Greece brings evildoers.

Chapter 676 You lust after my body, you're despicable!
Persia, a border town.

An oppressive and uneasy atmosphere permeated the city. Doors were tightly shut, and the streets were in disarray and desolation. Fully armed Persian soldiers patrolled the city, maintaining a state of martial law.

Even so, many Persian residents still managed to escape the border under cover of night and head inland.

Just days before, the expeditionary force that was supposed to crush the enemy and plow the Persian lands with sword and fire returned with astonishing news.

The Persian army has been defeated!
Moreover, it was an unprecedented and devastating defeat!

King Galshasb has fallen in battle, and the sharpshooter Arash is gravely wounded...

Crown Prince Darius III, with the help of two foreign heroes, Arjuna and Karna, managed to escape the encirclement.

However, as a price, the accompanying mages, meteor legions, and undead army suffered heavy losses, with less than one in a hundred surviving.

Of the hundreds of thousands of soldiers, fewer than 20,000 fled.

The reasons for this crushing defeat were twofold: first, the errors of the command and the misjudgment of the enemy's strength; and second, it is said that several deities intervened in the battle, causing a terrible natural disaster that killed many soldiers.

Moreover, the lingering effects of Kamui extend far beyond this.

After this battle, the plain that served as the battlefield was completely transformed. The magical turbulence unleashed by the divine war lasted for weeks, with explosions and roars carrying for miles. The dazzling aurora made the night as bright as day, and the aftershocks almost caused this border town within the Persian Empire to sink into a crack in the ground.

This is why the Persian inhabitants, who had experienced the terrifying aftereffects of divine power, fled inland like frightened birds, trying to escape the impending resurgence of war.

Because failure does not mean the end.

Neither the monarchs of the empire nor the gods of the pantheon would easily swallow this humiliation.

Therefore, the next war will come soon.

~~
Meanwhile, in the Roman divine era, at the private residence of Claudius.

Lorne, behind his desk, looked up at the two patients who had just climbed out of bed, a hint of concern in his eyes:
How is your injury healing?

"Thanks to you, I'm almost fully recovered."

Caesar and Alexander shook their limbs, which had just been unbandaged, and smiled to indicate that they were fine.

After all, with the personal orders of this Origin God, even if they were blown to pieces, the priests of the Pantheon could probably piece them back together.

Lorne nodded, waved for two chairs, gesturing for the two to sit down, and then asked:
"What are your thoughts after this battle?"

Caesar and Alexander glanced at the god of origin, their expressions hesitant:

"You want to hear the truth?"

"Of course!"

"Compared to the gods, humanity is truly insignificant."

Caesar and Alexander looked at each other and sighed simultaneously.
"Favorable timing, advantageous location, troop training and coordination, strategy and tactics... We carefully took every step and made countless sacrifices to successfully tilt the scales of victory slightly in our favor."

"However, with just a slight intervention from the gods, the situation immediately reversed. All our efforts became a joke. If it weren't for the reinforcements you sent, we and our soldiers would probably have become victims of those Persians..."

As they spoke, their tone was filled with frustration.

As some of the greatest military commanders in human history, they discovered that even when strategies and tactics were pushed to their limits, it seemed impossible to bridge the gap between humans and gods.

Correspondingly, in this war between the Age of Gods.

The gods seem to be the main force determining the fate of their respective worlds, and the impact that humans can have on the overall war is negligible, even insignificant.

Human beings are still too small and too powerless.

Their existence and efforts were almost meaningless in the context of this war.

Seeing this cruel reality, Caesar and Alexander were filled with bitterness.

“That’s not the case.” Lorne shook his head and said seriously, “If you hadn’t used a mere tens of thousands of people to hold off the attack of hundreds of thousands of Persian troops, and even disrupted their formation, forcing these Persians to reveal their trump cards in advance, Nero and his men wouldn’t have been able to succeed so easily. And to be able to force the gods to intervene personally with your mortal bodies, no matter the outcome, you have every reason to be proud.”

Caesar and Alexander felt somewhat relieved upon hearing this.

But that deep-seated sense of powerlessness meant they didn't experience much joy after their victory.

Lorne couldn't help but snort and said, "Alright, stop looking so gloomy. I'm not dead yet."

Persia has gods, don't you have them too?

Whether they are gods or humans, each has their own things to do.

