Nobody knows how to be a villain better than me.

A gentle breeze brought a cool and damp sensation to Cyrus's skin, causing him to frown slightly. He circulated his divine power, radiating warmth from within and evaporating the moisture from his skin.

In the blink of an eye, that flawless body was dried. This exquisite control made Cyrus quite proud and satisfied.

laugh!

However, as soon as he took a step, a low, trembling sound that made his teeth ache came from below. Cyrus instinctively looked down and stared, suddenly seeing strands of fungal-like, twisted red and black divine runes, flashing with light.

Click!

In an instant, like cracks appearing on ice caused by a heavy object, the pain spread throughout his chest, a bone-corroding, heart-wrenching agony that poured forth like a raging torrent.

boom……

Cyrus's body went limp, and he immediately knelt down on the ground, pressing his hands together. The veins on his forehead throbbed, blood vessels covered the whites of his eyes, and cold sweat the size of soybeans rolled down his cheeks, the back of his neck, and his back.

With the slightest movement, every muscle of this Persian king trembled, every bone groaned, and every drop of blood boiled…

Those red and black light patterns that grew larger and tore open from the inside out were like snakes, ants, and earthworms wriggling and crawling beneath the skin, constantly eroding the body and gnawing at the flesh, bringing unbearable pain, making Cyrus's previously flawless body like a piece of porcelain that could crack and shatter at any moment.

puff!

Immediately, the earth-shattering etheric turbulence gathered around him and surged within his body. Cyrus, who had been trying to control himself, turned pale and then spat out a mouthful of dark red blood, his spirit weakening.

The blood mist splattered onto the marble floor, instantly melting and cracking the hard stone.

In extreme agony, Cyrus the Great disregarded his pride and composure, staggered, and plunged headfirst into the sacred pool.

zizi...

Like the sizzling sound of meat being sizzled on a red-hot iron plate, the sacred pool boiled violently.

The milky-white holy liquid that came into contact with the red and black patterns on Cyrus's body instantly evaporated into mist, and a third of the water in the entire pool was evaporated in the blink of an eye!

Fortunately, with the cooling and moisturizing effect of these milky white liquids, Cyrus the Great's cracked body was gradually repaired.

After a long while, the figure that had been submerged in the pool finally rose from the misty, milky-white water and leaned against the stone wall, exhausted.

Damn!

Despite expending so much effort, even the purest place could not eradicate this curse!

Cyrus's expression shifted between light and shadow. He raised his hand to touch his aching shoulder blades and chest, where red and black marks, like snakes coiling beneath the skin, remained faintly visible, like maggots clinging to bones.

What exactly is the origin of that foreign deity? Not only is its combat power excessively strong, but the authority it wields is also terrifying, even surpassing that of Angra Mainyu, one of the two pillar gods of Persia…

The Persian king's thoughts drifted back to the memories of his two encounters with that man, and he was immediately filled with lingering fear, his eyes filled with apprehension.

After resting for a full three hours, Cyrus felt that his injuries had stabilized and his strength had largely recovered. He paused for a moment, then slowly stood up from the pool, climbed the steps again, and walked out of the area shrouded in mist.

Upon reaching the rear hall, Cyrus spread his arms, allowing the maids who surrounded him to wipe his body and change him into dry clothes.

Based on repeated attempts, as long as he doesn't recklessly use his divine power, the curse mark on his body can be temporarily suppressed.

However, in order to maintain the status quo, he has to spend a lot of time soaking in the pool every day, and he has to treat himself like a crystal doll, being careful in every way.

For a high-ranking deity and an ambitious monarch, this was undoubtedly a self-inflicted wound, leaving them in a rather humiliating situation.

Perhaps by calming down and trying again and again, we can eventually find a way to neutralize the curse.

But now the Huns have withdrawn their troops, Egypt has turned against them, the situation has reversed, and the circumstances are becoming increasingly unfavorable for Persia. His grand ambitions cannot wait that long.

Feeling frustrated, Cyrus waved away the nearby maids and paced back and forth in the shadows of the corridor for a long time.

Finally, as the sun set and the moon rose, and night deepened, the Persian emperor abruptly looked up, a resolute glint in his eyes. He rose and passed through the central shrine, which housed the six pillars of deities: Khsathra Vairya (protector of space), Spenta Armaiti (protector of the earth), Haurvatat (protector of water), Ameretat (protector of plants), Vohu Manah (protector of animals), and Asa Vahista (protector of humankind), before entering the Ahura Sanctuary, now sealed behind multiple doors.

