"Quick!"
Elsewhere, Golden Bed looked tense. He practically took the lead alone, leaving the army behind as he tore through layer upon layer of void and crossed space.
Bang!
The moment Golden Bed returned to the Netherworld, he shot toward the Asura Temple like a meteor chasing the moon.
He looked down, and the sights of the Netherworld flashed past his eyes.
But soon...
He noticed something was wrong!
The surroundings were utterly quiet, and the area was remarkably clean. There was not even a trace of blood, much less any sign of battle.
"What?!"
Golden Bed's expression changed, and his heart skipped a beat as he suddenly realized something was amiss.
At that moment, as he arrived at the Asura Temple, Prahlad and Vipralambha came into view. The two walked side by side, surrounded by a group of Asura guards.
Bang!
Golden Bed fell from the sky like a meteor. Without even bending his knees, he slammed straight into the ground, blasting out a huge crater.
He suddenly waved his hand, and a fierce gale swept forth, scattering the rising smoke and dust.
His golden gaze swept over the two before him.
Prahlad shrank back and instinctively took half a step back.
"King?"
"Why have you returned?"
Vipralambha looked utterly confused. He raised one sleeve with one hand, bowed slightly, and offered a salute.
This reaction was completely wrong!
All the signs gave rise to an infuriating suspicion in his heart.
Golden Bed fell silent, his expression growing increasingly grim.
"The Netherworld... is all right, isn't it?"
Golden Bed's voice was hoarse as he forced the words from his throat.
"King, everything is normal!"
Vipralambha replied.
Golden Bed looked terrible. Without saying another word, he turned around and shot into the sky with a bang.
Before long, he descended like a meteor into a palace. Moving swiftly, he charged straight inside and saw a beautiful woman holding a child in her arms and nursing him.
"Husband, you've returned victorious?"
"No wonder Prahlad suddenly stopped crying!"
The Asura woman raised her head. Seeing Golden Bed return, she looked delighted and gently rocked the child in her arms, her voice as cheerful as an oriole's song.
But Golden Bed's eyes were bloodshot, and his face was clouded with gloom, giving his wife a fright.
"In!"
"Dra!!"
"Ra!!!"
Golden Bed's pupils turned blood-red. His hair whipped wildly as his powerful, terrifying body trembled slightly. His fists clenched tightly, and he let out a furious, bloodthirsty roar.
He had actually been tricked!
Indra deserved to die! He deserved to die!
I'll kill you!
Boom!
The entire palace shook.
Golden Bed shot upward from the ground, instantly smashing through the palace and charging toward the Heavenly Realm.
At that moment, he was like an enraged bull, turning into a "meteor" and charging straight for the Heavenly Realm. The humiliation and fury of being toyed with by his enemy filled his heart, and among the three qualities of goodness, passion, and darkness, darkness had gained the upper hand, spiraling out of control.
The Asura army that had just returned was also struck by that unstoppable, calamity-like "meteor," like a statue dropped to the ground and chipped at one corner.
The blast wave swept out. Sukra swayed unsteadily as he watched the departing figure.
"Golden Bed!"
Sukra cried out in surprise.
At this moment, Vipralambha also flew over at high speed.
"What happened to the King?!"
"Did he lose?"
Vipralambha asked in confusion.
Sukra looked at the bewildered Vipralambha before him and said, "Your son Rahu hasn't returned?!"
"Ah! My son is still alive?"
Vipralambha leaned back slightly, his eyes widening in astonishment.
Sukra also realized something was wrong and understood that Indra had deceived him.
It was not only Golden Bed who had been tricked. Even he had been fooled by Indra, and he had even gone along with the lie.
After serving as the Asura Mentor for so many years, after being clever all his life, he had actually been deceived by the King of the Gods!
What humiliation!
"!!!"
"That damned King of the Gods actually deceived us!"
Sukra's eyes blazed with fury. He roared angrily, then turned, raised his serpent staff, and shouted at the Asura army behind him.
