"Don't come any closer!"
The thunderous roar exploded in the minds of the two Mother Goddesses. The serpentine pupils gazing toward the city walls flashed with solemnity and resolve.
"But—"
"I won't die! Have you forgotten what you promised me?"
"..."
"Organize the Great Offering immediately! Awaken Gaia, the Earth Mother!"
Samael hissed through clenched teeth, his resolve hardening. True, he had revealed himself as a Fate-Defier—but Zeus had likewise exposed his own fierce hostility toward humanity.
They were evenly matched now. Neither would emerge unscathed.
Then, just as history foretold, it was time for the Earth Mother to make her entrance and deliver her judgment.
"Damn it! Damn it!"
High above Olympus, Zeus, enraged by his failed strike, let divine power surge from his body. The sacred flame at the temple's center erupted into a towering inferno that reached a hundred meters into the air.
He intended to summon the gods and wipe out every unstable element on Earth.
Yet, aside from the ever-belligerent Ares, none answered his call. Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, openly refused.
Even the usually mild Hephaestus sealed his temple and shut down the Etna volcanic forge—the very arsenal of the gods.
Now that Pandora's Box had manifested in full and the calamities plaguing humanity had become undeniable, the gods finally realized they had been deceived by Zeus—used as his pawns.
They had invested so much effort in cultivating faith, building temples, and nurturing their worshippers into the vast following they now possessed. And now, to preserve Zeus's supremacy, they were expected to sever their own faith? Why should they comply?
Worse, such actions might even draw the resentment of other Divine Spirits. Let whoever dares commit such folly do so—but leave us out of it.
Even the neutral gods could sense that something was amiss. Unwilling to wade into this divine turmoil, they shut their doors and pretended not to hear.
Fools! A bunch of fools!
The God King seethed, cursing inwardly. Grinding his teeth, he rose alone, mounted his chariot, and sped toward the Peloponnese Peninsula, intent on eradicating the source of his unease.
...
In Mycenae, Athena's sharp eyes caught sight of two silver-white bolts of lightning streaking toward them from Olympus at terrifying speed. Her pupils narrowed. Gripping her Aegis Shield and bronze spear tightly, she turned to Medusa beside her, teeth clenched.
"I'll hold Zeus off. You preside over the Great Offering!"
"Wait!"
Medusa immediately restrained the impatient Athena. Biting off a piece of flesh from her index finger, she pressed it into the crimson magic circle forming beneath her feet.
In an instant, the Earth Mother's divine authority pulsed. The fragment of flesh swelled and transformed within the rippling light.
Moments later, a silver-white winged horse with a single horn emerged from the magic circle, snorting softly as it stepped forth.
"Take this child. It will buy you some time."
Pegasus—the divine steed born from Medusa's neck blood in legend.
As the celestial horse approached docilely, Athena grasped her spear and shield, leapt onto its back, and was enveloped in radiant brilliance. A heavy, resplendent Golden Age Earth Armor materialized, covering her form in sacred light.
Before departing, the Goddess of Wisdom cast one last lingering glance at the ancient serpent sprawled on the ground, struggling to suppress the violent turmoil of Pandora's Box within him. Summoning all her resolve, she spoke in a low, firm voice.
"Go! To the Sea of Oceanus, the boundary of Chaos! That vast expanse lies beyond the reach of the Sky Gods' dominion!"
Suppressing wave after wave of corrupting desire, Samael's voice was deep and steady.
"Promise me—no matter what happens—protect yourself, protect Medusa and the others, and protect the humanity you've created."
With her back to him, Athena nodded firmly, then pressed her heels into the horse's sides.
The divine Pegasus spread its wings wide, ascending swiftly into the sky with its rider.
A faint whisper lingered in Samael's ears.
"Teacher… Father… I'll wait for your return…"
I will. I swear I will…
The ancient serpent pressed his lips together, answering silently in his heart.
As the white lightning and golden radiance clashed violently above, he turned away, opened his jaws, and tossed the dazed Tina onto his back.
Then, fully unleashing his divine power, Samael summoned a raging Ether storm around him. Carrying Tina, he shot across the sky toward the vast Sea of Oceanus.
As he plunged into the sea, the ancient serpent instinctively turned back.
Above Mycenae, countless stars cascaded from the heavens, sealing the gaps around Athena. The cries of divine beasts and the trembling of bowstrings echoed endlessly through the air. Zeus's forces had fallen into disarray, unable to advance an inch.
At the same time, pillars of light—both great and small—rose humming from the human altars. The murmured prayers of countless voices merged into a vast ocean of divine sound.
In an instant, the earth quaked. From the soil, a majestic clay statue emerged, towering and stern. It faced the God King racing across the sky on his chariot and bellowed with thunderous rage.
"Zeus! Look at what you've done!"
The ancient serpent cast one last, lingering glance at the stalemated battlefield below. Then, carrying Tina, he pierced through the salty mist and crashing waves, heading toward the boundary of Chaos.
...
No one knew how long it took, but as the black serpent drifted farther from the land, the divine essence of Fate once again muddled the sight of those who sought to peer upon him. The prickling sense of impending peril finally faded away.
At last, he was safe.
Suspended above the ocean's surface, Samael exhaled deeply, the tension in his body easing for the first time.
"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"
But in the very instant his mind relaxed, his body erupted in clouds of blood mist. Crimson-black mud burst through the seals, devouring his flesh and divine essence, surging toward his Spirit Core with unstoppable fury.
Under the sudden assault, blood gushed from the serpent's wounds. His battered, perforated body plummeted toward the sea.
The entity within Pandora's Box was breaking free!
As Samael struck the water, seawater flooded his wounds, burning like acid. His jaw clenched in pain before his gaze hardened with cold resolve.
When it comes to sin... you might not surpass me.
As the power within him rampaged wildly, slipping beyond control, the ancient serpent made a desperate choice. He curved his massive body, head meeting tail, forming a closed ring—an equilibrium between life and death.
In that instant, his entire form turned rigid like stone. The restless black cube inside him stilled, falling into silence.
Tina watched the massive form beneath her gradually quiet. Sensing that his consciousness had only fallen into deep slumber, unharmed, she let out a long breath of relief and patted her chest.
Soon, exhaustion washed over her. The emerald-haired goddess nestled against the serpent's vast body and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
One god, one serpent—carried by the waves—floated upon the restless sea. A faint divine aura pulsed with their breathing, shattering any sea beast that dared approach with hostility.
Days and nights passed. The tides rose and fell.
No one knew how long it had been when Tina, adrift in the water with her makeshift float, slowly awoke from her dreams.
She breathed in the salty sea breeze, her cross-shaped pupils catching a faint black dot shimmering in the distance. Her eyes lit up as she waved with excitement.
It was an island—an isolated landmass floating upon the endless sea.
...
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