979

The day before Eun-ha entered the Pantheon's vault and obtained the Wisdom of Metis.

Future Yu-seong, who visited him in the middle of the night, advised again.

"Father will surely be drawn to the Aegis. It suited you so well... To the point where even mothers would sometimes get jealous..."

"Really? That much?"

"Yes, I'm not joking, it's true. Even Big Aunt was jealous."

"How well did it match with me for even weapons to be jealous..."

Eun-ha, half dumbfounded, showed a sour reaction.

But future Yu-seong was serious.

"Because something made from a treasure imbued with a divine figure couldn't be treated simply. Uncle Byeok Hae-su's skills were exceptionally good too..."

"Can't be treated simply? Is there something more than just a soul residing in the weapon..."

"Anyway."

"..."

Future Yu-seong cut off Eun-ha's words midway, as if to say he couldn't answer that.

He changed the subject.

"Even if Father is drawn to the Aegis, please don't choose it."

"And choose the Wisdom of Metis instead? I know, I've heard it several times already."

"...Yes. Please choose the Wisdom of Metis. Even the future Aegis agreed to this. Though it did say some strange things."

"Strange things?"

"Although it might hurt its pride, it said that if it were wise, it would surely find another way to belong to Father or something... It's okay. Don't worry about it."

"Uh, um... Alright."

Unfortunately, Eun-ha, unable to properly understand future Yu-seong's mumbling, just nodded vaguely.

As a side note, future Yu-seong gave a bitter smile when he later heard the news that Eun-ha had obtained the Aegis.

"Anyway, when you enter the vault tomorrow, make sure to choose the Wisdom of Metis. If you use the Wisdom of Metis as material..."

And above all.

Future Yu-seong, speaking as if to emphasize, continued.

"With the Wisdom of Metis, you can even stand against Zeus."

"..."

"Although the user of Metis in the future was defeated by Zeus..."

Father, you'll be able to win.

Future Yu-seong assured.

* * *

"Metis, how are you there..."

Zeus, realizing the identity of the Honghwa Sword, couldn't hide his surprise.

No, it was fear.

Eun-ha saw through his feelings.

"Seems you know to fear your first wife. Well, you should be afraid."

According to Greek and Roman mythology.

Zeus, who had driven out his father Cronus and opened the era of the Olympian gods, receives a prophecy.

The prophecy, which was essentially a curse, was...

'It said he would lose his position as the supreme god to a son born between him and Metis.'

So Zeus, trembling with fear that he too might fall like Cronus...

To prevent Metis from giving birth to a son, he devises a plan and swallows her.

Fortunately, she survived, but had to spend her lifetime trapped inside Zeus's head.

Being treated as a tool to provide wisdom to Zeus...

'In the meantime, Athena was born from Zeus's head, born by Metis. At this time, Zeus was relieved that a daughter was born instead of a son...'

Therefore.

Woong!

Metis, who had loved Zeus devotedly and led him to become the supreme god, had reason to be filled with a sense of betrayal.

Eun-ha could empathize with her emotions through the vibrations of the Honghwa Sword.

Meanwhile, Zeus, having composed himself, arrogantly proposed.

"Human. She is not a being that someone like you can handle. So while I'm still speaking nicely, hand her over, my wife. If you comply obediently, I'll forgive your rudeness so far. Not only that, I promise sufficient compensation."

Woong!

"She says don't make her laugh by calling her your wife. She likes me better than you, so just go and die?"

"..."

Eun-ha sneered.

Zeus's face hardened.

"Metis, I understand your anger. Although I had no choice then, I did something unforgivable to you. If you want, I'll apologize as much as you want. And I promise. That I will never betray you again. In this era, we..."

"So."

"...!"

The words are too long and pathetic.

Eun-ha, having no intention of listening to nonsense, kicked off the ground with Ubiquitous and rushed at Zeus.

"She's not interested in you anymore. Just please die, she says."

He swings down the Honghwa Sword, pulled back hard over his shoulder.

Zeus hurriedly gathered lightning to defend, but it was meaningless.

The Honghwa Sword lightly cut through the lightning, drawing a diagonal line on him.

"Kuhek!"

Zeus, who had retreated his body by riding lightning just before the blade could dig deep, coughed up blood.

Blood also burst from his chest area where the Honghwa Sword had drawn a line.

"Damn it..."

Once again, the wound doesn't heal.

Zeus, frowning in pain, had to cauterize the wound area with lightning himself to stop the bleeding.

But even that wasn't easy.

"Kuk! Cowardly...!"

"Why? Is it not allowed to be cowardly?"

Because neither Eun-ha, future Yu-seong, nor the others allowed it.

They relentlessly pressed on, taking advantage of their numerical superiority.

As a result, Zeus couldn't stay still in one place.

His injuries increased as time passed.

"Yu-seong was right. Metis is certainly effective."

The goddess of wisdom, Metis.

The Honghwa Sword, containing her divine figure, could analyze, grasp, and understand the target it had wounded.

Therefore, once it inflicted a wound, thereafter...

'Even if I swing carelessly, the attacks I inflict on the target will necessarily act as critical hits. Especially...'

Even more so against Zeus.

Metis, who had been captive to him for a long time, knew everything about him.

Eun-ha raised the corners of his mouth.

On the contrary, Zeus, who was constantly being beaten by him, couldn't help but shout.

"Metis! Will you really do this!? These bastards, this bitch...!"

Zeus was filled with indignation.

