The surroundings were enveloped in thick black mist, severely obstructing all visibility.
A fog this pitch-black could hardly occur naturally. Above all, telepathic communication—his sole means of contacting Evil Army Headquarters—was rendered completely unusable. First and foremost, he had been trapped within an enemy's barrier. That was the most reasonable conclusion.
If so, had someone from the Mortal Realm done this? A mediocre barrier would have had no effect on Forneus; merely brushing against it would normally blow it away.
"So it must be the Heavenly Army after all, yes indeed~?"
Nothing else made sense. In the first place, dragging Forneus into a barrier was impossible unless an opponent possessed a certain caliber of strength. The very fact that he was trapped in this situation proved whoever erected the barrier ranked among the world's absolute elite. And if so, outside of the Evil Army, such a faction could only be the Heavenly Army.
"Well now, that might be rather amusing in its own right, yes indeed~."
Forneus twisted his fish-like face into a hideous sneer.
Either way, even within the Heavenly Army, those capable of forcing Forneus onto the back foot were few and far between.
Broadly speaking, it was limited to the Six Heavenly Gods—the highest-ranking Chief Gods in the Heavenly Army, such as Thor and Indra.
Against any other members of the Heavenly Army, even somewhat troublesome executives, he was confident he could fight on equal or better terms. Particularly of late, having been tasked only with cleaning up unchallenging small fry, he had grown dreadfully bored. Naturally, mighty prey was far preferable. Watching such champions rot away miserably and helplessly was an exquisite pleasure.
"Now then~, what manner of fool erected this barrier, yes indeed~?"
Leaning his upper body back, he pointed the tip of his right hand's cane toward the presence he sensed. From that direction, spraying water and shaking the ground with heavy footsteps, a three-eyed elephant monster strode slowly through the wetlands.
"Hm? Are you not Girimehkala, yes indeed~?"
He knew this god well. Girimehkala, one of the retainers serving under Great God Mara of the Six Great Generals. An evil god who had been forcibly conscripted into that vicious dungeon known as the gateway to becoming a Chief God—a place reputed to be impossible to clear—the Gods' Ordeal.
The Gods' Ordeal was the ultimate nightmare dungeon, terrifying even the fiercest champions among the Evil Army's gods. Only those deemed qualified were permitted entry, and once inside, one could never leave until attaining the rank of Chief God. Furthermore, its sheer difficulty defied all reason. In truth, widespread rumors claimed it had never been designed to be cleared in the first place.
One reason lay in the guardians stationed within.
That dungeon had been established in the past by the supreme commanders of both the Heavenly Army and the Evil Army, who personally selected the champions to be forcibly conscripted into the Gods' Ordeal. Ostensibly, it was a dungeon meant to forge Chief Gods, populated solely by war gods and mythical beasts who had achieved the highest tier of military exploits.
Given that Girimehkala was here now, did that mean he had achieved a Release from that dungeon?
No. Although the dungeon purported to forge Chief Gods, its true purpose was to maintain the balance of power by sealing away irregular entities that threatened to disrupt the equilibrium between the Heavenly Army and the Evil Army. A Release would defeat the entire purpose. If so, what was the meaning of this?
"Forneus, is it? It has been a long time."
Before Forneus could puzzle out an answer, Girimehkala arrived right before his eyes.
(Wh-What is the meaning of this pressure, yes indeed~?!)
The dense, dark battle aura erupting from Girimehkala's body formed a swirling vortex above his head, making the very air creak and groan.
Certainly, Girimehkala was powerful enough that the Heavenly Army had designated him for imprisonment in that dungeon. While he had undeniably been strong, that had merely been on the basis of his potential. In the past, the fellow was only Major General class. A vast gulf should have separated him from Forneus, a Lieutenant General.
Yet merely standing before the current Girimehkala sent a sensation coursing through Forneus as if his very skin were bubbling. He recognized this distinct feeling. It was the sensation that seized him whenever he stood before the Six Great Generals or the Six Heavenly Gods. Namely—fear.
Faced with the utterly disgraceful reality of fearing an inferior,
"Do not mock me, yes indeeeeed~!"
Blinded by fury, he let out a savage roar.
"I understand your inner turmoil only too well. I, too, feel a slight reluctance to crush a former comrade underfoot. And yet—!!"
Suddenly spreading both arms wide, his three eyes bloodshot and crimson, Girimehkala shouted,
"What a pity! Truly a pity, but you lot incurred the wrath of our Supreme Great One! Our Great One desires you to perish miserably and cruelly! Here and now, become nourishment for our faith—!!"
He raised a savage voice that rattled the very atmosphere.
