Chapter 8: Olympian Machinations
The conference room filled rapidly as Servants and staff members took their positions. Long Chen observed each new arrival with interest, his newly enhanced perception allowing him to assess their power levels and unique qualities. They were a diverse group, ranging from what appeared to be ordinary humans to beings whose divine nature rivaled Quetzalcoatl's.
Among the last to enter was a young man with orange hair and ordinary features, yet something about him caught Long Chen's attention immediately. Despite lacking any obvious power signature, this individual radiated a different kind of significance—a nexus point around which others naturally oriented themselves.
"Senpai!" Mash greeted him warmly, confirming his importance.
Da Vinci gestured the newcomer forward. "Ah, perfect timing. Long Chen, allow me to introduce Ritsuka Fujimaru, Chaldea's Master and humanity's last defense in more crises than I care to enumerate."
The young man approached with a friendly smile, extending his hand. "Welcome to Chaldea. I understand you're from beyond our multiverse entirely? That's a first, even for us."
Long Chen clasped the offered hand, immediately sensing something unusual—this seemingly ordinary human contained potential connection points to dozens of powerful entities. Like a formation nexus in cultivation terms, Ritsuka served as a conduit for forces far beyond his personal capacity.
"The Master-Servant system," Arcueid explained quietly, noting Long Chen's interest. "He forms contracts with Heroic Spirits, allowing them to materialize and fight alongside him."
"Interesting approach," Long Chen commented. In his world, cultivators developed their own power rather than channeling others', but he could appreciate the strategic advantages of such a system.
Once everyone was settled, da Vinci activated the holographic display, filling the center of the room with a three-dimensional representation of what appeared to be a massive tree.
"For those unfamiliar with our current situation," she began, "we are dealing with the aftermath of what we call the Fantasy Tree crisis. These cosmic structures anchored alternative histories—Lostbelts—to the surface of our reality, threatening to overwrite proper human history entirely."
The display shifted to show seven distinct branches, each labeled with a different location and designation.
"Thanks to Master Fujimaru and our Servants, we've successfully eliminated most of these Trees and their associated Lostbelts. However, the fifth Lostbelt—Olympus—has proven exceptionally resilient."
The hologram zoomed in on one particular branch, expanding to reveal a gleaming futuristic cityscape dominated by massive mechanical structures that somehow resembled classical Greek architecture.
"Olympus," da Vinci continued, "is ruled by the Machine Gods—mechanical versions of the Greek pantheon who have achieved perfect immortality through technological means. Their leader, Zeus, has fused with the Fantasy Tree itself, making conventional elimination strategies ineffective."
Long Chen studied the projection with interest. "These Machine Gods—they're different from conventional divine spirits?"
"Significantly," Artoria confirmed beside him. "In this timeline, the Olympians merged with interstellar vessels approximately 14,000 years ago, transforming themselves into mechanical entities of unprecedented power."
"They're what we gods were supposed to become," Quetzalcoatl added, her usual cheer tempered by seriousness. "The perfect fusion of divinity and technology, existing simultaneously as concepts and machines."
"And they're hostile to human development?" Long Chen asked, quickly grasping the situation.
"Extremely," Ritsuka answered. "They've created a society where humans are effectively immortal but completely stagnant—existing solely to worship the gods without any potential for growth or evolution."
Da Vinci gestured, and the hologram shifted again, focusing on one particularly massive structure at Olympus's center. "This is our primary target—Cronus Crown, where Zeus resides. Within it is the core of the Fantasy Tree Magellan. To restore proper history, we must sever this connection."
"Previous assault attempts have failed," a red-clad man with white hair interjected from across the table. Long Chen had noted his arrival earlier—a being of considerable power though distinctly different from the divine spirits present. "Zeus's authority within Olympus is nearly absolute. Conventional approaches have proven insufficient."
"Which is where you come in," da Vinci said, turning toward Long Chen. "Our analysis indicates your cultivation system operates on principles untouched by Olympian authority. You represent an outside context problem for the Machine Gods—something beyond their experience or prediction capacity."
"The convergence collapse was detected in Olympus," Mash added. "Readings suggest the Machine Gods are actively investigating the phenomenon, particularly the energy signature from your star awakenings."
Long Chen considered this information thoughtfully. "They see me as a potential threat?"
"Or opportunity," Arcueid suggested. "Beings seeking perfect immortality would naturally be interested in cultivation systems from beyond their cosmology."
"Precisely," da Vinci confirmed. "Our latest intelligence suggests Zeus has already dispatched observation units to the convergence point. Your world-jumping capabilities have attracted his specific attention."
Artoria leaned forward slightly, her regal bearing commanding attention. "Which presents a strategic opportunity. If we approach Olympus with Long Chen as a focal point, we may divert Zeus's attention from our true objective."
"You want to use me as bait," Long Chen surmised, more amused than offended.
"A distraction," Artoria corrected, the faintest hint of a smile touching her lips. "Though given your combat capabilities, any who mistake you for mere bait would be unpleasantly surprised."
"I'm game," Quetzalcoatl declared enthusiastically. "Zeus and I have unfinished business anyway. He always was the most insufferable of the sky gods."
The discussion continued, outlining the specific challenges posed by each of the remaining Machine Gods. Demeter controlled agriculture and environmental systems. Aphrodite commanded emotional regulation and population management. Hephaestus maintained the technological infrastructure. Each represented a formidable obstacle with specific vulnerabilities and strengths.
Throughout the briefing, Long Chen found himself impressed by the tactical precision with which these beings discussed assaulting what amounted to a pantheon of mechanical gods. In his world, sect wars could be brutal and complex, but this operation involved multiple dimensions of planning beyond conventional combat.
As da Vinci concluded the formal presentation, the group began to break into smaller tactical discussions. Long Chen found himself approached by a tall, muscular man with red hair and an open, friendly expression that belied the immense power radiating from him.
"Achilles," the man introduced himself with a grin. "Figured I should say hello since we'll likely be fighting side by side against my old pantheon. Heard you can split mountains with that black saber of yours."
"Word travels fast," Long Chen observed, taking the measure of this new acquaintance. A hero of immense physical prowess, if his assessment was correct.
"Quetzalcoatl's been singing your praises," Achilles explained with a knowing look toward the goddess, who was enthusiastically describing something to Ritsuka across the room, complete with expansive gestures. "Said you faced down a cosmic entity and talked it into restoring reality instead of destroying it. Impressive resume."
"I merely reminded it of its original purpose," Long Chen replied modestly. "The Guardian had forgotten its true nature."
"Still, not many could stand before such a being without flinching," Achilles noted. "We could use that courage against Zeus. The Machine God version makes the Zeus from my legends look positively restrained."
Their conversation was interrupted by the approach of a golden-haired man whose overwhelming arrogance was apparent in every movement. He carried himself with absolute confidence, red eyes surveying the room as if assessing possessions rather than allies.
"So this is the anomaly from beyond the multiverse," he remarked, his gaze fixing on Long Chen with imperious evaluation. "Less impressive than reports suggested."
"Gilgamesh," Achilles muttered under his breath. "King of Heroes and full-time pain in the—"
"I can hear you, mongrel," Gilgamesh cut him off without looking away from Long Chen. "I simply choose to ignore irrelevance."
