The Kingdom of Thebes.
"Heracles, Heracles, I heard another legend about you from the bards!"
The young man named Iolaus, nephew of Heracles, ran up to Heracles with an excited expression on his face.
This youth would hold an extremely important position in the future historical records of the great hero Heracles.
Iolaus participated in most of Heracles's adventures. For example, in the slaying of the nine-headed Hydra of Lerna, every time Heracles chopped off a head, Iolaus would burn the snake's neck with divine fire to prevent the head from regenerating, thus allowing them to kill the nine-headed serpent.
And Heracles also greatly cherished his nephew.
As a result, in the mythological tales that would circulate in the future, he would also become one of Heracles's harem...
"Iolaus, I have told you many times that it is not me..."
Looking at Iolaus's excited appearance, Heracles sighed helplessly. Although he did not know what Iolaus had heard this time.
Heracles knew that his junior brother must have done something earth-shattering again... Over these past few months, Heracles had grown accustomed to it.
But who could have imagined that the little junior brother who had once worried them the most under Chiron's tutelage.
Had now become the most renowned hero in all of Greece!
Although he was using his name, Heracles, that is.
However, even if the world did not know, most of the disciples under Chiron should realize that the so-called white-clad Heracles referred to Jason.
After all, the Pegasus, the white clothes, and the youth as handsome as the God of Light Apollo—these markers were simply too distinctive.
Heracles had expressed that others should not call him Heracles anymore; he did not deserve it, and they should use his original name, Alcides.
But Heracles meant "the one glorified by Hera," a name bestowed by the gods, so Heracles could not change it, and others would still call him Heracles.
Especially now, as Heracles had been recruited by King Eurystheus of Argos and was about to undertake the twelve labors as instructed by Queen Hera, he could not escape this name even more.
"Is it really not you, my revered Uncle Heracles?" Iolaus looked at Heracles with full incredulity and said, "But besides you, I really cannot imagine who else could accomplish such great feats!
Moreover, revered Uncle Heracles, if it really is not you, then why would that person use your name?"
"The reason?" Facing his nephew's question, Heracles could not help but smile and said, "Actually, the reason is simple. That person does not care about glory and does not want to become a hero."
"Does not care about glory and does not want to be called a hero?" Iolaus widened his eyes in utter disbelief and said, "Does such a person even deserve to be called a man?!"
"Silence, Iolaus!" Heracles's expression suddenly became serious as he rebuked Iolaus: "Even though you are my nephew, you have no right to slander my junior brother. Take back your words!"
Heracles's anger was like a natural disaster, freezing the air around them.
"S-Sorry, Uncle Heracles..."
Trembling all over, Iolaus hurriedly apologized, and only then did Heracles's expression soften.
Then, seeing Iolaus shivering, Heracles felt a pang of reluctance and changed the subject, asking what Iolaus had heard this time.
"It is like this, Uncle Heracles. Now the bards are all saying that the Heracles in white clothes, riding the Pegasus, is traveling among the gods and preparing the grandest wedding in the world for the great Lord Hades, King of the Underworld, and Lady Persephone, Queen of the Underworld..."
A while later, after finishing his tasks for the day, Heracles returned home.
Because Heracles had helped Thebes defeat foreign enemies, in gratitude, the King of Thebes married his daughter Megara to Heracles.
Megara was precisely the wife whom Heracles would go mad and kill in the future.
The greatest misfortune of Heracles's life stemmed from this, eternally bearing the pain of kinslaying his wife and children.
And the root of all this was Queen Hera. Queen Hera, to punish Zeus's infidelity and dissatisfied with the prophecy of the three goddesses of fate that Heracles would become the great hero to save Olympus in the future.
Had secretly tampered with things, driving Heracles mad.
But now, none of this had happened... Actually, logically speaking, it should have already occurred.
Yet the butterfly of fate had flapped its wings.
Now that Jason was using Heracles's name, leaving his great deeds everywhere, and most importantly, under Hera's attention.
