Chapter 58. The Time for Judgement Has Arrived!
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The reason gods are gods is because they can exercise certain powers as a matter of course: stirring the seas, summoning thunder, causing the earth to wither. What is unimaginable for humans is merely the flick of a finger for them.
"We can do it, so we are gods."
Beyond their strength, they possess the arrogance of holding power.
Even if mortals gain divine authority, they cannot fully wield it, because they lack faith in themselves.
Time stopped; the silent world belonging solely to Cyd enveloped reality.
However, this time, Cyd did not promptly resolve everything as usual. Instead, he closed his eyes, feeling the despairing power that the [Reforged Pandora] seal brought him.
The full, undiluted power of a god!
He needed this power. Only by fully grasping this authority could he forever be on time.
But the power to control time was simply too outrageous. Even though he could use it, it was only for a brief moment. A sense of powerlessness, arising from human instincts, made him doubt himself.
Could a mere mortal like him truly bear this divine power?
Once doubts arose, he would lose the right to possess it.
So, he needed arrogance — arrogance like that of the gods.
This world is a massive machine, with all its components operating based on one tiny cog.
"It's quite simple," Cyd opened his eyes, the ring behind him began to expand. Tiny gears popped out from the edge of the ring, interlocking with one another. The outer frame of the ring started to rotate, but the hands of the clock remained motionless.
Now, he had grasped the cog that kept the world turning.
Now, he would always be on time.
"It's time to end this," Cyd spread his arms and casually walked towards the combat prostitutes driven by their desires, lunging at him.
Now, he possessed more time than anyone else. It wasn't that his speed was unimaginably fast, but rather, he forcibly halted the world's operation. Be it fire, wind, or the will of heroes, everything had stopped.
In this world, where he was the only one, he was the master.
"Hmm, let's just give it a light push," Cyd stroked his chin, scrutinizing the Amazonian girl who appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen. He raised his hand and gently tapped the girl's forehead. Visible ripples spread from Cyd's fingertips.
Perhaps, when the world resumes, this Amazonian girl will suffer a stiff neck.
"Next~"
Cyd looked at the others, a slight smile on his lips.
Maybe it would be easier to just kill them all, but in the end, he couldn't bring himself to make that decision, even in this still world.
Cyd strolled among the crowd as if he were taking a walk. Every expression was fully exposed to his view.
Facing varying degrees of malice, Cyd administered different forms of punishment.
Some, he gently tapped on the forehead.
Some, he softly brushed against their cheeks.
Some... he pressed a little harder on their foreheads.
But when he arrived in front of Phryne, he hesitated.
He didn't believe that appearances were the reflection of the soul. Some people have beautiful looks but are rotten to the core, while others might look terrifying but possess a radiant inner self. Yet the person before him, Phryne... was rotten inside and out.
Cyd gestured for a while at Phryne's bloated body, then picked up a nearby stool and aimed it at her head.
The stool didn't seem big enough compared to her head. Would it even have an effect?
Cyd tilted his head, tossed the stool aside, and began surveying the surroundings. His eyes finally settled on one of the pillars supporting the palace.
Crack—
Like snapping a toothpick, Cyd easily broke the massive pillar and hoisted it onto his shoulder.
"This should be just right for you," Cyd grinned, his fingers digging into the stone column.
Boom—
With a thunderous crash, the massive pillar slammed into Phryne's bloated body.
Under normal circumstances, Phryne would have already turned into a streaking meteor in the sky. But in this world, no one could move unless Cyd intervened. As Cyd swung the pillar, it shattered, while Phryne... would probably become a meteor a bit later.
Watching the scattering debris, Cyd nodded in satisfaction, then looked at Ishtar, who was still sitting on the stairs on the second floor, her face frozen in panic.
"How truly ugly you are. This is why you can't beat Freya," Cyd raised his hand. "But you no longer have the chance."
The tightly meshed hands of the clock began to loosen. It wasn't that Cyd couldn't maintain this still world, but rather that he had released the gears.
Boom—
The once fierce combat prostitutes were sent flying the next second, crashing into the walls. Among them, Phryne, who had been the most arrogant, was launched into the sky, crashing through the palace ceiling, transforming into a meteor.
Countless fragments fell like raindrops, and Ista instinctively raised her hands to shield her face from the flying debris.
"Goddess Ishtar, your familia is finished," a hand covered in black scales extended from the dust, sweeping it aside like a veil.
Boom—
The storm tore through the dust, and Cyd, standing at its center, gazed calmly at Ishtar.
Clearly, she was supposed to be the one looking down on Cyd, but for some reason, she felt as though she were looking up at him.
"No... it's not over yet. My familia still..." Ishtar's face contorted.
"Your familia is already finished."
Amidst countless crashes, the palace's ornate walls were riddled with dozens of large holes. Fully armed adventurers stepped into the palace, and flags were hoisted high, symbolizing the gods who now stood, arms crossed, coldly watching Ishtar.
More than half of Orario's gods had arrived!
Ishtar's body went limp as she collapsed on the steps. Unfortunately, no one would support her.
"Hermes, was this your doing?" Cyd chuckled helplessly.
"Right on target~" An overly flippant voice came from an originally empty spot. "But it really scared me."
Hermes took off the fake Hades helmet made by Asfi and put on his cowboy hat again.
"I didn't expect so many would come."
"Of course!" Loki sneered, counting on her fingers. "Originally, I thought Ishtar would only cause some minor trouble for him, giving him a headache. But I never expected you'd go this far."
"What... what are you talking about?" Ishtar's face turned pale. "I... I was just welcoming him in our own way."
"Heh heh heh," Hermes raised the crystal in his hand. Inside, the scene of Ishtar arrogantly threatening Cyd played out. "This footage was just delivered to every god moments ago."
"What a headache, but not impossible," Asfi adjusted her glasses. "If Lord Hermes could always be this reliable, I wouldn't mind dealing with such headaches."
"The time for judgment has arrived," Apollo said, his face emotionless, but a burning flame reflected in his golden eyes.