"Huh?"
Verethragna was stunned, tilting his head and asking in confusion.
"Isn't the order wrong? Unknown King, clearly I am challenging you!"
This straightforward War God was seeing for the first time someone who lacked the demeanor of an expert like this.
Fortunately, this person still carried their Steel Divinity. Verethragna felt insulted for the first time!
"Challenge—that is the word of the weak."
Aslan seemed to still insist on the image of the weak. No, precisely—he was the "weak" right now.
And the War God Verethragna before him was the "strong."
Of course, only conceptually.
(Brother, Magecraft Displacement!)
Aslan swapped his level with Verethragna's. Of course, only the level. Everything else remained unchanged.
Verethragna currently had level 999, but only level 1 stats. And Aslan was the exact opposite.
So right now, he was truly the "weak"!
Such a massive level gap—how could he not be considered weak?
(I'm trembling with rage. When will we, the weak, rise up!!)
(This War God is too shameless! Already this high-level, still won't let me challenge him, instead wants to challenge me!)
(Where's his pride as the strong!!)
Of course, Aslan still knew his limits—he didn't say it aloud. He just stood there calmly.
After all, Liliana was there; he wouldn't stoop that low.
Of course, if no one else were around, he'd definitely vent.
"...Forget it, do whatever makes you happy."
Verethragna's mouth twitched. He chose to stop arguing with Aslan.
Now Aslan was the strong one—what he needed to do was use every means, think of every way to seize victory, not cling to petty details.
"Then, may I have a short time to reclaim my incarnations? After I fully recover, then challenge you."
"Fine."
Aslan nodded slightly and agreed.
The process of slaying a God to be recognized by Pandora as a God Slayer who defeated a God required frontally killing a complete Heretic God by the weak defeating the strong.
Thus, Verethragna had to fully recover—only then could Aslan successfully slay the God and capture Pandora.
"Excellent."
Seeing him accept the challenge, Verethragna said joyfully.
"Then I must not delay. Unknown King, how about setting the battle one hour from now?"
"Whatever." Aslan replied.
After that, Verethragna without hesitation reached straight for Godou's backpack, who was watching.
*RRRIP!*
The backpack strap tore instantly, and the bag was forcibly seized by Verethragna.
Godou was shocked, then cursed in anger.
"What the hell are you doing!"
He'd originally thought Verethragna was a refugee who'd suffered misfortune, and chatted with him out of good mood.
But he never expected this guy was actually a robber, trying to snatch the stone tablet his grandfather asked him to deliver.
"You bastard!"
Godou rolled up his sleeves, charging to punch the youth.
But the next second, he was kicked flying, crashing hard into a wall—life or death unknown.
The witch's curse began showing its power from this moment.
Whether due to poor wall quality or other reasons, the wall collapsed, burying Godou hard.
In the end, Liliana couldn't stand it anymore—she called for Bronze Black Cross members to rescue this unlucky kid.
Of course, whether due to Godou's strong fortune vanishing at this moment or the witch's curse—
Even during rescue, various incidents occurred. Like the ambulance getting stuck, the stretcher suddenly breaking, or careless medics…
It even made Liliana unable to bear it anymore, glaring at Diana.
Diana smiled awkwardly, scratching her cheek.
"Can I say I only cast a curse to make him unlucky for one or two days—just minor misfortune?"
"After all, I just lifted it."
For a moment, even Aslan didn't know what to say.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Cagliari city streets, Sardinia's capital.
Erica Blandelli, from the prestigious Red Copper Black Cross family, only sixteen but already promoted to Great Knight, sat in the car with a gloomy face, looking toward the city center.
And sitting in the driver's seat beside her was her caretaker assistant, Arianna—a quarter-Japanese mixed-blood girl.
Currently, Arianna was in a state of worry.
She was like this because of Erica's unilateral actions.
In the midday sun at its hottest, Arianna gripped the wheel and asked softly.
"Erica, you're not actually planning to slay a God, are you?"
With shining blonde hair, model-perfect curves, and wearing a deep red dress, Erica frowned and said in surprise.
"Why is even Arianna asking this?"
(She didn't deny it immediately?) Arianna trembled, then carefully asked.
