Hualala...
Cry!
...
In the center of the East China Sea, the waves are vast.
Billions of tons of seawater flow from south to north continuously, and huge waves of 100 meters high are just common.
This place is not far from the eye of the sea, and even the wound that was nailed into the sea has affected here.
If you raise your sight infinitely, you may be able to see a huge clockwise vortex that swallows everything day and night.
And this place is its edge, and it is also the last chance for those who stray into it to escape.
Once you continue to move forward, no mortal ship can escape the eye of the sea.
It is like a black hole, endlessly devouring the universe.
Cry!
In the sky, on the clouds.
Accompanied by a cry that resounds through the sky, the imperceptible black spot is patrolling its territory.
The wings vibrate, raising a hurricane.
Under the sharp eyes of the condor, no life can escape.
But this is meaningless to Hercules, because he didn't intend to escape.
Boom!
With a loud bang, a hole exploded on the sea surface, and the great hero in animal skin jumped out of it.
Looking up at the black spot looming in the sky, Hercules stirred up the blood around him.
The strong will turned the power into a spear, pointing at the demon in the sky.
If there was a choice, Hercules didn't want to fight with the Caucasian Condor.
Unlike the Sirens and the Hydra, this overlord soaring in the sky didn't seem to pay attention to the intentions of humans.
When on the land, it roared on the top of the mountains; when on the sea, it lingered around the eye of the sea.
If the opponent retreated because of his momentum, the great hero didn't intend to chase.
For a moment, the waves of the nearby ocean seemed to be still for a moment, and the two creatures in the sky and on the sea looked at each other.
In this short moment, Hercules seemed to see a trace of anger and joy in the eyes of the Condor.
However, everything was so short-lived. The next moment, the demon that set off the storm swooped down from the sky and killed the great hero.
Obviously, the Caucasian Condor did not intend to give in.
It did not hesitate to attack the "invaders" who had entered its territory.
"Caucasian Condor, I did not want to be your enemy."
"But this place does not belong to you... If you must use force to stop me from meeting the owner here, then I can only use force to achieve my goal."
He shouted in agreement. He did not know whether the other party had wisdom or could understand his words, but he still explained his position as if he was facing an opponent.
However, the Condor did not stop... The next moment, it was like a black lightning streaking across the sky.
Between the sky and the sea, the demon's claws and the hero's iron rod collided with a loud bang.
·······
Boom——!
Cry——!
The waves rose and then fell like rain.
The sun descended from the sky, and the bright moon replaced it to illuminate the vast sea.
With another swing of the weapon in his hand, Hercules smashed the black-feathered and golden-eyed Condor into the sea.
Unlike the demons he had faced before, the hero did not encounter any trouble this time.
It was a simple battle, without any fancy collisions, a fight of strength against strength... and in this regard, Hercules' advantage was beyond doubt.
In later myths, as the only human who defeated the god-king Zeus in a physical fight, few beings could surpass him in pure strength.
The Caucasian condor could not do that either, so it was doomed to fail.
However, standing on the waves of the sea, even though the battle was so smooth, the hero was not happy at all.
Because this battle did not seem like a real battle at all. From beginning to end, the demon that could control the storm did not use its advantages.
It did not rely on speed to maneuver, nor did it take advantage of the sky.
As the king of birds, it fought like a beast, fighting bloody battles with the hero.
Hualala——
"Cry——!"
With a sharp cry, it jumped out of the waves.
One of the condor's wings was broken, but there was no fear in its golden pupils.
Black lightning rushed towards Hercules, but this time the great hero did not swing his stick to meet the enemy.
He stretched out his right hand and caught the flying black shadow in a flash.
The eagle's beak pecked through his palm, and blood flowed down.
But Hercules didn't care. He just looked at the exhausted eagle and asked the doubts in his heart.
"Caucasian Condor, I have no intention of being your enemy."
"If you want to leave, I can't keep you."
"Then what supports you to fight with me to the end... Is there something crucial here for you?"
The result is the result, and the process is the process.
Hercules looked at the golden vertical pupils of the eagle without moving his eyes away.
For a long time, the struggle in his palm gradually subsided.
The great hero hesitated for a moment and slowly loosened his palm.
"...Son of Zeus, do you also know honor and dignity?"
"What did you say?"
Hercules' eyes widened and his breathing stagnated.
However, at this moment, the Caucasian Condor, which had stopped struggling, suddenly flapped its wings.
A black storm swirled between its wings, and blood-red flames burned on its body.
Instead of taking advantage of this opportunity to launch a sneak attack, the demon returned to the sky and surrounded the hero on the sea.
"What did you say just now? Who is the son of Zeus? Is it me?"
Heracles shouted loudly, not caring about the condor's escape. He knew that he was a descendant of gods, but he never knew who his father was.
There were countless descendants of gods in Chaos' world, and some gods' descendants after several generations were not without the possibility of surpassing their ancestors.
So the great hero had never doubted his origins before, until he heard this strange name.
"Hahahaha, son of Zeus, you don't even know who your father is?"
"Are you also deceiving me, or is that cunning and despicable God King planning some conspiracy?"
"But whether you really don't know, or just inherited your father's hypocrisy, human, I have to tell you--"
Whoosh--
the broken wings spread out, and the black storm became stronger, as if a hundred-headed dragon and snake had returned to the world.
The condor laughed wildly, looking at the hero who was surrounded by the breath of more than one dead demon, then rushed into the sky and swooped down.
"The descendants of the King of All Demons will never flee in front of Zeus' bloodline, just like those who fell in your hands. Today... only you die, or I die!"
Boom--!
The black wind fell, and the great hero was forced to fight back.
