Interstellar Mountainous City, Grand Altar.
Standing at the fractured edge of the altar, Samael looked down over the sea. Below, the deep-sea fleet was salvaging wreckage and directing combat units, while the Argo was being towed toward Hecate Island for repairs. His expression finally eased a little.
Some of the crew were receiving treatment, while others were reconnecting with Prince Triton, who deliberately kept a sour look on his face in public.
At the same time, as a gesture of reconciliation, the rescue team led by the God of Medicine, Circe, and Little Medea freed up manpower to treat a portion of the Atlanteans as well, openly extending goodwill. The atmosphere, once bristling with hostility, gradually softened.
After all, in the current Heroic Age, it was hardly unusual for disagreements to erupt into full-scale brawls, only for everyone to sit down afterward, drink freely, and laugh it off.
Death and injury were everyday occurrences. Making a choice always came with a price.
And that price was the elimination of those too weak to keep up with the rules of this era.
Earlier, once the fighting had ended, Samael, several representatives of the Argo, and Poseidon ascended the Grand Altar to negotiate. Areopagus responded by overseeing the talks, acting as both guarantor and witness.
After several rounds of discussion, the two sides finally reached a compromise both could accept.
First, Atalanta would not pursue the crimes committed by these outsiders. However, the entire crew of the Argo would be required to help repair the Sea God Temple and offer a sacrifice to Poseidon as a sign of submission.
This condition was acceptable. The opposing side had suffered heavy losses, while every member of the Argo had survived. Having lost substance, it was only fair that they salvaged some face.
As for the sacrifice, it was merely a formality. In an age dominated by polytheism, praying to different gods carried little taboo or psychological burden.
Besides, Poseidon was the ruler of the seas. Even if the Argo left Atalanta and sailed beyond the Giant God Sea, the waters of Oceanus outside were still his domain.
Showing a bit of respect would make the voyage smoother. There was no reason not to.
Second, the heroes were required to swear an oath to Styx, the goddess of oaths, to keep secret everything they had witnessed throughout their journey in the Giant God Sea. The Furies would oversee the vow.
In return, the expedition would gain Atalanta's friendship and hospitality. Their names would be engraved in the Sea God Temple as a commemoration, the Argo would be permitted to dock and resupply, and their previous access clearance would remain permanently valid.
In truth, this generous latter half was added by Poseidon himself. On the surface, it seemed harmless, but it concealed dangerous intentions.
What was Atalanta?
It was Poseidon's trump card for overthrowing Zeus and replacing Olympus.
Once the Argonauts were drawn in, if the truth ever came to light, they would inevitably be charged with both concealing knowledge and colluding in the plot. There would be no escaping it.
Samael did not interfere with this at all. In fact, he quietly fanned the flames.
Dragging the Argonauts onto this sinking ship was not something Poseidon alone wanted. Samael had his own schemes as well.
As for the third condition, it was a private agreement between Samael and Poseidon.
Areopagus could take Poseidon's daughter, Rod, but in exchange, they had to abandon any further excavation of the secrets hidden within the Interstellar Mountainous City.
Naturally, Poseidon's willingness to concede this much was built entirely on the foundation of cooperation.
"Three days. In three days, I will contact Athena and Hera. Together, we will ascend Olympus and drag Zeus down from his throne."
Before the silent and solemn Grand Altar, Poseidon, who had been gazing toward the northern sky, turned around. His sharp eyes locked onto Samael, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.
On one point, this monster was absolutely right. Compared to accomplishing a grand ambition, the losses Atalanta had suffered were insignificant.
Tch. He really is impatient. He's planning to move this soon?
Samael frowned slightly, about to follow the usual rhythm of negotiations and stall for time.
But when his gaze met the depths of Poseidon's eyes, where madness and impatience were suppressed to their breaking point, his eyelid twitched. He was reminded at once of the tragic divine life of this Sea King, obsessed with achieving supremacy.
According to Greek mythology, Poseidon's ties with human heroes were relatively weak. Though widely worshipped, very few city-states ever became his unwavering supporters.
