Bolos was somewhat intrigued by Aphrodite, the goddess who symbolized love and beauty in Greek Myths. Since she wasn't married yet and hadn't gone astray, stealing a march on others didn't seem like a bad idea.
But what really piqued his interest was that thick rod.
"Something left behind by the first King of the Gods… though a bit unsightly, it should still be forgeable into a Divine Artifact."
Aside from the Tree of Life, Bolos didn't possess any Divine Artifacts. He had long been wanting a powerful one.
However, powerful Divine Artifacts in the entire Greek Myths were few and far between—and nearly all were already owned. He had no way to get them.
Now, with such good material lying right in front of him, if he could just endure the disgust and craft it himself, he might be able to forge a Magic Gold-Banded Cudgel.
"Screw it! Let's see whether the wielder of this rod is more disgusting—or the Divine Beings who get hit with the head of it!"
Just as Bolos was about to have the Tree of Life help slowly refine this "Sea Stabilizing Needle," he suddenly sensed something and heard a not-so-unfamiliar voice.
"Wandering soul from beyond the bounds of destiny, you are the supreme ruler. Grant me a perfect child, and in the name of the Queen of the Gods, I will bestow upon him the status he deserves."
It was Hera's voice—unmistakable to Bolos.
Perhaps due to her noble status, Bolos had decided from the first time he saw her that he would conquer her one day.
In his mental priority list, Hera ranked just below Athena and Artemis, and above even Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth.
Especially after being struck by Zeus, this desire only grew stronger.
"Well then, I'll sacrifice a little now and be your child for a while. Later, I'll have you call me Daddy."
Bolos didn't plan to reconstruct his divine body here. Instead, he decided to use the last withered branch left from the Heart of Celestial Tree, before it transformed, to go to Mount Olympus and play the role of "Hera's son" for a while.
This wasn't just for Hera—it was also to seek a Divine Office on Mount Olympus.
After learning from Athena that every Divine Being could receive three Divine Power blessings, Bolos realized he must not sever his connection to Hera.
If he didn't want to lower himself before Zeus, then he'd act humble before Hera to gain a Divine Office—and with it, a chance for a second Divine Power blessing.
"Old friend, I'm leaving the rod to you. Take your time refining it."
This time, Bolos didn't plan to bring the Tree of Life with him. He would leave it here to refine the "Sea Stabilizing Needle" into his future Magic Gold-Banded Cudgel.
Also, if something happened to him on Mount Olympus, he could still be resurrected here.
But if he brought the Tree of Life and it was destroyed by Zeus—or worse, by Mother Earth Gaia, who was likely to appear at Olympus—he wouldn't even have the chance to cry.
After making his decision, Bolos, with the Tree of Life's help, followed a hidden spiritual thread and descended toward the last withered branch of the Heart of Celestial Tree.
After he left, the Tree of Life began to glow faintly and extended its essence toward the "Sea Stabilizing Needle."
Without Polo's control, it functioned like a programmed mechanism, slowly executing his instructions.
...
At Mount Olympus, all subordinate gods and attendants had been sent away by Hera.
None of them knew that not long ago, the Queen of the Gods Hera had thrown her hideous newborn son off Mount Olympus.
They only wondered why the Queen of the Gods wasn't celebrating her childbirth—something that should have brought joy across the entire Divine Realm.
But thinking of how The King of the Gods Zeus had gone out seeking his lover's children and even brought them back to Olympus while Hera gave birth, her foul mood seemed perfectly understandable.
"Apparently, those two children are greatly favored by The King of the Gods. He gave them powerful Divine Artifacts the moment they arrived."
"That must be it. Otherwise, why hasn't The King of the Gods visited the Queen of the Gods yet?"
Inside the empty palace, Hera heard the attendants' chatter outside, and her expression grew even more complex.
She looked at the withered branch that had absorbed her divine blood yet showed no reaction, and she was already thinking of how to explain the child's disappearance to Zeus.
"That's right, I threw him out in anger. Let him find the child himself."
Given what Zeus had done, Hera now had the perfect excuse.
As for the appearance, that could be explained away too—maybe the child got injured after being thrown out.
But just as Hera finalized her alibi, the withered branch began to change.
It turned green and lush, emanating life force, and Divine Power began to leak from it.
Even more astonishing, that Divine Power carried a trace of Zeus's thunder attribute, utterly shocking Hera.
Thunder—this unprecedented Divine Power—had been exclusive to Zeus since the birth of the world. No other Divine Being had ever held such Authority.
In her amazement, a baby appeared before Hera.
Compared to the hideous one she had given birth to herself, this was exactly what the child of a Divine Being should look like.
The only thing that displeased Hera was the black hair and eyes, which resembled that foreign god a bit too much.
"If he's related to that one, perhaps it's natural for him to carry some of his features."
Knowing that the Divine Power within the child had thunder attributes, Hera was fully reassured.
Anyone who dared claim this wasn't Zeus's child—she'd show them the thunder-infused Divine Power as proof.
Hera smiled beautifully, scooped the child into her arms, loosened her garment, and began to nurse him.
The little one was so lively—while sucking vigorously, he even played with the other breast.
Hera didn't mind. Though it was a bit painful, she felt incredibly satisfied.
Bolos was also quite content. He hadn't expected such a "benefit" upon arriving at Mount Olympus.
And by "benefit," he didn't mean playing with Hera, but rather the hidden effects of her milk.
Bolos could feel a new attribute added to his Divine Power—one that seemed related to strength.
"No wonder Heracles, in the future, became the legendary mighty hero after being nursed just once by Hera, even as a demigod."
Heracles was the son of Zeus and Alcmene, the wife of King Amphitryon of Thebes and Zeus's own great-granddaughter.
In Greek Myths, he was undoubtedly a child of destiny.
Now, being nursed by Hera himself, Bolos could confirm that her milk was indeed crucial to his growth.
"I'll give you a good name. How about Arthas?"
Hearing Hera cheerfully suggest that name, Bolos was so shocked he choked on the milk.
Queen of the Gods, are you some kind of naming maniac?!
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