Boom——
Under the tall city walls, soldiers continued to advance like black lines.
But on the city walls, Eleusis' defense had already become loose and chaotic.
This was not only because of the obvious gap in strength between the two sides, but also because of the demon that was stepping on the ground and gradually approaching the city wall.
The demons are dead, but their bodies themselves are the most terrifying weapons.
And looking at Eleusis, they have no heroes who can fight against it.
So just as mentioned before the war, a test turned directly into a real battle to break the city.
"roar--!"
boom--
Without any plan, the first creature to approach the city wall was a monster with a human body and eagle wings.
There was water vapor surrounding its body, as if it was a monster living on the sea.
Perhaps when it was alive, this mermaid, who was suspected to have the blood of the father of all monsters, was able to stir up waves and storms.
But now it can only use its body as a weapon and crash into the towering city walls.
"Ah—help me!"
"No!"
"Die—monster!"
"…"
In an instant, screams and shouts rang out one after another, and the priest's magic was no longer as powerless as it was when facing the enemy's army.
For this non-human life form, dozens of divine arts containing fluctuations of holy power instantly tore open holes in its body, and a large amount of blood gushed out like water.
It is conceivable that if the creature being injured at this time was a living thing, it would probably have already begun to retreat.
But alas, dead things know no fear.
And as disposable tools, Solomon didn't cherish the idea of using them.
"...These three are all strange beasts that the teacher and the previous king killed in the ocean. They are still a little inferior on land."
"Otherwise, even if they are dead, they should still be able to control the waves instinctively."
Looking at the city wall in the distance, Solomon perceived that streams of blood were rushing towards the giant beast from all directions.
Every soldier killed contributed to this, no matter which side he was on.
The demon with a human body and eagle wings was in front, and the demon corpse that looked like a mermaid was following closely behind.
In front of these giant beasts that are hundreds of feet long, humans indeed seem much smaller.
For a moment, Solomon couldn't help but have some inspiration.
If only he could create equally gigantic steel statues, letting them rampage across the battlefield with their invulnerable bodies.
Which country in the world can resist such a force?
"No, there are still too many technical difficulties."
Shaking his head, Solomon's eyes lit up at first, but then he gave up the idea.
The steel giants are like demons... Let's not even talk about how to make them move and how to provide them with energy.
Just the materials needed are an astronomical number.
Maybe someone will be able to do it in the future, but at least for now, it is impossible for such a "demon colossus" to be born.
boom--
The ground beneath his feet seemed to tremble slightly, and Solomon looked up.
It turned out that the corpse of the leading demon ignored the increasing number of wounds on its body and directly climbed over the city wall.
It rolled into the city and began the final killing in its life.
Of course, if nothing unexpected happens, it will never come back.
"It looks like everything is going well... huh?"
The demons risked their lives to open the first gap, and the subsequent soldiers naturally climbed up the city wall using the ladders.
No one thought that Eleusis could hold out for long, and the only thing worth worrying about was that the gods might want to create some trouble here.
So when Ryan saw the fighting breaking out on the top of the city, he thought everything was over.
But to his surprise, a familiar yet unfamiliar wave suddenly emerged in the center of the city.
"Well, everything went well."
With a smile and just a moment of identification, Ryan was sure that it was the breath of the abyss.
Maybe Hera, maybe Aphrodite, who knows?
But in any case, they probably didn't know very well.
The creatures of the abyss do like destruction and killing, but the gods of order are always at the top of their list of targets of hatred.
But it's hard to say, maybe they are aware of the consequences, but the goddess of agriculture itself is also included in their calculations.
…
"Duk—"
Tap--
Demeter paced around the temple anxiously, feeling a little upset.
The shouting and screaming from outside the city had already been heard, and she also noticed Aphrodite's departure.
She knew that she would not get any support, but she still held on to a strange hope and a sense of luck.
What if, what if Eleusis blocked the enemy's attack... So she tacitly allowed her priests to participate in defending the city, but she did not go herself.
On the other hand, even if the city was breached, since she did not take action but stayed in the temple as a true god, those Athenians should not dare to do anything to her, right?
I'm not sure, but I don't want to leave.
Because Demeter knew that if she was not here, there would be no "what if", but it would be a certainty.
So just like a gambler, even if he faces declines or failures every day, he will not choose to let go because of too many sunk costs.
But he still has a little bottom line and is not willing to give up everything for it.
That's why Demeter rejected Hera's request and did not use her power to affect Athens' harvest.
But that's how it was, the more she struggled in her heart... Taking a deep breath, Demeter swung the scepter in her hand, and used great force to push the cups on the table to the ground.
"Pah—"
The sound of the cup breaking and the shouting and killing outside complemented each other, and the act of destruction barely relieved some of the irritability.
Anyway, just wait.
As mere mortals, with the example of Sisyphus before their eyes, would they really dare to do anything to the gods?
No, they would not.
Perhaps Theseus dared, but he had already died...
Boom!
"Who? Who?!"
Wow——
Demeter turned around suddenly and her expression changed drastically.
Just now, a huge force hit her temple.
