In the divine age, kings often held status equal to gods.
Although some Scythians and Sarmatians of that time were nomadic peoples, they still maintained matriarchal clan structures. Like the Amazon warriors in mythology, even women bore the duty of combat.
Therefore, the War God they worshipped was naturally also a female War God.
This was why the Lancelot before them possessed stunning beauty and a proud figure that surpassed even Erica.
However, with Rome's expansion and the spread of Arthurian legend, Guinevere gave this female War God a new guise, making her the legendary Lake Knight Lancelot, which led to her being mistaken for male.
The origins of this divine transformation were quite complex, and she hadn't expected to be seen through so easily.
But regardless, defeat was defeat.
"I acknowledge my failure. Come, Raksha King! Take your medal from my corpse and enhance your valor! This is the victor's right!"
Under this indisputable defeat, the white War God had no intention of struggling and directly closed her eyes, waiting for death's arrival.
Just as Steel Hero Gods seized Authorities from Earth Mother Goddesses, defeated Heretic Gods having their Authorities taken by Campiones was natural law.
The victor could naturally plunder everything.
Her only concern was the Divine Ancestor Guinevere under her protection.
However, the time she had delayed wasn't short—that child must have already left with King Arthur, right?
Thinking this, she waited for her return to mythology with slight relief.
However, Ryuga didn't kill her on the spot.
Within Rome, Marquis Voban, whose entire divinity was sealed by the Golden Sword, was taken to an underground prison cell, facing Sword King Doni through the wall.
War God Lancelot, however, was brought to the main hall of the Copper Black Cross headquarters castle.
"Campione, what is the meaning of this?"
The female War God, with shackles on both hands and her divine power completely sealed, showed a puzzled expression.
"Don't you plan to kill me and obtain my Authorities?"
After asking this confused question, she looked down at her own ample chest, paused slightly, then showed a look of realization.
"Could it be that what you fancy isn't my Authorities, but this body?"
"Although serving the victor is the defeated's duty, I have no similar experience. If you want it, you'll have to do it yourself."
She spoke with complete frankness.
For modern people, these were words that excessively abandoned morality and knew no shame.
But for heroes of the divine age, especially Steel Hero Gods, this wasn't anything significant.
Killing enemies and obtaining their property and women was a universal rule of the divine age.
Even in later generations, this custom remained deeply rooted.
If Ryuga truly demanded the body as spoils of war, the goddess before him wouldn't cooperate but also wouldn't refuse.
"..."
Erica, who had just finished arranging Marquis Voban and walked in, immediately heard these words.
She couldn't help but look down at herself.
Honestly, her figure was first-class among her peers and even among mature women, at least a D rating.
But compared to the female War God before her, she was far inferior.
If she was still a graceful fifteen-sixteen-year-old girl, the other party was a mature seventeen-eighteen-year-old figure. Whether in curves or lines, she couldn't compare.
So she became a bit anxious.
"My lord! The other party is a Heretic God after all—beware that she harbors schemes!"
Erica gave a roundabout warning.
If she made a move in bed, especially at a crucial moment, even the most delicate woman could kill a man.
Not to mention, the goddess before them was the most combat-capable War God—caution was necessary.
Hearing this, the female War God glanced at Erica, shook her head, and said very straightforwardly:
"Witch, I understand your concerns. Rest assured, I have no intention of competing for favor! However, don't you dare taint a warrior's honor. I swear by my lord's name that having acknowledged defeat, I would never commit such treacherous acts!"
Gods were mostly types who valued honor over life, and War Gods even more so.
Lancelot didn't mind serving the victor but minded having baseless slander cast upon her.
If not for the fact that Erica was Ryuga's subordinate and her advice partly came from loyalty, with her personality, she might have directly proposed a duel to defend her honor with her life.
"...Apologies, Your Divinity, I was presumptuous."
Hearing the other party directly expose her hidden competitive thoughts and provide assurance, Erica's face flushed and she immediately backed down.
A War God's promise had considerable value.
Ryuga ignored the small verbal sparring between the two.
However, he could answer the common question from both Erica and Lancelot.
