While Cindy was busy with trying to heal Richard, Ragnar chased after the woman who had stabbed him.

The chase could be described by many as "epic" with how the two moved through the city. The woman used the shadows to move rapidly through the darkness while Ragnar roared as he brought a two meter tall warhammer clad in lightning.

He moved through the darkness with a bright flash of lightning that did not come with any sound of thunder.

The two eventually stopped in a part far away from the apartment.

Facing each other, the two individuals, a blonde woman wielding a long silver spear and a man wielding a large warhammer.

"To think that the lovestruck Scathach would kill Merlin in cold blood"

Ragnar said with a laugh but his words caused the woman to show a shocked expression asking-

"You knew?"

"Hahaha! It was too obvious! I knew the moment I was able to manifest independently without the power of that damned Goddess- she probably knew about it as well... at least, about my manifestation"

"..."

The woman went quiet and said nothing, Ragnar on the other hand let out a sigh as he asked again-

"So? Why did you kill him?"

"He’s going down the wrong path-"

"The wrong path or away from your path?"

"..."

Letting out a tired sigh, Ragnar sat on the ground, the warhammer disappearing as he told the woman.

"You girls have really been messing with the poor man for quite some time."

"It was your people who stopped us from properly welcoming him back!"

"I dunno about that, but I do know that you are acting just like them"

The woman went silent once more, then... in a quiet voice she whispered-

"I... I only wanted to have a life with him... life is enough..."

But her words did not seem to affect Raganar who scoffed as he said.

"Says the woman who stole her daughter’s body, also- what was that act for?! Honestly... it was funny. You knew they were watching and still did all that just to show your appearance! You think Merlin would love you and remember you just because you took on the form of your daughter who was one of the people he truly loved?"

"..."

The woman, the Legendary warrior Scathach did not say anymore. She simply glared at Ragnar with her bright blue eyes.

"Glare at me all you want, your act gave that Goddess a chance she would never pass up"

"She won’t be able to do anything, my curse felled God’s!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

"Well, that Goddess... I think she also did that, maybe even devoured some"

Hearing Ragnar’s words, Scathach felt a sudden need to rush back but-

"Stop, you’ll only get yourself killed"

"I can’t let him recall me with such memories!"

"After what you did with Freyja you think he won’t hate you?"

"..."

The two went silent but at that moment-

*snap*

Ragnar felt something stir and so did Scathach, while Ragnar grinned, Scathach showed a horrified expression.

"No..."

"Told ya"

Scathach fell on her knees, powerless the moment she realized that her actions had caused the destruction of Karma.

"With that, Merlin’s really go-"

Ragnar sighed but as he was about to stand up, Scathach’s voice echoed in the park.

"No-"

Annoyed at the crazy woman, Ragnar raised his gaze towards her and was about to chastise the woman when-

*STAB*

Out of nowhere, the woman’s spear pierced through him. But her silver spear was still in her hand-

How?

Raganar’s thoughts made him look at the spear and was horrified at what he saw-

"Te... Tepes... you- bitch!"

The spear of a comrade he had fought with, a friend from another land who he joined hands with as they fought alongside Merlin.

The spear with no shaft, the point that struck from everywhere-

Tepes... the weapon forged by his comrade through the blood of his enemies and with the help of Merlin himself.

The mark of their brotherhood on the ethereal shaft-

Crossed out...

"You men are the reason... I won’t let you cause anymore problems"

Ragnar tried to fight back but thousands of spears that looked like normal roman spears pierced his body.

They emerged from the shadows and contained a mysterious power, one that Raganar was familiar with but further increased his rage.

"Longinus... you psychotic bi-"

*RIIIIIIIP*

The bearskin that maintained his existence was ripped apart, as it did, a two meter tall warhammer and a tattered spear fell on the ground.

Scathach observed the two items but left the hammer as she took the spear.

"So this is where you were... I thought he’d give it to the others but it was in the mad berserkers possession after all... quite meticulous of you Merlin~♥️"

Madness oozed from the woman’s eyes, her quiet laughter as she clung to the spear emitted a sensual air as she called out the name of her beloved.

She continued her solo act for a few minutes before calming down and vanishing into the shadows.

All traces of the events on the place vanished leaving only a mysterious old warhammer in the part.

Yet, just minutes after she vanished, a man dressed in rags appeared on the spot.

