Chapter 55 Seizing Power

This courage and decisiveness, even compared to Athena, who was already known as the goddess of war for her relentless advance on the battlefield, seemed somewhat diminished. Did they not see that during the Prometheus incident, this goddess had actively given up the source of wisdom that was within her grasp in order to quell Zeus's anger and jealousy? The gods were not the only ones affected; Zeus felt the same. Initially, he viewed Hebe merely as a subordinate who was disobedient, feeling a sense of dissatisfaction. If he were displeased, he could easily dismiss her and make her suffer. However, he did not expect that his daughter had quietly orchestrated such a significant move during this time, somehow condensing the resurrection divine office capable of bringing the dead back to life. With such great power before him, his own thunderous authority seemed so juvenile and laughable in comparison. Indeed, when Gaia, the Mother of Earth, and Nyx, the goddess of Night, saw the radiant resurrection divine light emanating from Hebe, their eyes brightened. "It seems this is the choice of the world's will. Although the gods just showcased their divine powers, each wanting to contribute to the world, the accomplishments of goddess Hebe in the realm of life are undoubtedly outstanding, even unique." Nyx, the goddess of Night, looked at the golden-haired goddess with her gray eyes, mixed with admiration and an inexplicable depth. She then turned to her sister, Gaia, the Mother of Earth. "Gaia, my esteemed sister, who do you think the authority of life should be entrusted to?" In truth, everyone had a clear idea of who the best candidate was, but Nyx, wishing to show her respect for her elder sister, still turned to her for her opinion, handing the decision-making power to her. As expected, Nyx's respect significantly improved Gaia's demeanor. Looking at Hebe, she was naturally very satisfied with this goddess. The resurrection divine office inherently possessed the miraculous power of life springing forth from death. What was even more remarkable was that its damage to the soul was almost negligible, as it did not wash over the soul with the additional derived attributes of divine power, as other gods did, to implant vitality. Instead, it purely utilized the death energy that the soul itself had accumulated as nourishment, igniting the flame of life and causing it to burn brightly, rejuvenating it. This was a significant saving of primal energy for the world. As a cornerstone of the world, being a part of it, she naturally welcomed anything beneficial to the world. "Goddess of Life, Hebe, as the original master of the laws of life, I, Gaia, the Mother of Earth, acknowledge your status and glory. I bestow upon you the authority to grant new life to the souls of the dead. To this end, I shall grant you the glorious golden apple tree." In the palm of the majestic and noble goddess appeared a strange sapling, its branches and leaves shining with the luster of the purest gold, shimmering brilliantly in the light of the temple, so beautiful and enchanting that it was intoxicating. Of course, this was merely a sapling split from the mother tree. If Hebe wanted it to bear splendid golden apples, she would need to nurture it with her divine power. For a moment, the gods looked at Hebe with both envy and jealousy. The golden apple tree, a divine object, had its remarkable uses, but more importantly, it represented the blessing and protection from the Mother of Earth. The last time it appeared was at the wedding of Hera and Zeus, when Gaia gifted a sapling to Queen Hera, and since then, no other deity had received such an honor. It was clear that Gaia was not completely relinquishing this matter. She had witnessed the recent disputes among the gods; while other deities might not care, Zeus, the king of the gods, was different. Once, at the request of his daughter Rhea, Gaia had raised him on the vast island of Crete and had seen how he ascended to his current position as the god-king. She was very aware of this god-king's personality and methods. However, Hebe was an essential part of the cycle of reincarnation; one could even say that without her, the cycle would lose its perfection. For Gaia, who relied on the world to compensate for her own origins, this was intolerable. Thus, her granting of the sapling of the golden apple tree to Hebe was meant to convey to Zeus that this goddess was off-limits. Zeus remained silent, a storm flickering in his deep-set eyes. He understood the profound meaning behind his grandmother's actions. Although he felt reluctant, the transcendent status and authority of the primordial gods in this world forced