Common Victory

Ares, enlightened.

He realized that victory was not something he could control, but a just war was often within his grasp.

But Rovi just stood there, without reacting.

How did I... come to this realization?

You broke through while fighting? Where did you come from, protagonist?

Rovi really wanted to ask that.

But looking at Ares —or rather, Mars —who had lost his previous murderous intent and bloodthirsty divinity and transformed into a clear fighting spirit, he was somewhat stunned, but also somewhat... enlightened.

Mars is a continuation of Ares.

Although Rome does not exist yet, the gods of Rome are a continuation of the Greek gods, and Mars, as the Lord of Rome, is an elevated manifestation of Ares.

Yes, it's been upgraded, just like now.

From a war-carrying figure who only wields a spear to slaughter, to a war god who controls war, guides it towards justice, and brings victory.

Ares completed this transformation.

And at this moment, Rovi was given 'protection'.

This process seemed like a series of unexpected events, but...

"Why am I not surprised at all?" Rovi fell into deep thought.

He suddenly realized that he seemed to be gradually losing his sense of the emotional fluctuations that followed his failed attempts at reckless behavior.

If you fail, try again.

However...

"To witness the birth of a military genius is a good outcome," Rovi said with a smile.

He once drove away gods who tried to control humanity, but he did not completely reject divinity—on the contrary, he always welcomed gods who were benevolent towards humanity.

Such as Ishtar Rin and Ereshkigal in the Dawn, and Tiamat in the Sea of Imaginary Numbers.

The same is true of Mars before my eyes.

Mars looked up and glanced behind him.

Those Spartans standing still...

"From this day forward, I am no longer the god of Sparta," he said. "In the past, I only drove you into pointless battles, but now, I will let go."

"Sparta, my brave warriors, your glory lies on the battlefield, but not in a senseless war. You should walk on the path of light!"

From this day forward—

"I will ask my brother, the God of Light, Apollo, to be your protector!"

"The light will protect you, and justice will guide you on your journey."

The Spartans looked at each other in bewilderment.

At that very moment, in the sky above, where all the impact had just subsided, light shone and sounds fell from it.

"I agree."

This is the voice of Apollo, the eldest son of Zeus, the 'crown prince' of the heavens, the God of Light.

"From this day forward, Sparta shall be under my rule."

The Spartans were still looking at each other in bewilderment, but soon they slowly bent their knees and knelt down.

We pay homage to the old deity to express our respect, and we also pay homage to the new deity to express our welcome.

But the voice of Apollo from the heavens changed to a light laugh, saying, "Sage Rovi from Uruk, I hope we will have a day when we meet alone—"

"I hope that by then, your wisdom will still be as brilliant as it is today."

"That day will come," Rovi replied. "Apollo, the god of light, I hope that your light will still shine as brightly as it does today."

He had a feeling that sooner or later... he would become an enemy of the gods.

Although it made Ares realize his mistake, in fact, Rovi's actions were also weakening Olympus in a roundabout way.

Because Mars was a Roman god, existing in the past, not now.

"Then, I should depart as well." Mars flicked the reins of his chariot and said, "Farewell, Sage!"

The dust kicked up by the horses' hooves vanished in an instant, and the shadow of the god disappeared.

Mars left.

He will go to the land of the gods—where there is land that belongs to him.

Ares still Ares in the present world, but he is merely a shadow he left behind.

Like a machine, it completed Ares's duties.

The war, the real one, is over.

"I never expected it to be like this."

Athena, who had been observing the whole thing, composed herself. For the first time, as the Goddess of Wisdom, she felt admiration for the wisdom of others.

is the protection of 'invincible'.

Yet they were able to achieve victory step by step.

"Sage Rovi, truly a wise man who dispelled the gods and personally forged a magnificent heaven." With a soft, fragrant breath, she turned and left.

The war between gods has ended.

This is a war... with no losers.

Athena has taken up the power of war, and in the future, there will be no more obstacles.

Ares went to Mars for the sake of Mars.

Sparta gained a new god, and under the protection of the Sun God, they would no longer need to be enemies with Athens.

There were no losers, or rather, the only loser was Rovi.

He didn't die.

The anti-cowardice has been strengthened.

Unjust War will be far from you.

[From this point on, Sheng Yang will be forever separated from you.]

And the previous one, "I will eventually find my final destination."

The triple blessing represents the deeper connection between Rovi and the divine, marking another step forward on the path of a Hero.

Before that.

The road home may be just ahead.

"Sister, sister, that guy seems to have beaten Ares?"

"Euryale, he didn't win."

"Then why did Ares leave? What do you think, Medusa? Don't you think he won?"

"Mr. Rovi did not beat Yang, but he won."

"You'll be punished if you say you don't understand!"

"I'm so sorry!"

The voices of the Three Goddesses, now back in human form, communicating came from behind Rovi.

The linen robe remained the same; Rovi glanced sideways at what was behind him.

The little girl, dressed in a plain white dress, leaned closer and scrutinized him from head to toe.

"Euryale, be polite."

"But aren't you the same way?"

Rovi was surrounded by two little girls, one on his left and one on his right.

He glanced sideways.

"Mr. Rovi. Lo... Love, hello," Medusa said cautiously from three steps away.

Rovi was stunned.

He then leaned down slightly to look at him at eye level.

"Hello, Little Miss Medusa."

What about me? What about me?

"Me too! Me too!"

"Sister, I said it first!"

"..."

The Hero who does not kill first appeared on the battlefield between Athens and Sparta. He wielded an invisible weapon, yet he could neither defeat anyone nor claim any victory for himself.

But he subdued the raging Ares, God of War, and even Athena sincerely admired his power.

Because in this world, the most powerful force is often not to destroy something, but to rebuild it.

That is the power called 'wisdom', the power wielded by the Rovi, who is Hero who does not kill —a sage who traveled from distant Uruk to the Aegean Sea.

It was because his story of the fire of wisdom and self that spread to Greece that the story of Prometheus stealing Heavenly Fire, which symbolized self, occurred, and that the brilliant and shining Heroic Age came into being.

Greek Mythology: The Beginning Chapter

Boom!

Thunder crashed down, scattering brilliant streaks of light across the sky.

Amidst towering, distant mountains, soaring eagles, and circling vultures, a tall man bound by countless chains on jagged boulders slowly opened his eyes upon hearing rustling footsteps.

"You are Prometheus, aren't you?"

Before him, a figure moved, climbing thousands of meters high with bare hands, and walked up to him.

"My name is Heracles. I have heard that you stole fire from the gods for mankind, bringing warmth and light to the earth, and were therefore judged by King of Gods Zeus, and imprisoned here?"

Heracles's rough voice echoed across the mountain as he said, "I want to save you from here."

"No more, young man." Prometheus paused for a moment, then shook his head. "Stealing the fire from the heavens and bringing it to earth is a sin in itself. Even the sages of Uruk were condemned to the Sea of Void. How can I avoid it?"

"What if I told you... the Sage has returned?"

Heracles ' words made Prometheus' eyes widen slightly.