The scarab beetle—in ancient Egypt, it was a sacred creature. For example, soldiers would engrave its image onto signet rings.
To the ancient Egyptians, it symbolized the rising and changing of the sun. Osiris's na also carried the aning of renewal and developnt of solar power as the seasons changed.
That might be why Set, upon seeing the scarab, called out Osiris's na.
At the sa ti, Hikigaya recognized the divine beast erging from the storm.
It had the head of a jackal, the body of a lion, a straight upright tail with a tuft at the end.
This was the Beast of Set, the only creature that fully represents Set. It was a beast of destruction ford by the storm blowing from the void.
It appeared along with the earliest traces of Set worship. As early as 4000 BC, the ruins of the Golden City featured images of the Beast of Set. It was a beast of slaughter, its na translating into modern language simply as "Kill"—the clearest reflection of Set's essence.
But before Hikigaya could finish being astonished, a buzzing sound arose from the storm again.
From the dark storm, massive dark shapes erged.
Hikigaya saw clearly—it was a swarm of bees, in the tens of thousands, blotting out the sky!
Within the swarm were shadows of cobras.
In ancient Lower Egypt, bee and cobra gods were worshiped. The flapping of bees' wings symbolized storms, and cobras symbolized death and destruction. They were both part of Set.
As a re mortal, if I get touched by sothing like that, I'd be deader than dead…
Yeah, definitely dead!
Looking at Seishuin Ena in his arms, she wasn't much better off. Faced with an attack from gods, she was utterly powerless—totally stunned…
So this is how it ends. Against gods, whether martial artists, mortals, priestesses, or even magicians—there's no difference at all.
But that's how it should be. Otherwise, they wouldn't be gods.
That said… what kind of monster would it take to actually kill a god?
With luck like that, they'd probably outperform a hundred George Sores on the stock market.
Please, take with you to trade stocks!
"Zee zee—!"
The scarab in his hand screeched even more sharply. Then, to Hikigaya's astonished gaze, it flew up, turned into a beam of golden light, and shot into the swarm.
In an instant, it was engulfed by the swarm.
But in the next mont, a dazzling halo of light exploded from within!
A sun appeared in the sky!
Where the halo passed, the bees and the hidden cobras within were instantly vaporized!
In stars' atmospheres, explosive events called solar flares sotis occur—this was such an event, now appearing in the sky.
The sun slowly rose, emitting white divine fire, dyeing the land below a rosy hue.
"Awooo—!"
The Beast of Set let out a painful scream—it was burning!
In an instant, the halo that had cleared a section of the sky returned, hovering in front of Hikigaya.
As it arrived, a tangible disc manifested within the brilliant halo.
The Solar Disc of Osiris!
In that instant, a myth ca to Hikigaya's mind.
Horus, the son of Osiris, using his father's power, rode the solar disc and, wielding the scepter and flail, killed Set.
Legend has it that this myth reflects an ancient war in which Upper Egypt defeated Lower Egypt.
But now, the solar disc had appeared for real.
At the center of the disc was a giant eye. Though carved, it looked incredibly vivid—almost lifelike. Hikigaya even felt like it was watching him.
"My beast, don't be so weak!" Set looked at the solar disc with deep hatred. With a wave of his hand, the flas on the Beast of Set were extinguished. "Now is the ti to strike down our old enemy."
Behind him, a dense array of weapons appeared—all ancient Egyptian in style.
He casually grabbed a bow, drew it, and unleashed a rain of arrows—only to have them all turned to ash by the solar disc's light.
Simultaneously, nurous eyes appeared in the sky, sending divine fire toward Set once more.
"Get out of my way, Osiris!"
Set swung various weapons, scattering the sun's fire, and charged toward the solar disc.
"Looks like you might be the chosen one."
Seishuin Ena, watching the scene in shock beside Hikigaya, suddenly said,
"In the myths, Horus defeated Set with his father's help. Maybe now, the gods want you to return Set to the myth through your hands."
Nani!?
Hikigaya widened his eyes and looked at the bare-bottod shrine maiden in his arms, the one he'd spanked several tis before, now wearing a complex expression.
Ena ignored him and handed over the A-no-Murakumo no Tsurugi (Heavenly Cloud Cluster Sword).
"Maybe I'm witnessing the most absurd thing in the world. Either way, take this. It absorbed part of your divine artifact's power earlier. Maybe it'll work in your hands."
"Oh."
Hikigaya took the sword and indeed felt the sa energy inside it that the Eye of Horus had sent into his body.
At this point, he had no choice. Set was getting closer and closer.
The eyes in the sky were also decreasing.
He gritted his teeth and stepped onto the solar disc.
But just then, the disc sent out a surge of force. Hikigaya felt lighter—and suddenly, Ena was launched into the storm!
What the hell!? That can happen too!?
Because the Eye of Horus hadn't rejected her before, he thought the disc wouldn't either.
He quickly turned around—only to see Ena already caught in the arms of an old-fashioned, bushy-bearded old man.
"Grandpa!"
Previously scared stiff, Ena now cried out in joy.
"Master!?"
Hikigaya shouted in shock—but not at the old man. It was the person the old man was holding.
He wasn't seeing things—it was the Demon God Fist, and he was being held like a sack, clearly knocked out.
"Oh? This guy's your master? You master-disciple duo sure know how to stir up trouble. The mont he saw , he charged at . I had no choice but to knock him out—made late too."
The old man looked at the Evil God in his hands with disdain.
"His brain's fried. Kept yelling 'Now's the ti to prove I'm the strongest!' Hmph… If I weren't retired, I'd have killed him already. I was even worried I'd accidentally kill him, so I wasted a bit of ti holding back."
"..."
Hikigaya felt deeply that Pencak Silat really does impair vision. Clearly, Set was over here.
No—maybe it affects intelligence. Set might co with a natural aura that makes people dumber.
Tch, what an overpowered protagonist aura. If only I had one too.
"Go on, kid. I'll be watching from here. Things have gotten interesting—let see how far you can take it."
As he said that, a gust of wind swirled up around the old man, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished from Hikigaya's sight.
That kind of power—clearly, he wasn't human.
But that ant—no more holding back!
Hikigaya turned back resolutely and stepped firmly onto the solar disc.
In the next mont, the disc flared brightly, and with a whoosh, shot toward Set.
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