Having traversed countless realms, can you possibly be as clever as me?

Despite being the queen of the gods, Hera's popularity among the Olympian gods was never particularly high.

This is why all the gods watched helplessly as she fought Tsurugi.

Even the most daring Poseidon could not have foreseen that things would turn out this way!

As Hera, with lightning bolts piercing her chest, plummeted into the abyss, the terrified gods immediately caught her body!

But they could not bear the authority of the lightning, and could only barely contain Hera's almost completely destroyed body, while watching the lightning fall into the vast abyss.

Was Hera dead? Of course not.

The immortality of gods is the fundamental logic of the world, a rule that even Zeus could not break. But even if she were immortal, Hera, whose body was severely injured, would likely have to enter a long period of slumber before she could recover.

Seeing Hera in such a wretched and unfortunate state, the gods secretly gave Tsurugi a thumbs up, but were also silent and fearful.

He truly is a man!

He really is a madman!

Dongjiang has already had his fill of beating Hera, and as for the consequences? Who cares?

Damn it, if you're afraid of dying and don't beat up this unreasonable, menopausal idiot, what's the difference between that and being dead?!

Even without the gods' intervention, the situation has escalated to such an extent that it has also affected Hera and her own lightning bolt. Zeus, who has been wandering off somewhere, can no longer remain hidden!

Phew! ! !

A clear eagle cry rang out in the sky, followed by a huge eagle suddenly flying in, transforming into an endless sea of ​​clouds with a roar in the sky!

For some reason, a faint smell of alcohol wafted through the air.

The churning sea of ​​clouds snatched Hera from the hands of the gods in an instant, and then, a series of thunderous booms came from the sea of ​​clouds.

But that was not thunder, the lightning had already ceased, and perhaps it was the angry roar of the God-King.

The Aegis in Tsurugi's hand slipped from his grasp in an instant and was taken by its owner, while a booming sound echoed from the seemingly endless sea of ​​clouds.

"Mortal, the sins you have committed are far greater than all the blasphemy committed by all mortals in the past combined!"

“You stole the artifact, killed Helios, and even tried to kill my queen.”

"Mortal, who gave you the audacity to do such a thing?!"

The voice was not that of an enraged person, but that was precisely why it was far more terrifying than a desperate roar.

The God-King remained calm, but that didn't mean he had no opinion about Hera's fate—even if it wasn't a matter of marital affection, the fact that Hera was dealt such a severe blow was a huge provocation to him as the God-King.

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His anger was not outwardly expressed, but rather manifested through the white sea of ​​clouds that enveloped the entire world.

"No one but myself." Tsurugi faced the God King without fear, speaking calmly.

“She tried to subjugate me into slavery, and she fought back. O King of Olympus, all of this was of my own will and purpose, without any ulterior motives.”

"My queen may have done wrong, but no one but me has the right to punish her!" The voice from the sea of ​​clouds grew increasingly heavy, and one could feel the rising anger within it.

"Perhaps it is so for you, King of the Gods. You have established the rules for all things, so I will not argue with you, for you are absolutely right." Faced with Zeus's wrath, Tsurugi suddenly laughed.

"Hehe, I know that saying anything now will be of no use to you, and I don't want to say any more nonsense—but before that, I also want to do the thing I'm most curious about."

"That is—" He clenched his fist, pointed his finger at the endless sea of ​​clouds, and smiled brightly.

"war!"

"Mortal, do you dare to challenge me in order to evade punishment?!"

"No—" Tsugumi laughed.

"I know I am no match for you, and I have no intention of escaping your punishment. I simply want to satisfy my curiosity and see just how powerful the great king of the gods, the omnipotent Zeus, truly is!!!"

He charged towards the endless clouds, like a bull charging fearlessly toward the road ahead.

All power, all will, squeezing every last drop of energy from within, unleashing the full potential of your being—fight!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The gods did not see what happened, but they heard many muffled sounds coming from the sea of ​​clouds. About ten minutes later, Dongjiang, covered in blood, was thrown directly out of the sea of ​​clouds.

Even without lightning and thunder, the power of the King of Gods remains invincible! Invincible! Invincible!

"Hero of mankind, you have done your utmost!" Zeus's words of praise echoed from the sea of ​​clouds.

"Although you are not my descendant, I still find you pleasing, and perhaps I would even like to have a son like you—but I must still punish you, for you have offended my queen! I will cast you into Tartarus and prepare a punishment for you..."

"My almighty Father, will you hear my words!" Just as Zeus was about to pronounce judgment, Athena stepped forward, looked at her father, and cried out.

"This man did all this to fulfill his friend's righteous act. He fought for Hercules' freedom and for the justice he sought to uphold! He harmed the noble Queen of the Gods, an unforgivable punishment, but please give him a chance!"

“Yes, my merciful father, although he has offended the Queen, I still hope that you can give him a chance.”

Apollo stepped forward, followed by Aphrodite, then Demeter and Artemis. For a moment, it was hard to tell whether Hera's popularity was simply too low, or if this young man was so favored by the gods.