Inside the ethereal and towering hall, the statue of the God of Light, with its condescending posture, evoked a sense of humility and insignificance in those who knelt before it.

Under the interplay of light and shadow, Cyrus suppressed his unease, his lips moving as he confessed what he had seen and done, and then sincerely made a plea.

"...Ahura, Lord of Light, King of Wisdom, our true God, please forgive my sins, heal me, guide me, and defeat the mighty enemy!"

squeak...

A strong wind blew through, and dull thuds echoed from the doors and windows. The sacred flames enshrined on either side of the main hall flickered and danced violently, their color changing from orange-yellow to a blazing white. The figures kneeling in worship below appeared even smaller and more insignificant, like insects crawling on the ground.

"You lost?"

"Yes……"

In the darkness, a murmur of unknown origin and ultimate destination echoed softly in Cyrus's ears. The Persian emperor gritted his teeth and bowed his head in response.

The piercing scrutiny made him feel like every second was an eternity, and his muscles trembled and he was drenched in sweat without realizing it.

"Alright, you've done a lot, that's quite an achievement. Open your mind and body and embrace the baptism..."

After a long while, the calm and dignified tone softened, the blazing light gradually became less dazzling, and Cyrus's tense heart finally relaxed. He stretched his body with a sense of relief and closed his eyes in peace.

"King of the earth, I will cleanse you of your sins, I will grant you the wisdom to see divine revelation, I will bestow upon you the name of invincibility!"

A lyrical and impassioned declaration echoed from the void, and streaks of milky white light burst forth from the bricks beneath Cyrus, spreading warmth and pure light, which seeped into the body of the Persian emperor in wisps.

The red and black serpentine mark aroused by divine power gradually dissolved and disappeared. As if the soul had been unloaded of all burdens, Cyrus became more and more relaxed, and his consciousness was as if it were soaking in warm water, sleeping peacefully and contentedly.

Until... vanish into nothingness!

hum!

In an instant, as the last ray of blazing white light seeped into it, the flames of the great hall were extinguished in a flash, and the sacred and majestic tremor resonated in unison with the rhythm of the runes.

In the darkness, the Persian emperor slowly rose, his gaze chilling.

The figure stretched and moved, initially a little stiff, but gradually becoming more fluid.

Immediately, the man stretched out his right arm and spread his fingers and palm, and the blazing white magic circle on the ground was activated and began to operate.

A moment later, a large golden cup with intricate patterns emerged inch by inch from the earth's veins, rose into the air, and landed in the man's hand.

The figure in the main hall raised a cup and poured it out, the rich, purplish-red liquid overflowing and flowing within the grooves of the magic array runes engraved on the ground.

At the same time, the man's lips moved, and his chilling, ethereal whispers echoed around the temple.

"Be full,

Fill it to the brim.

Fill it to the brim.

Fill it to the brim.

Let it be full.

Over and over again,

The second is five.

However, when it is full, it is also the time to discard it.

Declaration:

You shall obey my commands.

My life is bound to your sword.

In response to the call of the Holy Grail,

We humbly respond in accordance with this will and this principle!

This agreement is hereby made:

I wish to accomplish all good deeds in the world.

I wish to eradicate all evil in the world.

I am the one who holds its chains.

You are bound by the three great incantations of the Seven Heavens.

Since the crown has been summoned, with my precious blood, the world will be reborn here!

"Come down, O spirit who will accomplish my great work, my ideal, and serve the light!"

Suddenly, a gale howled, ether gathered frantically, and seven pillars of light rose and operated in succession. As the radiance dissipated, the kneeling figures slowly rose.

Hahahaha!

The man laughed heartily with satisfaction, tilted his head back and drank the rest of his cup. He turned and gazed at the night sky, where the Milky Way seemed to be reversed.

It's time to rebuild this planet!

Chapter 90 Did the Athenians' brains sprout?

Meanwhile, in Athens, Greece, at the Acropolis.

boom!

Amidst the cheerful and boisterous banging on the door, the pink-haired, rabbit-eared Valkyrie Hildor burst into the courtyard of the house, full of energetic excitement, shouting and yelling.

"A message has arrived! A message has arrived!"

puff!

However, the instant she dodged and spoke, a sharp, piercing sound followed by a series of explosions, and a purplish-red thorny spear, almost touching Hilder's head, pierced through the door.

