The Next Day:
Outskirts of Atlantis:
Theo's POV:
"Had a nice night's sleep?" Father asked as soon as I walked out of the gate leading to Atlantis, smiling as I rolled my neck.
"There's nothing like sleeping on a bed of jellyfish." I said, making him chuckle as he nodded before he grinned.
"Well, now that you're up, let's go and see-!" Dad was cut off by a monstrous explosion next to us, sand splattering everywhere as he sighed and I chuckled at the familiar presence. A gigantic squid crawled towards us, its red eyes shining in the darkness of the sea bottom before its eyes lit up with happiness as I smiled at it.
"Hey, Kraky. What's up?" Kraken, the Scourge of the Sea, gave a happy trill as it wrapped a tentacle around me, making me chuckle as I patted the tentacle.
"I know you want to meet Theseus, but please, Kraken, he needs to finish his training." Father sighed, making Kraken groan in disappointment as I smiled.
"Why don't you go and wait until later when we finished training and we'll see if the Leviathans don't want to wrestle with us?" I said, making him give a happy trill before he swam away, making me chuckle before I turned back to Father, who just shook his head.
"I swear you've been able to control him since you were born."
"That's just my natural charm." I said with a shrug, making him roll his eyes before he floated up.
"Come on. We have a long trip until we get to the person who has to start your training." He said, making me frown slight as I nodded and floated up after him, Father grinning as he glanced at me.
"Keep up." And with that said, he blasted off, shock waves booming throughout the water.
"Oh, you're on." I muttered before I tensed my body, rocketing off after him.
"So! Who's going to be training me?!" I shouted as we rocketed across the ocean floor, Father just giving a mysterious smirk before he went faster, making me grumble as I went faster after him.
A few minutes later:
Unknown Island:
"And…here we are!" Father shouted as he surfaced from the ocean, making me sigh in relief as I came to a stop besides him.
"Where are we?" I asked as I looked around, seeing nothing but sea before Father chuckled as he grabbed me by the head and turned me around.
My eyes widened as I caught sight of a small island in front of us, nothing but a small forest and a shack on the island.
"Where are we? I'm pretty sure we swam past this spot at least three times and I didn't see the island once." I said, to which Father chuckled as he stood on top of the water and started walking towards the island, with me standing up and walking after him.
"This is a special island that was hidden from your senses until the person training you was ready to train you. Now, let's not keep them waiting." I rolled my eyes as I nodded, both of us walking onto the island before my eyes widened as I felt the abundance of pure aquatic energy flooding out of the shack.
"Holy shit!" I exclaimed as the aura slammed into me, nearly choking on the energy before I took a few deep breaths to get accustomed to it as Father chuckled.
"I should have known Uncle would try and test you the moment we walked onto the island." Father said with a smile and my eyes widened as I only knew one Uncle that wouldn't try and kill us the moment we got onto the island.
"Well, well, well! Look who it is! My favourite nephew and his child who's here to learn how to actually fight like a sea warrior!" A deep voice exclaimed as the shack opened.
A huge, burly man with a long green beard and long matching hair walked out of the shack with a wide grin, his scarred upper body bare to the burning sun as he was only wearing a pair of dark green shorts with a fisherman spear in his grasp.
"Uncle Oceanus! How have you been?" Father asked with a grin, Oceanus chuckling as they shook hands with a tight grin that made the sea water rumble before Father chuckled as he pulled back and turned to pull me forward.
"This is Theseus, my son and the one I requested for you to train."
"Which one are you?" Oceanus asked me with a grin, which I returned.
"The 16th one. It's nice to meet the Titan Lord of the Oceans." I said with a smirk, making him chuckle as he shook my hand and my eyes widened at the pressure pushing into me from all sides.
"Nice. There's not many that can take that much pressure and still be standing. You have potential." He said with a nod as he released my hand and I gave a silent sigh of relief as I rubbed the aching bones and sore muscles in my hand.
"Damn, you have some strength to you." I grumbled, making him chuckle before he waved for us to follow him.
