A Certain Cross-Anime's Divine Right

Chapter 83: I Need a Master Craftsman!

"Your sins reach the heavens, and brimstone and fire shall consume all!"

Roy jumped in surprise as the giant owl descended from the sky. He had no time to deal with the arrow lodged in his left shoulder and quickly raised his hand to chant a Word Spirit.

The dark sky, influenced by Athena's divine power, turned crimson. The snow-white ground of the Alps became blood-red. Countless meteor-like flames capable of destroying the world rained down from the vortex, and hellfire emanating a sulfurous scent surged from the depths of the earth.

"Goo-goo-goo-goo-"

"Boom-boom-boom-boom-"

The giant owl let out a mournful cry, like that of a nightjar or a dove. Struck by the heavenly fire from above, countless streams of light-flame descended like a missile swarm, targeting it in a continuous barrage. The deafening explosions were incessant, shattering the earth, tearing apart the sky, and reducing mountains to plains.

The hellfire surging from the earth's depths also ignited Gorgon's giant serpent, turning it to charcoal. Yet, even so, the giant serpent, cut in two, did not die. It actually began to shed its skin.

Witnessing this scene, Roy felt a chill run down his spine. It was like a monster from a horror movie. Even burned by the earthfire summoned by his "Sodom's Sin" Authority, Gorgon did not die. This immortality was beyond reason.

Fortunately, the owl overhead was temporarily dealt with, which also prolonged Gorgon's revival time, giving Roy enough breathing room.

He was no Prometheus; he couldn't survive even with his innards pecked out. If that giant owl had ripped him open, Roy was certain he would have died.

Roy gripped the arrow in his left shoulder with his right hand and gritted his teeth as he pulled it out. Blood spurted from the wound. Before Roy could even catch his breath, dozens more arrows shot out from the swirling mist of heavenly fire and sulfur.

"Is this ever going to end!"

Roy growled and chanted a new Word Spirit.

"Holy! Holy! My glory fills the heavens!"

Huge angelic wings unfurled behind him, and a halo appeared above his head. As "Lord of Light" was activated, Roy dodged the arrows with 'Divine Speed', only to see them pierce the mountain wall, turning it into a sieve.

Then, on the land that had turned into saline soil, the ancient goddess stood proudly, holding a bow and arrow as she gazed at Roy in the sky.

"Truly terrifying immortality. Even if the body is severed, it can be restored. Even if it falls into the underworld, it can crawl out again. Even if the soul is annihilated, as long as a wisp remains, it can revive. It's simply an unkillable monster!"

Roy, floating in the air, felt extremely troubled. Such an Athena was more difficult to deal with than a hedgehog. No matter how he chopped or killed, he could never defeat her. Then, when he was exhausted, she would wield the scythe of death to harvest his life.

"What nonsense are you spouting, Roy! I am the goddess of serpents. No matter how a snake dies, it sheds its skin and is reborn. No matter how much a woman bleeds, she does not die. I am also the goddess of the underworld, and the underworld is naturally my domain. Therefore, even if I fall into the underworld, I will naturally return to the mortal world from it."

Athena's smile held elegance and the pride of victory. She addressed Roy in a gentle tone, but the killing intent in her snake-like eyes froze the very earth.

"Your Authority is primarily usurped from Michael. Although powerful, it has many limitations. Let me see how long you can last against me. Merely running away will not lead to victory!"

Athena's words made Roy's expression darken. As expected of the goddess of wisdom, she had completely understood his Authority and its limitations within the short exchange.

Even with 'Clairvoyance' tracing back through time, Athena was undoubtedly the most supreme among all Disobedient Gods.

Campiones were peculiar beings. When someone became a Campione by slaying a god through sheer luck, their first divine slaying was the most difficult. Once completed, the Campione would gain more Authorities. Campiones and Disobedient Gods did not have a vast power gap to begin with. Campiones with more Authorities found it easier to defeat gods and thus usurp more Authorities, creating a virtuous cycle.

It could be said that all Campiones, as long as they lived long enough, could treat god-slaying as a pastime, like Marquis Voban, because the Campiones' Authorities would continuously increase, while the Disobedient Gods' Authorities would remain unchanged.

Only when the Last King descended and annihilated all Campiones with his power that transcended their ranks would the next cycle begin.

Among all the Disobedient Gods throughout history, excluding the Last King, Athena was the only one who had ever killed a Campione. All other Disobedient Gods had been defeated by Campiones. This alone demonstrated Athena's prowess.

This valiant goddess transformed into the god of war. She wore a white robe resembling that of a priestess. Her bow and arrow were gone; in her right hand, she held a sword, and in her left, the famous Medusa Shield. She leaped forward like a Spartan, engaging Roy in close-quarters combat.

