Chapter 434

Soon after Makris joined the fight, a new figure appeared there, looking like a horse covered in scales and horns growing on its head.

It was the Arbiter God Pharnemes, who looked like a qilin.

She slowly approached Kurena.

'Mount on. I don't believe you can win like this.'

"Huh, Phar? Okay, thank you!"

Kurena called her by a nickname, and then quickly jumped on her back, pointing her greatsword at Bildiga.

'Huh? So the Demon General Stone was taken and she regained consciousness?'

(Demon General Stone? Is that what turns something into a Demon General?)

Basque also held his weapons ready, seeing the new figure atop the crystal flower.

Allen figured the Demon General Stone he mentioned was the black sphere Basque took out from the Arbiter God's neck.

That was something Allen had noticed when Basque turned into a Demon Great General.

I was released thanks to your greed for power, you have my gratitude.'

Her voice as almost sarcastically polite as she spoke to Basque.

(So Basque taking it out from her neck is what released her.)

The Arbiter God had been with the Demon King's Army before, but now she sided with Kurena.

That also meant that together with Makris, Allen had gained yet another ally.

'...Arbiter God.'

That was all Kyubel muttered.

'I've come to stop you.'

Their exchange felt extremely tense.

'What can a god that lost her power hope to accomplish here?'

'Bildiga, you made your choice, I made mine, that's all. I'll do everything I can to stop you.'

Bildiga also seemed to know her from before.

'Hmph.'

Bildiga did not seem to care about Pharnemes' decision, but he was still watchful.

'Kurena, let's go!'

'Mhm!'

With Kurena riding on her, she charged at Bildiga.

The Arbiter God ran at a speed unimaginable for someone under water.

'The help of a powerless God won't change anything. It's all futile!'

"Ghah?!"

Bildiga swung his front legs in a sweeping motion, blowing away the Arbiter God and Kurena.

(I guess she's not as strong as when Basque was the one riding.)

During the fight with the Evil Cult, Basque had been even more powerful than Merus when riding on the Arbiter God.

And Basque had just been a Demon General at the time.

But now, Kurena and Pharnemes were not strong enough to defeat Bildiga.

'It's all futile.'

Not giving up, Kurena held her greatsword ready to try again.

It did not seem like they had gained much ground against Bildiga yet.

'I said I'll give everything I have, and I've come here with that intent! Let's cross the gate!!'

The Arbiter God announced, determined to overturn their situation.

Kurena's view changed suddenly.

***

"Huh? This looks like the island...did we teleport there?"

Kurena did not understand what happened right away.

She was seeing Heavy User Island, which she and everyone else worked hard to build.

She looked around conflicted, worried that being here would put the others at risk since they were still fighting.

'Mm it's fine, no need to feel distressed. This is the divine realm. This is my temple, displayed in a way you can understand. Does that make sense?'

She spoke with a gentle and calm voice.

Since Kurena and Pharnemes' minds had connected, Kurena's view was transformed into this.

"Huh? Temple? You mean the one on top of the hill?"

But this was too complicated for Kurena, who did not seem to understand a single word.

Turning around, she looked at the hill in the center of the island.

Freya's temple was located there.

'...Oh well, let's leave it there. I'm not talking about that temple though. Here, open this gate.'

While the explanation was not enough, the Arbiter God did not mind and decided to move along.

"That's the stable. Phar, what do you mean? We shouldn't do that, we have to return with everyone."

Pharnemes was looking at the stable where she had been resting all that time.

She wanted Kurena to go inside, but Kurena insisted that this was not the time for that.

Kurena wanted to return with his friends who were still fighting.

'...Alright, I'm trying to give you the same power Freya gave Dogora.'

Things were not getting anywhere, so she decided to explain it in an easier way.

She wanted Kurena to understand what was about to happen.

"Ohh, power! So I'll become an apostle too!!"

Kurena rejoiced hearing that.

At first Kurena felt bad leaving Dogora, Cecile, Sophie, and Merle behind.

But if she would obtain more power, then she would willingly become an apostle or anything.

'No, you won't become my apostle. I don't have enough power to rewrite your being in that way.'

Pharnemes had a diligent nature, so her explanation was long and complex.

"So I'll get stronger even if I'm not an apostle?"

Kurena had missed most of it, but she seemed to understand that she would become stronger under a condition.

'Yes, as long as you're riding on my back, so please do keep that in mind. You'll also obtain a new power which will allow you to break out from that place.'

"Ohhh, I'll get a new Skill!!"

Quite some time had passed since Kurena became a Sword Emperor.

Hearing she would finally obtain a new Skill, Kurena got excited.

