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Mount Meru—
Atop one of its pavilions and terraces, Indra stood on the second floor of a tower near the summit, looking down over the scenery below.
"An urgent summons? I wouldn't have expected such an imposing aura from you, Alliance Leader Indra."
A barbed voice echoed nearby.
Indra turned slightly and saw a jet-black phantom walking into the pavilion.
The newcomer had a muscular build, glowing fire-like eyes, and horns on his head. His body also gave off a chaotic aura.
"Angra Mainyu. I didn't expect you to be the first to arrive." Indra let out a laugh and said mockingly, "Looks like I still carry some authority after all."
The jab was obvious. He was ridiculing Angra for rushing over the moment he received the summons.
The flames flickering within Angra's eye sockets flashed for a moment.
"Hmph. Don't think I'm afraid of you." His voice turned cold. "If we really fought, it's still anyone's guess who would come out alive."
"How impressive." Indra sneered and shifted his gaze past Angra.
His eyes landed on Rizevim, "So, Rizevim showed up too?"
With a half-smile, he added, "I honestly thought you'd choose to run."
After yesterday's escape from Kyoto, Indra had completely lost track of Rizevim's whereabouts.
He'd assumed that after witnessing Ryo's power, the man had gone into hiding out of fear.
Unexpectedly, he had actually come.
"Now that's not a fair thing to say, Indra-san." Rizevim chuckled. "We're all tied to the same rope, aren't we?"
Looking around with obvious amusement, he continued, "By the way, are there only three of us here so far? The three from the Hindu side, the chief god of Mesopotamia, and the three gods of Takamagahara haven't arrived yet?"
"The Hindu representatives are still on the way. As for Mesopotamia and Takamagahara, they've both received my invitation, but neither side has replied."
"Oh?" Rizevim's tone became playful. "So word about yesterday has already spread."
He shook his head dramatically, "Running away in terror because of an enemy's malice. Honestly, at this rate, where am I supposed to put my reputation?"
"There's someone here with skin thicker than yours." Angra shot Indra a glance and casually walked over to a round table covered with fruit.
Picking up a crisp pear, he took a bite. "If he's not worried, why should you be?"
"Good point." Rizevim laughed exaggeratedly and joined him, grabbing an orange.
'Two damn pests.' Indra cursed inwardly.
Still, he had no time to argue.
Because... Shiva had arrived.
A boy who looked no older than a middle-school student strode into the pavilion. His dark hair held a deep blue sheen beneath the sunlight.
Though Shiva appeared to be an ordinary teenager in simple clothes, his voice carried an unmistakable sense of age, "Nothing but familiar faces... That's hardly something to be happy about."
"Shiva..."
Indra's hand clenched. His tone turned grim. "I didn't think you'd actually come."
"Haven't I always been stationed near Mount Meru?" Shiva glanced at him indifferently. "It's rare for you to remove the barrier and not fear me coming onto the mountain. What, not worried about it being destroyed again?"
Then his smile widened. "But you are lucky today. I really want to see for myself just how powerful this Ryo is—the one who scared you into fleeing without even daring to fight."
"Tch." Indra clicked his tongue. "Then you'd better be careful not to die to that monster."
His expression darkened. "If you do, I won't have anyone left to take revenge on."
"You're welcome to attack me right now." Shiva chuckled, sounding almost eager. "I'm curious how much you've improved over the last thousand years."
His eyes narrowed. "Maybe you'll finally be enough to help me stretch my muscles."
"..."
Indra's face immediately darkened.
But he said nothing.
Instead, he looked up at the sky and checked the time.
"Looks like it's about time."
After a brief calculation, he added, "Mesopotamia and Takamagahara have probably abandoned us."
"Obviously." Rizevim laughed. "The power from yesterday was felt by at least hundreds of scouts firsthand. Nobody understands which way the wind is blowing better than those fence-sitters."
"Aren't you doing the same thing?" Shiva smiled. "The passage to another world has been prepared already, hasn't it, Rizevim?"
Rizevim froze.
A shadow passed through his eyes as he stared at Shiva.
Several seconds later, the smile returned.
"Hehe~" He looked toward Indra and Angra, who were both watching him. "Why are you all staring at me like that?"
He spread his hands. "There's nothing wrong with having a few extra insurance policies."
Hearing that, Angra laughed and took another large bite of pear. "In that case, why not reveal the location of Trihexa? The more insurance we have for killing Ryo Yagami, the better, right?"
Rizevim's expression didn't change. "Of course. I imagine once Ryo arrives, you will have plenty of opportunity to witness Trihexa's power firsthand."
"Though I do hope everyone here is careful." His gaze swept across the room. "It would be unfortunate if someone were accidentally devoured by Trihexa."
The fire in Angra's eye sockets flickered.
But he said nothing. He simply bit into the pear again.
Shiva, meanwhile, laughed, "Trihexa, huh?"
His eyes shone with anticipation, "If I get the chance to cross hands with it, this trip won't have been wasted."
Indra silently watched the exchange.
By now, he was completely convinced.
The reason for all his previous failures had never been him. It had been these traitorous idiots.
With teammates like this dragging him down, even someone as capable as he was couldn't carry the situation.
Fortunately, that wasn't what he needed this time.
This time, he intended to use Ryo as the knife.
The corners of Indra's lips lifted slightly.
After calculating the time in his head, he walked toward the round table where everyone had gathered.
"Since we still have about an hour before he arrives, let's go over the plan for killing Ryo—"
BOOM!
Suddenly, a deafening explosion shook the pavilion.
The ceiling detonated overhead. And the massive stone table at the center shattered violently, fragments flying in every direction as a cloud of dust erupted into the air.
Within the dust, a man's voice rang out, "You don't mind if I sit in and listen to this plan for killing me, do you?"
Every face in the pavilion changed at once.
.
.
.