Roy, using his Divine Speed Authority and his fists, clashed with Athena amidst the devastated mountains. His "Jacob's Ladder" struck the Medusa Shield, producing only the clang of metal. The long sword in Athena's right hand was no ordinary weapon; each slash was aimed at Roy's neck. If not for the enhancement of Divine Speed, Roy would have likely been decapitated long ago. Even so, his body was covered in countless crisscrossing bloodstains.

Conversely, Athena was even more at ease in this melee. Although Ares was the god of war in Greek mythology, when it came to true combat prowess, Athena was undoubtedly the first. Even Zeus could not compare to her, as Zeus relied on lightning rather than close-quarters combat.

Athena's martial arts had already attained the divine realm, a skill that allowed her to fight the monster king Typhon without defeat—a technique beyond mortal imagination.

Even though Roy had mastered "Jacob's Ladder," allowing him to ascend instantly to the pinnacle of martial arts, it was merely the limit of a mortal, unable to step into the divine realm.

The Metatron and even Solomon that past Roy had encountered did not possess such exaggerated martial arts, which was why Roy could easily engage in close-quarters combat. But now, facing the true goddess of war in Greek mythology, Roy's martial arts weaknesses were exposed.

I need a master craftsman!

Roy was almost completely defenseless, only able to parry. He was entirely relying on his speed to sustain himself. No matter how strong his "Jacob's Ladder" was, or how noble the power of The Bible he possessed, he was utterly helpless against the vast gap in skill.

And the person who could teach Roy was no ordinary knight. Even Sect Master Luo Hao could not do it, because Sect Master Luo Hao's martial arts only touched upon the divine realm. Her battles against gods relied on Authority and martial arts enhanced by Authority, not pure martial arts techniques.

True combat techniques that reached the divine realm were capable of slaying gods with those very techniques!

Chapter 84: Seventh Form, "Struggling Against the Gods"

(Athena was very powerful in the original work. In the anime and the first volume of the novel, she was defeated by force. With Athena's secret techniques later on, it would have been impossible for Kusanagi Godou to defeat her back then. In the end, Kusanagi Godou only defeated her after learning Athena's secret techniques, otherwise he would have been instantly killed by the Last King...)

"Is this all you have! Roy. Crowley. If this is all you can do, then I can only express my disappointment."

Athena, holding her shield in her left hand and her sword in her right, brought down a heavy chop that shattered a massive rock. She then looked at Roy, who was floating in the air. Her imposing figure exuded divine might. Although her aura was slightly chaotic and her robe bore some signs of damage, compared to Roy, she could be described as unharmed.

Roy's body was covered in crisscrossing bloodstains. Although none were fatal, if the bleeding continued, it would drain his stamina.

Athena was truly the most difficult enemy for Roy. All his Authorities had limitations in quantity and time. His true method of dealing with enemies was to use "Jacob's Ladder," an Authority activated in his normal state, for close-quarters combat, and then find an opportunity for a killing blow during the fight.

But all of this was predicated on Roy having the upper hand or fighting to a draw in close-quarters combat. However, Athena, as the goddess of war, possessed unparalleled martial arts. Even Sect Master Luo Hao was no match for her. She was a rare monster among Disobedient Gods who had already attained divinity in terms of martial skill. To clash with such a monster in martial arts and close-quarters combat was tantamount to seeking death.

But Roy had no choice. He could only rely on close-quarters combat to fight Athena now. His other Authorities had already broken Athena's 'Gorgon Serpent Body,' temporarily depriving her of that powerful ability and forcing her to abandon her Authority and resort to melee combat. However, Roy had not expected her martial arts to reach such a level.

I must force out her final move...

Roy had once used 'Clairvoyance' to trace back through time and personally witnessed Athena's secret technique—a terrifying ability capable of eliminating a Campione in one move. It was a Sword of Wisdom comparable to the 'Divine Blade of Salvation's' valiant strike from the Last King.

If he couldn't force out this move from Athena, then Roy's strongest trump card, 'Divine Right,' could not be used.

It could be said that Athena was a Disobedient God who was impossible to defeat without using a trump card.

"What are you still saying, Athena! How could our battle end like this? It should be said that it has only just begun!"

Roy was in quite a predicament. Whether it was his fist techniques or swordplay, they were like mere juggling acts before Athena. The Divine Artifact in her hand was exceptionally sharp; if he were to be struck in a vital spot by the blade in her right hand, even a Campione would surely die. Especially the Medusa's Shield in her left hand, which not only possessed extremely high defensive power, but the Gorgon's head atop it could even unleash surprise attacks like the 'Petrifying Magic Eye' during battle.

