Thermopylae.
Accompanied by Harpy, Samael walked and stopped along the way, carefully inspecting the situation.
The badly battered Spartan defenders had already withdrawn to the rear to rest and receive treatment. Replacing them were Athenian heavy infantry, Norse Berserkers, the God-Blood Guards of the Areopagus, and reinforcements from the other city-states.
The number of regular troops along the line had not only increased tenfold, but organized caster units, including Druids and Magi from the Academy of Athens, had also been assigned to provide fire suppression and long-range support. Their combat strength could no longer be compared to before.
In addition, large numbers of summoned golems and Dragon Tooth Warriors were tirelessly transporting supplies and carrying out support work.
A large contingent of priests and ritualists, along with medical teams trained by the Temple of Asclepius, had also joined the reserve support. After the previous battle, they had already proven effective, greatly reducing the death rate among wounded soldiers after combat.
More than that, the top minds of the Academy of Athens had actually used the materials at hand, along with metal modules transported by the Deep Sea Fleet, to rebuild a metal fortress along the Thermopylae defensive line in just one day.
They had even brought new weapons onto the battlefield, such as Magecraft cannons similar to Uruk's Dingir, prism towers for Magecraft diffraction, and explosive catapults layered with various Runes.
Viewed from the wilderness, Thermopylae's densely packed cannon muzzles, almost tangible Magecraft barriers, and metal-built fortress were enough to make any army hesitate, let alone attempt to capture it.
The Academy of Athens' cultivation of talent has finally borne fruit. Athena and the others didn't let me down.
The Ancient Serpent looked at the bustling fortress and the caster camp, where scholars gathered in groups of three and five for intense discussions. It felt as though he had crossed time and space and was seeing the legendary painting known as The School of Athens brought to life. His heart filled with emotion, along with a sense of pride at having personally nudged history forward.
In fact, when the Academy of Athens was first established, Samael had discussed its "teaching philosophy" with Prometheus, Chiron, Athena, Themis, and the others.
The Age of the Gods would eventually fade. That was an inevitability of history.
And just like Uruk of old, one day, childhood would end, and humanity would no longer need the guidance of the gods.
The Academy of Athens had not been founded to raise mindless echo chambers that worshiped Divine Spirits. Its purpose was to teach humanity how to leave the cradle, break through the ignorance before them without the protection of gods, and learn to think, grow, and become strong on their own.
Of course, at the time, such a view was no different from heresy.
Fortunately, among those taking part in the discussion were a prophet who had created humanity, a wise mentor of heroes, a Goddess of Justice who upheld reason and order, and a Goddess of Wisdom who encouraged inquiry and debate. None of them were excessively dependent on, or attached to, absolute divine authority.
Looking at it now, ever since Athena came to power, she had always carried out a policy of enlightening wisdom and dispelling ignorance. For that reason, she was revered by the Academy of Athens as its spiritual guide.
That was exactly why Athens had become so rich in talent, allowing it to defeat stronger enemies in the first two Greco-Persian Wars.
The Greeks of history were also more devoted to scholarship, more willing to think critically, question boldly, and explore freely. Their blind faith in Divine Spirits was far weaker than that of empires such as Rome, Persia, and Egypt.
It was thanks to this environment that the origins of Western civilization were able to take shape.
However, before Samael could remain in those thoughts spanning past and present for long, Harpy, the poor student whose head was spinning from listening, hurriedly tugged him off to inspect other areas.
Soon, after passing through the main camp where the regular troops were stationed and crossing several important chokepoints that were unsuitable for large armies to deploy, the Ancient Serpent saw a tight three-layered defense arranged from high to low.
High in the sky, the Norse Valkyrie Legion beat their swan wings and spread out in staggered formation, overlooking the entire battlefield and ready to pass on information at any time.
Inside the battlements, the Roman Amazon warriors patrolled with longbows in hand, their sweeping gazes fixed firmly on the battlefield.
And across the middle and lower airspace were tiny figures, each only about an inch tall, with transparent dragonfly-like wings on their backs. Their bodies were covered in exquisite armor, and they carried Divine Constructs in their hands.
Greek Battle Nymphs? They actually came!
Samael recognized the new reinforcements at a glance, and a trace of astonishment appeared between his brows.
As the Age of the Gods faded and Ether grew thin, the surface was no longer very suitable for these little creatures to live on. Yet the Battle Nymphs gathered here numbered at least a thousand. It was almost unbelievable.
Just as the Ancient Serpent was stunned, a gray giant eagle nearly ten meters long cried out and dove toward him from the sky.
"Samael! Samael!"
As the giant eagle folded its wings and dropped sharply, a bright, innocent-looking blonde girl screamed, spread her arms, and crashed into Samael's chest like a young swallow returning to the nest.
Cough, cough…
Caught off guard, the renewed shock to his internal organs nearly made the Ancient Serpent spit out blood. His face darkened as he hurriedly held down the blonde girl rubbing herself against his chest and asked warily,
"Excuse me, who are you?"
"That's awful! You actually forgot me!"
The blonde girl glared at him with puffed cheeks, clearly dissatisfied. She looked exactly like an innocent girl abandoned by a scumbag. Samael racked his brains, filtered through his memories again and again, then shook his head solemnly.
His memory was good. If he had really done anything unspeakable with the girl in front of him, he would definitely remember it.
Besides, Samael admitted he was scum. Fine, snake scum.
But counting carefully, the ones he had pushed down were all targets with whom his feelings had built up to a certain point. Even during those thousands of years in the North, it was only by a twist of fate that sparks had flown with his legitimate wife, Skadi.
Scáthach was an accident from a dress-up game. Hippolyta's offering herself had been due to the urgency of the Day of Life. The debauchery on the Argo was the result of a thousand years of waiting.
And even now, he could not say for certain who had slept with whom, or who had taken the bigger loss.
As for Boudica, Brynhildr, the three Valkyries, Helen, and the rest of those earthly beauties, he had only talked. If he truly wanted to use every trick available, he could have coaxed them into bed long ago.
As for Nero and little Altera, sorry, but he was not into lolis.
So he did not think he was so desperate that he would have had a one-night stand with a young girl he had never met.
To make absolutely sure, Samael lowered his gaze and glanced at the blonde girl's chest, then nodded inwardly.
Mm. That's right. Not my type.
"Idiot, you're too big. You should change into another form!"
Beside them, Harpy skillfully patted the blonde girl on the head and pointed at the little things flying in the sky. For once, she was clever, and reminded her seriously.
The blonde girl suddenly understood. As a stream of Ether light surged around her, her one-point-six-meter height shrank in the blink of an eye into a three-inch Thumbelina.
"Now you should remember, right?"
"Daphne!"
Seeing this, Samael could not help closing his eyes and pressing a hand to his forehead, saying the old acquaintance's name.
"Hmph, that's right!"
"What are you doing here? And what do you have to do with these Battle Nymphs?"
"After the Trojan War, Cousin Artemis left the Battle Nymphs in the Arima Cavern before she departed. I was put in charge of commanding them. Before entering the Pure Land of Bliss, all the nearby companions joined us. Now that we heard you were in trouble, we came here especially to help. Loyal of us, right?"
The sweet, innocent little Nymph proudly planted her hands on her hips, lifted her chin high, and gave a pleased hum, clearly very satisfied with her dazzling entrance.
Artemis really went out of her way. As expected of a close friend who went through thick and thin with me.
After learning the reason, Samael thought back to his old companions, and warmth rose faintly in his heart.