Hera had gradually lost her original "enthusiasm" toward Heracles. Although the outcome of the twelve labors would still come to pass, she no longer had the intention to expend more energy tormenting Heracles.
Her mind was now full of Jason.
She kept thinking about what method to use to take the white-clad Heracles away from her daughter Hephaestus!
"You are back?"
The virtuous wife, seeing her returning husband, revealed a gentle smile, stepped forward to greet him, and said at the same time, "A guest has come."
"A guest?" Heracles asked in confusion: "Who?"
"The hero in white." His wife covered her mouth and chuckled: "The other you... the white-clad Heracles!"
Upon hearing this, Heracles was stunned for a moment, then revealed a face full of incredulity toward her, before his expression turned to joy, and he rushed into the room.
In the room, under the sunlight's illumination, the handsome youth who had been plucking the strings of his lyre looked up. As their gazes met, the youth smiled and said, "Senior Brother Heracles, long time no see!"
...
"You little brat—!"
"Ow ow ow... Senior Brother, lighter, lighter!"
In the room.
The two-meter-tall burly man Heracles came before Jason, directly grabbed Jason's head, but before he could apply force, he heard Jason decisively begging for mercy, which made Heracles feel amused.
"You little brat... you really have not changed at all!"
Looking at Jason flashing a fawning smile at him, Heracles, who had originally wanted to punish him severely.
In the end, merely ruffled Jason's hair vigorously and let him go.
"Hehe... Sister-in-law, hello!" Jason grinned mischievously while calling out to the virtuous woman who had entered.
"Hello." Megara also smiled gently at Jason and, very tactfully, left the room after setting down the tea.
"Senior Brother, you found a good sister-in-law."
"Mm." Heracles nodded, then looked at Jason curiously and said, "By the way, speaking of which, how are things with you and Atalanta?"
"Atalanta?" Jason was stunned for a moment.
Why bring her up suddenly?
"Was not she there during the matter with the hundred-eyed giant Argus? You two should have at least gotten into bed by now... No way, are you even a man? You have not taken her yet. You know, because of you, that guy Meleager has given up!"
Heracles looked at Jason, whose forehead now had a few black lines, and said in utmost surprise.
Meleager was precisely the prince of Calydon who initiated the Calydonian Boar Hunt and had feelings for Atalanta, one of Jason's senior brothers.
"Senior Brother, what does this have to do with that? I have no interest in her..." Jason tried to explain.
"Such a beautiful woman, and you have no interest?" Heracles was even more surprised.
"It is precisely because she is too beautiful that I dare not touch her!"
After Jason finished speaking and saw Heracles about to say something more, he hurriedly changed the subject, his expression becoming serious as he said, "Ahem, let us not talk about this... Brother, the reason I came to see you this time is actually mainly for two things."
Seeing Jason's serious expression, Heracles's demeanor also grew earnest as he said, "Jason, have you run into some trouble?"
"There is no trouble... Or rather, the troubles on me seem endless, but I did not come to you, Senior Brother, because of those matters."
With that, Jason took a deep breath, then bowed deeply to Heracles with sincere apology: "Sorry, Heracles, I have brought you trouble!"
Heracles first looked at Jason in confusion, then glanced at his white clothes, as if realizing something, and revealed an expression of understanding.
"Jason, you mean the name Heracles, right... Jason, you need not apologize. I do not feel it is any trouble at all. In fact, I should feel apprehensive about it.
Those glories were not meant for me, yet I have enjoyed the benefits they bring, receiving the world's worship, and..."
At this point, Heracles paused slightly, looking at Jason and said, "But speaking of this matter, there does seem to be one bit of trouble... Junior Brother, that woman named Io even came to me looking for you!"
Io was precisely the woman guarded by the hundred-eyed giant Argus.
The princess whom God-King Zeus fancied and transformed into a cow.