Long Chen met the golden king's gaze steadily, neither challenging nor submitting. He had encountered similar arrogance among sect patriarchs and ancient ancestors—beings whose power had long since outstripped their wisdom.
"Appearances can be deceiving," he replied simply. "As I'm sure someone of your experience knows well."
Something like amusement flickered in Gilgamesh's red eyes. "Perhaps. We shall see if your capabilities match your composure when facing Zeus's divine authority." Without waiting for a response, he turned and departed with the same imperial bearing.
"Well, you've survived your first Gilgamesh encounter without being called a mongrel directly," Achilles observed with a chuckle. "That's practically a warm welcome by his standards."
"An interesting individual," Long Chen commented diplomatically.
"That's one way of putting it," Achilles agreed. "Just be grateful he's on our side. Mostly."
As tactical discussions continued around them, Long Chen noticed Arcueid standing somewhat apart from the others, her discomfort at being so far from her Earth still evident despite her composed exterior. He moved to join her, allowing his Dragon God Body cultivation to radiate subtle, grounding energy.
"Their plan has merit," she said as he approached. "Though the risk factors remain significant."
"We've faced worse odds," Long Chen reminded her. "The convergence entity was consuming entire realities when we confronted it."
"True, but that was on my Earth," Arcueid countered. "Olympus operates under different rules—rules specifically designed to ensure the Machine Gods' absolute authority."
Long Chen considered this. "Authority is never truly absolute. Even in my world, those who claimed heavenly mandate could be overthrown by sufficient determination and the right approach."
"Speaking from experience?" Arcueid asked, a hint of curiosity warming her golden eyes.
"More than once," Long Chen admitted. "The Nine Star Hegemon Body Art is essentially a system for challenging heaven itself. The art of defiance refined into cultivation."
Something in his words seemed to resonate with Arcueid. "A worthy cultivation path," she murmured. "Earth itself has always respected those who forge their own destinies rather than accepting limitations."
They stood in comfortable silence for a moment, observing the activity around them. Then Arcueid spoke again, her voice pitched for his ears alone.
"These Machine Gods... they represent stagnation given form. Immortality without growth. Eternity without change." Her golden eyes met his. "The opposite of what you embody, Long Chen. Perhaps that's why Zeus has taken such interest in your energy signature. He senses a fundamental challenge to his worldview."
The insight was surprisingly profound. Long Chen had always viewed his cultivation as a personal journey toward strength, but Arcueid's perspective illuminated a deeper philosophical dimension to the path he walked.
"An interesting observation," he acknowledged. "In my experience, those most afraid of change are often those with the most to lose from it."
"Precisely," Arcueid agreed. "Zeus has built a perfect, unchanging kingdom. Your very existence—constantly evolving, adapting, growing stronger through challenge rather than avoiding it—represents everything his system rejects."
Their conversation was interrupted by Artoria's approach. The Lion King moved with characteristic grace, her armor exchanged for more formal attire that nonetheless maintained a regal military bearing.
"The tactical planning is complete," she informed them. "We deploy to Olympus at dawn. You should both review the detailed briefing packages and rest while possible."
"No rest for dragon cultivators or True Ancestors," Long Chen replied with slight amusement. "But the briefing materials would be useful."
"I've arranged for them to be delivered to your assigned quarters," Artoria continued. "Along with suitable equipment for the mission. Olympus presents unique environmental challenges that should be prepared for."
Long Chen nodded in appreciation of her thoroughness. "You've fought these Machine Gods before?"
A shadow passed across Artoria's features. "Yes. In a previous assault attempt that... did not achieve its objectives. Zeus's power within his domain is formidable beyond conventional understanding."
"Yet you're willing to return," Long Chen observed.
"Duty requires no less," Artoria replied simply, though something in her tone suggested personal motivation beyond mere obligation.
"Lions are territorial," Arcueid commented with subtle humor. "Especially when a usurper claims dominion over their hunting grounds."
A flicker of amusement crossed Artoria's typically composed expression. "An apt analogy, if somewhat reductive. Zeus claims authority over a realm that rightfully belongs to humanity's future. Such presumption cannot stand."
"On that, we agree completely," Arcueid said. "Though my interest extends beyond humanity to Earth itself. These Lostbelts scar the planet's spiritual foundation."
"Then our motivations align, if from different perspectives," Artoria acknowledged.
The conversation paused as Quetzalcoatl bounded over to join them, her divine energy barely contained in her human form. "Strategy meeting adjourned! We've been assigned our roles for the Olympus assault." Her emerald eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Long Chen, you and I are paired for the initial distraction phase. We get to make a spectacular entrance to capture Zeus's attention!"
"How spectacular?" Long Chen asked cautiously.
Quetzalcoatl's grin widened. "Sun-goddess-and-star-sovereign-dropping-from-orbit spectacular! My kind of mission!"
"Orbit," Long Chen repeated flatly. "As in, outer space."
"It's the one approach vector Zeus monitors less heavily," Artoria explained. "His attention focuses primarily on ground and dimensional incursions."
"Besides," Quetzalcoatl added cheerfully, "with your Dragon God Body and my divine protection, vacuum exposure is hardly a concern. It'll be fun!"
Long Chen had faced many challenges in his cultivation journey, but orbital insertion onto a mechanical god's domain was decidedly new. Still, the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art advanced through overcoming the impossible, not avoiding it.
"And the rest of the team?" he asked, shifting focus from the admittedly concerning logistics of falling from space.
"Arcueid and I will infiltrate through the maintenance systems beneath Olympus," Artoria answered. "Her connection to Earth provides a natural camouflage against the mechanical sensors, and my authority as a divine spirit offers a measure of protection once inside."
"The goal is synchronized arrival at different entry points," Quetzalcoatl explained. "While Zeus focuses on our dramatic sky entrance, the others will advance toward Cronus Crown from below and flanking positions."
The plan made strategic sense, leveraging their unique capabilities for maximum effect. Long Chen nodded in acceptance. "When do we depart?"
"Six hours," Artoria replied. "Sufficient time to review materials and prepare equipment, but not so long that Zeus's observation units might detect our planning."
"I'll show you to your quarters," Quetzalcoatl offered. "They're in the same wing as ours." Her emphasis on the word "ours" carried playful implication that didn't escape Long Chen's notice.
As they made their way through Chaldea's labyrinthine corridors, Long Chen observed the facility with growing appreciation. Despite its advanced technology—far beyond anything in his world—there was an underlying sense of purpose that felt familiar. Like the better sects in his reality, Chaldea existed to protect rather than dominate.
The quarters they'd assigned him were surprisingly comfortable—spacious and well-appointed without excessive luxury. A comprehensive information terminal occupied one wall, already displaying the promised briefing materials.
"The terminal is simple to operate," Quetzalcoatl explained, demonstrating the basic interface. "Though I'm sure with your perception, you'll master it instantly."
"Divine technology seems remarkably similar across worlds," Long Chen observed, recognizing parallels to formation arrays from his reality.
"Universal principles with local variations," Quetzalcoatl agreed. "Speaking of which..." Her expression grew more serious than her usual demeanor. "I should warn you about Zeus's primary weapon. He wields what they call the Keraunos—divine lightning that affects both physical form and conceptual existence simultaneously."
