Chapter 209: I started, and with one move, he was defeated instantly. What else is there to say?
Above the Elysian Fields, Luo En and his two companions rushed through the overgrown grass attempting to escape the pursuit of the God of Sleep, Hypnos.
Beneath their feet, the boundless wild grass swayed in the dim light. This place was never graced by the Sun, forever resembling either dusk or night, and was devoid of lanterns. Clusters of tiny white flowers, sensing the passing visitors, danced in the wind, appearing and disappearing like specters, emitting a faint glow.
These were the daffodils of the Netherworld, different from the species in the Mortal world because they bloomed within the Elysian Fields; hence, this place was also known as the Daffodil Plains.
All the mediocre souls, neither heroic nor evil, would remain on the Daffodil Plains. Their souls were relegated to this place, and before that, they had to drink from the waters of the River Lethe to forget everything from their lives.
As the white daffodils faintly lit up, Luo En's group saw countless bewildered departed souls wandering aimlessly across the plains blooming with the Netherworld's daffodils.
Because of the water from the River Lethe, they lacked memories, a future, emotions, and purpose, coming to the riverbank only when hungry to satiate themselves with the flowers that grew abundantly there.
These were plants of the Netherworld called Golden Grain Flowers, often growing not far from the riverbank, which could provide the departed with the breath of death, quelling hunger in their souls.
Of course, besides the Golden Grain Flowers, there was another kind of food that could fill the befuddled departed souls.
—The fresh blood and life of living beings!
"Over there, smells so good..."
"Delicious!"
"Living, eat!"
Countless thirsty and crazed murmurs came from all directions as pair after pair of vacant eyes stared fixedly at the trio sneaking through the flowers, their throats involuntarily moving, subconsciously raising their sharpened hands and dashing towards that scent of freshness from the Mortal World.
Seeing thousands of lifeless souls suddenly surging towards them with renewed vigor, Luo En thought of students who heard the bell signaling the end of class and rushed towards the cafeteria.
"Run!"
Sisyphus, without a second word, harnessed his talent as the Rider of the Wind. He pushed the divine blood within him to its limits and bolted ahead.
After all, considering the strength and backgrounds of his two teammates, each was more preposterous than the other.
Their safety and speed were really none of his concern.
Better to worry about himself in advance rather than them.
Indeed, it wasn't long before Sisyphus felt a gust of wind whoosh past him, easily leaving him behind.
What was more infuriating was that the horde of insane departed souls were following straight after him, and even his urgent change of direction was futile.
Feeling like a rabbit being chased, Sisyphus, scattering in all directions, felt somewhat breached by the situation.
"Why are they only chasing me, not you guys?"
"Oh, I just cast a Suppression Spell sealing off the life essence in our flesh and souls."
Using Divine Speed, Luo En, who was pulling Thetis firmly ahead, turned his head and replied nonchalantly.
Watching the two lead the way, Sisyphus's eyes revealed grief and indignation,
"What about me?"
"Who told you to run so fast? You're always the first to bolt!"
"..."
Under Luo En's contemptuous gaze, the guilty con artist was left speechless.
However, in a moment of distraction, a departed soul burst out from the brush at his side, its mouth drooling as it chomped down on the plumpest, bounciest piece of flesh in sight.
"Ow~! My buttocks!"
The fleeing Son of the Wind God let out a harrowing scream, kicked his foot high, and furiously booted off the rude departed soul clinging to his rear end. Then, with a mourning face, he pleaded forward,
"The Suppression Spell? Dude, cast it on me, quick!"
"What's in it for me?"
"When we get back to Corinth, I guarantee to supply enough Ambrosial Honey Wine personally delivered by the God of Wine!" Sisyphus swore solemnly.
"Hmm..." Luo En smiled and nodded, his response loaded with deeper meaning as he deliberately slowed the drawing of the Hermes Script with his hand.
This con artist really never changed, indeed deserving a taste of his own medicine.