Because of the matter with the hundred-eyed giant Argus, she had fallen for Jason, but Jason, faced with the wedding matter, had fled overnight in fright...
"Ah!" Jason was stunned: "She has not given up yet... Where is she now? Here?"
As he spoke, Jason immediately adopted a posture as if he would run away right now if she were here.
"I sent her to the teacher's place."
"Teacher Chiron?" Upon hearing this, Jason's expression changed slightly as he said, "No way, Senior Brother, you are pitting me. Teacher Chiron will definitely meddle in this!"
"What is there to it." Heracles patted Jason's shoulder and said, "You are so grown up now; it is time you found a wife. I think that Io is quite pretty.
Just take her to bed, and it will be fine."
"You were just talking about me and Atalanta a moment ago..." Jason looked utterly depressed.
"Take her too, if you are interested." Heracles looked at Jason with an expression of "What are you talking about?" and asked in confusion.
At this, Jason was momentarily speechless.
He had almost forgotten that this was ancient Greece.
For a hero to have three wives and four concubines was perfectly normal.
And in this divine era of Greece, not to mention three wives and four concubines—even thirty wives and four hundred and seven concubines, as long as you had no issue with it, others would see no problem.
Jason did not want to discuss this matter of differing values, so he headache-inducingly chose to skip it, continuing his previous words to Heracles: "Senior Brother, you really do not mind? I have brought you so much trouble..."
"I already said, I do not mind. I merely feel apprehensive."
Heracles looked at Jason speechlessly and said, "Those glories do not belong to me, yet I have enjoyed them... Only you would not care about these at all, even viewing them as trouble!"
Heracles truly did not see these as trouble; he merely felt helpless that he had taken Jason's glories.
If not for the fact that Goddess Athena, Hecate, and other gods had come to him, asking him to accept this glory, Heracles would have loudly opposed it long ago.
To clarify that the one who accomplished those great deeds was actually Jason.
As for too much glory attracting envy and bringing trouble.
Who was he? He was Heracles, son of God-King Zeus, one of the top heroes in the original mythological tales.
Would he fear others coveting him or having too much glory?
"...Senior Brother, if you truly do not mind, then I can breathe a sigh of relief." Jason carefully examined the Heracles before him and, confirming he truly did not mind at all, finally set his heart at ease.
"It is not that I do not mind, since this glory belongs to you, but... Respected Goddess Athena and Goddess Hecate both came to me, saying you had your reasons for doing this, so although I feel uneasy, I can only accept it."
"Athena and Teacher both came to you." Jason was stunned.
Seeing Heracles nod, Jason instantly deflated and said, "You should have said so earlier, Senior Brother. If you had, I would not have been so nervous. Geez.
That is great; now I can use the name Heracles without restraint. Ow."
Just as he spoke, Jason was thumped on the head by Heracles, who was not amused.
"You... Everyone else is building merits and deeds, striving to leave their name in the world, seizing every chance to become a hero.
Only you want to dodge it all. Now I am truly curious how those future bards will praise and evaluate you!"
"Hehe, rest assured, Senior Brother. A nobody like me will definitely not receive any praise in the future; my name will surely not be left behind!"
Jason patted his chest and guaranteed smugly.
Jason felt that he had been so careful; how could his name possibly be left in the future.
At most, future people would just wonder why there were two Heracleses: one dashing and handsome in white clothes, the other burly and powerful.
Heracles looked at the smug Jason speechlessly; he truly did not know what there was to be smug about.
"Right, Senior Brother, besides the apology, the main reason I came this time is actually to invite you..."
Having resolved a major weight on his heart, Jason immediately took out the invitation and handed it to Heracles.
Then, after Heracles accepted the invitation, Jason left there, continuing to ride the Pegasus to deliver invitations to the remaining people on the human side.
The recipients of the invitations were basically Jason's various senior brothers, along with some bards whom he had consulted Hermes about and learned had considerable influence in the human world.
