"Done deliberating? So, can we start?" Angra Mainyu looked at the three surrounding him, neither attacking nor speaking, with boredom.
He was eager to test Aslan's strength. They'd been discussing for so long; they must've made thorough preparations, right?
"Of course. How could we disappoint a Demon Lord?"
Aslan stepped back, kicking the still-unconscious Azi Dahaka toward Uesugi Kenshin, asking him to handle and seal him.
Without his Another Cosmology, Azi Dahaka's threat level dropped significantly. Combined with his severely injured body, Absolute Evil was no longer a concern. Kenshin was more than capable of dealing with him.
As for Aslan, Indra, and Kalki, they were truly up against Angra Mainyu, possessed by Ahriman. They had to exile Angra Mainyu from Little Garden within three moves—a massive challenge.
Ahriman wasn't someone who'd hold back just because Aslan was her master now. She'd always use her full strength. Just like when she faced Indra, who once followed her, every attack aimed to kill, ensuring the opponent was dead or gravely injured.
Ordinary people, even gods, wouldn't be fine if their heart was instantly crushed. Extraordinary wounds might heal with some effort, but the heart, such a vital organ, was different.
"Ten Radiant Cycles! Avatāra!"
A pillar of pure white energy appeared in Kalki's hands, merging into an unimaginable attack. Another Cosmology: Avatāra contained ten different worldviews, making it an extremely powerful Another Cosmology.
Unfortunately, Kalki was only a few days old.
Ten worldviews?
He hadn't even fully grasped his own worldview. How could he wield ten different abilities?
He could only unleash Another Cosmology with the purest energy, releasing an Aurora Pillar that could pierce everything!
Such a pure and brutal attack was often the strongest. But its consumption was immense. Kalki was already panting after just one attack.
After all, Kalki wasn't like Izayoi, who had the Third Perpetual Motion Machine in his blood, functioning like a nano Perpetual Motion Machine.
Of course, though he could unleash an Aurora Pillar of energy that pierced everything, he couldn't use it like a normal attack as Izayoi did. This was the least efficient way to use Another Cosmology.
But inefficient was still better than ineffective.
"Avesta activated – Counter them in sequence!"
Angra Mainyu also activated his Another Cosmology… no, the Another Cosmology he'd just taken from Azi Dahaka.
Almost the moment he activated it, Aslan, Indra, and Kalki retreated. They left Angra Mainyu alone to face the Aurora Pillar of pure energy.
The first move: consumption!
Using Kalki, they unleashed the purest energy attack, forcing Angra Mainyu to use Avesta to neutralize Kalki's Aurora Pillar. Then they retreated as Angra Mainyu activated his Another Cosmology, leaving this outer gate to prevent him from mimicking Aslan and the others' Spirit Status, Gifts, and worldviews to replenish his consumption.
It was a way to drain Angra Mainyu's Spirit Status and energy.
As Aslan expected, Angra Mainyu used Avesta to unleash an identical Aurora Pillar to neutralize Kalki's.
As for dodging?
How could an Another Cosmology attack be easily dodged?
An Another Cosmology attack is a pure clash of worldviews. How do you dodge an attack from a world?
"Uncle Indra, now!" Seeing Angra Mainyu neutralize Kalki's attack with his own Aurora Pillar, Aslan showed a sly smile.
Now was the time to deliver a fatal blow, when Angra Mainyu had no energy left.
"Vasavi Shakti! Pierce everything and bring me victory!"
Another Cosmology containing the truth of victory was fully unleashed, locking onto Angra Mainyu, and a massive golden spear shot forward.
When hit by the fully unleashed Vasavi Shakti, even the Mother of the Evil God needed time to break its truth of victory. And this was the moment Aslan sought.
"Mirror reflecting the sky to the equator! Void Star · Tai Sui!"
While Angra Mainyu was entangled with the truth of victory, Aslan immediately unleashed his Another Cosmology: Void Star · Tai Sui, sealing him into a fictional world within it. Then, as he was sealed, Aslan took Void Star · Tai Sui out of Little Garden, to the outer world.
"…"
At the same time, Little Garden fell silent. Both Indra and Kalki were too exhausted to speak.
Especially Kalki, facing two Last Trials of Mankind in a row, he was the spearhead. Though a savior, he couldn't be used like livestock. Especially since he was just a poor child born a few days ago.
"Is this a Last Trial of Mankind? They're too hard to defeat, aren't they?" Seeing Angra Mainyu, Kalki seemed to have found a reason to fight.
