— — — — — —
)—Flashback—(
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The sky was dull and ashen, everything around was blurred.
After Stardust Revolution tore through the fabricated world, the scenery sank into a gray haze, as if everything had fallen back into chaos. Only the lingering power of the Little Garden's core still remained.
Within that murky expanse, Ares, clad in bronze armor with red hair and blue eyes, looked at the black-haired, black-eyed young man not far away and couldn't help but sigh in admiration. "Impressive, kid. You hid that way too well."
"Just that one move alone puts you at least at four-digit, rule-breaking level or as some call them freaks. Heh, damn bastard. No wonder that crazy woman took a liking to you."
Ryo didn't bother replying. He casually pulled open his bloodstained shirt, frowning slightly as if more annoyed by the ruined clothes than anything else.
Being completely ignored, Ares bared his teeth, but said nothing. After all, he wasn't really in a position to mock the victor.
But Ares didn't accept this loss.
"Don't tell me you think you've won, kid?"
He grinned ferociously.
Ryo's expression finally shifted.
He frowned, eyes locking onto Ares, his tone sharp with impatience.
"Your spirit rank was shattered, and I reduced your body to atoms. This body of yours isn't an avatar or anything like that. It's your true form, isn't it?"
Without waiting for an answer, Ryo continued. "At a time like this, you should be glad I'm not some Last Embryo-type spirit with erasure properties. Otherwise, you wouldn't even have the right to beg for mercy."
"Big words."
Ares curled his lips, mocking him. "How about this? Give me one minute. Let me crawl out of my coffin, then we fight again, fair and square!"
Ryo snorted, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Fair, according to the Greek gods? You mean all twelve Olympians jumping me at once?"
Whether it was possible or not, Ryo genuinely suspected it.
If it were the Buddhists, or the Abrahamic godhoods, he might believe they had some shame. But the Greeks? Forget it.
More than half of the Greek chief gods were famously shameless. That was common knowledge in the Little Garden.
And among those thick-skinned bastards, Ares's name was right up there.
Ryo had every reason to doubt his integrity.
"Just me. You got the guts, kid?" Ares provoked him without the slightest sense of shame.
In truth, Ares knew perfectly well that he'd been utterly defeated. But he refused to accept it.
In a true fight to the death, he believed he still had a chance, a very real one.
Through the authority of War, he could revive by drawing on the power of his offspring. He could burn faith and return from human history itself. He had countless ways to resurrect, enough to drag Ryo into a war of attrition.
And Ryo might not be able to pull off a move like that again.
A technique that multiplied one's power by hundreds or thousands? Ares didn't believe Ryo could use it twice.
Ryo wasn't Athena, wielding the authority of Victory and leaving him no path to triumph. So why should Ares back down? If it came to it, he'd just fight until the bitter end.
Ryo brushed a hand over himself, restoring his clothes, then glanced at Ares, "Childish."
Refusing to accept defeat was something only children did. Ryo had no interest in continuing this argument.
Compared to Ares, he was far more wary of Asura. That being had been the first to show herself.
It was hard not to suspect that Asura was lurking nearby, waiting for a chance to strike now.
"Scared?" Ares kept pushing, practically begging for trouble.
The shameless denial finally started to grate on Ryo's nerves.
He even began to wonder if he'd chosen the wrong approach.
Maybe he should've used the Scarlet Needle meant for interrogation instead of going straight for raw damage with Stardust Revolution.
'Am I being too upright?' he wondered.
Just then, a sharp shout rang out from behind him.
"By Zeus's order, both sides are to cease hostilities!"
Ryo immediately recognized Athena's voice and felt a flicker of confusion.
At the same time, a warning from his spirit rank told him something was wrong.
Even with his gaze still on Ares, Ryo clearly saw the playful glint in Ares's eyes.
It's a trap.
In that same instant, Ryo felt himself being locked onto by some kind of attack.
His pupils shrank. Acting on instinct, he stepped forward, trying to dodge.
But as soon as he moved, his sense of danger didn't lessen. It spiked several times over.
'I've been read. The place I dodge to is exactly where the ambusher's full attack will land.'
Alarm bells screamed in his head. He was just about to don his Cloth and activate Leo's authority to tank it head-on.
Then—
Within the already chaotic fabricated world, a "sun" suddenly rose.
The moment it flared to life, overwhelming divine might erupted, its target aimed straight at Ryo's back.
At the same time, a cold shout cut through the air.
"Cut!"
The word fell.
A streak of pure white light tore through space and slashed toward the rising sun. An invisible will, razor-sharp and brimming with killing intent, spread through the void.
In an instant, the blazing sun was split cleanly in two. The energy detonated, surging like a flood of light that drowned the sky.
Seizing the opening, Ryo broke free of the lock. His figure blurred, almost pixelating, then vanished, reappearing tens of kilometers away before solidifying again.
At the same time, Ares, buying himself precious seconds, silently recited his own divine name.
Through the response of the War God's Temple on Mount Olympus, he severed a portion of his authority and, through their unbroken connection, instantly manifested an avatar.
Meanwhile, Hermes, his attack thwarted, appeared at the spot where Ryo had been standing.
On the other side, a god with snow-white hair, crimson eyes, and pure white oni horns appeared beside Ryo. She snorted. "A one-on-one duel, and you still resort to dirty tricks. Hah. Greeks are always like this. Shameless, addicted to scheming."
Ryo was silent for a moment before speaking softly, "Thanks."
Whatever Asura's intentions, she had helped him break the lock. That much was undeniable.
He would repay that favor. But that didn't cancel out their other disputes. That was a separate matter.
For now, though, Ryo had no intention of clashing with her again.
He turned his head slightly, glanced at the Ares, then shifted his gaze to Hermes, who stood there holding his staff, regret written all over his face.
"Well, well."
Hermes grinned broadly, making no move to put away his weapon. With a truly thick skin, he pulled out a black parchment scroll crackling with golden lightning.
"By Zeus's order, both sides are to cease hostilities. Didn't you hear me?"
After saying that, he immediately turned the tables, pointing at Ryo. "Especially you, leader of Arcadia. What's that look for? You planning to attack me?"
"Two on two. How about it?" Asura glanced at Ryo and asked.
"Fine."
Ryo answered, then slowly narrowed his eyes. The corners of his mouth lifted bit by bit until his smile twisted into something feral.
"Hermes, I have to congratulate you on one thing."
Like a lion crouching low, fully entering hunting mode.
Golden flames roared up around Ryo, swallowing his figure whole. It was as if armor forged from molten gold had been poured over his body.
"You've really pissed me off."
"Huh?" Hermes immediately sensed something was wrong.
Beside him, Ares rolled his shoulders and spat out a curse, "What are you scared of? He already used that move. He's tapped out."
Hermes' eyes lit up at that, but he didn't notice that Ares had quietly taken a step back, leaving him slightly closer to Ryo.
At that moment, Ares who saw Ryo raise his hand kindly warned Hermes. "Careful. That move of his looks like wide-area saturation bombardment, with a nasty crushing effect. Don't get hit."
That sent alarm bells ringing in Hermes's head.
But not because of Ryo. Because of Ares.
He warned me twice? Is this idiot trying to screw me over?
Years of ingrained distrust made Hermes instinctively shift his guard toward Ares instead.
And in that instant, at the tip of Ryo's raised right hand, a bewitching purple light began to flicker.
The opening stance of the Praesepe Underworld Waves. (Sekishiki Meikai Ha)
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