'There's something you need to understand first, however. We Gods only open our gates to one person, and they're allowed to stay within only one temple.'

"Umm?"

Kurena tilted her head, making it clear that she had not understood anything.

She had fought countless times and gained all sorts of experience, but her intelligence showed no signs of getting better.

'We Gods only get involved with one person. One person for one God. If you ever wish to cross another God's gate, you'll have to leave mine. Never forget this.'

Pharnemes realized Kurena was struggling to follow.

So she explained in more detail.

"Hmm... so I'm strong if I'm inside of a God's temple? Is Allen also inside a temple?"

Kurena managed to grasp a bit of the explanation, and compared it to Allen.

Allen had told his friends in the Academy that he could get stronger without limits.

Kurena seemed to understand now that Allen also had to be in some temple to continue getting stronger.

'No, Allen is a Transcendental, someone who knows no limits. His power comes from a different source. Even with my power, or that of any other Higher God, no human can become a Transcendental.'

It was impossible for a Higher God to turn a person into a Transcendental.

"I see. Hmm...umm...so if a God lets me inside the temple I get strong! Right? And Allen is transcontinental!"

While Kurena was not very smart, she realized this conversation was very important.

She tried her best to understand everything, at least in some way.

'Kurena, you're pure and innocent, a very good girl. If you want to help your friends, try to head for the Gate of Judgement, protected by the descendants of the Dragon God. I'm sure it'll aid your friends.'

That was the gate that lead from the human realm to the divine realm.

"Ohh! So we go to the judgement door, with the dragon god!!"

As long as she remembered that, Allen would be able to figure out the rest.

The Dragon God's descendants. Regardless, head into my temple now.'

After adding a small fix to Kurena's memory, she told Kurena to enter the stable again.

"Okay! I'm going in!!"

Kurena took a step across the door, into what looked exactly like the stable.

Her view warped, almost like the stable was being turned inside out.

She had stepped into a rather dreary place with a stone floor.

But to Kurena she still felt like it was similar to the stable.

'This is my realm, my temple. I don't have much power left, so I'm sorry it looks so unkept. Still, welcome Kurena, please stand in the center.'

The Arbiter God entered the temple after Kurena.

Not minding Kurena's reaction, the Arbiter God's gentle feminine voice continued talking.

"Okay."

The interior of the stable transformed into a quite large temple, with strange divine glyphs drawn on the floor.

Kurena did as told, standing in the center.

'Ahh, I have to stop Kyuplas. Something like this would be disagreeable, and the entire divine realm might spring to action.'

The Arbiter God mentioned the entire divine realm being involved somehow.

She spoke in a low voice, but full of emotion.

"Huh?"

Kurena was unable to hear properly.

She tried to pay a bit more attention, but then she felt like an immense power had awoken in her.

She felt some form of strong power welling up inside her, and when she tried to thank the Arbiter God, her sight changed entirely again.

***

'Kurena, you've crossed the gate. Believe in yourself!!'

"Okay!!"

Before she realized, Kurena was back on the crystal flower riding on Pharnemes.

There she noticed the change in herself.

She felt like she could put far more power into her sword.

She realized she had gone past her limits.

(Woah!! Kurena has entered Extra Mode.)

Allen also noticed the change in Kurena.

The heat haze indicating Limit Break was active had also vanished.

He quickly checked the Grimoire to see what had happened, and saw the same change as Dogora.

This meant Kurena had also entered Extra Mode.

[Name] Kurena

[Age] 15

[Blessings] Arbiter God (Medium)

[Talent] Sword Emperor

[Level] 60

[Strength] 4150 + 13000

[Mana] 1832 + 8000

[Attack] 4150 + 13000

[Endurance] 3968 + 8000

[Agility] 3510 + 13000

[Intelligence] 2250 + 8000

[Luck] 2688 + 8000

[Skills] Sword Emperor (1), True Slash (1), True Phoenix Blast (1), True Healing Sword (1), True Supreme Sword (1), Limit Break (1), Energy Dash (Limited), Swordsmanship (6)

[Experience] 0 / 100'000'000

-Skill Levels

[Sword Emperor] 1

[True Slash] 1

[True Phoenix Blast] 1

[True Healing Sword] 1

[True Supreme Sword] 1

[Limit Break] 1

[Energy Dash (Limited)] 1

-Skill Experience

[Sword Emperor] 0 / 100

[True Slash] 0 / 100

[True Phoenix Blast] 0 / 100

[True Healing Sword] 0 / 100

[True Supreme Sword] 0 / 100

[Limit Break] 0 / 10000

[Energy Dash (Limited)] 0 / 10000

[Kurena's usual accessory loadout]:

