Chapter 7: Without A Shadow Of A Doubt Your Honor

Chapter 7: Without A Shadow Of A Doubt Your Honor

...

"HADES!!!" Silba growled in annoyance.

'Curb stomp his ass!' Kronos barked and his descendant was more than happy to oblige. 

The strike was mere inches away from his neck, yet just before it reached to slice his head clean off, a shimmering silver hexagon materialized behind the King of the Dead.

Besides his reputation as the fastest among the Greek pantheon, the silver demigod was also feared for his unique teleportation technique, Asimi Rythmo (Ασημί Ρυθμό), meaning Silver Rythm. These floating hexahedrons that danced to his will granted him the most unmatched form of teleportation.

As long as the image was clear in his mind, he could traverse seemingly to any place he desired. No distance was insurmountable, no position unreachable. It was this power that made him such a nightmare for his family handle. You can't touch what you can't catch.

The demigod was now behind the dark figure of Hades, tossing his father's weapon aside as he extended his arm towards his uncle's neck, claws eager to crush it and prevent the god from doing anything else—only to grasp at nothing. Hades vanished.

"..." The demigod didn't say a word, but the look in his blinding eyes was definitely angry.

This was why he wanted Hades out of the fight. Just as Silba was nearly impossible to hit when using Asimi Rythmo, the King of the Dead held the same advantage when vanishing—and, to make matters worse, the demigod couldn't track his movements. It's like the man doesn't exist.

Retracting his hand, his Celestial Bronze left arm blazed in a pitch-black fire, changing color and form, switching into a different metal. Unlike the Orichalcum and Uru from before, it had a much darker shade, as if devoid of light. It was none other than Stygian Iron, a metal native to the Underworld.

Normally, only extremely powerful deities like Hades and his children could wield weapons by this ore without any repercussions. Fortunately for him, he checked the first box perfectly.

A dark golden fire like aura fire engulfed the Stygian arm. The essence of Kronos' divinity over evil, which he possessed, resonated deeply with the Underworld's mineral. From his left, emerged a black sword.

"Show yourself." Silba demanded, his right eye darting about in search of his uncle's next move. Even with his heightened senses and exceptional visual prowess, pinpointing Hades' location proved nearly impossible.

Hades reappeared to his nephew's left.

His uncle was beside him, gifting the demigod with a picture-perfect look of the Lord of the Underworld's divine form. It was the complete opposite of Zeus's or Poseidon's true forms, which were more pleasing to the eye. This was downright horrendous—a grotesque humanoid mass of sentient darkness and swirling shadows, with two piercing purple flames for eyes that exuded madness.

If Silba could be called a living nightmare of violence and wrath, then his uncle's true form was nothing less than a living embodiment of madness and death. In a way they were kind of a good pair, light and shadow, but that wasn't important right now.

Because right now those same eyes had their sights on him.

With the sword in his right hand poised for a sideways slash, Hades responded with, "Sure." He swung the weapon down like judge sentencing the death penalty.

In that moment the demigod felt it once more, the presence of death that he was so used to looming over him, but it seems Hades can even turn that up another notch.

He felt as if a massive black barn owl was standing over him, surrounding him with its sharp talons to snuff the life from his body.

However, Silba was stronger than this. He was not scared, and if he was, his anger and rage would leave that fear in the dust. With all the strength his body could muster, he swung his left sword to meet the incoming strike.

*CLASH!*

*BOOM!*

Silver and black lightning exploded from the impact, filling the chamber with bursts of light and darkness that shook everything to the core. When the storm subsided, Silba and Hades remained, their swords still locked together.

Nearby, a massive pillar the size of a mountain that once stood was now reduced to rubble.

Their gazes locked. Gripping their blades tighter, they stepped back, only to lunge forward again, their swords crashing in a jaw-dropping exchange.

*CLASH!*

*CLINK!*

*CLANK!*

Sparks erupted out wildly, like a cascade of Fourth of July fireworks, and like a pair of dueling hummingbirds, the two moved faster than the eye could track.