Jason sent invitations one by one to the prince of Calydon, Meleager, and to Phaethon, who had once driven the sun chariot.
As for Atalanta, Jason prayed to the Moon Goddess Artemis and used the guide given by Athena to search for a while.
But he did not encounter her before sunset.
Thus, Jason chose to give up and, as night fell, rode the Pegasus back to the Underworld.
Then, after spending some time personally delivering invitations to the gods of the Underworld, Jason arrived before the endless abyss.
"Jason, are you really sure you want to send an invitation to Lord Tartarus, the God of the Abyss?... I feel he probably will not come to such a banquet."
One of the three Erinyes, seeing Jason pacing before the abyss and hesitating to enter, could not help but say to him.
"Since the great God of the Abyss, Tartarus, will not attend the wedding, I should still deliver the invitation, as he helped me in this matter; it is a matter of courtesy." Jason explained to the three Erinyes.
Upon hearing this, the three Erinyes nodded as if they understood but not quite.
In the end, Jason steeled his resolve, had the Pegasus wait there, and walked into the endless abyss that could even imprison time.
Not long after Jason entered the abyss, the underworld butterflies that had been fluttering around him, guarding him in the Underworld and keeping the creatures of the Underworld from harming him, disappeared one by one.
Swallowed by the abyss.
Jason could not help but stop, his brows furrowing slightly.
"Strange, the previous times, I did not encounter this at all..."
Jason murmured softly, but then he realized his voice had also been swallowed by the abyss; even his senses and thoughts were gradually being devoured.
Startled in his heart, Jason, sensing something amiss, no longer hesitated and pulled out the spear that had completely turned black from the silver bag.
This was the demonic spear given to Jason by the Ancestor of All Monsters, Typhon, during the matter of the hundred-headed dragon Ladon.
Back then, due to the suppression of Hecate's power, Jason had dared to use it before the gods.
But now, nearly half a year later, the destructive power in this demonic spear had devoured Hecate's divine power and restored its original form.
Holding the demonic spear given by Typhon, Jason continued forward.
Then, Jason did not know how long he walked or how much time passed.
Just as all his senses were devoured in this abyss, and even Jason was unsure if he was still walking.
The balance on Jason's left hand, left by the goddess representing absolute justice—the goddess with eyes covered by white cloth, Themis—manifested and emitted an extremely sacred light.
The sacred light allowed Jason, who had nearly lost himself in the abyss, to reclaim all his senses.
And it was at this moment.
"Who!"
A puzzled voice rang in Jason's ear.
The next second, Jason felt a blur before his eyes and arrived in a paradise within the abyss.
Like a small world within the abyss, with mountains and waters, and light shining down.
As Jason looked at all this in surprise.
"Jason?"
Typhon, who had transformed into a white-haired goddess reaching her waist but with eyes that seemed very bewitching, like an evil god, was sitting by a small stream playing chess with the God of the Abyss, Tartarus. She looked at the suddenly appearing Jason in surprise.
"Lord Typhon... and Lord Tartarus, this... this is..."
Looking at everything before him, Jason felt his mind somewhat unable to process it.
Last time he came, clearly none of this existed!
"These are all things I won." As if sensing Jason's confusion, Typhon's corners of her mouth curved up slightly. She waved the chess piece in her hand and said with a hint of pride.
"Hmph!" Before her, Tartarus, transformed into an old man in black clothes, snorted coldly, then looked at Jason and said, "So it is you, kid. How come you are here... By the way, when you came, why did you not bring that dog too!"
"But that is not right; I just clearly felt a strong divine power fluctuation..."
As Tartarus spoke, he saw the balance floating back to Jason's side and was stunned. Typhon, seeing this, was also stunned.
And after arriving before Jason, the balance once again fell onto the back of Jason's left hand, turning into a mark.
"...You obtained a divine seat?" Tartarus looked at Jason in confusion.
"No, probably not." Typhon shook her head and said, "It should be that some god took a liking to him, fearing others would snatch him, so she made the first move.
