"Heh heh, so no matter the reason, no matter how you managed to do it... just let my sister assess your abilities. And now, her strength is just right for the task."
The weakest of the Primordial Gods, Gaia's strongest suit was defense rather than offense, which is why she could hold her own for a while against those far more powerful than herself but also had trouble winning outright against those she should have been able to defeat.
Thus, if the third-generation Divine King really had some tricks up his sleeve, using Gaia as a proof of his abilities was the best choice.
With a light chuckle, Erebus's gaze briefly swept over the world. He paused slightly over the Land of Eternal Night and Nether Moon before taking a step out.
Perhaps he had been a bit too active of late, and vaguely, the Lord of Darkness actually felt some ominous premonitions stemming from the present world. But regardless, at least before this epoch ended, this would not yet provoke too direct a response from the laws of the current world.
As one of the Ancient Gods, Erie was a boundary between this world and the outer realms and had yet to do anything that truly threatened the order of the present world. As for the future...
Shaking his head slightly, Erebus did not dwell on these thoughts for the road still lay ahead, one step at a time.
And so, silently, the Lord of Darkness once again left his domain. This time, his destination was Olympus.
To the southeast of the continent, Silver Moon City.
In recent years, the Moon had occasionally been absent from the night sky, presenting a stark contrast to the God of Sun's diligent presence. However, the Goddess of the Moon was quite indifferent to this, as compared to the Sun, the bright Moon nowadays was not as significant.
Today was one such day when the summer night was absent of Moon, only stars shining down on the dim and dark land. Yet, this was not the case for Silver Moon City beneath the stars, where a miniature 'Moon' hovered and glided in the sky above.
To deities, it was but a fleeting moment, but for humans, these were the years that could turn their world upside down. Next to the crescent-shaped bay, a gigantic city had risen from the ground. Lofty spires, exquisite buildings, and majestic temples, all part of an orderly and structured composition, formed this brand new city.
There were no torches needed, for at night, a magic-constructed illusion of light illuminated the city, dispersing the shadows; no city walls were required, but thousands of floating engraved stones hung midair, together forming a defense structure called the 'Maze Lock' by the Goddess of the Magic Net.
Although since its inception, this so-called 'Maze Lock' had never really been put to use, its defensive capability was beyond doubt. Thus, under the protection of the 'Maze Lock,' the residents of Silver Moon City never needed to worry about any external threats, instead focusing more on acquiring knowledge and expanding their population.
Indeed, such cross-era city planning, while exuding an orderly and civilized beauty that showcased the skill of the Goddess of the Magic Net, also highlighted a notable deficiency—the sparse population of Silver Moon City.
No matter what, the one or two thousand immigrants would have been unable to fill the city in such short order, and even to this day, more than ninety percent of it remained largely vacant.
This City of Miracles had been ambitiously allotted ample space by the effusive Hecate from the very beginning. With sufficient resources, it could even support millions of people living within its vast complexes without feeling crowded. In contrast, the enormity of the city often lent it an air of desolation.
However, today was different; sounds of clamor rose from all corners of the city. Spectacular phenomena in the sky drew people out of their homes, gathering in twos and threes, marveling at this majestic sight they had never before beheld.
"Divine birth, such a familiar scene, and her name... Goddess of Wisdom, embodiment of Victory and Art, Pallas Athena. She must be strong, just like the astrological predictions, a deity 'surpassing her mother.'"
Sitting beside the pinnacle of a spire, Hecate swung her legs, looking distantly at the aurora that covered the heavens. In her hands, she held a shiny crystal ball, absentmindedly tapping it, while in her mind, she couldn't help but recall past memories.
Before becoming a deity, she had walked the Earth for thousands of years, but that time felt short to her, as if it had passed in a flash. Yet, after achieving godhood, even though just a few hundred years had gone by, Hecate felt the time was long, so long that her memories had begun to blur.
Even though Hecate did not like Metis much before she met Zeus, witnessing her disappearance and her daughter's emergence still moved her with an indescribable sense of contemplation.
The Goddess of Wisdom, it seemed, was not as wise as she thought herself to be. Hecate wondered if her daughter would be the same.
"That's why, Artemis, you must remember to keep your distance from Golden Mane; although he is your father, he is no good," Hecate warned, serious-faced as she turned to Artemis once more.
Just like Apollo had grown up, the Goddess presiding over Wilderness and the New Moon had also come of age. Standing beside Hecate, dressed in a light green cinched-waist short dress, tall and slender, donning a moon crown, she radiated with vitality and confidence.
Her smile was beautiful, as glorious as the spectacle in the sky, lifting the spirits of Artemis as well.