A few Hours Later:
Home/ HQ:
Theo's POV:
I let out a soft sigh as I left my room, Yasaka and Rossweisse fast asleep after they cried out all the fear and stress from the battle.
"That bad, huh?" Cao Cao asked as he leaned against the wall opposite my room, sighing as I nodded.
"Kunou is asleep in hers and Yasaka's room. Issei is already back at his home, but he promises to come back tomorrow to keep her busy. I'll be standing guard for the night."
"Thanks." I muttered with a tired smile and he chuckled as he patted me on the shoulders and walked away.
Walking to Kunou's room, I smiled softly at her snoring away, closing the door softly before I walked to the kitchen as I felt Cao Cao sit down on the bench of the watchtower, smirking as I felt his sensing aura wash over the entirety of her house before stretching away to cover the entire neighbourhood we were in.
'I stood no fucking chance against them.' I couldn't help but curse in my mind as it travelled back to the battle against the Titan Brother Duo, feeling how weak I was especially when they started to take us seriously.
Even with me slowing down time to a snail's crawl to try and skewer Krios through the back of his head, he was still faster than me as he moved out of the way of my attack with ease and even had the audacity to grin at me.
Not to mention that I could feel Koios' eyes following me perfectly in my slowed time as he watched me try and fail to incapacitate his brother. And when they transformed into their Titan forms, it took all I had to just stand, not to mention the fact that I was receiving the full brunt of their auras as I focused my own to protect Yasaka and Rossweisse from them.
"You know, stress and rage is not a very good look for one hailed as the strongest Greek Demi-god." Zeus' voice came from behind me and I turned before my eyes widened at the sight of his missing right arm and missing left eye. He was also missing the top part of his suit as his pants were in complete tatters.
"Oh, don't look so worried. We both know they'll grow back in a day or two." He said with a dismissive wave at me staring at his wounds and I rolled my eyes as he chuckled.
"What about the Titans?" I asked and he just gave me a thumbs-up.
"No need to worry about them. The two brothers are back in their cages and the only injuries we got was me taking a sun spear to the head and a blade the size of a glacier cutting off my arm."
"…In other words, everyone else but you are completely fine?" I asked with a smirk, to which he just rolled his eyes but nodded.
"Yeah, but enough about me. How do you feel? You did receive most of the intent aimed at you." He asked and I sighed as I shook my head.
"The same way I felt when your wife decided to send the Minotaur after me when I turned 13."
"In her defence, she hates all demi-gods because of the ones I had and have and Poseidon had pissed her off the previous year by sinking one of her precious isolated islands, so she wanted to hurt him in retaliation." I just shook my head with a chuckle, making him smirk as he sat down on one of the few chairs next to the kitchen island.
"Listen, we both know that after Hyperion and Iapetus, you thought that you could take on two Titan Lords and win, not realising that neither of the aforementioned Titans were even taking you seriously."
"Iapetus was. Hyperion was just playing around." I clarified and he rolled his eyes.
"Iapetus was always the weakest of the Titan Lords, but he was not taking it seriously at all. If he was, all of you on that mission would have been placed in comas from the amount of torturous pain he was placing you under. Hades told me that when he fought him in his human form, it felt as if someone was cutting up his nervous system with a rusty, jagged kitchen knife while also dipping him in a bath of salt-water and acid. The fact that you're even still coherent right now means that he was underestimating you and that you caught him completely off-guard with your first attack. Am I wrong?"
"…You're not." I muttered with a sigh, making him smile as I stood up and patted me on the shoulder.
"Listen, Theseus. You're strong for your age, most likely stronger than every demi-god we of the Greek mythos have sired as well as most of the gods from our pantheons. Hell, I'd dare say give you a century or two and you'd rival myself and my brothers." I smiled at that and he chuckled before he continued.
"But right now, you're weak. Far weaker than myself and my brothers and far weaker than the pinnacle of strength of this world, but that's okay, because right now, it isn't the strength of body that you need, but the strength of mind."
"Who are you and where did my perverted uncle go?" I asked with an amused smile and he rolled his eyes as he shook his head.
"Look, we both know I'm not good at this, but this is what I want to say. Strengthen the mind before you strengthen the body. Your mind is currently wavering on whether or not you're strong enough and if the strength you currently have is even enough to protect those you love. Don't do that. Keep a strong mind and the body will follow. Right now, you need to nurture and care before you can protect, starting with the ladies you love." He said with a soft smile and I smiled back as I nodded, making him chuckle as he stood back.
"You know, you're not too bad when you're not chasing after another girl, Uncle Zeus." I said and he just grinned as he winked.
"Let's keep this to ourselves. I do have a reputation to uphold after all."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." I said with a sly grin, one which he returned before he disappeared in a flash of lightning, making me chuckle as I felt Cao Cao snap out from the daydream Uncle Zeus placed him under before he continued with his guard duty.
