After what felt like an eternity, under Karyou's gaze filled with contempt, anger, and near-murderous intent.
Athena finally reluctantly let go of Aslan.
A strand of silver thread stretched slowly. Athena stuck out her tongue and licked her lips, as if savoring the feeling from moments ago, and also as if provoking Karyou.
"Tastes good, thanks for the meal."
Aslan rolled his eyes at Athena somewhat helplessly.
(What's gotten into this Athena? Why is she competing with Karyou all of a sudden?)
As if noticing Aslan's gaze, Athena folded her arms across her chest, gave a soft snort, and showed a satisfied smile.
She seemed to understand a little why the Halloween Queen was so keen on pleasure. One could only say that in a long life, pleasure was indeed a delicious spice.
Aslan sighed, stepped forward, and untied Karyou.
"Athena, where is your dignity as the Goddess of Victory and the Virgin Goddess!"
Faced with Karyou's taunts, Athena merely smiled faintly, sat gracefully to the side, and continued writing her plans.
Only Karyou was left fuming, held back by Aslan from fighting Athena to the death again.
Her attacks felt like hitting cotton; Karyou was getting angrier now.
"Hmph, how can you associate with this woman?"
As if hearing the jealousy in her words, Aslan chuckled softly, somehow finding the pouting Karyou a bit cute.
"Just because of some cooperation. If it goes smoothly, Athena might step into the Two-Digit realm."
"Hah?"
Karyou looked at Athena in confusion, then looked down at herself, and then at Aslan.
Was it true she had only been in seclusion for a few days? Why, after coming out for just a few days, had the world changed?
And how could her husband be involved in a plan to become a Two-Digit?
For some reason, Karyou currently felt as if her man had been taken care of by another sugar mommy, and she was being included along.
"...So, do I have to call her elder sister?"
Karyou looked at Athena with a bit of trepidation. Earlier, driven by hot blood, she felt the gap between herself and Athena wasn't too far after breaking through to Four-Digit Outlier.
However, Athena showed her what reality was.
The titles of Goddess of Victory and War weren't earned for nothing. Athena wasn't a war god like Ares, who only started wars but wasn't responsible for winning them.
She was the Goddess of Victory who had never lost since the dawn of time until now.
One could even say Karyou grew up listening to the legends of Athena.
And now this Athena was preparing to break through to Two-Digit?
Now she had to call her elder sister in the future... Karyou was genuinely a bit conflicted.
As for the fighting spirit burning earlier, it was instantly extinguished upon hearing Athena was preparing for a Two-Digit breakthrough.
How could someone of her current level possibly contend with an existence on par with the Buddha?
(But how did your cooperation end up in bed?)
Karyou looked at Aslan suspiciously. Her intuition told her there might be hidden reasons behind it.
However, she didn't dwell too much on these things. She also knew there were some secrets she wasn't yet qualified to know.
At this moment, Athena, hearing Karyou's words, glanced slightly in her direction and showed a calm smile.
Right now, she actually found Karyou quite cute, at least much cuter than Algol.
"No, in terms of relationship confirmation and first meeting, I was first."
Karyou folded her arms across her chest and said arrogantly.
"So I should be the elder sister!"
In which world does a goddess steal someone else's man, openly mock her, and still expect her to call her "elder sister"?
If it were before, she might have acknowledged this elder sister.
But Athena's actions today made it hard for her to deserve being called "elder sister".
Someone of an aunt's age, still wanting her to call her elder sister? Dream on!
Karyou was completely unaware that her own lineage was even higher than Athena's.
As is known, Karyou's father was Roc, and Roc's elder sister, Mahamayuri, was the mother of Sakyamuni.
So Karyou is the niece of Sakyamuni.
While Athena is the daughter of Zeus. Zeus is at best on the same level as Sakyamuni.
So, Karyou is at least one generation higher than Athena.
Hearing that, Aslan smiled helplessly. What could he do? Of course, the path he chose, he had to manage himself.
"Alright, looking at your current state, has Karyou successfully broken through?"
Aslan changed the subject. Continuing that topic was too dangerous for him.
When talking about herself taking just over a month to break through from Four-Digit Legendary to Four-Digit Outlier, Karyou also felt a bit proud.
This final step of sublimating an Authority into a Divine Artifact had trapped many geniuses and heroes.
Even Asura broke through under life-and-death pressure from his coercion.
As he spoke, Aslan took out a sun-wheel woven with golden-red and bright red colors, shaped like a sun.
"Consider this compensation for not congratulating you on time."
He had recently had a small windfall; Aslan managed to get several Authorities and Divine Artifacts from Shiroyasha.
