Chapter 619 - 110: War Begins
"You."
Artemis was fuming. Clearly Shen Fei was her priest, so why did he seem like Hecate and Athena’s priest now?
"Don’t fuss."
Athena comforted her like calming a child.
Artemis could only grumble as she walked out of the Divine Hall; this humiliation made her complexion look quite bad.
After Artemis left the Divine Hall, Athena then looked at Shen Fei and said, "You went to the Netherworld, did you release Chronos?"
Shen Fei squinted at Athena, a certain suspicion in his heart becoming more confirmed. Logically speaking, Athena shouldn’t know, if she did know.
Zeus should also know, and if that were the case, Zeus would have found them on the way, with thunderstorms continually raging above.
So Athena shouldn’t know, yet she did, and even had connections with Gaia.
"Should I call you Athena or Metis?"
Shen Fei smiled, contemplating if there indeed was a way through Hecate’s power to find out Chronos had already left the Netherworld.
Only Metis, who brewed the magic potion and helped Chronos vomit out Hades and the others, could possibly know.
Who knows what tricks she employed inside that magic potion.
If she is operating as Metis, contact with the Earth Mother would be normal.
Athena neither denied nor confirmed, "Why did you release Chronos?"
"Only he can deal with Zeus."
Shen Fei replied, although unsure how Metis managed to deceive Zeus into thinking Athena was his daughter.
But it was clear she also wanted to deal with Zeus.
"We can too." Athena frowned, Chronos was a significant variable, even though much weakened now, the strength of the King of Titans would be feared by even a full-strength Zeus, especially with the mysterious Hecate helping him.
This made Athena wonder if collaborating with Shen Fei was like plotting with a tiger; she indeed aimed to be the Divine King, but to do so within the Olympian Pantheon.
Not to outright overthrow it, there’s a big difference between the two.
"Chronos promises he only seeks revenge on Zeus and won’t compete for the position of Divine King."
"I don’t believe it."
"You can have Gaia testify. Since you can ask Gaia to intervene, it shows you already have connections; even though Chronos is her son, she may not necessarily help him."
"Furthermore, according to destiny’s prophecy, only the Divine King’s offspring can become the next Divine King, which is Chronos’ own curse, set during his peak."
"Even now, he cannot defy it."
"Under the double assurance of the curse and Gaia’s witness, if you still do not believe, then I have nothing more to say." Shen Fei shrugged, plunging Athena into thought.
"Alright."
Athena nodded; when Shen Fei revealed her identity, she had fewer paths left to choose.
Moreover, with Chronos now free, if blame were pursued, her divine spirit connected to Shen Fei certainly wouldn’t be captured.
Zeus, ever since the last Titan War injury, began to be more mindful of his children; despite destiny proclaiming that after enduring three wars.
The rule over Mount Olympus would be unshakable, but it didn’t specify exactly who would rule Olympus; instead, from Zeus’ injuries.
Zeus grew increasingly wary of divine spirits that could threaten his rule.
Even Hera wasn’t exempt.
Otherwise, why didn’t Poseidon dare go mad? He too feared Zeus could use this as a pretext to strip him of his Sea God rank.
Athena: "What’s your plan?"
Shen Fei shared his intention to proactively attack, since destiny’s war was unavoidable, he’d seize control of the warpath.
Why wait for Alexander’s birth?
After hearing Shen Fei’s words, Athena frowned slightly, "Actually, it’s feasible, better yet; but Alexander is fated to sweep the Aegean, even initiating war now.
May not achieve anything."
"Let’s give it a try first."
Shen Fei wasn’t too concerned about the potential consequences; he merely thought that if embroiled in warfare’s quagmire, with Ares’ current emphasis on the power of War.
He’d undoubtedly want to possess War, even aim to win War itself.
Then he wouldn’t desire to destroy the Artemis Temple.
Now even Athena believed Shen Fei had grand schemes, but Shen Fei honestly just wanted to safeguard the Artemis Temple.
Simply needing to obscure his true goal amidst greater events, thus it was the best method they devised to protect the Artemis Temple during this period.
"Alright."
...
As this conversation concluded, the Aegean War commenced anew; even before Shen Fei headed to Aia Island, numerous cities began preparing for battle.
Unlike past minor skirmishes, this time Ephesus went all out, thousands of guards began attacking surrounding cities directly.
In just a few days, aided by the Minotaur.
The city was swiftly shattered, unlike before, the breached cities saw their temples thoroughly burned.
Newly established temples then only worshiped Hecate, Aphrodite, Apollo, Artemis, Athena.
Where Zeus, a deity all cities usually worshipped, had not even a statue.
For a moment, the Olympian gods hadn’t reacted, yet cities centered around Ephesus swiftly advanced, the once scattered Greek city-states suddenly connected as one.
Amid the Macedonian Kingdom and Persia, two great behemoths, another giant entity, likewise rose; neither Macedonian nor Persian realized.
Faith in the gods was nearly ninety percent shattered in an instant.
On the contrary, gods like Athena with existing statues remained unaffected, and due to the spreading of faith, rapidly expanded their Rank and Divine Authority.
Changes in the mortal world prompted the gods to seek Athena for answers, but found she had vanished without a trace, her Divine Hall of Wisdom also vacant.
"Damn it! Athena dares to kindle a new God War!" The handsome Ares looked at his father Zeus, eyes flashing with anger, Athena had sabotaged his plans.
Originally, they just had to wait for Alexander’s birth, using his Divine Authority of War to influence Alexander, and once Alexander unified the surrounding territories.
Would gradually elevate his Rank, but now all had been disrupted by Ephesus’ unexpected war initiation.