She didn't interrupt, allowing her other self to recount the past.
However, when the human's research was mentioned, the girl in the red dress frowned.
This was another characteristic of the Three-Phase Incarnation; they often had completely different views on the same matter due to their differing natures.
For instance, as the original Hecate, her personality leaned more towards 'Chaotic Good'.
So, when she noticed the human's choice, she actually disliked him deep down.
In contrast, Hecate in the blue dress was the true God of the Arcane Web, and her nature was more aligned with the essence of the Arcane Web.
Regardless of good or evil, justice or depravity, the Arcane Web was equally open to all who were willing to follow its rules, no matter who they were.
Even if someone used the power of the Arcane Web to attack her subordinates, the God of the Arcane Web, she would not revoke their right to use the Arcane Web, unless they attacked her directly—this wasn't because she felt she was special, but simply because it violated the Arcane Web's most fundamental order, as harming the Arcane Web's creator was equivalent to destroying the Arcane Web itself.
If one were to measure the nature of the girl in the blue dress using a nine-grid system, her alignment would be 'True Neutral'.
Everything unrelated to her, be it gods or humans, as long as it didn't hinder the development of the Arcane Web or touch upon her fundamental being, then 'existence was its own justification'.
So, despite not being able to fully accept the thoughts of her other self, Hecate in the red dress had to admit that for the Arcane Web, this was the God it needed.
"It's just a pity that intelligent beings still have too little presence now."
"Although they can provide faith, even a destroyed past still possesses some kind of power, but it's still too insignificant."
"As individuals born later, they are as tiny as dust; and as a race, as a whole, they have not yet occupied a sufficient position in the world for their 'existence' to support a Great Divine Power level symbol."
"Otherwise, as the Arcane Web's existence deepened step by step into all aspects of intelligent beings, I wouldn't have to wait until the changing of eras to seek its relative 'completion'."
"But there's nothing that can be done... After all, if it weren't for faith, who would pay attention to mortals?"
Her voice calm, the blue-clad incarnation gradually faded, returning to Hecate's body, or rather, merging into the omnipresent Arcane Web.
There was no need to reply to the information from the mortal realm; whether to restrict mages would be left for the next God of the Arcane Web to decide.
As for the escaped mage, if he died, the God of the Arcane Web would feel no regret.
If he lived, the God of the Arcane Web would feel no anger.
Even if he became a god, it had nothing to do with her, the creator of the Arcane Web; that was a matter for her other self.
She would simply wait quietly for the day of the era's end, whether that day was tomorrow or forever.
"...Hiss... How amazing..."
Taking a soft breath, Selene watched the other Hecate disappear behind the girl in the red dress and let out a gasp of admiration.
Although she knew about Hecate's Three-Phase Three-Body talent, and it wasn't as if she hadn't seen this blue incarnation before.
But seeing two of the other's forms appear together was truly the first time.
Especially when these two incarnations separated and then converged, a strange feeling welled up in the Moon Goddess's heart.
As Hecate said, her innate endowment was extremely special.
So special that the Three-Phase Incarnations of different gods might manifest in completely different forms and abilities, while her Three-Phase Three-Body possessed a certain ancient and primal power.
Even two Divinities at the peak of Great Divine Power could not be the opponent of a Great Divine Power.
But the first God King, by unifying the yet-to-coalesce symbols of Skyand royal authority, possessed divine might capable of single-handedly suppressing the Earth Mother, even when severely wounded.
Later generations had many speculations about this; some believed it was due to a mysterious power of the original Heaven-bestowed royal authority; some said it was because Sky and royal authority were too compatible, like Life and Death forming Reincarnation; others said it originated from an unreplicable, ancient miracle, from the barbaric era before the First Era even began and before the Twelve Titans were born.
Selene didn't know which was correct, but she vaguely felt that the Three-Phase Three-Body talent might also have the ability to break limits.
