Chapter 442: Unreaching Voice (5)

"Kurgh, urgh!"

Zeus twisted and turned frantically. Blue lightning sparked from him and burned Odin's hand, creating an instant opening he was able to take advantage of.

Jump!

Zeus desperately widened the distance between himself and Odin. He looked up at him as he panted heavily.

"Wh-why are you doing this?" he asked.

"Why, you ask?"

Odin looked down at Zeus with deeply sunken eyes. Zeus could feel the intense rage within Odin's one blue eye.

Zeus flinched. He felt as if Odin had grown several dozen times larger. It was like facing a Titan, the creator of the gods. Chills ran down his spine.

'Was Odin... this powerful?'

Zeus stared at Odin in pallor. He knew that Odin had fought the Demon God by himself far in the past, but he had never expected him to be this strong.

"Kurgh..."

Zeus bit his lip as Odin's immense power weighed him down. He drew out as much of his Divinity as he could, but the pressure did not vanish.

'So this is... the power of a god with Top-rank Deific Essence.'

Zeus couldn't believe it. He had seen Gaia in battle a few times, but the power he had felt from her was never to the extent that he was feeling from Odin. It was not incomprehensible; there were differences in power between gods of the same rank. Even Zeus himself was far more powerful than other gods of the same rank as him, so it was only natural for Odin, who was once at the pinnacle of Earth's gods, to be the same.

Zeus gulped as Odin stared down at him.

"Did you just ask me... why?" Odin asked in a low tone.

Zeus nodded slightly. "I know that my mother has made a radical decision, but I'm sure you know why such a decision is necessary, do you not, Lord Odin?"

"..."

"If beings with Deific Essence were all left to their own devices, unimaginable chaos would—"

"So what you're saying is, what you did was necessary?"

"Ah, yes. Hence—"

Wham—!

Air compressed to its limit smashed into Zeus, sending him flying backward like a cannonball.

"Kurgh!"

"It was... necessary?"

Boom. Boom.

The palace shook with each step that Odin took.

"It was necessary for Thor... my child, to die at the hands of that bitch?!"

Rumble—!

Compressed air burst, thunderous sounds ringing out. The walls of the palace cracked and began to crumble.

"Th-Thor?"

Zeus looked up at Odin in confusion. Gaia killed Thor? What in the world was Odin talking about?

"L-Lord Odin, please w—"

"Silence!!! How dare you run your filthy tongue at me?!"

Boom!

Odin stomped his foot. Cracks formed on the ground as if an earthquake was taking place. Intense gusts of wind poured out from Odin and weighed Zeus down.

Odin said angrily, "I... wanted peace."

However, the peace he had in mind differed from what Gaia wanted. Odin wanted a world ruled by the gods; he wanted to govern the foolish humans who had lost their faith and restore the past glory of the gods. He was about to take the first step to that restoration by joining forces with Olympus to unite the gods of the divine realm.

'Moronic bitch.'

However, peace would never be realized as long as humans existed. Several millennia's worth of history proved his point. They endlessly fought, disputed, resented, and desired because they were imperfect, unlike gods. One could even call them defective goods. Hence, gods needed to band together first to keep those humans in line. Only then would they be able to prevent the time of prophecy.

"I was planning on joining forces with you to prepare for the time of prophecy."

That was the only way to avoid destruction, which was why Odin had created the opposing faction as soon as Gaia announced the law so that he could give Gaia an offer that she could never refuse.

"But Gaia was the one who slapped my hand away first."

She had killed Thor. No, she did not just kill him but had even sent Zeus to mock him.

"And after that, she wants to talk?" Zeus feigned laughter and walked toward Zeus as his eyes gleamed with fury. "The one who refused to talk first... were you all."

Odin slowly raised his arm. "Come."

A massive storm raged and destroyed the floor of the palace. A long spear enveloped in intense winds shot out from the ground. Once Odin extended his arm toward it, the spear flew through the air and placed itself on Odin's hand.

Odin clenched the spear and said the spear's name, "Gungnir."

Rumble—!

The massive storm raged once again, destroying the crumbling palace. Outside the destroyed palace was an army of Asgardian gods filled with a desire for revenge. No, it was not just Asgardian gods; there were also gods of Japanese mythology like Susanoo and gods of Hindu and Egyptian mythology. Gods who stood against Gaia had all gathered in Asgard.

"Ah..." Zeus muttered as he stared in pallor with his mouth agape.

Odin raised Gungnir. "Let Ragnarok begin."

The war between gods had begun.

***

"So... you sent Zeus to Odin?" Oh Kang-Woo asked in a heavy tone.

Gaia floundered and answered as if she were making excuses, "It was a decision I came to after much thought. Odin is not a stuck-up god, and... it is far too reckless to go to war without even attempting conversation."

"..."

