Chapter 97: Artemis, Driven Mad with Rage, Plots My Utter Defilement

Artemis, driven mad with rage, intended to thoroughly defile me.

"Draw your sword?" What nonsense. My opponent was one of the Twelve Olympians, an untouchable existence at this point in time.

"There's this thing called causality. How can you just possess someone out of the blue like—"

"Wasn't you the cause? Thus, this body's possession is the rightful result."

"No, that's not enough causality. If that were possible, gods would descend every time a human insults one, wouldn't they?"

"Insufficient causality will be borne by me. If a price is needed, I'll pay it."

"Why go that far?"

Artemis answered my question with unwavering resolve.

"Because killing you is worth that much."

Her voice was quiet and composed, which only made it more terrifying. Pointing at the frozen spacetime, Artemis continued.

"Abandon any hope in Iris. Even if she senses something amiss and comes to rescue you, it'll be too late."

Regrettably, there was no one to save me right now.

"If you want me to draw my sword, sure, I can. But first, could you let me move?"

I wasn't completely frozen, but I couldn't budge an inch. Artemis had half-frozen me.

"Can't even free yourself? Did you really think you could stand against me with such pathetic skills?"

Now I saw it—she'd half-frozen me just to mock me before telling me to draw my sword. Gods could be so petty. Maybe she'd keep toying with me like this, so I answered quickly.

"This lowly one deserves such mockery, but if you'll just let me draw my sword, I won't disappoint. Haven't I made you eat dirt plenty of times before? Today won't be different."

"What? Your arrogance knows no bounds. In all my eons as a goddess, I've never met someone so oblivious to their place. Fine. I'll set you free. But in return, I'll teach you the meaning of pain."

With Artemis's permission, I was released. In this space frozen white, only she and I could move properly. At least, that's how it appeared.

The Secret Book, which had been frozen solid, was back to normal. We were fused together, practically one body. When Artemis granted me freedom, the Secret Book gained the same rights automatically.

At this point, I'd borrow even a cat's paw—not that this firebrand's help wasn't desperately welcome.

"Hoo."

Exhaling lightly, I drew Zeus's Sword. It was the first time I'd ever been so reluctant to wield a blade. But with Artemis waiting, I had no choice.

How the hell was I supposed to overcome this disaster?

Even my usual wits, which always saved me in crises, were drawing a blank right now.

"Hm?"

Then, before the motionless, glaring Artemis, something like heat haze began to gather. My instincts screamed it would shoot out like a cannonball.

She showed no sign ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of attacking, yet ominous haze roiled in front of her. I immediately called the Secret Book.

No time to discuss strategy. The Secret Book got the message and engulfed me at blinding speed. I sank into a pitch-black abyss like the deep sea.

Couldn't breathe, but I held out and urgently asked the Secret Book.

The Secret Book insisted it had eyes wide open on Artemis and was baffled. What? She hadn't seen the haze?

Even Artemis couldn't track me inside the Secret Book. I wanted to hide here forever, but no such luck. Humans can't last long in this chaotic space. My body was already aching. I'd sink deeper and deeper into this abyss.

Couldn't endure anymore, so I told it to spit me out.

Ugh! The Secret Book spat me out, and the frozen white world reappeared. Incredible. How long could she halt time like this? I couldn't help marveling at her power anew. I'd heard her divine status had weakened, but this?

Artemis, though, looked far more shocked, her eyes wide.

"What? Where did you... disappear to?"

Her mouth hung slightly open in bewilderment. Not only had I dodged her strike, but I'd vanished beyond detection, even briefly. No wonder, especially for her overconfident type.

"Had some urgent business. All good now—shall we continue?"

"You... joking at a time like this?"

"Joking? Just emphasizing I didn't let you down, as always. You keep eating dirt from me, yet can't land a single hit. How do you whiff everything so spectacularly?"

Blasphemy no mortal could survive. But with death certain otherwise, I aimed to rattle her, create any opening. Slim chance, but better than nothing.

"Tell me. How did you anticipate my attack?"

She seemed genuinely stunned, asking that before striking again.

"I saw it. The power shimmering like haze, gathering."

"Power visible? What drivel is that?"

Her disbelief left me puzzled instead.

"Not drivel—your divinity rippled right in front of you."

"You saw it? I merely willed it. You're saying you saw this Artemis's will?"

"Huh..."

Put like that, it sounded absurd. Seeing a god's willed power and dodging at the perfect moment? No wonder she grilled me, forgetting to ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠attack. But she clearly didn't buy it.

"You're a filthy liar. I see you have some trick up your sleeve. But bluster has limits. What? A god's will visible?"

She scoffed in disbelief. Then, no anomaly this time, she willed power again. No preparation, no chants—even grand spells manifested by sheer will. That's a god.

Yet somehow, I saw her will vortexing, swirling like water rushing down a path—more vivid than mere haze. As the gathered mass surged forward like a burst dam, I called the Secret Book again.

The Secret Book opened wide again. But this time, it didn't work.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Artemis wasn't fooled twice. She interfered instantly.

