A Familiar Formula, a Familiar Taste
Gemini Side Hall.
Samael leaned back at the table, his fingertips gliding along the rim of his teacup, his dark eyes gleaming softly in the Fluorite Lamp.
"Your Majesty, what are you thinking about?"
As the last wisp of steam from the tea dissipated in the wind, Helen, who was tidying up the mess in the room, bent down to wash Samael's cups and pour in fresh hot tea, and couldn't help but ask.
"It seems our opponent has changed..."
The ancient serpent narrowed its vertical pupils, frowned slightly, and murmured thoughtfully.
"Forgive my ignorance, but you mean..."
"Nine days remain until the time Athena and the others predicted. The gates to the Sea of Stars will then fully open, and the bound Divine General return to the earth. However, with the loosening of the restrictions, more Persian gods have personally intervened, and there are probably more than one..."
As he pondered, Samael recalled the ethereal, fluttering winged figure enveloped in flames from earlier, and his brow furrowed in worry.
"The worst-case scenario is that the very culprit who instigated the War of the Giants will personally descend upon us!"
"Star-Seeded Soldier!"
Helen suddenly became alert, her hand trembled, and she almost dropped the teapot in her palm. Involuntarily, images of the Sea of Okeanos, the overwhelming Colossal Titan, aberrant creatures, and the chromatic giants burning in the air, flashed through her mind.
This is an indelible nightmare for every Greek who experienced that apocalyptic catastrophe.
"No, Lord of Hosts!"
However, Samael uttered a completely different name, and the fear and disgust in his eyes were even deeper than before.
As far as he knew, Cyrus was more famous for his magnanimous and benevolent attitude and for laying the foundation for the Persian Empire; his strategic acumen was not particularly outstanding.
From the Greek Sea of Stars, which became the target of all enemies, to the secret alliance with Egypt and the Huns that sparked the two Iliad War, to the assassination of Divine Ancestor Romulus at the City of Seven Hills, which disintegrated Rome, and now to the Third Iliad War, the strategies behind this are all interconnected. Each step is like a noose around the neck of Greece, constantly tightening its grip on Mount of Ares.
Such an ingenious plan and such meticulous calculations put unprecedented pressure on Samael, while also giving him a strong sense of familiarity.
However, this kind of perfectionist player, because he pays too much attention to details and demands perfection, is prone to all sorts of unexpected events, which in turn lead to a series of variables that are increasingly beyond his control, and the entire game becomes unrecognizable.
Same recipe, same taste.
The only one who would enjoy playing like this is probably the Lord of Hosts.
Unexpectedly, the prediction used to persuade Grandpa Ziusudra was spot on, and it was quickly verified in the changes at Mount of Ares.
Angels, with bodies like jewels and wings on their backs, flutter down from heaven, spirits who serve the light...
The luminous feathers that appeared in the hands of these night raiders must have contained the power of angels.
The final sword strike summoned a fragment of this thing's spirit.
If I'm not mistaken, the mysterious Persian who incited these Divine Blood Aristocrats might very well be an angel.
Moreover, possessing wings, his rank is probably not low!
Samael was so concerned about these things because he believed that these so-called angels were the henchmen of Lord of Hosts Jehovah.
Their appearance means that their old rival is about to make his appearance.
Perhaps, he may have infiltrated the Persian army.
That old bastard is like a persistent ghost!
Samael cursed under his breath, and some situations left him completely baffled.
In the battle against the Abandoned Divine Kingdom, he risked his life, truly burning away the divine body and divine essence of this Lord of Hosts. It was only by chance that he survived.
Jehovah not only didn't die, but he seemed to recover even faster than he had, which was simply unbelievable.
That can't be right, how did this guy do that?
A deep sense of dread flickered in the ancient snake's eyes, its expression shifting between light and shadow.
Meanwhile, Helen, upon learning that this Lord of Hosts was the mastermind behind the War of the Giants, who sought to assimilate Greece and nearly brought Zeus to his knees, felt her heart clench and anxiously inquired.
"Your Majesty, will this expedition..."
"We're bound to run into them!"
Samael nodded with a cold laugh, quite certain, then a hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.
"However, judging from this old rival's past behavior, he would never risk showing himself without being fully prepared and having accumulated enough buffs. So, to have a head-on confrontation with him, we'll probably have to wait."
This Lord of Hosts relied too much on his so-called "perfect plan," and repeatedly ran into obstacles.
The more setbacks God suffers, the more meticulous He calculates and the more cunning He becomes in His actions.
Despite the Third Storm in Mesopotamia, he still dared to appear at the Temple of Ea, confronting them head-on and mocking them to incite hatred.
During the Greek War of the Giants, this guy waited until Olympus and Mount of Ares were all severely weakened before daring to show his face, hoping to reap the benefits.
The Iliad War, which brought together various pantheons, were probably no less significant.
As long-time rivals who know each other inside and out, both sides are well aware that a war between humans alone cannot shake the top powers of the major Civilization Belt.
So, despite how fierce the current Iliad War seem, this is just the appetizer.
The key question is what methods this Lord of Hosts intends to use to deal with Mount of Ares and the Pantheon.
However, before the Sea of Stars is fully opened, he still needs the Greek allied forces to hold back the Persian advance and buy time for Athena and the others to return.
"Then tomorrow..."
Helen realized the true strength behind the Persians, and her eyes filled with worry.
"The arrow is on the string, but the die remains cast!"
Samael picked up his teacup, took a small sip, gave Helen a reassuring look, then raised his eyebrows and smiled.
"It's alright to tell you, the Assassins' Order have already defected, and according to the agreement, they will join me in three days at the latest;
Carthage has already withdrawn its troops, and the Egyptian fleet is currently anchored in the Chaos Sea. Ramesses II probably wouldn't be so noble as to let them take the lead in the Iliad War and fight against the odds. If Persia shows signs of weakness, that Pharaoh wouldn't mind incorporating the remnants of the Persian army and expanding Egypt's territory.
Rome had already sent its most elite Amazon Warrior to fight, with Penthesilea in charge of leading the team. Two or three thousand of them were enough to fight against an army of one hundred thousand.
In addition, the second wave of reinforcements from the Nordic countries is gathering. This time, it is the main force of the Valkyrie Legion. If nothing unexpected happens, the restless King of Gods Ooze will personally come to see the so-called "Twilight of the Gods"!
"He's not the only one who can manipulate people and call on helpers. Over the years, that old rival has indeed improved, but I'm not far behind!"
The ancient serpent wore a sinister smile, its expression mocking.
"Besides, you don't really think that Athena's so-called trump card is just Odysseus and Achilles, do you?"
It wasn't just two people, could it be...?
Helen seemed to realize something, and her eyes suddenly lit up.