Era of Heroic Spirits: I Was Exposed by Alaya

Roya gaped, pointing at the screen with a trembling finger. "I told you the First Emperor wanted to be a heretic!"

Madness!

A yandere version of Qin Shi Huang!

Claiming to care for you, yet wanting to kill you with his own hands, to tear your soul from your body.

And then stuff it into a cold, artificial mechanical shell.

Absolutely terrifying!

This kind of love was far too twisted and horrifying.

Just what had Qin Shi Huang gone through to become like this?

"..."

Illya and Miyu fell into silence.

They, too, stared wide-eyed, unable to believe what they were seeing.

Now they finally understood.

Why, back then, when Qin Shi Huang publicly summoned Nameless, he had refused to go.

It wasn't unwillingness—it was fear!

Facing someone who could turn yandere at any moment, who wanted to kill you and then resurrect you—

Who in their right mind would go looking for him?

"..."

Souma himself had nothing to say.

Why hadn't he wanted to meet Qin Shi Huang back then?

Because his performance in the Lostbelt had been far too terrifying.

He feared that if the emperor regained his memories, he'd try to kill him again and force him into mechanical ascension.

As a [Grand Chef], giving up the pleasures of the flesh was absolutely unacceptable!

A mechanical body, no matter how powerful, was still just a machine.

He would cast aside all human emotions and desires, abandoning the myriad pleasures of mankind.

Even the enjoyment of fine food would be utterly forsaken.

The mere thought was terrifying.

Roya shook her head with a sigh. "Ah, I originally thought Qin Shi Huang would outshine the King of Heroes with his brilliance, but who knew it would turn out to be such a massive exposure of dark history!"

In the Council of Gods, eleven cosmic battleships hovered in space.

The [Sun God] struck down China's [Heavenly Court] defense system with a single blow.

Amidst this national crisis, Qin Shi Huang called upon all to watch the video together.

Yet Roya never expected His Majesty's actions in the Lostbelt to be so horrifying.

Severing the people's wisdom and heritage, treating all of humanity as livestock!

Even attempting to kill the teacher who had nurtured and protected him!

Each of these acts amounted to unprecedented scandals, enough to instill fear in the hearts of China's populace.

Before even uniting against the Council of Gods, their own nation was already in chaos—how could they possibly fight now?

"It truly is dangerous!" Illya agreed wholeheartedly.

Faced with such a tyrant who treated lives like grass and ruled with absolute dictatorship, the people's faith in China would surely waver!

"Earlier, the Council of Gods's Seven Deadly Sins..." Miyu's heart ached.

The Council of Gods excelled at fabricating lies and distorting the truth.

Even without evidence, they could publish [Qin Shi Huang's Seven Deadly Sins], slandering him at will.

Once the video was exposed, the Council of Gods would undoubtedly exploit it for propaganda, turning the entire world against Qin Shi Huang.

Hate the house, and you hate the crow on its roof.

As the nation led by Qin Shi Huang, China's reputation would be trampled underfoot worldwide.

"Let's keep watching," Souma replied calmly.

Since he had personally assured Qin Shi Huang that watching the video would enable them to oppose the Council of Gods gods, he naturally wouldn't betray China.

The three lolis continued watching the video with mixed emotions.

Faced with the nearly maddened Qin Shi Huang, Nameless spoke with serenity: "Since you are invincible on earth, then let your enemy descend from the heavens!"

"An enemy from the heavens?" Qin Shi Huang was slightly taken aback.

"Let me show you what a true deity who serves the people looks like!" Nameless gazed at the sky and suddenly clasped his hands in reverence. "I beseech you, ancestral gods who have always guarded and protected China—grant me your power, and return freedom to all living beings!"

Hum~

At his plea, the entire world seemed to resonate in fervent response.

From countless timelines, ancestral gods who had once willingly sacrificed their lives for China's people answered his call.

There was Fuxi, who gazed at the stars and trod upon the earth, calculating the seasons and years for humanity, teaching them the ways of hunting.

The formidable Noble Phantasm [Bagua Diagram], capable of deducing past and future, manifested to divine a sliver of hope for him.

...

There was Shennong, who tasted a hundred herbs to find edible crops and medicinal plants to heal and save lives.

Countless herbs materialized, healing Nameless's grievous wounds in an instant, restoring him to full health!

