Even the legendary Mjolnir, with its immense weight and divine heritage, was proving ineffective against opponents at this level. Thor now fully understood that Odin's enchantment on the hammer no longer held sway over beings of similar strength. Worse, Mjolnir had already fractured, and in battles of this caliber, the hammer might not survive intact at all. This realization planted a thought in Thor's mind—perhaps it was time to forge a new weapon befitting a God-King.
"Whoosh!"
Before Thor could delve further into his thoughts, Ra, the Sun God, saw his hesitation as an opportunity to strike. With his golden staff, the Staff of Ra, he fired a searing beam of light, radiant like the sun itself. The attack didn't seem overtly violent, but Thor sensed a deep and deadly intent behind it.
Thor couldn't be sure if Ra was truly this powerful or if it was simply that Zeus had held back in their earlier fight, but there was no time to dwell on the question. This attack posed a serious threat, and he needed to act.
"Crackle!"
Summoning his divine power, Thor unleashed his lightning in full force. He hurled the fragmented Mjolnir toward the incoming attack, hoping to neutralize at least part of its destructive potential.
"Boom!"
The hammer collided with the beam, creating a massive explosion that reverberated through the hall. The sheer force of the impact shattered Mjolnir into pieces once again—this time not by Thor's will, but under the pressure of Ra's assault.
However, instead of pressing his advantage, Ra halted his attack and turned his gaze toward Robert. From the moment Robert had effortlessly subdued the Samurai God earlier, Ra had harbored a deep wariness toward him. Though outwardly composed, Ra knew the truth: the Samurai God was a formidable foe, a being of the same "Heavenly Father" tier as himself. And yet, Robert had utterly humiliated him in battle.
Ra had seen how Zeus had carefully avoided direct confrontation with Robert, distracting attention with his antics. It was clear that this stranger was a threat beyond reckoning. Now, Ra sought any sign that Robert might intervene. If Robert showed the slightest reaction, Ra was prepared to retreat immediately.
Fortunately for Ra, Robert remained indifferent, showing no intention of interfering. Relieved, Ra turned his attention back to Thor, preparing to resume the fight.
High above the battlefield, a faint crack echoed across the sky. All eyes turned upward as a jagged black light tore through Indigel's protective barrier. Within the black energy, a faint, dying divine presence could be sensed—a god on the brink of death.
"What is that?"
The gods in the hall, including Thor and the Avengers, watched in confusion. For Ra, however, this unexpected development seemed to confirm his fears. Perhaps this was the danger Zeus had foreseen.
"Could this be the reason Zeus vanished? Is Indigel facing a crisis?" Ra muttered, tightening his grip on his staff. Though only a few figures appeared, their aura was ominous enough to give him pause. He quietly withdrew from the confrontation with Thor, opting instead to observe from the sidelines.
"This is getting weirder by the second," Diana telepathically noted to Robert. "That black light feels... wrong. There's something unsettling about it."
Robert frowned slightly. To him, the figure wielding the black sword didn't seem particularly threatening. His power appeared to stem entirely from the weapon itself. Yet Diana and Moon Knight both reported feelings of discomfort.
"Do any of you feel strange?" Robert asked the other Avengers telepathically.
Most of them shook their heads, though Moon Knight hesitated before responding. "Actually... yeah. There's something off. I feel uneasy."
Robert pondered the connection. Both Diana and Moon Knight had close ties to gods—Diana through her divine heritage and Moon Knight through his bond with Khonshu. It seemed that this weapon, this "black sword," might be uniquely harmful to divine beings.
In the sky above, the figure gripping the black sword descended slowly. His skin was ashen, his eyes filled with a maddening hatred. His voice was rough and chilling.
"Gods... So this is your sanctuary, is it?"
The gods below murmured amongst themselves, their confusion growing.
"Yes, this is Indigel," a trembling voice responded. The speaker, a minor deity known as the Flower God, had been dragged to this place by the intruder. "Please... I've brought you here as promised. Let me go!"
"Coward!" a voice sneered from below. One of the gods stood, glaring at the Flower God in disdain. "You disgrace the name of the divine—"
The voice was abruptly cut off as a flash of black light streaked through the air. The god who had spoken was instantly vaporized, his body reduced to nothingness. The hall fell silent in shock.
Robert observed the scene with a grim expression. The black sword had annihilated the god effortlessly, bypassing all divine defenses and even feeding off the god's power to enhance itself. It was clear—this weapon possessed a deadly, specialized ability to destroy gods.
The figure with the black sword chuckled darkly. "Gods... pathetic. You're all unworthy of life."
He turned back to the Flower God, his voice cold and merciless. "And you... you thought I'd let you live? No. Every god must die. You're no exception."
"No! You promised—please, have mercy!" The Flower God fell to his knees, shaking with terror. He clung to a desperate hope that someone would intervene on his behalf.
"Mercy? Did you ever show mercy to your followers?" the figure snarled. "You bask in luxury while your worshippers suffer and die. You think that's justice?"
As the tension escalated, another god finally stepped forward. His presence was commanding, and his voice was calm but firm.
"You accuse us without understanding," the god said, his gaze locked on the intruder. "We abandoned the need for worship millennia ago. We severed our ties to mortals when Indigel was created. Whatever grievances you have, they do not concern us."
"Enough talk. Face me if you dare."
The new challenger was none other than Itzamna, the creator god of the Mayan pantheon—a powerful deity in his own right. His presence filled the room with a renewed sense of hope, especially for the terrified Flower God.
Would this legendary god be able to put an end to the carnage brought by the man with the black sword? Or was this merely the beginning of an even greater tragedy?
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