Like a meteor hitting the sea, the vast waves are endless.
On the sea, the waves are rising again.
...
After a long time, the bright moon is about to leave the sky.
When the sea gradually returns to its previous state, a black shadow floats up from the water and finally comes to the surface.
The huge alchemical ship vibrates slightly, and then an opening large enough for one person to enter and exit appears above it.
"...Hercules, are you okay?" He
called in a low voice, and then Oleus climbed out of the open skylight.
He looked at the great hero on the sea and the corpse in front of him.
Since the Caucasian Condor has given up its best speed, death is an inevitable end for it.
But as it said, until the moment of death, it did not choose to escape.
"...I'm fine."
"It's just a hard fight, and I'm a little tired."
Nodding with his back to Oleus, Hercules reached out and took out the last intact part of the Condor.
The bloody flames burned its blood, and its bones and feathers were destroyed in the collisions again and again.
Only the brain of the Caucasian Condor was intact, and the hero took away its pair of golden vertical pupils.
The demon died, and the remaining magic seemed to be concentrated here.
Holding it in his hand, Hercules could see through the illusion and the truth.
"Oleus, I have a question for you."
Turning around and striding away, the hero returned to the ship.
As for the incomplete body of the Condor, he planned to find the mountain called Caucasus in the future and bury it.
There was no grudge between them. If there was, it was only from his father whom he had never met.
"Oleus, in your impression, in your early years, have you learned about the descendants of the gods?"
"Of course."
Although Orleans didn't know why Hercules asked such a question, things related to Zeus were circulated everywhere in Chaos's world.
Just what he had heard was enough to fill a bookshelf of parchments.
"Hercules, you know."
"In the world, all famous monarchs and heroes are descendants of gods, except wizards who stole knowledge and power from the gods."
"And the King of Gods is the leader of the gods, and his bloodline is the most powerful."
"So from ancient times to the present, none of the children of the King of Gods has failed to leave a great reputation in the world."
"The most well-known one today, His Highness Perseus, is one of them."
"Why, why do you suddenly ask this question?"
"What about the heroes themselves?"
There was no answer, Hercules asked again.
"For example, how did they come into this world and how did they grow up?"
"... That's something to say."
After recalling for a while, Oileus concluded:
"Every hero has his own story, but if you really want to talk about it, they all have some common points."
"For example, at the beginning of the story, the king of gods falls in love with a princess or queen, and in the middle of the story, the descendants of the king of gods build achievements under the guidance and training of the gods, or they have dark ideas and blaspheme the gods, thinking that they can stand shoulder to shoulder with the gods."
"The former has a good ending. Perseus ascended to heaven and was given immortal divinity. He should still be alive today."
"The latter was punished as a warning to the kingdom of the world."
"As for the fate of those princesses and queens... some died at a young age, and others have never been found since then."
"These... are what I know."
"... Is that so... Thank you very much."
After a moment of silence, Hercules thanked him.
Oileus waved his hand, indicating that these were just some stories that were passed down.
But now that the Caucasian Condor has been dealt with, the ship should set off again.
After all, it won't take long to move forward. Once they enter the escape range of the Sea Eye, even if they do nothing, the group will inevitably slide into the abyss.
"Yes, you are right, we should set off."
"Legend has it that the Bronze Creator is the wisest among the gods, but I don't know if the rumor is true."
With a noise, the huge alchemical ship sank to the bottom of the sea again.
The end of this trip to the East China Sea is finally coming.
The Eye of the Sea, the wound of the sea.
People who have not seen it with their own eyes often try to describe it with all kinds of gorgeous words.
People imagine that it is a huge whirlpool and guess the sound of seawater colliding.
Poets describe it as the abyss, saying that it is the source of the darkness of the sea.
Before coming here in person, Hercules had read many records related to this, or asked the elders about the true appearance of the eye of the sea.
Coupled with the description of the eyewitness, the great hero even thought that he knew it well enough.
But until he sailed here in person and faced the horror that struck his heart, Hercules realized how powerless simple words were at certain times.
The sound was as if it was swallowed up, and the waves of the sea were no longer seen.
The light could not shine in, because the sea's disgust for the sun gathered here.
It was as if walking alone in the dark and cold universe, not knowing where he was, and not knowing whether he was really moving.
But one thing is clear, that is, behind him is the world that is getting farther and farther away, and in front of him is the depth that swallows everything.
"...Although I have made sufficient preparations and expected the situation."
"But at this moment, I still feel a little afraid."
"Although I can overcome it...it still exists and becomes stronger."
"Oleus, do you think my will is not strong enough?"
"Or is there something wrong with this sea area itself?"
In the cockpit, holding the iron rod in his hand, the great hero was asking his teammates, and it seemed that he was also asking his heart.
At this moment, everything outside was projected in equal proportions.
And where the group was at this time, there was only endless darkness and emptiness.
Staring at the instrument in front of him, at Hercules' self-questioning, Orleans shook his head slightly.
He knew this mentality, because they were like this before.
"There's no need to belittle yourself, Hercules."
"It's not your fault. On the contrary, almost everyone would be like this."
"Believe me, your heart is not afraid of the darkness, nor of the sea and the blue waves. You are just afraid of yourself... afraid of what you don't know, those forces beyond your control and understanding."
"But people are afraid of the unknown, and people are afraid of the sudden changes that may happen at any time."
"Even if I have been here once, I still feel terrified here."
Slowly raising his head, Orleans looked at the darkness ahead.
Here, no light can work.
Even alchemical products cannot violate the special rules of this place.
"There is no other reason, just because I know that the decision of whether I can get out of here alive is never in my hands, but in the thoughts of others."
