Ch 76: Steel And Fire
Hephaestus's laughter echoed through the forge, harsh and biting, his booming voice ricocheting off the cold, stone walls. It was a laughter devoid of warmth, mocking us like we were nothing more than ants scurrying around in his great game. The hammering of his fist on the anvil made the ground beneath us tremble, but it was his words that cut deep.
"Bahahahahahabahaha!!" He wiped the corners of his eyes as if the very idea of our mission was the most absurd joke he'd ever heard. "Can you look at yourselves? Who in their right mind would believe I have a fully operational time machine tucked away in my closet? And even if I did, do you think I'd just hand it over like some fool? You really do underestimate me— Hephaestus, god among geniuses."