Kaito frowned, but before he could respond, he extended his hand toward Dionysus. A blinding light, like the sun, began to radiate from his palm.
"I can kill them before you," Kaito said, his voice steady and defiant.
FWOOOSH!
A surge of energy burst from Kaito's hand, heading straight for Dionysus. The god of wine widened his eyes, a scream of despair escaping his lips.
"No... it can't be!" Dionysus screamed, his voice filled with sheer terror. He tried to move back, but the energy advanced too quickly. The fear on his face showed his helplessness in the face of imminent destruction.
BOOM!
The energy hit Dionysus full force, and the impact was so devastating he barely had time to react. His body was thrown against the columns of the hall, and an intense light enveloped him until he began to dissolve into particles of light, his divinity absorbed by Kaito.
Meanwhile, Athena turned her attention to Demeter. The goddess of the harvest was paralyzed, her eyes wide as she watched the chaos unfolding before her. Athena, now more powerful with Artemis's energy, walked toward her, determined to follow through with her plan.
Demeter tried to retreat, but Athena was relentless. With a swift movement, she unsheathed her sword and struck.
SLASH!
Demeter let out a muffled scream as she felt the blade pierce her body. Her gaze met Athena's, full of disbelief and pain.
"Athena... you... why...?" Demeter whispered, her voice weakening as the golden light of her divinity began to detach.
Hephaestus watched, finally fully understanding what was happening. 'Athena is willing to kill every one of us to gather power and survive. She's using the same strategy as Kaito.'
The light enveloped Athena, increasing her power even further as Demeter faded into luminous particles. Athena's expression became even colder and more determined, her eyes gleaming with newly acquired power.
Kaito watched in silence, now aware that Athena had become an even more dangerous opponent. The true confrontation with the gods of Olympus was just beginning, and both Kaito and Athena were willing to do anything to prevail.
Hephaestus stood at the back, watching the scene with a mixture of fear and disbelief. He knew he was facing a no-win situation. Aphrodite was pale, her eyes fixed on the events, terrified by the betrayal of her own siblings. The tension in the air was palpable, and the silence among the remaining gods was almost deafening.
Kaito, now even more powerful with Dionysus's energy, looked at Athena. They were equals, each determined to bring down the other and claim absolute power. The clash between them was just beginning, and Olympus's fate depended on the outcome of this battle.
Athena raised her head, facing Kaito with a cold smile. "Your thirst for vengeance ends here, Kaito. I will be the only one to emerge victorious from this hall."
Kaito responded with an intense look, his translucent wings beating gently. "We'll see, Athena. I came to destroy Olympus, and nothing will stop me."
Aphrodite realized she would die if she didn't act. The fear in her eyes as she observed the destruction around her pushed her to move. Her thoughts were chaotic, and survival was the only thing on her mind.
'I can't die here... I'm too beautiful to die.'
She ran toward Hephaestus, seeking a last hope of protection. Hephaestus saw Aphrodite approaching, his gaze remaining cold and indifferent. All the love he once felt for her had turned into hatred. Her betrayal with Ares, her former lover, had never been forgiven, and now, in the face of everything that was happening, he felt nothing but contempt.
Kaito and Athena remained still, watching the scene. Both knew that Aphrodite and Hephaestus would not survive the day, but they were willing to watch as everything unfolded.
Aphrodite finally reached Hephaestus, her voice desperate as she clung to his arm. "Dear husband, protect me!"
Hephaestus looked at her with disdain, and without hesitation, raised his hand and slapped Aphrodite.
SLAP!
Aphrodite stumbled back, surprised, tears welling up in her eyes. She looked at Hephaestus, disbelief evident on her face.
"You think you deserve my protection, Aphrodite? After everything you've done?" Hephaestus said, his voice laden with bitterness. "I'm not the fool you used to manipulate anymore. Today, you'll face the consequences of your actions."
