Hearing this, John was deeply puzzled.
After pondering for a moment, he asked, "What about Aegir? He is the Norse god of the sea, right? How does he compare to Poseidon in terms of strength?"
"Comparing gods from different pantheons is pointless. Are you trying to argue with me?"
"Didn't Hera lose?"
"That's an exception! Generally speaking, gods who wield the same authority are of equal strength. But Hera only controls the power of death, while Hades also governs the afterlife. Hera's defeat was inevitable. But why am I explaining this to you? You're far from reaching that level.
Instead of worrying about this, you should focus on dealing with the current problem."
John shrugged and continued, "It's just an academic discussion. Aren't you curious? Odin and Zeus, Tyr and Ares, Apollo and Balder—don't gods with the same authority have a desire to prove who's superior?"
"If they have such desires, it shows they're not worthy gods."
"And what about you? What's your domain? If you were invincible in your domain, how did you die so miserably? So far, you're the only dead god I've seen. Even Tyr, as wretched as he is, is still alive. You're worse off than him."
"You're getting too cheeky. Do you want me to control your body and make you spit out the Waterproof Pearl, so you drown in seawater?"
"See, you're getting worked up again."
John smirked and stopped talking to Seraphina. Mentioning her past always made her react like an agitated cat, full of hostility, which only deepened John's confusion.
"I advise you to give up on this line of questioning. Some things will become clear when you're ready to know them. Until then, it's pointless."
As he conversed with Seraphina, John continued to dive deeper. Along the way, he encountered several monsters, but most were relatively weak, and he dispatched them effortlessly.
Finally, in the pitch-black water, a bright light appeared suddenly, like a solitary morning star.
Next came a second star, then a third.
Soon, the starlight formed a continuous line, and everything before John was fully revealed. It was a kingdom lost beneath the deep sea, a dreamlike realm.
Countless luminous pearls illuminated the kingdom, with colorful coral reefs adding to its splendor. The scene was so breathtaking it seemed almost unreal.
No matter how many times one looked at it, the beauty was always mesmerizing.
John floated there in the water, dazed for nearly ten minutes, before Seraphina's urging snapped him back to reality. He then ventured into the world enclosed by a giant bubble.
In just a few breaths, a figure shimmered into view behind John. The man wore a meaningful smile and, upon seeing John, gave a gentlemanly bow and said, "John, I didn't expect us to meet so soon. You're two days ahead of my expectations."
"I came as soon as I finished up over there. So, what's going on? How can all of Atlantis be completely empty?"
"Ah, if you're referring to the sea people living here, they've all gone to worship."
"Worship? Is today Sea God's Day? What are they worshiping? Do the sea people have a holiday I don't know about?"
"Of course not. To be precise, they've gone to worship the Divine Emissary."
Hearing this, John frowned and asked, "Why would they worship the Divine Emissary? Don't they worship Poseidon, the god of the sea?"
"That used to be the case. But I have to admit, Miles is quite the skilled charlatan. Using his abilities, he revealed several prophecies to the sea people, all of which came true. Since then, he has been revered as a deity. Recently, he revealed yet another prophecy."
"In the prophecy, it is said that an enemy has already arrived in Atlantis. He will overturn everything here, destroy everything they know, and let the entire Atlantis sleep beneath the sea. My friend, can you guess who this person in the prophecy is? Guess right, and there's a reward~"
"Do I even need to think? I am that person."
"You're so clever, John, as expected. Here, your reward: a pretty seashell I picked up on the way. Quite beautiful, isn't it?"
"You still have the mood to joke around. Does that mean things aren't so urgent?"
At this, the smile on [Deception]'s lips froze, and he said helplessly, "If only the reality were as optimistic as I am. Unfortunately, it isn't. [Gluttony] is about to break free."
"...How much time do we have left?"
"Twenty days? Two weeks, maybe less? I'm not sure. It depends on the Divine Emissary's capabilities. But his skills must be quite good, otherwise, he wouldn't have gathered so many loyal followers in such a short time. So, you're in danger.
If you reveal your identity in Atlantis, you will become the enemy of the entire kingdom. And there's nothing you can do to change that because people believe that prophecies always show signs. As an outsider, you must be removed."
This was undoubtedly bad news.
Right now, Atlantis had almost become the stronghold of the Divine Emissary and [Gluttony]. John was the challenger. Not to mention thwarting their plans, even sneaking into Atlantis was a challenge for John.
"Is there any way?"
"Of course, my friend! To me, nothing in this world is truly impossible. Since the Divine Emissary has already made it impossible for you to infiltrate Atlantis from the root, why not change our approach? For instance...
You, Morton Leonard, were born in this lost kingdom, Atlantis. You were never an outsider. After all, the best way to dismantle a lie is undoubtedly with another lie, right?"