"This is the real reason why I don't want to accept your protection."
"I don't want to accept protection from a being who will surely sell me out for greater interests."
"I think our relationship should end here."
"This is good for you, and also good for me."
"Otherwise, sooner or later we will become enemies."
Hearing this series of ear-piercing words, Athena couldn't help but frown and say.
"I would never sell out my own people for interests."
Under the near-immortal long lifespan of the Gods, the importance of credibility is clear. Once trust is lost once, credibility is completely gone.
From then on, no one will trust you anymore or continue cooperating with you.
In fact, no matter what kind of evil deeds Gods and Buddhas in Little Garden commit, they highly value the most basic issue of credibility.
The longer one lives, the more they care about their credibility, because it represents long-term interests in the future.
Especially Athena, a candidate for King of Gods. If she sold out her subordinates for interests, how could she win their loyalty?
Interests are the strongest bond, but also the most fragile. Athena's understanding of this is far deeper than Aslan's.
"Oh? Really?"
Aslan raised his head, stared at Athena's calm face, and said slowly.
"What if I said the one who destroyed Arcadia was a Two-Digit?"
Aslan didn't want to end up like Canaria, and among them, Ouroboros was an enemy he had to face, and also the biggest stumbling block ahead of him.
Ordinary Three-Digits didn't have the ability to block Little Garden's Central Core and brutally destroy Arcadia.
And the Three-Digits who might block Little Garden's Central Core were only those who were once founders of Little Garden's Central Core, like Indra.
But even Indra would surely leave traces if he wanted to block Little Garden's Central Core.
Combined with the fact that the final perpetrator treated Arcadia's executives with exile rather than total purge, the one behind the scenes had unusual ties with Arcadia.
After eliminating all disturbances, there was only one final perpetrator: Krishna.
If no accidents, after Aslan foiled his plan, Krishna should have taken action to plan against him.
Aslan's existence was a huge threat to Ouroboros.
But who told Aslan's luck to be good? After facing Azi Dahaka, Kalki was exposed, and Krishna's plan collapsed.
And the one from Christianity also gave face, taking the opportunity to hit the dog in the water, and seized the Ouroboros leadership from Krishna in one move.
Both believed Aslan's threat was very high, but Krishna and Holy Child's ways of dealing with Aslan could be said to be very different.
Someone who could teach smart people like Canaria, his intelligence level can be imagined.
Aslan didn't think his current advantages could counter Ouroboros.
On the contrary, the arrogant Holy Child was easier to deal with; at least his actions' goals were clear, without any effort to hide his intentions.
Aslan didn't have this ability, to fight Krishna on the chessboard.
He was very self-aware; he won with information asymmetry, and facing Krishna, Aslan didn't dare say he had much information advantage over Krishna.
It was normal for Krishna to have an information advantage over him.
"..."
Athena's face rarely changed, even slightly distorted.
"So can you stop acting like everyone in Little Garden wants to harm you?"
As soon as Aslan spoke, he directly mentioned Two-Digit, Full Authority Domain.
Did he really think Full Authority Domains were so idle and bored to target him?
If they really wanted to target Aslan, he wouldn't even be able to appear safely in Little Garden.
Athena might understand that Aslan suffered from Persecutory Delusion.
As for how she knew? Because she had also been a severe Persecutory Delusion sufferer.
Every day she felt that either Zeus wanted to harm her, or someone wanted to harm her.
As for how she recovered, it was when Zeus publicly designated her as the fourth-generation King of Gods. Only then did she feel relieved.
She now understood how Zeus felt seeing her back then.
There was a feeling of seeing her own chuunibyou past shadow in Aslan.
But even when her Persecutory Delusion was at its worst, she never thought that Full Authority Domains, the strongest experts, would target her.
Because it was meaningless. One word from them was enough to declare her death sentence.
Except for top Three-Digits like Zeus and Indra, other beings were just slightly larger ants to Two-Digits.
"A little Four-Digit, no matter how potential, even an Origin Candidate, wouldn't be worth a Two-Digit personally taking action."
Athena took a deep breath and said calmly.
The corner of Aslan's mouth twitched slightly.
(If you knew what I've done now, you'd know why I'm so cautious.)
Was this delusion? This was clearly awareness of the troubles he caused.
If it really came to light, unless the two Goddesses personally supported him, he might be able to get out unscathed.
But was Athena really targeting him?
Aslan stared at Athena and sighed.
"Goddess Athena, I'll be honest."
"We can do limited cooperation, even alliance to a certain extent. Consider it as repayment for your care toward me."
Speaking to here, Aslan said with a serious face.
"We two really don't match."
(Is your cooperation with Algol very matching?)
Athena glared at the Demon Star bound on Aslan's wrist, which implicitly mocked her, annoyed.
Aslan preferred cooperating with a foul-mouthed Problem Child like Algol over cooperating with her.
For some reason, Athena felt like she had lost a step to Algol.
If she backed down here, wouldn't that mean admitting defeat to Algol?
That was absolutely impossible!!!
"By the way, Goddess Athena, almost forgot about the Perseus flag. You can return it to Aishelia now."
"I didn't unseal Algol."
As he spoke, a flag appeared in Aslan's hand. This was the Perseus flag.
As long as holding this flag, one could fully control Perseus and act on behalf of Perseus.
And within the flag was also engraved Perseus' heritage.
Though Athena at that time gave the flag used to unseal the Demon Star to his hands to protect him.
