This was Hyperion's strongest form, his most powerful state. With the ultimate power as his core, he fully unleashed the might of the Chu Zhen Great Sword, forming an infinite seal behind him: the Ring of Möbius.
It could be said that Hyperion, hailed as the strongest man, earned this title for good reason. The terrifying power radiating from him on the battlefield made even Hades acutely aware of its extraordinary nature, instilling a sense of fear.
This was not merely the flame of the sun; it had transformed into the Flame of the Red Lotus, a flame surpassing even that of the sun.
"The Flame of the Red Lotus. Hyperion," Hades whispered, a calm resolve settling over him as he opened his hand. Dark energy gathered around his palm, gradually merging with his being.
The nine-pointed star on his brow shone with dazzling light, transforming into a pitch-black crystal that embedded itself between his eyes. With the Pluto Sword in one hand, Hades exuded an aura of nobility and grace, perfect and formidable.
As this aura intensified, Hades' divine power surged, growing at a rate rivaling Hyperion's.
There would be no prolonged battles or sympathetic discussions. The conflict between these two gods had evolved from cumbersome skills into a pure clash of divine power, an essential confrontation between titans.
The Chu Zhen Great Sword fell like a meteor, while Hades swung the Pluto Sword in response. Their artifacts collided, and the laws of darkness and sunlight intertwined, causing the entire sun star to shatter in an instant. Countless stars collapsed, and the Titan gods vanished in the wake of their titanic clash.
Such destruction was beyond what the world could allow. The fabric of reality quickly restored the obliterated stars and fallen Titans; after all, their duty was to safeguard the crystal wall from invasion by outer gods. Though they belonged to Cronus, they would not intervene in this battle of Titans.
And thus, the battle between Hades and Hyperion truly began.
The Pluto Sword and the Chu Zhen Great Sword clashed repeatedly, divine power and law colliding with each strike, creating impacts that threatened to collapse the entire chaotic starry sky into a cycle of destruction and rebirth.
"Red Flame Great Sword!" Hyperion shouted, sweeping his sword across the recovered chaotic starry sky, obliterating it once more, reducing it to nothingness.
In response, Hades fell from above, wielding the Pluto Sword with quiet determination. "Great Eclipse!" he declared, summoning nine planets that attached themselves to the Pluto Sword, meeting Hyperion's strike head-on.
The two titans faced each other, their divine powers destroying everything in their path. But as the blinding energy dissipated, a tense calm fell over the battlefield.
"It's not over yet!" Hyperion's eyes blazed with intensity. The burning red lotus flames emanated a brilliant light, and the infinite seal behind him collapsed, replaced by Ouroboros: the symbol of death, rebirth, and infinity.
Ouroboros roared before merging into Hyperion, just as Hades had crafted his own version in the Kingdom of God.
"Red Flame Tsunami!" Hyperion bellowed, the Ouroboros on his arm materializing. As he opened his mouth, a colossal wave of the red lotus flames surged toward Hades.
Despite the overwhelming assault, Hades remained calm. He raised his hand, summoning magic stars and the World Tree. The strange skull transformed into a magic star, merging with the Pluto Sword, while the World Tree integrated into Hades' prison.
Simultaneously, Hades lifted his other arm, and Ouroboros, representing the laws of death, rebirth, and infinity, floated into view. The Ouroboros roared in discontent, ready to face Hyperion's devastating attack.
"Roar!" it bellowed, unleashing a fusion of the laws of death and darkness. Hades' Ouroboros, a manifestation of his kingdom's core, signified his mastery of these powers.
The combined might of their laws roared through the battlefield, annihilating the recently restored chaotic starry sky once again. The two gods exchanged silent glances, their endless divine power radiating from their forms, both seeming to reach their limits.
"Ouroboros!" Hyperion declared sharply. "Hades, I understand! It's only been a million years since you were born, and yet you've grown this powerful. You truly are a madman."
In that moment, Hyperion realized the truth: Hades had devoured smaller worlds within the Chaos Sea to accelerate his growth. Such rapid advancement was no ordinary feat.
"To become stronger, one must follow the basic rule of hard work," Hyperion continued softly. "You cannot simply ascend to immortality through sheer epiphany."
He understood that Hades had cultivated his kingdom by absorbing these smaller worlds, allowing him to advance significantly.
"In that case…" Hyperion murmured, as a phantom of the World Tree, aglow like a burning red sun, began to blend into his very being.