He happened to ask Hephaestus to forge a suitable Divine Artifact for Karyou.
To find a Divine Artifact suitable for her, Aslan traded two Divine Artifacts with his father-in-law for one heat-type Divine Artifact.
"Thank you."
Karyou was momentarily stunned but didn't refuse Aslan's kindness. After all, she was about to take up the position of one of the Twelve Heavenly Army Guardian Gods as the Fire God.
An extra Authority meant an extra guarantee.
Seeing Karyou accept it, Aslan also felt relieved; at least for now, he had dodged a bullet.
As long as Athena didn't suddenly act up again.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Outside Gate 500, Heavenly Army Headquarters.
Spirits were putting up decorations on the gate of the Heavenly Army Headquarters. Even the banner read "Welcome New Fire God".
It was really over the top.
Aslan brought Karyou to the Heavenly Army Headquarters, unconsciously stopping in his tracks when he saw the banner on the grand Heavenly Army gate. He pulled Karyou, wanting to retreat.
"Karyou, how about we don't take up this Fire God position?"
Aslan said hesitantly. For some reason, the Heavenly Army, which he originally thought was quite reliable, now gave him a shaky feeling.
Karyou's lips even twitched uncontrollably. Not just Aslan, even her mental filter for the Heavenly Army was shattered to pieces.
Although two of the previous Seven Great Sages were killed by three gods in the Heavenly Army. If it were her past self, it was almost unthinkable to join an organization with a blood feud with her.
However, people eventually grow. Just like her elder sister became the Victorious Battle Buddha, and even her brother-in-law became one of the Twelve Guardian Gods, Rakshasa.
Anyway, the position easiest for accumulating merit in the entire Little Garden is one of the Twelve Heavenly Army Guardian Gods.
As the only law enforcement institution using violence in the entire Little Garden, as long as they perform their duties daily, they can earn merit, not to mention other benefits.
It's a position where power, profit, and fame are easily obtained.
It's just that Karyou now seriously doubted whether this position was really as her father said?
Wasn't this too exaggerated?
Karyou, as a young person, had her pride and felt a bit embarrassed.
At this moment, at the long conference table behind the Heavenly Army gate, Uesugi Kenshin, wearing a suit and her hair tied in a high ponytail, sat in the outermost seat, her face somewhat conflicted.
"Are we really not going to... scare them off?"
"No, for this position of the Twelve Guardian Gods, countless people want in, I didn't even want to let go."
Sitting in the main seat, Indra had his legs crossed on the table and spoke confidently.
"But, it seems they really are leaving."
Uesugi said calmly.
"What? Then quickly catch them and bring them back!!"
Indra was momentarily stunned, and hurriedly ran out. How could he let the talented seeds he worked hard to acquire just run away?
Especially Karyou, he had long coveted Karyou, of course not in a lustful sense.
But he hoped Karyou would work in the Heavenly Army. People with clean backgrounds, great strength, and strong connections weren't easy to find.
He didn't want his Twelve Guardian Gods filled with many connections like other parts of the Heavenly Army.
That way, the Heavenly Army's final deterrent force would also be lost.
In the end, Aslan and Karyou were still caught back by the enthusiastic Indra.
Especially since the Iron Fan Princess got involved, so it wasn't appropriate to just leave like that.
Looking at Indra, Aslan was silent for a long time, then said.
"Old man Indra, your welcome ceremony... is quite unique."
It almost rivaled the welcome for new students taking office in the housing committee under his place.
Indra's face was full of cheerful smiles. He casually pressed Aslan into the seat he just vacated and patted his shoulder.
"Get used to it, the Heavenly Army really is this enthusiastic."
Aslan glanced gloomily at Indra. Did Indra really think he didn't know the current situation of the Heavenly Army?
Look, how many of the Twelve Heavenly Army Guardian Gods were present now?
Not counting the newly appointed Karyou, besides Indra, only Prithvi, Uesugi, and Brahma were in decent condition.
As for the Iron Fan Princess, she was one of those who got in through connections. Besides the Banana Fan, she didn't even have a decent Authority.
Her combat power could only be described as Four-Digit Legendary.
He really didn't know if sending Karyou here was to accumulate merit or to help them shoulder problems.
"I'd prefer if you weren't this enthusiastic. The more enthusiastic you are, the more I feel the hole in the Heavenly Army is getting bigger."
Aslan said gloomily. Indra gave him a strangely familiar feeling.
This feeling he had experienced before in the Campione world.
The feeling of urgently needing to find someone to take over problems.
He wasn't a savior who took over problems; why did all the messy problems have to fall to him?
And why, one by one, did they all want to run away?
Or did they really consider him a savior specially coming to clean up the mess?