Hellmode ~A Hardcore Gamer Becomes Peerless in Another World with Retro Game Settings~

Chapter 566: God of Armaments Ophoria

Allen's head was about to be lopped off, the blade closing in faster than he could process, but then it stopped.

<em class="chakra-text css-0">Clink

Something hard stopped the blade, producing a metallic sound next to Allen's neck.

(I don't feel any pain. I don't know what happened but I'm still alive. Niceeee, wait, the God of Swords got me.)

He did not know why, but his head was still attached. He tried to use that chance to strike the God of Swords, but then realized she was firmly holding onto his sword.

"Kuh…so strong!!"

His blade was mere centimeters away from her, so he just needed to push forward a little and the condition of leaving a scratch would be complete.

He pushed with all his strength, but he could not move his sword, which the God of Swords stopped with just one hand.

'Just how pathetic can you be, doing that right after I save your life…'

Allen's head had been spared thanks to someone's armored gauntlet next to his next.

'Ophoria, why are you here?'

The God of Swords also turned around to look at the unexpected visitor.

'Do you mind explaining what's happening? I just got here.'

(Ophoria? That's the God of Armaments, right?)

The God of Armaments had saved Allen. There were two Gods there now, with Allen trapped between them. And only now did he understand how his life had been spared.

(First the God of Swords, and now the God of Armaments appeared behind me. Is that customary between the Combat Sisters?)

Allen turned around to look at Ophoria. She was 2 meters tall like the God of Swords, wore a full body set of armor, and her blonde hair was short in a bob cut.

She had a stern look, though she was focused on the God of Swords, and not Allen who was still composing himself.

"Allen, are you okay?!"

"Yes, Kurena. Probably."

Another Higher God appeared, and no one dared get closer to Allen, fearing for their safety.

'Why are you getting in the way?! Did Father tell you to do that? Huhh?!!'

'Luminea told me to.'

(Oh, the God of War wanted to help me?)

Luminea was the eldest sister of the 3 Combat Sisters, Ophoria the middle sister, and Sestavinus the youngest. Allen did not know why she helped him, but she appreciated it.

As Ophoria moved her armored arm away, Sestavinus sheathed her sword.

'I see. Then that's the same as Father getting in the way.'

(I think the God of War is closely related to Elmea, according to the Academy.)

He had learned in the Academy that the God of Creation Elmea had his First and Second Angel at hand, as well as the God of War.

The God of War had likely acted under the wishes of the God of Creation.

"Thank you for helping me."

'Trials only have value when you risk your life. Sorry for getting in the way.'

The God of Armaments did not seem to have thought of it that way, and turned around to leave.

Allen's trial was over, and she had nothing more to do there.

(Oh, I guess I won't get anything from her then.)

"Then tell your father Elmea thanks then."

'...I'll do that. And try to mind your manners a bit more when you visit Shrines.'

(She didn't deny it. Wow, I knew it. So the God of Creation actually has children.)

"I'll be careful."

'Anyway, I guess you failed your trial, Allen. I'll take my leave here too.'

<em class="chakra-text css-0">Poof

The two Gods vanished from there. Allen had seen research suspecting they were the daughters of Elmea, since the eldest had a similar name to him.

But Elmea only communicated with humans through oracles, and never answered questions.

Allen had verified those theories by visiting the divine realm though.

(I guess that's hardly something to boast about though. But I guess it makes sense that his 3 daughters are Higher Gods.)

As the God of Creation, Elmea stood above Higher Gods, governing over them.

Not even the God of Swords could go against his orders.

Now that the God of Swords had left, Kurena and Cecile finally ran up to Allen.

"Kurena, it seems there's a reason to train here."

Allen was already analyzing everything that happened.

"Reason? Huh huh?"

Kurena's stats were higher than Murai's, but he was still able to move faster.

That was the value of Divine Swordsmanship.

Allen's party had fought enemies with higher stats than them before, like Gordino or the Demon General Razel. They had made up for their lack of stats with numbers and strategy.

(I wonder if mastering Divine Swordsmanship means moving like the God of Swords. Those were some crazy movements, almost like reality was catching up to it.)

