John Milton's Paradise Lost portrays him as a devil comparable to God.
He is also the Demon King Beelzebub, the first among the seventy-two demons, the Dark Emperor Baal.
"Baal."
This name in Greek means "land." The legend of his dragon-slaying is, in fact, the origin of Saint George's tale.
Those who worshiped Baal (i.e., Melqart) included the Phoenicians, Canaanites, and Hebrews.
As Baal, Melqart's true form is a deity not easily defined in temperate, four-season lands.
He was born from deserts and wastelands,
a god of scorching sunlight and downpourof dual powers forming a "Storm God."
Just as now, he has brought Sardinia a storm capable of destroying everything, a declaration of Melqart's power.
He is the Storm God, the Sea God, the Sun God, and also the god governing life, harvest, and desolation.
He commands winds strong enough to blow away entire cities, summons legions of the dead from the underworld, unleashes tidal waves like a great flood, and hurls down thousands of thunderbolts like spears from the heavens.
Now he has arrived, and Sardinia has begun its countdown to destruction.
"So this is a Heretic God?"
Erica murmured to herself.
It was her first time directly confronting one.
Even though this power is not as immeasurable as using a dragon body to ignite a planet, it still made her feel despair.
She could not save Sardinia.
That was the exact conclusion forming in Erica's mind after witnessing Melqart.
Unless there was someone extremely powerful
For instance, a "Campione."
However, she had received no word of a Campione coming, and she doubted someone capable of subjugating gods would suddenly appear.
Therefore, with no alternative at hand, Erica chose to use her trump card: the "chat group."
She opened the chat group.
[Ding! Group member Erica has initiated a trade request with you!]
[Trade content]: Repel the Heretic God on Sardinia!
[Ding! Please select your trading conditions!]
Rei Ao, who was in the middle of being fed by Eriri, received Erica's request.
"Huh?"
He was a bit surprised.
A Heretic God on Sardinia?
His first thought was that it might be the Storm God Melqart or the War God Verethragna.
Of course, that was just guesswork based on his knowledge of the "Campione" world.
He needed confirmation.
Right now, the main concern was what condition to set for this trade.
[Name]: Erica Blandelli
[Level]: 14
[Abilities]: "Golgatha", "Spell of Smiting",
All of her abilities were incantations similar to magic, lacking anything particularly special.
Rei Ao wasn't all that interested in them.
But even without these, he didn't mind traveling to the "Campione" world once.
After all, there were still things in that world that intrigued him.
So he chose a different trade condition.
[Ding! Your trade request has been accepted!]
[Trade Condition]: "The right to use your body once."
[Ding! Confirm the trade?]
""
Erica looked at the prompt, her earlobes reddening slightly, though her expression didn't betray any intense emotional reaction.
She was perfectly aware of her own weakness.
She understood that a being stronger than a Demon King like Rei Ao had no need for her powers.
All she could offer was her body to grant him some pleasure.
She had already steeled herself for that outcome.
Gazing one more time at the stormwhich had formed and was about to ravage everything
Erica made her choice without hesitation.
[Ding! Trade initiated!]
[Trade Recipient]: Erica
[Trade Content]: Repel the Heretic God on Sardinia!
[Trade Condition]: "The right to use your body once."
[Duration]: 24 hours
~~~
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Chapter 495: I Choose you, Spencer-mon!
Saeko Busujima: "Erica's in trouble?"
Akame: "It's a Heretic God!"
Frieren: "Oh my, something interesting is happening. I'm curious to see just how powerful this so-called 'disobedient god' really is."
Erica: "Right now, here on Sardinia, we're under attack by a storm brought by a Heretic God. Without the power of a Demon King who can Slay Gods, there's no way to defend against it."
Yomogawa Ayame: "If the storm disaster was truly caused by a god, ordinary humans would naturally be helpless."
Shinoa Hiiragi: "But the gods in Erica's world aren't real gods. They're called Heretic Gods that can be killed by humans."
Bibi Dong: "I'm curious about something. If Heretic Gods are so powerful, how can they be killed and turned into 'Campione'?"
Erica: "I'm not sure. I only know that a Demon King is someone who defies fate."
Not that she herself hadn't dreamed of slaying a god and becoming a Campione.
That would be a position of absolute supremacy.
Unfortunatelyshe couldn't achieve it.
Hence why the Bronze Black Cross must search for a Demon King to serve as its liege.