He looked longingly at the warhammer and only touched it lightly before disappearing and-

*Boom*

The loud echo of thunder roared through the quiet night in Tokyo, not a single rain cloud could be seen but a few night owls swore they saw a flash brilliant white lightning shoot into the sky from the ground.

Back to the apartment, Cindy could only stare at the black cocoon that enveloped Richard with a look of extreme worry.

While she didn’t really mind what happened to him and would gladly welcome his demise.

The events that had just occurred made her realize that something bigger was happening behind the scenes. Something that even she would likely be unable to escape from even if she tried.

All she could do now was hope that Ragnar would come back with information like he always does and that Richard would awaken and get even stronger.

Whether he reaches a realm she could never achieve or if Ragnar’s revelation would lead them to fight God was not important anymore.

All Cindy wanted to do was ensure her safety and that could only be achieved if Richard woke up right now but-

<Ragnar perished>

The Goddess manifested and the first thing she said was bad news.

Cindy turned to the cocoon, if Ragnar had died in combat then-

<The perpetrator has disappeared and Richard is safe but->

*BOOOM*

The loud crack of thunder echoed in the dark night, they could see the snaking bolt of lightning desperately reaching into the sky.

<This whole event involves not one but multiple God’s, God’s who your ancestors believe to have long perished or escaped the world.>

The revelation given by the Goddess made Cindy’s blood run cold.

Ghost?

Monsters?

Mad Mystical Practitioners?

Cindy didn’t fear any of those! If they appeared, then she would only need to sic her pets at them. Her army of monsters would take care of all the trouble for her and any damage they endured would be fixed using the souls of her enemies.

Yet God’s?

One God was threatening enough but the words of the Goddess were explicit.

Multiple God’s

She did not simply say "God’s" but added "multiple" to hammer in her point.

There was no misunderstanding, the events that happened were the result of the action done by God’s and this led Cindy to turn towards Yumi-

<She’s innocent, a mere victim but, maybe her circumstances are not as normal as it may seem>

The Goddess waved her hand and a golden light enveloped Yumi and quickly shattered, at that moment, Cindy’s eyes opened wide in shock.

The "Japanese High School Student" before her had changed.

Not her appearance but the nature of her existence...

"A homunculus?"

The student that should have been their first customer was actually a homunculus- an artificial life form.

With that new information...

"A trap..."

It was obvious, the whole thing was a trap, the apartment, everything screamed of danger.

But Richard went head first into it... he trusted his instincts too much, he believed in his ability to see the future a bit too much.

Just like the famous people who died because of their own predictions...

Richard also flew too close to the sun and now he had fallen.

<Richard’s fine, he will awaken soon but we need to do something about this woman>

The goddess pointed at the collapsed girl Yumi who was still unconscious.

The bodies of the Thralls were already dealt with, but they can’t just make Yumi disappear.

Especially since the cameras in the apartment complex recorded them entering with her...

"It’s quite the insidious plot"

<Indeed, it seems that Richard was not a mere "spawn of Merlin" as Ragnar claimed him to be>

"huh?"

<A message was sent, that man is truly an honorable bastard, even in death, he did his best to send a message. He claimed that Richard is not a spawn but the reincarnation of Merlin, moreover, it seems that various powers are out to get him- powers that had existed during the time of Merlin>

Hearing the Goddess words Hana and Cindy went silent and-

"Is it possible for me to give up on following Richard?"

Hana asked while raising her hand, her face showing clear signs of exhaustion and her expression revealed he true feelings-

SHE WAS FED UP WITH THIS SHIT!

It was one thing for Richard to be Merlin’s spawn, but for him to be Merlin himself?

While that was a good prospect, it was only good if Merlin did not have millenia old monsters chasing after his sorry ass!

<Unfortunately, your karma has already been tied to Richard, much like how Ragnar’s Karma only ended upon his death... you would do well to work even harder>

The goddess only left those words she focused her attention back at the black cocoon.

"..."

"..."

The two ladies were completely speechless at the Goddess’ words, unfortunately they could only silently curse at their unfortunate fate now that they basically rode on a sinking ship... well, maybe not "sinking" but it may as well be with the current problems it is facing!

Then, as they lamented their unfortunate fates, the black cocoon started to crack.

Bright light emerged and then-

*SHATTER*

"OHAYO SEKAI!"