"Break the seven seals, sound the seventh trumpet. The hour of judgment has come. By this, all things shall be corrected. Light, arise! Let darkness scatter!"
Just as the gods were urgently discussing their strategy, the angelic army finally gave up its assault on the twelve Spears of the End. Their hymns suddenly rose in pitch, brimming with cold and murderous resolve.
Then, amid ethereal Divine Word chants, thin cracks appeared across the sky. The Gates of Heaven, built from gold, jade, pearls, and precious stones, slowly opened above the sea ahead. Angels fluttering their wings poured out in swarms, returning from the Seven Heavens and charging in vast numbers toward the Great Barrier formed by [Stellar Tribunal] and [Nega-Genesis].
Left with no choice, the gods, who had barely caught their breath, immediately forced themselves upright, awakened their Authorities, and faced the dense, seemingly endless angelic legions.
The interception battle began once more.
"Purify with fire, punish with the sword! O Lord, have mercy upon this place, and justice shall be revealed!"
The Child of Light, his emotions running high and his handsome face nearly twisted, dove downward. His body devoured the surrounding Ether and swelled violently, forming a radiant humanoid shape that spanned heaven and earth. In his hand, the massive cross sword gathered a blaze of light hundreds of feet long, falling from above like an enormous cross.
Angels were all creations similar to Velber vanguards, and they were constantly evolving along that same path.
Michael truly deserved the title "one like God." The radiant body before them was so very similar to the white colossus sealed within the Spears of the End.
"Light comes from darkness, destruction is rebirth, and gods are born from demons. My power stands above, your might lies below. Mandate of Heaven: Suppression!"
Samael's brow tightened. He immediately rushed forward, and the Fate Words he chanted in haste struck Michael like an invisible heavy hammer.
Amid a thunderous roar that filled the sky, the hundred-foot-tall radiant body instantly collapsed. A trace of heart's blood spilled from the Archangel's mouth as he fell, swaying through the air.
Hum!
The violent trembling from his palm made the Ancient Serpent's pupils contract slightly. He looked down at the demonic sword Laevatein, whose vein-like branches had pierced into his skin and flesh.
Damn it. Time's up!
"Catch!"
Just as Samael was hesitating, a sharp sound tore through the air, and a flash of crimson entered his vision.
Understanding came to Samael in a flash. He immediately gritted his teeth and tore away the blood-colored branches spreading over his hand, focused his mind, activated the demonic sword's nine seals, and threw it into the Magecraft array. Then, following the motion, he curled his fingers and caught the crimson demonic spear that had been thrown toward him.
The Ancient Serpent leaned back, his spine bending into an exaggerated arc. Ether poured in madly, and the magical patterns on the spear shaft hummed and lit up. Then he softly called the weapon's True Name.
Gae Bolg Alternative!
In an instant, the crimson demonic spear borrowed from Scáthach howled through the air and pierced Michael's chest with perfect accuracy. The reversed barbs suddenly expanded, instantly bursting the Archangel's shell into shattered dust of light, which flowed back into the open Gates of Heaven above.
Like the previous Velber vanguards, the angelic army possessed nearly limitless regeneration. As long as they soaked in the Holy Pool, they could be reborn.
Unless Velber, the central core of the Velber vanguards, could be dealt with, killing these angels over and over again would be pointless.
However, after several exchanges, Samael had also discovered that the higher an angel's rank was, the longer it took them to return to the fountain, the Holy Pool, for a bath once their form was destroyed.
So killing Michael here was not wasted effort.
At the very least, for the next day or two, this deputy lord of Heaven would have to stay obediently in the pool and soak.
With that, Samael could make his arrangements more calmly.
"Odin!"
At the Ancient Serpent's shout, the cold and solemn Main God of the Aesir immediately understood. The Eternal Spear struck the ground.
Hum!
In an instant, several dazzling pillars of light pierced through nothingness and chaos, descending from the sky onto Athens, Sparta, and the other city-states like rainbows after a storm.
The Rainbow Bridge, Bifrost, had opened. Reinforcements of mountain giants, ice giants, fire giants, Heroic Spirits, and Valkyries answered the Main God's summons and poured out in swarms.
At the same time, the temples worshiped by the major Greek city-states hummed and trembled. A double oracle from Areopagus and Olympus spread throughout Greece.
Thus, under the guidance of shrine maidens, priests, and armies, the evacuation of civilians and the deployment of combat units began in orderly fashion.
"I'll leave the matter of planting the World Tree branches, synchronizing with the ley lines, and establishing a joint defense line against the angelic army to you!"
Samael then turned his head, solemnly entrusted the task to everyone, and made a grave promise.
"Until the World Tree completes the convergence of the major civilization belts, the gods of Greece, Rome, and Scandinavia will hold the line at Oceanus with all our strength and buy you time."
As he spoke, the Ancient Serpent's gaze paused for a moment on Tamamo-no-Mae, Rama, and Vritra, placing particular emphasis on them.
For Tamamo-no-Mae, it was because this fox had left behind a mountain of trouble in China, making her mission far from easy.
As for Rama and Vritra, he was not very familiar with either of them, so he still had some doubts. He could only hope everything would go smoothly.
"Hmph. I am merely a demon who acts as I please. Do not think I will obey you. This time is an exception. After all, I have yet to enjoy enough amusement and pleasure in this world."
The moment Vritra spoke, Samael felt relieved.
If this woman could say that, then it was probably settled.
"I will do everything I can to persuade Brahma and Shiva. I believe this is the meaning behind why we heard the voice of heaven and arrived here."
Rama's eyes opened slightly, his gaze clear and distant.
The Ancient Serpent could not help nodding inwardly, approval showing in his eyes.
As expected of India's god of order, the one specifically responsible for cleaning up messes. He had more than enough foresight.
In truth, how could it be a coincidence that a small place like Thermopylae had gathered the power or representatives of the nine strongest Ages of Gods, Greece, Rome, Egypt, Scandinavia, Mesopotamia, Persia, India, China, and Maya, through all manner of reasons?
It was not until Velber descended and Gaia, the Star Spirit, surfaced that Samael finally understood the key.
Without a doubt, the reason they had all been drawn to Thermopylae was because this planet had sensed the approaching crisis and was calling to them in the unseen.
Everything looked like coincidence.
And everything was also inevitable.
"In addition, Karna and Ganesha will stay here for the time being and help with the defense. As for that place, I alone will be enough!"
Rama had clearly understood this point as well. He spoke calmly and chose to cooperate without hesitation.
Then Samael leaned close to Tamamo-no-Mae's ear and murmured to her for a while, quietly handing over the item he had prepared on the spot.
This works too?! This guy is awful...
The fox glanced at the softly glowing object inside the box, her expression growing stranger and stranger. She looked faintly at Samael and grumbled inwardly.
After a brief exchange, the three figures vanished into the Magecraft array, setting out on the road to unite the major Ages of Gods.