"Similar to heavenly tribulation lightning in my world," Long Chen noted. "Designed to test worthiness on multiple levels of reality."
"Exactly!" Quetzalcoatl looked impressed. "Though Zeus has refined his version to godly perfection over millennia. It's why our previous assault failed—conventional defenses, even divine ones, struggle against attacks that target one's very concept of existence."
Long Chen considered this challenge thoughtfully. "My cultivation includes specific counters to heavenly lightning. The Divine Ring naturally neutralizes concept-targeting attacks by rotating through different states of existence."
"That's why da Vinci was so excited by your arrival," Quetzalcoatl revealed. "Your cultivation system approaches divinity from an entirely different angle than our world's gods or heroes. Zeus's weapons were designed to counter known forms of divine resistance, not... whatever it is you're becoming."
The phrase gave Long Chen pause. "What I'm becoming?"
Quetzalcoatl studied him with uncharacteristic seriousness, her divine perception piercing beyond surface appearances. "Surely you've realized? Your Six-Star cultivation has already elevated you beyond conventional heroic or divine classifications. With each advancement, you move closer to something our multiverse has no category for."
It was a perspective Long Chen had been gradually accepting since his conversation with the Guardian—that his cultivation path might lead to a cosmic role beyond his original understanding.
"The Nine Star Hegemon Body Art has always been described as a path to challenging heaven," he acknowledged. "Though the scope of 'heaven' seems to expand with each step."
Quetzalcoatl's serious expression melted into her more characteristic smile. "Well, whatever you're becoming, I'm looking forward to watching the journey. Especially the part where we make a grand entrance to Zeus's domain and show him what real divine power looks like!"
Her enthusiasm was infectious, and Long Chen found himself smiling in return. "It should certainly be memorable."
"That's the spirit!" Quetzalcoatl declared, moving toward the door. "Rest well, Star-Bearer. Tomorrow we battle Machine Gods and rewrite fate!"
After she departed, Long Chen settled in to review the extensive briefing materials. The information was comprehensive—detailed analyses of Olympus's structure, the Machine Gods' capabilities, known weaknesses, and previous assault outcomes. He absorbed it quickly, his enhanced perception allowing him to process and integrate the data efficiently.
He was midway through a tactical assessment of Zeus's combat patterns when a soft knock at his door interrupted his study. Rising to answer, he found Artoria waiting in the corridor, her formal attire exchanged for a simpler tunic and trousers that somehow only emphasized her regal bearing rather than diminishing it.
"I hope I'm not disturbing your preparations," she said.
"Not at all," Long Chen assured her. "I was just reviewing Zeus's combat capabilities."
"That's partially why I've come," Artoria explained. "The briefing materials, while thorough, lack certain experiential insights. Having faced Zeus directly, I thought additional perspective might prove valuable."
"Please, come in," Long Chen invited, appreciating her thoughtfulness.
As Artoria entered, he noticed she carried a small container that radiated subtle energy. His questioning glance prompted explanation.
"A specialty of Chaldea's kitchens," she said, setting the container on a side table. "Prepared meals enhanced with magical energy. Much more efficient than conventional food for beings of our nature."
The consideration was unexpected but welcome. Long Chen had been sustaining himself primarily through cultivation energy since arriving in this reality, but proper nourishment would optimize his preparation for the coming battle.
As they shared the meal—which proved delicious as well as energetically rich—Artoria provided detailed insights into Zeus's fighting style and psychological patterns. Her analysis was precise and comprehensive, reflecting both tactical brilliance and hard-earned experience.
"His primary weakness," she concluded, "is overconfidence. Zeus believes absolutely in his perfect system and his place atop it. He does not adapt well to unprecedented variables."
"Which is why my cultivation presents a unique opportunity," Long Chen surmised.
"Precisely," Artoria confirmed. "The Nine Star Hegemon Body Art operates on principles outside his experience. Moreover, your Dragon God Body cultivation provides natural resistance to his lightning-based attacks."
Long Chen considered this tactical advantage. "In my world, dragon essence naturally counters heavenly lightning. The two forces recognize each other as equals in the natural order."
"A similar principle applies here," Artoria agreed. "Though Zeus has specifically engineered his Keraunos to overcome conventional dragon resistances. Your version, being foreign to our reality, may prove more effective."
Their discussion shifted to broader tactical considerations for the assault. Throughout the conversation, Long Chen noticed a subtle change in Artoria's demeanor—a gradual softening of her typically formal bearing, moments of unexpected humor emerging as they developed shared understanding.
"You mentioned earlier that you've faced Zeus before," Long Chen noted during a brief lull. "There seemed to be more to that encounter than tactical failure."
Artoria was silent for a moment, her expression growing distant. "Perceptive," she acknowledged finally. "Yes, there was more. Zeus represents everything I came to reject as a ruler—power without purpose, authority without responsibility, immortality without growth."
"Your own kingship followed a different path," Long Chen observed.
"I tried," Artoria replied, unexpected vulnerability briefly visible beneath her composed exterior. "Though history suggests my success was... limited."
"History rarely captures the true measure of those who shape it," Long Chen said quietly. "In my experience, legends speak more of outcomes than intentions."
Something in his words seemed to resonate with Artoria. Her blue-green eyes met his with new intensity. "A wise perspective from one so focused on advancement. Your cultivation pursues strength, yet you understand its proper context."
"Strength without purpose is meaningless," Long Chen stated simply. "I cultivate to protect what matters, not to dominate what doesn't."
A genuine smile transformed Artoria's features, softening the regal severity into something unexpectedly warm. "Then we understand each other, Long Chen. Perhaps better than I initially realized."
The moment lingered between them—recognition between two beings who carried immense power yet remained anchored by deeper principles. Then, with evident reluctance, Artoria rose to leave.
"Dawn approaches more quickly than we might wish," she noted. "I should allow you to complete your preparations."
At the door, she paused, looking back with an expression Long Chen couldn't quite decipher. "Whatever happens in Olympus tomorrow, I am... glad... our paths crossed, Star-Bearer."
Before he could formulate a proper response, she was gone, leaving only the faint resonance of their shared draconic energy as evidence of her visit.
Long Chen returned to his review of the briefing materials, though his thoughts occasionally drifted to the three extraordinary women who had somehow become central to his journey in this foreign reality. Each powerful beyond mortal comprehension, each connected to him in ways that transcended their brief acquaintance, each revealing unexpected depths beneath their initial presentations.
Arcueid with her ancient golden eyes and direct honesty, Earth's embodiment wrestling with personal desire against eternal responsibility. Quetzalcoatl with her boundless enthusiasm masking divine wisdom, finding joy in battle and connection alike. Artoria with her perfect composure concealing hard-earned understanding of power's true nature.
In his world, cultivation partnerships formed over years of shared tribulation, forged in common struggle against heaven's will. Yet here, in mere days, he had formed connections that resonated on levels beyond conventional relationship.
Perhaps it was the nature of this reality, where concepts held power equal to physical forces. Perhaps it was the unique circumstances of world-saving and reality restoration that accelerated normal bonding processes. Or perhaps, as Arcueid had suggested, it was something about his own evolving nature that drew these powerful beings to him.
