Offering tribute to the war god Ares...
Obtaining a golden apple and also defeating the guardian of the Golden Apple Sacred Garden, the hundred-headed giant dragon Ladon?
When Jason received this news from the gods' messenger Hermes, he naturally furrowed his brows.
Especially upon learning that this time Athena and the other gods would not help, and even prohibiting the use of weapons given by the gods, Jason became even more silent.
"...I understand. Thank you for relaying the message, Lord Hermes."
Then Jason still gave a calm reply and, after a slight pause, asked Hermes: "By the way, Lord Hermes, I wonder about Lord Apollo's side..."
"Do not worry, he already knows."
"Is that so? That is good." Jason nodded.
Immediately after, after Hermes left, the golden-horned deer looked at the silent Jason, who had fallen into contemplation, and lightly called while nuzzling him.
Jason came back to his senses, smiled as he stroked the golden-horned deer, and said: "Do not worry, I am fine. I am just thinking about some things... The hundred-headed giant dragon Ladon guarding the golden apples, and this time the gods will not provide help..."
Jason murmured softly, his expression appearing very calm.
Did he not know how terrifying a monster the hundred-headed giant dragon Ladon was?... Jason indeed did not know the other party, but since it was a tribute to the war god Ares, evidently it was not a simple character.
It was even very possible that it was not weaker than the hundred-eyed giant Argus guarding Io, or the tribute offered to the gods' messenger Hermes!
Thus, in contemplation, Jason took out the caduceus.
After looking at the caduceus in his hand for a while, he put it away again.
Taking out the directional guide bestowed by Athena and confirming that this divine artifact could still be used, Jason relaxed slightly.
"Sister Deer, can you help me with something?... Please take me to my teacher, the centaur sage Chiron, at your fastest speed. Can you do that?"
The golden-horned deer nodded to Jason, had him sit steadily and hold its neck, then it began to gallop.
How far the journey was, Jason did not know, but after a day and a night, he arrived before Chiron's cave.
Chiron, who had sensed Jason's presence long ago, appeared before him the moment Jason arrived.
"Teacher, long time no see." Jason said softly.
Chiron looked at the calmly composed Jason before him and was slightly stunned.
"Come in, child."
Sensing something, Chiron brought Jason back into the cave.
After the two entered the room, Chiron asked Jason: "Has something happened?"
"Yes." Jason nodded, then calmly spoke of how he would next go to battle the hundred-headed giant dragon Ladon.
And at the end, Jason looked at Chiron and asked him: "Teacher Chiron, can you tell me... who are the parents of the hundred-headed giant dragon Ladon?"
"The hundred-headed giant dragon Ladon guarding the Golden Apple Sacred Garden?"
Chiron was silent for a moment, then furrowed his brows at Jason and said: "Child, what do you intend to do?"
"Nothing, I am just seriously thinking about how to defeat it." Jason looked at Chiron and said calmly: "It seems my guess was not wrong... It is the child of Typhon, right, teacher?"
"...Yes." Chiron nodded to Jason. "It is indeed the child of the ancestor of all monsters, Typhon, just like the three-headed dog of the underworld Cerberus!"
"I see." Jason nodded, paused slightly for a moment, then asked again: "Then teacher, do you have any way to help me defeat it?"
"...With only one week, it is almost impossible."
Chiron thought for a long time, then ultimately shook his head at Jason.
"I see..."
After Jason nodded, looking at the worried Chiron, he smiled slightly and said: "Do not worry, teacher, I am fine... Moreover, if I find I have no chance of victory, I will not go fight Ladon."
Upon hearing this, Chiron was stunned, looked at Jason before him, and after a long moment, could not help laughing as well.
"By the way, Teacher Chiron, speaking of which... where is senior brother Asclepius?" Jason looked left and right, then casually changed the subject to ask.
"He has also left the mountain." As Chiron spoke, he paused slightly and said: "And when he left the mountain, I heard him say that his medicine is almost complete."
"Is that so?" Jason appeared somewhat surprised upon hearing this. "Then the medicine that can bring the dead back to life is about to be completed?"
"Yes." Chiron nodded and smiled: "If he can truly achieve it... then his medical arts will far surpass mine."
"Hey, Teacher Chiron, what you say. Senior brother Asclepius's medical arts surpassed yours long ago." After speaking, Jason noticed that Chiron's gaze toward him had become slightly unkind.
"Cough cough, that, Teacher Chiron, I just remembered I have something to do... Oh right, it has been so long since I came out. I should go back to see Teacher Hecate!"
As he spoke, Jason rose to prepare to run.
"You this child... Wait, teacher has something to ask you.