The next moment, a slightly hot breath came from the outside, occasionally mixed with some pungent smells.
At the same time, another influence on the mind comes upon us, just like the desire of Aphrodite that seduces all living things.
"Ka——"
"Ka-ka—"
"boom--"
First there was a series of difficult sounds, followed by a loud bang, and the dome of the temple was torn apart.
Looking up, what appeared before Demeter was a life she had never seen before.
A pair of bat wings flapped behind him, and flames danced in his blood-red eyes.
The tail dragged behind it, and the hands were covered with claw marks like those of a wild animal.
It felt somewhat familiar. From the enchanting appearance of the life in front of her, Demeter seemed to have found some characteristics that she had seen not long ago.
That was Hippolyta, the Amazon queen, the bearer of Aphrodite's rebellious divine descent.
But now... the opponent's body is surging with a powerful force that is no less than that when God descended.
Moreover, this power seems so isolated from the world.
"This is—how dare you!"
By this time, Demeter already knew what was going to happen.
She subconsciously flew into the air, trying to get away from here and avoid the battlefield.
However, she was just an agricultural goddess, and speed was not her strong point at all.
Then the bat wings flapped slightly, and the demon with only desire and destruction in his eyes came in front of her.
The flames surrounding the body began to burn in all directions. Although they could not kill the gods, they could burn down palaces and buildings.
Even if you stand outside the city, you can clearly see the flames rising into the sky.
"Aphrodite!"
Although she knew that this was definitely related to the other party, Demeter really had no way out now.
Because the other party's intention was obvious. She wanted to keep her temple and no longer participate in this war?
That was impossible.
If you want to be a coward, Aphrodite will destroy your shell first.
As for whether Demeter would rebel against Athens in a fit of anger, that was even more unlikely.
In the conflict between the goddess of agriculture and the goddess of beauty, she is the one who suffers.
In her conflict with Athens, Athens was the one that suffered.
Are you willing to beg for reconciliation with a mortal who killed your father, or are you willing to put aside the conflict and continue to stand on the side of Olympus?
"Boom!"
There was no time to think, the demon's attacks came one after another.
Demeter discovered that perhaps because of accepting other powers, the life in front of her was being rejected by the world, and her thinking did not seem so clear.
Once enough time has passed, perhaps she will be expelled from the world of the living.
Or regain consciousness and have the possibility of communication.
But in any case, Eleusis would probably be destroyed before that.
At this time of siege, no other force could help Demeter kill the monster.
After all, before, she might have just been a carrier of divine power.
But now, she is a demon infused with the power of the abyss.
Even Aphrodite still had a lot of power left in her... This huge city was destined to be reduced to a sea of fire.
"Aphrodite - you are going too far!"
An emerald green light flickered on the [Golden Staff of Wheat Point], struggling to resist the burning flames.
At this moment, Demeter felt as if she had returned to a long time ago, when she first came to Eleusis.
At that time, there was no agricultural church, and I was bringing the first winter to the world.
And at that time, just like now, I was forced into a corner.
It's a joke no matter which direction you go.
"boom--!"
There was a loud crack, as if the city's grain storage area had exploded in flames.
I watched the city that was prosperous not long ago become a mess, and watched the few traces of myself in the world turn to ashes.
For a moment, Demeter seemed to have made up her mind.
"Aphrodite, wait a minute—"
brush--
Demeter flew up, looked at the city in the distance that was about to be breached, then turned and left.
There's no need to stay here anymore, but Aphrodite, do you think you've won?
"You can't win."
"Since you are so ruthless..."
"Then I will make you a laughing stock in heaven and on earth!"
Demeter knew that she had no ability to retaliate against others, and she knew that Aphrodite knew it too.
But what no one knew was that it was also here, in that heavy snow.
There was another promise that she kept with her.
Chapter 417 The Real Person Shot
"Now that the city gate has been breached, the rear troops should not move, and the front troops should enter the city."
Outside the city of Eleusis, Ryan gave calm instructions as he watched the golden shadow rising from the ground and the red figure chasing after it.
As a result, the army formation outside the city immediately split into two and pressed towards the city wall, which was no longer able to fight back.
The last person who could have influenced the outcome of the war left - although there would have been little point in not leaving.
After all, she is the goddess of agriculture. With the help of divine power and relying on her ability of "strong enough to make bricks fly", Demeter may still have some fighting power.
But when the power is restricted to the same level, even the gods of the underworld, who have never been taken seriously by the Olympian gods, may be able to beat up one of the twelve main gods.
Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, or the god of the north wind, east wind, and south wind.
These true gods with only weak divine power can easily defeat Demeter in the human world. It can only be said that there is a reason why she is not taken seriously by other gods.
This is why Aphrodite was so unscrupulous, because she didn't need to worry about the consequences at all.
"good."
"The war weapons you prepared are indeed unique."
The huge stone door was opened, and there was some blood on the ground.
Walking into the city of Eleusis, Ryan came to the fallen body of the beast.
Runes invisible to the naked eye flickered on the skin, and wisps of red aura gathered from the surroundings.
The war is over, but the 'sacrifice' continues.