The philosophical contemplation would have to wait. Dawn approached, and with it their assault on Olympus. Long Chen set aside personal considerations to focus on final preparations. He settled into meditation posture, harmonizing his six active stars and strengthening his Dragon God Body cultivation for the challenges ahead.
As the stars burned within him and dragon energy flowed through his meridians, Long Chen embraced the calm clarity that preceded significant battles. Whatever Olympus held—mechanical gods, divine authority, unprecedented challenges—he would face it as he had faced every obstacle on his cultivation path.
One step at a time. One battle at a time. One star at a time.
The path of the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art had never been smooth or predictable. This latest diversion into a war against Machine Gods was merely another unexpected turn in a journey defined by defying convention and overcoming the impossible.
When the call came three hours later, Long Chen was fully prepared. He rose with fluid grace, Evilmoon secured at his side, the six stars burning within him in perfect harmony. His Dragon God Body hummed with potential energy, scales briefly visible beneath his skin before settling into their dormant state.
In the staging area, he found his companions similarly ready. Arcueid in her white and gold battle attire, golden eyes gleaming with ancient power. Artoria fully armored once more, Rhongomyniad radiating divine light in her grasp. Quetzalcoatl in her warrior aspect, feathers and gold adorning her form as befitted a sun deity.
"Ready for our grand entrance from orbit?" Quetzalcoatl asked him with a fierce grin.
"As ready as one can be for falling from space onto a mechanical god's domain," Long Chen replied dryly.
"That's the spirit!" she laughed. "Zeus won't know what hit him!"
Arcueid moved closer, her expression serious despite the pre-battle energy filling the chamber. "Be careful," she said simply. "Zeus is dangerous, but Demeter and Aphrodite have their own methods that can bypass conventional defenses."
"We'll rendezvous at the designated coordinates," Artoria added. "Remember, our primary objective is creating sufficient chaos to allow Fujimaru's team to approach the Fantasy Tree."
Long Chen nodded his understanding. "Create distractions, survive divine wrath, overthrow mechanical gods. Straightforward enough."
A ghost of a smile touched Artoria's lips. "Indeed. Though I suspect your definition of 'straightforward' differs from most."
"A cultivation journey is rarely complicated in its goals," Long Chen replied. "Only in its execution."
Before further conversation was possible, da Vinci approached with Ritsuka and Mash. "All systems are go," she announced. "Dimensional coordinates locked on Olympus. Insertion teams prepared for synchronized deployment."
Ritsuka stepped forward, his ordinary appearance belying the weight of responsibility he carried. "Thank you all for joining this mission," he said simply. "I know some of you are far from home, fighting for a world not your own. That sacrifice doesn't go unrecognized."
Long Chen found himself respecting this young man whose quiet determination reminded him somewhat of his own brothers back home. Different worlds, different systems, but similar spirits—those who stood against overwhelming odds because someone had to.
"Let's show these Machine Gods that immortality without growth leads only to stagnation," Long Chen said, drawing nods of agreement from his companions.
As they moved toward their designated deployment platforms, Arcueid caught his arm briefly. "When this is over," she said quietly, "we should discuss your path home more thoroughly. I have... thoughts... on the matter."
The unspoken sentiment behind her words was clear enough. Long Chen nodded in acknowledgment, though no verbal response seemed adequate.
Quetzalcoatl bounced impatiently at the orbital insertion platform. "Come on, Star-Bearer! Zeus awaits our dramatic entrance!"
With a final nod to Arcueid and Artoria, Long Chen joined the sun goddess at the platform. The mission was commencing, and with it another chapter in his increasingly complex journey through broken heavens.
As the deployment sequence initiated, he felt the six stars within him pulse with anticipation. The Dragon God Body responded in kind, scales rippling briefly beneath his skin as it prepared for the challenges ahead.
This was not the path he had expected when his cultivation journey began. But then, the most significant growth rarely came from expected directions.
The platform's energy built to critical levels, reality beginning to fold around them as the dimensional transition sequence activated. Before him lay Olympus, domain of the Machine Gods, his next battlefield in a war spanning multiple realities.
And beside him stood allies of unprecedented power, whose connection to him had grown far beyond tactical convenience into something he had yet to fully define or understand.
The deployment sequence completed. Reality shifted. And Long Chen, cultivator of the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art, bearer of the Dragon God Body, plunged toward his next impossible challenge.
The assault on Olympus had begun.
Star Sovereign's Journey Across the Broken Heavens
Chapter 9: Divine Thunder and Righteous War
The transition between realities was nothing like Long Chen's initial fall into Arcueid's dying world. Chaldea's technology provided a controlled dimensional shift that felt more like stepping through a doorway than being torn across cosmic boundaries. The disorientation lasted only moments before new sensations assaulted his awareness.
Cold. Vacuum. Weightlessness.
He and Quetzalcoatl floated in orbit above a world that, at first glance, appeared to be Earth—blue oceans, continental landmasses, swirling cloud formations. But subtle differences became immediately apparent to his enhanced perception. This planet's spiritual signature was fundamentally altered, the natural energy flows replaced by rigid, mathematical patterns that spoke of artificial control rather than natural evolution.
"Welcome to the Lostbelt!" Quetzalcoatl's voice somehow reached him despite the vacuum of space. Her divine nature allowed her to ignore such trivial concerns as the laws of physics. "Beautiful view, isn't it? Though less impressive when you realize it's all Zeus's glorified terrarium."
Long Chen activated his Dragon God Body cultivation, golden scales briefly manifesting across his skin before settling into a protective layer that shielded him from the hostile environment. The transformation allowed him to respond without conventional sound.
"The machine influence is obvious," he observed, his words carried by energy rather than air. "The entire world radiates artificial order."
"Exactly!" Quetzalcoatl agreed, her divine form glowing like a second sun against the blackness of space. "Natural chaos replaced by mechanical precision. Even the weather follows programmed patterns rather than true atmospheric dynamics."
Below them, a massive city of gleaming white structures dominated one continent—Olympus, seat of the Machine Gods' power. Its layout resembled classical Greek architecture magnified to impossible scale, with towering spires and vast colonnaded plazas visible even from orbit. At its center stood an immense structure that dwarfed all others—Cronus Crown, Zeus's sanctum and their ultimate target.
"Ready for our grand entrance?" Quetzalcoatl asked, solar energy gathering around her form as she prepared to descend.
Long Chen nodded, channeling star energy through his cultivation base. The six stars within him ignited in perfect harmony, their power radiating outward to form his Battle Armor—a shimmering manifestation of deep silver with rippling black star patterns flowing across its surface. Unlike conventional armor, this was pure energy given form, an extension of his cultivation made tangible.
"Let's give Zeus something to think about," he replied, Evilmoon appearing in his hand as he oriented himself toward their entry point.
"That's the spirit!" Quetzalcoatl laughed, the sound somehow joyous even as they prepared to plunge into combat against mechanical gods. "Remember, initial target is the northern district—maximum visibility, minimum civilian presence. We want to draw attention, not endanger bystanders."
