「On a battlefield of corpses and blood.」
「You have received the name 'Kratos'.」
「This name, one destined for a god-slayer, leaves you somewhat stunned and silent.」
「You turn your gaze slightly to your side, at your two slumbering, silver-haired sworn brothers, held in the arms of the adjutant.」
「Dante, Vergil...」
「Spartans? The Sparda family?」
「This Sparta and that Sparda seem to subtly overlap for a moment, giving rise to a strange feeling in your heart, both logical and slightly abrupt.」
「Nasuverse? Devil May Cry? God of War?」
「Dark Souls? A spiral sword from another world?」
「And the various grotesque beings that may descend in the future, and that lingering shadow in your heart, the subversive disaster named the Abyssal Space Storm...」
「Though they are concepts from different works, different spaces...」
「They seem to be confounding, overlapping, and fusing together in a subtle way, as if the underlying logic has been tampered with and refreshed—」
「Once again.」
「You feel an indescribable confusion.」
「This world... what on earth has happened to it?」
「This deepest confusion and doubt, you have buried in the very bottom of your heart.」
「You vaguely feel that you have touched upon some kind of answer.」
「Yet you are still separated from that truth by an extremely distant chasm.」
「Leonidas takes careful care of you three surviving infants and brings you back to the main city-state of Sparta.」
「The city-state of Sparta never builds walls, because the chests of the Spartans are the insurmountable iron wall of Greece.」
「As the Spartan army slowly returns in triumph...」
「Held personally in Leonidas's arms, you notice that Sparta's main city is also covered in bloodstains and traces of fierce battle.」
「This demon attack seems to have been on an unprecedentedly large scale. You can see the corpses of demons and injured warriors and residents everywhere in the main city.」
「People are worried, discussing the sacrifices and the battle situation in other city-states with sorrowful faces.」
「As the strongest warrior race in Greece, the Spartan army will also rush to various places to support its allies.」
「You are entrusted to be settled in the royal palace by Leonidas. After settling you three brothers, the King of Sparta leads his army and once again steps onto the battlefield to fight the demons—」
「The brutal slaughter against the demons lasts for more than a month.」
「Leonidas returns, bathed in blood. This turmoil has finally been barely suppressed.」
「Counting the sacrifices of the warriors, rebuilding the damaged homes.」
「The Spartans mourn in sorrow and tranquility, welcoming a long-overdue period of peace.」
「Leonidas has adopted you three as his sons.」
「From the age of two, when you can walk and talk...」
「The King of Sparta leads by example, personally teaching you the martial arts of Sparta, and various experiences and knowledge of hunting demons.」
「Although the training of the Spartans is extremely harsh...」
「You quickly learn everything he teaches, and the astonishing talent you show leaves even Leonidas, the King of Sparta, shocked and amazed.」
「Among the three brothers, Vergil, the second brother, grows the fastest, has the greatest physical strength, and the most burly build.
At the young age of six, Vergil can wield a giant shield as tall as himself and thrust a heavy iron spear that is among the heaviest in the Spartan army.」
「The youngest son, Dante's, strength is second to Vergil's, but only slightly inferior.
Compared to Vergil, Dante's motor skills are more agile, and he shows a greater talent for long-range hunting with a bow and arrow.」
「On the other hand.」
「You, whom Leonidas has the highest hopes for, as their eldest brother, have the most slender physique.」
「Your physical strength is not even half of Vergil's.」
「Your movements are not as agile as Dante's.」
「Your figure is well-proportioned and coordinated, so 'slender' that you don't look like a Spartan at all.」
「Your face is soft and handsome, completely lacking the fortitude a warrior should have.」
「Compared to your two sturdily built brothers, in the Spartan evaluation system, your temperament is so weak you're almost like a girl.」
「That light fist of yours, rather than martial arts, is more like dance!」
「And yet...」
「Since childhood, whether in bare-fisted or armed sparring, your brothers have never defeated you even once. They can only barely achieve a stalemate by fighting you two-on-one.」
「By the age of eight, in terms of swordsmanship alone, even your adoptive father, Leonidas himself, finds to his shock that he cannot gain any advantage when sparring with you with a wooden sword or a long spear.」
「You suppress the brute force of Spartan blood with skill that has reached the point of perfection, and your talents are not only manifested in battle.」
「Your astonishing wisdom, as if you were born knowing it, gives Leonidas an indescribable surprise.」
「Spartans have always revered martial prowess above all else. Everyone is a born warrior, but in other words... they are also all rough men.」
「If you don't fight, you can't survive.」
「This is the ancestral teaching engraved in the blood of every Spartan.」
「This group of energetic brutes is incredibly difficult to manage with finesse. Even Leonidas, as the king, finds it a headache—he has always commanded respect through his majesty and valor.」
「From the age of six, you begin to help your adoptive father, Leonidas, manage the various political affairs of the city-state of Sparta.」
「Because of the continuous wars with the demons, the sacrifices and casualties have been too heavy.」
「As a result, the population of the Spartans is now only about thirty thousand, which is an extremely unfavorable factor for the survival and reproduction of a race.」
「At your suggestion...」
「Leonidas goes against all opposition and brings the exiled Perioeci and Helots into the city, gradually expanding and enriching the city-state's population and ethnic groups.」
「You personally go down to the farmlands and teach the people, step by step, how to make the barren land fertile, emphasizing the importance of fertilization and pest control, and improving the originally rough farming methods, leading to a year-on-year increase in grain production.」
「You invent various novel and clever tools, which are quickly promoted under the personal demonstration of the King of Sparta, greatly improving the efficiency of labor in this era.」
