Awakening：The Infinite Evolution of My Talent as a Low-Level Awakener

Absurd! Utterly absurd!

The Ashen gods were almost speechless. They had planned to offer more bargaining chips, but seeing Diana quietly and gently resting in Sterl's arms, they couldn't bring themselves to speak.

They certainly couldn't offer this Hades two goddesses as part of the deal. That was completely out of the question. As fellow gods, they knew that if anyone found out they were being treated like mere commodities in a trade, they'd be torn apart without hesitation!

Now, with Orichalcum's side gaining two more gods, their forces were stronger by one. The situation was immediately flipped, and they found themselves at a disadvantage.

The battlefield fell into a tense silence, with only the sounds of battle below continuing to echo—cries and roars as soldiers and demigods fought on, completely unaware of Sterl's arrival.

After a moment, the Ashen gods exchanged looks, and they all saw the hesitation in each other's eyes. There was no other choice. Hades' appearance had completely disrupted their plans. Moreover, they were in the heart of Orichalcum's royal capital. If a few more gods came to reinforce Orichalcum, escaping would be nearly impossible.

Then, one of the Ashen gods with dual divine authority shot Sterl a venomous glare, threatening, "You will regret your decision today. When Orichalcum falls, I will capture you and force you to watch as your so-called goddess is ravaged and enslaved by a horde of invaders."

Having delivered his threat, the five gods prepared to retreat. However, they didn't notice the strange looks Orichalcum's gods were giving them—eyes full of mixed feelings: schadenfreude, excitement, anticipation, and even a touch of pity, as though they were sympathizing with the Ashen gods' predicament.

Thanks to the information passed through their camp and Morette, Orichalcum's gods knew that Sterl had been particularly ruthless. Just because some northern soldiers had insulted Diana, he'd slaughtered an entire group—over ten demigods, a hundred legends, and a whole bunch of third-class warriors, without so much as blinking. His brutality and iron resolve were clear for all to see. He was not someone to be trifled with.

While the Ashen gods were still wondering why Orichalcum's gods were looking at them like that, they suddenly realized—they couldn't move!

In an instant, a surge of terror and unease suddenly gripped their hearts. Almost simultaneously, Sterl slowly raised his hand, channeling his star power! Stardust infused! All the Laws of Power converged together, and with the enhancement of both Time and Space Laws, Shattered Void was activated in a heartbeat!

Suddenly, a terrifying force, moving at an incredibly rapid pace, enveloped the five gods entirely!

The next moment, Void Break—a storm of flashing blades and savage slashes—descended upon them!

Especially after the full enhancement of Stardust, the power of this strike far exceeded the limits of what could be unleashed by the lower realms!

The fabric of space shattered inch by inch. Even though this was a direct confrontation and the five gods had enough time to react, two of them even breaking free from the time-space restrictions, they still could not evade the relentless onslaught!

The terrifying power spread outward, as if a brilliant Flower of the Stars had bloomed in the void, causing even the battle below to halt. All the soldiers looked up at the sky, though they didn't know what had happened, they could guess that the gods had unleashed their most powerful abilities in a decisive clash.

However, they were only half right. This was indeed a battle to decide the victor, but it was the Ashen gods who were being slaughtered without mercy!

In an instant, the three gods who failed to escape the restrictions were utterly annihilated—both their divine bodies and souls obliterated. The remaining two, lucky to escape with their lives, were grievously wounded, on the brink of death, their bodies about to shatter.

As they painfully crawled out of the shattered space, they looked at Sterl with a gaze filled with terror, as if they were staring at a plague god of the highest divine rank. Their will to fight had completely disappeared.

"No... no, please don't kill me! I swear I'll submit to you!"

"Yes, yes, I'm willing to sign a contract and serve you for a thousand years! Please, show mercy!"

The two gods hastily begged for their lives. Though still dazed, survival instinct took over. Just one strike—one strike—and they almost died. What kind of monster was this? Was it possible that a high-ranking god had broken the restrictions and descended here?

However, in response to their pleas for mercy, Sterl simply raised his hand again. In the horrified gaze of the two gods, he unleashed Destructive Light!

A brilliant column of light swept through, instantly erasing the two gods from existence. Even if they had tried to resist, their movements were frozen by the Temporal-Spatial Laws. And because they had wasted their time begging, they missed the only opportunity they had to escape.

After the Destructive Light subsided, the entire battlefield fell into a deep silence. Diana gazed dreamily at Sterl, almost wishing that she could merge into his body. She knew that for anyone who dared insult her—even a god—Hades would mercilessly erase them without hesitation!

