"...Sir Amon, thank you again for your cooperation."
In the void outside the world, it is still the original position.
Three flickering crystal cores were suspended in front of Hermes, reflecting his unsightly expression.
Some time had passed since Amon's 'birth', and Hermes, who had discovered that the experiment was successful, immediately returned to the tower, retrieved his things, and returned here.
A single success could be just luck, so he plans to repeat his experiment again.
However, just as Hermes worried, even though he tried the same method again and again, the birth of Amon still seemed to be unrepeatable.
Like every time before, the trace of soul he released was no longer assimilated by the will of the star god sleeping in the crystal, and turned into an independent incarnation closely connected with the other party.
Because every time it reaches this step, that wisp of soul will directly self-destruct in the process of assimilation by the Star God's instinct.
Obviously, it cannot withstand the power from the ancient star god, at least not with just this trace of soul.
So in order to figure out how his only achievement was successful, Hermes had to ask Amon to continue cooperating with him in the experiment.
He thought that this would take a lot of effort, but to Hermes' surprise, this new consciousness that believed itself to be a 'Resurrected Star God' seemed very grateful for his help in 'awakening itself' and accepted all the attempts he requested.
Therefore, Hermes gave up the use of force. Instead, he met some of the demands of Lord Amon.
For example, in the intervals between experiments, I could explain to him some of Chaos' history, or explain what my experiment was about.
After all, although the other party looks like a star god, he is actually just a soul assimilated by the star god's consciousness.
If he really understood this, then Hermes would be surprised.
"...As I just said, the earth is now ruled by Zeus, the king of gods on Mount Olympus."
"He is ambitious to rule over everything, and the ones you once served have either been labeled as criminals of the previous era and imprisoned in the abyss and cannot leave, or have been sealed away or have secluded themselves from the world."
"I don't know whether you were loyal to the ancient sun god or the previous god king, but the result is no different."
"There is no place for you in the starry sky today. You can get confirmation of these things from others."
With a slight sigh, Hermes could only accept the current situation.
It seems that my success is indeed impossible to replicate, so the only successful person becomes extremely precious.
So while describing the world situation, Hermes also exaggerated the threats from the outside world.
If you want the sheep in the sheepfold to obey your orders, the best way is to satisfy their desires.
But desires will expand, and no one can satisfy them all the time, so this is not advisable.
As for the second best method, it is to tell the sheep that there are countless wolves outside.
In this way, even if desires cannot be satisfied, fear can drive them to be quiet.
Anyway, Hermes has no intention of letting the other party leave in the short term.
So whether there are "wolves" in the outside world or not is naturally up to him.
"So that's how it is... Then I'm really unlucky."
Like a young man who has not experienced much of the world, Amon easily believed what Hermes said.
As an antique from an old era, there is nothing that can be done about being abandoned by the times.
"Haha, although the situation is unstable, there is no need to worry too much."
"In fact, I still have some connection with the Star God lineage, so I have been trying to wake you up."
"It's a pity that my ability is limited. So far, I have only revived you, Excellency. If I could revive dozens more, even if you are not accepted by the gods, you wouldn't have to worry about it."
Shaking his head slightly, Hermes felt that he should go back.
Maybe Amon was indeed an accident, or maybe it was just because the other party was the first person he performed the ceremony in the void.
Many times, the first one always gets some preferential treatment.
But since the follow-up is not going to work, there is no need to waste any more time.
Fortunately, I have a backup plan, such as blood sacrifice.
However, the finished products made in this way would probably have to be restricted by strict seals and contracts.
At least until everything was successful, he still needed them to obey his orders.
Considering the many natural spirits in the northern part of the continent who are obsessed with blood sacrifices, Hermes will not let down his guard...
"So are we going back?"
"Yes."
Smiling and nodding, Hermes treated his work with courtesy.
"Welcome to the new era. Although you can no longer remember the past, I believe that you will remember it eventually."
…
On the banks of the Ringing World River, two figures passed through an illusory light gate.
Without stopping for long, Hermes rushed back towards the tower with the 'awakened' 'Star God'.
The experiment here is over, and next I have to see how my students are doing.
The materials for blood sacrifice are not easy to find, but it is different on the battlefield.
The figure hurried away, and soon, the sea at the edge of the world fell into calm again.
Only in the depths of the ocean, countless undercurrents surge, demonstrating the authority of the Lord of the Ocean.
"…"
"...Star God...Immortality...Blood Sacrifice...Chaos..."
I don't know how long it took, but at one point, a strange-looking sea snake unexpectedly approached the area under the surging ocean current.
However, the next moment, it suddenly froze there, and then began to shrivel at a speed visible to the naked eye.
After a long while, a transparent seven-segmented insect emitting brilliant starlight emerged from about seven inches away.
A little blood still lingered on its body, and then disappeared at an extremely fast speed.
After a while, as if it had finally digested the power from the sea snake, the seven-segmented silverfish seemed to open its "eyes".
"…Is this the blood sacrifice from another world? This kind of transformation between spiritual and material life also exists in Hemenu. Mortals believe that the heart is the bridge between the body and the soul."
"But in this world, the 'life' of the body can instinctively nourish the 'life' of the soul... Heh, there is something wrong here. It should be related to the main god who controls 'life' in this world."
No specific process or detailed knowledge is required.
Amon only knew that there was a 'blood sacrifice' in Chaos, and he learned how this sacrifice was conducted through his own observation of the laws.
