The Mortal God Of Olympus Ch.36 (Patreon)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Chapter 36- War In The Horizon

AN: Beta'd by Basilisk, Lord Shiva, and Deathwish! A huge thnx to all of em!

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“Ragnarok approaches,” Odin murmured, voice soft yet heavy. “Hastens ever so close.”

They stood on the balcony of Odin's hall, gazing across Asgard, the land of the Æsir gods. Hermes would never admit so to a soul, but he preferred the bordered lands of Asgard to the mountains of Olympus.

“And you would have me ignore all that to do what, Hermes? Challenge a being who could swallow my entire pantheon with nary a problem?” The Supreme god's voice did not rise but Hermes struggled against quailing all the same...

'Shouldn't have tried pranking Heimdall again...' He bemoaned. 'Odin doesn't seem to be in a tolerant mood.'

But then again, it would've been downright criminal if he'd missed the chance...

As the god of Messengers, his Authority allowed him to bypass the natural boundaries of any pantheon. He could enter the territories of other gods, and not just Greek, completely unannounced.

Combined with his Authority over speed, he was likely one of the few gods in existence—along with Zeus, Odin, and Ra—capable of outrunning Heimdall's all-seeing gaze and enter Asgard without a single soul's knowledge. Except, perhaps, an Odin sitting on his throne, Hlidskjalf.

It never failed to entertain the god of Thieves, the way the Asgardian gatekeeper would squawk every time Hermes announced himself with a cheery 'Hello, there!' from behind.

But perhaps this was one occasion that should’ve been treated with greater gravity. He did come here to discuss war after all, and the possible destruction of everything they ever knew.

Pinching his nose, Hermes turned to the miffed Supreme god beside him. “We would have you fight.” He answered mildly. "We would have you prepare for a war that may very well surpass the promises of Ragnarok—"

Odin snorted, shooting him an amused look.

Hermes continued unheeding. "A war with the potential to extend its limb wide, encompassing the entire world within its grasp. And even if it doesn't, Lord Odin, with all due respect, can you truly afford to spurn us? Do you truly think Ouroboros’ meddling will stop with one pantheon, O wise king? If it has decided to finally break the ancient pacts, would any upon this world ever be fully safe?"

The king stayed silent, his one piercing eye boring over the firmament.

Hermes turned as well, taking in the beauty of Asgard laid before him.

He could see the castles from hither, grand as the grandest of Olympus', save perhaps from Zeus'. He could see Valhalla—not as ornate but even bigger than some castles—Odin's einherjar leaping for battle, uncaring of death, trusting the magic of Asgard to see them safely revived. The rainbow bridge awaited at a distance, but equating it to a rainbow was comparable to drawing parallels between a mountain and a rock. Perhaps if a thousand rainbows were stitched together with divinity, they may come close to resembling its appearance.

It was every bit as beautiful as Olympus, but without the chaotic city and its chaotic occupants that partied every night over the streets. Now, Hermes would never be one to say no to a good night of partying—especially for the sneaky opportunities it provided—but he wasn't Dionysus. They get old sooner or later, and a thousand years would qualify as 'later' in every immortal dictionary.

Beside him, Odin sighed. "It is not that I do not see the threat, my friend. I would like nothing more than to gather my warriors and march to the battlefield. But that would be reckless and foolish, and an utter waste of the wisdom my poor innocent eye provided me with its sacrifice. You ask me if I can afford to spurn you, but it is not what I can afford to do. It is what you let me."

"Lord Od—"

"I won't play sly with you, Hermes. You know me too well for that. Your pantheon has always looked down on us, that is but a bland truth. Our supposed mortality makes you question our power and position. Don't think I haven't heard your king's disparaging words; claiming us to be barely better than demigods, forced to depend on some fruits for survival. What assurances do we have that this isn't all a plot to usurp the western civilization for yourselves?"

Hermes grimaced. "Those comments were made in bad faith, and my king apologizes for them." Then he leaned close, as if to depart from a great secret. "He may genuinely mean them this time. He's...changed."

He leaned back again, shaking his head. "And please don't try to fool me, King Odin. Your Ravens must've surely whispered the coming dark tidings. Heimdall must've surely seen enough to ascertain the truth of my words. And your Throne makes you capable of peering at every corner of the Nine realms, you can’t possibly tell me you haven’t a clue of what’s been going on in the shadows? Now you're just insulting my intelligence."

Odin hummed. "Well in that case…" He gave him a sly glance, the tips of his lips twitching. "Why shouldn't we wait until the dragon god destroys your pantheon? The Norse can become the true power of the West, and your destruction will provide a convenient motivation for all the pantheons to scramble together and deal with this new threat. Why, Asgard might even come to lead this alliance."

Hermes shook his head. "If we are pressed, we will fight without restraint. And believe me, my lord. The true might of my pantheon will see this world ruined and its lands barren. You will be the true power of ashes and dust, and rubble and debris. My father's wrath is well known. He will desecrate this continent just because he could, so none may claim the prize we deserve."

"Wrath." Odin snorted. "You mean pettiness."

"...Be that as it may, you're forgetting that the other pantheons might simply side with the Ouroboros. Allying with an entity powerful enough to destroy Olympus seems a more desirable choice than joining gods whose immortality depends on apples."

Odin chuckled. "You underestimate a god's pride. No matter how minor, all gods think themselves the center of the world in their tiny corner. To give it all up is simply not in their nature."

"...But you still wouldn't do it, would you, Odin? Abandon the Greeks?"

For a moment, the one-eyed god stayed quiet, before glancing down at the shorter god with a smirk. "No. No, I won't. While I have no love for your king, it would be a true shame to see the rest of you go."

Hermes nodded gravely. "The world rests at the edge of the precipice; it is upon us to drag it back to the light."

They both shared a chuckle.

"I have missed your wit, my friend." Odin clapped him on the shoulders. "You don't visit, you don't send letters...not even a call. I stood in line in a blizzard for six days to discover the sorcery of the smartphone, and yet my contact list is as empty as ever. Can you imagine my pain? The only good thing about it is the internet and Wikipedia; it holds all the secrets of the current century, making it infinitely easier to keep up with the mortal world." The king of Aesir hesitated then. "You...do know what the internet is, yes?"

"...Who do you think invented it?" Hermes shot him a bland smirk. "I'm tempted to ask which smartphone you brought, but there's really no point. I always have the best and the latest ones that aren't even on the market. Embarrassing you is not my purpose for today's visit."

The amusement didn't last long, and the god of Messengers turned back to take comfort in Asgard's beauty with a sigh. "I must say, it would be difficult to see the end of this civilization. Just when humans have finally shifted the gears of their progression, their entire existence is in threat of undergoing terrible upheavals. Did you know they've made weapons capable of matching the power of Divine beings? Nuclear bombs, they call them, and the most powerful one could affect multiple cities. Give them another couple of centuries and I'm sure their weapons would come to rival the power of a Minor god. Can you imagine the potential?"

"I can..." Odin sighed. "But this war…I’m afraid humans won't survive. Well...they certainly won't come out unscathed. There would be gods aplenty, looking to upset the natural order and bring the mortals to heel. Not all are happy with the recent increase of Atheists. The lack of worship rankles many. Even those who're widely worshiped do not like the absence of conviction and belief in their followers. They've always been looking for opportunities to meddle in the affairs of mortals more freely, to remind them of their presence and dictate their lives."

The Supreme god turned away, walking back inside his chamber. "This war will give them exactly what they wanted; a chance to change the balance. No matter how much we may’ve jested in the past, the truth is; our world as we know it is about to change. New alliances will be forged, and new territories formed. I hope you're right about your king, Hermes. I won't appreciate a stab in the back. We may not be as thoroughly immortal as you, but you'll still find us a bitter enemy to have."

