A Powerful Ally

But this also meant that the present situation had already been set in stone back when Theron took part in shaping the world.

"What do you want to do next?"

Ananke spoke first, making no effort to hide her interest. After observing Theron for so many years, keeping an eye on him had almost become a habit—and the most entertaining pastime in her otherwise dull divine life.

"I'd like to ask Lady of the Night to help me leave here without being noticed," Theron replied frankly. "Only Eternal Night can shield me from the King of Gods' senses."

Outside the Void, seven Titans stood guard, one of them a King of Gods. If Theron wanted to leave without drawing attention, he had no choice but to ask Nyx for help.

"Of course." Ananke nodded without hesitation. She didn't even ask for anything in return. "I'll persuade her to help you."

Her readiness made Theron wonder whether she had deliberately stayed behind, waiting for this very moment.

After all, as the God of Constants, Ananke also possessed the ability to foresee the future.

But...

"Beautiful goddess, revered Lady Ananke, why are you helping me?" Theron finally asked what had been troubling him.

"I've already answered that. What's the point of everything being predetermined? I want to see more changes." The goddess smiled, her tone full of meaning.

Why did Lady Ananke seem so contrary to her own divine role? Who went against their own domain like that...?

Theron grumbled to himself, but still asked cautiously, "But if you do this, you'll lose our wager."

"Will I?" Ananke laughed without a care. "That would be a shame."

She said it was a shame, but Theron couldn't hear a hint of disappointment in her voice. If anything, she sounded almost eager...

No, that had to be his imagination. Who placed a bet hoping to lose? It wasn't as if Lady Ananke wanted to become his subordinate god. How could that be possible?

Theron shook his head, dismissing the absurd thought, and focused on the matter at hand. "When can we leave?"

He tactfully added, "And... Your Highness, I'd also like to discuss the details with Lady Nyx."

Compared to the inscrutable Ananke, Theron thought Nyx, for all her lack of warmth, was easier to talk to.

At least Nyx would say outright what she wanted. With Ananke, Theron had no idea what she wanted or what she intended to do.

The unknown was what made one most wary.

"Ah, all right, then." Ananke looked regretful, but still smiled as she said, "We'll meet again."

With that, Eternal Night's Black covered everything. As the stars flickered, a voice devoid of emotion spoke.

"Three times."

Nyx stated calmly, "You owe me three favors."

Theron's head began to ache. He tried to reason with her. "The first two times, you helped Zeus. You should ask him to repay you."

But Nyx only looked at him in silence. Theron felt the hairs on his scalp stand on end under her gaze.

After struggling for a long while, he finally gave up on trying to wriggle out of it. "Fine, three times it is. Can you send me away now? Without the King of Gods noticing?"

"Yes."

Once he agreed, Nyx answered at once.

Though perhaps it was only his imagination, the voice of the goddess, who rarely showed any emotion, seemed to carry a trace of amusement this time.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, on Mount Olympus.

Zeus, who had finally admitted that Theron existed, wore an indescribably complicated expression.

He listened in silence as the gods discussed how to rescue Theron, while considering how to turn the situation to his own advantage.

The outcome Zeus wanted most was for everyone to focus on fighting Kronos and overthrowing the old order, rather than rescuing a particular god.

"Perhaps Lord Theron doesn't want to be disturbed."

With this in mind, Zeus spoke after some thought. "He is so mysterious and powerful that, if he truly wanted to escape that blockade, he wouldn't need our help."

"Our priority should be to fulfill the guidance of fate, defeat the tyrannical King of Gods, and establish a new order. That is what great Lord Theron would want to see."

"And we should follow the guidance of fate."

Zeus had chosen his words carefully. First, he praised Theron's abilities, then framed his captivity as a choice not to leave. That would neatly turn the gods' attention elsewhere.

Zeus's feelings toward Theron were complicated.

He was certainly grateful. Without Theron, he would never have been born beyond Kronos's notice, nor gained the support of so many gods.

But to say that he wasn't wary of him would be a lie.

No King of Gods could accept another figure enjoying greater prestige than himself. Kronos was no exception, and neither was Zeus.

Though Zeus hadn't yet become King of Gods, he was already keenly aware of the threat.

But this was a crucial moment for him. He couldn't abandon Theron, because he knew that, given the current situation, abandoning Theron would mean giving up his claim to the throne.

Unable to abandon him, yet deeply wary of him, Zeus had to find another way.

For example...

He could use Theron's reputation as a banner, then gather the gods to do what he wanted.

