Watching the two figures in front of him, so flat they barely had an ounce of flesh on their entire bodies, shamelessly striking coquettish poses right before his eyes, Poseidon's face twitched violently before turning as black as the bottom of a pot.
"If you don't want to die, get lost. I was talking about the one behind you!"
"..."
As soon as his words fell, the grand divine hall fell into an eerie silence.
The two sisters who had been bickering noisily just moments ago lowered the hands shielding their chests and turned toward each other, smiles blooming on their faces.
"Did that sea toad just say he wanted Medusa?"
"Yes~ And it sounded like he wanted to drag her back, use her like a breeding tool, and have her pop out children every single day?"
Sea toad?
Hearing this, Poseidon flew into a rage.
His previously passable, handsome face flushed iron-blue, his chest heaving so violently that for a moment he couldn't even speak.
Yet just as he finally managed to steady his breathing and was about to curse aloud, the two sisters standing before the statue abruptly turned their heads in unison and locked eyes with him.
Two pairs of dreamlike violet eyes flared brilliantly, overflowing with bone-chilling coldness and murderous intent.
—Like two venomous snakes completely enraged.
The instant their gazes met, a lifeless gray-white sheen spread across Poseidon's body.
His limbs grew heavy, his thoughts sluggish, as if his very existence were being smothered.
"Buzz—!"
Sensing imminent danger, the oceanic divinity within him erupted violently from every acupoint in his body, surging outward in a burst of blue divine flames and as a result, the gray petrification was forcibly washed away.
In the blink of an eye, his sealed senses and thoughts snapped back into place.
Regaining control of his body, Poseidon's expression twisted with shock and fury.
A curse?
A petrification curse that could even affect a chief god?!
How could mere subordinate gods possess such terrifying divinity and authority?
"Tch, he didn't die? How boring..."
"Then, let's do it again!"
As the words fell, the two sisters once more turned their glowing violet eyes toward the intruder in the divine hall, obscure and sinister light flickering within their gazes.
Arrogant!
Seething with rage, Poseidon instinctively turned his eyes away, igniting his divine blood while condensing aether into his palm, at the same time, a deep-blue trident materialized in his grasp and slammed heavily into the ground.
In an instant, roaring tides of aether surged outward, a vast azure barrier rose up, easily blocking the sisters' line of sight.
Mere subordinate gods daring to humiliate a chief god like him....this was nothing short of courting death!
No longer able to restrain himself, the sea god strode forward upon rolling waves, riding the boundless fury of the ocean as he raised his divine weapon high.
If that was how it was going to be, then he'd eliminate these nuisances first...then enjoy the main course afterward!
"Crash—!"
Yet the aetheric waves he had just summoned suddenly shattered as if they had slammed into an invisible reef.
With the watery defense gone, Poseidon's furious eyes directly collided with three pairs of dreamlike violet pupils.
—This time, even the cold, aloof beauty had joined in.
The complete Gorgon divinity vibrated and roared, instantly invading the sea god's body and freezing his charging form on the spot.
Not good!
Realizing the danger, Poseidon instinctively clenched his trident and slammed it into the ground with all his might.
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Two sharp sounds split the air as a golden arrow and a silver arrow descended like meteors, knocking the trident clean out of his hand.
Artemis! Apollo!
Seeing the unmistakable divine radiance, Poseidon's face drained of color as alarm flooded his mind.
At the same time, the divine hall blazed with light, forming a labyrinthine barrier that sealed everything inside.
A radiant beam of golden light descended from the statue into the center of the hall, condensing into a valiant figure clad in golden armor...with Aegis shield in one hand, spear of victory in the other.
"Trying to meet you in private really isn't easy, Uncle..."
A low, elegant voice echoed through the hall as the fully armed goddess of wisdom gazed at Poseidon's frozen figure, her clear eyes filled with a knowing smile.
A trap!
Seeing his niece, who was supposed to have left Crete, standing alive and well before him, Poseidon finally understood.
He was the one who had been hooked.
Staring at the massive fish caught in their net, Euryale couldn't help licking her pink tongue, her eyes blazing with excitement.
"I caught him. This time, I get the bigger share!"
"Nonsense. He was clearly captivated by my charm. The biggest portion should be mine."
Stheno snapped back without the slightest intention of yielding.
After devouring the divinity of the demon gods Ceto and Phorcys, the sisters had become addicted to the thrill of stealing divine essence.
Listening to these two flat-chested monsters casually discussing how to eat him...and who deserved the most credit, Poseidon's expression grew even uglier.
—Charm!
No wonder after glancing at them during the day, his mind had been flooded with obscene impulses.
As soon as night fell, he'd wandered into Athena's grand temple in a daze.
