"Are you ready?"
Hecate asked Jason.
Jason nodded lightly. He looked at the surging river of flames before him, took a deep breath, and answered seriously, "Yes, Teacher. I have been ready for a long time!"
Hearing this, Hecate glanced at Persephone, Pyrrhia of the river of fire, and Lord of the Underworld Hades who stood nearby. "In that case, let us begin."
To temper the soul with the inextinguishable flames of the Underworld… he had finally reached this step!
At this moment, Jason was less nervous than excited. Once this step was complete, he would officially be able to study magic of the Age of Gods.
At Hecate's signal, Jason leapt forward and plunged straight into the dark river of fire.
In the blink of an eye, the flames swallowed him whole.
The instant he entered, Jason immediately felt an indescribable burning agony. It was the pain of the inextinguishable fire searing his very soul.
Although Hecate was still shielding Jason's soul with her divine power, this time she deliberately left a gap, allowing a portion of the flames to reach his soul.
Yet the torment did not last long. Soon Persephone's divine power enveloped Jason's soul.
At the same time, Hades acted as well. He protected Jason's soul with his own power and even deliberately infused a part of his strength directly into it!
Seeing this, Hecate glanced at Hades but said nothing.
Under the divine power of all three, Jason's pain was greatly eased. A little more than an hour later, he walked out of the river of fire.
"Hm… that's it?" Jason emerged feeling almost no sense of reality.
It was just like when he had bathed in the Styx and gained an immortal body. He had felt basically nothing.
"What else did you expect… too easy for you?"
Jason instinctively nodded at Hecate's question.
Persephone walked over, patted his head, and said with a smile, "Normally, of course it would not be this simple. But you are different.
Your body has already been cleansed by the unquenchable river and the river of pain. Most importantly, just now both Hecate and Hades protected your soul at the same time."
"…Huh?" Jason looked at Hades in surprise.
At that moment Hecate walked up, brought Jason before Hades, and performed a respectful bow. "Thank you for your generosity, great Lord of the Underworld… Jason, what are you standing there for?
He shielded your soul with his own divine power and granted you the protection of the Underworld. From this day forward, the flame of your soul will never be extinguished!"
"There is no need for thanks, Hecate. This is the reward he deserves," Hades replied calmly. "Moreover, he still has to face Demeter next. By both emotion and reason, I should ensure his safety."
"Persephone, we should leave. The others have almost all arrived."
Persephone nodded to Hades upon hearing this, then bid everyone farewell and departed.
"Teacher…" Only after they left did Jason look at Hecate in confusion.
Hecate naturally understood his question and gave a faint smile. "Now it would be difficult for you to die even if you wanted to… It seems Hades is quite fond of you.
With his protection over your soul, unless God-King Zeus himself strikes you down with divine lightning, no one in this world can truly kill you."
As she spoke, she looked at the astonished Jason and at Medea who had come over to congratulate him. Hecate secretly shook her head and murmured, "Only… I do not know if this is truly a good thing or a bad thing."
…
One day later,
in Hecate's temple.
Just when Hecate believed everything had finally settled and was preparing to return to her laboratory for the first time in ages to resume being a shut-in goddess who ignored all outside troubles,
Jason came looking for her. After he explained his purpose, Hecate stared at him intently for a few moments and said with a strange look, "You are certain you want to set off right now to find Demeter…? Didn't you used to avoid things the moment you could?"
"That's right, Big Brother Jason."
Even Medea could not help trying to persuade him from the side. "You have only rested for one day, and didn't they say Lady Demeter is extremely angry right now?"
"It's fine, Medea. According to Teacher, it is not so easy for me to die now…"
"You will not die," Hecate said flatly. "But being captured and imprisoned by Demeter would be very simple… Speak. What is your reason?"
"…If a matter cannot be avoided, then resolve it as quickly as possible!" After thinking for a short while, Jason answered Hecate honestly. "Medea is right. Lady Demeter must be furious and heartbroken right now, but that is exactly why I cannot delay.
I already have a solution on my side. The longer I drag it out, the more likely unexpected complications will appear!"
Upon hearing this, Hecate's eyes spun as she immediately understood what Jason was thinking.
He had not suddenly grown bold. He had simply realized that avoidance was impossible and chosen to take the initiative instead!
It was the same principle as when he once discovered he could not escape the bandits and killed every last one of them in one fell swoop.
Hecate nodded. "Not bad. Since it must be resolved sooner or later, the sooner the better. Then… what do you plan to do about Queen Hera?"
Hecate crossed her arms in front of her, tilted her head, and looked at Jason with a half-smile. "She was the goddess you once revered the most, you know."
Medea shrank back behind Jason, suddenly finding Teacher Hecate a little scary.
"Um… When I head out this time, I also plan to go see Goddess of Wisdom Athena," Jason replied somewhat awkwardly.
"Go see Athena…? Hm, good idea. After all, that one is very interested in you. She will probably be happy to help.
And most importantly, she is also a problem for you. This trip is the perfect chance to sound out her intentions and try to resolve everything at once.
Not bad. That little head of yours spins pretty fast."
After analyzing Jason's thoughts in just a few words and praising him, Hecate reached out expressionlessly and pinched his cheeks.
"Th-then what do you think I should do, Teacher?" Jason, not daring to resist, asked cautiously.
"Hm? Me? I am too lazy to bother with these things. You caused the mess, so you clean it up yourself. Just do not come annoy me, and we are good."
…If that is the case, then why are you angry at all?!
"You want to know why I am angry…? Mainly because I am unhappy and irritated!"
Hecate did not deny her anger. "You should know your teacher hates trouble the most, right? Then tell me, why do you get to run around causing chaos without knowing anything while I have to worry and fret over you!
If I had known you would be this much trouble, I never would have taken you as my disciple no matter what.
You wretched student!"
Ah, she really was furious!
The more she thought about it, the angrier she became, especially seeing Jason's innocent and confused expression. It only made Hecate angrier!
In the end, Hecate yanked Jason over, pulled him into her arms right in front of the stunned Medea, and began ruthlessly ruffling and ravaging him!
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New Genshin Fanfic is Up!