"What is all this supposed to be…?"
A fierce Shura field between my teacher Hecate and Lady Athena? Just thinking about it made Jason suppress the absurdity rising in his chest. He shook his head, dispelled the silencing spell he had cast on himself, and once again spoke up to put an end to the little farce playing out before him.
"Lady Athena, your timing is actually perfect. Allow me to introduce her. This is the younger sister of the esteemed Lady Amphitrite, the sea goddess Thetis. As for why she is here… the reason is…"
With concise and tactful words, Jason explained the entire sequence of events to Athena.
Seeing this, the current white-haired little loli Cerberus could not help but cast an admiring glance at Jason. In this situation, not only did he not run away, he actually stepped forward and took control of the scene with a single move. All she could say was… he really is brave!
If Jason knew what Cerberus was thinking, he would probably bare his teeth in a wry grin. Run? Of course he wanted to run!
But would running solve anything? Obviously not!
So instead of wasting effort fleeing, Jason clearly preferred to face the problem head-on and resolve it.
Though Jason spoke very tactfully, the moment Athena heard the name Zeus, she already guessed what had happened. Now that she learned it was the younger sister of the Sea Queen Amphitrite, everything became perfectly clear.
After a moment of thought, Athena said to Jason, "You want me to find a time to bring her before Hera, correct?"
"Yes." Jason was not surprised that Athena had seen through his intentions. He smiled and nodded. "It would be best if we could secure a position for her at Queen Hera's side… Lady Thetis, if you were to temporarily serve Queen Hera, would you be willing?"
"Serve Queen Hera…" Thetis tilted her head. Very quickly, however, her eyes lit up as she understood what Jason meant.
In this entire world, the only one who could completely shield her from Zeus's clutches (someone Zeus would not dare touch even if she stood right in front of him) was none other than Olympus's Queen Hera!
"I am willing!"
Seeing Thetis answer so readily, Athena looked her over once more and then lightly nodded. It would not be a problem.
Thetis herself was exceptionally outstanding. If she willingly served at Hera's side, it would greatly satisfy Hera's vanity. Hera would naturally not refuse. Moreover, this goddess was personally recommended by Jason.
With this matter acting as a buffer, Jason noticed that the tension between Hecate and Athena had eased. He secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"By the way, Lady Athena, the reason you came tonight is…"
Hearing this, Hecate also turned to look at Athena once more.
"I came to deepen my bond with little Jason, and at the same time…" Athena smiled as she produced that golden shield: the divine shield Aegis.
"…to give you your gift."
Thetis stared at the golden shield. The instant she recognized what it was, and after hearing Jason's words, she was completely dumbfounded. She watched in stunned silence as Athena handed the hardest divine artifact in the world (one that could even withstand the thunderbolts of the God-King Zeus) to the hero standing before her.
"A gift?" Jason blinked, looking at the rather solemn present. Not long ago, in Hera's temple, this very Aegis had saved his life.
"Lady Athena, I clearly haven't yet offered the tribute…"
A fair, slender finger gently pressed against Jason's lips, stopping his words.
Athena stepped closer, gazing softly at Jason. "No, Jason. The tribute… you have already given it to me. And it was the tribute I desired most, back there in that temple."
Hearing this, Jason instantly understood what "tribute" she meant. Looking at Athena's breathtakingly beautiful face and recalling what he had done and said not long ago, a faint blush appeared on his cheeks.
The next second…
Hiss…!
Jason sucked in a cold breath and turned his head to look at Hecate, who stood with arms crossed, head tilted, silently grinding her heel into his foot.
"Stingy…" Athena muttered softly. Then she took Jason's hand and placed the Aegis into it.
"From this moment onward, I, Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, swear: the Aegis, the hardest shield in all the world, shall protect you for the rest of your life! As long as it exists, nothing in this world will ever be able to harm you in the slightest!"
When Athena's solemn declaration ended, the Aegis in Jason's hand turned into faint golden light, dissolved, and merged into his body.
Thus, the Goddess of Wisdom Athena finally received the tribute she had most desired from the child she cherished above all others. At the same time, she fulfilled the promise she had made long ago: she bestowed the hardest divine shield in the world upon Jason without reservation.
It was her own natal divine artifact…
Jason gazed at the specks of light from the Aegis merging into his body. He could not help reaching out and pressing a hand over his heart. Feeling its presence, knowing that with a mere thought it would appear and block any attack in the world for him, an intense sense of security welled up from the depths of his heart.
