The suffocating, clammy gazes pressing in from all directions weighed down like spilled mercury. On either side, colossal statues of differing designs stood shoulder to shoulder, each gripping a stone blade, their faces twisted into grotesque grimaces.
Their height rose gradually, from several meters at the edges to tens of meters at the center. Their material shifted from ordinary limestone to tougher ores like magnetite and chalcopyrite. At their joints, metal armguards and armor forged from their own essence linked each part together.
Deeper within, the cores of these statues had been replaced with materials surging with ethereal mana—lapis lazuli, crystal, citrine, ruby, corundum, sapphire, diamond, and more. At the same time, the divine runes etched into the colossi dazzled the eyes, evolving from simple to complex, from singular to intricate compound formations.
Even the faint mana leaking from the core golems was enough to make Samael's scalp prickle. At the far end, he even spotted more than a dozen lavish colossi, each embedded with mana crystals, crowned with stone-like diadems, and crafted entirely from diamond. The fluctuations radiating from these constructs reached the level of a Main God.
The Ancient Serpent did the math. With his divine authority over Time and Fate, he could at most handle two or three at once. If he couldn't win, he could still retreat safely. But if this whole army of golems activated, he wasn't sure he'd escape in one piece from their collective assault.
Come to think of it, these Earth Guardians must be Saber-class, right?
My specialty is the spear. Swords counter spears. Getting hit with class disadvantage the moment I step in? Not great.
But if I had brought Ishtar with her Heavenly Bow Maanna, maybe we could've mopped the floor with them.
And honestly, if things went south, there's a chance this whole figurine gallery of Gaia's might get looted and hauled away.
Straining under the pressure, Samael let his thoughts scatter to ease the crushing weight on his mind, forcing humor into the situation. Though it felt as if he were standing trial before a hall of monsters under the gaze of the King of the Underworld, the sheer bluntness of the intimidation only reassured him that he was safe.
As they climbed the obsidian staircase deeper inside, crystalline clusters of gems hung overhead like uneven stalactites, scattering light in every color. Dazzled, Ladon could hardly move forward, until Samael and the others had to drag him to the entrance of the final hall.
In stark contrast to the gem-studded brilliance outside, the Earth Mother Goddess's temple at the mountain's heart was built entirely from pitch-black stone. At a glance, it seemed to devour all light. Yet beneath that plain, unadorned surface lay a heavy, archaic beauty that stirred a solemn stillness and an urge to bow in reverence.
As a silent summons welled from deep within their hearts, the group approached the massive stone gate engraved with mountains, rivers, and stars, touching it one by one. Samael, Athena, and Medusa were admitted inside, while Ladon, the Harpy, and Cerberus were left outside.
Upon the black stone throne sat a vast humanoid form, woven from verdant foliage, dark soil, and living shadows of light. After a moment of stillness, it rose to a seated posture, gazing silently down at the three visitors.
Gradually becoming abstract, blending into the world itself—is this the ultimate fate of the Greek primordial gods?
Seeing Gaia's state, Samael recalled the vanished Heavenly Father Uranus, Tartarus crystallized in the Abyss, and the ancient sea god Pontus shattered into six thousand river deities. A faint understanding stirred within him.
"Descendants of Zeus, and child of Echidna—what business do you have with me?"
The Earth Mother sighed, her voice low and heavy with inquiry.
The Ancient Serpent gathered his thoughts, stepped forward, and explained to the Mother of Earth who Athena and Medusa were, and the threat they now faced.
To further stir the ancient goddess's compassion, Samael chose to emphasize two incidents: Zeus's persecution of Athena and Typhon's pursuit of Medusa.
Gaia's face, composed of shifting light and shadow, flickered with emotion as she murmured softly.
"The ambitions of fathers always bring calamity upon their innocent offspring..."
"The battles of men are often paid for by women..."
"This world is not fair to you..."
Hearing the lament of this primordial goddess, Samael let out a quiet breath of relief. He knew his emotional appeal had struck a chord within Gaia's heart.
Looking back at the two divine wars of Greece, both had similar causes.
The first began when Uranus cast Gaia's children—three Hundred-Armed Giants and three Cyclopes, born of her solitary creation—into the depths of Tartarus. In response, Gaia handed the blade to the Twelve Titans. Led by Kronos, they launched the first divine war, stripped the Sky Father of his power of creation, and drove him away.
The second began when Kronos swallowed the six children born of Rhea to prevent their birth. Grieving, the Queen Rhea turned to Gaia in tears. Secretly, Gaia raised and nurtured Zeus, setting into motion the bloodline curse of the God King's family and bringing about the second divine war.
What this primordial goddess could never tolerate was parents harming their children. Though Gaia herself disdained power struggles, her unmatched strength and boundless resources were feared by whichever lineage held authority.
Thus, if her sympathy and favor could be won, Athena and Medusa would at least gain short-term safety—and, more importantly, time to grow.
Now, Athena and Medusa's plight mirrored those past tragedies all too closely. The resemblance stirred Gaia's empathy, filling her with pity and unbidden reproach.
"Zeus, your father and two uncles already suffered enough humiliation and punishment when you stripped them of their thrones."
"Since they no longer threaten you, why not consider forgiving them?"
"I pitied your mother, raising you in secret. Yet you refuse to grant your own father even the chance to change."
"No matter what, Kronos is still your father. And both he and Iapetus, as well as Coeus, are my children too."
It was clear that Zeus, the King of Olympus, bypassing Gaia and striking a direct bargain with Tartarus—casting three Titans into the abyss—had already roused the Earth Mother's displeasure. Now, with Zeus's old sin of swallowing Metis dragged into the open, and Athena herself standing there as victim, Gaia's resentment toward Olympus only deepened.
"Athena, poor child, come here."
After a moment of mournful lament, the light and shadow upon the stone throne lifted a hand in a gentle beckon.
The Goddess of Wisdom obediently ascended the steps and came to stand by Gaia's side. The Primordial Goddess placed her hand lightly upon Athena's head, her expression solemn.
"It is only through your mother's sacrifice that you were able to be born into this world."
"Since your mother Metis has been swallowed by Zeus, then let another mother bless you with the gift of the earth, poor child."
As she spoke, a stream of earth-colored divine power, serpentine and flowing like a great serpent, poured from Gaia's hand into Athena's body. Athena's aura thickened and solidified, climbing rapidly. She surged past the level of Intermediate God, broke through Greater God, and rose directly to the rank of Main God.
Crack!
The bronze armor encasing Athena shattered under the flood of divine power. In the next moment, the Earth's gift manifested itself. Shaped by Athena's own will, a set of battle armor woven from sapphires and other gems, with gold and noble metals as its foundation, wrapped around her slender figure, radiating dazzling brilliance.
Holy shit, is that... Athena's Sacred Cloth?
Samael stared at the familiar form, his face frozen in shock.