Chapter 27: Athena's Creation

[3rd POV]

While Ares and Hecate were deeply focused on their experiment, the remaining eleven gods of Olympus gathered together in Zeus's temple on Mount Olympus to have a meeting.

After the gods finished reporting what had been happening, Zeus turned his gaze toward Athena and asked, "Athena, how is the work of creation progressing?"

Upon hearing this, Athena reported, "Yes, Zeus. I've gathered almost all the concepts that the gods wish to give to all of the creation. The only one missing is Ares, the god of war. He hasn't given me his concept yet."

"Hmm?" 

Zeus asked, puzzled, "Didn't Ares come to the banquet last time? Why didn't you ask him then?"

"He kept rambling nonsense to me." 

Athena said, her expression darkening, "I got so angry that I completely forgot to ask him about it."

Zeus initially considered scolding her for failing to handle the matter, but then he remembered Ares' behavior at the banquet.

Ares' "virgin vow" had been so shockingly powerful that even now, Zeus could still hear Ares' strong voice in his mind, echoing in his ears. 

Given the impact of Ares' behavior, it was entirely understandable that Athena had forgotten to bring it up at the time.

"Prometheus and his brother have been in the mortal world for many years and are already prepared. This matter concerns the future of the gods, so we cannot afford to be careless. Athena, go to the shore of the Acheron River near Okeanos and find Ares. Once you find him, make sure he gives you his concept for creation."

"Understood. I will carry out your will." 

Athena responded.

Hearing received Zeus' command, Athena exited the hall and made her way back to her own temple. 

After collecting the concepts the gods that the gods had given her, she descended from Mount Olympus and traveled to the shores of the Acheron River, following the shore as she searched for Ares.

Even though Athena was now the strongest among the fourth-generation gods, Hecate, the Goddess of Magic, was still much stronger in magic.

After arriving, Athena couldn't detect where Hecate and Ares were hiding. However, as she was searching with all her strength, a blinding bolt of lightning suddenly descended from the sky, landing in a barren basin by the sea.

"Zeus' Thunder?"

Seeing the lightning, Athena was momentarily stunned.

"No, wait... This isn't Zeus' thunder. Someone is summoning upon Zeus' fragment of authority. Is it Hecate?"

The power of the lightning bolt made Athena feel uneasy.

She had always seen her father as a powerful God-King, so she both respected and feared Zeus's power.

While the distant lightning couldn't overwhelm her directly, it still made Athena, who had inherited the memories of her mother, Metis, shiver down her spine.

Nevertheless, she quickly calmed herself and continued toward the place where the lightning had struck.

As she made her way to the location, the swirling storm clouds in the sky didn't dissipate, and several more lightning bolts fell one after another.

By the time Athena arrived at the barren basin, she could observe through the cracked barrier and what was inside.

The barrier was very well hidden, and usually, Athena wouldn't have detected it. However, at this moment, the one who had set the barrier had unintentionally broke it. 

Seeing the crack, Athena's eyes flickered, and she silently muttered an apology in her heart. Then, she suppressed her presence and aura, stepping inside.

Inside the barrier, there was a mysterious forest full of life with various small fairies.

However, at that moment, they were all scared by the lightning falling from the sky and flew out of the trees, scattering like frightened insects. 

Athena ignored these tiny creatures and continued moving quietly.

Eventually, she heard a familiar, deep, loud voice say, "Come on, Hecate, keep striking! Don't hold back just because I'm the God of War!"

As the voice finished speaking, three bolts of lightning, each as thick as a barrel, fell from the sky without mercy, shaking the ground with a loud rumble.

When the lightning struck, a completely burned figure resembling a human-sized piece of burnt coal was suddenly thrown backward, crashing hard onto the ground not far from her.

The Goddess of Wisdom pinched her nose, tiptoed over, then summoned her divine spear and poked the charred figure with the end of the spear.

"Stop messing around."

The burning figure on the ground raised a hand, pushing Athena's extended spear aside, and then seemed to realize something was off. 

He lifted his head and revealed two silver eyes inherited from Zeus. He stared intently at Athena for a few seconds, then suddenly jumped up.

"Damn!" 

Ares shouted as he jumped up, "What the hell are you doing here? Hecate! Hecate! Someone's breaking into your domain!"

"Ares, as expected, it's you." 

Athena ignored the noisy, burned figure of Ares and moved him aside with her hand. She then walked out of the forest and arrived at Hecate's tree palace.

On the flower-filled meadow, there sat the Goddess of Magic, Hecate. She maintained the body of a young girl, but she wore a long dress that she used to wear when she was older.

She was barefoot, one leg crossed over the chair while the other foot rested on the dog lying next to her chair, using it as a footstool. 

As Athena looked at her, Hecate held a flower cup filled with nectar. It was clear that, just moments before, she had been leisurely relaxing while using the lightning whip to strike Ares.

"Uh, Goddess of Magic, I apologize for barging in without notice."

Seeing the slight displeasure on Hecate's face, Athena took the initiative to apologize, "I noticed a crack in the barrier caused by the lightning strike on the shore, so I just came in."

Athena's tone was respectful, and since Athena was being polite, Hecate couldn't really get angry with her.

"What brings the current favorite of Zeus, coming us small gods with your presence?"

"I'm here to find Ares."

 Athena replied. 

She then glanced around at the small craters and scorch marks caused by the lightning and asked, "May I ask, what exactly were you two doing just now?"

To be continued...

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300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter

A/N: Every 200 power stone, I'll drop bonus chapter...