"You are the same, Hercules."
"Believe me, as long as you can't shake the entire sea, when you see this scene, you will definitely feel panic from the bottom of your heart."
This is the common nature of human beings, and it is a weakness that all intelligent life has.
The fear of the unknown and the respect for those who don't understand things all come from this.
"You are right, Oleus. Compared to the whole sea, I am still too weak."
Nodding slightly, the great hero accepted this reality.
However, looking at the darkness in front of him that seemed to swallow everything, Hercules couldn't help asking:
"The eye of the sea is the wound of the sea. I can't shake its existence."
"But if that's the case... then even if we meet the bronze creator, how can we take him away?"
"..."
Oleus didn't respond, and the great hero didn't ask any more questions.
He probably didn't know, but the creator of foresight might have a way himself.
So in silence, the huge eye of the sea, bearing a huge tear, the alchemical ship continued to sink.
·······
Tick...
Tick...
...
In the cold and silent space, there was nothing.
There was only the sound of liquid dripping, day and night, never interrupted.
Prometheus closed his eyes and "enjoyed" loneliness alone.
For thousands of years, except for mortals who strayed here for various reasons, only some guests with ulterior motives would come here.
As for the rest of the time, all that was left for him was the torment of the boundless sea.
Tick-tock...
tick-tock...
...
"Another year..."
In the darkness, a hoarse voice came from his chest.
Perhaps it was because he hadn't spoken for a long time, the tone was a little difficult to recognize.
Opening his eyes, Prometheus tried to look up.
Without a timekeeping tool, he used the number of times his blood dripped to count.
For thousands of years, the divine iron that pierced his chest allowed his blood to fill a pond.
This was the most insignificant part of his punishment, and was even regarded as a convenience by the fire thief.
As he said, another year has passed... But at this moment, Prometheus looked up for another reason. Because at the edge of his perception, a familiar object approached.
When was the last time?
Maybe a few years ago, maybe decades ago.
When those who drove the boats appeared here, Prometheus was surprised to find that today's humans have actually built boats that can sail underwater.
Just a few hundred years ago, they had just learned how to use sails and how to use the stars in the sky to guide the course.
The fourth generation of humans is far smarter than the humans of the previous three eras.
Although this also brings more shortcomings, Prometheus thinks it's worth it.
Nothing is perfect. If there is, then its shortcomings may be the most important piece of the puzzle that makes it perfect.
"Another fleet, Prometheus, guess why they are here?"
"..."
"You know, it's the same as every time before."
"Falling into the water by accident, encountering an accident, telling you all the beauty of the outside world, and then leaving with your help."
"But from the moment they return to the ground, all you can receive are their curses and abuses."
"Some people don't want to, so they died. Others are silent, so they never have a chance to speak again."
"In the end, the remaining people gradually think that you have brought disaster to mankind, so you should use your pain to help them gain wealth and grace."
"..."
"Oh, I forgot to say... pain can be used."
"Then how can people never get used to pain? The answer is to show him the light every once in a while."
"..."
Maybe someone is talking, maybe it's just an illusion.
But from beginning to end, Prometheus didn't respond.
I don't know when it started, at the bottom of this dark sea, another life seemed to be born here.
Those who have been here before have never found him, or in other words, Prometheus was the only one who could hear his voice.
"...Don't you hate them? Don't you hate them?"
"You love humans...but not all humans love you."
"How about this, use your wisdom, use your foresight, choose the good ones, and leave the evil ones here."
"There's nothing wrong with this, you just give them the ending they deserve...Prometheus, am I wrong!"
The voice was still persuading one second ago, but the next moment it suddenly became loud.
The voice that came from nowhere seemed to suddenly become crazy, questioning the prisoner who was tied here, what was wrong with what he said.
However, the dark space was still quiet, as if nothing had happened.
Time passed slowly, and the voice in the ear was sometimes gentle, sometimes arrogant, sometimes humble, and sometimes arrogant.
Just like a madman with multiple personalities, it kept venting its emotions.
After a long time, peace finally came to the ears of the fire thief again.
"...I'm leaving, are you unhappy?"
Silence in the noise, speaking in silence.
When the mysterious voice stopped talking, at a certain moment, the hoarse voice of the fire thief finally sounded in this space.
However, what he said at this moment was enough to scare anyone.
It was absolutely impossible for Prometheus to leave the Eye of the Sea.
Hercules thought he could do it, but in fact, he had no chance of success from the beginning.
The power of the King of Gods locked up the Titan god, and no one could release him without Zeus knowing... But this time, it was the turn of the mysterious voice to be silent.
"...You are the choice I made, and I can also give you the power to change everything."
"Prometheus, why do you have to refuse me?"
"Of course it's because I have no strength left."
"After all, carrying humanity on your back is tiring enough, and carrying the hatred for the King of Gods is too heavy."
The words were slowly but clearly pronounced, and Prometheus tried to show a smile on the iron nails, but in the end he still failed.
"And... you, chose me, not because I am the most suitable... it's just that you got rationality from my divine blood, so you thought I was your first choice."
"But I hope you remember that you are neither me nor He, you are an independent individual."
"Revenge on the God King, this is His will, not yours."
"Just like I see humans, I witnessed your birth with my own eyes... I hope that one day, you can also find the meaning of your existence."
"..."
There was no response, but Prometheus knew that the life born in the depths of the sea eye heard his words.
Although it didn't speak, it actually listened to what he said.
As for its true origin...
"Ahem... the ancestor of billions of demons..."
"Since the world has been recorded, the only great one who has fallen is probably only He..."
Violent coughing, with bursts of blood foam.
Typhon is dead, there is no doubt about it.
