With a smooth, fluid motion, Athena drew her bow, nocked an arrow, and let it loose.
The weapon in her hands was no mere tool—it was a divine armament, as befitting one of the most renowned goddesses in the world. Every artifact in Athena's possession was a divine relic of formidable power.
The arrow blazed like a falling star, streaking from the earth toward the sky. It shone with the brilliance of comet, reminiscent of Arash's legendary arrow, capable of bringing down the stars themselves.
Its target was the Black Prince's chest.
How did Athena keep up with us?!
Alexander Gascoigne was utterly bewildered.
He and Roy had traversed from the United States to Canada in mere moments, relying on their Authorities of Godspeed. Did Athena possess such an ability as well?
Then, he saw them. The writhing serpents, slithering forth from the earth. And understanding dawned upon him. It was not speed that allowed Athena to follow them, it was the earth itself. (T/N: The legendary earth escape technique from cultivation novels?)
As a chthonic deity, a goddess of the land, Athena had used the veins of the earth as her conduit, teleporting across the world. Roy had served as her beacon, allowing her to track their movement. But even though he now understood the method, it no longer mattered.
The arrow was already upon him.
Gascoigne was certain that if this arrow pierced his chest, he would be gravely wounded at least. In this inescapable predicament, where the sky and land alike were sealed off, serious injury meant certain death.
But at this moment, he had no means of dodging. His fastest escape method—Super Speed—was completely neutralized by Roy's Sword of Judgment.
Gascoigne was now on his last legs.
But—
"Even so… I won't let you have it easy!"
The Black Prince gritted his teeth and instead of dodging, he surged forward, charging headfirst into the arrow.
At the same time, he activated his strongest offensive Authority—
"Hear me, daughters of the endless night, daughters of the earth and shadow. Fighting evil with evil, repaying crime with crime, shedding blood for blood, knocking out a tooth for a tooth, thus vengeance begins. By the blood of the slain mother, tragic death denies all future attempts at filial piety! Megaera the demon, Tisiphone the avenger, Alecto the relentless, retrieve the curse and execute vengeance!
"Judging Furies!"
This was an Authority usurped from the Furies or otherwise also known as Erinyes, the three Greek goddesses of vengeance.
It allowed him to summon the Furies and manifest a Domain of Retribution, reflecting all damage inflicted upon him back to his assailant.
However, this Authority had one severe drawback: The user must endure the full brunt of the damage as well.
This authority was meant to be a trump card, a response to an enemy's finishing move, allowing Gascoigne to reverse the tide of battle at the last moment. But now, he had no choice but to use it preemptively.
SPLURT—!
The arrow pierced Gascoigne's chest, and at that very moment, the Domain of Retribution activated. The same arrow, now imbued with the power of vengeance, turned back toward Athena, streaking toward her with equal force.
"Alecto, Megaera, Tisiphone… So it really is you three."
Athena's amber serpent-like eyes gazed coldly upon the three goddesses summoned by the Black Prince. As the Goddess of Wisdom, she knew them well. Standing tall atop the head of a colossal serpent, she exuded an aura of effortless dominance. A faint, knowing smile played at the corners of her lips, completely unfazed.
The reflected arrow soared toward Athena but she had long anticipated this move. With a graceful motion, she raised her divine shield—
"Aegis of the Gorgon, defend this goddess of death."
The divine artifact easily deflected the attack.
"Gascoigne, this Judging Furies move was your final card, wasn't it?"
Her voice was calm and knowing.
"Summoning the Furies in advance, keeping them hidden until the moment of a fatal strike, then reflecting the enemy's own attack back at them… A truly devious yet effective strategy.
"But if your setup is known beforehand—this Authority becomes utterly meaningless."
Roy's Clairvoyance had long since seen through Gascoigne's tactics. That was why Roy had allowed Athena to fire an arrow that was ultimately non-lethal. Its purpose was not to kill but to force Gascoigne to use his trump card. (T/N: Wao!)
The Judging Furies was indeed a formidable Authority, but precisely because of its power, it came with restrictions. After activation, Gascoigne would be unable to use it again for some time.
Unlike Roy's Holy Right, which had no theoretical upper limit, Gascoigne's Judging Furies was constrained, it could only reflect attacks up to a certain magnitude. If an opponent struck with a force beyond its limit, the Domain of Retribution would simply shatter.
