Meanwhile, in the Blood Coliseum of the Mainyu Capital, a masked purple-haired woman stood in the arena, with an irresistible pair of cyan-blue eyes that looked past the stack of corpses at her left and right.
Humanoid and monstrous forms alike piled up; their glassy eyes stretched by horror and staring at the purple-haired woman.
A 20-meter-tall ebony reptile growled a couple feet back, its poisonous blood streaming down the spikes that protruded from its massive scales.
The masked woman stepped forward, and her hands jerked forth. Lilac flame ribbons rolled out, carrying a cluster of flaming butterflies as they smashed into the reptile's throat, tearing it off with one flaming swipe, and sending the corpse reeling to the right—forming a perfectly symmetrical pile of gore around the purple-haired woman.
"20...Great Expansion monsters! All first-class war slaves from the Sanctuary! As expected from Your Eminence's student, throughout the Purple Dawn Continent, no one is worthier of becoming our god's avatar than Lady Ishtar," several priestesses marveled at the masked girl's divine power, wondering where Akamana had gotten her hands on such a prodigy.
Hidden behind semi-transparent red curtains, the Grand Priestess didn't answer, looking at Ishtar with a gentle and caring look.
"Giving such a fine seedling to Ahriman...is indeed a pity," Akamana said. And on the arena, Ishtar raised her hands, causing the blood and gore to turn into particles of light and pour into her chest.
"Kill...absorb...kill...absorb.
Kill...protect...protect...Mithras." In a trance, Ishtar whispered nonstop, unknowingly deepening the smile on Akamana's lips.
Only a person with a pure and authentic heart could become Ahriman's vessel. If not for that pesky requirement, Akamana would have much rather kept Ishtar on her side and trained her into a leader of the next era.
Meanwhile, the Red Cloud Theocracy got moving, sending a trio of elder priests to investigate the loss of one Red Priest and two Red Cloud Pythons. Mithras handled the investigation with a simple trick: creating a bigger problem.
First, while Gaiseric and Cassandra bought him time, Mithras relied on Nagini to infiltrate the Red Cloud Theocracy's Bluefire Undercity, locating their nest of Red Cloud Pythons.
Akamana rewarded her handsomely, deepening the relationship between the two theocracies. Mithras had been wanting to deal with this woman for a while now and couldn't wait to have her begging at his feet.
However...
"Who or what I plan to do there is my business. You're not in a position to be asking so much. The clock is ticking, and not in your favor." This wasn't the time to fight. Mithras was in a hurry, ready to dip as soon as he got what he needed from Suri.
"I see," Lady Achai lowered her head, sighing with a helpless look. But the moment next, she was bolting at Mithras, leaving trails of dazzling blue flames as she clawed at the Human Aphrodisiac's neck.
Too slow to react, Mithras couldn't avoid the blow—not that he had to. Scarlet tails shot out of his sleeves, slamming into Lady Achai's chest, and sending her crashing into the opposite wall.
The three Golden Palace rank pythons made their entrance, hissing at Lady Achai as they surrounded Mithras in a defensive formation.
"Not the best idea you've had today. You are strong, but not stronger than a Red Cloud Python at the Golden Palace rank. I have three on my side, and a little treat to boost them whenever." Mithras snapped his fingers, causing a burst of divine red flames to light the pythons on fire.
"Py...Pyrogasmic...Genesis?" Recognizing the Red God's unique flame in all three pythons, the headmistress panicked, crawling out of the wall, and rushing towards the exit.
One scarlet tail lunged forth, wrapping around Suri's waist, and pulling her towards Mithras.
The combination of the pythons' strength and the Pyrogasmic Genesis was too much to bear—easily overpowering the headmistress' defenses.
Lowering Lady Achai onto his lap, Mithras looked straight into the woman's flaming eyes, stroked her cheek, and whispered in her ear:
"Now, cute headmistress, I'm gonna ask again...and while I'm being nice about it, you better give me what I want...lest I start training the hussy in you into a lovely and obedient girlie.
Your call."