Souta found Gilgamesh's attitude toward him rather inexplicable.
He knew the King of Heroes despised the gods, but the deities of D&D and those of the Nasuverse were two completely different things, weren't they?
They had nothing to do with each other, yet Gilgamesh still held a grudge?
After thinking it over, Souta could only blame it on the concept of faith.
In the Nasuverse, gods were categorized into different types, including conceptual deities akin to nature worship—divine spirits born from the personification of natural forces, sustained by faith.
Gilgamesh had probably mistaken him for that kind of existence.
After all, the scent of faith clung to him thickly.
If he didn't completely withdraw his divine power into his domain, then for those with keen perception, he would shine like a beacon in the dark.
"So this is what they call getting dragged into trouble for no reason?"
Souta chuckled to himself.
He had intended to take down Goldie from the start, not make friends with him.
So why should he care about Gilgamesh's attitude?
With that mindset, Souta soared into the sky and teleported the King of Heroes—who was about to unleash EA—right into the center of Iskandar's army.
A purely malicious tactic meant to disgust his opponent.
Gilgamesh barely managed to dodge the incoming barrage of long weapons.
The enemies were too close, restricting his movements.
If he activated EA at this range, the shockwave might drag him into the destruction as well.
Gilgamesh shouted as he evaded another strike.
With his call, dozens of golden portals materialized.
Swords, axes, spears, and halberds—treasures gleaming with magical light poured out in a massive bombardment, clearing a fifty-meter radius around him in an instant.
However, Iskandar's army was not so easily subdued.
Those positioned further back raised their spears, turning them into throwing weapons, and hurled them toward Gilgamesh.
The sky filled with hundreds of whistling projectiles, roaring like thunder through the air.
Sensing the overwhelming threat, Gilgamesh immediately deployed the legendary shield used in the Trojan War—the original Rho Aias.
Seven layers of translucent, petal-like barriers materialized, overlapping into a solid defense.
A conceptual armament with absolute resistance against thrown weapons.
Each petal was as sturdy as an ancient city wall.
Weapons rained down from every direction.
Gilgamesh had no choice but to spin rapidly, using the shield's coverage to deflect the incoming projectiles.
Even so, some spears still struck him. Though they failed to pierce through his golden armor, the sheer force of impact twisted his expression in pain.
He couldn't afford to waste any more time.
Before the second volley arrived, he lifted EA with all his might, preparing to annihilate the entire Reality Marble in one strike.
Souta acted first, stopping time.
It wasn't a wide-area time freeze but a targeted one—freezing only the objects within his sight.
In an instant, Gilgamesh was immobilized.
His furious expression remained frozen in place, the swirling energy of his weapon silenced in an eerie stillness.
Souta simply stood there, watching the motionless King of Heroes, patiently waiting for Iskandar's army to unleash their second wave and turn him into a pincushion.
But unfortunately, the attack never came.
"Hmm?" Floating midair, Souta glanced toward Iskandar.
Across the battlefield, their gazes met.
Seated atop his warhorse, the Conqueror King regarded Souta with a stern, unreadable expression—he had no intention of assisting in the kill.
Yet he also wasn't angry at Souta.
After all, Gilgamesh had initiated the attack. From Iskandar's perspective, Souta was merely retaliating in kind.
Though slightly displeased at having his opponent taken away, Iskandar chose to remain a spectator, observing Souta's battle against a fellow king.
"These people are so stubborn. Can't they adapt even a little?"
Souta sighed, sensing his divine power depleting rapidly, and immediately released the time stop on Gilgamesh.
Time stop was indeed a broken ability, but using it against an enemy of this level consumed an absurd amount of divine energy.
The moment he regained his freedom, Gilgamesh instantly realized what had happened.
Souta's strength... had caught him off guard.
Yet Souta didn't press the attack.
Instead, he descended from the sky, landing five meters away from Gilgamesh.
"Looks like the Conqueror King has left you to me."
Souta gazed at Gilgamesh with curiosity.
"Can I ask why you attacked me in the first place?"
Gilgamesh stared at him coldly, instantly perceiving the indifference in Souta's eyes.
It was the same kind of disdain a god would hold for a struggling mortal—a sheer, unshakable arrogance.
How utterly insolent!
"As expected, you are no different from those other mongrels."
His expression remained regal, hardened with authority.
"Though I did not expect to encounter a god in this era."
"The Age of Gods has long since faded—are you merely clinging to existence?"
"A god?" Souta raised a brow. "What makes you think that?"
"Hmph, at least have some self-awareness, mongrel. The stench of faith on you is so strong it makes me want to pinch my nose!"
Gilgamesh made a disgusted expression.
Others might not notice it, but he—who had spent his life dealing with gods—certainly could.
"You're overthinking it."
With a single thought, Souta completely withdrew his divine presence.
All at once, he no longer radiated the overwhelming presence of a god, instead appearing like an ordinary young man from next door.
He shrugged. "I'm nothing like the gods from your world. Look—do I still seem like one now?"
"Pathetic." Gilgamesh sneered. "Mongrel, your arrogant demeanor alone gives you away."
"No, if we're talking about arrogance, I could never compare to you."
Souta refuted without hesitation.
"No matter how you look at it, I'm far better than someone who treats other people's tragedies as entertainment. You exist just to make life miserable for others."
"Oh?" Gilgamesh's eyes glinted with amusement.
"Good or evil—it makes no difference to me. Their suffering brings me joy, and that is their honor."
Gilgamesh suddenly found himself reevaluating Souta.
"For a god, you are surprisingly naïve."
"Sorry, I'm a modern man. I don't care for your outdated kingly philosophies."
Souta shot back without hesitation.
"If you treat people like playthings, don't be surprised when someone treats you the same way."
Gilgamesh's lips curled into a scornful smirk.
"A god who insists on masquerading as a common man... you really are an interesting mongrel!"
His tone shifted, filled with utter disdain.
"A king must act as a king. A god... must act as a god. You, an existence caught between, are an insult to both."
"Allow me to correct that mistake myself!"