"Gah!"

A short scream escaped as intangible force hurled me back hard.

"Think I'd allow that trick twice!"

She couldn't see the Secret Book, but sensed my attempt to vanish into some space. She'd blasted me before it could swallow me.

No more hiding inside it now.

"Urk..."

Fire scorched my lower body. Glancing down, my legs were gone below the knees, blood pouring like a burst lake.

"Damn it."

Not even caught off-guard, yet this damage. I'd amped my body's durability with divinity when I sensed the interference. Still, her casual strike severed both legs.

"Hahaha, unbelievable..."

Experiencing it firsthand, a god's power was beyond imagination. Even unleashing my hidden trump card, Divine Manifestation, wouldn't change the outcome much. It might scratch her, sure—that horrific power could do that much. But nothing more. Worse, revealing it prematurely would complicate things.

"You really see it? You tried fleeing at the perfect moment again."

"You never believe a word I say, do you, Goddess?"

Blood gushed from my stumps. Couldn't stand, couldn't fight. Despair.

But death wasn't imminent yet. She'd been domineering, but key questions remained. She'd grind me to the floor, then ask: Where's Endymion? What of Selene's soul? I was involved, yet their whereabouts unknown—frustrating her. She wouldn't kill me until she got answers.

Of course, she'd inflict hellish agony first.

"Your yapping grates. I'll start by ripping out your tongue."

"Think you can? You want to hear plenty."

"We'll see how long that smugness lasts. Fine. I'll dismantle Atalante bit by bit before your eyes. Watch—a beautiful flower plucked petal by petal."

"You coward! She served you!"

"Once, maybe. But I know she's leeched onto you. Already insolent—time to prune her too."

Artemis smirked coldly and extended her hand. Suddenly, frozen Atalante appeared before her—from resting in Naxos Village, summoned by will alone.

Atalante was white-frozen like the scenery, her face serene, as if gazing at the sea beyond the window.

Artemis eyed her and said,

"A god's power influences even halted time. Watch closely as I snap this girl's fingers, one by one."

This broke my composure.

"Artemis!"

I tried rising, but ruined legs made it futile. Only then did she laugh gleefully, satisfied.

"Hahaha, yes! Now you look the worm. That's your true face. Add some screams, and it'll be perfect!"

"Stop!"

No more hiding my power. I'd unleash everything. Resolved, the fused divinity within me surged in response. Without hesitation, I invoked it—the Divine Manifestation stage.

But not the previous fiery grave-summoning explosion. That might harm Atalante too. Artemis said godly power affected frozen time, so Divine Manifestation could injure the rigid girl.

I needed precision, control. Simple: Zeus's Sword was perfect.

"You touched what you shouldn't have!"

I unleashed Divine Manifestation. As my hidden power emerged, even smug Artemis flinched back in shock.

"You! What is that foul power?!"

The fused Burning Nameless One's divinity startled her. Seizing the moment, I swung the sword to unleash lightning.

But something unexpected happened.

Wrrrrrm!

Suddenly, Zeus's Sword resonated, trembling violently. An unimaginably vast presence approached this space. Simultaneously, cracks spiderwebbed across the frozen white landscape.

Crack. Crackle.

Sounds like early spring ice breaking on a river echoed everywhere. Artemis, scanning around, couldn't hide her panic—her face plunged into despair.

"Impossible! How?!"

I had no idea why she was so shocked. But the answer came swiftly.

Crash!

With a deafening shatter, part of the void broke like glass. As if the scenery had been a painting, a section erased. From the rift, a mighty being emerged.

"So here you were."

Artemis gaped at the figure and collapsed to her knees.

"Father!"

"Silence! I don't want to hear your voice!"

It was the supreme god, Zeus. He surveyed the area, spotted me, and grinned intriguingly.

"How did you make this body's sword resonate? Remarkable. Thanks to it, I quickly located my daughter's little space."

"Ah..."

Then I realized: the Interstellar Lord had come through. Relief welled up—but Artemis shrieked.

"Father! That human used sinister Titan-scented power! I saw it clearly!"

She hadn't pierced my fused divinity's nature but sensed the Burning Nameless One's aftertaste. Her claim wasn't wrong, but it only fueled Zeus's wrath.

"Fool! That sword resonates only to my power. What nonsense?!"

Zeus's divinity was fused in, so the sword sang. From his view, no issue—just admiration for my feat. Titan talk? Absurd.

But Artemis persisted.

"I remember that power from before. Investigate this human at once—"

Slap!

Her head snapped aside. Zeus, unable to restrain himself, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠struck her cheek.

"Artemis, I can no longer tolerate you. Ignoring causality for willful possession was bad enough—now you dare deceive the supreme god with such drivel?!"

"Father!"

"Enough! You've deceived this father not once or twice—I can't endure more!"

Everyone knows the boy who cried wolf. Constant lies make truth unbelievable. That was now. Artemis had always slyly fooled her father, so her words held no trust.

Finally, Zeus, furious to his core, issued a shocking decree.