Among the six Demon Kings alive today, each is as elusive as a dragon. Even finding one is difficult, and considering their pride, becoming a subordinate faction would probably not warrant their attention.
Misaka Mikoto: "@Erica, so you all can't do anything about this Heretic God?"
Erica: "It's a hopeless and sad reality."
Erica: "And the civilians who haven't yet evacuated Sardinia could become storm victims at any moment."
Stella: "Now's not the time for all this talk. @Rei Ao, it's your turn!"
Rei Ao: "Since we've already made a deal, of course I'll step in."
He glanced at Eriri.
"You saw it yourself. I'll have to leave for a bit, so let's call it a day."
Eriri, who hadn't had enough of their time together, pouted and latched onto his arm.
"I want to go too! I'm pretty strong nowI can definitely help you!"
"Hmm?"
Rei Ao certainly didn't expect a mere level-13 Eriri to defeat a Heretic God.
But taking her along wouldn't be an issue.
"Sure, let's go check things out together."
"Wait!"
Just then, Kasumigaoka Utaha suddenly spoke up, drawing both of their gazes to her.
She looked like she wanted to say something but hesitated.
"Utaha, is there something on your mind?"
"I"
Utaha, who'd been silently enduring the couple's PDA, pressed her lips together and decided, "Could you bring me along too?"
"You want to come?"
Rei Ao was a bit surprised.
"But you're just an ordinary person. Won't you drag Rei Ao-kun down?"
Eriri stated the obvious.
Rei Ao cast her a glance.
He almost pointed out that facing a Heretic God would make Eriri herself a "tagalong liability," too.
"I know I'm just a normal person and would hold you back, but"
Utaha bit her lip, looking troubled.
She still couldn't bring herself to say out loud that she wanted to stop being ordinary.
Rei Ao more or less understood her thoughts
and chose not to expose them.
He merely nodded.
"All right, let's all go together."
Bringing along one more 'tagalong liability' wasn't a big deal.
On Sardinia
The storm was still brewing.
Erica was puzzled.
Why hasn't the storm fully descended yet?
But that was a stroke of luckSardinia had no means to oppose the power of a Heretic God.
"Doesn't seem as bad as I imagined."
Rei Ao appeared behind Erica, Eriri, and Utaha in tow.
The strong wind whipped Utaha's long hair around, her clothes flapping violently. As a slender ordinary girl, she could barely keep her balanceuntil Rei Ao used his magic to create a barrier around her that blocked the gale.
"Ugh"
The gusts vanished abruptly.
Utaha noticed that everything around her had suddenly stabilized.
Though she didn't fully understand how, she was certain Rei Ao had helped her.
She gave him a grateful look, which he returned with a smile.
Rei Ao then focused on the heart of the storm, thinking to himself, "As I thought, it's Melqart."
Seeing him arrive, Erica's face lit up.
"Rei Ao-sama! Please save Sardinia!"
"Since we made a deal, naturally I'll do it. But there's no need to rush."
Erica: "No need to rush?"
"We're not going to charge straight in and beat him up?"
Eriri clenched her fists, eager to fight.
Rei Ao raised an eyebrow quizzically. "Since you're so keen, Eriri, why don't you go ahead?"
"In fact, I choose youEriri-mon!"
"Huh?"
"Me? What could I do?"
Eriri glanced at the wind and lightning that seemed capable of destroying the world.
Her face fell. With her meager strength, she'd probably be torn apart by the raging winds in an instant.
She'd thought that now she had superhuman powers, she could help Rei Ao.
But at this rate, she was just cannon fodder.
Noticing Rei Ao's playful smirk, she instantly realized he was teasing her.
"Rei Ao-kun, you're teasing me again!"
She stomped her foot in embarrassment and annoyance.
"Haha, didn't you say you wanted to take him on? I was just giving you a chance to show your stuff. And I happen to be broadcasting this for everyone."
[Ding! Rei Ao has started a livestream!]
The camera was aimed right at Eriri's pouty face.
Mabel: "Whoa! So that's the Heretic God? Why does it look kinda like that Eriri girl with blonde hair?"
Mai Sakurajima: ""
Mai Sakurajima: "Is there a possibility that's actually Eriri?"
Frieren: "It's her. Looks like she went with Rei Ao."
"Hey! What are you doing!"
Likewise, in the livestream, Eriri flailed around in embarrassment, trying to stop Rei Ao from filming.
There were so many people watchinghow embarrassing!
