The next day—or rather, in the Elysian Fields, where time didn't flow, it was perpetually a haven of birdsong and blooming flowers, as if time itself were frozen.
By estimation, about fifteen or sixteen hours had passed.
Alistair emerged from the temple, refreshed and stretching, his eyes narrowing comfortably.
Was Alistair strong?
No!
Quite the opposite.
He was weak.
Though he was the God of Darkness, bearing the mark of 666 and seated on the divine throne, in essence, he was frail.
Compared to Persephone, a half-step Divine King, or even Pandora, a feeble Lower God, he fell short.
In simple terms, Alistair could perhaps spar with a Bronze Saint, but against a Silver or Gold Saint, he'd be utterly defeated.
Yet, true combat wasn't so straightforward.
All negativity was Alistair's nourishment.
Even fighting spirit fed him. As long as one harbored such emotions, they couldn't harm him in the slightest.
That was his divine rank—the supreme God of Darkness, embodying the 666 of all negativity.
So, in his battle with Pandora, a prolonged fight only made Alistair stronger.
As for Pandora...
Hmm~~~
The temple was quite a mess, stained with white.
"Dust, you should rest. Overexertion isn't good for you~~~" Persephone teased from the sofa, her tone drawn out, her smile dignified.
Alistair sat down, wrapping an arm around Persephone's slender waist, his hand naturally climbing higher. "No issue at all. As the God of Darkness, how could I be bested by my own subordinate god?"
"Hehehe~~~" Persephone chuckled, shaking her head. "Dust, you're awfully competitive in this regard."
"Can a man ever admit defeat in that arena?"
"Fair point."
The two bantered.
Ker approached, clad once more in her Surplice. Beside her floated another Surplice—the Lord of the Underworld's Surplice.
But it had changed significantly.
The rectangular helmet was gone, replaced by an ornate headpiece, its sleek, flowing lines clearly designed for a woman.
"Dust, are we ready to set out?" Persephone asked softly.
Alistair turned, catching the eagerness in her eyes. She yearned to traverse the myriad worlds through the star chart.
"Hehehe~~~" he laughed, teasing the two goddesses. "Looks like you can't wait!"
Persephone rolled her eyes playfully. "Who could? Any god would be impatient for a chance to truly cross the myriad worlds!"
"Fair enough. It's time to go," Alistair said. "After all, I've got my eye on the divine artifacts the earth will birth in this Holy War. We'd better hurry."
With a thought, he activated the Dimensional Star Chart.
In an instant, radiant starlight enveloped him.
"..."
Persephone and Ker watched him intently.
The starlight converged before Alistair, forming a grand portal five meters tall and three meters wide, its frame shimmering like a galaxy, its interior radiating the boundless light of the cosmos.
The massive portal stood silently.
Ker approached, probing it with her divine power.
Persephone wanted to inspect it too, but she was already restrained.
Ker shook her head after a moment. "Your Majesty, Lord of the Underworld, I sense nothing. It's as if it's just a decoration."
"Not surprising," Alistair explained. "This portal only allows passage to those I permit. Otherwise, it's impenetrable."
"After all, I don't want some unstoppable entity crossing through unexpectedly."
"I see," Persephone nodded, finding it perfectly reasonable.
Such a transcendent authority without safety measures would be the real anomaly.
What if they accidentally stumbled into a terrifying world like Dragon Ball?
If Zeno or the Grand Priest took notice...
Don't assume closing the portal with a thought would suffice.
For such beings, a single thought was more than enough.
Rising with Persephone in his arms, Alistair's black hair lengthened to his waist, his clothes transforming into a pitch-black divine robe, his eyes gleaming with EGL-1endless darkness.
Persephone's gown similarly became a black divine robe.
"It's time to depart," Alistair said softly, his voice carrying a peculiar cadence.
Persephone and Ker were unaffected.
But an ordinary person hearing his voice would have their inner darkness instantly ignited, consumed by it in a heartbeat.
Ker asked quietly, "Your Majesty, shouldn't we wait for Pandora?"
Alistair shook his head, smiling. "Pandora won't be waking up anytime soon. She needs rest."
"Alright," Ker nodded obediently.
Alistair, with Persephone and Ker, stepped through the portal.
The Elysian Fields fell silent, save for Pandora resting in the white-stained room, with no other life present.
***
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