Meet the Characters:
image [https://i.imgur.com/W9S56Id.png]
image [https://i.imgur.com/WPtKhXO.png]
image [https://i.imgur.com/t93KFoB.png]
image [https://i.imgur.com/xjnbpXP.png]
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In the distance, a sizable island loomed, one comparable to a small nation, capturing the crew's attention. The captain, brimming with excitement, positioned himself confidently at the edge of the ship’s bowsprit, his gaze aflame with eagerness.
Comprising a rag tag assembly of deities, humans, and one still indecisive (Rin), this was their maiden voyage to the fabled tribe of women, Amazonia.
“Hey Navigator!” he called out impulsively, his enthusiasm palpable as he gazed at the island. He had no clear idea who would respond, as they hadn’t defined that role yet, but whoever did would be in for a surprise. A bran new promotion!
“Yes, captain?” Alice replied, indulging his whimsical spirit. She found joy in pretending they were a genuine pirate crew, or perhaps it was simply the sight of Akuma's delight that brought her happiness. Either way, she just got herself a promotion. Hope it was worth it scrub.
“The wind smells awfully sweet, don’t you think? That must mean something, wouldn’t you say?”
“Y-Yes… It is indeed quite sweet.” she replied, though her sense of smell was not keen enough to detect it. Only the deities -Akuma, Arthur Jr, and even Tenshi, despite his human origin- seemed to notice.
“Alright then. Full speed ahead, Team Akuma!” he commanded, pointing decisively toward the island. “I sense something mystical awaiting us-!”
His fervent orders were abruptly interrupted by a sudden explosion of seawater as a colossal creature, resembling a seahorse, burst forth from the depths.
“A-A Nephilim!” Shouted Shibo, who was something of an expert on the topic.
It might be important to note he was this ship’s helmsmen, or rather, the backup helmsmen for when Arthur felt too tired to do it himself. If you’re wondering where he got the experience then you can thank his past lives, as for Arthur, you can thank his position as the eldest son of Camelot.
“You mean they inhabit the ocean as well?” Rin exclaimed, taken aback by the unexpected appearance of the creature.
Her eyes widened as the beast twisted and turned, its long, serpentine body that glistened under Gaia’s natural light. If you’re curious how Gaia can produce its own sunlight, picture a large barrier around the planet that was fueled and sustained by the planet’s core. undulating gracefully through the water
The giant Nephilim readied a blast of water with its large snout, but wasting not a single moment, nor even exchanging so much as a glance, Akuma, Tenshi, and Arthur swiftly dispatched the beast, their movements a seamless dance of power, precision and technique.
Akuma summoned divine energy through his fist, while Tenshi used the raw power in his fist, and Arthur, with his innate agility, fired off a slash of his blade striking at the creature’s vital points.
To shield the ship from the splattering remains, the panda perched atop Alice’s head expanded to nearly half the size of the vessel. It wasn’t a matter of growing in size like Ant-Man or anything, rather, its belly swelled as it unleashed a powerful gust from its jaws, deflecting any debris from reaching the ship. The air swooshed with energy as the panda’s protective barrier held firm, though some remnants still managed to land on Shibo, splattering him with a mix of seawater and Nephilim ichor.
“Ugh! Really?!” Shibo groaned, wiping the goo from his face.
As they returned to the ship, the trio couldn’t help but be intrigued by the small creature accompanying the pink-haired maiden. Akuma had sensed something unusual about it, and the earlier collar incident only deepened his suspicions, but now he was certain that something much larger was at play here. The three pressed her for answers on just what the creature was.
She was a bit shy at first, embarrassed by the multitude of eyes on her.
“U-Um… Well.” She started, twiddling her thumbs. “…V-Victor sort of just gave her to me when I woke up in this world. She said something along the lines of her being a completed version of some divine weapon. Like I told you guys, all I know is that her name’s Karna.”
Akuma’s eyes twitched as the realization hit him. He had finally picked up on the scent, and it certainly was divine like. Could it have truly been what he thought it was? The Sixth divine item created by God… Kavacha? No, there were still too many different variables to make any certain claims. He hesitated to ask the Akashic Records, as curious as he was.
