They won?
Gazing at the prison of light standing between heaven and earth, the gods felt a faint, unreal hope rise in their hearts.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
The prisoner inside the light prison remained silent for only a moment before unleashing its terrible might once more. The twelve Spears of the End shook and trembled without stop.
At the same time, the Tree of Kabbalah condensed and began to turn again, calling to their god. The angelic army immediately broke away from the battlefield and, without fear of death, launched charge after charge toward the cage of spears.
They did not care if their weapons shattered, their limbs split apart, or their bodies dissolved in the churning Ether tide.
At last, the impacts that had been pounding against the gods' hearts like heavy drums gradually grew sparse, then nearly fell silent.
It worked!
The people on the Sea of Oceanus looked at the prison of light that still stood firm and felt their spirits surge, cheering wildly in their hearts.
"The laws of the earth... can never destroy a god from beyond the heavens... there is... no chance left..."
Yet that strained, dim whisper poured over their fragile hope like icy water from the abyss, extinguishing it completely.
Samael lowered his head. In his arms, the golden-haired little girl murmured weakly, her arm falling limp. Her body, hovering between illusion and reality, flickered unsteadily, and glaring cracks spread across her porcelain-white skin.
Within those fissures, it seemed as though infinite light was being born.
The Ancient Serpent froze, then instinctively looked up at the cage of light above the Sea of Void.
There, strands of blazing white flame had begun seeping into the twelve azure pillars of light shot forth from the Inner Sea of the Planet, corroding and spreading through them.
It matched exactly the symptoms of the Star Spirit in his arms.
The twelve Spears of the End were pillars used to anchor the surface Ages of Gods and maintain the World Wall.
Likewise, they were channels from the planet's Greater Source, connected to the Inner Sea of the Planet.
In other words, while the twelve Spears of the End were sealing the white colossus's movements at all costs, they had also opened the gate to the Inner Sea of the Planet for him.
He was assimilating the source of the world.
"Three days... you only have three days... this is the world's... final afterglow..."
Amid that growing fainter murmur, the golden-haired Star Spirit in Samael's arms curled up like an infant in the womb. The halo around her body pulsed between light and darkness, in rhythm with a heartbeat, displaying a beauty of utter stillness.
At the same time, the cracks spreading across her porcelain-white skin began to slow.
"Three days. In three days, the colossus, having integrated the planet's Greater Source and become even stronger than he is now, will break free from the seal. There's no chance. There really is no chance left..."
As Gaia fell into slumber, Athena's bright eyes gradually dimmed, and the Spear of Victory slipped from her hand to the ground at her feet.
They had poured everything they had into this. They had tried every method they could think of, preparing day after day for the apocalyptic disaster that might come.
Yet Velber was too powerful. So powerful it was suffocating. So powerful it drove them to despair.
In the end, this planet still could not escape its fate of being devoured by the wandering planet.
Everything was beyond saving.
Even Athena, proud Goddess of Wisdom, had lost the last of her fighting spirit before such brutal reality.
Three days from now, Ragnarok would come. The end of the world.
That cruel truth plunged everyone into deep helplessness and despair.
"There is a chance..."
The sudden murmur reached Athena's ears, and the Goddess of Wisdom stared at her adoptive father in shock.
Their eyes met. Athena fell silent for a moment, then spoke in a dry voice.
"Old man, it's useless. Even Gaia wasn't a match for that monster. The laws of the earth can never destroy a god from beyond the heavens..."
"Whether it's useless or not, we won't know until we try!"
Samael's gaze was cold and fixed, his expression savage as an enraged lion.
"Athena, pick up your spear! I'll teach you one last lesson.
"Even as the Goddess of Victory and Wisdom, you cannot keep winning forever.
"But remember this. As long as you're alive, there is still a chance.
"You can be knocked down by hopeless odds again and again, but only giving up is true defeat!"
Only giving up is true... defeat?
In that daze, the thunderous roar jolted the dispirited Goddess of Wisdom. Her body shuddered, and she abruptly raised her head, staring blankly at her adoptive father.
That's right!
In the world of Mesopotamia, we survived three storms, endured the Seven Days of Judgment, and in the end tore apart the web of the Mandate of Heaven, shattering the invincible legend of that King of Kings!
Ishtar, Ere, Kukulkan, the Jaguar, Mother Goddess Tiamat, Ana, and the others of Uruk suddenly raised their heads, the defeat in their eyes swept clean away.
Yes!
In the Greek Age of Gods, we survived in the cracks between powers. We endured the Titanomachia, the calamity of Pandora, and the Trojan War, building our strength until we finally replaced Olympus with Areopagus!
At the same time, Themis, the Mother of Serpents, Prometheus, Chiron, and many other old friends regained the light in their faces.
Indeed!
On Oceanus, the gods escorted us forward, humanity paved the way for us, and we broke through this absolute sea. In the depths of despair, we seized a one-in-ten-thousand chance and struck down a god!
At that moment, Atalanta, Circe, Medea, Jason, and the other Argo heroes proudly lifted their heads, looking with defiance toward the churning Sea of Nothingness.
That's right!
In Rome, after the God Ancestor fell, we were surrounded on all sides. We blocked the Huns to the north, held off Egypt to the south, conquered Carthage to the west, and broke the Persian army to the east, reforging the glory of the empire!
Nero and Penthesilea's hearts surged. Without realizing it, they straightened their backs, and the gloom between their brows vanished.
More than that!
In Scandinavia, we integrated Jotunheim, united the Nine Realms, sealed the Fire Giant King Surtr, broke Ragnarok, and let the Nine Realms prosper to this day!
Skadi, Scáthach, Brynhildr, and the other Scandinavian gods were filled with solemn emotion.
And the same for us!
In the Inner Sea of the Planet, to welcome his return, we waited a thousand years. We willingly endured loneliness, constantly preparing for that fragile happiness, longing for it...
Before him, pair after pair of bright eyes turned toward the figure they had waited for with such hope. Heads lifted high like proud swans.
Victory had never been something easily grasped.
Success rarely favored cowards who gave up at the first word.
And miracles were born only from suffering and hardship. Hope that bloomed within despair was the most beautiful thing in this world.
The Goddess of Wisdom and War curled her fingers tightly around the Spear of Victory. She took a deep breath, bent one knee, and knelt. Her bright eyes shimmered faintly with tears as she looked up solemnly at the serpent eyes gazing down at her.
"My father, my god, please lead us once more. To victory!"
At the same time, figure after figure and silhouette after silhouette struck their chests, lowered their proud heads, and offered a stirring hymn to that towering form.
"This blade is placed in your hand. This body submits beneath you. Wherever your sword points, there our hearts shall follow!"
The World Serpent held the slumbering Spirit of the Stars in his arms. His Crossed Star Eyes opened and closed as he looked back toward the Sea of Void that had already encroached upon them, and toward the twelve Spears of the End flickering unsteadily. His gaze was deep and wise as he accepted authority without hesitation.
Since even the Spirit of the Stars had been defeated, then in the next battle, it was his turn.