The Greece Antagonist

As soon as they entered, they were spotted by a dense pack of Magic Beasts and giants, who roared and swarmed towards them.

The group fought bravely to carve a bloody path, then buried their heads and charged into a Light Gate.

But new Magic Beasts and giants arrived in quick succession.

It went on like this: one gate, two gates, three gates...

Five gates, ten gates, twenty gates...

Gradually, the weary Argo Heroes began to sense something was amiss.

"Wait! Look at these marks; this is where we started from~!"

Chiron called a halt to the group, who were frantically searching for an exit, pointing with a grim expression at an arrow mark scratched onto the stone wall.

Atalanta recognized it as a mark she had left herself, her gaze sharpening.

"Could it be, we've been going in circles?"

Hearing this, a shadow fell over everyone's hearts.

After a brief contemplation, Chiron issued an order.

"This time, we take a different route! Move through different passages and leave marks along the way!"

Following his command, they plunged into the Light Gate again, shuttling back and forth.

Ten times, twenty times, thirty times...

After what felt like an eternity, they finally seemed to have shaken off their pursuers, and the scenery before them cleared to reveal a courtyard filled with glowing plants.

On a dead giant tree, seven teal birds perched on the branches, chirping melodiously.

The pleasant sound was like the rhythm of a Lyre, redolent of afternoon sunlight, a soft bed, and the embrace of a lover.

Even the air turned as mellow and sweet as aged wine.

Unable to resist, the Argo Heroes slowed their pace, greedily savoring the beautiful melody as they staggered towards the dead tree at the center of the courtyard.

As the group drew closer, the seven teal birds seemed to chirp even more joyously.

Zheng~!

At that moment, a rousing musical note surged forward, as thunderous as smashing gold and jade, shattering the lazy complacency of the music in the courtyard.

"Wake up!"

Orpheus, the son of Apollo and a genius singer, swiftly plucked his harp, emitting a high, piercing note that alerted his comrades.

The Argo Heroes suddenly came to their senses, halted, and looked around, breaking out in a cold sweat.

They saw the glowing plants spreading from the dead tree slowly opening their tips to reveal circular saw-like predatory organs.

And the seven teal birds on the branches spread their wings, their tiny bodies rapidly transforming into tall women with bird wings on their backs, their claw-like hands aiming for the heroes' faces.

"Go to hell!"

Startled and angered by a pair of claws thrusting towards his face, Cainis instantly swung his spear, spearing one of the bird-winged maidens through the tree.

"Chirp!"

The wounded bird-winged maiden went berserk, shrieking as she flapped backwards, pulling herself off Cainis's spear point, while simultaneously shooting several iron feathers forward.

Cainis quickly twisted his spear, exerting all his strength to deflect these fast and aggressive iron feathers.

"What the hell is this?!"

Clasping her slightly trembling hands, this female warrior, known for her bravery in Thessaly, looked at the seven bird-winged maidens on the tree with considerable alarm.

"The Seven Goddesses of Kingfishers—Alcyonides, they are said to be the seven daughters of King of Giant Spirits, Alcyoneus, named for their enchanting voices. But since Divine King Kronos devoured the consciousness of King of Giant Spirits, Alcyoneus, turning him into his own soul container, these seven daughters have disappeared while mourning their father. I didn't expect them to turn into such ghostly figures!"

Orpheus, the son of Apollo, stepped forward to answer, looking at the clearly mentally eroded, ferociously abnormal Seven Goddesses of Kingfishers on the tree. His face showed deep regret and pity while he cursed Divine King Kronos in his heart.

After all, it was likely only that cold-hearted and ruthless Titan King who could have turned the seven daughters of King of Giant Spirits, Alcyoneus, into such ghostly figures.

"What's all this about?"

The Argo Heroes drew their swords and spears, desperately hacking at the glowing tentacles sweeping around them like snakes, and anxiously asked.

These things that spread around that withered tree seemed to combine elements of animals and plants. Chopping them down proved not only that they were incredibly tough but also that the cut areas oozed a red-black liquid resembling fresh blood, emitting squeaking noises that were disturbing and disconcerting.

What troubled the heroes even more was that the vitality of these creatures was even stronger than that of the ordinary giant spirits; their speed of destruction could not keep up with the regeneration speed of these things.

The Medicine God sniffed, vaguely smelling a familiar scent from the pools of red-black liquid on the ground, and his expression slightly changed.

"Is this... the Golden Apple Tree?"

When the Giant Spirit Clan broke into the Sacred Garden, they not only consumed all the Golden Apples but also sacrificed the Golden Apple Tree, which possessed Earth Authority, to Divine King Kronos.

And the stubbornly living withered tree before them seemed to be the original form of the Golden Apple Tree.

However, due to the corruption of the Divinity, this thing had undergone demonization, trying to prey on any living thing that came near it, nourishing itself with the flesh and blood of outsiders.

"Don't go near it!"

Realizing the origin of this thing, the Medicine God hurriedly stopped several Argo Heroes who wanted to rush up and chop down the withered tree.

However, it was already too late.

Roots like snake pythons broke through the soil, cracking the rocks and causing dense green plants to rapidly spread and grow.

"Phut phut!"

Immediately afterward, vine-like tendrils in blue-green tightly bound the legs of several Argo Heroes; glowing roots had already pierced into their thighs, sucking their vitality like thirsty giant snakes.

In just a blink of an eye, the few struck Argo Heroes had dried up skin and turned into skeletons.

Blue-green glowing vines burst from their eye sockets, spreading wildly and creating a bizarre scene that made the Argo Heroes shudder.

"Retreat! Retreat!"

Chiron shouted a warning while launching arrows that restrained immortality, cutting off the demonized Golden Apple vines spreading on the ground,

The Argo Heroes also cooperatively tried to block the Seven Goddesses of Kingfishers flapping towards them and fell back from this dangerous area in a fighting withdrawal.

Yet, when it rains, it pours.

Boom!

Flying rocks and swirling dust filled the air, and from a newly opened Light Gate ripple behind, thousands of Magic Beasts and giant spirits leaped out, rushing directly toward them.

Medea, seeing this, quickly threw the Tooth of Python and several Demon Crystals, summoning a row of Dragon Tooth Soldiers and Magic Puppets to briefly hold off the swarming Magic Beasts and giant spirits, trying to buy time for her companions.

However, faced with dire circumstances from both front and back, these delays were like drops in the bucket.

The space for the group to maneuver was quickly compressed to its limits; they could only watch as these Subterranean Monsters surged forth like a tide.

Just as the beleaguered Argo Heroes were preparing to fight desperately, a torch burning with golden flames flew from a rock wall and smashed onto the demonized Golden Apple Tree.

Instantly, the demonized Divine Tree twisted madly, emitting rodent-like squeals; the glowing vines drilled back into the ground.

"Over here, come quickly!"

A deep voice came from a rock cave; a middle-aged man in a black robe was waving at them.