***
This meeting takes place a little after Akuma’s appearance, or I guess it’d be better to say a little after the Olympian’s disappearance having sensed Wukong’s revival.
Poseidon, Icarus, Hector, Paris, Aphrodite, Athena and Hestia. These seven figures gathered around a large table on the lowest floor of heaven. There were about twelve seats, but only five were filled. If you’re curious about the other two, don’t worry, they weren’t left out or anything, it’s just that Hestia and Athena preferred to sit with their eldest sister Aphrodite. Oddly, that specific chair was wider than the others, as if made to accommodate their strange behavior.
The one who started off their meeting was Poseidon, a man who looked to be in his late twenties, though you might’ve guessed a little older due to the dark circles under his eyes. Apart from that, I’d say his most prominent feature was his pale white skin.
Poseidon interlocked his fingers in deep thought.
“As you are all aware, the lesser gods have been sealed, along with Hermes… But without a doubt, the biggest thorn in our side is the six targets we were ordered to eliminate by Master Zues: Victor, Frankenstein, Gilgamesh, Odysseus, Nana, and Arthur.”
He took a weary sigh as he finished.
“I was stationed at Crete when he gave the announcement, so I’m a little lost...” said Hector, a burly older man with white facial hair. “…I get why he’d want the other Royal Decks eliminated, but what’s Arthur got to do with the deities? I mean that guy rarely leaves his throne.”
Poseidon shot him a nasty glare, oddly exciting the large man.
“You ape. Obviously, he isn’t referring to King Arthur. He knows better than to send us to our deaths.”
The next to interject was Paris, a man in his early thirties, a bit younger than his brother Hector, though he looked rather young for it. I’d say his most prominent feature were the small white spots littered across his skin.
“I’ve always heard that King Arthur was to be feared, but I don’t understand why. Don’t you think a man that powerful would make more moves? I mean even during the first Trojan War, Chamelot never chose to take anyone’s side and remained neutral-”
“And you better than your ass he did!”
Poseidon’s sudden burst brought silence upon the room, everyone’s attention glued to him. Well, except the triplet sisters, Aphrodite, Hestia and Athena who rather caress each other’s delicate bodies… Weirdos.
Poseidon took another exhausted sigh, before glaring at the five spread across from him as he continued, “…Had he chosen to join the war, your kingdom would’ve been utterly annihilated from this world… That man is not human. He is a calamity among creations, a being who should not have been permitted to exist! In fact… I’d go so far as to say he’s the closest creature to God.”
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.
Another silence befell the room, filled only by their intense gulp. Except for Hector that is. He rocked back in his chair and crossed his arms, commenting, “Yeah right. I’d destroy that fraud. After all… I’m the strongest.”
“He isn’t the only one.”
That voice didn’t belong to Poseidon, nor was it anyone seated at the table for that matter. It came from Achillies, dragging himself to the table while clenching his side tightly to ease the raging pain having lost practically half his entire torso. Naturally, the others shared shocked expressions as they saw him. For Achillies of all people to sustain such damage was simply unheard of.
“The fuck happened to you?!” Questioned Icarus, perplexed at the sight.
“The AntiGod. He wields power unlike anything you can imagine. He’s far more different than he was in the first world… I fear… we might need the aid of the Seraphims.”
“You’re jumping the gun a bit there, don’t you think...” Interjected Aphrodite, finally partaking in the meeting.
Her two sisters seconded her claim, adding things like, “Yes-Yes, you’re jumping the gun” and “He so is”. I’d say what stood out most was that they each shared matching white horns, while Aphrodite was the only of the three to have two of them.
“…While it is true that Zues is currently sealed with the other lesser gods, it is only a matter of time until he breaks out. I mean we’re talking about Zues here. And when he does, he’ll make short work of the AntiGod as well as any pathetic humans that stands in his way.”
Her reason was solid, and she had every right to think so. For the Olympians, Zues wasn’t just the origin of their power, but a symbol of pure and overwhelming strength. And yet, Poseidon, even being the oldest one here, couldn’t stop his body from trembling. Or perhaps it was because he was the oldest one there that his body responded in such a way.
“That may not be the case…” Poseidon muttered, gathering their attentions once more. “…Some of you weren’t Olympians during the first Trojan War, and the ones who were weren’t in heaven at the time, so you don’t know his true power… But there was a man who once not only defeated Zues but all of heaven at the same time. His sudden re-appearance was why I called you all back to heaven.”
