Orion sat quietly, brows furrowed. He couldn't understand it—why was Nezha so hung up on Wukong's involvement? Sure, Wukong was powerful—probably one of the strongest—but the weight Nezha gave his presence felt... different, almost like Wukong was a fuse to something greater.
Wukong lounged on a cloud cushion, lazily swirling his gourd with one hand. He yawned.
"I have no intention of doing anything unless it involves me," Wukong said with a casual shrug, voice dripping with boredom.
"I see," Nezha replied, eyes narrowing slightly. "And what if the other Forbidden Ascendants get involved? What if Man-God rises?"
Wukong gave a long, tired sigh, waving the thought away like a fly. "The chances of Man-God moving are next to none. That thing thinks too highly of itself to care about all this… noise. Shiva, maybe—but even he hasn't made it personal yet. Not enough blood on the floor to catch his attention."
Before Nezha could respond, Susanoo leaned forward, his voice calm but laced with caution.
"Wukong… don't you think the story's building?"
Wukong tilted his head, raising an eyebrow. "Whatever do you mean?" he said, sarcasm coating every syllable.
Susanoo's expression darkened. "The prophecy. The end times. A new Forbidden Ascendant is emerging. A war was declared on the gods. It all feels like fate's playing some cruel, winding game—one that's building to a blood-soaked climax."
For a moment, the room fell into silence.
Then Wukong chuckled—slow at first, then louder, like the thought genuinely amused him. He stood up without warning.
The moment he rose, the air changed.
A pressure burst from his body like a tidal wave. The very room seemed to bend under the weight of his energy. The walls groaned. The wind howled. The clouds around him twisted unnaturally.
Orion's chest tightened instantly. His lungs struggled to expand. His skin burned, as if standing under a scorching sun. His knees buckled. He tried to turn his head, but even that small motion felt impossible.
He could barely breathe. It was like standing beneath a mountain about to fall.
He wasn't the only one. Even Heracles flinched, gripping the edge of his seat. Silver's body tensed instinctively. Susanoo narrowed his eyes, the pressure pushing against him like a vice.
Only Wukong stood at ease, arms lazily swinging by his side, golden eyes glowing with sheer power.
"You're right," Wukong said, his voice now deep and thunderous. "It does smell like one of fate's awful little games."
A pause. His power surged.
"But you forget who I am."
He took a single step forward. The clouds beneath his feet cracked.
"I am the Great Sage Equal to Heaven. If I don't like fate..."
He raised his gourd toward the sky. Sparks of golden lightning danced around him. His silhouette seemed to grow larger, more god than monkey, more force than form.
"…I'll climb up and change it myself."
And just like that—it vanished.
The pressure dissolved in an instant. Orion collapsed to one knee, panting. Heracles wiped sweat from his brow. Silver rolled his shoulders, letting out a low growl. Susanoo exhaled slowly, arms crossed.
Wukong flopped back down on his pillow, yawning like nothing had happened. He took a long swig from his gourd, smacking his lips.
"See?" he muttered. "Unbothered."
Heracles cracked his neck with a grunt. "That… was unnecessary."
"Agreed," Silver added, stretching out his arms. "My spine nearly popped."
Nezha, however, was grinning. "Of course, boss. Just making sure you're still the biggest problem in the room."
And with that, a gust of flame and wind whirled around Nezha's body. In a blink, he vanished, leaving behind only the smell of burning lotus and scorched air.
Wukong turned his head slowly toward Orion, who was still catching his breath.
"Training begins tomorrow," Wukong said. "Get as much rest as you can. Your new teacher…"
He pointed lazily toward Silver.
"…will be him."
Orion's eyes widened. He turned to Silver, only to find the werewolf grinning from ear to ear—his canines glinting sharply beneath the low light.
"Oh, I have so many drills planned," Silver said with a growl of excitement.
Orion gulped.