[97] Facing the Gods Alone

Every seven days, a city-state was destroyed.

Until all of humanity was killed.

Broadcasting the verdict of destruction to this land.

The newly ascended terrifying blood god, Kratos, sat quietly at the top of the Tree of Hell, sitting on the bloody skull throne, slowly closing his eyes.

Behind Kratos, ferocious blood threads surged and spread out, forming a huge clock made of bones, ticking down the countdown to death.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

The pendulum swung rhythmically.

With each tick of the second hand, an extremely crisp sound echoed through the entire sky of Greece, like a death knell.

The blood-red devilish body sitting on the skull throne closed its eyes silently, as if it had fallen into a peaceful nap.

However, the terrifying words spoken by Kratos had already caused a spiritual storm of trembling hearts among the numerous city-states standing on this land.

"What's happening?!"

"Look at the projection in the sky! Am I hearing correctly?! His Highness Kratos, the wise king of Sparta, wants to slaughter the city-states of Greece?!"

"He once fought against Lord Ares for the position of God of War, and both sides were thrown into hell by Lord Hades. His Highness Kratos disappeared for five whole years! Now he's killed even Lord Hades and finally crawled out of hell?"

"This posture... is even more devilish than devils themselves."

"It's not surprising. The fused warriors of Sparta transform into devils every day... Those who oppose hell eventually fall into hell."

"Even the God of Courage, His Highness Kratos, has fallen? Even his glorious divine body has been tainted by hell?!"

Fear. Astonishment. Doubt. Inquiry...

This was the terrifying massacre form of Aatrox, displayed without any concealment for the first time before the people of Greece.

The devilish body sitting on the skull throne emitted a strong aura of destruction derived from the crest of the wandering star, like a world-destroying demon king.

With closed eyes.

Kratos could clearly feel the raging evil and malice pouring relentlessly from the void, filling and transforming his will, just like the faith power he once had, filling and transforming his devilish body.

This was the fear ignited in the hearts of people witnessing his devil form and hearing his words of destruction.

The blood vessels coiling around his muscular arms twisted and writhed grotesquely like centipedes.

The flesh all over Kratos's body kept forming disgusting pustules, constantly appearing and fading... as if some uncontrollable life was trying to break free from this devilish body.

With human negativity, it gathered here within his body.

A violent, bloodthirsty impulse to slaughter humanity slowly rose in Kratos's mind.

He shook his head, suppressing these impulses.

Just this level of fear, this degree of evil...

... It was not enough, far from enough.

This was only a small part of the negative emotions on this land.

Most people hadn't yet feared him.

Because, what had just happened was too strange, too bizarre, and too sudden.

People were still eat and singing songs, when suddenly Sparta grew a towering tree, and the dark river water rushed over everything.

The wise king who had built the gates of hell, the illustrious young king, suddenly emerged and declared destruction upon all of Greece.

In just a few minutes, people hadn't yet recovered.

The sudden change had caused a violent spiritual upheaval.

Many people anxiously questioned everything, wanting to do something but finding themselves unable to do anything, so they could only stand anxiously and look up, hoping for something to happen.

The people of Sparta were especially so.

The thoughts of the residents were surprisingly consistent. They understood Kratos's deep love for Greece. They all believed that this was not His Highness's intention to destroy Greece.

The elite warriors spontaneously began to gather towards the Tree of Hell, wanting to climb up along the roots to rescue their king.

However...

As they approached the Tree of Hell within a kilometer, the excessively dense magical energy in the air had already made the breathing of ordinary warriors become rapid, and thick blood began to seep from their eye sockets.

The fused warriors, combined with devil power, were much tougher, staggering towards the roots of the tree, starting to climb up.

Boom!

A figure as sturdy as a small mountain suddenly rushed into the perimeter of the Tree of Hell like a cannonball, leaping and jumping, grabbing the collars of these warriors, and throwing them down from the Tree of Hell.

"Get out! Get out of here!"

"Is your life so worthless?!"

"If you want to die, then die on the battlefield!"

Alcides roared with a thunderous voice.

"This is not a battlefield for you to meddle in!"

The fallen warriors looked up at Alcides.

"General... please, you must save His Highness."

In silence.

Alcides raised his gaze, glanced solemnly at the sky, closed his eyes, and nodded heavily.

"I will... personally go to bring him back."

Saying so.

However... Alcides seemed to have a premonition.

They wouldn't see Kratos's face.

Following the military order issued within the city-states.

The area within a kilometer radius of the Tree of Hell was once again evacuated and cleared in an orderly manner.

At the original site of the royal court on the summit of Mount Sparta.

All of Kratos's comrades, relatives, and loved ones in Greece, looked up at the sky with complex expressions, gazing at the figure seated on the bloody skull throne in the projection.

So close.

Yet... so far away.

Caenis suddenly tightened Medea's hand, turned her gaze away from the trembling, unable to believe, and looked at her sister, who had already matured and grown plump.

Medea, however, dared not meet her gaze directly, only lowering her eyes dimly.

The frequent battles of the past fifty days had left several ferocious scars on the silver-haired maiden, making Caenis's temperament even more fierce and violent.

However, at this moment.

Tears of weakness, on the verge of overflowing, filled the eyes of the silver-haired woman.

"Medea... why..."

Five days ago, Hecate returned with Medea from the underworld, bringing an indescribable joy to the people of Sparta.

Medea narrated Kratos's experiences in hell.

At the same time, Hecate also brought news... Kratos had killed Hades, would use the power of the Lord of the Underworld to expand and rebuild the gates of hell, and completely clear the devil-contaminated areas.

The royal court held a lively banquet, Dante and Vergil embraced each other and wept, and the crowd was in tears, excitedly waiting for the return of the young king.

In the following days.

In response to Hecate's request, the city-state of Sparta quickly evacuated the perimeter of the gates of hell.

Everyone was waiting for the return of the young king, embracing the hope of a bright future, eagerly awaiting.

After all, Kratos never disappointed.

Then...

They waited... until the Tree of Hell rose.

Until the young king declared destruction upon all of Greece.

"..."

These few short minutes.

Were like thunder, rumbling in their minds.

First... stunned, dumbfounded.

Then, strong numbness and absurdity filled everyone's minds.

No one believed that this was something Kratos could do, they also believed that perhaps something had gone wrong somewhere.

However...

Looking at the dim expressions of Medea and Hecate, everyone trembled as if they had understood something.

"It... doesn't really matter.

"I don't care, damn it...

"Greece, if it's going to be destroyed, then let it be destroyed! If His Highness wants destruction, then let there be destruction!"

"But..."

Caenis raised her gaze, looking at the Tree of Hell in front of her, looking at the figure shrouded in blood in the sky.

