Both Aetherion and Asteria faced Hyperion as their eyes met.
Without hesitation, Asteria raised her hand, forming a precise gesture.
The stars surrounding them began to glow.
Empowered by her divine energy, they shone brighter—illuminating the space around Hyperion as their radiance intensified.
Then she spoke.
[Star Domain: Constellation Collapse]
At once, the stars ignited.
Lines of light connected them, forming intricate constellations that mirrored one another.
The space itself responded as a cage of stars materialized—locking Hyperion within.
Hyperion observed it calmly at first.
Then—
He felt it.
The change.
Not in the stars…
But in the space itself.
Gravity.
It pressed down on him from all directions, distorting the flow around his body and slowing him.
"…Huh?"
It was subtle—but undeniable.
Movement became heavier.
Slower.
Asteria's gaze sharpened.
She knew this was necessary.
The man before her was stronger.
Faster.
Far beyond them at this moment.
Aetherion was exhausted—he had led an army, summoned countless clones, fought countless enemies, and defeated one of the Twelve Great Titans without rest.
And now, he was facing one of the Four Generals.
They couldn't win.
But they could escape.
This wasn't just a barrier.
The gravity within it had been amplified—hundredsfull—compressing space itself and anchoring Hyperion within its confines.
Even so—
If he truly tried, he might break free.
And that was fine.
Because the real attack had already begun.
Asteria's body glowed with divine energy, golden light radiating from her form.
Her eyes shimmered, filled with star-like specks.
"Now, Aetherion!"
Aetherion raised both arms.
At once—
Everything responded.
The stars.
The gravity.
Even the barrier itself.
They all began to glow.
Brighter.
Hotter.
… and becoming unstable.
The stars trembled as if on the verge of collapse.
No, more like on the verge of a supernova.
The barrier compressed inward, tightening around Hyperion.
And then—
The stars moved.
Not toward Aetherion.
Not toward Asteria.
But toward Hyperion.
His expression changed.
For the first time—
Tension could be seen on his face.
"What the hell are you two trying to do?"
he said, forcing confidence into his voice.
But his eyes betrayed him.
They shook.
He could feel it.
This attack—
Could hurt him.
Even he, one of the Four Generals, couldn't ignore a combined strike of this magnitude.
He could feel that Asteria was empowering the attack even further.
It was just trouble for him.
So he deceived to move.
Light surged around his body as he attempted to break through—
But—
He was slower.
The barrier dragged him down.
Before he could reach them—
Aetherion spoke.
A faint smile appeared on his lips as he looked directly at Hyperion.
[Star Domain: Supernova Chains Explosion~]
And then—
BOOOMB!!
Everything detonated.
The stars collapsed into themselves—
—and exploded.
One after another.
A chain reaction of destruction.
Light consumed the space, tearing at reality itself as the explosion swallowed everything within the barrier.
In that blinding moment—
The last thing Hyperion saw was Aetherion's smile.
"…It seems you got me."
And then—
He was engulfed.
***
"When are they going to arrive?"
Demeter was the one who asked.
Metis, however, looked tense.
She bit her nail, clearly stressed, unsure whether to send reinforcements or wait.
She didn't answer immediately.
Instead, she tried to think.
She attempted to observe the battlefield through the rainbow trajectory Iris had set up—but she couldn't see anything.
Why?
Because the barrier and technique Aetherion and Asteria had made the scene too bright, so they couldn't even see what was happening at the moment.
And even before that, the battle had been far too fast to follow.
Only a few—Rhea and Themis—had been able to keep up.
Metis could only slightly follow.
To her, it was nothing more than streaks of light flashing across space.
She had already recalled everyone.
The good news had been delivered: they had defeated and killed Pallas.
Even if they hadn't captured him, it was enough.
He would be gone for ten years—or more.
That alone gave them breathing room.
Time to prepare.
Time to face the rest of Kronos forces.
Finally, she turned to Demeter.
"They'll arrive soon. Believe in your brother, Demeter."
Her voice was firm—but not entirely certain.
Rhea stepped forward, placing a hand on Demeter's shoulder.
"Yes… they'll come back soon."
She tried to comfort her.
But her eyes betrayed her.
She was worried too.
What if Kronos had appeared?
What if more reinforcements had reached Hyperion?
All they could do… was wait.
In the war council room, silence lingered.
Everyone had taken their seats.
Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades sat together, waiting.
Around them, nymphs and dryads tended to their wounds—sealing injuries, aiding their regeneration.
Even gods required support to fully recover, both physically and mentally.
Though surrounded by beauty and care…
Their expressions remained tense.
Even Metis could see it.
They were worried.
For their brother.
Hera paced across the room.
Her expression was tight, emotions barely contained—but her determination and trust burned brightly in her eyes.
Hestia stood nearby, hands clasped together as if in prayer.
'Should I send reinforcements…?'
The thought crossed Metis's mind again.
It had only been a few minutes.
Yet it felt much longer.
The other battlefields had gone well.
No major losses.
They had held their ground against major gods and Great Titans alike.
Even Thanatos had performed exceptionally well.
He had faced the Titan of Destruction using clever tactics—striking from the shadows, distracting the enemy and his forces with avatars, throwing their forces into confusion.
It was something few could achieve.
And yet—
He had done it alone.
The respect he earned was undeniable.
Everything had gone according to plan.
Except for one thing.
Aetherion and Asteria.
They werethe only ones still in danger—
Facing one of the Four Generals.
Then—
A portal opened.
And everything changed.
Relief flooded Metis's heart.
A soft, genuine smile appeared on her lips.
Asteria stepped through.
And beside her—
Aetherion.
His body was covered in wounds, ichor dripping from his skin, even his head injured.
He was still in his divine form—
But only for a moment.
He released it, returning to normal.
Asteria did the same, though she was far less injured.
Aetherion, however—
Looked like he could collapse at any second.
Before anyone else could move—
Themis was already there.
She brought him gently to her chest as he leaned forward.
"Welcome back, Aetherion."
A pout appeared on Metis face.
'I was going to do that,'
was the only thought she had in her mind, as she watched with a bit of jealousy in her eyes.
Aetherion lifted his head slightly.
Blood ran down his forehead—
But he smiled.
Calmly, his whole demeanor oozing relief.
"Yeah… it's good to be back… especially after a victory."
Hera stepped forward, a beautiful smile forming on her lips.
"Yeah… it is."
The room fell silent for a moment—
Then it hit them.
They had won!
The first battle—
Was a victory for the rebellion!
Zeus shot up from his seat.
"It's time to party!"
Poseidon grinned.
"Bring out the drinks!"
"And the women too!"
Zeus added loudly.
And just like that—
The tension broke.
And as such the celebration began.
The first victory of the rebellion—
Would be remembered.