Notus, the God of the South Wind, who was diligently moving bricks alongside the servant races of the gods, became ecstatic upon hearing Zeus's decree.
He didn't even have time to wipe the dust from his face or the sweat from his body, nor did he change his clothes, before hastily following his brother to the God King's Hall on Olympus to receive this command from Zeus, the King of the Gods.
After receiving Zeus's approval, Notus, the God of the South Wind, didn't even have time to return to his own temple to change into presentable clothes. He hurriedly took flight, transforming into a south wind that swept across the land, bringing dark clouds, thunder, and torrential rain to the devastated earth.
As a lesser god, Notus naturally didn't possess the ability to single-handedly destroy humanity on a vast land, but with the blessing of Zeus's divine authority, even Notus, the God of the South Wind, could now unleash power comparable to a major god. He exerted all his might to unleash his divine power, as if to wring out his last drop of rain, causing endless torrential rain to fall upon the ground.
After the rain, which was far from normal rainfall, fell upon the ground, the rivers on earth and the oceans surrounding the land immediately swelled wildly, transforming into massive floods that swept away houses, submerged caves, and caused countless mudslides on the hillsides. The surging floods quickly engulfed everything on the land. Amidst the tumultuous winds and rain, only a single small boat in the human world swayed in the terrifying waves.
Ares's clone stood on the Caucasus Mountains, watching the ark from afar. He saw Athena's spirit transform into a shimmering owl, landing on the bow of the ship, guiding Deucalion and Pyrrha through the raging waves. Its scattered feathers formed a divine barrier, doing their best to protect the creatures on board amidst the surging waters.
Ares then noticed that as the floodwaters rose to submerge the entire continent of the small world, Poseidon, who was in the sea, immediately used his authority as the Sea King to take control of the floods on land. He stood at the heart of the storm, raising his trident high, angrily directing the giant waves to crash repeatedly upon the original land, as if to crush the last vestiges of human flesh into pulp.
But in reality, he was using this method to provide cover for Noah's Ark in the flood, subtly concealing the whereabouts of Deucalion and Pyrrha with the spray.
Ares looked up at the sky again and found that Apollo, who had hardly paid attention to Helios, a subordinate god, since taking over the Sun God's divine duties, had suddenly used his authority to make Helios's sun chariot hide behind the dark clouds stirred up by Notus, the God of the South Wind, reducing visibility in the flood and preventing the gods on Olympus from discovering the small boat.
"Damn it, a bunch of traitors."
Ares spat. Needless to say, Apollo and Poseidon must have made a secret deal with Athena. These three, each with their own motives, did not want humanity to be destroyed.
However, it was a coincidence that he also didn't want that, so regarding such treacherous behavior, the loyal Ares could only reluctantly turn a blind eye, pretending not to see.
He continued to climb the Caucasus Mountains, wanting to see Prometheus, the God of Foresight, react to the current scene. Ares had already thought it through: if he looked calm, it meant that the current situation was within his expectations, and he felt nothing for humanity's suffering, but was merely calculating for some purpose of his own. If he looked calm with a hint of heartache, it meant that his current calculations were indeed for the human race.
But just as Ares climbed to the base of the giant rock where Prometheus was imprisoned, he suddenly heard a familiar, clear voice.
"Prometheus, does your heart ache?"
Ares was startled. He recoiled his hand, almost falling off the mountain, but thankfully, he forcibly clung to the rock with Magnetic Field Rotation and then transformed into an earthworm, crawling along the cracks in the stone to the giant rock. Then, he transformed into a blade of grass, peeking out from the rock crevice, and looked towards the source of the sound.
Standing before the bound Prometheus was a beautiful goddess with golden hair and bright eyes, none other than Ares's dear virgin sister, Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom.
Upon hearing Athena's words, Prometheus slowly raised his head. This God of Foresight, once handsome and free-spirited, had long lost his former vigor. He had been hung there by Zeus, enduring daily wind and sun, hunger and thirst, and being pecked by a giant eagle, leaving him withered and emaciated.
He looked at the goddess, who was once his friend, and slowly replied in a hoarse voice, "It aches, of course it aches... But Athena, humanity always has to pay a huge price to gain something or learn a lesson. I think using such a disaster in exchange for the curiosity bestowed by Zeus, this trade is not a loss."
"You calculate far ahead." Athena nodded, then suddenly said, "But do you know why Zeus, after dealing with you, still insisted on annihilating all of humanity?"
Prometheus wearily raised an eyebrow, signaling her to continue.
"Because of me." Athena opened her mouth and softly uttered malicious words: "Because I secretly told Zeus that a powerful child, capable of destroying his kingship, would be born among humans in the future."
"You truly stop at nothing." Prometheus looked at her and said, "What you desire, for a goddess, is truly too much."
"What do you mean by 'too much'? Is what you desire 'not much'?" Athena raised an eyebrow, looking at Prometheus with an expression of disgust: "You male gods, relying on being male, always think that only you have the ability to dominate and acquire this world. You use brute force and violence to oppress your wives, and casually discard your daughters like objects. Did Zeus think that by devouring my mother and forcibly twisting my destiny with the King of the Gods' authority, making me born as a girl, he could change the fate of his kingship being overthrown?"
She looked at the continuous torrential rain between heaven and earth, and waved the spear in her hand as if fighting a great god, then continued, "I, Athena, will say no to this fate. I will prove to you that even a goddess has the right and ability to hold all things in the world in her palm!"
She slowly clenched her hand towards heaven and earth, as if to grasp everything in the world:
"Prometheus, just you wait. When I ascend to Olympus and become queen, I will come and free you, and you will kneel on the ground and kiss my feet."
"Hmph." Prometheus, bound to the giant rock, raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly, "Then I shall await."