I'm back! Hopefully this comes out by the end of today. Coming back from the break is pretty weird, all things considered. After stopping the daily update schedule, it kind of threw off my pace. A testament to how fast my brain was running for an entire month. I hope you enjoy it!

All things considered, Kaneki Ken was a very intimidating individual despite the fact that he was the smallest person in the room. A "human" who, according to Zoe, had walked the surface of the Earth for much longer than one would guess based on his appearance. In the beginning, most of the danger that came from the man that they thought was mortal could be attributed to the god-killer he wielded like any other weapon. Now, they had witnessed him topple the King of the Gods, in the span of a couple of minutes with four limbs(kagune, she reminded herself, testing the feeling of the odd word on her tongue) that sprouted from his back and essentially gave him another four blades in addition to his own. He had done it without breaking a sweat, and the way his smile never dropped from his face seemed to mock their previous efforts to subdue him. She surpressed a shudder at the only time that expression had dropped from his face, replaced by a burning fury that reminded her of the anger of one of her huntresses, who had been accepted into the Hunt shortly after she had been found surrounded by the bodies of her dead family and repeatedly stabbing the person who had been responsible for it all, strung up and restrained. The anger of someone who had watched their world collapse around them and could do nothing to stop it. Although, something in his eyes, the panic in them hinted at the fact that it wasn't the first time he had to witness someone he knew in the line of fire. It wasn't much of a clue to his past, but it was something, if you consider how little they knew about the not-human. Of course, considering how little he asked for in return for "his services", it would be foolish of them not to think over his offer. They didn't know how the monster would react if they rejected him. Once again, Artemis silently cursed the rules that bound the gods, the rules that didn't apply to Kaneki Ken because of technicalities. She had a funny feeling that he knew more than he let on.

Artemis wondered how the other gods would go about this. She wasn't completely for the plan, but she had to admit that Kaneki Ken had a point. The gods needed a pawn to carry out their work(and get back the Master Bolt) and despite how infuriating the man was, he did not have unfair requests. Although, she thought grimly, she would rather die than let Zoe go with him. She instinctively knew that her Lieutenant would most likely go with her friend, rather than her goddess. It stung, but considering Zoe had betrayed her in order to save Kaneki, it clearly showed how highly the huntress regarded the man. It was irritating to think about, especially when Artemis remembered how comfortable the duo were with each other. Absentmindedly, she wondered once again if Zoe's transition to using regular English after years of refusing to change her manner of speaking was due to Kaneki(and honestly, it seemed more and more likely every time she thought about it) and pondered what he could have done to make her change. Zoe was one of the most stubborn members of the Hunt. It took more effort than it was truly worth it to convince her to do something she didn't want to do or agree with an opinion that she did not agree with.

It killed her inside, but she had to admit that Zoe might be better off with the male. While she would protest against using the Lieutenant of the Hunt as a bargaining chip just because she knew Kaneki, Artemis understood that the fear of the smiling monster who bested Zeus would overpower any logical reasoning. Fear did things to people, it twisted thoughts and could drive even the most rational people insane. When people feared someone, they would do anything to destroy the individual that they were afraid of. If the unfortunate person to be used as a sacrificial lamb had not been one of her hunters(moreso arguably her favourite huntress), Artemis would definitely have gone ahead with the plan that involved using the person to restrict him enough for them to subdue their enemy. Then again, when Kaneki had been the subject of the equivilent of a divine artillery strike concentrated in one spot, he had somehow managed to dodge most of the damage and prevent Zoe from dying(although she was still unconscious). They could use their new weapon Kaneki to retrieve the Master Bolt(she hoped) and the fact that he had nearly killed her father would be pushed to the back of their minds, serving as a reminder that they had in their midst a monster who was ready to wage war for the people he knew . And despite everything they had seen him do, it was a reasonable choice to make. Infuriating, but reasonable. Just like the man himself. To Hades with him. Kaneki was still smiling amicably, the only indicators of what he was feeling, if he was feeling anything, was the curling and uncurling of his fingers and the sporadic flashing of his eye from grey to that demonic black and red he had revealed, one of the only physical signs that he wasn't as human as he pretended to be. Her hand tightened around her Symbol of Power. That eye was a consistent reminder of the undying beast she had just lost to and how it was almost completely different from the sarcastic joker that he was outside of combat.

