Netori: Stealing The Hero's Party!

Chapter 1007: The Fall Of Law’s Throne

As the golden hands pulled him through the falling rubble, Raven’s mind raced like never before. His surroundings had slowed, and his heart was pounding in his throat. Unlike Asmareth, unlike Kleismeth, Hamleth’s very aura exuded a pressure on reality itself. Bending it to his command and forcing others through this altered state of being.

Yet, if the torch of Athenia’s guidance was capable of strengthening entire fleets to fight against lesser gods, then being connected by the soul to Athenia herself had elevated the hero and his companions into the realm of demigods. And through that elevated sense, sharper than a knife’s edge, Raven perceived the alterations in reality around him. Athenia was knocked into the ground at the very base of the falling plateau while Elenaria had managed to deflect Hamleth’s strike.

Mono was nowhere to be seen, and Moeria, being a spirit around Helga’s neck, was mostly unaffected, but the valkyrie herself was visibly struggling against the clawing hands digging into her skin from below. With no other means to free herself, she screamed with every ounce of frustration before reluctantly revealing her angelic wings. Heavy they weighed on her back, and the scars of names over her skin were once again laid bare.

Casting a glance at Elenaria, Raven watched as the goddess was focused directly on the lord of law. The sky above had darkened and then turned into a silver ocean of stars falling right in their direction. Although mostly headed for Hamleth, being struck by a stray could prove fatal, and with that in mind, the hero looked within himself while being grabbed and restrained all over by the golden hands of Hamleth.

A few of the giant ones struck him directly, rattling his very teeth, but being bounced around between them, Raven focused not on the pain but on what comes beyond it.

”Illumina!” As his eyes snapped open, his body split into a hundred tiny fairies. Escaping the many hands, he formed back into one, his eyes scanning every giant arm trying to strike him and everyone else. ”Let’s test the limits then, HOLY CHAINS!”

A sharp snap of golden chains echoed amidst the cacophony of noises; only then did the chains form around the giant hands–every link as thick as a trunk. Forming and squeezing the golden hands within their grip, the chains kept tightening around them; with a final struggle to contain their form, the hands shattered into a glittering burst of lights.

Having cast a holy spell–an affinity that couldn’t be learned–a faint smile crept on Raven’s lips. But slime didn’t last long as the smaller hands appeared under him and the enraged god swiped at Elenaria’s body to get to him. Like an owl’s bulging eyes, the god of law’s gaze was wide and deranged, his anger hot as melted iron, and his fist swung in his direction like a scorching gust of wind in an endless desert.

”FORGETTING SOMEONE?” A zap of lightning stabbed Hamleth’s fist, making him recoil in pain. Holding his shivering hand, the god gritted his teeth as he stared at a spear stuck inside his flesh. Raven noticed at once what it was, and Helga promptly confirmed it. ”I’VE FELLED GREATER GODS THAN YOU WITH GUNGNIR! HERE’S A TASTE OF TRUE PAIN FROM A VALKARIA!”

Golden lightning started to ball around Hamleth’s stabbed fist, and thunder erupted throughout the crumbling arena. Raven felt someone fly past him as the lightning sparked his skin as he fell, and the moment his mind caught up, he saw Athenia in her true silver and dark form spear right through Hamleth’s chest.

”HAUGHH!!! WHAT-GAHHHH!!” Before he could utter another word, the ball of lightning erupted in his hands, shattering the altered state of reality and suspending everyone in true time’s free fall. As for the goddess-shaped hole inside of his chest, it was kept open by ribbon-like metallic strands of Athenia’s body fighting against the god’s divine health.

It was then that Raven finally found his opening. The gap within Hamleth’s chest revealed the edges of his golden organs, three of which kept pounding in sync. Slipping into countless fairies once more, he flew towards the god’s open chest, fighting against the scorching lightning waves that rippled through Hamleth’s stabbed hands.

”Don’t worry, I’ll heal you!” Natura spoke from within his ears, aiding the hero’s attempt to end the fight.

The others decided to chime in as well, with Beasteria summoning astral beasts to grab the god’s limbs. Umbra did the same but with arms of pure darkness. Illumina, on the other hand, sent darts of holy magic at the numerous smaller hands trying to stop Raven as he flew towards the opening.

Aiding with winds to propel him further, Aurellia aided Illumina while Oceana, Feria, and Blizzteria channeled their strength directly into Raven’s outstretched fist. A claw of fire, water, and ice reinforced the hero’s human hand, further elevated by Athenia’s guidance and his own affinity for darkness. Locking his eyes on the shade within the cavity of the wound, he focused his mind, and once he was close enough, his body warped right inside Hamleth’s chest.

”GET OUT!!!” Panic rose in Law’s heart, but as he moved his limbs about, all he could do was make them creak with struggle. Inside his chest, the many hearts were also pounding like drums right next to Raven’s ears, but which one of them held the god’s souls? There was only one way to find out in the end.

”Pegged aren’t we, Hamelth?” Athenia’s laugh could be heard from above, giving Raven the final push that he needed to do what must be done.

”GET OUT, YOU COCKROACH!!” Pulling his arm with all his strength, the god freed one of his fists and rushed it towards the wound.

However, the moment his fingers were about to touch Raven, numerous arms of different shades appeared from all around him. Touching the beating organs, they did what faeries did best–consume the very essence of powers and make it theirs!

”GOD OF LAW, YOUR REIGN ENDS HERE!!” And so erupted a wave of divine source power. Rippling through the air and coagulating within Raven’s veins. Sapping the strength of a god as once did another mortal.

But the falling stars paid no heed to whom the power of law presided in–theirs was the duty to strike him down, no matter who it was or what was happening. To kill the god of law as he was being sapped of his authority and powers, whether Raven came in their path or not, not even Elenaria could tell, as the souls were just at their heads and could no longer be stopped.

Having noticed just that, Raven–through the immense torture of containing divinity in his mortal body–just stared at the fleshy interior of Hamelth’s body...and smiled.