"No need for that, thank you for your pleas."

But I'm ready.

At this moment, Tsurugi, having recovered from the defeat caused by the invincible power of the King of Gods, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, looked at the endless sea of ​​clouds, flew forward, placed his hand on Athena's shoulder, shook his head, and then looked at Zeus with a hearty laugh.

“I am satisfied and have no regrets. I could accept your punishment, because the loser has no choice—but before your punishment comes, I want to make amends for my mistakes!”

“I will take responsibility for what I have done. I will also remedy the problems I have created.”

"I have no regrets about my choice, but at this moment, I want to make my final attempt to make amends."

Having said that, he turned around to face the infinitely expanding primordial sun.

Having absorbed Helios, the sun has become highly unstable, and no deity can control it—even Apollo, the god of light who is closest to its concept, can no longer control the sun.

Ah, look at the mortals on the earth, how horrible and miserable their lives are because of the expanding sun!

How many people died because Dongjiang chose to fight? How many people faced separation and death because of his indomitable spirit?

There are too many to consider, so Tsurugi doesn't dwell on the issue. All he needs to do now is provide a sufficiently satisfactory answer to all of this.

Sometimes, doing what you believe is right can lead to a more tragic situation for many others.

It may not be a happy thing, but it's the approach I chose that brings me mental satisfaction.

Whether it led to all of this, or ended it all

"Someone is calling me..."

He whispered, closed his eyes, and opened his arms. At that moment, he could clearly feel the yearning and call for hope from countless people behind him.

Then, his body expanded, expanded, and expanded again! Endless light and heat appeared on his body, and he became as huge as the infinitely expanding primordial sun!

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Then, his body expanded, expanded, and expanded again! Endless light and heat appeared on his body, and he became as huge as the infinitely expanding primordial sun!

Those who survived the scorching heat saw only a colossal giant of light blocking the way of the endlessly burning sun!

Well then, that's settled!

The curtain falls on this stage play, a result woven by the three sisters of fate, but how the curtain falls—that's up to me!

With open arms, Dongjiang threw herself into the boundless sun without hesitation, amidst the combined and complex gazes of the gods.

In an instant, his golden body transformed into the core of this primordial sun. From glittering gold, he became a stone statue.

He started to burn.

When the sun has this statue as its core, it also uses him as fuel. The blazing sun's fire scorches every inch of his body, and this pain surpasses any punishment Tartarus could inflict!

But Tsurugi remained silent throughout the face of this almost inhuman suffering.

So the infinitely magnified sun began to gradually shrink inward, and soon it returned to its original size.

But Tsurugi could no longer leave this place. His body—the body of the Child of Tomorrow who carried the power of 'hope'—had to remain in this sun as a bridge to stabilize the balance between the two divine powers of the primordial sun and Helios!

And this already signifies one thing.

"From now on, this sun will be my prison, and also the instrument of endless punishment."

Within that newborn sun, the Son of Hope, burning with unimaginable pain, maintained his proud stance—he did not yield.

"I will become the sun, bringing light and warmth to the earth. I will forever endure the pain of being burned alive to atone for my sins."

“This is not surrender, King of the Gods! I destroyed the sun, therefore I have become the sun!”

"After this day, humanity's hope will hang high in the sky for you to see—every day thereafter will be the beginning of hope for mortals!"

The Son of Hope, who merged into the sun, told Zeus his answer in this way and with this response.

I place my body in near-eternal torment, but that does not mean I submit to the gods—I will not be enslaved; I am merely the sun, perpetuating hope.

From then on, whenever humans ended each long sleep, they would see him when they opened their eyes. He was the beginning of a new day, the hope that humanity had gained by transcending sleep and death and embracing a new future.

I am the sun, I am hope.

Humanity's hope now rests in the sun!

Karl will never give up!!!

Such behavior, such sacrifice and pride, silenced all the gods gathered on Mount Olympus.

Apollo played his lyre sadly, weeping with shame for ever desiring such glory; his pride put even the gods to shame.

Hephaestus and Ares, though angry at their mother's suffering, had all their anger extinguished upon seeing his choice.

Aphrodite remained silent, Hestia and Demeter went to look after Hera after sighing, Artemis shot an arrow as a tribute into the endless sea of ​​stars, and Athena silently collected the ashes that had fallen from the Thuja River, preparing to give them to Heracles.

Rarely—no, never before—a mortal has ever received such respect from the gods.

Even Hercules, who served them—no, precisely because of Hercules' submissive attitude, he was destined not to gain the gods' true respect, while the mortal before him had.

Never bowing down, never surrendering, saving humanity, defeating the gods, and then making amends for his mistakes and eternal suffering.

"He is a true hero!"

Poseidon bowed his head and spoke with utmost respect, knowing full well that this might anger Zeus, but he still spoke.

Zeus remained silent for a while, and then an endless sea of ​​clouds suddenly rose into the sky, bringing with it a beautiful goddess riding a white steed.

"On this day every year, the moon in the sky will block out the sun for a moment, and that is the moment when the sun's fire is extinguished and you can be freed."