Miracle Card Shop: All My Cards Can Be Actualize

Chapter 681: Hall of Olympus

As the fight went on, Lu Bu’s bodily functions continued to fail, dragging him down. His reflexes grew slower, his strength waned, and his perception dulled.

All of this stemmed from his homunculus body. Even with special modifications to make it stronger than the average human body, it lacked the natural adaptability of a human. This inherent flaw left homunculus bodies inferior in many ways compared to the natural human body with which people are born.

To put it in game terms, a human body might start with lower stats than a homunculus body, but its maximum potential grows along with the individual’s strength—provided the human possesses the skill or power to realize it, whether through magic or physical training.

On the other hand, a homunculus body has a capped stat limit. While its initial stats may be higher than a human’s starting stats, it cannot grow further. Once the human soul driving the homunculus body surpasses its limits, the body’s inadequacies are exposed.

To put it more bluntly, Lu Bu’s homunculus body was like a mech, while his soul was the pilot. Then, the pilot’s skills far exceeded the mech’s peak performance, causing the mech to break down because it couldn’t respond to the pilot’s reaction.

The same could be said for the current situation.

As the battle grew fiercer, Lu Bu became increasingly sluggish until he could no longer move. His body was riddled with injuries and deep gashes, and pools of blood seeped out of all the wounds from his body... he was barely able to stand. Lu Bu, leaning on his spear for support, struggled to prevent himself from collapsing to the ground. His chest heaved heavily as he gasped for breath.

Guan Yu, however, was not unscathed. His clothes were torn in several places, revealing the soft armor suit beneath. Small cuts on his face seeped blood, but that was the extent of his injuries.

"This... huff… this is so frustrating… I never thought the second chance I had in this world would end like this. I didn’t even get to see Cao Cao, let alone kill him," Lu Bu said regretfully, his failing organs making it increasingly difficult to stay upright.

But alas, this homunculus body was created by a mage who had no concept of the Eastern martial arts or the internal qi techniques Lu Bu had practiced in life.

"It seems this is as far as you can go, Lu Bu," Guan Yu said, his tone tinged with pity. He continued, "You are the greatest warrior I’ve ever fought. If you had your original body, I don’t think I would’ve stood a chance against you one-on-one." His voice carried deep respect for Lu Bu’s martial prowess.

"Yeah… I know… that’s why I’m so… frus… trated…" Lu Bu muttered before his eyes grew hollow, and life left his body.

At this time, Koyuki walked out of the palace and came across the scene of the battlefield. She paid it no mind, as it held no importance to her or her beloved. The enemies were dead, and though Lu Bu had been one of the heroes of the Three Kingdoms era, so what? It was irrelevant.

"Mr. Guan, Count," she called out to the two figures.

Guan Yu and Vlad turned toward Koyuki as she approached them.

"Could you please guard Pride, who is deciphering the blood magic circle in the basement? I need to return and report our findings to Envy," she requested.

"You can count on us, Lady Koyuki," Guan Yu replied, giving his word, while Vlad nodded in silent acknowledgment.

Without delay, Vlad transformed into mist and headed toward the palace to guard Pride who are in the basement, while Guan Yu stayed behind to ensure Koyuki’s safety until the carryall arrived.

Koyuki called for the Atlantean carryall to pick her up. Within minutes, it arrived and transported her back to Elpis to report to Envy.

After ensuring Koyuki’s departure was safe, Guan Yu made his way to the palace. As he passed through the palace doors, he noticed a man he recognized immediately.

"Chancellor!" Guan Yu exclaimed upon seeing Zhuge Liang, dressed in his usual white robes and holding his feather fan.

"Long time no see… Lord Guan Yu," Zhuge Liang greeted him with a warm smile.

— Meanwhile - Olympus Sanctuary —

In a hidden realm where gods and mythical creatures from Greek mythology reside under the care of their master, the scene is one of peace and harmony.

Satyrs, Hydras, Minotaurs, and even the Kraken coexist harmoniously within this realm, sustained by the mana produced by the god who oversees this sanctuary.

