I Became a Prophet in Greece 19

"Come to think of it, this was our business to begin with. I've troubled you and Lady Nyx to help us. I don't know how to thank you."

"It was nothing." Theron smiled as well, his expression sincere. "I only hope that if I ever need help in the future, the esteemed Mother Earth will be willing to lend me a hand."

"Of course." Gaia spoke with a solemn expression. "But that cannot count as thanks."

"How about this? Once that child grows up, I will tell him everything truthfully and have him grant you two requests. Let that be my thanks for the help you and Lady Nyx have given us."

Theron looked surprised. "Wouldn't that be inappropriate?"

"It is what that child should do," Gaia said. "I'll make this decision for him."

Theron seemed to sigh helplessly. No longer refusing, he smiled and said:

"Then thank you for your generosity."

Attempting Surveillance

Several hundred more years passed, and Kronos's authority grew ever greater.

Correspondingly, the conflicts among the gods became increasingly intense.

Everyone knew that the God King had been secretly stirring things up, but he controlled the situation too well. He never drove the gods into a corner, so no god dared resist their supreme and great God King.

Kronos had also used his own methods to erode the core authorities of the earth and sea. In this world where sky, sea, and land formed a trinity, he had finally become the absolute ruler—one no one could oppose.

The only thing that dissatisfied him was that he had never found any fault with Theron. He had no way to imprison this God of Fate, whom he feared, in Tartarus forever.

Over these centuries, Theron had remained in his void-like space. He had even refused visits from other gods, as though he had withdrawn from worldly affairs entirely.

Kronos asked the Three Fates many times, and their answers were always the same: Theron truly had no desire to contend with the world.

Yet this did not put Kronos at ease. He was too cautious and suspicious. As long as he had not completely imprisoned Theron, he could not rest easy.

He placed his hopes on Prometheus, the God of Foresight.

Prometheus's father, the Titan Iapetus, was a staunch supporter of Kronos and an important member of Kronos's faction.

Of the few people whom the suspicious Kronos could still barely trust, Iapetus was undoubtedly one of them.

And it just so happened that Iapetus's child, Prometheus, had previously had a pleasant conversation with Theron. Theron did not reject meeting with the God of Foresight.

Thus, over these centuries, Prometheus became the only god Theron was still willing to see.

Kronos had Prometheus visit Theron frequently, ostensibly to pay a call, but in truth to monitor Theron's every move and find some fault with him.

Unfortunately, after all these years, Prometheus had not found any fault. His surveillance, however, had been carried out quite well.

Kronos did not completely trust Prometheus either, but out of consideration for his father, the Titan Iapetus, he showed him a little more tolerance.

Moreover, every time Prometheus brought back news, Kronos would ask the Three Fates whether it was true. Only after receiving their confirmation would he believe it.

In Kronos's eyes, Iapetus was a Titan who firmly defended and supported him. His child naturally would not defy his father for an outsider, so Prometheus could barely be considered part of his own faction.

As for the Three Fates and Theron, their divine offices were in conflict. The stronger one became, the weaker the other would be, and vice versa. Based on that, Kronos believed it was impossible for them to have a harmonious relationship with Theron.

So if Prometheus and the Three Fates said the same thing, Kronos had no reason not to believe them.

Rather than saying he trusted Prometheus and the Three Fates, it was more accurate to say that he trusted his own judgment.

Therefore, although he was dissatisfied that Prometheus had never found any fault with Theron, he could only blame Theron for being too cautious, then order Prometheus to visit even more frequently.

That day, urged on by the God King Kronos, Prometheus once again came to the void and saw that familiar white figure.

"Lord Theron." Prometheus's deep eyes lit up at once, and a sincere smile appeared on his face—a smile he had never shown before the God King.

Theron smiled back at him. Thanks to Kronos, the two had become quite familiar by now.

"Oceanus asked me to send you his greetings. He wanted me to tell you that one of the bubbles you blessed long ago gave birth to an incomparably beautiful goddess not long ago."

"Her name is Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Beauty. Her appearance is unparalleled and unforgettable. She is deeply grateful for your blessing and wished to visit you, but I refused on your behalf."

Theron nodded, but he did not seem surprised. He simply continued smiling at Prometheus, as though he had anticipated all of this long ago. Though he had not left this void even once in centuries, he still seemed to know the world inside and out.

That near-omniscient ability made the admiration in Prometheus's eyes even more obvious.

He cleared his throat and continued, "Oceanus also asked me to inquire when the future you spoke of will finally arrive."

As the Titan most harshly targeted by the God King Kronos, Oceanus had not had an easy time over the past few centuries. He had been forced to battle Pontus, the primordial sea god, without end. Even the divine authority of the sea had been greatly eroded, and his divine power had weakened.

He was also the god who most hoped to receive Theron's guidance. Unfortunately, Theron now refused to see anyone except Prometheus, so he could only have Prometheus ask on his behalf.

It was not only Oceanus. Other Titans who did not wish to fight, even the Queen of the Gods Rhea and Mother Earth Gaia, would ask Prometheus to seek Theron's prophecies and opinions.

Naturally, all of this was kept hidden from the God King Kronos. If Kronos learned that Theron was still in contact with these gods, he would likely be unable to sleep at night again.

And what Kronos would never have imagined was that Prometheus and the Three Fates—the ones he trusted most and most hoped would deal with Theron—were actually both on Theron's side.

There was no need to say much about the Three Fates. They had a deep connection with Theron, and their ability to glimpse fate had all come from Theron's gift.

As for Prometheus, because of his foresight, he clearly knew what was right and what was wrong. Thus, he chose Theron rather than the God King.

Kronos was destined to be disappointed if he expected them to uncover Theron's faults.

