"Killing his soul? So, all this while you are yapping about dismissing him, you wanted to kill him?" Karthikeya asked with a frown.
"Of course, all the players that are eliminated until now are dead. So, why should this guy get any special treatment?" Zeus replied like it is a given.
Gambler looked at him silently as the tensions around the table are getting high. He shook his head slightly and said.
"Okay, we will do as you said. I am okay with that. Now let us move on to the next step. Ling Tian Versus Nike the winner decides who the winner among us is."
Zeus looked at Nike and gestured her to go forward and with a snap of his fingers the table disappeared along with the chair and all of the gods started floating in the air leaving Nike and Ling Tian standing there.
"Gambler, care to Gamble?"
Sun Wukong asked from the side.
"Of course, but I am on Ling Tian's side on this one, so you only have one side to pick."
"No, not about the battle, I am talking about what would happen after the battle. I want to bet on that. Do you care to take the bet?"
"What would the bet be?"
Sun Wukong smile and said something, but this time it wasn't heard by other gods, the voice only sounded in Gambler's ears which made him looked at Zeus for a moment.
"Oh, yes. I will take the bet."
As they were done speaking, the battle started below.
Ling Tian is the one to make the first move. He held his sword and disappeared from the spot like a flash as he reappeared near Nike, but she is fast enough to disappear from the spot and reached towards the back of Ling Tian to catch him by his nape, but Ling Tian twisted and slashed the sword at her.
She dodged once again and went after his torso.
They moved like two flashes and their speed is completely incomprehensible. But the gods floating there could clearly see what is happening below.
They could see the tiniest of the movements.
If any mortal was present here, it would be impossible for them to watch this and even the aftershock would have killed them.
The battle went on and within a few seconds, a few other gods in the Olympus made their way there.
Gambler looked around and couldn't help but chuckle.
"It seems like the word has spread deep enough in the past few days. Every important figure of the Olympus is here."
"Yeah, they are. Why? You are feeling nervous?" Kartikeya asked with a smile.
"I am kind of nervous indeed. But not because of the fight. I am just worried how Zeus would react to the humiliation of the loss he is about to take."
Gambler didn't even hide his voice when he said this and Zeus along with all of his lackeys from the Olympus heard those words.
And as if an answer to Gambler's comment, Ling Tian was kicked into the air by Nike and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Zeus smirked and looked at Gambler in the provocation, but Gambler returned the smile and muttered.
"It is way too early for you to be happy. You would only be more devastated when the result comes out."
"I want to see how it would be possible," Zeus said with the same smile as he looked at Nike getting the upper hand.
Half-an-hour passed.
"How is this even possible?" Zeus muttered with his eyes widened in disbelief.
He looked towards the ground where Ling Tian is currently standing with his bare upper body as he looked down on Nike who is kneeling on the ground with her golden feathered wings covering her body as if she is shielding something.
Ling Tian's body is full of injuries. Both blunt and sharp.
He swung his sword and after a series of sword rays….
"AAHHHHHHHHHHH…."
Nike cried in pain and agony as she looked at the sky.
Two golden wings fell to the side as they bled profusely.
Ling Tian sheathed his sword and said with a smile.
"This is all I want. I don't want to take your life. You can go on life, but you wouldn't be the Feathered Goddess Nike anymore. I am stealing that title and your feathers from you and you can't even do anything about it."
As he spoke, he waved his hand and the wings disappeared from the spot. He turned around and was about to fly towards Gambler, but all of a sudden he felt pressure pressing down on him, trying to make him kneel, but he used his sheathed sword to support himself and looked at the point where the pressure is coming from.
It is none other than Zeus.
He looked at both Ling Tian and Nike coldly and the lightning crackled in the sky.
The thunderstruck Nike and she disappeared from existence.
And the thunder then started coming at Ling Tian, but as if the space in that spot was resistant to it, it stopped the thunder strike in place and the space around rumbled.
Zeus looked at Gambler who is looking back at him coldly.
"Zeus, Zeus. For all the stories you have and for all the mighty king of gods you claim yourself to be, you are but a petty little man who cannot swallow any shortcomings.
You killed a trusted aide that would die for you on her own just because she lost a fight. What kind of a twisted existence are you?"
He waved his hand and the lightning was pushed back.
Zeus looked at Ling Tian, who is staring back at him coldly with anger apparent in his eyes. He didn't back down even though he is exchanging stares with one of the powerful creatures in existence.
He looked as if he is looking at a dog that shat in his front yard.
Zeus didn't like that and was about to make a move once again, but as the energy in the surroundings started churning with lightning, the space was locked and black lightning appeared out of nowhere and blocked Zeus's purple lightning.
"Lightning against me? Are you dreaming Gambler? Do you think you can win with that?"
Gambler looked at Zeus calmly and said.
"It seems like you haven't realized something Zeus. I already won. The moment you couldn't accept your loss and started making a move on my subordinate, you lost. Not just the match, but the dignity your position holds was also gone along with that woman.
And if the fight is what you want, you know better than anyone I would never back down. If you want a taste of it, make a move. I don't care if you come alone or you will bring the rest of the Olympus along with you. I will come and fight you alone."
As their auras clashed, suddenly a third raging aura hit them.
They turned to the side to look at Sun Wukong with a staff in his hand.
"There is something both of you forgetting. You might not have known but we are actually the witnesses of the deal you made and Zeus you are breaking it right in front of us. I don't know about the rest, but I am not soft persimmon. I wouldn't stand idly by."
"What do you mean that you don't about others? Do you l look like a fool to you?"
Karthikeya took out a spear and looked straight at Zeus.
The rest of the Olympus gods are still watching the show. They don't want to enter the fray without orders from their leader. Even if they meant good by offering help. Zeus would take it the wrong way. He is that petty.
They don't want to risk being the target of that pettiness.
Zeus gritted his teeth in anger and stopped the lightning and the rest of the gods backed down.
"Our match has concluded and Sam has until the end of this round to reclaim his body to stay in the game. Goodbye."
With those words, Gambler left along with Ling Tian without looking back.
The rest of the gods soon followed and they all gave Zeus a look of ridicule. Even the gods who are not particularly fond of Sam didn't support him and just jeered at his situation. Because, they knew what kind of person Zeus is and even if they have deep enmity with Sam, they are not exactly fond of Zeus either. They are not really willing to side with him just to deal with Sam.
One could guess how much of a pain in the ass he is.
After everyone left, the Olympus gods also went to their own places and Zeus also went back to his court up on the mountain.
He sat on his throne as he gritted his teeth in humiliation. He couldn't swallow it no matter what and after some time he couldn't take it anymore and decided that he should get back.. He decided to take revenge.