After all, this is not a complicated thing. Any spiritual being can accept blood sacrifice as long as you can bear the negative emotions that are a thousand times more active in the process.
This is why the gods do not completely prohibit blood sacrifices, but prohibit human sacrifices.
Because the more intelligent a being is, the more terrible the negative emotions he will experience during the blood sacrifice - and of course, the more he will gain from it.
However, orthodox gods do not need to accumulate power in this way, so "human sacrifice" often becomes a synonym for evil gods.
"Star God... I originally just wanted him to help me get in and then obtain a suitable identity."
"With my current power, I can't control the gods at all, but I didn't expect that there are such beings as star gods in this world. Although they are weak, they are immortal."
The star-emitting termite was wandering in the sea water, and several sea beasts were easily sucked dry of their blood by it.
The seven-segment crystal body of the insect shone even brighter, and the hazy starlight enveloped it on all sides.
But feeling the changes in itself, the termite was not satisfied.
It is not difficult for him to replace external objects. Even if the star god is protected by some kind of power, he can disguise his breath and parasitize on the other party.
Although for Amon, this was already a good start. After all, even though that star god didn't have even a trace of divine power, he was still a god after all.
But since he had a good start, he couldn't help but want more follow-ups.
In particular, Amon discovered that this star god named Hermes did not just exist as one, but many.
"Tsk, from what I can see now, I won the bet.
"This isn't a trap the world has set for me, but I can't be sure of that."
"I simply didn't put all my hopes in one place. Since you've let me in, there's no way you can catch me again..."
It was not difficult for Amon to split his consciousness, but the separated parts could not have the same complete and transcendent personality as the original body.
However, the characteristics that transcend the limitations of great divine power make his thoughts scattered and unified. As long as he wants, no matter how far the distance is, the characteristics derived from the void can keep his consciousness intact.
No matter which incarnation, it can be transformed into the 'original body' at any time.
So Amon followed Hermes away in a swagger, not worrying about falling into a trap, and only left a clone for himself.
Once an accident occurs, this clone will become his new original body, and as time goes by, there will be more and more such clones.
Of course, not every clone can replace the gods. To "replace" the laws of the world is a difficult task even for Amon.
Especially now that he only has the status but not the slightest divine power.
"Well... then the next step is to get myself some strength."
"I will try to trick the alchemist. If not, I will trick his students. As for me..."
With a flash of starlight, a regular 24-hedron appeared in front of the seven-segmented bark beetle.
"The Sea King, the God King, the Hades, and other gods."
"Which side should I go to first? Why not roll the dice and see who gets unlucky first."
The corners of his mouth curled slightly. In theory, the ocean is the easiest to deal with and the least likely to make mistakes, but Amon doesn't care about this.
For him, since there is no danger to his life, he can enjoy it as much as he wants.
The worst that could happen is that someone would find him and beat him to death, which is fine.
Then the next moment, as the starlight flashed again, an image of a god appeared on each face of the twenty-tetrahedron. That was all what Amon heard from Hermes.
With a slight movement in his mind, the twenty-tetrahedron fell and came towards the sea.
Amon will choose whichever side touches the water first.
No matter it is easy or difficult, he will not regret it.
"Pah—"
"Hmm...it turned out to be her?"
The 24-hedron fell to the surface of the sea and immediately shattered into a handful of stardust.
Knowing the result, the seven-segmented borer shook its head and dived into the sea.
Amon did not intend to stay in this remote place for long. As for why he made his incarnation appear in the form of an insect, it was not for any other reason. It was purely influenced by the Egyptians.
They regarded the scarab as the sun, so Amon planned to use silverfish to represent the stars.
Anyway, he is now an imposter star god, and there is nothing wrong with that.
A new world, a new life.
I hope the people and gods in this world can bring him a little more happiness.
······
"Um?"
North of the continent, on Mount Nissa.
In the center of the endless mountain range is the mountain that was almost destroyed by Typhon.
The Tinker of Fate lives there, worrying about the impending war.
They wanted to get it back on track, at least partially, but it was difficult to do so given their abilities.
After all, no one among the gods likes the goddess of fate, and the direction of this war is not something that any one god can interfere with.
Chapter 413: Encroachment
Located in the extreme north of the continent, standing on Mount Nisa you can overlook the entire north.
Since the end of Typhon's Rebellion, the three goddesses of fate, collectively known as "Moirai" by the gods, moved here.
The young girl Clotho uses a spindle to spin the threads of fate, each thread representing the life of a being.
Lachesis is a middle-aged woman who uses a long staff with a scale to measure the length of life and determine the length of the silk thread.
Atropos, an old woman with gray hair and chicken skin, used the scissors that cut fate to cut the thread spun by Clotho, bringing the continuation of life to an end.
This is the responsibility of the three goddesses of fate, and it is also the power and right given to them by the world.
They can use this to skillfully manipulate the thread of fate and make everything return to normal naturally.
After all, although the gods are high above, as long as they come into contact with mortals, they are bound to be influenced by them.
Even if the goddesses of fate cannot directly manipulate the fate of the gods, they never hesitate to use such unconventional means.
However, after so many years, the world has experienced countless spring and autumn seasons, but the cracks in fate seem to have increased instead of decreased.
The invisible pressure was pressing down on Mount Nisa, making it heavier and heavier, but the goddess of fate had no way to solve it.
Because Moile has always faced three serious problems.
As long as it cannot be resolved, destiny will never be able to return to normal.