She trembled as she spoke.

"Why don't you come see us, Your Highness?"

The people standing here had already seen Kratos's terrifying form of destruction.

They, who were most familiar with this wise king, knew very well that Kratos had not fallen into devil depravity.

"Tell me... respected Goddess, please tell me! What happened? What happened to His Highness?"

Hecate shook her head, pain and pity filling her eyes.

"I'm sorry... I lied to you, but this is Kratos's will.

"Please, don't ask anymore..."

Because of Kratos's request.

Hecate did not reveal the secrets of the gods.

The truth of the gods' fall could not be spread... otherwise, people's pity and sympathy for Kratos would destroy him in an instant.

To save you, you must be misunderstood.

This is the saddest paradox in the world.

To save the people of Greece, he must endure the fear, curses, and hatred of all of Greece.

A dense shadow hovered beside the Goddess. Hecate, with painful compassion, helped her disciple deceive her comrades, her relatives, and her beloved ones.

Kratos.

Just like Zeus once did.

Bearing everything alone.

...

At the base of the Tree of Hell.

The silver-haired brothers supported each other, trembling and staggering, step by step, nearing their destination.

Dante, Vergil.

They wanted to rush up to the Tree of Hell immediately to find their brother.

Alcides tried to stop them, but alas... the great hero could no longer hold back the two brothers.

The two attempted to tear open a rift with their sword, intending to teleport directly to the top of the tree.

However, near the Tree of Hell, the space seemed to be confined, and their usual powerful swords, Yamato and Spartan Blade couldn't tear open the rift here.

Since that was the case, they would fly up instead.

The brothers activated the Devil Trigger and soared directly into the sky.

But... as they approached the top of the Tree of Hell, their magic seemed to be rapidly drained away, and the ferocious Devil Trigger quickly faded from their bodies, leaving them limp and powerless as they fell to the ground.

"Kratos..."

The brothers, covered in bruises, climbed up, supporting each other, and tremblingly approached, using their torn hands to climb this towering tree thousands of meters tall.

However... their strength seemed to be rapidly drained.

Suddenly, the brothers fainted and fell straight down from several meters high, only to be caught by Alcides.

The hero of Greece, the general of Sparta, Kratos's eternal chosen.

The burly figure of the dark-haired youth held the unconscious brothers, returning to the court with a silent expression.

Even Dante and Vergil couldn't climb up.

Now, everyone understood.

This was rejection from Kratos.

Anyone who attempted to approach him failed, he isolated himself at the top of the Tree of Hell.

"Medea..."

Caenis collapsed weakly to the ground, grabbing the witch's sleeve. She had never felt this way... even when Kratos was cast into hell, she hadn't felt like this.

However, at this moment, Caenis dimly realized.

She was about to lose her prince.

"Please, tell me... you who have been with His Highness, you must know..."

The silver-haired maiden uttered a hoarse, intermittent, almost choked-back voice.

"What happened to His Highness?

"What happened to him?

"I won't cry... I won't do anything, I just want... to know his condition...

"Can I, help His Highness?"

No one, can help His Highness.

Even if they could, he wouldn't allow it.

The tide of pity surged in the witch's heart.

Medea remained silent.

She couldn't speak either.

If she couldn't help but reveal the secrets, then others wouldn't be able to keep them either.

If she didn't want to see Kratos hated by the world, feared by the world, cursed by the world.

Such forbearance would instead completely destroy his efforts.

So, she held on.

Medea held on, but she seemed on the verge of collapse.

Suddenly.

Caenis grabbed the witch's clothes as if going mad, roaring like a crazed little lion.

"Tell me, Medea!"

The fierce silver-haired woman shook her sister, her tremendous strength seemingly about to shatter Medea like a delicate porcelain.

"Tell me!!!"

"Caenis, stop! That's Medea!"

The trembling Atalanta grabbed Caenis's hand, pulling her away as she went mad.

"His Highness, has his own considerations."

Atalanta tried to squeeze out a smile from the corner of her mouth.

"Trust His Highness."

This sentence finally slightly eased the tense and stagnant atmosphere on the scene.

That's right.

"Trust His Highness."

He is a miracle, he is courage, he is victory.

His Highness Kratos has never disappointed.

"So, His Highness will come back... just like he returned from hell, he will also descend from the sky."

In the light green eyes, there was hope.

Atalanta tried to smile, asking Medea.

"His Highness, will come back, right?"

...There was no answer.

Just like when Medea asked Kratos that question in the underworld... there was no answer.

Silence.

A silence as dead as death itself.

Everyone stared blankly at Medea and Hecate.

The solemn atmosphere, like a funeral, seemed to extinguish even the sound of the wind.

In this complete silence, frozen in place.

Atalanta's smile slowly faded, her expression gradually becoming bewildered and lost.

She desperately tried to capture even a glimmer of brilliance in Medea's eyes.

But she could only see dull and gloomy colors in those purple pupils.

"Medea, you..."

The witch closed her eyes.

Atalanta, realizing the answer, pressed her chest, struggling to breathe. Suddenly, as if collapsing, she slumped to the ground.

She struggled to get up, but her hands didn't know what to grasp, as if even the strength to support herself was gone.

They couldn't do anything.

"Your Highness..."

"Your Highness."

"Your Highness!!!"

Caenis knelt on the ground, roaring at the sky.

That hoarse and heart-wrenching cry seemed to release all the accumulated frustration, loneliness, and pent-up emotions from her two thousand days and nights.

"Why won't you even see us?!"

In the resounding, heartrending call.

Kratos tightened his lips.

Supported by the boundless energy of the River Styx, his gaze could penetrate beyond the heavens, and his perception already covered this land.

He could hear everyone's words.

But... he couldn't respond.

"Why can't you? Kratos.

"Why won't you even see them?"

A clear voice came from the edge of the ears.

Kratos opened his eyes, slowly shifting his gaze.

The silver-haired youth in the black armor stood by his side.

His silver hair fluttered slightly in the wind, and his iron-gray eyes seemed to be permeated with all the compassion in the world.

"Afraid? Kratos..."

Alvin asked softly.

But... there was no response.

In this silence, Alvin got his answer.

He smiled slowly.

"So that's it.

"You, are afraid too, Kratos...

"Why won't you even see them?

"Because you intend to sacrifice, you are destroying yourself.

"Because you are afraid... afraid of their tenderness, their retention, their love, which will completely crush you... crush your determination to sacrifice."

Kratos looked calmly at him.

"What does it matter?"

"Heh... hehehe... hehehehehe..."

Alvin laughed uncontrollably, as if hearing an incredibly amusing joke, shaking uncontrollably and laughing hoarsely.

"Ha... hahaha... hahahaha!

"Kratos!

