"Athena" received the oracle and left noisy Olympus with "Hephaestus" and "Artemis".
However, instead of immediately heading to the suspicious places related to the disappearance of "Iris", she seemed to be leading a leisurely sightseeing tour.
First, she visited several picturesque springs and valleys, carefully 'investigating' them, and even commented with great interest on the newly bloomed water lilies.
"Artemis" understood this; she had been dragged out by her best friend to relax, and she was happy and relaxed.
She even summoned a few deer from the forest, stroking their smooth fur, and signaled to Athena with her eyes: Have fun.
And "Hephaestus", the silent craftsman god, leaned on his iron staff, his thick brows slightly furrowed.
He might not be good at intrigue, but he possessed the keen observation inherent to a craftsman.
Athena's 'search' route avoided the difficult and prioritized the easy, without any sense of urgency, and seemed more like a delaying tactic.
His one-eyed gaze darted between Athena's calm back and Artemis's relaxed posture, and then he just snorted softly and remained silent.
He was used to being excluded from the core power and secrets, and since the Goddess of Wisdom intended to do this, he didn't want to disturb her, just silently noted the distribution of rare minerals he saw along the way, which was worth the trip.
"Artemis" approached "Athena", lowered her voice, and said with a slight, sly smile:
"Tell me, did you deliberately drag me out just to find that 'Iris' who flies around all day? If you really want to find her, we should check the sacrificial grounds of those mortal city-states or head to the border of Hades to take a look."
"Athena" replied with an inscrutable smile and gently traced her fingertip over a damp olive leaf.
"Impatience is the enemy of wisdom, dear Artemis. A comprehensive 'investigation' is a necessary step."
As for why she brought Hephaestus...
She glanced at the craftsman god, who had crouched down nearby, picked up a handful of soil with his thick fingers, and sniffed it.
"A good craftsman always notices 'details' that we might overlook. Moreover, with him, we can be prepared for many 'accidental' situations."
This explanation was half true.
Taking "Hephaestus" along was an opportunity to use his skills and combat effectiveness.
But the deeper reason was that "Athena" needed these two major gods, who were not absolutely loyal to Zeus, as an 'observation team' to separate them from the inner circle of Olympus, so that she could act and think more freely.
"Artemis" was her best friend, with a relatively simple mind;
"Hephaestus" was silent; due to his appearance and experiences, he was quite alienated from the mainstream gods of Olympus and was a relatively reliable companion.
"Artemis" blinked. Although she didn't fully understand, she trusted "Athena's" wisdom.
"Well, this is much more fun than staying on the mountain listening to those boring arguments and flattery. Where to next? I know the mountains and forests in the north have good hunting grounds..."
Thus, under "Athena's" deliberate guidance, this squad, which was supposed to urgently search for the missing god, turned into a purposeless stroll.
At the same time, in the blue Aegean Sea, Alexander's fleet cut through the waves.
Suddenly, the originally calm sea surface violently surged, and from the abyss emerged a huge sea monster, pouncing on the flagship at the lead with the wild fury of the ocean!
However, the passengers on this fleet were not ordinary sailors.
Faced with this terrifying attack, the heroes, instead of panicking, showed the eyes of hunters who had spotted their prey.
Hercules let out a roar that shook the sea and sky, grabbed a huge tentacle that was slamming onto the deck with his bare hands, his muscles tensed, and he actually lifted the giant and smashed it into the sea!
Theseus held a sharp sword and precisely severed the tentacles entwining the hull;
Odysseus commanded the rowers, using his knowledge of various monsters' habits to guide the heroes in attacking Scylla's weaknesses;
Heroes like Hector and Oedipus also displayed their magical powers; arrows and spears rained down on the sea monster.
The clash was almost one-sided slaughter.
Although the sea monster was powerful, under the siege of almost the entire Greek mythological age, it was soon covered in wounds, let out a mournful howl, and was on the verge of being completely dismembered.
"Stop!"
A roar, full of divine power and fury, exploded from the depths of the sea!
The seawater parted like curtains before a giant, and "Poseidon", holding a magnificent trident, surrounded by raging currents and fierce thunder, majestically rose from the sea.
His sea-blue eyes burned with anger as he looked at the mortals tormenting his 'beautiful beloved'.
"Despicable ants! How dare you wound my beautiful beloved! You will suffer my wrath and die in the belly of a fish!"
"Poseidon" swung his trident, and the entire sea began to boil, with massive whirlpools forming, as if about to swallow the entire fleet.
However, faced with this menacing lord of the sea, instead of fear, Alexander's face bloomed with an almost ecstatic light!
"An unexpected delight... What an unexpected delight!" he whispered, his eyes flashing with the excitement of a hunter finding top-tier prey.
His original goal was to hunt minor gods and gain experience, but he hadn't expected to directly draw out the Sea King!
"All forces! Target—'Poseidon'!" Alexander drew his sword and pointed it at the majestic sea god.
"For our great cause! Slay the god, today!"
At the command, the heroes who were still besieging Scylla instantly turned their targets to the more magnificent prey.
Without much hesitation, all the heroes present—except for the unborn Achilles—almost embodied the most brilliant names of the Greek heroic epic, and like a well-trained pack of wolves, they pounced on Poseidon from all sides!
Hercules met him head-on, his strength able to contend with Poseidon's divine power for a short time;
Odysseus sought the patterns and weaknesses in the flow of divine power;
Theseus, Hector, and other heroes skilled in close combat fought like a whirlwind;
Oedipus and others used long-range attacks to disrupt...
"Poseidon" was indeed powerful; every swing of his trident raised tsunamis, and his divine power churned like an abyss.
But under the siege of numerous leading heroes, especially Hercules, who was at the peak of demigod power, he seemed to be fighting on all fronts.
His proud marine authority was greatly weakened against a group of enemies who relied not only on brute force but also on a combination of wisdom, skill, and divine blood.
The battle was fierce and brutal, the waves stained red with divine blood and mortal courage.
"Poseidon" roared again and again, but could not escape this deadly siege.
His divine power was rapidly consumed, and the wounds on his body increased.
In the end, under the pressure of Hercules's powerful grip, Alexander seized a fleeting moment.
He threw the dark red "Spear of Divine Retribution"!
This time, the spear was no longer just for penetration.
The moment it touched "Poseidon's" divine body, it seemed to transform into an abyss of greed, frantically devouring the majestic divine power and divinity of the ocean lord!
"Poseidon" let out a cry full of shock and despair, feeling his strength being forcibly taken away by the strange spear!
The light of the trident dimmed, and the roaring waves subsided.
The once majestic lord of the ocean, his divine body, like shattered glass under the absorption of the "Spear of Divine Retribution", disintegrated inch by inch, and finally, together with his remaining divinity and power, turned into countless blue specks of light, completely absorbed by the god-killing weapon.
The sea fell into deathly silence.
Only the "Spear of Divine Retribution", suspended in the air with the quiet sound of waves, proved the fall of a great god.
Alexander reached out to retrieve the spear, feeling the powerful force within it, and a look of satisfaction appeared on his face.
The hunting plan had yielded a breakthrough far exceeding expectations.
And far inland, "Athena", who was 'investigating' a scenic valley somewhere, was still leisurely strolling.
"Athena" was searching, wasn't she?
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