The first is that before the birth of the Goddess of Destiny, a large part of the inherent order of the world had already been destroyed.
This is an old account that extends back to the beginning of creation, including the fall of the original gods and the early replacement of the God King. It is also a problem that they cannot solve.
Fortunately, these old wounds are not fatal, at least for the time being.
The second problem comes from the cycle of reincarnation in the spiritual world.
The three goddesses of fate try to arrange the fate of all living things, but the wisdom endowed by all things at birth is different and is not influenced by the goddesses.
As a result, the originally easy work became a thousand times more difficult, leaving the Moirai with no free time at all.
As for the third question… that is even more serious, because it is God's problem, and it may happen at any moment.
The fate of the gods is not within the scope of the weaving of the three goddesses of fate, of course, this does not affect their observations.
As long as they don't tell others what they see, this kind of observation is almost costless.
So Clotho can see the ups and downs of the gods' fate, and Lachesis can see the strengths and weaknesses of their glory and failure.
As for Atropos, she could try to do something in the most difficult moments.
In a sense, this is how the former "One-Day Fruit" came about.
However, these measures are only auxiliary after all, and they are helpless in the face of more direct impacts.
For example, some pollution that occurs from time to time is like this.
"Crack—"
"One thousand seven hundred and eighty-two threads of destiny."
"one day!"
He closed the scissors expressionlessly, and with a crackling sound that could not be heard by ordinary beings, the threads of fate broke in front of Atropos.
This is her job and what she should do.
However, when Atropos's scissors closed, the strange stench emanating from her body became more obvious.
If a mortal living in the subcontinent in the future saw the yellow teeth, tattered clothes, and dry hair, he might mistake it for the sign of the "Five Signs of Decay of the Celestial Being".
And even though there is no such thing as the 'Five Decays' in the Chaos world, when a god's body shows such an appearance, it still means some kind of disaster.
But as if he was used to it, Atropos wiped the light red sweat off his face and turned a blind eye to it all.
As the one who tailors destiny, if she doesn't want destiny itself to bear more burdens, then she has to bear it.
"After all, I won't die, Lachesis."
"Neither will you. The fate of this world is with us."
Atropos spoke calmly and tried to stand up, but the next moment she stumbled.
Fortunately, her arm, which was only skin and bones left, was soon supported by someone. A tempting fragrance came from her side. It was Lachesis who was holding her eldest sister's arm.
Health and withering, fair skin and wrinkles and lines.
The two of them seemed to be in sharp contrast, as if they were from two different worlds. However, neither of them cared about this, as if they did not see the difference between them at all.
"Sister, in recent years, this kind of pollution has become more and more common."
"If this continues, it will lead to chaos one day."
With a frown on her face, although others might not know, Lachesis knew exactly what Atropos was cutting just now.
Of course, those were just the threads of fate, but they were threads that should not have been broken at this time.
As an existence that measures the length of fate, Lachesis can determine that each of them has more than one year's length.
And the most important thing is that even if their "threads" are cut, they are still not dead.
They are still alive, but have been abandoned by the fate of this world.
"I know, but I have to do it."
"And I am the goddess of fate. Ahem, she can't hurt me, just like she can't hurt you either."
With a light cough, the light red sweat on Atropos' body did not stop flowing for a moment, but it seemed to flow back into her body.
But no matter how many times it flows, it can never infect fate.
He does not have this ability. Eroding the threads of fate of some gods and men is already the limit.
But his power is far from enough to deal with the gods who represent destiny itself.
"This is a long war, but we are already invincible. And remember what I said, Lachesis, the God King will solve it."
"We don't need to do anything, he will do it for us. You see, he already wants to unify the world, and this is just the beginning."
"Every generation of God Kings has their own way of fighting against fate... Some choose violence, while others choose to procrastinate. As for him, he chose to get closer to Him."
"At least so far, he's been pretty successful, right?"
"…"
In silence, despite the fact that the upcoming war might further harm Fate, Lachesis admitted that if Zeus got his way after the war, then he would indeed start cleaning up the human world next.
Those natural spirits and evil gods that disrupt the order of fate, those evil creatures infected by the power of the mother tree, those lives that come from outside the world... He will do it himself without the goddess of fate asking him to do so.
And when that day comes, the pressure of fate will naturally be reduced, and the three of them will be relieved a lot.
"Okay," Atropos raised his hand slightly, as if he didn't want to talk about this question anymore: "What are you doing here today?"
"Creatures infected by that tree may be born at any moment. I can only solve it, but I need you to find them."
"You didn't come here just to see me. Tell me, what happened?"
"It's Clotho. She said that the fate of another god has changed, but this time..."
After hesitating for a moment, Lachesis said slowly: "This time, it actually changes for the better."
"When she was observing the thread of fate, she discovered that the fate of an ancient star god had taken another turn. Originally, it had reached a turning point in its fate like many other star gods, but now it is actually returning."
"It's like turning a diverted river back on track, returning it to its original direction, but nothing seems to be wrong."
"The originally wrong fate is being corrected, and the same is true for the parts affected by it."
"I don't know if this is an illusion, but sister, I want to go and see. If this is a problem, we can prevent it in advance. But if this is really a good thing, then we should also know how it happened."
"After all... it's not strange that destiny is restored, but the problem is, if someone is in charge of this restoration, how does he know what kind of destiny is the 'right track'?"
Yes, this is why Lachesis came.
