Xingyue, is Xiaokai also considered Kai?

"—That is why the Lord still loves you to this day."

"I see, that's a really good idea."

Completely unfazed by the changes, Edmund laughed again. "To deal with one Avenger, you need two Judges. Interesting, very interesting."

The man who emerged from greed was Amakusa Shiro Tokisada.

"You who call yourself the Christ of Vengeance, you probably can no longer hear the words of prayer."

Amakusa stated the facts calmly, "But at the same time, I also believe in you, I firmly believe that since you know what hell on earth is, you must also know what is truly precious. You have no plan to assist the Magic King, which means..."

"Shut up, no need to say more. I have no reason to be on good terms with someone who is not involved in any grudges or feuds."

Amakusa first frowned in disbelief, then revealed an expression of sudden realization.

"If that's the case, then you didn't cultivate a good relationship with the alien god either."

As soon as Amakusa finished speaking, Joan of Arc and Edmund frowned slightly.

Edmund was surprised that Amakusa had sensed the presence of the Outer God just like him, while Jeanne d'Arc simply shuddered instinctively upon hearing the term 'Outer God.' After all, in the records from the distant past, during her battle with Amakusa against Jue, she was...

Sigh, I can't blame anyone but myself, and I can only blame myself.

Joan of Arc's mood became somewhat complicated.

"Could it be..."

"Yes."

Edmund's doubts were resolved as Amakusa quietly revealed the truth.

"Originally, the place that should have been the first in the world of jealousy has been invaded by an outsider god. That's all. You, who possess the treasure known as the Count of Monte Cristo, must be very clear about this. Originally, the saintess and I shared the same idea, but due to the presence of an external enemy, that's why I've come here."

In other words, Tianyuan originally planned to wait until later to join forces with Edmund, but he did not expect that the saintess had not discovered the information that he had discovered, and that he was really going to fight Edmund. In order to avoid losses of combat power, he ran over on his own.

After all, we have to face an invading god, so having more strength is always a good thing.

"Hahahaha! So that's the reason! To continue the necessary battle while joining forces?"

Edmund chuckled and spoke in a voice that seemed to echo throughout the room, then his expression turned indifferent, “The principles of judgment do not belong to me, nor to you; entrust everything to revenge.”

"..."

Unable to keep up with the situation, a bewildered Joan of Arc fell silent.

This alien god shouldn't be the one I'm thinking of... And why do they both know, but I don't... Could it be that the environment of the prison tower has had some effect on me? That shouldn't be the case, but anyway, we should first join forces to deal with that alien god who has invaded the Space of Envy, right?

"Since you've agreed, may I ask a little about the information regarding the Chamber of Pride, since the melody that seems to stir the wind is coming from within it?"

Upon hearing Amakusa's question, Edmund shook his head.

Because it was a beautiful and dreamlike melody, as if it could calm the surface of a clear stream, and as if it could help people fall asleep peacefully.

"I was unaware of it, but the melody emanating from arrogance seemed to come out instinctively, rather than intentionally, and it was connected with an alien god of jealousy."

"Um, may I ask—"

"There is no need, Joan of Arc."

Edmund interrupted Joan of Arc, who was about to ask a question, "It seems that the fellow has already arrived."

In the next instant, time seemed to freeze in this space, and at the same time, a small lake with the words 'Envy' appeared in a certain part of the space, and from this center, the surrounding area gradually turned into a 'purple-red' hell.

In a mere second, the space was already dominated by these two colors, with chunks of meat being thrown into the lake continuously. Some chunks of meat hit the walls and landed, spreading out like a leather carpet. Some chunks of meat even turned into fragments along with the bones, scattering on the floor like minced meat. Blood pools formed by rotting flesh were visible everywhere.

Then, the voice rang out from the blood-red lake.

"I heard a voice, a voice calling my name, an alien god? Hahahaha, this horrible, twisted form is the result of being corrupted by this hateful filth! It is my resentment that has twisted me, twisted me by the title 'alien god'! I have been defined in this way! So, just like the so-called alien god! Let hell engulf everything!"

With only a slight ripple as a signal, it suddenly rises its body from the dark water.

It was an enormous creature with a ferocious fish head, claws for its hands, and was enveloped in purplish-black smoke.

"My name is Dagon—the wicked god, Dagon!"

Chapter 418 Brother, without you our pantheon would have fallen apart!

Dagon.

He was an ancient and great god worshipped by the ancient Syrian civilization. His faith spread across the middle Euphrates River region, that is, the central Mesopotamian region. In the upper reaches of the river, he was regarded as the father of gods similar to Enlil or Anu in Mesopotamia.

Long before the Age of Gods existed, the gods in the Babylonian region had often encountered this god, after all, he was the god of harvest and grain. For example, even Ereshkigal, who defeated Nergal and obtained half of his divinity and lived in the underworld, had heard of this god's reputation, though not in his current half-fish, half-human form.

"So that's how it is. It's not an external god, but a deity that has been distorted by the belief in an external god...?"

Edmund narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at the menacing Dagon.

