Simultaneous Travel: Becoming a Legend in the Heavens.

Chapter 530: The Winner's Reward
The outcome of the battle was a one-sided affair with no suspense whatsoever.

The "Bhikkhu of Gluttony" is undoubtedly the pinnacle among first-class powerhouses, while the "Bhikkhu of Greed" is the strongest of the Great Sin Archbishops, belonging to the T0 level.

But now they are facing Rem, who is equivalent to Ram.

Even with only the original three levels of power, the demon "prodigy" could easily kill the "Bibliotheca of Gluttony." After Luke perfectly repaired the demon's "horn" and diligently nurtured it, it was further sublimated.

The power of the "Bhikkhu of Greed" is strong enough that the "Lion's Heart" combined with the "Little King" can anchor his body in time, making him immune to any attack. On the contrary, his attacks can ignore all defenses, and he can even hold his own against Reinhard for a while.

But the brides who maintained his "invincible" state were frozen, and once his heartbeats stopped, his powers were broken, and he was reduced to a clown who couldn't even get a chance to be ranked.

The extreme winter seemed to freeze even time and space, leaving no time to react. The two powerful "Archbishops of Sin" were turned into ice sculptures in horror, and finally into countless ice shards.

…………

Two dark, viscous, unidentified substances, emanating an aura that corrupted the world, appeared in the void, pulsating incessantly like hearts.

"So this is the 'Witch Factor'? Interesting..."

Luke held the "witch factor" of "greed" and "gluttony" in his palm, examined it carefully, and deciphered the contents of this power.

The object in his palm seemed to have some similarities to Ode Ragnar, the "origin of the world," yet they were also completely opposite, as if they were inherently opposed and destined to fight each other forever.

Even if the "witches" have no ill intentions, they will eventually cause damage to the world and they themselves will not have a good end due to various reasons. This is probably why.

If I had to put it into words, the relationship between the two felt to him somewhat like a mini-youth version of "Madfire" and "Supreme Will".

However, these powers were meaningless to Lu Ke now. After analyzing them, Lu Ke casually tossed them aside and continued to watch Echidona, who was lost in thought due to the complete collapse of the battle lines.

"I do not accept."

Kneeling on the ground, Echidona's eyes were red, her teeth were clenched, and blood flowed down the corner of her mouth as she stubbornly looked at Luke.

Even though she had already lost from an outsider's perspective, she still held onto a sliver of hope that she could win the bet and obtain the knowledge Luke had promised before the "Fake Witch" Pandora arrived.

It would be best if she could survive using the new knowledge, and even if she couldn't, she would die content. But now... her last hope is about to vanish.

With "Greed" and "Gluttony" dead, the remaining "Wrath" would only be burned to ashes by Priscilla. The Sun Princess, having followed Luke for so long, definitely possesses the power to deal with the "Bhikkhu of Wrath," as for the "Bhikkhu of Sloth"...

Given that Luke had made arrangements for all other routes, this estimate was no exception.

Echidna couldn't think of any other possibility for having Roswaal, Puck, Beatrice, and Emilia's group come to an end, except that Luke deliberately wanted to settle things with all of them who were connected to her.

"You... saw through my scheme, didn't you?"

Luke propped his head up and chuckled softly: "If you mean using the back door you prepared with 'Bibliotheca Sloth,' Emilia's adoptive father, to get Emilia to agree to open the final seal of 'Witch of Envy' and complete the ultimate reversal?"

The reason why Echidona emphasized that the dragon Polkenica could only hold off the "Witch of Envy" who was not "fully unsealed" was because she had secretly devised such a plan.

Even if mistakes are made elsewhere, it doesn't matter. As long as Satella recovers to her peak, she can completely engulf everything. Only the "Sword Saint" can survive and fight against her... which means a forced draw.

But Luke, who directly caused her to lose outside the game, and who was prepared on every battlefield, along with the power displayed by Ram and Rem, including the goddess who appeared out of nowhere to resolve the "Black Serpent"...

The situation was far beyond her expectations, making it impossible for her to maintain her confidence.

"How did you manage to tamper with it?"

"Yes, while sitting with Anastasia and holding Priscilla and Emilia, I used physical contact to resolve all the hidden dangers affecting Emilia..."

Lu Ke opened his hand, and an invisible, intangible key appeared in his palm.

"I also took this out—Satella's final seal."

"..."

