Hikigaya's God Slayer Story

Chapter 12 – I Just Want to Fly a Bit

In the end, Liliana didn't draw her sword.

It wasn't because she couldn't win—these two had been fighting since they were kids, and they knew each other inside and out.

In terms of sheer power, they were evenly matched, and when it came to talent, Liliana might even have the upper hand—after all, she was a true witch, while Erica wasn't.

This world didn't just judge by looks, but also by bloodline.

Descendants of the Divine Ancestors were simply on another level.

Don't like it? Too bad.

However, despite their even match in strength, neither could ever gain the upper hand.

Erica had a quicker mind—especially that annoying mouth of hers.

Liliana had wanted to rip it off or shove something in it more times than she could count.

The real reason Liliana didn't draw her sword was simple—Hachiman was holding her way too tightly. How was she supposed to reach for her sword?

Strictly speaking, her weapon would be more accurately described as a blade than a sword, but the unavoidable fact was that, whether by accident or on purpose, the hilt was being pressed against Hachiman's waist—no way she could draw it.

"Hachiman, let me go," she pleaded. "People are watching."

Yes, put her down already. She had a little bitch to kill.

"Oh?" Hachiman had already come back to his senses. He had already noticed someone behind them, but he didn't care at all. "So what? Who's the idiot with no sense of timing… oh, it's you."

Turning around and seeing Erica, Hachiman let out a deep, sorrowful sigh, full of frustration. "Why are you always around?"

But never mind that. Not even a god could stop him from having this date.

"Oh my King, you're playing favorites. Are you trying to ditch me?" Erica glanced at Liliana, who was already beyond embarrassed. A faint, unreadable smile crept across her face. "I'm a knight too, you know. Not to brag, but I think I've done my job quite well."

Okay, the truth was—she was annoyed.

She'd sensed it from the start—Hachiman treated her and Liliana completely differently.

Not that she wanted to seduce Hachiman.

Sure, most female magi, when faced with a young god-slayer like him, might try to use their femininity to gain favor.

But not her.

Even though she wasn't a descendant of the Divine Ancestors, the Blandelli family was descended from god-slayers.

She knew exactly what kind of roles women played around these men, and she had no interest in being one of them.

Depending on a man had never been part of her plans.

But the rivalry with Liliana? That was practically second nature.

Of course, she didn't see it as romantic rivalry—just a professional one. She wanted to prove she was the better knight.

She believed Liliana saw it the same way.

Both were hailed as the most promising talents of Italy's new generation of mages.

Both became great knights at the same age.

Both wielded twin magic swords bestowed by Raphael.

Even their respective organizations were rivals.

Their ranks within those groups were also similar.

Since they were young, they'd constantly been compared to one another, driving them to work harder, always trying to outdo the other.

They were friends, but even more so—rivals.

"Yeah, you've done very well. Thanks." Hachiman was honest. In this regard, Erica had performed better. Not that Liliana had done badly—it was just a difference in personality.

They could achieve the same results, but the way they did it felt different.

But...

The type Hachiman liked was precisely Liliana's.

And it seemed like there was a chance with her.

Erica, with her unpredictability, was someone he didn't feel like dealing with.

The Erica in the anime might have been a manipulative little vixen, but this one clearly wasn't.

Still, imagine going through all that effort only to hear, "Let's just be friends."

Where's the dignity in that?

"No need to thank me so much. You're the King. It's our duty as knights to serve you with all our hearts," Erica said, visibly caught off guard by Hachiman's gratitude. She quickly bowed and continued, "But I really do hope to witness your heroic figure in battle against the gods. Please, let me accompany you."

"It's better if you don't. It's dangerous," Hachiman said, unable to suppress his urge to take off. This girl clearly couldn't take a hint, so he spelled it out for her. "And besides, it's not happening just yet. I'd really like to be alone with Lily for a bit. You've worked hard lately too—take a break."

And with that, he flew.

With a quick push of his feet—not to die, but to ascend.

Riding the wind, Hachiman was now very familiar with flight.

Holding Liliana steadily, he rose into the air, a hundred meters above ground, and then began to glide smoothly.

As they ascended, Liliana's eyes gradually widened, and her expression shifted to one of blissful enjoyment.

Liliana was an expert in flight magic.

