Cronus,
He is the former god-king of the Titan divine court, the second god-king.
At the same time, he is the father god to the current third god-king Zeus, Queen Hera, the agriculture goddess Demeter, the centaur sage Chiron, and others.
The most famous story about this ancient deity Cronus is undoubtedly how he overthrew the rule of his father god, the first divine court king, the sky god Uranus.
Using a giant sickle made from the hardest material in the world, given by the mother goddess Gaia, he severed his father's procreative organ.
Another is how Cronus, to counter the curse from the sky god Uranus, devoured his own children until he was overthrown by Zeus.
It seems that "filial piety between father and son" is a tradition in their line.
The first divine court king, the sky god Uranus, in his greed for power, bound all the children born from his union with Gaia inside Gaia's body.
Thus, with Gaia's help, he was overthrown by Cronus.
And when Cronus became the second god-king, he too coveted divine authority, so he swallowed the children born to him and the second queen Rhea.
Then, with the help of Rhea and other deities, he was overthrown by Zeus.
Finally, in Zeus's generation, it is the current third Olympian divine court.
The power-greedy Zeus directly swallowed his wife, the first wisdom goddess.
One and done, no future troubles!
One can only say that it was fortunate back then that the one born from Zeus's mind was the wisdom goddess Athena.
If it had been a male god, Zeus would probably have devoured his own child on the spot, like a tigress eating her cubs.
...
"Cronus?"
Persephone blinks her eyes.
Hearing this name from Hecate, whose expression is not very good, Persephone clearly does not react immediately.
On the contrary, Jason's brows furrow at once.
"Goddess Nyx, aside from this method... is there truly no other way?"
Then Hecate looks unwillingly toward the primordial deity, the Night Goddess Nyx.
Nyx is silent for a while.
"This is Cronus's power... If it were at the beginning, I could still act and forcibly draw this power out from the child."
Nyx says this as she walks to Jason's side and gently places her hand on his chest.
After a moment, Nyx lowers her hand and shakes her head lightly, saying: "But now it is impossible. This power has already taken deep root in the child's body.
Aside from Cronus, the only other way in the world to lift this curse
Is you, Hecate."
Nyx looks at Hecate, saying: "Only the power of magic that you have researched, the power to steal from the gods, can lift the curse on this child."
"Magic..." Hecate grits her teeth. "I can indeed do it, but at least it would take a hundred years for even a sliver of possibility!
A hundred years, though merely a flick of the finger.
But if exchanged for a hundred years of endless torment..."
At this point, Hecate cannot help but glare fiercely at Jason once more.
She glares so intensely that Jason feels this version of Teacher Hecate is inexplicably adorable, while also feeling somewhat embarrassed in his heart.
After all, a large part of this is the result of his own actions...
By the way, the reason the Olympian deities, including God-King Zeus, agreed to compensate Jason.
Is actually very simple.
Because they themselves are participants; the entire Olympian pantheon has been helping Jason conceal the truth from Hera.
One by one, all watching the show!
Thus, in this matter, even though Jason was the one who concealed it from Hera first, when Hades and Nyx and the others confronted them, Zeus and company could not claim the moral high ground.
Moreover, the Olympian pantheon, including Zeus, quite likes Jason.
Thus, this so-called "compensation" is even more a case of going with the flow.
Simply put, it is the fearless audacity of one who is favored!
"Cronus, Cronus... Oh, I remember now!"
And at this time, Persephone, who has been pondering who Cronus is, finally reacts and exclaims to Hecate: "Hecate, are you referring to Grandfather, the god of time Cronus?!"
Hecate is stunned for a moment, looking at Persephone who has only now caught on, and cannot help but feel speechless in her heart. She rolls her eyes at Persephone.
But this is not Persephone's fault; Cronus is the second god-king, and in the current third generation of gods, who would casually mention Cronus's name?
"But Hecate, I heard from Mother that Cronus is not imprisoned in a place that no one can find, right?"
"Yes, a place that no one can find."