Walking back to my room, my mind a lot lighter right now, I smiled as I opened the door and saw Kunou lying in between Yasaka and Rossweisse, all three smiling softly as I closed the door behind me and laid down behind Rossweisse.
'I promise to protect you, all of you.' I declared with a determined frown before I closed my eyes, slowly falling asleep.
The Next Day:
"What's the occasion?" Kunou asked as she along with Yasaka and Rossweisse walked into the dining room, all of them surprised to see a feast on the table as I smirked at them from where I was seated while Cao Cao rolled his eyes.
"Well, I wanted to do something special for you ladies while you all were still asleep and since I woke up early, I decided to spoil you with a big hearty breakfast."
"He's been up since 5 am and woke me up at 6 to help with making the food." Cao Cao grumbled, making me give a chuckle as Kunou quickly sat down next to Cao Cao.
"You really shouldn't have." Yasaka said with a sigh as she sat down next to me and I smiled as I picked her hand and grasped it tighly, doing to the same to Rossweisse who sat down directly opposite to Yasaka.
"I wanted to and with what happened last night, I decided that just a day of relaxing and staying indoors would do us all good." I said with a smile, frowning briefly at the slight flinches coming from Rossweisse and Yasaka at the mention of last night before they both smiled slight and nodded.
"Now, dig in." I said with a smile, saying thanks with them all and Kunou did not need further incentive as she quickly picked up the chocolate pancakes, making me chuckle as I watched her and Yasaka fight over who should get to eat more.
Like mother, like daughter.
Later that morning:
Backyard:
"You girls okay?" I softly asked Yasaka and Rossweissei as the three of us sat on the back-porch in a hug, watching as Cao Cao was busy helping Kunou with spear training since she wanted to fight like him and I.
"Not exactly, but I'll manage." Yasaka muttered as she hugged me tighter.
"S-Still a bit shaken, but I'm slowly healing." Rossweisse said softly making me smile as I nodded and pulled her closer.
"It's okay. We were completely outmatched against two beings capable of facing the strongest in the world. There is no shame in us losing." I muttered and they both sighed as they shook their heads.
"Doesn't make it easier to handle. They were toying with us, acting as if we were nothing more than dust on their clothes and they were right. The moment both of them decided to go all-out, I could barely think anything besides run. Ha! And they call me a prodigy amongst prodigies back home. Guess I'm nothing but a failure compared to the real world." Rossweisse muttered under her breath, making me sigh as I saw the tears slowly flowing.
"Listen carefully. I'm not going to try and appease you two by saying that you did more than you needed to, because even I think that we couldn't have anything against them. However, that doesn't mean that you should give up on fighting completely just because of one loss. Instead, use this as a learning experience to grow even further. Never forget how defeat feels, but never stop striving for victory."
"You're way too optimistic." Yasaka muttered with a smirk and I chuckled as I shook my head.
"It's just how I live. The past is gone and the future is still coming, so let's live in the present." Rossweisse smiled at that before I sighed.
"Listen. From what I managed to get from Cao Cao, the school is closed for the next month due to a burst pipe and sinkholes, which means we have a month of free time. In two days' time, I'll be heading back to my father and grandmother for training."
"And when were you going to tell us that?" Yasaka asked with a frown and I smirked.
"Right now. However, there is a problem with this training I had in mind."
"Let me guess, you might die from doing it?" Rossweisse asked sarcastically with a glare, that glare deepening as I sighed and nodded.
"It's not just training. It's to test my compatibility with water itself." I said and they both frowned in confusion.
"If I pass my father's training along with my grandmother's, they along with the Olympian Council will allow me to complete my ascension to Godhood," Their eyes widened at that and I smirked before I stood up.
"That's why I wanted to keep it secret, but my recent talk with Uncle Zeus made me realise that if anything happens to me, I just wanted to let you girls know how much I love you."
"…I swear, it's just like you to try and kill yourself to get stronger." Yasaka groaned as she stood up, making me chuckle before Rossweisse spoke up.
"If you're leaving for training, then so am I. I never did finish my training under my grandmother." She said with a frown, making me smile as I nodded and Yasaka frowned before a glint appeared in her eyes.
"I suppose if everyone's going on training trips, then I might as well." She said with a mysterious smile, making me chuckle before we turned as Kunou shouted towards us.
"Come on, Theo! You need to teach me too!" She exclaimed and I sighed as the two ladies giggled, giving them each a quick kiss on the forehead before jogging over to where Kunou and an amused Cao Cao were waiting for me. Creating a trident out of thin air, Cao Cao smirked as he kicked up the earth spear he was using and Kunou created a spear out of flames.
Two Days Later:
Atlantis, Atlantic Ocean:
"Prince Theo! So happy to see you!"
"Theo! You're a sight for sore eyes!"
"Hey, Theo! We got that beef jerky from the surface world that you like!"
"Yo, Theo! Don't forget to come watch our football match against the Regional Crustaceans next week!"