"You used to mock Artoria's twisted sacrificial desire! But now, what's the difference between you and her?!"

The crazed laughter quickly turned into a kind of madness, hoarse laughter.

"You... you intend to bear all the Greece's evils alone, do you have full confidence to defeat Chaos?"

"No... we both know... you don't, you're just gambling."

"Because you can't bear to see the destruction of the Machine Gods, you selfishly arranged everything for them, exchanging the lives of the twelve Machine Gods for your own sacrifice."

"However..."

Alvin sneered mercilessly.

"Is only your sacrifice considered a sacrifice?!"

"What do you consider the sacrifices of the Olympian gods?!"

"Are you just moving yourself?!"

Then.

This tidal wave-like interrogation.

Received no response from Kratos.

"You, are truly arrogant, Kratos."

Alvin looked sadly at the other himself.

"You... arrogant madman."

"I, have always been a madman." Kratos said softly, "You know that better than anyone else, don't you?"

Alvin smiled pityingly, without saying a word.

Boom!

The swirling lava light fell from the sky, abruptly blasting the figure of the silver-haired youth into dispersion.

Kratos raised his gaze dazedly.

The God of War, the one who wields the power of war and slaughter, descended solemnly under the bright sunlight of the sky.

The body of Ares before him was so sturdy and exuded such a daunting pressure.

He retrieved his machine terminal and assembled all the fragmented warship pieces suspended in orbit onto his body.

The huge warship wings floated behind him, emitting bursts of intense flames.

Radiant halos floated all over him, setting off this dazzling crimson machine god body, as if the god of the heavens had descended.

"I am the God of War, Ares, who slaughters all and destroys all."

The hoarse and solemn voice emanated slowly from Ares' body.

"I have thoroughly endured your arrogance... Kratos, today is the day you pay for your pride!"

Boom!

Ares suddenly spread his arms.

The blazing lava light erupted violently from her mech body, illuminating his body as sacred and majestic, contrasting sharply with Kratos's ferocious devilish body.

Who is god and who is devil, is clear at a glance!

"Want to destroy Greece, the beloved land of the gods? Even a despicable devil like you dares! Today, let me, the God of War Ares, pierce your skull with my sharp spear!"

Facing the solemn oath of the God of War.

Kratos just twisted his neck, making a crisp sound.

"You're like a dog released by Olympus to bite people, Ares. Last time I didn't step on your head enough, so you're enjoying it now?"

Kratos smirked, even too lazy to stand up from the blood-red devilish body seated on the throne.

"The loser's mourning dog is barking at me."

"Guh...?!"

Buried within the machinery, the black-haired woman made a growling sound, biting her lips hard, her expression on the verge of breaking down.

Damn it, Kratos, don't you expose people's weaknesses like that!

Who would like to be stepped on their head and enjoying it?

Thinking about this battle, Kratos still had to hold back against her.

As the God of War, Ares, he felt a sense of indescribable humiliation.

Damn it, you're the one who said to go all out! I'm pulling out all the stops today! Don't chicken out on me now, dying by my hand!

"DIE!"

The devil power and the divine power, seamlessly blended, merged and surged together.

The devil power erupted fiercely like molten lava, the shadows of thousands of weapons appearing behind her body, colorful lights gathering in the palm, forming an incredibly hot spear, distorting space with its burning temperature.

"Crimson Strike!"

Thi strike was not dispersing energy like a railgun.

But a condensed, solid, piercing strike.

She has learned from her previous mistakes.

Boom!

Behind Ares, brilliant wings suddenly spread out.

The plasma spear condensed, under the full power traction of the electromagnetic field, suddenly burst out like a falling sun, with a fierce flame tail, fiercely piercing towards Kratos.

This attack was enough to melt through the crust, pierce through the mantle, and burn the earth, leaving a crater tens of thousands of meters deep...

No dodging, no deflecting.

And no employing any techniques.

Kratos simply raised his right hand.

As Ares, nearly convulsing, stared.

And amidst the countless spectators, their gazes filled with overwhelming shock.

The robust blood-colored devilish body, in such a casual manner, with just one finger, blocked this Crimson Strike.

Hum...

Ripples surged and rippled, distorting space as if it were being torn apart.

Kratos opened his palm, grasping the plasma spear composed of pure energy with his physical body. The raging blood-colored devil power surged, enveloping and swirling around it, then he gently extinguished it in his own hand like snuffing out a flickering ember.

Hiss...

"Ares..."

Amidst the trembling gazes of the people, Kratos flicked his fingertips.

"You're... not bad."

"Not bad, my ass! Just how strong are you now?!"

Ares was about to burst out cursing.

This was already her combining the power of gods and devils, her full-strength blow under normal circumstances, with plasma temperatures of several million degrees capable of melting through the crust, yet it was blocked by the opponent's finger!

Are you even human?! Kratos!

It felt like... Chaos was putting pressure on herself.

As the God of War, Ares naturally knew when to retreat if she couldn't win.

Now, anyone could see that she was not Kratos's match... the gap between the two sides was like a chasm, which was unreasonable if left unchecked.

It seemed like she was trying to run away.

Kratos propped himself up on the armrest and slowly stood up.

The blood-colored throne behind him dissipated inch by inch into the void.

"Wanna run?" He chuckled, "Such a coward..."

This sentence seemed to thoroughly enrage the God of War.

"Run?! Today, who's the coward, you'll know soon enough!"

Buzz... 

The blazing lava erupted violently from behind Ares, and as the halo vibrated, she directly overclocked the Crimson Machine God!

The plasma spear constructed from plasma continuously burst forth, each shot capable of causing explosions like the Tunguska event. Twelve consecutive blood spears appeared beside Ares, arranged in a fan shape, bombarding the devilish body in front of her like meteors.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom...!

Watching the opponent's body being annihilated in the endless flames.

Ares's eyes revealed a hint of concern.

Did she... go too far?

The next moment...

The layered hoarse voices appeared terrifyingly in her mind.

"...Too slow."

"Kratos, you?!"

Ares's words were cut off before she could finish.

With a voice resonating with magic, Kratos directly transmitted into her machine god body.

"You won't die, don't worry."

In an instant of thought.

Bang!

The sturdy devilish body had already suddenly punched through her back, retrieving her terminal.

The entire warship, its solid god-steel spine, suddenly shattered and collapsed.

Kratos pulled back his force, retracting his arm.

Ares's body, like a falling meteor, crashed towards the ground.

The crimson machine god, flying backwards at a violent speed, tore through the air, causing ripples of airwaves and emitting a deafening scream. In the sky thousands of meters high, it left a vacuum trail.

Boom!

