Alex and Ares jumped at each other. Ares swung his great sword to the right, and Alex decided to block it.
**BOOOM!**
The swing was so strong that Alex had to unseal his powers to stop it. He used his powers to cover his mace and push back.
**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**
Multiple strikes were exchanged, and while they seemed evenly matched, Alvos could tell Ares was losing in terms of technique. Alex was targeting all of Ares' weaknesses and decided to end the match quickly.
Alex twisted his body to the right, and a rune appeared on his mace. When he swung it downwards, Ares tried to block it, but it was too late.
**BOOOM! CRASH**
The mace smashed into Ares' face. Luckily, he was wearing a helmet; otherwise, his face might have been deformed. Ares crashed to the ground, creating a crater, but Alex wasn't done yet.
He grabbed Ares by the left leg and, with one swift motion, lifted him up and slammed him into the ground. He repeated this over 20 times until Alvos felt pity and decided to intervene.
"Okay, Alex, the fight is over. Ares is already half-dead. If you continue…"
Alex stopped and looked at Ares, whose armor was broken. He released Ares' leg and walked away, heading to the washroom.
---
**30 minutes later…**
Alex returned and saw Ares sitting cross-legged on the ground. When Ares saw Alex, he shivered and bowed.
"I'm sorry for testing you. I hope to repay you with a favor. My kingdom will be at your disposal, myself included if necessary."
Hearing this, Alex began thinking of having the Valhalla Kingdom under his control. So, like a snake, he decided to seize the opportunity.
"Well, I accept your offer, but I have a proposal for you. If you work under me as a subordinate, Draconia will invest in the infrastructure of your kingdom once I become the God of Balance."
"And why should I accept that?" Ares retorted.
"Do you want your kingdom to prosper?"
Ares flinched. His economy was fragile, and Draconia was the only nation capable of supporting him. Its influence spanned all of the gods' nations, and it could even sanction Olympus. Other countries would follow because of the Draconian currency system.
"Fine! I agree. Please," Ares responded, feeling a pressure forcing him to comply. If he didn't, the consequences would be dire.
---
Over the next few days, Alex trained under Alvos and broke through to the demi-god realm. He decided to train in his artifact for a few months.
Meanwhile, Poseidon, the Water God, was leading his navy back to Olympus for his monthly report.
---
**1 hour later…**
Zeus, Poseidon, and the other war gods were discussing their strategy when they suddenly felt a powerful presence, one akin to an ancient god. It put them on high alert, but after a second, the presence vanished.
"What was that?" Zeus demanded, summoning a lightning bolt.
"I don't know, but let's investigate."
Zeus and Poseidon rushed outside, heading toward the source.
---
**20 minutes later…**
They arrived at the training ground and saw Alex walking out. He looked normal, but when they gazed deeper, they could sense his powers had evolved to another level, though they couldn't fully comprehend it.
"Ah, brothers, you're here," Alvos said as he appeared, greeting them.
"Has Alex evolved to the next level of godhood?" Poseidon asked, summoning his black and blue trident. Without warning, he threw it, aiming for Alex's heart. But within a millisecond, Alex casually moved aside, and before anyone could react, Poseidon appeared behind him, thrusting toward his head.
**Snip!**
Alex blocked the attack by grabbing the end of Poseidon's trident.
"Well, why not? Let's test my powers," Alex said. With a flick of his fingers, Poseidon was pushed back 40 meters before regaining his balance.
**Woosh!**
Poseidon saw a black sword heading toward him. When he blocked it, he was pushed back again.
'Damn, that was heavy,' Poseidon thought.
Alex charged at Poseidon, disarmed him, and smashed his weapon to the right, causing Poseidon to drop his trident. Before Poseidon could react, Alex's fist collided with his right cheek.
**BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!**
Alex mercilessly beat Poseidon, who felt as if he might die. He tried to regain consciousness, but his body was screaming for rest.
"Please, Alex, that's enough," Zeus pleaded, repeatedly asking Alex to stop, but Alex ignored him.
"No mercy! This little sh*t attacked me out of nowhere. Now face the consequences!" Alex spoke, his eyes burning with rage.
---
**2 hours later…**
Poseidon's face was nearly deformed. He was barely conscious, slumped against the wall.
"So, Poseidon, for attacking me, you must serve under me until you die. Your army, wealth, and lands will be at my disposal," Alex declared.
Poseidon trembled at the words.
"Do you understand?" Alex asked.
"Ye-yes, my lord," Poseidon stammered, smashing his fist into the ground as tears fell from his swollen, black eye.
---
*Next chapter…*