Miss Hebe is Slaughtering Her Way Out of the Lostbelt!

The former was called Horus in the lands of Egypt.

The latter were regarded respectively as Aten, the rising sun that heralded the dawn, and Atum, the setting sun of twilight.

—January Archon Mr. Day, and November Archon Lord Twilight.

Their arrival further diminished the beasts that had once been gods. Bestet, due to her close association with family, retained part of her status, while Sekhmet fell again and again, ultimately being deemed nothing more than a pure beast.

Ozymandias valued these Beast Gods of the Old Days.

He believed that although these Beast Gods had been defeated and diminished, they had at least ruled the wilderness and the present world for an immensely long time. To a certain extent, they could contend against the Ennead.

And then...

—Ozymandias salvaged Sekhmet's name and reshaped her into the form of Shesepenhe.

The relationship between Anubis and Hermanubis was the same.

Khnum, King of Rams; Thoth, King of Ibises; Sobek, King of Crocodiles.

These three still retained some measure of wisdom at the time. Most of the remaining Beast Gods of the Old Days had already become monsters with nothing but strength.

Ozymandias once again bestowed upon them the status of twilight, reshaping them with his immense desire and wisdom. Their existence greatly shared Ozymandias's burden of erosion, allowing his runaway desires to return to the Right Track.

In Ozymandias's estimation, this could have lasted at least a thousand years.

Yet after merely a hundred years, aside from Khnum still holding on, all the other Sage Gods had fallen.

Only three hundred years passed between Ozymandias ascending with his radiant dream and being forced to ease his loss of control through destruction.

"The people of Thebes are Ozymandias's subjects. From birth to death, they lived under the dominion of Ozymandias's great royal authority... but you have already destroyed all of that."

Pepe softly said, "Even if you offer up your life, how much can you repay?"

"How long can all of Thebes share the Red King's mad desires?" Hebe suddenly asked.

"Less than five years," Pepe answered.

"How long could a new seat among the Nine Sages endure?"

"Depending on the authority they share, at least twenty years. The Three Kings would last longer..." Pepe's gaze was complicated. "The King of Rams is an exception among exceptions."

She already knew what Hebe was about to do.

"I understand." Hebe bowed respectfully. "Then please offer some protection to those exiles on their journey. I must go to Memphis to seek an audience with His Majesty the Red King."

There was relieved joy on her face, like a lamb about to step onto the altar.

Pepe stared at her blankly, her mouth filled with bitterness.

The sunlight around them abruptly became dazzlingly harsh. Without saying a word, Pepe nodded and watched Hebe turn away, setting out upon her lonely road to seek an audience.

Golden-violet twilight had already spread across the entire sky. The girl with lovely green eyes and flaxen hair walked farther and farther away, never to return.

Pepe gently closed her eyes, and her form dispersed like yellow sand.

The illusory cat moved with light steps, merging into the wind. It caught up to those travelers far from home, sheltering them as they passed freely through the burning wind.

"Ha."

As Hebe walked northward, she waved a hand and opened her information panel.

Fine grains of sand gathered upon the road, forming words only she could understand.

Daylight was often called the "Hero" rank.

This was because their deeds determined the differences in the Marks they acquired.

No two Marks were exactly alike. Even if both were "Territory Creation" or "Item Crafting," they varied in rank and specialization.

Take the Knights of the Round Table as an example: though they all possessed Marks similar to "Leadership," some excelled at commanding large-scale armies, while others were suited to taking the field alone. Some could raise morale beneath the sun's rays, while others excelled at night battles and surprise attacks.

"My performance was so splendid that my second Mark is surely going to be distinctive." Hebe's lips curved faintly. "Will it combine multiple effects, or simply specialize in one aspect? I might even directly obtain a 'Divinity'-type Mark."

Just thinking about it made Hebe want to hum a little tune.

Hebe Stanton / Imhotep

Path: Priest (Lostbelt-exclusive). Priests are scribes who preside over silence, inscribe steles of stillness, and pay homage to the approaching end.

Principle: Winter (Lostbelt-exclusive). A principle representing silence, endings, and that which does not wholly pass away.