Ares's mech body plummeted like a meteor, crashing into the distant mountain peaks. The layers of rocks on the mountainside were pierced in an instant, the sturdy rocks rippling like water under the force, and the thick layers of rock were torn apart, leaving a grim scar. Under the transmission radiation of the violent force, countless rocks and sand began to crack, curl up, and explode.

From the top of the hellish tree, it directly pierced through a mountain peak, and the violent force continued to push Ares deeper into the earth.

Bang!

The sky filled with dust slowly dissipated.

On the ground, within a crater over a hundred meters deep.

Ares propped herself up, trembling, and climbed up shakily.

The wings were broken, her crimson warship turned into a pile of scrap, and her flesh and bones were completely crushed. Under the shattered mask, revealed was the delicate, blood-stained face of the beautiful goddess.

The God of War Ares, was actually a woman?!

This scene caused a violent shock among the crowd.

However, compared to this...

On the Olympus Mountain.

Except for Hades, Zeus, Ares, and Athena, the eight machine gods were all solemnly watching this scene.

The shock in their hearts was much more turbulent than those who couldn't understand the content of the battle.

"Instant kill..."

As an intelligence ship, Aphrodite, knew Ares's strength very well, even with the damaged warship, it was a combat-type mech. It was thoroughly defeated in one move?

"How is this possible, it's actually an instant kill?"

On the sky, the blood-red devilish body slowly descended into the pit, lifted its foot, and stepped on Ares's face.

"Damn... you're still stepping on me?"

"It's quite comfortable to step on you."

With a heaving chest, Ares's bleeding face twitched, trying hard to say something.

But after a moment of brewing, she couldn't say anything.

"Never mind, I've already put out all my strength, it's not unjust to lose."

"Yes, you are truly a god of war, Kratos, I'm just a useless waste..."

She tried hard to squeeze out a faint smile, but looking at Kratos's fierce and bloody face, she only let out a dim sigh.

"...I'm really stupid, yes, I admit it. But I didn't say anything, not a word at Olympus, and none of the other gods know."

"Thank you, Ares." Kratos said softly, "Thank you for helping me keep this secret."

Hearing the heartfelt gratitude from the other side.

Ares trembled all over, and a smile, incredibly ugly, spread across her lips.

"Haha... hahaha..."

She, was being thanked... 

Such gentle words could actually be heard from this guy's mouth.

The black-haired woman opened her eyes forcefully, trying to stop the tears from flowing down.

The overflowing tears, mixed with blood, had a salty and sweet taste.

Crying...

The God of War was crying.

But she, was crying because she was beaten.

Yes! It's because being defeated is intolerable humiliation for her, crying is also normal, right...

Why... why am I crying?

As a machine god, having tear glands is really redundant.

Have I, who has been eroded by humanity's evil, become like a weak human?

Ares, while shedding tears, laughed at herself bitterly, the expression of crying and laughing, coupled with her delicate beauty, looked extremely ugly.

"I'm impulsive, coming to challenge you impulsively, and then being killed like an animal, it fits my character setting, doesn't it?"

"Yeah." Kratos nodded vigorously, "You're great."

"Is there a turning point? Kratos."

"..."

In silence, he wiped away the wetness on his cheeks.

Ares's bloodshot eyes stared at him, as if wanting to forever imprint that young face in her memory.

"Goodbye, Kratos."

"Goodbye, Ares."

At the depths of the immense crater, a crevice leading to the underworld opened, swallowing Ares's body within.

Boom!

The thunderous roar shook the earth.

Inside the mech, the prepared flesh of another black-haired woman, under the rampage of the blood-red devil, was thoroughly torn, crushed, and destroyed...

Broadcasted across all of Greece.

Kratos peeled off her skin, crushed her brain, pulled out her spine, bathed in the raining blood, and emitted a frenzied, hoarse laughter.

The thick, splattered blood.

In the projection, it depicted an immensely gruesome massacre.

Witnessing such a scene, countless people turned pale, feeling a chill, a tingling sensation rising in their throats, experiencing nausea and disgust.

Initially, there were sporadic cries of horror.

But as the continuous slaughter progressed, it gradually evolved into a deathly silence.

Five minutes later.

In the deeper pit, which was hit again, only a puddle of mush remained, a mixture of scrap iron and flesh.

In the eyes of the people on this land, there was an incredibly stagnant gaze.

The blood-red devilish body slowly lifted its gaze, gazing towards the heights of the sky.

In the projection covering all of Greece.

That blood-drenched, devil-like, grotesque face slowly broke into a smile.

The slightly cracked corners of the mouth, like black crevices splitting open from an abyss, sent shivers down people's spines.

Fear.

In this moment.

A surge of fear, like a dark cloud, shrouded people's minds.

Looking at the beautiful black-haired woman being torn apart on the screen, Kratos raised his head, his face revealing such a chilling smile.

People seemed to finally realize... that god of war was thoroughly killed right before their eyes.

The face of a beauty, particularly evokes empathy.

For Ares, people continued to extend sympathy and pity.

For Kratos, people were overwhelmed with uncontrollable fear and rejection.

In order to protect humanity.

The war god of Olympus was killed by the fallen king who turned into a devil.

Realizing, in that moment of clarity.

Buzz... 

A whisper like a decay surged and echoed in Kratos's thoughts.

Countless grotesque tumors suddenly emerged all over his body, his massive devil form seemed to tear open mouths filled with sharp teeth.

Rage, bloodlust, fury, resentment...

Desiring to slaughter humanity.

Desiring to tear this land apart completely.

Kratos held his head, staggering to his feet, blood dripping down his fierce face, whether tainted or seeping from his eye sockets, he couldn't tell.

Not far away.

The silver-haired youth stared at him, the curve of his lips rising, as if emitting silent mockery.

...

In the depths of the underworld, a crevice suddenly opened.

The black-haired woman, bathed in blood, fell to the ground inside Hades's palace.

Ares lay prostrate on the ground, gnashing his teeth.

Thud!

"Idiot! Fool! Liar!

Thud!

"Damn you! Ares! You waste! Damn you!

Thud!

"Kratos..."

The feeble fists pounded the ground relentlessly.

Until the flesh was mush, the bones bare, there was no intention of stopping.

As a god of war.

Ares had never hated her own powerlessness so much, as if the surging brutality and murderous intent of those devils had drained from her thoughts, leaving only endless bitterness.

Kratos, he was right.

She was powerless, she was useless.

She, was nothing...

Even the title of god of war was about to be taken away by that detestable human.

What glory could she have left...

Thud!

Ares trembled and sobbed, a mortal attempting to bear the evil of the entire land, while as a god, she could do nothing.

Hades reached out, slowly helping Ares up, looking at his compatriot buried in his embrace, finally unable to hold back his own wailing.

"Hades... Sob... I'm worthless..."

