"Some matters can be discussed but should not be involved in."
"Weakness itself is a sin, no doubt about that."
"Indeed!"
Hades, Erebus, and Nyx were quietly discussing.
Although they had predicted these events, they couldn't stop them, nor would they try. It was pointless, as the gains were minimal.
Speak out?
Don't be ridiculous!
Even if all the gods of the mythical world united, they might be able to defeat Gaia. But that's simply impossible. Unless pushed to the brink of destruction, such an alliance could never happen.
Under the oppression of the Titan God-King Kronos, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus once joined forces. But after that? No matter the circumstances, these three would never collaborate again. That's inevitable.
Don't the allied nations of the Grand Line know that the World Government is slowly trying to devour everything?
Of course, they do!
But, as long as the danger doesn't fall upon them, and they don't face absolute despair, no one would choose to unite. Human nature is selfish, and gods are no better.
Gods are never embodiments of true goodness!
Quite the opposite!
Gods amplify all the darkness of humanity and elevate it to its peak.
This is an undeniable truth.
Remember!
Absolutely!
Undeniably!
This conversation ended here, and Hades didn't continue discussing it further.
"Hypnos, select a gift and present it to the heavens for me."
"As you command!"
Receiving the order, Hypnos bowed respectfully, chose a moderately suitable gift from the Demon Star, and departed.
This was a small matter. The real focus was to observe the heavens and understand the current situation.
...
In the heavens.
Within the temple.
Zeus opened his eyes slightly, with brilliant thunder flickering in them, but it quickly subsided once more.
Zeus spoke coldly: "Prometheus, the child of Metis has been born. Have the preparations been made?"
"Your Majesty!"
Prometheus knelt on one knee and replied respectfully, "Everything is ready, but the timing isn't right. Also, Metis' child is not the only one. There's also the presence of the earth."
"As expected."
"My senses weren't wrong."
A sarcastic smile appeared on Zeus' lips as he coldly said, "That one did leave a backup plan."
Indeed!
The birth of Abel, the fourth God-King, was part of Zeus' deal with that being. That being accelerated Abel's birth, but also left behind a contingency.
Among the God-Kings, there were the overall God-Kings like Uranus, Kronos, and Abel.
Then there were the individual God-Kings like Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus.
However!
In the realms of heaven, sea, earth, and stars, there would never be a Star God-King. This was something the entire mythical world would never allow.
So!
What's the core issue here?
It lies in the God-King of Earth. The Earth God-King was none other than the Earth Goddess.
But the question remains.
Why would the Earth Goddess give up her position as a God-King?
Obviously, that's not realistic, and Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus all understood this.
However!
The problem was that something unexpected happened. The second child being nurtured within Metis contained the power of the earth. What does this signify? This child would become the second ruler of the earth. That certainly makes things interesting.
Clearly.
This was a small contingency left by the Earth Goddess when she cooperated with Zeus. While a minor backup plan, if not handled properly, it could cause tremendous trouble!
However.
Zeus merely smiled indifferently, not caring much, and said calmly, "Prometheus, make all the necessary arrangements. With Abel's birth, the mythical world will once again face upheaval, and besides, the first Holy War is about to begin."
"Your Majesty, I will prepare everything!"
"Go!"
Zeus waved dismissively, and Prometheus respectfully withdrew.
After Prometheus left, thunder flickered in Zeus' eyes again, and his voice turned sharp: "Prometheus, do not disappoint me. This is your last chance. If you continue to fail me, the pain you will suffer will be unimaginable."
Zeus once again closed his eyes in silence. As he continued to comprehend the God-Slaying Thunder and divine power, his strength steadily increased.
On the other side!
After leaving the temple, Prometheus busied himself with his many tasks.
The turmoil in the mythical world.
Abel's birth.
Managing the Olympian pantheon.
Receiving the arriving gods.
Preparing for the first Holy War.
In short, there was too much to do, so much that Prometheus was constantly on the move. As the de facto prime minister of the heavens, he lacked any authority, but his workload was enormous.
Yet Prometheus carried out his duties diligently, handling everything with precision.
It was as if he didn't care about anything at all. Prometheus remained calm, to the point that it seemed oddly unsettling.
Why was this?
No one could say!
Perhaps it was due to Prometheus' loyalty to Zeus. After all, he had personally proposed the unimaginable plan, and Zeus had accepted it.
As for what would happen next?
Who could possibly know!
Gods!
Whether through betrayal or madness, the possibilities were endless. The horrors of it all were too numerous to imagine, and the outcomes could be anything.
Prometheus continued to work quietly.
Meanwhile.
Hera's smile grew ever wider. She whispered softly to herself, "Abel is the fourth God-King?"
"Good!"
"Good!"
"That's fantastic!"
Hera's beautiful face twisted with a terrifying and sinister expression. Her rivalry with Metis had reached its peak.
You could say.
Hera wanted to become the Queen of Heaven, and so did Metis.
Both Hera and Metis were qualified for the position.
However!
There could only be one Queen of Heaven. Since that was the case, who would be more suited? That remains to be seen!
___________________
Read Ahead
P@treon.com/Mutter