Chapter 41 – Troubles After Troubles
Translator: Eros
Editor: Deus ex-Machina
*notes: Changed Arberg name to Alberg as it sounds better.
It happened in the following days after Brenda was stripped naked (in many different meaning) by that weird conversation which she managed to put stop to and correct in the end.
Renya and party, under Martina’s guidance, visit a ruined shrine that is located in the north eastern direction from Rugartia.
The shrine was located in a very remote place and is hard to reach that even with the existence of a village that worship the thunder G.o.d nearby, the shrine can’t help but to be reduced into ruins from not getting adequately maintained for a long time. The gra.s.s overgrown all over the place, the broken pillar and shrine interior being exposed to the sun wind and rain all year long, looking at it ruined condition like this makes one feels melancholy.
“Come this way. This shrine is not that big so we should reach the main altar soon”
With Martina’s guidance, the party walks toward the depth of the shrine.
And just as Martina had said, after walking for a while, in the place where the sun light still can reach, they reached the main shrine where a statue that might be that of the thunder G.o.d’s is enshrined within. Except the damage caused by long years of weathering, the shrine is still left intact. As expected not even bandits would dare to desecrate this shrine because of the G.o.d residing within.
If normal people see this scene, they would just see an abandoned shrine where debris and rubble lie scattered around. But for Renya, Floria, and Martina’s eyes, it simply just doesn’t seem like that. The three of them can feel an unbearable overpowering aura that makes them shiver.
“…… Oi, Alberg! Relax, it’s just me, Martina. The two behind me are couple G.o.ds that came from another world you know?”
In the silent shrine, the only sound that can be heard is only the echo of Martina’s voice.
As if responding to that sound, an absurd amount of power starts to gather up from the surroundings.
The air warp and swerve like there are haze occurred all over the place. Brenda and Therese’s breath become erratic as if the oxygen in the surrounding air getting thiner.
“Brenda, Therese, you two get close to me quick. You two seems to be yet unable to keep your consciousness under this torrent of this much divine power”
“Y-yeah…… I never imagined it to be this much”
“M-m-my body can’t stop trembling desu……”
Renya exhales a deep breath and creates a barrier of his own divine power around himself. It was just like doing arm wrestling. Using one own strength to forcefully push out your opponent’s power. a fight of pure power from up front.
The two finally regained their calm after released from the pressure from the thunder G.o.d divine power… or does it because they stand beside Renya that they calmed down? Who knows? And for the other party member they still keep up their composed stances even when the pressure coming from the thunder G.o.d divine power grows even stronger.
Floria is a G.o.ddess herself so other G.o.d divine power pressure is not that much trouble for her. But the fact that even Elvira is fine under this suffocating pressure is a surprise for Renya. And Martina really is the real deal herself, to be able to hold her ground like this while she is the closest being to a human. Her boasting about being acquaintance with many G.o.ds seems to be not just some bulls.h.i.t after all.
Eventually, a streak of light surges inside the main altar. The blinding light shines bright as it would burn out the eyes. The party covers their eyes to protect it from the blinding light. As they do that, the air inside the main altar suddenly changes.
“…… Surprising things comes one after another making this G.o.d forgot the feeling of being bored. Just when I was surprised because of the sudden liberation of the ship then you suddenly visit me Martina. And before I even have time to catch my breath, now even two G.o.ds coming from another world”
A ferocious looking G.o.d with glittering spiky blonde hair manifest before Renya party. As he descent, he look closely, no, glaring intensely at Renya party with his sharp gaze. His bared topless chest shows his perfectly tempered muscle and tanned skin that give out an extraordinary sultry feeling to everyone who sees it. The thunder G.o.d manifest head first so as his sweltering upper body appears, Renya worried for a moment whether this G.o.d only wears fundoshi down there but goodness gracious that it was only his imagination. Alberg actually wears a pair of normal white martial-arts-uniform pants.
“When I heard of the word ‘Thunder G.o.d’, I imagined him to be an afro but as expected real life isn’t that clichéd right……”
“Hihi, even when meeting other G.o.d beside daddy for the first time to keep such composure like this. As expected of my hubby”
And just like that the (G.o.d) husband and (G.o.ddess) wife comedy skit started as usual ignoring the surrounding condition. Thunder G.o.d Alberg just ignores them. Rather, he looks somewhat irritated.
“Listen witch, I am busy trying to fulfill my promise to a friend. It’s is indeed been a while since your last visit but could you revisit me back at later days?”
“Oh, is that promise had something to do with a sealed away ship or something similar?”
“…… Witch, did you know something about that?”
