Finally… she finally stopped!
The divine youth, Hippomenes, glanced back at Princess Atalanta, who bent down to pick up the golden apple. His face broke into wild joy, and he immediately seized the opportunity to sprint ahead, widening the gap between them.
However, this advantage lasted only a few minutes. The huntress, having finished the golden apple, quickly closed the distance and resumed her pursuit.
Hippomenes was startled, instinctively looking back at Atalanta.
In that moment, the huntress running through the forest felt her thoughts scatter as their eyes met. Her speed slowed, as if she couldn't bring herself to outpace the young man and cause his death.
Perfect! It worked!
Thank you, Goddess Aphrodite! Once I win this race, claim this beautiful princess, and ascend the throne of Arcadia, I will surely offer a sacrifice in your honor!
Seeing that there was less than a third of the course remaining and he still had the lead, the demigod's eyes sparkled with excitement as he muttered his prayers.
Snap!
Thud!
But Hippomenes' joy was short-lived. Behind him, the sudden crack of snapping branches and the dull sound of tearing flesh reached his ears.
She actually...
The divine youth stared at the princess. She had driven a branch into her thigh muscle, gritting her teeth as blood poured from the wound, yet she kept pushing forward, relentlessly chasing him. His heart tightened in horror.
And when Atalanta unintentionally looked up, her eyes revealed a fierce, untamed wildness.
This wasn't supposed to happen!
Seeing Atalanta quickly closing the distance, Hippomenes snapped out of his daze, his face turning pale.
He absolutely could not lose!
If he lost, this rebellious princess of Arcadia would never let him go!
But when his fingers reached into his robe and touched the second golden apple, his heart steadied.
I can do this! I will win!
His father had once told him that even among the mighty Twelve Olympians, only three virgin goddesses—Hestia, the goddess of the hearth; Artemis, the goddess of the hunt; and Athena, the goddess of wisdom—could resist the influence of Eros's power.
Atalanta was only a mere demigod—there was no way she could resist the pull of desire.
It was as if these words echoed in his mind, part self-hypnosis, part self-encouragement. As the huntress neared him, the young demigod quickly drew the second golden apple and tossed it far behind him.
Atalanta gritted her teeth, a faint sting from the sharpness of her own bite sending a metallic taste into her mouth.
Yet despite the pain, she instinctively lifted her head, her emerald eyes locked onto the trajectory of the golden apple. Her body reacted, jumping uncontrollably.
Yes, just like that. Get it. Eat it.
Hippomenes continued running, glancing back over his shoulder. His right hand tightened into a fist, his heart racing with excitement.
But at that very moment, a sudden gust of wind whipped past him, carrying with it a dark, swift shadow.
Amid the shattered rocks, the shadow leaped upwards with lightning speed, snatching the golden apple first. In a flash, it landed with a tumble, kicking up dust as it halted.
"Give it to me!"
Atalanta's eyes flared red as she twisted and charged toward the shadow.
"I knew something was off when you didn't follow me. Lucky I turned back!"
Samael sidestepped Atalanta's charge, hiding the hand holding the golden apple behind his back. He glanced back at the stunned young demigod, his expression darkening.
"You did this?"
"I…"
Gazing into those pitch-black serpentine eyes that seemed to swallow all light, Hippomenes felt an inexplicable chill run through him. He stammered, his forehead breaking out in cold sweat.
Run!
Driven by instinct, the young demigod dared not look back. Gritting his teeth, he forced his stiff legs into motion, sprinting toward the summit whose outline was now visible. Whirlwinds swirled around him, making his strides lighter and faster. He was the great-grandson of the Sea God, bearing pure divine blood. His ancestor Poseidon not only ruled the oceans but also commanded the storms upon them.
No need to heed them! Victory is mine!
Think you can exploit my weakness?
You? You're not worthy!
Samael's gaze turned icy as his muscles tensed. The moment he stomped forward, the air warped slightly, and a terrifying sonic boom instantly sent dust waves splashing several meters high.
"Give… it back to me!"
