Chapter 465
Chapter 465
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 465
Chapter Title: The Fruit of Myth (3)
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Right after sparks flew through the air.
A bolt of lightning crashed down onto the empty ground.
Crackle—! Boom!
Beyond the shower of brilliant sparks and the roar of high-voltage current.
A figure knelt on one knee, one hand pressed to the ground—who knew how long they had been there?—and let out a valiant shout.
"I've arrived! The lightning that burns away all evil—Lightning Surfer!"
The man, clad in a battle suit that blended metallic armor with spandex fibers for a uniquely stylish flair, struck a dramatic pose and delivered his line.
His practiced, precise movements, backed by dazzling flashes of lightning, were so flashy that anyone would be captivated.
"To dare threaten the sacred peace of the Pantheon! As long as I, the Guardian of California—Lightning Surfer—am here, fat chance..."
"Ah, another one's shown up."
"Hey, old man, the situation's already wrapped up."
But the elaborate performance fell flat; those around him merely glanced over and shook their heads.
It was nothing special at this point.
It had happened several times already.
"......"
In the awkward atmosphere, the hero Lightning Surfer cautiously scanned his surroundings while holding his pose.
There were plenty of people here, but they were all busy bustling about, cleaning up the chaotic scene.
"Ahem, well! Glad there doesn't seem to be much damage. I rushed over as soon as I got the support request, but the distance was a bit..."
"Ah! Are you the hero who came to help us? Thank you so much for coming."
As he awkwardly straightened up and muttered excuses to himself with repeated coughs that no one heard.
A priestess passing by with hurried steps approached him, offering a gentle smile.
"Even though the incident resolved faster than expected, we'll never forget that you came at our call, and we'll make sure to express our gratitude. By the way, may I have your name?"
"Ah! I'm, uh, Lightning Surfer..."
"Lightning Surfer, got it! I'll pass it along to administration. Thank you again for traveling all this way."
She quickly jotted down his name and flashed another bright smile.
This was part of her important duties.
This time, things had resolved unexpectedly smoothly, but there was no guarantee it would always be so.
Building good relations ensured they'd have help when truly needed.
Watching the scene from his lodging window, Heinrich let out a short sigh.
'Not only the Association's Guardians but even California's Awakeners and heroes rushing over like this. The Pantheon must have built up quite the reputation. Well, maintaining good ties with the clergy is never a bad thing.'
The committee had wanted to speak with him right after the incident, but he wasn't in the mood, so he'd postponed it to enjoy some time alone.
He still needed space to sort out his thoughts.
'At least this mess is more or less wrapped up. It blew up because of Joker and the Shadow of the Evil God he summoned, so of course it is.'
The incident had left deep scars on the Pantheon.
Fortunately, few of those exposed to the initial purplish smoke had suffered irreparable damage.
Most showed severe mental corruption, but with priests everywhere, the Pantheon had managed prompt emergency treatment.
The real issue was the cause itself.
The traitors lurking within the Pantheon and the Pandemonium terror during their exposure and capture.
It was enough to ripple through the unity of the religious coalition.
'The Shadow of the Evil God came from within the Pantheon—no helping that. The alliance won't shatter immediately, of course, but the denominations will likely pull back on external activities, focus on internal cleanup, and act more passively for a while.'
It had resolved somehow, but this wasn't something to brush off lightly.
And amid the swirling chaos, one person had drawn everyone's attention.
"...Well, it doesn't seem like a bad outcome for me, at least?"
The angel from another world who had single-handedly repelled the Shadow of the Evil God attacking the Pantheon and ended the crisis.
Saint Heinrich Saint Landgard.
'I've unintentionally reinforced how dangerous they are. And this boosts my influence too, so I can steer the Pantheon against the Reverse Heaven Society...'
Heinrich paused mid-thought.
Thinking of the Reverse Heaven Society suddenly muddled his mind again.
It was inevitable.
It hadn't been long since he'd seen that unknown future vision.
'Dealing with them is headache enough... The Fruit of Myth, was it? What the hell is it, showing me something like that?'
What frustrated him most was that he'd seen so much, yet little stuck in his memory.
As if it had locked away memories he wasn't yet qualified to have.
Gazing at his hand, Heinrich clenched it tightly.
His arm muscles had shrunk since becoming an angel, but the strength within had grown even greater.
Channeling holy power into his gripped fist, he focused his mind on whatever lay beyond.
After a long while.
"...No dice, huh."
Exhaling shortly, he opened his eyes, rubbed his neck, and rolled his head side to side.
Right after the 'Fruit of Myth' shattered and its light flooded his body.
He'd sensed something unknown mixing into the holy seed within him.
His status window only showed 「???」, so details were unavailable.
