The fierce battle atop Olympus continued, shaking the very foundations of the world.
Cronus's mad roars intertwined with the divine power of Eros, the pink miasma eroding the wills of the gods.
Rhea's fall and the Titans' struggle painted a picture of despair and chaos.
At this critical moment, deep within the Underworld, Metis, who had been calmly observing the battle through the mirror, turned to Hades, who sat beside her as still as a mountain.
Her eyes gleamed with a calculating light.
"My king," her voice was clear and calm, like the waters of the Styx cutting through the deathly silence.
"The core of Cronus's power is intertwined with the essence of Eros. A simple confrontation of force will be distorted, absorbed, and even transformed into fuel for his madness. We need to change our strategy."
Hades's violet eyes turned to her, waiting for what came next. He saw in her eyes a resolve that transcended ordinary planning.
Metis's fingertips flowed with dark divine power, outlining the form of an illusory chain in the air, one not meant to bind the body, but aimed directly at the core of divinity and authority itself.
"We need a chain," she said slowly, each word carrying an icy weight.
"An artifact not meant for destruction, but for 'prohibition.' It can temporarily sever the connection between a divinity and its divine power, forcibly silencing the rampaging authority of the God-King Cronus and the erotic essence of Eros."
She raised her eyes and looked directly into Hades's deep gaze. Within them, besides rational deduction, there was also an imperceptible and deeper calculation.
"This thing must be forged from the most contradictory and rebellious materials to withstand such resistance. An oath bearing the weight of 'betrayal,' the origin of the Styx symbolizing 'isolation,' the breath of death symbolizing 'the end,' and... a 'resolve' originating from a 'blood relative'."
Hades listened in silence, his gaze seemingly piercing into Metis's soul. He saw that within this plan she proposed, hidden beneath the righteousness of saving the world, there was a hint of possibility, a hint towards him—a chain that could seal divine power; if it could imprison Cronus, perhaps in the future it could...
He knew this in his heart, but showed no ripple.
He spoke slowly, his voice low and even: "An interesting idea, my queen. Who do you think can provide such 'resolve'?"
Metis's gaze fell upon the mirror—on Rhea, who was struggling within the pink divine power, her eyes sometimes clear, sometimes hazy.
"Only those who have personally experienced his atrocities, who have given everything but had their hopes completely shattered, can obtain the purest resolve to sever the bonds. Mother Rhea... She is the only option, but also the most dangerous, and her current state..."
Hades nodded slightly, as if he had already expected this.
Their eyes met in the air, and without superfluous words, a silent understanding was reached, based on absolute reason and mutual comprehension.
He saw her dual intentions, and she knew that he had seen through them. But this did not prevent them from jointly executing the most effective plan for the moment.
"Can I trust you? My Queen of the Underworld," Hades's voice was barely audible.
Metis looked silently at Hades, without a word.
"Very well, as you wish."
The next moment, Hades's figure vanished from the throne of Hades.
He did not directly intervene on the main battlefield, but appeared like a phantom at its edge, near the place where Rhea's divine power fluctuated most intensely.
At this moment, Rhea was being tormented by the divine power of Eros in agony.
The remaining love for Cronus, the guilt towards her children, and the yearning for freedom frantically tore at her soul.
"Mother."
A quiet voice cut through her chaotic consciousness. Rhea sharply turned her head and saw Hades emerging from the shadows.
His eyes held no waves, no sympathy, only an almost cruel calm.
"Hades... My child..." Rhea's voice was interrupted.
"Sinking here won't help," Hades's words were simple and direct, like an ice axe piercing Rhea's chaotic mind.
"You need to make a choice. Will you continue to be bound by this twisted eros until you are destroyed along with him, along with Zeus and the other children you desperately protect? Or... make your final 'choice,' to gain a complete break for us and for yourself?"
He extended his hand, and in his palm appeared a gleam of light—the phantom of the chain created by Metis, and the part symbolizing 'resolve of the bloodline' flickered faintly, transmitting a sharp, cold, and piercing aura.
Rhea looked at the dark light, then at Cronus, who was madly destroying in the distance, and then at Zeus and the others struggling within the divine power field of Eros, their expressions desperate.
Hades's words were like a final judgment, shattering the last chance and hesitation in her heart.
An unprecedented clarity, mixed with the pain and anger of being pushed to a desperate situation, erupted in her heart like a volcano.
This was the final disgust at the endless demands and betrayals of long years, and the ultimate destruction of her own weakness!
"Ah——!!!"
Rhea let out a blood-curdling cry, not of pain, but of resolve!
The primordial divine power within her body, originating from the Mother Goddess, accompanied by this supreme 'resolve' to cut off the past and end the evil fate, transformed into a bright yet cold stream of light and actively surged towards the dark light in Hades's palm!
As the light ignited, Hades felt the majestic power contained within it and the wildly beating cold resolve.
He took a deep look at Rhea. At this moment, in her eyes, there remained only burning ashes and the relief of calm.
"As you wish, Mother."
Hades's figure merged again with the shadows, returning to Hades with this crucial 'material.'
Beside the forge in the deepest part of the Underworld, Metis was ready.
The dark waters from the source of the Styx, a pure stream of death infused by Thanatos, and the oath runes of Hera in the name of the goddess of marriage, symbolizing the harshest punishment for betrayal, hovered in the air.
Hades infused it with the stream of light containing Rhea's 'resolve.'
Metis used the authority of [Wisdom] with all her might, while Hades used the authority of Hades to harmonize with the power of Forging, and applied [Secrecy] to shield the forging process from the outside world.
The four materials, containing the power of contradiction and rebellion, began to painfully merge and take shape under the tempering of the dark fire.
The entire process was filled with violent conflict and rejection at the level of law, but finally, a dark gray chain slowly took shape. It seemed simple, but radiated an aura that made gods tremble.
There were no delicate adornments on the chain, only primitive runes, seemingly naturally formed, symbolizing 'silence,' 'isolation,' 'the end,' and 'resolve,' slowly circulating.
"It is done," Metis said quietly, with barely visible beads of sweat on her brow. She looked at Hades with complex eyes.
The chains were formed, and their power was undeniable, but the preparation for the future contained within them could no longer be taken back.
Hades reached out and took the chains, feeling their cold and piercing power, capable of temporarily freezing divinity.
He looked at Metis, and the corner of his mouth seemed to form a faint, almost imperceptible curve.
"A fine toy, my queen," he whispered. "Now, it's time to end this farce."
He led his chariot, holding the 'Chains of Resolve,' and passed directly through the barriers between the Underworld and the main battlefield, descending once more upon the peak of chaotic Olympus!
His appearance was silent, but instantly drew the attention of all the gods, including the maddened Cronus.