"Oh, right, Reinhard's father's curse must have been quite complex, but for the Goddess of Water, something of that magnitude could be dispelled in an instant. So your 'full-strength' Satella won't be returning, but the Sword Saint will be back sooner~"

Lost.

Completely defeated.

The last glimmer of light in Echidona's eyes completely vanished, and she looked dejected, even somewhat pitiful.

"That's really cheating... Repairing Ram's horn is one thing, but hiding a scimitar from the North and asking for help from another world is just cheating."

“When you let Al possess the dragon and transferred Reinhard away, I don’t think I accused you of cheating. Since you can hide the dragon Al, what’s wrong with me hiding a ‘Gut Hunter’?”

Luke didn't even glance at Echidona on the ground, casually crossing his legs and speaking in a relaxed tone.

"As for Kazuma Sato, he's a visitor from another world who came with me. He's been bragging to Subaru Natsuki about being the captain of a legendary adventurer's party since the beginning. I even arranged for him to learn magic from Betty... So it's your problem that you didn't even notice him."

Echidona: "..."

It's hard to deny that she didn't care enough about Kazuma Sato.

It wasn't because of the boy's frivolous behavior, weak strength, or immature yet insightful thoughts, but because Luke had drawn all his attention away.

It wasn't just Kazuma Sato; because of Riku, she also rarely paid attention to Subaru Natsuki, the protagonist of the original timeline, even according to the Book of Wisdom. This was an arrogant mistake.

Commonly known as "the darkest place is under the lamp".

"A thirst for knowledge alone is not enough. There are no shortcuts to some things. If you had been willing to gradually learn about me through various means, instead of radically arranging for the enemy to gather information about me, this situation would not have occurred."

Luke kicked away Daphne, the "Gluttony Witch," who was trying to steal more food, and beckoned to Camilla, the "Lust Witch." After Camilla came over, Luke lifted Camilla's pitiful, blushing face and glanced indifferently at Echidona.

"If your arrangements had been gentler, more humane, and more acceptable, none of this would have happened. In the end, didn't you decide to play a game of chess with me on a global scale?"

Echidona collapsed to the ground as if all her strength had been drained: "That's because you said that just pleasing you wouldn't bring satisfaction..."

"But I don't eat beef."

After saying something that Echidona couldn't understand, Luke raised an eyebrow with a mischievous grin: "I did say that, but isn't the decision still yours?"

"...Your behavior is despicable. I did not do it willingly at all."

"No, of course you did it 'voluntarily'."

Luke chuckled lightly and slowly shook his head: "Roswaal 'voluntarily' sold his soul to resurrect you; you merely became his teacher, making him infatuated with you. Ryuzu 'voluntarily' became the central figure of the Sanctuary; you merely adopted her, making her see you as a mother figure. Beatrice 'voluntarily' waited for over four hundred years in the Forbidden Library; you merely created her, treated her gently, and made a promise with her. Besides them, there are many, many more: the three original witches, Satella, the other witches… everyone you arranged was 'voluntary.'" So Echidna was also voluntary; he merely expressed his dissatisfaction and placed her yearning for "knowledge" on the scales of the gamble.

"..."

Echidona was speechless, unable to utter a single word. After a long while, she finally raised her tear-filled eyes.

“You’re really going too far… You’re just as awful as me, yet you choose to hurt me in the same way from a moral high ground where you won’t be blamed.”

Wouldn't she then have no choice but to accept the status quo and let Luke do whatever he wanted with her and the other five "witches"?
She should have known long ago that when facing such a powerful and vicious person, obedience was the only option. Her stubborn belief that she could seize the initiative through her own abilities was simply a joke.

Her wisdom, her authority, and her arrangements can indeed supplement some of her strength, but if the opponent is so powerful that no amount of compensation can overcome them, she should submit from the start.

"You've won, I'm yours now, and so are they."

Echidona climbed up to Luke again, her eyes red, and tried her best to please him, making Daphne, who was standing next to her, drool.

"Dona is so cunning! She borrowed our three magical beasts just to make us provoke Luke so that you could beat her to it!"

Luke said softly, "You're wrong. You should believe that Echidona has a reason for everything she does."

As we were talking, the first reason arrived at the scene.

"Ah~ it's been a long time, how is everyone?"

The unfamiliar female voice was exceptionally gentle and sounded incredibly pleasant, but all the "witches" showed expressions of disgust and unconsciously turned their faces away.