「Your exquisite medical knowledge saves many Spartan warriors who would have otherwise had to be amputated or wait for death. People once prayed for the gods to bestow their glory to heal the wounded, but in this turbulent era, it is difficult to get a response from the gods.」
「Under your personal diagnosis, useful herbs are identified and cultivated, the importance of surgery and disinfection is emphasized, and the magic used for healing is combined with modern medical knowledge, greatly improving the efficiency of the priests in treating the wounded.」
「You are also proficient in various disciplines such as mathematics, weaving, craftsmanship, astronomy, and geography... Any question that scholars find difficult to answer, as long as it is brought before you, you can make them see the light.」
「As the most fundamental and most thought-requiring grassroots political work, you spend half a month carefully drafting a set of detailed and regular laws that fit this era.」
「The new Spartan law, after heated discussion, is quickly passed with a unanimous vote by the council—it stipulates from then on that even serfs can redeem themselves through labor, which greatly boosts the productive enthusiasm of the displaced people.」
「The Greek refugees who have had their homes destroyed by the demons and have been wandering and fleeing, hear of the fame of the Wise Son of the King and flock to the city-states of Sparta.」
「The production and construction of the people proceed in an orderly and enthusiastic manner. With each passing day, the scale of the city-states belonging to Sparta seems to become more prosperous.」
「As the territory continues to expand and extend outward, the city-states belonging to Sparta gradually form a nested regional pattern.」
「The permanent population has already caught up with and is even slowly surpassing that of Athens, surpassing that brilliant pearl in the palm of the gods, presenting a scene of thriving prosperity.」
「Leonidas looks at this vibrant, flourishing scene with an indescribable joy.」
「He did nothing.」
「He was just backing up his son.」
「But, after a few years, the face of the city-state of Sparta has been completely renewed. His own title has now become the 'Father of the Wise Son Kratos'.」
「Although he has lost his fame as the King of Sparta, the red-haired middle-aged king has instead a pleased, fatherly smile on his face.」
「A miracle.」
「As your various achievements are spread, the people who have benefited from them gradually begin to hail you as a miracle, believing you to be a divine child who has descended to the world.」
「In this era where everything is easier to do in the name of the gods, you have no intention of subverting people's concepts.」
「Because gods are real. In this Age of Gods Greece, this is not feudal superstition—but rather a dialectical, materialistic thought.」
「Compared to praying for a miracle...」
「What you really want to express is that instead of praying to the gods, it is better to rely on your own hands to achieve happiness and peace of mind.」
「This is not a process that can be achieved overnight.」
「You will slowly change the concepts in people's hearts through the actual, beautiful things that people can see.」
「Demon invasions occur from time to time, but they are no longer on the massive scale of a few years ago. The days pass in peace.」
「The prosperous city-state of Sparta is more and more convinced that you are the son of a god who has descended to the world, favored by the goddess of wisdom, Athena, and possessing an astonishing wisdom as if you were born knowing it.」
「As they grow more robust, Dante and Vergil join the subjugation of the demons. At the young age of ten, they are already renowned demon hunters.」
「Because you have to deal with political affairs, you do not personally subjugate demons as often as your two brothers, but commanding the army's movements, which reduces losses, is more beneficial to the city-state.」
「Your astonishing wisdom, and the agile and heroic prowess of Dante and Vergil, have made your great names gradually spread throughout the land of Greece.」
「Because of your identities, and because of your relationship, you are hailed by the people as the 'Spartan Brothers'.」
「Although among the three brothers, you, as the eldest, look the most slender and have the most restrained temperament...」
「But whether in martial arts or academics, you are undoubtedly the undisputed leader of the three brothers.」
「Your two younger brothers hold you in high esteem.」
「Although you were adopted by Leonidas and have no blood relation, your relationship is like that of real brothers, thicker than blood.」
「The red-haired old father watches you three grow up day by day with a pleased heart.」
「The high hopes he had placed in the names of you three brothers seem to be becoming a reality day by day...」
It was a season where the sea was calm and the flowers were blooming.
In the vibrant spring courtyard of the Spartan royal palace...
The flowers were in bloom, the grass was lush.
A handsome young man with black hair smiled...
And slowly removed his hands from his brother's eyes.
"Vergil, come... This is a birthday present from your big brother."
Looking at the large, wooden deck chair before him, linked together with an exquisite mortise and tenon structure, carved bit by bit by Su Shu himself...
"This is..."
The silver-haired young man, with his lean, bare torso and robust physique, reached out and touched the back of the chair.
A slightly dazed expression appeared on his face.
So... comfortable.
Big brother even specially polished it, making this chair feel smooth and comfortable to the touch.
"Is this... a chair you made for me? Big brother, what a strange shape..."
"That's right. You've been reading hunched over lately. Your neck must be very uncomfortable," the black-haired young man said with a smile, pushing his silver-haired, slick-haired brother into the chair.
"Lying on it while reading should be very comfortable?"
In the Age of Gods Greece, where the concept of ergonomics did not even exist...
The most people sat on were simple Klismos chairs.
They were just for sitting, not comfortable at all.
At this moment, suddenly lying in a deck chair made to the perfect standard of comfortable grilling...
This comfortable, ergonomic design made Vergil let out a long, comfortable sigh.
Though... it's such a strange shape—
It's so comfortable to sit on?!
As expected of big brother, to have easily invented such an amazing chair!
Looking at the back of the young Vergil...
Su Shu's DNA began to stir.
