This is no time to play at being a heroic warrior at the front lines. I have no idea what this Child of the Sun can do, so I'll have to go all-out from the start. I've already increased my density to the maximum and become the ultimate shield; now I need the ultimate spear to take my opponent down with a single hit.

Well, as ultimate as I can make it right now.

I think the best is the spirit spear, which I haven't used in a while. It's only because the plasma breath has been more useful against the enemies I've had to face recently. But it's still one of the most powerful spells against those with magic protection, which the gods most likely all have built into their bodies. After all, it seems to pierce magic barriers effortlessly.

With a simple thought, an array of light appears over my head, and within a split second, they shoot at the onyx-skinned god before me. They don't even have the time to dodge, as the spears pierce their body.

No, the light actually didn't pierce - it was absorbed.

The white lines on Aorutihaua's body begin to glow as if having taken over the luminosity of the spirit spears. I should have known, that the Child of the Sun would be immune to light-based magic, considering the sun is the most powerful source of light. Instead of causing damage, they were only buffed up by the spell.

Then how about plasma? I transform my right arm into a dragon cannon and build up a powerful shot inside. That's when Aorutihaua moves for the first time since their first appearance before me.

They're bowing at a beautiful ninety-degree angle, like a politician apologizing for a scandal, their arms at the sides of their body.

Huh?

Then they lean forward even more, before flying towards me without warning. I have enough presence of mind to shoot the plasma at the approaching enemy, and they disappear in the beam. Emerging from the beam, the spiked helmet goes straight into the opening of my plasma cannon. Barreling through my arm and splitting it apart up to the shoulder, the Child of the Sun exits near my back again.

So that's what hit me earlier. No tricks, no magic, it was a head-butt with that spiked helmet. The cannon barrel was my only structural weakness in my otherwise extremely dense body, and they aimed for it right away. I don't really feel any pain, because I rarely recreate nerves in my body anymore, ever since the incident of getting blown up from the inside happened. I couldn't imagine how this would have hurt if I had been able to feel it.

But I noticed one thing when they were inside me for that short moment: I didn't have a sense of rejection that I got from Korenga when I tried to swallow her during our battle. This means that the onyx skin isn't a curse from Mataku, and it's what the Child of the Sun looks like normally. In other words, even if they're fast, I can still just take them inside my body, where I can lock them down, if not outright digest.

Spinning around with my ruined arm, I do my best to mend the damage while spotting out the enemy. They're standing a distance away, angling their body for another attack.

Come!

As the child shoots at me, I focus my density around the impact point but increase the malleability underneath it. The spiked helmet pierces through the dragon carapace that covers my chest and travels further inside. If I had been at normal density, I would have had a hole punched into my body. However, now they get stuck in the rubber-like layer I formed underneath the armor.

"[Seeking the bosom of a woman, you're still just a child, huh?]" I quip even under these circumstances when I look down at myself. They're magnificently stuck inside me up to their shoulders, with their body straight like an arrow. "[I'll take you in anytime you want.]"

With this, I open up a gate into the unfathomable abyss that is the inside of my body and pull the Child of the Sun into it.

I regret it immediately when I feel the heat rising. This is on a whole different level compared to Felgar's flames, which were already enough to heat the dragon armor up to near their melting point. Luckily, I did recreate nerves for the sake of gauging whether they can create a fire inside me and whether my body can handle it or not. Clearly, it can't, and I immediately spit the child out again.

What's with all the enemies lately being ones I can't eat? I thought the dragon carapace would allow for me to protect my insides against situations like the fire mage causing an explosion in my stomach, but its magic resistance doesn't work to the degree I'd like it to against the power of these gods. Essentially, they're just like the sorcerers, who use an advanced kind of magic. In other words, I shouldn't rely on it against those either, when the time comes.

So, what now? Spirit spears and plasma are useless, and I can't eat them. The only way is to fight physically then? But why does it feel like it'll be an exercise in futility, just like it was against Korenga? Is it because the black skin reminds me of that indestructible goddess?

I dodge just in time to narrowly avoid getting pierced by that spiked helmet again. Maybe that's their only way of attacking, so what would happen, if I were to remove that helmet? But I can barely follow their movements, so catching them mid-flight should be impossible. And I don't want to risk taking them inside my body again, in case the retaliation comes much faster and stronger this time.

When Aorutihaua angles their body again, I create boosters in the front of my body, and the moment they move, I shoot backward myself. If I can't follow their speed, I just need to lower it through relativity, by moving in the same direction. This way, the projectile-like god coming straight for me appears much slower, and I find the time to grab their shoulders.

Surprised, they come to an abrupt halt, and I'm barely able to hold on. Only that my aim is the helmet, which I hang onto while using my backward momentum to pull it off of their head.

It actually comes off surprisingly easily, and I fall flat on my ass. At my speed, I flip over myself and roll across the ground several times, before skidding to a halt on my back. With a quick motion, I get up to my feet again and look at the helmet in my hands. The material is incredibly heavy and feels cool to the touch, but I can't tell whether it's something magical or not. Well, considering the spike broke through dragon armor and still looks perfectly pointy means that there must be something special about it.

