The Greece Antagonist

Here it comes again... Watching the scene about to unfold, Luo En helplessly touched his forehead. Eurystheus, another grandson of Perseus from the Perseus Constellation, Hercules's cousin, the current King of Argos, was also an important figure in bringing about the accomplishment of Hercules's twelve labors. Years ago, before the birth of Hercules, Zeus had announced at the Divine Authority meeting that Perseus's first grandson would rule the region of Argos, governing all other descendants of Perseus. His intention was to bestow this honor on the son he had fathered with his lover Alcmene, to grant the Child of Fate both land and support, so as to play a greater role in the upcoming battle against the giants. But in offering benefits to his own illegitimate son, he carved flesh from Hera. As it happened, Argos was a Holy Land of Hera. Thus, upon learning this information, the Queen of the Heavens, enraged, used her Authority as the Goddess of Marriage to let another grandson of Perseus, Eurystheus, be born prematurely, making him the King of the region of Argos, and Hercules, born later, became his subject instead. Later, Hercules was born, and Hera, following her routine, went to assassinate the illegitimate child but, by mistake, became involved with Luo En. Under Luo En's guidance, the Queen of the Heavens gradually let go of the hatred in her heart and stopped being fixated on eradicating Zeus's illegitimate children and lovers. Hercules and his mother Alcmene thus escaped disaster and at first went into hiding in the region of Argos. However, as Hercules gradually grew and his fame rose, King Eurystheus began to take notice of this renowned brother of his. Fearing potential threats, he summoned him into the Royal Palace, ostensibly providing him with the status of a slave, and assigned him a series of daunting tasks, sending his brother off to face his death. After all, having such a powerful brother nearby, coupled with Zeus's prophecy, his throne was far from secure. Hercules was initially unwilling to submit, but the Divine Oracle of Zeus could not be defied, so he left his home for the Delphi area to seek guidance from Fate. The Three Fates gave him their answer, "Follow the guidance of the oracle, complete the twelve glorious labors, and you will eventually be freed from mortality and ascend to divinity!" Thus, Hercules patiently returned to the Argos region, obeying his cousin Eurystheus's orders. After completing several labors, his maternal grandfather and mentor Perseus descended to the Lower Realm, took Hercules out of Argos, and dedicated himself to teaching him martial arts and knowledge, taking him through trials, which led to the great hero Hercules as we know him today. Yet, the animosity between the two brothers did not dissipate because of this. In that moment, seeing Hercules being humiliated in public, the assembly fell silent; among the heroes present, some were indignant, some worried, but there were also those who were indifferent or mocking. After all, heroes, in essence, are still human. They may possess abilities and qualities worth boasting about, but they cannot wash away their innate flaws and desires. Hercules looked at his cousin before him, and he clenched and unclenched his fists, finally choosing to let go. Seeing this, a number of heroes flashed a look of disdain in their eyes. So much for the great hero, after all. Seeing this, Luo En sighed, and then... "Crack!" A crisp sound of shattering exploded on Eurystheus's head; the King of Argos staggered, then came to his senses, felt the dampness on his head, and looking at the crimson mixture of wine and blood in his palm, he couldn't help but burst into a rage. "Who? Which bastard threw a wine cup at me?!" "Your grandfather, I did!" Accompanied by a rough snort, a foot flew over and kicked the searching Eurystheus to the ground. "Who gave you permission to waste it?" Luo En stepped on the back of Eurystheus, his face somber. The Eurystheus sprawled on the ground glared up angrily, struggling and roaring as he did. "Are you mad? I am the King of Argos!" "King of Argos my ass. You think you're worthy of wasting my wine?" Luo En forced the stubborn head of Eurystheus into a pool of crimson wine spilled on the floor, making him swallow the wine. "Lick it clean! Lick the wine off the floor! Don't drink, and you die!" Feeling the increasing pressure on his head and the faint cries of his skull as it began to bear the unbearable, Eurystheus could no longer maintain his pride or dignity. Enduring humiliation, he opened his mouth and licked the leftover wine from the floor like a dog. Even as the dirt on the ground made him feel nauseated, even as shards and pieces in the wine cut his tongue and cheeks, he dared not pause or show any negligence. For indeed, stopping really would end in death! It wasn't until Eurystheus had finally licked the remaining wine of the ground that Luo En snorted coldly and kicked him away as if he were discarding trash. As Eurystheus hit the pillar with a thud, the heroes looked at the bruised and swollen King of Argos and fell utterly silent. The grace of the gods is as vast as the sea, their might as inexorable as prison. The gods have never only had one face; they often are a combination of both light and dark. At this moment, Luo En looked back at Eurystheus lying on the ground like a dead dog, picked up a pitcher, poured himself a cup of wine, and gently swirled it. He is the God of Wine and Feasts. Breaking his cup, spilling his wine is blasphemy! Let alone a mere mortal king, even the deities on Mount Olympus could be killed if he was strong enough to defeat them. For in the Divine Era, the one with the bigger fist makes the rules! Due to a moral standard significantly higher than the average among the deities of Greece, he normally did not indulge in displaying his cruel side. But that doesn't mean he wouldn't deliver a thunderous blow when needed. Luo En disdainfully glanced at the so-called King of Argos, then turned to address his brother by bloodline with a somber tone. "Listen, Hercules, what I want to see is a lion who can lead a flock into battle, not a hound that binds its own feet! The next time someone dares to show their face, don't give face to anyone else. Just kill them directly!" Hercules nodded heavily when he heard this, his formidable presence gushing out, making him resemble an unsheathed sword. He hadn't intervened immediately before partly because of the long-term instinctive thinking pattern enforced by his cousin's dominance, and partly due to his regard for the faces of his teacher, Perseus, his old friend Admetos, and the divine oracle of The Three Fates. But with the personal demonstration by the God of Wine right before his eyes, a shackle in his heart had shattered. In attendance, who wasn't a being of Divine Blood? Even ordinary humans claimed to be creations from the ashes of Titans. Under fists and swords, who is nobler than whom? If they don't respect you, hit them until they do! Seeing Hercules break free from the cage of the Oracle and regaining the sharpness of a lion, Luo En nodded in satisfaction. He was looking forward to bringing this strong man on a raid against Zeus and The Three Fates. What was the point if Hercules hesitated to face a human king who dared to cross him? At that moment, Eurystheus, who had somehow managed to get up from the ground, summoned a large group of Divine Blood retainers and stood behind the troops with a livid face, shouting angrily. "How dare you insult me, insult the King of Argos? I'll make you pay for this right now!" "King of Argos? Very well, from now on, you are no longer..." Just as Eurystheus was about to give the order, a deep, cold voice came from outside the door, and a Goddess with golden crown and white arms stepped gracefully into the great hall.