"Odin is an honorable warrior. Even if he has no desire to talk, he would never harm Zeus, so..."

"I see. Now that I think about it, I believe I was also being a bit too hasty."

"Y-you agree with me?" Gaia stared at Kang-Woo in delight.

She was acting excessively humble despite talking to her retainer. It had to do with her personality, but also because Kang-Woo's position was on the line. From Gaia's perspective, Kang-Woo was no longer simply her retainer; he was powerful enough to overpower Zeus. The God of Splendor was one of the very few rays of hope that could save the world from the time of prophecy. She needed to do whatever it took to avoid him keeping his distance from her due to conflicting opinions.

Kang-Woo said with a smile, "It is ultimately your decision to make, Lady Gaia. I am but your retainer, so I will respect your decision."

Gaia's expression shone brightly.

"But... I can't help but be worried. I wonder if Odin has any intention to talk..." Kang-Woo answered in a depressed tone.

"There is no need to worry. Odin had fought the Demon God once before to protect the world. I am sure he understands why my decision was unavoidable."

Kang-Woo nodded in silence. He then prayed, "I wish your will... gets through to Odin."

"My child..."

Gaia teared up as if she had been moved. She had not expected Kang-Woo to trust her this much despite not consulting him.

'This plan needs to succeed for the sake of living up to my child's expectations. I doubt he would refuse conversation entirely.'

The priority was to come to a compromise with Odin so that they could avoid the worst possible outcome, war.

"You shouldn't worry either, Lady Gaia." Kang-Woo approached Gaia as she was in thought and lightly held her hands. He said gently, "I'm sure Odin will understand you."

"..."

"There is no one more devoted to protecting this world than you."

"Do not say that." Gaia shook her head and held Kang-Woo's hands tighter. "I am not the most dedicated. You are. No, not just you. Layla, Si-Hun... Everyone is going above and beyond to protect this world."

If it weren't for them, Earth would have fallen years ago; the time of prophecy might have come long ago. Gaia's eyes glistened with tears.

"Thank you. Thank you... so much, my child."

"..."

Kang-Woo smiled gently. He could feel Gaia's sincerity through her trembling hands.

"Good deeds... are bound to be rewarded one day. I am sure your words will reach Odin, Lady Gaia."

"..."

Gaia wiped her tears as she was moved by Kang-Woo's words.

Bang!

Just then, Uranus swung open the door and barged into the room. His face was pale and he was panting heavily.

"What's wrong?" Gaia asked with a stiff expression.

An uneasy feeling ran down her back as she looked at Uranus's pale face.

"L-Lady Gaia..." Uranus trembled, unable to finish his sentence.

"I asked you what's wrong!" Gaia yelled anxiously.

She was nothing like how she usually was.

Uranus closed his eyes shut. "... Hermes found something in the Olympus temple a few moments ago."

He then reached out his hands holding a box.

Gaia gulped. She could faintly smell blood from the box. The worst possible scenario passed through her mind.

"No." Gaia shook her head. "Th-there's no way. That's impossible."

She erased the imagination from her mind but she could already tell what was in the box.

"There's no way..."

Gaia bit her lip as she reached for the box's lid and opened it with trembling hands.

"A-Aaaahh."

Inside it was Zeus's head, his eyes wide open. There were words carved on his forehead with a knife.

- Gaia. You will pay for the choice you've made.

"A-Aaaaaaaaaahhh!!" Gaia screamed in desperation. She collapsed with her hands clenching her hair as if she didn't want to believe the reality in front of her. "M-my child. My child...!"

Tears flowed down her cheeks as she embraced Zeus's head.

Bang!

"Shit, shit!"

Kang-Woo slammed his fist down on the table next to the despairing Gaia, smashing it into two. He looked down in anger at Gaia who was hugging Zeus's head.

"How... How could this have..." Gaia wept in despair.

"Lady Gaia..." Kang-Woo placed his hand on her shoulder. "Odin was... never interested in peace from the very beginning."

If that were not the case, Odin would never have killed so brutally an envoy sent to propose a conversation. Kang-Woo bit his lip. His heart felt heavy as he looked down at the weeping Gaia. It felt as if his heart was burning. Tears trickled down from his eyes as well.

"Your will... didn't reach him."

The voice of a goddess who wanted peace... The will of the goddess who sacrificed herself to protect the world... was trampled by Odin to a pulp.

"Lady Gaia."

"Hurgh, hurgh."

"How long are you planning on staying collapsed like this?" Kang-Woo added more strength into his hand on Gaia's shoulder and said in rage, "We have to stand."

'For Zeus, who died at Odin's hands.'

"We..."

'For the sake of world peace.'

"Have to stand."

They needed to put their misery aside and stand.

erigiii's Thoughts

OK Kang-Woo I'm getting a bit too tired of your goddamn bullshit...