That was exactly what he had done. The only minor hitch was that Theron's reputation was too great. Zeus couldn't command the room; everyone was focused on Theron, not him.

In that case, he would simply push Theron to the sidelines.

Theron couldn't leave the Void right now, so Zeus could gradually diminish his influence over the gods. It wouldn't take long.

Zeus was confident that in the battles ahead, he could demonstrate his own abilities and make the gods remember him—and respect him from the heart.

That was why Zeus had never planned to rescue Theron.

Why would he rescue him? He'd much rather Theron remain trapped in the Void.

At most, Theron could come out during the final divine war and help defeat Kronos. Apart from that, the less he showed himself, the better. Ideally, everyone would forget there was such a god at all. Only then could Zeus establish his own prestige.

That was the ideal outcome Zeus had imagined.

He was even grateful that Kronos had brought others to surround the Void and trap Theron. Otherwise, how could Zeus compete with him for the gods' attention?

With seven Titans surrounding him, Zeus believed that even Theron couldn't escape.

After all, no one could be stronger than so many Titans together, could they? If Theron still managed to break free, that would be ridiculous.

At the thought, Zeus felt much more at ease and began focusing on persuading the gods.

Without a doubt, Zeus was one of the most eloquent among the gods. Just a few words from him had already produced excellent results.

The gods thought, That's right. Theron is so powerful. If he wanted to come out, he would have done so already. If he hasn't, then the time must not be right.

And when would the time be right? Perhaps when Kronos was defeated and a new age began.

With that thought, they fell right into Zeus's rhythm and began considering how to establish the new age.

Zeus was very pleased. He was gradually regaining the initiative and trying to make Theron's presence fade into the background.

He was almost there.

But just as a triumphant smile was about to appear on his face, a voice carrying a faint trace of amusement suddenly rang through the temple.

"Lord Zeus is right. This is indeed what I want to see."

The gods were all startled.

None of them had sensed anyone approaching, yet the voice was so close!

What did that mean? The newcomer's divine power far surpassed theirs. If he could approach them without a sound, he could attack them just as quietly.

For once, even Poseidon, arrogant as he was, looked wary.

Only Zeus's expression stiffened the instant he heard the voice, his eyes filled with disbelief.

As everyone watched, a figure slowly appeared in the center of the temple, beneath the darkness of Eternal Night.

He wore a plain white robe and a gentle smile, just as the gods remembered him.

Seeing this, Rhea was almost dazed. It was as if she had returned to the scene from tens of thousands of years ago, when she had first met Theron.

It had been a Divine Banquet then, too, and he had appeared just like this. Only the host of that banquet had been—

Uranus, the first King of Gods.

It seemed that no matter how many years passed or how divine rule changed hands, this figure always remained the same, standing there with a smile as he watched the tides of fortune rise and fall.

Chapter 62: A Powerful Ally Theron's appearance caught everyone completely off guard.

The shock was so great that Zeus briefly lost control of his expression, which meant he didn't respond appropriately at once.

Styx, the River of Oaths, was the first to react. Overcome with excitement, she exclaimed, "Lord Theron, you've escaped?"

As a Third Generation God, Styx had never actually met Theron.

But Oceanus was the Titan who revered Theron most, and he had told his beloved children countless stories about him.

So Styx had practically grown up listening to tales of Theron. She deeply revered this mysterious God of Fate.

Theron smiled and greeted her, then casually said, "I was never trapped. The time simply wasn't right before."

He had borrowed Zeus's own words.

But when Theron said them, they carried an entirely different weight from when Zeus had.

In an instant, the same thought occurred to every god: Theron was so powerful that even the combined blockade of seven Titans couldn't hold him.

That was why he had left so easily and said he had never been trapped.

At the same time, a question arose in everyone's mind:

Just how powerful was this mysterious Lord Theron?

Nyx didn't appear. When the powerful Lord of Eternal Night didn't want to reveal herself, no one could detect her. So, to everyone else, Theron had appeared entirely through his own power.

That also explained how he had approached the gods without a sound: his divine power had surpassed that of the King of Gods!

The gods' eyes immediately lit up. Theron's strength was undoubtedly the best reassurance they could have. Now they had no doubt they would win.

Poseidon and the others had never met Theron. They said nothing, remaining wary as they watched him.

No one noticed how complicated Zeus's expression was on his throne.

Just as Zeus was about to lose control of himself, a soft hand gently came to rest on his shoulder. He froze, then turned and saw the beautiful Metis.