Because when Hecate's incarnations merged, even though her two incarnations were still some distance from the peak of Great Divine Power, she felt a strange illusion.
Even Oceanus and Tethys, who had once fought together, would not be her match at this moment.
"Hecate, have you already touched the domain of the God King and the Primordial God?"
Without hiding her curiosity, the Moon Goddess asked directly.
"No."
Shaking her head slightly, Hecate spread her hands.
"The Three-Phase Incarnation is very powerful, it's true... But no matter what, there must be three first, right?"
Even with three, Hecate didn't know if it would work, after all, Chaoshadn't had an example... In fact, as she delved deeper into understanding her power, she instead thought of that ancient Night God.
Unlike herself, the legends of Nyx's Three Phases were stories that had been passed down since the beginning of creation, not ones that appeared gradually.
Moreover, compared to herself, the other possessed an additional three incarnations, rather than three aspects of her own being.
"I wonder if the Lord of Eternal Night possessed her current power by uniting her Three Phases, or if she was already this powerful to begin with."
"If it's the former, then so be it; if it's the latter... I wonder who in this world could be her opponent when her Three Phases manifest and her three bodies merge."
"Or to put it another way, is there a possibility that even Princess Nyxherself cannot perfectly control her incarnations?"
A guess flashed through her mind, then was immediately erased.
She didn't think for too long, because the Mother of Night was the most reclusive Original God in Chaos, bar none.
Even Tartarus now had demons and devils. But regarding the Land of Eternal Night, human records remained blank.
So, casually tossing it to the back of her mind, Hecate stood up and stretched.
"Let's go, not staying here any longer."
"War is about to break out in the mortal realm again... Endless War, how boring."
A moment later, the silver chariot departed from this nameless starfield.
Leaving behind only a barren celestial body and the tracks left by the wheels.
... ...
The mortal realm.
Hundreds of miles outside the city of Cordonia, at the most distant edge of the faith of the continent's nations.
Compared to here, Nafplion, which had already vanished from the world, was practically the heartland of the gods' faith.
Mages, devils, divine descendants who blasphemed the gods, and mortals without faith were common here.
Smuggling, vendettas, and robberies were the most frequent activities in the vicinity.
Even before Heracles passed through here, the infamous Great Demon, Hydra, was also a 'regular' here.
Of course, strictly speaking, this Typhon's Sons had actually never been here.
It was just that in the mouths of common merchants and some nobles, its bodily tissues 'frequently' came here.
After all, as an immortal monster, a demon with vitality comparable to an Ancient Evil, Hydra was never known for sheer power.
So, almost every now and then, it would be 'beheaded', 'skinned', 'scaled', and 'bled' by someone, then brought here to be sold, incidentally earning a hero's reputation.
"It's not that no one has questioned this, but kid, you know, not everything can be questioned."
At a roadside stall, an old man wearing a straw hat chuckled, looking at the two distinguished guests before him.
A golden-haired, valiant middle-aged man and a handsome young man in armor, they were probably a father and son.
With a roll of his eyes, the old man showed a knowing smile.
"Hey, I can guarantee you, this is real Hydra meat—nourishing, aphrodisiac, very effective."
"What, you don't believe me?"
"You can disbelieve me, but you must believe the great Lord Ares."
"You see, it's clearly recorded in the War God Church's scriptures: When the Typhon Disaster that plagued heaven and earth was ended by the God King, the gods descended one after another to protect humanity on Earth and prevent the King of Ten Thousand Demons' offspring from harming the mortal realm."
"And unlike Apollo, the Sun God, who was 'unworthy of his name, all show and no substance, unable to even harm a lion's hide,' the great Lord Ares personally cut off eight of Hydra's heads, skinned and dismembered it, torturing it in countless ways before leaving."
"Even to reward the heroes who bravely resisted the demons during the Typhon Disaster, the esteemed Lord Ares even stewed a full snake banquet and entertained them in his temple... How about it, young man, I swear by the great War God that the snake meat I'm selling you is absolutely the same kind, this is the treatment of ancient heroes, hehehe..."
