King of Gods Zeus: Did Those Bastards Freeze Me Out?
The sound of the tide remains, the grass and trees sway, and the sea breeze comes gently, raising dust particles in the air like stars.
In Zeus's eyes, the scenery of the Aegean Sea remained unchanged, and Greece, which had traveled with the gods, had experienced a thousand years of unchanging journeys. The last impact it suffered was the sudden arrival of Uruk a thousand years ago.
Even so, Greece remained stable amidst that clash of civilizations.
The gods—or rather, King of Gods Zeus— did not like change.
Because He is essentially still Machine God.
The Machine God are cold and solid; they pursue eternal firmness, not the ever-changing flow of water and fire.
However, upon stepping back into the mortal world, even though the scenery remained unchanged, Zeus clearly felt a different sensation than before.
He trudged through the weeds, through the woods and hills, until he saw a shadowy figure.
Since the scenery remains unchanged,
So the only thing that can change is people.
Soon, Zeus saw a magnificently decorated city-state standing before him. It was Olympia, one of the most unique city-states in Greece. It was considered the place where the gods gathered on earth and the place where the gods directly ruled the world.
If Athens was the most prosperous region in Greece, representing the pinnacle of economic and commercial prosperity, and Sparta was the most powerful city-state in Greece, representing the peak of martial prowess, then Olympia was the core of Greek faith, the 'holy land' closest to the gods.
This place best embodies the transformation of Greek beliefs.
Because many city-states would gather here every day to hold grand sacrifices for the gods, it was the prototype of what is now known as the ' Olympic Games '.
Similarly, this is why Zeus came here in human form.
He wanted to see the bigger picture from the small details of Olympia, to see what had happened to the Greeks without his knowledge.
Immediately, the priests in the city who served the gods sensed the arrival of the God-King, and they devoutly paid homage, bowing in their respective temples.
Zeus slowly entered the city, encountering no obstacles along the way.
He saw the Spartan warriors who were guarding the city-state, and the Sparta bureaucrats who were in charge of its management. Olympia was called a city-state, but in fact, it was an aggregate formed by the union of various city-states.
"Welcome the great god!" someone waited at the end of the wide road.
"The King of Olympia?" The king was the High Priest of the gods, an old man with white hair and beard. Although he could not see the specific appearance of Zeus, he could vaguely sense the radiance and holiness of the newcomer, who was at least a god of the Main God Specification.
Upon hearing Zeus's deep voice, the old priest replied with even greater respect and reverence, "It is I."
"Then let's go. It's been a long time since you've been to the human world. What changes have occurred during this time?"
This is a reclusive god... The king's heart stirred slightly, then he said, "There is change, and there is none."
"After the Rovi City was built, people from all directions passed through it. They participated in its construction and also shared in its wisdom and achievements. Within the city, the wise men made a pact with the gods: the god of wisdom would grant people mature thought; the god of harvest would grant the earth freedom to cultivate; the god of the hearth would no longer control our making of delicious wine; Apollo would grant me the light to illuminate the night; Poseidon would allow me to command the storms of the sea..."
'People built walls on the earth with their own strength, reaped bountiful harvests, and piled up those giant stones into the sky, no longer confined.'
People praise the wise man who built the city, and they also revere the gods who let go.
'The present and the past are no longer the same.'
'The Olympia Records '
"Rovi City? Science and technology? Gods, relinquish your power!?" Zeus's first reaction upon hearing the king's words was to fly into a rage.
Just as thunder roared and the sky darkened, the king felt as if the world around him had been shrouded in dark clouds in an instant. How could his old body withstand such ravages? Fortunately, Zeus reacted quickly and restrained his anger.
"You say people still revere the gods in the heavens?"
"Yes, great God." The king, panting, calmed his inner fear and forced himself to speak, "We have never ceased to believe in God."
Upon hearing this, Zeus closed his eyes. No matter how many questions he asked, nothing was more meaningful than experiencing it firsthand. He had already arrived in Olympia, the holy land of Greece, the gathering place of gods and mortals, and the transit point for the faith of all the wandering gods.
Whether it's true or false, Zeus will personally experience it.
At that very moment, King of Gods Zeus, sensed the people's faith in the gods.
It is indeed still there.
And it remains intense, even more so than before, with a greater sense of devotion.
The faith in Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom, was the most fervent, followed by Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt, Demeter, the Goddess of Harvest, and Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth.
Then came Apollo, Ares, and other gods.
but...
"Why isn't my faith mentioned?"
Why isn't mine?
"What about my faith!?"
Zeus was enraged.
If the faith in the gods has weakened, then to some extent, it should be an inevitable result of the progress of human civilization.
But what if faith in only one god weakens?
What if only the faith in Zeus is missing?
Then the result is obvious.
"Damn it, those bastards dared to betray me!"
"How dare you betray me, the great King of the Gods!"
The King of the Gods was enraged.
The personality shifted instantly. A sudden gust of wind swept through the air, and the king collapsed to the ground. A thunderous roar and dazzling lightning flashed overhead, and dark clouds filled the sky. The nobles of Olympia looked up at the sky, and the light that tore through the heavens seemed to have instantly enveloped the entire world.
Zeus's human form disappeared.
But His true form simultaneously unleashed its power.
The King of the Gods must display his majesty.
Whether it be the gods who rebelled against the God-King, or the humans who abandoned their faith in the God-King, including the Rovi City and the sage who built it, they were all targets he wanted to destroy.
Because he wanted to demonstrate the majesty of the King of Gods and reveal the power of the God of Gods.
It doesn't matter if existing civilization is destroyed.
He will be the eternal God-King.
They would not tolerate any disobedience from them.
Inside the academy in the now fully completed Rovi City, Rovi stood up.
"Tell all the gods in the city to come to their city!" he said. "The King of the Gods is coming."
"Huh?" Hestia, who was reading a book, looked up and saw Rovi's figure disappear in an instant.
The Goddess of the Hearth had been secretly reading in the Rovi City for some time, was somewhat dazed.
"Where's Rovi?" Athena, with her silver hair flowing freely, walked in from outside the door.
But Rovi had already left.
He sensed that the time was ripe.
He was on the highest mountain in Greece.
I saw someone.
Or rather, a god.
The Titan Giant God.
"Hahaha, that fellow has finally lost his temper!" At the summit of the Caucasus Mountains, Prometheus who stole fire, burst into laughter. "Zeus, King of Gods Zeus, the foresight I have received has already revealed that His reign is not far off!"
"Because, Lord Rovi —you have already arrived!"
"Whether it's far or not depends on fate." A voice responded, and a long robe fluttered in the wind like clouds. Rovi stepped on the rugged mountain path and rocks, crossed the towering mountain, and looked at the huge figure bound to the boulder.
He said, "Prometheus, I've finally met you—"
"I have finally met you, ancient sage, hohohoha!" Prometheus laughed in a manner remarkably similar to that of Cronus.
He was a descendant of the Titans, the grandson of Cronus, so the resemblance was only natural.