Surviving The Fourth Calamity

”Athena, don’t delay, we don’t have much time left,” Apollo said with a knowing smile.

”I understand now.” Athena, feeling sorrow over the irretrievable loss of Metis, used the giant axe to turn over the clots of Zeus’s blood and got back to work.

”Didn’t Dimogogan leave already?” Celene watched the two Greek gods with interest... Although Toril deities might also have various reasons to kill their parents, it seemed none did it as thoroughly as the Greek Gods.

Yet, even from Hill’s straightforward explanation, Celene could tell... if this were Toril, Zeus would have long been dead, without a trace left.

There wouldn’t be so many unlucky children like now.

Obviously, Athena and the other two are just among the stronger and more capable ones, but it doesn’t mean...

Wait...

Celene suddenly turned to look at Hill: ”Athena and the others are in such a hurry, could it be that there are more siblings of theirs waiting to continue this?”

”Brothers are possible... Uncles could also work...” Hill pondered for a bit, then answered helplessly.

”Why no sisters? Neither he nor his father?” Celene tilted her head: Surely Zeus can’t only have daughters?

”Zeus’s goddess queen is one of his sisters.” Hill said with some difficulty, ”The others... either aren’t part of Mount Olympia, or were eliminated by that goddess queen... because of Zeus... well... you know...”

”Ah? Ah!” Celene suddenly understood Hill’s words, even the part he didn’t want to say... Zeus’s father’s sisters, there wasn’t much difference to him.

Anyway, goddesses are eternally youthful!

”The Greek Gods, hmm...” Celene suddenly looked earnestly at Shaer, ”Look, isn’t Toril much better!

If we were to...”

”Can you not look down there?” Shaer retorted, annoyed, ”With a world so vast, why insist on watching one that has already played itself out?

Do the Greek Gods deserve to be compared with us?!”

Celene pouted unhappily: ”I just wanted to say, Toril is pretty good.”

Lansendel couldn’t help but glance at her and lightly said: ”Maybe for you...”

After finding that chessboard, Athena seemed to have a better understanding, and very straightforwardly dug out the thing she wanted.

Hill stared at the oddly shaped thing for a long time, then suddenly realized... when Athena jumped out of Zeus’s split head, she was fully armored, wielding a spear and shield.

However, evidently, her serpent armor was only half complete, and the center of the shield was missing something... judging from the shape, it seemed like the long handle at the back was missing.

That pile of messy stuff should be the lower part of the serpent armor wrapped around the long handle.

No wonder Athena later used the shield made by the God of Smithing, rather than her accompanying divine artifact.

Also, this solved one of Hill’s puzzles: why Athena only wore half of her serpent armor in battle.

”Do you still want it?” Apollo asked, arms crossed, observing the blackened piece Athena had dug out.

”Without them, Metis’s transformative form couldn’t have been preserved,” Athena quietly replied, ”I can’t just abandon them because they completed their mission inside the filth.

Washing them would suffice... of course, it’s best to soak them longer in the positive energy waters while we’re still on the Heavenly Mountain.

I suppose even they are tired of the stench on them.

Evidently happy to be back with me, yet reluctant to immediately return to me... sigh, I’ll go wash them by the creek, where the purification is slightly better.”

”Ah... Prometheus seems to have woken up,” Apollo suddenly raised his head looking towards the void in the distance.

”He won’t come.” Athena said indifferently, ”Prometheus never hated Zeus despite his own ordeal.

He merely detested Zeus’s character, not wanting to desecrate Zeus’s corpse.

Obviously, that’s because Prometheus is genuinely good-hearted... indeed, of those who persist without distortion around us till the end, they’re most suited to remain in the positively-energized Olympia.”

Athena suddenly chuckled oddly: ”In the end, only the three who hated him most are sending him off.”

”You should say, those who hate him the most that are still alive in Mount Olympia.”

”Is it time?” Artemis also entered, ”Ah... goodness, how did it become so filthy?”

Even before her words fully landed, rays of light suddenly appeared around the remains of Zeus... that was Void Cutting.

Each ray was like an invisible mouth, biting off nearby flesh only to vanish instantly without leaving a trace.

Hill naturally understood that it was spreading Zeus’s flesh into countless dimensional spaces.

