The night sky stretched endlessly above, cloudless and glowing with stars.
Zeus, still in the form of a silver-haired girl had already vanished, leaving Eros alone by the stream, staring into the water, deep in thought.
It was only after hearing everything from Zeus that Eros finally understood his current situation.
Yes, this was Greece, but not the Greece he remembered from history books.
This was the Mythological Greece, set shortly after Zeus had just overthrown his father, Cronus, and seized the throne.
The current era was known as the Silver Age. While it wasn't as idyllic as the lost Golden Age, a paradise of peace and plenty—its abundance still allowed humanity to live carefree upon the earth.
But this age wouldn't last. The humans of the Silver Age lacked reverence for the gods.
The Olympians had already begun preparing to wipe this era of humans out and start anew.
That's why Hera had let him go so easily, because in her eyes, Eros was doomed anyway. He'd be swept away with the rest of this unworthy age.
Of course, before leaving, Zeus had solemnly promised him: She would find a way to get him to safety before it all ended.
Still…
Damn it! Being a sugar baby was one thing. But living off Zeus?! What the hell kind of twisted story was this?
If it had been any other goddess, Eros would've said yes in a heartbeat.
…Though admittedly, he had already agreed to Zeus.
It couldn't be helped! It wasn't about the white hair! It was about staying alive.
Before, he might've been fine dying in confusion.
But now?
Now that he knew this was mythical Greece, home to countless goddesses and princesses, his long-lonely heart couldn't help but stir.
First step, set a small goal: find a normal girl or better yet, a goddess to spend a beautiful night talking about life and dreams.
Come on. If he were to die a virgin, that'd be really lame.
…But how exactly was he supposed to do that?
Was he just supposed to sit around at home and wait for Zeus to make arrangements?
Yeah, no.
Even putting aside the risk of getting, uh, "pinned" by Zeus again, Eros knew the myths well.
Zeus hardly ever managed to protect any of his lovers from Hera's wrath—at best, he might save a child or two.
Sure, Zeus was the undisputed king of Olympus, able to shoulder the heavens with one arm.
But when it came to jealous wives, he was absolutely useless.
Sigh…
He had no cheat system, no divine background, and apparently no… certain anatomy either. This transmigration setup really was a mess.
Just as Eros was sighing and sulking over his fate, a gentle voice echoed in his ear like a divine whisper:
[Ding~ Reputation threshold reached. Activating Achievement System].
Holy crap! My cheat! It finally showed up!
Let's gooo! He wanted to see how powerful this long-overdue cheat system could be!
[Generating personalized achievements... Please wait...]
[Congratulations! Achievement unlocked: "Zeus's Secret Lover"]
[Even among the many lovers of the King of the Gods, you stand out as… unique. For your special status, Zeus has chosen to share a small portion of her divine power with you.]
[Legend Points slightly increased. Your name is beginning to circulate among the inner circle of the Olympian gods.]
[Hera's Hatred ++++ She will now keep a constant watch on you and will gladly create problems for you.]
[You have received a sliver of Zeus's Sky Authority. This divine right will grow stronger as your status rises.]
Eros stared blankly at the notifications.
No. Just… no.
This was not the kind of achievement he wanted!
Now whenever he met a goddess, the first thing she'd think would be:
"Oh, you're that little lover Zeus found on the side, aren't you?"
How was he supposed to start his glorious life now? It was over before it even began!
But the system wasn't done yet.
[Congratulations! Achievement unlocked: "The Shepherd of Love and Beauty"]
[With eyes dark as midnight and hair that rivals moonless skies, your beauty is like fire wrapped in flesh. Even the goddess of love and beauty herself would sigh at your appearance.]
[Legend Points slightly increased. Mortals and gods alike are now curious about the charm that could move Zeus herself.]
[Charisma greatly increased. Favorability gains from others are doubled. This effect has a high chance to critically strike non-human races.]
Wait, hold on.
He appreciated the compliments, but… non-human race crit bonus? What was that supposed to mean?!
He was a shepherd, not a furry!
Still, after thinking it through, Eros calmed down.
In classical Greek aesthetics, "beauty" didn't mean the delicate, soft features idolized in later eras.
Greek beauty emphasized symmetry, strength, and form.
Eros wasn't some hulking bodybuilder, but he had the kind of lean, toned build that looked good both in and out of clothes.
Honestly, this achievement was solid, way better than the other one.
That "Zeus's lover" badge brought him nothing but Hera's wrath.
As for the so-called "Sky Authority," after testing it a little, he realized he could just barely pull off a knockoff Pikachu impression.
Totally useless against Hera, who shared that authority with Zeus.
Unless he could one day replace her entirely and sit on the throne himself… yeah, no.
Back to reality: charisma may be vague, but it was useful.
At the very least, it might help him find a rich, powerful goddess to cling to.
Sure, Hera was terrifying and anyone she wanted dead, Zeus might not be able to save.
But what if Eros managed to cozy up to someone like Nyx, goddess of the night? Or Hecate, the goddess of sorcery?
Heck, even Nyx's mother, Rhea, would do!
He refused to believe Hera would dare slap her own mom in the face.
Of course, those were just wild dreams.
He hadn't even seen those mysterious goddesses, and this little charisma buff probably wouldn't help much.
So the conclusion was: he was still screwed.
His system clearly wasn't one of those "Supreme Flame Furnace" types. It wasn't all that powerful, honestly.
If it were a real cheat furnace, by now he'd be storming Olympus, punching Zeus in the face and kicking Hera down the mountain.
Then calling the goddess of youth, Hebe, to pour him wine while he lounged on a throne.
Well… at least he had something to hope for now.
Eros shook off the gloom and headed back to his humble wooden cabin.
The next morning, he rose early.
He put on his finest outfit, rubbed olive-scented balm over his body, and grabbed his shepherd's staff.
He locked the sheep pen, slipped on his handwoven sandals, and fastened an onyx bracelet around his wrist.
After making sure every detail was just right, Eros finally stepped out the door.
The place he lived in wasn't large, most likely one of the many scattered islands in the Aegean Sea.
Years ago, he had already explored the island's perimeter.
He knew that the other humans on this island lived far on the opposite side, still surviving like primitives—eating raw meat and wearing animal skins.
But hey, he'd played plenty of games before.
He knew how "achievement systems" worked.
In some games, even your first death or adding a friend triggered an achievement.
If being hot was enough to unlock one, then maybe…
If he could somehow "enlighten" these primitive Silver Age humans, bring them knowledge, culture, tools…
Could he unlock more achievements?
No need to go as far as Sage of the Ages or Bringer of Civilization, even something like Prometheus's Successor would be fine!
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!