“I understand.” Hermes nodded solemnly, walking after him. “And so does my king. He has made my purpose for this meeting clear; find true allies.”

"Your purpose..." Odin hummed. "Tell me, Hermes. Is it true you have a new god of War? Mikael Gabrielson, I believe his name is."

“A new god of War?” Hermes raised a brow, snorting. “No, Mikael is no god of war. In fact, we’re short a god of War. Ares’ stupidity finally caught up with him, and Father’s attempts to spoil his new favorite ensured his punishment to be much harsher than it normally would be. Not a huge loss I’ll admit; for in his stead, we’ve gained…a very unique god. A god of Holy Power, if you can believe it. His other domains are unknown to us, and he doesn’t seem interested in exercising it amongst us, so he’s still a mystery most of my family is trying to solve…or bed. Whichever comes first for Apollo and Aphrodite.”

“And Ares? Did he defeat him?”

“With the help of the Lightning bolt, yes.” Hermes nodded slowly. “Though I have reasons to believe he could’ve done so without it as well. Perhaps he wished to portray himself as weaker than he truly was, lull us into a false sense of security, quite devious of him, I’ll admit—but he failed. It was Athena’s plan really, we just went along with it. She wanted to push his buttons, know where he truly stood; with or against Olympus. He lost control over his Divinity, unleashing his true power and revealing himself to be stronger than Hestia and Demeter. Suffice it to say, no one tried testing him again. Of course, it could’ve also been due to his harsh words that rang with a bitter truth.”

“Fascinating.” Odin rubbed his bearded chin.

Hermes glanced around as they entered the chamber of Odin. It was a grand thing to be sure, but unlike the Throne Room on Olympus, it didn’t seem made to hold godly meetings. Only one throne rested in the room, with a great table in the middle arranged with an assortment of dishes. The most magnificent amongst them was the lone apple resting in a bowl too big to hold it.

‘Apple of immortality.’ Hermes mused. How different was it from the Golden apples?

He turned back to Odin. “Why the sudden interest?”

Odin snorted, glancing at him with crinkled eyes. “Do you jest? He is the most interesting thing to happen in the last few centuries. I saw him battling Heracles, did you know? A stroke of fortune truly; I was spying across the Nine Realms from atop my throne when the earth-shaking battle took my attention. The boy defeated him with ease, but it was his mercy that intrigued me the most. Had Heracles not been twisted through Infinity’s curse, he may have still been alive.”

The King of Aesir approached the table and plucked the apple out, looking thoughtful. “Perhaps I should ask for a betrothal between our pantheons in return for our support. He’ll have many goddesses to choose from, and I’m sure my Valkyries would be thrilled to be of service.”

“If you want the said goddess or Valkyrie to be as miserable as Hera, then go ahead. Out of us all, he takes after Zeus the most.”

Odin tilted his head. “I sense bitterness in your words. Don’t tell me he raped one of yours…?”

“Oh, no. He’s not that bad. Not yet, at least. But he was the one to kill my son. He could’ve saved him, could’ve pushed him to the right path…but he let him fall. They were friends once, close even, and while I don’t fault Mikael entirely, he didn’t even try to save him.”

“You don’t sound vengeful about it.”

Hermes shrugged. “He’s family. And if there's one thing I’ve learned over the eons, it’s that you can’t give up on your family, no matter how tempting they make it. And while Mikael Gabrielson isn’t a second Hestia, he is still much better than some of us. Though of course, that will likely change in time.”

“Sounds fun.”

“What can I say?” Hermes chuckled. “Families are messy. Immortal families are eternally messy.”

“Well then, let us hope our families make it out of this war in one piece.” Odin raised the Apple in cheers. “To messy immortal families.”

Hermes smiled. “To families.”

That was the last cheers Hermes was about to partake in for a long, long while, but even that was interrupted by the female yells outside Odin's hall, stalling the Allfather from properly sinking his teeth into the Apple.

"Enter!" Odin barked grouchily and the door banged open, revealing two out-of-breath, well-armored Valkyries.

"Allfather!" The first one called, her voice barely keeping the panic at bay. "The Wolf...Fenrir...he has escaped."

Hermes had only once seen Odin fearful in his life, and that had been when Frigg came after him with rage in her eyes. However, right now...fearful would be a wrong word perhaps. It was a kind of resigned acceptance that flashed past the king's eyes.

"How?"

"The dwarf meant to replace the ropes...it was Loki in disguise!... He had the support of human magicians, enabli—"

Odin ignored the Valkyrie's rapid account, glancing at him with a half-smirk. "Well, it would seem my supposed invincibility has come to an end. Perhaps I might just meet my end in this war. Perhaps this is Ragnarok, after all. Or a version of it."

Hermes sighed. "Things can just never be easy for us..."

It was certain to be a long and trying week for the Greek Messenger. While he may have a healthy friendship with the leader of the Norse pantheon, the same couldn't be said about the others.

Not all gods were as wise as the Allfather, and not all gods would overlook the contempt shown to them in the past.

One could only hope the tidings of war were taken with appropriate gravity; for should the pantheons not band together, should they not deal with the imminent threats, existence as they knew it may cease to exist.

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I lounged lazily upon the beach chair, a white spa robe around my shoulders—undone from the waist down—and a glass of wine loosely held between my fingers. The sun flew high in the sky, its smoldering rays falling comfortably on my skin; a great way to spend a couple of relaxing hours after a battle.

Sipping from my glass, I hummed in satisfaction. "I must say, you've got a delicious supply of wine, Circe. Hadn't expected much from an island in the middle of nowhere."

The sun-kissed goddess didn't reply. It wasn't a sullen silence though—something you would expect from a defeated opponent whose home was just overtaken. No, it was the silence of a woman unable to say anything due to the grave malady of having her lips wrapped around a thick cock.

I chuckled, releasing the glass—which hovered in midair—to pat the goddess comfortingly. “You can do it, love. I believe in you.”

Her piercing green eyes came up to glare at me but her head didn’t stop bobbing up and down, the warm tongue massaging the underside of my shaft as her lips stretched along my length, unable to take more than a couple of inches...

Just the sheer sight of the gorgeous goddess struggling to swallow my cock was enough to keep me hard for a century, even though the head I was receiving may have been one of the worst ones yet. Had I not been a True god even in my mortal form, I would’ve been leaving with a bruised dick from the amount of times her teeth scraped along my length.

As it was, they just tickled a little, which was a source of pleasure in itself.

Behind me stood the demigod I’d gone out of my way to save, her fingers massaging my scalp with all her strength…which wasn’t much but her enthusiasm more than made up for it.

And the last was kneeling by my side, feeding me berries from a small dish balanced on her massive tits—which were half hanging out from her skimpy dress that looked more like a bunch of ribbons wrapped around her nipples and clit, than an actual dress.

Accepting a blueberry on my tongue, I glanced at her with a lazy smirk, chewing softly. "So Rea, I believe you have some information for me?"

The buxom devil set her eyes stubbornly. "I-I will never betray the Ourobo..."

She trailed off, eyes fixed upon my body as I pushed Circe's head away, revealing my throbbing manhood, slathered and shining in all its glory. “You need to learn a lot of things, Circe. Luckily for you, I’ll be giving you plenty of chances.”

I stood up slowly, letting the robe slide off of me. "It's a hot day, isn't it?"

I yawned, stretching slightly as I pressed upon my Authority of Beauty and Desire.

All the three females serving me froze up, as did the girl’s sister, Reyna, just as she bustled out of the shed right at that moment—an assortment of lotions and creams in her hands that fell to the ground from her sudden halt.

I turned back to the kneeling devil, catching her hungry eyes that did their best to devour my body. She glanced away bashfully at being caught, her cheeks red and glowing.