-Sacred Bead 1: Cooldowns halved, Skill Damage +20%, Strength +5000, Endurance +5000

-Ring 1: Attack + 5000

-Ring 2: Attack + 5000

-Necklace: Attack + 3000

-Earring 1: Physical Attack Damage +7%

-Earring 2: Physical Attack Damage +10%, Strength +2000, Attack +2000

[Kurena's usual armament]:

-Orichalcum greatsword: Attack 12000

-Adamantite armor: Endurance 6000

-Kurena's combined stats with equipment and buffs (+ weapons, armor):

[Strength] 43115

[Mana] 16682

[Attack] 45975 + (12000)

[Endurance] 27412 + (6000)

[Agility] 25363

[Intelligence] 14658

[Luck] 13894

Kurena's stats had gone up instantly.

"Ryahhhhhhh!!"

CLINK!

Using True Slash, Kurena swung her blade down with all her might, but it was stopped by front legs that had a metallic shine.

'I see, so the Arbiter God has made you an Unbound. Unbound or not won't matter though!'

Bildiga seemed to understand what had happened to Kurena with just that one attack.

"Nghh!!"

Swinging his arms, he pushed her and the Arbiter God away.

(That's no good. Physical attacks won't work on him, and her Skill Levels are all back to 1. The stats steroid from entering Extra Mode won't be enough.)

'Kurena, use Energy Dash! Our sword should be able to reach Bildiga!!'

Pharnemes twisted her body to land after being flung away like that, and told Kurena to use Energy Dash.

"Phar...okay. Energy Dash!!"

This was her first time using the [Energy Dash] Skill.

Kurena and the Arbiter God seemed to meld into a single body, charging at Bildiga together.

'Hm?! Ghah!!'

Kurena and the Arbiter God had turned into a single bundle of energy shot at Bildiga, sending him flying back.

'Bildiga, are you okay?'

'Of course. Hngh...my body...'

Kyubel asked Bildiga if everything was alright.

After being knocked back a considerable distance, Bildiga checked his stomach where Kurena and Pharnemes had hit him.

There was quite a lot of damage to his metallic shell.

It was cracked and crushed all over, while purple blood oozed from underneath.

Kyubel watched Bildiga's situation, and Basque who was constantly being hit by Makris' [Ice Lance].

'We have to complete the plan. Basque, Bildiga, release your power. I've lived so long only for this moment.'

Kyubel told them to use everything they had to achieve victory.

He looked up, the crystal seeds had stopped spawning above, and thought back to the eternity he had lived.

'Hah? So I can't play around anymore? Wraaaaaahhhhh!!'

As Basque shouted loudly, his body began to swell up.

'So there's no choice.'

Bildiga's voice also became somber.

(Seriously. Just when things were finally getting better.)

Just when Allen felt like he had a chance, the enemy became serious.

"Ghah?!"

"Wah?!"

Dogora and Kurena groaned at the same time.

They could not resist the immense pressure coming from Basque and Bildiga.

It felt like things had reverted to how they were in the start.

'Nice nice, I like hearing that. We shouldn't have any issues now. Ramonhamon, it's about time for the offering and the Sacred Beast Stone. What's Sinorom doing still? Go get him.'

Kyubel spoke to Ramonhamon, the schedule was slightly out of order.

'Sure.'

'Got it.'

(So their healer will be gone. Will that really be of any help here though?)

A magic circle appeared around Ramonhamon and they were teleported somewhere.

Kurena had returned stronger.

But then Basque and Bildiga also powered up.

'Basque, it's almost time for you too.'

The two Demon Great Generals that transformed quickly went on the offensive, so Allen's group were forced to defend more. Kyubel gave an order to Basque while watching that.

'Yeah yeah, I know. All those attacks are starting to tick me off!!'

Basque looked up at Makris, who swam around 100 meters above them, constantly throwing magic at Basque, Onuba's black glint seemingly becoming stronger.

It seemed like Basque was preparing some sort of attack.

'Nhah?! What's that!!'

Basque went into a mad dash, ignoring Dogora and Allen, jumping up high into the water.

The attack, pushing Onuba with a lot of strength, smashed Makris' head.

Makris' head received a terrible blow, producing an immense amount of blood that dispersed in the water, while his body disintegrated into glowing bubbles.

'Good good, Makris is dead now. No matter how hard you try, this world is destined to be plunged in despair.'

Basque and the Cursed Sword Onuba's overwhelming power had defeated Makris.

Allen's fight, even with the help of the Arbiter God, would be a harsh one.