Metis left.
Prometheus left.
For the heavens, this was a fundamental weakening. Bolos was now devoid of any advisors.
Although, for gods who revere power, the concept of advisors might seem entirely irrelevant!
But is it really?
No!
No! Even for gods, this holds true. Just because something appears insignificant doesn't mean it actually is. Some matters can't be simply dismissed with a few words.
Bolos chose to cultivate Hermes and Demeter, but nurturing them requires patience. It's not something that can be achieved in a short time; it takes a long-term approach, step by step.
For that reason, it's never as simple as a few words can convey.
Bolos understood this well. Because of that, when he saw Hermes deep in thought, he only smiled and waited.
"Go on," Bolos said calmly. "Whatever it is, say it. I'm curious about what you've thought of."
"Yes!"
After a brief silence, Hermes replied in a hoarse, almost rigid voice, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, all of this seems to fall entirely within the essence of the Mythic World."
"If the protagonist's position only draws you deeper, then… doesn't that mean being fully bound to the Mythic World?"
Hermes fell completely silent.
In that moment, Hermes genuinely didn't know what to say.
This was no joke.
It was real, undeniable fact.
If everything truly aligned with the initial considerations…
Then…
What would the ultimate outcome be? Just thinking about it makes it clear how terrifying the consequences could be.
In the eyes of the gods, as long as they won this race war, then… it seemed obvious what lay beneath the surface.
There were countless problems lurking within.
This was no laughing matter—anyone could see it after giving it a little thought. At first glance, it seems you've become an Ancient God, seemingly transcending the Mythic World. But in reality? Not at all. The binding with the Mythic World only deepens.
In fact…
You're not transcending; you're utterly confined.
How is this transcendence? At its core, it's confinement!
At this moment, Hermes remained silent. As he reached this conclusion, he was also constantly trying to deny his own thoughts.
But…
Right now…
When he saw his majesty's approving expression, Hermes understood that this was not something he could deny.
This truth was undeniable.
"Heh heh heh…"
Watching Hermes sink into profound silence, Bolos showed no sign of displeasure; in fact, he chuckled, nodding approvingly. "Well done, Hermes. You see things clearly and understand deeply."
"And…"
"Indeed, that's the reality!"
"Hades realized this truth!"
"The so-called protagonist…"
"Does attaining this protagonist position mean that one can easily step into god-king status, thus transcending the bindings of the Mythic World?"
"No!"
"No!"
Bolos shook his head with a hint of lament. "It was never that simple! For the Mythic World, the root of its aversion is not any one race replacing humans as the protagonist."
"That's not it."
"Whether it's any god becoming the protagonist's Creator God, it's impossible to transcend. Your essence remains bound to the Mythic World."
"So, in that case…"
"You are completely bound to the Mythic World. Can this truly be called transcendence?"
"Don't be ridiculous!"
"That's an unrealistic notion!"
Bolos shook his head calmly and continued, "In these circumstances, transcendence? Based on what? Your divine power relies solely on the Mythic World's faith. To transcend, you'd have to abandon all of that!"
Bolos's expression was very calm.
"This..."
At that moment, Demeter recovered from her shock, finally understanding what was happening.
And because of this…
Demeter murmured, "Your Majesty, if, as you say, for the Mythic World, the choice of race or protagonist doesn't truly matter, then why does it react with such fury?"
Bolos shook his head and replied, "It's not that it doesn't matter. With the outbreak of the race war, haven't you seen the essence behind it? What exactly is at the core of it all?"
"This..."
Both Demeter and Hermes seemed lost in thought.
But…
After a short silence…
The two deities finally understood the reason.
"So that's it!"
Hermes murmured, "In this so-called war over the protagonist's position, the power displayed by humanity is actually the key. Humanity possesses enough potential, and only humanity has the chance to lead the Mythic World further, to transcend the Mythic World's predetermined fate of destruction."
Hermes had come to an understanding.
"Exactly!"
Bolos nodded and said, "Hermes, you are correct. And that is the essence of it all. Now you understand the hidden issues here, right?"
"Yes!"
Demeter and Hermes both nodded earnestly.
Bolos continued, "For this very reason, Hades chose to abandon everything. His current path is already complete, so he can continue playing the game without needing to be completely drawn into it."
"Hades will not choose the protagonist's role."
"And…"
"For Hades, his only true opponent is that Earth Goddess."
"Heh heh heh…"
Bolos chuckled with interest. "I actually find their game quite amusing. What will their final outcome be? As for Poseidon…"
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