"Don't say that."

Hades embraced Ares's hair.

Looking up at the blood moon high in the underworld sky, Hades's solemn face was filled with compassion.

"Kratos...

"You're alone, deceiving all of Greece."

...

In the temple of Olympus...

The eight machine gods gazed stoically as the bloody massacre before them finally came to an end.

The fearsome, bloodthirsty devil god Khorne slowly levitated, retaking his seat on the crimson skull throne, and closing his eyes.

Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock.

Representing the toll of slaughter, behind him, resonated a crisp yet chilling sound.

Seated at the long table in the temple, Aphrodite's amber eyes flowed with a dazzling stream of data.

"No response detected from Ares." She said expressionlessly. "Her terminal signal has been severed."

"No doubt, he's been destroyed."

"Zeus..." Hera, the regal queen of the gods, turned to the thunderous temple atop the highest peak. "You've created a monster, through and through."

Gazing at the image of the blood-red devil form, Hephaestus, the forge god, voiced his concerns.

"Kratos's current state... Is this deviliization, or has he been overtaken and controlled by the vanguard of the wandering star?"

"Perhaps." A handsome man shrouded in light murmured slowly. "Both..."

"Exactly." Aphrodite nodded. "The devil's corruption makes him want to slaughter humans, the vanguard of the wandering star's instinct makes him want to destroy the gods."

With Athena absent, the most powerful computational force here was the intelligence vessel Aphrodite.

Her words garnered unanimous agreement from the gods.

"Indeed, in the battle with Hades, was the vanguard of the wandering star also contaminated by the malicious intent of the Styx? This can explain why Kratos is attacking both humans and gods... he has completely lost control."

"Hades has been destroyed, Ares has been destroyed, Olympus has lost two warships, and we couldn't even recover their remains. This is a huge loss."

The interstellar travel resource manufacturing ship, the goddess Demeter, spoke methodically.

"Zeus's plan is gradually becoming reality. What should we do now?"

"No, this may even transcend Zeus's control..." Artemis, gazing at the devil god seated on the throne, said. "Because... Kratos, he vows to destroy human cities... he has completely lost control of his morality."

"Kill him? Or try to save him?"

Apollo surveyed the faces of the gods.

As the god of light, he was the least affected by contamination among the gods.

"But if Ares was killed instantly... our attempts to show mercy might only lead to destruction."

"...Wait for Zeus's reaction." Hera sighed softly. "Zeus won't allow his son to go on a rampage."

In the silence, Poseidon slowly raised her eyes. As the planetary environment modification plant-ship, she was the strongest among the eight machine gods.

"Why isn't Athena joining us?"

"She's always wanted to control Kratos. Now that Kratos seems to have fallen, this is her best chance."

"And Zeus's condition, even among us, is the worst... He can only exert his full strength once, then he'll fall completely."

"So..."

Hera whispered softly.

"Wait.

"When Zeus can't help but take action, our chance will come.

"The final battle is imminent."

...

At the summit of Olympus...

Though it was daytime, it seemed shrouded in a pall of gray clouds.

Thunder roared, lightning flashed, and rain poured like a waterfall.

The colossal annihilator-class mobile fortress loomed over the thunderclouds, suspended in the sky above the Temple of Zeus, manipulating the surrounding weather.

The orange-haired woman walked hand in hand with her daughter, slowly traversing the majestic temple.

Soon...

In the center of the great hall, Athena spotted the figure of the flagship.

Just like his son.

The burly figure of the silver-haired old man sat atop the throne of the gods, supporting his face with his hand, eyes closed as if resting, as if in slumber.

The grotesque mass of flesh piled behind Zeus's throne, a huge monstrosity that seemed to breathe, constantly rising and falling, writhing.

"Kratos... seems to have lost control, venerable Zeus." Athena said, her hand on her black-haired, sweet and adorable daughter, brushing against her chest, bowing slightly, smiling.

"If you can assist me, perhaps I can restore his sanity."

As the last words fell...

The silver-haired old man, weary expression on his face, slowly opened his golden eyes.

"Go down, Athena.

"If Kratos... has truly fallen.

"Then, I will... go down with him."

...

[Waiting, brewing, fermenting.]

[The sun rises and the moon sets in the Greek sky, as time flows by.]

[A few short days feel as long as years.]

[People have tried countless methods, but no one can climb this hellish tree, let alone see your face.]

[You've buried yourself in endless evil.]

[People on the Greek land are gradually beginning to understand that His Highness Kratos may have completely succumbed to devilization.]

[But they haven't given up hope... people discuss urgently, seeking methods, praying again for the gods' mercy, hoping to save you from the contamination of hell.]

[On the sixth night, you look at Hecate before you, and after her long silence, you finally get her answer.]

["It's done... I've replaced all the people in the city with shadows. The gods won't notice for a short time. Those people, I've temporarily handed over to Hades for care."]

["Thank you, teacher."]

[At the top of the hellish tree, she suddenly embraces your weary body. You've already prepared to satisfy her, but... she merely gives you a gentle kiss.]

["You must be tired, Kratos."]

[She can see that your spirit is nearing its limit. But, as you've said... breaking limits is your routine.]

["It's okay, teacher."]

[You answer with a smile, and Hecate simply presses her forehead against yours.]

["You can rely on me more, after all, I'm your goddess."]

[So, thousands of meters above ground, you kiss her.]

[She agrees to all your excessive requests. Despite her reluctance, she deceives this world with you.]

[Because, you are her light, she is your shadow.]

[You think... maybe, you and the witch are bound by an inescapable fate, perhaps.]

...

The morning sunlight gently ascended above the coastline of Greece, but... no one on this land slept last night.

Because today is... the seventh day.

Above the sky, seated on the throne, the crimson figure slowly opened its eyes amidst the intense anticipation of everyone.

Kratos's figure slowly rose.

He had obtained Ares's terminal and the related permissions, and part of it had already been deconstructed.

Raising his palm, he pointed to a city on the coastal edge of Greece, and a dense blood light began to gather at his fingertips. In a matter of moments, a plasma spear, exuding fierce flames like Ares's, condensed, ready to strike.

Then, in the next moment.

Hum... 

Countless defensive formations and divine force fields unfolded before Kratos, layering upon each other, nested like an indestructible shield, blocking his attack.

Amidst the trembling and hopeful gazes of the people, eight figures with halos floating above their heads slowly descended from the sky.

"Kratos... Have you truly fallen?"

With a solemn expression, the blue-haired, aristocratic-looking woman gazed at Kratos. Poseidon couldn't sense even the slightest trace of human emotion from his crimson pupils.

"Fallen...?"

Kratos lowered his eyelids.

"The so-called fall is nothing but the arrogance of the gods."