“Not only I know about what happened, I also know that the one who liberate the ship and make that ship their own is this guy here”
“What did you say!?”
Alberg glare become even more intense hearing that. Therese who is the youngest in the party can’t help but to shudder violently under the thunder G.o.d’s fierce gaze.
Renya pats Therese’s head to rea.s.sure her that everything will gonna be alright. At the same time, he also shots out his own pressure to Alberg so Therese won’t get withered by the thunder G.o.d fierce pressure.
Renya himself is quite irritated because he felt being looked down because of his status as a fledging G.o.d.
“Just as she says, my name is Renya, the war G.o.d. It is a fact that I had excavate the ship that is said to be your ‘friend’s’ creation without knowing. That being said ---- this friend of yours intentionally didn’t left any single clue behind so there’s no way I can know this circ.u.mstances. If you blame me of being selfishly excavate the ship, I can’t say another thing beside [I’m sorry, I don’t know] you know?”
Renya’s word filled with a bit provocative feeling in its every odds and end. His actual reason of being like that is because he wants to get back at the thunder G.o.d for scaring Therese.
Well, there’s no way for a normal human to be able to keep their calm and composed self when there is a G.o.d appeared before them so blaming Alberg is like barking at the wrong tree. But that logic won’t work on Renya who consider his own party well being as number one priority.
“……No, it is indeed exactly because you are a G.o.d, even though you are still a fledging one, that you managed to find that ship who had been meticulously hidden forever from the rest of the world. For that I don’t pay any mind at all. Because that guy indeed didn’t say anything about preventing other people from finding it anyway”
“Then could you do something about that suffocating divine power pressure that was just like trying to kill us? The two beside me here in just a normal human you know? I can’t bear seeing them suffer under the exposure of you overpowering divine power……”
“I don’t have any intention for it. This is my usual condition. I even tried my best to hold it down so please tolerate!”
The thunder G.o.d boldly states that. Hearing that, Renya strengthen his divine power output to the barrier around him so he can protect the two girls better. Divine power spreads faster if it was through flesh medium so direct contact will strengthen the barrier effects. With that in mind, Renya wraps his left arm to Brenda’s slender waist while his right hand wraps Therese’s shoulder and hugs them closer to him. It was such a delicious situation normally but too bad the situation now doesn’t give any room for Renya to think about that.
“I see…… treating your retainer with care like that, it is rare to see a G.o.d who does that nowadays”
“Not only I am a fledging G.o.d, I am also a former human you know? So doing things like this is normal for me. And also these two is not a retainer. They are MY WOMAN. I ask you to please refrain yourself from saying like they are just a mere belongings”
“Hahaha, having a bunch of women serving you without forcing them and talking about love on top of it… You might still be a greenhorn but I can sense something big inside you. To think that this kind of interesting G.o.d would visit me like this!”
For some reason Alberg suddenly praise Renya like that. Renya who doesn’t know why Alberg suddenly praise him like that so he can’t feel happy even one bit about it but because Alberg doesn’t seems to be mad so it should be alright.
(Now that I think about it, Gerard also seems to be filled with admiration and says a similar line like that when I talk about my harem plan to him. Perhaps in this world, the more women serve upon you means the higher your status as a man?)
Renya is thinking that perhaps next time, it is better to investigate this difference in recognition further to avoid more troubles in the future.
And then, the two girls who were embraced inside his arms whispered to Renya while a difficult expression hangs in their faces.
“E-eh? Did I somehow become Renya-niisan’s girlfriend without being aware about it myself desuka?”
“I also don’t remember having our relation advances into lovers though?”
Therese innocently asks him about that but Brenda snap back at him while trying to hide her blushed cheek. She seems unable to just ignore Renya’s remarks as she usually does. Maybe it was because she is embraced like this that she fails to do so.
“Well, let’s just make it like that for now okay?”
To the two who ask him for explanation in low voice, Renya just avoid answering and persuade them to just deal with it for now. It is unclear whether the word he says was Renya’s own true feeling or just a means to fool Alberg. Only Renya knows the truth for it.
The only good thing for the two is that because Alberg have been laughing happily when they raise up their question, he seems to not notice it at all.
“Well then, the introduction is done. Now let’s move to the main topic shall we? Can you teach us the reason of why you wake up from your slumber and manifest again in this world Alberg? To be honest, having you guys from the divinity to descent once again in this mortal plane is quite taxing to this old body of mine”
“Hah, what kind of nonsense are you talking about witch? You, a truth seeker who threw her old human self and becoming a witch just to satiate her curiosity, off all people should be the one who celebrate my descent the most isn’t it?”
