The departure of the 300 Spartan warriors from their city was not a mournful procession as it might have been had they left without blessings. This time, the air was filled with burning spirit and unyielding conviction. At the front of their ranks walked King Leonidas, and beside him, with light and calm steps, was Tomos, the "Unbroken God of War" who had chosen to accompany them.
News of the god's presence on Sparta's side spread faster than wildfire in a straw field. The chosen warriors felt they were no longer mere soldiers performing a duty, but instruments of divine will. Every glance they cast upon Tomos was filled with deep admiration and reverence.
Tomos played his part perfectly. He didn't speak much, but every word he uttered was considered sacred. He didn't walk like an ordinary human; sometimes he seemed to hover a few inches above the ground (thanks to his subtle Telekinesis Quirk), or he would disappear for a moment only to reappear at the front of the ranks, reporting that "the path ahead is safe from mortal intrigues."
As they passed through a dry area and water supplies dwindled, some warriors began to worry. Leonidas turned to Tomos. The "God" merely smiled. He approached a large, barren rock, touching it with his fingertips. "The water of life will flow for those who are brave!" he exclaimed. A moment later, from a crack in the previously dry rock, clear, fresh water began to seep out, enough to fill all the warriors' water skins. (Tom had secretly teleported water from a hidden spring miles away into the crack). The Spartans cheered, considering it a miracle.
At night, as they camped, Tomos would sit by the largest bonfire. He didn't eat mortal food, but occasionally would "create" wine from an empty goblet (again, teleporting it from an unsuspecting nobleman's wine cellar somewhere), sharing it with Leonidas and his captains, while telling tales of "battles of the gods" or "the destiny of heroes." His stories, most of which he concocted on the spot using knowledge from various worlds he had visited, ignited the Spartans' spirits.
Dilios, a warrior who was also a poet, was never far from Tomos. He meticulously recorded every action, every word, every "miracle," his eyes shining with inspiration. Tomos would occasionally turn to him. "You, with the soul of a poet and the eyes of a warrior," Tomos once said. "Ensure the world never forgets what will happen in the coming days. True glory is eternal if someone remembers it."
When they met a small contingent from Arcadia and other Greek city-states who agreed to join, the newcomers were initially skeptical of the stories about a god accompanying the Spartans. But after seeing Tomos with their own eyes, his undeniable aura, the way the Spartans looked at him with reverence, and perhaps one or two deliberate "demonstrations of power", their doubts quickly turned into admiration and new hope.
Meanwhile, in the vast encampment of the Persian army, Xerxes received increasingly disturbing reports from his spies. Initially, he dismissed the stories of a "Spartan god" as lowly superstition. But when the same reports came repeatedly, detailing actions that could not be logically explained, a man who could not be harmed, who could summon fire and water, who moved like the wind, a cold doubt began to creep into the heart of the God-King. This was no longer just a minor rebellion; it was a challenge to his own divine status.
Finally, after a journey that felt like a sacred pilgrimage, the Spartan ranks and their allies arrived at the narrow pass of Thermopylae, known as the Hot Gates. The blue sea on one side, and towering, steep cliffs on the other. This was the place where they would make their final stand.
Tomos stepped to the edge of the cliff, looking out at the vast plain where the Persian army would soon appear. The wind whipped his chiton.
"Here, destiny will be tested," he said with a resonant voice. "This place has been chosen by the Moirai. Here, at these Hot Gates, a few will stand against the tide, and their names will be remembered forever. Prepare yourselves, Spartans! Glory awaits!"
The warriors cheered, their morale reaching its peak. With God Tomos by their side, they felt invincible.
A sea of humanity. That was the only way to describe the countless Persian army as they filled the plain before the narrow pass of Thermopylae. Their banners waved proudly, their war drums thundered like the heartbeat of a giant, and the sun's glint on their spear tips and armor dazzled the eyes. In their midst, upon a magnificent moving throne, sat Xerxes, the God-King of Persia, his face haughty and confident.
