Chapter 11: Pontus and Poseidon (4)
In truth, the greater issue wasn't just the possibility of Thetis and her sisters being imprisoned in Tartarus.
The immediate problem was the inability to push back Pontus' influence on the battlefield and the question of whether those infected by his corruption could ever recover.
Currently, the only being capable of suppressing Pontus' power was Poseidon, who was locked in combat with him.
Alternatively, Doris' father, Oceanus, could have helped, but he was greatly weakened, confined to the Oceanus Strait, barely able to move due to the machinations of Kronos and Pontus.
Moreover, Pontus had collared both Oceanus and the goddess Tethys, ensuring they couldn't join the battlefield.
"Pontus' sins run deep… Even I can't do more than this," Eurynome muttered.
She understood their plight, having endured a similar fate in the past, and felt sympathy.
But sympathy didn't make her soft enough to help them find a solution in the midst of war.
No matter their excuses, they were criminals who would face judgment after the war.
However…
'If we can end this war quickly, I could offer them a chance for leniency.'
Eurynome was willing to give them an opportunity—if they could swiftly deal with Thetis, the linchpin, and aid her from now on.
Especially since Thetis was in a state of mental weakness, likely manipulated.
More importantly, Nereus and Doris' continued involvement was becoming a nuisance.
"If you can't help, at least don't hinder. We need to deal with Thetis. I'll ask Poseidon to secure salvation for your children. Don't commit any more sins."
Seeing the despondent expressions of Nereus and Doris, Eurynome rode off on Sleipnir.
Nereus and Doris lowered their weapons, watching her depart. They had no desire to continue fighting.
***
Having persuaded Nereus and Doris, Eurynome charged forward, crushing everything in her path.
Spotting her riding toward them, Thetis rallied her sisters and nymphs to form a defensive formation.
They erected a fortress-like magical barrier and manipulated the terrain, unleashing a barrage of spells.
A storm of wind, hail, and water cannons erupted, targeting Eurynome, as the surrounding area exploded in chaos.
Explosions, curses, and poisons filled the air, obscuring visibility in a haze of smoke and deafening roars.
Everyone watching assumed the overwhelming bombardment would force Eurynome to retreat.
But then—
Clip-clop, clip-clop.
The sound of hooves echoed, and Eurynome emerged through the smoke, holding the trident aloft, shouting:
"Sorry, but no force that defies order can stop me! If you want to stand in my way, bring someone like Hecate!"
Nullifying all magic, Eurynome charged like the Hetairoi cavalry of Macedon (a term originally used by the Golden Race, not Alexander's cavalry in this world).
Crack! Boom!
Eurynome's power, combined with Poseidon's Sleipnir and trident, was so overwhelming that she single-handedly tore through the thousands of nymphs, hundreds of gods, and spirits defending Thetis.
Nymphs were flung aside, and the arms of gods blocking her path were severed, floating in the sea.
Even those who had lost their reason trembled in fear, unable to stand in her way.
Eurynome reached Thetis alone.
"What a pity. Your divine essence suggests you wouldn't orchestrate this, but we all have our roles. It's time for you to exit."
BOOM!
Thetis' magic clashed with Eurynome's trident in a blinding flash.
A delayed explosion roared, and those nearby began collapsing, unconscious.
Thetis, struck by the trident, staggered with a gaping wound, spilling golden blood before collapsing to the sea floor.
Amphitrite, Nereus, and Doris, who had surrendered and watched anxiously, broke free from the nymph soldiers restraining them and rushed to Thetis.
"Metis!"
"What do we do with this wound?"
"Hurry, bring her here! We need to heal her!"
Whoosh.
A refreshing breeze, impossible in the sea, swept through, peeling away the dark green taint as the battlefield slowly returned to its original blue.
All those still fighting paused, staring in awe at the magnificent sight.
Neigh!
Sleipnir reared, stamping its hooves as if sealing the victory. Eurynome raised the trident and declared:
"This war is over. Let's return to our home!"
Waaaaah!
***
Far from the battlefield, Poseidon and Pontus, still locked in combat, witnessed the climactic scene.
"Man, becoming a god and seeing a scene straight out of a Napoleon painting? Or maybe Joan of Arc, since it's a woman?" Poseidon quipped.
"What nonsense are you spouting now?" Pontus growled, glaring at Eurynome basking in victory and biting his lip in frustration.
