Multiverse's Holy Right

"With this sword, this goddess shall bring both end and beginning to this world—the wisdom of the goddess!"

Divine power, scorching in its intensity, roared from Athena's form. The mere residual force burned the surrounding space and stilled the winds.

Before Roy stood Athena's true visage—she was the moon and darkness, the Earth Mother, the Queen of Night.

Roy's mystic eyes saw it—the object in Athena's grasp.

Black steel, burning dark metal—a sword that attracted, absorbed, compressed, destroyed, shattered, and unleashed.

It was the rotation of stars, tracing perfect arcs, spinning all into whirlwinds, hurricanes, and tempests.

The sword in Athena's hands gradually took form—a weapon black as oblivion, capable of absorbing and annihilating all like a black hole, a terrifying armament that could erase existence itself.

Indeed, this was the sword that summoned storms, the dragon's blade, the sword of dawn, the harbinger of ruin—the Goddess's Sword of Wisdom!

Certain death!

Roy's instincts as a Campione screamed—within this world's confines, any being caught within that sword's range, be it Campione, Heretic God, or even the Last King, would be effortlessly obliterated.

Against this blade, one could only await death—or wield power equal or greater to oppose it.

From Roy's visions of the past, only the Last King possessed a technique rivaling this sword.

A millennium ago, a Campione who had slain multiple Heretic Gods and mastered numerous authorities stood against Athena—a demon king like Marquis Voban, who treated god-slaying as sport. Laughing wildly, he charged the goddess with arrogance, only to meet his end in despairing screams.

That mighty Campione's final act for this world was using a stolen authority—plundered from a god of theft—to steal Athena's Gorgoneion, hurling the Earth Mother's possession away with his dying breath. This forced Athena into slumber, bereft of most power.

No single Campione could defeat this Heretic God—her Sword of Wisdom could pierce any god-slayer.

"This is destruction yet rebirth, beginning yet ending—thus was heaven and earth cleaved asunder—"

Athena raised her hands high, the space between them pure darkness. Whether it was truly a sword, Roy couldn't discern—for like a black hole, it devoured all light, rendering vision useless within that abyss.

"Roy Crowley, you didn't run? No, you must know—even if you ran, you couldn't escape. Wisdom is the speed of thought, and wherever my mind reaches, it shall transcend all distance and time."

Athena gripped the Sword of Darkness in her hand, pointing that star-like shard of blackness toward Roy.

In that moment, Roy's body trembled as his magical energy surged wildly, for he felt the approach of death.

"It's over. I shall remember you. A Campione as bold and different as you is not easily forgotten, even by me. Go now to the wastelands of the underworld, wandering like a lost soul until you fade into oblivion."

Athena's lips were stained with blood, and a flicker of regret flashed through her amber eyes. Yet she was the Goddess of War, the Goddess of Wisdom. Neither her warrior's heart nor her brilliant mind would allow hesitation or mercy to take root.

"If you have nothing to say, then make your exit like the hero you are!"

"I am Athena. A thousand dragons, a thousand serpents—I command you all to take form as blades here!"

This was no mere gust of wind, but a gathering storm. Roy instantly recognized the true nature of this divine authority—it was wind pressure. Absolute wind pressure that fractured time and space, crushing dimensions to create a 'wisdom' akin to a black hole, capable of grinding all matter into dust.

The Dark Star was hurled by Athena's hand, unleashing a terrifying suction force of the utmost extremity. Within Roy's line of sight—snow, rocks, mountain peaks, trees, the earth, the air, rivers, glaciers—everything that existed on the surface of this planet was inevitably dragged into that star, becoming one with the underworld.

This was a storm of gravity!

Woooooooooooooooooo——————

The wind howled violently, like the fury of a demon. Roy's feet were planted firmly on the ground, rooted like tree trunks, yet it was utterly futile. Even as he channeled his divine energy, he could not resist the near-absolute pull. The dreadful Dark Star roared like the maw of a primordial beast, devouring everything in its path.

He opened his mouth to speak, only to realize that in this absolute space, not even sound could escape.

This stretch of the Alps was collapsing in a thunderous roar. To any who witnessed this sight, it could only be seen as divine retribution!

"Truly a terrifying Sword of Wisdom."

Roy sighed inwardly.

Pfft pfft pfft pfft pfft——————

Roy's body was like a tattered rag. Though his muscles and bones still clung stubbornly to the earth, the blood coursing through his veins was being drawn toward the Dark Star. Countless capillaries ruptured across his body, and blood sprayed from his pores, instantly dyeing him crimson—a man utterly drenched in blood.

...

With so many wounds, Roy felt only numbness, the pain lost to the overwhelming sensation.

"The Holy Right has this one flaw—it must first determine the opponent's 'maximum output.' Fortunately, Athena's attack wasn't strong enough to obliterate me instantly, or else this strike would have truly ended me."

"...But now, it's confirmed. Athena's strongest secret technique, her greatest wisdom, lies here. My right hand has adjusted its output—even if you were a true black hole, I would shatter this universe! Let me crush the wisdom you take such pride in!"

The blood-drenched Roy stirred within. The space around his right shoulder twisted unnaturally as a golden hand stirred, as if crossing the cosmos, transcending dimensions to arrive.

...

In that pitch-black world devoid of even a sliver of light, a colossal hand suddenly appeared, blotting out the heavens. Its sacred radiance even caused Athena's wisdom to falter.

"What is this?!"

Athena, who had been standing calmly after unleashing the Dark Star, waiting for the inevitable outcome, narrowed her eyes in shock.

She understood the power of her Dark Star all too well. The edge of this Dark Star was akin to the 'event horizon' of a black hole—a boundary where space-time curved into oblivion. Here, only darkness existed; all other colors vanished. Even Athena herself could not perceive the state of anything within the Dark Star's range.

She knew only this: when she wielded this sword, no matter how mighty the foe, they would perish—torn apart by the immense gravitational force and cast into the underworld.

But now, within this darkness, a golden hue had emerged. The hand capable of "shattering the universe," containing all miracles, appeared before her. This was something even Athena's wisdom could not comprehend, a sublime existence that would drive one to the brink of madness with just a glance.

Athena sensed danger. Swiftly, she arched her body and summoned the Aegis, Medusa's shield, to block in front of herself.

Then, in the darkness where sound should not exist, she heard a divine utterance:

"I ask you, Who is most like a god!"

The darkness in Athena's vision was completely overwhelmed by light. If her Dark Star was akin to a cosmic black hole, then this light was the simultaneous explosion of hundreds of billions of supernovae!

***

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