Iapetos didn't respond. Without hesitation, Hades unleashed his next move. The tips of the chains formed by the Demon Star, infused with various laws, transformed into sharp blades, aiming to pierce through Iapetos.
In an instant, everything fell silent. An invisible force severed the Demon Star chains completely. The swiftness of this event left no time for reaction, and one by one, the chains were cut apart.
The sealed Guardian Stars were freed, either returning into Iapetos or revolving around him.
Meanwhile...
Gradually, divine energy manifested. A weapon, bronze in color, floated beside Iapetos. It was an ancient yet immensely powerful pair of scissors. Simply gazing upon them, it felt as though one's soul, life, and destiny could be severed.
"Chuzhen," Hades uttered, naming the artifact.
"Indeed," Iapetos said calmly. "Hades, you seem well aware of what gifts the Mother Goddess has left us."
Hades replied steadily, "Through various channels, I've come to understand. Whether it's the Guardian Stars, Chuzhen, or even..."
Hades paused, not finishing his sentence, but his point was clear. Iapetos appeared slightly taken aback.
It was evident that Iapetos hadn't expected Hades to have such knowledge. Knowing about the Guardian Stars and Chuzhen was one thing, but understanding the divine powers behind them? That was unsettling.
Among the Twelve Titan Gods, those listening to Hades' words shared a sense of suspicion. They knew the divine power Hades hinted at, a power never before revealed and supposedly unknown to any other gods, not even their own Mother Goddess.
Unless, of course, it had been leaked by one of their own. Reflecting on this, Kronos, the Titan God-King, issued a command, "Koios, find out who leaked the information."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" Koios kneeled, then stood, continuing to watch the battle. He looked at Hades with a touch of resignation, muttering, "Hades, with just a few words, you've sown doubt among the Twelve Titan Gods. You truly are a master strategist!"
Although Hades' words were few and his strategy simple, sometimes simplicity was most effective. This information, previously known only to the Titan Gods, was now exposed. How could this be?
The fact that such knowledge, privy only to the Twelve Titan Gods, was now out suggested a betrayal from within.
This was an open scheme, not hidden in any way. Yet, it forced Kronos and the others to be cautious. If such critical information was leaked, what else might be?
Thus, even straightforward strategies could yield significant results.
"I see," Iapetos said with a touch of admiration. "Hades, though I don't know how you learned of this, it no longer matters. The outcome is already determined."
Iapetos extended his hand, and Chuzhen, the scissors-like divine artifact, split into two blades. Instantly, they descended upon Hades.
Dimensional laws.
Chuzhen: The Scissors.
Guardian Stars.
Together, these three elements brought Iapetos' divine power to its peak. This level surpassed even the highest tier of Titan Gods. The division of godly power into tiers was established based on the Twelve Titan Gods, but few knew that their true power was far beyond these limits. The reason? No god had ever pushed the Twelve Titan Gods to reveal their full power.
Even now, what seemed like their full strength was, to those in the know, still restrained. Against Iapetos' formidable attack, Hades stood still, not making a single move.
However!
Overwhelming divine power surged from Hades, as laws converged to form barriers of darkness, death, and sleep, among others. These endless laws sought to block Iapetos' assault.
Yet, each barrier shattered upon contact with Iapetos' blades, offering no resistance. Just touching them caused complete fragmentation.
Iapetos' assault served as a stark reminder to all observing gods: this was the unparalleled power of the Twelve Titan Gods.
Clang!
Amidst the divine, law-driven combat, an unexpected sound echoed—a crisp clang, reminiscent of ordinary weapons colliding. Such a sound had no place in a battle of gods, yet it rang clearly in everyone's ears.
Hades floated calmly in mid-air. Chuzhen's blades halted just before him, unable to penetrate his divine body.
"What is this..." Iapetos frowned, not expecting his attack to be blocked by Hades.
The laws gathered around the invisibility cloth gradually coalesced into a diamond-shaped gem, which then transformed into a black helmet. This helmet's shadow floated above Hades' head, defending against the incoming attack.
The Invisibility Helm, Trident, and Thunderbolt.
These three artifacts, crafted by the Cyclopes brothers, rivaled the power of Chuzhen. Without comparable divine artifacts, victory would be impossible. This helmet, the only defensive artifact among the three, was formidable.
Currently, Hades, by infusing immense laws into the invisibility cloth, forced it to manifest as the shadow of the Invisibility Helm. The helm could conceal souls, divine bodies, concepts, and destinies, among other things. No one would consider its defenses weak.
The shadow of the helm alone could contend with Chuzhen's scissors, proving its incredible defensive capabilities.
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