Lately, the bard poets have been singing praises of the one clad in white robes with golden hair and green eyes, riding a sacred pegasus, slaying the Chimera, defeating Antaeus, and the matter of the serpent monster Lamia. That 'Heracles'... it is you, right?"
"Eh, teacher, what are you saying." Jason blinked at Chiron with a face full of bewilderment and innocence. "I do not understand. How could I possibly do these things? Since it is said to be called Heracles, it must definitely be senior brother!
...Ah! No more, no more, teacher. I am in a hurry!"
After finishing, ignoring the helplessly laughing Chiron, Jason immediately ran out.
Could he admit this matter?... Evidently, this matter could absolutely not be admitted!
Even if the answer was already obvious, it still absolutely could not be admitted!
"This child... I was still thinking of having them urge him a bit. Who would have thought after growing a few years older, he is still the same as when small, stirring up a pile of trouble the moment he goes out."
Looking at Jason's departing figure, Chiron in the room could not help smiling and shaking his head.
"That child should be going to find Goddess Hecate now... Looking at it this way, back then making this child become Goddess Hecate's child without Queen Hera knowing was indeed a wise choice!"
Chiron muttered, then nodded.
Incidentally, Jason might truly not know that he is Queen Hera's child, after all, the gods love disguising themselves and only revealing the riddle at the end.
But Chiron... he could not possibly not know!
And after bidding farewell to Chiron, Jason arrived in the underworld under the escort of butterflies of the underworld... The bet between Athena and Ares was that the gods of the Olympian lineage could not help Jason, but the underworld side, the waters there run deep.
Though the lord of the underworld and his queen are of the Olympian divine system, the most crucial one, Hecate, is not a member of the Olympian divine system!
This was the backup plan Athena left for Jason.
With the gods of the underworld side, and Hecate watching, in Jason's battle with the hundred-headed giant dragon Ladon, even dying would be difficult!
And as long as Jason does not die, if this tribute is not offered this time, there will be a chance next time to offer it.
As for the punishment for failure...
In truth, Athena did not care about it at all.
Ares was tricked!
Athena said that if Ares won, she would publicly declare to the gods that she could not defeat Ares and from then on would never see Ares again.
But in truth, whether she could defeat Ares or not, the gods all knew.
After all, these two had fought several times, and each time Ares was pinned to the ground and rubbed by Athena.
As for not seeing Ares, Athena herself was more than eager for that!
And if Athena won, then from today on, Ares could not tell Queen Hera about Jason's matters.
And additionally, the tribute offered to him would be completed, and Ares would have to give his war god's belt to Athena.
But consider this carefully: in this tribute, what did Ares actually get?... In truth, he got nothing.
If Jason succeeds, he merely appreciates a battle, yet must pay with his war god's belt.
The problem is that aside from Hera, everyone is now waiting to watch this battle, and Ares cannot enjoy it alone...
This Athena was clearly pitting him!
The key is that Ares himself felt it made sense in being pitted. He is the god of war, so Jason should indeed present him with a battle of overwhelming power disparity.
But Ares deserved it. Who let him grasp Athena's sore spot and keep rubbing salt in the wound? It would be strange if Athena did not pit him!
In summary, when Jason arrived in the underworld, before the gates of the underworld, Jason could not help being stunned.
Because at this moment, aside from the three-headed dog of the underworld, there was one more person... Ah, no, it should be said one more dog.
"Jason, you came again... Orthrus, watch it. Do not bare your teeth at Jason. This child is Hecate's child, and moreover the younger brother of the lord of the underworld and his queen. Do you want to get by or not!"
As the three-headed dog of the underworld Cerberus greeted Jason, he glared at the two-headed dog Orthrus beside him, telling it not to bare its teeth at Jason.
The two-headed dog Orthrus?... That's right, it was precisely the one that guarded that herd of cattle, the two-headed dog dragged into the underworld during Jason's battle with the giant Geryon back then.
And now evidently, it was working in the underworld together with Cerberus.
Orthrus, upon hearing Cerberus's words beside it, and looking at the detestable little brat before it, angrily turned around, closed its eyes, and simply chose to ignore what it could not see.
"That... Lord Orthrus, I am sorry..."
"Do not call me lord. I do not deserve it!"
After Orthrus finished speaking in frustration, Jason faintly heard Orthrus's low whimpering sounds...
"Cough, that, um... You two, I have something to do. Let's chat next time!" After speaking, Jason, who even felt a bit awkward himself, immediately slipped away.
In a short moment, after going through the familiar process, Jason arrived before the gates of Hecate's temple.
Then, outside the door, he forcefully knocked on the gates.