Chapter 61: The God of Thunder Arrives Just in Time
The battle was on the verge of erupting.
Rage nearly consumed Namor's reason, but he didn't strike first.
Simply because he was at a disadvantage—his chances of victory were zero.
"Ares, you've descended to the mortal realm. Are you not afraid of the Council of Gods sanctions?" Diana asked gravely.
It was common knowledge on Themyscira that the Council of Gods was forbidden from interfering in mortal affairs.
Asgard and Olympus no longer resided on this planet.
All pantheons abided by an agreement to intervene in the mortal world only indirectly.
Themyscira was the representative of the Olympian pantheon.
Angels who descended to the mortal realm could not reveal themselves to ordinary humans; instead, they assisted clergy in combating demons from Hell.
Only Asgard had the authority to appoint a deity to arrest those who secretly descended.
Of course, minor deities like the Shark God weren't even qualified to join the Council of Gods. Staying in the mortal realm was risky—they could be killed by powerful humans.
Strictly speaking, Namor could single-handedly take down the Shark God.
Lesser old gods had nothing noteworthy beyond their longevity. They lacked significant combat ability or magic.
"If I feared the Council of Gods, we wouldn't be meeting like this, little sister."
Ares called her "little sister," but there wasn't a shred of familial affection in his voice.
As the God of War, only slaughter and death could stir his emotions.
"I want to answer that!"
Allen raised his hand high, like a model student eager to respond to a teacher's question. He kept chanting, "Ask me, ask me…"
"Fine, go ahead," Diana said irritably.
The tension she had built up was utterly ruined by him.
"Yes! I finally get to spoil it." Allen beamed with satisfaction and said, "The brush-head guy is the God of War…"
"And that scheming frog keeps touching your stomach."
He paused deliberately, then struck Conan's signature pointing pose. "He uses war to strengthen his divine power. That's why he instigates conflicts in the mortal world."
Ares remained silent.
He wasn't wrong.
But calling him 'brush-head' was intolerable.
Although… the bristle-like crest on his helmet did resemble a brush.
"Who are you?" Ares asked.
"Brother-in-law, I'm Diana's fiancé. Since this is our first meeting, don't be stingy—where's my welcome gift?"
Allen grinned sweetly and ducked behind Diana, wary of being blasted by Ares' lightning.
A proper godling like him ought to have inherited some of his father's thunder abilities. If he didn't, that would be the real surprise.
Diana, as a demigod, gained her strength from her divine bloodline. But her true combat ability came from her gear—every piece was divine-grade equipment.
The Lasso of Truth, Bracelets of Submission, the God Killer Sword, the Divine Shield, and the Champion's Helm—her setup was a full legendary-tier set.
Her mother, the Queen, had pampered her, equipping her with everything in one go.
"Die, you lunatic!"
Lightning crackled around Ares as he lunged forward, striking with lethal intent.
Diana dodged swiftly, raising her Divine Shield in defense.
Sparks erupted in all directions.
At the same time, Namor made his move, engaging Atlan in combat.
Compared to Ares and Diana's flashy battle, their fight had far fewer special effects. Atlan had some water magic to assist him, but it wasn't decisive.
"For the King!"
Namor's noble retainers, driven by unyielding loyalty, charged into battle without hesitation.
The island became a warzone.
New king versus old king.
God against demigod.
Traditionalists against coexistence advocates.
"Nanaue, take out the little Karami."
Allen refused to be idle—he didn't want to be a mere background decoration.
"Who's little Karami?"
Nanaue's vacant eyes scanned the battlefield for a target that fit the description.
"Grunts. All of them are little Karami. Go wild."
Allen vanished into stealth, sneaking up behind a red-armored soldier. With precise aim, he slashed at the oxygen circulation tube.
Seawater gushed from the severed pipe, and the soldier frantically leapt into the ocean.
Without oxygen, he'd suffocate in minutes—continuing to fight was out of the question.
At least this was an island surrounded by water. Had this happened on land, his best bet would've been to find a toilet and dunk his head in for air.
"Nanaue goes on a rampage!"
Nanaue rampaged across the battlefield, treating Atlantis' soldiers like toys. He grabbed them, smashed them to the ground, bit into them, or even tore them apart on the spot.
Energy blasts rained down on Nanaue, but they did little more than leave scorched marks on his skin. Thanks to his incredible healing factor, he'd be fully recovered in a couple of days.
Allen continued stealthily sabotaging enemy soldiers, severing their oxygen lines one by one.
Suddenly, a red-armored soldier slammed a pulse cannon into the ground.
A blue shockwave rippled outward.
Allen, mid-sneak attack, was instantly forced out of stealth.
"Ah-da!"
He stabbed his blade into the soldier's helmet, then rolled away to evade incoming attacks, grabbing an energy weapon off a fallen enemy.
"Biu! Biu! Biu!"
Modern Atlantean technology was leagues ahead of human weapons. Their energy guns were silent and had zero recoil.
So, Allen made his own sound effects for dramatic effect.
Grabbing another weapon from a fallen soldier, he pitched his voice higher and announced, "System prompt: The top-ranked Marco Polo player in the server has logged in."
"Ultimate skill—Frenzied Barrage!"
"Biu! Biu! Biu!"
Spinning around, Allen scanned for new targets.
Meanwhile, Namor and Atlan remained locked in a stalemate, their powers evenly matched. Their battle was bound to drag on.
Diana, however, was in trouble.
Ares was utterly overpowering her.
Even with her divine armor, she was no match.
A large part of the issue was her unfamiliarity with her equipment—she couldn't unleash its full potential.
It was understandable. On Themyscira, she had never needed to use her divine weapons in sparring, and against ordinary foes, they were overkill.
Now, faced with Ares—an absolute powerhouse—she was struggling.
BANG!
A blast of energy struck Ares' helmet.
He turned, searching for the attacker.
Allen whistled nonchalantly, looking up at the sky as if he had nothing to do with it.
Ares stared at him, then resumed his assault on Diana.
BANG!
Another energy blast hit him.
Tsk…
Annoyed, Ares abandoned the stunned Diana, deciding to swat the pest first.
"Fancy Revolver!"
Allen unleashed a rapid volley of energy blasts.
Bright sparks flew off Ares' armor, but the attacks were utterly ineffective.
They didn't even leave a smudge.
Allen gave an awkward smile. "Uh… Big guy, is it too late for me to switch sides?"
"What do you think?"
Ares' eyes glowed crimson.
BOOM!
Suddenly, a radiant, multi-colored streak of light descended from the sky.
Every combatant paused, drawn to the spectacle.
As the shimmering rainbow glow faded, a long-haired, broad-shouldered man stepped forward, hammer in hand.
He pointed at Ares.
"Will you surrender peacefully, or do I have to beat you into submission?"
Allen glanced at the newcomer, then at Ares, and wisely shuffled a few steps to the side.
He had been standing between them.
For a moment, he'd thought the hammer-wielding guy was coming for him.