"Hiss~ Ah~! Don't bite! You bastards, stop biting randomly!"
As a certain scheming deity deliberately dragged his feet, Sisyphus suffered several more attacks from departed souls, receiving various wounds on his arms, buttocks, and even near the thigh.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of suffering, Luo En completed the Suppression Spell in his hand, successfully rescuing Sisyphus from the encirclement of departed souls.
"Dude..."
Sisyphus, who felt like a young maiden ravished by a thousand robust men, barely managed to stand up shaky from the brush, moved to tears by the hand stretched out to him by his fighting buddy.
He swore he would never run ahead again, staying close to this guy seemed to be the safest option.
Just as Sisyphus resolved to walk towards Luo En, he saw the latter's face change slightly, suddenly pulling Thetis to his side to swiftly dodge aside.
"Whoosh!"
At the same moment, a grim-faced dark butterfly flapped its wings and flew directly, crashing into Sisyphus's head.
Damn...
Sisyphus's vision darkened, and as he was about to curse in agony, his consciousness sank into an endless chaos.
Watching his pitiful teammate fall stiffly in pain, Luo En turned around filled with righteous indignation,
"You, the almighty God of Sleep, resorting to sneak attacks too? That's not honorable at all!"
However, as his gaze shifted to what was behind, he abruptly realized it wasn't Hypnos who had come.
Instead, there stood a figure clad in black armor, bearing wings and fierce teeth and claws of a beast, who gruffly spoke.
"Indeed, you managed to dodge that strike just now; it seems you are truly the target Father God has commanded us to hunt down!"
Father God? Is he the son of Hypnos?
Upon hearing this, Luo En couldn't help but be slightly startled.
At this moment, the towering and ferocious humanoid monster licked its snake-like, slender, and blood-red tongue, a glimmer of excitement flickering in its reptilian vertical pupils.
"Even Father God speaks highly of you; let me test your capabilities myself!"
In an instant, the humanoid monster vibrated its jet-black wings, scattering numerous dark phosphorescent lights. The space around it, along with its body, twisted and elongated, transforming into a hundred-meter-long dragon, bellowing towards the heavens.
"Roar!"
The lofty and majestic voice spread in all directions, and one after another, pitch-black Underworld Butterflies emerged from the phosphorescence, promptly transforming into thousands of bipedal dragons, assembling overhead and sealing off the vicinity.
"It's the Oneiroi..."
A hushed voice from Thetis, the Ocean Goddess, came from beside him. A few concise introductions made Luo En understand where the enemy before him originated.
The Oneiroi, also known as Oneiroi, are a tribe of Dream Spirits in Greek mythology, sons of the God of Sleep, Hypnos, and are the incarnations of all dreams, reportedly numbering in the thousands.
Typically, the Tribe of Dream Spirits, with black wings sprouting from their shoulders, dwell on the border of the Netherworld in Dreamland, under the jurisdiction of the God of Sleep, Hypnos. They are responsible for crafting dreams for all sorts of creatures in the world.
Furthermore, based on different functions, the three thousand dream deities are categorized into three types. The most outstanding three sons of Hypnos serve as their managers.
The first, Morpheus, also known as 'The Shaper,' personified dreams by adeptly transforming into human appearances and led the dream spirits;
The second, Phantasos, also known as 'The Illusionist,' objectified dreams by adeptly transforming into appearances of earth, water, and wood;
The third, Phobetor, also known as 'The Terrifier,' animalized dreams by adeptly transforming into the forms of birds and beasts, therefore, also known as 'The Likeness.'
Clearly, the Dream Spirit who had transformed into a giant dragon blocking their path was none other than 'The Terrifier,' Phobetor, and his group of animalized dream spirits.
"Weren't we supposed to have a fair fight? Why bring in the fodder to clear the map?"
Luo En couldn't help but curse at Hypnos's dishonorable tactics.
Fodder? Is he talking about us?
Damned fool!