"This is more like it, Roy. Crowley! If you were to perish so easily, how could you be called my fated rival? Come, let us fight on this battlefield like the great heroes who charged across the plains of Greece, and let our blood, your blood and mine, consecrate this battle of our destinies!"

"…I am the one who summons winter, who governs life and death, the ruler of the cold underworld, the queen who seizes and plunders. I command, Roy Crowley, become a dead king, turn into an eternal corpse!"

Athena chanted the Word Spirit. The blade in her right hand once again transformed into a scythe of darkness. As the Word Spirit was recited, not only her scythe but even the air around her turned into the aura of the underworld. Roy felt the chill and the stillness of death, turning into black mist, encroaching upon his body. This queen, just as she said, intended to turn him into the corpse of the dead.

"Hahahaha, die!! You who covet the goddess, turn to dust here!"

"Boom------"

Athena's elegant foot stomped upon the earth, shaking the already broken mountain peak into another large crater. She then shot towards the sky like a cannonball, the scythe in her hand the soul-reaping blade of the Grim Reaper, determined to snatch Roy's soul.

Taking a deep breath, he suppressed the chilling death with a Magic Power stronger than that of an ordinary Campione. Roy clenched his fists, and Solomon's rings appeared on his fingers. The seventh form of "Jacob's Ladder," completed by fusing "Solomon's Wisdom" with his Spirit Base, was contained within those two fists.

He had bypassed the sixth form and gone directly to the seventh, solely because this move was specifically for gods, much like "Saint Martha Subdues the Dragon" had a special attack against dragons. The seventh form of "Jacob's Ladder" was a god-specific attack!

However, this move consumed too much Magic Power, so Roy rarely used it, even in his usual practice.

The power of The Bible surged within his fists. Roy's right hand opened, transforming into a sky-supporting giant palm, reaching out to grab the roaring Athena--

"Might Against God!"

The Bible records that Jacob once grabbed God's shoulder with his hand, preventing God from leaving, thus keeping God there and leaving God's glory in Israel.

This is why "Jacob's Ladder" is called the strongest combat technique in The Bible, its true essence. It is an unparalleled secret art that even God cannot evade, must be captured, and thus victory is obtained.

"What?!"

Athena's beautiful eyes were filled with utter horror. Roy simply reached out towards her. The movement of that hand was extremely slow, but no matter how Athena dodged, she couldn't escape. Her entire body's muscles performed one hundred and seven different evasion methods, but no matter which one she used, the conclusion was that she would be grabbed by the shoulder by this hand.

Even the black scythe in her hand could not stop it. No matter how she tried to sever Roy's right wrist with the scythe, it was strangely dodged.

Roy's right hand grabbed Athena's smooth, jade-like left shoulder. However, Roy felt no lust, only the impulse of his actions. The moment his right hand grasped the goddess's shoulder, he lunged into Athena's embrace and struck her abdomen fiercely with his left elbow.

"Waa------"

The intense pain in her abdomen made Athena's vision go black. A mouthful of blood spurted from her delicate red lips, splashing all over Roy's face. But Roy's expression was as calm as nothingness. After the elbow strike, he used a wrestling move, flipping Athena's delicate body over with his right hand and throwing her towards the ground like a shot put.

"Boom--------"

The beautiful goddess directly pierced the ground, smashing a huge pit into the earth. The Magic Power with its divine-killing properties rampaged within her body, almost severing her nerves and muscles, causing the war goddess to let out a painful wail.

"Ahhhhhhhhh------"

Amidst the cries of pain, Athena crawled out of the pit.

"Cough... cough... It was my carelessness. I didn't expect you to have such a trump card. That move must have the concept of 'certain hit,' right? Even I couldn't dodge it and could only be caught off guard by your success."

Athena's clothes were tattered, revealing her graceful figure beneath the 'Toga Robe,' fair and smooth as jade.

She coughed continuously while clutching her abdomen, the blood at the corner of her lips looking vividly fresh.

"Hoo..."

Roy exhaled the turbid air from his chest. This move consumed too much Magic Power. It wasn't easy to recreate the divine miracles from The Bible with Magic Power.

"Athena, do you have any more moves? If not, then I shall return your words to you. If this is all you have, then I can only express my disappointment! Although that last move also greatly taxed me, I can still perform it a few more times. I just don't know how many more times your goddess body can endure!"

Roy's right hand trembled slightly, and even blood seeped from his palm. The miracle and concept contained within this move, "Might Against God," were too profound, and Roy couldn't execute it without sustaining injuries.

"Ha... ha... ha... Don't underestimate me. If this is your trump card, then you are merely struggling on your deathbed!"

