Achilles's eyes flashed with a razor-sharp intensity. "I won't be leaving Greece just yet. Compared to heading to Troy, I believe I can create far more value by remaining right here. If the enemy is a god of war, what Troy needs most right now isn't just raw combat power, but accurate intelligence."
He looked toward the horizon, his tone turning heavy. "No matter what, humanity cannot normally wage war against the divine.
On that battlefield of gods, which far exceeds anything you or I can normally step into, both your strength and mine appear entirely minuscule.
In that case, having someone stay behind to keep a close eye on the War God's movements and conspiracies should be far more critical."
On the surface, Night maintained a perfectly calm facade, but internally he let out a massive sigh of relief.
'Good grief, man, could you finish your thoughts in a single breath next time? You nearly scared me to death.'
Though he trusted Achilles's fundamentally noble character, for a split second just now, he had instinctively assumed that the demigod was regretting his choices and backing out of their alliance with Troy.
Yet even after learning that their adversary was a powerful god of war, the valiant demigod showed no trace of fear, instead letting slip a subtle hint of battle intent and an underlying surge of profound excitement.
It was glaringly obvious that despite his verbal admission that humans could not defeat gods, the demigod looked as though he wanted nothing more than to go trade stabs with the War God right this second.
'The guy is acting exactly like he's possessed by Zaraki Kenpachi! Do you even know what going undercover actually means?'
'I'm really afraid that one day you'll just end up fighting the War God directly...'
"However, since you aren't planning to leave just yet, our positions remain that of enemies, Griffith! I can't just let you pass so easily," Achilles said, a fierce, surging battle intent flashing through his eyes.
He didn't even spare a glance at Briseis, his eyes entirely locked onto Night's current appearance, wrapped in divine artifacts like a living epic skin.
Even he couldn't fuse divine armor into his own flesh, yet Griffith had achieved it.
He had also heard about the glorious feats this guy pulled off on the battlefield, and as a warrior, claiming he didn't want to test himself against that would be pure self-deception.
The title of the strongest should be carried on the tip of a spear, especially after hearing descriptions from other heroes and confirming that
Night already possessed the strength to crush Hector, his fierce rival.
Remembering how he had once been driven back by the two of them working together, his desire to fight and prove himself grew incredibly intense.
As expected, a pure battle maniac like Achilles was entirely different from Agamemnon, whose previous struggle over Briseis was mostly about pride and reputation.
While it was great that Achilles didn't obsess over the girl, sparing ho
Im from explaining further, the whole fighting thing was another story.
Athena sighed, advising him,
"It seems you are hiding something from me, and from everyone else as well, Griffith.
Even so, I am still willing to believe you, so explain it to me later.
Right now you need to leave rather than getting tangled up with Achilles, because the commotion of a battle will draw other heroes and increase the odds of Ares discovering you since we don't have that much time."
"An owl talked?!" Achilles blurted out, staring in shock.
"Idiot, that's a goddess,"
Night muttered.
"I see. Tsk, are you refusing to fight? For the sake of our alliance, I suppose I can temporarily suppress the excitement in my heart and let you go."
"You practically have disappointment written all over your face," Night said, suddenly looking at Achilles with absolute seriousness. "My own desire to fight you is every bit as burning.
I apologize, but as regrettable as it is, if I were entirely on my own, I would take you up on this duel right now.
However, I currently have things to protect and cannot afford to be so reckless, so this clash will have to wait until next time."
Realizing that a fight truly wasn't going to happen, Achilles fell into a brief silence before letting out a sigh.
However, Night's sincerity did move him, so he nodded. "Understood.
Then we shall meet on the battlefield, Griffith!"
At that moment, in a flash of shared understanding,
Achilles glanced at Briseis and recognized that Night's current responsibilities meant he wouldn't be able to fight at his absolute best, prompting the demigod to decisively drop his initial demand.
The pride in his soul refused to let him accept a true decisive duel against an opponent who couldn't give their all.
When he had resolutely stepped onto the battlefield despite the prophecy of his certain demise, his heart was driven by a pure, unadulterated desire for supreme glory, choosing a life that bloomed brilliantly like a summer flower over a dull, endless immortality that would slowly drain his long demigod lifespan, even if he only burned and shone for a single night.
Since he was determined to achieve true glory, he had to conquer everyone at their absolute best to become the undisputed strongest.
Suddenly shifting the conversation, Night proposed, "While a lethal clash is out of the question, there is still a way for us to have a simple contest."
Achilles's gaze sharpened instantly. "Oh? What did you have in mind?"
His interest was thoroughly piqued, confident that whether it was speed, strength, or endurance, he reigned supreme.
With a confidence bordering on sheer arrogance, he feared no challenge.
"Although I really want to test who is faster, we don't have that much time right now, so let's settle it with a simple arm-wrestling match!"
Night suggested.
Achilles chuckled. "Heh, quite a bold statement. You actually want to test your speed against mine, don't you?
To challenge the fleet-footed Achilles to a race?"
To determine who possessed the absolute fastest divine speed in Greece!
He knew he was the fleet-footed one, a man who could outrun almost anything on earth with his bare feet like a hurtling comet, yet Griffith had actually thought about challenging him at his strongest attribute.
True enough, if one wanted to defeat an opponent, doing so at their absolute peak was far more convincing and satisfying.
"However, if you ignore my strength just because speed is my primary asset, it will be your greatest mistake, Griffith!" Achilles warned, his eyes burning with a blazing, confident fighting intent. "Come on then, let me show you the raw power of the great hero Achilles!"
After all, before Griffith's arrival, he was the only man in existence capable of effortlessly wielding that incredibly heavy divine spear.
While most people focused entirely on his invulnerable body and unmatched speed, they often overlooked the unparalleled presence and raw strength he possessed.
Recognizing this, Night's lips curled into a slight smile as his excitement for the match surged.
The two of them promptly felled a large tree nearby to use the freshly cut stump as their stage.
The sheer absurdity of the situation developing to this point left Athena helpless and Briseis completely bewildered, though they both ultimately chose to indulge the stubborn men.
After all, no woman could look upon those bright, pure, and intensely resolved smiles born from the burning wills of men without being captivated by their absolute confidence and strength, prompting them to silently pray for the victory of the hero they held dearest.
Had Achilles known that both of them were secretly rooting for Griffith to win, he would have been utterly depressed, considering he was a handsome prince and a powerful demigod with plenty of female admirers back home, yet his charms paled in comparison to Night's.
.
.
.
(End of the Chapter)