Athena was the first to speak. "While your terms are acceptable, I still think that you are better off if we go through with the deal that you propose. For one, we don't know what you are or why you have chosen to reveal yourself. Two, we do not know your full capabilities. Are you a smokescreen? A pawn? Or the one pulling the strings? I propose a mutual exchange of information. One for one. Then, both parties will be better off." No gods or goddesses interrupted, even though some seemed like they wanted to. Athena was the Master of Strategy and Wisdom. It was best to leave things like these up to her. She was the type to figure out someone's plans from their mannerisms. Kaneki Ken may be an adept in combat, but the only reason why they barely had any information on him was because he was a new player in this game, someone who had just been hiding in the shadows. It shouldn't be too hard for Athena to extricate the information they needed to gain an edge over him in case he decided to turn against the gods. After all, he hadn't exactly been pleased by how he had been forced to reveal himself. Artemis would have been frothing with rage if someone had decided to hurt her hunters. The brief moment of fury that Kaneki had showed just before he had torn some of Zeus' limbs off and turned his face into a bloody mess was probably a fraction of the rage that Artemis could see flickering behind those alien eyes from time to time, and even then she had to look very closely to catch a glimpse of the feelings he suppressed. It would be a dark day when he would finally crack and shatter like glass under the pressure of the things he tried to hide. No one could hide beneath a mask for so long without suffering any side effects. He was most likely in a fragile mental state, now more than ever because of the recent stress that he had been put under. A few choice words would probably be enough to destroy the barriers he had.

Then again, she watched as he fiddled with the hilt of his sword(still smiling, why didn't he stop smiling?), Kaneki Ken cannot be underestimated. Briefly, the warning of her Lieutenant surfaced in her head, ominous words delivered in the icy tone she reserved for any unfortunate pigs that attempted to flirt with her during the rare trips that they had which involved actual civilisation. She shivered despite the fact that the Throne Room was always at a comfortable temperature and made a mental note never to look down on their new opponent.

Kaneki tugged at his hair for a brief moment, hopping off from his perch on Zeus' throne(leaving two distinct footprints on the seat) and made himself comfortable in front of the hearth before answering with an unnatural gleam in his eyes. "I will agree to an information exchange. However, the information I will divulge will be entirely up to me. If I were to not want to answer a question, I can. In return, you can do the same." and now he was offering a suggestion to make it easier for them to get information. He was definitely up to something. They really needed to figure out the game he was playing before he got too far ahead. If they were playing chess against Kaneki Ken, he would already be five to seven steps ahead. If his plan wasn't cracked any time soon, it would lead to disastrous consequences if the "spider web" both he and Zoe had mentioned to her was literally a web of connections he possessed and they were the unfortunate prey caught in it. Athena scoffed at his words, and the minute tightening of his smile was the onl reaction to her clear dismissal of him.

"You would just not answer any question we pose if they reveal too much information about you. I propose that you can 'pass' some of the questions we have for you, but after you use up that number of passes you'll be forced to answer whatever we ask of you. The same conditions would apply to the questions we have to answer. Five passes." Kaneki scoffed in an almost exact copy of the way Athena had just done so, and Artemis repressed a snicker of amusement at how he was annoying the Goddess of Wisdom less than an hour after the two of them had gotten acquainted.

"I'm a man of little secrets. Divine beings, however, have so many of them. You lot were around since the beginning of the universe, if the myths and legends are to be believed. Two passes." looking around, she could tell that none of the Olympians were convinced that he had "little secrets". It wasn't every day you got to meet a person who could regrow limbs, defeat a god and she couldn't emphasize enough how a god-killer shouldn't exist. Athena rolled her eyes, an odd gesture if you considered the fact that she usually held herself with a dignified air and could be counted on to be one of the few Olympians to actually stick to the task during one of their meetings. It was weird for her to be so expressive. Then again, Kaneki Ken was the type of person to bring out the worst in people. She wasn't very surprised.