You can't repair a machine without knowing what it looked like when it was in good condition.
Then the question is, apart from the goddess of fate, who saw such a clear destiny, and why did she abruptly modify the fate of a star god?
"Is that so... You are right, but where is that place?"
Atropos nodded slightly, also understanding the subtlety.
If the fate of mortals were to undergo such a change, they might not be able to find out in time, but it is different for gods.
Even if he is just a star god, he is still a god.
"In Athens, in the realm of Hermes."
Replying softly, Lachesis said, "Actually, I've wanted to go there for a long time."
"After all, others don't know, and we can't tell them, but we ourselves know it very well."
"Hermes...how did he become a 'human'?"
······
Hermes didn't know because he omitted the Goddess of Fate when introducing the gods.
This led to a misjudgment by a being who had never heard of the power of gods to exercise "fate", resulting in some unexpected consequences.
After all, in the world of Hemenu, no one has ever heard of any god of fate. They only think that it is the power of the world itself, not something controlled by a certain god.
In short, a small mistake will attract uninvited guests.
And the strings of fate are so secretive that few people can discover their traces unless the goddess of fate wants to.
For a moment, Athens seemed to have really become the center of the world, attracting the attention of people from all over the world.
Regardless of whether they intended to participate in the internal dispute of Olympus, the gods all cast their eyes here.
They are all waiting for a result to see if there is any possibility of ending this dispute.
After all, outsiders don't know the determination of both sides.
This is just the death of a mortal, and it may not develop into an endless conflict between the gods.
But this is what they thought. At the same time, in the city of Eleusis, in the temple in the center of the city.
The goddess of agriculture, who was personally involved in all of this on the edge, would not have such an idea. After all, the beginning of this war took place on her territory.
"Aphrodite, this is not what you said!"
Her chest heaved violently and Demeter looked grim.
She still remembered what the goddess of beauty said when she came to conspire with her after the Banquet of the Golden Apples.
Appeal to their emotions, appeal to their reason, and use coercion and inducement.
She promised the kingdom of Athens and told her how many gods were involved.
Then she went on to talk about how perfect and thorough their plan was.
But what was the result? Athens had officially declared war on Eleusis, claiming that they were "bewitched by evil gods" and were trying to murder the king.
Even if the Agricultural Church is not accused openly, what is the difference between this and speaking directly?
In accusing the 'evil god' in a holy city of the gods, the newly appointed queen was directly stating that she would expel the Agricultural Church in the future and would not even show mercy to her clergy.
But Demeter was helpless because she had no ability to resist.
"You said nothing would go wrong. You promised me!"
"Now the elite troops of Athens are approaching here. Tell me, how are you going to solve this problem?!"
"Why are you in such a hurry? It's just a small mistake."
Aphrodite interrupted rudely, also in a bad mood.
If there was anyone who was the most annoyed by this long-planned assassination, besides Demeter who only provided the venue but had to suffer the first blow, it would be Aphrodite.
As for the reason... facing Aphrodite's interruption, this time, Demeter just sneered.
She can't fight, and she doesn't have as many mistresses as the other party, but at least some things will not happen to her.
"A small mistake, yes—"
"The goddess of love and beauty asked her followers to seduce the king of the city-state of the goddess of wisdom. You even lent out your own sacred artifacts, but what was the result?"
"Aphrodite, I think you and Ares are truly made for each other."
"A group of people besieged one person, but he turned into a destroyed god of war."
"Believers seduce others, but in the end they betray you mercilessly."
"I'm really looking forward to what ridiculous things you two can do - will Ares and you be chased and beaten by mortals together next time?"
Demeter mocked casually, although she didn't think it would really happen. After all, when the national war broke out in the mortal world, the "royal order" completely affected the human world, and Ares, as the "God of War", would be even more powerful.
No matter how weakened the divine power of [War] is, it is still more than enough to cover a battlefield in the human world.
With the blessing of divine power, he might become one of the most powerful gods in Olympus.
Even Apollo, who was equally good at fighting, could probably only surpass him in archery.
But having said that, it did not prevent Demeter from mocking the other party.
After all, the Athenian army will arrive soon, and once the holy city is destroyed, she will probably become a laughing stock in the world.
And looking at the current situation...if there is no help from the gods, relying only on the Agricultural Church, I am afraid that Eleusis will have no chance of defending the city.
Chapter 414: War Magic
Bang——
"It's unreasonable!"
The heavy door made a loud noise, and Aphrodite walked out of the temple with a grim expression.
The mocking voice echoed in my ears, but this time I really had nothing to say.
So her communication, or argument, with Demeter naturally ended in a bad mood - of course, she didn't think Hera's request had any chance of success.
The woman wanted Demeter to go along with them and destroy all the food reserves of Eleusis.
At that time, as long as the power is used as much as possible to cause the most important grain-producing areas in Athens to suffer poor harvests, it will directly bring great advantages to the future coalition forces.
This was destined not to be a war that could be ended in one or two years. At least, conquering Athens was by no means an easy task.
Even if the gods paid no more attention to the human world, they would not think that they could easily destroy the big city in the east of the earth.
In this situation, food supply is naturally a very important link, and the existence of Demeter is indispensable.
However, Hera's idea was good and her reasoning was very clear. After all, Theseus died in Eleusis.
The Athenians hated Hera first, the traitorous prince Demophon second, and the third thing they hated was this city.
So no matter how you think about it, Demeter should have no choice.
