"There's a dragon on Earth? That's impossible! The dragons on Earth have long since disappeared... Wait! Was that an insult? Are you looking down on me?!" The golden dragon initially scoffed at Robert's remarks but soon sensed the tone and grew visibly irritated.
"I wouldn't say I'm entirely dismissive. You've tried your best," Robert replied calmly, shaking his head. "It's just that... you're all looks and no presence. You don't exude the awe a true dragon should."
"You're quite arrogant, young man!" Before the dragon could retort further, a deep, commanding voice interrupted. A tall, imposing man clad in green armor stood up in the distance, glaring at Robert with a stern expression. "You hail from Earth, yet you seem to lack basic respect. Don't you know how to behave before your elders?"
"And who might you be?" Robert raised an eyebrow. He could sense that this individual was immensely powerful—perhaps even stronger than Ra, the Egyptian Sun God. Based solely on his aura, this figure rivaled Thor and stood among the upper echelon of godly beings.
The man puffed up his chest and declared, "I am the Jade Emperor! Surely you've heard of me?"
"…What?" Robert's mind froze for a moment. He stared at the self-proclaimed Jade Emperor in disbelief, his brain struggling to process the absurdity of the statement. It wasn't until he noticed the smug grin on the man's face that he finally snapped out of his shock.
"You? The Jade Emperor? Don't make me laugh," Robert finally blurted out, his tone dripping with scorn. "You wouldn't even convince me if you claimed to be Guan Yu. Just look at yourself—this outfit is a complete mess!"
"You—!" The Jade Emperor's face flushed with rage, and his aura flared to life, sending waves of pressure across the hall.
"Calm down. It's not entirely your fault," Robert continued, waving dismissively. "You're a knockoff at best. The real Jade Emperor wouldn't be caught dead looking like… this. I can't even imagine seeing your face on divine currency without cringing."
"You dare!" The Jade Emperor could no longer hold back his fury. His energy surged as he prepared to attack.
"Looks like the Jade Emperor is making his move. That brat's going to regret it," Ra sneered from the sidelines, turning to Moon God Khonshu. "And you stopped me from handling this earlier?"
"You'll see soon enough," Khonshu replied with a resigned sigh. "I'd advise you not to provoke him."
Ra scoffed. "As if I'd—"
Before Ra could finish, the Jade Emperor lunged forward, wielding a long, curved blade that resembled a Japanese katana rather than any traditional Chinese weapon. His armor and stance gave off the vibe of a warrior from another culture entirely, a sight that made Robert internally groan.
"This world's got everything wrong," Robert thought, shaking his head at the bizarre scene. He sighed as the Jade Emperor's sword came slashing down.
CLANG!
The sound of metal striking flesh rang out. The sword came to an abrupt halt against Robert's extended index finger. The blade didn't leave so much as a scratch on him. He didn't even flinch.
The crowd fell silent. The Jade Emperor's eyes widened in shock, and Ra's expression shifted to one of disbelief.
"He stopped it… with one finger?" Ra muttered, unable to comprehend what he had just witnessed. Even he wouldn't have been able to withstand that strike so casually.
"What were they thinking, challenging someone like that?" whispered White Gorilla God to Bast. "Look at him! The guy's practically radiating invincibility. Did they really expect to intimidate him?"
Bast's eye twitched, choosing not to respond to his sycophantic companion's remarks. It was clear that White Gorilla God was trying to earn Robert's favor, but Bast didn't think it was necessary to point that out.
Meanwhile, Robert eyed the "Jade Emperor" with cold indifference. "I was going to ignore you, but since you attacked, you've earned yourself a punishment. From now on, you're not the Jade Emperor. You'll be called... Warrior God. Got it?"
"You—!" The man seethed with rage but found himself unable to move. Before he could voice further protest, Robert casually flicked his finger, sending him hurtling across the hall. He crashed into a wall, embedding himself in the stone.
"Any objections?" Robert asked, his voice as calm as ever.
"N-No objections!" the newly dubbed Warrior God stammered, his fear now overriding his pride. He understood now that defying this man could very well result in his death.
"Good." Robert nodded before turning his gaze to the central dais in the hall. "Now then, how long are you planning to watch from up there?"
A booming, hearty laugh echoed through the chamber, and a portly man clad in golden armor appeared in mid-air. His attire, however, was a peculiar mismatch—his upper body gleamed with divine grandeur, while his lower half was adorned with a short, white lace skirt. The sight made Robert's eye twitch in discomfort.
The hall erupted in cheers.
"Zeus!"
"Zeus is here!"
The weaker gods present clapped and cheered at the sight of the Olympian King. Many of them were minor deities—gods of art, music, and other non-combat domains—but they revered Zeus nonetheless.
"I didn't expect to meet such distinguished guests today!" Zeus grinned as he descended. His gaze landed on Diana, and he chuckled warmly. "My dear daughter! It's been over a thousand years since we last saw each other!"
The hall fell silent as the other gods exchanged curious glances.
"Wait, they're related to the Olympians?"
"That spiky-haired one doesn't seem like a god. He has no divine aura."
Diana's eyes narrowed as she addressed Zeus with icy detachment. "Yes, it's been a long time. And no, we're not here for you." She crossed her arms. "Though I must admit, I'm surprised to see you still holding such a prominent position among the gods. Congratulations, I suppose."
"Ha! It's all thanks to the respect of my peers!" Zeus declared proudly. "And, of course, my unparalleled charm!"
"Charming?" Thor muttered under his breath, bewildered by Zeus's demeanor. This was not the mighty, imposing figure he had imagined. Compared to Odin, Zeus seemed almost… clownish.
Thor's disappointment deepened as he observed the Olympian leader. If this was the man who had supposedly strengthened his pantheon through countless offspring, perhaps Thor had been giving him too much credit.
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