"What do you desire, Katerea?" I purred, pressing down with my Authority again.

Her cheeks flushed further, but she still fought on, refusing to look up at me.

I took a step closer, my member—still standing proud and hard—coming an inch away from her kneeling figure, almost brushing against her lips.

Slowly, my finger dragged her chin up, forcing her eyes upon me. "What do you desire, Rea?"

Her jaw clenched tightly, eyes darting elsewhere to avoid looking at the thick pole poking against her cheeks.

Finally, she bit out with a stubborn tilt, "R-rule the devils."

"Is that so?" I thrust forward, letting my cock touch her lips, which clenched together even tighter, her eyes closing as if to ward away its presence.

My member pressed against her lips with increased insistence, trying to pry open the full pouty lips.

They stayed locked stubbornly.

Grunting, I let my shaft drag across her face, from her lips to her nose, then up her forehead, leaving a trail of precum behind, before I backed up slightly to slap both her cheeks, taking care to not break her jaw. "Are you sure that's all you want? You can have so much more."

'That'll be a first for sure. Killing a woman by dick-slaps.’

Absently, I wondered if this would've constituted as sexual harassment in my old life.

…The answer was a big fat yes. I doubted anyone would take my word that the kneeling devil secretly desired some divine dicking.

The devil beneath me increased her struggling, though never once flinching away from the meat pole rubbing her face with growing rapidity.

"Rule. The. World." She spat one by one desperately, trying to convince herself with a weak attempt, even as her lips gladly kissed my tool with each word.

Humming, I stepped back suddenly and hooked my fingers under her armpits, dragging her up. She yelped but didn't struggle, and I let my twin domains of Beauty and Desire flare up once again.

Her eyes glazed over, lust and hunger finally winning. Behind me, my audience gasped, the two demigods and a goddess helpless against my aura.

Circe was, perhaps, the most susceptible to my Domain. A large, masochist part of her felt incredibly aroused at the image of being dominated by a powerful male. The idea of being utterly helpless against something she'd spent most of her life looking down upon seemed to bring her a sense of reluctant, shameful excitement. For all her glaring and grudging supplication, a part of her wanted to be bent down and forcibly taken against her will.

And that part was quickly growing strong with each second under my Domain.

The two demigods, on the other hand, simply did not have the Will and sheer raw power required to fight off my Authority. While neither appeared to have a secret desire of becoming pleasure slaves for a god, their mind was being forcibly shaped under the presence of my Domain.

The younger one was practically drooling right now, while the elder at least tried to maintain a respectable image.

Smirking, I turned back, dragging the devil closer with a quick tug.

Katerea whimpered, biting her lips at the contact as I let my hands wander across her body, slowly caressing her naked midriff. "What do you want, little devil?"

My shaft poked at the ribbon covering her clit, dragging across the thin strip of cloth with each thrust.

She moaned, rubbing her legs together. My hands slowly circled the small of her back before dipping down, feeling up the curve of her behind, squeezing and caressing the mounds of flesh.

I moved behind her, pressing my hardened shaft into the deep valley hidden between her rump.

"What." I breathed upon her back. "Do." I kissed her neck. "You." And bit the jade-smooth olive skin. "Desire?" I whispered in her ears, cupping her body tightly, my hand an inch away from mapping the enormity of her tits.

"...I want.." She started weakly, her tits pumping into my palms with each heavy breath as I cupped them softly, before finally breathing out, "Y-you…"

"Me, honey?"

"You." Suddenly the busty devil took on a commanding tone, even as her legs shook and her entire body looked ready to bolt and hide behind some cover, "You, you kneel beneath me, and use your tongue to pleasure me. Now."

I hummed, before biting her ear until she released a pained gasp. "Little devil's grown some fangs, hmm?"

"Y-you asked—"

"You think you deserve that?" Grinding against her behind, I let my fingers dig into the softness of her breasts, pinching the visibly hardened nipple. "No, you don't. Not yet. You'll have to earn it."

I let go of her completely, leaving her gasping, a whine of complaint on her lips as I retook my seat on the sunlounger, four pairs of eyes transfixed upon me.

“If you please me, I'll see about returning the favor." I said, reclining against the spa chair, my shaft saluting the ladies. “You have until I finish questioning Circe.”

“Get to work.”

Her pupils shrank, a gulp in her throat as she took my words in.

Then Katerea Leviathan dropped to her knees with newfound enthusiasm and got to work.

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No matter how much Cleria might bemoan about the coming troubles, she knew the day was about to get exciting.

It wasn't always that you find the streets of Belial territory filled with Devils, young and old, all here to see their heroes compete in a thrilling tournament of Rating Games.

And it certainly wasn't always that the leaders of the Three Factions would be assembling together in a single place. In fact, Cleria suspected this might be the first time that a bunch of Angels, Fallens, and Devils were arranged to sit together peacefully.

'And it's all thanks to my King.' She thought giddily, an exciting current passing through her breasts as she realized how close to the top in the Devil society she stood right now.

None in their house since Diehauser had brought this much prestige to the Belial clan.

'And compared to Diehauser-Kun, what exactly did I need to do? Be loyal to my King and follow up on her brilliant plans.'

The only thing her King asked in return was to grow more powerful and put appropriate enthusiasm into learning and training.

Who wouldn't want that? Heavens, any devil would gladly kill to have a master like Gabriel-Sama. Kind, gentle, caring, understanding...the Gremorys might brag about treating their servants like family, but she'd never actually believed in any such notion before...

...Until she became Gabriel-Sama's bishop. Yes, her master could be downright frightening sometimes, but only to her enemies, and that wasn't a bad thing at all. If you're foolish enough to become Gabriel-Sama's enemy, you deserve all the punishment she would deliver.

Feeling jubilant and cheerful, Cleria rounded a corner as her feet traversed through the crowded streets of Bael territory, navigating to the mansion gifted to her King.

"Cleria!" A familiar voice called out, and her earlier cheer subdued slightly as the crowd divided in two like peasants before a queen.

She glanced towards the voice, a flare of jealousy igniting within her heart when her eyes fell upon her fellow Peerage member sauntering through the parted crowd. Her black robe, fastened by a yellow scarf, barely covered the two massive melons squished out to the front, her ample cleavage leaving little to the imagination.

All the males bar none followed her movements in awe; the jiggling breasts that Kuroka assured her needed no bra to hold, the toned legs—bared till her inner thighs—that peeked out at the viewers bravely with every step, even the two cat-like black ears played no small part in drawing the attention from everyone around.

Kuroka was built to crush the hearts of men and she knew it.

A part of Cleria knew she didn't truly have a reason to be jealous; they'd both been naked around each other enough for her to know she wasn't lacking in anything. Yet, her friend received most of the attention when they were out and about in public, and insecurities had a way of ignoring common sense.

It may have been due to the way they dressed; where Kuroka breathed seduction, Cleria preferred practicality. It may even have been due to her fame; ever since their king delivered upon her promise of absolving Kuroka from her earlier wanted status, her story had circulated far and wide in the underworld, giving her quite a reputation within the Devil society.

But most of all, Cleria knew it was in the way she brushed away the attention—shooting contemptuous glances to any who dared do more than stare—that made her special…

"Kuroka." She greeted the Nekomata with her usual cheer, not letting her feelings flash on her face.

"Cleria, I was searching for you!” Kuroka's lips tugged up, her usual lazy smirk making an appearance. “Come, our dear king calls for us."

Sighing, Cleria let herself be dragged on, trying her best to imitate her partner and ignore the attention.

Like always, she failed.

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They sat quietly under the shadows of their King's radiance, not daring to interrupt her scribblings. The lone lamp in the room was barely enough to light up the floor, but as creatures of darkness, neither of them needed it to see the subject of their King's letter.