Rank: Daylight (Lostbelt-exclusive). The second level of the Path of Ascension; the sun is traveling along the Right Track of its celestial course.

Held Mark: First Mark · God of Medicine. Wounds and disease, healing and scar-removal; soothing the study of death with scalpels, medicine, and music. What we are to heal is the world itself, and the final great enemy we must remember is death.

God of Medicine, a Mark with composite effects. It had condensed from Hebe's journey southward, from her actions of using the Twin Snakes Staff to dispel darkness and revive the "dead."

Its effects could roughly be divided into three types.

First was the treatment of illness and injury. Whether internal wounds, external wounds, or even mental trauma, all could be treated.

But one had to note that treatment was not the same as a cure. Those too gravely injured could not be saved, and even those who received treatment would retain permanent "scars" upon their bodies or minds. Should they encounter similar circumstances in the future, their old wounds might be triggered again.

Second, it could dispel unfavorable factors and negative effects.

There was little to say about that: a top-tier divine skill. Negative effects at Daylight rank or below could all be removed. Even Twilight-rank influences could be dealt with according to their symptoms, provided there was a corresponding "medium."

Lastly came the soothing of death.

Not victory, but soothing; not conquest, but remembrance. Unlike its name, this Mark did not advocate limitless "immortality," but demanded that people accept their own "final limit."

And that raised a question.

Since the Mark · God of Medicine required people to die naturally, why did it manifest healing effects?

Because "final limit" meant that one's lifespan naturally reached its end, and that one faced death with an open mind.

Illness and suffering were, in truth, violations of that final limit—they shortened one's lifespan and made people fear death, even preventing them from finding peace after dying.

Thus, every possible means was needed to allow patients to calmly welcome the arrival of their final limit. When necessary, even the restless dead had to be returned to silence.

If quantified with concrete values, this Mark's effects would likely be: large-scale HP restoration + debuff removal + time-limited Combat Continuation... followed by painless death once the effect ended, perhaps with a special bonus against the undead.

With the first Mark setting such a high bar, Hebe's expectations for the second naturally rose with it.

Hebe continued reading with a smile.

The next instant, her smile froze.

Second Mark · "Demon King." Silence Commandment, endless exile—the people known as the Sarkaz began their belated journey of suffering, three hundred years late. They revered the sun, flame, and the forgers, yet there would always be a moment reserved for you, the first guide, the uncrowned Demon King.

"Is this still Egypt? Where the hell did this send me?"

More Permissions Granted!

Though this Mark, "Demon King," bore the name of a monarch, it did not focus on ruling reality. Rather, it excelled in kingship over the spirit, faith, and soul.

Its effects could roughly be divided into two categories.

First was the establishment of the "Silence Commandment." Within the commandment's range, everyone except Hebe would be suppressed. However, Hebe could "pardon" targets, allowing those who had been pardoned to move freely within its boundaries.

Once someone violated it, the commandment would turn into punishment, temporarily stripping the punished person of one random ability. This did not include Marks, and the skill would be ineffective against those of a higher rank.

It embodied both the suppression of superiors from the Authority Path and the prohibitions of the Priest Path. In other words, it was a wide-area field of silence and weakness.

It was practically a god-tier mowing skill beneath the daylight, a true army-level countermeasure.

Second was the possession of "Special Authority."

This authority allowed Hebe to acquire an ability no higher than her current rank for a short period of time.

It sounded simple, but was actually absurdly overpowered, because this ability included "Marks."

In other words, Hebe could use "Demon King" to forcibly simulate a third Mark, then combine all three Marks into an "Achievement" for the duration.

Was that a fantasy? No, it was entirely feasible, and the success rate was not low.

Royal Sister Morgan had once used "Royal Authority of the Island" as collateral to forcibly draw upon the future, becoming "Twilight" of the Calamity Path ahead of time!

No wonder it's an Emperor Privilege-type Mark. It's practically an outright cheat, Hebe thought.

Setting aside the utterly baffling name "Sarkaz," this Mark's effects were immensely powerful. It was worthy of being a Mark spanning the subordinate Paths of the three Principles: Lamp, Winter, and Blade.