Naturally, such a statement brought shocked faces to the others.
“You mean the Monkey King…” Achillies chimed in, currently receiving healing thanks to the help of Hestia. “…The AntiGod told me he’d been revived along with himself… Tell me, if they have a fighter capable of beating Zues, then is victory even possible? Is there even any reason to try? Wouldn’t it just be a waste of effort?”
“There is…” Poseidon replied. “…When the Monkey King last attacked heaven, he was stopped thanks to the help of one human. That man is now one of the seven lesser gods, Buddha.”
“You mean there’s someone that can defeat a foe Zues couldn’t?!” Questioned Paris. “W-Wouldn’t that make him stronger than Zues?”
“Do not misunderstand. Zues is by far the strongest of the lesser gods. It is said he could even defeat Lucifer if he wanted… How do I put this… Zues, Buddha, and Wukong all have unique powers and characteristics that make them as powerful as they are. It just so happens that Wukong’s set of abilities are direct counters to Master Zeus’. But in that same way, Buddha is a direct counter to Wukong’s and vice versa for him and Zues. Think of them like rock, paper and scissors, Wukong being rock, Zues being scissors and Buddha being paper.”
“I see… So, they balance each other out.” Paris muttered in thought.
Following him was Hector, giving off a pressure that demanded attention.
“You all are being such children about all of this. At the end of the day, people are people, simple as that. You all just need to focus on defeating those puny Saints. Especially you, Icarus. The hell was that fight I watched?”
“Who in the hell do you think you’re talking to?!” Icarus shot back, his fury flaring as he slammed his palms against the table.
Hector’s eyes narrowed, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Do you really want to find out?" he taunted.
“Ya know… I think I do actually. You go on and on about strongest this and strongest that, but in the end you’re just a coward who-”
But before he could finish, Hector unsheathed his massive blade. Or perhaps I’d be more appropriate to say he gripped a hold of the large hunk of steel slung across his back, as such true behemoth of a great sword defied the very notion of a mere “blade”.
In an instant, Icarus flapped his wings, soaring to such an altitude that no one below could see him, yet Hector remained unfazed.
He inhaled greatly before holding his breath as he intoned, “Constellation Art: Artemis!” and his great sword shimmered with power. In one swift motion, he cleaved through the air, reaching Icarus despite his absurd altitude, who only revived inches from the ground, greeted by the ominous glint of steel above him.
“Without a doubt, I’m the strongest one here!” Hector bellowed, his voice echoing with authority. “I could’ve easily taken your guys’ fights. And you call yourselves gods… As for this so-called ‘King Arthur’ I will handle him myself… I’ll show you all how a true god commands a blade!”
As his taunt hung in the air, a mysterious figure cloaked in shadows emerged, grabbing the attention of all the Olympians. You couldn’t make out his features as the cloak’s hood did an excellent job at concealing his face, leaving only the striking emblem of a glaring eyeball found on the back of his cloak.
“So, you’ve finally made it, Apollo.” Poseidon remarked, a hint of relief softening his stern demeanor.
Rather than speaking, the cloaked figure opted to inscribe his thoughts in the very air in front of them.
“Here’s the plan… We can leave the AntiGod’s destruction to Poseidon and the triplets. He will be significantly weakened by the time you face him.”
“Weakened?” Poseidon questioned. “What do you mean? What do you have instore for him?”
“Let’s just say, he’s the type to sacrifice himself if it meant saving the world and its people… As for the Monkey King, he should be no threat as long as everything goes as I’ve planned… Icarus and Achillies will take out the Saint’s guarding H.A.N.D… Paris will return to Troy, and guard it from the battle to come… And Hector, I want you to return to Crete. I will arrange a meeting between you and King Arthur.”
An excited smile played on Hector’s lips.
“Excellent.”
***
The moment had finally arrived. With Kyoko and Finral staying behind, the rest of the group set off to explore.
I won’t pretend there wasn’t a more suitable spot to dock than the island’s edge -actually I'm fairly certain it’s illegal- but this crew was a rag tag collection of misfits, so this was just right up their alley.