...

There were the Flame and Yellow Emperors, who united the tribes and laid the cultural foundation of China.

Upon their appearance, a golden sword emerged—none other than the Xuanyuan Sword!

...

There was Yu the Great, who slew Xiangliu, tamed the floods of the Yellow River, and ended disasters for the people.

A cauldron inscribed with mountains, rivers, beasts, birds, fish, and the harmony of man and nature appeared.

This was the Nine Provinces Cauldron, forged by Yu the Great to stabilize the land.

Even the Flood-Pillar, which once calmed the Yellow River's floods, projected its presence at this moment.

...

One by one, the ancestral gods answered the call, bestowing their power upon him.

They are the backbone of China.

They are the foundation of China.

They bring hope to China!

Though they are deities, they still strive wholeheartedly for their people.

The ethereal forms of ancestral gods manifested around Nameless, bestowing upon him the immensely powerful blessings of the gods.

At this moment, Nameless once again gathered the blessings of the gods.

Not the Greek gods this time, but—

The ancestral gods of China!

Channeling the combined power of China's gods, Nameless gazed at his opponent: "Qin Shi Huang, let me and the ancestral gods teach you one final lesson—to show you what true protection means!"

The convergence of divine blessings sent the barrage of comments skyrocketing—

-[This moment, that moment—they really are alike!]

-[Sigh, back then, it was Nameless and Qin Shi Huang joining forces against the evil gods. Now, it's Nameless facing Qin Shi Huang!]

-[Our ancestral gods are truly reliable. They don't demand trials—they help Nameless unconditionally!]

-[Exactly! The Greek gods were on the brink of destruction, yet they still made Nameless go through trials one by one. In their eyes, only they matter!]

...

In the real-world Epang Palace, Zhuge Liang's emotions were complicated.

Back when they watched The First Emperor of All Ages, all Chinese people took pride in having such ancestral gods.

The ancestral deities didn't need Nameless to complete any trials at all.

At the first sign of danger, they would respond as soon as he called.

This was the kind of deity worthy of worship—one who truly protected China!

In contrast, the Greek gods claimed to protect humanity but treated them as playthings to toy with at will.

Even their so-called heroes were merely more amusing puppets, dancing to the strings of the Olympians.

Forced to obediently follow the script, acting out their so-called heroic epics.

See? This is the difference!

Back then, Nameless had summoned the ancestral deities to assist him, joining Qin Shi Huang in severing the connection between gods and men.

They completely cut off the descent of those deities tainted by the Outer Gods.

Now, Nameless was summoning the ancestral deities again—but this time, his target was Qin Shi Huang himself.

The pride he once felt had now turned into helpless sighs!

The hall fell into silence, so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

No one dared to speak.

After all, Qin Shi Huang was sitting right there.

The awkwardness was so thick you could carve out a three-bedroom apartment—

No, scratch that, it was enough to dig out the Epang Palace with your toes!

On the screen, the Qin Shi Huang of the Lostbelt sneered, "Nameless, you claim to despise the gods, yet here you are, borrowing their power. Admit it—you're powerless!"

"No, these are the ancestral gods of the Chinese people. They protect China, yet they let everyone live freely."

Nameless rebuked him, "What you call 'protection' is nothing more than livestock farming. You're unworthy of being a Chinese deity!"

"Hmph. This emperor's virtue surpasses the Three Sovereigns, and his achievements eclipse the Five Emperors. How could I be inferior to these beings?" Qin Shi Huang scoffed.

He looked down on the so-called Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors.

Only he was the eternal, undying sovereign!

"How utterly arrogant you are! Then step into my world!"

Countless runes suddenly flared beneath Nameless' feet.

The runes transformed into flames, instantly engulfing both of them—

Unlimited Blade Works!

Within this Reality Marble, divine weapons blessed by the gods rose and fell like waves.

Before Nameless, an enormous furnace had silently appeared, melting down every weapon within it.

"This body was forged for the sake of swords. I shall fuse ten thousand blades into one—to create the ultimate god-slaying sword!"

He pulled the bellows, beginning an unprecedented forging.

The blessings of countless ancestral deities were fused together as the strongest materials.

A weapon beyond all limits was about to be born in his hands.