"I won't, Larry!" I shouted at the muscular lobster-man, who chuckled before he walked as I smiled and continued walking through the streets of Atlantis.
It was a beautiful city, a kaleidoscope of luminescent plants shining brightly from the rooftops and balconies. Walking along the streets were human-like merfolk, each dressed in some summer-type clothing and swimming above the city barrier were millions upon millions of different schools of fish, some as large as buildings and others just as small as a popcorn kernel.
"Prince Theseus! We did not expect you to arrive!" The head guardsman outside the palace exclaimed as I walked up the large marble staircase, making me chuckle as I shook my head.
"I wanted it to be a surprise for father, Tom. Is he's still here?"
"Of course, of course! Lord Poseidon is currently having breakfast with Lady Amphitrite, Lady Isabella, Prince Triton and Princess Kymopoleia."
"Wait, Father actually let Kym back home?" I asked with a surprised look as the guards opened the doors, Tom nodding as he guided me to the dining hall.
"Indeed, my Prince. After your…vivid roaring of what you think of what you thought of his treatment to her, he decided to annul her marriage with Briares and allow her back into Atlantis on the condition that she behaves herself. That was six months ago and as you can see, Atlantis is still standing."
"Huh, I would have thought they would have at least fought with each other once or twice, but I guess I underestimate their maturity." I said with a smile as we stopped in front of the door to the dining hall. Tom nodded at the two guards standing on both sides of the large double bronze doors and both guards nodded before they grunted as they opened the large and heavy doors.
"Announcing the entry of Prince Theseus Richards, 16th of his name, the slayer of Ladon the Insomniac Dragon and Grendel the Crime Force Dragon, conqueror of the Minotaur and the Lord of the Arctic Waters." I walked in with a sigh as Tom announced my presence, Father chuckling at my sigh before I smiled at the woman sitting to his direct right.
She was a very beautiful woman, with black hair pinned back in a net of pearls and silk, mocha-dark eyes and a circlet of polished red crab claws across her brows. She was dressed in a simple white gown that revealed only a slight bit of skin yet heightened her beauty even further.
"Lord Poseidon, Lady Amphitrite, Lady Isabella, Lord Triton, Lady Kymopoleia." I bowed with a teasing smirk, making Father roll his eyes and Triton and Kymopoleia chuckle/ giggle as Mother and Amphitrite glare at me.
"Fine. Father, Aunty Amphi, Mother, Triton, Kym, it's a pleasure to see you all." I corrected my greetings, Mother and Amphi now having pleased smiles as Father stood up with a chuckle.
"It's good to see you're still kicking, especially after Zeus told me that you faced Koios and Krios in battle."
"More like they toyed me until they got bored and Lord Zeus had to intervene, but sure, let's go with that." I said with a shrug, making him roll his eyes as Triton chimed in.
"Do not be embarrassed for your loss, little brother. Even I, the great Triton of the Navy, am but a mere speck in front of the Titan Lords."
"At full power, we both know I can keep up with you." I said with a deadpan, making Triton grumble before my attention turned to the side as Kym giggled and stood up.
Kymopoleia had pure white skin that shone dimly in the light of the dining hall, her light blue hairs waving & flowing behind her like that of jellyfish tendrils and bright green eyes stared at me in amusement. She was dressed in a flowing green dress that as cinched at the waist with a belt of abalone shells, the ends of the dress sometimes revealing her bare feet that were softly pattering on the marble floor under us as she walked towards us.
"Well, if it isn't my favourite brother." She said with a smirk as she hugged me and I just chuckled as I hugged her back, not missing Triton rolling his eyes with a pout.
"There's only two of us and I'm the more tolerable one, so that doesn't leave you much choice to begin with."
"…True." Was all she said as she pulled back and I noticed as she stood back with a smile, Father was smiling softly at her before he blinked at me grinning at them.
"I'm the best, aren't I?" I said with a grin, to which he just coughed and looked to the side as Mother and Amphi gave him amused smiles.
"Ahem! Yes, I suppose talking with Kym was the best way to resolve our past issues." He said with a nod, making me chuckle before my smile fell as I sighed.
"Listen, father. I'm here to finish my training." His embarrassed smirk disappeared as he frowned at me.
"Are you sure? Once you start, it cannot be stopped without severe consequences." Mother said with a concerned frown and I smiled as I nodded, Father staring at me before he sighed and nodded.
"Tomorrow, at 12 midday. Come to the Atlantic Floor and we'll start with the first Phase." I smiled brightly at that before I nodded and he smiled before he cleared his throat.
"Now, enough about that. My son has returned with all his limbs whole! Let us celebrate!" I rolled my eyes at him as Triton and Kym cheered with him, glancing amusedly at Amphy and Mother who just shrugged at my smile.
Welcome home, me.
A/N: And there we go!
Next up, Theseus' training arc and the path to godhood!
Anyway, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…
Ba-Bye~!