"Four. We've seen what you can do. Considering you're still standing, I know for certain that there is much more you are hiding. Not all of us are as rash as my father. Do not think for a second that we will underestimate you." Kaneki's smile curved into something much more sinister, and she briefly got the mental image of a hidden blade. He clapped twice(by the gods, every action he took seemed to be engineered to infuriate as much as possible) before replying again.

"Smart choice. Three passes, your golden number according to whatever Greek mythology I've read before, should be fine. Agreed?" Athena mulled over it, and Artemis knew that Kaneki was tired of the game that they were playing, and his offer carried an undertone of finality that was also a warning. She sighed before nodding.

"Agreed. Now, may I ask that you protect Camp Half-Blood as part of your new duties as Olympus' sword?." it was a good idea. The demigods would have a protector apart from Chiron, if anyone decided to pull a Hades and attempt to storm the camp. However...

"I was planning to do so free of charge," Artemis cursed silently at the look on Athena's face, knowing she had been outplayed this instance, "but since you're being so kind as to ask me, I'll oblige. In exchange, I want you to teach me."

Shock made Athena lapse into silence. Artemis was pondering the request, running it over in her mind like many others right then. While she could take his words at face value, he was a male. He might want Athena to do some...undesirable things. Artemis was about to speak her mind when her sister raised a hand to stop any potential outbursts. A series of expressions were transitioning across her face, ranging from curiosity to hunger. What was she thinking?

"Teach you what exactly? From what I have seen of your abilities, there is nothing I know that you would need. What are your motives?" Kaneki blinked, before an incredulous look crossed his face and he spread his arms wide.

"You're the Goddess of Wisdom and Battle. While I am not particularly rusty in those departments, both of us know that knowledge is power. Seize every opportunity and turn it into a weapon. Honour means nothing in war. I think I need a refresher course on strategy after being well, alone, for such a long time. It's hard to be a team-player you know?" Artemis watched amusement and surprisingly, sympathy make its way onto Athena's face. She turned her gaze to searching Kaneki Ken, darting from his clothes to his posture.

"Your words are more than a little disconcerting. How can I trust that you won't use the information I teach you against us?" Kaneki grinned and cracked a knuckle.

"You can't." Athena's neutral expression quirked into a smile before it was smothered quickly. "But, the risk should be outweighed by the benefits. For one, as I learn from you, you will absolutely learn from me. My actions, my thought processes and morality. Wouldn't you then be able to put me down if I try to overthrow the gods?" the goddess shook her head disapprovingly in response.

"You seem like a smart person despite how little we know about you. Obviously, you wouild have thought of back-up plans if you're willing to take the chance of us learning your weaknesses. Pass." Kaneki was unfazed by the refusal. In fact, he looked like he had been expecting it with how relaxed he was.

"How about I throw in my favourite weapon so that you'll know how it functions?" Athena's eyes glinted with barely concealed glee at the mention of the blade as he unsheathed it and gently placed it across his lap. It glowed softly, and Artemis was once again unnerved by how it looked almost alive, hungry for blood.

"I see. Proposal accepted. Moving on, did you know of this world before you stepped in to save Sally Jackson from harm?" Kaneki nodded, his smile now taking on a "well duh" edge to it.

"I've been around for a long time. Of course I do."

"Did you know anyone connected to the godly world?"

"I'm friends with Zoe." the gods and goddesses exchanged looks of shock and disbelief, before turning to Artemis, the unspoken question hanging in the air as she sighed.

"Yes, Zoe Nightshade, my Lieutenant is...aquianted with him. Unfortunately." Kaneki snickered at the bitter tone that had crept into her words. Wisely, her brother decided to keep his mouth shut for once, though she could sense the way he was silently laughing at her frustration. She resolved to make him pay for his transgressions at a later date.

"Any other individuals?" Kaneki smirked, nodding, but not elaborting on the situation. He tapped the side of his temple.

"I can't reveal all my cards. Don't worry, I don't know anyone that would be considered your enemies." Athena gave him a searching look, and seemed to find what she had been looking for.

"If you have nothing else to add, I'm done with my questions."

"Pleasure speaking to you Athena-san."

