Zeus’s mind was still trapped in the shock of the revelation, and the distraction cost him dearly as Julian capitalized on the situation without rcy.
It was a storm of relentless precision and brutal force as Julian launched strike after strike at the faltering Zeus. Sword and shield danced in a deadly rhythm, battering down the thunder god’s defenses. Each swing was deliberate, and Julian had no intention of giving his opponent a chance to recover.
From the VIP balcony, Jinkan raised an eyebrow and leaned toward the Grand Overseer seated beside her. "Could the Emperor have truly granted such a technique to him?" she asked, her tone laced with disbelief.
The Grand Overseer chuckled softly, eyes gleaming with amusent. "Of course not. Not personally, at least." He paused, then revealed what he had heard from his old friend Marius, who had beco a staunch supporter of Julian. "It wasn’t a direct gift from the Emperor, but rather a privilege granted by the Papal Church. He was allowed to choose one sacred ability from the Emperor’s treasury. And of all the treasures available, he chose that one."
The overseer’s lips curled in satisfaction. "No wonder Marius supports him. That young man isn’t just cunning—he’s ruthless."
Down in the arena, Zeus finally shook free from his daze. He was breathing hard, bruises and wounds dotting his divine body. His voice trembled with fury as he snarled at Julian, "You vile worm... using such trick to confuse ... Huh... No more... Yes!! I only need to kill you!!. Then the technique will be ours again!"
Julian blocked Zeus’s counterattack while giving a cold smile. "Haha... If you think that was my only plan, then you’re not as clever as I thought."
With that, Julian soared into the air. The four golden wings on his back unfurled with blinding radiance, an aura of sacred brilliance engulfing him from head to toe, casting a majestic glow over the arena.
A hush swept through the crowd as Julian raised his sword high.
Then ca his voice—firm, resounding, absolute.
"I am Julian Kaesar, the God-chosen Heavenly Ruler! By the power granted to by the Papal Church and the Nephilim gods themselves, I bring divine judgnt to Kronos!"
The words rolled across the arena like thunder.
Shock gripped the spectators. Millions of eyes widened. His words sent shockwaves through the arena.
"Heavenly Ruler?!"
"Judgnt from the Nephilim gods?!"
The transformation in the atmosphere was almost tangible.
The divine aura surrounding Julian seed to stir sothing deep in the minds of millions. Many among the Olympians, especially those who had been wavering, began to believe. The revelation that Julian wielded Kronos’s sacred technique, now paired with this overwhelming celestial energy, was undeniable proof of a greater force backing him.
Now, standing in radiant judgnt, he claid heavenly mandate. Doubts blood like wildfire.
Even the loyalists began to question.
Whispers turned into chants. His na echoed from every corner of the coliseum.
Julian. Julian. Julian.
A ripple of unease spread across the Kronos faction. The people—their people—were turning.
Zeus’s rage reached a boiling point.
"Blasphemy!! I’ll kill you and expose your lies to the people myself!!"
His divine pride in tatters, he reached deep into his arsenal and summoned his deadliest weapons—three glowing orbs of pure lightning energy. They hovered around him, spinning faster and faster like miniature suns.
These were [Tribulation Orbs]—high grade artifacts forged to harness the fury of tribulation lightning. Only a true master of the lightning law could control them, and Zeus was one.
The sky turned violet.
Lightning no longer danced—it scread.
The golden bolts from before now surged with deep, violent hues of purple, wrapping around Zeus like a storm made flesh. Power crackled through his veins, distorting the very air. Every strand of his hair glowed with electric wrath.
Julian, however, remained calm. He raised his arms, letting the thunderous cheers of the crowd wash over him. The adoration of millions empowered him, fueling his unique Law of Sovereignty. As divine energy surged through his body, Julian closed his eyes and offered one final prayer.
"Lord Guardian Michael, grant your blessing."
At his call, a majestic, blinding light ca down from the sky. For a fleeting mont, a majestic figure of light descended.
The crowd felt it. A divine presence had arrived.
[Guardian of Faith—Michael]
The Supre Celestial Seraph forged a sacred connection and rged directly with Julian. What followed was a golden halo bursting into existence behind him, his wings blazed with heavenly fire, and his armor shimred like molten light. Both sword and shield were now cloaked in holy fla.
"A Mandate from Heaven..." soone in the crowd whispered.
And then the heavens roared.
Julian and Zeus charged.
Holy blade against thunder spear.