Hades found his opening and lunged first, his twin blades slashing in a blur. Sparks flashed again as Silba's blades intercepted one mid-swing. The demigod pivoted sharply to block the next strike.

"While we're doing our best to destroy each other, why don't I impart some of my godly wisdom onto you?" Hades spun his weapons with deadly grace.

"..." His nephew didn't pay him any mind, pouring his focus into bringing him down like his brothers. From his free arm, he drew a Celestial Bronze dagger, aiming to catch the Rich One off guard.

*CHINK!*

The dagger was blocked by opposing handle guard.

"I've met countless heroes throughout my lifetimes," Hades began, his voice calm while keeping track of his opponent's movements, "and I can count on one hand the few I consider decent. You are among them." His form vanished just as a kick sliced through where he'd stood moments before.

"I don't care." Transforming his knife into a second sword, he Asimi Rhythmo'd up into the air. His black swords radiating with power as he crossed them before him. With a mighty slash, an enormous X carved itself across the chamber floor.

But the attack didn't land. Hades vanished before they could hit him.

"You sure about that?" He reappeared in front of him. "From where I'm standing, you care a lot more than you let on!" His uncle retorted.

"Leaders who fought valiantly alongside their subjects, those who worked to change the status quo for the betterment of the people, and revolutionaries who sought to foster peace—these are the ones admired by history."

Hades' voice hardened as he pressed forward. "Is this really how you wish to be remembered? A madman who doomed the world in his pursuit of vengeance!" With that, he vanished, only to reappear closer.

*CLANK!*

Though locked in combat, the son of Poseidon couldn't suppress the creeping agreement in his mind. Other demigods worked toward the betterment of humanity or simply sought normal, beautiful lives.

He's probably the only one who stuck so close to the basics. All the power at his fingertips did not justify the many mistakes he made. He was selfish, violent, and utterly heartless in his quest.

But berating himself wouldn't change the past. That's why he fought now—not for himself but for his subordinates, for the half-bloods who placed their trust and livelihoods in him. It didn't matter what would become of him by the end of this night.

*BOOM!*

The throne room shook as they crashed to the floor, their swords still locked in a fierce exchange.

"I am not some revolutionary, Hades!" He growled, pressing his swords harder against his uncle's. In a flash, he teleported behind the Rich One. "I don't care how I'm remembered."

For a brief moment, sadness flickered in his eyes, but it quickly went away.

*CLINK!*

Hades deflected it.

"Use your head, you idiot!" Hades shouted. "You're more powerful than we ever thought possible. Your words carry weight now. When you talk, those fools have no choice but to listen!" He flicked his head from the incoming sword and returned the favor with a swift sideways kick.

*WOOSH!*

But Silba avoided it.

"..." The demigod merely looked at him, silently asking where this was going.

"We're not too late—heehg!" Hades sidestepped a black slash, the dark energy slicing through the air where he'd just been. "We can still make peace within the family, and you wouldn't have to do it alone—I'd stand with you. I am willing to stake my name here and now, Perseus." He said, receiving a look of shock from the demigod.

The Lord of the Dead wasn't bluffing. He meant every word. He would defend his nephew, even if it meant staking his own reputation to settle this over-the-top family feud.

"...Just shut fuck up!" Silba barked, his voice trembling with rage. "I'm sorry, but your words mean nothing." No matter how genuine they sounded, Silba just couldn't. Maybe in another life. He returned, leaving him barehanded.

"KEEEEEHHHHHH!" He let out his metallic cry that stunned his uncle, keeping him from moving.

Swiping the air, dark slashes erupted from his claws, aiming for the King of the Dead, who vanished before they could reach him.

Hades reappeared, this time in the demigod's blind spot.

*CLANK!*

But Silba blocked it, spinning around with blinding speed. "I was public enemy number one long before they changed my name—MY NAME!" He snarled, teleporting above his uncle and slamming his earthshaker fists downward.

*BOOM!*

*EARTHQUAKE!*

Hades dodged in time, the floor shaking beneath the force of the strike.

