The surging 'love', not subject to his will, exploded in his heart like a volcano!
This love was twisted and manic, carrying the possessiveness and cruel tendencies characteristic of the war god, which instantly shattered his reason.
His gaze suddenly shifted away from Kratos and locked onto a new 'target' with the precision of a cheetah—not far away, just having reached the edge of the battlefield, roaring and charging in an attempt to save Kratos—Hercules!
From Hercules's perspective, he was trying to prevent the war god from killing Kratos.
But in the eyes of "Ares", struck by the golden arrow, the muscular figure, full of strength and wild beauty, seemed so charming against the setting sun!
Full of 'charm' that made his heart beat faster!
"Mine... My love!!"
"Ares" let out a roar that had completely changed in meaning, threw away the battle spear in his hand, spread his arms, and lunged at Hercules in a gesture of wanting to embrace the other!
This sudden change stunned everyone.
Hercules's charge continued without stopping, but his combat instincts made him react instantly.
Faced with "Ares", who charged with open arms, he did not clash head-on, but changed his footwork, slightly sidestepped, let "Ares" lunge forward, and precisely grabbed the war god's outstretched arm with both hands!
"Up you go!"
Hercules roared, and the strength in his body, capable of shaking mountains, exploded!
He used the momentum of "Ares's" forward charge, applied force to his waist and abdomen, and performed a clean shoulder throw, full of brutal aesthetics!
Boom!!
The once invincible war god "Ares", like a broken ragdoll, was lifted by Hercules, traced a beautiful arc, and slammed face-first into the hard ground!
The powerful impact made the earth crack like a spiderweb, and smoke and dust rose into the sky.
This was extremely heavy; even with the resilience of a god's body, "Ares" was stunned, his eyes flashing with golden stars, and he couldn't get up for a while.
He could only let out a groan of inexplicable meaning, mixed with pain and admiration, from the pit.
"Seize the moment!" Hercules shouted at Theseus, who was still a little stunned.
Theseus reacted instantly, shot towards Kratos like an arrow, and without hesitation, carried this sturdy man, who was a bit more robust than himself, onto his shoulders.
"Let's go!"
Hercules was also not fond of fighting; he knew the effect of the golden arrow might not last long, and it was never wise to tangle with a major god.
He took a deep look at "Ares" struggling on the ground, then glanced towards the direction of the golden arrow, vaguely seeing a pink-gold figure flapping its wings and triumphantly gesturing a victory sign.
Immediately, together with Theseus and the unconscious Kratos, they quickly evacuated the chaotic battlefield.
In the distance, the little love god Eros clapped her hands, put them on her hips, and her small face was full of pride:
"Hmph! At the critical moment, it still depends on yours truly—coming through! That big guy Hercules is quite pleasing to the eye... Maybe I'll tease him a little less next time."
In the secret camp, the atmosphere was so tense it could drip water.
After listening to the reports from Hercules and Theseus, Alexander's chest heaved violently. The anxiety, slightly relieved after finding Kratos, instantly turned into even greater anger.
He slammed the makeshift wooden table, and the hard wood let out a suppressed groan.
"You mean,"
Alexander nearly ground the words out through his teeth, staring at Hercules like a torch,
"you faced 'Ares', who was affected by Eros's golden arrow and temporarily lost the ability to resist, and you could even say he was at the mercy of others—an Olympian god! And you just left him there like a broken sack and walked away?!"
His voice echoed in the small tent with incredible anger and bitterness.
A perfect opportunity to weaken Olympus had been squandered!
Odysseus, who had been silently listening on the side, couldn't help but sigh, rubbed his brow, and his voice carried the helplessness and a barely perceptible reproach typical of a wise man:
"Hercules... Even if the 'Spear of Divine Retribution' wasn't at hand, the situation at that moment, even if you used your personal weapon to hack at him a few more times to prevent him from recovering in a short time, would have been good! This is the god of war; letting the tiger return to the mountain will bring endless trouble!"
Hercules was a little embarrassed by the two of them. His resolute face showed simple apology, and he helplessly touched his thick hair and explained gruffly:
"The situation was very urgent at that moment. Kratos was unconscious, and although 'Ares' was hit by the golden arrow, no one knew how long the effect would last. Theseus was carrying Kratos; I was afraid things would change if we delayed, and I just wanted to get them out as quickly as possible... Actually, I didn't think much about it."
His explanation was simple and direct, prioritizing the soldiers' safety for his comrades, but to the strategists, it seemed a bit 'pedantic'.
At this moment, Jason stepped forward, bowed slightly, and excused Hercules:
"Your Majesty, Odysseus, although Hercules's words were inconsiderate, it was also for preserving combat power. Kratos is our important 'weapon'; we cannot lose him. The situation on the battlefield was changing rapidly at that time. If he had greedily sought merit, he might have been entangled by the recovering 'Ares' or attracted other gods, the consequences of which would have been even more unthinkable. Hercules can be forgiven for deciding to prioritize the safety of Kratos and our personnel."
Jason's words were tactful; he acknowledged Hercules's mistake and pointed out the reasonable concerns, trying to defuse the tense atmosphere.
Alexander took a few deep breaths and suppressed the anger in his chest.
How could he not know Hercules's character and the danger of that moment?
It was just that the results he had within his grasp had vanished, and it was very difficult for him to calm down.
His gaze sharply glided over Hercules, who hung his head, Jason, who interceded for him, then over Odysseus, who looked helpless, and Theseus, who had carried Kratos back.
He understood that now was not the time for internal blame.
Kratos had been found; although unconscious, it was better than being dead or continuing to run amok.
"That's enough!" Finally, Alexander waved his hand with weariness and a slight unwillingness.
"Let it go this time! Hercules, your courage is unparalleled, but you need to consider the situation more in the future! Odysseus, increase the camp's vigilance; 'Ares' will most likely launch a retaliatory purge when he recovers!"
"Yes!" Everyone responded in unison.
This minor disturbance seemed to subside, and everyone accepted their orders and left.
However, just as Jason turned to leave the tent, his gaze involuntarily glided over the wooden table before Alexander.
Right next to where Alexander had angrily slammed his hand, the hard wooden surface had left several scorched black marks, which seemed to have been burned by high temperatures, and a faint, barely noticeable arc appeared on the edge.
This was far beyond the reach of ordinary demigods, let alone a phenomenon caused by anger.
Jason's steps paused almost imperceptibly, and an extreme shock and deep thought flickered in the depths of his eyes, but he quickly restrained all emotions and left the tent with his usual expression, as if he had seen nothing.