Chapter 203: Haggling

H'el sat back at the negotiation table once again.

Thick clouds surrounded them, lightning flashed, and a violent storm raged, with the thunder crashing down like a tipping balance.

Every action and word from Zeus reflected his mood.

With a grim expression, he spoke, "The Olympian pantheon is willing to exchange basic magical knowledge for three gods."

Zeus knew that without offering something, they wouldn't get the three gods back.

The three stellar-level deities represented the pinnacle of Olympus's power and were indispensable to the Olympian pantheon.

Ganthet couldn't help but glance at Zeus strangely upon hearing this offer.

Not because it was generous, but because... that's it?

He had to admit that while magic was mysterious and miraculous, it wasn't mainstream in this universe.

The mainstream in this universe derived from the spectrum of emotions, even technological advancements based on the expression of physical properties were more mainstream than magic.

In reality, magic could only serve as a means under the authority of the gods, merely another form of technology under their authority.

Just trading basic magical knowledge for three deities, if the Kryptonian agreed, Olympus would be making a huge profit.

What a joke!

He already had Athena, having recorded everything about the power structure, magical knowledge, whether it was basic applications or advanced spells, rune enhancements, magical power, divine power application techniques, and everything else.

Did he still need Zeus's basic magical knowledge?

"Zeus, you lack sincerity. What you're offering isn't even worth me just killing Apollo outright for the gains."

"Dare you!" Lightning crackled around Zeus, thunder surrounding him, his eyes flashing with silver intensity.

"Why wouldn't I dare? Yak is already dead by my hand," H'el said calmly.

The death of a cosmic guardian was no small matter.

Zeus looked at Ganthet in astonishment, seeing Ganther close his eyes with a sorrowful expression, which confirmed the truth.

Zeus quickly adjusted his anger, and the thunderclouds around him calmed down, thick and heavy, stagnant.

Knowing that H'el could indeed do what he says, he had to consider the impact of the deaths of the three deities on the Olympus pantheon.

Most importantly, Apollo, Artemis, and Athena each possessed various authorities.

Apollo alone had over two hundred detailed and diverse authorities, such as arts, light, the sun, medicine, husbandry, music, prophecy, migration, seafaring, bravery, disaster relief, poetry, hymns, and many more. The subsequent authorities, both real and virtual, hanging on him numbered over a thousand.

Together, Apollo, Artemis, and Athena possessed nearly five hundred real authorities, and with the subsequent authorities, they had more than a thousand.

If those three gods were to die, it would be a massive blow to the Olympus pantheon.

When they die and their authorities scatter, it's highly likely that they won't be able to collect them again, or they may fall into the hands of others in the universe, sparking another great war for authority.

Zeus and the Olympus pantheon, who have enjoyed peace for so long, have no desire to enter another ruthless war for authority.

After realizing that H'el truly dared to kill, Zeus quickly calmed down and stopped his ineffective actions.

"What do you want from Olympus?" Zeus pondered for a moment but couldn't figure out what the Kryptonian wanted. He asked with a stern expression.

"The authority of the God of Magic, all authorities related to magic, including magical power, elemental magic, enchantments, inscriptions, magic runes, magical machinery, magical enhancement, incantations, and so on," H'el calmly proposed his conditions.

He had long understood the structure of Olympus's deities from Athena.

Authorities are not superior or inferior; it's only about the amount of information and their usage.

Gods exist alongside authorities; they give birth to divine power, and divine power is their essence. Magic, on the other hand, is just an applied energy derived from the soul, mind, and various environmental rules, used by gods to rule over humans.

Divine power can freely create, bestow upon, and utilize magic. However, few magics can rival divine power, nor can they become the source of creation.

But this doesn't mean that magic is weak. Behind magic lies a mysterious origin that even gods cannot delve into too deeply; they can only use it.