"Don't worry, I have no intention of giving up your Authorities."
Saying this, he lifted the platinum blade and gazed at this remnant of the Salvation God Blade.
"It's just that as a god closest to the Steel Origin and Sword Codex, your divinity is quite special."
"Being able to wield the Salvation God Blade so skillfully—if I'm not mistaken, you also possess qualifications to become a Last King candidate, right?"
At this point, he shifted his gaze back to the white War God's face.
The goddess showed visible astonishment.
"You even know this?"
Although she had mentioned the Last King's title before, she had never spoken of what this deity truly represented.
She had thought current Campiones wouldn't know such secrets, but unexpectedly Ryuga not only understood the Last King's meaning but could even grasp its essence.
Yes, although the Last King was the ultimate weapon used by the gods to sweep away Demon Kings, it wasn't a position filled by only one specific god.
In fact, in different parallel worlds, the Last King candidates were all different.
Some were God King Mithra, others were Takemikazuchi.
However, regardless of selection, those who could fulfill the Last King position and possess Last King candidate qualifications all had one characteristic.
That is, they must be War Gods closest to the Steel Origin and Sword Codex.
As the most primitive Steel Hero God, Lancelot also possessed corresponding qualifications. The Last King of this world simply wasn't her.
"Just happened to know."
Ryuga spoke calmly.
"The conflict between Steel Hero Gods and Earth Mother Goddesses is one of this world's main contradictions and an important factor affecting divine power."
Even though Heretic Gods' strength didn't depend on their mythological status, for Celtic mythological human knight Lancelot's power to surpass Greek mythological chief god Athena was too exaggerated.
The reason the War God before him could be so powerful had only one explanation: the attribute enhancement of Steel Hero Gods.
In this world, the closer to the Steel Origin—that is, the Sword Codex—the stronger the Hero God.
"So I plan to use your divinity and fragments of the Salvation God Blade to create a second mythological technique—[Sword Codex]."
He frankly stated his purpose.
"Mythological technique?"
Lancelot was somewhat confused and didn't quite understand what this meant.
But Erica's eyes widened.
"A second one?!"
She knew that Ryuga's previous mythological technique was the Victory Sword capable of instantly killing gods. She had personally witnessed its power—absolutely not something ordinary gods could resist.
She hadn't expected that so soon, Lord Ryuga would have new inspiration?
"Mm."
Ryuga nodded slightly.
If the Victory Sword was a mythological technique constructed with victory's essence as the core, combining all the divine essences Ryuga mastered.
Then the Sword Codex would be a mythological technique constructed with the Steel Origin as the core, refining and strengthening all Steel Hero God Authorities.
With different cores, the technique effects were naturally different.
Compared to the Victory Sword that pursued battle victory, the Sword Codex's function was to fix Steel Hero God characteristics through technique.
This way, even in other worlds, Ryuga could still seize defeated gods' divinities through Steel Hero God traits.
It could even be said to expand the Godslaying characteristic to all heavens and worlds.
Looking at Erica's surprised posture and Ryuga's attitude of not intending secrecy, Lancelot wanted to continue asking.
But just then, a dignified young girl's voice suddenly rang out from outside the door.
"Master! I'm back!"
"Enter."
"Yes!"
With Ryuga's permission, two presences that felt extremely familiar to Lancelot quickly approached from outside the door.
Her gaze swept past the golden-haired ahoge girl whose divine fluctuations felt extremely familiar but whose appearance was completely strange, quickly settling on the spoils of war the girl carried on her shoulder—a girl who looked only twelve or thirteen years old.
That was an overly familiar petite figure.
The other party seemed to have lost strength but hadn't lost consciousness. Her crimson pupils also showed great surprise when seeing her.
The female War God sighed, and together with the recovered petite Divine Ancestor, they spoke in unison:
"My beloved child, how were you also captured?"
"Uncle, how were you also captured?"
After their simultaneous questioning, several seconds of silence followed.
Only then did Divine Ancestor Guinevere and War God Lancelot realize that the other had also become a prisoner.
To be continued…
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