The wizards knew that Ian had departed.
And the Sun God had been watching Ian disappear from his sight all along.
"He used some kind of screening technique to block my gaze." The Sun God stood on the hillside, the golden Sun Wheel Chariot hovering beside him, its scorching brilliance illuminating the earth. He looked in the direction of the Raven's disappearance, frowning slightly, with Ian's meaningful goodbye echoing in his mind.
"Say hi to your daughter for me."
He was aware of the special contract between his daughter and Ian, but no one knew the reason for the formation of this contract, nor could the gods trace its origin.
Regarding this.
There was a slight unease in the Sun God's heart. However, what troubled him most now was not only that the Raven acted very familiar with him, but also appeared to have known his daughter for a long time.
Is this correct?
Moreover, how does that guy know how to block my gaze? The Raven is indeed very strong, but its strength is based solely on rank and self, it should be unfamiliar with the powers the gods wield.
One must know.
Since the Titan's downfall, the Raven has been absent for a long time, and during this time, the Raven has never appeared again. It couldn't have been hiding somewhere, spying on the human world all along?
Ian's figure had long vanished in the distance, and no one could provide him an answer. The Sun God shook his head, turned and stepped onto the chariot, shaking the reins, the four celestial horses engulfed in golden flames neighed once, carrying him towards the sky, racing towards Mount Olympus. The sunlight atop Mount Olympus was as scorching as fire.
The golden chariot pierced through the clouds, slowly descending amidst golden radiance.
Inside the Divine Hall.
Athena was standing before a massive star map, fingertips lightly tapping, countless trajectories of stars flowing before her. Her expression was calm, as though she had never taken a step outside the hall.
As the Sun God entered the hall, she asked without turning her head:
"Sent him off?"
This was akin to a casual conversation, both demeanor and tone were natural. No one knew where she had been, the Goddess of Wisdom knew how to escape the eyes of the gods using her avatars.
"Yes." The Sun God replied briefly, his gaze sweeping across the hall—Zeus was not there.
Only then did Athena turn around, a hint of a subtle smile at the corner of her lips: "That plague has finally left, saved us quite some trouble."
Her tone was light, as though discussing a trivial matter, but the Sun God keenly noticed that as her fingertips glided across the star map, there was a momentary pause.
Clearly.
Athena too could not fathom when Ian would appear next.
She still needed Ian's protection.
"The item has been given to him, he should not return." The Sun God did not perceive Athena's oddness, so he also sighed and made a relaxed expression.
"It's best if he never returns."
This was certainly not Athena's true sentiments.
She was performing.
And the audience.
Was presumably Zeus who might be watching here at this moment.
"Let's hope so." The Sun God sighed lightly, his gaze turned outward, as if staring into the distant Netherworld, "After all... we have bigger troubles to handle."
Even he could see the situation in the Netherworld, Zeus naturally could see as well; Zeus now hid in his love nest, his attention wholly absorbed by another matter.
Kratos was climbing out of the Netherworld. At the highest point of Mount Olympus, Zeus stood alone at the Thunder Throne, the Thunderbolt Staff in his hand sparkling with unstable electrical light. His gaze pierced through the clouds, directly into the abyss of the Netherworld, where a blood-soaked Spartan was tearing open the barriers of the Netherworld with brute force.
Climbing step by step towards the human world.
"Damn beast..." Zeus cursed under his breath, thunderous anger and unease flickered in his pale pupils.
He originally thought that the Olympus Sword was enough to completely end Kratos, but unexpectedly, this madman couldn't even be constrained by death!
"Must stop him before he climbs out..." Zeus tightened the staff, knuckles turning white.
He paid no attention to Athena and the Sun God's conversation, nor had any interest in whether Ian really left. At this moment, all his mind was occupied with Kratos' threat.
"He's almost out."
Hera stood beside, voice cold, "What do you plan to do?"
Zeus remained silent for a long while, finally spoke: "I cannot let him return."
"Do you think you can stop him?" Hermes whispered, "He is no longer a mortal, nor an ordinary soul. He is the Godslayer, an exception to destiny."
Zeus' fingers softly tapped the armrest of the throne, the gaze icy yet resolute:
"If he's to come, then let me greet him personally, utterly end this bastard who shouldn't have been born." The twilight of the gods' clouding made Zeus completely lose his wisdom.
Despite having fear.
But even more, blinded arrogance filled him.
And this.
Was exactly what Athena wanted. Because of the law of energy conservation, Zeus' lost wisdom would gather on her side; in actuality, all wisdom lost by the gods would be collected by her.
Especially during such moments.
Athena was stronger.
This was also the reason she was confident that after obtaining Ian's protection, she could exert the wisdom of deceiving destiny and thus abandon her goddess identity to vanish without trace.
"Hope the Raven's promise will come into effect." Athena followed the Sun God's gaze to the Netherworld, yet her thoughts were clearly completely different from the other gods.
Meanwhile.
The Ian whom she was thinking about had indeed used the information understood in Pompeii to avoid the gods' sights, the Fierce Goddess had once shown him similar techniques.