Chapter [98]

Hall of Olympus

The Hall of Olympus was covered by dark clouds, with tension hanging heavy among the gathered gods. Zeus sat on his golden throne, his eyes flashing with fury. His fingers drummed on the arm of the throne, revealing his growing impatience. He observed the gods before him, waiting for an answer that had yet to come.

"Where is Hermes?" bellowed Zeus, his voice echoing through the hall like thunder, making the columns tremble.

"He should have returned with information about Thalia!" Zeus stood from his throne, his expression twisted with anger. "This is unacceptable! How can we protect Olympus if our own messengers fail in their missions?"

The gods exchanged glances in silence, fearing they might become targets of Zeus's wrath. Hermes's absence had become a source of unease for everyone, but no one dared to confront the king of the gods in his current state.

Zeus turned to where Poseidon usually sat. His absence was conspicuous and only served to fuel his irritation.

"And Poseidon? Why isn't he here either? Does anyone know where he is?!" Zeus's voice thundered, making it clear that his patience was quickly wearing thin.

SHUUUM!

A magical circle glowed at the center of the hall, and suddenly, Ophis and Kaito materialized. The intense light from the teleport faded slowly, revealing the imposing figure of the Infinite Dragon Goddess and a Devil that no one recognized. The hall fell into absolute silence as the gods observed the scene with expressions of surprise and disbelief. After all, it was not common for anyone who wasn't a god to appear in Olympus in such a way.

Murmurs began to spread through the hall as the gods exchanged glances. Athena and Hera exchanged quick looks, aware of what Ophis was capable of. Only Zeus, Hera, and Athena truly knew the full extent of Ophis's power and understood the danger she represented. The other gods, however, appeared restless, many beginning to complain about the presence of the strange figure.

"How dare someone enter Olympus like this?!" exclaimed one of the gods, his voice full of indignation. "Who are these intruders?"

THOOM!

Zeus raised his hand, and a thunderclap echoed through the hall, immediately silencing the murmurs. His imposing figure dominated the room, and all the gods fell silent, attentive to what he had to say.

"Silence!" Zeus commanded, his voice booming like thunder, leaving no room for argument.

He looked at Ophis, his expression becoming more formal, indicating a restrained respect.

"Ophis, welcome to Olympus." His voice was now solemn, completely ignoring Kaito's presence beside her. To Zeus, Kaito was nothing more than an insignificant Devil, merely accompanying the powerful Ophis.

Kaito, on the other hand, looked directly at Zeus, his eyes cold and assessing. He knew who the man on the throne was, and anger began bubbling within him. Zeus was responsible for the death of his parents and his entire species, and standing face to face with him made the hatred Kaito had long suppressed rise to the surface. He clenched his fists, trying to control the growing fury. Revealing himself now was not part of the plan, but the urge to attack Zeus was almost irresistible.

While Kaito wrestled with his own feelings, he noticed the presence of Hephaestus. The god of fire and forges was there, watching him from a distance. Kaito felt a mix of disdain and scorn. Hephaestus had helped eliminate Ares, but not out of loyalty to Kaito—and Kaito felt no sympathy for the god either. To him, Hephaestus was simply someone with his own interests who now seemed uneasy with Kaito's presence in Olympus.

Hephaestus, for his part, observed Kaito with concern.

'He must not reveal anything about me to Zeus,' he thought, his heart racing. 'If Zeus finds out I had any involvement in Ares's death, I won't escape.' The nervousness was evident in his gaze as he tried to mask his apprehension, maintaining his usual posture to avoid raising suspicion.

Ophis, completely ignoring Zeus's greeting, looked around, her empty, indifferent gaze scanning the hall and the gods present there.

"Is this place quiet?" Ophis asked, her voice soft and emotionless, as if she were completely uninterested in the grandeur of Olympus.

Zeus furrowed his brow, clearly unsettled by the Infinite Dragon Goddess's lack of response. He was not accustomed to being ignored in such a manner, especially in his own domain. However, he knew that Ophis was not someone to be confronted like any other god. Still, her question left him without an immediate answer, and silence spread again through the hall as the other gods watched the interaction with apprehension.

"Yes, it is usually quiet," Zeus replied, trying to keep his composure.

Ophis looked at Kaito, recalling what he had said earlier about Olympus being a good place for her. She seemed to consider this for a moment before turning her gaze back to Zeus and Hera.

Suddenly, without warning, Ophis advanced, moving at a speed the surrounding gods could not follow.

THUD!

She grabbed Zeus and Hera by the necks, lifting them into the air as if they were helpless children. Hera's expression was filled with fear, her eyes wide as she struggled to breathe. Zeus, on the other hand, was red with rage, humiliation evident on his face. Even knowing Ophis's power, he could not accept being treated this way, especially in his own domain.

The gods watched the scene in disbelief. Zeus, the king of the gods, was being held like a defenseless child, and Hera, the queen, looked terrified. The Hall of Olympus, long a symbol of power and majesty, was now shrouded in an atmosphere of pure shock and fear.

Kaito observed the scene, a slight frustration filling him. He wanted to be the one to kill Zeus, to have personal revenge, but he knew that, at this moment, he did not have the strength to do so. Even so, seeing Zeus humiliated brought a bittersweet sense of satisfaction.

"Now it's just me and you all," Kaito said, his voice echoing through the hall.

THOOM!

Athena stepped forward, her eyes fixed on Kaito. "Who are you? Why is Ophis doing this? What do you want from Olympus?"

Kaito looked at Athena, his gaze cold and calculating. "I am the one who came to overthrow the gods. Ophis is here because she saw utility in my plans. And I? I want revenge."

...

Khaos Brigade Hideout

Thalia was sitting on the sofa in the hideout, her thoughts occupied with Kaito. Worry was etched on her face, her eyes fixed on some point as her heart tightened with uncertainty.

"I can't believe he went without taking me," Thalia muttered, her voice filled with frustration. She hated her father, Zeus, and knowing that Kaito was facing the gods without her made her uneasy.

"No need to worry about the gods, nya." Kuroka approached Thalia, her soft voice attempting to soothe her.

"Why?" Thalia asked, lifting her eyes, her expression curious and confused.

Kuroka looked at Thalia, her eyes showing a faint glimmer of concern. "The real problem isn't the gods; it's Ophis. She can be lethal even to our own companions, nya."

Thalia fell silent, absorbing Kuroka's words. She knew Ophis was powerful, but Kuroka's concern revealed a danger she hadn't fully considered.

Xenovia, sitting in a corner of the room, looked at the two, but her expression was indifferent. "If Kaito defeated Kokabiel, he can defeat anyone. It doesn't matter who's in the way."

Kuroka sighed, shaking her head slightly. "You don't understand, nya. Ophis and the gods are on a completely different level. We need to be careful."

Thalia nodded, her worry returning as she looked in the direction Kaito had left. "I hope he knows what he's doing..."