Chapter 343: Say no with your mouth, but your body is honest (5.1k)
The holy garden in the far west.
The once peaceful and beautiful wonderland is now in ruins.
The clear river water became turbid, and the lush vegetation withered and decayed. Demonic wolves, demonic pigs, poisonous dragons, hydras, chimera synths, sphinx beasts, and other new types of demons bred by Typhon's blood patrolled and growled in the mountains and forests.
One after another, the dark and burly giants walked over the exquisitely carved stone steps, trampled the withered flowers and trees on both sides of the road into the soil, and after several turns, they came to the entrance to the secret realm where ochre light patterns were floating.
The shirtless burly man in the lead raised his arm and slapped the light-like barrier. The scarlet emblem of God immediately lit up, and the gate in front of them suddenly rippled like water waves, opening to a group of ferocious species.
As the giants stepped into it, the scenery before them suddenly became clear, with lush flowers and plants, green seedlings, and winding streams.
This is the holy garden that once belonged to Queen Hera. Rainbows are rising from the water vapor, and the rich ether can almost condense into colorful light mist, which is extremely beautiful.
But now, this place has changed hands.
From a distance, although the nursery of the sacred garden was not destroyed because of its value, the sculptures dedicated to the gods in the temple had been pushed down, and the murals in the corridor depicting the Battle of Titan and the Battle of Typhon had been trampled to pieces.
The seven nymph daughters of the leader Alcyoneus were carrying water jugs, humming songs among the flowers, dancing happily, and sprinkling nectar to nourish the rare plants in the nursery.
At this time, the King of Giants was sitting cross-legged under a tall and gorgeous golden apple tree, whose branches were full of bright yellow fruits. The rich breath of the earth was transmitted into his body from the roots of the sacred tree, making his originally dark and hard skin and muscles gradually filled with a golden luster.
The snake-footed giant Polorus spit out the core and rolled a handful of rare herbs into his stomach, absorbing the rich life force in them.
Even a three-headed poisonous dragon that served as a mount was dozing off under the tree. From time to time, it would secretly raise its head and swallow the extended branches and leaves of the sacred tree to enhance its own divinity. It looked quite comfortable.
Looking at the scene in front of him, the strong man suddenly felt angry. He stepped forward quickly and slapped the three poisonous dragons that were stealing food under the tree away.
The poisonous dragon that fell into the nursery like a cannonball overwhelmed a large amount of magic potion, causing the seven nymphs who were watering the plants to scream.
Hearing his daughters' cries, Alcyoneus, the king of the giants, suddenly opened his eyes, stood up from under the tree angrily, and looked at the strong man in front of him.
"Atlas, what are you doing?!"
"What? I want to ask you!"
The Titan Atlas, who was freed from the seal and curse, snorted coldly and looked at the leader of the giant clan with a gloomy look.
"The war isn't over yet, yet you guys are getting comfortable. Do you really treat this place as your home?"
"So what? We were driven underground by the gods. We ate rocks and drank dirty water. We couldn't even see the sun. We were like dirty rats. Now we are back on the ground and have snatched such a good place. Shouldn't we enjoy it? We deserve this!"
Alcyoneus, the king of the giants, retorted angrily, looking indignant.
Atlas became even more angry after hearing this convincing argument: "Are you bewitched by just a little fruit and cold water?"
Then, the Titan took a look at this cozy nest, pointed at the holy mountain looming among the stars, and shouted in a disappointed tone.
"What a bunch of useless people! What we want is not just this broken garden, but Olympus on the top of the stars, and the entire wider world! As descendants of the Titans, descendants of Uranus, we should take back everything we have lost and let everything return to the Titans' order!"
Hearing this deafening declaration, the brave and aggressive nature of the giants was ignited. They couldn't help but feel their blood boiling and roared excitedly. Even the looks they gave towards the giant leaders showed a hint of contempt.
They were fighting to the death outside, but these guys were hiding in the Holy Garden and enjoying comfort. It was a disgrace to Titan!
Seeing that the atmosphere was a little bad, the giant king Alcyoneus immediately softened his tone and explained to Atlas opposite him.