"So, he's here to finish his training to become a God, right?" Both Father and I nodded as we followed him into the shack, with me raising an eyebrow at the moss-covered table and three chairs in the middle of the room along with nothing else.
"That and figure out what domain he's going to take over." Father said as we sat down, surprising me as I turned to him.
"I thought with me achieving Godhood, I was going to just create my own little domain." I said, to which he just snorted as Oceanus chuckled.
"I was the God of the Navy before Triton and the God of Violent Storms before Kymopoleia took over that title and I just became the God of Storms." Father said with a smile, making my eyes widen before Oceanus cleared his throat.
"So, now that you have that knowledge, I have one simple question. Are you ready to undertake this training knowing that you might lose everything that makes you Theodore?" Oceanus asked and I frowned as I gave a determined nod.
"I've felt true power now after my battle against Koios and Krios. I want to be able to stand in their presence without even flinching, no matter how much of their aura they throw towards me."
"And that's why you're my precious grandson." A soft, familiar female voice whispered as the temperature dropped and a pair of cold arms embraced me, making me smile as I leaned into the cold embrace with a chuckle.
"I should have known that you'd be here, Grandmother." I said, the voice giggling as the air behind me cracked before shattering.
A beautiful black-haired woman with coffee-brown eyes appeared from the shattered air, her skin as pale as the purest snow. She was dressed in a simple white dress with a silver crown atop her hair.
"Khione! Your frosty behind finally arrived!" Oceanus exclaimed with a grin, Khione rolling her eyes as she moved away from me and created a throne of ice right besides my chair before sitting down.
"I didn't miss your loud shouting. Poseidon, good to see you."
"Good to see you as well, Khione." Father said with a smile and I rolled my eyes at the slight lingering glance the two gave each other before yelping as a freezing hand smacked me across the back of my head.
"You know your family history and I know it's the explicit kind since you learned it from Athena's library. Besides, I don't want to feel any disgust from you when you seduced a girl far younger than you."
"Rossweisse is a Valkyrie and she's only six years younger than me. Compared to our family history, she might as well be my age." I said with a raised eyebrow, making her roll her eyes before Oceanus chuckled.
"Now that everyone knows who's here, let's get started with the training. So, do you know the way to become a God?" He asked me, to which I furrowed my brow slightly.
"I know the only one is where I have to be granted immortality by the Olympic Council and then be given an Apple of Immortality from Hera's Garden of the Hesperides to eat." I said and Father smiled as he nodded
"Yes, that is the only known method, but we all know that Hera would rather die than give you an Apple of Immortality. That leads us to a second secret method that is exclusive only to children of Poseidon once they've reached a certain level of power."
"And that is what I'm going to be doing?" I asked and Father nodded before Oceanus continued.
"The Trials of Oceanus. Five trials that you have to undertake where you are going to have to part with the five most important aspects of your mortality: Psychological Needs, Safety & Security, Love & Belonging, Self-esteem and Self-Actualization."
"What?" I asked with a confused frown and Oceanus chuckled as he shrugged.
"Psychological needs are focused on your need for food, sleep, water and shelter like most of humanity. Safety & Security is focused on your health and need for familial and social stability. Love & Belonging is focused on your friendships, familial bonds and a need for intimacy with others. Self-Esteem is focused solely on your need to be unique from others and Self-Actualization is focused on your morality, creativity and your inner potential."
"And I'm supposed to use these trials to abandon all of those in order to become a God?" I asked, frowning in slight confusion as Father smirked and Grandmother chuckled as she shook her head.
"No, the Trials are there for you to fully understand those aspects of your life and make you understand who you truly are. Only once one understands every aspect of their mind, body and soul will they truly achieve enlightenment. In other words…"
"Godhood." I muttered, making her smile as she nodded.
"Now then, let's get out of this little shack and head towards the spot of your first test." Oceanus said with a grin as he stood up and walked out, Father, Grandmother and I following him out before I frowned as Father created a teleportation crest under us.
"Wait, where are we going?" I asked and Father smirked before he spoke.
"The Underworld." Was all he said, making my eyes widen before we disappeared.