Heaven’s flas clashed with the fury of tribulation lightning. The entire coliseum trembled. The sky above cracked. Every impact of sword and spear was a cataclysm, launching shockwaves through the barrier-protected stands.
The battle raged, but soon enough sothing beca clear: Zeus was falling behind. One of his tribulation orbs flickered... then shattered.
"NO!! This is impossible!" he scread.
A dozen clashed after, another one exploded, lightning bursting wildly and dissipating in harmless arcs. His purple aura began to weaken. His advantage was slipping.
Julian, surrounded by holy light, pressed the assault. His searing sword carved through the air, each slash leaving trails of holy fire that scorched Zeus’s enchanted armor. His shield bashed through defenses, staggering the thunder god with every blow.
Finally the last of Zeus’s orbs shattered; his power faltered. Purple lightning flared once more... then vanished entirely. Zeus’s body spasd as the power drained from him like water spilling from a broken dam.
"NOOO!!!"
Julian wasted no ti.
One strike.
Two strikes.
Five in rapid succession, each imbued with divine force, each finding its mark.
The final blow was devastating—a blinding arc of golden light that exploded into the sky like a beacon from heaven.
BOOMM!!
The force of the attack hurled one figure downward at terrifying speed. Dust and debris shot up from the arena floor like a geyser.
Zeus.
The invincible God of Thunder.
Now broken, coughing, and sprawled against the cracked stone tiles of the arena.
A pained grunt escaped his lips as he forced himself onto one knee. Blood dripped down his mouth. For the first ti in centuries, he looked up not as a god—but as a defeated warrior.
And standing before him, untouched and radiating divine might, was Julian. His armored form shimred beneath the golden halo hovering behind him. His sword—blazing like the sun—rested against Zeus’s exposed neck.
A pause.
Then Julian’s voice rang out, calm but heavy with finality.
"Yield, or die."
The words echoed through the silent arena.
Zeus clenched his fists, his jaw trembling with fury.
His pride scread to resist.
With a heavy breath, Zeus lowered his head in bitter resignation.
"I... lost."
Silence held the arena in its grip for a long, breathless mont.
Then the announcent rang like a bell across the coliseum: "Victory—Earth Faction!"
The crowd erupted in cheers for Earth’s champion, and the sound only fueled Kronos’s growing fury. More and more voices rose in support of Julian, shaking the foundations of the coliseum.
The result was undeniable—Julian was simply the better, stronger fighter than Zeus.
No one had expected this. For Zeus, the mightiest of Kronos’ sons, to fall before a mortal-born magus? Unthinkable.
Yet here they stood—Earth at 8 points, Kronos at 6.
A wave of disbelief rippled across the Kronos ranks. All their elite magus, all their trump cards, had fallen short. Only two fighters remained on their side, and they were now faced with a cruel reality: they had to defeat all three of Earth’s remaining champions. One more loss, and the match—the honor of Kronos—would be lost.
The only path left... was for Kronos himself to take the field.
Julian knew this, and in his divine form he raised his blazing sword and pointed it across the arena—directly at Kronos himself.
"You are next!"
His challenge was bold, unmistakable. He didn’t want just another battle. He wanted the throne of gods to shake.
This was his plan: to defeat Zeus and force Kronos into the arena. Even if he fell, Morgana would be waiting to finish what he started.
Julian glanced toward Klea, and a sense of pride swelled in his chest.
For the first ti, he could finally show her—show his friends, show the world—his true strength. His true worth.
And the most satisfying part of it all?
He didn’t need to wait for Ery to co save the day.
No longer standing in the shadow of him.
This ti, he would be the hero.
Chants of his na thundered across the coliseum like war drums.
"Julian! Julian! Julian!"
It was almost magical. The crowd had been srized by him, enraptured by his divine aura and impossible victory. Even many among the Olympians began to waver.
In the midst of this storm of voices, power, and glory... the stage trembled.
And then, Kronos stepped forward.
####
Author Note
It seems the month has flown by! I was hoping to finish the Kronos battle, but unfortunately, I couldn’t. Honestly, planning the duels has taken more ti than expected. I do hope you’ve been enjoying the matches so far—please feel free to leave a comnt and let know which duel has been your favorite!
Once again, please accept my deepest gratitude for your support of the novel. I truly appreciate it and hope for your continued support in the coming month.
Next month’s spoiler:
I can’t say much, other than there’s an unexpected twist coming! But do share your thoughts—what do you think will happen in the final showdown? Maybe you’ll guess it right!
Once again, you have my sincere thanks.
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