him to swallow his pride. At that moment, the god-king felt exceptionally stifled, a surge of anger building up inside him with nowhere to vent. This restless emotion caused the already unstable source of his wisdom to begin to stir, wanting to escape; how could one speak of wisdom without rationality? Zeus hurriedly calmed his emotions and recalled Prometheus, the one responsible for his unstable source. He remembered that Prometheus had a good relationship with Hebe and decided to hold him accountable as well, secretly instructing his favored eagle to be a bit harsher when carrying out the punishment today. The two primordial gods had decisively determined that the authority to grant new life to souls in the cycle of reincarnation was no longer in question. The gods couldn't help but feel a sense of resignation; once the cycle was formally established, Hebe's position in the divine mountain and indeed in this world should become unshakeable. No wonder she dared to challenge her own father. "Alright, since this matter has been discussed, we should return to the Underworld to continue our preparations. After all, establishing these facilities and locations is no easy task. Or, do any of the gods from the divine mountain wish to come to the Underworld to lend a hand?" The gods of the divine mountain exchanged awkward smiles and dared not speak. Go to the Underworld? Staying in that place where there was nothing to be had would surely dim their divine light. Who would willingly seek out such suffering? Nyx was merely speaking casually; the overall situation had been decided, and she prepared to leave. As the embodiment of night, she preferred the tranquil depths of the Underworld, accompanied by Erebus, rather than the dazzling light of Mount Olympus. Gaia also did not wish to linger. Over the years, she had been in a deep slumber beneath the earth to restore her essence and had hardly paid attention to matters on the surface. Otherwise, she wouldn't have remained indifferent when her temple was destroyed. If it weren't for the significant matter of reincarnation, she wouldn't have bothered to show herself at all. The two esteemed primordial gods stood up to leave, and the other gods quickly rose to their feet to bow to them, praising their greatness with utmost respect as they watched them step out of the main temple and disappear from sight. After sending off the two great deities, the gods let out a sigh of relief, but the atmosphere in the hall did not lighten. Everyone remained silent, waiting for the statement from the king of the gods, Zeus, who had been quiet all along. ... After a long moment of silence, the master of thunder, the god shrouded in dark clouds, suddenly stood up and walked toward his daughter. ... The goddess with white arms, the majestic queen Hera with her cow-like eyes, suddenly appeared in front of her beloved daughter, looking sternly at Zeus. Her expression was like that of a mother leopard guarding her cubs, filled with primal ferocity and madness. Zeus had no doubt that if he made any further inappropriate moves, Hera would not hesitate to sever ties with him and extend her claws toward him. The cold sound of armor clinking echoed as Ares, the god of blood and war with a perfect, muscular physique, stood up to position himself beside his mother and sister. His dark red eyes concealed a fierce battle intent and vigilance. To protect his mother and sister, the valiant god of war was prepared to challenge the shackles of hierarchy and strike against his supreme father. Hephaestus, the honest and somewhat dull god, hesitated for a moment. He glanced at his imposing father and then at his mother and sister. Ultimately, he overcame his inner fear. He stood up, his steps a bit unsteady due to his limp, but each step was incredibly firm as he positioned himself beside his mother and siblings. The look in his eyes as he faced Zeus was brighter than ever, filled with a fiery intensity akin to molten lava. Hestia, the gentle goddess and the eldest sister of Zeus, had also somehow found her way to Hebe's side. Do not underestimate this goddess; she was the eldest daughter of the former god-king Cronus and queen Rhea. Although she now held the domain of hearth and family protector, it was due to her nature, not because she had no other choice. Before Hephaestus, the essence of fire was actually under her control. During the Titanomachy, her blazing flames had cast a significant shadow in the hearts of the gods. Zeus looked at the few deities standing in front of him, his expression dark as the deepest sky. Hera, Ares, Hephaestus, and Hestia our of the eleven main gods of the divine mountain had openly stood against him for Hebe.