"Um?!"
In the temple, a figure with a bare upper body and a huge sword in his hand, who was slowly swinging the sword, stopped. He felt something and then whispered softly, "Hades, have you come here yet?"
A sharp murderous intent flashed across his eyes. All three of his children had died at the hands of Hades, which naturally created a deep hatred between them. He would show no mercy.
But he didn't rush to make a move; instead, he continued to swing his sword quietly. Each swing was perfectly executed, distorting the space around him. This was not a display of divine power or law; it was pure skill, each blow capable of tearing through space.
He was one of the Twelve Main Gods of Titan.
The strongest man.
The Sun God.
Hyperion!
He awaited the arrival of Hades.
Before long, Hyperion held the giant sword in his hand and stopped training, quietly observing the approaching figure in the distance. As the three gods approached step by step, there was no emotion in his black eyes, as if Hades was not his enemy.
For such a powerful figure, how could hatred affect his heart? To cultivate his skills to such an extreme, he had to possess an unshakeable resolve. Hyperion enjoyed emotions but would never be controlled by them; this was the secret to his mastery.
His black hair billowed in the heat wave, while Hades' figure, though seemingly slow, closed the distance of about thirty meters in just a few steps, stopping in front of him.
Hyperion said with admiration, "Hades, you are quite brave to come to the Sun Star. You should know that my divine power will be enhanced here."
Hades replied calmly, "It doesn't matter. Defeating you here will better damage the morale of the Titan Twelve Lord Gods, making those ambitious gods truly think twice before attacking."
"Otherwise," he continued, "they'll just hide in the shadows. It's far too easy for the three of us to defeat the entire Titan pantheon."
He stated his purpose without hesitation. Hades' words were light and indifferent, which made Hyperion nod approvingly, exclaiming, "As expected of His Majesty's eldest son, Hades. You really are impressive. But can you truly defeat me?"
As he spoke, the huge sword in Hyperion's hand suddenly descended. This attack wasn't divine power or law, but purely a strike formed by skill and strength. Even an ordinary Main God would be instantly cut to pieces by such a blow.
Yet this slash dissipated at about three meters from Hades, showcasing Hyperion's terrifying skills. Hades understood that, compared to this strongest man, Koios's skills were completely negligible.
The title of "Strongest Man" truly suited Hyperion.
"Such incredible technique. Compared to my encounter with Koios, this feels completely different."
Hades spoke lightly, devoid of emotional fluctuations, but filled with admiration for Hyperion.
"Interesting!" Hyperion smirked. "Hades, you are indeed an interesting person. If you were not my enemy, we could have been good friends."
"Old days," Hades replied, "will eventually come to an end. As friends, it's not a good thing."
"Hahaha" Hyperion laughed loudly.
Feeling Hades' self-confidence and the peace that surrounded him, Hyperion recognized that this son of His Majesty, like his father, possessed absolute self-confidence; one that could not be shattered.
"Very nice!" Hyperion said approvingly. "Hades, you will be a worthy opponent!"
As he spoke, a ray of divine power emerged from Hyperion, causing the twin gods to become instantly alert.
With the emergence of this divine power, the entire Sun Star seemed to churn, and the heat waves intensified.
If a main god were to stand here now, they would be burned alive. The twin gods understood the danger, knowing it was only natural to be vigilant against Hyperion, the strongest man.
Hades remained calm, watching Hyperion's movements intently.
From the blazing flames, flame nymphs emerged one after another. These flame nymphs were created by Hyperion, endowed with divine attributes to become beings of flame.
However, these flame nymphs represented a godhood born from skill.
In other words, one should not underestimate these flame nymphs; they were formidable in their own right. Though they possessed weak divine power, their strength was undeniable due to Hyperion's skill.
"Hypnos."
"Thanatos."
"Lord Hades!"
The twin gods bowed their heads respectfully, and Hades continued, "You can learn a little from these flame nymphs; it doesn't matter whether you succeed or not."
"Yes!" the twin gods acknowledged.
They understood the importance of skill. Hades had honed his abilities during his battle with Koios, learning through experience and absorbing all of Koios's combat skills and strategies. This had allowed Hades to develop exceptional skills.
As time progressed, skill would only grow more critical. Unless one achieved the level of an absolute god, where skill was irrelevant, every being needed skill.
"Drink wine!" Hyperion ordered, taking the fine wine handed over by a flame nymph and gulping down the scalding liquid.
Hades also accepted a glass, drinking it without hesitation. As the fiery liquid flowed down his throat, he felt the intense heat, enough to burn even a god alive.
Yet when one's divine power was strong enough, the flavor of the divine wine was exquisite. Hades savored the wine quietly, while Hyperion laughed and said, "Hades, do you really think I would prepare this Sun Wine without a purpose?"
At this, the twin Gods tensed; even a god as powerful as Cronus had lamented the danger posed by targeting them.
Hades replied lightly, "This is war. Whatever means are used is acceptable. I would expect nothing less from you, Hyperion."
Hyperion laughed, saying, "It's great! You are indeed an interesting person. As you said, this is war, and any method is valid. However, I, Hyperion, disdain such tactics. I will defeat you in battle! Until the end of your days, we can try to be friends."
Hades replied calmly, "I'm not interested; we are enemies."
"Very well!" Hyperion grinned, looking deeply at Hades before him.