"Mydei!"
Seeing the newcomer, Phainon clearly breathed a sigh of relief: "I just heard Castorice say you came alone to face Nikador. I was still a bit worried, but now it looks like you're handling it with ease?"
A calm and gentle smile appeared on Mydei's face: "Handling it with ease? Not quite. I've only temporarily bound its movements with golden threads. The finishing work will still need you, the 'Savior,' to help with."
"You always speak in a way that makes people feel comfortable, Mydei."
Mydei smiled without saying a word, then turned his gaze toward Stelle and the others. He naturally beckoned to the three of them and said: "I heard from Aglaea that you come from a world beyond the heavens?"
"My name is Mydei, Mydei of Castrum Kremnos. It is a pleasure to meet you."
It was only when Mydei beckoned that Stelle noticed the nearly invisible, almost transparent golden threads wrapped around his fingers.
The golden threads spread out in all directions. Most extended toward Nikador's body, while a portion stretched toward Stelle and the others.
··What a smiling-tiger Mydei!
Stelle's heart stirred, and she immediately understood: Clearly, Mydei appeared mild and casual on the surface, but in reality he was still wary of them.
··Though that was understandable. After all, they had just entered the holy city, their identities were still a mystery, and Nikador was right in front of them, staring menacingly. One careless mistake and it would be utter doom.
Thinking of this, Stelle simply nodded frankly: "We are Trailblazers from beyond the heavens. I am Stelle. These two beside me are my companions, Dan Heng and Sunday."
"We are here to help you defeat Nikador."
"I already learned of your heroic actions all the way from the holy city gate to here through the golden threads." Mydei cupped his fist toward the three of them: "For this kindness, I thank you three on behalf of all the demigods here."
"Once we have dealt with Nikador together, we will definitely thank you with the highest specification banquet of Castrum Kremnos!"
— "Roar!"
At this moment, Nikador beside them seemed to understand the meaning of the conversation. Its body, which had been firmly bound by golden threads, began to struggle violently—it was the Mad King, the Barbarian God; anger would make its power grow stronger!
"Ugh··· It's starting to resist. Everyone, act quickly!"
Mydei's expression turned solemn. He crossed his hands in front of his chest, and in an instant, the golden threads bloomed with a dazzling golden brilliance!
"Threads, intertwine!"
With a light shout from Mydei, the surrounding golden threads came alive, wrapping around Nikador's divine body and connecting to the stone pillars in the bathhouse, hoisting this Titan of Strife that the world saw as a condemned prisoner about to be hanged.
"Partners, let's go together!"
Phainon stepped forward. Scorching golden flames bloomed on the greatsword in his hand: "Flames, burn everything! Drink up—!"
Clang!
One of Nikador's arms violently snapped the golden threads, picked up its spear, and smashed it hard against Phainon's greatsword!
"Rules are made to be broken!"
Stelle gripped her baseball bat, radiating violent energy fluctuations, and swung down—!
Crack—!
The spear snapped instantly!
Dan Heng reached out and grasped. The flowing water throughout the entire bathhouse began to ripple. In the next second, lifelike water dragons burst out from the pools and swam across the sky!
Admittedly, Dan Heng's offensive power with Cloud-Piercing Arts was not as strong as Bailu's, but in an environment this rich in water sources, reaching Bailu's combat strength was still achievable.
After all, Cloudstone Heavenly Palace was the largest public bathhouse in all of Okhema. Though called a bathhouse, it was actually more like a grotto heaven formed by waterfalls. The water storage here was no less than that of an ordinary river or lake!
Rumble—!
The water dragons crashed down, smashing heavily onto Nikador's divine body!
"Well done!"
Phainon shouted lowly. Golden flames ignited once again on his greatsword.
"Time, begin to accelerate!"
Sunday stretched out his hand. Behind him, the faint silhouette of a divine Sunday emerged. Imaginary energy surged, suddenly accelerating Phainon's speed!
Crack—!
With Sunday's assistance, Phainon raised his sword and brought it down. The blade easily sliced through Nikador's divine body, and he confidently sheathed his sword.
Nikador: "(Titan language) → Translation: Hungry!"
Suffering such a heavy blow, Nikador could no longer hold on. After letting out a scream similar to a human's in Titan language, it powerlessly collapsed to the ground. A slender finger bone unwillingly stretched forward······
"This is··· solved?" Dan Heng frowned slightly, clearly a little surprised.
On the way here, they had heard all kinds of rumors about the [Strife] Titan Nikador—the legendary "Mad King," "Barbarian God," "undefeated myth"······ He had already prepared himself for a desperate battle, but after the fight, this was it?
It felt a bit unworthy of its name?
—"This is not Nikador's true body, merely one of its many divine bodies."
At this moment, three young voices rang out together, coming from above everyone's heads.
Stelle and the others looked toward the sound. At the top of Cloudstone Heavenly Palace, three petite figures stood beneath the sun. Intense light shone through the gaps between them, making their faces hard to see clearly.
They appeared to be three lolis in different poses: the one in the middle stood with hands on hips and legs crossed; the one on the right had her arms crossed in front of her chest; the one on the left raised one hand near her head while the other stretched backward.
When they appeared, the bathhouse—which had just calmed down after Nikador's fall—seemed to quietly play some familiar BGM.
(Bathhouse fairy: Yes, I turned on the speakers)
"The spark is not here."
"Nikador was testing Okhema's strength."
The three petite lolis leaped down from the top of the bathhouse in perfect sync: "But at the very least, you ended Okhema's disaster ahead of schedule."
"Phainon, Mydei, you two did well."
"And the three friends from beyond the heavens, 'we' once again offer you our sincere thanks."
The loli in the middle spoke first: "I am Tribbie."
The loli on the left: "I am Trianne."
The loli on the right: "I am Trinnon."
The three spoke together: "We are the demigods of [Passage], Tribios."
—"Partners, they are the oldest demigods in Okhema, veteran figures who can be mentioned in the same breath as Mr. Lygus."
Phainon whispered quietly again: "At the same time, they are the leaders of the 'Flame-Chasing Journey,' the strongest demigods in the world today."
"Strongest?"
Stelle raised an eyebrow and asked softly: "But the Titan [Passage] doesn't sound like it's for combat······"
"It sounds that way, but do you know why the Passage Titan is called [Passage]?"
Stelle whispered: "Isn't it because it can reach 'anywhere'? Wasn't the Janus Secret Path we just used like that?"
Phainon gave a bitter smile, shook his head, and whispered: "That's only part of [Passage]. In reality, the most common mantra Lady Tribbie and the others say is—"
"If the road is blocked, open it with your fists."
"That is the true meaning of [Passage]."