"This is all thanks to the teacher. I am just a manipulator."
"Also, Eleusis seems to be experiencing internal turmoil. Their defeat is an inevitable result."
Solomon explained calmly without taking credit.
As expected, the blood sacrifice was a success.
Everything went smoothly except that the newly born consciousness might be slightly affected in form by these demons.
But when he looked at Ryan in front of him, a strange look flashed in his eyes.
The sacrificial ritual is not a high-end occult technique, but rather a very common one.
Although Hermes' alchemical runes have been hidden as much as possible, it is still easy for people to see the clues.
Solomon didn't know the origins of this person who suddenly appeared in Athens and was inexplicably trusted by Andrea, and whether he had seen anything.
Maybe the previous king knew something, and maybe my teacher also knew something.
But at least for Solomon, he only had a hint of exploration in his vigilance.
Extraordinary wisdom is the most precious wealth of mankind. Solomon has always deeply agreed with this proverb passed down in the church of knowledge.
"Anyway, you did a good job."
"The effects of alchemy... also opened my eyes."
With a slight smile, Ryan looked at the burning city in front of him.
There were wailing and crying one after another, but it was obvious that neither he nor Solomon cared about it.
"Is there anything you would like as a reward?"
"this..."
Solomon was stunned for a moment. He didn't know what the person in front of him meant, but he still subconsciously declined:
"I am just completing the work assigned by the teacher. Besides, playing for Athens is what I should do."
"Well, well, I understand your loyalty to Athens."
"So let's put it another way, Solomon, what difficulties are you facing?"
Still smiling, Ryan continued, "In fact, I have always been interested in alchemy, but it also faces many limitations."
"For example, thinking, soul, changing space, and distorting reality. These are all things it cannot do at present."
"It is currently just an auxiliary to the extraordinary system, not the mainstream."
"Even your teacher, he became a wizard first, and then studied alchemy on that basis."
"One can learn from others' experience to polish jade. This shows that problems that cannot be solved in the field of alchemy may be solved through other means."
"…"
There was some silence, and Solomon became alert.
However, looking at the corpse of the giant beast in front of him, he thought about it and felt that there was no need for him to refuse again and again.
Maybe the other party did see the ongoing sacrifice and therefore tried to test him. Then he would just accept it.
Anyway, no matter what he says, I won't do it.
"If that's the case, Lord Ivan, I do have some doubts."
"All living things have emotions, and they express their emotions through joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness."
"Just like this city, soldiers were fighting each other and flames were burning down large areas of houses."
"Pain, anger, and hatred spread among people, bringing about all kinds of love, hate, and vengeance."
After straightening his expression, Solomon asked sincerely,
"In your opinion, are emotions innate or acquired?"
"If it is innate, then what kind of emotions does the newly born soul have? Is this emotion the truest emotion of human beings?"
"If it is acquired... then for life, is emotion a help or a shackle?"
Half of them are random problems, and the other half are also affected by some environmental factors.
This was the doubt that Solomon had when he realized that the consciousness was gradually infected by blood and becoming violent and bloodthirsty.
One of the goals of alchemy is "purity", but what exactly is purity?
If a mortal's soul is assimilated by a true god and becomes a part of him, is this soul sublimated or polluted?
"Emotions... probably acquired. As for whether they are helpful, I can't say for sure."
"But I think that compared to the world, perhaps emotions are the biggest advantage of life. Of course, they may also be a disadvantage."
"In short, without experiments, we are not qualified to draw conclusions. No one can be sure of the answer. I do know a special kind of witchcraft that can collect the emotions emitted by life."
"Perhaps with its help, you can find the real truth."
My heart was moved slightly. The question raised by Solomon was a bit like the philosophical thinking about human nature and divinity in later generations.
For a moment, Ryan couldn't give any accurate answer.
But he didn't originally intend to answer this question. He just wanted to see whether this guy with a special name was just a coincidence or if there was really something special about him.
The name "Solomon" is an indispensable part of many legends in later generations.
If at this moment when fate has not collapsed, there really is some kind of restraining force in the dark, then the other party should also have something special.
"I hope it can help you. You don't have to refuse. It's just a very unpopular witchcraft."
Handing over a book, Ryan strode forward.
"I'll leave the rest of the city's affairs to you."
"I will leave a small number of soldiers behind, and the rest will set out in two days to the west of Athens to meet the challenge of the nations."
······
brush--
Bang--
A pale golden halo streaked across the sky and then fell on an unnamed hill.
Demeter looked a little disheveled, but soon returned to normal.
Along the way, she was unable to shake off the pursuing demon.
On the contrary, she was chased for a long distance under the opponent's wings.
Fortunately, the devil seemed to be naturally rejected by the order of the human world, and she was eventually expelled from this space and time.
Although she didn't know the other party's whereabouts, Demeter finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"call--"
"Demophon..."
With a changing expression, the prince of Athena who betrayed his father reminded the goddess of agriculture of her adopted son of the same name.
He should have won eternal life in the flames, but in the end he could not escape death due to the ignorance of mortals.
