CHAPTER 99: CHAPTER 99: CAUGHT BY ZEUS ON THE SPOT

The trees had begun to wither, flowers were gradually closing up, and the grass had turned yellow and curled into dry clumps.

Even the clear springs had become turbid, carrying an odd, foul stench.

When Eros projected his consciousness through the cosmic seed left inside Io, what greeted him was this bleak and lifeless landscape.

He was stunned for a moment, then quickly understood what was happening.

This was the natural development of the myth—when Demeter lost her daughter, the vitality of the earth would begin to fade.

To be honest, Eros hadn’t done much to alter that course.

At most, he brought Hypnos and Styx into the mix. But in front of Hades, those additions barely made a ripple.

Eventually, the outcome would still hinge on Zeus’s intervention, leading to the familiar arrangement: Persephone spending four months of the year in the Underworld.

Before Eros could reflect further, Io noticed his presence.

"...Is that you?"

Through the cosmos he’d awakened in her, along with some guidance on how to control it, Io was able to perceive the extra presence inside her body.

She didn’t know how to address him. After all, Eros had only said one sentence to her and never revealed his name.

"Yeah, it’s me."

His tone was casual—he wasn’t particularly invested. After all, he couldn’t see her or touch her, and she was still in the form of a young cow. That didn’t exactly spark his interest.

Mainly, it was just boring down in the Underworld, so he was passing the time with a nap and checking in from afar.

Borrowing Io’s field of vision, he scanned the dried-up wasteland and raised an eyebrow.

Wasn’t this smacking Hera right in the face?

Didn’t she promise the finest grass and sweetest spring water?

Now the world was crumbling into a dead zone. Maybe it would hold for a bit longer, but if left unchecked, even Olympus would feel the effect.

"Um... are you going to save me?"

Io asked carefully, hearing the lack of emotion in his tone.

From her perspective, she saw the mountain not far away—where a colossal figure was seated.

That was Argus Panoptes, the hundred-eyed giant. In Greek legend, he was said to be the namesake of the Argo.

Though tasked with guarding Io by Hera, Argus wasn’t a mindless brute. He was a heroic figure who had slain the bull monster of Arcadia.

He had also defeated Echidna—the terrifying yet beautiful wife of Typhon.

Even Hermes didn’t dare confront him head-on, ultimately only killing him by sneaking up while he slept.

Eros didn’t think he could beat Argus either—and he wasn’t even physically present. Even if he wanted to interfere, he couldn’t.

So he gave a vague answer.

"Don’t worry, the time isn’t right yet."

"Have you been practicing the cosmos techniques I taught you?"

Io nodded earnestly.

"Yes! I’ve been practicing every single day!"

Indeed, she had thrown herself into it with all her strength.

Since being transformed into a cow, her only source of hope had been the cosmos left by Eros. It was the only path she could take if she ever hoped to regain her human form.

Day and night, she practiced relentlessly, her heart full of belief that she’d someday be able to escape.

Of course, Eros already knew all of that—he only asked to affirm that hope and keep her motivated.

"Very good. Keep cultivating. No matter how long it takes, don’t give up."

"Treat it like watching for a falling star—just wait patiently. Eventually, one will streak across the sky."

That simple encouragement worked wonders for Io.

Though she didn’t fully understand what was happening, her heart was filled with purpose and hope.

"Yes! I understand!"

After giving her a bit of motivation, Eros sighed in relief.

Seriously... why was he cleaning up a mess Zeus made?

Once he confirmed everything was stable on Io’s end, he prepared to withdraw his consciousness.

But just as he began to pull back, a monstrous cosmic force surged in and swallowed him whole.

Back in Io’s body, she felt the presence vanish and couldn’t help but feel a little lonely.

Still, she quickly regained focus and resumed her cultivation.

Meanwhile, Eros opened his eyes again—and found himself inside a vast sea of stars.

What the hell just happened?

This cosmos was on a different scale altogether. Even he, as the originator of cosmos, was completely overwhelmed.

He felt like a frog looking up at the heavens.

Then, from within a blazing galaxy, a silhouette slowly emerged.

Bright as flame, graceful as moonlight, and radiant with divine majesty.

She had the most exquisite features Eros had ever seen—peerless beauty and elegance.

And her name was-

"Dione?!"

At the sound of that name, the divine figure opened her eyes, and her expression lit up with amusement.

"Eros... why the sudden change in how you address me?"

Eros looked away awkwardly.

Last time, he had spoken sharply, full of doubt and suspicion.

But now, after learning the truth, he understood why she had used that name.

As Zeus, she was the King of the Gods. But as Dione, she was the goddess who had once shared a romantic encounter with him.

So this time, Eros used the name she wanted to hear.

Her golden hair shone like the Milky Way, with stars woven into her strands like gems.

Her every feature was perfectly sculpted. Only Aphrodite might compare, but even then—perhaps not.

After all, Zeus embodied the perfection of all creation, whereas Aphrodite was merely a part of it.

Only Eros himself could rival that beauty—and even then, not in the same way.

"But unfortunately, I must appear before you now as Zeus."

The burning galaxy behind her cooled and fell into silence.

Her hair shifted from gold to silver, and her aura changed completely.

This simulated cosmos around her didn’t surprise Eros. She had watched him for a long time, and now that cosmos energy had spread across the world, mastering it came easily to her.

Eros couldn’t help but feel jealous.

If he didn’t care about appearances, he’d probably throw himself at her feet and shout, "Sponsor me, goddess!"

All he needed was a proper divine role, and his legend would be sealed.

Forget cheat systems—the gods had admin powers.

Amphitrite, who used to be just eye candy, had become the Queen of the Sea.

Nyx, Zeus, anyone who could name him something official... he’d take it!

As Zeus drew closer, she gave him a gentle smile.

"What are you daydreaming about? I’ve brought you here because I have something important to tell you."

Eros blinked and snapped back to attention.

"What’s so special about that cow girl that you’re making such a big deal of her?"

He had only just left Io’s mind and was caught immediately. He’d bet anything Zeus had been watching him this whole time.

And judging by the timing, it seemed she had been waiting for this moment.

"I can only say one thing—don’t let anyone else know."

That line was basically Zeus-speak for "I’m placing my trust in you."

Regardless of whether it was genuine or not, Eros still felt a little flutter of pride.

Being treated like someone important always felt good.

And since not even Hera knew, it made things feel even more... special.

Wait... why did it feel like he was the secret boyfriend?

"Ahem. So what exactly do you want from me?"

"I knew you’d agree."

Zeus smiled and took his hand.

"Io is very important to me. She’s the daughter of the river god Inachus. Though born mortal, her name carries divine weight."

"On Olympus, that divine weight may not matter much. But elsewhere... it means everything."

As she spoke, Zeus unfolded a grand vision in front of Eros.

He stood frozen in place, overwhelmed not just by the information—but by the trust she showed in him.

"From Mount Olympus, travel southwest across the endless sea. There, beyond the boundary of Oceanus..."

"...you’ll find a river cutting through golden plains. A land touched by the sun, but born from a different myth."

"That place is called Aesenyro. And one day, we will make it ours."

Eros’s heart skipped a beat.

Before he could speak, Zeus continued.

"And Io... over there, she will be known as Isis."

"She is the key to opening the gate to that new world."

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100 P.S = 1 Extra Chapter

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