Chapter 54 Reincarnation

Otherwise, why would Poseidon choose to pledge allegiance to Zeus and come to Mount Olympus to secure a position as a major god, when he had no real power and felt stifled in his daily life? Zeus himself was not having an easy time either. Although he had been elected king of the gods, when he first took office, most of the gods on Mount Olympus were Titans who had supported him or pledged loyalty during the Titan War, or they were the offspring of the guilty who had not participated in the war. One could only imagine how much effort Zeus had expended to establish his authority on the mountain! Unexpectedly, it was Hades who ended up living the most comfortably (in their view). Upon arriving in the underworld, he was warmly welcomed by the gods of the dead, and the three primordial gods directly stated that they would not interfere in the decision-making of the underworld, leaving everything to Hades. Nyx and Erebus even sent their children to assist Hades. With such ease and power in his hands, it was truly enviable to others. If Hades knew what they were thinking, he would spit in their faces; they should first go take a look at the mountain of paperwork piled high in the Hall of Hades before talking to him! Returning to the main topic, the concept of reincarnation brought by the goddess Nyx had already seen most of the divisible benefits taken away. What remained were merely the positions of the guide for the souls on earth and the authority to ignite the spark of life in those souls, which still lacked suitable candidates. "We have set the entrance to the underworld at Mount Acheron. There needs to be a deity on earth to guide the souls to that location and into the underworld. I wonder if any of the gods here would be a suitable candidate?" Nyx pointed out the position of the soul guide, hoping that a deity would step forward to take it. However, the gods on Mount Olympus either found their own powers incompatible with this position or were unwilling to take on such a burdensome task, remaining silent and not willing to step up. Hebe watched in disbelief. Guiding souls, while it wouldn't earn them any worship, was an important part of the reincarnation process and would benefit the world. Over time, the will of the world would bestow favor upon them, leading to their ascension. If she hadn't already reserved the authority to bestow life, she would have wanted to take on the role of the guide as well. Yet the gods couldn't see the underlying significance; they only saw the hardships involved and shied away like they were avoiding a snake. "…After all this time, you can't even push a god forward? All you do is indulge in pleasure; what use is there in keeping you gods around?" Seeing that none of the gods had stepped forward after all this time, it was Gaia, the Earth Mother, who lost her temper before Nyx could say anything. This primordial goddess, who had once lent her vessel of life to Prometheus to create humanity and whose temple had been destroyed by the giant serpent, was now truly seen by Hebe. This primordial goddess, born from the chaos of the world, the beginning of all creation, was full-figured and robust, wearing a golden robe and a crown engraved with all of earth's creations. Her face radiated maternal warmth and immense authority, but she appeared somewhat weary, not as youthful and beautiful as her sister Nyx. The reason was simple: when the former Mother Earth, Gaia, was first born, she was also a robust and youthful primordial goddess. However, under the influence of Eros's divine power, she, as the cornerstone of the world, began a life of continuous reproduction. First, she gave birth to the starry Uranus, and then together with him, she bore the giants and the Titans. The act of birthing these deities and monsters consumed most of Gaia's essence. Although she held a revered status and the gods honored her as the Mother of All Gods, only she knew that beneath this glory, she had become the lowest among the primordial gods. Given that these gods, who called her "ancestor," had split from her essence and evolved, it was no surprise that she couldn't show them a pleasant demeanor. Gaia was furious, and the gods in the main hall fell silent in fear. This formidable primordial goddess was known to lash out even at her own sons when angered, let alone at this group of second- and third-generation gods who were distanced from her, even lacking a blood relationship. "O great Mother of the Gods, radiant Gaia, please calm your anger," Zeus quickly stepped in to mediate. To appease Gaia, he thought quickly and proposed a candidate, "I suggest Hermes, the son of Maia, the goddess of winds and storms. His eloquence can guide the souls, and his winged sandals grant him speed to rival the wind, making him a perfect fit for the position of the soul guide." The named Hermes immediately became the center of attention among the gods. As a minor second-tier deity and not yet a major god like in later times, he suddenly felt tremendous pressure, and his expression became somewhat stiff. Was there a mistake? Why was it him? The rainbow goddess Iris was also very swift; why not send her? But at this point, Hermes had no