Then I look up to the Child of the Sun, to see what the face under the helmet looks like. As expected, it's onyx-colored skin covered with white markings as well. Two large streaks are running straight down from the pupil-less eyes like tears. The hair is actually medium-length and seems to be made of white crystals.

What catches me off-guard is their expression. I thought they would be angry at having the helmet stolen, or act indifferent about it, saying something along the lines of 'that was my limiter'. However, neither of those scenarios is the case. Instead, Aorutihaua is staring at me wide-eyed, with quivering lips and a face that suggests they're close to tears.

"[Give it baaack!]" Running forward while flailing their arms, they seem to have completely reverted to a simple child. The voice sounds androgynous as well, so I can't tell whether that's a boy or a girl.

I hold the helmet up, obviously having no intention of giving it back.

"[You meanie!]" Now, they're hopping up and down, apparently having completely forgotten the jumping strength they displayed moments ago. Is this even the same person? Split personality? Was their power actually coming from the helmet?

"[What are you even?]" I ask while putting a hand on Aorutihaua's head.

"[I'm Aorutihaua, Child of the Sun!]" For a moment, they seem to regain their composure a little to announce this, but when I don't react with the awe they seem to have expected, their facade crumbles again. "Auuu..."

"[I mean, are you a boy or a girl?]" Exerting force on their head, I put some emphasis into my question.

"[I don't understand.]" They answer with a genuine questioning look, apparently not feeling the pressure of my fingers at all.

So this child is genderless? That somehow doesn't feel right. Even though some of them seem like living concepts, the gods all have genders - except for Roamukao, that is. But that one also didn't seem like it was born by someone, and just came into being through nature. Child of the Sun implies somebody's child unless it's supposed to be literal. And that would make even less sense.

"[Give it back!]" Struggling against my grip, Aorutihaua tries to climb up my body to take the helmet back from me.

"[Alright, but under the condition that you won't attack me anymore.]" I let go of the child and step back from them.

"[H-huh? But I can't do that. I was told to kill you, and all the other rebels.]" Tilting their head with a difficult expression, they reply innocently.

"[Who told you that? The God King?]" It doesn't seem like their actions stem from fear of the God King, or they would have shown it.

"[No, it was his advisor.]" Just like a child, Aorutihaua gets roped into a conversation with me, despite having tried to kill me just earlier.

"[Why do you listen to that advisor?]" This may become interesting.

"[Because he said that you came to kill mama!]" As if remembering this fact, they come at me again and try to take the helmet back. "[That was a present from mama! Give it baaack!]"

"[Who's your mama?]" I purposefully speak in a child-like manner, to stay on the same wavelength as this child before me.

"[God of the Sun, Areteniha.]" Pointing up into the sky, Aorutihaua states with pride, before remembering that I still have their helmet. "[Now give it back already, you stupid cow!]"

They slap my breasts, and I feel something snap in me. I use the helmet to bash the child over the head, upon which they fall on their bottom while holding the place in obvious pain. So, they feel it when it's the helmet, huh?

"[Stop your whining! We didn't come here to kill your mama. In the first place, how could we down here ever reach her up there?]" This is still a battlefield, but I take my time to scold them. "[I'll give your helmet back, so go back to your mama's side and leave us alone.]"

"[I... I can't.]" They reply with a downcast look. "[I lost my Golden Shawl, so I can't get back to mama. The advisor said he would help me find it...]"

"[But he's been busy, huh?]" That advisor sounds very suspicious to me.

"[H-how did you know?]" Surprised, Aorutihaua blinks at me.

"[I'll help you find it, so let us through, alright? I have an idea where that Golden Shawl could have disappeared to.]" Patting the child's head, I state with a smile, before handing them the helmet back.

"[Really? Do you promise?]" Their face lights up at my offer immediately.

"[I keep my word, unlike that advisor.]" With a jab at that suspicious person, I help the Child of the Sun up to their feet.

"[Then I won't get in your way anymore!]" They put their helmet back on, before bowing in my direction. For a second, a shiver runs down my spine at the sight, thinking that they're going to charge at me again. Then they straighten their back and point at the closed city gate behind us. "[Let me help you get in.]"

Without waiting for my reply, Aorutihaua angles their body in the direction of the massive gate, before taking off like an arrow loosed from a bowstring. Only that this arrow is as thick as a battering ram and has the punching power of a meteorite.

When they connect to the steel gate, the sound of metal being hit once rings across the battlefield. My jaw drops when I see that one entire wing is bent out of shape and smashed inwards. The way into the city is opened just like that.

Hmph, I'm not surprised. I'm sure, Korenga could have done it with a single punch, too!