'...Zekram Bael.' Cleria grimaced. 'She's writing to him again.'

It was quiet here, inside Gabriel-Sama's temporary private room, in stark contrast to the outside world that was loud enough to bleed the ears of mortals. Yet, Cleria was far from feeling any type of comfort. As long as their feet were laid upon the Bael territory, she would not be able to feel a quota of peace.

"Kuroka," Their King finally broke the silence, her striking violet eyes peering up. "Have they arrived yet?"

The busty Nekomata lounged on the arm of her chair like a lazy cat, her elbow on the table and her head on her palm. "The top ten are here, though the leaders of other factions are yet to arrive." She answered, before chuckling mischievously. "I must say, you've fooled the entire world this time, my king. The Satans won't take it lightly if this ever gets out."

Gabriel-Sama hummed, standing up slowly. "Which is why I'm not using magic circles."

Cleria let her eyes roam up and down her King's figure in silent admiration. She may act jealous of Kuroka, but her King was on an entirely different level; feeling envious would be a painfully useless endeavor. Gabriel-Sama’s grace and beauty was not something anyone could ever hope to match, and even beings like Satan Serafell and Grayfia Lucifuge could only hope to compete for the second best with her around.

There was a reason even her cousin acted like a love-struck fool in front of her after all; the former Seraph's beauty was widely known through the Underworld and above. Had she shown even a wick of interest, there would’ve been a line of willing bachelors, all lords and heirs of great clans, throwing themselves at her feet.

Though, of course, a part of her beauty came from the power to back it up. Even as a Mid-class Devil, Gabriel-Sama had been strong enough to match the Satans.

Now? Even Cleria did not know where the former Seraph stood.

There was a flash in the room as her King summoned an eagle familiar, letting the majestic bird flap away with the letter.

"If I may ask, Gabriel-Sama?" Cleria waited for her nod. "What was in the letter?"

“A reminder.” Gabriel-Sama’s lips tugged up slightly. "If he tries to back out of the deal, the consequences would be…painful.”

Cleria suppressed a shudder.

"Do you mind, Cleria?" Her King glanced at her. "That I'm making deals with a man who plotted to have you killed? A Devil who hunted down your lover?"

Cleria hesitated briefly, the old anger stirring within her heart, trying to make itself known, before she forced it down with a deep breath.

"You promised me revenge." She replied, her voice coming more wooden than intended. "You said you will kill him once he's served his purpose."

"And I shall." Gabriel-Sama nodded seriously. "Once he throws his support behind me publically, he will be of no use."

"Wouldn't it be better to just reveal him to the world, My lady?" Kuroka voiced, her shapely legs dangling to the side casually. "You already exposed the whole King piece thing, putting a name on the main culprit will make the devils even more grateful to you. Who knows…maybe you can even replace Asmodeus as the new Satan? With the public by your side, it wouldn't be too hard. He's way too useless for the job anyway."

"No, the public is already behind me." Gabriel-Sama shook her head, slowly beginning to pace the room. "I need someone capable of opposing the influence of Ajuka and Sirzechs. Right now, only the Great King faction qualifies."

The info stunned Cleria into silence. She knew her King had a greater motive in mind than simply uniting the Three Factions, but opposing the two strongest Satans had not been in her mind.

Kuroka, on the other hand, seemed to take it in stride. “What exactly did you promise him in return for his support? Please don’t tell me I’m part of the deal, kind master.” She scrunched up her face, her kitty ears drooping down, and her innocent watery eyes staring up at Gabriel with such fake timidity that it broke through Cleria’s earlier shock.

“Of course not.” Gabriel-Sama laughed, the twinkling sound finally washing away her remaining surprise. “The only thing I’ve given him is a promise and a chance. This tournament that I’ve arranged, in Bael territory no less, is a part of that chance. I shall stay quiet about some of the Devils they have supplied a King Piece to. And should they win the tournament, they will receive a chance to challenge me directly.”

“Challenge you, my King? Have they lost their minds?”

Gabriel-Sama shrugged. “They think the former Rating Games Champion, Roygun Belphegor, will be sufficient to defeat me.”

That jarred Cleria out of her thoughts. “Roygun Belphegor, Gabriel-Sama?”

“As it turns out, Bedeze Abaddon was not the only one. Roygun Belphegor, along with most of the Devils in top ten, are mere puppets under the Great King faction, using King Pieces to fix a match’s outcome and earn themselves a stunning source of income.”

“But…she’s incredibly strong, Gabriel-Sama!” The words fumbled out of her mouth. “On par with Satans even! At least…in power. And she has an entire Peerage, while you only have us two…”

“I will win. You need not worry.” There was not a single flicker of doubt, not a whisper of concern in Gabriel-Sama’s voice. “And when I do, Bael will support me unconditionally, with Roygun Belphegor agreeing to become my Rook. As a gesture of good faith.”

“B-but…if you lost?” She voiced meekly.

Gabriel-Sama didn’t seem concerned, tilting her head in thought as if she’d never even considered the possibility. “Officially, I will no longer try to expose their corrupted business. Unofficially…I will kill him and get around the oath, exposing their business anyway. Roygun Belphegor will still join me, even if simply to keep fighting in the rating games. We may lose the Great King faction’s support, but the void in the economy their absence creates will give us plenty of opportunities for it to not be a complete loss.”

As the words settled in her mind slowly, Cleria felt a smile creeping up on her face. While it was a little concerning to hear how drastically her king had changed over the years, she had nothing but admiration for her growing ruthlessness and cunning.

Suddenly a stray thought entered her mind in the midst of pondering over the new information, hitting the living daylights out of her.

Eyes widening with realization, she turned to her King slowly. "Gabriel-Sama....do you wish to rule over the Three factions?"

That’s it! That’s what I was missing!

It made so much sense now, especially after the argument she'd heard upon accidentally walking in on her and Lord Azazel. The words about uniting their religion behind one true ruler hadn't made too much sense to her then—she knew about God's death after all, and who else could hope to qualify except him?—but now, knowing her King was preparing to oppose the Satans…?

Suppressing the light bout of pain igniting within her over the word, she asked herself again, this time smiling, ‘Who else could hope to qualify except God?’

Why…Gabriel-Sama, of course!

Unfortunately, her budding excitement died a quick death when her master turned to her with a confused frown. "What? No. Of course not."

"Uhh…" Cleria flushed, opening her mouth to say something, anything…

"But my son will."

For a moment the room was encompassed within stunned silence as Cleria did naught but gawk at her, with even Kuroka sitting up straighter beside them.

"Your son…Gabriel-Sama?" She finally voiced.

"My son." Gabriel nodded proudly. "With the blood of Angels, Fallens, and Devils, he alone is qualified to rule over the Kingdom of God." A flash of irritation entered her eyes at His name.

Cleria shared a look with Kuroka, quickly turning to address the doubts mirrored within both their eyes. "But your son... isn't he...only thirteen now?"

"Yes?" Gabriel looked completely clueless of their worries.

Cleria took a deep breath, changing her strategy. The topic of her King’s son was a dangerous territory she knew, as some of Gabriel-Sama’s foolish hopeful suitors would reveal. "My lady, why are you being so hurried about this? If you're doing this for your son, we have decades, if not centuries, to unite the factions and bring peace. Your son would need a lot of time to grow into a…a c-competent ruler. W-well, I mean…”

"No." Gabriel-Sama denied firmly, eyes hardening in determination. "Three years. We have but three years to prepare our factions."

The two Devils digested the info uncertainly.

“But will three years be enough, my king?” Kuroka voiced, having no problems entering the danger zone. “What if your son is too weak by then? What if we mess it all up by rushing this?"

