A blood-curdling scream tore through the air, so powerful it seemed to shake every last corner of the place. The sound reverberated in everyone's ears like an endless echo, and though many thought it came from Aiden, they soon realized it was Zeus who cried out. A sword of light, brilliant and sharp as the edge of a lightning bolt, had sliced through his hand with terrifying precision.
Zeus staggered backward, his face contorted in a mix of pain and unbridled fury. The muscles in his body tensed as lightning and thunder erupted from him, as if he were a storm incarnate. The air vibrated with each electric discharge, and the acrid smell of ozone filled the atmosphere. "Are you alright, Aiden?" came a deep, calm voice that contrasted sharply with the surrounding chaos.
"Podbe," murmured Aiden as he saw his friend emerge from the shadows, his imposing figure stepping forward to steady him carefully. "Sorry for worrying you, my friend," said Podbe with a reassuring smile. "But I'm here now."
"I knew you weren't dead, that you were still alive—something inside me told me so," replied Aiden, embracing Podbe tightly. At that moment, a wave of relief washed over him, as though the weight of the world had been lifted from his shoulders. "Let me handle this," continued Podbe, his gaze fixed on Zeus. "A shared cloud gave me the strength to keep going. I must finish this man before my power runs out."
Aiden nodded slowly, though concern still lingered in his eyes. "Alright, just… don't lose, my friend," he said firmly but brimming with emotion.
At the center of the scene, Zeus radiated a palpable darkness tinged with crimson sparks that danced across his skin like glowing embers. His eyes burned with demonic rage as he glared at Podbe with absolute hatred. "Damn you, Podbe!" he roared in a voice that seemed to rise directly from hell. "You cut off my hand… you'll pay for this!"
From the wound, it began to sprout a new limb, but this time it was no human hand. Instead, claws as sharp and black as obsidian took shape, curving with lethal precision like the natural weapons of an ancient predator. Every movement Zeus made exuded a dark, menacing energy, as if evil itself coursed through his veins. "Well then, now that you're ready, let's get back to the fight," declared Zeus with a mocking laugh that echoed through the air before he lunged forward with supernatural speed.
"It's best if you step back, Aiden," Podbe called out, his voice steady yet laden with concern as he held his ground against the enemy. His eyes gleamed with determination, knowing that protecting others was just as crucial as confronting Zeus.
The young man nodded quickly, understanding the gravity of the moment. Without wasting a second, he retreated toward where the others stood, his light but hurried footsteps echoing against the uneven ground. The wind whipped through his hair as he glanced over his shoulder, ensuring Podbe was still ready to face what lay ahead.
The clash was brutal. Blow after blow, both combatants displayed superhuman strength. Each impact thundered like a storm, and with every collision, the ground beneath them trembled and cracked. Sinister lightning bolts streaked across the air when Zeus unleashed a surge of energy toward Podbe, who responded by conjuring a glowing blue sphere that effortlessly repelled all attacks.
The surrounding environment began to collapse. With each punch they exchanged, fragments of rock and dust rained down from what remained of the ceiling, turning the place into an escalating chaos. Zeus extended his arm, and from it emerged a chain of lightning that snaked its way toward Podbe, coiling tightly around his arm. "Take a million volts!" Zeus bellowed, sending a devastating electric current coursing through the chain.
However, Podbe was prepared. His fur, usually soft and silvery, bristled and expanded along his arms like natural armor. With a swift motion, he used his Golden Claw Slash to cut through the chain, freeing himself from the lethal discharge.
"It's time to end this, you damned lightning demon," Podbe declared with relentless determination. Zeus, now fully consumed by his malevolence, opened his mouth and unleashed a fierce red beam that illuminated the area like a dying sun. But Podbe countered with a powerful howl that resonated like a primordial thunderclap, blocking and deflecting the attack skyward.
"Feel my wrath from the heavens!" roared Zeus as he rose above them, enveloped in dark electrical energy. From on high, he summoned thousands of black lightning bolts that crashed down upon Podbe one after another. Each strike shook the ground, forming massive craters that threatened to swallow everyone whole.
"This place is going to collapse," Azulema warned urgently, her voice barely audible over the deafening roar of the battle. "We need to get out of here as soon as possible!"
But before they could move, the entire structure collapsed, dragging them down into Maos's underground laboratory. Amidst the chaos, Melisa projected images for everyone to see, revealing Zeus as what he truly was: no longer a benevolent god, but a demon thirsting for destruction. Some spectators whispered among themselves, horrified. "He's showing his true form," they murmured. "His soul is as black as his current appearance."
Zeus continued unleashing his uncontrolled fury, hurling lightning bolts at the ground with relentless ferocity. It seemed as though every trace of reason had abandoned his mind, leaving behind only a whirlwind of hatred and destruction. "Die! Die!" he screamed, his voice resonating like a distorted thunderclap as his attacks rained down mercilessly upon the battlefield.
Suddenly, the crescent moon emblem on Podbe's forehead began to shine with intense brilliance. The half-moons surrounding it spun rapidly, forming a luminous sphere that absorbed each of the lightning strikes launched by Zeus. The sphere grew until it enveloped the enraged god, trapping him inside. An instant later, it erupted in a blinding explosion that shook the air with such force that the impact was felt even along the shores of nearby countries. A beam of pure light illuminated the sky, as if the sun itself had descended to witness the confrontation.
"Is everyone alright?" asked Podbe, glancing around as the others gathered on a floating platform covered in ancient symbols created by him. These symbols seemed to reflect the same patterns that adorned Podbe's robe, as though both shared a mystical origin. "Yes, thanks to you," replied Aiden gratefully, his voice heavy with relief.