"Conquering the Holy Garden and occupying this place is not for ourselves, but for all our tribesmen and the ultimate victory!"
"What's the meaning?"
"Thousands of years of living underground have already weakened our people. The last time we attacked Thessaly, we lost many of our compatriots. Even with you and Prometheus, I'm afraid you can't shake the power of Olympus..."
Atlas was silent for a moment after hearing this, then nodded helplessly.
Although I don't want to admit it, this is an indisputable fact.
Ever since Mount Othrys was abandoned and the divine power of the twelve Titans was divided, the strength of the entire Titan group has inevitably been declining.
Even though, because of the contract with the three goddesses of fate, the former main gods were ordered to seal themselves and were only allowed to walk around the world in the form of split spirits or descended spirits, they are not something that the giants today can easily offend.
Even with the support of the old gods, it is basically a pipe dream to attack Olympus and establish an order belonging to the Titans.
"So, we need to capture this holy garden and seize the [Immortality] that belongs to the gods!"
Alcyoneus, the king of the giants, turned around and looked at the lush golden apple tree with enthusiasm.
When Olympus was founded, Gaia, the goddess of the earth, presented this golden apple tree to the wedding of Zeus and Hera.
Its fruit contains the divinity of [immortality]. It is not only an excellent tonic for improving strength, but also a symbol of the divine power of the earth.
Such a gift symbolizes the recognition of the Olympian gods by Mother Earth Gaia and the transfer of her divine power.
Therefore, Hera's power over marriage and reproduction was consolidated.
But the queen was blinded by jealousy. After she succeeded to the throne, she was obsessed with hunting down her husband's illegitimate children and lovers, and gradually lost her respect and love for life.
Therefore, she has never been fully recognized by the sacred tree, nor has she been able to inherit the complete divine power of the earth.
Now, having conquered this holy garden and taken control of the golden apple tree, the giants, who were born close to the earth, could rapidly improve their strength by eating the golden apples and herbs in the garden that contained the divinity of the earth, gaining the characteristics of [immortality] and even [immortality], and from then on they would have the capital to compete with the Olympian gods.
"I see……"
After Atlas heard the secret told by Alcyoneus, the king of the giants, he suddenly understood.
Then, the Titan waved his hand and spoke directly.
"In that case, let's quickly divide these good things."
“…”
Upon hearing this, Alcyoneus, the king of the giants, turned pale.
The Divine Power of the Earth, he hadn't absorbed much yet, but he had to divide such precious resources equally among his fellow tribesmen? Wouldn't his work as a leader be in vain?
Besides, when will it be your turn as an outsider to distribute my things?
"Hera has escaped. The news of the fall of the Holy Garden will not be concealed for long. We cannot stay here for too long."
Just when the giant king Alcyoneus was feeling unhappy, a deep and powerful voice was heard, and a prisoner with broken shackles on his hands, his hair and beard as messy as dead grass, but his eyes as bright and lively as stars, walked into the secret realm with dozens of giants.
"Prometheus, you are finally back!"
Atlas Lang rushed towards the newcomer with a smile and gave the brother a tight hug.
They were both the sons of the soul of the twelve Titans and the prophetic Titan Iapetus, and they had always had a good relationship. Although they had different positions in the Titan War, they were both treated harshly by Zeus after the war. With a common enemy, they walked side by side again.
"Hera escaped?"
At this time, Alcyoneus, the king of the giants, heard the news brought by Prometheus. He was surprised and his tone was quite dissatisfied.
"You brought so many people with you, but you couldn't even capture a severely injured goddess?"
"Is that an ordinary goddess? That's Hera! The Queen of Heaven whose status among the twelve gods of Olympus is second only to the King of Gods!"
Atlas turned his head and snorted coldly. While he was making excuses for his brother, he did not forget to belittle Alcyoneus, the king of the giants who was hiding in the sacred garden and eating alone.
"If you are sure, why don't you lead people to chase after them yourself?"
"If I have to do everything, what can you do?"
The giant king Alcyoneus opened his eyes wide and clenched his fists in anger.