But theory is just theory. As the goddess of love and beauty, Aphrodite knows Demeter too well.
She is not a woman like Hera, and she will not be vindictive. Strictly speaking, they are exactly the opposite.
She had provided so much help in the siege of Theseus, but she still deceived herself by not descending into an incarnation to participate.
From this we can see that for Demeter, unless someone puts a knife to her neck, it is simply a dream to expect her to fight you to the end.
"It's really - unreasonable!"
Taking a deep breath, Aphrodite gritted her teeth.
She didn't know who she was scolding, maybe Demeter, maybe Hera, maybe Theseus, or maybe Hippolyta who caused her to lose face.
But no matter who it was, she wanted to do something to calm the anger in her heart.
brush--
The divine light spread, and the next moment, Aphrodite arrived at a prison.
This is a prison cell built underground, located several dozen cubits underground.
Its above-ground part was a small estate that had originally belonged to an Eleusinian noble.
However, when the gods came here, it was naturally contributed.
Posts, chains, wooden shackles, and various metal tools hanging on the wall.
This is, without a doubt, not a normal place.
No one knows what the previous owner did here, whether he tortured the slaves for fun or did something else.
At least at this moment, there was a person covered in blood, tied up in the center by several chains.
His body was covered with wounds and blood was dripping bit by bit.
But her chest was still rising and falling slightly, as if she was still breathing.
"…This is the consequence of abandoning one's faith, this is the consequence of being a traitor!"
"Well, Hippolyta, do you feel regretful?"
"…"
No response, maybe because I didn't hear it, or maybe because I didn't want to respond.
Faced with this silence, Aphrodite was very angry at first.
But in the days that followed, she calmed down.
Yes, these mortals are like this, always doing things that are incomprehensible.
There have been so many precedents before, and she is not the only one.
The reason why Aphrodite was angry before was simply because she felt that her divine authority was challenged.
As the embodiment of love and beauty, she is the only one who has ever aroused the love of others, and she herself has never loved anyone.
Be it Ares or other male gods, they are nothing more than lackeys who can be summoned at will and dismissed at will.
But as his own believer and the original carrier of God's descent, Hippolyta was the exact opposite.
She developed feelings for her enemy, but he never responded to her.
It's like a negative example, the exact opposite of Aphrodite.
"This is how mortals think... but it doesn't matter. No matter what you think, it can't change your outcome."
"I wanted to punish you forever, Hippolyta. When Hera kills Theseus, I will turn his body into a wolf and turn you into a lamb, so that you can feed him with your flesh and blood forever."
"But since Hera didn't do it, I'll have to solve it another way."
"Demeter is hiding in her own place. Does she think she can avoid trouble? But I won't allow it!"
"I will do what she is unwilling to do. Feel lucky, Hippolyta. Eternal life is an endless calamity for the weak, but you can be freed in my hands."
Aphrodite is here in person now, but she will leave the city before the Athenian army arrives.
Hera asked her to 'make amends' here, but Aphrodite would not obey orders.
At most she could leave some things here, but as for fighting and killing, how could it have anything to do with her clothes?
"Ah, then, no matter how long Eleusis holds out, the Athenians will gain nothing from it. Everyone will know that they have slaughtered the city in revenge for Theseus."
With a satisfied smile, thinking about her own arrangements, Aphrodite suddenly missed an old lover of hers.
Helios, the fallen sun god.
Many people thought that if it weren't for Zeus's coercion, this honest man would not have gone to this point.
But Aphrodite knew very well that Helios was not honest at all.
Long before he found the other party, he had already had an affair with Clymene, the wife of the ancient Titan gods, the goddess of the ocean and fame, and had given birth to demigod offspring.
But all this ended with the fall of the sun, and he was sealed in the starry sky - just like his father.
"The feeling of being with the sun is so warm and blazing... Unfortunately, Apollo is a bit stubborn."
"But having said that, I still want to thank you, Helios. If it weren't for you, I would never have known that in addition to the true gods, there are so many powerful beings in this world."
"Tartarus... Chaos has more secrets than I ever imagined."
With a charming smile, when the belt of the goddess of beauty falls on her body, the ultimate charm reaches its peak.
No matter what kind of life, no matter what form, they can feel Aphrodite's 'beauty', as her church says.
Beauty is the most powerful weapon in this world.
"Wait, Hippolyta."
"I'm waiting for the good news you'll bring me."
Turning around, Aphrodite left without hesitation.
It is no longer safe here. In order to avoid becoming a prisoner, it is better to return to Olympus immediately.
As for Demeter, let her stay with this broken city.
······
Since the goddess of beauty left, the sun rises and sets, and sets and rises.
The golden chariot of the sun passed across the sky again and again, and soon, several days passed quietly.
On the city walls of Eleusis, more and more makeshift soldiers stood up.
Most of them looked unhappy, not only because they were not regular soldiers, but also because they felt that this war was totally incomprehensible.
They did oppose many of Athens' policies and did not like the Athenian king, but all this had not yet escalated to the point of war.
However, the development of the world has never been affected by the opinions of the lower class, so on this day, when the frightened soldiers thought they could survive again.
At the end of the sight, a black line became clear from blurry.
If there are thousands of people, the earth and the sky are connected; if there are tens of thousands of people, there is no end.
The army that came from afar split into three parts like flowing clouds and water and headed towards the three walls of Eleusis.
A cavalry of several thousand men was cruising around, seemingly on guard against soldiers who might suddenly rush out of the city.
