The Athens International Airport was not prepared for a frozen private jet. The runway groaned as the ice-encased fuselage skidded across the tarmac, leaving a trail of crystallized mana and shredded rubber. Fire trucks raced toward us, sirens wailing in a frantic, useless chorus, only to slide to a halt as the air temperature around the plane dropped to a bone-chilling minus forty degrees.
I stepped out of the emergency hatch, my boots crunching on the frost-covered wing. Behind me, So-Hee emerged, her black lace bodysuit shimmering under the Mediterranean sun. She looked like a widow from a very expensive, very dangerous future. Yuna was already on the ground, a blur of violet shadow darting between the bewildered ground crew, stripping the sidearms from the security guards before they could even draw them.
"Welcome to Greece, Jin-Woo," So-Hee said, her breath hitching as she surveyed the chaos. "The mana here feels... ancient. Heavier than Seoul."
"It's the gods," I replied, looking toward the horizon where the Acropolis stood like a jagged tooth against the blue sky. "They don't just watch here. They haunt the place."
[System Notification]
[New Territory Detected: Cradle of Olympus.]
[Regional Buff: Mythic Resonance (+20% Potency to 'Indecent' Skills).]
[Warning: The 'Goddess of Beauty' has marked your location.]
A fleet of black SUVs roared onto the tarmac, far more organized than the airport security. They stopped in a perfect semicircle twenty yards from the plane. From the lead vehicle stepped a woman who looked like she had been sculpted from marble and honey. She wore a white, silk chiton that was far too thin for the artificial winter So-Hee had created, yet she didn't shiver. Her hair was a cascade of gold, and her eyes were the color of the Aegean at noon.
"Kang Jin-Woo," she said, her voice a melodic hum that bypassed my ears and resonated directly in my chest. "The man who made a God of Chastity scream like a wounded animal. I am Elena, High Priestess of the Temple of Aphrodite."
Yuna appeared at my side instantly, her katanas half-drawn. "Another one? Jin-Woo, can I cut her? Her face is too symmetrical. It's suspicious."
"Wait, Yuna," I said, putting a hand on her shoulder. I looked at Elena. "You're not with the World Hunter Association. They usually send men in suits who smell like stale coffee and fear."
Elena laughed, a sound like silver coins falling onto marble. "The WHA is hiding in their offices, trying to explain why their 'Iron Wall' is currently crying in a psych ward. My Mistress, however... she is intrigued. She finds your 'Perversion' to be a refreshing form of honesty in a world of boring martyrs."
So-Hee stepped forward, her eyes narrowing. "And what does your Mistress want with our Hunter? We aren't looking for a temple to join."
"Oh, we don't want him to join," Elena purred, her gaze sliding over my body with a clinical, predatory appreciation. "We want him to collaborate. There is a relic in the ruins of the Parthenon. The Belt of Irresistible Grace. It was stolen by a rogue faction of the God of Ares' followers. They've turned the Acropolis into a fortress of hyper-masculine brutality. It's... quite tasteless."
[New Quest: The Beauty and the Butcher.]
[Objective: Infiltrate the Acropolis and retrieve the 'Belt of Irresistible Grace'.]
[Reward: 2 Billion EXP + Title: 'Paramour of the Pantheon'.]
[Failure: Permanent 'Impotence' Debuff (Divine Grade).]
I winced at the failure condition. The God of Chastity was definitely whispering in the system's ear again.
"What's the catch, Elena?" I asked. "Why me?"
"Because the Belt is protected by a field of 'Absolute Aggression'," she explained, taking a step closer. The scent of roses and ozone followed her. "Anyone who approaches with murderous intent is crushed by their own gravity. But you... you don't fight with hate, do you? You fight with something much more... fluid."
She leaned in, her lips inches from mine. "Retrieve the belt, and my Mistress will grant you a 'Divine Audience'. She might even help you deal with that annoying little man in the silver armor who's been chasing you."
"Jin-Woo, don't listen to her," So-Hee warned, her hand tightening on my waist. "It's a trap. She's trying to separate us."
"It's definitely a trap," I agreed, a slow grin spreading across my face. I looked at the system notification again. Two billion EXP was too much to pass up. "But I've always liked traps. They're usually the most fun to break."
I looked at Yuna and So-Hee. "Pack your bags, ladies. We're going sightseeing. And Yuna? You can cut the guards, but try not to get blood on the marble. It's a historical site."
Elena smiled, a flash of white teeth. "A helicopter is waiting. The Acropolis is currently a 'Red Zone'. The Greek government has given up on it. It's a playground for the children of War now."
As we walked toward the SUVs, I checked my status one last time.
[Current EXP: 3.2 Billion.]
[Notice: The God of Chastity is 'Watching'.]
[Notice: The Goddess of Beauty is 'Smirking'.]
I felt the [Bell of Shifting Morals] heavy in my pocket. If these followers of Ares wanted a war, I was going to give them something much worse. I was going to give them a celebration they wouldn't survive.
"Hey, Elena," I called out as I climbed into the back of the SUV. "Does your Mistress have a preference for how I bring the belt back? Wrapped in a box, or should I be wearing it?"
Elena's eyes flashed with a spark of genuine heat. "In our temple, Jin-Woo, the less you wear, the better the reception."
Yuna let out a low, vibrating growl from the seat next to me. "I'm going to kill her. I'm definitely going to kill her."
"Not yet, Yuna," I whispered, pulling her close. "We have a God to embarrass first."