"Don't forget, if I hadn't rescued you, you wouldn't have the qualifications to stand here and talk to me!"
"We brothers will always remember your grace of rescue, so we are willing to obey your orders and work together to regain the power of Titan."
Seeing that the two Titans were about to fight on the spot due to a disagreement, Prometheus hurried forward to appease them and took the initiative to take responsibility.
"It is my fault that I failed to bring Hera here. Please punish me."
Looking at Prometheus who was bowing to him, and the burly and powerful Titan Atlas beside him, Alcyoneus, the king of the giants, suppressed his anger, waved his hand and snorted.
“Forget it. After all, she is the Queen of Olympus, and she is also aided by the eldest daughter of the Demon Ancestor Typhon, the hundred-headed dragon Ladon. You have just been released, and your divinity and power are not as strong as before. It is understandable that you failed to stop them.”
“Thank you for your tolerance and understanding.”
Prometheus showed gratitude on his face, and then spoke in a deep voice.
"Although we failed to bring Hera back, we forced her into the Sea of Chaos and left spies nearby. In the short term, she should not be able to escape from our grasp, nor can she contact other gods. We'd better take advantage of this opportunity to absorb the earth divinity in the Holy Garden and strengthen the strength of the giants. When we have the capital to gamble with Olympus, let alone an injured Hera, even if all the gods of Olympus come together, they may not be able to defeat us.
As long as you win the final battle and take back the authority that Titan once had, not only the Holy Garden, but the entire world will be under your feet!"
After hearing the wise man's reminder, Alcyoneus, the king of the giants, was immediately moved.
Indeed, if one wants to obtain the supreme divine power, one should not be obsessed with enjoying this small sweetness alone.
Then, Alcyoneus, the king of the giants, waved his hand in a generous manner and announced loudly to his subordinates.
"Come on, brothers, level this mountain, take everything away, and enjoy the spoils you deserve!"
Upon hearing the leader's words, the giants' eyes lit up and they couldn't wait to pounce on the herbs and golden apple trees in the holy garden that exuded a strong divine aura.
Suddenly, herbs were pulled up by the roots and stuffed into the giants' mouths with soil; golden apples were pulled down from the trees, and the sweet juice turned into the rich divinity of the earth in the giants' bodies; springs were drained and drunk, and even the stones and mosses stained with water were gnawed clean by the giants...
Soon, the demons that heard the news also joined the carnival, frantically devouring the rich resources in the Holy Garden.
Seeing his subordinates devouring the holy garden that he regarded as his private property quickly like a passing locust, the giant king Alcyoneus felt his heart bleeding.
But for the sake of his great cause and the honorable position in Olympus, he could only pretend to be generous and allow his subordinates to enjoy this sumptuous feast in the sun.
In a corner where no one noticed, Prometheus, who had arrived under the sacred tree at some point, decisively picked a few ripe golden apples and shared them with his brother Atlas.
The rich divinity of the earth surged into their bodies, and the hidden injuries left by the two men from years of torture were gradually healed. The majestic vitality washed over their somewhat decayed bodies, making them glow with vitality again.
After a moment, Prometheus woke up, clenched his fists, looked at the flesh and blood on his arms, nodded with satisfaction, and a meaningful smile appeared in his eyes.
"Buzz~~"
Just as the giants and monsters were immersed in the joy of growing strength, the ground shook violently, and an altar made of blue-black volcanic rocks slowly rose in the holy garden. The phantom of the giant god, who seemed to have merged with the darkness, opened his deep eyes and looked at the chaos and the unrecognizable holy garden, as well as the golden apple tree that was almost pulled out, and frowned deeply.
"What are you doing?"
"Share the spoils we have captured, strengthen the people of our tribe, and give them the capital to fight against the gods."
Alcyoneus, the king of the giants, quickly lowered his head and answered respectfully.
Upon hearing Alcyoneus' answer, the god king Kronos was so angry that he was fuming. Under the rhythm of his divine power, the earth shook.
"Idiots! Who allowed you to get your hands on these things?"
Feeling the eerie pressure, Alcyoneus' heart skipped a beat and he quickly explained in a dry voice.
