Once, when Hyperion faced the supreme Titan God King, a similar situation unfolded. It was just a sparring session, a simple battle between him and the Titan God King, during which he rapidly grew and honed his skills to a terrifying level.
Now, the battle had ended; the Titan God King had restrained Hyperion's growth, and to this day, Hyperion remembered every word the Titan God King had spoken.
Cronus had said, "Hyperion, skills are your greatest strength, but you must work harder! You must reach the top step by step. As the strongest among the twelve main gods of Titans, it would be shameful for you not to be the best."
After saying this, Cronus had left, but Hyperion understood that His Majesty had suppressed his own growth, allowing Hyperion to remain at the strongest level before him.
At this moment, the figures of Hades and Cronus seemed to overlap in Hyperion's mind. They were both so familiar, so talented, so exceptional it was clear they were father and son.
Meanwhile, the twin gods had already dispatched all the flame nymphs. Although they appeared slightly battered, they were uninjured; after all, if mere flame nymphs could harm them, it would be a disgrace.
Through this battle, the twin gods gained some understanding of the significance of skills and other insights, which were more than enough.
Hades looked at the twin gods and said quietly, "Let's stop here."
"Yes, Lord Hades!" The twin gods opened the gate to the underworld and returned. In an instant, only Hades and Hyperion remained before the grand Sun Temple. Both understood that the real battle was about to begin.
There was a long silence, during which Hyperion finally spoke. "Hades, seeing you reminds me of my former majesty. But you are not your father, and I am not the me I once was. It is my duty to kill you."
As he spoke, Hyperion crushed the giant sword in his hand, replacing it with a deep purple light, an artifact radiating vast and brilliant divine power.
The Chu Zhen Great Sword, unique to Hyperion, was akin to Koios's Chu Zhen. However, in Hyperion's hands, its power seemed even more terrifying. The dark red flames emanating from it sent chills through the air.
"Hades, here we go!"
Hyperion's eyes sharpened as his figure vanished just as his voice fell. This time, with the Chu Zhen in hand, his pure skill unleashed a different kind of power.
"Try it," Hades responded calmly, crushing the long sword in his grip. With a flick of his wrist, the Pluto Sword appeared in his hand, darkness enveloping everything.
"What is this…?" Hyperion's eyes widened as he sensed the terrifying power within the Pluto Sword: darkness, night, and Underworld all interwoven.
It was as if Hyperion glimpsed the figures of the three Primordial gods within the Pluto Sword, only to have them obscured by the silhouette of Hades, draped in a lacquered black robe.
Hades regarded Hyperion quietly, asking, "What are you looking at?"
"What?!" Abruptly snapping back to reality, Hyperion saw the Pluto Sword thrusting toward him and quickly dodged, but he was a moment too late. Blood dripped to the ground as a wound appeared on his cheek.
In an instant, Hyperion was injured, something utterly unbelievable. Known as the strongest man, he hadn't been harmed in eons. How could he be so easily wounded now?
This sight was shocking.
Hyperion casually wiped the blood from his cheek, and with a sizzling sound, the wound vanished. He looked at Hades with sharp eyes and remarked, "That sword is special; it rivals Chu Zhen. If you stare directly at it, you may fall into an illusion."
"That's something you should ponder for yourself," Hades replied.
After all, they were adversaries; sharing every detail of their abilities was unrealistic. "Big brother! Stop joking; this isn't a card game where I explain my hand."
"Indeed!" Hyperion's gaze was piercing as he contemplated. "This artifact couldn't have been made with your skill alone; it rivals Chu Zhen! No, it faintly surpasses it."
He then added with a serious expression, "The crafting material must be unique, and the creator behind this artifact is likely quite special, the three one-eyed Titan brothers!"
Hyperion wasn't mindless; he understood that many gods, despite their immense power, possess considerable wisdom. While Epimetheus might be an exception, most gods only grow smarter with time.
"So, to say," Hyperion continued, "the one-eyed Titan and the hundred-armed Titan have been released."
Understanding this, Hyperion concluded, "Zeus and Poseidon must have obtained similar artifacts that rival or exceed Chu Zhen. Is this the confidence you have for launching the Titan God War?"
Hades replied calmly, "No, the initiation of the Titan God War is quite simple. We are in an endless conflict with the Father God. We need to overthrow him to secure our complete position as God Kings, while he seeks to eliminate us as a threat to his reign. It's that simple, the root of our war."
"Such a straightforward reason," Hyperion mused.
"It is," Hades affirmed.
The two locked eyes, and as their conversation drew to a close, the true battle was about to commence.