"I struggled to push myself up from the ground. I felt my face, then let out a sigh of relief.

’I almost died. If it weren’t for the mask, I would’ve been instantly killed!’

A long scar remained on my cheek, as if I had been cut by a knife. From that scar, bright red blood flowed down meaninglessly.

Horuz tilted her head.

"Hoo, you’re still standing? You worm."

Horuz laughed, brimming with murderous intent. Honestly, I despaired.

Even if she was a goddess, wasn’t she too strong? I had even heard she lost her power, just like the Goddess.

’But she’s this strong?’

Suddenly, my breath hitched. I didn’t know about anything else, but what was I supposed to do about time stop?

An enemy strong in power could be defeated with skill, an enemy strong in skill could be defeated with power, and an enemy excellent in everything could be defeated with strategy.

But facing Horuz felt like facing a disaster; simply her presence diminished the surrounding energy.

"Ugh..."

The Goddess looked at me apologetically. I was annoyed with Horuz. I wanted to retort.

"Horuz, was it? Do you know why the Goddess didn’t punish humans?"

"Huh?"

"The Goddess loved nature. And she also loved the humans who lived alongside it. She became a goddess to protect the things she loved, you ignorant fucking bitch!"

I shouted with all my might. Yet Horuz remained psychologically unshaken.

"Oh? That’s a trivial reason. A reason befitting an idiot."

"Horuz, watch your mouth. Can’t you even understand your own mother’s will? You, her daughter?"

"If that cowardly nonsense is her will! Then I shall disregard it!"

"What?"

"This world, humanity! They tore my mother away from me. I am a god, a noble being, yet I had to lose something! After losing my mother, I lost my power and my form."

Horuz began to openly display her rage. She gnashed her teeth.

"But at some point, I awoke again. I felt my mother had reawakened!"

"Hey, Horuz. You...."

"I am merely carrying out the judgment I couldn’t complete in the past. You, my mother’s Apostle? A Hero? Don’t make me laugh. If you’re a Hero, then try to stop me here. And despair! As you feel the disparity between a god and a mortal...!"

I was dumbfounded. No, actually, this was correct.

I was human. Horuz was a god.

Our ways of thinking must be vastly different. It was like that when I first met Isis, wasn’t it?

’...Is this truly what Isis desires? Truly?’

"This is what I desire. So it doesn’t matter, mortal!"

The sun began to shine madly, as if it would explode at any moment.

The vibrating sun, in an instant, scattered light in all directions.

Wherever the sun’s light touched, it was inevitably destroyed with intense sounds, and the ground heaved.

Both I and Isis, who were within the affected area, took damage and collapsed.

’A Sun Goddess... On top of that, she’s strong in close combat. What kind of overpowered character is this?’

I got up, rubbing my chest where the light had swept over. I coughed.

"Kehok, kek!"

Blood came out. Already?

’Damage accumulated inside my body? In just one hit?’

I almost collapsed. What is this? How am I supposed to win?

I looked at Horuz. She was already right in front of me.

’Is it over already?’

When Horuz kicked me, I couldn’t even guard and was sent flying, crashing into the temple wall.

My entire back felt mushy and hot, as if it had turned into a bloody mess.

She rushed towards me, her fist wreathed in the sun’s power.

"Farewell, worm. I’ll kill you and take that damn bitch’s divine core!"

Horuz’s eyes flowed only with madness and rage. In those eyes, I could perhaps see a familiar emotion.

That of alienation.

’No choice, then.’

I activated the necklace I was wearing. Like Lao did, I should be able to do it too. Please! I want to protect Isis!

A beam shot out from the necklace and flew towards Horuz. Horuz was startled and extended her fist.

The beam momentarily struggled against Horuz’s fist, blocking it. In that gap, I dodged and looked down at the necklace.

[Primal Hatred]

Rarity: Masterpiece

*Unique Effect ’Telepathy’: Transmits thoughts to individuals with high Affection.