However... Even Athena and the others acknowledged it? Interesting."
Typhon smiled but did not press on who it was.
Seeing that Typhon did not pursue the matter, Jason did not continue and put away the demonic spear in his hand. After thinking for a moment, he said to Tartarus, "Respected Lord Tartarus, could you please bring over the underworld butterflies that guard me as well?"
"Underworld butterflies? Wait, I will look..."
"It seems little Jason, you just suffered quite a bit."
Typhon chuckled lightly, her smile appearing exceptionally bewitching and evil as she said, "This small area is what I won from Father God. Since it does not belong to the abyss proper, Father God probably did not notice you just now... Little Jason, how did it feel to taste the abyss for the first time?"
"I really do not want there to be a next time."
Jason smiled bitterly: "I finally understand why all those lords are so afraid of you, Lord Tartarus... An abyss that devours everything, even the self cannot escape; it is truly too formidable!"
During their conversation, the underworld butterflies swallowed by the abyss returned to Jason's side. Seeing this, Jason could not help but breathe a sigh of relief.
"By the way, child, what brings you here?"
"It is like this, Lord Typhon. This is an invitation."
As Jason spoke, he took out two invitations and respectfully handed them to Typhon and Tartarus: "I hope both of you can attend on the day of the wedding. This is also the intention of Lord Hades, King of the Underworld. Lord Hades is very grateful for Lord Tartarus's assistance this time."
"Invitation?" Typhon took the invitation from Jason, blinked at him, revealed an evil smile, and said, "I have one too... Mine is not at the behest of Lord Hades, is it?"
"Yes." Jason nodded to Typhon: "This is my intention..."
"If I remember correctly, all the Olympians will be present that day, right?"
"Mm." Jason did not deny it: "I have invited the gods of Olympus. Unless something unexpected happens, they should all come."
"...Interesting."
Typhon's smile became even more evil and bewitching as she gazed at Jason and said, "Do you not know what will happen if I meet them and they discover me?"
"No, Lord Typhon, you absolutely will not be discovered by them. That is why, after much internal struggle, I decided to deliver this invitation."
Jason shook his head directly.
"Oh?" Typhon narrowed her eyes.
"If Lord Typhon wanted to act now, you would not still be staying here... So on that day, even if we do nothing, if you go, you will absolutely ensure that Zeus and the others do not recognize you!"
Typhon did not reply immediately. She narrowed her eyes, smiling as she gazed at Jason for a while, then continued, "Then, can I ask little Jason why you would send this invitation for me?"
"Because I cannot ignore you, Lord Typhon... Actually, I hesitated for a long time about whether to invite you, and to be honest, if you were not playing chess with Lord Tartarus today, I probably would not have sought you out specifically."
Hearing Jason's words, which carried no scent of lies, Typhon could not help but laugh: "Then, by your logic, I benefited from Father God's light... I understand. I will accept the invitation. As for whether I go, I will consider it."
"I understand... However, Lord Typhon, if you do go, I hope you can promise me one condition."
"Mm?"
"I hope that on that day, you do not leave my sight."
...
After delivering the final invitations, Jason breathed a sigh of relief, but he knew he could not relax... At least for the next week, he could not slacken even a bit!
Then, leaving the abyss, under the strange yet somewhat numb gazes of the three Erinyes, Jason rode the Pegasus back to Hecate's divine palace.
He originally thought that waiting for him in the divine palace would only be the three-headed hellhound Cerberus, but...
"You are finally back."
The Goddess of Beauty, Aphrodite, sat in the divine palace's hall. As agreed, she had arrived in the Underworld a few days early.
Thus, Jason's preparations for the wedding of Lord Hades, King of the Underworld, and Lady Persephone, Queen of the Underworld, officially concluded!
.....
.....
And so time passed in a flash.
A week was but a blink of an eye.
In the turn of an eye, the day of the wedding arrived...