"So... you've come for me."
Aphrodite's eyes locked onto Phoenix, instantly comprehending the purpose behind her summoning.
For a Campione to call forth a Heretic God, there could only be one reason - to claim the divine power of the god.
Aphrodite's gaze toward Phoenix turned instantly cold. Being dragged out of mythology by a Campione to serve as prey would never bring joy to any god or mortal.
"A Campione! You must be a newly born one, aren't you? To summon a god for slaughter just after becoming a Campione—and even a main god! How utterly reckless!"
Standing atop her massive seashell, Aphrodite observed the Campione before her. The curse power emanating from the girl revealed she was no seasoned veteran of the Campione ranks, but rather a newly minted member.
Though Aphrodite herself wasn't a combat deity, she remained a main god nonetheless. A seasoned Campione with years of experience might pose a challenge, but a newly born one...
It was simply suicidal!
"Though I've only recently become a Campione, I still... have full confidence in defeating you, Aphrodite." Phoenix smiled at Aphrodite's words, showing no concern whatsoever.
Being a Campione was merely a part-time job for her. Phoenix had never intended to rely on a Campione's power for anything!
The Valkyrie was her true primary profession.
Though the Valkyrie title lacked the imposing grandeur of the Campione moniker!
"Is that so...? If you're so confident, then unleash your full power and see if you can send me back to mythology!"
"I am one of the Twelve Olympian Gods, the goddess of love and beauty, patroness of sailors, and deity of carnal desire!"
Hearing Phoenix's words, Aphrodite seemed to bristle with barely contained anger.
In both Greek and Olympian mythology, Aphrodite had never been portrayed as a particularly benevolent goddess. Her numerous infidelities aside...
During the "Golden Apple Incident," Aphrodite bribed Prince Paris of Troy, promising him Helen's love—the most beautiful mortal woman—if he declared her the fairest goddess.
This act ignited the Trojan War, making Aphrodite the true mastermind behind the conflict.
Though Aphrodite possessed peerless beauty, her heart proved equally peerless in its wickedness.
Truth be told, none of the Olympian gods could be considered virtuous. Their pantheon proved even more chaotic than Japan's, particularly when it came to family dynamics.
The complexity was enough to make one's scalp prickle.
Even their own God King was a great stallion, constantly in heat and showing no mercy even to those closest to him.
When he got particularly worked up, he'd transform into a bull and mate in broad daylight...
"Though I usually don't make advances on beautiful women, your power! I must have it!" Phoenix still found great beauty irresistible, especially when it came to peerless beauties like this.
But that didn't mean she couldn't act decisively.
In the previous world, she hadn't hesitated to confront countless Valkyries destined by Schicksal. After all, no Valkyrie could ever be considered unattractive.
So how could Phoenix possibly hold back from this slutty goddess?
The thunderous spear in her hand shot forward toward the beautiful goddess.
Yet Aphrodite remained utterly calm as the spear approached. She watched it with an indifferent expression, then casually waved her arm - an arm so perfect it defied description.
For many people, especially men... that hand alone might have been enough to satisfy them for a lifetime.
As Aphrodite's jade-like hand moved, a flock of white... doves suddenly appeared around her.
The white doves faced the incoming lightning spear and charged toward it like moths to a flame.
In an instant, they extinguished the lightning spear.
"Doves..." Phoenix paused.
It made sense. Doves were one of Aphrodite's symbols.
Many statues of Aphrodite depicted her holding a snow-white dove in her arms.
But these doves could actually destroy lightning? That's intriguing...
"Then... can you block this? Aphrodite, dissipate under the sun god's radiance! Solar Glory!"
Ba'al was the Phoenician sun god. He made the sun's light shine upon the earth, allowing all things to grow, which made the Phoenicians fervently worship him.
However, the sun also had times of anger. When the sun god was angry, the sun's light no longer made things grow, but instead destroyed everything.
At that moment, in Phoenix's other hand, a small sun appeared, about the size of a basketball. Phoenix raised both hands, holding the miniature sun aloft.
Golden light shone down upon the earth, filled with destructive power. Even the desert sand began to disperse under the sunlight.
Beelzebub's authority: [ Solar Fury ].
Facing the solar-like authority in Phoenix's hand, Aphrodite's expression instantly shifted. Solar powers, regardless of which mythology they hailed from, were always incredibly potent.
During their previous encounter, Beelzebub had employed this same authority. Even Michael could only barely withstand it, making it equally daunting for Aphrodite.
Though she was a goddess, her dominion lay over love, beauty, and desire—not the kind of authority typically associated with overwhelming combat prowess.
Of course, love, beauty, and desire were themselves immensely powerful forces. People often say that love's power is boundless, and women will spare no effort to preserve their beauty.
As for lust... it's a fundamental impulse shared by nearly every human and most animals.
Facing the radiance that shone upon her, Aphrodite suddenly met Phoenix's eyes. Her own eyes glowed with a faint, luminous light.
In the next moment, Phoenix seemed to be drawn in by Aphrodite's allure—or perhaps bewitched. She dazedly lowered the small sun in her hand, canceling the divine power.
Now staring blankly at Aphrodite, Phoenix suddenly felt as though the goddess before her possessed an overwhelming magic. No force in the world could compare to even a single thread of her power.
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Cutting daily 2 chaps to one for now, until schedule frees up and hardware issues.