He'd just tried drawing it out again, but no matter how hard he tried, the mysterious energy stayed buried deep in the seed, unmoving.
'That vision must've been caused by this power. Did I awaken some future-sight ability?'
Whatever it was, maybe he could recreate what he'd seen.
In the end, Heinrich gave up and shifted to analyzing the situation more realistically.
He'd tackle what he could recall first.
'Was what I saw really Earth's future?'
That was the top priority.
The future in his vision.
Unlike the thriving present, it was an Earth collapsed into ruin.
'Could it have been a world like Earth...? No, no. It was definitely Earth.'
The language on signs or surroundings aside.
The moment he faced that world's panorama, instinct told him.
It was unmistakably Earth.
'Why? How did Earth end up like that?'
He couldn't recall the cause of the downfall.
Just like Devour Realm fully claimed by demons... no, like the Koshias Realm where he found Lamy—all barren, a dead world. That image was vivid.
But that alone decided what he had to do.
'...I've got more on my plate now. I can't just watch Earth turn into that.'
Earth was his home, his base with all infrastructure concentrated there.
He'd moved freely because his main body was safely holed up on Earth, right?
"Time to get more proactive. Yeah, let's start with the Pantheon."
Uncertain when that doom would come.
To prepare, he needed to act immediately, even if it strained him.
'The coalition Pantheon can't be perfectly controlled like my other groups...'
Still, letting it go to waste would be a shame.
They'd helped resolve this incident with his forces' aid—who knew when they'd provide key support?
'Perfect timing with this opportunity.'
Deep in thought, Heinrich stood.
Decision made, no time to hesitate.
He strode out, opening the door.
Wriggle—
As he left the room, a subtle change rippled in the halo at the back of his head.
A faint, intense movement, like something hatching from an egg.
The soft glow's tiny tremor vanished before Heinrich noticed.
As if awaiting the time to come.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Beyond pristine white, in a void space devoid even of color.
At its center, the Reverse Heaven Lord, quietly floating, slowly opened his eyes.
This round had seen many events, so he was confident even major shocks wouldn't faze him.
Yet this one, he couldn't overlook.
"The Fruit of Myth..."
One of his carefully laid plans for the grand scheme—prepared over twenty years ago—had just crumbled.
Failures had happened before, but this stung deepest.
"...Troubling."
He'd thought it the best approach; now, he'd settle for second-best.
Humanity's survival rate would drop another ten percent from initial estimates.
'Pinpoint the cause first.'
The Fruit of Myth was key fertilizer to sprout mysteries on Earth.
Naturally, he'd secured it specially, with separate safeguards from Joker, the Pantheon overseer.
'But...'
But.
Checking external connections made even him furrow his brow.
-"I have no excuses, Lord."
He'd already anticipated the Oracle's foresight failing.
With a great adversary beyond worldly karma active, her opposing nature limited her.
Still, her prophecies had grown the organization, guiding it while he roamed dimensions and Doctor ignored non-interests.
He knew no one was perfect.
Not even himself.
That's why they needed an organization to cover weaknesses.
-"I lost contact with Doctor a while back. Probably..."
The real problem came next.
Doctor, overseeing secret networks and emergency comms, gone silent.
If just comms down, no issue.
During his long post-revival absence, hadn't 'Deus ex Machina's automated systems handled everything?
But this differed.
-"He got hit bad. From a quick probe, the whole system got wiped..."
The investigator, top in her field, failed to uncover what happened to Doctor.
Speculation: caught off-guard by an unprecedented virus.
'Convenient.'
Oracle, then Doctor.
Joker, infiltrating Pantheon incognito even from fellow members, relied on Doctor's secret comms.
Sudden total blackout exposing him...
'Mere coincidence? Or... the world's restraining force?'
Feeling the world's flow turn against him, his expression soured.
This was why he'd been so cautious.
'Assume the worst.'
His transcendent insight, bolstered by more info from Oracle, reached a conclusion.
His divine intuition confirmed it.
'The world's flow has shifted. Another great adversary has been born on Earth.'
Great adversary.
Existences always blocking the time-traveler Lord's fate-altering efforts.
Sometimes with all-seeing foresight.
Sometimes overwhelming tech no one foresaw.
Or horrific violence halting time itself.
Each clash a saga of pain and trials.
Yet the Lord never yielded.
Maximizing his abilities, finding breakthroughs, overcoming them, advancing.
As he grew stronger, so did they—steeply—but his 'subordinates' kept him progressing toward his goal.
'I thought it was over once I stepped into divinity...'
Apparently not.
The Reverse Heaven Lord closed his eyes, exhaling softly.
There must be a path somewhere he hadn't found yet.
A vision of ruined Earth flashed in his mind.
No matter the obstacles, he would never give up.
As always.