Raphaeline was clearly a high-priority target. Within a minute of the alarm, three Primary Gods appeared at the prison exit, blocking the only way out.
"Tch, too late," Jin Toujou spat, looking at the three ornate figures.
"Jin Toujou, does the Hero Clan intend to war with us?" one god demanded.
"Shut up. This has nothing to do with the Hero Clan. This is personal. I'm here for my woman and for revenge," Jin replied.
As they spoke, the rest of the Ten Primary Gods arrived. Six men and three women, including Chisato. They formed a semicircle, trapping Ethan's group.
"Enough talk. Kill the criminals," one of the gods said eagerly. He was the one who had taken Raphaeline's seat and wanted her dead to secure his power.
The group looked toward the man at the back—a cold, middle-aged man. He was the strongest, a veteran Sub-Dragon God. He ignored the others and looked at Chisato.
"Afreyia (Chisato), do you also intend to betray Heaven?"
"I will never forgive you for what you did to Sister Raphaeline," Chisato stated firmly.
The middle-aged god didn't speak. Instead, he raised his hand and crushed a tiny magic circle in his palm. Chisato groaned, blood leaking from the corner of her mouth as her divine power flickered, but she managed to maintain her form.
"Ethan, I'm okay," Chisato whispered through their soul bond. She handed the unconscious Raphaeline to Lihara. "Take her. I'll lead the two neutral goddesses away."
Chisato charged toward the two female goddesses, Frigga and Sif, and the three of them began a "battle" that moved further and further away from the main group.
"Do it," the middle-aged god commanded. "Dead or alive."
The battle exploded. A battle-hungry god charged at Jin Toujou, eager to test himself against the legendary Hero. Sophia, now a High-Level God, took on two others. Lihara, being the weakest and carrying the dead weight of Raphaeline, struggled against the new Primary God who was obsessed with Raphaeline.
Ethan found himself facing three gods, including the powerful Sub-Dragon God leader.
Ethan didn't hold back. "Balance Breaker!"
The crimson dragon armor enveloped him, doubling his power instantly. Having recently broken through to Sub-Dragon God level himself, the armor closed the gap between him and the middle-aged leader. However, he was fighting one-on-three.
Relying on his combat instincts and the destructive Power of Destruction, Ethan held his own. The Boosted Gear's doubling effect combined with his upgraded talents allowed him to parry their lethal strikes. But he was pushed to his limit.
The pocket dimension began to shatter under the weight of their power. Basara couldn't even get close to the shockwaves.
While Ethan was holding, the others were flagging. Sophia was covered in wounds, having taken hits to protect Raphaeline. Her armor was shredded, exposing patches of snowy skin, but she held her ground.
Ethan scanned the field. This wasn't going as planned. He could break out alone, but he couldn't leave the others.
BANG!!!
Sophia was sent crashing into a crater near where Basara was hiding.
"Mother Sophia!" Basara's demon blood boiled. No one noticed the "ant" in the corner, but suddenly, Basara's power spiked. He reached God-level in a momentary "burst."
SHING—
As two gods descended to finish Sophia, Basara appeared behind them. His "Dimension Severance" (Banishing Shift) ignored their defenses. It was a momentary burst, but it broke the stalemate.
Sophia was freed. She helped Lihara, and together they freed Jin.
"Go! Get out of here!" Ethan roared as he held back the three strongest. "They can't stop me!"
The group didn't hesitate. Sophia took the lead, Lihara carried Raphaeline, and Jin grabbed the now-exhausted Basara. They bolted through the exit.
"Don't chase them," the middle-aged god commanded. "Go find Frigga and Sif. Subdue Afreyia."
The male gods grinned. Raphaeline was a husk anyway. If they could capture Chisato and the other two "traitors," they could replace all the female gods with men.
Ethan frowned. He sent a message to Chisato through the soul bond.
The middle-aged god blocked Ethan's path. "The Red Dragon Emperor is truly the strongest in history. But you are alone now."
"You think you can stop me?" Ethan's voice was cold. This was his strongest state. If he had enough time, he was confident he could kill this Sub-Dragon God.
"I don't need to kill you. I just need to keep you here while my men handle the women."
The middle-aged god was confident. Sif and Frigga, even with Chisato, were no match for six male Primary Gods.
Meanwhile, at the edge of the dimension, Chisato had stopped her mock battle with the two goddesses. She had just received Ethan's warning.
"Frigga, Sif, you have to come with me," Chisato pleaded. She explained that the male gods were coming to strip them of their power and replace them.
But the two goddesses were hesitant. They had lived in Heaven for eons. "The atmosphere has been strange, yes... but surely they wouldn't kill us just for letting you go?"
They simply couldn't believe their fellow Primary Gods would turn on them so viciously.