The tension in the room was probably thick enough to cut through with a knife. Artemis watched both Kaneki and Athena, feeling unsettled by the easy way they had dissolved into talking. Great minds think alike? Seeing as the minor debate was over, Artemis waited patiently for Athena to signal that someone else could talk, already forming questions. Important ones. Unfortunately for her, it seemed like she would have to wait, because Hera had already started firing off questions to her dismay. Simple, menial ones that Kaneki answered easily, unruffled by the speed and intensity of the questions. From them, she could start adding details to her profile of Kaneki Ken. Plenty of details, but nothing useful like his abilities and intentions(naturally, it was Hera asking the questions. She would be trying to find links to manipulate him. Sneaky witch.)

Name: Kaneki Ken

Age: 30(at least, biologically)

Birthday: December 20th(He didn't specify the year)

Relatives: None

Family: None

Friends: Zoe Nightshade, Sally Jackson(Poseidon's lover)

Occupation: Manager of a cafe, "RE"

Motives: (?)

Abilities: Advanced Cellular Regeneration, Swordsmanship, Heightened Strength ,Speed and Reflexes. Seems to possess some form of martial arts training. High levels of Intelligence.

Unconfirmed: Red 'strings' that he can manipulate(?)

Discerning features: An eye that turns black(sclera red) when he feels anger. Intimidation factor?

While no questions had been passed, Artemis(and most likely the other gods/goddesses) had gathered some information from the exchange between Hera and Kaneki Ken. To draw a summary, he was an unassuming person, someone that would have been looked over without a second thought if he hadn't revealed himself to intervene with the fates of those in Camp Half-Blood. He had no emotional links to anyone but her Lieutenant and Poseidon's lover, which was troubling. It meant that the number of available people to use against him was zero. Zoe was out because she was one of her Hunters, gods know what she would do to anyone trying to use her as a shield from Kaneki Ken's wrath. Poseidon would likely feel the same way about his lover. So, Kaneki Ken was continuing to reveal how dangerous he was. Disconcerting. Returning to the conversation, Kaneki had started asking questions about the godly world. Simple ones that anyone with a few weeks of experience would know(hadn't he said that he knew about their world?), yet be completely absent to a mortal. It was after the fifth or sixth question that his train of thought turned searching.

"I've seen godly beings disappear in a flash to reveal themselves in a different area. How does that work."

"Revealing our divine essences allows us to travel at very high speeds."

"Are you vulnerable during that time?" Hera exchanged an uncomfortable look with the other Olympians. "Pass."

Athena looked frustrated at the skipping of the question. Artemis could understand. The wording of the question had made sure that Kaneki Ken would get his answer no matter which way it would go. Smart.

"A question to you. Why did you start interfering in the affairs of our world?"

"Simple. I decided that I couldn't just stand there and watch as innocents died to please their parents. The death of that daughter of Zeus made me rethink my plans. For one, I knew that you 'divine beings' needed to be shown your place in the world." Artemis fought back the feeling of her skin crawling from the dead tone his voice had taken on. Hera looked stricken, and Poseidon made a small noise of shock.

"My turn. What do your powers entitle?"

"Well...apart from the obvious difference in strength, speed and reactions compared to mortals, we are immune to mortal weapons and have control over our domains and specialize in them."

"Does that include materialization, creation and destruction?"

"Yes."

"To what extent?"

"Pass." Artemis interrupted the conversation before Kaneki could extract even more information. He smiled, much to the ire of those present.

"How did you survive some of the strongest lightning strikes Zeus has ever used against a human?"

"Fast and efficient regeneration. Also, a healthy diet and plenty of coffee."

"You dare mock us mortal?" Ares had opened his mouth for the first time in the entire meeting, incensed by the sheer lack of respect. Artemis snorted with disdain. What a pig.

"Course I do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't."

"You little…"

"Ares, I advise you to keep your mouth closed for now." Kaneki's grin widened when Athena gave the god a scathing glare, which made him drop his gaze, slightly mollified. Nevertheless, he kept a burning stare on Kaneki's form once she had moved on, sharpening a knife in what was probably an attempt to look intimidating. Kaneki flipped him off, a gesture that only Artemis and Hermes had caught, judging from the guffaw. She chuckled quietly. It wasn't everyday she could watch someone put the most piggish of the male gods in his place.

