The Spear That Pierces God
The Hydra Guild had been the undisputed strongest blade in Hades' arsenal, having executed countless prestigious guilds up to this point. And Veronica, the master of the Hydra Guild, could feel her death approaching with absolute certainty.
A pressure as heavy as a towering mountain crushed down on her shoulders, and a vicious killing intent toyed with her. This was no exaggeration. She was truly going to die.
Yet even with death staring her in the face, she smiled instead.
She was willing to stake her life for the things she loved. It was twisted, but it could certainly be called a conviction. Isaac did not deny even that. Because she was right.
Isaac reached for the sword at his waist. But his hand only grasped empty air. Sensing something wrong, his eyes turned toward where his blade should have been.
"Didn't I tell you?"
⟨ I Investigated Everything About You ⟩
"……."
"Tsk."
The sword that had definitely been hanging at his waist had been shattered to pieces with a single gesture from Veronica. Having thoroughly investigated Isaac, she had reached a firm conclusion.
[If Isaac draws his sword, I cannot win.]
Even in his weakened state, this was the man who had slain the Tyrant of the Earth, Behemoth, with a single strike. Confronting him head-on would mean certain defeat. But that did not mean she had no options.
"That may be true. But what about the child behind me?"
"……!!"
"I really can't tell."
Before Veronica's sly voice could even reach him, Isaac had already moved first. A spike surging up from the floor aimed for Zeek's throat, but it was blocked by Isaac.
"Master!!!"
"I see. So it's a hostage situation."
Even without his sword, Veronica could not defeat Isaac in a direct confrontation. He was the one who could crush even Urcan, the Lion King who ruled the northeast, from the front. No matter how monstrous she was, having mastered countless spells, her head would burst like a watermelon before her magic could pierce him.
She had seen it herself. In the virtual reality she created by combining her information on Isaac without any adjustments, the probability of winning in a head-on battle had never once appeared.
At least, not from the front.
"……."
Still, it did not particularly matter. It would be the same as killing the conviction of the man named Isaac Silvertehr. Of course, that would mean her own certain death, but she had included even that without hesitation. It was an operation that could never be considered normal.
Isaac said nothing and simply took his stance. He raised both arms like a solid shield. Realizing what that meant, Veronica laughed and shouted.
"Master!!!"
"Kuh……!!"
Veronica was not without her own trump card. Based on all the information she had gathered so far, she had personally created a spell capable of wounding Isaac Silvertehr's body and had come this far with it.
"I have interpreted and combined every single spell that exists in this world."
⟨ A Spell Created Solely For You ⟩
Among all the magic that existed in this world, she had incorporated every single attribute that could pierce through defenses. The ultimate spear that no shield could possibly stop. That was what now appeared before Veronica.
Longinus
The spear that denied even gods struck Isaac's two arms. It was a spell that could pierce through ordinary authorities in an instant, yet Isaac held firm. However, it was not without effect.
"The wound is a bit deep, isn't it?"
"……."
"Master, that wound……!!"
Zeek was horrified. It was a deep gash that exposed bone. Even when he had fought the Lion King Urcan, he had not suffered such a serious injury. That damnable bitch who deserved to be torn apart!
Meanwhile, Isaac silently stared at his own arm. This was the first time he had ever received such a severe wound. Naturally, excruciating pain raced up his arm and straight into his brain. He didn't know about anything else, but he was certain of one thing.
If he continued to simply block like this, he might really die.
Yet Isaac did not hesitate for even a moment. He raised both arms once more.
"Who said anything about dying? This is a contest."
At first, she had thought he had given up and nearly lost interest. But Veronica soon realized that was not the case. How did she know? Because his eyes were still burning.
A chill ran down her spine.
It was a contest. Even in such a hopeless situation, he still refused to yield. She had never seen such an indomitable spirit before. That made her even more excited. How much ecstasy would she feel if she could make this man submit!
Excitement clouded both the mind and vision. Veronica had originally planned to attack Zeek intermittently, but she completely fell for Isaac's provocative words. Dominated by excitement from head to toe, she let out a maniacal laugh and hurled countless spears solely at Isaac.
Watching him block every single one, Zeek bit her lip.
'Master deliberately provoked her... for my sake...!!'
Master had not taunted that woman for no reason. He had done it on purpose to draw every possible threat that might fly toward Zeek herself onto him. The reason was obvious.
To protect me.