Aphrodite, still in shock, tried to appeal to him emotionally, her voice trembling as she approached Hephaestus again. "You loved me, Hephaestus... please, forgive me. Help me, as you've done so many times before. I know there's still love in your heart."
Hephaestus looked at her coldly, his face hardened. "Love? Maybe there was, once. But everything I felt died along with the trust you destroyed. You deserve to know the truth before your end, Aphrodite." He took a step toward her, his eyes locked on hers. "I took part in Ares's death. I helped him be destroyed because he was just as responsible as you for everything that happened."
Athena, who until then had kept her focus on Kaito, turned to Hephaestus, surprised. Her eyes met Kaito's, seeking confirmation.
Kaito simply nodded slowly, his expression unchanged. "Yes. Hephaestus helped me. He wanted to see Ares dead just as much as I did."
Aphrodite's face twisted in pain and rage, her eyes burning with hatred as she listened to Hephaestus's and Kaito's words. She let out a scream of despair, her voice filled with irrational fury. "Ares was always better than you! If he were to kill someone, he would do it alone! He would never side with the enemy like a coward!"
Hephaestus clenched his fists, his expression darkening as he listened to each insult. He looked at Aphrodite, his voice dark. "Enough, Aphrodite. Your words have no power over me anymore. Today, you'll face the consequences of your choices."
Kaito, tired of the exchange between Hephaestus and Aphrodite, raised Vendetta, his spirit spear, ready to end Hephaestus. He observed the god coldly, determined to finish what he had started.
Hephaestus took a few steps back, his eyes fixed on Kaito. "Stay away from me, fairy!" he growled, raising his hands in a defensive gesture. "I will kill you all! My weapons, the ones that helped massacre your kind, Kaito... they'll finish the job!"
Hephaestus's words didn't disturb Kaito. Although the god had helped kill Ares, Kaito had no connection or sympathy for him. Everything Hephaestus did was out of self-interest, and Kaito knew that.
Determined not to fall without a fight, Hephaestus began tearing off the armor he was wearing.
CLANG!
CRASH!
Metal pieces fell heavily to the ground, revealing something embedded in Hephaestus's flesh, difficult to identify but pulsating with a dark energy.
Athena, Aphrodite, and Kaito exchanged glances, confused. None of them expected this reaction from Hephaestus, and that unknown object seemed to be the god of the forge's last card up his sleeve.
"What is that...?" Athena murmured, her eyes narrowing as she tried to understand what she was seeing.
Aphrodite, still with tears in her eyes, watched with a mix of fear and curiosity. "Hephaestus... what have you done to yourself?"
Hephaestus didn't answer. His expression was pure desperation and determination as he looked at Kaito and Athena, as if willing to sacrifice everything to avoid falling into their hands.
Kaito raised his spear, ready to attack, but something in Hephaestus's stance made him hesitate for a moment. He could feel the dark, pulsating energy of the object embedded in the god's flesh, and it concerned him.
---
Hephaestus's POV
The hatred burned within me, consuming every fiber of my being. I was always the smith, the one who worked in the shadows, creating weapons for others to wield while I was relegated to being just a tool. But now... now I am the one who will bring Olympus down.
Aphrodite, the one I once loved, betrayed me without a second thought. She and Ares laughed at me, mocked the foolish smith who only knew how to work. All these gods, all of them, always saw me as inferior. But today, all that will change. I will bring every one of you down with me!
The dark energy emanated from my chest, pulsating with a force that seemed fed by my own hatred and despair. It wasn't divine power; it wasn't something that belonged to Olympus. It was something else, something I created in secret, something that would ensure that if I fell, no one would emerge unscathed.
My hands trembled as I felt the energy grow inside me, and an insane smile formed on my lips. I was ready. Ready to end them all, to make Olympus pay for every offense, every humiliation. They think they can underestimate me, that they can treat me as nothing. But I will prove otherwise. I will make each of them regret the day they dared to mock Hephaestus.
I was no longer just the smith. I was the force that would bring down Olympus, and nothing, not even Kaito or Athena, would stop me.