Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

Indeed, the sheepskin shield that Zeus and Athena split in two came from this unfortunate female goat.

A flood of memories washed over him, and Samael smiled wryly, suppressing his thoughts, picked up the fruit basket, and shared it with everyone.

Taking a crunchy bite reveals the crisp, sweet flesh that makes your mouth water and leaves you wanting more.

After a small taste of the appetizer, the doors of the Pantheon finally opened slowly amidst a flurry of light patterns.

Amidst twelve gradient-colored layers, a handsome, muscular man with red eyes and brown skin, wearing a red inner lining and a golden outer armor, stood tall and straight like a javelin, with sharp, angular features, long blue hair cascading over his shoulders, and gold earrings dangling from his earlobes, steadily approached.

In his hand, he was holding the hand of a little girl in a red dress, whose emerald eyes sparkled brightly.

The distance between the men's steps was almost uniform, the lines were straight, and the sound of their footsteps was like rhythmic drumbeats, bringing a strong sense of oppression and solemnity.

Ancestor of Gods, Romulus!

The Romans who were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the true face of the founder of Rome cheered wildly, their eyes filled with excitement, and their bodies trembling with uncontrollable excitement.

Tsk, that's right, a god-level being! We've finally waited for you!

The ancient snake's eyes lit up, its gaze gleaming.

Before the boundary between the divine realm and humanity was broken, the existence of gods was already the limit that the mortal world could tolerate. Romulus, as the wedge connecting the Romans and the ancient Greek gods, must have known some of the whereabouts of the gods of the past.

Samael longed to communicate directly with the god Romulus, but he never had the opportunity.

Last night he ran into Attila and got bogged down in trivial matters, so he had to cancel his plans; now that there are too many people around, it's not a good time either. He'll wait until after the coronation ceremony to sneak in and have a private chat with Romulus.

Having made up his mind, the ancient snake simply relaxed and sat quietly on the field, becoming a spectator for once.

After the white-robed priests finished their lengthy hymns recounting the history of Rome's founding and listing the outstanding contributions of successive Roman emperors, Nero, who was less than 1.5 meters tall, was praised to the skies by the priests responsible for extolling her achievements...

A truly unique Roman flower.

Nero, brimming with confidence and his vanity satisfied, was so happy he couldn't stop grinning. Several times he almost lost control and revealed his mischievous nature.

Fortunately, under the might of the god Romulus, the girl knew how to restrain herself and obediently waited until the praise ended.

Then, this majestic Roman god-ancestor led Nero up to the high altar, and amidst the twelve descending halos, he stretched out his arms and gathered Ares's former weapon—the Spear of Creation.

boom!

Romulus slashed open Nero's palm, grabbed the spear, and struck the center of the high altar. Instantly, the colorful halo above the Pantheon spread in all directions, and the heavens and earth trembled.

The Spear of Creation, its tail pierced into the rock, absorbed the magic of the God Ancestor and the blood of the new emperor. It frantically devoured the nearby ether, expanding and growing wildly at a visible speed, almost instantly becoming a towering tree covering most of the city.

The shimmering greenery, pulsating in unison with the pulse of the entire city, forged a profound and mysterious connection between Nero and this land.

"Nero, my beloved child, possessing the sacred blood of Venus, the embodiment of Rome's glory and shadow, the emperor who is like my sister, I love you, Rome loves you!"

In recognition of your service to the Empire, I hereby grant you imperial privileges; may you continue to defend Rome!

In a generous declaration, Romulus accepted the laurel wreath presented by the white-robed priest and slowly and solemnly placed this honor and responsibility on Nero's head.

boom!

Just then, a blazing golden-red beam of light pierced through the emerald-green sky and struck the great altar in front of the Pantheon with overwhelming force.

"I stand atop the seven hills!"

Romulus raised his hand and placed it on the trunk of the towering tree that the Spear of Creation had transformed into, and roared solemnly.

In an instant, the earth trembled violently, and seven rock barriers rose from the ground, blocking and tearing apart the golden-red pillar of light.

Amidst the dazzling impact of the ether, the sky shattered like a mirror, and a colossal ship adorned with golden cobra reliefs and shimmering with the radiance of a sun wheel emerged from the crack. The figure standing at the bow, arms crossed, arrogantly looked down at the Pantheon, letting out a mocking laugh.

"The Pharaoh is omnipotent on earth! All things and phenomena are in my hands! Romulus, if you wish to be crowned king, why not invite me to witness the ceremony?"

Romulus gripped the main trunk of the divine tree, maintaining the operation of the giant tree's barrier, his gaze cold and unfocused.

Pharaoh Ramses II!

Egyptians want to disrupt today's coronation ceremony!

Samael's pupils contracted sharply, and he abruptly stood up and ran towards the front of the Pantheon.

However, the moment it started moving, the ancient serpent's face suddenly darkened, and its pupils reflected the two figures that had fallen like meteors toward the open space in front of the main hall, their brilliance fading.

Two god-level beings!

Egypt isn't the only country trying to disrupt the coronation ceremony!