“C-Could it really be this easy...? I’ve heard Amazonia is one of the most isolated places on Gaia.” Shibo commented, trailing behind as they navigated through a dense thicket of trees, vines, and all manner of jungle vegetation. Since Alice was the only one showing off her legs, Akuma took it upon himself to carry her like royalty through the underbrush, which was undoubtedly mortifying, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as she clung to him.
Meanwhile, Arthur remained on high alert, his eyes darting around for any hint of danger. This was a pivotal moment for him, and he was determined not to let it slip away.
The group pushed through thick vines, prickly bushes, and bizarre plants that seemed to reach out and grab at them as they passed. By the time they emerged into a more open area, Shibo was covered in blisters from stepping on toxic flora, his skin a patchwork of angry red dots, while the others had only minor scratches, and Alice remained almost unscathed, her expression a mix of embarrassment and gratitude toward Akuma.
What greeted the group was a sobbing child, cradling themselves in front of a large, vibrant plant that towered over her like a guardian. Confusion mixed with empathy washed over the group as they took in the scene. The girl’s tear-streaked face and trembling shoulders tugged at their hearts. With his big heart, Shibo was eager to approach the girl, his instincts screaming to help her, but Akuma unexpectedly intervened, finally settling down the embarrassed Alice.
“W-Why did you stop me?!” Shibo asked, confused by Akuma’s sudden move.
The others shared his confusion, momentarily viewing Akuma as a heartless figure who would ignore a crying child. But then they noticed the caution in his eyes.
“Hey, Tenshi…” Akuma called, prompting Tenshi to step forward with a curious “hm?”.
But what followed was a sense of betrayal as Akuma shoved his brother toward the weeping girl. As Tenshi got closer, the plant behind her transformed into a man-eating creature and swallowed him whole.
“W-What the hell?!” Shibo exclaimed, panic rising within him at the shocking turn of events.
“Had a feeling… You don’t tend to find a lot of children in the middle of a jungle. And that plant looked way too suspicious.”
“So that girl was just a part of the plant, meant to lure people in?! E-Even still. Isn’t that man supposed to be your friend?!”
“My older brother actually.”
“That’s even worse-!”
“Relax, jellybean.” Akuma reassured with a calm demeanor. “I’ve seen him get through worse. He should be just fine… maybe.”
“Maybe?!”
A thunderous explosion erupted, leading to the utter annihilation of the massive plant from within. This was the scene as Tenshi narrowly escaped death's grasp. His skin had been scorched by the plant's corrosive stomach acid, revealing patches of bone in some areas. Initially, the more sensitive members of the group recoiled in shock and disgust, but they quickly regained their composure as they witnessed his body starting to heal, gradually restoring his full form.
“You bitch!” Tenshi shouted, his fury visible in the air. “Who do you think you are, pushing me like that-!?”
His tirade was abruptly interrupted by another carnivorous plant that emerged from the soft earth and swallowed him whole, soon followed by several more.
“I suppose that explains why this island is so isolated.” Arthur remarked, finally focused on the unfolding chaos. Perhaps saying he was “finally focused” was a bit harsh, as he had been the most attentive of the group, albeit for very different reasons.
“After that loud explosion, any nearby village would be on high alert… Who here can fly?” Akuma inquired, glancing back at the others. He was met with an awkward silence, punctuated by Arthur’s sheepish glance away, embarrassed by his inability to fly despite being an angel. “The hell do mean you can’t fly, you fraud?! Aren’t you an angel? Where are your wings?” Akuma pressed, while Arthur averted his gaze even more, trying to avoid the confrontation.
With a resigned sigh, he summoned his wings, hoping to scout their surroundings. Ascending over 300 meters, he surveyed the area and spotted a distant village, complete with two watchtowers. The settlement was vast, a journey in it’s own right but it had a primitive appearance, encircled by large stone walls, and the watchtowers seemed primarily constructed of timber and stone.
Although he couldn’t clearly see the figures atop the watchtowers, the sight of a large group approaching, armed with spears, sent a chill down his spine. Actually, that was just the presence they gave off. In truth, one sole person was headed in their direction.
Strangely, she rested comfortably on her horse’s saddle as if taking a nap. What a peculiar warrior…