"————"
In that moment, the entire tropical jungle seemed to transform into another world—unnaturally silent, exuding a heavy atmosphere.
"Hola, everyone. Welcome to my forest. Big Sister here sincerely welcomes your arrival!"
Quetzalcoatl struck the massive sword in her hand heavily against the ground, making it quake, all while showing everyone a smile.
That smile was bright like the sun, beautiful, and full of warmth—yet for some reason, it sent chills down one's spine.
"This woman…"
Ryougi Shiki gripped her dagger, her expression grave.
"So scary…"
Mash's pretty face turned slightly pale.
"Looks like she's in a good mood… that brainless muscle goddess."
Even Ishtar couldn't help clicking her tongue.
As for Rozen, he could clearly feel the terrifying divine aura and pressure emanating from the goddess before him, his gaze flickering slightly.
Just as Ishtar had said, Quetzalcoatl seemed to be in very high spirits.
No wonder—
"I've been looking for you, you know? I've been waiting on the battlefield for who knows how long, yet you never showed up. It made Big Sister here quite heartbroken for a while… but who would've thought you'd suddenly come visit on your own? I'm really, really happy, Final Master of Humanity."
Quetzalcoatl spoke in an extremely delighted tone, her gaze fixed solely on Rozen from beginning to end.
It was obvious that this goddess's interest in Rozen was far greater than in any other goddess—by a large margin.
"Should I say it's an honor?"
Rozen replied calmly, which only made Quetzalcoatl's smile widen in joy.
"That's right. It's good to have respect toward a god. Although Big Sister here doesn't really like putting on airs, being respected by humans—especially a human like you—still makes me very happy. But, rather than honor and such, Big Sister would prefer you face me with fighting spirit, you know?"
Quetzalcoatl's tone sounded kindly, but at that moment, the fighting intent radiating from her made Fou hide deep inside Rozen's robe.
This goddess's unusual desire to fight Rozen was truly unexpected.
"Even though you're a god, you're actually taking a human this seriously… rare indeed."
Ishtar voiced her observation.
But the response she got was—
"Of course I'm serious. In fact, it's because my opponent is human that I must be serious, you know?" Quetzalcoatl said.
"After all, humans are the true inhabitants of this land. Humans are the foundation of the world's prosperity. So, leaving others aside, I absolutely cannot be anything less than serious toward humans. Otherwise, there'd be no point in my existence."
The chief deity of Aztec mythology spoke words that were almost flattering to the point of disbelief.
But—this was Quetzalcoatl, a being at the pinnacle of benevolence.
"I am a benevolent god, and also a god of culture who leads humanity toward prosperity—once manifested as a King of Mankind. My very existence is to ensure the continued survival of the human race."
Quetzalcoatl declared this with a bright smile.
However, to the others, these words sounded somewhat absurd.
"Your very existence is for humanity's survival?"
Ryougi Shiki raised an eyebrow.
"That's not right!" Mash denied loudly. "If that's the case, why did you join the Three Goddess Alliance and start a war to destroy humanity?"
That was a blatant contradiction.
But Rozen understood Quetzalcoatl's reasoning.
Because—
"Wanting humanity to survive doesn't mean you can't harm humans, Mash."
Rozen placed a hand on Mash's shoulder, speaking words that first stunned her, then made her expression change drastically.
Of course Mash understood what Rozen meant.
For example—back in the Sixth Singularity, the goddess calling herself the Lion King, Rhongomyniad, had also claimed to act for humanity's survival—seeking to preserve the "purest" souls of humanity as specimens by opening the Tower at the End of the World.
That approach was extremely inhumane and brought great harm to mankind—but ultimately, it was still in the name of survival.
Therefore, Quetzalcoatl's claim could not be called wrong.
After all—
"I feel bad saying it, but while Big Sister here is a benevolent god, I'm also a war god. To ensure the human race can survive longer, I would stretch out some of it, and cut away the rest—helping you adapt to the harsh environment to come. That is my divinity, my godhood."
Quetzalcoatl spoke without the slightest anger, smiling the whole time.
"My ultimate goal isn't to protect humans so they can live in peace, but to give them all sorts of trials so they grow stronger, even evolve. That's the way of the South American gods."
The gods of South America were different from other pantheons—their nature was closer to that of microorganisms, whose life activity expressed itself by attaching to humans, bringing disease and other forms of suffering.
While this certainly inflicted great harm, those who adapted became stronger and healthier.
"Those who cannot adapt or progress will be weeded out. Those who remain will become strong and continue on toward prosperity. That's what it means to be human."
"That's why I'm here—to give humans trials, to make them stronger. And that's why I joined the Three Goddess Alliance as one of its pillars in this war."
"I have no intention of destroying humanity. As long as I exist, humanity will never be allowed to perish."
Quetzalcoatl spoke cheerfully and without hesitation.
In other words, she hadn't joined the Three Goddess Alliance to destroy mankind, but to use the opportunity to test them—eliminating the weak, fostering the strong, and thereby ensuring humanity's survival.
That was why Quetzalcoatl had signed a non-aggression pact with Gorgon instead of a mutual-combat pact—because she had no interest in annihilation. Their positions were never the same.
Moreover, Ereshkigal had also joined the Alliance for the sake of protecting humanity as much as possible. Among the three goddesses, aside from Gorgon, the other two were both deities who loved mankind deeply.
Because of this, Gorgon had always been wary of the other two, knowing that sooner or later, their alliance would collapse.
And Rozen understood now.
"You only killed a hundred people on the battlefield before withdrawing—not because something happened, but because you never intended to destroy humanity, right?"
"That's right." Quetzalcoatl nodded immediately, smiling.
"If I were to just drop the sun straight into Uruk, all humans would die instantly. That wouldn't be a trial—it would be pointless. That's why I'd already decided: on this battlefield, I will neither use my Authority nor indulge in slaughter. I will only deal with one hundred people each day—and every single one must be faced by my own hands. Only then can I achieve the effect I desire, you see?"
This goddess intended to challenge humans one by one, rather than simply wiping them out with divine power.
Under such circumstances—
"I'm really glad you came."
Quetzalcoatl's smile grew ever brighter.