Having witnessed the true Outer God, he naturally noticed the strong 'distorted faith' emanating from Dagon when his true form appeared. This was remarkably similar to the concept of the avenger, which became famous because of Alexandre Dumas's novel, The Count of Monte Cristo.

The once great god of the earth has been corrupted by the 'interpretations' or 'creations' of later generations. Humanity's long-standing will is sometimes a blessing and sometimes a curse.

"The gods themselves?"

Joan of Arc shook her head. "Even now, when human affairs are becoming unstable, it is almost impossible for gods to manifest directly. This god named Dagon should only be a side of the god as a monster, right?"

"I don't think so..."

Before Amakusa could finish speaking, a certain aura was seen emanating from the suspended lake.

It was neither a living thing nor an inorganic matter; something dripped from Dagon's mouth onto the ground.

For an instant.

The world of the prison tower changed, instantly becoming a world submerged by the sea, where blue death descended in overwhelming force.

In fact, this is not a sea, but a lake with an average salt content. It is essentially a 'sea' that is a mixture of the concepts of 'moving lakes' or 'positionless bodies of water' that exist around the world, with the Central Asian legend of 'Lop Nur, a moving lake' as the main example.

At this moment, all four people present were on high alert, because Dagon was displaying power that was truly worthy of being called a 'god'. The two Arbiters who had participated in the Holy Grail War had seen Tralok as a manifestation of a god, and the Count had seen enemies with the power of a machine god in his lifetime. As for Ritsuka, it was even simpler; he had seen them many times, and he had also seen those above that level.

However, compared to Dagon, who undoubtedly possessed divine power, everyone's hearts were subconsciously drawn to something high in the distance. It was like an unbelievable illusion, yet also seemed unbearably real. Perhaps because of the sea, they could barely make out some of it.

At the very top, seemingly the deepest part of the ocean, lie countless even deeper and darker black worlds, with the sun appearing and disappearing on the dark sea.

"Originally, in order to correct this distorted form, my intention was to collect faith within this so-called prison tower. It is because people have faith that a god can be called a god. As long as there is correct faith, that's enough. With the support of the faith of my followers, even I, in my distorted state, can become a correct god."

Dagon's statement is actually based on evidence. The prison tower may seem to contain only Servants and Ritsuka, but in reality, it contains the wronged souls of many people who died in the concept of 'prison'. Therefore, given time, Dagon may actually be able to collect these resentful beliefs to correct himself in the form of a monster.

However, after appearing in the prison tower as a distorted monster, Dagon heard a melody unlike any of the gods of the Age of Gods, yet it was unforgettable and deeply cherished. Thus, under the influence of this melody, Dagon decided not to correct himself.

He felt that since the world hoped for this, he should do it and let the so-called hell sweep everything away!

According to the Cthulhu Mythos, "Dagon the Father" is an elder of the "Deep Ones" with a huge body. He not only prays to the great Cthulhu, but also actively works to bring Cthulhu back to life as soon as possible. Dagon, who accepts this, instinctively feels that the melody is a melody emanating from a being far superior to Cthulhu.

"But all that is irrelevant now. Right now, I will kill you all and let this lake sweep across the world!"

At that very moment, Dagon's massive body flashed before everyone's eyes.

That was an incredibly fast speed, but it was more like teleportation than speed. It swung its massive, scaled arm at Amakusa, and even Amakusa's instinctive defense was too late.

The shockwave from this attack easily sent the three people around it flying. Amakusa, the target, felt a huge burst of magical power erupt from the attack. He couldn't distinguish whether it was a painful or scorching impact. The magical power inside his body went out of control, tearing apart some of his internal organs. In addition, his legs, arms, abdomen, and chest were ruptured.

If it were a normal physical body, it would probably have been shattered. Even a spirit body constructed of magic suffered a similar fate. Fortunately, the spirit core was not damaged, so Amakusa did not leave the stage immediately. However, after such a blow, it is impossible to expect Amakusa to return to the stage in the short term.

"Do it!"

With Joan of Arc's imposing shout, the saintess, seizing the opportunity, channeled her magic into the spreading seawater.

In the next instant, it was as if a small whirlpool was born in the endless sea, spraying towards Dagon along with her banner.

Unfortunately, Dagon managed to withstand the attack solely with his powerful physique. As someone with god-like strength, the Servants before him were completely unable to harm him, and ordinary magic could not hurt him.

however--

"My journey leads to the other side, to the realm of vengeance!"

Edmund shouted this.

The 'sea' released by Dagon can be seen as a kind of barrier, within which there is nothing that can contend with it, which is to be expected.

However, at this moment, Dagon saw that part of the scenery was distorted. An ordinary person would not be able to see it, but for Dagon, who was in charge of all this, it was a shadow that appeared, as if it wanted to devour the darkness of the night. The pitch-black vortex crossed the 'sea' and enveloped the space around him.

Just as Dagon appeared in a flash, Edmund also appeared in front of him.

"Tiger, blaze brilliantly!"

This is Edmund's Noble Phantasm, a manifestation of the steely willpower forged within the hellish prison of the Château d'If.