He, with burns covering nearly half his body, stepped on the night sky.

"Do you think you can do anything to me!"

The Scepter of Jupiter emitted light, and the night sky flashed.

Crack!

A barrage of lightning falls to the ground.

Each beam of light, with ferocious power, strikes indiscriminately.

Eventually, it tears through the protective magic.

"To still have this much power...!"

"Kyaaaa!"

People exposed to Zeus's lightning couldn't help but scream.

In an instant, a large number of injured appeared.

'Should I manifest the myth...'

Eun-ha was not enough to cut down all the lightning to save people.

He gritted his teeth and struggled with the conflict.

Just then.

Rumble!

Eun-ha raised his head.

Zeus, holding the Scepter of Jupiter and with his back to the moonlit night, was looking down at him.

His golden eyes shone.

"Die."

At that moment, the night sky turned bright.

Once again, a barrage of lightning, no, a pillar of lightning falls.

Eun-ha, seeing this sight, couldn't help but be shocked.

'That...'

He can cut it down.

He can cut it down, but that's all.

He can't block it.

He might survive, but others are in danger.

He can't guarantee their safety.

'I have to manifest the myth!'

There was no other means.

He needs to overlay the myth on the world, not the weapon, to turn back time in the area.

Eun-ha, having made this judgment, hurriedly tried to implement his will.

Just then.

Whoosh!

The Aegis in Eun-ha's bosom sprang out.

The Aegis, returning to its original form from a stone, spread a blue barrier facing the lightning pillar.

The blue barrier, deployed in a hemispherical shape, protects Eun-ha's group.

Furthermore...

Whoosh!

It reflected the falling lightning pillar.

The lightning pillar shot up in reverse.

"This power, could it be... Athena!?"

Zeus's body, enveloped in lightning, begins to harden like stone.

He couldn't hide his bewilderment.

And he trembled with a sense of betrayal.

"Athena, how could you too...! Are you also going to defy me!"

Zeus tried to resist the Aegis's petrification by raising his momentum.

His body alternates between turning to stone and returning to normal.

Eun-ha didn't miss this moment.

My son.

He spreads his wings of flame and takes flight.

He catches Zeus's back.

Beyond the time reaching myth.

"...!"

Now, here, at last.

Zeus's eyes widened, belatedly noticing his presence.

"You, youuu...!"

Execute the prophecy that has not yet been fulfilled.

Zeus, with the emotion of fear covering his face, screams.

Eun-ha curved his lips.

"Yes, Mother."

Playfully answering Metis's thought.

Eun-ha swung the Honghwa Sword, enveloped in flames, lightning, darkness, and golden light.

<Trinity Blade>

Crimson flames rise, blue lightning sprouts in streams, and purple darkness rushes in.

Finally, golden light explodes.

* * *

The light illuminating the cross fades.

Within it, the ownerless scepter was falling lonely.

Turning to ash, shattering into pieces.

Rustle...

The ash powder flutters in the night sky.

And so, the Scepter of Jupiter disappeared without ever touching the ground.

In other words, Zeus had been annihilated.

"It's really a shame..."

Although he had treated it as a treasure that never existed originally, he couldn't help but feel regret.

Eun-ha clicked his tongue as he looked in the direction where the ash powder had flown.

On the other hand, as he took in the dark night view of Rome, unlike Korea, he suddenly felt homesick for Korea.

"I wonder if the kids are okay."

He decides to go down now.

Eun-ha set foot in the park, full of traces of battle, mainly devastated by Zeus's lightning.

The people who had finished the battle were resting or treating injuries.

"Fortunately, there are no fatalities. The number of seriously injured is also minimal. Most will recover soon."

"That's a relief. Everyone worked hard."

Jin Seo-na came to report the situation.

Eun-ha nodded to her and called Pricis Memory.

"Witch, can you restore the park to how it was before the battle?"

"Yes, that's not a problem, but... The barrier got a hole due to the lightning we took at the end..."

"You mean people around might have noticed the commotion?"

"Yes... That's right. We should probably leave quickly. I'm sorry."

Pricis Memory awkwardly affirmed, feeling ashamed.

Eun-ha deliberately treated it as not a big deal to ease her burden.

"It was beyond our control, so it can't be helped. Then let's restore the scene and leave before people come."

"Alright. I'll finish it quickly."

"Thank you."

Pricis Memory assures him, saying to leave it to her, as if to make up for her mistake.

After sending her off, Eun-ha looked down at the Aegis in his hand.

"Thank you for helping earlier too. But can you return to your previous form? In this state..."

Woong!

"Huh?"

The Aegis vibrated as if protesting.

Eun-ha couldn't help but tilt his head.

"What's wrong? If you have any complaints, can you tell me?"

Woong!

"...What?"

Was he misunderstanding?

As Eun-ha was thinking this, the Aegis sent a thought for clear communication.

So...

Call me sister.

"..."

If you claim to be my mother's son, shouldn't you call me sister?

Woong!

This time, the Honghwa Sword vibrated.

It was expressing agreement with the Aegis's argument.

Eun-ha couldn't help but chuckle.

"Alright, I got it. Thank you, sister."

Woong!

"Mother too."

It wasn't a big deal to do.

Eun-ha decided to play along happily.

On the other hand, he couldn't help but miss his family in Korea.

'I want to see everyone soon...'

He had been away from home for too long.

He wants to return to Korea quickly.

Eun-ha wished.

"But now there's only a few days left."

From then on, the awaited time passed, and finally that day arrived.