Whether it was the Dystopian Demon Lord, the Absolute Evil Demon Lord, or Typhon, they were all world-destroying Demon Lords.
Trying to make Typhon an ally, no matter how you looked at it, seemed far too risky.
Faced with Izayoi's argument, Canary simply smiled.
"Having no love for humanity doesn't mean he can't join forces with you. But you're right. Setting aside the fact that he's the personification of all victims, Typhon's own attitude will be difficult to change."
Canary, who had learned a little about the War of the Star Gods from Su Mo and Shiroyasha, knew just how much disappointment and hostility Typhon held for the gods.
Even with Izayoi's eloquence, it would be impossible to change his mind on the spot.
But that was fine. This small problem was no real obstacle.
After all—
"Lord Su Mo, you must have a way, right?"
Canary looked to Su Mo beside her.
"Mm."
Su Mo nodded and gave his order.
"Have Typhon come see me. I will change his mind."
"Yes, sir!"
Izayoi bowed his head and accepted, though he was curious.
From the sound of it, Su Mo intended to make Typhon abandon his revenge on humanity and surrender with just a few words?
That seemed completely impossible!
However, having nearly misunderstood Su Mo before, he didn't dare question him now. He accepted the task and immediately ran to the hospital room where Typhon was.
"So, that's the situation. Lord Su Mo is summoning you. Are you able to walk right now?"
Izayoi explained the circumstances with extreme speed while assessing Typhon's current state, wondering whether to push him over in a wheelchair or just wheel the entire hospital bed over.
But after hearing everything Izayoi said, Typhon, lying on the hospital bed, looked completely bewildered.
"So, this Su... who is he?"
Having left the stage during the dawn of Little Garden, he had never heard the name.
"Huh?"
Izayoi never would have imagined there'd be a time when Su Mo's name alone wasn't enough.
"It seems he's the ruler behind your Holy Cross Group, the one who's training you candidates for salvation?"
Typhon quickly guessed what was going on and immediately shook his head.
"If that's the case, it's most likely a god doing something like this, right? You're part of the Holy Cross Group, so is he the Lord of the Hebrew Pantheon? From your expression, I'm guessing I'm right... But I'm sorry, I have no interest in gods."
"You mean you're not going to accept the summons?" Izayoi asked, surprised.
He had been worried that Su Mo would have trouble persuading Typhon with words, but he never expected Typhon to refuse to even go.
"Of course not. I have no reason to listen to the advice of a god."
Typhon shook his head, his expression turning grim as if recalling something.
"Being deceived by a god's lies once is enough. I won't make the same mistake twice."
The false promises of the All-Father Zeus were still fresh in his memory.
"..."
Well, this was awkward.
Seeing his resolute attitude, Izayoi knew it would be difficult to persuade him. He couldn't very well kidnap Typhon and drag him there; while the man didn't have long to live, he wasn't so fragile that he could be manhandled.
Faced with this situation, his only option was to try the final piece of advice Canary had given him before he left.
What Canary had said was: If Typhon refuses the summons, just mention these two names. That should be enough.
With that in mind, Izayoi spoke, half-doubtingly.
"Are you sure you won't accept? In that case, I'll go inform the current Earth Stellar Spirit, Lady Athena, and Teacher Algol, so they don't make a wasted trip..."
"What?! What did you just say?!"
Typhon cut Izayoi off before he could finish.
Hearing those two unexpected names, Typhon suddenly leaped from the hospital bed, his face filled with an incredible excitement, like a final burst of life.
"The Earth Stellar Spirit should only be Gaia, the Mother Planet herself! How could it be a goddess from Greek mythology... Wait, the Mother Planet is dead. If Athena's divinity is connected to the source of the primordial earth mother, she would indeed have the qualifications to become a half-Stellar Spirit of Earth. If this is true, does this mean... Mother's era has passed on to a successor...?"
Typhon's expression alternated between fury and sorrow.
At first, he looked as if he couldn't forgive someone for spreading such a rumor, but the more he thought, the more he convinced himself.
"If the great Stellar Spirit Algol is involved, then it can't be a lie. Given her past relationship with my mother, she would never acknowledge a completely unrelated imposter. Which means... this is truly a summons from the Mother Planet!"
It was less that he had convinced himself with rigorous logic and more that he simply wanted to believe it was true.