Atalanta's pupils contracted as fury roared from her throat. Her body lunged forward like a lion bristling with rage, paws planted on the ground as she leapt over ten meters, clamping down fiercely on the thief who had stolen her treasure.
Ha! Perfect! It's the mountain ravine! Passing through this section means we'll reach the finish line. The blood of Poseidon flows through me—whether mountain streams or vast oceans, they shall all grant me their protection!
Hippomenes gazed at the shimmering expanse ahead, ecstatic at the prospect of establishing absolute dominance in his element.
"Hum!"
Yet, barely a distance had he covered when a violent air disturbance erupted behind him. In an instant, the dark figure that had turned back earlier ran effortlessly across the water. Layers of water curtains surged around him, churning into dazzling rainbows from the high-speed friction.
Only when he was drenched like a drowned rat and snapped out of his daze did Hippomenes realize—that guy was running faster on water than on land!
How could this be? Was the bloodline of the Sea God flowing through his veins a lie?
Hippomenes was utterly flustered, his eyes filled with disbelief. What the young demigod didn't know was that his rival was the divine son of Tiamat, the source of the ocean's saltwater. He had migrated through the Sea of Imaginary Numbers, endured the Great Flood of Western Asia, bathed in the rivers of the Underworld, and even soaked in Oceanus for centuries. In terms of affinity with the sea, even if his ancestor Poseidon himself stepped forward, the divine favor he received might not surpass that of this monster.
In the instant Hippomenes froze in shock, another figure, moving on all fours, leaped like the wind over the stream stones and surged past him.
It was Princess Atalanta!
The young demigod snapped back to reality. As he desperately chased after them, the gap between himself and the two ahead widened relentlessly. His hand instinctively darted into his cloak, his eyes flickering.
Immediately after, the third Golden Apple was maliciously hurled toward the ravine beyond the racecourse.
Atalanta, mid-stride, flared her nostrils like a cat fixated on a flickering light on the wall. She leapt off the track, lunging to intercept the tempting Golden Apple.
But another figure moved faster. With a single step, the recoil force sent waves tens of meters high crashing upward, abruptly halting the surging river. The riverbed below was exposed, revealing a layer of smooth, rounded pebbles.
Samael, possessing a physique surpassing even the mightiest Magical Beasts, bolstered by at least twenty flashes of innate physical prowess and divine protection, soared into the air. One hand snatched the third The Golden Apple, the other hoisted Atalanta, forcing them both back onto the track.
What... what the hell is that monster?!
Hippomenes glanced back, his eyes wide with disbelief, cursing under his breath. But now, having exhausted his tactics, he gritted his teeth and charged forward.
Fortunately, the winding mountain ravine finally ended. Beyond a hundred-meter stretch of open terrain lay the long-awaited finish line.
Almost there! Victory is mine!
So what if you're gifted? So what if your bloodline is stronger than mine? I am the one favored by fate and love!
As Hippomenes' thoughts raced, joy spread across his face. But barely a few steps into the clearing, that deadly roar echoed behind him once more.
Amidst flying grass clippings, a relentless figure strode swiftly past Hippomenes, charging toward the finish line. What infuriated him most was that the figure clutched the very same wildcat that had clawed and wriggled in his arms.
Damn it! All this should be mine!
Glaring at the two figures tangled ahead, Hippomenes' rage boiled over. Evil surged from his heart as he drew moisture from the air, coalescing it into a sapphire-blue trident.
At that very moment, Samael spun around with a sudden twist. His fist, whistling through the air, slammed directly into the young demigod's face.
Hippomenes immediately spat blood. Teeth shattered, cheekbones and nose snapped. His body flew backward like a boulder tumbling down a mountain, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"I've put up with you long enough!"
Samael shook his fist, his gaze dark and his voice cold as ice.
Near the finish line, Hippomenes lay crushed in a deep pit, his face almost unrecognizable. He emitted a muffled, wailing cry, his body writhing and struggling in the mud like a maggot displaying tenacity in its struggle to survive.