"Brat, make sure you really comprehend what you've been given. There won't be many peaceful days ahead." Jamil gave him a final word of warning before turning and waving his hand, heading out the door.
"Yes! Thank you, Lord Jamil!" Jiang Chen immediately stood up and escorted him to the door.
Only after watching Jamil leave did Jiang Chen return to his room. At this moment, even Jiang Chen himself found it hard to calm down. After all, that was none other than the Goddess of Wisdom, Athena, one of the Four Future Sovereigns.
His thoughts swirled endlessly. Eventually, his gaze settled once more on the golden scepter in his hand.
"The authority of life and death..." He murmured softly. A thought stirred in Jiang Chen's mind, and he couldn't help but recall a certain figure, in this era, the only one who could truly be said to rule over life and death was likely King of Hell, Hades.
But he quickly shook his head.
Clearly, this scepter's control over life and death could not be compared to Hades'.
After all, Hades was a true Sovereign, and not just that, he was one of the strongest Sovereigns, already touching the realm of Divine King authority.
In comparison, the Goddess of Wisdom Athena was still far from that level.
If even Athena herself hadn't reached that level yet, then how could any authority she bestows surpass it?
Still, even without being related to Hades, this item was far from useless.
On one hand, now that he possessed this scepter, he no longer needed to rely on the Power of Time for healing.
On the other, his Seventh Sense was now mostly perfected. Instead of continuing to refine the Universe's Time and Space, the more appropriate path was to try breaking through to the Eighth Sense, reaching a higher level.
And with this scepter, that path should now be easier to tread.
His gaze instinctively drifted toward the Sacred Mountain in the distance.
In that instant, it was as if he could see across infinite space, to a stunningly beautiful woman seated at the summit, Athena at the Lookout.
"Hoo…"
Jiang Chen exhaled a deep breath and shook his head, collecting his scattered thoughts.
He turned and reentered his room once again, resuming his training.
Sacred Mountain – Athena's Sanctuary
There, Athena's form glowed softly with divine light, her eyes gazing toward the heavens above.
"Is it about to begin?" She spoke gently, her beautiful face showing a touch of reflection.
There were some things others might not know… But Athena knew very clearly, a great upheaval was about to sweep across the continent.
And the reason was simple, her so-called "father" was no longer content to be a mere figurehead of a Divine King. He wanted to become a true Divine King, perhaps even ascend to the status of the Lord of the Gods, like Chronos (Kronos / Chronoganos), the God of Time.
And once that happened, the entire Pantheon would inevitably be dragged into a massive war, one that would most likely begin with the Olympians themselves.
This upcoming turmoil… may very well surpass even the war that once drove out the Titans.
No, it may be even more terrifying.
"Come out… Poseidon." Athena's thoughts shifted as she furrowed her brows and looked toward the void, her serene voice echoing.
"My dear niece… you don't seem pleased to see me." A light chuckle responded to her call. A moment later, a middle-aged man with flowing golden curls slowly stepped out of the void.
Swoosh!
As soon as his figure appeared, the entire area was filled with the roar of mighty crashing tides.
An overwhelming divine aura immediately spread throughout Athena's Temple.
Buzz--!
A ripple spread out.
The next instant, Athena's body glowed with gentle light, instantly repelling the man's divine presence.
"You… you've broken through too?" The man's voice was tinged with surprise as his gaze settled on Athena.
Within his pupils, Poseidon's pupils, a flicker of shock could be seen. Among this generation of the Olympians, Athena's growth in power had unquestionably been the fastest, nearly rivaling Apollo himself.
"Poseidon… you've never been welcome here." Athena replied flatly, unconcerned by his surprise.
"That's truly troublesome. After all, this is your father's order. Could it be… you plan to defy your father's command?" Poseidon's earlier surprise faded, his tone once again turning into a playful chuckle.
"Hmph! Poseidon, I can cooperate… but don't you think you owe me an explanation about Medusa?" Athena snorted coldly at his words, her tone icy.
"My dear niece, you wound me! I'm your beloved uncle, and she was just a mere mortal." Poseidon's voice remained light and amused.
But while Poseidon chuckled, Athena simply stared at him calmly, saying nothing, her silence carrying an unspoken pressure.
"Athena, are you serious?" Poseidon's smile faltered. He frowned, his expression gradually turning colder under Athena's calm gaze.
"Since you haven't made up your mind, then get lost! Poseidon." Athena's voice rang out once more, still calm, yet filled with immeasurable might.
The next instant, a majestic Cosmo erupted, crashing down like a tidal wave onto Poseidon.
"Are you mad?! Damn it!"
Swoosh--!
Poseidon's expression changed. He cursed under his breath as his own vast Cosmo surged to meet the attack. The roar of crashing waves echoed in all directions as Poseidon's divine power over water was summoned.
Boom!
Rumble--!!
Two terrifying Cosmos exploded into collision and their massive clash shook the entire sky.
Athena attacked with zero restraint from the start.
Caught off guard, Poseidon was immediately suppressed.
"How…?! Your power--?!" Poseidon stared in disbelief.
Even if it was due to his being unprepared, Athena's strength was overwhelming, shaking him to the core.
But no matter how shocked he was, Athena did not stop. The void around them began to collapse, turning into chaotic space and time distortions.
Their battle spread from Sanctuary into the fabric of the void itself.
The terrifying fluctuations were invisible to mortals, but the gods could feel them clearly.
"Those two are at it again." A light chuckle echoed through the void.
"Let them fight. Best outcome, one of them dies. The Olympian pantheon has always been unruly." Elsewhere in the void, another divine voice joined in.
At the very center of the world, where the Sacred Mountain of Olympus stood, countless golden clouds floated through the air, and flower petals drifted gently across the sacred land, rendering the mountain exquisitely divine.
Seated atop a tall and imposing throne, the Divine King Zeus sat, frowning slightly.
His gaze fell downward, watching the scene of Athena and Poseidon's battle unfold.
Even Zeus hadn't expected this.
He hadn't expected that Poseidon and Athena would clash once again.
Originally, he had carefully planned his next move, but now… things had once more become complicated. Because if Poseidon and Athena remained locked in battle, then the next phase of his grand plan would be difficult to enact.
(End of Chapter)
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