This was madness. Everything about the current Girimehkala was abnormal. And the Supreme Great One? Did he mean Great God Mara? Then why attack Forneus? No, in the first place, while Girimehkala had sworn loyalty to Great God Mara, he had never worshiped him. To begin with, a god worshiping another god was nothing short of a laughingstock.
Glancing sideways at the bewildered Forneus,
"Reluctant to crush him underfoot? Girimehkala, you are as terrible at lying as ever, aren't you?"
A pure-white humanoid entity floating in the air materialized abruptly beside Forneus's left flank.
"I-Impossible! Lieutenant General Drekavac?!"
He screamed the name of his former comrade, who had once been feared as the most terrifying figure in the Evil Army.
"Drekavac, come to think of it, you were ex-Evil Army too, weren't you?"
A pitch-black, faceless entity bearing a crimson circular weapon on his back appeared at Forneus's right flank and addressed Drekavac.
"—?!"
He knew this one as well. In fact, even a mere private in the Evil Army would know him. Fallen Angel Azazel. A mutated heavenly messenger who had attained divinity. He had opposed both the Heavenly Army and the Evil Army, inflicting catastrophic damage on both sides before reportedly being captured and disposed of.
"Yes, but Ronove, wouldn't the same apply to you as well?"
Drekavac inquired of a bare-chested man with eight eyes who had appeared behind them.
"Don't ask. It's a dark history."
Ronove was the former captain of the Evil Army's special annihilation unit—Ruin. An evil god whose abilities, let alone appearance, were shrouded in mystery. The only certainty was that whenever someone's life was targeted on orders from the Six Great Generals, that being vanished from this world without a trace. However, from a certain point onward, his name had ceased to be heard in this world. He was that caliber of nightmare among evil gods.
"If it comes to a dark history, mine is no different. Merely having once bowed my head to such a vulgar god infuriates me to no end."
As Girimehkala spat those words,
"See? You're completely geared up to take it out on him, aren't you?"
Drekavac shrugged his shoulders in an exasperated tone.
Girimehkala rolled his three bloodshot eyes to scan his surroundings.
"Do you lots not agree as well?!"
He demanded in a booming voice.
Beyond all doubt!
With that roar of assent, gods emerged one after another from the surroundings.
"I-Impossible..."
Without exception, every single one of them was a renowned, combat-hardened evil god whom Forneus had laid eyes upon at least once.
Even a single one was a titan of this world, formidable enough that one could never let down one's guard. Yet there were already well over a hundred of them gathered here.
"This is sheer madness—!!"
For the first time since he came into existence, Forneus let out an unsightly, shrill screech.
And for good reason. Every last one of them was a champion worth a thousand warriors, none of whom would ever easily yield to another. Yet here they were, banded together, preparing to assault Forneus. He simply could not accept such an absurd reality.
"You lot! These vermin have displeased our Supreme Great One! How should we insects dispose of this fool?!"
As Girimehkala raised his voice,
"With unrelenting, merciless agony, naturally!"
Ronove shouted, and then,
"Destroy him! Destroy him! Destroy him! Tear him to shreds!!"
The surrounding evil gods stamped their feet and roared at the top of their lungs.
"These vermin spat upon our revered Father! What manner of punishment should we insects inflict upon this scoundrel?!"
Girimehkala asked once more.
"Upon the trash who mocked our faith, let us bestow despair and terror that makes even death seem lenient!"
Drekavac declared loudly, both of his eyes dyed blood-red.
"Crush him! Crush him! Crush him! Pulverize him!!"
The shockwaves from the evil gods stamping their feet alongside their furious shouts rippled outward in concentric circles, gouging the earth and whipping up tornadoes into the sky above.
"Above all, these vermin dared to mock our faith! What do we insects wish to do to this piece of filth?!"
Girimehkala's voice reached a fever pitch, and black mist billowed from his entire body, reducing the surrounding area to dust.
"Gah?!"
Merely brushing against that mist instantly reduced Forneus's left arm to ash.
"Just slaughter him!!"
As if echoing the cry of Fallen Angel Azazel,
"Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill! Slaughter hiiiiim!!"
An earth-shattering, beastly roar erupted from the gathered gods.
"Ah..."
He understood. Now, Forneus fully comprehended whose tail he had stepped on.
"Ahhh..."
Accompanied by the despairing groans spilling from his lips, the surrounding evil gods slowly closed in on Forneus. The clinging dark mist gradually corroded his entire body.
"Aaaaaaaaghhhhh—!"
Without being permitted the slightest resistance, Forneus screamed.
(I should never have manifested in such a hell...)
With that final thought, Forneus's consciousness was swallowed by the darkness.