Long Chen appreciated her concern for collateral damage. Even in his most heated battles, he had always strived to minimize harm to innocents caught in the crossfire.
"Ready on your mark," he confirmed, gathering power for their descent.
Quetzalcoatl's form shifted subtly, her humanoid appearance becoming more avian and serpentine as she embraced her divine aspect. Golden feathers and scales rippled across her skin, her emerald eyes blazing with solar fire.
"Three... two... one... DIVE!"
They plunged toward Olympus like twin meteors—one burning with golden solar divinity, the other wreathed in silver-black star energy. Their descent created a spectacular light show visible across the entire city-state, exactly as intended. The perfect distraction.
Long Chen felt the atmosphere begin to resist as they entered the upper layers. Unlike normal re-entry, which would have incinerated conventional beings, he and Quetzalcoatl controlled their energy output to create maximum visual impact—twin comets streaking toward Zeus's domain in deliberate challenge.
"Defensive systems activating!" Quetzalcoatl called out as they passed through the cloud layer. "Right on schedule!"
From Olympus, beams of coherent light—some sort of divine energy weapon—lanced upward to intercept them. The Machine Gods' automated defenses responding to their intrusion with mathematical precision.
Long Chen didn't bother trying to evade. Instead, he channeled energy through Evilmoon, the black saber drinking in the light around it as he prepared one of his signature techniques.
"Split the Heavens!"
The attack wasn't at full power—merely the fourth form, Mountain Range Collapse—but it was more than sufficient to carve through the defensive beams. The crescent-shaped wave of star energy cleaved downward, disrupting the automated defenses and creating a clear path for their continued descent.
"Magnificent!" Quetzalcoatl crowed with delight. "My turn!"
The goddess condensed solar energy between her palms, forming a sphere of golden light that pulsed with divine authority. With a joyous war cry, she hurled it toward the defense platforms below. The projectile expanded in flight, transforming into a miniature sun that detonated against the Olympian defenses with catastrophic force.
The explosion cleared their landing zone—a massive plaza in Olympus's northern district. They hit the ground simultaneously, their impact creating twin craters in the immaculate white stone. Energy dispersed outward in a shockwave that shattered nearby columns and sent mechanical monitoring devices flying.
"Entrance made!" Quetzalcoatl declared, rising to her full height amidst the destruction. "That should get Zeus's attention."
Long Chen stood beside her, Evilmoon held ready as he extended his spiritual sense to map their surroundings. The city's energy patterns were unlike anything he had encountered—layers of mechanical precision overlaid with divine conceptual authority, creating a reality that obeyed the Machine Gods' will as absolute law.
"Defensive response incoming," he warned, sensing movement converging on their position. "Mechanical units primarily, though something larger approaches from the east."
"Automata first, then a Nobility class unit," Quetzalcoatl translated. "Standard Olympian response protocol. They'll test us with cannon fodder before committing significant resources."
The first wave of defenders arrived within moments—humanoid machines with gleaming bronze bodies and expressionless faces. They moved with perfect coordination, surrounding the intruders in a mathematically precise formation before opening fire with energy weapons mounted in their arms.
Long Chen's Battle Armor easily deflected the assault. These lesser constructs posed no real threat to beings of their caliber—exactly as Zeus intended. This was merely the opening gambit, designed to assess their capabilities before deploying more significant forces.
"Shall we?" Quetzalcoatl asked with a predatory grin.
"After you," Long Chen replied with a small smile of his own.
The goddess launched herself into the mechanical ranks with explosive speed. Where her fists connected, automata didn't merely break—they disintegrated, divine solar energy unmaking their very substance. She fought with the joyous ferocity that characterized her nature, each movement a perfect blend of destructive power and artistic grace.
Long Chen joined the battle with equal effectiveness if different methods. Where Quetzalcoatl was explosive force and divine fire, he was precision and overwhelming technique. Evilmoon flashed through the air in practiced patterns, each swing calculated to maximize efficiency. The black saber cleaved through multiple opponents with each pass, its edge sharp enough to separate molecules.
Between them, the first wave of defenders lasted less than thirty seconds.
"Well, that was invigorating!" Quetzalcoatl declared, crushing the last automaton's head between her palms. "But hardly a proper welcome for guests of our stature."
As if in response to her complaint, the ground trembled beneath their feet. From the eastern approach, a much larger mechanical entity appeared—a towering construct resembling a Greek warrior magnified to colossal proportions. Standing at least twenty meters tall, its bronze body gleamed with integrated weaponry and divine enchantments.
"Nobility class," Quetzalcoatl identified. "One of Hephaestus's elite guard units. Now we're getting somewhere!"
The mechanical giant raised an arm, energy gathering in its palm to form a spear of coherent light. Without warning, it launched the weapon directly at Long Chen with devastating speed.
Rather than evade, Long Chen stepped forward to meet the attack. His Third Star—the Controlling Fate Star—activated fully, time seeming to slow around him as his perception and reflexes accelerated beyond mortal limitations. With precise timing, he swung Evilmoon in a vertical arc that intercepted the energy spear at its exact center of mass.
The collision released a thunderous concussion that shattered every remaining window in the plaza. But instead of being thrown back by the force, Long Chen stood unmoved, Evilmoon absorbing and redirecting the energy through his cultivation base.
"My turn," he said quietly.
The Divine Ring within his dantian spun faster, channeling the absorbed energy into his next attack. Long Chen raised Evilmoon overhead, star energy cascading down the black blade in rippling waves.
"Split the Heavens – Fifth Form: Regional Destruction."
The attack manifested as a crescent wave of concentrated star energy that expanded as it traveled, growing from meters to dozens of meters wide by the time it reached the mechanical giant. It struck with force that transcended physical impact, the energy carrying spiritual pressure that affected the construct on multiple levels of existence simultaneously.
The Nobility class defender didn't merely fall—it came apart along precise lines where the energy wave had connected, its divine enchantments disrupted and its mechanical systems unraveled. The pieces collapsed in a thunderous crash that echoed across the Olympian cityscape.
"Most impressive," came a new voice from above them. "Few visitors manage to dismantle a Nobility class unit with such... efficiency."
Floating above the plaza was a woman of otherworldly beauty. Her form appeared human at first glance, but closer inspection revealed subtle mechanical elements integrated seamlessly with organic components. Golden circuitry patterns flowed beneath skin too perfect to be natural, and her eyes glowed with internal light that shifted between spectrum colors.
"Aphrodite," Quetzalcoatl identified, her usual cheer hardening into battle-readiness. "Machine Goddess of Emotion and Population Control."
"Quetzalcoatl," the Machine Goddess acknowledged with a slight incline of her perfect head. "How unexpected to see you participating in yet another futile assault on our domain." Her gaze shifted to Long Chen, interest evident in her expression. "And you bring a new champion. One whose energy signature is... most unusual."
Long Chen met her gaze steadily, unimpressed by her divine beauty. His cultivation had long since immunized him against such superficial distractions.
"I am Long Chen," he stated simply. "Cultivator of the Nine Star Hegemon Body Art."
"A cultivation system unknown to our records," Aphrodite noted, floating closer with seeming disregard for the destruction they had just wrought. "You are not from this multiverse framework, are you? Your energy patterns suggest origins beyond our cataloged realities."