If he just had a Yamato and a flashy long coat now, it would be perfect.
The popular style of clothing in Greece now was a loose, long dress called a chiton.
To put it simply, it was a piece of cloth draped over the body in various particular ways.
The natural folds were used to accentuate the curves of the human body.
However, for the warlike Spartans, they usually liked to paint their bodies with war tattoos and go bare-chested. The lower body was a battle skirt made of leather and metal.
Only when facing demons would the Spartans put on heavy battle armor to greatly increase their defense.
Su Shu didn't like to be naked. So he usually wore a well-tailored long robe. The combination of black hair and a white robe gave his face a conflicting, soul-capturing, strange magic.
As for Dante and Vergil... these two warlike younger brothers preferred the traditional Spartan attire—not wearing any.
Being naked wasn't a big deal.
But without a long coat, they just weren't Dante and Vergil!
Next time, I'll make some clothes for my brothers.
Looking at the young Vergil's excited expression as he caressed the armrest of the deck chair...
Su Shu was quite satisfied with his gift this time.
"It suits you well. But if you grow any taller, you might need a new one."
"I love this gift! Thank you, big brother!"
The young Vergil caressed the armrest of the chair, eager to move this deck chair back to his own room to read.
Because he greatly admired his big brother, Kratos's, knowledge and strength...
The silver-haired young man had asked his big brother how to become so perfect and had received the answer reading from Su Shu.
And so, compared to practicing martial arts, he had since then come to love reading books.
Books.
This was also big brother's invention!
It was a magical thing that the omnipotent big brother Kratos had created by pressing together crushed straw, linen, and discarded silk cocoons, called paper.
Because of the cheap raw materials, the art of papermaking was quickly popularized.
But paper was one thing. What was precious was the knowledge written on it.
The priests did not dare to miss a single word of what Su Shu wrote, and so they copied it with extreme care using magic. The efficiency was not high. It often took half a shichen (one hour) to proofread a single book.
So, a copied book written by the Wise Son Kratos was now almost worth its weight in gold and had become an important export of the city-state of Sparta.
Looking at Vergil's deck chair...
Someone else felt that the gift his big brother had given him was more thoughtful.
"It's just a chair. Hey, Vergil! Look at mine!"
With the sound of a voice...
Another silver-haired, handsome young man with his hair not slicked back but hanging down naturally, walked over holding a large, gleaming iron sword, and began to show it off with a flourish.
"Hwah—!"
The body of the large iron sword glowed with a crimson light as magical energy was poured into it.
The hilt was even carved with a demon's skull.
Su Shu of course understood what a chunibyo young man of this age liked the most.
The design of this greatsword hit the young Dante's XP system right on the mark.
"Cool, right? I've named it Rebellion!"
"Cough, Rebellion...?"
Hearing this name that made one unable to hold back...
I've long since passed that chunibyo age.
A frivolous curve appeared on the corner of the young Vergil's lips.
"So... what are you rebelling against, Dante?"
"Anything! Anyway, rebellion is the point!"
"What a stupid name."
The young Vergil caressed the armrest of his chair and said with a smile. "I feel it's not as practical as... a chair."
"Heh..." the young Dante sneered back. "You're just jealous of the gift big brother gave me!"
"I'm jealous? Swords like this are everywhere, but there's only one of big brother's chairs."
"Tsk, what's with that look! Let me try sitting in it too!"
"Get lost—"
Su Shu smiled, watching his two brothers bicker.
If only time... could always be this peaceful.
Unfortunately, that was destined to be a luxury.
Because... this was the Nasuverse's Age of Gods Greece.
Indulging in the peace of the moment...
Su Shu turned his gaze slightly and, from the high courtyard of the royal palace, looked at this vast, endless city of Sparta.
Sparta (Σπάρτη)
In Greek, it means fertile and rich land.
And indeed it was.
The abundant produce of the Age of Gods Greece was just like that of the once-favored Britannia of the Age of Gods.
No, it was even stronger, much stronger.
Because not only was there the real blessing of the gods here, but there was also no crisis of the decline of the Age of Gods.
On the land, herds of wild beasts ran freely. Various spirits spread their branches and leaves, living and reproducing.
Giants, dragons, magical beasts, phantasmal beasts...
Almost everywhere, you could see all sorts of phantasmal species.
Any adult here, if taken to the modern world, would be enough to become a fighting champion.
So, although it was the BC era...
It looked, in terms of civilization and technology, much stronger than the Britannia of the 5th century.
The person who had named this city-state Sparta probably would not have thought that this name would one day become synonymous with iron and blood.
The current city-state of Sparta, under the governance of the Wise Son Kratos, was already frighteningly large.
The original four obai had been divided into four areas.
The commercial thoroughfare near the Ionian coast was a shipping hub connected to various city-states. Ships came and went, and hundreds of thousands of goods were imported and exported every day.
A little further inland was the newly built urban area that had been almost completely destroyed by the previous demon invasion—the usual pure white and clean architectural style of Greece, the main material being stone, but because it was stone from the Age of Gods, it had a certain self-cleaning function.
Full of pillars, emphasizing light and shadow, the white relief walls created a magnificent sense of holiness.
And because of the popularization of magic, various parts of the buildings were mixed with magical operational structures, emitting a crystal clear light.
This was now also the most prosperous and populous urban area of the city-state of Sparta. The fiery construction was still ongoing. The height of various buildings, such as theaters, gladiatorial arenas, and slave markets, was also getting higher and higher.
