What a real, steadfast man he was. That was precisely why she had fallen in love with him at first sight.
"If it weren't at a time like this, if there were another chance, perhaps... I would have come to like you. I'm sorry."
Moran brought things to an end with an apologetic remark.
He boarded his boat and sailed into the distance.
What had originally spread through her heart was anger.
After being rejected by this man, she should have felt nothing but hatred.
"But why... do I feel happy... No, no! That guy is just an awful bastard!"
Artemis clenched her small fists and puffed out her cheeks.
As though trying to stir up that anger again.
The feelings of liking and hating clashed within her heart. She had never felt so conflicted and tangled before.
She hated Moran, yet she liked Moran.
She liked the steadfast man who remained true to himself.
She hated the man who rejected her and chose to leave.
When she heard Moran reject her, she had clearly been furious enough to want to grind everything around her into dust.
"Hmph! What's with that?! You already have me, yet you still want to risk your life for other women! Darling, you're way too fickle!
Grrr... I should fire a planet-destroying cannon and teach you a lesson!"
Artemis was still feeling a little sulky.
Even the Machine God's main body in outer space gathered magical power several times, locking onto Moran on the sea.
Yet whenever she saw that handsome face.
She remembered him saying that he did not dislike her.
"Grrr! I'm so mad! What is going on... Idiot, idiot! Idiot Moran! If you want to meddle in other women's affairs, then go ahead! The people who want to see me could line up all across Olympus! I don't care about you anymore! Hmph!"
Artemis puffed up her cheeks and threw a stone.
In the end, she chose to forget this exceptional outing.
The complicated emotions tangled in her heart were unclear even to herself.
She did not want to dwell on those strange feelings anymore. She only wanted to return to being the Cold Machine God centered around her system.
Perhaps that would make her feel better.
She no longer wanted to concern herself with humans.
The Moon Goddess was throwing a little tantrum.
It was her first time encountering such unfamiliar emotions, so her response was somewhat less than ideal.
Everything had to start from zero.
You headed toward The Invisible Island aboard a small boat. Images of several beautiful women flashed through your mind, leaving you somewhat distracted.
In the end, only one figure remained in your heart.
Thus, you were able to focus completely.
You arrived in the sea region where The Invisible Island lay.
The changes in the sea region were far too obvious.
The sky was red, a seamless expanse of red. The space eroded by magical power was as thick and viscous as blood.
High in the sky, a gigantic shadow that defied common sense loomed overhead.
It was the soaring Caucasian Eagle.
The sky seemed to have become the territory of that magical beast, while vast stretches of the sea had been occupied by Scylla.
This was a demonic realm where humans were not permitted to set foot.
Strangely, though you had been on guard against these monsters, you discovered that they seemed to bear no hostility toward you.
A sense of foreboding surfaced in your heart.
You accelerated the boat and landed on The Invisible Island. Once ashore, you immediately began searching for the three sisters.
Fortunately, your search did not take long.
You found Stheno and Euryale in a mountain forest. They were greatly surprised to see you return to the island.
"Coming back to the island at a time like this, Moran, you really picked the wrong time. You still have a chance to leave now."
"How could I just abandon you two? Don't tell me you planned to let Medusa become corrupted like that, then have yourself and Euryale offer yourselves as sacrifices? I won't allow that to happen."
Moran had long seen through the concern behind Stheno's harsh words.
She did not want him to get caught up in this mess.
"Honestly! You really never listen! Medusa has already reached that point... You don't have to..."
Euryale revealed a sorrowful expression.
She and Stheno had long been prepared to stay with Medusa until the very end.
But Moran was different to them.
Moran had originally drifted here from outside the island. There was no need for him to involve himself in the tragedy of the Gorgon Sisters.
That was why Stheno and Euryale.
Both wanted to drive Moran away.
At the root of it, they simply did not want Moran to put himself in danger.
"You two..."
Just as Moran was about to say something.
A tremor like an earthquake spread throughout the entire island.
He could not help turning his gaze toward the entrance of the cave.
"Stheno, Euryale, hurry to the shore. As for Medusa... I'll deal with her!"
Moran turned around and spoke resolutely.
How could he allow the two older sisters to be devoured?
He had struggled to become a hero precisely to prevent tragedies. He absolutely could not allow this tragedy to unfold once more.
As they gazed at his broad, armored back.
Stheno and Euryale both froze for several seconds.
The child they had once raised and cared for had now grown into a hero capable of earning even a goddess's affection.
P.S.: I still hope to push for recommendations, so the updates can't be too fast.
However, the author will guarantee at least four updates every day, and bonus chapters can be accumulated and added later. I'll add two bonus chapters first today.
I'll catch up with the remaining bonus chapters as soon as possible. Six updates aren't easy either, so thank you all for your support!
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"Moran, are you going to slay Medusa?"
"..."
Moran could not answer Stheno.
This was the sight he least wanted to see.
He did not even have the spare attention to turn around and look after Stheno.
You rushed toward the source of the earthquake.
Amid the broken rubble of that temple, you caught sight of a mountain-sized figure radiating demonic energy.
She was vastly different from the image you remembered.
All manner of clogged hatred filled the depths of a shadow on the brink of breaking, producing ominous hisses that seemed to curse whoever heard them. Any hero would tremble before her.
And this was Medusa now.
"Guh—!"
Her beautiful, dignified face had become twisted.
Yet within it, one could still see pain etched into her very bones. Waves formed from curses continuously overflowed from her.
Half of her body had transformed into a huge, winding serpent's body.
The stench of blood had nearly taken physical form.
There were corpses whose faces had been gouged away, whose arms had been crushed, whose abdominal cavities had been torn open.
The traces of the dead who had been ravaged far beyond what was necessary.
Thousands upon thousands of bones were piled around the abandoned temple. They belonged to humans who had come to subdue Gorgon, only to be killed in return.
"You! Are you also! Here to kill—!?"
Medusa slightly raised her face, stained with blood.
Her eyes were faintly visible through her purple hair.
They were the Saronian Eye that pierced through darkness.
Within them burned a blazing red glow like fire, filled with hatred and madness.
"Medusa, don't tell me you can't even remember me anymore..."
Moran gritted his teeth and spoke in remorse.
The person he was angry at was himself.
Despite all his calculations, he had still been one step too late.
Although no one could control the process of corruption, you could not avoid the pain in your heart.
Looking at the woman you had once loved and spent every day beside.
She had actually fallen and transformed into such an Evil God.
Any man would feel heartbroken, yet even now, you still wanted to save Medusa.
"Ahhh—!!"
An ominous radiance erupted from Medusa's eyes.
It was the precursor of stagnation.
Moran stared at Medusa with a gaze of equal power, the light in his purple eyes continually gathering.
Both possessed the Petrifying Magic Eye.
Two black rays that tore through the air collided violently.
The majesty of their Mystic Eyes canceled each other out.
"Die! Die! Just die already!"
Medusa had been dominated by her demonic nature.
At this moment, she was a monster no different from a calamity.
Those purple serpent-like eyes were as vicious as those of an evil ghost as her gaze suddenly turned toward Moran.
If this had been back aboard the Argo.
There would have been no path but to subdue such a monster.
Now that Moran had become a hero, he could only point his blade at the woman he had once deeply loved.
You and Medusa fell into a fierce battle.
Before you continue