"This is... a trophy..."
According to Greek tradition, whoever grabs something should naturally have control over it.
As a king, he not only did not enjoy the resources alone, but also used them to strengthen the power of the Guigantes clan. This was definitely a generous act.
"This is the sacred object of Mother Goddess Gaia! How to deal with it should be decided by her, not you!"
The God King Kronos snorted grimly and looked at Alcyoneus with a cold look.
Digging out the holy garden and swallowing the herbs and divine fruits whole would only increase one's divinity in vain. Even if one could compete with the gods of Olympus in terms of strength, it would probably be difficult to shake the order of destiny in the end.
Only by offering these sacrifices to Gaia, the Mother Goddess of the Earth, and obtaining her support and gifts, can the Titans gain a firm foothold fundamentally.
After all, the sky, the ocean, and the underworld are all under the control of Olympus. Currently, only the divine power of the earth is the foundation for the Guigantes to gain a foothold and rely on.
The more powerful the divine authority of the earth is, the more obvious their own gains will be.
Even if he is unwilling to make sacrifices to Gaia, the Mother Goddess, doesn't he still have the King of Gods?
As the old gods, they put in a lot of effort to get these giants out of underground.
As a result, having just gained some benefits thanks to the protection of the old gods, these idiots couldn't wait to embezzle the fruits of victory, in the most stupid way possible. They were so hopelessly short-sighted!
"Your Majesty, we certainly haven't forgotten your kindness."
Just as the atmosphere was becoming increasingly eerie and depressing, Prometheus walked out from behind the sacred tree, holding three golden apples and respectfully presented them to the altar.
"Alcyoneus has actually prepared tribute for you in advance."
Hearing that the wise man actually took out his share of the spoils to exonerate him, the King of the Giants was deeply moved.
This brother is a good person and can be dealt with!
"Hmph, you Iapatos kid, our bodies have long been imprisoned, and our souls cannot be freed either. What's the use of these things?"
Kronos in the altar snorted coldly with a gloomy face, but the murderous atmosphere around him weakened.
Although they despised and had no use for the golden apples, the attitude of the Guigantes was still barely acceptable.
He was still counting on these giant relatives to attack Olympus and dethrone the rebellious Zeus. Naturally, it was impossible for him to really turn against these giants because of a momentary unhappiness.
"Forget it, take these little things back and sacrifice this golden apple tree to the king!"
Kronos spoke in a deep voice, looking at the bare golden apple tree with a fiery gaze.
The Earth Mother Gaia wants it? It's obviously you who want it, right?
Alcyoneus glanced at the greed and desire on the face of His Majesty the God-King, which was almost unable to conceal it, and secretly complained in his heart, feeling quite reluctant.
But the situation was stronger than the man, and even though he was dissatisfied, he could only, at the urging of the king of gods Kronos, order the giants to build an altar under the golden apple tree, draw rituals, and hold a ceremony together to sacrifice the divine power from the Earth Mother Gaia to the king of gods Kronos.
With the nourishment of this divinity, the shadow in the altar became noticeably more condensed.
The divine emblems within the dark blue flames also became much brighter.
“Buzz!”
Along with an obscure tremor, several divine emblems flew out from the altar and merged into the bodies of Titans including Atlas, Prometheus, and the King of the Giants Alcyoneus, forming a series of bloody marks.
Suddenly, a wonderful feeling of holding everything in the palm of their hands came over them, and the Titans who had been sealed could not help but feel overjoyed.
Power! The power of the Titans!
The flames danced above the altar, and the God King Kronos murmured leisurely.
"Accept it. This is a favor bestowed upon you by the king. With this honor, drive those evil creatures of Olympus out of power and restore the glory of the Titans!"
"Kill the evil offspring of Olympus and restore the glory of Titan!"
The giants' hearts were boiling with excitement and they cheered and roared excitedly.
Prometheus in the crowd also echoed the cheers, but when he lowered his eyes and looked at the divine emblem on his forehead that was hidden in the water, his eyes were filled with gloom.
Whether it is the old gods or the new gods, they have never been "kind" or "generous"...
(End of this chapter)
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