Further up the slope was the original main city area of Sparta. The magical content here was even more abundant.
Though slavery still existed, places like magical audio-visuals and enchantment workshops had already begun to appear.
The spirit and dwarf craftsmen invited by Leonidas were good at a very strange style of construction—stone buildings mixed with a technological, mechanical style. There were even a few magical airships floating in the sky...
Even more, from time to time in the urban area, you could see various hybrid bloodlines of phantasmal species and humans, such as lizardmen, cat-eared girls, and leopardmen, as well as various fantasy creatures in strange costumes.
It was very strange.
Yet very neat.
It was a... strange yet harmonious beauty.
High-tech, yet BC, and full of various fantasy colors.
People always placed their hopes on the high and mighty gods, basking in the gifts and blessings from the gods.
The thoughts of most people were still ignorant and unenlightened. Slavery was rampant, mysterious things were everywhere, and various elements were redundantly piled up, yet it appeared prosperous.
Sword and magic?
Or cyberpunk?
Su Shu found it hard to think of an adjective to describe this style of the Age of Gods Greece.
If he had to say it, it should be...
Greek Magic-Punk?
And further up from the urban area was, of course, the magnificent royal palace courtyard of the King of Sparta.
And the majestic temple of the god of war, standing on the highest peak of Sparta.
...The Greece of the Age ofods.
It was indeed a dazzlingly prosperous civilization.
The black-haired young man looked down at this city-state under his rule. It was said that Athens was even more prosperous than here.
Su Shu's current body, named Kratos, had grown steadily for twelve years.
Its attribute panel... made him feel very strange.
That's right... strange.
Name: Kratos of Sparta
Strength: D
Endurance: D
Agility: C
Mana: C
Luck: EX
Noble Phantasm: ?
Eternal Arms Mastery: B
Your martial arts, in this era where fighting techniques have not yet been developed to perfection, are undoubtedly unparalleled. It is not something taught by others, but the concentrated embodiment of the skills your soul is proficient in. Eternal Arms Mastery allows you to defeat the strong as the weak, but unfortunately, your current physical attributes are too weak, making it difficult to defeat opponents with a too large gap in strength.
Magic Resistance: C
Possessing the blood of a Spartan, you are bathed in the favor of the Age of Gods and have a basic resistance to simple magic.
Crimson Rage: Unawakened
You have not felt the fire of rage surge in your heart, because you have not yet embarked on the path of a god-slayer.
Demonic Sword Symbiosis: Unawakened
The bloodthirsty demonic sword you are destined to obtain has not yet, in despair, crashed down before you.
Limiter: Unawakened
The heart known as human still shackles your restless soul.
In a word—
...Weak.
This word was a true reflection of the strength of Su Shu's current body.
Clearly, as the Son of the White Dragon, at the age of eight, he was already strong enough to lift a tripod and punch through a stone, with a terrifying panel of 3 Bs.
Perhaps it was the lack of the ultimate lifeform bonus.
This time, he was already twelve years old.
His attributes were only slightly stronger than an ordinary Spartan warrior of the Age of Gods.
Although his martial arts skills allowed him to defeat the strong as the weak...
But if it wasn't practice, and he were to fight his adoptive father Leonidas with all his might, Su Shu would definitely lose. The gap in physical fitness was still too difficult to overcome.
It was just that...
The three talents had not yet awakened. With his current young body, this panel was still normal.
What puzzled Su Shu the most was—
"Goddamn it, Luck EX?"
When he saw this item...
Su Shu was stunned for a good few minutes.
Since when was my luck so good?
The Counter Force's targeting was no joke.
He, a former mahjong veteran, could lose his pants to three beautiful girls at the mahjong table. This was a case in point.
Or perhaps...
EX-rank, unranked, meant as bad as it could possibly be?
Shouldn't that be E-?
"There must be a ghost when things are this weird."
Su Shu murmured this classic line.
He had torn a hole in the Inner Sea of the Planet.
Could it be... because he was now in the BC timeline, the hole hadn't appeared yet, so he hadn't been targeted by the Counter Force?
That didn't seem right either.
In his understanding, something like the Counter Force should be entrenched in the timeline. Otherwise, there wouldn't be Grand Servants summoned to put out fires.
Why was his luck as Kratos so high?
Excluding all other options, Su Shu could only think of the only two possibilities.
"So... is it because of the demons? Or because of that Crimson Giant?"
Growing up in the city-state of Sparta, taught by Leonidas...
Su Shu now had a basic understanding of the situation in the Age of Gods Greece.
He was actually quite familiar with many of the legends of Greek mythology.
The childhood anime Olympus Guardian was a household name, which also made Su Shu much more familiar with Greek mythology than Celtic mythology.
Unfortunately...
The history of the Age of Gods Greece in this Nasuverse world and the Greek mythology in Su Shu's memory had been modified... a little bit?
Probably with a galaxy in between...
Leonidas had told his adopted sons the history of the gods as recorded by Sparta.
According to Su Shu's personal understanding...
At the beginning, it did indeed follow the development of the original Greek mythology:
Zeus led the gods in patricide and fought with Cronus.
This fight was said to have been earth-shattering. Both sides had their śarīra knocked out.
But from here, things started to go sideways—
The dying Titan King Cronus wanted to drag all the gods down with him, so he activated his backup hidden energy.
He sacrificed himself and summoned the primordial chaos named Chaos, tearing open a huge rift to another world.
From that rift to another world...
Countless grotesque creatures poured directly into hell.
