The throne room quaked under the clash of crimson bone and divine gold. Kairo's storm of Gravekeeper constructs had begun to carve noticeable cracks in Hades' shield. Every strike of Bone Blade, every spiraling whip of bone, tested the limits of godly perfection.
Hades' eyes narrowed, his hands moving in subtle, precise motions, maintaining the shield even as it wavered. Beams of light cut through the storm, slicing bones midair, deflecting spikes, and crushing the ground beneath Kairo's feet. Gravity surged, a reminder that even small mistakes could be fatal.
Kairo gritted his teeth, spinning Bone Blade in a deadly arc. He channeled more of his aura into his constructs, letting them interlock, twist, and form semi-solid bone walls and spikes in rapid succession. Each strike wasn't random — it was calculated to force the shield to stretch, bending it thin at specific points.
"You press too far," Hades' voice boomed, echoing across the chamber. "Do you truly believe you can surpass the Abyss?"
"I don't believe," Kairo snarled, crimson eyes blazing. "I know!"
With a mighty swing, the Bone Blade shattered a section of the shield near the throne. Light exploded outward in sparks and waves, blinding for a moment, and a small crack revealed the golden throne beneath. Kairo seized the moment, sending a surge of bone serpents piercing through the fracture, testing the boundaries of the defense.
Hades' expression flickered — the first hint of unease. "Clever…" he muttered, almost begrudgingly. "You find weakness where none should exist."
Kairo's aura flared higher, Bone Blade slicing in continuous arcs. His bone constructs twisted and coiled, forming a relentless tide, striking at every angle. The cracks widened further, shards of light splintering as if under the weight of inevitability.
The throne room shook violently, stones cracking beneath their feet. Shadows danced across the walls as crimson energy met golden light in a storm of fury. Kairo's momentum had shifted; the Red-Eyed One was no longer merely testing the shield — he was forcing it to break.
For the first time, Hades' absolute defense seemed vulnerable, and Kairo's eyes burned with the certainty that the throne itself could be reached — and the god behind it challenged.