"What are the limits of your regeneration?"

"I don't know."

"What is the greatest feat your regeneration has achieved?"

"I've regenerated my limbs in about five seconds consistently for about three to four minutes."

"Why would you need to do that?"

"Pass." The question had dropped Kaneki Ken's smile. It seemed to bring up bad memories. Something else to remember. Everything they learned about him was useful, in one way or another.

"What enemy do you all truly fear?"

"There are a few. Typhon is one of them."

"Does the name Kronos ring a bell? I mean, I know he's supposed to be chopped into pieces and all..." It looked like Kaneki Ken was here today to throw surprises like presents into everyone's face. Great. Just great. Even a person with little to no contact with the Greek world already knew of the brewing chaos over the horizon. Wasn't that just perfect?

"You...what are you insinuating by that?"

"You haven't answered my question. Answer it and I'll answer yours."

Naturally, Athena had found Kaneki fascinating. As from the brief moments where he let his personality bleed into his words, he felt very strongly about injustice and unfairness. Her curiosity was piqued when he had decided to show up in the most flamboyant way he possibly could have, in the middle of his enemies. And yet, the man himself never bat an eye, unfazed by all the chaos and threats that he had incurred on himself. He seemed to enjoy them more than seeing them as an issue. Troubling, worrying, but interesting. Her little discussion with him had revealed a mind sharpened by experience, experience that came with age, which was impossible as he was so young. He asked questions that were straight to the point and specific, digging for weaknesses, loopholes, faults in the system. It was bad for the future safety of Olympus, but it currently made Athena see the mortal in a different light. At first, he was just a person who could swing a sword, all brawn, no brain. Zeus was one of the Big Three, yes, but it was easy enough to overwhelm anyone with an unstoppable force, like ants bringing down an elephant.

Except, you had to recall the fact that he had also beaten Artemis, not once, but twice. Her sister was not one to be messed with, keen intellect and honed reflexes made her a skilled, dangerous opponent who would not bow in the face of pressure easily. In the first fight, Kaneki had somehow managed to pull a surprise turnabout with the help of Zoe Nightshade. Of course, they had gotten a rematch, one that Artemis should have won, hands down. And yet, she was utterly destroyed in the fight. Kaneki Ken came out unscathed, as if he had just swatted a fly. That had raised his threat level considerably. His intellect was something that sent alarms blaring in her head, for no mortal was that gifted without any secrets. So she had tried to draw those out of him, but to no avail. Now, they were at a standstill. While she wanted to know how exactly he had learned the name "Kronos" and the problems that came with the name, she was not willing to reveal some of her cards just yet. It was rather tempting. Her mind raced with thoughts, trying out scenario after scenario to see if that information could be used against them negatively. The answer to that was yes. However, she could lessen the danger by only slipping him general things that wouldn't matter. But was the risk worth the information? She glanced at Artemis, the only other god/goddess that seemed to be properly invested in the questioning session.

Is it worth it?

Probably. Kaneki Ken has many secrets. This will be one of the only free ones he will give.

All you need to worry about is him stating something generic.

That is not something to worry about.

You sure?

We are dealing with a person with both sharp intellect and the combat skills to back it up. I'd say that nothing I will do will be "sure".

Very well. Good luck.

"Kronos, is well, for lack of a better word, the father of the eldest gods here. As you probably know from mythology, he is the master of Time. He had been sliced up and cast into Tartarus, which would be what you call 'Hell' to rot. His consciousness was spread across his pieces, so he should be unable to form coherent thoughts or do anything. So. How do you know him? And what do you know about him that we don't?"

"Well done not answering the implications behind my question. I suppose you all know this. If not all, some of you should. Kronos is very much alive. I would know. He tried to recruit me."

This chapter is more similar to the previous version of this story. Anyway, that's it for this chapter. Tomorrow, I will be releasing my fourth and final story. Hopefully it's the final one. I know that some people write so many gosh darn stories at once, but those are usually one shots or small stories. Four long stories, with no end in sight...I hope this works. Anyway, enjoy!