"Who is it… Damn it, who the hell is it?!"
Zeus, who had peered into the river of fate and found no answers, was furious.
And in that moment—the heavens raged.
Silvery arcs of lightning slithered across the sky like serpents, weaving destruction into the air itself.
Blinding bolts of thunder and lightning surged in chaotic waves, pulsing with annihilation.
For thunder is his symbol, the sky his reflection. He is the King of the Gods!
"…Has he gone mad?"
Normally, the gods wouldn't even bat an eye at Zeus throwing a tantrum. It was practically part of his daily routine.
But this time, even Athena, Apollo, Artemis—and yes, even Queen Hera herself—all looked up at the heavens with frowns creasing their brows.
Not to mention how many mortals, under the pressure of that divine wrath, went pale and dropped to their knees in terror, praying fervently for Zeus's anger to subside.
"Yep… definitely stirred up a hornet's nest this time."
Hecate looked up as well, eyes fixed on the seething sky above.
She then glanced down at Jason, unconscious in her arms, and let out a sigh of pure exasperation.
In hindsight, she'd rather she hadn't let her curiosity get the better of her and peeked into Jason's future.
Because now? She was in big, big trouble.
She stared at the sleeping Jason, hesitation flickering in her gaze.
As a goddess who typically wanted nothing to do with anyone's business, her first instinct was simple—ditch him. Hand him over. After all, if Zeus traced this back to her, things would not end well.
Let's not forget, this was the same Zeus who—just to defy fate—swallowed the very goddess who had given him the wisdom to become the King of the Gods: his first wife, the original goddess of wisdom, Metis.
So yes. Hecate was right to hesitate.
But truth be told, the moment she had acted on instinct—risking backlash to obscure Jason's future path—the decision had already been made in her heart.
"…Ahh."
Beneath that furious sky, Hecate stood in silence for a long time.
Then, cradling Jason, she turned and made her way toward the Underworld.
Meanwhile, atop Olympus.
Cloaked in a silver robe, his tall figure like a mountain towering into the heavens, Zeus stood motionless after the storm of his anger had subsided.
Lightning still crackled around him, his expression grim and unreadable.
"…Hermes."
"At your service." Hermes appeared at Zeus's side, gone was his usual playful smirk.
"Go. Bring me the Moirai—the Three Fates. I want to know what's going to happen."
"Yes, my lord."
As Hermes vanished, the skies began to calm.
At that same moment, Hecate had already returned to her temple in the Underworld, Jason still unconscious in her arms.
She laid him gently on the bed and frowned as she looked him over.
The fact that she dared to bring him here to the Underworld meant she had a certain degree of confidence in her decision.
After all, who would believe a mere human could destroy Olympus?
Even she couldn't fully believe it.
So, the one Zeus would investigate next wouldn't be any mortal—it would be the gods themselves.
Especially Hades, Poseidon, Athena, and Ares.
Though she had manifested three different paths from Jason's fate, in the eyes of the gods, his future remained unchanged—
That of the original Jason.
Hecate could see it only because she was the goddess of opportunity, magic, and fortune—and even then, only because her powers were acting upon a mortal.
And those three roads, wide though they were, still pointed—ultimately—toward the same end:
Jason marrying Medea.
And dying aboard his own ship.
Yet even that, to Hecate, was terrifyingly extraordinary.
"A human… How could a human even come close to something like this?"
Hecate furrowed her brows, deep in thought. After a long silence, she rose and left the room.
She needed quiet.
She needed to think.
And she needed to heal.
Fast.
Couldn't afford to let anyone see the damage she'd taken.
In an ordinary age of the gods, a mortal—even one from another world, and especially one without a cheat-like system—could never hope to reach a future like the one she saw.
But this wasn't a normal divine era.
This was a TYPE-MOON world.
And so, in the moment Hecate unveiled those three roads...
Jason, through sheer dumb luck, had caught the attention of two very dangerous lolis.
In the Nasuverse, the Age of Gods is an era destined for ruin.
Much, much later.
"Ugh… My head…"
Groaning, Jason sat up, clutching his pounding skull.
As soon as he stirred—
"You're awake? Are you alright?"
A sweet, unfamiliar voice rang out beside him.
A gentle hand reached out to support him as he sat up.
"Thanks," Jason said instinctively, turning his head to get a look at his helper—
—a young girl. Even younger than he was.
She was beautiful, dressed in a soft lavender gown that hugged her petite figure, her long blue-purple hair tied into a lively ponytail. And when she smiled—so cute it was borderline criminal.
Just one glance and Jason couldn't help but feel a surge of affection.
I mean, come on—who doesn't like adorable, pure-hearted girls?
And this girl was none other than Medea, sent by Hecate to keep an eye on Jason.
"Teacher Hecate said if you woke up, you should stay put. She'll be here soon."
After helping him up, Medea turned and lightly tapped a mystical disk resting nearby, silently relaying the message that Jason was awake.
Jason nodded, then noticed her still watching him—staring at him, actually—with a bright smile that radiated joy and excitement.
The look made Jason crack a smile of his own.
"If I'm not mistaken… you're probably my senior disciple, right?"
He remembered both Hecate and Chiron mentioning that Hecate had two other students—both witches.
"Yup! I'm your senior, Jason!" Medea beamed, nodding like a bobblehead.
She looked so happy that Jason couldn't resist reaching out and patting her on the head.
So cute… Honestly, even cuter than Atalanta.
That thought slipped into his mind unbidden.
"You know about me, senior? Oh, right—what's your name, by the way?"
"Teacher talks about you all the time! You're amazing! I heard you were the one who brought Lady Persephone into the Underworld… Oh, and stop patting my head! I'm your senior, remember?"
With a playful pout, Medea swatted his hand away—then stood on tiptoes and patted his head in return.
"As for my name, I'm the princess of Colchis. My name is Medea!"
"Mhm. Medea, got it. I'll remember that, little senior Medea—wait, hold on, what did you say your name was?!"
Jason's smile froze mid-laugh.
His eyes went wide as he stared at her.
"Huh?" Medea blinked, tilting her head in confusion. "I said my name's Medea."
Just then, the door opened.
Hecate walked in—and was immediately greeted by the look on Jason's face.
She watched as his expression shifted from confusion, to blankness…
And finally… to abject terror.
Seeing Jason staring at Medea like she was the Grim Reaper herself—
Well, Hecate's mood, which had been quite sour just moments ago, instantly brightened.
A lot.