Chuckling, the old man continued to hawk his wares.
After all, wealthy outsiders like these were hard to find, and with the news of that fellow Heracles suppressing Hydra spreading further and further, his business was getting harder to do.
However, immersed in his long-awaited storytelling, the old man didn't notice the young man in armor's increasingly darkened face.
Beneath the armor, the cracking sound of bones became more and more frequent.
Forcing a smile, Ares, the God of War himself, awkwardly glanced at his father.
That commoner, whom he had already killed ten thousand times in his heart, was still chattering incessantly, and unfortunately, the God King seemed to be distracted at the moment, so he hadn't made any move to leave.
Zeus's lingering seemed to have misled the old man; this big customer, whose very sash was inlaid with gems, seemed very interested in his sales pitch... Unable to bear it any longer, and disregarding his Father God's presence.
Ares stirred a trace of power, directly snuffing out the old man's Lifeforce, then, following the countless oaths he had sworn, dragged his soul into his Divine Kingdom.
"Hmm..."
Perhaps startled by the fluctuation of power, or perhaps the matter that had distracted him had finally concluded.
Coming back to his senses, his eyes momentarily bewildered, Zeus then looked at his son.
"...What, Ares, did he violate his oath?"
"I... Father God, I... He did not violate..."
Wanting to lie, but before the Guardian of Oaths, Ares didn't think his lie would have any meaning.
His face awkward, Ares vowed in his heart that he would tear this old man to pieces, skin him, and pull out his tendons.
"Is that so... Not violated..."
If, when he first spoke, the God King's mind hadn't fully recovered.
Then when he spoke a second time, Zeus had completely regained his composure.
There were very few things in this world that one couldn't adapt to over a long period of time, at least the God King believed that.
But when his thoughts returned to this small mortal city, looking at the cowering Ares beside him, the anger that had been suppressed after the scolding on Mount Olympus suddenly reignited.
And this time, Zeus's anger was even more direct.
He looked at his son, this offspring of himself and Hera, this god in whom he had once placed great hopes, and also the chief god he had personally appointed; a strong sense of imbalance suddenly erupted in his heart.
For the sake of all Olympus, for the God Court's rule to be eternal, I don't know how much I've sacrificed, but what about you?
Your mother gave you the Goddess of Love and Beauty as your wife, I gave you the most noble position and bloodline in the world, and this is how you repay me...
For a little desire to win or lose, so that you, the God of War who has never won in important matters, can surpass Apollo amidst others' flattery, you don't hesitate to let your name become a laughingstock in certain parts of the mortal realm, and even a lowly human can openly mock your incompetence?
"Ares..."
His expression unchanged, Zeus did not erupt; he merely reaffirmed his plan.
"Regarding your full-blooded sister, Hebe, the Goddess of Youth, I've already made myself clear enough, haven't I?"
"Yes, Father."
Sighing in relief, seeing that Zeus didn't dwell on the previous matter, Ares relaxed somewhat.
Yes, before Zeus's sudden arrival, he, leading the army, had received a message from the Mother Goddess.
However, he truly didn't feel much about Hebe's disappearance.
"I will strive to find her traces, Father God, and defeat Silvermoon City's army. In fact, I'm already doing so."
"It's just, I wonder why you came to see me today... Is there something you wish to command?"
"Yes."
Speaking faintly, Zeus slowly said.
"Have your army spread a message across the land, not in my name, nor in the name of a god."
"As a military commander, you should have a way to achieve this through human means in a short time, shouldn't you?"
"Certainly, Father."
Bowing slightly, Ares asked, "Then the message you want me to convey is..."
"What else could it be?"
His expression calm, Zeus said indifferently, "Naturally, it's the destruction of Nafplion... and the mages who colluded with the flesh mother tree."