"That day is not far away," Theron said with a smile. "Tell Lord Oceanus to wait peacefully. Perhaps it will be tomorrow. Perhaps the day after tomorrow."

At those words, Prometheus's eyes grew even brighter. As a messenger, he vaguely understood what Theron meant by "that day."

It was a new era, a completely new future, the beginning that could end all the current chaos.

Prometheus looked forward to it beyond measure. His foresight told him that this would be the era in which he could truly display his talents, the era in which his ideals could be realized. How could he not anticipate it?

Theron glanced at the excited Prometheus. After some thought, he still cautioned him, "Sometimes, doing the right thing does not mean it will bring a good outcome. You should think more carefully about the consequences."

Prometheus looked somewhat lost upon hearing this. Seeing his expression, Theron sighed.

For this sincere and passionate God of Foresight, Theron could be said to have watched him grow up. It was inevitable that he would worry about him a little more.

He wanted to offer Prometheus some guidance and prevent his tragic future, but he also knew in his heart that it would be very difficult.

Yet as he looked at this sincere and passionate youth, he could not help but ask himself from the depths of his heart:

Was fate truly impossible to change? Perhaps he simply was not powerful enough yet.

But that day was still far away, so Theron did not dwell on it. He merely said to Prometheus, "Remember to tell Lord Oceanus that he and his daughters should be wary of the gods on land."

Prometheus did not understand why, but he still nodded.

As for Theron, he was perfectly aware of Kronos's attitude.

Kronos's desire to erase him had become almost undisguised. Naturally, Theron would not choose to sit and wait for death.

Since this God King refused to behave and wanted to kill him, then he would simply replace him with a more obedient God King.

Theron thought this casually, already having formed a plan.

Zeus Hits a Wall

Beneath the shroud of endless eternal night, on Crete.

A young god was frolicking with a goat whose entire body was golden. The goat was exceptionally beautiful, with only one flaw: it was missing one horn.

The youth still looked somewhat immature, but his body was already imposing and powerful, and his features were exceptionally handsome. He had brilliant golden hair and a pair of sacred pure-gold eyes. A bright, cheerful smile always filled his face, brimming with vitality.

This was Zeus, whom Rhea had secretly given birth to here in order to prevent Kronos from swallowing her newborn child.

Zeus was now several hundred years old. For an immortal god, that was still a very young age, but Zeus had been born powerful.

He could fly freely as soon as he left his cradle, and while playing, he had accidentally broken off the goat's horn.

The mother goat Amalthea was a true god, personally created by Mother Earth Gaia. Her physical body was extraordinarily tough, as hard as the earth itself, and her horns were indestructible.

Yet even so, Zeus had snapped off her horn with a single careless movement, and at that time Zeus had not even reached a hundred years old.

Moreover, the broken horn could not be restored. All of this proved Zeus's strength; his power was beyond doubt.

What was even rarer was that he was not only powerful, but also thoughtful. He always had all sorts of ideas and a mind of his own.

Zeus, who had been playing, suddenly looked up and gazed toward the distant sky.

Almost the moment he moved, a goddess slowly descended from the heavens.

It was Rhea, Queen of the Gods and Goddess of Time, who had secretly left the divine mountain to visit her only remaining child.

Zeus was her only hope.

The moment Zeus saw Rhea, delight appeared on his face. He hurried forward at once and called affectionately, "Mother!"

Rhea's eyes were filled with concern and longing. Unable to resist, the beautiful goddess reached out and gently stroked Zeus's cheek. Her voice even trembled from overwhelming emotion.

"Zeus, my child, you have grown so much."

To avoid alerting Kronos, Rhea did not dare visit her only surviving child often. Her longing had been suppressed for far too long over the endless years.

Zeus missed his mother as well. He gently held Rhea's hand, a bright and radiant smile appearing on his face. "Honored Mother, you need not worry. I am well."

The two supported and leaned against each other as they returned to the hidden cave. The Kouretes and nymphs stood guard vigilantly for the mother and son, who so rarely had the chance to meet.

Rhea looked at the youth before her, her eyes full of tenderness. But soon, boundless worry and sorrow flooded her heart, adding a trace of sadness even to her flawless divine face.

She was thinking of this child's future.

As the only hope of the gods, this child bore far too much upon his shoulders. He could not hide forever on this small island. His future was destined to be far from ordinary, perhaps even perilous.

As a kind mother who truly loved her children, Rhea could not stop herself from worrying and grieving whenever she thought of what Zeus would face in the future.

Zeus only needed one look at Rhea's expression and demeanor to know what she was thinking. He softly comforted her, "Mother, you need not worry. All of this has been arranged by fate."

"I understand it clearly. I know this is my mission, and I am willing to strive for it."

"Good child, my good child..." Rhea looked at Zeus, who had already grown into a man, and tears fell from her beautiful eyes. "You have suffered so much."

"I do not think it is suffering," Zeus said earnestly. "And Mother, I think I am ready."

Rhea froze. Her stunning eyes stared blankly at Zeus before her. "But you have only existed for a few hundred years. You are still only a child..."

"I cannot hide forever. The longer I hide, the greater the chance of being discovered."

Zeus spoke seriously, his handsome face calm. "I can already control my divine authority and ensure that I will not be discovered when I walk upon the earth."

"Perhaps we can make some preparations in advance."

Hearing that he meant preparation rather than immediate action, Rhea finally relaxed.

As the Queen of the Gods who spent every day beside the God King Kronos, Rhea might have been the person in this world who best understood just how powerful Kronos had become.

Though Zeus was a god born strong, he was still far too inferior to Kronos.

It was precisely because she understood the gap between them that Rhea felt relieved that Zeus was so clear-headed, choosing to prepare first rather than blindly confront him.