He also knew his mission was to lead humanity to surpass the Iron Age and defeat Kali Yuga. Though this Kali Yuga likely appeared due to his premature birth, it gave him a stronger reason to face this Last Trial of Mankind born because of him.
"By the way, where's that Arcadia kid? Why hasn't he returned?"
"My Vasavi Shakti is still stuck in Angra Mainyu's body." Indra muttered.
As for worrying whether Aslan would survive after exiling Angra Mainyu? Though they'd only met briefly, Indra could see this kid was slippery. If there was the slightest problem, he'd escape faster than Indra.
It could only be said that he was worthy of being a spatial domain user. His escape speed was extraordinary. With this signature move, Indra was certain that as long as Aslan was in Little Garden, even he couldn't catch him unless he used Another Cosmology to fully lock him. If he used it, Aslan could still slip away before it was fully unleashed. He was too slippery, like an eel.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
On the other side, Shiroyasha scratched her face in confusion. She stared blankly at Aslan, who left Little Garden with Angra Mainyu, looking at the spot where he'd stood.
"…"
"Is this what that kid called a 'grand performance'?" Shiroyasha muttered in disbelief, still not recovered from her shock. "A grand performance? This nearly turned Little Garden upside down."
Shiroyasha only realized after Aslan openly left Little Garden. Or rather, since Aslan stood holding Arcadia's flag, using his spatial abilities to lead a group of heroes and gods against Azi Dahaka.
Shiroyasha was too shocked to speak. She nearly prepared to forcibly take Aslan. But he led them to defeat Absolute Evil and almost surpassed Azi Dahaka.
It wasn't too bad, just a bit shocking. But since Angra Mainyu jumped out, her heart leaped to her throat. Even when she fought her two bosses back then, it wasn't this thrilling.
"This kid, he's truly shocking when he acts." After a while, Shiroyasha finally recovered. "I'm just worried—will I still see a living, healthy Aslan years from now?"
Shiroyasha muttered anxiously. Aslan's troublemaking nature could be both good and bad.
The good part was that Aslan could grow quickly, but the downside was the immense risk. As the only one in Little Garden who knew the truth, Shiroyasha could see the benefits Aslan gained.
The Last Trial of Mankind Kali Yuga Spirit Status and Another Cosmology: Avesta were Angra Mainyu's gains.
As for Aslan, it was obvious. He directly held Arcadia's flag.
In some gods' eyes, in just minutes, he faced two Last Trials of Mankind consecutively and played a crucial role. Aslan's role might already rival Canaria's.
Especially since Aslan also held the Perpetual Motion Machine Spirit Status, plus a crippled Azi Dahaka who lost his Another Cosmology. Surpassing Absolute Evil only needed one human hero.
What did this mean?
It was an unimaginably massive feast of achievements. Other Pantheons might fight tooth and nail for this human hero candidate.
As for Aslan and Arcadia, even he himself would gain unimaginable benefits. Now, Shiroyasha just needed to wait for Aslan to return and claim it all.
"Almost forgot, that kid seems to have three Another Cosmologies? Damn it!"
Shiroyasha, who'd lived so long, hadn't even touched an Another Cosmology! She'd only been thoroughly beaten by one.
Otherwise, where did she get the experience that only fully grown pure dragon species or top-tier Star Spirits could directly face an Another Cosmology?
She gained that experience by stubbornly enduring it as the White Night Demon Lord. After all, as an Original Star, Shiroyasha might not know much else, but in terms of HP thickness and skin durability, she was Little Garden's best.
When Aslan returned, she'd have to borrow one to play with. She also wanted to feel what it was like to have an Another Cosmology.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
On the other side, at an unknown small river in the Celestial Realm, a young man in a straw hat cast his fishing line into the river. The hook fell straight into the sun's reflection.
"Huh? What's that? The mastermind is Shiroyasha?" Krishna showed an expression of doubting life itself.
A joke?
Even if it was the Halloween Queen, the Double Goddess, or even Jesus, Kalki, or the Mother of the Evil God risen from death, Krishna wouldn't be this skeptical.
Even if it was all Canaria's plan, Krishna could accept it. But now, telling him the mastermind behind it all was Shiroyasha?
Huh??????
Shiroyasha, forced to stay in the lower layers as a Four-Digit?
Shiroyasha, who'd face divine supervision even if she reclaimed her Sun God Spirit Status and returned to Three-Digit?
Shiroyasha, who held Sun Authority but still had to live like that?
His prophecy shouldn't make such a massive mistake, right?
Krishna, usually supremely confident and thinking he controlled everything, showed a bewildered expression for the first time.