As for the one in the sea eye, just as Prometheus said.
It is an independent individual, an existence whose thinking was not clear at the beginning.
As for the arrogant and boundless Lord of Ten Thousand Demons... it is probably impossible to be resurrected again.
"..."
It was unclear whether it was going up or down, the hull and the rotating water flow merged into one.
Like a speck of dust falling on the ground, there was nothing to prove that it was moving forward except for the instrument displaying the parameters.
Standing in front of the cab, in front of Hercules, the sign indicating the status of the hull was turning blood red little by little.
Even if it tried to go with the flow, this ancient alchemical ship had reached its limit.
It could not move forward anymore, because in the center of the eye of the sea, the pressure there was enough to keep the body of the Titan gods between collapse and repair.
In this last section of the road, nothing could replace them to move forward.
"That's what happened last time. We stepped directly into the sea. Leaving the protection of the alchemical ship, we faced the vortex that was enough to tear us into thousands of pieces in an instant."
"For thousands of years, billions of tons of seawater have accumulated energy in rotation, and the power it releases is enough to shake the mountains."
"And even if it is just a tiny part of it, it is still enough to suppress mortals like me."
Walking to the door of the isolation room, Orleans walked in slowly.
Even though he had experienced it once, he still had no assurance of survival this time.
"We can't do more, or rather, there is only one thing we can do."
"That is to pray that the creator of the Bronze Age noticed us, just like every time before."
"And this time, he still chose kindness."
"Maybe, but I never leave myself to fate."
"Whether there is anyone to help me or not, I will reach where I want to go."
Tightening his leather coat, Hercules walked into the isolation room and waved behind him.
"Amon, please stay here and take a look at the ship."
"Your body is still a little weak. If there is a chance later, I will teach you a few tricks."
"No problem." Without
looking back, the door of the isolation room closed behind him. As
Hercules moved forward, he could hear the gates behind him closing one after another.
In the deep sea with such a fast flow, if a window is opened directly, the hull will be torn into pieces in an instant.
Therefore, all the closed doors were closed intact, and the water stored in advance was poured into the isolation room from all directions.
"Oleus, I wish you good luck. I hope to see you again later."
"I will. I wish you a safe journey, my friend."
Soon, when the cabin was filled with seawater, the door between the quarantine area and the outside world slowly opened.
Striding forward, Hercules jumped.
The next moment, in the vast sea eye, there was a tiny human being.
·······
Boom-
Boom-
Boom-...
The
turbulent current was in all directions, with no direction.
After leaving the alchemical ship, it was only a moment before the great hero could no longer find the way back.
The undercurrent surged from all directions, and his limbs were like being tied to a galloping horse.
Only when he really set foot here did Hercules finally understand why Oleus refused his offer of help and instead gave the hope of survival to the benevolent god.
No matter how powerful an individual's power is, it is limited.
The power of nature is infinite, and it is a wonder from the creation of the world.
If Hercules was on the sea, he could still use the sea surface as a support through the use of strength, and pour out his strength as completely as possible.
But in this place, no matter how strong he was, he could not do anything.
The heart beat violently in the chest, and an endless supply of physical strength poured out from every inch of the body.
But no matter how hard he tried, Hercules could only follow the waves and could not control his own direction.
"Now you understand, this is nature, and it is also the power of heaven and earth."
"And the reason why the gods are powerful seems to be their divine power, but in fact it is more of their authority rooted in the root of the world."
"You fight against the god of the earth, which is to shake the framework of the earth. You are against the god of the sea, which is to fight against the boundless ocean."
"Don't look at me as if I don't have much fighting power, but that's only on the earth."
"Just like here... you are not my opponent at all now."
The voice sounded in his mind. In the pocket on the chest of the great hero, the puppet seemed to be unaffected by the sea eye.
A thin film of light covered its body, so that not a drop of seawater from the outside could fall on it.
"Where is Oileus, how is he?"
Instead of asking for help immediately, Hercules asked about his companions.
Although he was forced to go with the flow, the sea water here could not do anything to him.
After all, the center of the sea eye did not fall on him anyway.
In addition to the animal skin on his body, the hero's current state was not as miserable as it looked.
"Well, he's doing fine now."
"Although he only lasted less than an hour before his strength ran out."
"But just a second before he passed out, divine power saved his life."
"Oh, that's not surprising."
"Since the Battle of Typhon, the laws in many places near the sea have become somewhat similar to those on land... but nothing has changed here."
"After all, without the assistance of divine power, even if the Fire Thief's divine body was powerful, with his strength, he would have been ground into dust by the Eye of the Sea long ago." (See 3-58)
Click—
turning out of the pocket, Ander explained as he moved up step by step from the chest until he sat on Hercules' shoulder. The body rotating and changing direction in the undercurrent did not affect his movements at all, and even vaguely, the state of the puppet was very different from before.
A sacred feeling rose from the small doll, and for a moment, Hercules felt that the water around him was a little quieter.
This is the god...even if Ander is just a god of faith, not the natural god he said was born sacred.
But when some of the shackles on his body were removed, he would still be a king above the world. At
this moment, the complacency that had grown in the hero's heart in recent days faded away silently.
Drifting in the undercurrent, Hercules corrected his attitude again.
Self-confidence is a good thing, but if you can't correctly measure the gap between yourself and others, every bit of trust in yourself will only become a brick and stone to bury yourself.
"Haha, you don't have to envy me."
"It's hard to say how innate gods are, but for you, believing in gods acquired later in life like me may not be that difficult."
"It's just that what comes from faith will eventually be controlled by it... Forget it, that's a matter of the future."
"Now, I'll just take you there directly."