Unlike Japan's Mariya Yuri, who specialized in one particular ability, Liliana was a true witch—not only capable of spirit sight (albeit weaker than Yuri's), but with a broad magical talent that set her apart.

Flight magic was one such specialty. There were few in all of Italy who could match her in this art.

But the so-called "flight magic" wasn't true flight—it was an enhancement of jumping ability, paired with gliding spells.

It wasn't the same as actual flying.

Let alone this kind of flight—Hachiman was moving at a consistent speed, rising steadily into the sky, and then cruising through the air.

Witches had a natural affinity for nature—they were daughters of the Mother Goddess, after all.

Liliana's bloodline came from a "fallen" snake goddess, but that didn't diminish her yearning for the sky.

She embraced everything about this moment, every nerve in her body alight with joy.

She gazed upon the vast land below, upon the majestic Lake Baikal.

"It's so wonderful," she murmured in admiration.

"If you like it, I'll take you flying every day," Hachiman replied immediately.

Seeing how happy Liliana looked made him happy too.

Maybe it was childish, but who cared?

Magi were a childish bunch anyway.

They spent so much energy on magic that in everyday life, most were barely more mature than teenagers.

But Liliana didn't seem to appreciate Hachiman's childlike enthusiasm.

"Hachiman, that's an insult to me."

Her sharp reaction left Hachiman bewildered.

"What? No it's not." He stared at the angry girl in his arms, completely lost. "It's just flying."

"But Hachiman, you're a King, and I'm a knight. Today I've already overstepped. If we were to keep doing this, what would happen to your dignity as King? The world would laugh behind our backs—at you, at me, and at the Bronze Black Cross."

"What a load of crap," Hachiman shot back. "If I have to live by their standards, who the hell are they?"

He sneered in utter disdain.

God-slayers probably cared the least about public opinion.

That old bastard Voban had slaughtered countless people, and yet public opinion didn't mean jack—if it did, he'd have been turned to dust long ago.

Yet the guy was still alive and kicking, and wherever he went, people still worshipped him.

The world, for all its civilization, remained a place where the strong ruled over the weak.

God-slayers simply stripped away the pretense and made it brutally obvious.

"Don't worry about all that. I like taking you flying.

Who's got a problem with it? Who dares have a problem with it?"

In this moment, Hachiman was unshakably assertive—so much so that Liliana's heart pounded violently in her chest. "If they have a problem, we fight. If they can't win, they can get lost."

Chapter 13: The Goddess Didn't Study Language Arts Well

The girl looked indifferently at the scene before her.

The cold air had sealed the land, but it could not seal away life, nor stop all things from growing.

After crossing one land after another, she had arrived here.

She was a god—she had been, she was now, and she would continue to be.

She had many names. The Egyptians called her Neith; in Hittite mythology, she was the Sun Goddess of Arinna. In the Aegean Sea, she was the Cretan Serpent and the Shield Goddess of Mycenae. In the distant Neolithic era, she was the Owl Goddess. She had also once appeared in the Near East, worshipped under various names by many peoples.

Even when she stood on the side of the Greek coalition, the Trojans still prayed to her, hoping to receive her protection.

Over the course of millennia, humanity's religions had changed countless times amid blood and fire, but she and her kin never changed. As long as mythology still existed, the radiance of the gods would never fade.

Just like her bond with the "Serpent".

The "Serpent" had not crossed the seas, but had come to this frozen land by crossing mountain after mountain. This had slightly surprised her.

Silently watching the deep forest, the goddess began to sing a chant:

"What I seek is the Stone of Gorgon, Once engraved upon my shield. Dwell now in this place of ancient serpents, Guide the journey of the defiant queen. Grant again the wisdom of darkness, earth, and celestial flight To me, who defies once more…"

Her eyes were sharp, just like how the Theogony described her: born from the head of Zeus, she was the bright-eyed goddess, a fearsome, howling general, an undefeated queen craving noise and the clash of war.

When she was born, she leapt in front of Zeus, brandishing a sharp spear, awe-inspiring and powerful, stunning all the gods.

Even the mighty Mount Olympus trembled before her power.

The earth quaked, the seas churned, and even Hyperion's radiant son halted his galloping winged steed, pausing for a long time until the goddess set down her weapons.

Only then did Zeus, ruler of the gods, smile again.

That's just how badass she was.