‘Such a troublesome mortal’ as Alberg ends his rebut to Martina’s fishy protest while smiling bitterly and shaking his head from feeling troubled.
“It was because each and every G.o.d I acquaintance with would only just become a source of troubles when they manifest, that’s why. And even your manifestation this time, based on the information I have, should have some relation to Irikutta’s will one way or another aren’t you?”
“As expected of the witch who can even outwit a G.o.d with her brain! Such a sharp insight you have there. Just as you have guessed, I have re-descent to this world to fulfill my last promise to the man I once called a friend on the day he exiled from this world. He had entrusted me with his wish regarding the ship. If there comes a time when the ship awakens somehow, he asks me to evaluate the new owner ability. He must have been changed to a better man at his last hours to worry about the possibility of disaster that might’ve caused by his divine armament. That kind of wish, there’s no way I could deny that!”
(No, that’s definitely wrong. Irikutta ask Alberg that wish because that should bring more interesting situation for him. There is no doubt about it)
Renya definitely won’t say out loud his personal opinion just now.
For Alberg who consider this story as an epic tale of his pitiful friend, denying it outright would only make the matter get worse. And Alberg definitely won’t change his opinion either.
Irikutta had managed to leave behind sparks of trouble even in his very last second. For this kind of impulsive and straightforward kind of G.o.d, ‘evaluating ability’ could only be mean one thing. And it seems like everyone else had noticed the same thing.
“For those who receive power, he himself should have an adequate power himself to control his new acquired power! And that’s why! Renya, you have to show your worth by fighting me one by one!”
(((((See that? As expected, right?)))))
Everyone said the same thing inside their heart.
After all the trouble to find that ruins that not even leaving any clues in the history timeline then comes conquering that death-trap-filled-to-the-brim labyrinth full with danger.
When the labyrinth finally conquered, they thought that they finally will get the ship that they had longed for only to hear that the ship’s manager spirit actually wish for denying her own, and the ship’s, existence.
When they finally managed to persuade the manager spirit and finally get the ship for their own, now the thunder G.o.d take notice of them.
The amus.e.m.e.nt G.o.d had actually prepares a threefold trap for them like this. And to think that G.o.d left this trap just because of his deceitful nature makes it seems too much scary. The G.o.ds of old really did a good job in banishing this source of evil.
The chances for it are very low, but if it was human who happened to acquire this ship then they won’t have any other choice beside to give up their rights to own the ship here. Just who is crazy and strong enough to fight head to head against a G.o.d and won the fight in order to possess the ship?
But the one that the thunder G.o.d challenges now isn’t a human. He is also not just an ordinary G.o.d.
“Okay! Let’s do that. Let’s exchange some move at the G.o.d’s realm shall we? But I wish it was not a fight to the death. I don’t wish to kill a G.o.d without any reason after all”
He was a human who ascend into being a war G.o.d after beating down the previous war G.o.d in a fair match! No matter how unreasonable it was, he won’t step back from any challenges that come to him.
The reason why he pick G.o.d’s realm as the fighting ground is because he don’t want to destroy the surrounding land because of their fight. And also he doesn’t want his existence to be detected because of the fight. After all, in the G.o.d’s realm, he won’t need to think about consequences and fight with his fullest without worry, just like when fighting the previous war G.o.d.
When he fight the previous war G.o.d, the G.o.d’s realm was set so that he won’t die even if he suffers lethal wounds.
In this fight, the G.o.d’s realm can be set so that both of the compet.i.tors won’t die from the result of the fight.
Well, if they face each other as mutual enemies then the G.o.d’s realm would become a cruel stage where a pure kill or be killed fight unfold.
“Hum! To answer boldly from upfront like that, I get to like you even more! I also don’t have any intent in killing you so I agree with that”
After saying that, with a humph, the thunder G.o.d stomp hard the area in front of him with his right leg. At that moment, the scenery around them changes abruptly.
The scenery around changes into a red soil wasteland filled with nothing as far as the eyes can see. For Renya and Floria, the scenery is something very familiar and it also somehow very nostalgic for them. For the other, they had been invited to the s.p.a.ce that is owned by the G.o.ds, a s.p.a.ce that resides within those G.o.ds own self, the G.o.d’s realm.
“Don’t let your women follower to step out from that circle. I won’t take any responsibility if they got harmed by the shockwave”
Suddenly, flash of lighting draws a circle in the ground. Renya then immediately step out from the inside the circle. He feels like getting through a membrane of hot atmosphere when he gets out from the circle. He gets out from the barrier calmly, and then continues walking towards the thunder G.o.d.
