The Beast of Amber knelt respectfully on one knee and said with utmost piety, "Your Majesty, I have failed. If all goes as expected, Lord Hades will soon appear before you. This is all part of my duty, and I am willing to accept any punishment."
"Get up."
Cronus waved his hand dismissively toward the Beast of Amber.
The Beast of Amber complied without resistance, standing up and responding, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Cronus continued lightly, "Beast of Amber, what was it like to face Hades?"
The Beast of Amber paused for a moment before answering, "Your Majesty, in my eyes, Lord Hades is too similar to you. In every aspect, I feel as if I see you reflected in him. If I hadn't witnessed it myself, I might have believed that Lord Hades was you."
"Hehehe"
"As expected of my eldest son!"
Cronus chuckled softly, clearly pleased with the Beast of Amber's words. After a while, his laughter faded, and he said gently, "Beast of Amber, do you understand? Destiny is a fascinating thing. Just like my father God, defeated at my hands by fate, he left a prophecy before his downfall—a prophecy that I will place in the hands of my children. Do you think such fate is accurate?"
"Um..."
The Beast of Amber hesitated, unsure of how to respond. In the past, he might have answered differently, but now, after encountering Hades, he felt that perhaps the prophecy was as immutable as fate itself.
Cronus, remaining calm, continued, "Indeed, it's not strange for you to react this way after seeing Hades. I can understand. This is fate as dictated by the world: the Golden Age, the Silver Age, the Bronze Age, leading to the Age of Humanity. The gods will grow weaker and more isolated, but I refuse to accept this fate. To break free from destiny is to truly live and advance further."
A bright light shone in his eyes. Cronus was serious; his fate was already sealed. For this destined day, he had waited countless years, and now, his fate lay before him. If he succeeded, he would break free from destiny and ascend from Primordial God to Absolute God.
What if he failed? It would still be a twist of fate.
"That's all!"
Cronus waved his hand again. "Go now, Beast of Amber. This matter is no longer your concern."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The Beast of Amber respectfully withdrew, while Cronus gazed thoughtfully into the distance. He looked at his three heirs and whispered softly, "Fate lies before me. I wish to see the outcome of this long river of destiny. Show me what the future holds."
Pluto, Neptune, and the Emperor of Heaven had already been taken down, leaving Cronus diminished in power. Additionally, ten of the Twelve Titans had fallen, further weakening his ultimate power.
From his birth until now, this was the weakest moment for Cronus. Yet even now, he recognized this as the fate that would force him to leave the stage, a preparation he would not accept without a fight. Breaking free from destiny was his greatest desire.
War continued unabated. Although the Beast of Amber had withdrawn from the battlefield, Black Thunder and White Wind remained engaged in fierce combat with the twin gods.
Unfortunately, due to Hypnos's schemes, White Wind had already sustained injuries. In such a battlefield, what did a slight injury mean? The outcome was all too clear. White Wind found himself gradually suppressed; no amount of burning his ultimate power through his laws would change that reality.
"Eternal sleep!"
"Is this how I truly lose?"
Even at the brink of death, White Wind maintained a calm smile. He remarked quietly, "Hypnos, I will await your failure, for we will not die."
In that moment, White Wind's figure dissipated, leaving behind only a gentle breeze that gradually faded away.
Each of the nine warrior gods was a god of Cronus; even in death, they would not be truly gone. Hades remained alive, and the dead gods would be resurrected once more. As for the gods of Cronus, they too would return, though the time required varied.
Their souls rested in the hands of their god. As long as their deity endured, they would eventually be reborn, with their soul fragments crystallizing anew.
"White Wind."
Hypnos respected this opponent deeply. After White Wind's departure, Hypnos rejoined the battlefield, teaming up with Thanatos against Black Thunder. The formidable opponent, Black Thunder, was also nearing defeat.
Thus far, Black Thunder and White Wind had fallen to the Nine Warrior Gods. On the same battlefield, the Underworld fighters had vanquished all the Titan warriors, leaving only a handful remaining.
"Um?!"
Hypnos sensed something and hesitated. "This is the magic star's signal; a new Underworld fighter is about to emerge."
Thanatos responded calmly, "Let's watch quietly."
As expected, a magic star devoured the Underworld fighter he controlled, transforming into a dark purple skull. It drew a soul from the fallen Titan fighters, and this soul was integrated into it by the magic star.
"Ah!"
With a terrifying roar, a figure soared into the sky and descended. He was clad in a dark purple combat uniform, his eyes sharp as he scanned the surroundings before rejoining the fray.
"Dragon's Tooth!"
The terrestrial planet Colchis Dragon: Dohami!
"Another earth-shattering fighter. It seems that birthing a Heavenly-Underworld fighter is no easy feat."
"Naturally."
Hypnos acknowledged, and Thanatos added indifferently, "This is to be expected. The difference between heavenly and earth may seem small, but in terms of potential, it is significant. Under these circumstances, finding the magic star becomes even more challenging."
"Um!"
Hypnos nodded, observing the battlefield silently. As another perfect Underworld warrior entered the fray, the impact on the battle seemed monumental, yet it was not decisive.
As long as the Beast of Amber did not rejoin the fight—no, the war was already doomed. Even with the Beast of Amber's participation, defeat was inevitable; this was the only outcome.