However, looking at all this, the soldiers guarding the city felt that the other side was overthinking it.
The so-called "taking advantage of the enemy's unpreparedness and launching a surprise attack out of the city" also depends on one's ability. They had no doubt that even without the knights roaming outside, they would be easily defeated in the wilderness by the Athenian army that had been on the march for several days.
There was no way. Rebellion was rebellion, but Eleusis was not yet strong enough to secretly train its army before the rebellion.
At this time, the kingdom's garrison was composed of nobles and church guards, who led ordinary soldiers.
Such a makeshift army does not have sufficient tacit understanding and cooperation among its soldiers, and it is impossible for their will and blood to connect and resonate.
In this situation, they would be defeated in a field battle at the first sight.
Fortunately, Eleusis still has its walls.
The city walls of the mythological era cannot be equated with the stone walls built by mortals.
"…That's why it is said that a saint should 'move with the world.'"
"Even the military strategies of later generations cannot be simply copied here."
In the center of the army were the baggage, clergy and various witchcraft props.
While sitting on the frame, Ryan was also gradually becoming familiar with many things of this era.
For example, Athens generally did not use messengers.
Their witchcraft communications can completely replace human efforts, and only when they are disconnected will they use the most primitive method to pass messages.
Another example is the spellcasting group similar to the heavy artillery unit during the first two world wars in later generations. The clergy and wizards each have their own uses.
However, in the battlefield of the mythological era, they were all subject to various restrictions.
Just like it is difficult for divine magic to directly affect the enemy's military formation, this involves some issues of faith and will.
Although witchcraft can avoid this trouble, the manifestation of order in the national war greatly reduces the wizard's ability to use external elements.
They can only use more of their magic power to cast spells, which greatly reduces their ability to sustain attacks.
The combination of various factors and a series of more complex influences ultimately constitute the current human battlefield.
From scouting to logistics, from the ground to the sky, many experiences of later generations are not applicable here.
"Mr. Solomon, I heard that you are a disciple of Hermes?"
Looking at some city walls that were beginning to flash with various colors of light, Ryan asked casually.
In his field of vision, surrounded by all kinds of light, a pillar of light rising into the sky was looming, suspected to be the location of the Great Temple.
It seemed to be Demeter, she was still in the city and did not leave.
Could it be that she thought that as a true god in the world, Athens would consider some things more because of her?
That's a really naive idea...
"I dare not call myself a master disciple, I am just an apprentice of the master."
He bowed slightly. Although Solomon didn't know what this person who suddenly joined Athens and was entrusted with an important task by the new king did, he was still polite.
"Oh, no need to be modest."
"I've heard about the wonders of alchemy, but I heard that Mr. Solomon once came from Pislach?"
"Yes, but that was a long time ago."
Nodding slightly, Solomon had no idea what Ryan was asking.
"Well, Pislachi, what a wonderful place. I remember that Io was from this kingdom, but her whereabouts are unknown. So you are of the same race."
Ryan spoke calmly, not paying attention to Solomon's slightly changed expression.
Io was not a very good name for the Pislasians.
It was a symbol of them being played around by the gods, and some said it was the reason for their subsequent decline.
Even though Solomon hadn't lived there for long, the name still didn't sound very nice to him.
"Okay, no more small talk."
"Mr. Solomon, I heard that you brought with you a creation of Hermes that can break through the walls of Eleusis?"
Ryan changed the subject, as if it was just mentioned unintentionally, and got back to the business.
Solomon just frowned slightly when he saw this, and thinking about the teacher's arrangement, he didn't say much.
"Yes, this is a one-time war tool that the teacher spent a huge amount of money to make, but its specific effect has not yet been verified."
"But as long as it has 70% of the expected capabilities, the old antique walls of Eleusis should not be able to stop it."
"Very good, then let's get ready."
"We will launch a probing attack on the front, and if you succeed, the probing will turn into a real attack."
Nodding to show his understanding, Ryan did not show any greater interest in the 'experimental product'.
He stepped out of the carriage and looked at the armies that were gradually surrounding the three parties.
Logically speaking, the army had come a long way and had just arrived at the city, and it was still afternoon, which was not the right time to launch an attack.
But looking at the top of the city from afar, Ryan still waved calmly.
"According to the previous preparations, test their city defenses."
"...yes."
Someone responded respectfully, and soon the order was spread everywhere.
The next moment, Ryan saw the clergymen behind the central formation standing in position, holding up their scepters and chanting sacrificial poems.
"[heroic]--"
Wow——
Divine light instantly swept across the army formation, and the first large-scale war magic began to take effect.
The soldiers' physical strength that had been lost during the journey began to replenish themselves, while on the distant city wall, the Eleusinian defenders were in an uproar.
Obviously, this movement was not a rest, but a prelude to a siege.
Chapter 415 Sacrifice
"[Justice]——"
Weakens attacks that exceed the strength of the target, reducing damage when besieging heroes and facing large ordnance.
"[mercy]--"
When the patient is fatally injured, it can stimulate the patient's life potential, maintain vital signs, and reduce the number of direct deaths.
"[Fearless]——"
Reduce mental shock or fear, weaken the oppressive effects such as [Divine Pressure], and boost the morale of the army.
"[sacrifice]--"
The damage is partially distributed, non-material damage is deflected, the targets are dispersed as much as possible, and the degree of damage is reduced.
