Luo Guang raised an eyebrow but didn't react. Ordinary people should consider the consequences before challenging an Unconquered God. A god can easily reduce a person to ash with a mere flick of a finger.
In the original story, Godou Kusanagi managed to steal Verethragna's White Horse Incarnation using the Secret Stone of Prometheus, but that was with Erica's assistance and Melkart's sneak attack on Verethragna. Even then, Verethragna had still chanted a Word of Power to negate Prometheus's divine power.
However, now Erica and Liliana had retreated, and Melkart was focused on Luo Guang as his primary foe. In essence, it was a one-on-one confrontation between Godou Kusanagi and Verethragna. Relying only on the Secret Stone of Prometheus, his death was inevitable.
Luo Guang watched the entire exchange. If one had the courage to challenge an Unconquered God, one must bear the consequences of failure. Clearly, without external assistance, even the original protagonist would fail.
Or perhaps, by Luo Guang's will, he was the true center of this world.
After disposing of the mortal, Verethragna gave Luo Guang a hearty smile.
"You didn't take advantage of me while I was dealing with Prometheus; your character is truly commendable. If I weren't an Unconquered God, we might have been great friends."
Luo Guang didn't speak. He simply beckoned to the two gods. That casual gesture was enough to make anyone feel his arrogance and self-confidence.
Verethragna adopted a serious posture and began reciting the Sword of Words of Power specifically aimed at Luo Guang. Simultaneously, Melkart finally finished gathering his divine power. He casually summoned powerful winds and a massive storm, sweeping everything from the ground.
Ignoring the surging divine power, the sheer force of the hurricane made it impossible to stand or breathe. The air had become too thin for any creature to inhale. Lightning, thicker than a water bucket, constantly accumulated, aiming for Luo Guang.
In the hazy storm, Melkart's voice boomed like muffled thunder.
"I am the storm of the rainy season, the god who embodies both the blessings and the destruction of the heavens!"
"Allow me to gauge how powerful you are as a God-Slayer!"
"Wind, rain, and thunder! I, Melkart, call upon my true name, Baal-Hadad! Storm, obey only the cloud-rider's call, and come quickly!"
Melkart's mountain-like body dispersed into tangible storm-winds, and thousands of lightning bolts shot toward Luo Guang from every angle. The target of the storm and thunder was Luo Guang.
Meanwhile, Verethragna's Word of Power cut through the storm with unnatural clarity.
"I am the strongest! By the power of my Words of Power, let justice manifest in the world! This chant is potent and eloquent, the wisdom-sword that calls victory!"
"Rahu was originally the Asura, the evil god of Hindu mythology, who was beheaded by Vishnu for stealing the divine nectar yet remained immortal, pursuing the sun and moon to cause eclipses!"
Responding to the God of War's summons, tiny golden light spheres began to appear, multiplying rapidly as the Word of Power continued.
Although Verethragna and Melkart were rivals, the threat posed by the Campione was obvious. To ensure they were not killed and their Authorities usurped, the two Unconquered Gods tacitly chose to cooperate, though their divine arrogance would never allow them to admit it. They would only rationalize that each was racing to kill the prey faster than the other.
But Luo Guang was unmoving. Even the combined assault of the two gods was not enough to shake him.
The dragon-shaped shadow swiftly covered his body. The surging Cursed Power burned constantly, like coal in a steam engine boiler. The Cursed Power within him was depleting at an outrageous rate; he might not last even three minutes. But that was enough for Luo Guang.
As the shadow completely covered him, Luo Guang entered an entirely new domain. The world in his eyes came to a stop. More accurately, time was not frozen, but Luo Guang's speed was accelerated. He entered an extremely specialized state. One second was stretched infinitely, feeling like ten minutes, or perhaps even longer.
Raindrops pouring from the clouds were suspended in mid-air. The lightning bolts assaulting Luo Guang from all directions spread at an incredibly slow pace. Melkart, who had transformed into the storm, flew toward Luo Guang at a similarly slow speed.
Was it a tricky situation? Of course!
But just as Luo Guang declared before the battle, if he willed it, both fate and victory would stand on his side.
Luo Guang's figure moved through the stagnant rain. Although Unconquered Gods could still react within the realm of divine speed, Luo Guang's speed was comparatively faster.
And as he approached the storm-form of Melkart, the Demon-Slaying Holy Sword in his hand suddenly burst forth with brilliant light. The radiance caused even Melkart to feel a tremor of fear. This ability was an Authority Luo Guang had usurped after slaying Vishnu—the Incarnation of "Rama."
The Rama Incarnation was one of Vishnu's most critical avatars. In the Hindu epic, the Ramayana, Rama, with the assistance of the monkey general Hanuman, defeated Ravana, the ten-headed demon king of Lanka. Ravana had received a blessing from Brahma ensuring no god or demon could harm him, only a mortal. However, he was ultimately slain by Rama, an avatar of Vishnu. Therefore, the power of this Incarnation was specifically designed to kill "un-killable" beings. Ravana was beheaded by Rama's blade, and Luo Guang injected the power of this Incarnation into his Demon-Slaying Holy Sword.
Facing the surging storm, Luo Guang swung the Holy Sword from top to bottom. The strike, radiating brilliant light, instantly tore through the storm, and simultaneously, tore through Melkart's physical body, eliciting a cry of agony from the god.
But Melkart's voice quickly faded. The storm had been completely obliterated by Luo Guang. The high winds, heavy rain, and lightning vanished in that instant.
"One." Luo Guang silently counted.
In Verethragna's eyes, this was a rapidly ticking death knell. Having witnessed Melkart's death and seeing Luo Guang turn his attention toward him, he immediately unleashed the hundreds of light orbs floating around him at Luo Guang. These orbs, shaped like swords, contained the power to cut through Rahu's divinity.