Its power far surpassed anything Hebe had seen before.

At a critical moment, perhaps it could be used to overturn an otherwise inevitable outcome.

The gathered grains of sand gradually dispersed. The girl straightened once more and gazed toward the end of the horizon, as though she could see the divine king suspended high in the heavens, eternally ruling over all living beings.

"The time has come. Ozymandias should not be kept waiting any longer."

Hebe smiled calmly, relaxed and at ease.

As if sensing her "provocation," the tranquil clouds churned like ocean waves.

Scorching light spilled from the clouds and fell at her toes.

Let's go.

Seven days later, Hebe once again saw the three magnificent pyramids on the horizon.

After so many simulations, no matter how breathtaking the wonder, it could no longer move her.

That Eagle-feathered Warrior—the military noble named Sekhenkhet—was now kneeling on one knee beside the gates of Memphis. He had been kneeling there since the day before yesterday, awaiting the arrival of the new "Hermanubis."

On the other side stood the priest in the cylindrical hat. He was even more devout, even humbler, kneeling on both knees with his hands spread upward. Even his forehead touched the ground.

Their submission represented the military nobles and the temple priesthood, the two major factions both withdrawing from the struggle for the seat of Hermanubis.

For three days earlier, the King of Rams had emerged from the pyramid bearing an oracle.

It was an inscription fixed upon a stone tablet, like the marks left after it had been scorched by lightning and flame.

That gaunt figure, clad in black robes and wearing a crown as blazing as fire, lowered his horned head and cast an indifferent, contemptuous gaze upon them.

"Cease this endless and pointless struggle. His Majesty has grown tired of you."

Krum, the King of Rams and the mutual restraint of all forms, gently raised the stone tablet in his arms.

"By His Majesty's decree, the new 'Hermanubis' has already descended. His name is Imhotep. You may begin preparing the ceremony."

Just like that, with a few casual words, the conflict involving two major factions and dozens of families was brought to an end.

No matter how many grievances they harbored, no matter how unwilling they were, they all submitted before that oracle of the Red King.

In the middle of the road where the nobles and priests of the two great factions knelt, the King of Rams's gaunt, slender figure silently appeared. He still held the stone tablet bearing scorch marks in his arms, his burning eyes fixed on the distance.

At last, soft footsteps sounded from the far end of the sealed-off road.

Along both sides of the road in Memphis, everyone raised their eyes and silently watched the figure who could even be called "petite." No one spoke in opposition, yet the hostility lingering in their eyes was completely undisguised.

But when they saw those calm green eyes, everyone could not help but fall into a daze.

In that daze, Hebe passed through the Imperial Road crowded by them all and came to stand before the King of Rams, looking up to meet his gaze.

She neither spoke nor bowed, merely meeting his eyes without servility or arrogance.

The ram's head with its burning eyes slowly lowered, carrying a faintly mocking smile.

"—Imhotep?"

"Khnum." Hebe gripped her staff and looked up. "I don't have much time."

Deathly silence—absolute deathly silence—descended.

Warriors and priests alike turned their horrified gazes toward the center of the Imperial Road.

Ever since the King of Rams had become the Red King's hand more than two hundred years ago, no one had dared to speak loudly before him, much less show the slightest disrespect...

Not merely because he was Dusk, but because he was "the one who stood at the Red King's side"—the Red King's hand in the mortal world, and the mouth that conveyed the Red King's decrees.

After only one of the Three Kings remained, the King of Rams's authority had become even more impossible to face directly. Even one of his fellow Nine Sages had once been judged by him.

The King of Rams had personally drawn out that man's soul, sealed it within tens of thousands of scarabs, then reshaped his mind with sorcery, turning him into a colossal statue that would guard Memphis for eternity.

And when everyone realized what was about to happen, countless gazes filled with expectation, ambition, and anger fell upon Hebe.

They eagerly awaited the moment when this young little girl would be subjected to the King of Rams's cruelest punishment!

After a brief silence, the King of Rams's smile became stranger and sharper.

He slowly straightened, and endless shadows spread wildly from beneath his black robes, climbing up their shoulders and forming a sinister ring behind that ram's head.