Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

Hestia's breath hitched, and she immediately understood the key point, her lips twitching involuntarily.

You're something else, Zeus!

I was wondering why I'd been put in charge of guarding the Olympic flame all this time, and why I was suddenly summoned tonight. Turns out it was all part of your plan.

Realizing she had been tricked again, the Goddess of Fire couldn't help but mentally unleash a torrent of abuse on her beloved younger brother.

Since every move she made was being watched by that god-king, Hestia knew that even if she wanted to turn a blind eye, Prometheus, caught red-handed, would never be able to escape Mount Olympus.

Left with no other choice, the goddess of the hearth took Prometheus and led him to Zeus's temple.

Because of her dereliction of duty in guarding the sacred flame, she had no reason to plead for the prophet and was turned away before she even entered the door.

Hestia could only leave dejectedly, obeying the king of the gods' command to summon the gods once more and prepare to begin the trial of Prometheus.

At this moment, Zeus stepped down from his throne and came before the prophet, frankly presenting his conditions.

“Son of Iapetus, if you follow the example of your good brother, the Titan Atlas, and piously pledge to the ancient goddess of oaths, Styx, to submit to me forever, I, the king, can forgive your sins before the gods.”

The wise god-king, whose tyranny was restrained by reason, was naturally unlike his fathers, who acted recklessly.

“If this kind of forgiveness also includes human beings, then I might consider it.”

Faced with the chilling power of thunder, Prometheus remained unfazed and pondered.

"You have no right to negotiate with me!"

Zeus's face immediately darkened, and he coldly looked down at the prophet, his eyes silvery-white, flashing with lightning, his terrifying divine power sending shivers down one's spine.

"After I've dealt with you, I'll slowly deal with those blasphemous ants on the ground!"

Tree-branch-shaped arcs of lightning, along with the surging and friction of the ether, spread continuously around the God-King, causing space to distort slightly.

Under terrible oppression, Prometheus hunched over, his knees bent, his joints cracking, and cold sweat pouring down his temples.

That's incredible! Even if you combined the power of Athena, Medusa, and Samael, you still wouldn't be nearly as strong! Thank goodness we didn't launch a direct attack!

The prophet endured the excruciating pain of being crushed, gritted his teeth, strained his muscles, and managed to lift his head, forcing a meaningful smile.

“Great wise god-king, compared to those insignificant humans on earth who are merely struggling for survival, don’t you think that your troubles on Olympus are the real threat?”

"Do they have the guts?"

Zeus sneered arrogantly, his eyes filled with sarcasm.

"Have you forgotten the curse of destiny borne by your father, the second-generation god-king Cronus?"

Prometheus smiled and "kindly" reminded him.

"Impossible! Metis has already..."

Zeus's expression changed slightly, and he shook his head in denial, but his eyes revealed deep doubt and apprehension.

He was even troubled by the unreliability of the curse of the Titan Iapetus.

Now that Prometheus mentions the destiny inherited in his blood, how could he possibly not care?

"Even if Metis is gone, everything will continue. You will not only have six wives, but also countless lovers."

I see the future; one day, the chosen one, destined to fulfill the curse, will finally arrive!

The prophet's gaze was deep and his tone was low.

"Who is it! Who is that child! Answer me, Prometheus!"

Zeus was furious and grabbed the prophet by the collar, demanding an explanation through gritted teeth.

However, the prophet, who was brought up so abruptly, revealed a strange smile.

“Great God-King of Wisdom, now it is your turn to make a promise to the Goddess of Oaths, Styx. If you promise not to harm humans, I will tell you the answer.”

After a moment of silence, the Olympian king's eyes flickered. He put Prometheus down, raised his right hand, and forced out the oath through gritted teeth.

"Okay, I promise I won't personally harm humans!"

As expected, you won't give up so easily.

Prometheus sensed the trickery in the conversation and sneered inwardly.

