The white-haired man who had just emerged from behind the bushes stared straight at them. His golden eyes gleamed sharply, contrasting with his snow-white eyebrows and marble-pale skin, as though he had never been touched by sunlight.
The black-haired man curled his lips into a faint smile.
Without uttering a word, he began walking toward the mysterious figure. However, before he could reach his destination, the darkness beneath his feet began to writhe. Black shadows crept up his body, coiling around his arm before solidifying into an enormous scythe that radiated a bone-chilling cold.
SWOOSH!
In an instant, he lunged forward!
The white-haired man reacted immediately. His hand seized the hilt of the katana at his waist, drawing the blade in a single, lightning-fast motion.
CLANG!
The katana collided violently with the enormous scythe. Sparks of magical energy burst from the point of impact, illuminating their faces for a brief moment before being swallowed by the darkness once more.
"INDRAAA!" the black-haired man shouted, his laughter brimming with excitement.
"EREBUS!" Indra called back, his eyes gleaming with equal enthusiasm.
The two men actually laughed as their weapons clashed, as though there were no better way to celebrate their reunion than by swinging their weapons at each other's necks.
From a distance, Ares grinned widely. His eyes sparkled with excitement, making it obvious that he wanted to join the fight.
Meanwhile, Cassian could only stare in stunned silence.
What the hell is going on?!
He instinctively rushed toward Hades and grabbed the collar of the bluish-white-haired man's clothes with both hands.
"T-They know each other?!"
Hades glanced at him briefly. His expression remained impassive, as though the clash between two weapons powerful enough to shake the air around them was nothing out of the ordinary.
"For a long time," he answered curtly before turning his attention back to the fight.
BZZZZT!
Before the vibrations from their weapons had even subsided, both figures suddenly vanished from where they stood.
Cassian couldn't even follow their movements with his eyes.
By the next instant, they had reappeared high above the ground, far up in the sky.
SWOOSH! CLANG! BOOM!
Two silhouettes darted wildly among the clouds, moving so quickly that they left behind nothing but streaks of golden light and pursuing darkness.
Erebus swung his enormous scythe, unleashing a wide slash that cleaved through the clouds. Indra dodged by a hair's breadth, then used the momentum to launch a counterattack.
CLANG!
Erebus blocked the strike. A shock wave erupted from the collision, sweeping through the surrounding clouds and scattering them in every direction.
Yet neither man showed the slightest intention of backing down.
On the contrary, Erebus's grin only grew wider.
"Still as slow as ever, Indra?"
"Then try not to fall behind."
FLASH!
Indra vanished and reappeared directly above Erebus, bringing his golden katana down in a vicious slash. High-pressure winds accompanied the strike, cleaving through the air with terrifying force.
However, his blade struck nothing but empty space.
Erebus had teleported several meters backward.
Before Indra could redirect his attack, Erebus spun his scythe. The black shadows coating its blade peeled away, transforming into a dozen smaller scythes that shot off in every direction.
SWOOSH! SWOOSH! SWOOSH!
A storm of shadow scythes closed in on Indra from all sides.
Rather than retreat, Indra charged straight into the onslaught. His golden katana moved at blinding speed, deflecting one attack after another. Whenever a scythe came dangerously close to touching him, he vanished and reappeared elsewhere, leaving behind afterimages that made it seem as though there were ten of him at once.
Erebus didn't look the least bit confused.
"Heh. An old trick?"
He swung his scythe sideways.
"Then I'll use an old trick of my own."
BOOM!
Darkness exploded outward from his body, obliterating all of Indra's afterimages. Amid the chaos, Indra appeared on his left, his golden katana shooting straight toward Erebus's chest.
Erebus twisted the shaft of his scythe just in time. The weapon's handle struck the side of the katana, deflecting the slash.
The golden energy unleashed by Indra shot past them.
FAR AWAY—
BOOOOM!
The peak of a distant mountain split apart. A massive cascade of rocks crumbled and disappeared into the darkness of the night.
Cassian stared at the sight with his mouth hanging open.
They can destroy a mountain with an attack that misses?!
Without realizing it, he thought of the wooden house that lay in ruins behind him. His chest tightened for a moment.