But what Hill couldn’t understand was... where did that powerful spatial force come from... Hill couldn’t help but think of his old acquaintance.

After all, the God of Time and Space from Greece was evidently not with the main group.

Nobody in the Greek God System knows where he disappeared to.

”What a powerful force of space!” Even Celene couldn’t help but murmur, ”That divine body could barely be cut by Athena using a divine artifact long saw.

I say, does anyone know which Greek deity this is?

Shaer glanced at Hill, who was silent and calm, and finally shook her head: ”I can’t tell, and clearly, this is not their actual presence... This must be a one-time divine artifact, right?

Lansendel, you have always been quite proficient in this area... What do you think?”

I am looking with my eyes... Lansendel’s expression was very vivid.

But he answered anyway: ”It’s the kind that, to ensure the power is strong enough to be invincible, simply releases the energy of a divine artifact that could be considered a strange object in one burst... Even AO probably doesn’t have many of them.”

”The old man is reluctant to spend so lavishly, haven’t you seen how the Tablets of Fate have rotted, yet he still uses them,” Celene muttered, ”Besides, doesn’t he use things made by others?

His own are cherished dearly!”

Hill understood very well why AO doesn’t use them... His divine artifacts were basically crafted during his time on the Heavenly Mountain.

Those divine artifacts are indeed powerful but not suitable for use in Toril because a God of Order capable of summoning battle angels to assist in combat is evidently not proficient in battle.

Their divine artifacts mostly serve auxiliary functions.

Pure war weapons are few.

And AO, originating from the God of Order, also doesn’t possess very strong creativity.

In fact, it’s evident from how he always absorbs nutrients from the outside world, rather than freely utilizing his creativity... Generally, Creator Gods prefer to realize their future visions through their imagination because it’s their world.

But AO must move forward step by step, watching as he goes.

Everyone is actually aware of this... But only Celene dares to babble such truths.

Shaer never would.

Of course, she doesn’t speak not out of fear of AO but because Shaer isn’t very proficient in this area either.

In fact, Celene isn’t much better off.

After all, the one who prayed to the world for the abilities of these two Moon Goddesses had a fairly flat imagination, not knowing what talents would be adept at creation.

Hill was casually contemplating, trying to disperse his gaze a bit.

Much like that Lady of the Night who clearly felt something too... but Shaer’s ability to conceal is much stronger than his.

Although she initially spoke a couple of surprised words, she quickly regained her composure, even engaging in a seemingly earnest conversation with Celene about the resilience of the Tablets of Fate.

Despite being, arguably AO’s beloved daughters, these two are evidently hostile towards the Tablets of Fate: during the Saint’s turmoil back then, both Moon Goddesses had to accompany the journey down to boost the tablets.

Toril’s Primordial Goddess had to live according to the manipulations of that stone... Though Black Eye Mystra died tragically and helplessly, most understood she was just a strong surrogate for the Weave, yet Celene and Shaer’s forced actions were more startling.

Of course, everyone has realized now... The two Moon Goddesses were merely assisting their dad in an act.

As supporting actors, these two actually did pretty well.

However, although Shaer and Celene were forced to follow their dad’s will regarding this stepping stone, they were internally displeased... They couldn’t hate their own father.

No matter what, their relationship with AO is mutually beneficial.

Much like Hill... why does he never mention his power?

With his current strength, he could walk across the starry sky alone and still be considered formidable!

But there’s no need, truly nothing worth mentioning.

A being like him fears those who are neither fully competent nor incompetent, yet arrogant enough to try to take advantage of others.

As long as he can tackle these, whatever path he takes won’t lead to disaster.

Of course, jumping directly into someone else’s domain and losing contact with one’s support... that usually spells self-destruction, and no one can be blamed.

As long as the World Tree stands tall in the Multiverse, Hill can act freely.

Shaer and Celene understand this fact too.

So no matter how they act out, when push comes to shove, they inevitably side with AO... Shaer’s wish to destroy the world only targets living beings, not the entirety of Toril’s existence.

Like Shaer now, trying hard to blind Celene, preventing her thoughts from wandering, already marks this Lady of the Night’s most father-deceiving act.

Past actions shouldn’t be considered; such was merely the daughter’s willful mischief.

Pampered by a doting father.