"Ah?"
Upon hearing Zeus's decision, Prometheus, the current holder of that title, clearly displayed the words "fuck" on his face. But before he could point at himself and offer a defense, he heard Zeus continue:
"Furthermore, Athena can also govern military strategy, art, medicine, animal husbandry, agriculture, navigation, law, and music. Moreover, she will take my place in overseeing victory."
After he finished speaking, Poseidon, the God of the Sea; Apollo, the God of Art, Medicine, and Music; Demeter, the God of Agriculture; Themis, the God of Law; Hephaestus, the God of Forging Art; and Ares, the God of War, all simultaneously felt offended.
Several ill-intentioned gazes immediately converged on this newly born goddess, who had yet to understand her situation.
At this moment, Prometheus and Ares, witnessing all of this, simultaneously understood something. They both quietly reined in their thoughts; the former took a step back, swallowing his words, while the latter, cooperating with the other gods present, also feigned a furious expression.
Zeus's action was clearly intended to force Athena to offend all the great gods present, allowing these great gods to restrain her and prevent her from being able to scheme for more than she should.
Judging by Athena's expression, the goddess quickly understood the meaning behind her father's actions. Having grown in Zeus's mind, she naturally knew what her Father God usually thought. However, Zeus's move was executed openly and honorably; even Athena could not avoid such an overt scheme and could only temporarily endure it, planning to slowly counter it later.
She looked at her uncles, aunts, brothers, and sisters around her, offering them a friendly gaze, but was met with ill-intentioned and wary looks. This made Athena feel helpless, but because Zeus was present and Athena's divine office was Zeus's command, the principal gods present, though displeased, dared not express it directly.
According to their roles, among all the great gods present, only one principal god was likely to defy Zeus's decision and stand up against him.
Thus, the gazes of Poseidon, Demeter, Apollo, Hephaestus, and Artemis all converged on Ares. Hephaestus, Artemis, and Apollo, who had good relationships with Ares, showed a hint of worry in their eyes, but Poseidon and Demeter's gazes were somewhat anxious.
Their eyes seemed to be saying, "Ares, why aren't you acting yet?"
Feeling their gazes, Ares also understood that this was his stage. For his own purpose, Ares didn't mind performing. So, he silently brewed up some anger in his heart, then feigned a furious expression on his face, stepped forward, and raised his hand to Zeus, saying, "I object!"
As soon as these words were uttered, although the gods of Olympus were startled, seeing that the speaker was Ares, none of them showed surprise. In fact, Poseidon and other unscrupulous elder gods even adopted the posture of watching a tiger fight from a safe distance.
"Oh?"
Hearing Ares's words, Zeus did not seem surprised. He inquired:
"Ares, why do you object to my command?"
"Father, this is not fair at all!" Struggling to maintain his furious state, Ares accused Zeus, "I am the God of War; I should rightfully govern military strategy and win victories for you! How can Athena just Intervention and take what belongs to me?"
"So, you wish to defy your father's command?" Zeus showed an displeased expression, but judging from the clear sky outside the palace, his true mood at the moment was not particularly unhappy.
"I just don't accept it!" Seeing this, Ares deliberately made himself appear like a character filled with anger yet afraid to disobey his Father God. He feigned contemplation for a moment, then shouted, "Since Athena wants to seize what belongs to me, the God of War! Then it's simple, let us use force to judge who is truly worthy of winning victory!"
With that, he drew his Flame Sword and Blazing Shield, and began striking his shield with the sword, making a clanging sound.
"Wait, Ares, don't be impulsive."
Hephaestus spoke up to dissuade him, but Zeus immediately interrupted him: "Since you are so confident, Ares, then come, Athena."
He looked at the clear-eyed goddess who had just been born, and after a moment of thought, she nodded to him.
"Good! Then let's decide Athena's authority through a duel!"
Zeus raised the lightning bolt resting beside his throne, held it high, and announced, "The location of the duel shall be the Mediterranean Sea!"
As his voice fell, he brought the lightning bolt down with a heavy thud, and immediately, a bright lightning bolt fell from the sky, splitting the waters of the Mediterranean Sea in two, revealing a large expanse of seabed land.
Seeing that Zeus was serious, the goddess Leto, who had previously received Ares's favor, quickly spoke up:
"Zeus, please reconsider. The gods of Olympus cannot fight and contend with each other like siblings over such matters."
"Leto, just take care of your own children. I don't believe my son can't defeat this little girl." Heavenly Queen Hera beside him spoke dismissively, then looked at Ares: "Ares, use all your strength and show them the power of the God of War."
Ares nodded to Hera, then silently apologized to her in his heart.
Having initiated this fight, he had no intention of winning. Only by losing to Athena could he prove that Athena's threat to Zeus was greater than his own, thereby making Zeus relax his guard and allowing him to act more freely.
After Zeus announced the start of the duel, Ares donned his helmet, picked up his weapons, and leaped from the clouds, plummeting straight into the sea basin in the center of the Mediterranean Sea.
Just as he plunged into the seabed like a meteorite, creating a massive crater, on the other side, Athena, majestic like a Valkyrie, gracefully descended to the same spot.
Subsequently, Zeus also arrived with a host of Heavenly Gods, riding on clouds. The group of Heavenly Gods hovered in the air above this "duel arena," and then Zeus raised his hands, asking his children:
"Ares, Athena, are you both ready?"
Athena took a deep breath, appearing somewhat nervous, but she still nodded.
Ares, on his part, naturally also nodded slightly, indicating he was fully prepared.
"Then, let the duel begin," Zeus announced.
Upon the God King's command, both principal gods took up their weapons. Ares's Flame Sword was imbued with his divine power, engulfed in roaring flames, while a mysterious aura began to swirl around Athena's spear.
"Come, Ares," the golden-haired, clear-eyed goddess said to her half-brother, "I will prove to all that I am victory."
"Just being talkative doesn't make one the Goddess of Victory." Ares struggled to force a sneer onto his lips, while softly saying to Athena in his heart:
Come, Athena, I am ready too.
The God of War of Olympus took a deep breath, then exerted all his strength, preparing to… stage a fall against Athena.