Attila the Hun!

Cyrus the Great, King of Persia!

The arrival of the three divine monarchs who walked among men caused a great uproar throughout the Palatine Mountains.

Chapter 41 A Twist Within a Twist

"O gods, shelter this place!"

The situation took a sharp turn for the worse. Romulus's calm face turned solemn as he stood on the high altar with outstretched arms and roared in a solemn voice.

Meanwhile, hundreds of priests and priests chanted prayers, infusing the temple with magic.

Buzz buzz!

In an instant, twelve pillars of light shot into the sky from the Pantheon, weaving into a seven-colored ring like a crown. The giant tree formed by the Spear of Creation resonated and trembled, shimmering with starlight, casting a colorful halo over the city of Rome, forming a divine light curtain that descended with immense pressure.

Space trembled, and the three kings, who were high above, became sluggish one after another, as if they were trapped in a quagmire, while the surrounding ethereal light flickered and dimmed.

"The Star Emblem awakens, the power of the God of War is activated, I am the Whip of God!"

Attila raised her seven-colored greatsword high, and amidst the nested and converging halos, she frantically devoured the colorful sword pillars of ethereal energy around her before slamming them down.

"Prostrate yourself on the ground, look up at the sky, and then revere! This is the serpent god among serpent gods! Descend like the sun—the Dark Night Sun Ship!"

As Ramses II chanted, the golden ethereal light emanating from his body flowed into the solar ship beneath his feet. As the enormous divine creation spun, its side-rotating cannons gathered blazing flames and shot downwards.

“Mithras, God of Light, Father of Flames, bless me!”

I am the strongest, the one who holds all victory in my hands, the one who will thwart the hostility of all enemies, and I will crush any foe that stands in my way!

Cyrus raised his hand and drew a golden artifact, resembling both a knife and a sword, with Persian script engraved on both sides, from a ball of golden flames. He swung it downwards, and a tornado swept down.

Under the combined attack of the three kings, the Pantheon and the High Altar were the first to be hit and were on the verge of being destroyed in the surging flood of ether.

"Zeus's Shield of Parchment!"

Romulus bent forward, grabbed the Horn of Abundance, and raised it high with a roar, his hands clenched loosely.

In an instant, a golden-blue stream of light descended from the crown composed of twelve light patterns at the top of the dome, transforming into a bolt of lightning that struck down and coalesced in the hands of the Divine Ancestor into a light-shaped shield with thundercloud patterns.

Rumble…

Deng Deng Deng!

In the blink of an eye, a violent explosion shook the ground, and the sheepskin shield made of ethereal light shattered. Romulus staggered back several steps, his face darkening.

As the gods disappeared and the rules became stable, mystery gradually peeled away from the real surface, and the power that once manipulated order and moved mountains and filled seas was naturally weakened layer by layer.

Currently, god-level combat power represents the pinnacle that the human world can achieve.

In theory, Romulus was an opponent of the same caliber as the Pharaoh, the King of Persia, and the King of Huns.

Under equal conditions, the outcome for both sides is probably a 50/50 chance.

But this was in Rome, with the support of the venue and the divine power of the Pantheon, where the ancestor of the gods could remain undefeated even when fighting two opponents at once.

But one against three...

Every second ticked away, and the battle raged on.

"For victory, come quickly before me! Immortal sun, grant me a radiant steed. Divine and wondrous steed, swiftly bring me the halo of your lord!"

Cyrus held his sword upright in front of him, and as he chanted, he lightly wiped the spine of the sword with his right hand. Accompanied by the neighing of warhorses, a fiery red sun rose slowly and plummeted towards the city of Rome, which was shrouded by towering trees.

"Poseidon Trident!"

Sensing the intense heat in the air, Romulus gazed at the giant, light-like tree whose branches and leaves were burning and disintegrating. His eyes darkened, and he decisively chanted a divine incantation. He pulled the converging trident from the gushing spring of earth and hurled it toward the sun. The deep blue etheric torrent that surged up along the way engulfed and swallowed the enormous ball of flame, and the remaining force continued to bombard Cyrus.

However, before Romulus could catch his breath, the Pharaoh, who had lowered the altitude of his solar ship, fired several cannon shots in succession, then seized an opening and waved to the distance with a cold smile.

"Father of Fear, Symbol of Gale and Flame, Incarnation of the Sky... Devour! Sphinx of the Sands!"

In an instant, amidst a muffled roar, two sphinx-like monsters, each with the appearance of a man and the body of a woman, and standing tens of meters tall, leaped out from the magic array that appeared on the sun ship, flapping their wings and soaring toward the Pantheon.

"Apollo, the Bow of the Sky!"

As Romulus chanted, another pillar of light descended from the crown-shaped band. The ancestor of the gods held an ancient longbow, its string taut, and the arrow of light he fired burst forth with blazing flames, splitting in two and striking the two charging sand sphinxes. Amidst the splattering blood, he severely wounded them.

After the arrow was fired, the longbow that had been assembled disintegrated.