"I just feel it's too dangerous."
"There's definitely risk."
Erica sighed, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, and said softly.
"I'm not some water-brained fool. If there's a chance to slay a God, that's best. But most likely, sealing one Divine Beast would already be a miracle."
"After all, didn't Sardinia's observation personnel say? What descended is most likely a Divine Beast."
"If welcoming a Divine Beast counts as achievement, I can use it as a stepping stone to inherit my uncle's title of Diavolo Rosso, and even become Red Copper Black Cross Commander."
"Otherwise, at my age, I'm afraid I can't compete with Gennaro. Red Copper Black Cross Commander has long been held by the Blandelli family. If lost in my hands and falls to some wild knight from the countryside, it'd be a huge disgrace."
"Understand? The point isn't slaying a God, but increasing my chances of becoming Commander. Of course, if there's a chance to become a God Slayer, I wouldn't refuse either."
Thinking this, Erica showed an expression full of resentment.
"Even Lord Salvatore—no, even that sword-obsessed fool who knows nothing else—could slay a God and become a God Slayer."
"Why can't I try?"
(Isn't this still wanting to slay a God?) Arianna beside her tilted her head, pretending not to hear anything.
Insulting the Sword King alone was already troublesome enough for Erica.
Let alone intending to become a God Slayer. If God Slayers were that easy, why only six in the last three hundred years?
Arianna held no hope for Erica becoming a God Slayer.
After Erica finished complaining, Arianna spoke.
"I don't understand power struggles in the association. As long as you have that thought, it's good."
"Alright, no more boring talk."
Erica waved her hand.
"According to observation department intel, Divine Power fluctuations are suspected in the city center. Current priority is investigating that Divine Power's identity? Hmm?"
A familiar car appeared in Erica's view. If she didn't recognize the logo wrong—
That seemed to be Bronze Black Cross's special vehicle for welcoming honored guests. Supposedly used to entertain Kings, though never used once.
"Go there. I think I can find Lilli there."
Erica showed a surprised smile and said. She planned to give Liliana a surprise.
And see what honored guest Lilli was entertaining, and gather information.
When the car stopped, Erica got out, looked around, and then her eyes lit up.
"Lilli!"
After seeing the familiar silver-haired girl in Liliana's knight uniform, she also greeted joyfully.
She immediately spread her arms toward Liliana.
"Lilli, I finally found you. I missed you so much during vacation."
Liliana's mouth twitched, and she immediately became wary.
(I'm sure you just want to mess with me again, right?)
But now clearly wasn't the time to chat with Erica. Liliana hurriedly covered Erica's mouth.
"Mind your manners, Lady Erica Blandelli. Don't disturb the King challenging His Excellency the War God."
Erica showed a surprised and shocked smile. She hadn't noticed anyone else beside Liliana at all.
Witch Diana—she didn't particularly want to deal with that person. That one loved teasing her.
As for the blonde youth and the white-robed youth, she didn't care.
Though extremely handsome in appearance, she only glanced. She wasn't a looks-chaser.
To her, inner talent was far more important than outer appearance.
After Liliana's reminder, she finally realized the scene before her was a battlefield between a King and a Heretic God?
But shouldn't a King vs. God battlefield be filled with constant explosions and thunder? If slightly more serious, the entire island of Sardinia vanishing was normal.
Then what was happening now?
Erica looked at the two facing off and fell into thought.
Her Spiritual Vision told her Liliana wasn't lying.
But when did God Slayer battles become so quiet?
A golden sword appeared in Verethragna's hand.
It was the Sword of Wisdom used by the War God to fight Gods. Directly using the Sword of Wisdom, the manifestation of the Warrior Incarnation. It was Verethragna's respect for the strong.
Facing Aslan, Verethragna didn't dare hide anything.
After drawing the Golden Sword, Verethragna laughed loudly.
"Defeating the strong with the weak is a performance I master!"
"With my name, I declare here, Holy Sword of Light, Excalibur… So, Light, Word of Power, become my sword, transform into my blade!"
Under Aslan's brave gaze, Verethragna first used the sealing Golden Sword to directly point at the Star Holy Sword in Aslan's hand.