The hell named Tartarus, its ecosystem was completely corrupted and transformed by the void rift—from then on, it became a den of demons that nurtured countless demons, yet was said to be a picturesque place with green grass.
The giants originally imprisoned in hell, who knew what their situation was now. Anyway, no god probably dared to care now.
At first, the gods all thought it wasn't a big deal.
The long thousands of years under the rule of the gods had also passed peacefully.
However, as hell, Tartarus, was completely corrupted...
Hell-rifts began to open up continuously all over the world, causing the humans under the rule of the various pantheons to suffer.
Every time a rift appeared...
Countless demons that fed on humans would pour out from it, invading the human world, grinding their teeth and sucking blood.
The demons here...
Did not refer to those silly, cute creatures in mythology with red faces and fangs, holding a steel fork, or with goat horns and cow hooves, tempting mortals to fall.
Nor were there categories such as succubus, incubus, sex demon, mana-draining demon, vacuum demon, or Voldemort.
But a general term for unspeakable monsters.
Most of the ordinary demons without names were just cannon fodder.
The warriors of the Age of Gods Greece could deal with them as if they were a horde of magical beasts.
And yet...
Among the demon horde, there would be named demons.
These were the most troublesome guys.
According to the experience and lessons learned from the hundreds of years of struggle between humans and demons...
People had discovered that the collective fear of humans towards a certain thing could give birth to a corresponding demon, causing it to descend from hell and slaughter the human world.
This object of fear...
Could be a plant, an animal, an inorganic object, an objective entity... or even a metaphysical concept.
According to Su Shu's personal understanding, to give an example—
The demon born from the fear of group meetings is the Group Meeting Demon.
The demon born from the fear of pigeons is the Pigeon Demon.
The stronger, more common, more widespread, and more profound the fear of humans towards a certain thing...
The more grotesque the abilities, the more powerful the destructive power, and the more resilient the life force of the corresponding demon would be.
The most troublesome point was that...
Those demons with names could not be truly killed.
The life force of demons was incredibly resilient. Only by destroying the demons' hearts could they be eliminated.
And yet...
If humans still held fear for their names...
The demons would be resurrected again in hell.
To eradicate human fear...
That was almost impossible.
So, every time a demon was killed, it was just sending the other party back to the fountain to wash up, to buy some time.
And these were also the basic common knowledge of most of the people in the Age of Gods Greece.
Since hell was completely corrupted and the demons had been running rampant for a hundred years...
Humanity had since then had a common enemy.
The more than two hundred magnificent city-states of the Age of Gods Greece, not to say that their relationships were completely repaired...
But at least, the disputes between them were much less than before.
Because, in the face of the demons, the natural enemy of mankind...
It was simply impossible to survive without uniting.
Leonidas was right.
The elite warriors of Greece now were basically outstanding demon hunters.
Those demons with names, some would even appear in human form.
But even a human-form demon...
Its head would often be different from an ordinary person's.
This was also the common method used by demon hunters to distinguish between humans and demons.
Demons would be resurrected again and again.
But humans would die.
This desperate situation with no end in sight, this endless slaughter with the demons...
The reason why people could still hold on was precisely because... people longed for the gaze of the gods.
If the gods achieved victory...
Perhaps they could cleanse hell.
Holding such a hope, this was also the motivation for people to fight.
The reason why it was said to achieve victory...
Was because the gods were now preoccupied.
Over ten thousand years ago, a crimson meteor with a flaming tail was thrown from a wandering star and fell to the earth. From it walked out a crimson giant.
It destroyed Atlantis, madly slaughtering and destroying everything of the various pantheons, and at the same time, launched an attack on the Norse, Greek, Sumerian, and Egyptian pantheons.
In the end, it was said to have been pierced and scattered by a beam of light that reached to the heavens, its fragments falling all over the world.
At almost the same time that the demons began to run rampant...
The fragments of the crimson giant stood up again in Greece, and were now beating the current Olympus to a pulp.
It was said that Zeus led the gods and scattered the crimson giant again.
However, the crimson giant would stand up again after a period of time and launch an attack on Mount Olympus.
The protracted war between the two sides had been going on for over a hundred years.
Now people were looking forward to the gods defeating the crimson giant, so they could free up their hands and save humanity.
The fire of hope flickered.
"A meteor thrown from a wandering star, a Crimson Giant?"
He had to admit...
The first moment he heard this setting...
Su Shu couldn't help but think—
"Could this be... a Fallen Empire?"
In Stellaris, the awakened fallen empires in the galaxy sometimes held strong hostility towards other civilizations.
And so...
That so-called Crimson Giant, with such obvious hostility towards the gods of Earth...
Could it be a small reconnaissance probe launched by a fallen empire?
Thinking this...
Su Shu suddenly understood why his luck as Kratos was EX.
"It's very likely that the Counter Force was knocked out by that Crimson Giant..."
The light that had shattered the crimson giant...
Su Shu, who had also been hit by a similar impact, thought for a moment and immediately guessed that it should be from the Holy Sword of the Planet, forged by the planet itself.
Compared to the holy sword Artoria had swung at him...
The power that had crushed the crimson giant should be much more exaggerated than what had been used to kill him.
So, this had also almost caused the Counter Force to weaken to its extreme?
The Counter Force has no time for me.
So my luck is here?
"Tsk, the tables have turned."
Feeling the salty sea breeze...
The black-haired young man narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at the distant coastline.
Kick them while they're down.
Last time, it was just opening a hole in the Inner Sea of the Planet.
This time, if I don't flay the Counter Force, plant grass on it, and ultimately humiliate it, I would be unworthy of these talents.