In his struggles with other gods over territory and faith, he almost always ended up as the loser, becoming the butt of ridicule.
On Aegina, he was pushed aside by Zeus. On Naxos, he was pushed aside by Dionysus.
In Delphi, he was pushed aside by Apollo. In the struggle for Athens, he was defeated in turn by Athena and Themis, then driven out of Troezen by Athena once again.
Even the giant Argus under his command was taken by Hera. His son Orion died at the hands of the moon goddess after becoming entangled in disputes over divine authority. Another son was slain for attempting to violate the daughter of the war god Ares.
He was eventually driven out to the seas, where he painstakingly founded the kingdom of Atlantis. Yet even then, in the future, Zeus would still use the charge of impiety to sink Atlantis beneath the waves.
After suffering so many blows and enduring such humiliation, Poseidon's obsession with Olympus and divine authority had likely reached the edge of madness. That was why he now appeared so impatient, so eager to gamble everything by joining forces with Hera and Athena.
If they continued to hedge their words and agitate his overly sensitive nerves, Poseidon might very well turn hostile on the spot.
"Have you ever heard of Paradise Island?"
After a moment of consideration, Samael stopped holding back and chose to speak frankly about the Argo expedition's true objective.
The three goddesses of War God Mountain had already harbored rebellious intent toward Zeus, and under the pretext of the Golden Fleece, had quietly begun laying their plans?
For Poseidon, this was genuinely welcome news. His confidence in future cooperation with War God Mountain increased, and the gloom on his face eased slightly.
Unfortunately, in response to Samael's question, the Sea King thought long and hard before finally frowning and shaking his head.
Even Poseidon, ruler of the Oceanus Sea, had no knowledge of Paradise Island. Samael could not help but begin doubting whether Zeus's so-called trump card truly existed at all.
Could it be that they would have to move against Zeus ahead of time, without first eliminating this hidden danger?
Historically, this rebellion had ended in failure. Of the three conspirators, Poseidon was exiled, Athena was forced to swear loyalty to Zeus, and Hera was left neglected and sidelined.
The upheaval they caused had barely shaken Olympus in the end.
The Ancient Serpent turned the matter over and over in his mind. Faced with Poseidon's three-day deadline, he found it difficult to make a decision.
But when his gaze drifted to the raging waves below, where the hundred-armed giant was stirring the sea with terrifying might, his lips slowly curled upward. A sly glint surfaced in his eyes as he turned back to the Sea King and inclined his head slightly, meaningfully.
"Your Majesty, your son-in-law Briareos is truly formidable. His strength is no less than your own. If the two of you had fought together, I fear I would already have been defeated.
"However, just a friendly reminder. It seems that all the Hecatoncheires once made covenants with Zeus, swearing to defend his kingship…"
The low murmur at his ear caused Poseidon's expression to stiffen. A sharp sense of alarm flashed through his mind. As he looked toward his beloved son-in-law, surrounded by numerous sea gods, the more he thought about it, the more uneasy he felt. An intangible sense of danger lingered in his heart.
Briareos truly was a hidden threat.
And the facts supported it. According to the Greek epic The Iliad, when Poseidon, Hera, and Athena once rebelled and successfully suppressed Zeus, it was Briareos who, at the request of the sea goddess Thetis, ascended Olympus to protect Zeus. That single act shattered the balance and ultimately caused Poseidon's efforts to fail at the final moment.
Watching Poseidon's expression shift back and forth, Samael muttered inwardly.
I'm just kindly warning an ally and pointing out the workings of fate. There's absolutely no personal motive involved.
Having successfully redirected the danger and bought himself some breathing room, the Ancient Serpent cast a glance at Poseidon as he hurriedly departed for Thetis Island. His aura was heavy and brooding, clearly intent on dropping hints and probing his son-in-law. A teasing smile crept into Samael's eyes.
Ahem. Alright, maybe just a little bit. After all, quite a few people from the Argo were injured by that big brute's hands…
...
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