*Unique Persistent Effect ’Arrow of Hatred’: Condenses mental power to its limit to cause physical interference in the form of a beam.

*Unique Persistent Effect ’?’: Unlock required!

*Unique Persistent Effect ’?’: Unlock required!

*Unique Persistent Effect ’?’: Unlock required!

「This necklace contains malevolence. -Lord Grant」

As expected of something called Hawkdia, its specs were no joke. To condense mental power to its limit and extend a beam...

So this is what Lao had been constantly using.

’It’s a relief I can use the necklace too. Even if it doesn’t have as many functions as when Lao used it!’

Horuz’s voice was heard. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

"You possess an interesting toy. I’ve seen something similar in the East. But... how much longer can it last?"

Horuz closed the distance like a flash of light, just like before. I swung my sword towards her, also as a deterrent.

Horuz merely batted away the sword with the back of her hand. She launched a front kick. An unavoidable distance and angle!

However, Horuz was already behind me. A dizzying impact was delivered.

"Ugh...!"

What followed was indiscriminate violence. It was a martial art unconstrained by any form or style.

Despite it being such a martial art, I couldn’t even block it with my sword, couldn’t even dodge, and was thoroughly beaten.

When was the last time? Since the sparring with Aunt, I hadn’t been beaten like this.

’’Horuz, you have a grudge against me, don’t you?!’’

"Heh, I thought it would be fun to destroy something you cherish. Why? When you were sealed, you didn’t worry about me even as much as a worm, did you?"

Horuz wore a scathing smile. Even as she grabbed me by the collar and beat me, she had the composure to turn her head and gaze at Isis.

Yet, my sword couldn’t reach her.

Horuz’s common, somewhat crude brawling technique.

That brawling technique threatened my life with every passing moment.

The approaching fist seemed to vanish with a whoosh midway, then made an ominous sound.

"A human body is weak. What’s the difference from a worm?"

Horuz’s fist was embedded in my left shoulder. I gritted my teeth and retreated.

I couldn’t put any strength into my left arm. It felt completely shattered.

I never imagined it would be this bad.

I sent a telepathic message to Isis.

"Goddess, I apologize, but please lend me your strength."

"No, there is one way. Besides, Horuz also seems to be in an incomplete state, just like you."

It was time to activate the knowledge I held.

Originally, Apostles had a setting where they could unite with the god who sponsored them.

That’s why users with a sponsor seat, or rather, a divine seat, were exceptionally stronger.

"We fight as one. Then I can resolve this by using a finishing move."

"Yes, that’s the only way. I’m truly sorry...."

"Because I’m making you use your strength when you must already be struggling."

Isis smiled contentedly, even amidst her pain. As if relieved.

"Then let’s do it together. May one plus one become five!"

The Goddess spiritualized and vanished. At the same time, my body began to glow with a golden light.

As if I had turned into a piece of gold. No, as if I had become the sun.

"Ugh, what?!"

Horuz retreated in confusion. In my ears, I heard the chirping of birds and a refreshing harmony.

Then, at one moment, I became excited by the feeling of power exploding within my body.

"Haa...!"

Horuz began to examine me, surprised by the sudden situation.

"W-what?! You’re clearly just a mere mortal... No. Is that my mother’s aura? What?!"

[The Goddess of All Things, ’Isis,’ has descended!]

[Union Time Limit: 1 minute]

[Caution! Due to the clumsy Divine Possession, synchronization rate has significantly decreased!]

[79%]

[80%]

[81%]

...

If it wasn’t 100%, I would still be weak.

The Goddess despaired.

I laughed. No, it’ll be fine.

"Don’t worry, Goddess. I will definitely win!"

"Whether it’s synchronization rate, misunderstanding, or wounds. Everything gets resolved with time. So let’s just do our best in this moment, okay?"

I lunged at Horuz. I went straight forward, then suddenly changed direction.

