After killing Erebus so many times, something started changing with him.
"Hmm, something's different about you now." Shurry noted, calming down slightly with a bit of curiosity. "I've killed you a little more than 10000 times now, I'm shocked you're still resisting."
"Fool, you're thinking it's getting harder to kill me, aren't you?" Erebus smirked with wildly reckless, and evil intent.
"So that's what's going on, it seems I'm fighting against a lot more than just a suppressed god."
"Alright then, I guess it's about time I kick it up a notch, huh?"
"Wait, what? You still have more in the tank?"
"Of course I do, I'm a werewolf… Did your brain repair properly? Nah, nevermind, that thing was never working right to begin with."
Shurry's form shifted… he grew larger… he grew more muscular… until, his form was that of a powerful werewolf standing on two legs, the typical form of any adult werewolf after they beastified.
"Huh? This isn't good!"
Shurry began in earnest once more: 10285… 10286… 10287…
As Shurry continued slaying Erebus, over and over again, and again. The gods began to pick up on what was going on.
"Hathor, what do you think now? Can he still handle him?"
Hathor remained silent, she was currently torn between watching the fight, and getting information from one of her lovers in Tenkai, Ra. In other words, she was far too busy to deal with such questions.
"It seems that Erebus has figured out that since he's unable to return, he's using progressively more power."
This time it wasn't Freya who spoke, but Ganesha. At first everyone thought it was someone else since he had forgotten to announce himself like he normally did.
"He can do it. He can still do it. I believe in him."
Ardee's words continued to give hope to others. But so too did the people counting the number of times Shurry had killed Erebus… 11375… 11376… 11377…
Al, a young man, here from the future of a different time line, watched as the fight unfolded. He watched as he witnessed the power a true hero possessed. It's amazing… That's what I need to reach! I'll do it! I'll acquire this power at all costs! And I'll help my friends grow stronger! So I can defeat whatever it is that haunts the nightmares of the woman I love. I'll shatter it, whatever it is… I'll break it! I'll be her hero! And her lover! Just like this Origin Wolf, and Ardee. No, we're different, but I have the same amount of love for- No! I have more love for Ais than anyone has ever loved!
His passion seemingly restored his mind to full, he was no longer feeling the effects of exhaustion, but he could still feel the pull, as if he wasn't going to be here for very long.
"You know, if one didn't know better, they'd call this a battle of the gods."
"You're right. He's incredibly powerful. Think he can defeat the last of the three great quests?"
"I don't know about that. From the report I managed to get, that thing is not something mortals could hope to defeat."
Al, curious, turned to the gods who were talking about the situation, both were ones he recognized.
"Excuse me, Lord Modi. May I ask what you mean by that? How bad was the One Eyed Black Dragon?"
"Well, the Jester guy, you did good keeping that girl from getting herself killed." Modi chuckled. "Keep at it and you might get something in the future. Hey Magni look at this, the kid blushes so easily."
"The dragon… You want to know what we saw in the report? Well, it's coming to us after Thor sent it to us, apparently, it's a written account of the monster, by Zald the Glutton himself." Magni leaned over, and whispered.
"It turned Maxim, the strongest adventure in the world at the time, along with all of his equipment into gas. There wasn't a body nor trinkets to retrieve."
Al's spine responded with a horrific chill running along it for a whole minute while he thought of that.
"That's-"
"Rough right? I suppose that's why this young man has been fighting without armor ever since he arrived here in Orario. The kid even healed Hephaestus' eye, that was not a small feat. It even leveled him up."
"Wait, what? Something like that leveled him up?"
"Yeah, leveling up isn't so simple as just fighting big monsters to earn better points, silly boy. It's the completion of something that would impress a god. Hell, Hathor's child here, he's already earned so much by now from this one fight alone, I'd bet he could be the first level 10 in history, with ease. Perhaps even hit level 11."
"Such a high level, is it even possible?"
"Of course it is. Though it's going to take a lot of effort. For example, do you really think this young man is having an easy go of it?"
"Not in the least bit, Lord Magni. In fact, it's a power I want to reach. No, I need to reach it. He's strong, I can see that I've been slacking on my training."
"Hmm, you're an interesting one. What familia are you with? Wanna join mine? I'm partial to one race, but you seem worth making an exception for."
"Oh, thank you, Lord Magni, but I must decline, my goddess wouldn't like that." Al said with a little nervous tinge to his voice.
"Who is your goddess? I could talk with her?"
"Uhm… Lady-"
Just then Lady Astraea came in to rescue Al.
"He's a member of my familia. I've kept it a secret for a while now."
"Oh, sorry 'bout that, Astraea, the boy's just too interesting."
"It's fine, just don't do it again, I'd hate to need to play a war game after everything that's happened. All of our children could use a break."
"Ah, agreed. Worry not, it's fine, I'll drop it. It was all a passing fancy."
"Good, come with me Al."
In a slightly isolated area, Astraea sighed.
"Thank you for rescuing me Lady Astraea."
"No, it's fine. Let's watch the battle together, Hathor's chefs have finished cooking up some of the Leviathan's meat. There's enough to go around for everyone."
"Hey there Al-kun! Come here and sit. I've got a seat right here for you!" Alise smiled, waiving and patting her lap.
Al blushed…
"What's wrong, big sister saved you a seat, be grateful, humph, perv." Kaguya teased, and bit into the juicy meat. "SO GOOD!"
She's cute too, but not as much as Ais…
Bell smiled, feeling like he was getting to know them, even if they'd only seen each other for a short time. "Alright! How many times is he up to now?"
"23856… 23857…" Lyra replied. "HELL YEAH! Kick his spine in!" She was clearly unafraid to speak her mind.