courage to oppose his father, the king of the gods, and the two primordial goddesses. This cunning and clever deity immediately displayed a look of surprise and delight, stepping forward. "Thank you, King of the Gods and the two esteemed goddesses, for your favor. Hermes is honored to take on this position." He could just expend a bit of his essence to create two subordinate gods to help him fulfill his duties. Gaia scrutinized Hermes with her deep green eyes. This matter concerned the ascension of the world; if the world ascended, the earth's primal energy would become even more powerful, and the essence she had lost might be replenished. Thus, she couldn't help but be meticulous and cautious. After her examination, Gaia found that although this young god's power was not impressive, his divine office was indeed quite suitable for the role of the soul guide, so she nodded in agreement. With the candidate for the soul guide determined, the next crucial matter was to whom the authority to grant new life to the souls tainted by death would be given. Everyone present understood the significance of this authority. The atmosphere among the gods suddenly became tense, as each one wanted to claim this power for themselves. However, among the gods, there were actually very few who had real competitive strength. The gods looked at each other, and a strong smell of gunpowder filled the main hall. "Princess Demeter, your divine office is inherited from the god of growth, Chryses, right? You preside over the flourishing and withering of plants on earth. Using that to grant vitality to human souls seems rather inappropriate. If the newly born humans become as still and unyielding as plants, that wouldn't be good," Hebe was the first to voice her opposition to Demeter, the strongest competitor. "All life is equal, and so are souls. My gift will only endow humans with peaceful personalities and docile instincts." At this point, Demeter glanced at Zeus. Although this goddess usually did not compete for power, she was quite wise and knew how to speak in a way that would appeal to Zeus and garner his support. "Prince Apollo's first rays of sunlight, while gentle for living beings, are meant for the dead this time. Are you truly confident you can control the intensity so as not to incinerate the souls? If one soul can be handled with such delicacy, what about ten, a hundred, or countless souls?" Athena, being the goddess of wisdom, quickly seized on Apollo's vulnerability and attacked him. This was a contest for authority, and matters of public sentiment and friendship could be set aside for now. "Hmph, you need not worry about that, Your Highness. Bestowing new life upon the souls according to the laws of the soul is no different from reshaping a soul. The establishment of reincarnation is meant to help the world conserve primal energy, and your plan is completely contrary to the purpose of reincarnation." "You!" The gods fell into a heated argument, each unwilling to give up the authority over life. Ultimately, they turned their attention to the few deities with the most influence present: the two primordial gods, as well as Zeus and Hades. "Hehe..." A smile appeared at the corner of Zeus's mouth, and a spark of electricity flickered in his hand, the lightning coiling around his fingertips like a small snake. The faces of the gods changed, for within that lightning, they sensed the power of life. "Thunder not only represents destruction; it also possesses the great power to stimulate the growth of all things, bringing forth rain and nourishment. Moreover, as the king of the gods, I am the ruler of all life, and the authority of reincarnation should be in my hands!" The gods never expected that after arguing for so long, a new contender would suddenly emerge. Athena, Apollo, and Demeter exchanged glances, each seeing hesitation in the other's eyes. What was there left to argue about? The other party was the king of the gods, and competing with him for power would mean facing his endless wrath in the future. Although the authority of reincarnation was tempting, after the Prometheus incident, they really did not want to risk offending this god-king. The two primordial gods also remained silent, half-closing their eyes as if they did not wish to interfere with the decisions of the gods on Mount Olympus, distancing themselves from the matter. Just when the gods thought everything was settled and that the authority of reincarnation was about to fall into Zeus's hands, a strange golden-blue light suddenly illuminated the main hall. The gods felt an unprecedented and extraordinary power—a force that could free one from death and embrace life, a miracle of resurrection! Resurrection!? The goddess with golden hair and violet eyes had divine light flickering on her forehead, and her lips, as red as roses, uttered divine words, each syllable resonating with authority. "I am the master of the resurrection divine office, the holder of the supreme mysteries of life; reincarnation is born because of me!" "Reincarnation is born because of me!" The goddess's declaration was resounding, and the golden-blue divine light surrounded her, making her appear even more noble and magnificent.