It was an indescribable terror.
Flames burned as visible crimson aura filled the conference room. Though it merely floated before him, the enormous nodachi seemed to have already fallen, smashing down onto Karna's head and shattering everything he had once taken pride in.
The Key of Corruption was slowly taking effect.
In the span of a single instant, he had gone from feeling as though he were in heaven to plunging into hell.
The Key of Corruption invaded his soul, found that instant of negative emotion, and refined it, replaying it over and over like a film. Karna's face gradually turned pale as paper, and his formerly perked-up Lupo ears flattened completely.
Jizo Mitama took another step forward.
Karna collapsed to the floor and crawled backward using both arms.
"Don't come any closer!"
The shrine maiden's hair floated upward, giving her an eerie air utterly unlike before. She remained where she was, while Jizo Mitama continued forward.
"Don't come any closer, aaaaaah!!"
An unspeakable silence fell over the scene. Lisa rubbed her eyes and looked up at her mother, seeming as though she wanted to say something but hesitated.
"Is that the kind of god Dad worships?"
"No, Lisa. Look at the brutality hidden beneath that armor. Rather than a god, that thing is more like a vengeful spirit. When gods die, they probably become something like that."
Lisa nodded. Back then, in order to win over Dad, Mom had done a great deal of research on gods and put in plenty of effort. During their daily chats, Mom had already told her about it hundreds of times without tiring, so Lisa was not surprised.
"My title is..."
In an unusually dramatic move, Hoshino raised her sword with both hands. Jizo Mitama likewise raised its two blades and stacked them