Silver lightning arcs like slender snakes roamed the skies above the grand divine palace, brilliant thunder light weaving waves of destruction.
And beneath the thunder and lightning, the god seated on the throne of the King of the Gods.
At the moment Jason entered and cast his gaze, slowly opened those deep eyes.
Thunder was his symbol, the sky his reflection, the gods his subjects; he was the God-King of Olympus, the current lord of the world, God-King Zeus!
For Jason, this was also their first true meeting.
A silver-white robe draped his tall figure, and on that grand throne, Zeus slowly lowered his head, overlooking Jason who had come to pay respects.
Seeing the shock in Jason's eyes.
A faint smile appeared on that face full of majesty.
Satisfaction flowed in his eyes.
This was not in vain; he had specially prepared this.
"Child of the Goddess of the Crossroads, Hecate, Jason who has become the hero in white, Heracles."
Zeus's majestic voice echoed throughout the divine palace.
This voice brought Jason back to his senses. As their gazes met, Zeus continued, "The reason you have come this time, what do you... seek..."
As he spoke, Zeus's expression gradually became unnatural.
His eyes widened, revealing shock as he looked at Jason.
Because he gradually noticed the mark left by Goddess Themis on Jason's left hand!
"Supremely great God-King Zeus, to meet you is the honor of my lifetime."
Regaining his composure, Jason hurriedly bowed to Zeus and said, "This time I have come regarding the wedding of Lord Hades, King of the Underworld, and Lady Persephone, Queen of the Underworld."
"...Hmm."
Maintaining his poise, Zeus nodded solemnly while involuntarily casting a questioning glance at Hermes.
Hermes gave a wry smile, his lips moving slightly as he began to transmit a message, explaining the situation to Zeus.
However, at this point, Hermes's heart actually felt a bit of realization.
The second-generation Queen Rhea going to see Jason was in itself a surprising matter; even if related to the current Queen Hera, Rhea, this retired goddess, would not likely appear.
But if the one who truly took a strong interest in Jason back then was not the second-generation Queen Rhea, but Themis, who represented absolute justice, then everything made sense.
Moreover, back then when Rhea said she was going to see Jason, she had indeed mentioned that Themis had taken great interest in Jason because of the snake demoness Lamia incident, and Rhea had noticed this, leading to her final decision to go.
It was just viewing Jason as a successor... This was truly beyond all the gods' expectations.
And as Zeus learned the details through Hermes's words, his serious expression gradually faltered.
"Great God-King Zeus, this is the wedding invitation."
Jason respectfully presented the pure golden invitation to Zeus and said, "This is the invitation that Lord Hades specifically instructed me to bring.
I hope that on the day of the wedding in one week, God-King Zeus, you can grace us with your presence and attend the wedding of Lord Hades in the Underworld."
As the words fell, Zeus hummed twice; he was listening to Hermes's explanation.
Then...
"Hmm?" Zeus suddenly paused, looking at Jason, and said, "What did you just... say?"
"I said I hope the great God-King Zeus, you can go to the Underworld on the day of the wedding in one week to attend the wedding of Lord Hades..."
"Me?... To the Underworld?" Zeus was stunned.
Hermes also looked at Jason with utmost surprise.
Although he had heard Jason mention it back then, he did not expect Jason to actually achieve it!
"Yes, great God-King Zeus... Of course, I also know that due to the rules between the mortal world and the Underworld, even though the great God-King Zeus can freely go anywhere, you cannot enter the Underworld without reason.
But great God-King Zeus, please rest assured; the gods of the Underworld, along with the great primordial deities, the God of Darkness Erebus, the Goddess of Night Nyx, and the God of the Abyss Tartarus, have all agreed.
As long as one holds this invitation, on the day of the wedding, one can go to the Underworld."
Jason explained the reason in relatively concise words.
After Zeus heard it all, looking at Jason before him, he felt his mind somewhat unable to process it.
"You... even convinced those three old relics?"
"Speaking of which, I think I heard a similar rumor last time," Hermes interjected. "It seems it was spread by the Erinyes... The rumor is that a mortal entered the endless abyss of Tartarus.
Because he disrupted the rules of the Underworld, it was the punishment he deserved.
But that mortal walked out of the endless abyss in just a few days.
For this, one of the Erinyes thought something had happened in the abyss, rushed in, and got lost inside; it was only after Lord Hades pleaded that she was able to come out of the abyss..."
As Hermes's words fell, Zeus and Hermes both stared straight at Jason, causing him to swallow involuntarily.
"That... actually, it was because of Cerberus. The great God of the Abyss Tartarus seems to quite like Cerberus, so he directly let me and Cerberus out back then..."
What Jason said was not a lie.
Because Tartarus did indeed like Cerberus.
For the sake of being able to crush him in chess.
Upon hearing this, God-King Zeus was silent for a period.
"The Underworld, huh... It would not hurt to take a look. Speaking of which, there is also a bold and reckless junior hiding in the deep abyss of the Underworld, not daring to come out now."
Hearing this, Jason lowered his head even more.
Because he guessed that the person Zeus referred to now was probably the Ancestor of All Monsters, Typhon...