If the other party had not encountered an accident at the beginning, perhaps he, who was born extraordinary, could have successfully become a famous demigod hero in the world.
It's a pity that there is no if in reality.
The old Demophon was dead, killed by his own hands.
The queen's desperate and painful expression is still vivid in her mind, but Demeter has no regrets at all.
It's nothing strange that mortals are so ignorant.
The only pity is that Eleusis is now lost in his own hands.
"There will be a better city in the future, just a city with unbearable memories for me..."
"Maybe this is a good thing, from now on, I'll have better ones."
After comforting herself, Demeter took out a thin incense stick.
This was made before they parted using the method left to her by those two gods who were not very powerful but had mysterious authority.
Take four portions of frankincense, two portions of benzoin, and two portions of incense respectively.
One part cedar and ginger, with half part vetiver, cardamom, cinnamon, juniper berry, iris and cedar, plus seven dried raisins, a few drops of wine, honey and lotus scent.
They are processed according to different time sequences and rituals, then the hay is crushed and left in a sealed container for two weeks, mixed with essential oils, wine, grapes, etc., and left again.
After a month of waiting, the final incense stick was finally made.
After that day, Demeter prepared these things early.
"This is the power you promised me, the power to distort the spirit and will of the gods."
"The power of mortal emotions can only cause a god to sink temporarily."
"But the hatred and pain that comes from a god can actually bind another god."
"Even if this isn't forever..."
Reach out your hand and light the incense stick in front of you.
It was already dark, and it was afternoon when Athens arrived at Eleusis.
In the dim light, Demeter's expression did not show hatred, but instead a hint of expectation.
"Don't let me down, come and see me soon."
"This time, I will completely get rid of the shame of the past."
Before, she had witnessed the power of that magical golden arrow.
For one life to fall in love with another from the bottom of its heart is a force that defies logic.
Before this, she had only heard that no one could lie before the sword of the goddess of justice, and that Aphrodite's belt could confuse other people's minds.
After all, the thoughts of gods are so noble that they cannot be influenced by ordinary things at all.
Only a power above the level of the true God could possibly have an impact on it.
The goddess of justice once touched the origin of the world through "legislation" in ancient times, and Aphrodite is suspected to have enjoyed the legacy of God the Father or some other existence.
But even so, these are only temporary effects. It is the first time she has seen a divine weapon like the Twin Golden Arrows.
Making one person fall in love with another, or making one person hate another from the bottom of their heart... perhaps this is also a gift from the world.
But with such power, can she only use it as a one-time tool to retaliate against others?
"Of course not. This is just the most wasteful use. I have a better way."
"Not everyone in this world is Poseidon."
The memories obtained were not good, but the goddess of agriculture still smiled proudly.
At this moment, Demeter felt that what Athena said made sense.
Extraordinary wisdom is indeed one of the most precious treasures of life in this world.
Even if I can't compare to Athena, if I think about it for a long time, I will occasionally have a flash of inspiration.
Chapter 418 Prisoner
Tsk...
On the hills under the night sky, specially made incense burns slowly.
The smoke filled the air, dispersing and gathering, forming various shapes.
As if restricted by some mysterious force, all the smoke was confined within a certain range. Whenever they drifted to a certain height, the smoke would disappear out of thin air, as if it had dispersed into another space.
Suppressing the tension in her heart, Demeter was sure that the smoke in front of her was not affected by any supernatural power, but it still showed this peculiarity.
So excluding other possibilities, there is probably only one reason for this phenomenon.
"That's right."
"Just as you thought."
"That's the rule."
Snap——
The smoke dispersed and turned into an illusory portal.
As two somewhat childish voices sounded one after another, Volos and Eros walked through the door one after another.
However, what surprised Demeter was that, just like when she first met them, the two mysterious gods in front of her still looked to be about eleven or twelve years old.
Time seemed to have stopped for them, and they seemed unable to grow up.
The appearance before them was their true form as gods, and there was no way to change it.
"Don't be so surprised. The purest love and hatred in the world are often born at this age."
"Younger ones don't understand, and older ones are inevitably contaminated by all kinds of distracting thoughts."
"The true nature of gods is often affected by authority and their mentality. You should be very clear about this."
With her eyebrows raised slightly, as if she could read someone's mind, Eros said calmly.
And beside her, Voros followed closely behind.
"Go ahead, come as promised, we have an arrow left for you."
"Tell us your goal, no matter who it is, we will accomplish it for you."
"After this is done, we will have nothing to do with each other anymore."
There was no extra emotion, just like facing an ordinary mortal. The Gemini's attitude was so cold, but Demeter did not feel offended.
Because even after just a few brief encounters, the goddess of agriculture was aware of the other person's character.
If Aphrodite's disdain for her was directed only at her, then the Gemini's contempt was directed at everyone.
It was not targeting anyone, nor was it anything special to me. This gave me the feeling that I had only seen a few times, the Moon Goddess.
It does make people feel a little uncomfortable the first time, but after getting used to it, it doesn't seem that difficult to accept.
"good."
Seeing the twins who came as promised so straightforwardly, Demeter forced a smile and asked, "If that's the case, then I'll just say it straight."
