Chapter 38: The Devout Youth
The history of gold becoming a circulating currency in human society is neither particularly long nor short, but one thing is certain: it definitely wasn't in the ancient times.
In this era, gold only circulated to a certain extent among the upper class, mostly as a material for crafting art objects.
So when Rusa held a lump of gold, he couldn't help but feel something was off.
Although his main occupation was maritime trade, Rusa's position in Thera's society was also noble. Naturally, he had received gold before, but those times, people at least shaped it into something. Today, receiving a big unshaped lump was a first. Rusa couldn't help but think… this was strangely exciting.
With a "Today I discovered a new trick!" mindset, Rusa took his daughter-in-law to the temple—don't misunderstand, he didn't live there, but according to Thera's rules, a foreigner joining a Thera family had to report to the temple.
As for Hachiman, after agreeing to Rusa's invitation and promising to attend the banquet that night, he headed toward the Thera volcano.
Yes, although the Therans called it Poseidon Island, the name fit perfectly.
According to later scholars, the magma beneath Thera volcano had been sealed for over 17,000 years until its inevitable eruption, which would release energy equivalent to 4,000 times that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.
Such massive energy also caused intermittent minor eruptions and earthquakes in surrounding areas—thus naming it after the god of earthquakes was most appropriate.
Hachiman speculated that perhaps Theran ancestors arrived here one day, saw this volcano constantly causing tremors, treated it as Poseidon's seaside residence, and settled here to be "in touch" with the god.
Compared with later generations who inconvenienced individuals, this ancestor's scale was on a civilizational level. Hachiman truly pitied the Therans but had no intention of holding back.
There was indeed a god in this volcano, but not Poseidon.
It was Horus, three thousand years later—the very target Hachiman had decided to kill. Forget the Therans, even the entire Aegean wouldn't stop him.
If not for the Egyptian gods' assurance, Hachiman wouldn't have believed this Horus had hidden so far away.
Despite being indifferent to the Therans, Hachiman didn't launch a daytime strike—partly to avoid prematurely alerting his enemy. Because he had been careful to avoid large-scale use of his power, and with the Egyptians' help, the enemy was still unaware of his arrival.
After parting from Rusa, Hachiman wandered the market, then left the street, arriving at a high coastal area away from the port. He lightly leaped off.
His body landed on the water's surface without disturbing it in the slightest; splashes and ripples continued as if nothing had happened.
Air currents rose beneath him, lifting him and propelling him quickly toward the volcano.
Historically, after Thera volcano erupted, pyroclastic flows traveled over the sea atop superheated steam. Hachiman used the same method.
At this pace, using only minimal air currents, his power remained undetectable.
At this moment, few ships were on the inner sea. Even if there were, they could not visually track him at his speed. When Hachiman reached the volcano, no one aboard any ship noticed anyone walking across the sea.
Incidentally, due to personal aesthetic preference, Hachiman, though wearing clothing styled to this era, wasn't dressed like real ancient Egyptians. Instead, he wore the outfit of Imhotep, the main villain from a mummy movie he liked in his school days.
It wasn't for show; at least it covered everything below the neck. After all, a man in shorts and bare-chested—even with a cloak—wouldn't have any dignity.
After only a few steps, Hachiman realized this volcano was unusually unstable.
The mountain was already fragile—imposing on the outside but a mess within. It could collapse at any time.
Unexpectedly, he saw Rusa's son Isiharu climbing the mountain with several fish in hand.
Hachiman witnessed several times how high-temperature currents rose past him, scattering rocks, yet the boy climbed on unbothered.
The faith was impressive. Hachiman remembered Rusa had said this boy had come to make offerings to the god, but…
He only brought some fish to worship Poseidon?
Hachiman couldn't help recalling a particularly mischievous bearded man in Sardinia—he definitely didn't like fish. Bear paws were more likely.
Considering Isiharu's physical abilities, if he tried hunting a bear, the bear might just come along to offer to Poseidon. Besides, Poseidon wasn't here anyway; the offering was meaningless.
Hachiman decided to follow Isiharu, after all, he was the only child of Rusa, the generous uncle, and they had agreed to attend dinner together later.
The path to the altar wasn't easy.
Long before his birth, due to the harsh conditions on Poseidon Island, the Therans had moved the main altar to near Thera city. The altar on Poseidon Island was now only for the fearless.
For example, Isiharu.
When Hachiman saw him from a distance, the boy nearly fell—the higher the volcano, the steeper the terrain. The so-called bridges here were mere logs, any misstep meant death.
Admiring the boy's devotion and recklessness, and out of respect for his father, Hachiman covertly intervened several times to prevent fatal accidents, watching as Isiharu finally reached an altar.
The altar was old, with a broken stone platform for offerings.
Undeterred, Isiharu placed the fish on it, knelt, and raised both hands—this was a typical Thera ritual.
Seeing the boy safe, Hachiman withdrew his gaze and looked across.
The volcano had subsided slightly, forming a massive chasm. Sulfur mingled in the air, and black hills emitted rolling smoke.
The heat and dryness were tangible within the smoke.
It was the power of "Ankh." Everything, as the Egyptian gods had told him, indicated the enemy was indeed hidden here.
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