Powered by magical energy, 1000%.

Amidst the stunned and terrified gazes of countless people.

In the solemn gazes of the gods, Kratos's blood-red spear suddenly struck, tearing through the layered defenses of the gods and slamming onto the palace of that coastal city, causing a momentary, intense explosion that even dimmed the sun for an instant.

Boom!

A huge mushroom cloud rose above Greece.

As the dust slowly dispersed.

Ten minutes later.

A bustling city along the coast was reduced to a deep, blackened crater thousands of meters in diameter. Even the ruins and debris were wiped clean, as if wiped away.

A city, erased from the earth by Kratos.

Rumble.

Tremor.

The scorching hot wind blowing over the land told the spectators watching the live broadcast that this was a real and brutal massacre.

All the cities' communication was immediately cut off.

"The Pinos Palace has lost contact."

"They... are all dead."

Silence...

Deathly silence.

Kratos, the wise king of Sparta, carried out his words.

He had truly destroyed a city, instantly slaughtering hundreds of thousands.

In this almost stagnant atmosphere.

"Heh... hehehe... hahaha!"

Sitting on the throne, the devilish figure let out a hoarse, mocking laughter.

The intense crimson filled Kratos's pupils.

As if no longer needing to hide any emotions, he then laughed maniacally.

"Haha... hahaha... hahahaha!"

His chilling laughter echoed throughout the Greek sky, resonating through the heavens of this planet.

Amidst this silence.

Kratos slowly raised his fingertips, swaying lightly over the earth beneath him, emitting a hoarse voice.

"The next one...

"Will it be Mycenae, Olympia, Athens...

"Or perhaps..."

"Even Sparta?"

Boom!

His seemingly casual words fell like another exploding nuclear bomb on this land.

Fear, astonishment, trembling, horror...

The residents of Sparta looked at their king in disbelief, as he abruptly declared the destruction of their own city with his words.

The spears of the Spartan warriors fell to the ground.

On the throne, Dante clenched his fists so tightly that blood almost seeped from his palms.

Kratos's comrades, loved ones, and friends stared blankly at his bloody and ferocious face.

As if something had been drawn out from their souls... 

As the last word fell.

The lingering echo.

Majestic, surging, violent.

People... could hardly contain their fear.

From all over Greece, their collective emotions converged towards Kratos's figure.

People could no longer contain their anger, fear, and dread, and their curses against this fallen king resounded between the cities.

"Die!"

"Butcher, tyrant, full of evil!"

"You are destined to be nailed to the pillar of shame in Greece!"

"His Highness Kratos, he... he has been tainted by hell..."

"So what! Aren't there enough warriors fallen to darkness?! Aren't there enough people dead at the hands of devils?! Does Kratos have special privileges? He just slaughtered over a hundred thousand people!"

Although some still tried to plead for Kratos.

But, such feeble dissuasion was instantly drowned in the people's shock and anger, which echoed incessantly between the city-states.

Because, people were afraid...

Afraid that their city would be the next crater.

"Respected gods! We beg you to destroy him!"

"Don't let this madman continue his madness!"

"Kill him..."

"Kill him!"

"Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!!!"

Horror, resentment, fear, curses... 

This land had never been so united in its desire for someone's immediate death.

The negative emotions harbored in the human collective subconscious began to subtly shift and transfer, intertwining with karma and destiny to weave this evil.

Fear of the gods.

Projected onto a figure more terrifying and transcendent than the gods themselves.

The expressions of the Olympian gods were becoming increasingly solemn, almost as if they wanted to protect the human will, and unconsciously, they seemed to be growing stronger.

"Enough...

"Your spirit has reached its limit! Kratos!

"Give up! Now! Don't hold on any longer! Tell them, tell everyone the truth!"

Aatrox's hoarse voice resonated in the young man's heart.

Yet Kratos remained unaware.

Hoarse, indistinct chants echoed in his wandering mind.

Layered, eerie whispers lingered in his ears.

In the chaotic darkness, Kratos gazed at the silver-haired youth before him with a look of pity, standing in front of him.

"Is all this... worth it? Kratos."

Saying so.

Alvin slowly approached, cupping the face of the black-haired youth, his gentle voice like a soothing lure.

"Saving the world is not your responsibility.

"You're slowly falling into the abyss.

"Reason is not a beacon, but your shackles.

"Let me tell you... Why not cast off the disguise."

His seductive voice rippled in Kratos's ears.

"Freedom is within your reach."

In silent refusal.

Kratos shook off his hand.

On his devilish face, thick, blackened blood oozed slowly from his seven orifices.

"Don't mistake my pity for your luck."

Gazing at the dazzling gods before him.

Kratos laughed hoarsely, almost maniacally.

"Sorry, I'm not targeting anyone."

His crimson gaze swept around, arrogantly refusing to even stand up to confront his enemies.

"I mean, you Olympians are just like Ares, a bunch of... complete garbage."

Boom!

Magic surged.

Energy filled.

The distorted air heated fiercely.

Under the surging energy ripples of the gods' projections, the magic that shrouded the entire Greek sky suddenly disintegrated.

However... no need for projections anymore.

Everyone on this land could see the enormous vessels emerging successively from the Tree of Hell.

The ocean surged, the earth trembled and cracked.

The pristine moonlight bathed the daylight, resonating with irresistible rhythms in the hearts.

Planetary Environment Modification Plant-Ship - Poseidon.

Interstellar Travel Resource Manufacturing Ship - Demeter

Shooter-Type Interstellar Fighter Craft - Artemis

Spiritron Data Warfare Type Attack Vessel - Aphrodite

The remnants of the gods' four ships, as if torn from the sky, slowly descended and pressed against the dome of Sparta.

No more words were necessary.

The devils' depravity resisted the gods' self-destruct program.

While protecting humanity's divinity, they also had to eliminate Kratos, the destructive factor.

The four divine ships suddenly unfolded, under the communication permission of the eight Olympian gods, linking their energy reserves and divine powers to each other.

"Shooting Star Ortygia!"

"You are the gold that pierces the stars!"

Its entire structure presented an elegant streamline, its hull gleaming like moonlight, and bright wings suddenly spread behind it.

In an instant.

Thousands of golden arrows descended like densely packed missile nests, covering the direction where Kratos was, completely engulfing the blood-red devilish body.

Boom!

A series of earth-shattering explosions erupted in the sky above the Tree of Hell, shaking the entire Greek sky.

"Trident Ocean Ray"

"Scream Eleusis!"

"Mindhack Mycenae!"

High-energy lasers, plasma radiation, electromagnetic railguns, gravitational fields, high-frequency blades, spirit hacker intrusions...

Explosions, roars.

As if endless, explosions and roars.