"Kill our way to the Heavenly Realm!"
With that, Sukra soared into the sky.
The Asura army surged after him in a mighty procession.
Only Vipralambha was left behind, looking completely stunned, bewildered and confused.
"What happened?"
Boom!
Golden Bed's fury soared to the heavens as he crashed into the Heavenly Realm.
He fell into the Heavenly Realm like a meteor, blasting apart countless white clouds with a deafening explosion.
"In! Dra! Ra!"
"Indra!"
Golden Bed threw back his head and roared.
The tendons beneath his crimson-gold skin throbbed continuously like coiling Nagas, while blood flowed like the rushing Ganges.
Terrifying shockwaves battered the surroundings without cease, shattering countless white clouds.
Yet the Heavenly Realm was already completely empty!
No!
There was still something!
Golden Bed gritted his teeth and shifted his gaze. In the center of the Heavenly Realm, atop a vast expanse of empty white clouds, stood a golden throne draped in divine silk cushions and radiating dazzling streams of light.
His eyes were bloodshot as he ground his teeth. Filled with rage, he strode over to the golden throne.
"King of the Gods!"
Golden Bed roared.
He grabbed both sides of the golden throne, divine power bursting from his arms as he lifted it high like a mighty overlord raising a cauldron.
The golden throne was raised high!
Divine light shimmered brilliantly, like rainbows, sunlight, and traces of moonlight, casting its radiance throughout the Heavenly Realm.
Golden Bed raised his head and stared at the golden throne, his body going still.
Bang!
Golden Bed snorted coldly and abruptly set the golden throne down. He turned, flicked his robe, and sat upon it with an imposing flourish.
A comfortable, pleasant feeling spread beneath him!
"That despicable Indra—what right did he have to sit on such a fine throne? A bunch of cowards who only knew how to run!"
"The Heavenly Realm belongs to me now!"
Golden Bed rested his hands on the throne and rubbed his backside from side to side as if playing with a new toy. His rage gradually faded, replaced by contempt and pride.
"Brother, what you couldn't accomplish, I've accomplished for you now!"
Golden Bed thought.
He slowly closed his eyes. His power spread outward like ripples, gradually extending through the Heavenly Realm as though he were merging with it.
Heavenly Realm Power gradually gathered and flowed into Golden Bed's body.
At this moment, Sukra arrived late with the Asura army.
"Golden Bed!"
Sukra spotted Golden Bed on the throne at once and sensed the other man's wildly surging, explosively growing power.
"My power is endless!"
"Ha ha ha!"
Golden Bed snapped open his eyes and burst into excited laughter.
Power churned within him and rushed to his head, driving him to the peak of exhilaration!
He spread his arms, rose from the throne, and slowly walked toward Sukra.
"From today onward, the Heavenly Realm shall belong to the Asuras!"
"All Three Realms shall belong to the Asuras!"
"I am the ruler of the Three Realms! The king of the world!"
Golden Bed clenched his fist.
Figures flashed through his mind one after another. His eyes gleamed with cold, hateful light.
Vishnu!
And... Indra!!!
"From today onward, no one in the Three Realms may worship Vishnu!"
"No one may worship Indra either!"
"And those cowardly gods!"
"From this day forward, the people of the Three Realms may worship only us—their sole ruler, the Asuras!"
Golden Bed raised his head and declared.
What!
Sukra's gaze froze, and he stood there stunned.
Brahma Realm.
Indra stood before Sudarshana City, watching from afar as though enjoying a spectacle. In the distance, Gandharvas continually leaped down from the Sun Chariot, while the divine horses snorted white hot vapor from their nostrils.
Suddenly, his brow furrowed.
A faint feeling of weakness rose from within him!
"Without the Heavenly Realm, my power has fallen!"
"But..."
"The Power of Arduous Cultivation is actually rising!"
Indra exclaimed in surprise.
Before you continue