Don't like it? Fight her.

The power of a god was immense. Their divine speech, terrifying. If a god so wished, even eye contact or casual conversation could shatter a mortal's soul.

Except for God Slayers.

Only a God Slayer could, right under her nose, steal the divine artifact that would empower her even more.

But now, she could once again feel her other half. It seemed the God Slayer had stopped suppressing it.

She wasn't interested in the reason. But her interest in this God Slayer was now equal to her desire for the Gorgon Stone.

In the next moment, the goddess's owl-like, abyssal black pupils lit up with joy.

The "Serpent" had responded—and was very close.

Her figure vanished from where she stood, reappearing several hundred meters away—and vanished again.

Heading east, the goddess moved in a way incomprehensible to humans.

She came upon a great lake.

Vast as the sea.

Though known by the name Athena, she was also a goddess of the sea.

People called her Pallas Machomache, meaning the protector at anchor.

Her most renowned sea deity worship site was at Cape Sounion on a low mountain in southern Attica.

She was Poseidon's rival, bringing people wisdom to resist the fury of nature.

When she intervened in matters of the sea, she often advanced human technology, something Poseidon disliked greatly.

If this had been the sea, perhaps the goddess would have indulged in doing something on a whim. But sadly, it was only a lake.

She didn't even glance at it and left it behind in an instant.

Then she stopped.

Crossing time and space, she finally met the "Serpent" again.

In front of her were a boy and a girl.

The boy was sitting on a rock, holding the girl in his arms, cheek to cheek.

But whatever they were doing had already come to an awkward halt.

The goddess showed no awareness that she was interrupting anything intimate.

She calmly walked forward until she stood just a few steps away from the boy.

Seeing the embarrassed and annoyed look in his eyes, she gently said:

"It's been a while, God Slayer. I'm glad to see you again."

Not only her manner but her voice was also clear and crisp like a young girl's.

Just like their first meeting, her appearance was still modern: a light sweater vest over a white blouse, mini skirt, and dark purple thigh-high stockings.

The breeze lifted the hem of her skirt.

Although she had a girl's figure, her slightly raised chest, tight, elastic hips, and stocking-wrapped legs radiated an indescribable allure.

She was, after all, one of the famously beautiful goddesses—flawless in appearance.

"Do I look happy to see you?" the boy snapped, letting go of the girl.

Hikigaya Hachiman had every reason to be annoyed.

He had just gotten to the kissing part—and suddenly a god showed up.

And she was cocky as hell too.

No sense of shame.

Even if you're a god, don't you know interrupting someone mid-flirt is the kind of offense that deserves karmic retribution?

"To be so reckless, despite being a child of Epimetheus, is rare indeed."

Hiccup-moan-head-die? What the hell was that?

Hikigaya had never even heard that name. It sounded obscure as hell.

Also, can you say that with a straight face? Since when are God Slayers cautious?

With nuts like Old Man Voban and the dumbass with the sacred sword—where the hell was caution? In the toilet?

"State your name first. I am the goddess who bears the name Athena. You must remember this henceforth."

The goddess was unfazed by Hikigaya's sharp glare and declared her name.

"Eastern God Slayer, state your name. Before our battle over the ancient 'Serpent' begins, we must know each other's names."

"Oh? You mean this?"

Hikigaya reached into his inner pocket and pulled out the Gorgon Stone.

"Good. That makes things easier. I shall now fight you and reclaim—huh?"

Athena lifted her hand in surprise. In her palm was the Gorgon Stone.

Hikigaya had just thrown it to her.

"You talk too much. Absorb it already so we can fight." Hikigaya stood up, his face flushed.

Behind him, Liliana was still red as a tomato.

"I... I don't quite understand…"

Athena held the Gorgon Stone in her hand, full of doubt.

But now it was Hikigaya who didn't care in the slightest.

"My name's Hikigaya Hachiman. This is Liliana Kranjčar. If you're going to ask for names, ask them all, okay? Just asking one is lazy."

Honestly, Hikigaya felt a little let down—he didn't even get to see that legendary confused goddess face.

Still, he answered anyway.

"Also, did you just say we're going to battle?" He glared at her and criticized, dead serious:

"Your language arts need work. If you're gonna kill me in the fight, what's the point of me 'remembering your name for the future'? One star! Do it over!"