The Sekirei’s Covenant

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry…"

"It's all my fault. If I hadn't been so arrogant, if I had listened to advice…"

"Wake up! Please, wake up quickly…"

…

Holding Sora's body tightly in her arms, Erica was filled with endless regret, tears streaming down her face, sobbing uncontrollably.

As a proud girl like a queen, she had never cried since she could remember. But this time, she cried—so sorrowfully, so helplessly, so pitifully…

Though they had only known each other for a short time, he had saved her life twice when she was in despair. He clearly hated trouble and didn't want to get involved with the gods. With his strength, he could have escaped alone without danger. It was all her fault; because of her, he ended up like this!

Endless regret and guilt made the girl feel suffocated, her heart tearing with pain…

"That boy is beyond saving. Verethragna, let us begin our fated duel now!"

No matter how painfully the girl cried, ants are still ants. Melqart didn't even bother to glance at the two insignificant humans.

Though there was still a faint breath left, the boy struck by her lightning was surely dead!

"Ah… Let the battle begin!"

Verethragna, in his youthful form, glanced coldly and showed no attachment.

A human dies, so be it. For him, only battles with the strong mattered!

But just then—

"Eh…"

Both Melqart, the king of gods, and the undefeated war god Verethragna were surprised simultaneously. They turned sharply to look at Sora, who was cradled in the arms of the human boy on the ground, with expressions of disbelief.

Under the perception of the two gods, Sora, who was supposed to be on the brink of death, suddenly emitted a soaring aura that kept growing stronger and stronger!

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry…"

In endless regret and self-blame, Erica didn't notice the change in Sora at all. She was still holding him tightly, murmuring to herself.

But suddenly, Erica felt a hand touch her cheek, and at the same time, a voice that shocked her deeply sounded beside her ear:

"If you really feel sorry for me, then repay me!"

She suddenly opened her eyes wide and looked at Sora, who was lying in her arms with a mischievous smile, staring at her. Erica's face was full of disbelief.

"Sora… you're still alive! You're still alive!"

Although she didn't understand what was going on—she clearly thought he was beyond saving and about to die—seeing Sora inexplicably come back to life, endless joy and excitement surged in Erica's heart!

"Ah, I almost died."

A cold gleam flashed in Sora's eyes as he stood up and replied. He glanced at the giant god Melqart, who also looked equally astonished, and a cold smile curved on his lips.

"Waaah… that's great! That's great…"

Holding Sora tightly, the girl finally burst into tears. Tears welled up again, but this time they were tears of excitement and joy.

Even Erica herself didn't notice that, unknowingly, she had come to care so deeply about the person in front of her…

"Hehe, cried enough? Knight girl Erica Blandelli crying like a three-year-old."

Gently stroking the boy's hair, Sora's tone was teasing but full of endless affection.

"Hmph, I didn't!"

"Sora, what… what's wrong with you?"

Blushing, Erica quickly stepped back and wiped her tears, responding with a coquettish snort.

Although his appearance was still exactly the same, the girl felt that this Sora seemed somewhat different from the one she had known before.

"Me? Ha, who knows!"

With a devilish smile, Sora suddenly unleashed a powerful aura. The dirt on his body was swept away, and except for his tattered clothes, he looked clean and pure again.

At this moment, Erica finally saw clearly that compared to the simple and plain Sora before, he was now filled with an endless sinister aura!

"I'll deal with my matters later. You go hide somewhere safe first. I can't wait to have a big fight!"

Holding the girl's chin, Sora said with a mischievous grin.

"Mm…"

Erica nodded blankly, a blush appearing on her face. If it were before, proud Erica would never obey anyone's orders, but now, in front of Sora, she found she couldn't bring herself to disobey him at all…

This time, without pretending to be strong, Erica recalled her magic sword Cuore di Leone and jumped away from the battlefield, hiding in a safe place. Looking at the figure in the distance that seemed somewhat different, her heart fluttered wildly, filled with a strange feeling.

