When Apollo uttered those three words, "Who are you?", the Fifth Demon God froze. For a mont, his expression was blank, but soon his eyes clouded with confusion.
Who was he?
He was the ruler of the Abyss, once the Archdemon, the strongest Demon God in the Abyss. Even the mightiest Primordial Demon Gods had to bow before him in absolute submission. Now, he was the Fifth Demon God-trapped in a state where he could neither live nor die.
And yet, Apollo didn't recognize him?
Who else could he be?
The Fifth Demon God began to ponder the question.
It had been so long since he'd used his mind that even thinking caused him unbearable pain.
Lost and disoriented, the Fifth Demon God stumbled away from the scene, his steps aimless, his destination unknown.
Maxen stood there, utterly baffled.
"What just happened? We were talking just fine, and now he's... broken?"
Mike, however, felt a faint sense of understanding.
Apollo's words carried two anings.
The first referred to the question the Fifth Demon God had asked Morpheus all those years ago.
The second... was that Apollo genuinely didn't know who the Fifth Demon God was.
Apollo couldn't see through him?
Now that was interesting.
Such a thing had never happened before.
Apollo had always been able to pierce through appearances and grasp the essence of anyone or anything with a single glance.
For example, he had casually remarked that Maxen had the potential to beco a "useful horse."
But now, Apollo couldn't discern the origins of the Fifth Demon God?
As the Fifth Demon God's figure disappeared into the distance, Mike said nothing.
It didn't matter what others said about who he was.
What mattered was who he believed himself to be.
This was a question only the Fifth Demon God could answer for himself.
Perhaps Morpheus had told him the truth all those years ago, but the Fifth Demon God had been unable to accept it, driving him to madness and a desperate desire for death.
That seed closer to the truth.
Setting aside the Fifth Demon God for now, Mike turned his attention back to the scene.
It was then that he noticed sothing unusual-Foreskin had followed them here.
While Apollo's presence in this place was rare, it wasn't unprecedented.
But Foreskin tagging along? Now that was strange.
Mike sidled over to Foreskin, casting him a aningful glance, ready to initiate a silent exchange.
"Fourth Bro, just say what you want to say," Foreskin said with a wry smile.
"You can't hide it anyway."
Trying to keep sothing from Apollo was, frankly, wishful thinking.
Mike chuckled awkwardly.
"Hey, I was just trying to keep up appearances, you know?"
"About that..."
Mike glanced at the butterfly, curious about the situation.
Foreskin quickly clarified, "That butterfly is Apollo's avatar."
Hearing this, Mike felt relieved.
"A very powerful avatar..." Foreskin added.
"Shadow Three sent word that he needs to rest for a while and can't continue digging the tunnel."
In truth, Apollo rarely involved himself in the internal affairs of humanity.
Mike had only been out in the field for a short ti, but he was probably already handling more than Apollo ever did.
Still, Foreskin had taken the ti to notify Mike.
Mike's eyes lit up.
"Does that an Shadow Nine is coming back?"
Foreskin shook his head. "Maybe... but it'll still take so ti."
Foreskin was well-inford, and news of the events in the Supre Abyssal had quickly reached him.
Skipping the backstory, he got straight to the point.
"Shadow Nine managed to reclaim his talent, but it only had one use left. He used it to save Afterskin and Calderon. Now, the three of them are regrouping and still climbing the mountain..."
Mike thought for a mont before asking, "What about the demon creatures at the base of the mountain?"
Foreskin's expression froze for a mont before he forced a smile.
"They're dead."
"Oh."
Mike shook his head and said coldly, "Lucky them."
The demon creatures in the Supre Abyssal were the embodint of pure malice, reveling
in evil for its own sake.
Even if Shadow Nine wiped out one batch, another would inevitably rise to take their place.
Unless the source of the evil was eradicated, it would persist forever.
Though Foreskin hadn't ntioned it explicitly, Mike guessed that Shadow Three had played
a significant role in the battle.
Shadow Three had earned great rit!
Mike decided to be generous for once.
"When we get back, let's reward Shadow Three with a burger!"
Foreskin: "..."
As the two of them chatted, Maxen suddenly leaned in, curious.
"What are you guys talking about?"
Mike rolled his eyes, his tone a bit cold.
"We're talking about your dad."
Thor showed Maxen, the Supre Son, absolutely no respect!
Maxen decided he had to do sothing to change the situation.
He resolved that if the opportunity arose, he would ask Apollo to be his Godfather!
As Apollo's godson, surely Thor wouldn't dare treat him so coldly anymore!
The thought made Maxen grin, already imagining Thor's frustrated expression.
In truth, Mike wasn't intentionally ignoring Maxen. He was simply lost in thought.
And as for Maxen's inner monologue? Mike had no idea.
He was more curious about another question.
"Where's my Third Bro?"
Earlier, the butterfly had perched on Maxen's shoulder, keeping him still.
Now that Maxen was free to move again, where had Apollo gone?
Mike looked around.
What he saw made his heart skip a beat.
The butterfly had transford into Apollo, who was now standing tall, gazing up at the sky.
Wow.
Mike sucked in a sharp breath, holding it as he stared.
The big one was coming.
This unresolved matter had been dragging on for far too long.
If it continued any longer, it would only waste more ti.
Apollo seed irritated.
With a blade slung diagonally across his waist, he stood there, his expression cold as he
looked up at the sky.
The oppressive gray sky seed to press down, suffocating everyone beneath it, as if it were
an inescapable fate.
Beyond the sky, hidden in the shadows, was the Supre Demon God-the one who had killed
Nathan, the source of all evil.
The Supre Demon God had been hesitating, testing the waters, wanting to erge but too
cautious to fully commit.
