Even though he was stunned that a Rogue Deity would use such a high-tech device as a smartphone, Kusanagi Godou's attention was immediately caught by a specific word Anna used "Master."
"What the...?! Are you kidding me?!" Godou blurted out, drawing everyone's eyes. "Is she another Subordinate Deity of that Heretic Savior?!"
"Hmm... Heretic Savior?" John Pluto Smith asked. Even behind his mask, his voice carried a tone of deep intrigue. "Are you referring to the one who slew Marquis Voban and defeated you twice? The Strongest Rogue Deity?"
"Exactly," Godou felt his soul leaving his body again. Those people had been gone for nearly a month; were they finally back? "And more importantly, she can summon multiple Subordinate Deities, each with power rivaling a top-tier Rogue Deity."
"The Heretic Savior who killed that old wolf Voban, huh?" Luo Hao (Sect Leader) looked genuinely interested. "A deity capable of killing my eternal rival must be magnificent indeed."
Ritsuka (from afar): fu**, Kojirō was the one who killed him, what does that have to do with me?!
"Do you know her True Name, King Kusanagi?" Luo Hao asked.
"No, I don't," Godou frowned. "She's likely a Medieval Witch type, but that category is too broad to pinpoint."
Anna Goldi (Medea) cried silently in her heart: Even if I told you my name, you wouldn't find it on Google... sometimes being obscure is a blessing.
"The True Name isn't the issue right now!" Smith interrupted, his voice grave. "Don't forget why she pulled out that phone she's calling for reinforcements. There will be other Rogue Deities coming to aid her. We don't know the number, but it won't be less than four."
"This is a disaster..." Godou sighed. What was supposed to be a 3-way war was turning into a multiversal raid.
"Hmph, it matters not," Luo Hao said with absolute arrogance. "As a King of God-slayers, one must possess the courage to face any challenge!"
Godou: That's why I never wanted to be a 'King' in the first place...
As the Campiones argued and the Rogue Deities kept their guard, several streaks of light suddenly descended from the sky.
Anna's face lit up. "Finally! The cavalry is here!"
"Hey, hey, hey! Sorry for the wait!" The leading woman waved cheerfully as she landed beside Anna. "Sorry, sorry! We took a little detour to buy some fruit on the way."
"Is buying fruit more important than helping me?!" Anna immediately snapped. "And seriously... even though I said 'anyone is fine,' for Master to send YOU... I can already feel her malicious sense of humor. Should I offer a prayer for those three on the other side?"
"Oh, stop it! Since those three 'disciples' are acting up, it's only right for me their Master to step in!" The woman laughed, completely unbothered.
"Good grief... I'm not even a front-line combatant. I only came here to help because I wanted to buy the new Daisenryaku game," a male voice complained. A man with long dark hair looked like he was suffering from a permanent migraine.
"Now, now. Anna helped Me before, so it's only fair I return the favor," a gentle female voice echoed. "This time, I won't even charge a fee."
"Thank you so much!" Anna looked genuinely touched. "Every penny saved counts!"
"For a Witch, you've really hit rock bottom, haven't you?" the grumpy man teased.
Anna bristled. "We are not Witches! We were slandered! I still wonder why I don't have the [Innocent Monster] skill. You have no idea how much being beheaded hurts!"
While the newcomers bickered, Godou and the others studied the "reinforcements":
A woman wearing a wide-brimmed hat and Buddhist beads, carrying a staff. She wore mostly white, and despite her religious attire, she radiated a certain "charismatic" beauty. A classic black-haired beauty.
A stern, cold-looking man in a red coat over a black suit. He had long black hair and looked like a man who was overworked to the point of exhaustion.
A handsome young man with gauntlets and elaborate trousers. His fit body was adorned with peony patterns, and he wore a mysterious, playful smile. At first glance, one might even mistake him for a girl.
A refined gentleman in a sharp suit, his left hand gloved in white. His black hair transitioned into blue, glowing like electrical circuits. His right side was completely replaced by bronze-colored machinery, and his blue eyes seemed to be scanning the very laws of physics.
A woman in a magnificent Jūnihitoe (twelve-layered kimono) with long black hair reaching her ankles. Her hair had tufts that looked like cat ears. Despite her gentle smile, Godou felt a primal fear of death just by looking at her.
"Ho ho, this is interesting," the handsome youth smiled, locking his eyes on Luo Hao. "The Martial Arts King, is it?"
"Anyway, even though I hate this tradition..." the cold man put out his cigar and massaged his temples. "If we don't announce our True Names, the other side won't back down, right? What a stupid setting."
"Heroic Spirit, [Anna Goldi], manifesting under the Caster Class! A-ha-ha! Would you like to try being burned at the stake? Or perhaps a beheading?" The dark witch laughed wildly.
"Heroic Spirit, [Xuanzang Sanzang], manifesting under the Caster Class! You three over there disobedient, naughty, and traitorous disciples! Let your Master give you a proper education!" The monk announced her name, making the three Rogue Deities (Sun Wukong and his brothers) freeze in shock.
"Heroic Spirit, [Zhuge Liang], or perhaps [El-Melloi II]. Call me whatever you like. Manifesting under the Caster Class." The cold man swallowed a few stomach pills and announced a name that was legendary in China.
"Heroic Spirit, [Yan Qing], manifesting under the Assassin Class! Hahaha! A 'Martial Arts King'? A wanderer has no need for a King!" The youth challenged Luo Hao with a provocative grin.
"Heroic Spirit, [Nikola Tesla], descending as an Archer! Hmph! Come and witness the genius of the Professor of Lightning!" The suited man boasted, electricity crackling around him.
"Heroic Spirit, [Ryōgi Shiki], manifesting as a Saber. To borrow a phrase from Me... as long as it lives, I can kill even a God." The woman in the kimono smiled, her name being one that none of them had ever heard before.
Looking at the six legends standing ready for battle, Kusanagi Godou broke into a cold sweat.
"This time... we're really in for it..."
The Three-Way War on the Sacred Mountain
The three Campiones, the three Rogue Deities, and the six Heroic Spirits faced off. To them, everyone outside their own group was an enemy.
"Stop joking!" Sun Wukong roared. "How could my Master be such a shameless woman?!"
"Actually, I think this kind of Master is pretty great..." Zhu Bajie whispered, only to be glared at by Wukong.
"The other side... besides the two unknown names, the other four are high-tier legends..." Godou noted. "Wait, why is there a scientist? Wasn't Oppenheimer enough? Now we have Nikola Tesla?!"
"You dared to say a King is unnecessary," Luo Hao was completely triggered by Yan Qing. "Even if you are an 'Outlaw of the Marsh' from an era before mine, martial arts is about mastery. Do you have the guts to duel me?!"
"The phrase is 'Learning has no rank, mastery comes first,' right?" Yan Qing happily accepted. "No problem. Don't cry when you lose!"
The two martial arts masters clashed instantly. Simultaneously, Sanzang and Sun Wukong began their "Master-Disciple" brawl, palms and staff clashing in a blur.
Anna Goldi took on Sha Wujing and Zhu Bajie alone. Though she was slightly overwhelmed, she didn't seem to care.
Nikola Tesla locked onto fellow "American" John Pluto Smith. The battle between the Professor of Lightning and the Lord of the Underworld was about to explode.
Kusanagi Godou faced Ryōgi Shiki. Despite her gentle smile, her eyes made him feel like he was already dead.
And Zhuge Liang, claiming he wasn't a "front-line fighter," stood back as the Commander and Strategist, ready to provide support whenever needed.
The three-way chaos had officially begun on the soil of Japan.