Cleria held her breath…

Fortunately, their King chose not to dwell upon the words this time. "My son is a god. You need not worry about him. As for us, we will have to not 'mess it all up' of course. Besides, I have already set the stage. Azazel and the Great King faction's support is all but secured. Now if I can somehow convince Michael…it would be all too easy to corner the Satans and undermine their authority."

They pondered over the info in silence, realizing with a start they didn't seem to know their King's plans as well as they'd thought.

'Devils, this all makes so much more sense now…' Cleria chewed on her thumb.

"Lady Gabriel," Finally Kuroka broke the dominating silence. "This all may be good, but didn't you say your son was only a mid-class devil when he left from here? If he is a god, I'm sure he would match a Satan's might someday, but perhaps you should hold onto the throne till then? You know, take it slow and steady?"

Gabby shook her head. "No, we do not have the time. Trusted sources have informed me of Hercules' death at the hands of Mikael just a week ago. Which means he is already a Satan class being, or close to it. Three years are enough, I assure you. When the time comes, I do not want the factions to dissolve into a civil war again. Nonetheless, we must be prepared. You two must be prepared. Improve yourself in these three years. You must be capable of matching the might of an Ultimate class devil at least, If you wish to be useful."

Troubled, she glanced at Kuroka, but the Nekomata raised her hands defensively. "Don't look at me, I'm already ultimate class."

Cleria huffed.

"Now come." Their king waved at them. "We have a rating game to attend."

For some reason, Cleria had a terrible premonition that something was about to go completely awry. All their plans, all their efforts, she had the strangest feeling that it was all about to be undone, and the four fearsome Satans had nothing to do with it…

Kuroka caught her eye and gave her a look that said “Eh, you're just being a nervous wreck again. Straighten up, everything will be alright.”

She did not believe it for one bit, but there was nothing to do but follow after her King.

All she could do was hope.

'This…is going to suck.'

----------------------------

Public sex had never been a particular kink of mine, but I couldn't deny the thrill of excitement and freedom in it.

Even with only three people in the audience, I felt proud of the performance my not-so-little me was putting on, refusing to cough up the juices no matter how tempted that treacherous devil tongue was making it.

And it certainly was treacherous. There was no doubt in my mind that Katerea was either a pro cock-sucker or had plenty of past experience. Her glazed eyes, bereft of her spectacles, never broke contact with mine, the purple pupils breathing within me a special kind of arousal. Her lips, so puffy and swollen, tenderly worked my shaft, leaving a trail of soft, loving kisses on the tip as if greeting an old lover, before slowly letting her tongue glide down my length.

For a brief moment, I could even lose myself in the eyes and pretend the woman beneath me was the one I’d dreamt about for so long. Of course, it was never enough. The eyes, while similar, were just as different, lacking a certain… charm that my angel possessed.

Treacherous.

Her tongue itself was like a hot whip, slathering my member with her slaver, while her lips pressed down to taste it patiently. Her hands caressed my balls like an experienced Aphrodite Demigod, before her fingers slowly trailed up to take ahold of my member.

As her mouth moved to the tip, her tongue brushing, kissing, and licking the head, before finally letting her puffy lips stretch along my length—taking two, then three, then four inches of myself in her mouth—until my tip hit the back of her throat, her hands started stroking the rest of my shaft.

Between her mouth and two hands, Katerea managed to give attention to my entire member. An incredibly rare thing.

And even as I kept myself distracted, asking Circe questions after questions, I soon felt the telltale electric sign of excitement building up within my groin, the purple eyes being a special weakness of mine.

Thankfully, as the end of my limits came, so came the end of my interrogation session with Circe, lasting barely 20 mins.

"Mother Hecate's command came at the last moment, leaving me no time to decide!" She defended herself, though her eyes were stuck on the action happening below us. "And what could I have even done!?...” She absently continued her ending rant. “She's as powerful as an Olympian! There was no resisting her. And for the last time, no! I do not know any plans of this Khaos Brigade. I didn't even know they existed till now!"

"Alright," I grunted, my toes curling up from the building pressure. "Times up. I'm done questioning Circe. You've failed, little devil."

But Katerea showed no signs of hearing me, continuing to dutifully worship my shaft. Neither did she look away from me as the shape of her mouth changed with each nod of her head, my member disappearing past her pouty lips even as her two soft hands continued stroking my cock not so gently.

"It's…done, woman." I gasped out slowly. "You've lost."

Yet, she didn't stop. She alternated between swallowing my length and backing towards the tip to let her tongue play with my smaller head, smooching and kissing the tip, giving small gentle licks all across my pipe, before going back to swallowing.

She caressed it to her cheeks, hugged it like an old friend, she treated my cock better than I've treated most of my lovers.

My groin was almost painful from the amount of excitement waiting to pour out when she suddenly stopped. Then, in a move that took me by surprise, she let go of my dick and hooked her fingers under the clasp at her throat holding the ribbons together. With a flex of her muscles, she tore away the clasp. The thin strips of violet ribbons hiding her olive melons from the world slid away, letting the two enormous peaks bounce out from their confinement.

I was already on the verge of losing control, the entire experience even surpassing what some of the more experienced Aphrodites could do, but when the devil pushed her two massive tits together—her brown chocolate nipples almost touching—creating a perfect hole for me to slide in…

I lost it completely.

I sat up, letting my hand grip her head as her fingers positioned my shaft between the tunnel of her tits. My member was long enough to map the walls of her breasts and come out from the other side, straight between her awaiting lips. Taking ahold of a bunch of her hair, I started face-fucking her in abandonment. And as my dick touched the depths of her throat, the pressure within me finally found an explosive release, my balls churning with visible vibration as one of the strongest climaxes hit me.

With my cock still buried deep in her throat, I didn't see the white firework visibly, but the payloads that escaped from my pipe were strong and numerous enough that I imagined it like a fountain of cum splashing straight inside the devil's stomach. For the last couple of cumshots, my shaft barely even twitched from Katerea's mouth, the base of my junk meeting her nose as I pressed her face into my groin, holding her in place until I finally stopped jizzing.

Exhausted, I let myself fall upon the lounger with a deeply sated sigh, my cock disengaging from her mouth inch by inch. “God, I’m glad I let you live, Rea."

The Devil didn't reply, simply resting her used mouth against my thigh in exhaustion.

"Imagine what a disaster it would’ve been had I killed you by mistake. Damn.”

As my explosive post-nut clarity slowly subdued, I suddenly realized my shaft was showing no signs of drooping, even with all the exercise it had just done.

'God, sometimes I feel like cursing my stamina.'

This was, without a doubt, the most satisfying face-fuck I've ever delivered, yet my member looked far from satisfied.

My eyes fell back upon the slumped devil. She looked to be in a deep daze, her arse up in the air as she took deep breaths....and suddenly I knew exactly where to shove myself into next.

Smiling, I stood up. “As you lost our little challenge, it's only fair for me to deliver some divine punishment, wouldn't you say?" I slowly came to position myself behind her. "Besides, I need your mouth free to answer some questions. You’ll talk now, won’t you?”

The devil nodded weakly.

"Excellent." Chuckling, I slapped the devil’s plump behind. "You know... normally, I would have granted you your wish. Maybe. But I do need my mouth to ask some questions, you know? So perhaps next time, I may give you another chance to prove yourself.”

The strap of ribbon hiding the devil's clit was completely drenched in her juices. As I slowly fingered the ribbon away, the devil beneath me let out a low needful moan.

"But for now....hold tight and enjoy the ride."

I cupped her perfectly toned hips, rubbing my member against her lower lips. Her moaning grew louder and stronger, and without further preamble, I pushed myself straight within her depths, looking for the home run.

