Zeus noticed they were pushing the still confused enemies back, and a crooked smile spread across his face.
He descended into the thick of the fight, where several minor gods wielding diverse domains fought desperately.
One among them possessed the power of prophecy—able to glimpse moments into the future.
Zeus lunged toward him with lightning speed—but the man dodged just in time, raising his sword to strike.
Instead of resisting, Zeus transformed into lightning itself, allowing the blade to pass through him harmlessly.
'He have probably not seen a technique like that…'
Zeus thought with a grin.
'Brother Aetherion do come up with good ideas from time to time.'
Reforming instantly, Zeus drove a lightning-infused punch forward.
The enemy barely dodged again, leaping away—but something strange appeared.
A glowing golden lightning mark burned into the man's forehead.
Zeus raised his hand and condensed lightning into a dense sphere, pouring immense power into it.
The sky cracked open above, thunder roaring violently as energy gathered.
He hurled it.
The man dodged, guided by prophecy—but the sphere didn't stop.
It followed him.
Panic flashed across his face as the future revealed the truth—there was no escape.
No matter how he moved, the sphere tracked him relentlessly.
Finally, it struck the mark on his forehead.
The explosion erased him instantly.
'A sinner marked,'Zeus thought with satisfaction. 'Justice delivered!'
It was a technique he had learned from Themis—branding those he deemed guilty or sinners with the Justice domain, ensuring divine punishment would find them.
"Ha. Another one,"
Zeus muttered, already moving again.
He tore through lesser gods effortlessly, eliminating them without pause.
Poseidon did the same, crushing entire groups beneath waves and quakes.
Then—everything changed.
The battlefield fell unnervingly silent.
A powerful aura descended upon the Ashen Bastion, pressing down on everyone present.
Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon looked up.
A man landed at the center of the battlefield.
He had fiery red hair, tanned skin, and piercing blue eyes.
A blazing aura surrounded him—yet beneath it, traces of nature pulsed quietly.
The power rolling off him was immense… far beyond the others.
The three brothers instinctively regrouped.
"He's dangerous,"
Poseidon said, his expression serious for the first time.
"We need to act quickly,"
Hades replied calmly.
He turned and issued a command to the remaining forces behind them.
"All of you—handle and hold back the rest. We'll take care of the one in the sky."
They could feel it now.
This was definitely a major god—far stronger than any they had faced so far.
If he entered his divine form, the threat would escalate even further.
Still, none of them backed down.
They wanted this fight.
Zeus looked up at the man and smiled.
"We'll defeat you!"
The man gazed down at them, unimpressed.
"You must be the children of Kronos," he said coldly. "You've caused quite the massacre here at the Ashen Bastion."
His eyes flicked over the destruction, utterly indifferent.
"I will bring you before Lord Kronos," he continued. "And end this farce."
***
Still safely concealed within the illusion Selene had cast, the three siblings—children of Hyperion—watched the battle unfold.
There were surprises, yes, but nothing truly shocking.
They had expected as much, especially from the children of Kronos.
Those three were extraordinary, even by divine standards.
The siblings were mildly impressed—but not overly so.
Still, they couldn't deny the proficiency on display.
"Aetherion must have trained them through hell,"
Helios said, watching the battlefield with a small smile.
"Yeah," Selene replied. "He taught them some crazy things."
Though even she didn't find it that unbelievable.
What truly stood out was their creativity—the way they fought.
Her eyes lingered on Zeus as he transformed into lightning itself, slipping harmlessly through what would have been a fatal strike.
As they continued watching, it became clear that although the three brothers had lost some of their forces, they were still dominating the battlefield—cutting down lesser gods and even several minor gods with frightening efficiency.
It was an astonishing sight, even for them.
Still, from their perspective, it almost felt like a game.
An entertainment even.
After all, they were deities—immortal beings.
They would revive after decades… some after centuries.
Death, while inconvenient, was only permanent through Kronos's scythe.
"They're doing quite well,"
Eos said cheerfully, a smile blooming across her face as she casually ate some berries Aetherion had grown in his garden.
She especially liked the strawberries.
"Ah~so delicious."
She muttered.
Selene noticed and reached for one.
Eos immediately pulled them away, guarding them as if they were sacred treasures.
"Hey—don't be greedy. Share with your sister,"
Selene said.
"No!" Eos replied defensively. "These are really good. Go ask Aetherion yourself!"
She clutched them protectively, like a puppy afraid someone might steal something precious.
Helios laughed.
"Haha! Just look at yo—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
All three of them felt it.
A powerful aura different from the others on the battle ahead erupted onto the battlefield.
Their playful chatter died instantly as their expressions turned serious.
They looked toward the sky and saw a man standing there—a presence unmistakably at the level of a major god.
"He's strong,"
Helios said quietly.
Selene nodded.
"Yeah."
Even without seeing him fight, Selene knew she could defeat him—she was confident in that.
Especially the current her, she had grown much stronger since joining the rebellion, thanks to training, guidance from Themis,Rhea and Aetherion, and even sparring with her idiotic—but undeniably powerful—brother beside her.
"Should we help them?"
Eos asked softly, looking between her siblings and enemies forces ahead.
Selene glanced at her and gently patted her head.
Eos had always been the kindest of the three—always worrying about everyone.
"Not yet," Selene said calmly. "Believe in them."
Eos looked up at her, hesitated, then nodded.
"Okay, sister."
"And even if something does happen," Helios added confidently, flexing his muscles, "I, the mighty Helios of the Sun, will step in and save them."
Selene shot him a look and lightly punched his shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah, you idiot."
Eos laughed at the exchange as the three of them continued watching, waiting.
The battle between the three brothers and the fire-aligned major god was about to begin in earnest.
Selene felt a thrill stir within her.
'I just have to wait until more major gods appear,' she thought.
Only then would she step in.
After all… she still wanted her reward.
She smiled to herself, sly and playful.
"He needs to understand that the moon can be mischievous and greedy too,"
she muttered quietly.
"Hm?" Eos asked, not hearing her. "Did you say something, sister?"
Selene shook her head lightly.
"No. Nothing."
She turned her gaze back to the battlefield, a playful smile lingering on her lips.
——
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