Hmm, increasing my strength...?
Crimson Rage needs rage.
Limiter needs to be near death in battle.
Both are hard to control and are not stable bonuses.
Now, the best way for him to increase his strength should be...
Demonic Sword Symbiosis.
Then...
Where should I go to find that destined demonic sword...
Whatever.
I won't think about such troublesome things.
Today was the birthday of the three Spartan brothers.
Su Shu felt that he should perhaps relax a little for a change.
Thinking this...
The black-haired young man turned his head and smiled at his two bickering brothers.
And so, he did not notice...
On the distant horizon of the coastline, dark and gloomy clouds seemed to be rising and gathering—
Cloudless night, brilliant stars.
In the royal palace of Sparta...
A lively banquet was being held.
Today was the common birthday of the three Spartan brothers.
Naturally, it was a time for celebration throughout the city.
Leonidas held a grand banquet. Today, all the residents of the city-state could put down their work.
At the main table...
The young men were drinking and toasting to their red-haired adoptive father.
Spartans learned to drink from the womb. They were all heavy drinkers.
Except for... the black-haired young man, who was really not good at drinking.
Tsk.
I really... can't drink.
Su Shu was the type who would get drunk at the touch of alcohol.
Before he transmigrated to the Nasuverse, when he had dinner with his senior and junior brothers in his group, he would get a little tipsy after half a glass of beer.
Even though he had simulated being a god-slayer...
This weakness seemed to have not changed.
And so...
"Half a glass is enough, Father."
His eyes slightly tipsy...
The black-haired young man happily clinked glasses with Leonidas. He only took a small sip, and his vision seemed to become a little hazy.
"It's rare for you to even drink half a glass, Kratos. Hahaha... I am pleased, Father!"
The red-haired King of Sparta laughed heartily and drank the large, basin-like cup of wine in one go.
"If brother can't drink, then let it be. We'll drink with you, Father."
The silver-haired young men began to take drinks for their brother.
The atmosphere of the banquet was lively and joyful.
"In three years, you will all be adults. Time flies."
Sighing with such emotion...
The King of Sparta at the banquet smiled and looked up at his favorite adopted son with his crimson eyes.
"You're almost an adult who can stand on your own. It's about time. So... Father wants to entrust my most cherished treasure to you, Kratos."
As his words fell...
A slightly helpless smile appeared on Su Shu's hazy vision.
After adopting three sons...
Leonidas had poured all his energy into them and had not remarried or had any more children.
This King of Sparta treated the children of Sparta as his own sons.
It was just that...
Leonidas and his deceased queen had a beloved princess.
A red-haired, beautiful young girl named Myrrine was sitting beside her father, looking at the black-haired young man before her with a shy expression.
Her gaze was bold and fervent, without any avoidance.
On the contrary, it was Su Shu who didn't dare to look at her.
Spartans had always valued martial prowess.
But now, the hearts of the young girls in the city-state had all fallen for that black-haired young man.
Some people had even begun to learn from this Prince Kratos and wear pure white long robes.
However, their burly, almost-bursting-with-muscles figures could only make the young girls laugh.
You can train your body.
But... temperament is not easy to cultivate.
Su Shu's personal example, his wisdom, knowledge, and humility, had earned him the respect of everyone in the city-state, even though he did not have the martial prowess inherited by the Spartans.
To the point that everyone's aesthetic sense began to shift towards him.
This often made Leonidas smile helplessly. The martial spirit of our family...
"I..."
Su Shu opened his mouth, wanting to refuse.
He knew that in this simulation, he would inevitably face a very difficult fate.
The name Kratos...
Said it all.
Kratos's two successive wives had both passed away.
Even though he was not Kratos himself, and their personalities were very different...
"It's settled. This is Father's only wish, and also Myrrine's own preference. Don't refuse."
The middle-aged old father smiled and arranged the marriage for his daughter.
"On the day you come of age, I will personally hold a wedding for you."
What could he say?
Su Shu looked at the red-haired young girl.
She just blushed and stared at him.
Just like for the past twelve years.
Wiping his sweat during practice. Assisting him in farming. Holding a lamp for him while he was writing books.
Su Shu of course understood the young girl's feelings.
Then, it's good to be respectful to each other from now on.
Don't say anything.
The black-haired young man could only smile and nod.
Dante and Vergil exchanged a look, smiled brightly, and raised their glasses to celebrate for their brother.
The atmosphere of the banquet became more and more lively.
To Leonidas's knowing smile...
The two silver-haired young men jointly held their slightly drunk brother's arm, and carried Su Shu towards the watchtower in the palace courtyard.
The sky was high, the sea was wide.
The brilliant stars of Greece twinkled in the night sky.
Su Shu stared, a little dazed.
At the thousands of bright lights below.
Shakingly, they formed the name Cratos.
"We're not good at crafts. We're clumsy. We only know how to kill demons."
The young Vergil scratched his head and smiled.
"If you ask us to do handicrafts, you might as well just kill us."
"So, this is..."
The young Dante's bangs fluttered, and he said with a smile.
"Our birthday present for you, big brother."
"Th-Thank you."
Su Shu dazedly, softly whispered.
He turned his head.
His adoptive father, Leonidas, and his childhood friend, Myrrine, were sitting at the banquet, smiling at him.
Their expressions froze on their faces.
Frozen in Su Shu's eyes.
In that instant.
All sound...
Seemed to become silent.
In an instant...
The entire world seemed to become silent and voiceless.
Like a heavy hammer striking a mirror...