"I do need an arrow, and I need you to fulfill your promise to me. But first I want to know, what is the upper limit of your power?"
"There's no upper limit, at least not to your needs."
With the corners of her mouth slightly raised, Eros smiled and said, "But you know that our arrows are extraordinary because of revenge, and powerful because of hatred."
"With your power, the arrows shot with your 'hatred' can only bind the existence of the true God realm. If you want to target your God King - I can only say that it will be useful, but it is definitely not as useful as you think."
"Of course, if you really want to challenge yourself, I won't stop you."
"That's not necessary."
Shaking her head, the goddess was a little disappointed.
If the arrows of the twins of love and desire could restrain the great divine power, Demeter would probably wake up laughing in her dreams.
However, it is not surprising to get such an answer. After all, that kind of qualitative change cannot be easily crossed.
Or in other words, if they can really break the restrictions so easily, then I should be afraid.
"Then you two, I have another question."
With a twinkling look in her eyes, Demeter asked again: "Does the emotion aroused by your arrows vary from person to person?"
"Of course, it is very difficult to distort the will of the true God, but if it is just to amplify some emotions, it will be much easier."
Voros nodded after hearing this, and Eros then added: "Just like the target of your current hatred, Aphrodite."
"Her belt is such a magical artifact that can arouse the desires of those who see it."
"For those with strong and unrestrained desires, its power may be beyond imagination, but conversely, it is not so useful. Do you understand?"
"...Of course, I understand."
He nodded again, and the thoughts in his mind became clearer.
Demeter looked up at the exquisite, lifeless twins.
Innocent and full of curiosity, likes to joke but has no limits.
If one had not seen it with one's own eyes, who, not even the Olympian gods, would believe that there is a god with such divine power?
Fortunately, I am now the one who is qualified to use this arrow.
When such power becomes a help, she is no longer afraid.
"You two, I have made my decision. I want a golden arrow. I want the person who is hit by it to love me forever, for at least a thousand years. Can you do it?"
"Got it. What's your goal?"
Eros curled his lips, feeling somewhat disinterested as he saw that he would not have the chance to use his lead arrow.
But the next moment, Demeter's words made her mouth open wide.
"Athena."
"Ah?" x2
"What did you say?" x2
"I mean, my target is Athena."
She repeated again, although her voice was calm, Demeter tried hard to suppress the smugness in her words.
I let you show this kind of attitude in front of me every day. Now, you are also shocked, right?
······
"..."
"You…"
"…"
The scene was quiet for a moment. Just as Demeter thought, both Volos and Eros were indeed shocked.
You know, the twins already had some understanding of Demeter's current situation when the incense was lit and when the mist filled with resentment reached where they were.
It is normal to feel resentful and unwilling, and it is also normal for those who are weak to desire power.
Therefore, they had a lot of ideas before coming, and even made a bet on how she would save everything.
Let Aphrodite fall in love with the hundred-armed giant? Let Apollo, who was unattainable by the goddess of beauty, become Demeter's servant?
This is all possible and a smart approach.
But they never expected that they would hear the name of a goddess, and it was Athena.
"Why, is there something wrong with what I said?"
"As I recall, Athena is not a great power, and your arrows don't say they can't be used on goddesses."
Demeter smiled and spoke, feeling extremely satisfied.
The goddess of wisdom Athena. When this name was uttered, Demeter couldn't help but say that extraordinary wisdom is indeed the most precious wealth of life, and this wealth does not belong exclusively to the goddess of wisdom.
Yes, that's right, just as Gemini guessed, she was planning to find a helper for herself.
He is strong, capable, willing to do things for her, and unlike Poseidon, he does not understand love as possession.
As long as we have such a helper, it will not be difficult to deal with Aphrodite and her ilk.
Apollo is actually a very good choice, and Demeter still affirms the character of her nephew.
But then again, it was when she thought of Apollo, a god whose appearance was recognized by both men and women, that the goddess of agriculture suddenly had another idea.
Yes, who says love must be between a god and a goddess, or between a goddess and a god?
Not to mention others, isn't her brother Zeus an example? Recently, the news that he has fallen in love with a mortal boy has spread widely in the God Court. There are even rumors that the God King will grant him immortality and let him replace Hebe as the cupbearer of the gods.
Although the rumors are just rumors for now, they are evident, so it's no wonder that Demeter would have other ideas.
What's more, in Olympus, moral male gods are rare, but there are many goddesses.
In this case, the thought of changing one's nature suddenly occurred to Demeter, and the world became wider. It's not that Apollo was bad, but choosing Athena was more open to Demeter.
"So, this is what I want."
Demeter smiled and even analyzed: "The trouble I am facing now is from both Athens and Olympus."
"Before, I was more or less responsible for Theseus' death. In this situation, even if I am willing to side with Athens, the result may not be good."
"I'm not sure if she will take revenge on me later, and Athena may not trust me, but now, one arrow can solve these problems."
"So this is what I ask for, and I hope you can fulfill it for me."
"Well..."
Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Volos had already taken out the golden arrow, but he retracted his hand under the gaze of the goddess of agriculture.
Shoot Athena... is it that fierce?
It's not impossible, but Athena is a little special. So even they don't know exactly what the result will be after shooting their arrows.
"Well, Demeter, regarding this... we hope you will consider it carefully."
After hesitating for a moment, Volos explained: "It's not that I can't fulfill your request, but the authority of wisdom does have an advantage in curbing these emotions."
"Although I don't know what this goddess is doing recently, when I met her by chance more than a hundred years ago, she gave me the impression that she was more terrifying than the Lord of the Ocean."
"So what you're saying is that you can't fulfill your promise?"
Slightly stunned, the Goddess of Agriculture didn't expect that her perfect plan would be hindered before it even began.
In response to her questioning, Volos had no choice but to explain: "It's not that it's not possible, but the results are relatively unknown."
"We promised to shoot you an arrow, but the consequences must always be made clear in advance."
"Athena...is really not a good choice."
"…"
Demeter was a little reluctant, but she had no choice. After all, as the other party said, they promised an arrow but not its effect.
If something really went wrong, she didn't trust Gemini to be in charge of after-sales service.
There was no way, the best option was gone, Demeter couldn't help but ponder for a moment.
Will she choose Apollo again?
Except for Athena, she didn't want to choose any of the gods who might participate in the Battle of Athens.
And most importantly, although Apollo is powerful, on the one hand he has no power of his own, and on the other hand he still has the job of driving the sun chariot.
So this wasn't actually a good choice... Demeter just wanted to get revenge on Aphrodite and get out of this.
"Starry sky or Hades, choose one, these two places are the safest."
"But the Underworld is Pearl's place, and ever since she married Hades last time, she seems to have become quite distant from me..."
Shaking her head, Demeter looked up at Voros with this thought.
"Okay, as you said, in that case, I'll try another option. I hope you won't have any more problems this time."
"No, there aren't that many exceptions among the gods."
He breathed a sigh of relief and recalled the gods within his known range.
Volos was sure that there would be no exceptions, and even if the other party chose Hera this time, it would not be a problem.
"But then again, I'll tell you in advance. The arrows that entangle lust must be forged with your blood filled with hatred."
"Demeter, are you ready?"
"certainly."
If for others, they hate a certain person, then the arrows they shoot with their hard work can only be effective against their enemy.
But Demeter's hatred was not so much towards Aphrodite as it was towards her own current situation and her desire for power and status.
So without hesitation, Demeter took the golden arrow from Voros and stabbed it into her chest.
And when a powerful god sacrificed his own blood to the arrow, this originally dazzling artifact could not help but dim.
Blood-red lines spread on it, and some kind of power lost in the world was attracted by it and began to slowly gather together.
"Tsk, now you are decisive."
Pursing her lips, Eros lifted the hair beside her ear.
"Will she get what she wants?"
"Maybe... yes."
"…"
The sound gradually faded away, and in this deep night, the golden arrow symbolizing love was forged once again.
······
The next day.
In the city of Eleusis, Ryan looked at the ruined temple.
The power of the abyss was still lingering above, and he was somewhat surprised that Aphrodite had quietly established a relationship with the abyss.
Of course, the reason why he came here today was not because of the abyss.
That was the Midgard Serpent's business, not his.
The reason why Ryan came here was actually because of a person who had just been arrested here.
"According to your investigation, he is not a guard of Eleusis, but he is sneaking around the Temple of Agriculture."
"In terms of strength... he seems to be a high-level professional, but he did not resist when he was arrested. Is that right?"
Ryan asked casually after looking through the information obtained after a brief interrogation.
"Yes."
Solomon nodded slightly.
"What's his name, and why is he here?"
With a strange look on his face, Ryan asked again.
"Um..."
The messenger had already said it, but he asked again. Solomon was a little surprised, but he still replied: "It is said that he came to save the trapped goddess."
"This is his mission, and the mission is to rescue the trapped goddess of agriculture from the evil Athenians."
"But you know that we haven't caught the goddess of agriculture. As for her name..."
After thinking for a while, Solomon confirmed:
"Although it is a bit strange and does not conform to the common naming rules. But according to his own words, he is indeed called 'Hercules'."
"We suspect he is related to the enemy country, but we have no evidence yet. We will just keep him in custody for the time being and wait for your summons."
Chapter 419 Witness (I have something to do during the day, so I will post it at night. I will try to post tomorrow's as well)
Crash——
In the city of Eleusis, in a house not far from the temple.
The tall young man stood up and paced a few steps, then sat back in his seat.
The small room was temporarily converted into a prison cell, and the chains on his hands made noises as he walked.
The young man could notice that his every move was being watched by the soldiers around him.
Their eyes were alert and fearful.
It was as if the person in front of him was not a young man, but a ferocious beast.
"...I should have been more careful, otherwise I wouldn't have gotten into such trouble."
Hercules sighed secretly and felt a little regretful.
But he actually understood that he was not good at hiding his whereabouts.
Moreover, compared with being arrested, what confused him even more was the purpose of his trip.
