Chapter 111: Chapter 88: Inquiry, Spectators, and the Protagonist

Under the watchful eyes of many, despite each harboring their own thoughts, the Divine King and Mother Earth eventually came to an agreement.

Thus, a conflict was averted, and the two mightiest beings of the present did not come to blows. Some were relieved at this outcome, while others were disappointed.

For instance, Zeus felt a deep regret about it.

But the course of events does not shift according to an individual’s will. The Divine King returned to the Divine Palace, while Zeus and his siblings made a brief stop on the new Mount of the Gods shaped by Ourea, before returning to the ocean with the arriving couple, the God of the Ocean and his spouse.

Even within the belly of Cronus, just as Athena in later times, Hades and Poseidon still grew to adulthood, but it was different for Zeus’s three sisters.

Perhaps due to the earlier infiltration of the power of time, their development was somewhat slower. Eventually, they chose some islands in the ocean as places to grow.

Once they were free from the influence of time, they would quickly mature. But until then, the three goddesses had the chance to experience a childhood, something their two brothers never had the opportunity to do.

On the other side, compared to Zeus’s party, the atmosphere on the Mount of the Gods was quite tense, yet in the end, no conflict erupted between the Divine King and the Queen of Gods.

Without communication, Rhea returned to her palace alone. And this time, Cronus said nothing.

But unnoticed by all, the Cronus who had just spat harsh words at Gaia, although he returned to the Mount of the Gods, stealthily released an avatar and secretly made his way toward the Underworld.

Even if the origin of his godhood was depleted, he was still the deity in charge of the power of space and time, and on his journey, no deity noticed his trace. Not until the Divine King deliberately revealed himself just beyond the Nether Moon was his movement known to anyone.

In the Underworld, looking at the purple Moon before him, Cronus too felt pensive.

“Nether Moon, truly growing ever more powerful.”

“The Sun and Moon combined do not match the presence of the Nether Moon in the Underworld.”

Unsurprisingly, the power of the Goddess of the Nether Moon had also risen considerably, it’s just that she seldom moved in the outside world, so few deities knew of her.

“I hope this journey yields the results I seek.”

“Prophecies, there must be a way to solve them. If fate were absolute, the Spirit Realm should not exist.”

The Divine King might deceive others, but he never deceives himself. Clearly holding the absolute advantage, clearly with a vast disparity in strength, first the Silver Humanity emerged, then Zeus escaped him unknowingly, followed by the rescue of the other five children, Cronus although still confident, began to look for a way out.

Last time, he made a promise in the Underworld, ultimately overthrowing his own father. Although the cost was not small, Cronus felt it was still worth it.

And this time, he hoped he could achieve a result just as valuable.

“Long time no see, Cronus.”

The familiar place, the familiar person, just minus the God of Sun. The Divine King leaned back in his chair, looking at the deity who seemed never to change.

By contrast, Cronus felt that he himself had changed so much over the millennia.

“Yes, long time no see.”

“You should know what I have come for, right?”

Though he came to seek help, the Divine King’s demeanor was as usual.

He was there to make a deal, and if it was truly unacceptable, he would face the end calmly.

But what he would do before the end, even he did not know.

“Hehe, of course, I have just been observing your conflict with Gaia.”

With a laugh, Laine was not one to care about such superficial matters, so he clapped his hands and two cups of hot tea appeared on the table.

Although he had anticipated that there would be no result today, everything must have a beginning.

He believed that under the pressure of Zeus, the other party would come to terms with reality.

And maybe because when he first came to this world, the presence of Zeus had given Laine quite a bit of pressure, deep down, he also wanted to leave a strong impression on the fellow.

Regardless of what form that impression took.

“You have already felt the threat, the increasingly imminent threat from your youngest son.”

“Of course, perhaps after your act of swallowing your children, he is now like you, the eldest among your offspring.”

Smiling as he spoke the truth, Laine seemed to remember something. With a light flick of his right hand, a strange scene slowly emerged in the void before him.

It was a place in the Underworld, where the gray soil was instantly recognizable to the Divine King. But in this place, a shadow of black chaos surged, intricate, chaotic, contrarian, all feelings disagreeable to life could be sensed there.

Undoubtedly, it was the influence from a realm outside of the present world.

“Tartarus…”

Muttering the name of that place, the Divine King recognized at a glance that it was the entrance to the Abyss, the gate of Tartarus.

Of course, to describe it as a ‘gate’ might not be quite accurate. It was merely a junction, a point set upon the Underworld where the Abyss and the present world intersected.

Thus, order and chaos interwove there. No one knew, once they stepped in, which part of the Abyss they would arrive in. Strictly speaking, even without seals, beings who entered the Abyss had a hard time coming out because inside, they would find it even harder to locate the correct path.