At the same time:
Asgard:
3rd Person POV:
No matter how long she stared at the luscious beauty of the countryside outside of Asgard, Rossweisse released a sigh as she shook her head.
'I miss them.' She thought to herself with a smile, thinking of Kunou's happy giggles, Yasaka's teasing smirks and Theo's amused chuckling whenever he saw something she did funny.
"By Odin's Beard! If it isn't my favourite Valkyrie!" A familiar female voice shouted, making Rossweisse sigh with a smile as she turned to see a group of females walking towards her.
"Brynhildr, Helmwige, Ortlinde, Grimgerde, Schwertleite, it's good to see you ladies!" Rossweisse waved with a smile, the blue haired woman at the front of the group smiling as she nodded, dressed in a professional black suit.
"It's nice to see you too. The last we heard, you were on a very important mission for Lord Odin." Brynhildr said, to which Rossweisse giggled as she shrugged.
"It was just a simple observation and surveillance mission, nothing special."
"And what's this we hear about you being with a certain Arctic Hunter/ Demigod?" The brown-haired beauty of the group(Helmwige) asked with a teasing yet jealous smirk, Rossweisse blushing slightly as she giggled.
"T-Theseus and I are not together." Rossweisse denied, to which they all just raised an eyebrow.
"We never said his name." The black-haired twins(Ortlinde and Grimgerde) said in unison with teasing smirks, Rossweisse just giving an embarrassed groan before the scarlet-haired girl of the group spoke up.
"Come now, everyone. Let's give her a second to breathe before she passes out." Schwertleite said with an amused smile, Rossweisse giving her a thankful smile before all of them froze as an elderly voice echoed from besides them.
"And here I thought my darling granddaughter would come and see her aging grandmother first instead of running off to her friends." An elderly woman said with an amused tone, her deep blue coloured robe shining brightly in the sunlight and her grey hair done up in a bun.
"A-Ah, would you look at the time? We just remembered about a mission Lady Freyja gave us. Rossweisse, it was good to see you. Lady Gondul, a pleasure to see you." Brynhildr said with a bow along with her squad, Rossweisse giving them a betrayed stare as Gondul just gave an amused smile and nodded, the group quickly leaving Rossweisse and Gondul to stare at each other.
"A-Amma, it's wonderful to see you in good health."
"Oh, it's nice to see you remember who I am, considering the fact that you barely sent a letter or a note to say that you're all right." Rossweisse looked down at the ground at that, making Gondul sigh before she smiled as she opened her arms.
"But we can worry about that another day. Why don't you come over here and give your Amma a nice hug?" Rossweisse looked up at that with a smile, Gondul rolling her eyes as she walked forward and hugged her tightly.
"It's good to have you home, barnabǫrn."
"It's good to be home, Amma." Rossweisse muttered back, making Gondul giggle before she pulled back and smiled.
"Now, come. I'm hungry and there's a bowl of Fårikål back at home with our names on it." A bright happy smile appeared on Rossweisse's face as she nodded, Gondul giggling as she interlocked their arms and they started walking towards their home.
"While we're walking, tell me more about this young man that Odin keeps telling me is going to be my new grandson-in-law." Gondul said with a teasing smile, cackling with glee as Rossweisse blushed bright red and released an embarrassed groan.
At the same time:
Yamamoto Manor, Neo-Kyoto:
"Kurama-nii-san! It's good to see you!" Kunou exclaimed as she rushed forward from her mother's side and jumped into her brother's embrace, Kurama chcukling as he hugged her.
"It's good to see you too, imouto. How was your time away from home?" He asked as he put her down, Kunou giggling excitedly as she grinned.
"It was awesome, especially when Theo took me out for ice cream! He even got me this cool spear!" She said as she happily pulled out a golden spear, not noticing Kurama's frown.
"That's great."
"A leader does not pout, Kurama." Yasaka said with a smile, Kurama rolling his eyes as Yasaka hugged him.
"Forgive me if I do not like the idiot you like." He said, yelping as Kunou whacked him across the shin and Yasaka slapped him on the back of his head.
"You told me you would give him a chance."