“Renya~~! Fight~~!”
“Your opponent is a G.o.d, don’t be careless okay!”
“Renya-sama, I wish you luck in this battle. I believe you will come out victorious”
“Oniisan~! If you lose, I’ll cry desu!”
The four girls give out encouragement in their own way but it still made Renya feel good inside. When he think about it, even if he search until the very corner of his memory when he was still a human, there are no memories of having such beautiful women cheer him wholeheartedly like this. If he turned back to answer their cheer, he will definitely break into a smile so he refrain from doing so and keep on walking forward. He just answers them by rising his right fist up in the air, showing his intention to win this ‘war’.
“Well well, Renya-dono really is loved”
And for Martina, She seems unable to hide her excitement from being able to witness a match between G.o.ds again after a few decades. Moreover, Renya is a G.o.d that comes from another world! What kind of authority he had or how will he fight, it was something unknown for her and the unknown only excite her curiosity which had long been silent. Interest and expectation makes her unable to control her own feeling and her gaze is now sparkling like a little kid when getting a new toy. The girls’ viewer seat is not too far yet not to close from where Renya and Alberg face each other.
Renya only need one more step before the opponent is in most of his divine armaments attack range. But then again, he guessed that range means nothing to someone with the t.i.tle of thunder G.o.d like Alberg.
As a thunder G.o.d, of course his main weapon will be lightning. Even stupid people could guess that.
And thinking about it normally, the nature phenomena that is said to be the G.o.d’s judgment, lighting, will usually attacks from up above. He is a G.o.d who dominates one of the most dangerous blind spot when it comes to fighting.
Facing against such opponent, minding too much on attack range is the stupid battle tactics. The key of this battle is on how Renya could avoid the lightning attacks and how he can get a clean hit with his divine armaments. Creating those chances to win is also connected to the art of war.
“Well then, let’s start! Huhuhuhu…… Even though this is your trial but I also feel my heart danced with joy. It is been a few decades since I last meet with someone from the similar existence. As the older generation, let me evaluate your ability as a G.o.d!”
“Okay then I will take up to your offer and gladly lend your hand then senpai”
Renya said his reply without being worked up at all. He take a stance where his leg open up shoulder wide paralely, while his both bare hand lowered to each side. It was such a unusual stance but from within that strange stance, Alberg can feel a well honed-freezing cold killing intent.
“So that t.i.tle of war G.o.d is not just empty words. That fighting spirit, that valor, that divine power, those qualities are not in the least inferior from a natural born G.o.d”
“That is of course for the G.o.d that I have climb over is the war G.o.d that is extolled for being unbeatable in all his lifetime. The n.o.ble G.o.d who doesn’t even let his own self beat him even until the very last. And as the one who inherit his name ---- I also won’t allow myself to show an unsightly battle!”
That figure that has been burned in his eyes probably won’t be forgotten even if thousands of years pa.s.s.
He who have put all his life in the battlefield. He who also end his life in the battlefield. the renowned war G.o.d.
Renya never think of living all his life in the battlefield like his predecessor. Even as a G.o.d, Renya aware that a battlefield isn’t always the only place to ends one life.
But because of that ---- when he stands on a battlefield, he would always recall that n.o.ble figure.
Not only just pursuing strength.
Not only just pursuing victory.
He will keep on fighting to chase on that back that is seems unreachable.
“That resolution, I have heard it clearly. But word that is not followed by suitable result won’t be able to trembles any heart! Young war G.o.d, show me! Your power as a G.o.d, your authority, your all, uses them all and shows me that you can make my heart tremble……!”
Alberg unleash his divine power, made it spiraling like a drill, then turn it into a golden ki that envelopes his own body.
Renya also unleash his own divine power like confronting the thunder G.o.d from up front, or maybe because he simply don’t want t get overwhelmed by his opponent torrent of divine energy.
And the divine power that blowing back that golden torrent of divine power is yet gold colored also.
The golden colored ki really matches to be called the ki of G.o.d. With his ki in full burst, Renya shows out the raging fighting spirit that is burning fiercely within him.
“I, the War G.o.d Renya, from now on, will become the blade that would bring down the G.o.d before me. Don’t you dare to belittle me Thunder G.o.d!”
“How can I belittle a G.o.d who can release such an impressive ki like this? You also don’t belittle me War G.o.d!”
The misfortune fate that was caused by the amus.e.m.e.nt G.o.d’s mischief had brought forth a great battle between two G.o.ds.
Author notes: Envelopes oneself in fighting ki before the fight is the golden rule since the old age.
Battle story is not that epic without them!