"Do you think we've defeated him with that?" Billy asked, breaking the brief silence. No one answered immediately. Reia frowned, her dark thoughts reflected in her expression. "I don't know… With that guy, anything is possible," she murmured finally. Then, turning to Podbe, she added, "Don't let your guard down." The great Universal Wolf nodded silently, his posture tense and alert.
"Wow, there's hardly anything left of the floating island," remarked Riota, watching with concern as the structure where they had been just moments before began to crumble and be swallowed by the ocean. Now, only the platform remained, where Melisa and her companions tried to stay steady, though the ground beneath them creaked threateningly.
The structure where Melisa stood started to collapse, slowly fragmenting. She hesitated for a moment, torn between the importance of continuing the broadcast and the need to save the others. But before she could make a decision, Agent Shadow reappeared out of nowhere, enveloping them in a protective shadow and instantly transporting them to the platform created by Podbe just as the tower collapsed entirely.
"Damn it, we lost the scoop and the news," lamented Melisa, frustrated, as she stepped into Jake's shadows for protection. "It's better than losing your life, my friend," Michele said firmly, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, the transmission is still ongoing," interjected Creg, smiling with pride. While they were up there, he had managed to encode the camera with satellite technology, ensuring it kept recording thanks to Professor Kile's help. "Well, I was able to lend a hand too," added Choy timidly, scratching the back of his neck. Those words brought some calm back to Melisa, who regained her determination to continue documenting the events as accurately as possible, even while being part of them.
The artificial island finally sank into the abyss, revealing that it had never been more than a construct created to host that epic confrontation. With great care, Podbe carried everyone to a nearby small island, gently setting them down on the ground. However, something felt off. His wolf ears, always alert, picked up strange vibrations in the air, confirming his suspicions.
Suddenly, a dark figure emerged from the sky, towering and menacing. It was Zeus, still alive, as if death itself refused to touch him. "That guy is like a cockroach—he just won't die," remarked Benjamin, adding with astonishment, "And that's saying something, considering I turned into one with my powers." His tone was a mix of admiration and frustration. "Yeah, you're right," agreed Riota, gripping her hand tightly as she gazed fearfully at the sky. The nightmare wasn't over yet.
"So, how do we kill that guy?" asked Akira, her voice tinged with frustration and hopelessness. Her words hung in the air like a heavy echo, but no one responded immediately. Silence stretched between them, thick and oppressive, like a shadow looming over the group.
Finally, Adora broke the silence, her tone laced with bitterness and resentment. "My punches didn't do anything to him, and I'm supposed to be the strongest in the group. My endurance didn't help either, not even against his most powerful attacks." Her gaze was fixed on the horizon where Zeus had disappeared among the clouds, but her words seemed directed more at herself than the others. Mukio nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful as he observed the cracked ground beneath his feet. "We can't face him head-on," he murmured, almost to himself.
"Hey, old man!" shouted Gat, addressing Eduard urgently. "Don't you have more of that magic elixir?" His voice was insistent, hopeful, though everyone knew that even restoring their energy wouldn't be enough to stand against Zeus. Gat looked at the elderly with pleading eyes, as if simply recovering their strength could change the tide of the battle.
Eduard lowered his head, shaking it slowly. "I'm sorry, but there's nothing left," he replied in a subdued voice, though his fingers instinctively touched a small vial hidden within his robe. He still had one last dose of his potion, which he had been saving for something he felt, deep in his bones, was about to happen. But he couldn't tell the group—not now. He knew that using it now would be wasting it, and the foreboding feeling that had haunted him for days only grew stronger with each passing second.
The wind blew gently, carrying with it a metallic scent of blood and scorched earth. Everyone exchanged uneasy glances, aware that they were caught between despair and the inevitability of what was to come next.
"And you, Adia? Can't you use your healing magic?" some members of the group asked. She shook her head, her expression troubled. "I don't have much mana left for that. I need to conserve what little magic I have left to protect you all from any attacks."
As they discussed their options, a voice thundered from above, angry and distorted. "You!" roared Zeus, his body still bearing severe burns from Podbe's attack. His skin was charred, and his eyes burned with a crimson light that illuminated the scene like glowing embers. "You pushed me too far. You will not humiliate me or destroy my dream," he declared, his voice vibrating like a clap of thunder.
He began to convulse violently, twisting as if something inside him was struggling to break free. With his clawed hand, he started tearing at his own flesh, unleashing torrents of dark blood that spurted uncontrollably. The blood began to swirl into carmine spirals that ascended toward the sky, forming a dense and oppressive storm cloud. Slowly, Zeus's entire body rose higher and higher until he vanished completely into the clouds.
"He self-destructed," Choy thought aloud, his face reflecting disbelief. "Yeah, bro! That's not something you see every day," Ian remarked, attempting to lighten the mood with his usual sarcasm, though his tone wavered.
Suddenly, from the dark clouds emerged an enormous head, resembling that of a dragon. A moment later, the monster revealed its full form: a winged titan that seemed to have emerged from a primordial nightmare. Its scales faintly shimmered under the dim light, and its eyes burned with inhuman rage.
"What have you done to yourself, brother?" Drake murmured, watching in horror as his brother transformed into this imposing beast.
Without hesitation, Podbe unleashed his Golden Claw Slash, sending gleaming blades slicing cleanly through the monster's head in a single motion. But to everyone's astonishment, two more heads sprouted from where the first had fallen. "Great, now it's a hydra," Choy remarked sarcastically, pointing at the enormous creature before them.
"And now how are we supposed to destroy that thing?" Billy wondered aloud, his voice trembling. Ezequiel, with a grim expression, added, "I think this is it—we're done for."
A guttural roar echoed throughout the area, so deep and thunderous that it made the platform beneath their feet tremble. It was as if the creature itself were mocking them, proclaiming its dominance over the battlefield.