To those two men, the mountain might have been nothing more than an accidental target. But for Cassian, losing his home alone had been enough to shatter his entire life.
While Cassian was still struggling to comprehend the vast difference between their strength and his own, the battle in the sky reached its climax.
Erebus raised his scythe high before bringing it down in a vertical slash.
SHRAAAK!
A colossal blade of darkness cleaved through the air, blocking Indra's path from the front. At the same time, Erebus twisted his body, anticipating any attempt his opponent might make to escape.
Yet Indra moved forward instead.
Just as the scythe swept past, his body vanished from the path of the slash. He teleported through the narrow gap between Erebus's body and the base of his weapon, closing the distance until there was barely any room left to dodge.
FLASH!
The tip of his golden katana shot forward.
TAP.
Everything fell silent.
The blade stopped right beside Erebus's neck, separated from his skin by no more than a few millimeters.
Erebus's black scythe hung motionless in the air.
For a moment, the only sound between them was the night wind.
Then Erebus lowered his head and glanced at the tip of the katana resting beside his neck.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Heh. Looks like I've lost."
Indra withdrew his katana.
"Looks like?"
"All right, all right. You win."
FLASH!
The two vanished from the sky.
In the blink of an eye, they had returned to the ground, landing smoothly in front of Cassian and the others.
The enormous scythe in Erebus's hand gradually lost its shape. Its black blade dissolved into smoke before disappearing into his shadow.
Without the slightest awkwardness, Erebus immediately draped an arm around Indra's shoulders.
"So, did you miss me, my friend?" he asked with a chuckle.
Indra glanced at the arm resting on his shoulder before looking at Erebus's face.
"Of course."
Erebus's grin widened.
"...No."
His smile froze.
Indra returned his gaze with an almost imperceptible smile.
"Don't get your hopes up."
Erebus suddenly burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! You really haven't changed at all!"
"Unfortunately, neither have you."
Cassian watched them in silence.
Just moments ago, the two men had been fighting with enough power to split a mountain. Now, they were joking around as though nothing had happened.
Strangely enough, the sight made him feel a little envious.
He couldn't remember the last time he had laughed with someone without having to worry about anything.
That thought lasted only a moment before a loud voice shattered the silence.
"Hey, you two!"
Ares strode toward them, cracking his knuckles one by one. Each sharp pop sounded like he was preparing himself for the next fight.
"It's been a long time, Indra."
Indra turned to look at Ares.
For a moment, he said nothing. Then the corners of his lips lifted into a faint smile.
"Indeed. Looks like your muscles have gotten more flexible, too."
Silence.
Erebus slowly turned toward Ares.
The red-haired man's face froze for a moment before a vein began throbbing at his temple.
"...What did you say?"
BOOM!
A blazing red aura erupted from Ares's body.
Powerful winds swept through the forest, tearing leaves from branches and shaking the trees until their trunks bent violently. The ground beneath Ares's feet cracked, while waves of pressure spread in every direction.
Cassian didn't even have time to brace himself.
"UWAAAH!"
The wind hurled him backward. He hurriedly wrapped both arms around Hades's leg, clinging to it with all his strength to keep himself from being swept away.
"Are you trying to die, huh?!" Ares snarled. His eyes glowed red as his killing intent grew increasingly oppressive.
Indra merely raised an eyebrow.
"I'm only saying what I see."
"I'LL MAKE YOU TAKE THOSE WORDS BACK!"
"Hey. Stop."
Hades's flat voice was almost drowned out by the howling wind.
He glanced down at Cassian, who was still hanging from his leg.
"Look at this weak boy. He can't even stand upright."
Cassian looked up at him with a pale face.
Hey! I can hear you!
However, he was too busy struggling to maintain his grip to voice his protest.
Ares let out a rough breath. A few seconds later, he suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hoho! All right, all right."
The red aura surrounding his body receded instantly. The wind died down, the oppressive pressure vanished, and the forest gradually returned to peace.
Cassian waited a little longer before finally releasing his grip on Hades's leg.
He struggled to his feet and brushed the dust from his clothes.
"Thank you..." he murmured quietly.
Hades merely glanced at him.
However, when Cassian turned his gaze back toward the ruins of his home, the faint smile that had briefly appeared on his face vanished.
