An Understated Dominance - Chapter 2564

Grace’s illusionary formation was impressive.

Even divine martial artists—those far beyond grandmasters—could easily become lost inside it and struggle to find the exit.

But against a royal god like Zeus, it was useless. His spiritual power and senses were far too advanced for the illusion to restrain. Even if he couldn’t see through it, he didn’t need to. He could simply destroy it with brute force.

Every formation had a core and a weak point. If struck with enough force, the whole thing would collapse.

That’s exactly what Zeus did. He didn’t waste time searching for an exit. Instead, he unleashed devastating energy that tore through everything within hundreds of yards.

One blast was usually enough to shatter a formation. If not, he’d strike again. Nothing had ever survived more than three of Zeus’s attacks.

“Break it down!”

With a sweep of his arms, he sent raw energy surging in every direction, a violent storm that spared nothing.

Formations fell one after another. As Zeus advanced, he ripped through the defenses, carving a path up the hillside—trees splintered, rocks shattered, and destruction followed in his wake.

Behind him, Hera trailed at a relaxed pace, completely unconcerned. She showed no sign of stepping in.

Together, they climbed Embercrest Hill—cutting through dense forest, smashing boulders—until they reached the summit.

There stood a grand, ancient temple. In front of its towering doors, dozens of monks stood guard. These were elite warriors from the Luminary Hall, including two grandmasters.

As Zeus and Hera approached, the monks stiffened, preparing for battle.

A middle-aged monk stepped forward, gripping a heavy iron staff. His voice was firm. “Stop right there, travelers. This is sacred ground. No fighting is allowed. You’re not welcome here. Leave the mountain now.”

“Hand over Logan, and we might spare your lives,” Zeus said coldly.

He didn’t care about the monks, but he could sense a powerful energy nearby. It reminded him of the Five Sanguine Elemental Seals—but even stronger.

“There’s still time to turn back. The path you’re on leads only to suffering. End this violence before it’s too late,” the monk urged.

“Save the lecture. Hand him over, or die,” Zeus growled.

His patience was gone. Once he made a move, it would be a massacre.

The monk’s expression darkened. “If you insist, then I have no choice but to stop you.”

“A bunch of bald monks think they can stop us?” Zeus scoffed. “Are you looking to die?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he lifted a finger, and a blue lightning snake shot toward the middle-aged monk’s chest. With Zeus’s strength, any grandmaster-level martial artist would have been killed on impact.

But just before it struck, a flash of golden light appeared. It engulfed the lightning snake completely and vanished without a trace.

“Hm?” Zeus raised an eyebrow in surprise.

The golden light had resembled a steeple—appearing and disappearing in an instant. His lightning attack had left no mark, which was highly unusual.

“Now this is getting interesting,” Hera murmured with a smirk.

She was finally intrigued. Until now, she had ignored every formation, but the sudden appearance of the golden steeple caught her eye.

It was massive, elegant, and glowed with golden light—capable of absorbing energy. If she could get her hands on it, it would make an excellent defensive weapon.

“So that’s your trick. No wonder you had the nerve to stand your ground at the gate,” Zeus said, narrowing his eyes. “Let’s see how long that artifact holds up.”

He slowly raised his hand, fingers curling like claws as energy gathered. A ball of blue lightning sparked to life in his palm, no larger than an egg at first.

As he charged it, the sphere expanded to the size of a basketball. Inside, lightning snakes writhed violently, surging with terrifying energy and radiating crushing pressure.

“Let’s see you survive this!”

Zeus grabbed the lightning sphere and hurled it at the temple gates. It tore through the air like a cannonball, crackling with destructive force.

The towering golden steeple reappeared, rising like a mountain to shield the entire temple.

When the sphere hit, it exploded with a thunderous boom. The steeple shuddered under the impact but quickly stabilized.

Most of the energy from the sphere was absorbed on contact.

However, the remaining force erupted in a shockwave that blasted outward from the temple in the opposite direction.

“Huh.”

Zeus frowned. This second failed attempt made it clear—the golden steeple was no ordinary artifact.