As evening approached, Hades stood outside in the wind, as if waiting for someone to arrive.
"Alan! You jerk!!" At that moment, Erica stormed up to Hades, her face flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment.
Hades turned to look at Erica, a teasing expression on his face as he said:
"Don't worry, Erica. I used a minor spell to change your clothes. I didn't see you naked, so you can relax."
"Mmph~~!!" Seeing the mockery on Hades's face, Erica pouted angrily.
Boom——!!
Just then, a clap of thunder rang out. The sky immediately darkened with thick clouds, and a torrential downpour began, with lightning flashing within the clouds.
Erica's expression instantly turned serious. Sardinia's climate is Mediterranean, and it rarely rains, especially such a heavy downpour. There was only one possibility that could cause this: a heretic god.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Footsteps like an earthquake rumbled. From within the mist appeared a giant man fifteen meters tall. His unkempt hair, untouched by a barber, and his beard, which covered the lower half of his face, left a deep impression—a wild appearance. He wore extremely crude attire—dirty rags and leather covering his chest, and a tattered cloak draped over his body—yet he exuded an air of majesty.
Generally, someone of such height would appear slender. But he was not like that. His bulging muscles seemed overwhelmingly powerful just to look at.
"So you've arrived, Melqart Baal, the heroic god and divine king of Canaanite mythology," Hades said, looking at the giant, letting the rain pour down on him.
Hearing Hades's words, the giant turned with interest and looked at him. "Oh~? There are still people who know this old man's origins and true name."
"That's right! I am Melqart!! The king once famous on this island!! No!! Famous throughout the world!!" Melqart erupted with powerful magical energy as he spoke.
The mythological origins of Melqart are somewhat complex. Melqart was the king who unified the ancient Phoenician pantheon (the Ugaritic pantheon led by Baal). His original name was Baal. His myths later spread to Greece and became the prototype for the hero Heracles.
In Christian culture, he is also the Gluttony Demon, one of the Seven Deadly Sins; Milton's Paradise Lost depicts him as a demon king rivaling God; he is also the Demon King Beelzebub; and the Dark Emperor Baal, the head of the seventy-two demon pillars.
Baal—this name means 'land' in Greek. His dragon-slaying legend is precisely the prototype for Saint George.
His myths encompass Greek, Christian, Biblical, and other mythologies, and he is also one of the strongest gods in the Mediterranean, among other divine pillars.
Boom boom boom boom——!!!
At that moment, a bolt of lightning struck down, targeting the stationary Melqart. Sensing the lightning, Melqart raised his arm to block it. When the lightning faded, Melqart was unharmed.
A pair of eyes characteristic of a goat peered out from the clouds.
Instead, Melqart cursed, "Still as changeable as ever, that guy. I must hurry." He then continued rushing in a certain direction.
Seeing this, Hades flicked his robe and said to Erica beside him, "Erica, go wake up Godou and Carin. Next, two heretic gods will battle on this island."
"What did you say!!" Erica exclaimed in shock upon hearing this.
Hades walked as he spoke. "The wild boar and tornado this morning, and the goat just now, are all avatars of a heretic god. It seems their master is the ever-victorious, undefeated god of war from Zoroastrian mythology, Verethragna, whose true name is Bahram."
Hearing the divine name spoken by Hades, Erica's pupils contracted, and her whole body began to tremble. Seeing this, Hades waved a hand at her, instantly calming her emotions.
Afterward, Kusanagi Godou and Carin were awakened. After explaining the situation, they immediately prepared to head in the direction Melqart had gone.
Carin was driving. To be honest, the vehicle driven by the 'Vehicle Killer' was fast. Erica, having changed into her previous black-and-red combat attire with a cape and holding Reinhart, stood on the car's roof.
Meanwhile, Kusanagi Godou tightly clutched the Prometheus Grimoire. Melqart's figure gradually became visible, and floating before him was Verethragna, whom Godou had seen earlier.
The two gods seemed to be exchanging greetings. Then, Verethragna raised a hand, and a goat and a phoenix flew out from the clouds, transforming into two ancient disks that returned to Verethragna's body. Now, among Verethragna's ten avatars, only the White Horse remained.
Unable to hold back any longer, Erica leaped from the car roof. The Reinhart in her hand transformed into a shield with a red rose pattern, from which she fired a crimson energy beam.
A crimson rose magic circle manifested midway between the two gods, instantly drawing their attention to Erica herself.
"Might Your Excellencies consider abandoning this fight?!" Erica raised her shield, standing her ground with righteous courage as she addressed the two gods, even though they were legendary deities.
But her plea was utterly disregarded by the gods. Verethragna swung his hand downward, calling forth a thunderbolt like divine punishment.
"Indra (an alias for Verethragna, as they share the same origin), what gives you the right to touch those under my protection?" At that moment, Hades flashed in front of Erica and swatted the thunderbolt away as if it were a fly.
'Is he doing this for me?' Erica thought, looking at Hades's back, her face blushing with shyness.
"Hahahaha—!! You have finally come!! Lord of the Greek Underworld!! Hades, King of the Underworld!!" Seeing Hades's arrival, Verethragna grew somewhat excited, a ferocious grin spreading across his face as he looked at Hades.
"What did you say—!!!" Upon hearing Verethragna's words, everyone exclaimed in shock. They never imagined that this young painter before them was actually Hades, one of the world's most famous gods.
greek mythology, as one of the oldest mythologies, is widely spread throughout the world. Hades, King of the Underworld, is a major deity in greek mythology, possessing considerable fame in Greek myths and related cultural works, which speaks to the strength and authority of his power.
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