Silba—that was the name the Olympians had forced on him after he showed them his rage on full display.

They weren't in the right for what they did to him, and they especially weren't the heroes of this story. That title belonged to the survivors, not the gods or him.

*SHEENK!*

"I'll never forgive myself for those innocent lives, but I will never EVER apologize for defending myself against you all!" Silba roared, thrusting his Stygian claw toward Hades' shoulder.

*CLANK!*

The cheap shot failed. Silba teleported instantly, reappearing behind his uncle, who turned to meet him head-on.

The two then began vanishing and reappearing with rapid succession across the throne room in the deadliest game of cat and mouse ever. Pillars crumbled, and walls bore the scars of their scuffle, sliced and gouged as if they were nothing more than Swiss cheese.

*CLASH!*

*CLANK!*

*BOOM!*

Their opposing energies collided with ferocity, the air howling from the sheer force of their attacks. Hades' twin swords moved like serpents, their deadly arcs and thrusts trailing purple fire. Silba's left arm bursts into purple fire as he dodges, teleporting out of harm's way only to launch counterattacks.

In a bid to throw his uncle off, Silba's weapons shifted between swords, polearms, and even sickles, their versatility keeping the god on edge, he didn't what was coming next. Combined with his unpredictable teleportation, it was a whirlwind of chaos designed to overwhelm even the Lord of the Dead.

Asimi Rythmo required exact precision to use in high-stress situations like life-threatening combat. If the son of Poseidon loses concentration or chokes, it can prove very fatal, but he was trained to not only be strong but also smart and cunning, so with his vast experience combined with his natural talent, using his silver hexagons without mistake was like a walk in the park.

"Like I'd ever roll over and take your cruelty!" He teleported and made a right slash that cut a piece of his uncle's hair. "Did you actually think I'd ever let my crying form and struggles be your sick entertainment?" He pressed forward to Hade's face, who disappeared right before it made contact.

Appearing above him. Hades with a slightly bleeding cheek on his face, slashed down but only struck empty air.

Teleporting next to his uncle, Silba growled. "I am not your puppet. I never was!" He made a fist to strike Hades, who avoided the hit to the face with his arms, sending the Rich One skidding far, but he quickly stood his ground again.

Hades was a trained professional himself who, even after his place in the universe was settled at the end of the Titanomachy, still kept his skills sharp in case they were needed someday. He was definitely right to do that.

Reappearing above Silba with a faint cut on his cheek, Hades slashed downward in retaliation. His blade cleaved only empty air as Silba teleported again.

The ground quacked beneath their feet, fissures spilling pale purple flames as Hades unleashed a overhead strike, they were going nowhere at this rate, and he had to do something.

His nephew caught it with his hands, the force of the impact diminishing greatly. Silba opened his mouth as a large tongue sprung out, swerving to attack Hades who vanished right before it touched him.

It was the right call. His nephew was a master of many things, and poison was no exception. If that tongue were to cut him, it would deliver a venom so severe, it would leave him writhing in agony. His disappearing act would be useless if he couldn't move.

The King of the Dead reappeared a few meters away, sweat dripping from Hades. "I'm not Zeus, nephew!" He breathed.

"I can see that, but it doesn't matter." He replied and teleporting around him multiple times to confuse him, he snuck to the side and thrusted his claws. "You're done!"

Hades wasn't falling for that and swiftly avoided the attack, reappearing just out of reach again. But that was precisely what the demigod wanted. In that split second, Silba conjured his silver water, channeling it into a powerful vortex.

'Hehe, got you.' The Titan snickered maliciously.

With a frustrated look on his face, Hades raised his sword up, summoning a wall of hundreds of thousands of darkness-clad skeletons to shield him from the impending strike.

They collided and exploded, causing darkness and bones to fly apart.

...

..

.

(Hola,👋I definitely put in a lot of love in this chapter, so I hope you enjoyed it. I've been watching Blue Lock, and I've got to say it's better than Inazuma 11. I like it when shows stick to realism and do not go the super moves route sometimes. It's a real breath of fresh air.)