"[humble]--"
It enhances the recipient's ability to defend against damage to a certain extent, and the effect is regarded as covering a layer of light leather armor that protects against material damage.
"[honor]--"
The unique war magic of the Church of Knowledge is to gain "victory" by "defeating the enemy", "breaking the army formation" and "defeating the strong enemy" in the war, and then restore and temporarily strengthen one's own strength, becoming more courageous and victorious in every battle.
"…"
"…"
The order was conveyed, and the huge army formation started like a running machine.
The hymns floated in the sky and transformed into large-scale divine spells that fell on the thousands of people who were about to advance.
Contrary to what many people think, in ancient siege warfare, the number of soldiers attacking the city walls at the same time was not as large or dense as imagined.
Even if the city walls of the mythological era were taller and wider, they could not support a siege involving tens of thousands of people.
Various simple siege equipment has been prepared, and Ryan can see that large crossbows on the city wall have been prepared.
Perhaps these are things that should not appear in this era, but under various influences, they are beginning to show their grandeur.
"Come to think of it, this is the first time I've seen these large-scale combined divine arts used specifically for war."
"I didn't expect that many things would produce such results just after they were started."
Under the influence of the spiritual light that covered the battlefield, the already extremely elite Athenian army became even more stern.
In comparison, although the defenders of Eleusis also had similar means, they were far inferior.
This is normal. Compared with Athena, who has the power of war, the clergy of the goddess of agriculture are naturally not good at these things.
Even Ares, who also rules "War", and his church have been influenced by the gods.
According to records, the war magic of the Church of the God of War is more about enhancing the soldiers' fearless fighting ability.
It can make them forget their pain, be tireless and never look back.
But as for the survival rate... I can only say that this is not something they are good at.
"…"
"Boom——"
"Boom——"
"Dongdong——"
Drums beat and the armored soldiers began to advance.
The afternoon sun shines on the earth, and even the dust raised by it is clearly visible.
"Sir, I will go and prepare first."
Looking at this scene, Solomon felt a little excited for a moment.
Without seeing it with their own eyes, many people will not understand the shock and beauty of the collision between thousands of troops.
If it weren't for the fact that the debugging of the so-called "war machine" still required him to complete the last step and put the crystal stone given to him by Hermes into it, Solomon really wanted to watch this test here.
"Go ahead... I'm waiting for your good news."
Waving his hand slightly, Ryan also wanted to see what Hermes had researched over the years.
There are thousands of roads, but they all lead to the same destination.
The pinnacle of alchemy might even be able to reach the realm of creation. Although he couldn't change his path midway, it was always good to know something.
······
"Boom——"
"Boom——"
"Dongdong——"
The sound of drums makes people's blood boil.
Standing on the city wall, as a foreigner who was accidentally stranded here, Sevi had the opportunity to observe the war up close.
He was not originally a citizen of Eleusis, nor did he believe in the goddess of agriculture.
The reason why he can stand here is only because of his own request and special identity.
As a friend of Odysseus, the new king of Ithaca, who had traveled to many places, he originally intended to come here to buy a batch of food, but ended up encountering such a thing.
He had originally planned to leave, but a message from afar made him give up the idea.
He was to stay here, watch the battle, and then report what he saw to Odysseus.
This childhood playmate will finally achieve great things under the watchful eyes of God, just like the great heroes of ancient times.
And as his friend, I will do everything I can for him.
"...Mr. Savi?"
"What do you think of the Athenian army?"
An old female voice brought Savi back to his senses, and he couldn't help but reveal an apologetic expression.
He knew who was speaking. It was the person who brought him the news about Odysseus and who would protect him so that he could leave safely when the city was broken.
This is the clergyman of the Queen of Heaven, and a very important figure in Hera's church on earth.
The reason why the other party appeared here was naturally not just for himself, but more for Odysseus.
"Objectively speaking, Athens was indeed strong under Theseus."
"Of all the kingdom armies I have seen over the years, few can rival them."
"Especially the main god of Athens, the respected King of Victory. Her authority is too suitable for the development of a country and too suitable for the battles of the army."
"I'm afraid other respected princes are not as good as him in this regard."
Although he chose his words carefully, Savi frowned again.
"But with all due respect, I don't know whether their commander is inexperienced or he did it on purpose."
"But in fact, now is not a suitable time to launch an attack."
In the afternoon, the army set out on an expedition to attack the city.
When several items are added together, each one is a typical negative buff.
If it were Savi himself, he would definitely choose to rest for a night and set up camp instead of attacking hastily.
"Of course, given the huge gap between Athens and Eleusis, even if the opponent's commander did something inappropriate, I don't think the city can be defended."
"After all, you know... in the face of absolute power, skills are useless."
The evaluation was very objective. Although there was nothing eye-catching, the Queen of Heaven's priest still nodded with satisfaction.
She doesn't understand military affairs, and she doesn't care how much the person next to her knows.
But she had to ensure that this person could make an objective judgment of the current situation and then hand it over to the king of Ithaca.
As for the rest, it has nothing to do with her.
The gods recognized the bravery and wisdom of the Ithaca king and were willing to give him a chance.
As a priestess of God, she didn't need to question it, she just had to do as she was told.
"Well... no god is omnipotent. Even the great Queen of Heaven never said so about herself."
Her expression was calm. Although the god she believed in had already listed the other party as an enemy, as a priestess of Hera, the priestess still expressed respect for Athena.