Where was the goddess of agriculture, who was unwilling to give up her sanctuary on earth and chose to stay in Eleusis?
And there were the 'arrogant and arrogant Athenians', who Hercules thought he would see attacking the temple of the gods.
However, perhaps because the goddess of agriculture herself had abandoned this place, the Athenian army not only did not do anything to these temples, but also participated in the fire-fighting project.
The demonic fire that contains the breath of the abyss is difficult to extinguish, but in front of these Athenians, it was easily solved.
So for a moment, Hercules, who had just suffered a major blow in his life not long ago, was a little confused.
Following the guidance he received, he committed an unforgivable crime.
Therefore, he needed to show his extraordinary ability and wisdom to the gods, and preventing the Athenians from attacking the temple of the goddess of agriculture was one of his tasks.
Whether by words or force, as long as he could get the Athenian army to leave the temple alone and not try to imprison the goddess of agriculture, he would have succeeded in his mission.
But now, it seems that he has succeeded without doing anything.
After all, from beginning to end, the Athenians did not seem to be interested in a temple without gods.
"Actually, this result looks pretty good... But since the Goddess of Agriculture isn't even here, have I really completed my mission?"
"After all, I haven't even seen the goddess up to now, let alone help her."
Crash——
He stood up again and took two steps dejectedly, causing the chains to make a series of noises.
In order to further confirm the whereabouts of the goddess of agriculture, Hercules was discovered by patrolling soldiers.
They seemed to think he was a dangerous person, so they detained him on the spot.
Hercules did not resist this, because compared to this mission which was completely different from the description of the gods, he did not care much about being imprisoned.
After all, Hercules didn't feel threatened by these shackles or these soldiers.
He can leave here anytime if he wants.
But what really made him choose to stay was that he heard that there were powerful alchemists among the top leaders of this army.
A wizard may not necessarily be an alchemist, but at least the alchemists of this era must be wizards.
The impression of wizards in the Western countries of the continent is that they are evil but wise, knowledgeable and keen on exploring the unknown.
As for Hercules at this time, he just wanted to communicate with a being with extensive knowledge, so he simply allowed himself to be imprisoned.
"Hoo—are you here?"
He let out a breath, and as time passed, Hercules keenly noticed that someone was approaching outside the temporary prison.
As expected, the top brass of the army noticed him, which is why he made no secret of the purpose of his mission.
Hercules was not a reckless man, on the contrary, he was actually very smart.
In the original myth, he was such a person.
The twelve trials were not always accomplished by force, so since the gods did not ask him to keep his trials secret, there was nothing wrong with attracting the attention of the Athenians.
"Bang——"
The door was opened and someone walked in.
The officer, who seemed to be of some status, looked at Hercules and then waved his hand.
"Are you Hercules?"
"I am."
Nodding in response, Hercules also looked at the officer who seemed to have a stronger aura but was still fragile.
"Since it's you, then come with us. Someone wants to see you."
"Saving the goddess... you're the only one who can make that up."
There was a bit of disdain, but the officer tried not to show it.
He ordered the shackles on Hercules to be opened, and then motioned for him to follow him.
As for whether the other party would be able to resist after the chains were opened...what a joke.
It's impossible. Even those world-famous heroes cannot move freely in the army during a national war.
Well, absolutely not.
Feeling that his judgment was correct and after confirming that the person was not wrong, the officer turned around and led the way.
······
tread--
Tap--
In the empty temple, footsteps came closer and closer.
Ryan was standing not far from the statue that had collapsed in the previous battle, admiring the exquisite murals on the dome of the temple.
It has to be said that the existence of supernatural powers has made great progress in the art of this era.
This kind of relief-style architecture, in particular, is much more technologically advanced than its contemporaries.
The entire mural is exquisite and solemn, depicting the history of the agricultural church.
Those who played an important role in the development of the church are all here, and this is also the last trace they left in the world.
tread--
The footsteps stopped not far behind him, and Ryan turned slightly to shift his attention away from the mural.
In front of him was a tall young man with a strong build and a sharp gaze.
Just like the sculptures of ancient Greek gods in later generations, it displays a masculine beauty.
"Criminal Hercules?"
Asking despite knowing the answer, or just confirming again.
However, the young man did not feel anything wrong. After all, he was already unknown in the world.
"I am, but I'm not a criminal."
"Since arriving in this city, I have not violated any Athenian laws, or does your rule mean that any foreigner in Eleusis at this time is a criminal?"
It was as if some key words were triggered. Apparently, Hercules was very sensitive to the word "criminal" nowadays.
He could not deny his crime of parricide, although even he himself did not know why he did such a thing.
But beyond that, he would never admit to any sin that was not his.
"Yeah?"
"So you think that if you haven't made any mistakes, you're not a criminal and shouldn't be punished?"
"Isn't it?"
Hercules asked back, but Ryan just smiled and pointed to the murals on the dome of the temple.
"Have you heard of the history of the founding of the Agricultural Church?"
"certainly."
Although the history of the founding of each church is not remembered, the stories about agricultural churches are widely circulated because of the famous Eleusinian Mysteries.
