Mei-ren, Yu Mei-ren, what can I do... Why do I suddenly feel like Xiang Yu got cuckolded?]

-[Speaking of which, Yu Mei-ren is actually an immortal? Terrifying. Does that mean Xiang Yu, who's connected to her, is just an ordinary human?]

This scene.

Mordred, who was watching the video, froze for a moment: "Damn that Nameless, why is he so generous?"

Let's not forget.

When she was born, it was Morgan who used a portion of the power condensed within Nameless, combined with her father's blood, to create her as an artificial human.

But now, this strange vampire could directly drink Nameless's blood.

How infuriating!

Artoria calmly remarked, "She must be researching the power of immortals and gods."

The beginning of the new video clearly followed the events of the previous The First Emperor of All Ages.

Nameless and Qin Shi Huang had been frantically studying all things related to immortals and gods ever since unifying the six states, all to fight against the Celestial Court deities corrupted by the Outer Gods.

This vampire girl before them was clearly an existence on the level of an immortal or god.

"Hmph, what a calamitous beauty!"

Mordred gritted her teeth.

Once she found Nameless, she'd definitely bite him a few more times, just like this vampire, to vent her anger!

The scene in the video shifted.

From the land of Wu and Yue, where the Yu Mei-ren flowers bloomed, it suddenly transitioned to a place thousands of miles away.

There stood a towering tree in the distance.

A golden sun shimmered atop it.

Upon closer inspection, it wasn't a sun—it was a golden three-legged crow!

Nameless gazed at the crow on the tree and murmured, "Above the Tang Valley stands the Fusang Tree. One sun arrives, another departs, all carried by golden crows... What a pity, even it is dead now."

A golden crow perched on the Fusang Tree!

The audience was instantly immersed in the overwhelming aura of myth, stepping fully into the ancient mythology of China.

In the myths.

Ten suns scorched the sky, causing drought and suffering among the people.

A mighty man took up his bow and arrows, shooting down nine of them, ending the horrific disaster.

That man was named Da Yi.

On the golden crow's corpse, still radiating brilliant light, an arrow was visibly piercing its body.

Clink—

The Chains of Heaven trembled, pulling the arrow free.

Nameless held the arrow and whispered, "Reaching the unreachable heavens, shooting down the untouchable illusions... Are you asking me to become the Grand Archer?"

"A golden crow slain by Da Yi?"

Tamamo-no-Mae swayed her fluffy tails, her gaze filled with greed as she stared at the crow's corpse.

From this golden crow's remains, she sensed an irresistible temptation.

The pure, concentrated power of the true sun!

Beside her, Yu Mei-ren watched her warily. "What are you scheming, you fox spirit?"

"Nothing much. I just want to eat it!" Tamamo-no-Mae licked her lips, not bothering to hide her desire.

If she could devour this golden crow's corpse, she could gradually unlock the true power of the sun.

Thereby fully transforming into the sun goddess Amaterasu, manifesting nine tails, and reaching unfathomable heights—

Surpassing even the gods!

"Not a chance! This is our prey!"

Yu Mei-ren blocked her path fiercely.

However.

Nameless smiled. "Go ahead. It's yours. You'll be our final trump card against the immortals and gods."

"Really???"

Tamamo-no-Mae's eyes widened in disbelief.

He definitely knew—once she absorbed the golden crow's power, she would undoubtedly unlock six tails, maybe even seven or eight.

At that time, she would effortlessly suppress her opponent!

"Let me make this clear in advance—if you dare manifest as a Beast of Humanity, I will cut you down without hesitation!" Nameless said calmly.

"Hmph, who are you trying to scare!"

Tamamo-no-Mae shrank back slightly.

But under the temptation of the solar energy within the Golden Crow's corpse, she still chose to devour it without hesitation.

"Damn it, why are we giving our things to this fox spirit?"

Yu Mei-ren couldn't help but gnash her teeth in frustration.

She had been imagining taking the Golden Crow's corpse away and having Nameless grill it for her to eat.

Just the thought of Nameless's culinary skills made her mouth water uncontrollably.

But now, it was being handed over to this fox spirit for free!

"Mmm..."

In the midst of her anger, Yu Mei-ren suddenly felt something pressing against her mouth and instinctively bit down.

Hmm, so delicious!

Her originally fierce and scowling little face was now filled with blissful enjoyment.

The scene continued to shift.

Nameless arrived at an island in the East Sea, gazing at the massive boulder before him and sighing softly: "As expected, it's not yet time for you to emerge."

Then, under the witness of everyone present.

He dug out a massive hollow beneath the waterfall.

After staying inside for some time, he left behind numerous traces.

This mountain was called Huaguo Mountain.

This cave was called the Water Curtain Cave.

That boulder was the sole remnant from the time when stones were smelted to mend the heavens.

Within it, an innate life was already gestating.

The one who would become—

Sun Wukong!

This scene instantly exploded the barrage comments—

-[Holy shit! In the previous "First Emperor of the Ages," Nameless used the Ruyi Jingu Bang to block the gods' passage!]

-[Everything connects now! Nameless is a legend, always leaving backup plans to fight the gods!]

-[So, "Journey to the West" is just Nameless playing chess against the gods?]

-[Sun Wukong wreaking havoc in Heaven was actually assisting Nameless against the gods?]

-[Damn, this is hype! Creating myths with his own hands—what happens next?]