Let God resolve the war that belongs to God; let people fight for the future that belongs to humanity!
Why bother with unnecessary worries?

After hearing this explanation, Caesar and Alexander felt much of their distress dissipate, and they said in unison:

"You're right, we've made trouble for ourselves."

Seeing that the two had resolved their differences, Lorne's face showed a satisfied smile:

"That's more like it. If war breaks out, we'll be responsible for holding off the alien gods. Then, the battlefield that belongs to humanity will be yours."

"Don't worry, as long as there are no external factors interfering, we'll kill as many of those Persians as they come!"

Caesar and Alexander straightened their backs and answered proudly.

Having experienced the previous battle, they had a clear understanding of the true strength of the Persian army:
This is a tribal alliance forcibly united by interests. It appears large, but it is extremely loose and lacks strong support. Like a sandcastle on the beach, it will collapse at the slightest touch.

In contrast, Greece, the Celts, and Rome had no shortage of professional soldiers.

Compared to the Persian vassal armies that were still in the tribal alliance period, it was a complete dimensional reduction attack.

Coupled with equally high-caliber military commanders, it's hard to say who will win or lose.

"Very good, that's the kind of spirit I'm looking for!" Lorne smiled, then waved to the two of them and said, "Alright, you've just recovered from your injuries, go and rest first. Once you're fully healed, I'll give you a chance to return to the battlefield."

The two nodded respectfully and then took their leave.

As he watched the two leave, Lorne's smile gradually faded.

As he had expected, the battle on the Cilician plain was merely a small probe by the Persians.

The purpose was to confirm each other's borders and territories, as well as the strength levels of both sides.

Although Caesar and Alexander, with their excellent strategies and tactics, and the timely support of the Pantheon, successfully wiped out the Persian army that had infiltrated Roman mythology, the Persians dared not make any rash moves for a short period of time.

However, as the first great empire in human history to span Asia, Africa, and Europe, the Achaemenid dynasty possessed terrifying war potential in terms of territory, population, and deities, so this loss was negligible to them.

In contrast, each of the five generations of gods under Lorne's command had its own flaws.

Greece's destiny was destroyed and rebuilt; Northern Europe was repeatedly tormented by the Orlaugs; the Celts endured four major invasions...

Babylon suffered the most, having to abandon even its territory, leaving only the Garden of Eden.

Rome was relatively better, but because it was a tribal union, there were still some internal conflicts.

In conclusion, if a full-scale war breaks out, the situation will likely be very unfavorable for Europe.

Right now, the signs of war are becoming increasingly clear.

Lorne flipped through the latest battle reports on the table, his brow furrowing.

The news came from the three great pantheons of Greece, Celts, and Norse mythology. Enemy ships and their allies from the five great pantheons of Persia were spotted in the Aegean Sea, the Irish Sea, and Midgard.

Clearly, the probing of the five great pantheons of Europe was multifaceted.

The Persian army on the Cilician plain was just one of many forces. Even if they were severely damaged by excellent tactics, it would not change the overall strategic layout of the Persian Empire.

A storm is brewing...

Lorne sighed, raised his hand to press his slightly sore temples, and walked towards his bedroom under the cool moonlight.

However, as soon as he entered, his face darkened upon seeing the bulging bedding. He reached inside and pulled out a student with ill intentions.
"Nero? You're pretty free, aren't you? Looks like I haven't given you enough homework."

“How could that be, teacher! I’ve been working very hard, and recently I’ve been exploring the aesthetics of sketching and sculpture.”

The Roman emperor, being held by the collar, gestured with his hands like a conductor's baton, speaking in a passionate and impassioned tone, his expression solemn and dignified.

Lorne looked at the student gesticulating wildly and sneered:
"You study art, what are you doing in my room?"

"Of course, we need to find models!"

"Model? What model?"

"Didn't we agree that after this war was over, you would become my nude model so I could perfect my aesthetics!"

As Nero spoke, he skillfully opened the magic circle diagram and brought out a whole box of drawing boards and plaster.

"Look, I've even got the drawing board and plaster cast ready! When shall we begin?"

His amber eyes darted around, looking expectantly and eagerly at the perfect model who hadn't yet "removed her armor."

Lorne rolled his eyes and snorted:
"That's what you said yourself, I didn't agree to it."
"Not objecting is tantamount to acquiescence, isn't that what you taught us! Now that I've won the battle, you're trying to renege on your promise!"