"Perceptive," Long Chen acknowledged. "Though if your goal is conversation rather than combat, I suggest reconsidering your approach vector."
A small smile touched Aphrodite's perfect lips. "A warning? How considerate."
"He's right, you know," Quetzalcoatl added cheerfully. "You're within range of both his saber and my solar strikes. Hardly a diplomatic positioning."
"Peace," Aphrodite said, raising one flawless hand. "I come under inquiry protocols, not combat directives. Zeus himself has expressed... interest... in the anomalous energy signature that entered our domain so spectacularly."
"By 'interest,' you mean he wants to dissect me to understand my cultivation system," Long Chen surmised dryly.
Aphrodite's laugh was like perfect music—too perfect, lacking the natural variation that gave genuine emotion its resonance. "So direct! How refreshing after millennia of courtly discourse. But no, not dissection specifically. Zeus proposes an exchange of knowledge. Your cultivation system appears to operate on principles that might complement our divine technology."
"And in return?" Long Chen asked, though he had no intention of accepting any such offer.
"Immortality. Perfection. Integration into the Olympian hierarchy with full divine privileges." Aphrodite gestured expansively at the gleaming city around them. "We have created paradise, Long Chen. A world without suffering, without decay, without the chaos of natural selection or the uncertainty of true choice."
"Without growth," Long Chen countered. "Without challenge. Without the very forces that drive cultivation forward."
Aphrodite's perfect features registered what might have been genuine surprise. "You prefer struggle to perfection? How... primitive."
"He prefers life to existence," came a new voice from behind them—powerful, female, and resonating with righteous authority.
Long Chen and Quetzalcoatl turned to find an unexpected ally approaching from the western edge of the plaza. A woman of striking beauty moved toward them with purposeful strides, her deep crimson robes embroidered with cosmic and destructive motifs. Multiple weapons floated in formation around her—spears, swords, and other divine implements that orbited her form like protective satellites. Her skin held an indigo-blue hue that seemed to absorb rather than reflect light, making her appear as if carved from twilight itself.
Even from a distance, Long Chen could sense the immense power radiating from this new arrival—divine authority of a nature different from both Quetzalcoatl's solar divinity and Aphrodite's mechanical godhood. This was something more primal, more absolute in its jurisdiction over its specific domain.
"Durga," Aphrodite identified, her perfect features hardening into something less human and more mechanical. "Another uninvited divinity trespassing in Zeus's domain. The Father of Gods will be most displeased by this escalation."
"The Father of Machines, you mean," Durga corrected, her voice carrying the weight of absolute judgment. "Zeus abandoned his true divinity when he merged with technology. What remains is mere simulation—perfect in form, empty in essence."
She stopped beside Long Chen and Quetzalcoatl, her silver-crimson eyes briefly meeting the cultivator's gaze with unexpected recognition before returning to Aphrodite.
"The Destroyer has come," Durga continued, addressing the Machine Goddess directly. "Where chaos is suppressed and natural order perverted, I am summoned by cosmic law to restore balance."
Quetzalcoatl leaned slightly toward Long Chen. "Durga is the Hindu goddess of righteous war and destruction," she explained quietly. "Supreme destroyer of evil and protector of dharma—cosmic order. We weren't expecting her intervention, but it's definitely welcome."
Long Chen nodded in understanding. The newcomer's power was evident—a divine authority specifically oriented toward destroying that which violated natural principles. In a realm of artificial perfection like Olympus, her jurisdiction would be particularly applicable.
Aphrodite's form shifted subtly, mechanical elements becoming more prominent as her threat assessment protocols activated. "Your pantheon has no authority here, Destroyer. This domain operates under Olympian protocols established by Zeus himself."
"My authority transcends artificial boundaries," Durga replied calmly. "Where evil takes root, where tyranny suppresses growth, where the arrogant claim dominion over the natural order—there my spear finds its mark. It has always been so. It will always be so."
The weapons orbiting her form began to spin faster, divine energy building around their edges. Aphrodite responded by activating her own defensive systems, the golden circuitry beneath her skin glowing brighter as she prepared for conflict.
"This confrontation is unnecessary," the Machine Goddess stated. "Zeus offers integration, not destruction. Your champion," she indicated Long Chen, "could elevate himself beyond mortal limitations through our technology."
"He is already on a path that transcends your understanding of divinity," Durga observed, glancing at Long Chen with knowing eyes. "The Nine Stars burn within him—cosmic principles more fundamental than your mechanical godhood could comprehend."
Long Chen was startled by her knowledge of his cultivation system. How could a goddess from yet another pantheon recognize the nature of his power so precisely?
Before he could ponder this further, Aphrodite's patience evidently reached its limit. The Machine Goddess rose higher into the air, her form transforming more dramatically as combat protocols fully engaged. Her beautiful human appearance gave way to a mechanical entity of cold perfection—still recognizably female but now clearly more machine than flesh.
"Diplomacy protocols terminated," she announced, her voice taking on a metallic resonance. "Initiating containment procedures."
The air around them shimmered as Aphrodite activated her primary divine authority—emotional manipulation fields designed to pacify opposition through artificially induced harmony. In a normal human population, such fields would instantly render targets docile and compliant, their emotional states rewritten to eliminate conflict entirely.
Against beings of their caliber, however, the effect was considerably less potent.
Long Chen felt the external influence attempt to penetrate his spiritual defenses—a subtle pressure seeking access to his emotional centers. His cultivation responded automatically, the Divine Ring spinning faster to neutralize the foreign energy before it could take root. The Fifth Star—the Divine Gate Star—glowed particularly bright, its position between his eyebrows creating a natural barrier against spiritual and mental intrusion.
"Your mechanical approximation of divine authority is inadequate," Durga stated, utterly unaffected by Aphrodite's emotional fields. "True divinity cannot be replicated through technological means, no matter how advanced."
In response, Aphrodite escalated the conflict. From her transformed body emerged multiple weapon systems—energy projectors and conceptual manipulation arrays designed for combat against divine entities. She fired a coordinated barrage at the three intruders, the plaza erupting in explosions of golden light as her attacks connected.
When the energy dissipated, it revealed all three targets unharmed. Quetzalcoatl stood wreathed in solar flames that had consumed the incoming attacks. Durga's orbiting weapons had intercepted and neutralized those aimed at her. And Long Chen's Battle Armor had simply absorbed the energy, the deep silver material rippling with black star patterns as it integrated the power into his cultivation base.
"My turn," Durga declared.
With a gesture of her hand, she sent three of her orbiting spears streaking toward Aphrodite. The weapons moved with impossible speed, trailing crimson energy as they crossed the intervening space in microseconds. Aphrodite activated emergency evasion protocols, her mechanical form blurring as she attempted to avoid the divine weapons.
She succeeded in dodging two but miscalculated the trajectory of the third. The spear struck her left shoulder, penetrating advanced defensive fields and divine-mechanical armor alike. Unlike conventional weapons, Durga's spear carried conceptual authority that specifically targeted false divinity—precisely what the Machine Gods represented.