However, doing so would still cause the maximum amount of damage the Authority could withstand to be reflected back. Roy had no reason to take such an unnecessary risk.
Now, the Domain of Retribution had been used up, wasted on nothing more than a single, unremarkable arrow. Gascoigne's strongest counterattack, was now utterly worthless.
The Black Prince stood silent, an arrow embedded deep in his chest. His breathing grew labored. Each gasp brought up fresh blood, spilling from his lips.
From beginning to end, this cunning godslayer of schemes and deceptions had been completely outmaneuvered, played like a puppet in Roy's hands. It was a fate beyond tragic. No matter how brilliant a strategy may be, its foundation relies on intelligence. Roy's Clairvoyance granted him access to everything about Gascoigne.
But Gascoigne? He knew nothing about Roy in comparison. Faced with this insurmountable information gap, his every move had been anticipated, his every strategy countered, left him utterly helpless.
This was the wisdom of Solomon.
"It's over, Black Prince. This is where it all ends!"
Roy swept his hand outward. The legions of angels above surged forth, transforming into a divine flood of devastation, rushing toward Gascoigne like an unstoppable tide.
On the earth below, Athena lifted her chin slightly.
A silent command.
And in an instant, dragons and serpents burst into motion, rising into the heavens to clash in a brutal, blood-soaked battle.
Surrounded by the combined forces of angels above and the monstrous horde below, Gascoigne was trapped in a living nightmare. He fled in every direction, but each attempt was swiftly blocked. Even the Three Furies, whom he had summoned, were swallowed by the relentless onslaught.
Though the Furies could serve as familiars after manifesting their Domain of Retribution, against an army of angels and divine beasts, their power was meaningless.
But a Campione does not die so easily. Even as his body was torn apart, even as the enemy's blades and fangs rained down upon him.
Gascoigne, bleeding and battered, refused to surrender. With his failing strength, he spoke a final incantation.
A monstrous form rose from the abyss, a creature of the deep, glistening with a haunting beauty.
The Faceless Queen was his last hope!
This was another of Gascoigne's Authorities, a powerful summon, a mythical being akin to a siren.
Gascoigne's Authorities had always revolved around escape, deception, and traps he lacked any true means of direct attack.
But before Roy could react, Athena moved.
The goddess, standing tall atop her serpent, was already in motion. Armor gleamed across her divine form. In one hand, her unyielding shield. In the other, her blade, flashing with divine radiance.
With a single effortless leap, she ascended into the air and Her sword traced a perfect arc, dazzling and hypnotic. And in one swift strike—
The Faceless Queen was beheaded.
A mere half-human, half-serpent monster. Could it ever hope to stand against the Goddess of Wisdom and War?
Roy couldn't help but admire Athena's divine martial prowess.
Had her swordsmanship been something a mortal could learn, something that wasn't an innate skill belonging to the War Goddess herself. He would have knelt before her as a disciple long ago.
With the Faceless Queen's death, and with the Furies torn apart, Gascoigne was finally, truly helpless.
"Roy!"
The voice of the fearless war goddess rang through the battlefield. Roy nodded slightly, signaling that he understood. Together, he and Athena moved as one—one in front, one behind—trapping Gascoigne in an inescapable pincer.
And then, they activated their Mystic Eyes.
Gaze of Medusa.
Eyes of Sodom. (T/N: For those who don't remember, this is watered down version of his Sin of Sodom authority)
The snake-like amber eyes of Athena locked onto him from the front. Behind him, Roy's crimson double pupils glowed with ominous power.
And before Gascoigne could even react, his body began to change. His hands and feet turned to solid stone. His torso and limbs transformed into pillars of salt.
His fate was sealed.
Roy advanced slowly. Not rushing. Not hesitating. He raised his Sword of Judgment.
There was no remorse in his eyes. No hesitation.
Only, the calm certainty of judgment. The blood-red cross-shaped blade plunged into Gascoigne's chest and pierced his heart.
A surge of divine power exploded from the blade, ripping his internal organs apart.
The God-Slayer. The Black Prince. Alexander Gascoigne, the Devil King of the Earth had fallen.