Only then did Zeek realize the true meaning behind the name Iron Shield that Isaac had given their guild. It was an iron will to protect family as firmly as a shield. That was the meaning carried by the name Iron Shield.
'I... I can't do anything...'
There was still an overwhelming gap between Veronica and Zeek. That was only natural. There was no way the current Zeek could do anything against Veronica, the executioner who had slain so many prestigious guilds. Yet even though she knew this obvious truth, Zeek despaired and raged at her own powerlessness.
She had wanted to be of some help to Master somehow. Instead, she had only become a burden…….
'It hurts, fuck!!! It hurts so fucking much!!!'
But while everyone thought Isaac possessed an indomitable spirit, he was actually screaming inside.
The fight with Urcan had been bad, but this was especially brutal. Good grief, Longinus? Are you kidding me! Where the hell is this overpowered spell coming from!! Are you messing with me! Someone patch the balance!!
Even as he grumbled and complained inwardly, Isaac did not retreat an inch and held his ground. Because that was his concept! No matter if it cost him his life, he would uphold the concept he had chosen for himself. That was what it meant to be a true concept-obsessed lunatic.
Eventually, the barrage of Longinus that had swept over them like a storm began to subside. Perhaps thinking it had fulfilled its role, Isaac's two arms—which had stood firm like a shield—finally gave way and collapsed.
"……."
"Master!!!"
He knew. Veronica was, by setting, a witch who had lived for hundreds of years. Naturally, the knowledge, experience, and mana she had accumulated during that time were not something he could endure. Even so, it did not matter.
"What?"
"Master! Please, just stop now!!"
Isaac's arms, which had received countless spears, were in such tatters that it was a miracle they were still attached. Yet he did not retreat. Watching him like that, Zeek could no longer hold back and burst into tears.
She did not want to see Master get hurt anymore. Even if it meant taking her own life, she wished for Master to survive. That was Zeek's honest feeling.
Zeek shouted. If Master dies, I will die too, so don't worry about me and just kill that woman. That way, at least Master can survive. The girl sincerely wished for that.
However, separate from her true feelings, the girl's voice was trembling. That was only natural. Countless spears of death floated in the air. How many people could remain calm when death was right before their eyes?
But even his unyielding will could not stop the momentum of the spears that had appeared to surround him from all directions. The spears that denied gods pierced through Isaac's body and head without discrimination.
No matter how much he struggled and resolved himself. No matter how he refused to give up until the very end. This was an unchangeable despair. With this, the stage Veronica had prepared finally drew its curtain.
Veronica laughed as she descended to the ground. The sight of Isaac, pierced by countless spears and bleeding, was truly a spectacle.
"……Huh?"
She had definitely felt his life being severed. She had even sent the child behind him along so he wouldn't be lonely on the way. Or so she had thought. But that had been underestimating him too much.
BOOOOM!!!
The spears, so densely packed that no flesh could be seen, shattered completely without a single one remaining. And from within emerged Isaac, for some reason completely free of any wounds.
"That's impossible. How on earth……."
Not a single wound existed. No, to be precise, it would be more accurate to say all his wounds had been healed. But in that fleeting instant, Veronica immediately understood what had happened.
'His authority has awakened? Right now?'
An authority was like a trial from the gods. If one overcame the divine trial, it would become the ultimate power. If not, it would become a curse. At least, that was how it worked with divine authorities.
But still, this made no sense.
'That means until now, his authority hadn't even properly awakened, yet he accomplished all those feats......'
CRUNCH!!!
A horrifying sound like meat being torn apart echoed. When she came to her senses, Veronica found herself floating in the air. However, her lower body was still attached to the ground. What in the world was happening? But she soon understood.
The fact that her upper body and lower body had been separated.
Just as Veronica had guessed, the authority Isaac had been granted had not been awakened until now. It had been a kind of test. Could Isaac, who possessed overwhelming power, maintain his original intentions? In any hopeless situation, would he choose the lives of his family over his own safety?
[Well done, child.]
And Isaac had splendidly passed the trial. He had not driven away the useless burden, nor had he turned his back on someone else's family. He had protected his family until the very moment his own life was about to be severed.
[You are my glory.]
The gods bestowed appropriate rewards upon humans who passed their trials. And the god who had been watching Isaac from the very beginning had finally come to regard him as her own glory.
The authority that had finally awakened after passing the divine trial.
Hera's Glory
And the god who had granted that authority was Hera. The goddess of marriage, and also the goddess of home and family.