Entering the Grand Sky Citadel

(Henry's POV)

The moment my foot touched the golden path, I felt an immediate shift in the air.

It was subtle—like the world itself was acknowledging my presence, recognizing me as something that wasn't supposed to be here… yet couldn't be ignored.

The celestial warriors who had fought me remained behind, their expressions unreadable, but I could feel their gazes burning into my back as I walked forward.

The Grand Sky Citadel loomed above, floating in the vast, endless sky, its golden towers piercing through the clouds, radiating a divine energy so intense that even I could feel the pressure settling in my bones.

"Tch." I rolled my shoulders, the remnants of my Celestial Overdrive flickering away. "They really went all out making this place feel like a god's throne."

As I approached the entrance, the massive gates of celestial light slowly opened on their own, revealing an endless hall of radiant white and gold.

And at the far end—

The Celestial Rulers awaited.

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The Celestial Rulers – The Keepers of Divine Order

There were three of them.

Seated on floating thrones, each radiating a power that made the air feel heavier than gravity itself.

The first, on the left, was a woman with long silver hair and six golden wings, her armor engraved with celestial runes that shimmered as she moved. Her eyes were like stars trapped in an eternal storm, calculating and unreadable.

The second, in the center, was a massive being of pure golden energy, featureless except for a crown of radiating light. Unlike the others, it had no true form, existing only as an overwhelming presence of authority.

The third, on the right, was an old man, dressed in flowing robes with intricate celestial markings. His face was aged, wise—but his piercing gaze carried something far more dangerous than wisdom.

"Henry Hans," the featureless ruler in the center spoke, its voice echoing across the chamber, vibrating through my very soul.

"You know my name. Good. Saves me the introduction." I smirked. "So, which one of you is gonna tell me what the hell Project Hades has to do with this world?"

A brief silence.

Then—the woman on the left stood.

Her wings flared, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"You were not meant to step foot in this world."

"Yeah, yeah, I keep hearing that," I rolled my eyes. "Not supposed to be here, not meant to exist—tell me something new."

The old man on the right chuckled softly. "You have no idea what you've truly stepped into, do you?"

I grinned, crossing my arms.

"Then how about you enlighten me?"

The featureless ruler raised a hand, and suddenly—

The entire room shifted.

The walls of the Citadel faded away, and in their place, a vision appeared.

A world—no, a battlefield.

Massive structures collapsing, entire civilizations burning, celestial beings and abyssal entities waging war beyond human comprehension.

And at the center of the chaos—

A single, monstrous entity, pulsing with a fusion of biological and divine energy, its very presence warping reality itself.

I felt my blood run cold.

Because I recognized that energy signature.

"No fucking way…" I muttered.

The woman's voice was calm, but her eyes were sharp.

"Project Hades was never just a mortal experiment."

The old man exhaled. "It was an attempt to create a god."

The vision shifted—showing humanoid figures locked in containment tubes, their bodies slowly mutating, growing divine attributes, abyssal enhancements, something beyond both mortal and celestial existence.

"Tch—so that's what they were doing," I muttered, my fists clenching.

They weren't just making bio-weapons.

They were forcing evolution.

The featureless ruler finally spoke again.

"The last remnants of Project Hades were not destroyed. They were sent here—to the New World."

The vision faded, and the rulers stared down at me.

"One of them survived."

I felt a cold fury settle in my chest.

"Where?"

The old man sighed, shaking his head. "That… we do not know. But if you are here—then the experiment has awakened."

I exhaled slowly, processing everything.

Project Hades wasn't just a past mistake.

It was still alive.

Somewhere in this world, something born from that monstrous experiment was still breathing—still evolving.

And it wasn't done yet.

Henry Hans vs. the Gods' Failed Experiment.

I grinned.

"Then I guess I'll just have to hunt it down myself."