The witch Calypso was not allowed to partake in this epic of the gods; she could only wait outside.

Only after the heroes paid their respects did Zeus seem to feel his vanity was satisfied.

"Hero Xediles, you were insolent at the wedding of the Sea Goddess, provoking the gods. However, you have since realized your folly, corrected your ways, and voluntarily sought penance by coming to Olympus and enduring endless suffering. You have been absolved of your crimes."

Zeus solemnly proclaimed his divine words, extending his hand, saying, "I grant you the title of Divine Envoy of Olympus, naming you 'Tirel.' Walk the mortal world for me and uphold our glory. If you wish, come forward and kiss the back of my hand."

When Zeus finished speaking, the heroes grew tense, and about half of the gods also became nervous, all eyes on Xue Dili.

Xue Dili said nothing, moving his body with difficulty as if he were an old man at death's door, slowly climbing the steps towards Zeus.

No god urged him; everyone held their breath.

The thorns from the Abyss caused immense pain, said to rival the poisonous ferocity of the Hydra.

It was unknown how many renowned gods and heroes had suffered in grotesque agony after succumbing to the Hydra's venom.

Yet this hero managed to carry such thorns for a full seven days; this display of endurance was admired by the gods.

Having climbed only halfway up the steps, Xue Dili's body began to twist. His pace faltered, his legs trembled as if in a spasm, and each breath seemed to empty his lungs.

"Drip..."

Sweat dripped onto the steps.

Some emotional goddesses covered their eyes, tears shimmering in their pupils.

Yet, he kept moving upwards, step by step.

"Heavenly Father, help him," the Goddess of Beauty Aphrodite pleaded from behind Zeus.

Even after being toyed with by this mortal during the Golden Apple incident, she offered the greatest tolerance to all who were beautiful. He had endured his punishment and need not suffer further.

Zeus closed his eyes slowly, becoming statuesque. After a long pause, he opened his thunderous eyes again, saying, "This is his final trial, the twelfth and last."

"Splash..."

Ten steps to go...

Sweat seemed to soak his body, seeping through the wounds beneath his robes. Even the male gods felt an involuntary sense of respect at this sight.

Both mortal heroes and gods held their breath; Mount Olympus was silently still.

5 steps, 4 steps...

The hero's body was on the brink of collapse, seemingly holding on with sheer will.

2 steps...

The goddesses' eyes reddened, the gods remained silent. In the presence of all the gods, on the final step, he stood at the same height as Zeus, appearing drained of life.

Petals scattered as the goddesses wept with their faces in their hands. Cheers erupted across Mount Olympus as a small fairy placed a laurel branch on Xue Dili's head, and Zeus extended his hand, awaiting the ceremony's conclusion.

Below, Achilles, who had been sweating anxiously, finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as Hero Xediles touched Zeus, half of their plan would be successful.

Achilles adjusted his helmet, for soon, a battle to the death awaited.

"Uncle, will we win?" he looked at Hector, his mentor and friend, extending his left fist.

"We will win, kid!" Hector extended his right fist to meet Achilles's left.

In the next moment, on the divine throne, nymphs helped Xue Dili remove the thorns from his body. He seemed to regain some strength and moved forward to touch the back of Zeus's hand.

The goddesses cheered, not only because Xue Dili had completed his final trial but also because Olympus would soon have an extraordinarily handsome single god, "Tirel."

However, the gods were stunned when Xue Dili suddenly drew a dagger from who knows where and sliced open his wrist with a vigor.

The dagger, soaked with his blood, was then fiercely aimed at Father Zeus's second son!

Zeus was taken aback. The moment Xue Dili made contact, a surge of suffering and pain swept through him like a tsunami, searing him to the core.

It was as if the entire suffering of Greece pressed down on him, more agonizing than having each fingertip skewered and rotted by nails and enduring the Hydra's venom a thousandfold.

The overwhelming misery nearly crushed Zeus's consciousness, dulling his thoughts as Xue Dili unsheathed his sword...

What is happening?

"Slash!"

Like self-mutilation, arterial blood sprayed, saturating the dagger. Xue Dili no longer appeared weakened, and with a blood-soaked blade, he harshly drove it towards Father Zeus's lower body.

Time seemed to infinitely extend at this moment, but Zeus could not move, could not think, his body unable to react.

For in that instant of contact, Xue Dili unleashed all the accumulated suffering through his Cursed Blood into Zeus, flooding his nerves instantaneously.

It encompassed all of Greece's suffering: the agonies and hunger of the common folk, the warriors' fatigue and wounds, the continual pain from the abyss-tainted thorns over seven days, and the virus concoction Xue Dili meticulously prepared for Zeus!

Enduring all disaster's pain was solely for this moment!

"Thud!" The blood-drenched dagger plunged into Zeus's lower body with no resistance, and at that moment, Zeus seemed to awaken from the accumulated suffering and torments of over a month, staggering back two steps, as pain and the virus made his veins bulge grotesquely across his contorted face.

"Impossible, it cannot be you..." Blood flowed from Zeus's lower body as the true curse erupted.

It was the death curse cast by Greece's Second Generation God King, Kronos, on Zeus before his seal, declaring, "Zeus is destined to die at the hands of his youngest offspring."

At this moment, as Xue Dili's blood-smeared dagger pierced Zeus's second son, the curse was fully unleashed. This was truly the heaviest blow to Zeus!

"Impossible, my youngest offspring should still be in Helen's womb, not yet born. How could it be you? Why are you? You should be dead! You should be dead!" Zeus pressed against the curse, suffering, and virus with all his might.

In his astounding wisdom, he realized that Xue Dili never intended to repent. Everything he did, from his impudence during the Golden Apple event to the fame sought afterward, to his endurance in the Twelve Trials and the sacrifice of a dozen companions without hesitation, was all to allay his suspicion and seize the opportunity to kill him!

This man was no hero; he was a viper, who orchestrated a plot for over a month solely to deliver this deadly strike, the most ruthless, deceitful, cunning, treacherous, ignoble, shameless viper ever!

The scene shocked the observing gods into bewilderment.

Why would the mortal dare draw a blade against the Father? Why didn't the Father evade? Could the Father be harmed by a mortal?

Father? What are you doing, Father!

The goddesses were stunned, unsure if this was an assassination by the mortal or another theatrical act of hope contrived by the Father.

"Die," Zeus's words and the rolling thunder left the gods in shock.

Bleeding from below, Zeus hesitated not, casting a thunder spear towards Xue Dili.

The thunder spear instantly turned into thousands of lightning flashes, yet not a single one hit Xue Dili. Each light bent aside.

Zeus paused briefly, then grew even angrier, recalling the Golden Apple affair when this mortal, deceiving the gods with his beauty, gleaned a true advantage—that after losing himself in indulgence to please this beautiful youth, Zeus swore an oath to the three goddesses of fate.

[Great God's Protection (A-Class): The gods cannot directly attack, curse, or punish you.]

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