While those words were spoken to maintain her persona, they were, in fact, the simple truth.
lusine had never believed that being a formidable fighter was sothing to brag about.
From the mont she began studying the Taixu Sword Qi under her master, Fu Hua, her only goal had been self-preservation.
Even now, when she was no longer so cautious, she only drew her blade when it was absolutely necessary.
"–!?"
Rama knew none of this.
To him, lusine's statent didn't sound like arrogance so much as the product of a completely alien set of values.
In her eyes, he couldn't find even a flicker of worship for power or pride in her own overwhelming strength.
It was as if, to this silver-haired girl, the power she possessed—a power that transcended all things—was rely a triviality.
But realization soon dawned on him.
"The strongest, huh..."
It was precisely because she was the strongest that she had no interest in conflict.
It was why she treated all people with the sa detached impartiality.
Realizing this, the shadows vanished from Rama's expression.
"It seems... I was the one being arrogant."
The title of "The Strongest" was one that Rama, despite his personal distaste for it, knew belonged to him.
It was an objective fact; his very purpose for existing was to slay those who stood at the pinnacle. By that definition, he was undeniably the strongest.
Yet, understanding lusine's mindset now, he realized his own disdain for the title was its own form of conceit.
He only loathed it because he cared about it.
lusine, who was far more powerful than him, simply accepted it as a natural reality and viewed the world through the lens of that fundantal truth.
"My apologies! I've said too much!" Bracing himself, Rama spoke no more.
He focused entirely on pouring every ounce of his remaining strength into his display against lusine.
His combat power was already plumting.
If he had been fifty tis as strong as a standard Campione before, he was now at thirty, and the number continued to drop.
At this point, lusine could have easily ended his life. He didn't know why she hadn't struck the final blow, but he no longer cared.
As they tore through ti and space, lusine slamd Rama's body into the earth. Suddenly, she ceased her pursuit and drifted gracefully to the ground.
Rising from the crater, Rama noticed the shift and finally disengaged from the heat of battle to survey his surroundings.
He knew lusine had been leading him in a specific direction, but he hadn't known their destination.
"Where is this...?"
Before him lay a vast, grey expanse. Such sights were common in the Netherworld, but the familiar aura drifting through the air allowed Rama to make an educated guess.
Before he could observe further, a crisp, lodious voice—gentle yet sharp—rang out from behind him.
"I didn't expect you to go this far. Honestly, it makes feel like a bit of an idiot for hiding away ahead of ti."
Rama turned instinctively.
Standing there was a young girl with long purple hair parted down the middle. She wore a thin white dress and was quite short—barely taller than Lady lusine herself.
Though it was their first eting, Rama could guess her identity. "You are... the Usurping Witch...?"
"I much prefer the na Pandora," the purple-haired girl said with a smile before turning to lusine. "What's wrong? Why the silent treatnt?"
"I can't sense the aura of that Goddess of Fate," lusine said, her back to the two of them as she frowned at the horizon.
"She won't co while you're standing here," Pandora replied, as if she had expected as much.
"Unless you can enter that place. That isn't just a physical space; it is 'Fate That Can Be Touched.' As the Goddess of Fate, she won't allow anyone to run amok there."
lusine shot her a sideways glance. "I recall you saying this matter was 'in your hands'?"
The two had t back in England, starting when Athena taught lusine how to enter the Netherworld and the Borderline of Immortality.
Pandora, dwelling in that immortal realm, had long known of lusine's exploits.
She had initially tried to keep her distance, but because she saw a vision of their eting in lusine's future, she had ended up intercepting her for several days straight.
Her foresight was hit-or-miss, but when it hit, it was dead accurate.
"Of course. I wouldn't be here otherwise," Pandora nodded confidently.
She had been playing the antagonist to that "other person" for thousands of years.
She had long prepared a way to enter the Domain of Fate, though she'd abandoned the search because it seed impractical. But now?
Hmph. Now that she had soone powerful backing her up, she didn't have to spend her life hiding in the shadows.
"You plan to enter the Domain of Fate and confront the Pusher of Destiny directly?" Rama finally grasped their intent. But... why bring him here? Wait...
Thinking back to the process of creating a Campione, Rama finally understood why lusine hadn't killed him yet. But... why?
A Campione was born when Pandora used the Circle of Usurpation to absorb a god's power and transfer it to a mortal.
The mortal had to kill the god with their own hands, using the god's life as a sacrifice to trigger the ritual.
But... Lady lusine shouldn't need his power, should she?
Rama was plunged back into confusion.
Seeing his baffled expression, Pandora laughed. "Prince of Legend, you look like you have a lot of questions."
"Ah... indeed. That's right... you are the 'Mother' of all Campiones. Forgive my rudeness," Rama greeted her, his expression a complicated ss.
Their relationship was awkward, to say the least. Pandora was the mother of the Godslayers, and Rama had spent a great deal of his existence killing her "children."
Furthermore, Rama felt a certain level of respect for Pandora—a being who had created the Campiones specifically to resist the Pusher of Destiny—even if he was the one constantly thinning their ranks.
Pandora rely smiled. "It's true, we've spent a long ti contending with each other through my children, but you aren't the one I hold a grudge against."
"I see." Pandora's reasonableness eased Rama's embarrassnt, allowing him to regain so of his composure.
He then asked, "I do have one question. I understand now that you've appeared on why Lady lusine didn't kill when she had countless chances, but... why?"
"You've misunderstood, Prince Rama."
Pandora shook her head. "lusine's goal is indeed to use the Circle of Usurpation, but the target isn't you. It's the Goddess of Fate."
"...What? The Pusher of Destiny?" Rama truly hadn't considered that. But that was equally puzzling. Given lusine's strength, surely she didn't care about the position or Authorities of a Fate Deity?
The Goddess of Fate was the one hiding from her.
Besides, if that were the case, what did that have to do with keeping him alive?
"I intend to usurp the Goddess of Fate's ability to manipulate destiny," lusine finally spoke.
"And then, I will take the destiny of the 'King of the End' currently bound to you, and tether it to myself."
-- --
T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 2 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.
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