"Level 12, but this level doesn't really matter to you. You just need to keep leveling up to get stronger," the system said.
"It won't cap at level 99, will it?" Linley asked.
"You're a god; gods' power is limitless," the system replied.
Good, Linley thought, recalling his reason for coming. He then asked, "Was there any force on the island that threatened me earlier? Why did the settlement take so long?"
"Crete is a big island," the system said. "You need to find out the specifics yourself."
This means there are still forces resisting on the island, but it's unclear who exactly. It could be Roman soldiers gathering, or other ambitious individuals. Linley didn't have time to investigate; he needed to return to Dionysus Island quickly. The Roman fleet sent to hunt him down was whereabouts unknown; encountering them halfway would be extremely dangerous.
If he had more time, Linley could free slaves, coerce nobles, and find hidden followers, turning Crete upside down. However, the current situation wasn't too bad; at least he had made a fortune. He came with forty ships and left with over a hundred, loaded with various treasures. More importantly, he gained new followers, not just Minotaurs but also quite a few human believers.
"Where are you taking me?" Sevia asked.
"To Dionysus Island," Linley answered.
"What do you want to do with me? Claim me? Don't be delusional, I will never submit!" Sevia said.
"You're too ugly; I'm not interested," Linley said deliberately.
In reality, Sevia was quite beautiful, especially her physique, with well-toned muscles likely honed for her role as an assassin. However, Linley truly had no interest in her, especially since she had almost killed him.
"Who are you calling ugly?" Sevia snapped.
"Lord Linley, who is this?" Pandora asked curiously as she boarded the Nemo and saw Sevia.
"This is Hermes' daughter, my temple bride," Linley said.
"Bride...?" Pandora's face immediately changed. "I should have known; how could a god not have a betrothal? Hermes is one of the main gods after all..."
"She's an assassin sent to kill me!" Linley said irritably.
"What? Are you alright?" Pandora asked, immediately concerned.
"I'm fine, just injured," Linley said, covering the wound on his chest.
The regenerative abilities of a god's body were strong. The large wound had mostly healed, leaving only a thin bloodline visible, though it still ached. Linley had also lost a few fingers, which had already grown back.
"Oh my god!" Pandora exclaimed, covering her mouth as tears welled up and fell onto the deck with a tinkling sound. Linley quickly collected her tears, instinctively comforting her, "Don't cry, I'm fine..."
After comforting her, he realized his mistake. He shouldn't have told her to stop crying; he should have encouraged her to cry more. Pandora's tears were very useful. It was thanks to her tears that they had managed to kill the archangel. Although Pandora couldn't set foot on land, her contributions were significant.
"Damn foreigner!" Sevia said disdainfully.
"Have you forgotten your identity?" Linley retorted.
"I constantly loathe the false god bloodline within me," Sevia replied.
"Maybe you feel restricted in the temple, but think about it, you might not have survived outside," Linley said.
This might be persuasive in barbarian territories, but not in the Greek world. Greece had been peaceful for over a hundred years, and commoners lived well. Of course, slaves had harsh living conditions, but they were usually barbarians captured by Roman soldiers.
Sevia grew up in the temple from a young age and had almost no chance to experience the hardships of the common people. People who grow up in such privileged environments often overlook the most basic survival conditions, taking everything for granted.
"Not free? You think my only problem is a lack of freedom?" Sevia questioned, "Do you have any idea how I became an assassin? Do you know how much I wish I were just a regular kid from an ordinary family?" She continued, "I endured the most brutal training just to use divine powers freely as a demigod."
"A normal but wealthy family, one that doesn't have to work and never gets bullied," Linley retorted.
"Even commoners don't starve," Sevia insisted.
"Commoners not starving is just a recent fluke in the Greek world," Linley responded coldly.
This fluke won't last long. As the Roman Empire splits and weakens, the Greek world will plunge into chaos. In a few hundred years, the Aegean islands will be fought over by the Eastern Roman Empire and rising Asian empires. The wars between the Seljuk Turks and the Ottoman Empire will be bloody. When the Ottomans finally retreat, they'll massacre Greek elites to weaken Greece and prevent revenge.
"You act like you're so powerful, but you're just a lucky outsider who inherited the god of wine's role," Sevia said disdainfully.
"I'm way more powerful than you think," Linley smiled slightly. He not only has a system, but also knowledge from modern society. Too bad he didn't study hard back then, or he could have made firearms by now.
"I'm just a demigod, and I almost killed you," Sevia said.
"Then who's the one lying on the ground unable to move now?" Linley asked.
"It's only because you have that treasure. Without it, I would've killed you long ago," Sevia remained unconvinced.
She was so close to success. If her sword had pierced Linley's heart just a bit more, she would've won. The power, faith, and even the Linley himself would have vanished.
"Treasures are also part of one's strength. Even Zeus uses a lightning spear in battle," Linley said.
"Holiness doesn't need anything!" Sevia retorted.
"Have you seen Holiness? Do you know he doesn't use weapons?" Linley asked, "If he really doesn't use weapons, why did he give Moses the Ark?"
"What Ark?" Sevia was confused.
Is the Holiness here different? Is there no Ark here? Linley felt a bit uneasy.
"You don't even know the Ark of the Covenant?" Bell curled his lips, "Have you read Holiness's scriptures?"
"So what if I haven't read them? I often listen to Martini tell me about them, and he never mentioned any Ark of the Covenant," Sevia argued.