At this moment, despite repeatedly defeating his opponents, the God Ancestor's expression grew increasingly unpleasant.

The Crown of Cronus, the inherent barrier that sheltered Rome from the aftermath of the battle, contained a trace of the power of the twelve Olympian gods.

As the son of God, Romulus could indeed draw upon the Pantheon's resources, manifesting their former weapon forms to unleash their power against the three descending kings.

However, for every bit of power extracted, the power of the great barrier weakens by ten percent.

In this one-against-three situation, the three kings have not yet exerted their full strength. If this continues, it will not be long before this barrier against external enemies will cease to exist, and Rome will likely suffer a catastrophic disaster.

Now, the light curtain enveloping Rome has begun to flicker, and as it dissipates the aftershocks of the battle between the four gods, creaking and cracking sounds can be heard from time to time, and the minor damage is gradually spreading.

Again!

Romulus watched as the Hun king unfurled his wings of light in mid-air, several prisms appeared before him, converging into a seven-colored band of light that swept towards him. His brow twitched, and he had no choice but to grit his teeth and continue to withdraw the power of the Pantheon, drinking poison to quench his thirst.

boom!

At the critical moment, the black cross spear that came hurtling in pierced through dozens of prisms scattered in front of Attila, and the booming and spreading ethereal waves forced the Hun king back a hundred miles.

"You can have this part; I'll take care of the other one!"

At the same time, a fierce wind arose on the great altar, engulfing the God Ancestor and Nero in a spiraling column of wind. Their figures, shrouded in black mist and unable to see their faces, pondered for a moment, then grabbed the newly appointed Rose Emperor and soared into the sky to intercept the seven-colored meteorite that had lost its momentum and was hurtling towards them.

Another god-level being!

Fortunately, he sided with Rome.

As the wind dispersed and the clouds cleared, Romulus looked meaningfully at a seat on the viewing platform, his brow gradually relaxing.

Immediately afterwards, a resonance resounded within the Roman palace. The four great clans of Cornelius, Emilius, Fibius, and Manlius, having been granted titles, returned to Rome. The emperor, stirring up the ether, transformed it into streams of light and rushed toward the Pantheon.

The little girl who was just intercepted seemed to have a strong sense of restraint towards Rome and him, and could only exert 70-80% of her fighting strength.

Now that the greatest threat hanging overhead has been removed, the remaining Persian King Cyrus and Pharaoh Ramses II, these two god-like old adversaries alone, are not enough to shake Rome!

The god Romulus arrogantly snorted, raised his hand and pressed it against the giant tree that was the spear that created the nation, and chanted a divine incantation.

"Where I am, there are seven hills; where I am, there is Rome! Civilization is Rome; the world is Rome! The stars in the sky bless this place; the eternal kingdom descends upon this place; therefore, my spear penetrates all things!"

Countless points of light emerged from the Romans, merging into the giant tree. The divine tree's branches and leaves grew wildly, and the emerald light condensed into sharp thorns, pointing towards Cyrus and Ramses II in mid-air, gathering the power of thunder.

"Pfft! Pfft!"

But suddenly, disaster struck. The two white-robed priests, who were chanting divine words, clutched their throats, which were spurting crimson blood, and looked incredulously at their companions beside them, who were holding daggers with their eyes gleaming.

Chapter 42 Stealth in the Darkness, Serve in the Light

"Puff puff!"

At the same time, the dull sound of tearing cloth rose and fell among the white-robed priests. More than a dozen "priests," some old and some young, some men and women, some tall and some short, some fat and some thin, suddenly sprang up, their gleaming daggers flashing up and down, scattering a chilling light.

In a short time, they were attacked like tigers among sheep, their throats slit and necks cut, and then cleanly and decisively stabbed repeatedly into vital organs such as the heart and lungs.

For a moment, screams and muffled thuds echoed throughout the Pantheon, and a mist of blood mixed with entrails and bits of flesh sprayed in all directions. The dying priests convulsed on the ground, their pupils dilating, and could only watch helplessly as their lives slipped away, bit by bit.

"Assassin! An assassin has infiltrated! Guards! Guards!"

The few remaining high priests fled in panic toward the gate, where a troop of soldiers who had gathered upon hearing the news gave these spellcasters hope for survival.

With the gate in sight, the few survivors, feeling slightly relieved, turned pale as they looked back at the young men, teenagers, and even elderly executioners who had instigated the massacre and ruthlessly finished off the victims in pools of blood.

Those faces, calm to the point of being cold, upon closer inspection, seemed shrouded in mist and clouds, their features possessing a strange, inexplicable familiarity with many faces from memory.

The Pantheon is heavily guarded; how could so many assassins possibly sneak in at the same time?

"Pfft!"

Just as the survivors were passing the approaching guards, filled with doubt, the sharp blade piercing their abdomens and the excruciating pain of their organs being shredded caused them to turn around in astonishment. In their rapidly contracting pupils, they saw a series of familiar yet unfamiliar, calm faces reflected in their pupils.

"The Assassins...?"