"For humiliating me, I'll kill you!" The petite goddess growled, her eyes blazing with fury.
As she spoke, Lucius felt her, still restrained by him, undergo a change in her eyes.
The Bright-Eyed Goddess, as ancients called her, for her dawn-like gaze.
But now, that radiant gaze dimmed.
Lucius grew wary, curiously studying the "Athena" He held.
"I see, like a snake shedding its skin," He remarked.
She'd escaped, leaving an empty husk, like life retreating into soil in autumn to revive in spring.
As an Earth Mother tied to dragons and snakes, such an ability was only natural.
Lucius tapped the husk, dissolving it into flecks of light.
Standing, he brushed off dust, a faint smile on his face.
Then, he drew an ancient-styled longsword, blocking a scythe that struck from nowhere.
You lost your cool too easily, he thought, chuckling inwardly.
But to enrage Athena further, there was an even simpler method.
Athena was a trinity—Metis, Athena, Medusa.
Yet, as myths shifted, Metis was demoted to Zeus's wife, Athena became his daughter, and Medusa a monster slain with her aid.
Worst of all, Metis was swallowed by Zeus—a profound humiliation for Athena.
A simple "You're Medusa" would likely enrage her more than anything.
But Lucius only needed her to lose control.
Mentioning that would be like ripping open her deepest wound, and it didn't align with his sense of aesthetics.
"This sword… Mars' Sword?" Athena asked as Lucius turned, watching her summon divine power to reform her clothes.
"Taken," Lucius said, waving the sword casually.
Through studying divine power, he'd found he could reconstruct weapons carried by absorbed Heretic Gods.
It was difficult, and so far, only Mars' Sword succeeded—likely because he'd absorbed both the divine artifact and the Heretic Mars.
Using a flimsy mana-forged light sword would've been shattered by her scythe.
Athena fell silent, gripping her black scythe, her gaze wary and cold.
Though her initial goal was the Gorgon Stone, defeating Lucius now seemed her priority.
Her "shedding" Had clearly taken a toll, her breathing labored, her power drained.
Even so—
She made Lucius feel his martial skills were lacking.
Perhaps he needed a mentor.
In her incomplete state, Athena's curse power and physicality were far inferior to his.
Yet, with her lesser foundation, she wielded her scythe so skillfully that Lucius could only parry with his sword.
She reminded him of Liliana holding him off on the way to Mars' temple.
Through analyzing Mars' power, his combat skills had improved significantly.
But against a battle-savvy Heretic God like Athena, those gains were negligible.
If he wanted, he could end this melee instantly.
He was fighting her to hone his skills safely.
Mars, the Roman war god, owed much to Ares.
Yet in the Trojan War, Athena easily defeated Ares.
As they clashed again, Athena's scythe met Mars' Sword.
This time—
"Ares!" She snapped, eyes flashing with anger. "Get lost!"
Athena had bested Ares in myth, a key part of Mars' legend.
With her shout, Mars' Sword trembled, then snapped in half under Lucius's shocked gaze.
Her scythe, whistling through the air, aimed for his neck.
Lucius focused, activating process-skipping to dodge her attack range instantly.
"That trick again," Athena said coldly, her eyes glowing, a winged serpent mark appearing in her pupils.
The next moment, Lucius, the ground, floating banners, and passing birds—everything in sight—turned grayish-white.
Medusa's Gaze! Eyes that petrified all within view.
"A time-related ability. Strong, but it has a cooldown," She noted.
She sensed his mana surging, ready to break the petrification.
No matter—she only needed a moment.
As she swung her scythe again, closing in, Lucius's petrification broke.
Her scythe was about to slice his neck, and he was weaponless.
Then, with a calm gesture, Lucius summoned another Mars' Sword.
Athena, in mid-attack with her scythe raised, had left herself open, assuming he was disarmed.
Seeing the sword reappear, her expression shifted.
But Lucius only forced her back, not pressing the attack.
In her puzzled gaze, he narrowed his eyes and spoke slowly.
"As expected, you're far too weak in this state. Only your trinity form is worth my time."
"Are you… planning to return the snake to me?" Athena asked, her face icy.
***
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