Everything was emptied, everything evaporated, everything not allowed was thoroughly swept away from the sky above the Tree of Hell.

The blood-red devil laughed maniacally, bathing in the bombardment of the divine ships... these weak and feeble attacks seemed to only give Kratos a comfortable feeling, as if taking a hot bath.

"Weak...

"Weak! Weak! Too weak!

"It's so weak that it makes me want to laugh...

"Is this the best attack the gods can muster?! This kind of weak bombing feels like taking a bath here?!"

Sound waves were annihilated in the battlefield, emitting roars and roars of magical vibrations.

The bloodthirsty slaughter and tyranny pervaded the thoughts.

Behind, the throne of piled bones slowly dissipated into the void.

Kratos slowly stood up, the blood-red devilish body suddenly swelled up again, as if something was about to burst out of it.

"Get... out of here!"

Boom!

The surging blood-red devil power erupted violently from Kratos's body, exploding like dozens of cluster bombs. For a moment, all attacks were annihilated. The surging waves of energy almost formed a violent hurricane in the sky thousands of meters high, throwing the divine ships linked together by the gods' power into the air tens of kilometers away.

The gods' defense line suddenly collapsed.

"Just now, you bombed so happily, didn't you."

Space seemed to tear apart, rippling out layers of ripples.

The blood-red devilish body suddenly flashed, rushing towards Artemis's shooter-type interstellar fighter craft.

Blood light surged, and the bloodthirsty demonic sword seemed to split the sky open with one stroke.

In an instant, a grim gap was cut open in Artemis's moonlight armor, exposing the seated figure inside the mechanical body, the white-haired and plump moon goddess.

He wanted... to kill her.

In his mind, Atalanta's face suddenly flashed.

Suppressing his surging destructive desires.

Kratos punched out, directly piercing Artemis's chest, pulling out her terminal. A crack leading to the underworld suddenly opened, and in Artemis's somewhat stunned gaze, it swallowed the humanoid form of this moon goddess.

"Die!"

In the roar of the godslayer, the violent blood-red devili power surged crazily from his body.

Space seemed to begin to distort, invisible ripples like a giant hand, gripping Artemis's moonlight armor dozens of meters away, grasping, crushing, squeezing it with unparalleled violent force, slowly kneading the body into a mass of scrap metal like a metal ball, and then throwing it into the ocean below.

Boom!

The towering waves exploded on the sea surface, sweeping away with surging ripples, just like the trembling emotions of the gods.

"Artemis... has been destroyed."

"Do not hold back..."

"No one can stop Kratos now."

"Zeus! Why isn't Zeus appearing?"

No god could withstand the might of Kratos's rampage.

Artemis's shooter-type interstellar fighter craft was brought down with a single strike.

Standing before him, one could feel the immense pressure.

In the skies of Greece, the continuous explosions and roars resounded, the bright daylight flickered fiercely, buzzing and reverberating through the heavens, shaking the eardrums of those on the ground.

Despair.

Many witnessed how Artemis was crushed into a mass of scrap metal, and this news quickly spread among the city-states.

The seven gods, in a sorry state, slowly gathered together.

The devils' inertia was thrown aside, and at this moment, the gods only thought about how to stop the present godslayer.

"Let's synchronize integration, with Poseidon as the guide."

"We have no other choice."

With Poseidon as the guide.

Entirely blue, resembling a streamlined fish fin, the planetary environment modification plant-ship floated in the air.

Demeter, the interstellar travel resource manufacturing ship, and Aphrodite, the spiritron data warfare type attack vessel, slowly approached each other. Their broken machine parts and components began to transform, linking, communicating, and combining together.

The dignified blue-haired woman sat at the center of the core, with the colossal machine body of Poseidon spanning hundreds of meters in height, making the blood-red devil's body seem extremely small in comparison.

However... the gods knew, at this moment, they were the ones in the weaker position.

"Kratos..."

"Kratos!!!"

Aatrox's hoarse shouts echoed in the depths of the young man's heart.

However, it was as if they were completely blocked, unable to be heard by Kratos in the slightest.

Aatrox's will trembled violently and suddenly delved into Kratos's thoughts, diving into that chaotic-colored consciousness space.

The black-haired youth sat atop the blood-red throne, his eyes closed as if taking a nap.

Beside Kratos, Alvin stood, gently embracing the strands of the youth's hair.

Seemingly aware of Aatrox's intrusion.

The eyeballs on the demonic sword gazed dazedly, watching as the silver-haired youth turned back and pressed his lips.

"Shh." Alvin chuckled, hushing. "Don't disturb us, Aatrox."

"Who are you..."

"I am Kratos." Alvin smiled and said, "I am the one who wants him to live."

...

Using Poseidon's ship as the core of the combination, the planetary environment modification plant-ship overclocked itself to one thousand percent of its power.

The air was heated at an incredible speed, and the electromagnetic field was severely disrupted.

Boom!

Violent and blazing light erupted from the ship's cannons, countless torrents of furious gamma rays surged out, radiating wildly and spreading across the entire Greek sky as if it were ablaze.

Where Kratos stood, atoms in the air were thoroughly heated by Poseidon's cannon, shimmering with plasma-like brilliance, bursting with rays and radiation, with his body as the center, everything within a radius of kilometers turned into a dazzling, colorful haze.

Anything, any life, in the rampage of such gamma rays, would be annihilated into invisible dust.

However...

The blood-red devilis's body showed no change at all, not even the slightest injury.

With the permission of the wandering star authority, he surpassed Aatrox's authority.

The crest of the wandering star was fully activated, the entire Styx river's power was crazily absorbed, and even the intent of purification was ignored.

In the almost stagnant gaze of the gods' bodies.

The thick, blood-red devil power, like flickering flames, emanated from Kratos's body, completely enveloping and entwining him, inch by inch forming a magnificent giant with a towering devilish body.

At this moment.

Kratos's body, driven by devil power and supported by the entire Styx river, was even more majestic and powerful than the intact vanguard of the wandering star.

"Olympus, I ascend."

In the stifling atmosphere.

The crimson giant lifted his hand, as if gripping a weak quail, and clenched the bodies of the seven gods assembled into the machine body of the gods, in his palm.

Crack... crack...

The bodies emitted a groan under the immense force.

"Olympus, is this all...? How am I losing."

Kratos smirked, then waved his hand.

The clouds in the sky split instantly.

The machine bodies, assembled from the gods and the three starships, fell from the sky like meteors, spanning the entire Greek land, crossing thousands of miles, crossing the sight of the people, and crashing onto the peak of Mount Olympus.

Boom!

It was as if the entire Greece trembled.

The earth trembled and screamed.

Kratos shook his head, the body of the blood-red giant slowly dispersing, walking in this form would leave countless city-states trampled into deep pits.