Katerea shrieked, the single deep thrust triggering her climax. Her hips shook wildly, her fingers clenching upon the lounger, easily crushing its wooden head. All the while, I simply slid back....and buried myself deeper inside.

The familiar pleasure of being inside a woman assaulted my body as I kept a rhythmic thumping going. My groin met her plump, shapely behind, each thrust sending jiggles through her rump. My left hand curved around her waist, moving up to grip a handful of her swinging tits, while the right held onto her hips, dragging her back against my shaft.

The slapping sound of our thighs meeting filled the afternoon air as I laid my face on Katerea's back sideways, cupping her body tighter. My gaze wandered to my audience, two of them finding their own ways of release.

I chuckled. "Relax, you all. Everybody will have a chance today…well, except you, girl. You’re a little too young to do more than stare.”

Reyna’s face fell down.

"And now, my second favorite Devil." I whispered beside my lover's ears, ignoring her moans and yelps. "Tell me....what do you know about the Khaos Brigade?"

----------------------------

"Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed." I chuckled. "Sorry, Einstein, you didn't take gods into account."

I blinked, coming to a sudden halt in mid-air. 'Wait, it wasn't Einstein who stated that, was it?'

Unfortunately, the Laws of Thermodynamics had become so irrelevant to me that I might as well be upon an entirely different planet with entirely different physics.

"Meh, whatever." I shook my head and restarted my journey to the next island. "The point is, I've just proven a random unnamed scientist wrong."

My final domain—completely new and shiny,—Energy Creation, was a finger up the arse of every scientist and scholar to ever exist.

I'd started out small, replicating wisps of Holy Energy—something I was the most familiar with—and in no time, white glowing light danced around my arms like floating liquid. The power within them was infinitely weaker than my personal stash of Holy Energy, around Tier 5 Demigods level if I had to wager, but that was just the result of my first try.

What was even more interesting was the fact that it took no Divine or Demonic power. From what exactly was I creating the energy then? To the best of my knowledge, I was producing it from nothingness, willing it into existence with the Authority of my domain. My Domain, like Holy power and Desire/Beauty, had a pool of its own that took power from the real world. I didn't yet know what the limits were, and how I would go about increasing it, outside of leveling up Divine Authority and Domain, but it didn't matter for now.

Mastering the ability was of far greater importance for this war.

I tried to remember all there was about the different energies I'd read or seen about in movies and novels, but my previous life, unfortunately, wasn't as clear in mind as my current one was. And I had a feeling no matter how high my intelligence gets, that wouldn't be changing.

'I'll have to start watching movies again. Probably binge-watch some superhero shows.'

One thing was clear, there was no power in this world out of my reach now. Even the various Demonic Powers would be easy to replicate...

Or, hell, creating something entirely new was well within my abilities now. I wasn't the god of Energy replication after all, but Creation.

'Perhaps combining all three of my energies to make something even more powerful than my Holy Divine Lightning Bolt should also be my focus.'

And I needed to upgrade my Lightning Storm into something more lethal. It has served me well till now, I could only imagine how deadly it'll be with a different combination of energies...

For now, I'll simply have to replicate the energies I'm already familiar with to increase my level with the skill.

Energy Creation (Lvl 1)

With my task for the current flight fixed, I set my path for the island Circe had assured me was my destination, and tore across the sky at a comfortable pace.

----------------------------

I knew my search was complete the moment I came close to the 'Monster Island'. Even from miles afar, the magical power of the Golden Fleece was easy to sense. With a flare of my true might, I closed the last bit of distance instantly, dropping straight upon a cliff that looked down along the edges of a ravine.

At its base lay a meadow, with a herd of seemingly mundane—though gigantic—sheep grazing. The cleanly licked white bones of small animals littering around them spelled a completely different story, however.

'Observe'

Monster Sheep

Tier: 3

Level: 259

Ignoring the sheep, I let my gaze wander to where my senses blared the loudest. While the entire island let off a sense of strong magical aura, the whiff of healing magic lay the strongest atop the path that originated through the meadow, leading up to the hills. Just near the edge of the canyon stood a massive oak tree, and there, peeking shyly at me, was the sparkling of gold wrapped around a branch.

'Finally.' A smile climbed up my face, and in one single leap, I found myself standing at the root of the oak tree.

The promise I'd made to Thalia so long ago...it was about time I finished it.

A crowd of bleating reached my ears and I glanced back to see all the sheep bounding down upon me. Shaking my head, I turned back to the three and plucked out the Golden Fleece gently.

Instantly a soothing aura spread through my body, a unique energy seeping within my chest.

[Healing Increased by 3x]

Oh, holy fucking nice. Now, this is capital O to the freakin P. If it takes six hours for my body to regenerate completely whilst sleeping, how long would it take if I slept under this thing?

2 hours. Two bloody hours to heal over 38 million health. While sleeping, yes, but it was still absolutely fucking op. Hell, just the simple fact that it could work on a True God made me desire it for myself.

'Maybe after Thalia's healed.' A small ticklish tingle of excitement flared up around my stomach, but I realized that was just the stupid sheep trying to eat me.

Without turning, I gave an absent wave of my hand, and the shockwave that it emitted popped all the sheep like a bunch of bloody pimples.

A flex of my Will made sure not a single drop of blood could mar my white massage robe as I wrapped the Fleece around my shoulders like a scarf.

"Who Dares!!??" A booming shout shook the earth, and I turned to see the biggest, ugliest Cyclops stumbling down the ravine, a large boulder set on his shoulder. "Who Dares enter the island of mighty Polyphemus!?"

'Observe'

Polyphemus

Tier: 5

Level: 457

A Tier 5 Cyclops? 'Interesting.'

Then again, Polyphemus was one of the Ancient cyclops of the legend, possibly equal to an Elder cyclops.

Not that it meant much to me.

"My sheepies!" The monster cried on seeing a few random legs or crushed torsos that escaped becoming blood mist. "Noo-ooo-oo, why!?"

Then his eyes, well eye fell upon me and narrowed in rage. "You! You, you... smelling of a god! How dare you!?" He then glanced at the sky. "Father Poseidon! Strike this god down!"

I put a finger in my ear and wiggled.

"Father Poseidon! Strike this thieving god down!"

Yawning, I stretched.

“Father Poseidon!?”

"Well, I guess I'll let you live." I finally decided, floating up in the sky slowly. "As a gesture to Poseidon."

"No! Thief! If Father Poseidon doesn't strike you down, I will!" Then it hurled the boulder at me.

Snorting, I launched a weak Holy spear at the piece of stone, letting it be thoroughly disintegrated by the sheer raw power...what I hadn't quite expected was for the spear to continue on and blast the cyclops to tiny bits...

I winced as the Sea growled in discontent. "Sorry Uncle, but he started it."

The Sea grumbled comically and with a snort, I launched myself in the air, retracing my way back to Circe's island.

----------------------------

When I arrived back at the destroyed Spa resort of Circe, I found the lonely goddess standing at the edge of the beach, looking over her island with slumped shoulders.

It was a sad sight truly, with the sun setting behind us, its glow growing dimmer with the second, casting its gaze upon the defeated-looking goddess as she held her own shoulders delicately, looking so utterly vulnerable.

I dropped down behind her quietly, my senses quickly scanning the entire place.

"Where're your assistants?" I asked Circe.

My voice popped open the trance bubble she was stuck in. She whirled around, quickly wiping her eyes before glancing up at me.

"They've left." Her voice was somber and soft. "They have their own destiny ahead."

I frowned. "Were you crying?"

She sniffed, shaking her head as she answered with a small whine. "...No?"

A smile slowly tugged at my face.

"Awww, come here." I dragged her in a hug. "I'm sure they'll be safe."

She nodded against my chest, sniffing again. "I told them to go as far away as they can, hopefully, this war wouldn't touch them."