He shouted at Poseidon,
"The war isn't over! As long as I'm here, it will continue!"
Poseidon, picking his ear, looked at the stubborn old god with pity.
"Ugh, you're saying stuff even a third-rate villain wouldn't. These days, the trend is for villains to just die quickly. Drag it out too long, and the audience gets annoyed."
"You insolent brat!"
Pontus, enraged by Poseidon's incomprehensible taunts, lashed out.
Pontus knew it all too well—his defeat was imminent.
But for a Protogenos to lose like this was unthinkable. Even Uranus, castrated and cast down, would mock such a pitiful end.
'I'll show them why the Protogenoi are feared until the very end.'
Determined that his finale couldn't be so wretched and that it was too late to stop, Pontus abandoned his divine name, recklessly absorbing the divine power he'd scattered throughout the sea.
"You think I'll just retreat? I am the creator of the sea! Who else could be its master but me?!"
As he focused solely on absorbing power, Pontus' form grew massive, rivaling the mighty Titans of the Titanomachy.
The sight terrified nymphs, gods, and spirits, who began to retreat in fear.
"Retreat! All forces, fall back!"
"Grab the wounded and get out now, or we'll be swept away!"
Even Eurynome, Styx, and Metis, who had been restraining enemy captives, panicked and rushed to Poseidon's side.
"Poseidon, we need to retreat now. In that state, he's lost all reason and will destroy everything," Eurynome urged.
"She's right. Gods in that state are nearly invincible until they burn out their power," Metis added.
"Poseidon, you haven't seen this before, but in Uranus' era, this happened often. The strategy was always to drain their strength. We need to retreat," Styx insisted.
Despite their urgent pleas, Poseidon's expression remained as calm as a still sea.
Looking at the now-gigantic Pontus, he spoke nonchalantly.
"As I thought, I've seen this somewhere before. It's just like Power Rangers."
"Right down to growing huge at the end—perfect."
The goddesses, exasperated by his relaxed demeanor, began pushing at his back, urging him to retreat.
"Ugh! We know you're strong, but this is on another level!"
"Listen to Styx! This is a different matter!"
"Gods, what did you eat to be this strong? Even pushing you is hard!"
Poseidon gently resisted their efforts, responding calmly.
"Don't worry. Everyone knows a foe who's lost their mind is at their weakest."
"What?"
"Huh?"
"What do you mean…?"
Pointing at the mindless giant, Poseidon spoke as if teaching a clueless student.
"Look, giants like that usually have weak legs from sudden growth."
With that, he leaped forward and swung a punch at Pontus' leg.
Crack!
"Argh!"
"See? His legs are so weak they break from a single punch. And the next target is the jaw. When they get that big, their speed slows down. That's when you dive in deep."
Thwack!
"Gaaah!"
BOOM!
Struck in the jaw, the colossal giant staggered and collapsed.
The impact shook the sea like an earthquake, sending a massive tsunami rippling outward.
"Ugh, even falling is slow," Poseidon remarked, whistling casually as he watched the giant topple.
Having faced similar situations during the Titanomachy, this was nothing new to him.
But the goddesses watching were dumbfounded, their jaws dropped.
'No way!'
'It can't be that easy! Even in Uranus' era, scenes like this…'
'Are the records wrong, or is the god beside me a monster?'
However, even Poseidon, who had been whistling nonchalantly, soon frowned.
The fallen giant rapidly regenerated, healing all wounds and exhaling scorching, high-temperature vapor as it shrank to a size more suited to fight Poseidon.
Though still three times Poseidon's size, it was far nimbler than before.
"That's right! Records say gods in that state instantly adapt to all attacks, becoming monstrous!" Metis shouted.
As she spoke, the rampaging Pontus shrank to a size optimized for combat.
"Damn, we're too late. That state is tailored to counter its enemy," Eurynome said.
"Exactly! I was too shocked to say earlier, but until their power runs out, they're practically unkillable!" Styx added.
Poseidon, ignoring the goddesses' panic, calmly assessed his foe.
'Sure, the punch felt off. It lacked that satisfying impact. According to these frantic goddesses, he's basically invincible until his rampage ends…'
Before he could finish his thought, the mindless giant swung a fist.
BOOM!
Poseidon's arm trembled as he blocked the blow.
"It's been a while since Kronos—someone hitting me barehanded with this kind of impact," Poseidon said, grinning.
"Alright, let's have a real, gritty conversation with our fists."