But she's still embroiled in her duel against her ex-husband. Neither seems to have the upper hand, and I feel like their battle could continue until around midnight when the Black God's timer runs out. Well, as long as she keeps the God of War occupied here, I have no complaints. We'll just go ahead and kill the God King while he's out here banging his head against a brick wall. Just have to be done by the time Korenga falls asleep.

"[Follow me!]" I rally the Tokomaha clones behind me, who had been scattered and fighting on their own without my command since I was occupied with Aorutihaua. My children have finished up the entire cavalry unit and are rampaging through the human soldiers in their dragon forms. I'd rather take them along inside, to keep them in my sight, so I raise my voice. "[THAT GOES FOR YOU TWO, TOO!]"

Oops, a little too loud. It boomed across the entire battlefield, and everybody is holding their ringing ears now. I'll have to practice shouting with a dragon's throat more since I usually don't do it and overdid it this time.

I see Uten and Saten coming my way, smashing humans aside and stomping others in their way. Good thing, they're quite obedient, so they don't cause any problems for me. I'm sure they'll grow up fast and become more and more independent quickly, though.

"[Make straight for the palace. Don't fight in the streets unless absolutely necessary. Let's put an end to this quickly.]" I turn my body into soldier mode again and instruct the Tokomaha troops as well as the twins. "[I assume that most or all of the Six Arms are out here right now. Pakangaroa, Tahiri's children, and that fat gold bastard should all be members, and maybe Aorutihaua was one, too.]"

"[Ah, no, I'm not a member of the Six Arms.]" The Child of the Sun's voice suddenly comes from behind me, and I spin around in surprise. I thought they had already left the battlefield after opening the gate, but apparently that wasn't the case. "[Pakangaroa and Kouratua are the only members here.]"

I assume Kouratua is the golden man fighting Awhina. Their battle hasn't seen a conclusion even now, and I assume it'll go on for quite a while until either finds the perfect opening to take out the other. I seriously hope that Awhina's stamina will last since she isn't used to fighting for long periods of time.

Wait a second... only two of them came out here, even though they knew we were coming? They're looking down on us way too much. But doesn't that mean there are four more people with pretty strong powers still in the city? And there's also the matter of the God Fist, who apparently is the God King's right-hand man. He must be on a different level compared to the others.

"[Oh well, we'll deal with them when the time comes.]" I pet Aorutihaua, although it's basically just their helmet. "[Do you know who the other members are?]"

"[The God King's two guards are also members, although I don't know their names. Another one isn't here right now.]" They reply in a thoughtful tone. "[Ah, one of them returned just a few days ago. I think her name was Rapania.]"

Huh? Rapania is one of the Six Arms? Isn't she actually really weak? Maybe it was just that Tahiri was overwhelmingly strong, so her real strength didn't come across. In either case, she had a device that could temporarily disintegrate the God of Storm, so I'll have to be careful. After all, I'm not a living concept, and I can't turn my body intangible; if I get disintegrated, I don't think I'll be able to reform.

"[Thank you, Aorutihaua.]" I pet them once again.

"[Don't forget your promise.]" I can't see their expression through the helmet, but there's a hint of enjoyment in their voice at being pet. Can they feel through the helmet?

"[You have my word.]" I then turn to my companions, and I raise my newly formed dragon spear. "[Move out!]"

The capital city is unexpectedly quiet and empty. Then again, the citizens were most likely told to stay in their homes, since there's a battle raging outside the walls. Not a single soul can be found in the streets after we broke through the defensive lines stationed right behind the broken gate. It makes our journey to the palace easier, so I won't complain.

But I have to say, that's really a massive building; from down here, I can appreciate the work that must have gone into it. It's a gigantic pyramid with three staggered layers. The lowest has a balcony extended outwards, where the monarch can address his subjects from, while the upper two are wider and feature vegetation hanging down like green waterfalls cut off right after their drop.

I can imagine why a human being could feel like a god when looking down at the world from up there. Unlike a natural mountain, it's a place made to elevate one individual above the rest of the people. That can get to people's heads pretty quickly. I'll make sure to drag this God King down from his seat and back to earth, regardless of whether he's really a god or only human.

But first, we'll have to get there. An army is surrounding the pyramid, and a host is coming straight at us through the main street that's as wide as a football field. It's not going to be as easy to get to our destination as breaking through the gate made it feel.

Still, these are human soldiers, and Korenga isn't anywhere near me.

"[Tokomaha, don't tell Korenga about this.]" I turn to one of the clones closest to me. Or maybe that's the real one, I can't really tell. "[Uten, Saten.]"

"[Yes, mama?]" The twins ask in unison.

"[It's time to eat.]" With a grin that splits my cheeks to my ears, I announce. They immediately understand what I mean, and their expressions become something similarly demonic to what mine should be like.

I create boosters on my back and leave the Tokomaha army behind me, as I fly forward, flanked by my two children in their dragon forms. Right before I reach the enemy lines, I expand and grow into a formless mass of flesh and tentacles. Rolling into the human army, I engulf and swallow everything in my path.

It's a feast!