On the other side stood a handful of Greeks. The core of them were the 300 Spartan warriors, an unwavering wall of shields and spears. And in front of them, standing slightly higher on a rock, was Tomos, their protective "god." He wore no armor, only his white chiton gently fluttering in the sea breeze. He gazed at the approaching wave of enemies with a calm, almost amused expression.
"Look at them, Spartans!" roared Leonidas, his voice booming. "They come with numbers, thinking they can scare us! But they don't know that we don't fight alone! God Tomos is on our side!"
A deafening roar erupted from the Spartan ranks, the name "Tomos" shouted with fanatic fervor.
The first attack came in the form of a black cloud that covered the sky. Thousands of arrows were shot by the Persian archers. The Spartans raised their shields, creating a bronze shell. But Tomos stood tall, unmoving, not even raising a hand to protect himself.
Arrows rained down on him. Some stuck in his white chiton, some hit his skin directly with a dull thud. When the rain of arrows subsided, the Persian soldiers watching from afar gaped. Tomos was still standing. He casually plucked off some arrows stuck in his clothes as if they were annoying thorns. One arrow lodged shallowly in his shoulder. He pulled it out without wincing, and the wound instantly closed without a trace.
"Is this what you call a storm, Xerxes?" Tomos shouted, his voice amplified by the AFO Quirk to be heard across the battlefield. "Even a drizzle on Olympus is heavier than this!" He laughed, and that laughter ignited even greater spirit in the hearts of the Spartans.
The first wave of Persian infantry, the famed Immortals, charged forward. They crashed against the Spartan shield wall. A brutal battle began. Spear met spear, shield met shield.
Tomos didn't immediately join the fight. He observed, occasionally giving "blessings." When a Spartan was pressed, a streak of fire suddenly appeared from the ground in front of his enemy (carefully controlled Hellflame). When a group of Persians tried to flank them, a giant fiery wing (Fierce Wings layered with Hellflame) seemed to flap for a moment behind Tomos, blowing them backward.
Then, Xerxes unleashed his secret weapon: the Über-Immortal, a giant chained monster, with thick skin and wielding two large curved swords. The creature rampaged, easily destroying several allied Greek warriors.
"Let me handle this big bug," Tomos said with a bored tone. He jumped down from his rock.
As the Über-Immortal attacked him, Tomos didn't dodge. Instead, he activated the Muscle Augmentation Quirk from AFO. His muscles swelled beneath his chiton; his body didn't drastically enlarge, but his strength increased manyfold. He held back the swing of the giant sword with one hand. Then, with his other hand, he punched the monster's stomach.
The blow not only stopped the monster but also sent it flying backward several meters, crashing into the ranks of Persian soldiers behind it. Before the Über-Immortal could get up, Tomos was already on top of it. He used no weapon. He tore off one of the monster's arms with his raw strength, then used it as a club to smash the creature's head into pieces.
"Lowly monster," Tomos said, cleaning his hands. "Not worthy of defiling this sacred land."
On his throne, Xerxes watched all this with wide eyes. His confidence began to waver. This man... was not human.
The battle continued for hours. Every time the Persian army thought they would break through, Tomos would do something impossible. He would appear among them using Teleportation, his body perhaps momentarily enlarging using Gigantification to intimidate, or he would use the Compress Quirk to turn some elite soldiers or even small war machines into helpless marbles that he put in his pocket.
The Spartans, seeing their god fight with such might, felt invincible. They fought with a bravery never seen before, every sword slash and spear thrust seemingly blessed.
Wave after wave of Persian forces were repelled, crushed before the Spartan wall and the wrath of "God Tomos." The plain before the Hot Gates was now filled with the corpses of Persian soldiers.
Xerxes trembled on his throne, not from cold, but from a mixture of rage and fear he had never felt. His own gods, his own claim to divinity, now seemed like a joke in the face of this entity fighting alongside the Spartans.
The Battle of the Hot Gates lasted for three days and three nights. Three hundred Spartans, along with their remaining Greek allies and "God Tomos" by their side, withstood waves of attacks from hundreds of thousands of Persian warriors. Every inch of land was defended with blood and steel. Tomos, with his invincible displays, had become a nightmare for Xerxes' army.