"He has already discovered me. Even if I didn't exist, you might have been taken away by his divine power."
"Let's go, walk along this road, and at the end of it, you can see the bound Prometheus."
The puppet spoke in a low voice and then stretched out its index finger.
The next moment, like a giant tearing apart the clouds, the sea water changed under the influence of divine power.
The void vibrated slightly, and soon, a temporary space channel came into reality little by little.
It and the surrounding sea water seemed to exist in two latitudes, and the two had no intersection.
At the same time, Hercules finally regained his long-lost sense of direction.
This is the ability of the godhead, [Change Space].
Perhaps the great beings who created the godhead felt the disadvantages of believing in God. They were neither born with powerful authority like natural gods, nor could they obtain endless divine power from their priesthoods.
They could only rely on faith to maintain their existence, and most of the authority they held was not worth mentioning.
So when the holders of the godhead raised the country and became true gods one day, they could obtain some unique knowledge and power from the godhead.
Relying on these abilities, although believers in gods could not have an advantage over gods who truly held relevant authority, they could have the upper hand when facing other situations.
It was just that after a long time, people often lamented that their godhead was so much like a part removed from a divine artifact.
Not only could it make them become gods, it could even give them other authority, but it was not very complete.
Of course, this was just talk.
After all, if there really was such a divine artifact, it would definitely not be what they could imagine.
"Okay."
The water around him was drained away, and Hercules took the opportunity to jump onto the temporarily opened tunnel.
Blood rose slightly, and the water stains on the clothes were evaporated.
"But Lord Ander... are you going to go with me?"
"Yes."
The puppet nodded slightly and affirmed.
"Speaking of which, a long, long time ago, I also admired him very much."
"But later I thought that he might have been too young at that time."
...
Tick-tock...
Tick-tock...
...
In the dark space, the sound of blood flow continued.
The bound man endured the pain and carried the sins of a generation.
In the air in front of him, a middle-aged man who was obviously unconscious was lying there.
But compared to the wounds of the fire thief, he had no wounds on his body.
Tap-tock...
Gently raising his head, Prometheus looked in the direction of the sound.
In his perception, a young, erratic breath was approaching here.
And both of them had a breath that made the fire thief feel familiar.
Tap-tock-
the fire lit up, and the flame ignited by the spirit burned on the shoulder.
Walking out of the darkness, Hercules happened to look at Prometheus.
His hands were tied together, and a blood-stained iron nail was driven into his chest.
It was not like a god, but a meeting between a prisoner and a hero.
Looking at the creator he finally saw, Hercules was speechless for a moment.
"You... are the creator of the Bronze Age.
" "Prometheus, the sacred one who stole the fire from the sky, the forerunner?"
"... cough cough cough... it's me."
"If you mean what people call me, then this is indeed talking about me..."
Panting softly, the hoarse voice seemed to have passed through the years.
Looking at the young and fearless visitor, Prometheus breathed a sigh of relief.
"Son of Zeus, the human being loved by the times, you, are finally here..."
"Finally here."
Following the path drawn by Ander, he avoided all kinds of difficulties approaching the center of the sea eye.
Only after experiencing it personally did Hercules understand that the real danger of this sea wound was not on the surface.
The remaining divine flames of the sun, the remaining resentment of the creatures that died tragically in the sea for thousands of years, and even the twisted and indestructible spirits of evil creatures...
All the things that could not be contained by the sea gathered here little by little and became part of the sea eye.
Of course, maybe it was because these forces were loose and chaotic, or it could be because of some other reasons. In short, with the help of Ander, they could not break through the protection of the divine power.
So the great hero came to the hollow in the center of the sea eye safely and met the person he wanted to see.
Just as the legend records, the guilty god was imprisoned under the sea abyss, with chains tied to his hands and the divine iron piercing his chest.
However, it was such a bound person who said something that should not be said:
Finally here... No matter how you think about it, such words should not appear here.
From the moment he decided to look for the traces of the creator Prometheus, until he learned not long ago that he was the son of the king of gods, Hercules had never discussed this with anyone.
If there is an exception... then there is only one.
"Do you know a human named 'Ivan'? Did he tell you about my existence?"
"If so... please tell me what is the purpose of your asking me to come here."
Hercules spoke in a deep voice and immediately thought of the Athenian scholar.
It was because of him that he had the idea of looking for Prometheus. If there was someone who could predict his movements, then he was the most likely person.
"Ivan?"
Slightly startled, the bound god seemed a little surprised to hear this.
But in just a moment, Prometheus came back to his senses.
As expected... Shaking his head with difficulty, the God of Foresight looked at the great hero who was vigilant but also had a glimmer of hope, and said slowly and gently: "No, child, I don't know him."
"But not long ago, someone did tell me that a child who lives in lies will come here, and I saw you fighting on the sea again."
"You are brave and fearless - these may not be good things, but for a young man, they are indeed excellent qualities..."
"Don't worry, if you have any questions, I can tell you - including the person who met me, what he gave me, and what he said to me."
"Whatever you want to know, I will tell you one by one."
"...Why?"
Silently, even a little unreal.
At this moment, Hercules was sure that his natural intuition told him that the ancient god really did not lie to him.
He did not try to make up lies, or give some high-sounding reasons for concealing, like every person he had asked before, making others guess their thoughts.
So he spoke subconsciously, and the great hero couldn't help but ask.
"Maybe it's because I've made the same mistake once before - my mistake taught me that concealment will only lead to suspicion, and suspicion will lead to disputes."
"It will make greedy people forget the risks and make cautious people lose opportunities."
"Instead of letting people go in the wrong direction in their guesses, it's better to tell them the cruel truth from the beginning."