Until...
Apollo grew tired of the ga.
Shadow Nine had once taught Apollo to find joy in the suffering of Demon Gods.
As Shadow Nine's strongest disciple, Apollo had learned the lesson well-and he practiced it
often.
Apollo's gaze pierced through the clouds, locking onto the Supre Demon God.
The Supre Demon God saw Apollo, and Apollo saw him.
The air grew thick with tension, the kind that could destroy worlds with the slightest misstep.
BOOM!
A bolt of lightning tore through the sky.
Apollo's cold, rciless voice echoed across the heavens:
"Get out."
...
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The thunder roared endlessly.
But the dark, chaotic, and malevolent presence behind the sky began to retreat.
The Supre Demon God had backed down.
For the Supre Demon God, leaving his domain to fight was tantamount to abandoning his
greatest advantage.
In battles of this magnitude, every factor-ti, place, and preparation-could determine
the outco.
If he dared to step out, Apollo would make him pay a price he couldn't afford.
As long as Thor continued to grow, Apollo would eventually enter the Supre Abyssal.
The Supre Demon God's retreat was inevitable.
With his departure, the oppressive atmosphere of the Void Maelstrom lifted, and the terror that had gripped everyone began to dissipate.
If Apollo hadn't shown up, the Void Maelstrom would have been drenched in blood today.
In the void, scattered figures began to rise into the air.
Each one was powerful, at least at the level of an Ultimate Lord.
They hovered in the sky, gazing at the center of the storm with complex expressions.
Many of them offered gestures of gratitude in the human tradition, silently acknowledging Apollo's life-saving intervention.
None of them had expected to encounter humanity's Supre Being here.
And now, they were filled with lingering fear.
If Apollo had entered the Void Maelstrom 90 years ago and fallen into their ambush, it would
have been a disaster.
Now, they understood just how terrifying Apollo truly was.
At the sa ti, their wariness of Thor rose to new heights.
Now that the crisis had been averted and Mike had obtained what he ca for, it was ti to
head back.
Apollo turned to leave, and Mike and the others followed.
"Stone, do a favor and check on the others who ca with us. Make sure they're still
alive."
Maxen: ???
Before Apollo arrived, I was the babysitter.
Now that Apollo's here, I'm still the babysitter?
What's the point of Apollo even being here?!
"Perfect timing. I'll go with Maxen," Foreskin said at just the right mont.
He turned to Michael, who was still pantsless.
"And you, my friend without pants-care to join us?"
Michael, seizing the opportunity like a drowning man grabbing a lifeline, nodded furiously.
"Not at all! My na's Michael. And you are?"
He had seen Foreskin around Thor before but had never known his identity.
Foreskin smiled warmly.
"Mystic Market. Foreskin."
Michael: ...
With Maxen and the others sent off, Mike finally had the chance to voice his lingering doubts.
"About... Morpheus..."
Mike scratched the back of his head, struggling to find the right words.
Now that he knew Morpheus's true identity, countless questions swirled in his mind.
Why did so many events after Morpheus's death still bear his mark?
Rather than puzzling it out himself, it was better to ask Apollo directly. Even though Mike hadn't finished his question, Apollo understood what he ant.
"You want to know what's going on?"
Apollo thought for a mont, then stopped in his tracks.
Mike stopped as well, waiting for Apollo's next move.
Apollo didn't move. Clop, clop, clop-
The sound of hooves echoed from behind Mike.
Whoosh-
[That's fast!]
Mike barely registered a blur before a majestic white horse appeared beside Apollo.
The horse was extraordinary, its coat pure white, its mane flowing like silk, exuding an air of supre confidence.
Apollo placed a hand on the horse's back and said, "Let's go."
Mike was confused. "Go where?"
Apollo released the horse.
"We're here."
Mike: ???
Talking to Apollo was like trying to keep up with a whirlwind.
Before Mike could react, a dizzying sense of weightlessness overtook him.
Thankfully, it didn't last long.
What just happened?!
Mike's body, nearly at the level of a Lord, was capable of feats like shattering Mount Everest
with a casual gesture.
And yet, he had felt intense physical discomfort just now.
When he regained his senses, he realized he had been transported to a battlefield.
The sky was red.
The blood was red.
Even the shadows were red.
"Kill-!"
A hoarse voice rang out, sending a shiver down Mike's spine.
He imdiately recognized it.
Shadow Nine!
Though this Shadow Nine was still young and far less mature than the one from 300 years
later, Mike could tell it was him.
He saw a massive Blood Shadow, nearly covering half the sky, locked in battle with an
indescribable monster.
"This is..."
Mike gasped, realization dawning on him.
"This is the Supre Abyssal!"
"Yes."
Standing beside the white horse, Apollo nodded, offering no further explanation.
This was the Supre Abyssal, and yet it wasn't.
It wasn't the real Supre Abyssal but rather a record of history.
Gathering his thoughts, Mike quickly pieced things together:
The white horse had brought Apollo and Mike to the Supre Abyssal of 297 years ago,
allowing them to witness a pivotal battle as spectators.
For Apollo, explaining Morpheus's fate was a hassle.
It was easier to show Mike directly.
And the battle unfolding before Mike's eyes was...
BOOM!
A deafening clash of tal interrupted Mike's thoughts.
The sky seed to crack, and the entire Supre Abyssal trembled violently.
Mike looked up.
He saw...
A lone figure standing invincible in the heavens, facing his final battle.
His sword was dull, his blade broken, his cloak tattered.
His blood had not yet run dry.
And so, he fought on.
As Mike stood there, stunned, two nas slowly surfaced in his mind:
Human King, Nathan.
Supre Being, Morpheus.
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