As Horuz reacted immediately, I, in turn, kicked off the ground and took her opposite flank. First, a front kick!

"Hmph!"

Horuz dodged. Without delay, I immediately thrust my sword.

[Vane Severing Sword Style - Nameless Pierce]

I left a wound on Horuz’s arm, which she tried to block with a cross guard. Not only that, but I pushed her back significantly.

Horuz frowned.

"Impossible... Why me?!"

"I’m your mother."

At my provocation, Horuz gnashed her teeth.

"Don’t you dare get cocky, you mongrel!"

[Sundial - Time Stop]

It’s coming, Time Stop!

Around Horuz, the background began to change like before. All things in the world lost their light as if fading, but.

I still shone.

[Vane Severing Sword Style - Branch Pruning]

I countered Horuz, who was about to unleash a punch, with a sword strike. One of the sword strikes sliced across Horuz’s chest.

Horuz slightly shifted direction, then unleashed a sun-infused punch.

Both of us staggered, moving away from each other.

I checked the synchronization rate.

[94%]

[95%]

[96%]

...

It was still not enough. I worried if it would ever reach 100%, or if I would die before it did.

I recalled the past.

I hadn’t succeeded in anything, couldn’t protect my dreams, and couldn’t even trust the readers who were supposed to be my allies.

I didn’t want to reunite with that regret. I wanted to be proud of myself.

"Two failures fawning over each other! Vanish along with this continent!"

The sun above Horuz’s head vibrated. It rapidly expanded as if growing to its limit.

In terms of size, it almost rivaled a mountain. If a sun of that magnitude were to fall?

The sun, expanded to its limit, was absorbed by Horuz, becoming one with her.

Horuz, with a golden aura flowing over her entire body, like the sun itself. She rushed at me, her eyes dyed like crimson flames.

A fist imbued with the power of the sun. Isn’t that disaster itself?

I tried to block it by firing a beam through the necklace.

"Lao constantly spammed this. He manifested his heart as power. A wounded heart, a twisted heart. What about my heart?"

I desperately tried to maintain the beam. It offset the power emanating from Horus’s fist, but she was gradually approaching.

The beam alone couldn’t stop her.

"You’re struggling, worm...!"

Just as she was almost upon me, I unleashed a front kick.

Not only did it not knock her out, but it didn’t even seem to damage her. But I was able to push her back. Horuz scoffed.

"This is the end, farewell!"

Horuz, whose power seemed to be steadily rising. Behind her, the sun manifested once more, then concentrated its energy and fired it.

As Horuz trembled, seemingly convinced of her victory.

[Synchronization Rate 100%]

[Union Time Limit: 1 second]

At this moment, with only 1 second left. I moved forward.

"Show and Prove. For my Goddess."

I kicked off the ground. The distance to Horuz was 5 meters.

In between, there was a figure. That figure gradually became more distinct, and then the me from before I came here appeared.

I clenched my left hand and extended it. Breaking through him, I finally reached Horuz.

I thrust my sword. Up close, I could feel energy truly capable of obliterating a continent.

[Vane Severing Sword Style Ultimate - Sparrow Drop]

Seeing my appearance, Horuz countered with a punch.

"Don’t you know it’s futile? This is why you’re a mortal...!"

The sword divided. From one to two, from two to three.

Then it split into nearly infinite fragments.

Perhaps it was because I received the Goddess’s power. In my eyes, I could already see Horuz being torn to shreds. And then.

As if she had been hacked by dozens, hundreds of swords, Horuz was utterly mangled.

She tilted her head, her face still surprised, then soon tried to reach out to me with an enraged expression.

"I can’t lose, I can’t lose, to a mere human, Mom, Mommmmmm!"

Horuz began to oxidize into light, screaming loud enough to shake the world.

When she vanished without even a last speck remaining, I could finally feel relieved. Ah, I won.

I looked up at the sky. I gave a thumbs-up and lost consciousness. Somehow, I just wanted to do that.