"What? You dare to melt down these divine weapons to forge a single blade?" Qin Shi Huang stared in shock.

A mere mortal, yet capable of smelting divine arms—this was an unprecedented miracle.

Even with his transcendent calculation abilities, he couldn't deduce how such a thing was possible.

Qin Shi Huang sneered, "A futile effort! This emperor is truly invincible. You cannot harm me!"

With his supreme Noble Phantasm, [Qin Shi Huang], no one in the Lostbelt could kill him.

No one!

"Then watch as I prove you wrong!"

Nameless swung his hammer for the final strike.

At that moment, all the weapons fused into one.

As the forging completed, Qin Shi Huang's expression twisted with doubt. "What ability does this weapon possess?"

Why did he, the invincible emperor, suddenly feel a lethal threat?

"It's simple. This is a weapon forged specifically to teach you a lesson!" Nameless replied.

The previous frenzied smelting of blessings from the gods of China had endowed it with one formidable ability—

[Deicide: EX Rank, possesses special attack suppression against deities, created solely to slay the King of the Lostbelt, Qin Shi Huang!]

Even with his own power alone, he couldn't have forged such a transcendent weapon.

But he had the assistance of the gods of China!

"Hmph, a pity it's useless against Us!"

With a wave of his hand, Qin Shi Huang summoned vast surges of magical energy.

A mountain peak materialized at his whim, transforming into a terrifying Noble Phantasm capable of annihilating everything.

Boom!

The descending mountain was powerful enough to obliterate an entire city head-on.

Yet.

Nameless swung his newly forged [Nameless Sword], slashing toward the mountain.

With that single strike, the so-called mountain meant to suppress all was blasted apart midair.

It posed absolutely no threat to him!

"Oh? As expected of you, Sir. You never fail to surprise Us!"

Qin Shi Huang gazed at him with growing astonishment.

A mere mortal, yet capable of posing such a threat.

It suddenly reminded him of the sense of crisis he once felt in his weaker days, surrounded by countless enemies.

Truly... exhilarating!

"You really are beyond cure, hopelessly ill!"

Nameless' eyes abruptly turned ashen.

The entire world in his vision became an intricate web of lines and points.

[Mystic Eyes of Death Perception!]

From the moment of their birth, all things are destined to die.

These eyes allow him to perceive the death of all existence.

To slay his enemies at their very origin—even gods cannot escape!

"The ultimate strike I seek is one that severs bonds! Severs fate! Severs karma!"

Nameless tightened his grip on his weapon.

All his magical energy and life force burned fiercely as fuel.

Every ounce of his power poured into the [Nameless Sword].

The sword ignited.

This was the power of the ancestral gods.

This was the power of countless hearths and homes.

This was the power he had honed through endless battles.

Everything—everything—was poured into this blade.

"With a mortal body, I tread into the domain of gods. Offering this flesh, I slay the divine!"

Nameless swung his sword, unleashing a strike that shook the heavens.

A radiant golden pillar erupted, piercing straight toward Qin Shi Huang's chest.

He seemed to transform into an assassin, reenacting the assassination attempt on the King of Qin!

Nameless stabs the First Emperor!

Dong~ Dong~

A bell tolled.

An inexplicable power reverberated through the bounded field.

The evening bell has revealed thy name.

None may escape this strike!

Mystical and boundless energy raged violently, the entire bounded field wailing as it shattered.

Layer upon layer of defensive barriers before Qin Shi Huang crumbled like paper, utterly incapable of resistance.

"Useless! Useless!"

Qin Shi Huang confidently activated his strongest Noble Phantasm—

[Qin Shi Huang!]

Within the Great Qin, he was truly invincible—none could harm him!

Not even the combined might of the gods could achieve it!

Yet.

To his shock, Qin Shi Huang found this strike tearing through his invincible defenses.

As if striking from the very root of existence.

Unstoppable!

"Qin Shi Huang, this is how divine power should be wielded!"

Nameless coldly declared, "Watch closely. I'll only show you once!"

Sssshhk!

The [Nameless Sword] shattered all defenses effortlessly, piercing straight through his chest!

His overwhelming aura, surpassing even the gods, collapsed like a burst balloon, plummeting uncontrollably.

Under the disbelieving gazes of all, the mighty and invincible King of the Lostbelt was pierced through by his sword!