With Sefar's help.

He still retained the last strand of precarious sanity.

With a somewhat dazed expression.

With a step, he seemed to tear through space and appeared dozens of miles away.

On the peak of Mount Olympus.

The broken and battered bodies of the seven gods' machine bodies were embedded in the heavy rocks, like a lump of scrap metal.

The gods disintegrated their damaged armor in embarrassment, floated up in humanoid form, and gathered in the highest temple of the peak.

The sky above the mountain peak of the gods was shrouded in gloomy gray clouds, and amidst those dark clouds, golden flashes of lightning flickered.

A sturdy figure with silver hair sat on the throne of the towering temple, his majestic body seemingly supporting the sky and the earth.

"Hades, Ares, and Artemis...

"They have all been destroyed by Kratos."

Queen Hera, with a bloodied face and disheveled demeanor, no longer resembled the dignified goddess she once was.

Her cold and mournful gaze fixed upon her husband before her.

As the consort ship, Hera was most concerned about Zeus's condition. She hadn't been involved in Kratos's plan from the start.

But at this moment, regardless, she felt the desolation of her kin's passing.

"Kratos is about to destroy all of Greece.

"So, Zeus... are you satisfied?"

Observing the disheveled state of her kin before her.

Sitting upon his throne as the king of the gods, Zeus remained silent.

Zeus slowly raised his expressionless gaze, staring at the blood-red devil, descending from the heavens like the god of death.

"Kratos..."

As if at a grave before.

The silver-haired old man issued a complex and varied call.

"Long time no see."

With a snap of his fingers, filled with devil power, he communicated with the tree of hell, projecting the scene in this temple to every corner of Greece once again.

Kratos's hoarse voice uttered the name of this father.

"Zeus...

"I've had enough of your schemes.

"Destroying my home, killing my father, plundering my brothers, tormenting my spirit...

"Even I have been cast into hell.

"Under your manipulation, I was played like a puppet.

"I've had enough. Don't mistake my mercy, patience, and good temper for your gods' luck."

With that said.

Kratos emitted a chilling and frightening laughter.

"So... it's time to end it all, Zeus.

"I will make sure that you, in front of everyone, are crushed in the most miserable way."

"Yes..." The silver-haired old man slowly lowered his golden eyes. "It's time to end it."

"The situation has changed like this, undoubtedly, it's my fault.

"After I destroy you, I will bear all the guilt."

The silver-haired old man's ethereal voice faded away.

A huge and terrifying shadow loomed over the temple.

The Interstellar Combat-Purpose Annihilation Type Mobile Fortress Flagship slowly descended, revealing its true form.

Thunder twined around the towering golden head, also the flagship of Olympus.

[Model: King of the Gods.]

[TYPE: ZEUS]

In blue appeared stacked behind his head.

Threads of lightning flickered around the king's divine body.

Zeus slowly raised his hand, and in his palm, a twisted golden thunder emerged.

Fierce photons, in Zeus's hand, the electromagnetic field was concentrated. It was enough to melt everything, making the temperature of space rise to tens of millions of degrees.

Watching this scene.

A brilliant and ferocious smile appeared on Kratos's face.

The gods stood behind the god-king Zeus, people watched everything with bated breath, and the stagnant atmosphere seemed to freeze all of Greece.

In this solemn confrontation.

A faint voice of Athena sounded, echoing from the shadows of the temple.

"So, why are you broadcasting your anger to the world, Kratos?"

The orange-haired woman emerged slowly from the shadows of the temple.

Her amber eyes nested within circular rings, rippling with mesmerizing ripples.

Gazing at Kratos's bloody face.

Athena, with a smile that seemed not quite a smile, spoke.

"This is completely pointless, isn't it?

"With your current power, if you want to slaughter humans, then slaughter them. If you want to destroy the gods, then destroy them.

"So why broadcast it for people to see?

"Destroying one city every seven days?

"Then you'll have to destroy this entire Greece, one city at a time, for several years.

"Isn't that too slow?"

After a moment of silence,

Kratos sneered, laughing hoarsely and cruelly.

"Because I want people to see your most miserable deaths."

"Then..." Athena chuckled, "What does that have to do with you slaughtering humans?"

Silence.

Silence was the atmosphere in Olympus at this moment.

"Because I..." Kratos murmured, lowering his gaze, "Have fallen."

"No, you haven't fallen."

Athena came forward slowly, her expression gentle and captivating. She gently placed her hands on his fierce face.

She smiled.

"Come on, I'm right in front of you, just kill me."

No movement.

Kratos stared at her, motionless.

Athena waved her hand.

The cute black-haired girl emerged from the shadows, her eyes and those of her mother were both amber-colored.

"Your daughter, Pandora, this is the hope you entrusted to my heart."

"Come... Pandora, to your father."

The cute black-haired girl hesitated and timidly hid behind Athena, gazing at Kratos's fierce face, and hesitantly called out.

"Father?"

This soft call.

It felt like a heavy hammer striking in the chest.

Kratos stared at Pandora in front of him.

The goddess's tender breath, like gentle waves, surged and cascaded. She leaned against his ear and whispered softly.

"If you can't bear to do it, then come into our embrace."

Collapsed.

As if something staunch had collapsed.

This simple, gentle words from the goddess.

Finally, it made him collapse.

"No! Athena! You're-"

Hecate's figure suddenly appeared in the shadow of the temple. She rushed over, trying to pull Athena's hand.

But it was already too late.

Hum... 

Like the taut string in his heart, finally snapped.

Kratos knelt on the ground.

Despair and pain couldn't destroy this god-slayer.

But he couldn't resist gentleness.

All of the world's Evil couldn't crush his will.

He was crushed by gentleness.

...

"Is it funny?

"I don't think so, Kratos."

In the chaotic space.

The black-haired youth sitting on the throne slowly opened his eyes and looked at the silver-haired young man in front of him.

His iron-gray eyes were slightly lowered.

In his expression, there was a touch of sadness and pity.

"Longing for beauty, that's human nature.

"In this world, there is no such thing as a perfect ending, Kratos.

"Kill the gods...

"Kill them.

"Then you can live quietly and happily with the people you cherish."

Alvin spoke softly.

Facing the black-haired youth, the silver-haired young man slowly opened his arms.

"If you feel tired, Kratos.

"Just give everything to me."

.

.

.

Athena stared blankly.

Looking at the blood-colored devilish body in front of her, slowly swelling and enlarging, countless arms grew all over it, and countless eerie eyes continued to grow on those arms.

Blood flowed from those eyes.

---

9549 Words!

One of the most exhausting tasks, taking almost half a day, if there are any mistakes that I might not realize, feel free to point them out.