Hmm, do I really have to invite Typhon to the wedding?
Jason's heart grew even more hesitant.
Then Hermes took the invitation from Jason's hand and handed it to Zeus. Seeing Zeus accept it and indicate he would attend that day.
Jason's heart could not help but relax.
And it was at this moment...
"What, what? I heard Heracles has come?"
Directly pushing the door open, the beautiful and noble matron, Queen Hera, along with Athena looking helpless behind her, arrived here.
"Heracles!"
Hera looked at the masked Jason before her, her eyes lighting up, and with a face full of joy, she quickly walked toward Jason.
Seeing this, Hermes tactfully stepped aside.
And Hera, even in the eyes of Zeus and the others, showed no restraint in her affection.
"Noble Queen Hera, long time no see..."
Before Jason could finish speaking, Hera grabbed him and asked with concern, "Child, are you alright? That Goddess of Night did not bully you, did she!"
"Ahem, Hera, what are you saying?"
Zeus could not help but speak up to Hera: "How could Goddess Nyx bully this child? You should know this child is still..."
At this point, under Athena's glance, Zeus, realizing he had said too much, quickly stopped.
It had been said before that one reason Zeus gave Hecate such leeway was partly because of this Goddess Nyx.
This was naturally not false; Nyx was one of the primordial gods, the embodiment and essence of night, born together with her brother Erebus from Chaos.
She was greatly respected by Zeus.
In fact, in future myths, there was even the saying that Nyx educated Zeus's foster mother.
"Still... still what?"
Hera looked at Zeus in confusion.
As Zeus pondered how to explain.
"I am fine, great Queen Hera. The reason Goddess Nyx sought me that day was actually related to a divine seat."
Jason spoke up, quietly explaining to Hera: "The reason Goddess Nyx took me away that day was to ask if I was willing to inherit her divine seat..."
"What, Nyx also wants you to inherit her divine seat?!"
Zeus and Hermes exclaimed in unison.
"Also?" Athena instantly caught the key point.
Then she saw the balance on Jason's left hand.
Stunned for a moment, she could not help but step forward, directly grabbing Jason's left hand. After seeing it clearly, she suddenly looked up at Jason.
Then she looked at Zeus and Hermes.
"Just now..." Hermes knew what Athena wanted to ask and said, "Themis found him and entrusted him with the balance of absolute justice, and also told him about the test regarding the divine seat..."
As Hermes spoke, his gaze could not help but turn to Hera.
Athena, being so intelligent, instantly understood what the so-called test was upon seeing this.
She looked at Hera before her, then at the successor mark on Jason's left hand representing inheritance. After a moment, a glint flashed in Athena's eyes, which represented absolute wisdom.
The corners of her mouth curved up slightly.
The matter that had troubled Athena for so long.
The issue with Hera and Jason, Athena had finally thought of a way to resolve it now!
"Divine seats? And moreover, both Nyx and Themis, these two goddesses, have taken a liking to you, Heracles? This, this... this is too astonishing!"
Hera exclaimed, and while shocked, as she looked at Heracles before her, the affection in her eyes grew even stronger.
Yes, this was how it should be, so outstanding.
Her child, Queen Hera's child, should be this outstanding!
"Ahem, hero in white, Heracles, have you come here for something?"
Athena cleared her throat lightly, changing the topic.
"It is like this, great Queen Hera, Goddess Athena..."
As Jason explained, he took out the corresponding wedding invitations.
The invitations for God-King Zeus and Queen Hera were pure golden, while those for Athena and Hermes were dark golden.
"Hmm, why is mine different from Athena's and theirs?"
Hera asked in question.
As for the wedding of Lord Hades and Lady Persephone, Hera had already heard about it from Athena.
And under Athena's words, Hera had also accepted that Hades and Persephone had a very good relationship with the hero in white, Heracles.
Everything about Jason, except regarding Hecate, had been cleverly replaced by Athena with the hero in white, Heracles, and told to Hera.
"Because great Goddess Hera, you and the great God-King Zeus are the God-King and Queen of the Olympian gods. This invitation was specially made when I commissioned Teacher Hephaestus to create it."
Jason provided the explanation.
And although this was a small matter, it caused Zeus and Hera's hearts to swell with a bit more favor once again.
Hera was not interested in the wedding of the King and Queen of the Underworld, but upon hearing that this wedding was prepared by Jason and that she would offer tribute, she naturally had no reason not to go.
Zeus and the others needed even less saying; it was impossible for them to refuse.
Therefore, after handing the invitations to them, Jason had almost completed most of his task.
Then, under their gazes, Jason, who bid them farewell, mounted the sacred Pegasus once more and personally delivered the remaining invitations to the various gods.
At the same time, for this round of invitations, besides the gods, there were also some people.
For example, his earliest teacher, the centaur sage Chiron, his best senior brother Heracles, and the female hero Atalanta, with whom he had considerable past ties, and others.
And at this time, the messenger of the gods, Hermes, also began arranging according to Jason's previous request.
Across the land of Greece, bards gradually sang of the grand wedding to come!