But circumstances are beyond human control; being able to restrain this god-king to some extent is already the limit.

As long as the gods continue to reap the benefits of faith from humanity and enjoy its sweetness, they can effectively counterbalance Zeus.

Seeing that Zeus had made some concessions, the prophet recalled a certain symbol engraved on the table in the room, his eyes flickered, and he opened his mouth to ponder.

He is infinity, he is possibility, he is the turbulent future…

He will possess wisdom surpassing yours, he will gain the power of the world, he will ultimately dismantle the divine might of Olympus and seize your throne!

Suddenly, a warning arose, and a strong sense of crisis made his heart pound with fear.

An indescribable agitation and fear caused Zeus's forehead veins to bulge. He pushed these prophets against a pillar and roared through gritted teeth.

"Who is it! Answer me!"

"Um...cough cough...Poros, the god of opportunity, Poros!"

With his throat being choked and his face turning purple, Prometheus, half-conscious, managed to utter a muffled sentence. Due to his difficulty breathing, he coughed violently and barely managed to push aside Zeus's strong arm before finally managing to give his answer in fits and starts.

"Who would give birth to this bastard?"

"That's...another problem...unfortunately...it's not within the scope of our deal..."

"You fool me!"

“Your Majesty, didn’t you also hold back on your promise just now? If you want to know which goddess will give birth to this child, you must guarantee the survival of humanity.”

"Prometheus!"

Zeus, engulfed in silver lightning, was furious at the prophet's tightly closed lips and unyielding demeanor.

Beep...

Meanwhile, in Mycenae, Samael flicked the flames of a lamp, and the bright light shone on the table.

Athena and Medusa, who came with them, lowered their heads slightly, their gazes falling on the serpentine symbol that connected head to tail to form a perfect circle. Their fingertips touched the scale-like texture, their expressions puzzled.

I said I was going to check out your upcoming arrangements, so why did I end up here?

"what is this?"

Athena frowned slightly and asked a question.

"Ouroboros, an infinite future, infinite possibilities, and the opportunity to change this world..."

As Samael pondered, he tapped the table. When his eyes noticed the streaks of starlight converging on Olympus again outside the window, a subtle smile appeared on his lips.

"Oh, by the way, to avoid being discovered by Destiny, Prometheus and I have done a little bit of concealment regarding the true name of this future plan."

As for the specifics, you'll find out later.

How do you do crisis public relations?

When faced with trouble and doubt, don't rush to wash it away; the more you wash, the darker it gets.

The right thing to do is to release other, more explosive information to draw attention away from the situation and reduce the heat around you.

That wise god-king should be busy searching for the legendary god of opportunity, whether he exists or not. As long as he hasn't pried the complete answer out of Prometheus, he probably won't have time to cause trouble for humans.

As for the legend that Boros, the god of opportunity, was the son of Metis, that seems to make no problem.

There's an old saying that a son-in-law is like half a son.

In the darkness, the ancient serpent watched Athena, who was hunched over the table, struggling with the so-called "secret weapon," while it leaned against the corner, rubbing its chin with a subtle expression.

Chapter 105 The Time Has Come to Begin (1/4)

As the fire was rekindled across the land, light and warmth were restored in human settlements, and they were able to drink hot soup and eat cooked food again.

Every morning, Apollo, the god of light, would drive his chariot of the sun as usual, guiding the celestial bodies into their correct orbits. Mount Olympus would be quiet and solemn, as if the gods had no intention of taking back the fire.

But a few days later, a public trial sealed the fate of the fire-stealer.

"Prometheus, you have arrogantly insulted the gods and desecrated the sacred fire we lit together on Olympus!"

Since you insist on refusing to admit your mistake, then so be it. The gods will bind you to the Caucasus Mountains with the strongest chains. The scorching heat of the day, the bitter cold of the night, and the solitude of the summit will torment your stubborn body and mind until you finally bow your head!