Athena's face was flushed with anger. She had been on the offensive all along, but she never expected Roy to have such a hidden card, injuring her by surprise with one move. Moreover, that peculiar god-targeting Magic Power was too strange, constantly trying to destroy her body, forcing her to suppress and expel it with divine power.

No, it couldn't be said to be by surprise. Athena recalled the move "Might Against God" carefully and finally realized with sorrow that if Roy were to use it again, she would still have no way to dodge it.

Since that's the case--

"Then I shall send you to the underworld with this secret technique! Your eyes should have witnessed my secret technique. A thousand years ago, I severed the head of a Campione. If you are afraid, then flee quickly now, flee as far as you can!"

Athena's voice was clear and high.

She was not lying, for Roy had seen it when he traced back through time. It was a secret technique that perhaps only the Last King could withstand.

"I am the goddess with heavenly wisdom. This is--the Sword of Wisdom!"

Athena dispelled her blade and shield. What appeared between her hands was the goddess's wisdom!

Her most well-known name was--Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom!

Chapter Eighty-Five: Roy's Right Hand and Athena's Wisdom

"With this sword, I shall bring the end and the beginning to this world. This is the wisdom of a goddess!"

Divine power, which could almost be described as scorching, roared from Athena's body. The residual pressure of her divine power alone caused the surrounding space to burn, and the flow of wind to stagnate.

Before Roy, Athena revealed her true form. She was the moon and darkness, the Earth Mother, the Queen of the Night.

Roy's magic eyes saw it, he saw what was in Athena's hand.

It was black steel, burning black metal, it was a sword, it was attracting, absorbing, compressing, destroying, crushing, and releasing.

It was the rotation of the stars, depicted in a perfect arc, spinning everything into a tornado, a hurricane, a storm.

The sword in Athena's hand gradually took shape, turning into a pitch-black color, like a black hole that could absorb and crush all things, a terrifying weapon that could annihilate everything in the world.

Indeed, this is the Sword of Storms, the Sword of Dragons, the Sword of Dawn, the Sword of Ruin, the Sword of Wisdom of the Goddess!

You will definitely die!

Roy's instincts as a Campione told him that, within this world, anyone caught within the attack range of that sword, be it a Campione or a Disobedient God, even the Last King, would be easily annihilated, effortlessly wiped out.

Before this sword, the only options were to wait for death or to wield a power equal to or greater than its own to resist.

And in the past Roy had glimpsed, only the Last King possessed a killing move that could rival this sword.

A thousand years ago, a Campione who had slain many gods and mastered numerous Authorities stood against Athena. He was a Demon King like Marquis Voban, who treated god-slaying as a pastime. Laughing heartily, he charged at the goddess, but in the end, he met his demise in despairing screams.

All that powerful Campione could do for this world in the end was to steal Athena's Gorgon Stone using an Authority he had usurped from some god of theft. Before dying, he flung this beacon of the Earth Mother Goddess away, causing Athena to lose most of her power and fall into slumber.

This was not a Disobedient God that any single Campione could defeat; her Sword of Wisdom was enough to pierce through any Campione.

"This is destruction, and also rebirth. This is the beginning, and also the end. Thus, the heavens and earth were created—"

Athena raised her hands, and between them was a void of utter darkness. Roy couldn't even tell if it was truly a sword, for it absorbed all light like a black hole, rendering all vision useless within its pitch-black expanse.

"Roy. Crowley, you didn't run? No, you knew. Even if you ran, you couldn't escape. Wisdom is the speed of thought. Wherever I direct my mind, I shall cross all distance and time."

Athena gripped the 'Black Sword' in her hand and pointed the object, like a dark star, at Roy.

At that moment, Roy's body trembled, his Magic Power surged wildly, for he felt death approaching.

"It's over. I will remember you. A Demon King as bold as you, and different from other Campiones, is unforgettable even to me. Go to the wilderness of the underworld, wander like a lonely ghost until you completely vanish."

Blood trickled from Athena's lips. A flicker of regret flashed in her amber eyes, but she was the Goddess of War, the Goddess of Wisdom. Both her heart that fought on the battlefield and her heart where sparks of wisdom ignited allowed her to never hesitate or feel pity.

"Since you won't speak, then make a heroic exit!"

"I am Athena, thousand dragons, thousand serpents, I command you all to transform into a sword here!"

This wasn't the force of wind blowing, but the force of wind being gathered. Roy saw through the true nature of this secret technique and Authority at a glance: it was wind pressure. Absolute wind pressure creating spacetime faults, absolute wind pressure crushing space, thereby creating a 'Wisdom' like a black hole that could grind all matter into dust.