"I might just pay him a visit and retrieve those blades after all."
Fear spread like poison.
Whispers died before they could form. Even Zeus felt a chill trace his spine. Odin's jaw tightened. Meng Po's fingers trembled slightly at her side.
Yuiitsu's laughter faded as abruptly as it began.
His gaze settled back on Buddha.
"Continue."
"A-Ares and Faunus paid for that opening with their lives." Buddha continued.
A low murmur rippled through the Sanctum.
"Lord Boros's wrath was absolute," Buddha said. "Two of Zeus's sons were slain, their deaths igniting Zeus's fury. In his rage, he struck Boros with such force that his head was severed."
Buddha lifted his gaze.
"And yet... it reattached."
The silence that followed was suffocating.
"Horror seized the assembly," he continued. "Steel and divine energy collided as the gods surged forward in desperation. Amid the chaos, Odin found his opening - branding Lord Boros with the god ember, weakening his Nexus."
He inclined his head.
"Then Meng Po erased his memories."
Buddha exhaled slowly.
"Thus... the battle concluded."
Yuiitsu Muni released a heavy sigh, the sound echoing through the Sanctum.
"I presume the council members are dead," he said flatly.
Buddha bowed his head.
"Yes, Great One."
Yuiitsu's eyes narrowed, an inner fire kindling within them.
"Then let us revisit the facts," he said.
"You possessed the speed to engage Boros in close combat. Odin demonstrated comparable swiftness, striking with precision. Zeus's power was sufficient to sever Boros's head."
His gaze shifted.
"And Meng Po... you touched his face."
Another slow exhale.
"With the Council's annihilation," Yuiitsu declared, his voice ringing like a clarion across eternity, "a new order is required."
Buddha's eyes gleamed.
"We would be honored to hear your will, Great One."
Yuiitsu's gaze swept across the assembly, lingering on each god in turn.
"Odin," he said. "Your valor and resolve have earned ascension. You are hereby elevated from Arch god to Omni god - a station befitting your unyielding spirit."
Zeus and Meng Po exchanged glances, restrained hope flickering between them.
"Zeus," Yuiitsu continued, "your devotion to justice and overwhelming might have proven undeniable. You too shall rise-from Arch god to Omni god."
Zeus clenched his fists, eyes burning.
"And you, Meng Po," Yuiitsu said, his tone measured. "Your wisdom and selflessness have earned you ascension to the ranks of the Arch gods."
The Sanctum trembled faintly.
"And to all the gods gathered here today," Yuiitsu proclaimed, "I decree that you shall henceforth form the Council of gods-a new order forged in war, loss and sacrifice."
His voice lowered, heavy with finality.
"Together, we will confront the darkness."
A pause.
"And we shall either emerge victorious... or perish in the attempt."
"As members of the Council of gods, you are bound by sacred oaths and ancient traditions," Yuiitsu declared, his voice weaving a heavy spell of anticipation through the Sanctum.
"To wield the authority of the Council, you must first master the control of Nexus and awaken a Longinus-a legendary power passed down through the ages."
"Zeus and Meng Po have already unlocked their Longinus abilities," he continued, "though neither has yet mastered them."
"As for the rest of you, your journey begins now. Each of you will be permitted one attendant - a loyal companion who will stand by your side as you navigate the trials ahead. In time as your devotion to the council deepens, the number of attendants under your command will increase."
"For now," Yuiitsu said, his tone hardening, "our focus is singular: the awakening of Longinus abilities. Your training begins immediately, and I shall-"
"May I speak, my Lord?"
Odin's interruption cut through the air like a finely honed blade.
"Odin..." Yuiitsu said softly, lifting his gaze. "Do you wish to be... erased?"
His eyes locked onto Odin's.
"No, Great One," Odin replied, quickly averting his gaze.
"You are aware," Yuiitsu continued, tapping a finger slowly against the armrest of his throne, "that my authority does not limit itself to you alone... correct?"
Odin stiffened.
"Do not interrupt me again."
"I apologize, Great One," Odin said, bowing his head deeply.
A pause followed.
"What compelled you to interrupt me?" Yuiitsu asked calmly, reclining back into his throne. "Speak."
Odin hesitated - then his eyes shifted toward the far end of the chamber.
His gaze lingered on the chained, unconscious body of Boros, concern barely concealed behind his stoic expression.
Zeus's response was immediate, his voice a low, ominous rumble.
"I say we kill him."
The council erupted - gasps, whispers and murmurs rippling through the chamber.
Meng Po's voice rose above the din, disbelief sharp in her tone.
"Kill him? Is that truly our option?"
Buddha's eyes gleamed with quiet calculation as he spoke, "It is not such a terrible idea, Meng Po."
The chaos was cut short.
"Silence."
Yuiitsu lifted a single palm, still resting comfortably upon his throne. The room froze.
"Do you honestly believe killing him is a viable solution?" he asked coldly.
"None of you present possess the power to take his life. He lies unconscious only because Odin managed to touch him with the god ember. Do not forget the reality of our situation."
"The God Ember," Yuiitsu continued, his voice steady and absolute, "is a sacred relic forged in the heart of divinity itself. It possesses the power to seal a god's body, soul and Nexus for ten thousand years."
"When Odin struck Boros with it, the ember ravaged his Nexus - reducing his strength to a mere fraction of its former glory."
He tapped the arm of his throne once.
"But even so... he remains an Elder god."
Yuiitsu's lips curled faintly.
"That said, I must admit my surprise, Meng Po. I did not anticipate that you would be capable of rendering him unconscious."
Only Yuiitsu's smile was visible now, the rest of his face swallowed by shadow.
"Thank you, Great One," Meng Po replied, bowing deeply.
"Be silent," Yuiitsu said flatly. "I did not grant you permission to speak."
He inhaled slowly.
"I surmise the ember's hold will last no more than one thousand years. By then, even your powers of forgetfulness will begin to fade," his gaze swept across the council, burning with intensity.
"And Boros will start to reclaim his memories."
"We will not take his life," Yuiitsu declared. "Instead, we will cast him among the very humans he sought to eradicate."
"Let him live as one of them. Let him walk their lands, breathe their air, and fade into a shadow of his former self."
He paused.
"Are there any among you who object to this judgment?"
The council answered as one, their voices unified.
"No, my Lord."
Yuiitsu's expression hardened.
"Good."
A final pause."...Your training begins now."