As Rajan appeared on the platform, the gathered deities rose in a stupor.
"A Titan? Wasn't the Titan Domain wiped out? How can this be?
Don't tell me the Heaven Warding Temple is hiding remnants."
Though framed differently, those were the words swirling in the minds of the gathered deities. Stupor made way to fright, and the previous silence crumbled under an unprecedented uproar.
"Husband, where are you going? The Conference is just starting!"
"Starting my ass! My foolish wife, the Heaven Warding Temple is still concealing Titans! When the Chthonian Primogen learns of this, in what scenario does he not bomb this place? If you want to die, die! Don't bring me down with you!"
A Deva God exclaimed before kicking his way through the commotion and fleeing the scene! By the time his wife registered the words, he'd already crossed the sky and left the Heaven Warding Temple!
Many other made a similar judgment call. However, driven by a stifling curiosity, others chose to remain! After all, throughout history, only the Titans managed to raise the sword. Perhaps on this day, another one would give honor to his ancestors and become…the God of War!
This was a once in a lifetime opportunity! How could they miss it?!
On the platform, Rajan ignored the commotion his appearance triggered to step toward the stone altar. From the start, his eyes had never left the sword, and as he stopped before its obsidian blade, unprecedented determination blazed in his gaze.
Without hesitation, Rajan stretched his hand toward the sword, and seized its handle! In that instant, the world surrounding him changed, becoming a vast land of darkness where only his body seemed magically illuminated.
"I give you three chances. Why do you want my strength?"
An ancient voice thundered from every corner of the dark land. And though at first startled by the sudden change of scenery, Rajan soon regained his composure.
"To avenge my people!"
He bellowed, pouring his blazing determination in every word. Alas, little did he expect the voice's next words to be…
"Insufficient."
The word had barely echoed that Rajan felt his life force cut by ⅓. His eyes widened in disbelief, and cold sweat broke from his forehead.
"Why do you want my strength?"
Again, the voice asked. And again, Rajan sought in himself the purest reason driving him.
"To restore the Titan Domain!"
He howled, but still failed to garner the sword's approval.
"Incorrect."
The word shredded another ⅓ of Rajan's life force, and as he staggered and gasped for breath, the Titan didn't doubt that a third failure would result in his death. Assailed by waves of frustration, he clenched his fists, digging through his palms and mind for an answer to his current plight.
And again, the question echoed.
"Why do you want my strength?"
There was no more room for failure, and Rajan now reckoned that regardless of what the sword wished to hear, the right answer had nothing to do with his underlying aspirations. Closing his eyes, Rajan chose to make one last gamble and bellowed:
"TO KILL! Whoever bars my path, kill! Whoever shackles my growth, kill! Whoever harms my beloved, kill! Whoever I wish to kill, kill! I want your strength so that I may kill all!"
The words thundered with every bit of strength at Rajan's disposal, laced in every fiber of his soul strength. But this time, a crushing silence followed, and as Rajan started to wonder if the sword was debating his fate, the voice again echoed.
"A lot of excess, but indeed, those were the words. Very well, I shall assist you. But make no mistake. From now on, your days are numbered. Even if you achieve Transcendence, one day, I shall exhaust your life force."
With those words, the dark world collapsed. And as the implications lingered in Rajan's mind, he reappeared before the sword with his hand still clutching the handle.
But though he knew he would now have to give up eternal life, hesitation never flashed in his mind.
"So what if I must cast aside my eternal life? As long as I can avenge my world, all is worth it! Chthonian Primogen wash your neck, for henceforth…"
Rajan's grip around the handle tightened, and before the awestruck deities crowding the tribunes, he pulled the handle, wresting the sword free from the altar in one grating draw!
As if awakening from untold years of stifling slumber, the God Executing Immortal Sword grumbled, releasing a calamitous force that made all throughout the Celestial World quiver in fright! Regardless of where they stood, none could evade the pressure of that calamitous force!
And instantly, though his cultivation still stood at the peak of the Legendary God Rank, Rajan didn't doubt that with his current strength, one blow was enough to end an Overgod's life!
Strength! Power! The right to slay all throughout the omniverse now lay in his hands!
"Hahahahahaha! Hahahahahaha!!!
Succeeded! Father, I succeeded! I am the fourth God of War!"
Waves of pride and elation consumed the Titan as the sword's might swelled his veins! Though his life force had been reduced by ⅔, the euphoria of the moment mitigated any weakness he should have felt.
At that time, when even the Primordials couldn't help but look at the sword in awe, a Yaksha man appeared on the platform with his amused eyes staring right at the sword. Before that sudden intrusion, the euphoric Rajan's face contorted into a frown.
"What? Is a little deva, a Void God at that, planning to snatch the God Executing Immortal Sword from the God of War? Are you tired of living? Or do you think you can cash on my moment of weakness?"
Rajan sneered while resting the flat of the obsidian blade against his right shoulder. And as many thought that the Yaksha God didn't know how to cherish his life, his appearance changed, going from the yaksha's short and bronze-skinned features to that of a 1.9 meters tall man whose empyrean looks all knew by heart.
The icy blue eyes, the snow-white hair and translucent skin, that face, that face! Before it, Rajan lost all manner of rationality and his eyes went bloodshot!
"Chthonian Primogen!"
Rajan snarled, for indeed, the man was none other than his sworn enemy, Konrad!
However, feeling the singular hatred of Rajan's gaze, Konrad arched an eyebrow.
"What, do I know you?"
The five words slammed Rajan's chest like a 10,000 kg heavy sledgehammer. And for a second, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"You extinguished my world, took my mother, sisters, aunts, cousins, and wife captive, and you…can't even recognize me?"
There was a palpable outrage in Rajan's tone. After all, his features were eighty percent similar to his father's, while his Titan Mark should have said the rest. However, never did he expect Konrad's next words to be.
"Sorry, taking mothers, sisters, aunts, cousins, and wives is something I do on a daily basis. If I had to remember all those men, it would never end."
The words jabbed Rajan's sternum, and as he teetered, he almost dropped his sword. Soon, however, he regained his composure.
"Hahahahaha! Never mind! Chthonian Primogen, you may disparage me, but I hold the sword! I am the God of War! Today, you can give up any thought of escaping!
Surrender your life!"
Rajan bellowed and aimed the obsidian sword at Konrad. But as he prepared to make his move, he could feel the sword tremble as if overtaken by massive tremors. Sensing this, Rajan firmly believed the sword craved Konrad's blood!
But seeing this, Konrad's lips curled into a smile.
"God Executing Immortal, why do you only get naughtier with time? Come here."
Konrad ordered, and as Rajan arched his arms for a swing, the sword broke free of his hands, smacked his face with the blade's flat, and rushed toward Konrad! Rajan hadn't properly tumbled that the sword swirled around Konrad's neck in what looked like a euphoric dance!
Before this mystifying scene, to say nothing of Rajan, there wasn't one deity on the scene that didn't blink in disbelief!
"What…what is the meaning of this?!"
Rajan howled in grief, unable to accept this change of things!
