The two former mortal enemies were now like the best of friends. Together, they ascended to the upper deck of the vessel, handing their final letters to Xue Dili before placing them into a sealed wooden box.

As each hero handed over their final letter, the shadows on their faces vanished instantly, and they regained their boldness and valor.

Hector knew well that this was merely a compassionate hero's small tactic to boost everyone's morale. Yet, he chose not to expose it, rather playing along with this simple strategy.

Once the two had placed their final letters into the wooden box, their fear of death seemed to evaporate.

It was as if all burdens had been lifted, leaving only the task of dealing with the enemy before them.

"This wooden box, crafted by the Witch Calypso, will never take water under any circumstances. Even if we all perish, it will always float atop the Aegean Sea," said Xue Dili, the last to cast his final letter in, sealing and locking the box securely.

"Thus, should anyone survive by luck, carry the spirits of us all back home."

Everyone seemed to smile, having shed their last burden. Their journey was only halfway through; even in death, there would still be comrades to bring their spirits homeward, their souls returning to their homeland.

Ahead lay endless darkness, but dawn would eventually arrive.

Yes, dawn would eventually arrive.

But before dawn's arrival, someone must illuminate this darkness.

...

"On the fourth day, death was bestowed."

Mortals, wandering amid plague, war, and famine, began to die en masse. The Netherworld was completely filled with vengeful souls, even the ferryman of the Nether River could not ferry them all.

"On the fifth day, apocalypse was bestowed."

The sea level rose, floods began to submerge coastal ports and city-states, and violent thunderbolts relentlessly discharged over the Aegean Sea. The last escort ship, Celestial Thunder, sank, along with the heroes guarding the final few escort ships, forever buried beneath the ocean.

Out of the 32 heroes of Celestial Thunder, only 27 remained.

"On the sixth day, Hell was bestowed."

The flood submerged over half of Greece. Even among the Gods watching from above, many felt that Father Zeus had perhaps gone too far, for this new version of the Twelve Trials had already claimed too many lives in Greece.

Of course, they did not know this was just a prologue to the end of the world. They could only see this layer and complained silently, not daring to question Father Zeus.

And now, everyone aboard Celestial Thunder faced their final trial.

This was the final trial blocking the path to Olympus, a throng of beautiful, alluring Siren Banshees reclined on the rocks, their voices sweet and melodious.

Dozens to hundreds of diverse Siren Banshees, their chests covered only with shells, exposed their flawless bodies and ivory skin to the heroes.

And that entrancing, seductive tune echoed through the air.

The song of the Sea Sirens began in the dead of night, first beguiling the mortal sailors of Celestial Thunder.

The beautiful and seductive song, like the coquettish breaths of a young lady whispered into one's ear.

Blood pressure began to rise; blood began to boil.

They were enchanted in an instant, and in their daze, they docked Celestial Thunder by the reef where the Sea Sirens dwelled, ignoring how Celestial Thunder's hull struck against the rocks, foolishly stepping out onto the land.

And when they awoke, by the moonlight, they saw maidens by the rocks, with slightly damp hair cascading down, jeweled tears collecting on their collarbones, and their enticing red lips trembling restlessly, teeth gently biting, toes curling slightly on the rocks.

And such maidens numbered in the hundreds, each seemingly holding the beauty of all of Greece, be they adult women, little girls, or beauties of all kinds, targeting these mortal sailors.

It wasn't just mortals; even the heroes found themselves caught in this Illusion Realm.

Nearly everyone on Celestial Thunder was ensnared. Seeing the heroes enchanted, the Sea Sirens played and sang even more vigorously.

Even those like Hector and Odysseus, already with families, and young Achilles, even Xue Dili, who was constantly enduring pain, all left the ship, heading towards the rocks.

In their dreams, even Greece's most renowned heroes couldn't resist the Sea Sirens' song.

The Sea Siren maidens all wore bright and coquettish smiles; jeweled tears flowed over their bodies as they awaited their prey's downfall.

The first mortals to descend had died, dyeing the surrounding sea red, yet the remaining people seemed oblivious, slowly advancing in their slumber, getting closer and closer…

And, of course, the Sea Sirens were most interested in the one within the crowd, carrying thorns, Xediles, whose looks could enchant even a Celestial God.

Even as Sea Sirens, they were stupefied by the hero's appearance, feeling a sense of shame.

Yet after the shame, came an intense desire to possess and to force that pure beauty beneath them, corrupting it viciously.

They must have him! They must bring him to his knees and take him to their lair…

The Sea Sirens shouted in their hearts, while Xue Dili was moving faster across the rocks than any other hero.

100 meters…

50 meters…

20 meters…

Here, Xue Dili stopped, ignoring the seductive posturing of the Sea Sirens. He drew a short blade, slit open his palm, letting crimson blood drip hand.

In the Sea Sirens' confusion, Xue Dili suddenly flung his bloody hand out.

Under the moonlight, his pupils were as cold as frost. The Sea Sirens heard only the deathly quiet words from his mouth.

"Cursed Blood, great burial of the other side!"

The flung droplets instantly transformed into a vast mist of blood. The instant the blood mist touched the Sea Sirens, it was as if boiling oil had been poured into them.

Screams pierced through eardrums as if they could pierce one's eardrums, dizzing the heroes, rupturing eardrums.

They still dreamt, dreamt of returning home gloriously with countless stunning young ladies welcoming and clinging to them.

But in a blink, when they awoke, they found themselves on the rocks, half submerged in water. No beautiful maidens before them, only hideous, grotesquely ugly Sea Sirens amidst the blood mist!

"Xediles!" Hector, now awake, immediately rushed to Xue Dili's side, seeing that his wounds had healed, but he seemed exhausted, gasping desperately.

"I want you dead!" A hideous Sea Siren in a state of decay lunged, only for Hector to smash her skull with a single blow, his spear gleaming coldly under the moonlight as he shouted behind him, "Kid, take the hero Xediles away now!"

"Got it!" Achilles did not argue, skewering a charging Sea Siren with his spear and instantly scooping up a seemingly unwell Xue Dili, rushing back to Celestial Thunder.

Awoken heroes surged forth, the Sea Sirens' powers only effective within the Illusion Realm and Charm. Once the illusions shattered, facing Greece's most famous heroes, they stood no chance.

Furthermore, their bodies were already tainted with Cursed Blood and the suffering and torment amassed by countless Greeks gathered together.

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