Now, even if it was the God-King Zeus's divine thunder, Jason finally possessed the power to withstand it!
The arrows of the Moon Goddess Artemis, the bow and lyre of the God of Light Apollo, the magic flute of the Messenger of the Gods Hermes, the War God's Belt of Ares, the invisibility helm of the Underworld King Hades and Queen Persephone… And the divine forging techniques of his teacher Hephaestus, the demigod body and the ability to hear the voices of all things granted by his godmother Demeter, and now the Aegis bestowed by Athena…
Twelve tributes offered to the gods. Twelve gifts received from the gods.
Even Hecate, witnessing this scene, could not help sighing with deep emotion. "Just a little more, isn't it?"
"Yes, just a little more." Athena looked at Jason, genuinely happy for him. "Just a little more and it will be complete. The strongest hero, and at the same time…"
The one who can judge all gods!
The god-slaying sword forged from the blood of the ancestor of all demons Typhon and the Goddess of Wisdom Athena herself, tempered with Jason's own blood upon divine iron, currently hidden among the stars in the heavens. The arrow shot by the bow of Apollo and the arrow of Artemis at the moment of dawn when all things revive and at twilight when the curtain falls.
Together with the strongest shield Aegis that Athena had just bestowed…
"On the day he ascends to godhood, Hecate… I'm afraid even you will no longer be a match for your own student."
Athena tilted her head and smiled at Hecate.
"As if you'll be able to beat him when the time comes," Hecate raised a brow and shot back. "The only reason I couldn't defeat you back then was because of that shield… though your spear was troublesome too. But don't forget, even your spear cannot pierce that divine shield!"
"True, it seems we really won't be able to win when that day comes…" Athena did not refute her. While sighing, she tilted her head and looked at Jason.
Hecate also turned toward Jason with a thoughtful expression.
Seeing this, Jason blinked.
Wait a second, you two… what are you planning?!
"I suddenly feel that becoming a god might not be so great after all… Jason, I need to be careful. Before you ascend, you absolutely must give me an answer!"
"Speaking of which, where is my tribute, my dear disciple? If you haven't given it to me before you become a god, then…"
Athena smiled. Hecate smiled.
Cerberus, who had at some point retreated to the side to sit down, pulled out the honey cakes she had received from Jason and happily munched away while watching the show.
The sea goddess Thetis, meanwhile, stared blankly at the entire scene with an expression of "Who am I, where am I, what am I doing?" Clearly the sheer volume of information had overwhelmed her brain.
As for Jason… facing the gentle smiles of these two goddesses, he could only laugh awkwardly while inwardly gulping, heart pounding with alarm.
He had a feeling that the final days before his ascension were going to be… rather delicate.
Fortunately, the situation did not continue to escalate.
Because…
"Lady Thetis, are you here? This is Medea. I heard from Big Sister Ship Spirit that something seems to have happened, so I came in…"
Following Jason's instructions from the previous day, Medea, who had been dutifully guarding Thetis, heard from the Ship Spirit of the Argo that "something had happened" and hurriedly pushed open the door.
Jason had no time to stop her.
And it was not just Medea with her staff who arrived.
Atalanta, the huntress in green, had come as well.
The centaur sage Chiron, Jason's teacher, had learned about Thetis after helping Jason deal with Zeus that day and later mentioned the matter to Atalanta. Aside from Atalanta, Chiron had not told anyone else.
Thus, at this moment…
Medea froze. Hecate, who had just come in, froze as well.
Atalanta, following behind, naturally froze upon seeing the three goddesses who had suddenly appeared.
The atmosphere instantly turned unprecedentedly stiff.
Crunch…
The sound of Cerberus biting into her honey cake rang out especially clearly in the silence.
Under everyone's speechless gazes, Cerberus swallowed, quickly put away her cakes, and said,
"Um… um… I'm sleepy. You guys continue. Good night!"
Thump. She flopped over and pretended to sleep.
Seeing this, Jason, who was inwardly on the verge of tears, truly wanted to run away this time.
…
"Hey, hey! Teacher Chiron, Teacher Chiron, you absolutely must not go in!"
The spirit of the Argo, the doll-like big sister, hurriedly stopped Chiron, who was about to follow Medea and Atalanta to see Thetis.
"I can't go in?"
Chiron blinked, looking at the Argo in confusion. "Why not?"
"Because right now inside is…" The Ship Spirit thought for a moment, then seriously told Chiron, "a living hell!"
Chiron: "?"