Chapter 096: Celestial Manipulation—The Alignment of Nine Stars
What was that sinister onmyōji truly planning?
Zero-Fuku, a mere second ago, had seemed like a pitiable soul. But now—now he was something far more formidable. Transformed. Elevated. Unfathomable.
Was all of this just a game for his opponent? A twisted ploy to push Zero-Fuku to such extremes, only to savor his own unshackled power in response?
"Then let me—EAT YOU!!!" Zero-Fuku roared, his voice laced with grotesque fury.
With that primal cry, his divine artifact mutated once again. It crawled across his back and expanded outward in a grotesque transformation: eight enormous legs erupted, each resembling that of a white-browed huntsman spider—but monstrous and unnaturally elongated. Razor-sharp blades lined the length of every appendage.
The legs curled inward briefly, then sprang upward with terrifying force. The arena groaned under the pressure as though the world itself was recoiling.
"I've got you now!"
The eight legs pierced into the black sun floating in the center of the arena, binding it tightly. Countless blades sank deep into the solar surface, then burst outward in a sudden flash—turning the orb into a writhing sphere of needles, like some hellish version of a porcupine.
But those spikes weren't the opponent's counterattack. No, they were Zero-Fuku's own weapon—his will manifesting through violence, his rage blooming through metallic thorns.
"I've caught you?" came a deceptively calm voice from within the black sun. "No... it's more accurate to say—I've caught you."
Zero-Fuku froze. Something was wrong.
His face twisted. He tried to withdraw his artifact—unsuccessfully. The black sun had clamped onto it, anchoring the weapon, preventing retraction. His trap had become his prison.
"Now... it's time to begin!"
Begin what? Zero-Fuku's blood ran cold.
Was he about to be devoured himself?
Elsewhere, rapid footsteps echoed through the spiraling staircase. Grey's anxiety mounted with every step. The spiral seemed infinite. Endless. But she had to reach Brunhilde. She had to warn her sister about the vile plot.
A distant light appeared. The exit.
In the blink of an eye, Grey emerged onto the upper gallery of the arena. She spotted Brunhilde standing calmly at the edge.
"Grey, be ready!" Brunhilde called.
But Grey didn't move—because she was already flying. Or rather, being hurled.
"Eh?!"
Helrest had snatched her mid-run and, with cheerful brutality, flung her across the corridor.
"WAAAHHH, BRUNHILDE!" Grey wailed, her arms flailing in sorrowful protest.
Brunhilde didn't even glance her way.
Grey crashed face-first into a stone pillar with a jarring thud. Her scream rang out again.
"Ow! Why did you dodge, Brunhilde?! That was cruel!"
She clutched her aching nose, tears brimming in her eyes. Her sister ignored her entirely, eyes fixed on the arena with delighted interest.
Something was wrong.
The spectators were murmuring, disturbed. They spoke of misfortune. But what misfortune?
"I... Why am I always so unlucky?" Grey whispered.
Her eyes welled with tears again. She remembered her many misfortunes. The evil onmyōji was preparing something terrifying. Was he going to devour Zero-Fuku?
"Brunhilde, stop this match! Stop him! He's going to eat Zero-Fuku!"
She cried out urgently, but her sister remained unmoved.
"Brunhilde, this isn't a joke! He's planning something terrible—he's trying to unlock the seal on Amatsu Mochegami!"
"The seal on who?" Brunhilde asked, finally turning her head slightly.
"I don't really know," Grey admitted, "but I saw it in the memories of history. Lord Susanoo said it was an evil god that nearly destroyed their entire pantheon."
Brunhilde narrowed her eyes.
"A god that could annihilate an entire pantheon?"
"That's what he said..."
"How interesting. But what does that have to do with me?"
Grey blinked, stunned.
"But—Brunhilde, if he's released, that's really bad—"
"Grey!"
"Y-Yes!"
The sudden command had her standing stiffly, like a soldier before her captain.
"Do you not understand your position yet?"
"Huh?"
"Are you on the side of humanity or the gods?"
Grey hesitated. And then she understood.
Brunhilde didn't care what evil would be unleashed. As long as humanity triumphed, she welcomed it—even if it meant releasing a primordial terror.
"I... I stand with humanity," Grey said softly.
She fell silent.
As a valkyrie in training, she had prepared herself for sacrifice. But she couldn't help thinking of gods like Heracles, who had loved humanity sincerely. There were good gods out there. To see them wiped out in collateral damage—it pained her.
Just then, a shout erupted from Heimdall, the announcer.
"What is that?!"
Grey turned. The black sun was swallowing Zero-Fuku's essence.
No—it wasn't just draining his power. It was absorbing all his misfortune.
Zero-Fuku vanished into the orb. From its depths stepped out... Ashiya Dōman.
His form was cloaked in jet-black flames, runes of curse magic writhing around him.
Too much misfortune. Too much darkness.
"Let us begin."
Begin what?
Dōman opened his arms. The black sun flashed—instantly stealing everyone's sight.
When vision returned, the black sun had disappeared. Had the duel ended?
No. Something was wrong. The gods in the crowd felt it. A gnawing unease.
Suddenly, day turned to night.
The sun had vanished—eclipsed.
Daylight returned, then faded again. It happened several times, until they realized—it was a solar eclipse.
Was this part of Dōman's power?
And then the sky changed again—not day, not night. A starry sky.
A massive celestial body loomed overhead, as though poised to crash.
"That... that's Venus, right?"
But it wasn't just Venus. Other planets aligned in a perfect line.
Someone noticed: Dōman's hands cradled a miniature solar system.
The eight planets—and the black sun—aligned in a single column.
Celestial manipulation. Impossible power.
The Alignment of Nine Stars.
Chapter 097: God's Prison Beneath the Devil's Star
Celestial manipulation. Planets and star forged into unnatural alignment.
Such a thing had never been heard of. Too wild. Too absurd.
They weren't just aligned—distances were shortened.
Otherwise, how could the crowd see the massive celestial bodies with such clarity?
The oppressive size made many feel as though their bodies were compressing under invisible weight.
"Could this just be an illusion?" some muttered.
Others agreed. None could believe the planets had truly moved. Aligned. Drawn near.
Did he believe himself a god?
Or worse—was he a god who could do this?
And then—
"They... they're gone!"
"No way!"
"What kind of joke is this?!"