Hecate replies speechlessly to Persephone. "That place where even the concepts of time and space can be imprisoned, a non-existent realm, the endless abyss of Tartarus; is that not precisely the place no one can find?"
"Not only Cronus; actually, most of the Titan deities who supported Cronus are also in there." Nyx adds.
"Oh, so he is in the abyss... Eh, wait!"
Persephone's eyes light up at once, and she says excitedly: "Is that not perfect then? I remember that little brother Jason has a very good relationship with the Abyss God Tartarus!
If he helps out, then we can directly meet Cronus, right?!"
"Yes, that is true, but... The difficult part is that Hecate and I have poor relations with Cronus."
Nyx chuckles lightly and replies to the puzzled Persephone: "Because back then, it was I who cast the spell, using a stone to deceive Cronus's eyes.
Thereby protecting Zeus.
And Hecate, at the most critical moment of the war, helped Zeus persuade and release the Hundred-Handed Ones and the Cyclopes.
Leading to Cronus being captured by the Hundred-Handed Ones.
Even Cronus could not break free from the Hundred-Handed Ones' grasp.
That is what led to the outcome of being thrown into the Tartarus abyss!"
After hearing this, Persephone and Jason cannot help but both blink at the two goddesses, Nyx and Hecate.
So, you two are the masterminds behind overthrowing the second divine court...
Thus, now Jason finally understands why his teacher Hecate holds such a transcendent status with Zeus.
With Nyx backing her, plus her merits from back then, and the unique power she researched herself, called magic.
Under such circumstances, Hecate was able to directly detach from the divine court, becoming a goddess who belongs to neither the sky, the sea, nor the underworld.
But at the same time, she holds considerable status in all, a goddess whom Zeus respects with a touch of awe.
It no longer seems so strange...
Eh, wait.
My teacher and the backer behind my teacher are both deities whom Cronus hates the most...
Then am I not done for?!
Thinking of this, Jason is somewhat dazed.
However, wait... I seem to not be completely dead yet!
But Jason does not remain dazed for long before he quickly thinks of another possibility.
And looks toward Hecate.
At the same time, he immediately guesses the true reason why Hecate is reluctant to mention this matter...
"You all... Wait, in that case, is Jason not done for?!" The slowest to react, the Underworld Queen Persephone, widens her eyes and says.
Hearing this, Hecate and Nyx exchange a glance, and then Hecate says with a headache: "That is why I was unwilling to mention this method..."
As Hecate speaks, she turns her gaze toward Jason.
Their eyes meet for a moment.
Then Hecate glares at Jason, signaling him not to say anything extra.
Jason hesitates for a while, gives Persephone a slightly apologetic look, and says nothing.
"But right now, aside from this method, it seems there is no other way..." Persephone says hesitantly.
She sees that Hecate and the others are not speaking, then looks at Jason again.
Finally, she grits her teeth, turns, and runs out, leaving behind words: "You all wait; I am going to talk to Hades. He must have a way!"
"...She left."
Once Persephone departs, Nyx glances at Cerberus waiting by the door nearby, then looks toward Jason and Hecate.
"Then let us continue the topic... That is right; with our identities appearing before Cronus, he absolutely will not help. But..."
Nyx's words are not even finished.
"But if I go with the ancestor of all monsters, Typhon, and with the identity of one who possesses the fate of god-slaying, the child destined to overthrow the Olympian pantheon, then the outcome would be different... Right, Teacher Hecate, Goddess Nyx?"
Jason voices the hidden meaning of the two goddesses.
"That is correct." Hecate, not surprised that Jason could guess it, nods.
But her expression is not good as she says: "But what I least want to see is this situation!
Because the ancestor of all monsters, Typhon, is very likely, when bringing you before Cronus, to accompany you in swearing an oath.
Swearing an oath to definitely overthrow the third divine court!"
Hecate points out the most likely scenario.
Thus, the scene falls silent once more.
And Cerberus, listening to these words nearby...
The fate of god-slaying?
Overthrow the third divine court?
