"I will stop them from leaving," Hermes growled, lightning streaking across his limbs as he blurred into motion—eyes locked on the retreating silhouettes of Magnus, Lithaa, Aquila, Neil, and the unconscious Akron.
But Nioh was already there.
A flash of scarlet.
CRACK.
Hermes never made it five meters.
Nioh appeared in a streak of red light, grabbed Hermes by the leg mid-dash, and whipped him through the air like a ragdoll. Hermes crashed into Aphrodite, the two of them tumbling backward in a tangled blur of limbs and mist, rolling to a halt beside Hephaestus in a heap.
"How—how is he faster than me?!" Hermes spat, pushing off the rubble, his face twisted in disbelief. "I am the messenger of gods! I control speed!"
Hephaestus stepped forward, her eyes narrowing, armor adjusting with cold precision.
"You've spent too many years in isolation," she said flatly. "You forgot—your title is not your birthright. You are not a god."
