King of Devas

On the other side, in the human world, near the waters of South Jambudvipa, Agni rode a golden-horned billy Sheep, leading countless armies in formations across the skies. The mighty Legions of Svarga, clad in brilliant silver armor and wielding spears, bows, and arrows filled the skies. The dazzling armor shimmered so brightly that it blotted out the sun, casting a silver hue across the earth.

"Aruna, let us become the dawn and light the way forward!"

Surya, dressed in resplendent golden armor, stood atop his sun chariot, waving his mighty hand forward.

The seven divine horses neighed loudly as their hooves pounded the ground in unison. The reins, turbulent and wild, were gripped tightly by the legless young god, Aruna, who drove the chariot with unwavering precision.

Aruna, the God of Dawn, was the elder brother of Garuda and the driver of the sun chariot under Surya's command.

"No force can stand against us, for we are the dawn, and the day is ours to claim!"

"Dawn!!!"

Aruna, with a sudden roar, seized the reins and urged the divine chariot forward. In an instant, they vanished into the human world. The seven horses galloped fiercely, and the chariot radiated the light of dawn, piercing the void and dispelling the cold, silent space around it. The chariot of the sun lit up the world, breaking through the darkness and guiding the Legions behind.

"Soldiers!"

Vayu, holding a sharp divine spear and a divine bow, led the Gazelle, which pulled the divine chariot, moving as swiftly as the wind, right behind the sun chariot.

The hundred thousand strong soldiers followed closely behind, marching under the light of dawn.

Boom! Boom!

The space at the edge of the human world and the Patala loka trembled violently. Shaking quakes rippled through the air, distorting the fabric of the world.

The sun chariot descended like a blazing star, cutting through the layers of void before appearing in the deep, dark realm. Surya narrowed his eyes.

On the cracked, dry red, and black land ahead, a vast Asura army had gathered. The Asura Legions stood in tight formation, weapons in hand, awaiting the arrival of the gods, as if they had long prepared for this moment.

A towering figure, seemingly an Asura, stood at the front of the Asura armies. His imposing presence felt like a mountain of mandalas, exuding an aura of boundless power.

But what was most terrifying... This figure's face was identical to Hiranyaksha's!

"Hiranyaksha…..!"

Surya's face twisted with horror, but then he quickly shook his head. "No, Hiranyaksha was slain by Lord Vishnu avatar, Varaha. You are... Hiranyakashipu!" Surya's voice rang out in disbelief.

His sun chariot soared to great heights, and the golden sun, radiating boundless brilliance, instantly illuminated the entire land.

The Vayu's gazelle-drawn chariot shot forward. Fueled by an intense fighting spirit, he took the lead as the vanguard of the Legions. Drawing the God of Wind's bow, he released an arrow of swirling wind, transforming it into a force of nature.

"Soldiers, heed my command!" Vayu roared as he released the wind arrow.

The arrow twisted and multiplied in mid-air, splitting from one into two, two into four, four into eight…

In an instant, thousands of arrows manifested, a veritable curtain of arrows falling across the land, heading straight for the Asura Legions.

Vayu held the divine bow, his eyes flashing with satisfaction as he watched the onslaught unfold.

Still powerful, he thought to himself. The Asura Legions hesitated, their fear palpable as they watched the arrows fill the sky. But Hiranyakashipu stood firm, unmoving, his presence a daunting calm in the chaos.

General Nishumbha frowned, stepping forward to take action, but she was halted by a cane thrust before her chest.

"Don't rush!"

Asura Teacher Shukracharya's voice was steady and composed. He retracted his arm, and his gaze shifted to the imposing figure of Hiranyakashipu in front of him.

Hiranyakashipu slowly raised his head, his eyes meeting the approaching force of the wind god, Vayu, and the fire god, Agni, whose chariot was now charging forward with a hundred thousand celestial Legions behind it.

The corner of Hiranyakashipu's mouth curled into a slight, cold smile. In an instant, he turned his right hand, spreading his fingers wide.

Light flickered in the palm of his hand, and a massive mace materialized. With a swift motion, he swung the hammer down into the air, its power emanating like a storm.

