Prometheus was gone.
And so, Alistair and Persephone left the Sea Realm.
Death Queen Island.
After departing the Sea Realm, the two returned to Death Queen Island.
"Dust," Persephone said, her lips curving into a radiant smile. "This time, our gains were truly beyond expectation. Who would've thought Prometheus held so many treasures?"
Alistair remained calm, a faint smile playing on his lips. "I had a hunch."
"Back then," he continued, "Prometheus chose to challenge Zeus. A main god facing a God-King? It'd be strange if he didn't have thorough preparations."
"But…" Alistair rubbed his chin, a trace of awe in his voice. "To think he possessed the Greek Pantheon's Divine Canon—that's something I never expected."
Persephone dutifully handed the Divine Canon to Alistair.
He toyed with the tome, his smile growing wider.
"Though," he mused, "this single Divine Canon alone isn't nearly enough for me."
"But it will certainly shorten the process of igniting my divine spark."
Alistair hadn't anticipated acquiring this Divine Canon.
Still, sometimes the best outcomes come unexpectedly.
This Divine Canon was a remarkable gain.
"However," Alistair shook his head, a touch of regret in his voice, "using this Divine Canon merely as fuel to ignite my divine spark feels far too extravagant."
He had to admit it.
A pantheon's Divine Canon, even if from a parallel universe, was still a Divine Canon—more than significant enough.
If he could analyze it, study it, the potential rewards would be immense.
Persephone, however, disagreed. "What's there to regret, Dust? Your growth is what matters most. If this Divine Canon can elevate you, that's more than enough."
Alistair shook his head, then nodded. "It's not so simple."
"At the very least, a single Greek Pantheon's Divine Canon offers limited benefits."
"But…" His eyes gleamed with ambition. "If I could obtain the complete Greek Mythology Divine Canon, now that would be a true harvest."
He shook his head again. "For now, Persephone, store this Divine Canon. It's not particularly useful yet."
Persephone had no objections.
Alistair wasn't in a rush—or rather, he wasn't desperate.
For him, tossing a single pantheon's Divine Canon into the fire to fully ignite his divine spark was impossible.
Thus, there was no need to burn it just yet. Who knows? It might prove useful later, perhaps even enhanced or completed.
Using a mythology's Divine Canon to ignite his divine spark or to craft his own original canon—Alistair had plenty of ideas.
But, as always, he reminded himself: take it slow. No need to rush.
"The Divine Canon, the Fire of Humanity, civilization systems…" Alistair mused, tallying their gains. "These are all highly valuable."
Truthfully, he'd expected Prometheus to offer something substantial, but this much? It was beyond imagination.
"Dust, it's time to head back," Persephone prompted.
"Mm," Alistair nodded.
In an instant, their figures vanished, returning to the Pure Land of Bliss.
Everyone had woken up, resuming their tasks.
Well, almost everyone—except for that utterly carefree, languid goddess.
Demeter leaned against the doorframe, eyeing the two. "Dust, Persephone, you're back? I thought you'd play until the very end before returning."
Alistair sighed helplessly. "Demeter, what kind of image do you have of me?"
"Oh, you know…" Demeter's flame-red lips curled into a teasing smile as she glanced at him playfully.
Persephone shook her head, exasperated. How had her mother become like this?
Truthfully, Persephone understood.
Her mother had simply let Alistair's darkness fully ignite within her. Normally, as Alistair's subordinate god and kin, she could perfectly control or even absorb darkness.
But Demeter? She didn't bother, letting the darkness flood her as if she didn't care.
In short, she was… swept away?
Yes, that seemed the right way to describe it.
Alistair shook his head and entered the room.
Demeter and Persephone, the mother-daughter duo, followed, exchanging quiet words.
A moment later, Demeter tapped her lips thoughtfully. "Now that I think about it, Prometheus's release went unnoticed by anyone."
"That…" she continued, "seems rather pointless."
She turned to Alistair. "Dust, if Prometheus's return doesn't stir anything, this game won't get as chaotic as you'd hoped, will it?"
Honestly, Alistair felt a spark of irritation watching this goddess.
No joke.
For some reason, this woman always managed to set his divine spark ablaze.
It was absurd.
Taking a deep breath, Alistair's lips curved into a dangerous smile. "That's not for us to worry about, Demeter. Right now, you should be concerned about something else."
"Oh?" Demeter feigned fear.
Alistair stood, his tone growing more menacing. "Demeter, you should focus on how to protect yourself."
"Daughter…" Demeter turned to Persephone, not calling her by name but as her child.
Persephone's eyes were filled with exasperation.
Mother!
Are you asking for help?
Or are you just fanning the flames?
It was obvious—Alistair's divine spark was fully ignited!
That terrifying divine fire would consume them both until it was satisfied.
The God of Darkness's roaring flames engulfed the two goddesses once more.
This time, Alistair was determined to teach this subordinate god a lesson. Constantly challenging her god-lord? What was her motive?
The battle in the Pure Land of Bliss wouldn't affect the mortal world.
Tap.
Tap.
Soft footsteps echoed as someone entered the Sanctuary.
