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The morning sun cast its first rays over Mount Ooiwa, a mountain near Ashikaga City, marking the start of a brand new day.
The once lush forest surrounding Mount Ooiwa had vanished, replaced by a scene of utter devastation. Countless trees were either snapped in half or uprooted, and the surrounding earth and rocks were pulverized into fine gravel, the largest pieces no bigger than marbles.
Craters, each at least thirty meters in diameter, scarred the landscape. From the sky, the Aokigahara forest was gone, replaced by a pockmarked wasteland, as if it had been bombarded by missiles for days.
In one of these craters, Haru lay battered and broken. His shoes were gone, his body covered in dried, dark brown blood. Several ribs protruded from his chest, his left arm bent at an unnatural angle, clearly a compound fracture. Despite these horrific injuries, Haru's spine remained straight.
Standing opposite him was the Heavenly Emperor, his appearance unchanged from when he reappeared at the Migiwa residence.
It had been three days since their battle began. Haru and the Heavenly Emperor had engaged in a bloody three-day, three-night fight in this forest. Judging by their appearances, it seemed the Heavenly Emperor had won. However…
"Hahahaha! I admire you! I truly admire you!" The Heavenly Emperor laughed maniacally, his form flickering, becoming translucent.
"With our Authorities activated and our physical abilities nearly equal, you dared to engage in a war of attrition against me, a Heavenly Emperor. You even managed to exhaust me to the point of death!"
"Compared to the you who fought my fallen form before, the you now is a true warrior, a true Godslayer!!!"
"Now, take it! Usurp all that I have! I look forward to our next battle!"
With a final burst of laughter, the Heavenly Emperor's form turned to dust, scattering in the wind…
"What a monster! That guy actually managed to deplete eighty percent of my magical energy. That's the equivalent of eight Godslayers!" Haru's voice was slightly slurred, the result of countless blows to the face during their three-day battle. Fortunately, he had won, and as the victor, he survived.
Although his body was in far worse shape than three days ago, the fire in Haru's eyes burned brighter than ever.
The Heavenly Emperor was right. Three days ago, Haru was just an Average Joe who had suddenly gained immense power. Although he was a bit crazy, he was still within the realm of ordinary humans.
But now, after three days of relentless battle, his body and spirit tempered by hardship, he had become a true warrior, a true Devil King.
Haru's body slowly slumped, and he fell into a deep sleep. "O. Earth, grant me the power of life once more!"
Haru found himself in a place that was nowhere and everywhere. It wasn't a place that existed on Earth. It was a world of gray, a gray space stretching to the horizon.
However, there was one exception.
"We finally meet!" A young girl stood before him. She was about ten years old, with delicate features and a slender, almost childlike frame. Despite this... Her long golden hair was parted to the sides, and she wore a thin white dress. Though she appeared young, her eyes held a captivating, almost seductive quality that surpassed any woman he had ever met.
For a moment, Haru couldn't place her, but then it hit him. Her name was Pandora.
"Well, well! Looks like you slept your way to your mommy's place"
"Is that so.." Haru said wearily
"That's right! My good son!" Pandora beamed. Although she was their mother in name, Godslayers, with their disdain for Gods, rarely showed her any respect. Being berated by her other six children was a common occurrence. It was refreshing to meet such an obedient child.
"As I thought, you are the most special child!" Pandora said, gently cradling Haru's head in her lap as they talked.
"Oh? Special?" Haru asked, looking at the youthful goddess.
"Yes! You have none of the drawbacks from the ritual and are even stronger than the others. Would you tell mommy how that happened? ...But it's okay if you don't. Mommy likes children with secrets!" Pandora inquired with a gentle smile. Despite her youthful appearance, she exuded a powerful maternal aura.
"Oh, that? It's hard to explain. Let's just say my body absorbs the benefits and discards the drawbacks," Haru said after a moment of thought. He decided to reveal a bit of the truth, but not the whole story.
"Hmm, hmm! I see! So that's why you've become like this." Pandora nodded, as if she understood something profound.
"Become like this? Like what?" Haru was even more confused.
"Don't you know? Compared to other Godslayers, you're closer to a god now. Not a Heretic God, but a true god from mythology, slumbering in the realm of death."
"And you're closer to us Earth Mothers than even the Serpent King. It's like you were born from all the Earth Goddesses combined. It's truly wonderful!" Pandora's voice was filled with joy. Having no Godslayer drawbacks meant he wouldn't be hunted down and could live a long life. And his closeness to the Earth Goddesses was a divine blessing.
In her eternal solitude, she had finally found a family member to keep her company, a true family member, not just one in name.
"Will you become my real child?" Pandora asked, her eyes filled with longing and hope as she gazed at Haru.
"Sure, why not? This body is already yours in name, so it doesn't really matter." Haru shrugged, his expression nonchalant. His soul, after all, belonged to someone else.
And then, Pandora kissed him.
Divine blood flowed into his body, transforming him completely.
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