"The destruction of the Bronze Age originated from this."
"If you had known your own insignificance earlier, fear might be closer to survival than arrogance."
Hualala -
probably because he said too much in a short period of time, Prometheus panted slightly, and the chain on his wrist rang slightly.
When he came to his senses, Hercules remembered the other party's current state.
He stepped forward and said solemnly:
"No matter what, Your Highness Prometheus, no matter whether you can answer my doubts or not."
"I believe in your character and am willing to help you escape from this prison."
"I don't know whether stealing the fire from heaven is a sin, but including me, every human living in the world today should not use this as a reason to attack you."
"You have been here long enough... and today is the day you are released."
Striding towards Prometheus, Hercules thought he would encounter some obstacles, but what he didn't expect was that he easily approached the imprisoned god. He
grasped the iron nail on Prometheus' chest with both hands, and the powerful force flowed with the rise and fall of his chest.
Ander, who had been silent just now, also covered him with divine power. At this moment, an unprecedented sense of power rose in Hercules' heart.
"One nail... can't stop me.
"-Get up! "
With a loud shout, he was like a tyrant with the strength to pull out mountains.
Perhaps it was the effect of will, or perhaps it was the real strength
of his bloodline. When the divine power was bestowed on him, Hercules at this moment seemed to have the demeanor to wrestle with the God King.
In response, the iron nail on Prometheus' chest hummed and trembled slightly in the chest of the creator.
Even though he was originally prepared to speak out to stop it, Prometheus was a little surprised at this moment.
Unbelievable... This divine nail, as the embodiment of the will of the God King, cannot be pulled out so easily.
Except for the initial shaking, no matter how hard Hercules tried, it remained motionless and there was no possibility of being pulled out.
But even so, it was still extraordinary to be able to make such a change.
After all, when this iron nail was cast, Zeus was not yet a God King who had stepped into the great divine power. But the power of the kingship is not limited. The orders issued by the king in the past will also become extraordinary as he becomes stronger in the future.
In this case, Hercules was able to shake it, relying on absolutely not only "power", but also a manifestation of a certain "destiny".
He may have been destined to surpass Zeus in some aspects, but he himself did not know it yet.
"Ahem...Okay, don't waste your energy."
"The punishment of the God King is not so easy to solve. What really trapped me was never this nail."
"It's just a symbol, a medium."
"I can get rid of it, but as long as the power of the God King is still there, there must be a person who came here because of Zeus's will and was bound to this abyss forever."
After a few light coughs, a hazy halo emanated from Prometheus' body.
The vibrating iron nail immediately returned to its original state, and Hercules was also bounced off it.
The great hero may not know that just when he started, the sea water at the eye of the East China Sea suddenly set off a storm.
It was like a giant god lowering his hand from the sky, trying to hold up the ocean.
Zeus's royal power was not infinite. The power he used to trap Prometheus happened to be the sea, which he nominally no longer governed.
It merged with the iron nail and became a symbol of the god king's "sea control".
From then on, the credit for suppressing the sins of the innate gods and calming the riots in the sea eye cleverly reached a balance point, so that Zeus no longer had to worry about it.
"You-your power?"
In front of Prometheus, Hercules took a few steps back under the gentle recoil force, and his eyes changed.
Just now, Prometheus almost lightly separated him from the nail that connected him to the sea.
Although they were both divine powers, his seemed to be more powerful than Ander's.
Noticing Hercules's doubts, the Forerunner smiled and explained:
"Faith is not born only from prayer... Child, if you are a god, if your deeds can be spread, then the journey you have taken to get here is the best way for you to gain faith."
"Okay, now, let me give you what should belong to you."
His body shook, and then, under Hercules's gaze, the Forerunner's body suddenly split into two.
A body made entirely of divine power remained there, while Prometheus' real body left there.
Looking at this scene that was completely different from what he had expected, Hercules was once again stunned.
And the small puppet sitting on his shoulder suddenly spoke.
"This is... I really didn't expect it."
"Even though you are imprisoned here, you are still close to the realm of powerful divine power."
"Oh, no wonder the bronze humans are going to be destroyed... If they continue to multiply like this generation of humans and spread across the entire continent, your power will probably be enough to scare Zeus at that time."
The gods of the Bronze Age had not taken that step yet. If Prometheus had not been imprisoned here and the Bronze Age had not been destroyed, the forerunners of that time might indeed be qualified to threaten Zeus's position.
So even though his actions were rough and deliberate, the gods at that time dealt with him mercilessly.
"Who is this?"
After his body was separated from the iron chain and the divine iron, Prometheus could not maintain this state for a long time.
Even for him, being tied to the divine iron might be less exhausting.
After all, at this moment, he was using his power to deceive the divine iron's induction and bear the weight of the sea eye at the same time, and his divine power was fading every minute and every second.
In contrast, although the previous state was constantly dripping with divine blood, for the body of the Titan god, even if Prometheus' body was not strong, it was enough to cope with such minor damage.
"Who am I... the creator of the Bronze Age, I want to ask you, do you still remember Ender?"
The puppet raised his head slightly, and his face was expressionless. It should have been like this.
However, the next moment, Prometheus's reaction made him stunned on the spot.
"Ender... If you are talking about the Ender in my memory, there is indeed one."
After thinking for a while, Prometheus slowly said:
"That is the third batch of bronze humans born. He was endowed with a soul of kindness, humility and integrity."
"Why, is he still alive?"
"..."
"No, he died, died of kindness, humility and integrity."
"The reason why I came to ask you... is just to see if the legendary fire thief remembers the name of each of his creations. Is it true?"
The answer is of course true, after all, the result is right in front of us.
