The Black Sea.
Poseidon's figure emerged once more, flickering in and out of view.
Around him, the power of the Eldritch God began to surge uncontrollably, spiraling beyond his control.
"Just like this…"
Poseidon's expression darkened.
His flowing hair, once resembling the waves of the Aegean Sea, was now gradually consumed by the pitch-black mist. The corrosive force of the Eldritch power appeared ready to swallow him whole.
Even Poseidon himself hadn't anticipated the terrifying intensity of this corruptive force.
In such a short span of time, he could feel the relentless erosion gnawing at him. His consciousness began to falter, slipping intermittently into disarray.
"Whew…"
Poseidon exhaled deeply, forcing his divine power to stabilize. Slowly, he brought the raging Eldritch energy under control.
Though he had prepared in advance, dealing with this power was far from simple.
Poseidon knew entering the Black Sea in his current state would not solve his problems. Instead, it would make him an easy target.
Given his tenuous relationship with Pontus...
He chuckled grimly.
No doubt, Pontus would seize this chance to eliminate him without hesitation. There was no question that Pontus would act decisively, showing no mercy.
Standing at the threshold of the Black Sea, Poseidon concentrated on suppressing the turbulent Eldritch power within him.
With time, he managed to regain composure and stepped into the Black Sea.
The moment he entered, silence enveloped the world.
Inside, Pontus, who had also been sealed within the Black Sea, appeared.
"..."
Pontus regarded Poseidon with a mocking smile, his voice laced with disdain. "Poseidon! How laughable. Here you are, attempting to master the power of an Eldritch God, only to be consumed by it."
"Pontus."
Poseidon remained unaffected by the taunt, his tone calm. "It doesn't matter. At least, not to me."
"What?"
Pontus frowned, his tone growing sharp. "What are you saying, Poseidon?"
Poseidon shook his head slightly and replied evenly, "Pontus, I know you've been wary of my arrival. You've made your preparations. But, unfortunately for you, those preparations are meaningless."
"Your fate was sealed long ago."
Divine energy radiated from Poseidon, spreading throughout the Black Sea. As it spread, it began to bind Pontus, encasing him completely.
In an instant, the entire Black Sea seemed to come to a halt.
Pontus was utterly immobilized.
"This… this is impossible!"
Pontus's face contorted in disbelief, his voice trembling with shock.
Poseidon gazed at him calmly and said, "Pontus, the Black Sea is connected to the Sea Realm. Did it never occur to you that events long past might catch up to you?"
"Could it be…"
Pontus suddenly realized something, but it was too late.
Though he now understood what had happened, his comprehension brought him no relief.
Some things, once missed, can never be undone. Even the smallest oversight can be fatal.
Poseidon's greatest concern had been Pontus launching an immediate attack upon his arrival in the Sea Realm.
Had Pontus acted decisively, things might have become truly troublesome.
But Pontus hadn't.
And so, the outcome was inevitable.
"Pontus."
Poseidon, his voice calm, watched as Pontus became ensnared by the Black Sea itself. "Have you ever imagined, as the god of the Black Sea, that one day you might be bound by the very sea you control?"
"Eldritch power…"
Pontus, now restrained by the Black Sea, spoke with a grim voice. "You've slowly infiltrated the Black Sea with Eldritch energy through the Sea Realm. Now the Black Sea is turning against me, its master?"
"Not just that."
Poseidon shook his head. "If it were only that, many things wouldn't matter. Or rather, it would be insignificant."
"Pontus, you should know what happened between Hades and Tartarus in the Underworld."
"This…"
Pontus's eyes widened in shock, and he fell silent, understanding the implications.
At this moment, Pontus realized the full scope of Poseidon's plan.
"You… You intend to use divine power to counterbalance the Eldritch power and merge them into a new, unique form of divine energy under your control?"
"You're insane! Do you even realize what you're doing?"
"If you fail, you'll die!"
"And if you succeed, do you know what you'll face? Poseidon, do you understand?"
