Chapter 112: The Fastest Round, Victory Decided in an Instant!
Bell toll? What bell toll?
Though many records state that those slain by Hassan-i-Sabbah would hear a bell toll before death.
But here, no bell toll was heard.
Yet, Hades' reaction on the arena suggested he truly heard the so-called bell toll, his expression growing graver than ever before, unprecedentedly serious.
And Hassan-i-Sabbah's tone implied that those who hear this bell toll are undoubtedly doomed—an absolutely irreversible outcome.
As if the bell toll were some conceptual attack or curse, where hearing it means you've already been struck.
When did the opponent launch this attack?
No one could tell.
"Did Hades really hear the bell toll?"
Shiva, all four hands gripping the stone railing, felt his earlier relief turn into bitter resentment.
He had thought Brunhilde would use some underhanded tactic, sending a weakling to let Hades win easily. Who knew she'd summon yet another formidable figure.
"Just bluffing!"
"There's no way he can defeat Hades!"
The two crows screeched as if they truly didn't believe it, but their voices betrayed their unease.
They seemed more like they were desperately trying to bolster their own courage.
The next second, the two crows froze as if petrified—because their master had fixed them with a death glare.
Thus, motionless, they lost their footing and tumbled down.
At that moment, the entire arena fell silent, every pair of eyes unblinkingly fixed on the stage.
The two figures began walking toward each other.
"Huh?"
"What?"
"Th-their positions switched!"
"No, it's more than that—!!!"
Most humans and gods couldn't comprehend what had happened. After the two closed half the distance between them, it suddenly seemed as if their positions had been swapped.
But this swap didn't leave them facing each other—instead, they stood back-to-back.
Hades, the King of the Underworld representing the gods, was no longer in his previous stance of charging forward to attack but appeared as if he had already completed a thrust.
Meanwhile, Hassan-i-Sabbah, the Old Man of the Mountain representing humanity, had shifted from his initial sword-raising posture into the follow-through of a completed slash.
What just happened?
Hm? Is the air trembling?
The trembling grew more violent, and in an instant, the arena was engulfed in a blinding white light.
BOOM—!
It was as if the very air within the entire arena had exploded.
CRACK CRACK CRACK—!
The ominous sound came from the walls beneath the spectator stands at the edge of the arena, sending panic through the audience closest to it.
Some even leaped to their feet, immediately turning to flee.
CRASH!
The walls shattered, and the terrifying wind pressure surged into the stands, filling the air with screams as people were sent tumbling like dominos.
"W-what the hell just happened?"
The God of War, Ares, shouted in alarm.
What had occurred in that instant? Had the two already clashed?
"Who won?"
Loki also tensely fixed his gaze on the arena.
"Wait, who won? What do you mean?"
Ares frantically pressed again.
Had the match already been decided? How had he missed it?
But if it was over, then surely Lord Hades was the victor, right?
"It has been decided, Brother Ares!"
The response came from Hermes.
At this moment, he didn't even have the leisure to mock his brother for failing to realize that the two combatants had never intended to exchange more than a single blow.
The first strike was also the last—a decisive clash meant to determine life and death!
Though, there was also the possibility of a draw?
No. If Lord Hades had resolved to settle it in one strike, a draw was unacceptable.
Either Lord Hades would die, or his opponent would perish!
As for the terrifying air explosion that followed their sudden exchange of positions—it was the result of their overwhelming speed.
When an object moves at extreme velocity, it disturbs the air. Just as a human fighter jet breaking the sound barrier creates a sonic boom, the shockwave is caused by the compression of air, condensing moisture into clouds while unleashing devastating gusts.
The two on the arena had moved so fast that the air itself couldn't react in time.
Thus, there had been that brief moment of eerie stillness after their positions switched—before the air, compressed beyond its limits, violently exploded.
"Who won?"
The voice belonged to Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love.
From the first round until now, this was the only match that had compelled her to rise from her seat.
Normally, the sheer intensity of such a spectacle would have drawn the attention of every god and goddess in the vicinity.
But now, all eyes were locked onto the arena.
Her beautiful gaze fixed unwaveringly on the dissipating white mist, Aphrodite tensed her body.
"Sister Brunhilde... has the match been decided?"
Among the Valkyries, Göll sounded disbelieving.
Because while the crowd buzzed with claims that the outcome was clear, no one could definitively say who had won.
Most, however, seemed convinced it was Lord Hades.
"If it's over, this will be the fastest match yet."
Hlökk swallowed hard, her eyes glued to the arena.
The white mist vanished at an astonishing speed, disappearing almost entirely in the blink of an eye.
And the two figures on the arena platform were revealed once more.
Staring intently at them, everyone scrutinized their bodies—had either been wounded?
Lord Hades appeared unchanged, bearing only the injury he had inflicted upon himself earlier.
The gaze shifted to another person, the Old Man of the Mountain Hassan-i Sabbah, who also seemed unharmed.
No—pupils constricted—Hlökk noticed a wound suddenly open on the right side of Hassan-i Sabbah's neck.
Just like the earlier delayed reaction of the air, the wound had clearly been sliced open, but the reaction was delayed, only now manifesting.
And it appeared to have severed an artery, blood gushing uncontrollably—a rather terrifying sight.
However, despite its severity, it wasn't immediately fatal.
Then, Hassan-i Sabbah suddenly sheathed his greatsword and began walking forward, his figure fading away until it vanished.
D-Did he lose?