He had never been a "priest" for a day, nor was he valued by the wise men favored by the Creator. In the end, because of the foolish behavior of the priests, he met death with the creatures of the Bronze Age, and even fell in the last darkness before dawn.
Before, Ender didn't show that he didn't care about it, but now, one of his doubts has been solved.
"I have no problem, but he still has."
The voice was stiff, and the puppet's tone was flat.
"We came here to find you, mainly to understand some secrets about the depths of the spirit world."
"Spiritual world?"
"I see, it seems that you wanted to ask the Lord of the Spiritual World at first."
"After all, among the gods still active in the world today, my father is one of the few gods who has had a lot of contact with Him."
With a look of enlightenment, Prometheus immediately reached out.
The next moment, he took out a book with a purple cover from the darkness.
The dark purple cover was painted with dark patterns, and all kinds of negative emotions seemed to be reflected in the hearts of the viewers through the words on it.
Looking at this book, Hercules seemed to smell a pungent smell, but his reason told him that this was completely a mental illusion.
"What is this, is it what you said, the person who told you that I would come here gave you?"
Focusing his eyes on the book, Hercules confirmed that he did not recognize this kind of text.
But at a certain moment, he felt that he was "recognizing" it.
It was as if he was trying to understand it, and it was also trying to understand the person who was watching it... Looking away, the great hero asked.
"Yes, this is what he gave me."
"He wanted me to use the knowledge in it to teach you - but after thinking about it, I decided to give it to you directly."
Reaching out and handing the book to Hercules, Prometheus continued: "It is not an easy task to decipher it, but after thousands of years, I have understood most of it."
"The content above comes from a place called the Nine Hells. Its author is unknown, and this book is called the Book of Purgatory."
"It looks like a good gift, but I don't believe there is any unprovoked preference in this world."
Hercules said slowly after taking the book, and Prometheus nodded.
"Yes, I think so too."
"But it seems clear what that man wants to do - he seems to have a bad relationship with the king of the gods of Olympus, so he found me and wanted to kill someone with a borrowed knife."
"Of course, he told me: 'In the future, a human being deceived by the gods will come to me, and he has the power to influence the world.'"
"'He is full of courage, but he is wavering between good and evil.'"
"'He has a firm goal, but he doesn't know that the goal is the source of his pain.'"
"He hopes that I can help you in the way he wants - it can be seen that I am just the sharpener he envisioned, and you are the real 'knife'."
Frankly speaking, just as it was agreed at the beginning.
Prometheus did not hide anything about his past, and he did not think that Hercules should not know them.
The hand that tried to turn the page trembled slightly, and Heracles took a deep breath after hearing this.
The words of the bronze creator gave him a sense of déjà vu, as if some of his past guesses in his heart had been confirmed.
"What about this book? Can it help people reverse death?"
"Yes, and it can do more than just reverse death. It can do a lot more."
"For example, it told me a way to escape from the cage that has suppressed me."
"It told me that I came here under the will of Zeus, and that God sacrificed himself for mankind."
"Then theoretically, if I can find another being who came here under the guidance of Zeus, I can use the rituals in this book to deceive the order and escape from the dead."
"As a price, the part of me that is stronger than the substitute will stay here to maintain the operation of this ritual... I am ashamed to say that I did draw this ritual over the years, but in the end, I still didn't use it."
Sighing slightly, Prometheus recalled his original mentality.
Perhaps the child who once informed the King of Gods just to gain eternal life also thought so.
It's just that he has lived long enough, and as an eternal immortal, Prometheus can endure this temptation.
But as a short-lived human, he finally made a choice.
"Ahem... I've gone a bit off topic for the moment."
"Hercules, what I actually want to tell you is that this book does record a lot of secrets, but for most of the things you have to see in person before you can 'understand' the words on it."
"In addition, the knowledge in this [Book of Purgatory] is indeed all-encompassing, but most of them are far darker and crueler than you can imagine."
"Trade life for life, power for power." Prometheus spoke slowly, word by word, "The book itself is not evil. It just tells you that everything has an order. If you want to gain something, you must lose something."
"However, the reason why life is life is because life always has some principles that contradict the laws of nature, and the more intelligent the life, the more so."
"Humans call it 'morality', but the laws of nature often conflict with morality."
"I can't decide your path, but I hope you ask yourself before making every decision, is this the result you really want?"
"..."
Holding the [Book of Purgatory] in his hand, Hercules could feel Prometheus' sincerity, and he also agreed with what the other party said.
For a hero like him, the so-called trial or atonement, what really binds them is the morality in their hearts.
So the original Hercules in the myth was willing to obey a mortal king who could easily kill him with one hand, and complete various tasks under his command.
The same is true for Hercules today. If he gave up the moral bottom line in his heart, he would not have to cross the ocean.
"I will."
Nodding heavily, Hercules found that Prometheus's face had become paler and paler.
Obviously, although he has had the help of faith over the years, he still cannot leave his cage for a long time.
Looking at this scene, Hercules felt a little depressed.
Along the way, the great hero has hardly encountered any trouble.
No matter what kind of opponent, he will eventually fall in front of him.
But now, facing the absolute power and strength of the God King, facing this god who knows that he can't save him but still chooses to help him, Hercules has no way.
The invisible prison cell belonging to Prometheus was only an inch in size, and the opponent could not take even one step out.
"Hahaha... ahem... don't feel sad, you are talented, and you are still young now."
"Perhaps one day, you will be able to do something that will shock anyone in the world. On that day, even if I am still here, I will be happy for helping you today."
With laughter and coughs, the bronze creator waved his hand gently, and Orleans, who had not woken up yet, floated from the ground to his side.
