The golden throne room stood in silence. Lucius didn't speak. His fingers tapped against the gilded armrest, golden eyes calculating, his expression unreadable—but something beneath the surface had definitely shifted.
Because for the first time in his life, he'd encountered something he couldn't own.
He had devoured worlds. Bought souls. Rewritten the fates of kings and gods alike.
And yet—Arthur stood before him, untouched. Unshaken. Untamed.
A black hole of defiance in a world Lucius thought he controlled.
And that—that was dangerous. Because Lucius did not tolerate what he couldn't consume.
Lucius exhaled slowly, but his words came out measured, silk-smooth. "You misunderstand me," he said. "I'm not asking you to serve me."
The golden chains around the throne shimmered like they were listening.
"I'm asking you to rule with me."
Arthur blinked, cocked his head. "Oh?" His smirk stretched wider. "That's new. Usually, people just try to kill me."
Lucius actually chuckled. "Why would I waste my energy fighting you," he murmured, "when I can offer you something better?"
He gestured toward the glass floor below them—
The city of chains. The people below. The puppets moving to unseen rhythms.
"Look around," Lucius said, golden eyes gleaming. "This world already belongs to me. Everything in it. Everyone in it. Their bodies. Their minds. Their futures—I hold them all."
His fingers flexed slightly, as if reminding Arthur what those hands could do.
"And yet… I'm generous."
Lucius leaned in, voice dropping to a coaxing whisper. "Join me, Arthur. Together, we could build a kingdom where even gods bow. A kingdom that never breaks. That never falls. Where even the Soul King himself would kneel."
The words floated in the air like poison wrapped in honey. The chains trembled in anticipation.
And then— Arthur laughed.
At first, just a chuckle. Then a full, deep belly laugh—like something absurd had finally clicked.
Arthur clutched his ribs, Eyes of Wrath flickering, Eyes of Sloth glowing a sleepy blue, reality bending subtly around him with every exhale.
And then— He stopped.
His face went still. And when he looked back up at Lucius— The humor was gone. The fun was gone.
All that remained was something cold.
"You think I'm impressed?" he said, voice calm. "You think I'm tempted?"
His fingers flexed slightly— and golden cracks began spreading across the throne room.
Lucius's smile faltered. Arthur stepped forward. And every chain in the city snapped like string.
Lucius flinched. Just a flicker. But it was enough.
Arthur tilted his head slightly. "Let me explain something to you, Greed."
His voice wasn't raised. But the air around him shuddered like it had heard something sacred.
"I don't want your kingdom." Crack. "I don't care about your wealth." Crack. "I don't need your power."
He smiled again. But there was no humor in it. Just truth.
"Because I already have everything."
And with that— The golden throne exploded.
It didn't break because of an attack. It didn't shatter because of force.
It broke because Lucius himself lost control.
Because Arthur—by simply saying no—had undone the very thing Greed stood on.
Lucius stood abruptly, aura flaring like a dying star. His composure cracked—just for a breath.
And Arthur? He didn't even blink.
"Your problem," he said casually, "is you've spent your whole life thinking everything can be owned."
He spread his arms slightly, almost as if presenting himself. "But some things…"
His Eyes of Sloth and Wrath lit up like twin suns.
"Some things exist beyond ownership."
He raised his hand. And reality answered.
The instant Arthur moved, Camila's pulse spiked. She didn't have to say anything. Didn't have to warn them. Because they all felt it.
This wasn't a duel. This wasn't even a threat.
This was Arthur explaining, in no uncertain terms, why Lucius couldn't win.
Camila's knuckles went white around the hilt of her sword. She didn't draw it. Didn't need to. But she was ready.
Liam's golden aura had flared instinctively, flickering like it couldn't decide whether to fight or stand back in awe.
Athena pressed her fingers over her heart. Not to calm herself. But to remind herself it was still beating.
And Amelia? Amelia just tilted her head. And smiled.
Because she had seen this coming. And it still surprised her anyway.
Arthur wasn't trying to win. He was just showing Lucius that winning had never been an option.
And that— That was scarier than any war.
Lucius didn't attack. He didn't speak. Because now— He finally understood.
Arthur was not a man. Was not a god.
He was a walking contradiction. A being born from too much pain and too little fear.
And Greed? Greed had no place in him.
Arthur chuckled softly. "You should've just let me leave."
Lucius inhaled. Then— He did something no one expected.
He let go.
"Take him," he said.
The agents didn't move. Didn't blink.
Because they were already gone.
Erased. By Arthur. Before the words even finished leaving Lucius's mouth.
And now— Lucius was alone.
Arthur turned without a word. And walked away.
The golden city still stood. Its lights still flickered. Its people still moved.
But the chains were gone.
And Lucius— Lucius sat in the remains of his throne.
A man who had once owned everything. Now left with nothing.
And that? That was worse than death.