The entire world in his eyes was in slow motion.
It was being crushed, shattered, destroyed—
Inch by inch...
It was being destroyed.
The magnificent Spartan royal palace...
To the black-haired young man's dazed and blank expression...
Was instantly crushed, flattened, and collapsed—
A violent wind...
Blew against Su Shu's bangs.
Until everything before his eyes was destroyed.
A deafening, brain-shaking hum finally squeezed into his brain.
The royal palace before him...
Was just a ruin that had been run over by a road roller.
By some incredibly violent, irresistible force...
It had been crushed in an instant.
The moonlight was white and bright.
The screams and wails of the people had not even had time to sound.
No one realized what had happened.
In an instant...
Everything was crushed, destroyed.
Su Shu stared blankly.
With the equally stunned Dante and Vergil supporting him, he turned his head.
From the distant coastline...
A violent, almost-all-crushing trace stretched for tens of thousands of meters on the ground, directly and accurately piercing through the Spartan royal palace.
On the sea surface where the waves were surging...
A grotesque creature, as tall as a mountain, with countless human skulls embedded in its body and various war weapons stuck in its back, lowered the arm that had just thrown a long spear, and its figure began to dissipate inch by inch.
The rift of hell began to open.
The city-state of Sparta was exploding and burning everywhere.
The screams of the people and the roars of the warriors echoed everywhere.
In the scorching, familiar air...
Su Shu dazedly lowered his eyes.
At his front.
Before the impact arrived...
The one who had stood in front of him... was Vergil.
The silver-haired young man was covered in blood.
His bones, which had been crushed by the violent shockwave, made his limbs look like a twisted rag.
"...Big brother, are you... okay?"
Saying this with a smile and a hoarse voice...
The young Vergil's body went limp and collapsed directly.
"Vergil!"
Dante rushed forward and held Vergil's body.
Su Shu was still silently dazed.
In his scorching, nerve-wracking thoughts that could not understand the situation...
The sound of horse hooves sounded.
Clop.
Clop, clop, clop—
From the dispersing dust...
Emerged two tall, proud, and divine pure white horses.
A strange person in blood-red armor and a woman with orange hair and a halo-like glow behind her head...
Were riding on the horses, stationary.
"You guys are really lucky..."
Lowering his bloody gaze...
The person in blood-red armor said in a muffled voice.
"To have survived this."
Hearing this...
A subtle curve appeared on the corner of the orange-haired woman's lips.
"Perhaps this is... fate, right?"
The person in blood-red armor raised his hand.
In that instant...
The silver-haired young man on the ground, whose body was like a rag...
To Dante's dazed gaze, broke free from his embrace and was pulled into the armored person's palm, held in his hand.
「The strongest of the Spartan Brothers will completely destroy Olympus.」
The orange-haired woman with an olive-branch crown and rippling concentric lines in her pupils, riding on her horse, slightly lowered her amber eyes.
"This is the prophecy Zeus... received from the three sisters of fate."
"So..."
The towering figure completely covered in red armor let out a hoarse, muffled, yet somewhat teasing voice from under his helmet.
He slowly lifted the silver-haired young man with a well-built physique in his hand.
"—is it this kid? Heh, destroy Olympus?"
"It should be him."
The orange-haired woman held the reins of her steed, a half-smile on her lips.
"I can feel it... the astonishing power contained within his body... It is a violence that would tear apart both the human world and hell."
The armored person shook his head in disdain.
"Then, should we just kill him?"
"Take him back... hehe, such an interesting little guy, it would be a waste."
Listening to the two's casual conversation that decided life and death...
The young Dante slowly looked up.
His expression was twitching and狰狞.
"Who... are you...?"
No one paid him any attention.
The person in blood-red armor and the orange-haired woman, holding Vergil's tattered body, turned their steeds' heads.
"Give Vergil back to me—!!!"
Bang!
The young Dante roared and rushed forward.
But he was casually swatted aside by the person in red armor, and fell to the ground. Blood seeped from his right eye socket.
"Ugh..."
A sharp pain, as if his bones were cracking, shot through his body.
Dante vomited a mouthful of blood, which contained pieces of his internal organs.
The black-haired young man silently looked at the two on horseback.
His intimate, thicker-than-blood brother...
One was taken away.
One was struck down.
Even so...
Su Shu was still... standing where he was.
His voice was like the trembling of hell—
"Athena..."
"...Oh?"
As if hearing the black-haired young man's hoarse voice...
The beautiful woman with orange hair, with the olive branches, slightly turned her amber eyes.
"You actually... recognize me?
"Clearly, this appearance has never been seen by anyone before.
"Kratos... huh?
"You are really very interesting."
Rage.
Rage spread in his chest.
The dispersing dust was swept away and pushed aside by some invisible force.
The ground beneath his feet seemed to be trembling.
The rubble on the ground began to tremble like grains of rice.
"The rage of the Spartans...
"What a useful talent.
"But this blood...
"Was given to you by us gods."
Saying this...
A pleased curve appeared on the corner of the orange-haired woman's lips.
"And you still want to use it to resist us?
"Courageous, little one."
"Let's just kill him," the armored person said, annoyed. "Athena, he already recognizes you..."
"No, let him live."
Athena said with a smile.
"It's been a long time since I've seen such an interesting little guy.
"If you can survive, it's your own good fortune, Kratos."
She turned her head away, unconcerned.
"Let's go back... the vanguard of the wandering star is about to reform.
"Let them stay here and fend for themselves."
The tall, divine white horse turned its head.