Pontus roared, his divine dignity replaced by the frenzy of a cornered beast.
Poseidon nodded slightly, his voice calm. "Of course, I know. I understand very well what the consequences might be."
"But…"
Poseidon's tone was cold and detached. "Does it matter?"
"Or rather, what impact does that have on me?"
His words carried an icy finality. "Pontus, the future is a problem for the future. For me, if I don't take this step now, as the Heroic Age ends, my fate is already sealed."
"..."
Pontus fell silent, hearing Poseidon's unwavering resolve.
"Perhaps…"
Pontus's voice turned hoarse. "Perhaps that's what sets you apart from me, from Kronos, from Hades. You possess a madness we lack. Even knowing the risks, even knowing what lies ahead, you don't hesitate to risk everything."
"Sigh…"
Pontus sighed, shaking his head. Words seemed futile now.
Pontus had admitted defeat.
Defeated.
Truly defeated.
It wasn't just strength—it was Poseidon's will, his unwavering determination. Though it seemed like a small difference, it was a chasm as vast as the heavens and earth.
The outcome was clear; everything else had lost its significance.
"Sigh…"
Pontus sighed quietly, choosing to say no more.
He closed his eyes, silently feeling his divine power being drawn away.
Poseidon's approach mirrored Hades's earlier strategy with Tartarus—absorbing primordial divine power to stabilize his own.
Through Pontus's power, Poseidon sought to suppress the rampaging Eldritch energy within him, forcing the two forces to reconcile.
Pontus would not die.
Poseidon had no intention of killing him.
If Pontus, as the god of the Black Sea, were to perish, the Black Sea itself would vanish, triggering catastrophic changes in the Mythical World.
Poseidon sought stability, not the destruction of the world. Going to such extremes would make him an enemy of the entire Mythical World, dooming him even as a wielder of unique power.
As time passed, Poseidon could feel his plan nearing success. The Eldritch energy and Pontus's divine power were beginning to stabilize within his body.
What would happen next?
Poseidon didn't know.
But he had no other choice but to forge ahead.
Stopping was not an option.
The corrosive Eldritch energy would devour him entirely if he faltered, sparing no mercy.
---
The merging of divine and Eldritch power…
What would it create?
Poseidon himself didn't know.
But he understood that this was a path no one had walked before. On this road, he would be the enemy of gods and Eldritch beings alike.
An anomaly that neither side could accept.
Still…
Poseidon had no choice.
At the moment he successfully merged the two powers, the entire Mythical World felt the change.
The world trembled violently.
It could not accept this aberration.
The Mythical World issued a desperate call for all Ancient Gods to intervene, forcing even the weakened Tartarus to act.
But who remained among the Ancient Gods to answer the call?
Pontus was sealed in the Black Sea.
Gaia was free from the Mythical World's control.
Erebus and Nyx had left the Mythical World long ago, with no intention of returning.
Uranus, having just broken free, would never obey the Mythical World.
Tartarus was too weak to act meaningfully.
Of the eight Ancient Gods—Gaia, Uranus, Tartarus, Pontus, Erebus, Nyx—six were out of the equation. Tartarus was powerless, leaving only two: Eros and Ouranos.
Eros, for reasons unknown, was in a near-death state.
That left only Ouranos, who, while present, showed no interest in intervening.
"Tartarus."
"Ouranos."
The two gods exchanged weary looks. A bitter smile spread across their faces. The once-mighty Ancient Gods had become little more than relics.
How had it come to this?
Time had changed everything.
---
Meanwhile, in the Underworld, a new arrival had appeared.
With the aid of Hades's power, Rhea temporarily regained her strength, returning to her former peak as the Titan Queen. Though she lacked the Ultimate Power of Kronos, she was now strong enough to act.
Tartarus's absence from the Underworld presented an opportunity.
Rhea quickly descended to the depths of the Underworld, where eleven other Titan Gods
remained imprisoned.
Standing before the crystalline prison that held them, tears fell uncontrollably from her eyes.
------------------
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