But Algol didn't want to come out, or rather didn't want to come out due to Athena's "kindness."
Of course, if Athena begged to come out, that was another matter.
Athena raised her eyebrows sharply and said coldly.
"I don't have a rule of taking back things I've given."
Just Perseus plus an uncooperative and disobedient Demon Star, how much value?
On the contrary, Aslan, the holder of Four-Digit Spirit Status, had higher value.
Athena didn't feel sorry for losing one Perseus, but she was slightly annoyed by Aslan's attitude and Algol's implicit mockery.
If she wasn't mistaken, the still-sealed Algol was already rolling in joy.
"Oh."
Aslan stored the flag without hesitation. After all, he had invested technology in Perseus.
Now Perseus had to pay him hundreds of millions of Thousand Eyes Gold Coins every month. It was a pity to let it go all at once.
This action made the words Athena had thought of suddenly unable to come out.
She was silent for two or three seconds, stared at his face closely, and finally sighed.
"Fine, in the end, I was too greedy."
Wanting to pull Aslan and obtain distribution rights over the merits against Absolute Evil in Aslan's body, but not even willing to give the most basic protection.
Though she also said Aslan would definitely become one of the Fourth Generation Twelve Main Gods in the future, it was reasonable Aslan wasn't interested.
Compared to Aslan's value, her sacrifice was indeed a bit lacking.
"As for cooperation, let's postpone it first."
In the end, Athena didn't want to lose to Algol, nor let go of a gold mine like Aslan.
At least maintaining relatively friendly relations with Aslan was already a good enough ending. She didn't want to be excluded from the next merit feast.
In the end, interests dominated.
(When did I become like this?)
Athena asked herself in her heart.
In the end, she wasn't different from other Gods and Buddhas.
Was this loss of humanity?
At this moment, Aslan felt relieved. Athena letting go of her thoughts about him was already very good.
"However, I will attend tomorrow's banquet on time." Athena narrowed her eyes.
For many years, no one had rejected her investment and protection like this, and instead chosen to cooperate with that foul-mouthed Demon Star.
She, Athena, would never admit defeat. She was the Goddess of Victory!
He didn't know if the forcibly picked fruit was sweet, but it would surely quench thirst greatly.
And it could make the arrogant Algol very angry.
As soon as she thought of this, she felt much happier.
Perhaps even Athena didn't expect that, unknowingly since when, her reason for pulling Aslan had changed from Aslan's talent and benefits he could bring, to her rivalry with Algol.
Just as Athena didn't know that the anchor maintaining her humanity now was Algol, or rather the pleasure of defeating Algol.
Due to Three-Digit characteristics, every Three-Digit in Little Garden was comparable in Spirit Status, resulting in the Upper Layers turning into a Dark Forest scene.
Plus the fact that Little Garden didn't allow Three-Digits to start wars carelessly.
As a result, Athena never had a true opponent, never participated in battles worthy of unleashing all her wisdom, all her power, and might not even defeat the opponent regardless of means.
Like game breakers who find it harder to find exciting games and opponents the stronger they get.
Algol, who once warred against Athena, was an opponent Athena valued, even using all means.
Then, just when Athena had prepared everything and was ready to start a war between Goddesses with Algol.
Algol lost just like that when her head was severed by Perseus.
The battle between two Goddesses ended in such a stupid way, unacceptable to Athena.
Algol, why didn't you fight? How could you lose so quickly?
Show the courage you used to curse me, and the courage you used to declare war against all Gods and Buddhas in the sky back then.
Failing to truly and thoroughly defeat Algol had become Athena's heart disease.
Moreover, it was the first battle where she created the title Goddess of Victory.
So she tried every way to defeat Algol in every aspect, to redeem the regret back then.
While strengthening Algol's seal, she also awaited Algol to free herself from the seal and start war with her again.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"But Mata, it's been so long, why no news from Ares' side?" Uesugi opened a bottle of beer, took a sip, stood at the bridge edge facing Mount Olympus, and asked curiously.
"Don't know, I'm also a bit surprised." Prithvi raised her beer and clinked it with Uesugi.
"Logically, Ares should have made a fuss long ago, and Greece should have issued a statement."
"Why is Ares so quiet today?"
"Based on past experience, if someone mocked Ares like that, that mad dog would definitely come out to bite."
"But now one incarnation is gone, Ares still has no reaction at all."
Uesugi was stunned for a moment and asked curiously.
"Is it covered up? Or suppressed?"
If Ares was really that quiet, it was better for everyone to suspect if he truly had problems.
"The answer is no news at all." Prithvi smiled in surprise.
As the one responsible for Heavenly Army intelligence, her information level in a certain sense wasn't lower than Thousand Eyes or Ouroboros.
Uesugi fell silent for a moment, not continuing the conversation.
As for deeper speculation, that wasn't something they could say carelessly. As Heavenly Army, they must maintain absolute neutrality.
Uesugi looked around, seeing Four-Digit and Five-Digit communities rushing to discuss the situation, and frowned.
"I just don't know how many of this spectator group will remain after the situation heats up tomorrow, and everyone knows Arcadia killed Ares' incarnation?"
"Wait, Uesugi, could this be Aslan's real goal?" Prithvi was slightly surprised, saying with a suspicious expression.
"Could Aslan not want to host so many people at all, and not prepare places to host, so he deliberately caused trouble to drive some away?"
"No way, right?" Uesugi said somewhat surprised.
"But my intuition says this might be the truth."