"Take your friends away, my strength is running out."
"... One day, I will rescue you."
Taking a step forward, it seemed that he saw the invisible barrier, the division drawn by the kingship.
Hercules made a solemn promise, which was the oath he made to his heart.
Prometheus smiled and nodded. For him, this was a rare happiness in a thousand years...
"-Wait, young man, you-!"
Suddenly, something unexpected happened.
Because of the exhaustion of divine power, Prometheus was a little dazed, and his body swayed, but at this moment, Orleans, who was originally unconscious in his hands, suddenly woke up.
With a strong push, the body of the forerunner was pushed away from the invisible barrier. The only one left inside was Orleans.
"—— Orleans, you?!"
The sudden change was too much for Hercules to react.
Why did Orleans do this? And most importantly, how did he hide the fact that he was not unconscious from him and Prometheus?
You know, although in the human world, Orleans was already a hero with extraordinary strength.
But in front of two gods, a demigod who was almost invincible in the world, he still looked so weak.
Everything changed in an instant. Hercules subconsciously wanted to move forward, but in front of him, a purple line slowly emerged, blocking his way forward.
"Bang——!"
That was the movement from the side.
Beside Hercules, Prometheus was also blocked by the line.
"Heh... let's not waste our energy."
"Hercules, isn't this great?"
"I'll stay here, you guys go."
"No matter how you look at it, this is a perfect ending."
In the center of the purple array, Orleans said calmly.
There was no extra expression on his face, only a little relief.
"Orleans..."
The friend in front of him who had been traveling with him for several months felt a little strange to the hero at this moment, not only because of the sudden choice he made, but also because of his hidden means.
However, as if seeing through Hercules' doubts, Orleans explained calmly:
"You don't have to think too much. At the beginning, I didn't come here with any good intentions."
"Your visit was just an accident, and I would come here again with or without you."
"Hercules, you think you are very smart, but in fact, you still have confidence in your own military strength in your heart."
"You think I am far from your opponent, so you don't have any defense against me."
"But hero with extraordinary martial arts, you are still too careless - as the captain of a fleet once sent here by the gods, others may be grateful for the kindness of the Creator and eventually leave the country where the gods believe, but how can I leave?"
"Those who are chosen to drive this alchemical ship must be trusted by the church. And even if I really give up my faith, with my strength, how can the gods allow me to leave?"
"What's more, even if I take a thousand steps back or ten thousand steps back and successfully leave, how can I keep such an alchemical ship and use it to travel between the continent and the ocean?"
"..."
Hercules had to admit that what Oleus said was right.
There were so many unreasonable things about him, and there were many more besides these two points.
But he had never paid attention to them, or maybe it was because of his inner arrogance about his strength... In front of Hercules, Oleus continued.
"...Haha, so there is only one outcome. The gods are willing to let me go because they asked me to come here. That ship is left to me. Without you, other people who are pursuing the footsteps of the Creator will come here."
"As for why I was able to hide from your perception and pretend to be unconscious, it is naturally because I have a treasure that imitates the Pluto's invisibility helmet, which can shield my own breath."
"In the original plan, I will lead a group of passionate young people who are pursuing the legend of the Creator, and let most of them sacrifice on the journey - in the end, when they come here after surviving many dangers and meet the bronze Creator, I will use the grace of the gods to kill them in front of you."
"Finally, I will take back a few people who regretted, gave up, and wavered on the way, and they will bow down before the statues of the gods."
"Then we will use 'facts' to tell the people on the continent that the legends about the Creator are all false. He is cruel, cruel, and ruthless."
The explanation was calm, but listening to everything Orleans said, a chill surged into Hercules' chest.
Reversing right and wrong, falsifying history, twisting the truth... No matter how vicious the words are, they are not enough to describe these.
Hercules opened his mouth and wanted to ask the other party why he didn't do it in the end, but he didn't say it in the end.
If it was just because he was afraid of his military power, the worst that could happen was that he would continue to pretend to be unconscious and return to the mainland with him.
Since Oileus made such a choice, it is obvious what he was thinking.
"... Don't look at me like that, Hercules, maybe I will regret it soon."
"Humans are always complicated."
The middle-aged man smiled, and then he looked at the bronze creator with a complicated expression.
Unlike Hercules, Prometheus knew that when the other party entered here instead of himself, there was no possibility for the other party to leave.
"Haha... Creator of the Bronze Age, I want to ask you a question."
"Ask it."
Prometheus nodded, sighing for the nth time today.
"What I want to know is... after going through so much, have you ever been disappointed with the human race?"
"Probably... not."
"The Golden Age... that kind of perfection is just an illusion. The reason I left the Silver Age was not actually their sins."
"It's just the result of artificial shaping. No matter how perfect it is, it is still false. Until the Bronze Age, I created them with my own hands."
"I liked them at that time. Now think about it, maybe it's more like a love for the work."
"But when I was locked up here, this love changed."
"Because I gradually discovered that there are very few people who make decisions like you, and even the vast majority of people don't think they are willing to sacrifice for anything else in their entire lives."
"But when a certain moment comes, there will always be people like you who make choices that make me, others, and even themselves feel incredible."
"And this is probably the greatness of intelligent life compared to other species."
"No matter how dark it is, you can always see some light in the corner."
"..."
In the center of the sea eye, he took a step back and overlapped his body with the increasingly vague phantom of divine power.
Not sure if he was satisfied with the answer, but Orleans just nodded.
"I understand."
"Now, get out of here."
"Hercules, leave here and complete your great adventure."
"If you have a chance in the future, you may come back to see me."
"When the time comes, tell me your legendary story."