However, on the third day, bad news arrived. Ephialtes, a traitor from Trachis, had shown a secret path through the mountains to the Persian army. Encirclement was inevitable.
Leonidas received the news with the calm of a Spartan. He looked at Tomos, who stood beside him on a pile of Persian corpses. "God Tomos," Leonidas said, "it seems our destiny will soon arrive."
Tomos looked towards the mountain path that was now guarded by Persian troops. He could have destroyed them all with a single thought, teleporting the entire army to the bottom of the sea. But... where was the fun in that? Where was the legend that would be remembered forever? A heroic sacrifice against impossible odds, that was a much better story.
"Destiny is a funny thing, King Leonidas," Tomos replied, his voice sounding slightly tired, as if this three-day performance was starting to "drain" his divine essence. "The Gods sometimes demand the greatest sacrifices from their bravest children, so that their glory may shine brightest."
Leonidas understood. He smiled bitterly. "Then we will give them a sacrifice that will shake Olympus."
He ordered most of the Greek allies to retreat and save themselves, spreading the word of the resistance at Thermopylae. Only the loyal Thespian contingent and a few Helot slaves chose to stay with the 300 Spartans until the end.
The Persian army now attacked from front and back. The Spartans were surrounded. Leonidas roared, leading his men in a final dance of death.
Tomos fought alongside them, now with self-imposed "limitations." He allowed some attacks to hit him, stumbling slightly, as if his power was starting to fade. He used Hellflame to create a final circle of fire around the remnants of the Spartans, but the flames were no longer as hot as before. He was "wounded" by a Persian commander's spear, blood (which he quickly regenerated but made sure Dilios saw) flowing for a moment before he crushed his attacker.
"their God is weakening!" some Persian soldiers shouted, regaining a little courage.
"He has given too much for us!" cried Dilios with tears in his eyes, continuing to fight.
As the Spartan numbers dwindled and Leonidas himself fought like a wounded lion, Tomos knew it was time for the final act of his performance. He gathered Dilios and a few other warriors who could still stand around him.
"Spartans!" his voice echoed, cutting through the din of battle. "You have fought like lions! You have shown the world what it means to be a true warrior! Olympus itself will tremble to hear of your courage!"
He looked at Dilios. "My task here is almost complete. I have lit a fire in your hearts, a fire that will burn throughout Persia. You, Dilios, you must live. You must tell this story. Let every man, woman, and child throughout Greece know what happened here. Let them know that 300 Spartans, with their God, stood against tyranny and never surrendered!"
The sky above them suddenly darkened, though it was still daylight (a slight weather manipulation from the Atmokinesis Quirk in the AFO library, combined with light effects from Hellflame). A strong wind blew.
"I must go now," Tomos said, his voice now distant and echoing. "The Gods call me back. But remember this: the glory of Thermopylae will live forever!"
A pair of giant fiery wings (Fierce Wings layered with Hellflame) suddenly appeared from his back, dazzling all who saw. With one mighty flap of his wings, Tomos lifted into the air, then with a blinding flash of light, he vanished from sight.
Dilios and the remaining warriors looked up at the sky in awe and sorrow. Their God was gone.
The final battle was short and brutal. Leonidas and the remnants of his warriors fell as heroes, fulfilling their destiny.
Xerxes, though technically winning the battle, felt defeated. He had lost tens of thousands of his best warriors, and he had failed to kill or capture the "Spartan God." The myth of Tomos would spread, inspiring resistance throughout Greece.
Tom Jacker, now between dimensions, smiled contentedly. He hadn't gained any new powers in this world, as nothing was worthy enough to fill his main slots. But he gained something much better: a magnificent show, a starring role in a legend, and invaluable entertainment. He had even inspired a civilization.
He checked his System status. The 7th permanent slot reward from the My Hero Academia world was confirmed. He still had Spatial Teleportation and All For One as his two core abilities, with five empty slots ready to be filled.
"Truly a fun ride," he mumbled. "I wonder what other grand stage awaits me?"