Allen felt like he had seen the upper limits of Divine Swordsmanship while fighting the God of Swords. He felt like he had already gotten his neck sliced before the sword was there.

That was a phenomenon unrelated to stats or speed, and Allen wanted Kurena to learn it properly.

"Okay, got it. I'll get strong, and then I'll leave a scratch on the God of Swords."

'What?! You're still going on about that?!!'

"Lord Murai, I'll be counting on you to train Kurena."

Allen did not care if the training was harsh or forceful, as long as she learned.

'Of course, I hope she's ready.'

While Murai grunted a little about it, Rosetta looked terrified.

She fought with a dagger, so she was also being trained there.

"Whaaaaaat? I'd like to stay meditating forever."

"Anyway, Luck and Formar, you two can stay here too."

Allen ignored Rosetta's complaint and turned to Luck.

"Yeah!"

"Take good care of Lady Sophie."

And so Luck and Formar stayed while Allen left the Divine Arena.

＊＊＊

Allen was traveling to the God of Earth Gaia's Temple with Cecile and Sophie.

After 3 days they arrived there.

It looked like a huge rock cube, 1000 kilometers wide, and the magic ship landed on top.

"That's a pretty big rock."

It was an enormous rock, but there were nearly no irregularities on the surface.

"There's actually an hourglass and an angel in the center. Let's go there."

The first time they were there the angel had met them at the landing pad, but now he was 500 kilometers away in the center, and there was no sign of Merle, only an hourglass.

They headed there using Kuwatoro's [Floating Wings], and the magic ship headed to the God of Music's Temple.

'Hello again, Allen. Welcome to the God of Earth's Temple, the [Earth Labyrinth].'

(I think this is one of the few dungeons of the divine realm. I had to get rid of the Okiyo and Tsubame here while I fought somewhere else, but I hope Merle is safe.)

Allen needed more summons in the Spirit Paradise, so he had recalled the summons that were with Merle. He hoped that they had continued working through the dungeon without his help.

"Hello. I'd like to request an audience with the God of Earth Gaia."

'I'm really sorry, but as I explained to Merle before, only those who go through this labyrinth can have an audience.'

He had already told Merle that, and Allen had heard it through Okiyo, but his insistent nature made him ask anyway. But the answer was the same.

"So we have to go through the labyrinth and we can see him?"

Cecile felt like it was an easy condition.

'Precisely.'

Allen's group looked at the steps leading into the dungeon, which had 99 floors.

The trial was to reach the final floor within 24 hours.

There were no dungeons in Shandar, but there was one here.

Allen looked at the hourglass next to the angel, it would not take much longer for the sand to run out.

(I guess the dungeons on the surface were a joint effort from the God of Earth, God of Magic, and God of Space and Time. Though there they only pray to the Dungeon Master.)

Allen felt like he had an idea of how the dungeons on the surface had been built. The God of Earth shaped the terrain, then the God of Magic added loot, and the God of Space and Time added traps.

"I wonder if Merle is doing alright."

"The last time they tried it took them a lot of time…"

As Allen began answering, the last grain of sand fell inside the hourglass.

Then it began to glow, and a magic circle appeared on the ground.

Merle and Galara's party appeared in the air above it, and then fell down.

"Hbah?!"

"Ghuo!!"

The dwarves bounced on top of each other in front of Allen.

"This all happened because the Earth Shovel broke! You shouldn't have tried digging there, Admiral Galara!!"

Merle mentioned some shovel while shaking her fist in anger.

It seemed like their plan had not worked out very well.

"Wha-?! You're blaming me? You're just as guilty as me, you're the one who chose the path with the nest of ghosts."

"Seriously?! But that's how we got the Shovel in the first place!!"

They began rolling on top of each other while throwing blame around.

'Good attempt. You may rest 1 day now, and then challenge it again.'

The angel told them the words they had been hearing every day for nearly 1 month.

"It seems they haven't been doing very well here either."

"Seems so."

Allen and Merle looked baffled at the state Merle and Galara's party was in.

"Ah, Allen! Hurry and bring Habarak here! We need him to forge a shovel for us!!"

(Hm? I'll have to sit down with them to know exactly what happened now.)

Allen decided to try calming Merle who was quite hung strung from their failure.

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