Not only is he imprisoned in a cage of the body, but the Count of Monte Cristo can even escape the invisible prisons of time and space, thinking at supersonic speed and forcibly reacting to his body, thus subjectively achieving supersonic actions comparable to 'time stop'.

That is why they were able to bypass the 'barrier' set up by Dagon and deliver a blow.

At the same time, Dagon kept a close eye on Edmund's attack, while focusing all his attention on Edmund's body.

Dagon could sense the 'aura,' an 'aura' that still carried a trace of the dregs of the mythical era. The moment it slightly stimulated Dagon's nasal cavity and skin, a chilling fear surged through the entire body of the wicked god Dagon.

"you……"

Looking at Edmund, whose hands had once been shrouded in black fire, Dagon frowned. "He once killed a so-called heretical god by virtue of the so-called grace of God?"

As someone who had witnessed the events described in the Bible, Dagon was naturally able to discern that the 'black fire' originated from a man's internal organs, possessed an extremely strong 'aura,' and even heard a kind of mourning beneath the flames.

Presumably, what Dagon sensed was Edmund's use of the Monte Cristo treasure to kill Alter, the god of machines.

Edmund remained silent, but continued his attack as the opportune moment arrived.

Just as Edmund's black fire was about to engulf him, Dagon looked up at the sea.

Instead of looking at Edmund, she fell upon countless black worlds and suns where unknown melodies flowed.

“There is something I need to tell you, you human being who has received the so-called one God’s grace.”

Dagon calmly said, "If I belong to the side of God—no, rather, even if I belong to the side of God, or the side of a monster—I would still find it difficult to escape this attack—"

In contrast to the immense magical power swirling in Edmund's hands, Dagon stood eerily calm and relaxed, motionless.

There was no contempt or mockery in the tone; it was as if they were simply stating something trivial.

"But this is not the domain of that god. In this time of instability in human affairs, this space constructed by the Magic King was taken away long ago after your arrival, taken away by a great being far away in the universe."

Dagon told Edmund and Joan of Arc, "This is a place where the gods you three believe in cannot bear witness; you have been abandoned."

At that moment, at Dagon's feet.

The seawater danced and rose, the surging waves also surged, rose, expanded, and enveloped the faces of the four people.

From the calm depths of the sea came a sound like shattering glass, crackling and splintering, the sound echoing and dissolving into the dim environment.

The black smoke that appeared around Dagon bound the four people, coldly trapping them in place and letting them be swallowed by the smoke.

The ever-heating, accelerating black smoke was enough to make one's mind boil.

It was as if every blood vessel had swelled up, and the contents inside had been replaced with something completely different from blood.

"Therefore, let your sacrifice witness the coming of the great one who will play the melody here."

The moment Dagon finished speaking, the world suddenly returned to the prison tower it had been in before, and all the water that had just submerged everything disappeared.

It seemed like just an illusion, but one change remained—

The amorphous black smoke continued to bind Ritsuka and the other three.

Then, in the room between the trials of 'anger', 'greed', and 'envy', the 'Between of Pride' appeared. An unknown melody, resonating throughout the prison tower, emanated from the doorway, to which Dagon respectfully bowed.

But a slight sense of disharmony instantly arose in the minds of everyone present, including Dagon.

If the previous melody was beautiful yet twisted, then the tune now should be described as gentle and solemn. The sound appeared and disappeared in the air, gradually spreading, but there was no time to think about it anymore, because as the gate between arrogance slowly opened, the melody also gradually disappeared. It was the kind of melody that you could not remember at all once it disappeared.

The moment the door to 'Arrogance' opened, a tsunami-like roar erupted from within. Everyone present looked up in unison, as immense pressure swept outwards like a tidal wave. But then, before a cough could even be heard, it vanished effortlessly.

A figure stood tall and proud, slowly emerging from the 'arrogance', his aura as imposing as if suppressing all the heavens.

"Long time no see. I was wondering how to stop this melody, but I didn't expect it could be stopped like this."

It was a face that everyone except Dagon was very familiar with. It was Novia, who had returned from the world of Prisma Illya after the Fourth Singularity. But before the four could exclaim in surprise, Dagon instinctively knelt down on the ground, his head and hands breaking off at the same time, and he prostrated himself in an extremely bizarre manner.

"You, you..."

The fish head that Dagon had abruptly broken off and fallen to the side made a sound of fear.

According to the Bible:

The Philistines moved the Ark of the Covenant to the temple where they worshipped their statues and placed it next to Dagon, intending for the Ark of God to be worshipped alongside Dagon.

But the next day, when people came to the temple of Dagon to worship Dagon, they were surprised to find that the idol of their chief god Dagon was lying face down in front of the Ark of the Covenant, as if kneeling in worship. The Philistines then put the idol back up and placed it next to the Ark of the Covenant of the One and Only God.

On the third day, when they came to worship, they were shocked to find that the statue of their god Dagon had its head and arms broken, and was lying prostrate before the Ark of the Covenant. From that moment on, they stopped worshipping Dagon, because they realized that their god was not a god and could not even save them.