True, if the second-generation Earth Stellar Spirit was Athena, her connection to his mother, Gaia, would be in name only. Even so, the name itself was an important inheritance of Spiritual Status.
It wasn't out of the question to see the new Earth Stellar Spirit as his mother's reincarnation.
Not to mention Algol's involvement. For someone who only knew the Little Garden of its dawn era, the now-famous Su Mo had far less presence than Algol.
So, upon hearing those two names, he immediately changed his mind.
"Wait, Izayoi! If I can meet the Mother Planet's successor and my mother's old friend, I will accept the summons!"
"That was a quick change of heart. I guess Canary wasn't lying to me this time."
Izayoi was taken aback by Typhon's reversal.
But he was even more surprised by something else.
"I've never met the Earth Stellar Spirit, so I don't know the details, but if the Algol you're talking about is the same Teacher Algol I know... isn't she just a problem child who does nothing but drink and throw tantrums? Are you sure she's some great Stellar Spirit?"
Recalling the image of Algol dead drunk, Izayoi suspected Typhon might not be in his right mind.
"A problem child who does nothing but drink and throw tantrums?"
Hearing Izayoi's scathing assessment, Typhon didn't get angry, nor did he suspect Izayoi of lying. Instead, a nostalgic look appeared on his face.
"Is that great lady still living so... freely? Mother used to worry about her future. I heard the pantheons always had issues with her, but I never expected things wouldn't be as bad as Mother feared!"
"...You should probably ask her about that yourself."
Remembering Algol's tragic fate, Izayoi shook his head, deciding not to explain.
The pantheons didn't just "have issues" with her; they practically wanted to flay her alive.
If she hadn't met Su Mo, that "problem child" would still be a stone statue being used as a weapon!
"Excellent!"
Typhon nodded, invigorated.
Filled with the joy of meeting his mother's successor and old friend, he proceeded to the audience with great solemnity.
After watching him leave, Izayoi didn't follow.
He turned around and saw that the members of the Salvation Group had gathered at the door to the hospital room at some point.
The Kudou Sisters, Kasukabe Yō, and Percher.
If you included Homura Saigo, who had just left, the entire Salvation Group was present.
"What are you all doing here?" Izayoi asked.
Kudou Asuka threw up her hands.
"I may have lost my powers, but that doesn't mean my brain has gotten dull. And I have Yō and Percher with me... So what exactly happened? Little Homura is nowhere to be seen. Did you two brothers have a fight?"
Her question cut straight to the heart of the matter. Even Izayoi knew this wasn't something he could just brush off.
So...
"That's right. So, in a bit, I might need everyone's help to drag Homura back. I don't even care if you have to beat him up!"
Izayoi gave a rare bow, making a request of his comrades.
"Don't worry! When it comes to fighting, I'm a pro," Kasukabe Yō replied, clenching her fist.
"Team up against him? Is Homura Saigo that strong now?" Kudou Ayatori asked, looking puzzled.
"It's frustrating to admit, but the Homura of today is incredibly strong. His physical abilities even surpass my own!"
Recalling the moment Homura took him down instantly, Izayoi pressed his lips together.
While it was true he hadn't been on high alert, Homura's overwhelming advantage was no joke.
"I understand."
Kudou Ayatori frowned slightly but still nodded.
She was probably thinking about what kind of weapon would be effective.
Faced with this new kind of battlefield, her combination of Divine Realm-level martial arts and the Third Stellar Particle Prototype had now been relegated to a second-tier power level.
"I'll do my best, too!" Percher quickly promised, though she still looked a little confused, clearly not fully grasping the situation.
"For even you to bow your head, the problem must be serious. Don't worry, we'll give it our all to help!"
Kudou Asuka was also surprised for a moment, realizing the gravity of the situation.
With her personality, she would never back down from a fight. She immediately patted her chest and agreed.
But only after agreeing did she remember her current condition. She let out a self-deprecating laugh.
"Although... it's not like I can be of much help right now."
She didn't need anyone to comfort her; she knew she was no longer a competent fighter.
In her current state, forcing herself into action would only hold everyone back. It was better to stay at headquarters and not cause trouble.
Just as she was about to say so, a small, rabbit-eared girl came hopping over from a short distance away.
"Asuka, Ayatori, Lord Su Mo summons you!"
"Eh?"
The Kudou sisters looked at each other, both confused.