Aphrodite's perfect features contorted in what appeared to be genuine pain—perhaps the first real emotion she had experienced in millennia. The wound leaked golden ichor mixed with mechanical fluids, the divine weapon preventing her self-repair systems from functioning properly.
"Impossible," she hissed, retreating to a safer distance. "Olympian defensive protocols are absolute within Zeus's domain."
"Durga's weapons aren't bound by domain restrictions," Quetzalcoatl explained with evident satisfaction. "Her authority predates the concept of restricted divine jurisdictions. Nice shot, by the way!"
"Thank you, Feathered Serpent," Durga acknowledged with regal dignity. "Though this is merely the opening exchange. The true battle has yet to begin."
As if summoned by her words, the sky above Olympus darkened with unnatural speed. Storm clouds formed from nowhere, swirling in patterns too precise to be natural weather. Lightning flashed within the maelstrom—not the jagged bolts of conventional electricity but perfect geometric patterns that spoke of calculated divine wrath.
"Zeus comes," Aphrodite announced, satisfaction entering her mechanical voice despite her injury. "The Father of Gods has noted your intrusion and responds accordingly."
From the storm's center descended a figure that radiated such overwhelming authority that the very air seemed to bow before him. A man of impossible perfection, his beard and hair white as driven snow, his body the ideal of masculine strength, his face bearing the weight of millennia of absolute rule. Yet like Aphrodite, subtle mechanical elements revealed his true nature—circuitry patterns beneath his skin, eyes that glowed with internal power, movements too precise for organic life.
Zeus, Father of the Machine Gods, had entered the conflict personally.
He touched down on a platform overlooking the plaza, lightning arcing between his fingers as he surveyed the intruders with cold calculation. When he spoke, his voice carried the perfection of divine harmony overlaid with mechanical precision.
"Trespassers in my domain. Again." His gaze swept over them, lingering longest on Long Chen. "Though this time, you bring something of genuine interest."
"Zeus," Quetzalcoatl greeted with mock cheer. "Still hiding behind your weather manipulators and emotional control fields? Some things never change, even after fourteen thousand years."
The Machine God's perfect features showed no reaction to her taunt. "Quetzalcoatl. Still bound by the limitations of organic divinity. A pity you never accepted our invitation to ascension."
"Some of us prefer authenticity to simulation," she replied. "Even with all its messy imperfections."
Zeus dismissed her with a slight wave, his attention focusing fully on Long Chen. "You, however, represent something truly novel. Your energy signature contains patterns unknown to our divine archives. Not merely a different methodology but fundamental principles that exist outside our cosmic framework entirely."
Long Chen met the Machine God's gaze steadily, unintimidated by his divine authority. "The Nine Star Hegemon Body Art acknowledges no external frameworks. It is a path of challenging heaven itself, not submitting to its limitations."
Something like genuine interest flickered in Zeus's mechanical eyes. "Fascinating. A cultivation system designed for cosmic rebellion rather than cosmic harmony. And yet, paradoxically, it appears to establish deeper harmony through that very rebellion."
"The paradox exists only from exterior perspective," Durga interjected. "True harmony cannot be imposed—it must be achieved through the natural tension between order and chaos, creation and destruction, submission and defiance."
Zeus glanced at her with evident disdain. "Durga. Destroyer of Impediments. Your philosophical abstractions are as tedious as they are obsolete. We have moved beyond such primitive conceptual frameworks. Olympus represents the perfection of order without the inefficiency of chaos."
"Perfection of stagnation," Durga countered. "A dead-end masquerading as transcendence."
Lightning flashed through the clouds above as Zeus's patience visibly thinned. "Enough. Your intrusion has entertainment value, but limited utility. Surrender the anomalous cultivator for integration processing, and the rest of you may depart unharmed."
"That's not going to happen," Quetzalcoatl stated firmly.
"Indeed not," Durga agreed.
Long Chen simply smiled—the dangerous expression of a cultivator who had faced divine wrath before and remained unbroken. "I accept no integration but that which I achieve through my own cultivation path."
Zeus sighed—a perfectly calculated gesture of regret that contained no genuine emotion. "Then we proceed to compulsory methods."
Without further warning, he extended his right hand toward Long Chen. From his palm erupted a bolt of divine lightning unlike anything the cultivator had encountered before—not merely electrical energy but conceptual authority given form. The Keraunos, Zeus's ultimate weapon, designed to annihilate targets on both physical and conceptual levels simultaneously.
Long Chen had fought countless battles throughout his cultivation journey. He had faced sect masters who could shatter mountains with a gesture, ancient ancestors whose very presence distorted reality, heavenly tribulations designed to test worthiness through divine judgment. But Zeus's attack represented something new—a perfect fusion of technological precision and divine concept, engineered specifically to overcome all known forms of resistance.
Which was precisely why it failed.
As the Keraunos streaked toward him, Long Chen activated his Sixth Star—the Nether Gate Star. This recent awakening governed energy recycling and transformation, allowing him to convert opposing forces into usable power. Combined with his Dragon God Body cultivation, which naturally possessed affinity for lightning energies, the effect was not merely resistance but active absorption.
When the divine lightning struck his Battle Armor, rather than destroying him, it was channeled directly into his cultivation base. The Dragon God Body's scales became momentarily visible beneath his skin, glowing with absorbed energy as they processed the divine power. Meanwhile, the Nether Gate Star transformed the conceptual component of the attack, breaking it down into raw potential that fed his Divine Ring.
For perhaps the first time in fourteen thousand years, Zeus's perfect features registered genuine surprise.
"Impossible," the Machine God stated, increasing the Keraunos's output. "No entity within the multiverse framework possesses immunity to targeted conceptual dissolution."
"He is not of your multiverse," Durga noted with evident satisfaction. "The Nine Stars exist beyond your cosmic understanding, Zeus. They are primordial principles that predate even the concept of godhood itself."
Long Chen remained silent, focusing on controlling the massive influx of power. Zeus's attack was indeed formidable—the energy conversion taxing his cultivation system to its limits. But with each second that passed, his body adapted further, his Dragon God cultivation evolving in response to the divine lightning, becoming more efficient at processing and redirecting the power.
Realizing his primary weapon was proving ineffective, Zeus ceased the attack and reassessed his approach. "Fascinating adaptation capabilities," he observed with clinical detachment. "Your cultivation system appears to evolve in real-time response to external stimuli. This confirms the necessity of integration. Such principles could significantly enhance our divine technology."
"You still don't understand," Long Chen said, speaking for the first time since the attack began. "Integration implies merger of separate systems. The Nine Star Hegemon Body Art doesn't merge—it transcends. It doesn't adapt to external frameworks—it breaks them when they prove limiting."
As he spoke, the absorbed energy from Zeus's attack circulated through his cultivation base, settling into a new configuration that strengthened his Battle Armor. The deep silver material darkened slightly, the black star patterns flowing across its surface with increased intensity.
"Olympus represents the ultimate expression of controlled reality," Zeus countered. "A perfected system where uncertainty has been eliminated, where suffering has been optimized out of existence, where every parameter functions according to divine calculation. What could your chaotic cultivation possibly offer that surpasses such perfection?"
"Growth," Long Chen answered simply. "The capacity to become more tomorrow than you are today. To face the unknown not with fear of disruption but with anticipation of evolution."