The mace began to change, multiplying at a terrifying speed. It grew exponentially, and in the blink of an eye, hundreds of massive maces were created, each one spinning as it collided with the thousands of arrows.

Boom! Boom! Boom...

The arrows of the God of Wind, which had once filled the sky, were obliterated in an instant, exploding into nothingness with a deafening sound.

More massive maces rained down from the sky, dark and ominous, crashing down upon the devas and their Legions.

Boom!

Vayu watched in horror as the giant mace grew larger and larger, filling his vision before appearing directly in front of him. With a thunderous impact, it slammed into his head, sending him flying from his sacred chariot, which flipped and crashed to the ground.

In the wake of the hammer's destructive force, many of the Gandharva army were struck down as well. The gods fell to the earth in droves, like dumplings tossed into boiling water.

"Ahhh!"

"It hurts!"

Screams echoed one after another.

Surya opened his mouth in shock, staring at the chaos unfolding before him.

Something is wrong with this situation! Shouldn't the Devas be marching triumphantly, pushing their way into the Patalaloka and defeating the Asura King?

What is happening here?!

A wave of horror washed over Surya as he realized the true power of Hiranyakashipu. He was invincible.

In a panic, Surya called out, "Aruna, we need to leave, now!"

Aruna's expression tightened. Without hesitation, he pulled the reins, turned the chariot, and urged the horses to gallop.

The flying maces rained down relentlessly. Fortunately, Aruna's driving skills were unmatched. He weaved expertly through the chaos, maneuvering the chariot up, down, left, and right, narrowly dodging each hammer.

"Surya!"

At that moment, Agni appeared, riding his golden-horned Sheep.

"Be careful, Agni—!"

Before Surya could finish his warning, a massive mace struck Agni directly. With a thunderous crash, Agni was sent plummeting to the ground like a meteor, creating a giant crater upon impact.

"!!!"

"Agni!"

Surya gasped in horror, clutching the frame of the chariot. His heart raced as he caught sight of countless war hammers barreling toward them. The sacred chariot bucked violently, and Surya's panic intensified.

The power of this Hiranyakashipu rivals that of the golden-eyed warrior, and may even be greater.

Vayu had fallen without resistance. The same fate had befallen Vulcan.

"Let's go! We must retreat immediately!"

"Quickly, head to Vaikuntha and seek help from the preserver of the world!" Surya shouted, his large hand outstretched in urgency.

All of this was being watched by Rishi Brihaspati and Indra. As the mirror rippled and turned off.

Rishi Brihaspati stood frozen, his mouth agape as he watched the scenes unfolding before him. The 100,000-strong legion in Svarga—gone in an instant?!

"Fortunately, I was prepared," Indra muttered, clicking his tongue in annoyance. He sighed deeply and began to turn away.

All the Devas had consumed the Amrita of immortality, so casualties were no longer a concern.

Rishi Brihaspati hurried forward, patting Indra's arm in a panic. "King, you're going to Brahma Loka. What about the others?"

Indra glanced at the Rishi with a puzzled expression.

"Am I such a selfish person?" Indra replied. "As a member of my Svarga Loka, I'll ensure every resident is cared for. You needn't worry. I'll head to the Suryaloka now and escort Surya's subjects to Brahma Loka first."

"As for rescuing the Devas in the hands of Asuras, we need to plan carefully. Don't worry, teacher."

"But is it too late?" Rishi Brihaspati asked, his voice tinged with concern.

"Don't worry," Indra said with a reassuring smile. "The Devas, Gandharvas, and the entire legions are immortal. Hiranyakashipu is no easy foe but even he won't kill them."

Indra patted Rishi Brihaspati's shoulder comfortingly. "By the way, mentor, your wife Tara is still in the human world. Would you like to join us?"

Upon hearing this, Rishi Brihaspati breathed a sigh of relief.

"There's no need to worry. Last night, Soma came to me and told me that Tara was not safe in the human world, so I had him transform into moonlight to bring her here."

"They should be back in Svarga soon."

"Soma is quite thoughtful!" Rishi Brihaspati smiled brightly. Indra stared at him, utterly confused.

---

Enjoyed the chapter?

You can read 40 chapters ahead and get exclusive access to more content on P*treon.c*m/Marioni