Chapter 165 - God of War

---Should be back to regular scheduling this week but don't hold me to it, head is better but still not great.

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"Wah! You lot have no idea how much this is going to set me back! It's taken me decades to find the perfect parameters for this never-ending conflict and just like that, you destroy everything gluing it together!"

A man decked out in a red set of armour wielding a spear and a shield charges through one of the now open doorways absolute furious with the performance we've been acting out and honestly takes me aback a little, this is supposed to be Ares? He looks grown up enough but sounds like a spoilt child or something.

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https://i.ibb.co/K5z8q1x/Ares.jpg

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'That sucks, looks like this noble purge is uncomplete'

While he's getting mad at the plan I conducted, all of the nobles start to charge outside and I can only feel immense disappointment from my unfinished plan. I wanted to kill some racists too.

"Get back here, you motherfucking racist scum!"

Turns out, orc Zeki really hates racists all of a sudden, I'm pretty sure he was just embracing his inner psychopath tonight like me, it's not really like we can chase them considering who is standing right in front of us.

"You stupid mortals really have no idea how much you've set me be back, looks like some sort of punishment is needed"

That's when the God raises his spear and points it towards us, also setting up a combat stance similar to how Spartans may fight with their shields. It's obvious that we now have to fight this bastard, was hoping he'd just kick us out of this place but guess not then.

Suddenly, just before combat is about to kick off, a terrible memory comes up of something that nearly got forgotten. If we have to fight this God within his own dungeon, doesn't that mean we may be fucked? Can't also forget there's also no point status scanning him, divine beings seem to have a filter on unless you're Jarl Denver.

It was that time we came across Lyssa, the mad guy back inside the ol'mage tower and he wiped the floor with us. I know we're more powerful now but this might be a fight we cannot win if Gods are practically immortal in places like this. It's either than or that Lyssa was deceptively strong, we'll still try and put up a fight against this armoured God though.

Anyways, we ready our weapons of choice and the God charges at us causing a small shockwave to occur throwing all but the strongest of us back. Only me and Petra were strong enough to stay standing throughout that attack.

'Aesa?'

[<Confirmed, -aspect of gigantomachy- has been activated>]

Sensing a slight opportunity despite his excellent stance, I attack first trying to slash Excalibur into his side but it only gets blocked by his shield. However, I repeat the same attack clattering into the metal again but it proves ample distraction for Petra whose sword art flies plunging deep into one of the gaps around his shoulder plates.

"Wah! Hahaha..."

The God screams from pain but that quickly turns to maddening laughter, clearly he's just shrugging off the pain despite his shoulder looking pretty gnarly.

"...Despicable to use a giant's power against me. I was only going to scare you a little, but now, you've really pissed me off"

A tremendous amount of power flows out of the enraged God causing the ground to shake and the walls to crack, we are nearly swept off out feet again but thankfully we're still standing.

Then, he goes on the offensive swiping and dashing his spear ahead of himself forcing both me and Petra to avoid his swing, both of us make sure to coat him in fire while retreating backwards though.

While me and Petra are trying to defend his immense speed and skill with the spear, the rest of our party have finally gotten their heads out of the sand and have joined us in fighting against the God of war. 

Zeki unleashes hellish red flame all over our enemy but like with ours, it seems to be pretty ineffective to the beast of a guy we're fighting.

Charlotte shoots off a laser beam from her sword only to find it completely being blocked by Ares's shield. Using the distraction of that, Nathan now tries to swipe at the guy but only finds his sword ricochets off the armour effectively doing nothing.

Heck, even Ariza is joining in firing several arrows towards him but like with Nathan's sword, all just reflect off it. Didn't know she was an archer but guess she surprises me more every day.

Despite all this and me now using the cover of my party, I swoop around to the side and try to land a hit of my own into the armoured juggernaut that is this God of war.

Ares manages to sense my first swing from Excalibur going to great lengths to swipe the attack with his spear but my vampiric blade finds another route sinking into a gap to the side of his stomach. That armour isn't impenetrable if you know where to avoid it.