This is also the norm among the gods. In the eyes of most gods, just because I can hate and insult another god doesn't mean that mortals can do the same.
Even if that mortal is blaspheming a god I hate, I will only crush the mortal who dares to blaspheme after mocking him.
This is especially evident for clergymen.
"So, Mr. Sevi, your evaluation is that Athens' hard power is indeed strong."
"But if they don't have any other means, then this kind of command means that the other party lacks experience, right?"
"Yes, this is also a very normal thing."
"After all, no one could have imagined that King Theseus would die so easily..."
Nodding, Savi confirmed the other party's words.
For a king who is young, strong and powerful, he often does not need to train the military level of the next generation.
Even if necessary, it is to train an heir.
But unfortunately, Demophon has now been sent away from Eleusis.
He will appear in the coalition as the 'Athenian representative' recognized by all countries in the 'Anti-Athenian Alliance'.
"If that's the case, that's much better..."
With a slight smile, Hera's priest felt that the news was good.
However, the next moment, the priest who looked old but was actually older suddenly froze in surprise.
She suddenly pointed in the distance and asked subconsciously, "What about that?"
"Mr. Sevi, what is that?"
"Um?"
Feeling a little confused, even though he didn't know what the other party was talking about, Savi still looked in that direction.
In the distant land, he seemed to see three wriggling shadows in a trance.
The shadows flickered, as if hiding something.
The next moment, as if sensing the gaze from afar, the three shadows froze for a moment, then suddenly raised up.
"What kind of monster is that?!"
His eyes blurred, and then Savi saw the other person's true face.
Those were not shadows, but three huge demons lying on the ground.
They looked like they were dead, but for some reason they were alive again.
Gradually, from stiff to smooth, they shook their bodies and looked at the city wall on this side.
"Mr. Sevi, do you recognize them?"
With a solemn look, the priestess said seriously: "Or, do you think this city is still safe?"
"If this were a real kingdom, I don't think these monsters alone could change the outcome of a war."
Taking a deep breath, Savi calmed down.
He carefully assessed the current situation. In fact, his best judgment of Eleusis was to hold out for only seven days.
"But now, they have definitely accelerated the process."
"This city is on the verge of collapse."
"In that case, please stay closer to me."
On the city wall, soldiers from the two countries were already engaging in close combat, with shouts of killing ringing in their ears.
But the priestess turned a blind eye to this, as she was not here to guard the city.
"Let's take another look. If the respected goddess of agriculture doesn't intend to do something... I will take you away."
The three demons, although they look huge, are actually nothing.
This is a typical lawn mowing tool, but in the eyes of any powerful person of a certain level, it is just a prop for fame.
······
"Buzz——"
As the last crystal fell into the body of the third giant beast, Solomon breathed a sigh of relief.
Having followed Hermes for so long, he probably knew what his teacher was doing.
Although the ultimate goal is not very clear, the process is still understood.
Hermes wanted to make these crystals 'come alive', but the living thing could not be the original consciousness inside.
He hoped that those who survived would be a group of tools that he could use and deceive. At least before he achieved a certain goal, these survivors would temporarily obey his orders.
Solomon didn't know what these crystals were originally, nor did he know what Hermes was going to do with them.
He only knew that the other party encountered various difficulties in the process of trying to awaken these crystals.
The most crucial point is that if the soul power transmitted into it is too little, it will not be able to be assimilated by the will inside.
If there are too many, the souls will be too "complete" and the crystal will instinctively identify them as enemies instead of things that can be assimilated and absorbed.
In desperation, Hermes had to make one last preparation, which was a blood sacrifice.
If the soul power is too little to be assimilated, then let it maintain the state of 'losing some' and 'recovering' some until it succeeds.
Previously, due to his shallow understanding of the soul, Hermes was unable to make up for the soul's power on a continuous basis.
But as he discovered the blood sacrifices of nature spirits and some deep connections between the soul and the body, this problem seemed to be temporarily alleviated.
"It seems that those Eleusinians thought this was some kind of war beast? Maybe."
"It's just that it was originally a sacrifice. It was just recycled in the process of 'sacrifice' and can be used as a weapon in war. By the way, the lives killed also become part of the sacrifice."
He stretched out his hand and took out a bottle of silver liquid from somewhere.
Solomon dripped it into the bodies of the three beasts in turn, and then heaved a sigh of relief.
The blood sacrifice has naturally solved the problem, but what comes with it is that if that soul continues to accept blood sacrifices during the process of assimilation, it is likely to be contaminated with some bad nature.
For example, love of flesh and blood, or brutality by nature.
So if you want to drive them, you can no longer use ordinary methods, but you have to put chains on them in advance.
Fortunately, the silver liquid in his hand was a kind of 'chain'.
It will become part of the new consciousness as the blood sacrifice proceeds.
"Go ahead. The demon's blood is just a trigger. Go and break through that city."
"After all, the teacher is not a demon. The trace of soul power he left behind can only be best restored by accepting the blood and energy of fellow humans... Well, that should be the case."
Looking at the giant object shaking slightly in front of him, Solomon couldn't help but feel a little envious.
Power, life, everything is at the teachers' fingertips.
He was so wise and knowledgeable... but it was a pity that his own talents were much worse.
Although compared to others, he was already a rare genius in the world, but compared to his teacher, Solomon felt like a world of difference.
"But I'm still young."
Shaking his head, Solomon stopped thinking about it.
He is far from seeing the end of himself, so even if he is a little slow, it doesn't really matter.