"How can I give him a chance if he's not even here?" Kurama asked with a raised eyebrow, Yasaka rolling her eyes as Kunou giggled.
"You definitely got your stubbornness from your father."
"And my genius and talent from my mother." He finished with a smirk, Yasaka giggling before he grunted as Kunou jumped onto his back.
"Enough! Come on and let me show you the new moves Theo taught me. Then you'll have to agree to like him if his moves are cool."
"Fine and if his moves aren't cool, then I get to insult him all I want." Kurama said with a grin, Kunou rolling her eyes as he carried the both of them to the training ground while Yasaka watched them walk away with a smile.
'Miyamoto, thank you for giving me these wonderful gifts from the Kami.'
"Mother, you coming or not?!" Kurama's voice knocked her out of her daydreams, smiling as Kunou and Kurama waited for her.
"Don't worry. Your mother was just thinking." She said with a smile, Kurama chuckling and Kunou giggling as she followed them to the training ground.
At the Same Time:
Kuoh HQ, Kuoh Town:
"Argh!" Xenovia grunted as a fist smashed into her jaw, glaring as she swung Durandal at the offender only to gasp in pain as a staff smashed into her gut.
"You need to work on your hand-to-hand combat." Cao Cao said with a smile as she fell to her knees, ducking under a sneak attack from Issei before the Boosted Gear wielder wheezed as the butt of True Longinus smashed into his chest and knocked all the wind out of his lungs.
"And you need to work on your ambushing skills." He said with a smile, chuckling as Issei gave him a middle finger, both him and Xenovia crawling towards the worried Asia, whose Sacred Gear quickly appeared on her fingers before both of the exhausted fighters were quickly covered in a light green glow.
"You know, recovery Sacred Gears are highly coveted in the supernatural world. You're very lucky to have received it." Cao Cao said with a smile as he sat down next to Asia, who gave him a happy smile before Issei and Xenovia groaned as they both sat upright.
"So, sensei and his wives have left for training?" Xenovia asked Cao Cao, who chuckled as Issei shook his head.
"They're not married, Xenovia. They're just in a relationship."
"Then why are they living together?" Asia asked with a confused frown, Xenovia nodding along with her as Issei just sighed and Cao Cao grinned.
"The same reason we all are living together."
"Oh~ So, they're engaged?" Asia said with a sure smile and a nod.
"Yeah, that makes sense." Xenovia said with a nod at Asia, Issei just giving them a deadpan stare as Cao Cao chuckled.
"I feel like they're a bit…socially inept." Cao Cao said, to which Issei just nodded as Asia and Xenovia just continued to stare at them in confusion.
"So, what are we supposed to do while we wait for the next month?" Issei asked him and Cao Cao just grinned as he stood back up.
"Well, from what the captain told me, you still haven't fully mastered your Balance Breaker. What's the longest you can keep it up?"
"Uh, two days give or take a few hours." Issei said with a shrug, to which Cao Cao nodded as they both walked to stand on the back porch.
"Good, then we'll be working on making it last a week."
[…I must say, partner. …You're fucked]
"Wait, what?" Issei asked with wide eyes, Cao Cao not speaking further as the True Longinus appeared in his grasp before he bolted forward.
"Balance Break!"
[Welsh Dragon Balance Break: Scale Mail!] Ddraig's voice boomed, Issei being quickly covered in the crimson draconic armour of the Boosted Gear Balance Breaker before he dove out of the way.
"Give me a chance to prepare at least!"
"Less talking, more fighting!" Cao Cao exclaimed as he leapt after Issei, a giant light sword appearing above them before it slashed down towards Issei.
"Should we…help him?" Asia asked nervously as boost after boost echoed throughout the sky, Xenovia staring at the sky with a stoic look before she shrugged and turned back to the house.
"No, I believe he'll be fine, but he will be hungry after the training, so let's go and make some food."
"Um, okay." Asia said with a smile and a nod, both girls walking into the room while explosions boomed above the house.
A/N: And there we go! Another chapter, another week!
Next week, the birth of a new god!
As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…
Ba-Bye~!