The paralysis caused by the unknown giant of light finally wore off completely just before he hit the ground. Shiomi regained control of his posture and adjusted his descent, landing on the earth under his own power.
Yellow sand filled the air, cutting visibility to less than ten meters.
This was supposed to be a rainforest so dense it left you speechless, yet it was being swallowed by a sandstorm that had no business existing here.
This wasn't some natural anomaly of the Lostbelt.
It was… someone's trick.
A god's trick, at that.
The 'Alien God' had also come down into the forest. Their landing points weren't far apart.
Shiomi pressed a hand to his chest and, through the damage compensation ritual, sensed Morgan's presence.
Once he confirmed she was safe, he finally let himself breathe.
He had known the moment they touched down things would get even more dangerous, so he'd made the call without hesitation. Before the Unity God state broke apart, he used its authority to invoke a water mirror and send Morgan back to Storm Border.
In that state, returning together simply wasn't possible.
If he got greedy and tried to take them both back, the enemies watching from the shadows would seize the opening and strike sooner.
It was obvious that regardless of whether the mysterious giant's attack had been planned, Shiomi was the one it had to hit.
Was this what Taigong Wang had meant?
Or was it that the hidden side, along with the Lostbelt's carefully prepared strategy, had even made use of the 'Alien God', despite them not being on the same side?
Either way, not getting caught in a bad opening was a good thing.
Securing Morgan's safety first and preserving their remaining strength mattered more than anything.
The sandstorm sweeping through the forest was deeply unnatural. It rewrote the rules of Mana circulation in the air, cutting off his ability to communicate with Morgan through their usual mental link.
Shiomi was about to start moving and get out of the area when he suddenly stopped.
"…Are you planning to continue the fight from earlier?" he said to the figure emerging from the sandstorm.
"Do you even have to ask?" U-Olga Marie stared at him. "Hurry up and take that fused form again. Fighting just you isn't satisfying."
Shiomi laughed. "I'm a real god right now. That still isn't enough?"
"I don't see that fairy anywhere." U-Olga Marie smiled. "Looks like it's just you. I'm not thrilled about it, but I'll have to deal with you in two steps."
It was the same smile as Olga Marie on the ship, and yet it felt completely different.
More vicious. Colder. No matter who she faced, she carried the arrogance of an absolute superior, and the indifference of someone crushing ants underfoot.
It was coming.
The 'Alien God' struck first.
Shiomi called forth Gungnir and clashed with U-Olga Marie. She was bare-handed, yet she didn't give ground against Odin's spear.
Charging in before they even understood what was happening made Shiomi want to sigh, but he knew there was no talking her down.
Their fight kicked up a second whirlwind within the sandstorm tearing through the rainforest.
Thick trunks, tangled vines, lush shrubs, all of it was easily cut apart and shredded in the exchange.
The forest rang again and again with the crash of falling trees. The cramped woodland that should have limited movement was gradually smashed open into a wide, empty battlefield.
Shiomi glanced at his torn combat suit, then at the 'Alien God'. She showed signs of fighting, but not a single drop of blood.
The blow from the mysterious giant had been taken by the Unity God first, after all.
The 'Alien God' who intervened clearly hadn't paid much of a price.
The sheer scale of what she was still putting out made that obvious.
He wouldn't be taken down easily, but if this dragged on, he would eventually lose the battle of attrition.
And…
At some point, the sandstorm that blotted out the sky began to take on the color of blood.
"No, it's mist…" Shiomi muttered. "Red mist."
He remembered Kirschtaria mentioning it. Daybit's Servant was an omnipotent god from Aztec myth.
Tezcatlipoca, the powerful deity also known as the Smoking Mirror.
The possessed Divine Spirit that had appeared in Uruk earlier was the Smoking Mirror's divinity.
This wasn't Shiomi shooting first and then painting a target. If someone could twist physical laws and create something like this, there was only one answer.
The Smoking Mirror.
The 'Alien God' could probably do it too, but she clearly wasn't the type to bother with this kind of setup.
"That's enough hiding." Shiomi suddenly raised his voice. "Are you going to show yourself, or are you waiting for us to tear each other up so you can step in and wipe up what's left?"
U-Olga Marie froze for a moment.
Then, from deep within the sandstorm, a blond man in modern clothes walked out.
"No, nothing like that." The man wore brown-tinted sunglasses, his tone calm in a way that was hard to put into words. "This is a warrior's duel to the death. I've only made sure no one can come here and interfere. Still, you're right. Once a victor is decided, let the winning warrior come and challenge me."
"I see." Shiomi took a defensive stance. "Sorry, but I've got more important business. Even if I win, there's nothing to gain from wasting time here."
A flicker of displeasure surfaced on the man's face. "What, running already? You became a god, you killed the warrior who took down Lostbelt Zeus, and in the end you're still just a coward?"
"Say what you want. The battlefield changes by the second, and the troublesome enemies don't stop coming." Shiomi tightened his grip on Gungnir. "The art of war says: make yourself impossible to defeat first, then wait for the enemy to become defeatable. I won't be staying to indulge you!"
This was already Tezcatlipoca's domain, and his Noble Phantasm was likely in effect. Simply running wouldn't work. He had to break the isolation first.
Shiomi's response made Tezcatlipoca's expression shift again, surprise flashing before he split into a wild grin.
"Not bad. If you're going to use authority, then I'll play along." Tezcatlipoca lifted a hand as his body dissolved into the sandstorm. "We're both gods. No need to hold back."
A massive spider with a skull-like mask burst from the ground.
The crimson mist was venting from its back.
"Heart of the mountain, Smoking Mirror. The one who possesses both heaven and earth. The First Sun, dying here…!"
A low, sacred voice rolled through the storm. The red mist thickened, closing in around Shiomi and trapping him.
He tried to counter, aiming to turn the tables and tear apart Tezcatlipoca's dominion over the area.
At the same time…
"I told you, this one is my prey!"
U-Olga Marie roared, and her Mana surged sharply.
But Shiomi could feel it. There were others waiting nearby, and the moment Tezcatlipoca activated his Noble Phantasm, they rushed in.
The battlefield instantly became chaos. Different attacks struck Shiomi in succession.
And in that confusion, he saw Morgan coming straight at him.
It wasn't an illusion.
"How… you're… Proper Human History…?!"
Shiomi froze for half a second in sheer disbelief. Then, as the truth hit him, he moved at once and struck back.
Earth Mother's Feast - (Nammu Duranki) -!!