Bjorn erupted into a storm of hellfire, the flames crashing outward like a tidal wave, lighting up the shattered chamber in a searing flow of red and black. Screams of battle echoed through the hall as gods, monsters, and demons clashed chaotically.
Zeus narrowed his eyes. "Apollo. Artemis. Find him."
In a flash of divine light, twin celestial streaks flew from the table- Apollo, glowing with solar radiance, and Artemis, cloaked in ghostly moonlight. Their forms blurred as they chased after Bjorn, their weapons humming with divine energy.
But there was no time for pursuit.
A sudden, bone-chilling roar shattered the ground. Agares lunged at Zeus.
The King of Olypus reacted instantly, summoning a vortex of wind and lightning, hurling it like a spear. Agares twisted through the air unnaturally, dodging with an inhuman grace. As he landed, his form began to distort, his flesh began to bubble, bones crackling. Black blood dripped from his hands, writhing in the air before solidifying into a wide, jagged greatsword.
Agares grinned, fangs bared. "Let's tear down your throne."
He struck.
Steel met storm as Zeus blocked, the entire hall shaking under the force of their clash.
From the chaos, Orion turned to Nyx.
"What do we do?"
Before she could answer, a horned demon lunged at her from the side. Nyx didn't flinch- she raised her hand, summoning a beam of pure darkness, which shot through the demon's skull like a spear of void.
She looked at Orion, her eyes sharp. "This meeting won't end like usual. The only way to leave this place his teleportation."
Orion nodded. "Where do I go?"
"Go find Wukong or silver. I'll catch up."
Without waiting for his reply, she turned and vanished into the battlefield, a trail of dead demons in her wake.
Orion drew his bow and began to advance, weaving through the chaos. The room had become a war zone- fire, lightning, shadow, and steel colliding from all directions. He spotted Heracles, laughing like a madman, grabbing a demon by the tail and swinging it into a column with a sickening crunch.
"Gods," Orion mumbled under his breath, dodging a blast of green flame.
He continued to push forward, scanning the battlefield. And then-
Hellfire converged in front of him, swirling like a tiny inferno.
Bjorn appeared.
Orion was still. The young man's expression was cold, his eyes glowing faintly.
"... What do you want?" Orion asked, raising his bow.
Bjorn took a step forward, his stare boring into Orion. "I'm surprised," he spoke in a calm tone. "You haven't awakened yet."
Orion frowned. "Awakened? What are you on about?"
Bjorn didn't respond. He reached for his blade- an ancient katana, its metal was rusted and sealed, as though it hadn't tasted blood in centuries.
"I guess I'll have to trigger it myself," Bjorn whispered.
He launched forward.
Orion barely rolled aside, losing an arrow mid-dive- but Bjorn cut it in half with ease. Flames flared from his palm as he hurled a wave of hellfire toward Orion, who ducked under it, then countered with a forward dash, blade in hand, aiming for Bjorn's chest.
Their weapons clashed-steel against infernal steel. Sparks burst with each impact as the two warriors traded blows across the fractured floor.
Bjorn parried and stepped back. "You have basic skills... but you are still a novice."
Orion scowled. "You speak as if you know me."
"I know more than you think," Bjorn replied cryptically. "Your blood... your fate... everything."
Orion's eyes narrowed. "Then tell me what you're hiding."
Bjorn chuckled darkly, then raised his sword high. "No. Let me show you."
Hellfire surged, swirling violently around the blade. The temperature increased drastically. The air warped.
Bjorn's voice echoed like thunder.
"Witness true power."
He brought down the blade.
A wave of unstoppable, flaming destruction exploded outward- a hellfire slash larger than anything Orion had ever seen. It tore through the chamber, vaporising everything in its path.
Orion stood in shock, his body frozen.
Too fast.
Too large.
Nowhere to run.
As the inferno rushed towards him-
The world turned white