"You think these chains can stop me?" Ezekiel asked. If he wanted, he could break these chains in the blink of an eye.
"I know they can't," Gabriel answered just as calmly. He had spent time with Ezekiel. Who could know better about him? Gabriel knew exactly what Ezekiel was capable of, and it was clear that these chains couldn't stop him.
However, stopping him wasn't his plan. He expected Ezekiel to be confused since he was a prideful person. However, Gabriel also knew that if there was a battle, then also the best person to face Ezekiel was himself!
Ezekiel's biggest strength was the Abyssal Energy! It was the same energy which had no use on him. That poison didn't affect Gabriel. However, even without the Abyssal Energy, the gap between the two was significant.
What he was getting here was a simple distraction. He had a plan which could avoid battle. However, if they couldn't avoid a battle, he still wanted to make sure that the Rebel Gods weren't caught in the Explosion of Abyssal Poison that was deadly to them.
The Gods couldn't use Spatial Teleportation since the entire space itself was sealed by Ezekiel. However, there was one method which still worked.
That method had something to do with the Formations that were repaired by the Rebel Gods. Through the Control of the formation, one could still open up Portals in the Realm of Gods even if the entire world was sealed.
The small control token of the formation was still in Gabriel's hands.
The Rebel Gods were looking at Gabriel and Ezekiel in the distance. Initially, they thought that Gabriel had betrayed them and led them to a trap. However, they were now realising that things weren't as simple.
While they were looking at the two in the distance, they noticed a teleportation portal open right next to them.
The teleportation portal didn't create a single spatial ripple, thanks to the boost of the formation. It was to the point that even Ezekiel didn't notice it, since his entire attention was on Gabriel.
The Gods looked at the portal next to them, before looking at Gabriel. They realised what Gabriel was implying. Gabriel was telling them to run, while he stayed back for this battle!
The gods knew that they could potentially return to the Beast Forest after escaping and hide there like always. But after they left, they knew Gabriel was potentially going to have to fight Ezekiel alone.
Fighting Ezekiel was no different than fighting death itself. They felt multiple emotions at the moment.
In the end, the old man closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He stood up, not even looking at the Teleportation Formation. He wasn't going to escape. He was going to fight with Ezekiel, even if it meant fighting to death! He couldn't let Gabriel die for him!
The other gods were also scared of death. However, seeing Gabriel standing up for them, they also turned their backs on the spatial portal.
Gabriel noticed everything through the corner of his eyes, which made him quite stunned. He had created an opportunity for them, but they weren't escaping? He felt like scolding them.
"We won't be running away! We won't abandon you! This is our battle!" The old man started burning his divinity, as his strength increased by multiple folds. The other gods did the same.
They all appeared between Gabriel and Ezekiel.
"Leave! We will hold them back! Don't worry about our old bones!" The old man exclaimed as the Divine Aura filled his surroundings.
"You...?" Gabriel was taken aback. These people were really not escaping even after all this?
In the distance, Ezekiel's expressions remained cold. However, the corner of his lips curved upward. It was rare for him to reveal a smile. He even forgot how long it had been since he saw a sight like this.
He stretched out his arms. In an instant, the dark shackles broke.
Everyone prepared for battle. Ezekiel was free and a battle was imminent... A battle to death.
However, to everyone's surprise, Ezekiel didn't attack them. He simply turned his back on them, walking away.
Gabriel frowned, seeing this sight. Ezekiel wasn't going to fight? Even after these people stood against him, he wasn't going to kill anyone?
"You found some good subordinates... Maybe they are... different..." Ezekiel's calm voice came, even as he didn't look back.
His cold heart had seen this sight after a long time. It reminded him of his home world, before all the gods invaded it! He couldn't help but remember his parents standing up before him to save him, even though they knew that it meant eventual Death.
A bond that surpassed the fear of death... And that too for a stranger who wasn't one of them... This was a rare sight.
He didn't trust gods. It wasn't wrong to say that he hated them to his core. That's why when Gabriel said that he brought some back, he thought that they were sooner or later going to betray him. He thought they were just using him.
Even though Gabriel wasn't his family member, but he was somewhat akin to a friend who had saved his life. That's why Ezekiel didn't break the chains right away. He wanted to see what they were going to do.
Were they going to be like other selfish gods and run to save their lives? Or were they going to try and save Gabriel? In fact, even though the Spatial Portals didn't make any Spatial Distortion, he had already sensed them as well.
He just didn't react to that spatial distortion. He had made up his mind. If the gods were going to escape while abandoning Gabriel, he was going to crush their skulls right then and there.
However, to his surprise, they made the right choice. They proved that they could be trusted, even if to a small extent. That's why Ezekiel decided to let them be. He decided to let them work under Gabriel.
As Ezekiel walked away, he waved his hand, using a never before seen ability. A strange aura shrouded the entire realm.
Every Beast Monarch that he had killed was healed, and they came back to life, even stronger than before.
"How long are you going to stand there for? Come with me," he told Gabriel.
Gabriel scratched the back of his head as he followed Ezekiel. Things went completely against his expectations. However, he felt somewhat relieved watching everyone survive.
The Lion Monarch opened his eyes. He noticed the jar of wine next to him that he had given Gabriel previously. He didn't remember anything about the battle or even meeting Ezekiel.
Confused about why he was here, he shook his head and stopped thinking about it. He picked up the jar of wine, and took a sip.