His grandparents were still lying there.
No matter how incredible the battle he had just witnessed was, no matter how ridiculous the four men standing before him might be, none of it could change that reality.
He clenched his fists, then slowly loosened them.
I mustn't forget them.
But before Cassian could sink any deeper into his thoughts, the questions that had been filling his mind resurfaced.
He looked at the four men before him one by one.
They could teleport, destroy mountains, and unleash auras that made it almost impossible for him to move.
One of them had even fought as though he were merely playing around.
And yet, he—
Cassian lowered his head and stared at his own hands.
He had barely been able to survive just moments ago.
He raised his head again.
"I... have a question."
Erebus turned toward him.
"Oh?"
"Who exactly are you?"
Cassian's voice grew serious. The innocent confusion that had previously filled his face was gone. This time, he genuinely wanted an answer.
Erebus released his arm from Indra's shoulders and stepped toward Cassian.
The casual smile on his face slowly faded.
"Looks like you really want to know."
He stopped directly in front of Cassian. His towering figure forced the boy to tilt his head slightly upward to meet his gaze.
Erebus's golden-black eyes locked onto Cassian's.
"Very well."
He casually raised one hand and pointed his thumb at himself.
"We are the incarnations of gods."
Cassian fell silent.
"...What?"
"You heard me correctly."
Cassian's eyes widened.
"INCARNATIONS OF GODS?!"
Erebus nodded slowly. A faint smile returned to his face, as though he could already imagine the shock that would follow his next explanation.
However, the silence lasted only a few seconds.
Cassian tilted his head.
"...What's that?"
Erebus's smile disappeared.
He blinked once.
Twice.
Then he slowly stared at Cassian with an expression that seemed to question every decision he had ever made in his life.
"You..."
He paused, as though struggling to find the right words.
"...You don't know what an incarnation is?"
Cassian innocently shook his head.
BWAAHAHAHAHA!
Ares immediately burst into laughter. He clutched his stomach and bent forward, unable to contain himself.
"HAHAHAHA! DID YOU HEAR THAT, EREBUS?! HE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW WHAT AN INCARNATION IS!"
"Shut up, Ares," Erebus grumbled, rubbing his temples.
He let out a long sigh before turning back to Cassian.
"All right. I'll explain it as simply as possible."
Erebus raised one finger.
"An incarnation isn't simply someone who is reborn after death. In our case, a soul that once attained divinity enters a new body, carrying its own essence and identity. Our bodies change, but our existence isn't entirely severed from our previous lives."
Cassian furrowed his brow, trying to digest the explanation.
"So, you died and then came back to life in someone else's body?"
"More or less. However, the incarnation of a god isn't as simple as ordinary reincarnation."
Erebus lightly tapped his own chest.
"Something of who we are survives beyond death. That's what sets us apart."
"Ohhh..."
Cassian gave a small, thoughtful nod.
"Now I get it."
For a while, he pondered the explanation. But apparently, his curiosity still hadn't been satisfied.
"Then why did you die?"
Erebus opened his mouth to answer.
However, Cassian wasn't finished.
"You're gods, aren't you? Aren't gods supposed to be powerful?"
He looked at them one by one.
"Don't tell me... you're the weakest gods?"
PFFT!
Indra instinctively covered his mouth with one hand. His shoulders trembled as he struggled to suppress his laughter, his golden eyes narrowing with amusement.
Erebus closed his eyes.
Ares stopped laughing.
The smile on the red-haired man's face slowly faded.
"...What?"
The atmosphere suddenly changed.
Ares lowered his hands. He stared intently at Cassian before taking a step forward.
One step.
Then another.
Each time his foot touched the ground, cracks spread beneath his shoes.
A dark red aura seeped from his body. This time, there was no raging wind or shaking trees. Instead, the pressure condensed around them, making the air feel heavy and suffocating.
Ares flashed a menacing grin.
"Hoo..."
He cracked his knuckles once more.
"Looks like some brat is tired of living."
Cassian stiffened.
Erebus sighed and shook his head.
"Ares, enough. He's just a kid who doesn't know any better."
"He just insulted the dignity of a god!"
Ares pointed at Cassian, his face twisted with anger.