"Agreed, but I must clarify that the use of the authority of the God of Magic is shared among every deity in the Olympus pantheon. You cannot refuse other gods from using it. Even if you become the deity of magic, you cannot reject other gods from creating magic unique to them," Zeus pondered for a moment.

While it's said that they cannot refuse other gods from creating and using magic, whenever other gods create a new magical application, it naturally appears in the head of the God of Magic.

However, it's not unavoidable. By blending a portion of divine power and changing the magical attributes to belong solely to one's own divine power, one can avoid the God of Magic from discerning their magic.

This type of magic is also known as divine power magic, a clever way to bypass the highest patent of the God of Magic's authority.

Zeus continued solemnly, "My queen, Hera, possesses the authority of the God of Magic in this universe, as well as a series of authorities related to magic. They will all belong to you, and I will negotiate with her and hand them over to you."

"Deal. The authority of the God of Magic in exchange for one deity," H'el nodded, somewhat satisfied.

He didn't intend to use it himself, but his faction must have expertise in magic to guard against curses and sorcery similar to magic.

In this war, nearly 100,000 Kryptonian soldiers were cursed by divine power magic and couldn't be restored through physical means. Since it involved soul-related methods, it had to be avoided.

Zeus frowned slightly, thinking it was a trade of the authority of the God of Magic for three deities...

"Next, the authority of machinery and energy, and all related authorities, in exchange for one deity," H'el reminded with a smile.

Zeus agreed with a stern face, wondering why each request seemed to tread on his psychological line.

Each authority H'el proposed seemed to touch a nerve with him. It wasn't the main authority of Apollo, nor did it involve widespread beliefs that would shake the foundation of Olympus.

Authorities like the God of Magic and machinery and energy were universal and didn't forcibly deprive other gods of the right to use them. They were almost considered utilitarian by the gods but necessary for daily life.

But he seemed to be treading on Zeus's boundary, making Zeus wonder if he was very familiar with the ways of the gods?

"Lastly, I want one-tenth of the territory of the divine realm," H'el said.

"No way!" Zeus was furious.

Since ambushing other deities, the divine realm had always been Olympus's little universe, ignoring even Earth, and they lounged in the divine realm as if it were their own residence.

When he heard that H'el wanted to settle in the divine realm, he outright refused.

"The divine realm doesn't belong exclusively to Olympus; it belongs to all deities. Since he will possess the authority of the God of Magic and machinery and energy, he qualifies as a god and has the right to reside in the divine realm," Ganthet suddenly spoke, unusually siding with H'el.

The group of Olympus gods lounging in the divine realm, enjoying themselves while ignoring Earth, was intolerable to Ganther.

He had to let in a catfish.

"Fine, you can choose two deities to take away," H'el replied without hesitation.

Since they were unwilling, he would only deal for two deities, and he would choose himself. With just one left, he would keep it for experimentation.

Zeus obviously guessed H'el's intentions and shut up on the spot. He knows the terrifying experimentation power of Kryptonians as from what he can remember, most of them are all well versed in research and leaving a God in their hands in just asking for death.

So stifling his anger until his ears turned red and sparks flew. He gritted his teeth, "One-tenth is too much..."

The solar system is about 3.16 light-years in size, while the divine realm is roughly 8000 times the size of the solar system, or about 25280 light-years in size.

As soon as he asked for 2500 light-years, equivalent to 791 solar systems, it was a bit too much.

Zeus put down his kingly demeanor and began to haggle with H'el, explaining the distribution of divine duties in the divine realm of Olympus. He got angry several times and wanted to just YEET and flip the table, but he was suppressed by Ganthet's cold face and H'el's indifference.

In the end, under the witness of the Guardians, the Olympus pantheon paid the authority of the God of Magic and all related to magic, machinery and energy, and all related authorities, as well as 1558 light-years of territory in the divine realm, equivalent to 500 solar systems, to trade back three deities.

°°°

A/N: Bonus chapter later.

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