Although she didn't understand why Sora, who was almost dead, suddenly came back to life, or why he seemed different from before—so many things were unclear. But for Erica at this moment, as long as he was alive, that was enough…

"Human, why are you still not dead!"

Melqart's thunderous voice, even as a god, was filled with endless surprise.

"Let me die? You think you can? A mere Heretic god!"

Sora's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears, and the entire scene fell silent.

A mere heretic god—should such words come from a human's mouth?

"Arrogant human, daring to scorn the majesty of Melqart! Then let me show you the true power of a god!"

Being scorned by a human enraged Melqart, the king. He swung his giant divine weapon with his right hand and smashed it toward Sora, determined to punish this disrespectful and foolish human with death!

In midair, Verethragna, who had taken the form of a young boy, smiled faintly, feeling the situation was getting more interesting. He had no intention of stopping it, instead standing with one hand on his hip, watching the show.

Far away, Erica was extremely nervous, not knowing what madness Sora was up to. Hadn't the lightning strike just now nearly killed him? Had it fried his brain instead?

But somehow, seeing Sora's calm and composed demeanor, Erica couldn't help but want to believe in him, believe that a miracle would happen to him.

To have such thoughts about someone was something the former Erica would have found unimaginable!

Boom!!!

Under everyone's watchful eyes, the divine weapon struck Sora squarely!

The entire ground trembled, a huge shockwave stirred up dust that spread in all directions. The earth was smashed into a giant pit over a hundred meters wide by Melqart's strike!

Verethragna, in his youthful form, covered his forehead with a look of speechless disappointment. Erica, far away, stared wide-eyed, almost ready to devour someone.

That bastard, what the hell is he doing? Not even dodging the attack of the God King Melqart!

This is it, this is really it…

"Hahaha… weak human, now you know…"

Melqart laughed loudly, thinking Sora had been crushed to pulp, but suddenly stopped, his face full of shock and disbelief.

Not only Melqart, but also the previously speechless, disappointed, and utterly desperate Erica shared the same expression!

Because they saw, beneath the hundreds-of-meters-wide pit, Sora was standing motionless, holding Melqart's divine weapon with one hand…

At this moment, whether it was the knight girl or the ancient gods, all wore expressions of disbelief and astonishment. No matter how strong a human was, in front of a god they were but weak ants—this was the eternal truth of the world. Yet now, it was being shattered right before their eyes!!!

"Melqart, is this the power of a god you boast about? I'm truly disappointed…"

Sora's calm voice carried endless sarcasm, piercing the hearts of all humans and gods present like countless arrows.

"Although I'm grateful you helped me regain my memories, I still want to beat you up!"

Muttering strange words, Sora suddenly vanished from where he stood. When he reappeared, he was already in midair in front of Melqart!

"Ha, heretic god Melqart, King of the Gods and Lord of the Sky, face the wrath of Sora! Become a shooting star across the heavens!!!"

Speaking arrogantly, Sora's kingly sword transformed into a giant golden hammer, growing bigger and bigger until it was over a hundred feet in size in the blink of an eye!

Everyone was dumbfounded as Sora swung the enormous golden hammer directly at Melqart!

"No!!!"

Feeling an unprecedented threat, Melqart raised two divine weapons to block, but before Sora's golden hammer, they shattered like tofu!

Boom!!!

The deafening explosion seemed to shake the entire sky. Melqart's huge body was struck hard by the golden hammer, scraping the air and leaving a long trail of flames, disappearing into the horizon like a shooting star!

The whole sky still echoed with the unwilling and terrified voice of God King Melqart…

At this moment, it was as if the entire earth had fallen silent. Whether it was the young incarnation of the war god Verethragna, the knight girl Erica hiding in the distance, Princess Alice watching the big screen far away, or the Sardinian witch Lucretia Zola observing here through her clairvoyance—all were plunged into endless shock, unable to recover for a long time…