"I can't let an insult like that slide!"
"Then punch a tree. Leave the kid alone."
"DO YOU WANT TO TRY ME TOO, EREBUS?!"
Erebus raised both hands in surrender.
"All right, all right. I won't interfere."
He turned his attention to Cassian.
His expression grew serious.
"Kid, listen carefully."
Cassian swallowed nervously.
"If you manage to injure Ares, I'll tell you everything."
Erebus paused to make sure Cassian was paying attention.
"That includes the hidden potential within your body."
Cassian froze.
Hidden potential?
Erebus continued before Cassian could ask anything.
"Think of this as a test. I want to see whether you can bring out something whose very existence you haven't even realized. You don't have to defeat Ares. Just inflict a single wound on him, no matter how small."
Cassian stared at Ares in disbelief.
"And if I fail?"
"If you fail, you won't get the answers I'm looking for just yet. That doesn't mean your opportunities end here."
Erebus gave him a faint smile.
"I simply don't want to hand you every answer before you've shown that you can take the first step on your own."
Cassian's expression changed.
So this wasn't just about fighting Ares.
Erebus truly knew something about him—something even Cassian himself didn't know.
But why had they waited until now to test him?
Before he could ask what Erebus meant, Ares was already moving again. A terrifying grin spread across his face as he approached, as though he had finally received permission to do something he had been eager to do all along.
"Don't worry, kid."
He rolled his shoulders.
"I'll adjust my strength. I won't kill you with a single punch."
Cassian grew even paler.
Why does that sound anything but reassuring?!
He quickly turned toward Erebus.
"W-Wait! You mean I have to fight him?!"
Erebus shrugged.
"You only need to injure him. You don't have to win."
"That's practically the same thing!"
"Then consider it an opportunity to learn."
"LEARN WHAT?! HOW TO DIE?!"
Ares burst into loud laughter.
"Hahaha! At least you're starting to understand your situation!"
Cassian gritted his teeth.
What the hell is this?! I'm supposed to injure someone who used to be a god?!
He looked Ares up and down.
The man's body was covered in muscles that looked as though they had been forged from steel. The red tattoos on his arms glowed faintly, while the terrifying aura surrounding him made Cassian feel as though he were standing before a monster.
How am I supposed to beat him?!
Cold sweat trickled down his temples.
He glanced at Hades, Erebus, and Indra, hoping at least one of them would put an end to this madness.
Instead, all three stood around casually.
Hades stood with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
Indra watched Ares with a faint smile, as though he were curious to see how the fight would end.
Meanwhile, Erebus simply observed Cassian with a meaningful look.
Not one of them intended to help him.
Cassian clenched his jaw.
Damn it...
He balled both hands into fists, feeling his frail body tremble beneath the pressure of Ares's aura.
But if he simply gave up, he wouldn't get any answers.
About them.
About the power hidden within his body.
About everything that had turned his life upside down.
And perhaps, someday, about why he had to go through all of this in the first place.
Cassian took a deep breath.
All right.
I'll give it a try.
He assumed an awkward fighting stance, raised both fists, and shouted to summon whatever courage he could muster.
"HAAAH!"
Cassian charged forward.
One step.
He managed to take only a single step.
BOOM!
Ares vanished from where he stood.
Cassian didn't even have time to see him move.
Suddenly, a massive fist wreathed in red flames stopped directly in front of his face.
It was so close that Cassian could feel the heat radiating from the knuckles.
He froze.
Time seemed to stand still.
Even before the fist touched him, the air pressure it generated had already slammed into his body with tremendous force.
KABOOM!
Cassian was hurled backward.
Both feet lifted off the ground. His vision spun wildly, while the sounds around him faded into a dull ringing in his ears.
In an instant, the courage he had only just managed to gather shattered completely.
Ares lowered his hand and grinned in satisfaction.
"Hahaha! Is that all you've got?"
Erebus raised an eyebrow.
Indra tilted his head, watching Cassian as he was sent flying with an expression that was difficult to read.
Hades remained silent.
Meanwhile, Cassian struggled to comprehend what had just happened.
He hadn't even had the chance to attack.
He hadn't even managed to touch his opponent.
And he had already lost before the fight had truly begun.