"Don't try to fool me. When did I ever teach you this? You're just talking to yourself!"

Seeing that her plan had failed, Nero immediately lowered her head and put on a tearful expression:

"To win this battle, they tirelessly assembled their army and set up altars, working day and night without sleep; to completely crush the Persian army's will to resist, they risked their lives and fought desperately against the Persian hero-king; in the end, to expand their gains and capture that Persian hero, they were almost stabbed to death by him. Look, the wound hasn't healed yet!"

As she spoke, the girl unbuttoned her clothes and pulled down her collar, trying to prove her contribution.

Seeing that almost exposed snow-white skin, Lorne felt a chill run down his spine and quickly covered Nero's slightly open collar, saying helplessly:

"I believe you, okay?"

"Since I've worked so hard, shouldn't you, teacher, show me some appreciation?"

Nero raised his head and looked longingly at his teacher, his face completely free of tears:
"For example, making a small sacrifice for art, for the empire?"

Lorne's face twitched, and he looked at his student with disdain:

"You call that for art? You were just lusting after my body! You're despicable!"

"It's not as dirty as you say! I just think the lines on your body are amazing... Hmm... Your muscles are streamlined without looking awkward; your skin is both resilient and delicate, and your overall shape is perfect as a canvas for copying and a model for rock carving."

Nero, while passionately defending himself, stated eloquently:

"Beauty belongs not only to you, but also to the world! I just want to reproduce this beauty on a canvas and preserve this art with plaster. Is that wrong?"

As she spoke, she couldn't help but reach out and touch her teacher's chest, kneading and patting his perfectly sculpted muscles.

Yes, that's great!

Lorne felt a chill run down his spine, goosebumps rose all over his body, and he quickly distanced himself from the "artist".

Nero, still not satisfied, urged him again:

"Teacher, don't be shy, let me touch... cough cough... feel... art again!"

"I have already felt your passion for pursuing art."

"Really?"

"Yes, I misunderstood you."

Lorne subtly brushed away the claws reaching for him and gently patted his beloved student's shoulder to show encouragement and approval.

Nero was extremely excited and his heart was surging with emotion:

"I knew you'd understand, teacher! So, when shall we begin? Perhaps you could take your clothes off first?"

"Don't worry."

Lorne pushed away Nero's outstretched hand once more, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"Don't rush into painting and sculpture. I also have an art form here that you can learn first."

"what?"

Lorne pulled a beast tendon about seven or eight meters long from the magic circle with his right hand, a sinister grin spreading across his face:
"YZ bondage!"

Nero's expression changed, and he quickly jumped off the bed and rushed towards the door.

However, before she could even step out of the room, a sharp whooshing sound came from behind her.

Whoosh!
The magically infused beast tendons snaked and coiled like venomous snakes, first wrapping around Nero's ankles, pulling him down, then folding them in half and looping them around Nero's fair neck, before tying knots in his collarbone, sternum, and shinbone.

Then, the rope end is knotted slightly above the opposite side on its back, and then passed through the back of its neck, pulling the entire animal sinew apart to the left and right, thus creating a diamond-shaped braid.

This braiding technique has a special name in the bondage world: "Tortoise Shell Binding," and it is a skill that Lorne is quite proficient in.

Lorne planned to wait until his beloved student fully grasped this first lesson before beginning to teach new material.

For example, "four horses with their hooves tucked together" and "bound hand and foot"?

These are all art forms that can be studied in depth, and he just happened to be lacking material.

Feeling the animal tendons tightening around him, Nero pleaded with a tearful face:
"Teacher, I don't want to learn anymore, and I don't want any reward either."

"That won't do! Learning is a lifelong process!"

Lorne refused righteously and firmly, then, mimicking Nero's tone, offered heartfelt words of comfort:

"For the sake of art, you'll have to make a sacrifice."

He then admired the artwork he had created with considerable satisfaction, before swinging the rope over the doorframe and tying it securely.

Nero, bound with a turtle, was suspended at the doorway like a doorbell.

Through the window, Lorne admired his masterpiece a few more times, then lay down on the bed in a good mood, continuing to feel the timeless power of art in his dreams.

"Ah!"

A cold wind blew by, and Nero, swaying in mid-air, kept sneezing, a hint of tears welling up in his eyes.

This is different from what was promised!

(End of this chapter)