Aegis Mineralization

**Aegis Mineralization**, also known as the **Order of Death from the Snake Queen**, is the Sacred Gear wielded by Peter Johnson, also known as [Perseus] of the Hero Faction.

## Summary

Aegis Mineralization is among the numerous Sacred Gears created by the Biblical God before his death under the hands of the original Four Great Satans. It is considered to be a rare Sacred Gear, with only a couple of known wielders appearing once every several centuries.

It is a common belief that the Sacred Gear was created based on the legendary Aegis from Greek mythology, a shield owned by either Zeus or Athena on which the head of the fearsome gorgon Medusa is attached. However, when asked about this theory, the Olympian gods neither confirm nor deny it, implying that the circumstances behind it are much more complicated.

Despite this, based on several historical records found in ancient shrines, temples, and libraries, such as the Parthenon or the Library of Alexandria, it might be the opposite and the Aegis might be created based on the Sacred Gear and not the opposite. However, due to how popular the previous theory is, many people still choose to believe it instead.

## Appearance

Aegis Mineralization takes the form of an ornate Ancient Greek shield decorated with three rings, each depicting a different scene - The outer ring depicts scenes of mythical beasts, the middle ring depicts scenes of war and combat, while the inner ring depicts scenes of lovemaking. Imprinted on the shield is the terrifying head of a gorgon, with squirming poisonous snakes for hair, lolling tongue between ivory tusks, and crazed onyx eyes filled with death and bloodlust.

## Abilities

Aegis Mineralization possesses the power to shoot out a beam of magical energy that will instantly petrify anything touched by it, regardless if it is a living organism or an inanimate object or even a magical attack. Depending on the wielder's own will, the range and effectiveness of the beam can be manipulated and changed, from widening or shrinking or even turning it invisible to the humans' eye. According to Azazel, a former wielder was even skilled enough to petrify their targets' organs without affecting the body, thus turning them into stone statues in human skin.

Despite popular belief, there isn't a maximum limit on how many targets that the wielder can petrify, thus allowing them to petrify a virtually infinite number of people and objects. In addition, the living targets do not have to directly look into the gorgon's eye in order to be petrified, as the only requirement for petrification is being hit in any part of their body, even if said "part" is their hair or clothes.

There are two main ways that the wielder can manipulate their petrified targets:

* If the petrified targets were originally inanimate objects, the wielder can then telekinetically manipulate them from afar, turning them - or pieces of them, depending on the wielder's fighting style - into long-ranged weapons, which they can repair if broken or even reinforce them with magic if it's necessary.
* If the petrified targets were originally living organisms, the wielder can then telepathically manipulate them, turning them into what practically stone golems with an unwavering loyalty and an subservient demeanor toward the wielder and the wielder alone, as they won't show any emotion or recollection of anyone else but the wielder, friends and foes alike.

If the petrified targets are damaged or shattered, the wielder can use some of their life-force to repair them into their original state, though they can only do this for a maximum of three times before the victim becomes impossible to repair. The wielder can also transform their victims back into their original state, though this is only possible if it's done within 72 hours since the petrification and required a blood ritual.

In addition to its petrification powers, it can also be used as a regular shield, defending the wielder during close-quarter combat. Despite its appearance, it is surprisingly light-weight and is made from a material reminiscent of *adamas*, which can absorb magical attacks before releasing it back as powerful blasts of energy capable of knocking down even the strongest of opponents.

The squirming snakes featured on the gorgon's head have also shown to be a dangerous feature, as the seemingly metallic snakes can become animated and attack opponents who reach too close and would inject venom straight into their body, the cure of which can be collected from the gorgon's tusk. In addition, the snakes can also be removed by the wielder and be used as scouts by sharing their visions with them or to have them slither underground before rising up and attacking their opponents in surprise.

## Limitations

The only known limitation that the Aegis Mineralization has, other than the large amount of magical energy required for petrification and manipulation of the petrified targets, is the mental strain it puts its wielder under. According to Peter, when he first awoke the Sacred Gear and began to practice it, he required frequent treatment and medicine for his headaches, though the headaches later lessened as he became more skilled at using it and only reappear when he pushes himself too far during battle or training.

## Forms

### Caput-Medusae and Mineralization Knight

**Caput-Medusae and Mineralization Knight** (彷徨う蛇の王妃と蛇の騎士による死の舞踏カプトメヂューサ ・アンド・ ミネラリゼーション・ナイト, *Kaputo-Medyūsa ando Minerarizēshon Naito*), also known as the **Death Dance by the Prowling Snake Queen and Snake Knight**, is Aegis Mineralization's original Balance Breaker. When activated, the gorgon's head detaches from the shield, becomes gigantic and floats mid-air, and charges a beam from its eyes that turns anyone but the user within a kilometer-radius into stone, regardless if they are friends or foes.

### Perses Eurymedon

**Perses Eurymedon** (ヘビの王と聖なる蛇の宮廷ペルセース・ユーリメドン, *Perusēsu Yūrimedon*), also known as the **King of Snakes and Court of Holy Serpents**, is Peter Johnson's Abyss Side Balance Breaker. It creates a silver-white Scale Mail around Peter's body in the form of a giant feathered serpent with emerald scales and two large wings behind his back which are formed of Stygian Iron and Celestial Bronze. His hair becomes longer and transforms into giant snakes at the end, and his eyes become Medusa's Eyes, which allow him to petrify anything within his field of vision that he doesn't consider an ally.

The petrified people also become mutated when under this form, as they become animated versions of Peter's Scale Mail, though theirs are made of stone and they carry weapons made out of enchanted bronze, which can instantly transform anyone and/or anything injured by them into stone. Issei estimated that Peter's strength in this form is roughly God-class in terms of power while his petrified soldiers range from High-class to Ultimate-class in terms of power.

## Trivia

* It is categorized as a State Change Sacred Gear.
* In Greek mythology, **aegis** (αἰγίς), is the divine shield of Zeus and Athena. It is also the shield that Perseus used to behead the gorgon, Medusa. Her head was then embedded onto the shield, giving it the gorgon's ability
* "Caput-Medusae" means "Medusa' Head" in Latin.
* Peter's "Perses Eurymedon" is named after one of his ancestor Perseus' other names.
	+ "Perses" (Πέρσης) means "to ravage, to destroy" while "Eurymedon" (Εὐρυμέδοντα) means "ruling far and wide". When combined together, the name roughly means "The destroyer who rules far and wide".