Under normal circumstances, the god of sea would never have been so careless!
While furiously justifying his lapse in judgment, Poseidon cursed their despicable methods in his heart.
What he failed to remember was that the one who truly lured him here wasn't Euryale or Stheno's charm, but Medusa's voluptuous figure...
But now that things had come this far, words were absolutely meaningless.
As a domineering figure of his era, Poseidon acted decisively.
At this critical moment, he forcefully gathered his will, burned his divine blood, shattered a corner of his divine core, and pushed his sea authority to its absolute limit.
Even if it meant centuries of recovery, it was still better than being humiliated into submission by that niece of his.
"Buzz—!"
In an instant, blazing blue divinity erupted skyward, tearing violently through both the petrification curse and the maze barrier.
"Pfft—!"
Spinning disorientedly, Poseidon reappeared inside the divine hall, his face deathly pale as he spat out a mouthful of golden blood.
Cracks crawled across the exposed skin of his body, as though he might shatter at the slightest touch.
At the same time, the three Gorgon sister, —who had been controlling the field, were struck by backlash.
They staggered backward, muffled groans escaping them as bloody tears seeped from their tightly shut eyes.
After all, he was a main god standing at the very apex of the divine hierarchy—the absolute ruler of the seas.
To restrain him even briefly and force him into self-damaging his divine core was already an achievement worthy of pride.
Trying to run? Not a chance!
Seeing Poseidon transform into a streak of blue water-light and burst through the temple roof toward the sea, Athena arched her body back, her spine curving like a bow drawn to its limit.
The spear of victory in her hand screamed as it shot forth into the night sky, chasing after Poseidon.
"My unbreakable bulwark!
My eternal city! Born from the stars, rising from the sea, never to fall—Immortal Nation: Atlantis!"
At the critical moment, sensing mortal danger, Poseidon whipped around and rapidly chanted.
Instantly, a city projection with ten segmented rings and concentric circular architecture appeared before him, forming a blue iron curtain.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Athena's spear, along with the incoming golden and silver arrows, was stopped cold.
Poseidon remained completely unscathed.
But the illusory city trembled violently, vast cracks ripped through its land, swallowing screaming figures and collapsing buildings, leaving devastation in their wake.
He actually transferred the damage to his divine kingdom, using his own people and city as shields?!
Damn... how ruthless.
Witnessing the scene, everyone sucked in a cold breath, chills running through their hearts.
Sure enough, the Poseidon who claimed to love the people of Atlantis so dearly was no different from that so-called just and benevolent god-king.
Seizing the brief respite, Poseidon wiped the golden blood from his mouth, snarled a final threat, and used the recoil of divine power to hurl himself toward the endless Oceanus Sea.
"Athena, I'll remember this hospitality of yours! This isn't over!"
Yet just as he crossed the defenses of Knossos, a water-blue arrow silently shot out from the shadows.
The familiar divine aura left Poseidon, who was utterly exhausted, with no time to react.
By the time he sensed danger, it was already too late.
Gritting his teeth, he twisted his body instinctively.
"Pshhk—!"
Golden-red blood sprayed through the night sky.
The arrow skimmed beneath his groin, tearing free a round object that tumbled down toward the city below.
"AAARGH—!"
The once-arrogant sea god let out a shrill, agonized scream, clutching his bleeding lower body as his frantic gaze locked onto where the arrow had fallen.
Everyone present followed his stare.
—In a dim alley, a spent bronze arrow lay embedded in the corner.
By the faint glow of phosphorite, they clearly saw what hung from its tip—something disturbingly similar to a meatball made of human flesh.
In an instant, every man present felt a chill surge up from between his legs, an agonizing phantom pain spreading through them.
"Give it back to me!"
Poseidon roared as he dove downward, desperately trying to reclaim his lost dignity....his voice shrill and cracking with hysteria.
But a golden figure leapt over the wall even faster.
"Woof!"
With an excited bark, a golden hunting hound, its fur gleaming brilliantly, rushed forward, drawn by the thick scent of blood and before everyone's eyes, bit down on the "fragrant meatball" swallowing it whole.
"Gulp..."
The sound of throats swallowing echoed in unison.
"Bastard..."
Poseidon froze midair, his eyes overflowing with indescribable grief and hatred.
But with pursuers closing in, there was no time left to think.
Casting one final venomous glare at those surrounding him, Poseidon clutched his bleeding groin and fled into the Oceanus Sea, vanishing beneath the surging waves.
"Woof?"
Sensing a familiar presence, the golden hound lifted its head happily.
The arriving group stared at the dog's mouth, still stained with traces of golden blood, then exchanged silent, complicated looks.
(End of Chapter)