Hades was far in the Underworld, Hestia had just left, Demeter was not skilled in battle, and Poseidon had blatantly stated that he would stay neutral. The Goddess of Law had not returned for many years, and the God of Sun along with other deities were basically unable to decide the outcome. All of this was telling Zeus just how thorny the enemy before him was.
Of course, the situation had not reached its worst, after all, it was easy for gods to rank each other, but hard to determine a victor. If his foster parents insisted on taking action, then Zeus would have no choice but to temporarily avoid the sharp edge.
Once Hades and the Goddess of Hearthfire realized the commotion here and gathered the power of all the gods, the scales of victory would ultimately tip towards him. However, if things truly escalated to that point, the Divine Court, established for no more than a hundred years, would also become a complete laughingstock.
By that time, for gods like Aphrodite who were semi-independent of the Divine Court, it was hard to say what choices they would make. And as for someone as honest as the God of Sun, whether different thoughts arose in him was as unpredictable.
At this moment, the Divine King once again realized how weak he was at this very moment. Without his brothers and sisters, he simply could not suppress those old masters, the progeny of the Heavenly Father.
"It's been a long time, my most respected master of the ocean, what wind has brought you here?"
With countless thoughts in his heart, although knowing it was impossible, Zeus still hoped to receive a benevolent reply. However, the next moment, the voice that emitted from the chariot dashed all his wishful thinking.
"You know very well, Zeus, that you've assassinated my daughter in ways that cannot see the light of day, the pearl of the ocean; today is the day I've come to seek justice."
Another voice came from the chariot, and Thaesis, the original goddess of water, stepped out unfettered, releasing her divine power oppressively. She was the purest water, the mother of millions of rivers, and even facing all gods alone, her presence was in no way subdued.
On the contrary, faced with Thaesis's questioning, the Divine King's expression remained unchanged, but around him, other deities' spirits somewhat faltered.
The tale of Zeus and Metis had already circulated among the gods in many a whispered version, and now with the principal party confronting him, it seemed a natural development. At least in this matter, there were not a few who sympathized with the goddess in question.
But there were some exceptions. Behind the Divine King, Queen Hera cast a harsh glance at Zeus but ultimately still stepped forward to stand by his side. After all, she was the biggest beneficiary; if Metis were still around, how could the role of Heavenly Queen have fallen to her?
"If this is truly the purpose of your visit, Your Highness Thaesis, although I am also saddened by the disappearance of Metis, this does not give you reason to brazenly intimidate the Divine Court."
The tricolor scepter floated by his side, and the Thunderbolt Arrow was held in Zeus's palm. Now that the intentions of his visitors were clear, Zeus's face grew cold.
The current situation was indeed dire, but the couple of the ocean did not know what had just transpired, nor could they be aware that Poseidon had turned a blind eye or that Hestia was not on the Mountain of the Gods. Instead, to prevent any signs of weakness from being perceived, Zeus not only did not back down, but his stance became even firmer.
"I can understand your sentiments, but it stops there. Should you attempt to start a dispute on this pretext, then I am prepared to see it through to the end!"
It seemed as though Zeus's words had angered them, and the surging waters once again struck the mountain of Olympus, leaving a massive impact noise. The breath of many deities interwove in the sky, and thunder gradually covered half the sky, facing the waves from afar, as if a divine battle would erupt at any moment.
However, just then, the sky suddenly flashed, and this abrupt celestial event interrupted the escalating momentum of both sides.
The tense atmosphere came to an abrupt pause as gods inevitably raised their heads to look at the sky. Although it was still daytime, a star in the sky released an exceptionally dazzling brilliance.
The morning star twinkled and fell to the mortal realm; for a moment, the scene quieted down. Only when the star vanished from sight did the end of the line of sight pass.
"... The dignity of the Divine Court cannot be violated, but I understand your feelings. Your Highness Thaesis, if you're willing, I'm prepared to plant the branch of the Golden Apple Tree given by Mother Earth atop the ocean, that we may treasure from henceforth, thereby settling this needless dispute."
In the silence, Hera slowly spoke. She knew that Olympus was outwardly strong but inwardly weak, and this battle was one the Divine King truly wished to avoid. And as the one who had replaced Metis, it was right for her to step forward.
On the other side, Thaesis, whose demeanor had slightly receded, finally softened her tone as well.
"The truth of the matter is well known to all deities, but after all, you are my foster child. Zeus, if you agree to an additional condition from me, we can put this matter aside."
Internally relieved, Thaesis maintained a still frosty facade. In fact, despite Zeus's bluster, she was equally not an exception.
Oceanus was still injured and had stayed in the chariot not to pose any pretense but because once he stepped out, Zeus might perceive the real situation. Thus, if it could be resolved verbally, that was far better than war.
Zeus's fierce response had almost left her not knowing what to do.
"Ah—nothing could be better, if you have any requests, I will certainly do my utmost to satisfy them."
Relieved as well, Hera, with the Golden Crown shimmering above her head, smiled and nodded.
"Then I will speak plainly."
Looking at Zeus, Thaesis knew he was the one to make the decision.