That…is just false hope.

Snorting, I let my hand fall around her waist. "Let's get you a new home."

With a quick tap to the ground, I lifted us both over a mile in the sky before turning back to the island. "Won't need this anymore."

Then I let a Divine Lightning Bolt fall upon the Island. I knew my power by now, of course. Or, at least, the soft limits of it. I knew before I dropped the freaking bolt what fate I was unleashing upon the ancient island that had survived the existence of multiple mythologies.

Yet, it was still a surprise when the island cracked apart in two under a massive boom of a thunderclap, a nuclear explosion rushing through everything, obliterating the entire land; the buildings, the resorts, the spa, the trees, the beach, the planes and ships, and all the vehicles.... everything was blasted into an explosion that left the ocean shaking by its shockwave.

The island was soon cracked into individual pieces that drowned underwater to join the kingdom of Poseidon.

"Did you have to do that?" Circe asked in a small voice, no small amounts of despair, fear, and awe intermixing in her tone.

"Of course. We need to sell the whole kidnapping plot, and your mother doesn't seem an easy goddess to fool."

She nodded, and off we were over the stir calm waters of the Bermuda, my task finally over.

This time, I didn't limit my speed. My dearest sister’s comeback was long overdue by now.

'If this doesn't work...'

Gods, I hoped not. If an artifact capable of enhancing a True god's healing power doesn't manage to heal a demigod, then I'd be in some real deep shit.

‘I’ll probably have to curry favors with some random ass healing god who’ll have me marry his favorite cow or something.’

With Circe in my grasp, I arrived back along the coasts of Long Island in a couple of seconds, intending to make my way straight for Thalia's tree.

Halfway through the last leap of my journey, however, a wind spirit blocked my path, carrying a message. Only my absolute control kept me from flying straight through its body like a piñata, my senses registering it as a child of Notus, Wind god of Summer.

They were one of the four types of Wind spirits that I shared the sky with, holding some authority over them through Zeus’ Domain.

"King Zeus requires your presence urgently!" The wind spirit sang, its smoke-like body hovering above the winds.

I waved it away with a grunt and continued upon my path a moment later. Zeus will have my damned presence when the golden shroud does its fucking job like it was meant to.

The Fleece was still hanging around my shoulders like a scarf. There was no denying the enrichment I was still receiving from it, and the moment my legs stepped upon the camp's ground, the plant life around me seemed to receive a cocktail of Chlorophyll, the green becoming greener, the plans becoming deeper and bushier, the fruits lighting up in perfect ripen state, while the branches grew sturdier...

Yet, all of it mattered to me less than a Cyclops fart.

Dropping Circe on the ground absently, I made my way for the tree standing at the Hill's peak. A few demigods spotted me and excitedly carried the message back to Chiron.

I cared not, swiftly making my way to bestow resurrection upon my sister.

So much had managed since the time I took that oath four years ago. The gaping hole in my heart that Thalia's absence had left, that I'd thought to be mostly healed, now came back roaring like a reawakened volcano. While I wasn't one to feel overly lonely, the fact remained that her death had separated me away from the rest.

Apart from Hestia, there really wasn't a single one truly close to me.

'Hestia...damn, I really need to catch up with her as well.'

I hadn't talked to her since the farewell she gave me. A part of me wondered if perhaps she was avoiding me on purpose, my new status as an Olympian making her bitter, but the sheer idea was stupid enough that I quickly dismissed it.

'Eh, I'll just ask her myself.'

Right now though, there was a person I needed to revive.

I reached the base where her body lay, as pristine as ever. I’d assigned a couple of demigods to always take care of her, to clear away any growing roots or plants from around her. Wasting no more time, with anticipation clawing at me with the strength of a Tier 8 Monster, I gently laid down the Fleece, covering her from collarbone to knees like a shroud….

….And then I waited.

‘Observe’

Thalia's Tree

Age: 4 years

Race: Immortal Tree

Tier: 5 (Sealed)

Level: 374 (Sealed)

Divine Power: 0/360,000 (Sealed)

Stamina: 0/382,000 (Sealed)

Health 17/377,000 (Sealed)

Tree's Health: 500,000/500,000

I waited.

Health 17/377,000 (Sealed)

I waited.

The demigods had come out to observe now, Anna lite the closest amongst them, her hand coming to squeeze my shoulder in greeting and comfort.

Health 17/377,000 (Sealed)

I waited.

A spike of fear and despair was gnawing at my heart now, my senses absently picking up Chiron bowing shallowly to Circe in the background.

Health 17/377,000 (Sealed)

….Fuck.

The fear was rising up my throat now, along with a rage of helplessness that brought with it an urge to let loose my power upon this world completely, obliterating this state, and this entire fucking country, into fragments of dust.

Barely controlling myself, taking strength from the gentle hand on my shoulder, I waited…

Health 18/377,000 (Sealed)

I blinked. I blinked again….and a wave of sheer relief exploded within me, expelling all the chaotic mess within my heart like a tsunami washing over a tiny sand castle.

I chuckled, feeling lighter than ever as I slowly stood up, patting Annabeth’s hand on my shoulder.

“Is it done…” She whispered, “Will she—?”

But my smile must’ve said it all cause she wrapped her hands around my waist in sheer jubilation.

“I have to go meet Zeus now,” I squeezed the girl tighter. “Can’t delay a summons for much longer. You stay here and keep an eye on her, alright? She’ll be up in no time. Someone has to stop her from running into danger headfirst like a baby chick again.”

Annabeth mumbled a vague yes before she disengaged. My friends, all the cabin leaders, were standing a few paces back, stunned awe on their faces as they kept their eyes stuck on my sister’s slowly coloring face.

They all had taken the news of my ascension with grace, only showing a minor amount of uncertainty before going right back to normal, just like I’d wanted. The amount of shit I’ve pulled over the years had probably desensitized them to my brand of bs. Their loyalty and worship for me was already sky high before my official title changed to a God of Olympus; or as the Wind gods were announcing the news, carrying the same words from Zeus that day; the Mortal God of Olympus.

I ordered them to guard the tree, and they simply accepted with a bow. And I knew, as long as they were alive, Thalia would be safe. More importantly, she wouldn’t be wandering off anywhere...like say, diving head-first into an immortal witch’s flying-vines trap.

‘You better get back up soon,’ I glanced down at her sleeping figure, still attached to the tree. ‘I have a whole lot of words prepared for you, darling sister.’

With one last glance at her health, which was irritatingly still at 18, I turned back to Circe, nodding at Chiron in passing. “I’ll be back in a bit. We have news to exchange, I’m sure.”

Then, with a hand wrapped around Circe’s waist, I disappeared into the air, making my way straight for Olympus.

----------------------------

I dropped Circe in my castle on the way to Zeus. The goddess was going to play a major part in my plan, something that constituted being more than my personal divine sword sheath…though that function was just as appreciated.

My plan was for Hecate to contact her daughter, and perhaps prepare some form of rescue, revealing herself as a result.

And once she revealed herself, it would be all too easy to capture her.

'The first victim of war….and by my hands too.' Well…technically Ares was the first victim but he didn't count. You need a brain to be in a war.

It didn't matter what type of absurd magic she had in her repertoire, the simple fact that my magical and mist senses were maxed out meant no sneaky shit could happen around me. And if she tries any direct magic, I'll be able to overpower her.

As long as I could successfully spring the trap upon the goddess of magic, her end was certain.

Of course, overconfidence in matters like these could be a death sentence for me—I wasn't completely immortal like the rest of the Greek gods—so caution would be my new best friend in this war. But Hecate was one goddess that I really wanted to take out from the game early on. She had a reputation similar to Eros, drenched in mystery and shadows. Even though she is widely recognized as a Minor God, people feared and respected her almost as much as an Olympian.