"Wah! Both of you have that cheat skill!? I'm done humouring you now!"

Like the heavens ripping apart from the seams, this entire world disappears within an instant after the God snaps his fingers and all that's left is a lifeless void, the same type of void we always seem to end up back in. This place is unoriginal as hell now.

'Has this God chickened out on us or some-, urgh! My head...'

Suddenly, the lights switch on showing us in a tiny cellar like room just containing just us lovebirds and the God, albeit we've just been tossed to the ground by an invisible force and now remain in a begging position.

Panic immediately sets in when I realize I have no control over my own body and Ares slowly walks towards us, this is seriously the power Gods have within these places!? I need to break hold of this shit; I don't know how though!

'Aesa, is there any way to break out of his control? Have I got an ability that could do anything!?'

[<... >]

'Really!? Now you're fucking silent!? Shit...'

"You see, I feel like you little mortals have no idea on how these sorts of places work. Inside this world, I am unstoppable! The only chance you have of defeating me is to destroy this entire world and even then, that's still asking for a lot even for a God. This entire realm is my lifeforce and you puny insects were always doomed from the start"

The God just stands their boasting while me and Petra are still grovelling on the ground, to think we made such a rookie error. No, Athena and Hephaestus sent us here, they also share some of the blame but are we seriously going to die like this on our knees? That would make for a shitty ending...

"However, let this be a lesson learnt rather than the fight finishing. I'll reluctantly let you all out shortly... even if it'll cause father to go crazy when he finds out"

(Ikarus) "Wait, you're sparing us!? Why?"

This guy is loyal to Zeus, right? Shouldn't that mean he should be destroying especially considering he's currently busy handling the civil war amongst the Gods?

"If you're wondering why I'm doing such a thing, you can thank half-sister for this. Without me owing her a favour, you'd have died the second you entered this place and we wouldn't be having such a pleasant conversation..."

Finally, the control this guy has over us breaks free and we're able to finally stand facing him. This doesn't really make sense to put us in such an uncomfortable position if he owes Athena a favour, right? Wouldn't he have just let us complete it easily enough?

"...Despite my undying loyalty to father and how much he'd love for me to purge you all right now, Athena was always fated to become the next ruler so I refuse to remain in her debt for when it happens someday. Even I understand prophecies are inevitable, even if they can be fun to fight against"

Athena was fated to become the next God that rules all? Huh, I'm not sure if I remember that prophecy or legend, surprised Zeus didn't try and kill her hearing that but maybe he did? This bird doesn't know everything about Greek myth after all.

I'd kinda like to know what Ares owes Athena but right now, all I want to do is get far enough away from this place... Wait, is that why he tried to get us to kill each other? Because Ares agreed to not kill us but if we did it ourselves, it wouldn't count? This sly motherfucker, we're definitely going to kill him someday...

"Anyways, just take my token and fuck off already, so much work and not enough time"

Ares flicks us the coin and I catch it mid-flight, another odd dungeon experience once again. At least this time around it doesn't feel anticlimactic, or does it? Eh, let's just move on...

As we're slowly fading out of existence, slight mumbling from the God can be heard as he tries to justify something.

"Hmm, maybe this could work out better if you lot live. It'll definitely draw more of the rebellious Gods out to try and help... which in turn also means more war! I'm slightly happy Athena got involved no-..."

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"Well, that was annoying, that guy basically tore us a new one"

"Heh, that fight really could've ended us Ikarus. Now that we know Gods are practically untouchable within dungeons, we should try and avoid them as much as possible"

"Normally, I'd say you're being a coward sis but the less dungeon exploring we do, the better"

"Uh huh, they may be too dangerous for even the six of us"

"At last, we have everything we need to free my Lord! Now, let's just hope the next part is easy enough"

"We'll be good Lotte; we've already gone this far together"

Finally awaking back inside that lighthouse, all of us are obviously happy with finally getting outside of that place. Things were looking tense there so the fact none of us ended up hurt is a blessing.

'Yo Aesa, you back with us as well?'