Clop.
Clop, clop, clop—
Carrying the young Vergil...
Their figures slowly dissipated in the dust.
Screams.
Roars.
The rift of hell opened up in the city of Sparta on an unprecedented scale. Unprepared, the people at the celebration banquet were crushed and slaughtered. It was a scene of bloody tragedy.
Su Shu looked up at the bright, clear moon in the sky.
The moonlight...
Was obscured by dark clouds.
He lowered his gaze.
His brother, Dante, had fainted at his feet.
The entire royal palace had been completely destroyed, leaving only a ruin of broken walls. Not even a complete corpse could be found.
A lonely young man, as if abandoned by the world...
Stood in the ruins under the dim moonlight.
Flesh grinding.
Teeth gnashing.
Smelling the fragrance of blood...
A slimy, insect-like crawling sound came from all directions.
Demons, ghosts, and monsters.
Twisted heads.
Grinding sharp teeth.
Madly蠕动 eyeballs.
All sorts of grotesque, chaotic demons, drooling from their mouths, crawled over and surrounded the black-haired young man in the center.
Their eyes...
Were filled with bloodthirsty desire.
The god-slayer named Kratos...
Expressionless, slowly, from the ground, he picked up the Blade of Rebellion that had been given to his brother, Dante.
At this moment...
He only had Dante left as his family.
Is howling useful?
Is roaring useful?
Su Shu closed his eyes.
That extreme rage flickered and trembled in his heart.
"A—THE—NA—!!!"
Under the moonlight...
A flower of blood bloomed.
Cleave—
Sever—
What are demons?
Just crush them.
Piles of violent intestines burst out. Su Shu, like a meat grinder, madly tore apart all the things that were pouncing on Dante before him.
The wind was bone-chilling.
The raindrops were icy cold.
The rain poured down, but the water could not wash away the thick, hell-like bloodiness.
The sky, oppressed by dark clouds...
Suddenly flashed with blood-red electric snakes.
Boom—
A crimson lightning bolt crashed down, striking the distant coastline that was dissipating in the wind and rain.
As if the earth and the sea were trembling at the same time...
A crimson giant slowly stood up from the sea level and, step by step, walked towards that Mount Olympus.
Amidst the thunder and lightning, a rain of blood fell.
The rain poured, as if the heavens were weeping.
Before the ruins of the Spartan royal palace...
A black-haired young man, bathed in blood, was crushing everything before him like a grindstone.
The iron sword in his hand cut through the demons' bodies, destroying their hearts.
The blade passed through flesh and bone.
Finally, it let out a cry of being overwhelmed.
Crack—
The Blade of Rebellion...
The greatsword that had been given that name, given to Dante, shattered in Su Shu's hand.
At his feet, Dante, his eye sockets soaked in blood and on the brink of death, grabbed his ankle.
"Brother... run—"
Su Shu clenched his fists.
If I have no sword...
I still have... my hands—
Bones were being broken.
Flesh was being torn apart.
The skin on his arms was constantly being torn and festered by the corrosive saliva of the demons, revealing the white bones beneath.
There was no roaring.
Nor any screaming.
Crack.
Su Shu tore off his own left arm bone and, with the sharp end, stabbed it directly into a demon's eyeball.
Pshk—
Blood splattered.
The black-haired young man, bathed in blood, stood like a god of slaughter before his brother. The demon corpses around him had already piled up into a mountain.
And yet...
Too slow.
He was killing too slowly.
Blood had already caked in his pupils and eyeballs. Everything he saw was a sea of red.
His leg bone had already been broken.
The young Dante, with his remaining left eye, watched with tears and wails as his brother's back knelt before him.
"Brother..."
An endless stream of grotesque creatures surged forward like a tide...
As if they would swallow his figure.
In this desperate situation where everything was shattered, everything was decadent...
The crimson giant that was shaking Olympus was suddenly pierced by a brilliant beam of light that erupted from the earth.
The wind was bone-chilling.
The raindrops were icy cold.
The young Dante tremblingly supported his body.
Everything seemed to slow down.
From the infinitely high sky...
A bloody light fell.
Shhh—
A tattered, crack-covered greatsword, as tall as a man, suddenly pierced through the head of the biting demon and into the bloody flesh before the fallen black-haired young man.
Su Shu, vomiting blood, stared blankly...
At the tattered demonic sword's hilt...
At the weak eyeball, which seemed as if it would close at any moment, and which was staring back at him in a daze.
I'm dying.
Are you dying too?
That dim gaze, which seemed as if it would be extinguished at any moment...
Conveyed the will of the demonic sword.
It craved...
Human blood.
"I see..."
Su Shu coughed.
He laughed hoarsely, coughing.
"This is... a contract—
"I will let you... drink my blood.
"In exchange, let me use your power."
With his remaining, bloody right hand...
The black-haired young man gripped the tattered hilt.
Vein-like狰狞 patterns spread up the sword's body, climbing up Su Shu's arm and towards his heart.
A surging, tidal wave of blood-red patterns...
Formed Su Shu's new arm, new bones, new flesh.
Dante stared blankly, frozen...
At his black-haired brother before him, who was being covered in blood-red armor, which completely enveloped him—
"Tell me your name..."
"Name...?*"
Su Shu asked silently.
And then from the bottom of his heart, slowly, a hoarse roar sounded.
"I am... the God-Slayer...
"I am, AATROX—!!!"
"I am not your enemy."
"Rather, the entire world is my enemy."
Going to the hospital to change a dressing, taking the last day off this month.
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