'Probably cause she's a Titan.'

...All of these were really great reasons to take her out of the war, but the one that mattered to me the most was much simpler. She tried to kill me. Indirectly sure, with a failed ambush, but it's the thought that matters!

She tried to kill me...after I rescued her kids, and gave them a new cabin to settle in, she tried to kill me...

So obviously, I must bury her deep within the Earth's core.

'Oh, this war's gonna be juicy!' I honestly couldn't wait for it to start in earnest. The sheer leveling opportunities it could provide alone was enough of an incentive for me.

Shaking my head, I focused ahead, entering the Throne room of Olympus. It was empty save for one, but that one was the one who truly mattered.

There, sitting upright on the center throne, was my father dearest. The grave lines on his face and the crackling of lightning around his massive chair instantly alerted me, a terrible suspicion suddenly birthing within my chest.

'...Does he know?' My feet slowed down to a crawl.

I may not love my father as I loved my sister, or Hestia….or Gabriel. But I did respect his power enough to know that should he Will it, I'd be a pile of ashes blown off into the Wind.

And for all his recent changes and personality management, he was still Zeus.

Honestly, had the words of Poseidon not made me doubt his motives, I would've put a greater resistance against banging Hera. Zeus has been nothing but kind to me since the end of that Monster war, and repaying him by screwing his wife would've been a betrayal of trust.

But Poseidon's words...and then Hera's, were showing me a picture of him quite unlike what Zeus was trying to portray himself as.

It made having any lick of loyalty for him difficult.

Of course, even with that, common sense would dictate not to bang your King's wife. I may be a horny bastard, but I wasn't suicidal.

A part of my reason for including Hera in my conquest list, however, was also due to the bitter knowledge of him having been with Gabriel...once upon a time. No matter how irrational my annoyance, the fact remained, screwing Hera brought in a good karmic feeling of justice and revenge.

...In the end, however, only one reason rang the truest. A much simpler reason: Hera was one of the sexiest milfs in the world and I wouldn't have given up any chance to dive into that divine pussy.

As the gaze of the King fell upon me though, I found myself scolding my horny self. 'Why am I like this?'

"Mikael." The Skyfather rumbled, and I held my breath.

Then his usual half-smile curved up his face, and a large invisible weight clenching my heart suddenly lifted from his soul.

"Father." I greeted back cheerily, sauntering the last few steps forward.

"You succeeded in your quest." He stated it like the fact it was. "Well done. I would've expected nothing less. But it is time for something more…challenging. I hope you're up to the par."

The god climbed down from his throne, taking a shorter, mortal form. "This war will be unlike any other, Mikael. Do you remember my words, when you held that Apple in your hand, an inch away from immortality?"

I nodded quietly.

"It is time. Your ability to enter any gods' domain, and dismiss any divine rule, will now be used in full. When the war starts, these rules will be the only thing saving our world from complete and utter annihilation. We, the gods, shall be bound in what we can do. But not you."

Zeus turned around, waving his hand towards the space in front of his throne. Instantly, a wooden table with an honest to god World Map materialized in front of us.

"These are the territories controlled by different factions of this world. We control what the mortals call this country: the United States of America." He tapped a point above a tiny tail that I knew to be New York. "But we aren't alone. We share this country with the Norse and the Egyptians. And just like us, there are hundreds of pantheons across the world controlling mortal Territories."

Zeus sighed, glancing at me gravely.

"This war will assuredly reach every corner of the world. It will make the World Wars look like children fighting mock battles."

He paused, face twisting in a grimace. "Which is exactly what it was, technically. Though I never gave my children permission to interfere in the mortal affairs so the blame must not be placed on my shoulders."

“Oh of course not,” I snorted. “I’m sure you weren’t at fault in the slightest.”

He ignored me and went on. "The point is you and I, we know the gravity of our situation. The smaller pantheons do not. The war will present them a chance to extend their territories, to expand their area of Mortal worship. They will not listen to reason, yet there is nothing I can do about it, shackled as I am by the laws."

As the words settled in my mind, I finally understood what purpose Zeus had planned for me. "You want me to kill any upstart gods trying to use this war like a ladder? Sure."

"Indeed." Zeus smiled grimly. "Of course, we mustn't lose our focus from the true fight. Hermes brings grave news for us. Ouroboros has added powerful gods and monsters to its ranks. Loki of the Jotunn, Fenris Wolf, Apophis; the Chaos Dragon...and of course, Kronos. We face insurmountable odds and we need allies. Quickly. The Norse has agreed to help us, but it is not enough. Do you remember the task I gave you as the new God of Olympus? It is time you leave on your journey to the underworld. Only this time, to a different part of hell."

Zeus paused dramatically, adding an electrical flair around his beard just for special effects.

Most of the info he gave was old news really, Katerea having revealed almost everything, so I stood waiting for someone more relevant.

Nothing came forth.

I blinked, then I glanced around, frowning. "Wait. Now?"

"Indeed." He nodded again, just as gravely.

"Like, now now? I can't wait for Thalia to wake up and yell at her for being stupid?"

Zeus' face twitched. "Is it really important?"

"Of course!"

He opened his mouth, then closed it with a click, scratching his beard absently. "...Your task won't take much time. I suspect it will take at least a day for your sister to wake up. I'm sure you can convince the Satans to join us by then. We do not need any except the two males. I have written them a letter which should help. Just get those Devils and come back."

I glared at Zeus. 'You know what dude? I'm glad I fucked Hera…'

Suddenly another curious question assaulted my mind. "Wait, what about the eight-eight oath?"

"Oh!" Zeus nodded, waving his hand. I felt nothing. "You're free from the oath. Your mother has already completed her eight years so you do not need her permission. You're free to go as you please."

"So I can visit her?" My eyebrows kissed my forehead.

I cast my mind back to Katerea's info. I was riding another climax when my questioning turned to Gabriel…

'Oh. Oh shit! Gabriel's in Hell, isn't she? Which means I can visit her and complete my freaking mission! Plus, wasn't she Ajuka dude's Knight or something?'

Sheer excitement and jubilation burst into my heart. What were the chances of gaining my mother and sister both around the same time? Very little, which meant it was true! No dream shit happening here.

'Well, It seems I have a new quest to finish…'

The quest to save my mother from the evil clutches of the Ajudude and regain her affection!

'God, I really really hope she didn't just forget about me. She was an immortal being thousands of years old after all. What were the chances she'd grow attached to me? What if she liked the time without me, being unburdened from my presence?...What if she liked this Ajuka dude now?'

I shook the painful thoughts away. I was the god of Beauty and Desire. It doesn't matter if she grows distant, doesn't matter if someone else tries to put their unwanted noses In the middle…all it would take me is some time and effort to reconnect…

And kill whoever the fucking bastard was, trying to get into her skirts…

I ignored some of the more despairing thoughts and came back to the present.

"You may do whatever you wish," Zeus shrugged. "Though remember, time is of the essence."

"Yeah, yeah, I'll be off in a bit. Just need to say some goodbyes. Well, see you later pops!"

The ping of the quest sounded in my ears but I paid it no heed, quickly leaving the Throne room.

I had a fucking job to do. And an Angel to save.

----------------------------

AN: Done! Finally! Sorry for the late chap, had a slight internet problem at the end. Still, its almost 13k! Hopefully you enjoyed every bit!

I wanted to add all the farewell scenes and at least one Hestia scene in this chap but meh, would've taken another day. The next chapter will start with dxd, just like I promised. Maybe I'll add a couple of farewell scenes but no guarantees.

Also, another thnx to all my betas, worked until the last moment to get the chap done.

That's all for today, let me know your thoughts in the comments, and I'll see you lot in the next post/chap. Peace!