Zeus's expression hardened, mechanical elements becoming more prominent as emotion-simulation subroutines struggled to process concepts that existed outside his programmed parameters.
"Organic sentimentality," he dismissed. "Developmental uncertainty is merely inefficient randomness disguised as purpose. We have eliminated such wastefulness from our divine system."
"And in doing so, eliminated the very essence of life itself," Durga stated. "Which is why the Destroyer has come, Zeus. What you have created here violates cosmic dharma at the most fundamental level. It cannot be permitted to continue."
Before Zeus could respond, a massive explosion rocked the eastern section of Olympus. A column of blue-white energy erupted from what appeared to be a subterranean access point—exactly where Artoria and Arcueid would have infiltrated according to the mission briefing.
"Phase two initiated," Quetzalcoatl noted with satisfaction. "Right on schedule."
Zeus's attention divided briefly, his divine perception assessing the new threat. That momentary distraction provided the opening Durga had been waiting for.
With a gesture of absolute authority, the goddess sent all her orbiting weapons streaking toward Zeus simultaneously. The divine implements—spears, swords, chakrams, and more—converged on the Machine God from multiple vectors, each carrying conceptual authority specifically calibrated to counter artificial divinity.
Zeus reacted with machine-enhanced reflexes, divine lightning erupting from his form in a protective sphere. Most of Durga's weapons were deflected or disintegrated upon contact with this defense, but two penetrated—a spear that struck his left shoulder and a chakram that embedded itself in his right thigh.
For the first time, Zeus's perfect face contorted with what appeared to be genuine pain. Golden ichor mixed with mechanical fluids leaked from the wounds, similar to Aphrodite's injury but on a larger scale.
"Impossible," he snarled, lightning intensifying around him as defensive protocols escalated. "No divine weapon can penetrate Olympian authority within my domain!"
"Your domain exists within the larger cosmos," Durga replied calmly. "And in that broader context, your authority is merely one expression of divine principle among many. Not absolute. Not inviolable. Merely... specialized."
Zeus's response was immediate and overwhelming. The storm above Olympus intensified exponentially, lightning transforming from discrete bolts into a continuous field of divine electricity that engulfed the entire plaza. Buildings disintegrated under the assault, stone and metal alike reduced to component atoms by conceptual dissolution.
Long Chen reacted instinctively, his Dragon God Body cultivation reaching maximum output as he expanded his Battle Armor's protection to cover Quetzalcoatl and Durga. The star energy formed a hemispherical shield that deflected the worst of Zeus's rage, though maintaining it taxed even his considerable power.
"We need to coordinate!" he called to his allies. "This defense won't hold indefinitely!"
Quetzalcoatl nodded in understanding. "On my mark, drop the shield for exactly three seconds. I'll counter with solar divinity while Durga repositions for a decisive strike."
Durga retrieved her remaining weapons with a gesture, the divine implements returning to orbit around her form. "Target his connection to the Cronus Crown," she instructed. "The tether between Zeus and the Fantasy Tree represents his most vulnerable point."
Long Chen studied the Machine God through his protective shield, his Divine Gate Star enhancing his perception to identify the connection Durga described. There—a subtle energy tether extending from Zeus's back toward the massive structure at Olympus's center. Nearly invisible to conventional sight, but clearly apparent to his enhanced senses.
"I see it," he confirmed. "Quetzalcoatl, your solar strike needs to sever that connection specifically. Durga, can your weapons penetrate his core processing unit once he's disconnected?"
"Precisely my intention," the goddess of righteous war confirmed, her weapons spinning faster as she channeled additional divine energy into them.
"Then on my count," Long Chen said, gathering his strength for what would come next. "Three... two... one... NOW!"
He dropped the star energy shield precisely as Quetzalcoatl unleashed her full divine authority. The sun goddess transformed partially into her true aspect—the Feathered Serpent—her form elongating and growing feathered wings as she channeled pure solar divinity. From her transformed body erupted a beam of concentrated sunlight that struck Zeus directly, targeting the energy tether connecting him to the Fantasy Tree.
The Machine God roared in genuine pain as the connection was severed, his perfect form momentarily destabilizing as he lost direct link to his primary power source. In that crucial moment of vulnerability, Durga struck.
Her remaining weapons—three spears, two chakrams, and a divine sword—converged on Zeus from different angles, each targeting a specific vulnerability in his mechanical-divine form. With unerring precision, they penetrated his defenses and embedded themselves in critical junctions where divine concept met technological implementation.
Zeus staggered backward, golden ichor spraying from multiple wounds. His perfect form flickered like a malfunctioning projection, sections of his body temporarily losing coherence before reforming with visible effort.
"Impossible," he rasped again, though with less conviction than before. "This domain... my authority... absolute..."
"Nothing is absolute," Long Chen stated, stepping forward with Evilmoon drawn. "Not heaven's will, not divine authority, not even the laws of reality themselves. All can be challenged. All can be transcended. That is the path of true cultivation."
He channeled star energy through the black saber, preparing for a decisive strike while Zeus was weakened. But before he could attack, a new presence manifested between them—a shimmering distortion that resolved into a female form of mechanical perfection.
"Tactical retreat required," the newcomer stated, her voice melodious yet clearly artificial. "Primary objectives compromised. Fantasy Tree connection severed at forty-seven percent. Recalibration protocols initiated."
"Hera," Durga identified, her weapons returning to orbit around her in defensive formation. "Zeus's divine consort and secondary processing hub."
The Machine Goddess ignored them completely, focusing solely on stabilizing Zeus's damaged form. With a gesture of mechanical precision, she created a transportation field around herself and the wounded Machine God.
"This confrontation is temporarily suspended," Hera announced as they began to dematerialize. "Recalculation of approach vectors required. Your anomalous nature has been cataloged for future reference."
Before any of them could prevent it, Zeus and Hera vanished, transported to some secure location within Olympus for repairs and recalibration.
"Well," Quetzalcoatl said after a moment, returning to her more humanoid form, "that went better than expected! We actually damaged Zeus significantly and forced a tactical retreat. That's more than our previous assault managed."
"The connection to the Fantasy Tree has been partially severed," Durga observed, her weapons settling into a slower orbit as immediate danger passed. "But not completely destroyed. He will recover, though not quickly."
Long Chen dismissed his Battle Armor, allowing the star energy to recede back into his cultivation base. The confrontation had been illuminating in multiple ways—testing his power against a mechanical god had provided valuable insights into his cultivation's strengths and limitations.
"We should rendezvous with the others," he suggested, sensing distant combat continuing in the eastern sectors. "Artoria and Arcueid will need support to reach Cronus Crown now that we've forced Zeus to retreat."
"Agreed," Durga said, turning toward him fully for the first time since her arrival. Her silver-crimson eyes studied him with ancient knowledge, seeing far more than his physical form. "Your cultivation is remarkable, Star-Bearer. The Nine Stars burn brightly within you, though I sense only six are fully awakened thus far."
Long Chen regarded her with open curiosity now that immediate battle had passed. "You recognize my cultivation system. How is that possible when it originates from beyond this multiverse's framework?"
A small smile touched Durga's blue-hued lips. "The Nine Stars existed before the separation