Withering Light

'…Prince Hebe, what is the effect of this potion?" The speaker had an unparalleled, enchanting voice, like a yellow oriole emerging from the valley or the sound of a clear spring. Coupled with her unique intonation, it was irresistibly alluring. A beautiful maiden dressed in a gauzy gown gracefully approached Hebe. Her beauty was truly stunning! Beneath her hair, which seemed to be spun from fragments of gold, her delicate face was no larger than a palm. Her long eyelashes resembled butterfly wings, and her captivating blue eyes radiated an unparalleled elegance and pride. Dressed in splendid attire, she wore a golden belt around her slender waist, and beneath her graceful figure was a serpentine tail that resembled jade. Rather than appearing frightening, it exuded a strange sense of beauty. She was a snake-tailed enchantress, her beauty like a manifestation of brilliance, radiating infinite charm and allure, capable of driving any male creature who laid eyes on her into madness. 'Ha! Prince Apollo, your disguise is absolutely flawless. I believe Pithon will soon be captivated by your charm," Hebe said, suppressing her laughter in praise. Indeed, this stunning enchantress was none other than Apollo, who had consumed the cursed potion and donned the golden belt of the goddess of love. '…" Apollo rolled his eyes, silently gathering his composure. He reminded himself that everything was for his future! Once he eliminated Pithon, he would become the new master of the Delphi Temple, the controller of the oracle, and his status on Mount Olympus would ascend even further! Hold on, Apollo! 'Thank you for your compliment; I am willing to pass this honor to you, Your Highness," the ‘snake-shaped sorceress' Apollo said with a smile, though her voice held a hint of gritted teeth. 'The wine produced by the Horn of Plenty can intoxicate Pithon, but it cannot cause him any substantial harm. Therefore, we need to add a little something extra." Seeing that Apollo seemed on the verge of exploding, Hebe decided to stop teasing him. 'Oh?" Apollo looked at the potion before him, feeling nothing particularly special about it. 'Please wait a moment, Your Highness." Hebe took out the divine wine produced by the Horn of Plenty and dripped a drop into the cauldron. When the wine met the vibrant pink potion, it emitted a wave of pink ethereal light, gradually transforming into a transparent and flawless liquid, releasing a captivating aroma of wine. Hebe extended her hand, her palm shimmering with brilliant silver light, channeling the purifying power to its utmost, merging it into the potion disguised as exquisite nectar. 'Prince Apollo." Apollo understood the cue, and the purest divine light surged into the potion as well, causing its aura to vanish without a trace. Once Pithon drank this ‘fine wine,' the surging purifying and divine light would explode within him, damaging his internal organs and weakening his power… Inside the Delphi Temple, the once towering and majestic structure was now in ruins. Amidst the shattered walls, the terrifying serpent Pithon coiled in the center of the temple, digesting the delicious ‘food' he had recently consumed. He breathed deeply, and with each inhale and exhale, an endless stream of dark energy surged forth, continuously corroding and destroying this temple once blessed by the gods. Suddenly, Pithon, who had been sleeping, stirred his eyelids. He flicked his tongue, and a marvelous aroma of wine filled the air. Pithon opened his eyes, his vertical pupils flashing with desire and greed. The giant python was fully awakened, its forked tongue hissing as it twisted its massive body toward the source of the alluring wine scent. As Pithon slithered out of the Delphi Temple, it finally laid eyes on the culprit that had disturbed its slumber—a snake-tailed enchantress. The golden belt of the goddess of love possessed unparalleled magical power, allowing all creatures to see their most beautiful fantasies, thus luring them into depravity. Pithon's enormous serpent eyes glinted with lewd desire; this snake-haired enchantress was undoubtedly to its liking, stirring an impulse within it to mate immediately. '…Great and fearsome Abyssal Serpent Pithon, I admire your towering figure and immense strength. I have heard that you conquered the Temple of Mother Earth with your great power, so I have specially brought two barrels of fine wine to celebrate your magnificent victory," Apollo said, suppressing the urge to tear this filthy, depraved creature apart. The flattery from the beautiful serpent undoubtedly pleased Pithon, which proudly flicked its tail, its triangular snake face displaying a human-like expression of disdain and triumph. 