Seeing Perseus raise his scythe and aim it at his junior sister, Athena, high above in the clouds, nodded in satisfaction.
This was not only an explanation she owed Poseidon but also a trial for Perseus. This Hero claimed to love Athena the most, but where in this world did such unprovoked love come from?
Athena believed her appearance and figure were not inferior to any Goddess, but she had never been kind to Perseus before, nor had she appeared before him in her true form until that time at Athenas Temple.
Perseus was as absurd as a transfer student who suddenly appeared by Athena's side and inexplicably fell in love with her.
Such a character, in a typical school manga, would probably be accepted by the 'Yasashii' male lead, but who was she? She was Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, a woman determined to be the next God-King of Greece.
How could she accept such a man? Not to mention, Perseus's previous record was far from proper in Athena's eyes.
Under the Centaur Sage Chiron, he grew up with a group of 'rebellious' Heroes, and later even became a disciple of Hecate, the current ruler of the Underworld, to learn magic. He was a fellow disciple of Ares, and had a close relationship with Hecate, who sided with Ares.
Even if such a person later proved his absolute loyalty to Athena in various ways, Athena still did not trust him.
His timing was too coincidental, as if he were a 'maid Athena' from Persephone's side, a puppet specially created to fawn over her.
However, Athena was somewhat reluctant to part with this tool, as he was indeed very useful, much more so than the useless ones she had previously supported. Moreover, Heracles, the strongest Hero in Greece, had completely sided with Ares due to the Three Goddesses' hindrance. Perseus, a powerful Hero only slightly weaker than Heracles, naturally became a key target for Athena to win over.
She wanted to fully trust Perseus, but her rationality would not allow her to do so, hence the test today. If Perseus could truly steel himself to kill Medea, then whether he liked it or not, he would certainly have to break with Hecate and Ares in the future.
In addition, Athena had another consideration.
Medea was not only Perseus's junior sister but also Ares's junior sister. According to Athena's speculation about the close relationship between Ares and Hecate, he would never sit idly by and watch Medea be captured and killed here by Perseus and Poseidon.
Previously, Ares tried to instigate a series of provocations to cause conflict between her and Poseidon, and he indeed succeeded. No matter what Athena said, the blame for Atlantis's destruction was firmly placed on her. Even if Poseidon and she reached an agreement today, their relationship would definitely not improve in the future.
But if Ares wanted to drag Athena into conflict with Poseidon, why wouldn't Athena want to do the same?
Her previous silence and lack of stance were precisely to wait for this opportunity, the opportunity to drag Ares into the mess.
So, what will you do?
Athena narrowed her eyes, looking at the silent Ares in the clouds.
You usually like to call me 'little sister' to gain an advantage. Since we are good siblings, if I, your sister, am bullied by our uncle, there's no reason for my brother not to help, right, Ares?
As expected, just as Poseidon and Perseus simultaneously launched a fierce attack on Medea below, their violent divine power and magic directly crushing Medea's thin Magic Circuit barrier, Ares, who had been standing motionlessly at the edge of the clouds, suddenly moved.
He transformed into a burning meteor, and before the Gods could react, he plunged directly towards Poseidon and Perseus. After a earth-shattering roar, Ares's divine power, mixed with raging flames, and Poseidon's sea-blue divine power directly burst forth. Poseidon's and Perseus's weapons were simultaneously parried by Ares's Flame Shield.
"Ares!"
Poseidon roared:
"Dare you oppose me?!"
"Damn you, old fool."
Ares retorted:
"What are you? Why wouldn't I dare?"
The two most powerful Gods in the world exchanged insults, then immediately clashed again. The Flame Sword and trident collided for the third time, shaking the entire island and causing massive waves to surge in the sea. Perseus, who was closest, was also forced to retreat repeatedly.
However, Perseus's greatest strength now was not as a warrior, but as a Magician. As a warrior, Perseus could not directly contend with powerful Gods like Ares and Poseidon, but as a Magician, just like in Athenas Temple, he could easily manipulate magic and join such a level of battle.
However, just as Perseus was about to activate the Magic Circuit within his body and draw complex magical patterns in mid-air, the magic in the air suddenly became chaotic, as if a hand had plunged into the ocean of magic, completely stirring up the calm surface. All the magic and spells Perseus had prepared instantly failed.
The ground of Poseidonia Kingdom's island suddenly cracked, and clear fissures appeared on the surface. Then, a chilling wind, mixed with dense death qi, flowed out from the cracks, visible as a mist.
Witnessing this, not only were Poseidon and Perseus startled, but even the Gods in the sky all stood up in alarm.
"Underworld's death aura?"
Zeus's eyes widened in surprise as he surveyed the cracks in the earth:
"Hades is back? No, that's not right, this is Hecate."
As the King of the Gods made his judgment, accompanied by a faint sigh, a slender Goddess, cloaked and with her face completely obscured, slowly rose from the thick mist of the Underworld.
"Perseus, your magic is not yet perfected."
Her lips uttered a voice that could make one feel mesmerized:
"From today onwards, you are no longer a disciple of me, Hecate, the Moon Goddess."
After this Goddess appeared, Ares also pushed Poseidon away and retreated to her side. Hecate then tucked her hands into the sleeves of her robe, looked at Poseidon, and softly asked:
"Great God of the Sea, Medea is my disciple. Can you give me, Hecate, some face?"
"Give you face?"
Poseidon snorted, and retorted:
"Then where should I put my face?"
"So, you're not going to agree?"
Hecate gently raised a finger:
"Very well. It's been a long time since the Titan War that I've fought against a God-King level God like you. Care to try?"