[<Apologies for going quiet Ikarus, Aesa was unsure what to say in that situation. Whatever power Gods hold inside dungeons, isn't beatable with normal levelling standards>]

Aesa sounds really little depressed about this, it's not like we haven't come across more powerful foes before but maybe the imminent threat of death was a little overwhelming? Eh, maybe it's less of a concern for me because knowing my luck, I'll probably end up reincarnating inside another egg or something like that, might end up being a chicken as well. I'd freaking hate to be one of those little bastards.

'So, you going quiet was by choice? What, were you embracing our deaths or something?'

[<Affirmative, Aesa assumed our adventure had come to an end and was reflecting on things>]

...

'Wow... I'll lay off if that's the case. You can come out and I'll give you a hug if it's needed'

[<Ikarus really suggests some weird activities at times... Aesa appreciates it but no thank you>]

To think Aesa really got that worried about it all. Not really sure what to say but I'll just let my robotic wife get on with it then, she's strong enough to get over it quickly enough.

"Well, we appear to have the coin but did anyone get a reward for that? Aesa hasn't told me anything so I assume we've got another dud?"

Another dungeon, another lacklustre reward. It was foretold dungeons are shit so best not even mention it anymore.

"Heh, nothing here Ikarus"

"Uh huh, none as well Ikarus"

"Hang on orangey... What do you mean you don't know!? Erk, this is why I don't talk to you dickhead..."

'Heh, I forgot Zeki sometimes has fights with his system'

"...What do you fucking mean do it yourself!? Erk, fine... Oh, Ares actually gave me his blessing"

...

Wait, Zeki actually got rewarded for something!? Obviously, the God of war saw something in the blood crazy Mr obnoxious that he likes, I'm actually happy for him and not jealous at all! It may sound like it but he does tend to get screwed over the most out of us, even if it's justified.

"What was it then kid? Do tell already"

"It's this red, pointy spear of his orangey..."

Zeki pulls out the fancy looking spear Ares had just tried to damage us with but he can't help but look a little disappointed with his reward. It's funny really, Zeki's just been given an actual God tier weapon and he's currently using it for nothing more than to scratch his back.

"...Seriously though, who even uses a spear nowadays? I guess it's kinda cool I get something that you lot don't but if that guy thinks I'm going to use this to become a hero or something, then he's an idiot"

(Ikarus) "There's no way that God thinks you're capable of becoming a hero Zeki. Heh, I guess you could become the spear hero of the Amazonian tribe though"

"Heh"

"Seriously orangey? Erk, what is it with you and my suffering?"

"Karma kid, those breasts of yours are always prime material to mock"

Anyways, we are still in that bloody lighthouse filled with corpses so best make our leave and find the entrance to the Underworld next. This hopefully should be a more enjoyable trip but you never know with how this world works.

As soon as we make haste and exit the building, two extremely strange things seem to happen together. The first is that Zeki rapidly begins to morph back into being male once again, albeit 'male' was always an extremely loose term for how feminine he usually looks. Those two planets are now gone and my disappointment is immeasurable.

That's pretty strange because he should've had another fortnight of his gender bender sentencing. My best guess is that time inside that dungeon was quicker than we first anticipated, didn't bring it up but Petra did state it feels a tiny bit quicker than normal time flow. Focusing on such a mundane detail right now is little pointless though.

"Ah, the sentence is finally up, no more backpain! I'm in heaven right now!"

"Erm, kid, are you not noticing something else?"

The second is what stairs us all dead in the face high up above the sky, there's freaking airships! Like those huge balloon looking things that are gigantic and look like the belong in a steam punk sort of world, three of them span the horizon like monsters adorning the midday sky.

By the looks of it, none of my party knew about this and look as shocked as I. Even dwarfs don't have airships so this is amazing!

"Heh, that's definitely new Ikarus, didn't realize the technology around here ha-"

"ATTENTION! All of you who have just left the building, stay still and wait to be seen!"

A thundering voice, presumably from one of the airships roars obviously directing towards us. Whatever the reason for this is, it's not exactly going to look great considering the state of that lighthouse...