Chapter 249.1

After my showdown with the G.o.ddess of the Future Naphta concluded, the holy knights around us looked utterly astonished.

“Wh-… What in the world…?” (Holy knight A)

“To think that a mortal could surpa.s.s the G.o.ddess of the Future…” (Holy knight B)

“…Are all the Selected Eight so far beyond the bounds of reason…?” (Holy knight C)

“Impossible… Ahid and Gazel were among them too, but they could never hold a candle to that man… The Pope displays an immeasurable amount of power when he summons G.o.ds, the likes of which no one has ever seen… But to think this man is just as powerful on his own…” (Holy knight D)

“… He’s a monster… To think that such a man exists in this world…” (Holy knight E)

As the holy knights reeled in confusion, Bishop Mirano spoke in a calm tone.

“What is there to be surprised about, honored holy knights? Indeed, he is a person who can command even the Heavenly Father without the need for a Pledge Jewel.” (Mirano)

“Whaaat…?! Y-You mean…!? He commands the Heavenly Father, the order that creates order, the radiance closest to the Almighty Radiance Equis without a Pledge Jewel?!” (Holy knight A)

“Indeed. Were you not aware of this?” (Mirano)

“Are you certain of this, Bishop Mirano!? Is it truly the case!?” (Holy knight B)

“I swear upon the Almighty Radiance Equis. I witnessed it with my own eyes. Ah, but if I was the first to know him here in this Underground World, perhaps that would explain why no one else knows of this feat.” (Mirano)

“What a miracle you have witnessed…” (Holy knight C)

“B-But if that’s true, then this goes far beyond mere abnormality! He’s transcended everything! Is that man truly a mortal? Or is he a G.o.d in the guise of a mortal? No, no, perhaps he’s…” (Holy knight D)

“…C-Could it be… that he… that man is…?” (Holy knight E)

“Well, who can say for sure? He’s been given the rather ironic t.i.tle of ‘Misfit,’ though maybe he even chose that name for himself. He might be a being so exalted that we cannot even begin to fathom his nature.” (Mirano)

Sighs of amazement escaped from those who listened.

Though this had started as a contest to see how long each of us could hold out against the other’s Selection G.o.d, now that I had defeated my opponent, I couldn’t possibly lose.

“Haa, this is beyond belief. To think he could defeat Naphta… The one you chose as a candidate is far beyond your average prodigy.” remarked Diedrich, facing Arcana.

“I was not the first to choose him. Yet, he is the most fitting of all the candidates to become a Proxy. That is precisely why he does not choose the path of the Proxy.” (Arcana)

As Arcana spoke, she knelt and looked straight at the Sword Emperor of Agatha.

Hmm. It looked like she was being pushed back.

Even as a draconid who relied on summoning G.o.ds and dragons, his raw strength was extraordinary.

Despite being called a Sword Emperor, he hadn’t even unsheathed his blade yet.

As I suspected, his strength was far from ordinary.

“Sleep beneath the frozen icicles.” (Arcana)

Lunar Snowdrops swirled around Diedrich.

The air filled with shining, frigid energy as they transformed into sharp icicles, all aimed and shot directly at him.

“Hmph!” (Diedrich)

Clenching both fists tightly, Diedrich tensed every muscle in his body.

With a fierce shout, an immense surge of magic power erupted, enveloping him in a dull, phosph.o.r.escent glow.

The barrage of icicles shattered against the glow, unable to even graze his body.

“Oh? Interesting. What is that?” (Anos)

“This here is my spell. Simply put, it’s the phosph.o.r.escence released when one incurs the wrath of a variant dragon.” (Diedrich)

Diedrich clenched his right fist, and a dull phosph.o.r.escence gathered there.

“If I punch with this fist—” (Diedrich)

Diedrich kicked off the ground and closed in on Arcana directly.

She focused Lunar Snowdrops into her right hand, forming the Sword of Divine Snow Locoronotto to meet his charge.

In an instant, Arcana vanished from Diedrich’s sight, moving at the speed of light, slicing through his armor and freezing him.

Even with the power of , he couldn’t fully defend against Locoronotto.

“Whoa there. I’ve got you now, Miss Selection G.o.d.” (Diedrich)

As Arcana gritted her teeth, Diedrich grabbed the blade of Locoronotto with his phosph.o.r.escent left hand.

“Nuoohhh!!” (Diedrich)

Concentrating the energy of into his glowing fist, he swung it down hard onto the snow sword.

The impact shattered Locoronotto into countless shards.

“One touch of the dragon’s wrath, and you won’t get away unscathed.” (Diedrich)

Without hesitation, Arcana summoned another wave of Lunar Snowdrops, creating a new Sword of Divine Snow as she faced Diedrich head-on.

“Snow scatters and takes form as a blade…” (Arcana)

The Sword of Divine Snow Locoronotto glowed the color of snow. Diedrich was slower than Arcana. Before his fist could reach her, she ran the radiant blade through the dull glow coating him, piercing straight into his abdomen.

“…freezing you as it impales you.” (Arcana)

A cold blast spread from the wound in an instant, and Diedrich turned into an ice statue.

But if this had been enough to defeat him, Arcana wouldn’t have been at a disadvantage to begin with.

As proof, a faint voice echoed from beneath the ice layer.

“…I’ll take that too…!” (Diedrich)

A dull phosph.o.r.escent glow leaked from the ice statue, and Diedrich suddenly moved.

The raging energy of shaped itself into a dragon’s maw, biting into the ice and the snow sword.

When I focused my Magic Eyes, I noticed the dragon’s jaws breaking down the ice and the Sword of Divine Snow, literally devouring the magic power in them.