The "Deceptive Witch" Pandora appeared in this spiritual space.

If Echidona is the final boss of the hidden storyline, then Pandora is the final boss of the main storyline.

Echidona hopes the world can continue well and give birth to a future she cannot see, while this exiled and ostracized witch only hopes the world will be destroyed and everything will return to nothingness.

"...It's truly astonishing. After all these centuries, Echidona, have you fallen into such a wretched and miserable state?"

Upon seeing the scene, Pandora's fairy-like face still showed a few ripples, and her eyes became strange.

To be fair, she had always been extremely wary of Echidna, who had co-founded the "Witch Cult" with her. Even after successfully killing her, she remained highly cautious, which is why she rushed over immediately.

However, his greatest enemy was now humbly on all fours, tears welling in his eyes, choked and breathless, his face flushed, being interrogated by a man.

Even she was taken aback by this turn of events.

However, having lived for hundreds of years and seen many storms, the "Deceptive Witch" quickly regained her composure and smiled at Lu Ke.

"Sir, I'm going to destroy this place, and Echidna and the other five witches too... Could you please leave? Otherwise, you might get hurt if this spiritual world is destroyed~"

After all, Luke was someone who could make Echidona bow down, so Pandora remained somewhat wary of him.

Echidona looked at Pandora, a malicious, fake smile on her face, fanning the flames:

"Oh no, Master! Pandora wants to destroy me, to destroy what I just lost to you! What should we do? Are you going to abandon us?"

Luke pressed down on Echidona's head in displeasure.

"Shut up. Now that it's mine, you're still trying to use me to put on airs. You really need to be taught a lesson."

Owner?

Pandora narrowed her eyes and decisively used her "power" on Luke—the ability to directly alter reality with words.

"[Echidona's master should be resting somewhere far from the Sanctuary at this moment.]"

The "truth of the world" is concealed by falsehood, cause and effect are disordered, and the reality of Luke's arrival here is erased... This is how it should be.

Seeing Luke unmoved, Pandora's pupils contracted, and she instantly realized that the person in front of her was no ordinary person. She immediately wanted to give up this opportunity to deal with Echidona and tried to leave the mental space and return to her body.

Once, twice, three times... When Pandora finally couldn't maintain her initial indifference, Luke lazily pulled on Echidona's head and said:
"No need to try anymore, this place has been sealed off by me, all the 'doors' are blocked."

"...Who exactly are you?"

Pandora asked with a serious expression, leaving behind an indistinguishable phantom in the same spot, while her real body walked to Luke's side and whispered almost inaudibly in his ear.

"[Echidona's master harbors no ill will towards Pandora and is now preparing to release her, opening the 'door' for her return...]"

Before she could finish speaking, she saw Lu Ke slowly turn his neck, see through the pretense, stare straight at her, his lips slightly parted.

"You seem to really enjoy brainwashing tricks? Why don't you try mine?"

Luke's eyes transformed into a vast ocean that seemed to encompass all colors and all possibilities, instantly taking control of Pandora's entire consciousness.

"Pandora is Luke's lowest slave, someone every woman can bully and humiliate at will. Her only wish in this life is to serve her master well and make him happy."

Pandora's eyes glazed over for a moment, then she blinked. When she regained her composure, she was completely transformed. Her gaze towards Luke was full of love and longing. She obediently knelt down and joined Echidona in serving him.

Both of them had long, smooth, pure white hair and unrealistically beautiful faces, and were currently engaged in a special battle, vying for their attention.

"With the addition of the 'Deceptive Witch,' we now have a total of seven witches. How about we have a witches' tea party?"

Luke snapped his fingers, slowing down the flow of the mental world. A huge bed replaced the parasol and appeared in the center, embracing all the witches onto the soft bed.

"If everyone can eat and drink well, I, as the host, will be very happy."

Gold, purple, green, pink, pure white...

Those who are angry about it, those who are lazy and indifferent, those who are so hungry they want to fight over it, those who are shy but desperately want it, and those who feel they need to be properly judged...

Likes, dislikes, obsessions, joys...

A variety of heart-stirring, indescribably beautiful softness embraced Lu Ke, only to be overwhelmed by his fierce physique. He surrendered in joyful tears, bringing the game to a close and bestowing upon him the ultimate experience.

This is a reward that belongs exclusively to the victor.

(End of this chapter)