Zeus, seated high on his throne, had a somber expression and spoke in a cold, sharp voice, pausing slightly as if waiting for a reply.

"Zeus, it's not the right time yet, it's not the right time yet."

I'll tell you the secret now, but it's useless to you.

A future full of opportunities and challenges will eventually come when its time is right.

In the center of the council of the main gods, Prometheus, who was suppressed by the restrictive light band, knelt down and responded faintly amidst the surrounding flames.

"Good! Very good! You despicable fire thief, it seems the gods have not punished you enough!"

In addition, I will send my divine eagle to tear your flesh and devour your liver, day after day!

As an ancient Titan, this wound won't kill you, but the pain will teach you the price of angering the gods!

Zeus was furious and eager to know which goddess had given birth to his nemesis.

But after several days of interrogation, the bastard refused to budge, causing him sleepless nights and loss of appetite.

Seeing that all the gods had arrived and were waiting for the trial, he had no choice but to bring the matter to the forefront to resolve it, but the result remained the same.

Enraged, Zeus had no choice but to intensify the punishment to vent his remaining anger.

But at this moment, the gods' expressions changed slightly, they whispered among themselves, and their gazes toward Prometheus and Zeus flickered with a sinister light.

The God of Wisdom immediately realized that the punishment had been too severe, causing a backlash and dissatisfaction.

The god of prophecy had many friends in Olympus, some who admired Prometheus's foresight, and others simply for the sake of their faith. They had long been flirting with the fire-bringer.

However, this trial was justified, and the gods had few legitimate reasons to plead for leniency.

The fact that they dare not step forward now does not mean that they are not harboring personal grudges.

Zeus glanced around at the gods, their expressions varied, frowned, calmed himself slightly, and then coldly snorted at the crowd below.

"Since you are willing to suffer for the sake of the humans you love, then let humanity itself liberate you from your suffering!"

Upon hearing this, the gods exchanged glances, nodded in unison, and then raised their hands in approval.

This was probably the limit of Zeus's concession. Although it sounds ridiculous to ask insignificant humans to help a great god find liberation, it was still a thought in itself.

Looking at the gods before him, who had clearly been divided, the wise god-king wished for a moment that he could unleash his divine power and, regardless of the consequences, deal with all those who were getting in his way within the hall.

But in order to avoid repeating the mistakes of Otrothal, he must exercise restraint.

To hell with wisdom! To hell with reason!

As Zeus watched Prometheus being led away by Hephaestus in chains, his face calm and serene like that of a hero, Zeus felt as disgusted as if he had swallowed a fly. He cursed inwardly the two qualities that Prometheus had once been so proud of.

"Boom!"

As the gods dispersed and left, the wise god-king, sitting alone in the great hall, raised his strong arm and slammed it on the table, roaring angrily.

"Prometheus! Prometheus! You will never make me bow down!"

In an instant, lightning crackled around Zeus, and silvery arcs of light darted about, tearing nearby tables, chairs, and utensils to shreds.

Soon, the contents and results of the judgment brought down by the theocratic council spread among mankind.

The ants on the ground looked up at the summit of the Caucasus Mountains, which was perpetually filled with fierce winds and divine might, and which humans could not approach even a step from. They felt a deep sorrow for their human mentor who had fallen to this state, and secretly prayed for him.

But at that moment, Prometheus, bare-chested and bound to the rock, looked at the crimson fruit before him and the giant eagle crouching and preening its feathers not far away, and his mouth twitched.

"I said, can we not eat this stuff?"

"puff!"

The giant eagle with black feathers and golden eyes raised its talons and slashed several bloody gashes across Prometheus's abdomen.

"hiss!"

The prophet gasped, his facial muscles twitching slightly.

It hurts!

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to accept my fate.

When the giant eagle, perched atop the rock and looking down, let out a sharp cry, Prometheus shook his head and sighed, picked up a seemingly brightly colored fruit from the ground, and quickly stuffed it into his mouth.