Arthur had barely taken a step out of Lucius's shattered throne room before Camila's voice cut through the air—sharp, urgent, final.
"We need to leave. Now."
Arthur paused.
The others turned.
Liam and Amelia exchanged glances.
Athena hesitated, her fingers twitching.
Arthur frowned.
"What's the rush? I've only been here for—"
A pause.
A flicker of unease.
"Wait," he muttered. "How long have I been here?"
Camila's golden eyes darkened.
She exhaled.
"Arthur…"
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
"You've been here for two years."
Liam crossed his arms, golden eyes unreadable.
"In the time you were gone," he said, "a lot has changed."
Arthur clenched his fists.
"What did I miss?"
Camila sighed.
She lifted a single hand—and the air rippled.
A screen of light unfolded before them, displaying the events of the last two years.
"You weren't the only one moving forward, Arthur," Camila said.
Her voice was soft.
"You were just… moving differently."
Arthur's breath hitched.
And then—he saw it.
The image shimmered—Liam standing at the top of a blood-soaked battlefield, the sky behind him torn with divine light. His golden aura burned like a second sun, casting long shadows across mountains of corpses.
Arthur blinked. "That's... you?"
Liam didn't respond right away. His arms were crossed, and his gaze stayed locked on the image like he wasn't proud of it.
Camila's voice was quiet. "After you disappeared, the world panicked. Everyone thought you'd gone rogue. Or worse."
Liam sighed. "They came after us. Thought we were hiding you. Thought we were the threat now."
Arthur frowned. "So, what—did you fight back?"
Liam finally looked at him, golden eyes flickering. "I tried not to. At first."
The screen showed armies. Nations. Guilds. Divine beings.
And Liam, standing alone.
"They left me no choice," he muttered.
Arthur stared at the footage. It wasn't just power. It wasn't just strength. It was desperation. Fury. Survival.
"You're in the top ten now?" Arthur asked.
Liam scoffed. "Top five, technically. Not that it matters."
Arthur chuckled, the sound dry. "When did you get so dramatic?"
Liam gave a half-shrug. "Probably around the time they tried to kill Camila."
Arthur froze.
"Wait. What?"
Camila looked away. "It's not important."
"The hell it isn't!"
"We'll explain later," she said. "Just... keep watching."
The screen shifted again.
A massive crowd. Banners waving. Soldiers advancing.
And in the middle of it all—
Athena.
Tiny. Alone. Standing on a ruined podium. Her eyes were glowing. Her voice shaking the sky.
"I spoke the truth," she said quietly, watching the memory unfold. "Even when no one wanted to hear it."
Arthur's brows furrowed. "You called them out? In public?"
Athena nodded slowly. "They tried to bury everything. The death game, the hunters, the victims. Pretended it never happened."
She clenched her fists.
"So I reminded them. Loudly."
The footage showed soldiers surrounding her. Guns raised. Divine weapons primed.
And still—
She stood.
Until her voice shattered their ranks like thunder.
Arthur watched, something cold and warm all at once rising in his chest.
"That was brave," he muttered.
Athena smiled, eyes misty. "No. That was stupid. But you weren't there. So I had to be."
Arthur looked at her. Really looked.
And for the first time, he realized— she wasn't the girl he used to protect.
She had become something more.
Someone he could rely on.
Someone who had stepped into the void he left behind.
The screen darkened. And then—
Chaos.
A hundred versions of Amelia, walking through the halls of reality, each in a different realm, a different battlefield, a different crisis.
"You… did all this?" Arthur asked slowly.
Amelia nodded, stretching her arms overhead like it was no big deal. "Someone had to keep things moving."
Arthur stared.
"You're literally running multiversal diplomacy while also rewriting people's emotional energy systems and stabilizing dimensional fallout?"
She winked. "Yup. And baking cookies. I'm super versatile."
Arthur blinked. "Please tell me the cookies are at least evil."
"Depends on the batch."
The others chuckled, the tension in the room easing for just a moment.
But then—
Camila's hand waved, and the screen flickered again.
And this time— it didn't show them.
It showed the world.
Entire continents had shifted. Kingdoms had risen and fallen.
New threats. New monsters. New sins.
Arthur watched in silence.
All of it had happened without him.
He hadn't just lost time. He had lost the world he once knew.
Camila looked at him gently. "We tried to find you every day."
Liam nodded. "Every damn day."
Athena whispered, "We thought we lost you."
Amelia smiled. "But you came back. And that's what matters."
Arthur didn't respond. His chest ached. His heart twisted.
Two years. Gone.
He had come to break the chains. But somewhere along the way— He had disappeared.
Arthur lowered his head.
"I'm sorry."
Camila stepped forward. "You don't have to be. Just… be here now."
Arthur met her gaze.
And for the first time since this all began— He didn't feel like a god.
He felt like a person again.
And that— That was enough.