But the truth was, Sterl had thought carefully. Without more deputy stars at his disposal, he absolutely wouldn't casually take in a god as a subordinate. What he needed were individuals who could guarantee absolute loyalty.

At this moment, it seemed that gods of the opposite gender were more suitable as his subordinates. In times of need, they could venture out to face the enemy, and when there were no battles, they could engage in "other kinds of conflicts." So, without hesitation, he had acted and wiped them out in an instant. Explore more at empire

At the same time, Bionic Tear swiftly absorbed the shattered divine souls of the five gods, transforming them into nourishment for the Fire of Ten Thousand Souls.

[You have completed the hidden faction mission: Save the Southern War Preparedness Zone!]

[You have earned 10,000 Orichalcum Nation contribution points.]

[Your reputation in Orichalcum Nation has increased by 10,000 points.]

[Current contribution points: 30,000]

[Current reputation: (Respect 30,000/50,000)]

As the system notifications rang in his ears, Sterl felt an immense sense of satisfaction. He had indeed triggered another hidden mission. And he had a strong feeling that the Orichalcum Nation's treasury would offer him a huge surprise. Thirty thousand contribution points might seem like a lot, but it was very likely that they wouldn't be enough. He would need to find opportunities to trigger more hidden tasks to earn even more contribution points.

"Hades, you are truly a hero of the Orichalcum Nation!" Morette rushed forward and bowed deeply to Sterl.

Twice now, he had been unable to assist. Yet, it was this outsider, Hades, who had turned the tide of the battle. No... He glanced at Diana in Hades' arms and smiled with delight. It wasn't just an outsider anymore!

At that moment, the other four gods who had been saved gathered around to express their sincere gratitude to Hades. They presented him with many treasures, including several pieces of epic myth-level equipment, as well as items and healing supplies that would greatly benefit even gods.

This unexpected windfall was certainly welcome. Sterl didn't hold back and accepted everything. After all, he had just saved so many gods of Orichalcum—taking a little interest in return was perfectly reasonable, wasn't it?

However, in truth, without him, these four gods wouldn't have fallen. Morette and Diana, however, had truly been saved by him. But his greatest contribution to Orichalcum was the eradication of Ashen and other factions, including the slaughter of a full fifteen gods!

This would play a crucial role in the final outcome of the battle!

Next, Morette and the others moved in, killing the remaining Ashen forces—those who were to be slain were killed, and those who were to be enslaved were enslaved, resolving the situation swiftly.

Soon, reinforcements from Orichalcum's royal city finally arrived. They had come in great haste, expecting a fierce battle to drive out the Ashen gods. But upon their arrival, they were shocked to discover that the Ashen gods had already been completely wiped out by a powerful god named Hades!

This revelation left them stunned, and they immediately turned to Sterl, showering him with gratitude.

"Hades, you've truly saved Orichalcum from the brink of destruction! If it weren't for you, I can't even imagine what would have happened."

"Indeed, thank the heavens! With your assistance, we will surely annihilate these barbarian invaders!"

"Cough, cough, Diana, you'd better seize the opportunity. A powerhouse like Hades will no doubt attract the attention of countless goddesses."

The gods who had arrived praised and flattered Sterl, and Diana couldn't help but feel a rising sense of wariness. Unconsciously, she leaned a little closer to Sterl.

To maintain his persona, Sterl responded casually to their compliments, but internally, he couldn't help but feel overjoyed. Being praised by a group of gods—how could he not be pleased? Moreover, there was a goddess nearby, secretly jealous of him. It was like a dream come true.

In the past, he would have never even dared to imagine such a situation, but now, it was happening to him. Yet, as this thought passed through his mind, Sterl's mind remained clear. He knew that all of this was the result of his strength.

Without his power, he would only be a minor pawn in the divine battles, an insignificant casualty who could be easily crushed by a god at any moment, with no control over his own fate and unable to protect his loved ones.

So...

Sterl took a deep breath inwardly. He still needed more power. In the upcoming great calamity, he would need to secure his own survival, and perhaps even rise above it, carving out a territory that would be entirely within his control.

"Hades," Morette said with a smile, "now that the danger has passed, how about we head back to the royal city? With your strength, you will surely attract the attention of the higher gods. Perhaps, for the final battle against Ashen, it will be you who leads the charge."

Morette was in high spirits. His life had been saved by Hades, and if Hades were to take charge, it would be the best possible outcome!