Hercules naturally knew this. This is a story that proves the greatness of gods and the stupidity of mortals.
"If that's the case, then Hercules, the warrior who thinks he's innocent, I'm here to ask you -"
"Since you know this story, the prince who died, the goddess who brought the snowstorm, and the fate of each of them."
"So what do you think is their sin?"
Ryan responded with a smile, his tone neither hurried nor slow.
"The queen who lost her child, the prince who died, the goddess who was raped by the God-King and gave birth to children, they may have done wrong things, but they were all before the disaster. After they actually committed the crime, they were not punished."
"So what is the basis for establishing punishment and crime?"
"Because these are indeed unjust actions, but the king is the one who sets the order."
Hercules frowned, but such questions had explanations in this era.
Although not everyone agrees with this explanation, it is indeed one possible explanation.
"They can stipulate whether a thing is sinful or not, and then he and everyone else will abide by it."
"The God King did not stipulate that raping gods is a crime, and the King did not stipulate that gods killing mortals is a crime. So their subsequent actions are naturally not crimes..."
"So in your opinion, if something is not considered a sin by the law, even if it violates the world's morality, folk customs, and the concepts in your heart, does it not need to be punished?"
Interrupting, Ryan actually didn't know why this version of Hercules completed the trial.
In the original storyline, he committed the crime of filicide under the temptation of Hera, but now he should not have any children.
But God's methods are limited to those, so even though it's unclear, there probably won't be much difference.
"Yes."
Nodding in acknowledgment, Hercules said, "Since the rules don't stipulate that, then-"
The voice suddenly stopped, and at this moment, the young man suddenly realized a problem, because he himself seemed to be the same.
He did commit the crime of parricide, but the laws in the classical era often varied from country to country and from case to case.
And although people will make rules to make up for a mistake after it happens, they rarely learn from it.
Therefore, after Tantalus, mortals only listed "killing one's children" as a major sin, but did not stipulate other similar behaviors.
Of course, there may be a factor here that the God-Kings of all generations were persecuted as "sons", and then the sons killed their fathers.
In short, from a legal perspective, Hercules is actually innocent.
But this does not mean that he can convince himself, because at the same time, people of this era do not attach as much importance to the law as imagined.
Just like in the Han Dynasty in later generations, when a commoner killed someone to avenge his father, officials and people praised him and did not consider it a crime.
The more classical the era, the more morality is above the law.
So even though he did not break the law, Hercules still admitted his mistake from the bottom of his heart.
"...Okay, you're right. I admit that mistakes are not only those that are legally binding, but what do you want to say by telling me this?"
Looking at Ryan in front of him, the young man's expression finally became serious.
In the young man's heart, he has always been proud.
Although he rarely showed it, from an early age, when Hercules realized his unique powers, he knew that he was different from others.
Just like he stayed in this city occupied by the army without fear, and then faced the commander of this army with an equal attitude, which was actually a kind of subconscious arrogance.
It was not until now that he truly took this little-known Athenian seriously.
"I just want to say that in your heart you actually recognize your own morals more than other people's rules, right?"
"But the education you received since childhood tells you otherwise, so you feel constrained by it."
Nodding in his heart and looking at the reaction of the young man in front of him, Ryan was sure that he guessed correctly.
However, after all, he was still not sure what the "crime" the other party had committed this time, so he only touched upon it briefly and did not go into it in depth, but changed the subject.
"Well, whether you are a 'criminal' or not, young man, I can sense the extraordinary potential in your body."
"You are a very capable person, and your previous so-called mission, 'saving the trapped goddess of agriculture', no longer exists at all."
"So what are you going to do next? Continue to complete the so-called 'mission'?"
"...Yes, but before that, I would like to ask you a question. After all, I have heard about the wisdom of the Athenians."
There was a moment of silence, and Hercules put aside the argument about the 'criminal'.
And he remembered the reason why he chose to stay in Eleusis, and he also remembered the god who appeared before him in his pain and despair.
In fact, Hercules felt that the timing of the appearance of the God of West Wind was a bit of a coincidence, but he was sure that the other party could not affect his mind, even if he was a powerful god.
So he accepted the other party's trial request, but Hercules did not show much trust in the promise of the God of Wind.
However, mortals have their limitations. Even if he possesses innate powerful strength, he still cannot make up for the gap in knowledge with the ancient gods.
So he had to place his hopes in Athens, a kingdom famous for its wisdom and knowledge.
"Questions? Of course."
With his eyebrows slightly raised, Ryan smiled and said, "There is little in this world that I don't know."
"Whether in heaven or on earth, in the past or in the future."
"Of course, the pursuit of knowledge always comes at a price. So what do you want to know, and what are you willing to pay for it?"
"I came here to find the secret of 'resurrection from the dead' and a way for mortals to avoid death."
With his eyes sparkling, Hercules said solemnly: "If you can solve my doubts and help me find a way to accomplish all this, then please let the sun, moon and endless stars in the sky bear witness for me."
"Hercules will certainly repay your favor and defeat your enemies for you, as long as this does not violate the morality in my heart."