A bonfire roared skyward, flames crackling wildly as the fur-clad primitives danced around it with unrestrained glee.
The thick animal fat hissed and sizzled in the fire, releasing an intoxicating aroma into the night air.
Having just learned how to roast food, they acted like SpongeBob discovering a new lifehack, tossing everything they used to eat raw into the flames in a frenzy.
They even built a towering bonfire and, without being taught, broke into a spontaneous ritual of celebration around it.
Eros, watching from a short distance away, couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion.
These people were really just a step away, just one step.
They'd witnessed trees ignite under divine lightning, even seen animals struck into blackened corpses.
But their abundance had stifled their curiosity.
When life handed you everything you needed with a stretch of the hand, what reason did you have to seek knowledge or experience?
Why explore or invent when survival was already guaranteed by habit?
All creation, from nothing to something was a process that demanded time and effort.
Eros snorted, watching the foolish revelers dance like idiots around the fire. "Morons," he muttered with amusement.
"Funny, considering you're the one who taught them," a voice teased behind him.
Apollo sat nearby, gently tuning her lyre. The soft strings blended with the sound of ocean waves, her golden hair gleaming even beneath the starlit sky.
Of course, the mortals couldn't see her. Only Eros could.
And wow, this girl really knew how to set a scene.
If her name weren't Apollo, with this moonlit shore, white dress, and lyre-in-hand aesthetic… Eros would've flirted shamelessly. Maybe even poured his soul out under this perfect night.
But alas, she was Apollo. And that was a massive problem.
"All I said was, they look ridiculously happy," Eros replied.
"Isn't that a good thing?" Apollo countered.
"You shared precious knowledge with them. Of course, they should be rejoicing."
As the goddess of prophecy, Apollo had sensed that the gift of fire wasn't meant to arrive during this age. But it didn't matter much. The Silver Age would soon end, and the fire wouldn't carry over into the next.
Destiny followed the will of the almighty Father Zeus. There was no need for her to intervene.
In short?
Not her problem. She was the goddess of light and prophecy, not of fire theft.
Besides, what was next?
If she got involved now, would she also have a say in who got to be the next King of the Gods?
Still… she was surprised by Eros's brazenness.
Could he really not know what he was doing? That was impossible.
"But why bother?" she asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
"These people will vanish with the age's end. Teaching them now—what's the point?"
Limited-edition achievements count, right?
Eros simply smiled, not bothering to answer.
He didn't need to.
A system prompt had already appeared before him, confirming the reward he'd been waiting for:
[Title Acquired: Fire-Bringer]
[Effect: Your Legend stat increases significantly. From Olympus to the depths of Tartarus, your name spreads like wildfire.]
[You didn't receive fire from the gods, you brought it through your own wisdom. You've proven that divine intellect can be rivaled.]
[You may now obtain one random skill from any god who is at least on friendly terms with you.]
Too bad it was just a skill and not full divine authority. That would've been really game-breaking.
Still, Eros was more than satisfied.
Most importantly, his Legend stat was boosted, enough to slowly erase his most shameful title: Zeus's lover.
Hopefully, this meant no more awkward encounters where some goddess greeted him with, "Aren't you that mortal who warmed Zeus's bed?"
As for which skill to grab… Eros turned to look at Apollo.
So far, he'd only met three Olympians:
One wanted to kill him.
One wanted to use him.
And this one… might be trying to seduce him.
Would that count?
Eros gave it a try.
Failure.
No surprise there. Still, he wasn't discouraged. With his charisma, once he met a proper goddess, winning her over wouldn't be hard.
"All right, Eros, you still haven't answered my question," Apollo said, plucking her strings a little harder this time.
"Eh, no reason," he replied lazily. "Just felt like doing it."
"And I'm not stopping there. I'll teach them more, how to weave clothes, build homes, farm crops, raise animals…"
Eros was determined to make the most of his remaining time. Every skill he'd honed over the years would now be passed on.
Who knew how many more legend points he could farm before the age ended?
Apollo couldn't decide what to say. Eros's sudden urge to play teacher was baffling, but she simply resumed her melody.
"Then… when do we head out?" she asked. "Or do you have something else in mind?"
There was always something slightly off about Eros—an unpredictability that made her uneasy. She couldn't shake the feeling that his goals were far from simple.
Was he planning to outmaneuver Hera?
Would he leverage his deeds and force Father to raise him to the stars, make him a new constellation god?
It was possible… but even if he got into the sky, Hera would still target him. So what good would that do?
"Yeah, I do have something in mind," Eros muttered.
"Whether or not we go to the Underworld… we'll see."
"Is that going to be a problem for you?"
He looked at Apollo more seriously now. Sure, she was from the other team, and he wasn't interested, but she was his current bodyguard. He ought to discuss things with her properly.
As long as she didn't try to top him, anything was negotiable.
Apollo smiled serenely. "Of course not. I am the goddess of light and prophecy, child of Zeus."
"Whatever you plan to do, a small matter like this won't trouble me."
That smile made Eros shudder a little.
Yes, it was beautiful.
Yes, it was dazzling.
But the second he remembered who was behind it, his spine went cold.
Why couldn't it be Athena? Why couldn't it be Athena? Why couldn't it be Athena?!
He repeated the mantra silently, grounding himself until the eerie sensation passed.
Nope. He had to find a real goddess.
If he kept spending all his time surrounded by these beautiful, deceptive men, his sanity would eventually crack.
How would he even talk to a normal girl after this?
Determined, Eros turned his gaze to the ocean glowing beneath the night sky.
He would court a goddess.
He would be a man more Zeus than Zeus himself.
The throne of the almighty Father God?
A woman could never sit there properly.
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!