The Peloponnese Peninsula, Mount Taygetus.
A herd of elk with sleek, golden coats grazed and drank in the forest, their bright eyes lifting now and then to scan their surroundings. The most striking among them stood upstream—a long-horned elk nearly two meters in length, drinking from the clear spring and enjoying a patch of lush grass all to itself. Its antlers, branching gracefully like trees, exuded an air of natural majesty and wild beauty.
Yet, the herd failed to notice the two pairs of watchful eyes hidden in the nearby bushes—or the sharp bronze arrow resting on a drawn bowstring, its tip gleaming with lethal intent.
Hmph. Chased you all day, and finally caught you.
Beneath the cover of leaves, Athena arched her body slightly, eyes narrowing as she fixed her gaze on her prey. The arrowhead aimed precisely at the elk's front leg while she pursed her lips in concentration.
If I weren't trying to capture it alive, this would've been over long ago.
The Goddess of Wisdom inhaled and exhaled steadily, her muscles moving in rhythm with her breath. When her focus reached its peak, she drew the bowstring and released in one smooth motion.
The arrow shot forth like a meteor, slicing through the air.
Clang!
At that instant, from a gentle slope opposite her position, a strong gust surged. Grass fragments—severed by a flash of golden light—fluttered down through the air. Almost simultaneously, two arrowheads collided midair with a piercing metallic screech.
For a brief moment, they clashed in stalemate before the weaker bronze arrow shattered, scattering shards in every direction. The golden arrow, though sturdier, lost its momentum under the impact and veered off, embedding itself crookedly into a nearby tree trunk.
"Moo!"
Startled, the herd bolted in all directions, panic flashing in their eyes.
Hum—
But the divine aura spreading from both sides crushed seven or eight of the smaller creatures to the ground, their legs buckling as they trembled violently.
"Who's there!"
With a sharp cry, two figures leapt from behind the bushes at almost the same moment, their eyes tracing the path of the arrows back to their source.
"Hey, you over there! Why did you snatch this lady's—my prey!"
The first to speak was a petite girl with long silver hair cascading over her shoulders, about 165 centimeters tall. Her hunting bow gleamed with golden inlays and gemstone embellishments. She wore a long dress that shifted from deep red to white toward the hem, and light red hunting boots that matched perfectly.
Athena's eyes flicked over her outfit, her expression thoughtful. Exquisite design, top-tier materials, and flawless craftsmanship. The fabric was layered with complex magical arrays and encoded runes—enhancing its capabilities for tracking, detection, concealment, and more.
Tch. A goddess of Olympus? What's she doing in the mountains of the Peloponnese instead of staying in her temple?
"What do you mean, 'snatch'? I found this prey first. If you don't believe me, come closer and smell it—it's covered in the tracking scent from my trap."
Even though Athena had a good idea who the white-haired girl was, she refused to yield, meeting her gaze with calm defiance.
The stag king was cunning. The Goddess of Wisdom, who had long dealt with wild beasts and magical creatures on Mount Taygetus, had been caught off guard. The trap she'd hastily set had its bait eaten, allowing the animal to escape. Still, her customary precautions preserved her pride and the reputation of her wisdom.
Now, the silver-haired girl stepped closer, bow still in hand. As she caught the faint but lingering fragrance clinging to the elk's fur, her expression grew darker.
"Are you sure? May I proceed?"
Athena asked calmly, not waiting for the hunting maiden's reply before stepping forward with composed certainty. She secured the noose around the small creature's neck.
Yet the moment Athena began to pull, the noose's end was seized by a pair of white arms.
"You cannot take the prey. I am Artemis, Goddess of Nature and the Hunt! The creatures of this forest belong to me!"
The silver-haired girl's fair face tightened, her expression haughty as she uttered her divine name.
"So what if you're a goddess? Does that make it yours? Did you give birth to it, raise it, teach it, or protect it? Born of nature, nurtured by nature—whoever sees it first, it belongs to them. That's fairness!"
Athena turned back with a cold sneer, refusing to back down, a flicker of contempt deep in her eyes.
Hmph, the little brats of Olympus—just like their fathers.
The Goddess of Wisdom, using her height advantage, looked down with disdain. Yet when her gaze fell upon the two bulges straining against the tight-laced chest of the white-haired brat opposite her, her expression darkened.
Tsk. A mere 165cm tall, yet certain parts weren't exactly small.
"You!"
At that moment, Artemis saw the girl across from her. Hearing her divine name, the girl showed no inclination to bow her head in reverence. Artemis's breath caught in her throat, anger boiling over as her grip tightened further.
Rip!
As the two strained against each other, the rope, unable to bear the tension, snapped instantly. Both bodies swayed, then steadied themselves, their gazes locked and heavy with hostility.
"It's mine! It's mine! You can't have it!"
"What? Not reasoning anymore? Resorting to outright theft now?"
With cold snorts and furious glares, both goddesses simultaneously swung their arms forward.
"Boom!"
Their fists collided, unleashing rolling waves of force and a piercing sonic boom. Dead branches and fallen leaves were swept up, spinning through the air before shattering into fragments mid-flight.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!
Artemis stumbled back seven or eight steps, each footprint sinking inches into the ground and radiating square cracks around her. Only then did she steady herself, her slender arms throbbing with numbness and pain. Her blood surged; her cheeks flushed alternately red and white.
Athena, poised in the Pankration stance, remained firmly rooted to the spot. She slowly withdrew her power, then hooked her index finger forward with a hint of provocation.
"If you want to steal it outright, you'll have to prove you've got the skill!"
"Fine. Then whoever grabs it first, it's theirs!"
The proud Artemis, equally enraged, drew her bow without a word, nocked an arrow, and fired.
Athena's right hand shot up, catching the arrow aimed at her left shoulder blade with pinpoint accuracy. Her fingers tensed, and with divine might, she snapped the golden shaft clean in two.
"Shorty, now it's my turn!"
"Mother ape, don't get cocky!"
The two silver-haired goddesses clashed head-on, each roaring with fury as they engaged in fierce combat within the dense forest.
Having experienced Athena's terrifying explosive power and close-quarters combat technique during their earlier exchange, Artemis decisively widened the distance. Drawing her hunting bow, she shot while moving, fully exploiting an archer's agility.
Whoosh!
Golden light tore through the air. As the Goddess of Wisdom swung her arm forward, the divine power enveloping her fist shattered layer by layer the moment the arrow's white tip flashed.
Fortunately, Athena's combat experience was vast. She shifted her stance with a small step, sidestepping the arrow's trajectory with composed precision.
Thud!
The arrow embedded itself in a cypress tree, its tail feathers vibrating with a low hum. The wounded trunk was enveloped by a gray aura as the bark blackened, split, and began to decay.
Purification? Curse?
This is troublesome. Time to get serious.
Athena's expression remained calm as she raised her Aegis Shield in one hand and her bronze spear in the other. Blocking and striking, she planted her foot and charged forward.
Even unleashing the might of the Purification Bow and Plague Arrow couldn't bring her down! Damn it!
Trapped in a bind, Artemis frowned deeply, gritting her teeth in fury.
At the same time, the shockwaves and thunderous clashes from the goddesses' battle rippled outward, sending forest birds scattering in panic.
Something's wrong!
Dozens of gazes from both sides instantly converged on the site, figures darting swiftly toward the source of the commotion.
...
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