The moment the dragon-formed Phobetor heard this, he was deeply insulted. He momentarily threw aside the order from Father God, Hypnos, not to act rashly upon identifying the target, and angrily flapped his wings forward, opening his mouth to spew forth a torrent of Hellfire.
Simultaneously, the flock of bipedal dragons, transformed by a group of Dream Spirits, also swiftly swooped down, launching an attack on the three major offenders from the Netherworld.
Watching the fierce approaching group of dragons, Luo En snorted coldly. Behind him, the Golden Wheel pointed to the fifth gear; a golden-red Blood Flame soared into the sky. The Spear of Nation Creation in his hand was thrown forward, splitting the swirling dragon flames, penetrating the sky with a speed faster than lightning.
"Pfft!"
"Ao!"
Accompanied by the dull sounds of a blade entering flesh and agonized screams, the pitch-black dragon, dragging one of its severely damaged wings, plummeted down like a malfunctioning fighter jet and plunged headfirst into the dark soil of the Netherworld, creating a crater a hundred meters deep.
"Damn it!"
The disheveled Phobetor, having just reverted to his human form, climbed cursing out of the crater, only for a figure swift as lightning to rush before him and kick him into the soil at the edge of the pit.
Under the intense shock, Phobetor, once again severely injured, broke several ribs, and a mouthful of dark purple blood spouted from his throat, leaving his spirit listless and drained.
Luo En, with bare hands, pulled Phobetor embedded in the soil out, held him up, and scoffed disdainfully.
"What, not convinced by being called a minor soldier? To capture me, you should at least let Hypnos come himself, you're not qualified!"
After all, he had managed to shear the wool of half the Chief Gods of Olympus himself, and with the Deicide attribute of the nation-founding spear, ordinary deities were typically dispatched in mere seconds when facing him.
With his cheeks flushed with anger, Phobetor wanted to object, but faced with the undeniable truth, he could only helplessly direct his frustration towards his subordinates.
"What are you waiting for? A bunch of useless trash!"
On his command, thousands of bipedal flying dragons instantly landed, transforming into lions, cheetahs, magical pigs, and giant snakes among other bizarre magic beasts, swarming towards Tethys and Sisyphus on the other side.
They weren't foolish; even their own boss had been dispatched in one round by some guy. Rushing in now would be akin to delivering free kills.
Obviously, it's best to pick on the weaker ones.
Seeing that Tethys, guarding Sisyphus, was beginning to face increasing peril from the advancing beast tide, Luo En's expression turned cold. Without any courtesy, he twisted off Phobetor's other working arm and shouted forward,
"Everyone, keep it down!"
Hearing the crisp sound of bones breaking behind them and the muffled groans of pain from the boss, the transformed Tribe of Dream Spirits halted their assault.
Then, clutching the fractured bone of Phobetor's arm, Luo En looked at the face twisted in anguish and kindly advised,
"And you, why bother pretending to be tough? We have no past grudges. Listen, if you don't want to suffer, just obediently lift the Dream Curse you placed earlier, and we'll keep out of each other's way."
"Agreed! I agree!"
Under the imposing dominance of a certain man, Phobetor, almost fainting from pain, could only humbly nod. He quickly flicked a Blood Bead at Sisyphus's brow, and a stream of black energy mixed with screams and wails dissipated.
"Pleasant cooperation!"
Seeing the other party so compliant, Luo En revealed a relieved smile and then forcefully flung Phobetor backward. He decisively grabbed Tethys and Sisyphus, activated "Goat's" Divine Speed, and rushed out of the range of the beast tide.
As is well known, the gods of Greece never play by the rules, and they're all rather petty.
Expecting them to swallow their pride and remain silent after suffering a loss is essentially impossible.
"They're here! Quickly capture them!"
Sure enough, Luo En had only run a few steps when the anguished roar of Phobetor rang out from behind.
But this time, he was visibly much smarter, knowing to call the other Dream God brothers and their father, Hypnos, to assemble and confront the situation together.