"Well, I hate to interrupt your lovey-dovey moment that's blinding us all with PDA"
Utaha, who'd grown tired of watching, tapped Rei Ao on the back in reminder.
"Aren't we supposed to save this island soon?"
"You've got a point."
Rei Ao shifted his gaze toward Melqart.
As the view zoomed closer, the audience in the livestream could finally see Melqart at the center of the storm.
And that sight was truly astonishing.
Miko Yotsuya: "That's a god? It looks so"
Mikoto Misaka: "Ugly."
Miko Yotsuya: "Uh"
She silently gave Mikoto a thumbs-up.
Miko herself didn't dare speak so bluntly, because even though it was a so-called "god," she was afraid of what might happen if she insulted it directly!
~~~
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Chapter 496: Verethragna (Bonus Chapter)
Is Melqart ugly?
It's not exactly "ugly."
But you wouldn't associate him with divine holiness, that's for sure.
His hair is wild and disheveled, and his beard covers the entire lower half of his facequite a striking image, exuding a primitive sort of savagery.
He wears a rough robe, basically just ragged cloth and scraps, with a tattered cloak draped over him.
His bulging, powerful muscles alone are overwhelming to behold.
You'd never guess he was a god; rather, he looks like a wandering butcher.
Yukinoshita Yukino: "@Rei Ao, there must be a reason why you're not taking action right away."
Rei Ao: "Yukino, you always get me."
Rei Ao: "If you look closely, you can tell that if he really wanted to destroy the island, he would've done it already."
Kasuga Hijiri: "That's true. It looks like the storm has been fully formed for a while, but it hasn't struck."
Erica: "Huh? What do you mean?"
Erica was confused.
Erica: "But Heretic Gods are all supposed to be chaotic and insane. All they know is destruction."
Fubuki: "But that big guy is just standing there in silencehe doesn't look mad at all."
Rei Ao: "A Heretic God isn't always insane from the start. They're trapped within the earth, slowly losing their reason until, in the end, they become mindless heretics."
Rei Ao: "Which means this Heretic God still retains his reason right now. He must have a purpose for all this."
Megumi Kato: "What's his purpose?"
Rei Ao: "You'll see soon enough. Just watch."
Right after he said that, a crimson glow lit up in Melqart's eyes.
His mouth curled into a broad grin.
He laughed aloud:
"Hahahahaha! How long are you going to hide like a turtle?!"
He was shouting at what appeared to be empty air.
But the air seemed to respond.
A breeze, different from the raging winds around him, swept bybringing with it a voice:
"Ah, warrior You've been waiting and longing for this battle."
That breeze also brought with it a person.
In front of Melqart's storm, a small figure appeared abruptlya seemingly fifteen-year-old boy with purple hair, dressed plainly.
Upon his arrival, Melqart sprang into action.
A hefty wooden club appeared in his hand, pointed straight at the boy.
"So you finally decided to show yourself, my mighty foe!"
"Mighty foe?"
Erica was stunned.
"A Heretic God's 'mighty foe' Could that be?"
"That's right: he's another Heretic Godthe The Invincible Warrior, Verethragna."
"Huh?"
Rei Ao spoke the boy's name, and in that instant, the boy's gaze shifted toward himbecause the wind had carried the sound of his name.
That's one of his ten incarnations: the power of the "Gale."
Whoever calls his namebe it a real name or an aliasif they're aware of his existence, he can instantly move to their location via the wind.
Verethragna, also known as the Invincible Warrior, has a name derived from Greek.
In Persian mythology, he's the war god Bahram.
His power lies in Ten Incarnations, each representing a different ability:
1. First Incarnation: Gale
Can teleport instantly wherever there is wind.
Can manipulate natural winds to conjure storms.
2. Second Incarnation: The Bull
Grants him monstrous strength and enhances his divine body beyond limits.
3. Third Incarnation: The White Stallion
Summons the white horses that carry the sun, raining solar flames upon enemies.
4. Fourth Incarnation: The Camel
Enhances kicking power and grants powerful regeneration and near-immortality.
5. Fifth Incarnation: The Boar
Summons the divine beast Wild Boar that crushes enemies completely, giving Verethragna a powerful charge attack.
6. Sixth Incarnation: The Youth
Offers protection to humankind, compelling them to obey, and strengthens those under his blessing.
7. Seventh Incarnation: The Raptor
Provides godly speed surpassing all else, negating disasters and curses. (Note: Depending on some versions, the Ram might differ slightly in ability, but let's go with what's written here.)
