Divine Realm, Valhalla Council, council chamber.
Rather than a council chamber, though, it was more like a gigantic arena. This was the once-in-a-millennium assembly of the gods, and at this very moment, they were deciding humanity's extinction!
"So... should humanity be permitted to continue existing for another thousand years, or should they be brought to an end?"
"Gods, state your opinions!"
Zeus, chairman of the gods, sat in the seat of honor and struck his gavel. His aged voice carried throughout the council chamber.
The first to speak was Shiva, god of destruction and creation. "Fine, end them!"
"As far as I'm concerned, they haven't shown the slightest sign of repentance over the past thousand years. We might as well wipe them out completely!"
Immediately afterward, Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty, chimed in while supporting her enormous fruit. "Indeed, just as Lord Shiva says. Over these thousand years, the world has only grown uglier. The oceans are full of garbage and oil pollution, forests have vanished, and living creatures are going extinct one after another."
"When it comes down to it, humanity itself is the disaster destroying life on this planet!"
Aphrodite's words threw the council chamber into an uproar.
"Lady Aphrodite is right!"
"Let humanity go extinct!"
"They're nothing but a poison!"
"I'm sick of guiding them!"
"You're all right..."
Voices rose and fell, yet not a single god objected. Every one of them chose humanity's destruction.
Zeus sat in the seat of honor, and his aged voice rang out again with a smile. "It seems a conclusion has already been reached! Then, this meeting concerning humanity's survival..."
"By unanimous agreement, humanity shall be granted its end!"
As he spoke, Zeus's gavel came crashing down.
Yet just as the gavel was about to seal the decision, a clear