Yuanqi Niang, like a little white rabbit encountering a hungry wolf, plopped down, instinctively shrinking her neck, stiffly turning her head to look back at the long spear with several strands of golden hair hanging from it. Instantly, her scalp tingled and cold sweat poured down her neck.

"I told you not to be so reckless when you came in; I almost lost control!"

Queen Scáthach of the Land of Shadows stepped forward, drew her beloved gun, and pulled the terrified Hilde up from the ground, scolding her with a light snort.

Her dress, a combination of Doric and Ionic styles, concealed some of her warrior's wildness, making her appear graceful and elegant.

"You idiot Hilde, you didn't wait for us."

Then, the black-haired, naturally ditzy Valkyrie Otrinde walked into the courtyard, poked Hilde's cheek, and muttered to herself with a tense expression.

"Who told you to dawdle like that? You got lost three times just trying to buy some bread!"

Hilde slapped away the finger poking her face, retorted indignantly, and stared at Otlind with wide eyes, like a fighting cock.

boom!boom!

But then, two muffled booms were followed by a pair of pink fists falling from above and smashing into the heads of the two fighting Valkyries.

zizi...

Amidst the faint sound of thunder, the long, disheveled hair of the two—one seemingly clueless and the other unhappy—suddenly stood on end, bursting into a messy, frizzy mess.

"Lady Scáthach, I'm so sorry to have disturbed your retreat. I will teach them properly when we get back!"

As Thor's daughter, elegant when still, and ferocious when in motion, the blonde Slud, who inherited immense strength, lifted her two sisters up on either side like an eagle snatching chicks, pressed their heads down from behind their necks, and bowed to Scáthach in apology.

Even Holo, who was munching on an apple at the stone table, could sense the bitterness in his voice.

Since Brunhilde and Samael lost their ability to suppress and regulate the situation, Slud, who was hailed by the ancient serpent as the only reliable one among the three Valkyries, has become the pitiful one who follows behind her sisters and is responsible for cleaning up their messes.

Especially during their stay in Athens, the pink-haired and black-haired duo have become increasingly unrestrained and have even developed a high tolerance for beatings, becoming more and more resilient with each fight.

Tsk tsk, see? Compared to them, we really are just a wolf.

The wise wolf was quite pleased with himself. To reward himself, he took a big bite of an apple and then lay down on the table, lazily spreading out in the warm sunlight.

"Don't make things difficult for them. This is just the vitality that girls should have. I'm sure you've all been cooped up in the Golden Palace."

Scáthach, on the other hand, was quite carefree. Like a mentor, she chuckled and patted the heads of the three Valkyries. After repairing the gate and the warning barrier with rune magic, her expression turned serious.

"Alright, let's not talk about that. Let's get down to business. What information have you found out?"

"That's right, we went to the market earlier and saw many Athenians celebrating in the streets. We quietly asked around and found out that it seemed to be the first battle with the Persians, and the Athenian navy won!"

With her steady and reliable action, organization, and communication skills, Slud took the initiative to explain, recounting in detail the discoveries made by the three sisters when they went out to gather information.

Two weeks ago, a Persian army of more than 30 men and more than 1000 ocean-going warships broke through the chaotic seas and appeared along the coast of the Athenian city-states.

The army, jointly led by the Persian kings Darius I and Xerxes, landed in Thrace and conquered more than ten city-states of the Panhellenic League, including Macedonia. For a time, the whole of Greece was filled with a sense of impending doom and a feeling of impending collapse.

However, halfway through the journey, Egypt, which was supposed to join forces with the Persians, broke the alliance and annihilated a Persian fleet.

Therefore, the Persian army's advance on land was thwarted, and to prevent their retreat from being cut off by the Egyptians, their ships circled around and followed from the Sea of ​​Oceanus.

As a result, the Athenians seized the opportunity to organize a naval coalition. Under the command of Themistocles, the Athenian naval commander, they lured the Persian fleet into the Gulf of Salamis. Taking advantage of the terrain and the small and fast size of the Athenian fleet, they launched a diagonal attack on the Persians, like a pack of wolves hunting them down, and finally won the Battle of Salamis a few days ago.

The Persians suffered heavy losses in two naval battles against Egypt and Athens, losing more than 200 warships.

With the return of their own fleet, such exhilarating battle reports arrived, naturally dispelling the dark clouds hanging over the Athenians, and it was only natural that the whole city would celebrate.

Scáthach listened quietly, quite impressed by the victory at the Battle of Salamis.