Prometheus gazed at the Sanctuary before him, whispering, "How many years has it been? So long… I haven't set foot here in ages, Athena…"
He fell silent briefly, then shook his head.
The past was his failure. Whatever had happened, it no longer mattered.
But Prometheus felt guilt toward Athena. If not for his failure, his schemes, perhaps she wouldn't be reduced to Olympus's watchdog.
"Sigh."
A thousand words condensed into a single, helpless sigh.
"Who's there?" A voice rang out, catching Prometheus's sigh. A figure appeared instantly, clad in radiant Saint Cloth—clearly a God Cloth.
Andromeda Shun!
Normally, even with a God Cloth, could a Saint maintain their Cosmo at the Eighth Sense's peak indefinitely?
Impossible.
But this didn't apply to Seiya, Shun, Shiryu, Ikki, and Hyoga—these anomalies.
Seiya was the reincarnation of the Pegasus God, wielder of god-slaying power.
The other four?
Each was a goddess's guardian.
Since the Age of Myth, their births made Holy Wars remarkably easy, almost trivial.
In this era, with all four guardians born simultaneously, it was fated that this Holy War would end conclusively.
Hades, too, would face total defeat in this Holy War.
"Andromeda," Prometheus said with a warm, refined smile. "Please inform them. My name is Prometheus."
"Prometheus?" Shun's face showed shock. He knew who Prometheus was.
Never would he have imagined Prometheus appearing here.
Still, sensing the divine power in the frail figure before him, coupled with a strange sense of familiarity, Shun nodded and sent a Cosmo message.
Soon, another figure appeared—Shion, smiling warmly. He bowed slightly to Prometheus. "Greetings. This way, please."
"Good," Prometheus nodded, and the two walked deeper into the Sanctuary.
The Goddess's Temple.
Saori Kido gazed calmly at the arriving Prometheus.
Shion bowed. "Lady Athena, I'll take my leave."
Saori nodded, and Shion departed.
Looking at Prometheus, her voice was clear, like a nightingale's song. "Prometheus, it's been a long time."
Prometheus shook his head. "Athena, indeed, it has."
"Athena, huh…" Saori shook her head. "Just call me Saori Kido."
"Saori Kido?" Prometheus paused, studying her with a sigh. "You've made your choice. You must know, even with this choice, your chances of failure are still incredibly high—almost impossible to succeed."
"I have no choice," Saori said quietly. "Whether it's me or any other god, we have no choice."
"In the past, when Zeus reigned, we had no say."
"Later, when Apollo became God-King, it was the same."
"Now, with Persephone as a God-King, the options are even fewer."
"But no matter what, I have the potential to become a God-King. It's just a matter of whether I can succeed."
Saori saw things clearly, her perspective honed over countless years.
From the Age of Myth, she had served Olympus as a pawn for far too long. She was done.
If she wanted change, she had to seize it herself.
Rely on a god's mercy?
Please.
Gods had no mercy. They'd greedily devour everything, never giving anything back.
"Zeus is gone, Apollo became God-King, and now Persephone is a God-King," Prometheus said, sighing helplessly. "Saori Kido, you know your choice is dangerous. In this game between two God-Kings, one misstep could doom you forever."
"It's meaningless," Saori replied, shaking her head. "These things don't matter to me. I can only make this choice."
"It's dangerous, but it's also the best opportunity. Seize it, and I can take a step forward."
"If I let this chance slip…" She paused. "In the future, no matter who wins or loses, such an opportunity won't come again."
Saori's clarity was absolute. "Is my mother still alive? I don't know. But I can't pin her survival on others—Zeus, Apollo, Persephone. Gods' lies aren't exactly rare, are they?"
"In the end…" Prometheus sighed deeply, then mused, "But this path, Saori Kido, you have a chance to walk it. At the very least, you have the potential to become a God-King."
"Abel, Ares, you, and Apollo—all of you have that potential."
"Prometheus, how did Persephone become a God-King?" Saori asked.
"I don't know," Prometheus replied, shaking his head. "I don't have the details. She's a God-King—someone of my status can't possibly discern how."
"But it's strange. Among the fourth-generation gods, only you four should have had that potential."
Saori nodded. "Yet Persephone succeeded."
"Exactly," Prometheus said. "That's why I can't judge clearly. I'll leave you what I have and go."
"Persephone released me to make this game more chaotic, more interesting."
"Staying in the Sanctuary would only cause trouble."
He hesitated, then spoke gravely. "Saori Kido, remember: it's not Apollo you should fear. He's just a figurehead pushed onto the divine throne, a lucky joke."
"The real danger is Persephone—and Zeus."
"Or rather, the one hiding behind Persephone."
"I'm leaving."
Prometheus left behind his words and a gift, then departed.
He couldn't linger—staying would only bring greater trouble.
Besides, Prometheus didn't feel he owed Saori Kido anything. His loyalty was always to Metis alone. A devoted follower, he cared for nothing else.
"…"
"Prometheus," Saori murmured, falling silent briefly.
She knew him well—too well.
To Prometheus, she was never a priority, nor was her brother.
His sole focus was her mother.
A textbook devotee, perhaps?
After Prometheus left the Sanctuary, news of his return spread instantly.
***
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