'Hisss~" Apollo hurriedly offered the wine to it, and Pithon coiled its tongue around the barrel, casually brushing against the enchantress's jade-like arm. Its serpent eyes glimmered with lascivious intent, the meaning unmistakable. '…" The beautiful serpent covered her stunning face with her hand, appearing incredibly shy. Her long eyelashes concealed the viciousness in her gaze, and murderous intent surged within her. That damned creature! That detestable goddess of life! Pithon nodded in satisfaction and drank the fine wine offered by the enchantress. The rich aroma of the wine filled its mouth; the divine nectar produced by the Horn of Plenty was a delicacy reserved for the gods on Mount Olympus. The exquisite taste made Pithon squint in pleasure. Suddenly! The expression of enjoyment on Pithon's face froze. It felt as if a fire was burning in its abdomen, two forces completely opposing its abyssal magic rampaging within it. 'Hisss!!" The intense pain caused Pithon to thrash its tail violently, striking the ground and triggering tremors that left countless ravines in its wake. The divine powers of light and purification were destroying the soft insides beneath Pithon's hard scales, and the extreme agony drove it further into madness. Even in its stupor, it realized that the barrel of wine was tainted. Pithon turned its serpent head, its crimson vertical pupils searching for the audacious wretch who had dared to offer it the wine. It wanted to fill her with venom, making her die in agony and disgrace! However, after a thorough search, it found no trace of the beautiful serpent who had presented the wine. 'Looking for me?" a masculine voice filled with fiery energy rang out above Pithon. Struggling to lift its head, Pithon beheld the stunning golden-haired god standing in mid-air, his indifferent blue eyes like a calm well. He held a radiant golden bow, drawn to its full moon, ready to shoot. Thousands of light arrows rained down like a brilliant shower, engulfing Pithon. The endless barrage of arrows struck against Pithon's incredibly hard armor, producing a clanging sound. 'Hiss!" Caught off guard, Pithon was struck in the left eye by an arrow of light shot from Apollo's golden bow. The divine power exploded within Pithon's eye, purple-black blood oozing out and dripping onto the ground, corroding it into deep pits that emitted a foul stench. 'Hiss! Damn Olympian gods, I will make you pay for this today!" The pain in its eye and insides drove Pithon into a complete frenzy. This creature spoke human words, filled with endless brutality and a thirst for blood. The purple-black serpent tail of the abyssal serpent slithered against the ground, making a rustling sound as boundless abyssal magic erupted from its body. It grew larger and larger, crushing the temple and sweeping aside the River of the Gods, casting a massive shadow. Pithon looked down at Apollo, who, in its eyes, seemed as insignificant as a fly. 'This is bad! It's using abyssal magic to absorb the purifying and divine light powers within it. We must finish this quickly and not give it a chance to recover!" Hebe, wielding the Staff of Life, appeared, her expression grave as she looked up at the towering serpent. 'Let's take it down now! If the divine power wears off and it regains its peak state, the two of us won't stand a chance against it!" Apollo nodded, no longer holding back. Brilliant wings of light unfurled from his back as he soared into the sky. With a long finger, he pointed toward the heavens, summoning the favor of the laws of light. In that instant, the sun in the sky seemed to shine even brighter. He was borrowing strength from the sun, a privilege that came naturally to him as the son of light. Apollo's power increased slightly, hinting at a breakthrough from the peak of a first-tier god, but that slight difference felt like an insurmountable chasm. Apollo drew his golden bow once more. As a god skilled in archery, the bow and arrow had always been his most powerful means of attack. The power of light gathered at his fingertips, transforming into arrows of light, infused with endless brightness and heat, shooting toward Pithon. 'Hiss!" Pithon let out a roar as abyssal magic coalesced in front of it, forming a shield that flickered with dark light, blocking Apollo's divine arrows of light. 'Abyssal magic, withered light!" A beam of dark light shot from Pithon's right eye, carrying with it an aura of endless death and destruction. Wherever it passed, mountains and rivers withered, and all vegetation perished. The speed of the magic unleashed by a god-level beast was incredibly fast. Apollo flapped his wings, trying his best to dodge, but his right hand holding the golden bow was still grazed by the attack on his shoulder. The wound quickly turned black, the curse's power spreading rapidly. Apollo pressed his hand against the wound, using his divine light power to resist the encroaching abyssal magic.