This was also one reason why Mother Earth needed the Divine King to break the seal. Without the divine authority of the same origin, other deities might not even perceive where the Titans were held captive, even though their location was likely just at the edge of the Abyss.

Without clear guidance, even though the goal may lie right in front of one, a single step taken could instead lead thousands of miles astray. This aspect, which is also an external manifestation of the Chaotic Source Force, shares some resemblance with the Spirit Realm.

“Tell me, what do you want?”

Gazing into the void, Cronus couldn’t help but once again recall his previous exchange with Gaia. Both generations of Divine Kings had fallen out with Mother Earth due to these creatures. If possible, he truly wished to kill them forever.

Unfortunately, killing an entity with an immortal essence is something not even the Great Divine Power could achieve, much less Cronus.

“Actually, I didn’t want to see you now, Cronus. Because I know that as long as there’s even the slightest chance, you won’t agree to my request.”

Taking a leisurely sip of tea, Laine, although aware of the outcome, still offered a response.

However, this answer was likely something no deity could accept, possibly even thinking he was joking.

“But since you’re here, I might as well tell you in advance. I want everything you have, Cronus, everything you have ever owned, have now, and might have in the future, everything.”

Bang—!

The power released unconsciously shook the long table, but under the suppression of the Spirit Realm’s power, that was all. The expression of the Divine King darkened at first but quickly returned to normal.

He didn’t know why Laine would make such a demand, but apart from the possibility that the other party was merely joking to amuse him, there must be other reasons involved.

Perhaps what was offered in exchange was enough to compensate for his loss, but it was ultimately a gamble.

“Are you joking with me?”

With his mind slightly settled and thoughts spinning rapidly, this did not stop Cronus from expressing his dissatisfaction.

After all, he was still the Divine King. Such a reply from the other party was undoubtedly unacceptable to him.

“Heh, you see, I told you, you wouldn’t accept it.”

Shaking his head with a smile, Laine showed no intention of offering further explanation.

This time, he truly didn’t intend to trap the other side; compared to what Cronus would give, he would gain even more, but some things still needed the right moment to be disclosed.

For instance, when the other party realized that no matter what, they couldn’t compete with Zeus.

“The second time I set foot on the Mount of the Gods, Cronus, I made this comment about you:”

“‘When given a choice, you always want the best, but if left with no choice, you don’t mind taking a gamble’. However, it’s not yet the time when you have nowhere left to turn.”

“Just take this as a joke. Regarding Prophecy, I have nothing much to say. Even I myself do not currently possess the power to fully confront the order of the present world. The succession of the throne of the Divine King is an inevitable destiny.”

Picking up the teacup, although the Divine King was unfamiliar with the custom of seeing off a guest with tea, he understood Laine’s intent.

This time he was genuinely irritated. He had thought his visit would cost him greatly, after which he would find a way around the Prophecy, but he hadn’t expected such an outcome.

The other party didn’t even intend to explain their meaning, but was so certain of his failure.

Despite the fact the Divine King himself knew, if he hadn’t foreseen failure, he wouldn’t have come here at this moment.

“Since that’s the case, then indeed there’s nothing left to say, Laine. Just like you said, I haven’t reached my last step yet.”

Standing up, Cronus no longer repressed his emotions but let out a cold laugh.

“However, speaking of you, Laine, what do you plan on doing during this interlude of an epochal transition?”

“More of your conspiracies and schemes? It’s different now than last time. All divinities, even the Primordial Gods, will surely take notice of your existence.”

“Your tricks of deception may not work anymore.”

Just as he said, this time, those deities who had lived through the end of the first era would certainly not forget that beneath the earth there lay a unique existence.

The confrontation between the two pantheons of gods was destined to not conclude in a short period, and the scenario of being delayed and unable to take action would not happen a second time.

This time, Laine had nothing to hide; after all, the subject of his probing was existence itself.

“Maybe so, you make a good point.”

Without the intention to stand up and see him off or to explain, Laine simply stretched out a finger, and an illusory gate of light emerged before him.

“If there comes a day when you realize that your failure is inevitable and you decide to accept my offer, then you may call my name again.

“Even for my own sake, I will surely respond to you.”

“As for me—”

After a silent moment, Laine spoke calmly:

“Nobody likes to hide in the shadows all the time, Cronus, although most of the time I don’t care about being the center of attention, occasionally, I do feel like taking the initiative to do something.”

“The last time the Divine King was replaced, I was merely a spectator, because at that time, that was all I was capable of.”

“But this time…”

Looking towards the Divine King, as if seeing a day in the future, Laine tapped the tabletop, his tone even and natural.

“But this time, I’m the main character.”