Chapter 69. A Blessing is Also the Trumpet Call for a Journey
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It's very difficult to make a proud person bow their head, especially when there are three proud goddesses involved.
But fortunately, two of them were rational enough to maintain their pride despite stubbornly holding on. Once they had an excuse to back down, even if the third one, who was rather brainless, smiled smugly at them, they would just smile back.
I, Athena, possess a beauty of wisdom that transcends gender, unlike your beauty that merely entices men.
I, Hera, am the most noble being in this world. Beauty is just one of my attributes, so there's no need to compare with someone whose only asset is beauty.
The conflict was resolved pleasantly. The golden apple, once fought over by the three goddesses, became an object of disdain, enveloped in an atmosphere of "whoever takes it lacks confidence." In the end, Cyd took it away.
Of course, Cyd gained more than just the golden apple.
The best way to make a god happy is to praise them excessively. Naturally, these confident goddesses didn't see it as flattery, but rather as Cyd simply stating the truth. However, they were still pleased.
Hera straightforwardly gave Cyd a blessing, just as Cyd had said. She was the most noble goddess, and her blessing was equally noble.
"Wherever you are, you will become the most noble person."
In short, it meant wealth and status.
Aphrodite also generously gave Cyd a blessing, but it was a blessing that made Cyd's head spin, despite how great it seemed.
"The love entrusted to you will always be fulfilled."
Even the slightest affection would be magnified into love, and it would always have a happy ending. What an exciting blessing!
Hmm, I absolutely won't use it!
It's a pity all blessings are passive skills!
Athena, the first to offer her blessing to entice Cyd, was the most reluctant to actually give it.
She loved heroes and admired their triumphant stances as they overcame challenges. Cyd, blessed by the gods and adored by mortals, was undoubtedly the greatest hero of this era. She was willing to offer her blessing, but not so soon.
If she gave Cyd her blessing, she wouldn't have anything else to entice him into facing trials. If she could, she would use her wisdom to endlessly offer rewards that Cyd couldn't refuse, other than blessings. But now, with the other two goddesses staring at her with "your turn" looks, and even Zeus urging her, she had no choice.
"Whenever you make a choice, it will always be the right one."
Although somewhat reluctant, Athena gave her blessing.
The disrupted wedding luckily continued, even though Cyd had left the palace. The male protagonist's limelight was completely stolen...
"The remaining blessings are..."
Standing outside the Olympian palace, Cyd raised his left wrist. The once pure white wrist guard was now beautifully adorned with colorful crystals, with the only flaw being the two remaining transparent crystals.
"Two more!"
"Are you just going to leave like this?"
Just as Cyd was about to slip away, a hand silently pressed on his shoulder.
"My task is complete, so it's about time I leave," Cyd said with a stiff expression. "Great King of the Gods, Zeus, what do you want from me?"
"No~ I should be asking if there's something you haven't told me," Zeus released Cyd's shoulder, stepped back a few steps, and sat on the steps. "Don't be nervous, I won't eat you."
With that, Zeus patted the spot next to him.
"Sit down."
"Then... excuse me," Cyd swallowed nervously and slowly sat next to Zeus.
There was no other choice. This was Zeus! A powerful being who could charm both men and women!
"Finally seeing me, aren't you going to ask for a blessing?" Zeus pointed to Cyd's left wrist. "I'm not that easy to meet, you know~"
"Well~ I thought your blessing wouldn't be that easy to get," Cyd scratched his face.
"I'm actually quite easy-going. I was planning to give it to you freely like Poseidon if..." Zeus's smile gradually faded into a serious expression, "you hadn't received a blessing from Hades."
Cyd opened his mouth but didn't know what to say.
"Don't get me wrong, it's not because of Hades that I don't want to give you a blessing," Zeus pinched Cyd's stiff face. "It's because that guy favored you too much by giving you that blessing."
"Immortality?" Cyd tilted his head.
"That's right. That's the one blessing you shouldn't have received," Zeus, lying on the steps without any majesty, said. "Honestly, can't he consider my position?"
"Well... I think it's no big deal," Cyd touched the white jade wrist guard on his left wrist.
"Don't you understand your situation?" Zeus reached out and lightly hit Cyd's head. "That blessing is not just divine favor; it symbolizes divine power. Think about how much power resides in you."
Cyd's eyes narrowed.
Apollo's power of the sun, Aphrodite's power of love, Hera's noble power, Ares's power of war, Demeter's power of harvest, Artemis's power of the moon and plague, Hermes's power of truth, Athena's power of wisdom, Hestia's power of home protection, Poseidon's power of the sea, and Hades's power of immortality.
"The power you now possess far exceeds any single god. If that were all, it wouldn't matter. You are just a human, and humans have limited lifespans. No matter how powerful, there comes an end. But now you can't die," Zeus's expression was complex. "You will live forever. With the divine power within you, you will eventually become a god more powerful than I am. Maybe as the Sky God, Zeus, I would enjoy seeing other gods troubled, but the only one troubled would be Zeus, King of the Gods."
"So... I absolutely can't complete this wrist guard," Cyd scratched his face.
"That's the theory, but you've already gained immortality," Zeus spread his hands. "Even if I don't give you a blessing, with the power of eleven gods, you will surpass me sooner or later. So..."
Zeus gave a thumbs-up. "I bless you!"
"Huh?"
"I can tell you have no interest in the position of King of the Gods," Zeus lazily twisted his pale hair. "And I'm also curious if the Hero of Pure White can maintain his consciousness through the erosion of time."
"You are really carefree," Cyd sighed in relief.
"Don't worry, it won't be free," Zeus flicked his fingernail. "After gaining thirteen blessings, you definitely won't want to be a hero anymore. You'll probably find a place to live peacefully."
"Probably... After all, that was my goal from the start," Cyd hesitated.
"Then... consider it the Hero of Pure White's final contribution," Zeus flicked his finger. "Fight to save the world."