Within the opulent open hall of Olympus, constructed from the finest and most radiant white marble, red royal himations drape elegantly over marble pillars, enhancing its grand, majestic air. Flowers bloom abundantly, adding vibrant color and life to this divine setting.

Intricate patterns of gold embellish the marble at the center of this circular hall, which resembles an open throne room, giving the space an air of opulence. At the far end, a white-and-gold marble throne stands as the focal point.

Hephaestus strode into the center of the hall, carrying Murad Osman, whom he unceremoniously dropped onto the marble floor. Murad’s body bore the brunt of divine lightning from Koyuki, leaving him severely injured, though he was still breathing.

After depositing the injured demi-god, Hephaestus moved to his designated seat, a chair crafted from divine bronze and engraved with his name. This was the seat of Hephaestus, the god of the forge and fire of Olympus.

The muscular old man draped in a white himation, seated regally on the marble throne, nodded to another figure—a man clad in golden armor and adorned with a laurel crown.

Discover hidden tales at empire

The golden-armored man approached Murad, kneeling by his side. A gentle, sunlight-like radiance emanated from his hand as he placed it on Murad’s back. Slowly, the demi-god’s injuries healed, the divine light restoring him fully as if there had never been injuries there before.

Once finished, the golden-armored man returned to his seat, patiently awaiting Murad’s recovery.

"Thank you for helping me, Lord… uh…" Murad stammered, unsure of the man’s name.

"Apollo. That’s my name," the golden-armored man replied calmly.

"Ah… yes, thank you for healing me, Lord Apollo," Murad said, bowing respectfully. Apollo nodded in acknowledgment.

"Why are you silent, brother? This is your illegitimate son, left to fend for himself in the mortal world." A pale-skinned man in black robes spoke, his piercing words directed at the muscular old man on the throne, whose expression remained unreadable.

"Lord Hades?" Murad whispered, recognizing the pale man. His gaze then shifted to the imposing figure on the throne.

If the man in black robes was Hades, the god of the underworld, then the muscular old man before him could only be…

Murad’s eyes locked onto the silent figure on the throne. This should only be Zeus, the king of Olympus… and his father. Murad hesitated, unsure whether to speak. This was a god who had ruled over humanity for eons, and Murad could only guess at his mindset.

In his mind, Murad revisited the fantasies he had cherished since childhood—the dreams of meeting his father. When he was young, he had longed for love, acknowledgment, and pride from his divine parent.

But as he grew older, those fantasies turned into an obsession, and the questions in his mind began to change. Witnessing the darkness and corruption of humanity altered his perspective. The once-hopeful inquiries became bitter: Would his father hate him? Would he kill him on sight? Would he see him as nothing more than a tool?

When World War I erupted, Murad’s mother was killed, and the Ottoman royal family was reduced to just him. He lost faith in humanity altogether. Over time, his hatred for humans deepened. He sought power at all costs, no longer seeing humanity as anything more than insects and resources.

With the help of his origin element, Graft, and the mistaken belief of the Hightower at the time that the Ottoman royal family had been eradicated, Murad took drastic action.

He assassinated Cyrus Ashborn, heir to the Ashborn family. He used his special magic to graft parts of his being onto Cyrus’s corpse, taking it as his host.

He became Cyrus Ashborn.

From that point onward, he climbed the ranks of the Hightower, eventually becoming a Grand Councilor. His ultimate goal: to rid himself of his mortal half, ascend to godhood, and from there... punish humanity for what it has done to him!

Zeus’s eyes and expression remained stoic and unreadable; he regarded Murad as one might glance at a pebble on the side of the road. The lack of emotion in his gaze was... chilling.

"State your business, my son..." Zeus said. Though he used the word son, his tone carried the commanding authority of a king demanding a report from his subject.

Murad was silent for a brief moment, his mind reeling in the fact… this man… the man who was his father—had no love for him… and that should be expected based on what he had learned from books and old tomes. Zeus was never once depicted as a caring father.