The dazed little dog Cerberus blinks blankly nearby.
Then her entire body trembles lightly.
Because she senses that she seems to have heard something she absolutely should not have heard again!
Thus, just as the little dog trembles all over in fear because of this.
"But... All of this still depends on your own choice."
Hecate's suddenly gentle voice breaks the silence on site.
One sees her sigh lightly, sit down, and rub Jason's head vigorously, saying: "You decide for yourself. After all, this is your own path. As your teacher, I will not interfere with your choice... No matter what you choose, teacher supports you."
"Hehe!" Nyx, watching this scene nearby, cannot help but tease, laughing: "That little Hecate, in the blink of an eye, has truly grown up, matured!"
"Goddess Nyx—!"
Hecate glares angrily at Nyx, only to receive a light laugh from Nyx.
Seeing this, Jason smiles as well.
After smiling for a short time...
"Teacher Hecate, I am going."
Jason says apologetically to Hecate: "Sorry, Teacher Hecate; I must go, because... it hurts so much."
Jason grins through the pain, smiling bitterly at Hecate: "It really hurts, Teacher Hecate. I regret it so much now. If time could reverse, I definitely would not do this to myself again!"
Jason vows solemnly.
"You would not do this?... As if!"
But Hecate mercilessly exposes him, saying irritably to Jason: "If you could truly be this obedient, would I be angered half to death by you every time?!
Taking you as my student was simply the most erroneous thing I, Hecate, have done in this lifetime!"
"Really?" Nyx blinks her eyes, then comes to Jason's side and pulls him into her embrace.
The Night Goddess's divine power gently soothes the power of Cronus in Jason's body as she smiles at Hecate: "Then Hecate, since you dislike him so much, why not give this child to me?"
As she speaks, Nyx reaches out, gently lifts Jason's chin, and smiles: "After all, big sister quite likes this child~~; he is so cute, after all."
Seeing this, Hecate says nothing.
Her face simply turns completely black.
This makes Jason's body tremble involuntarily.
He hurriedly slips out from Nyx's embrace on his own, eliciting a very regretful "giggle" laugh from Nyx.
Feeling the pain in his body inexplicably alleviated a great deal, Jason casts a grateful glance at Nyx before looking back at Hecate, saying: "Teacher, I am going, but... I will not go with Typhon,
Nor will I go with the identity of a god-slayer!"
Hearing this, Hecate is stunned for a moment.
"Teacher, did you not dislike me walking toward a future as a god-slayer?" Jason smiles at Hecate, saying: "Then I simply will not walk that path. Everything will be as you say, teacher."
After he finishes speaking, after an inexplicable silence for a good while...
"...Wow, what to do."
Looking at Jason, Nyx murmurs to herself: "I seem to have truly fallen for him... Little Hecate, if you do not want him, then big sister will take him for real."
"...Goddess Nyx!"
"Ahem, joking, joking. I will not say it; I will not say it." Seeing that Hecate's anger is truly about to explode, Nyx hurriedly waves her hand to indicate she will stop.
Hecate looks at Nyx for a good while before helplessly shifting her gaze back, continuing to look at Jason. Her expression turns serious as she says: "Do you know what you are saying?... Do you know how dangerous this makes you?"
"Yes, I can roughly guess." Jason's smile remains unchanged as he says to Hecate: "But Teacher Hecate, this is originally the result of my own actions.
It is up to me to resolve it...
Moreover, I have already caused you a great deal of trouble."
Hearing this, looking at the slightly apologetic yet firm gaze Jason reveals, Hecate's lips move, she hesitates, and ultimately says nothing.
"Since this is your choice... Cerberus!"
Hearing Hecate suddenly call her name, the stunned Cerberus hurriedly runs over.
"This time into the abyss, none of us can accompany you, but letting you go alone makes me uneasy... Cerberus, you watch over him. If anything unexpected happens, shout loudly for Senior Tartarus; he will bring you both out."
"This... There is no need for that, right, Teacher Hecate... Um, whatever you decide, teacher; whatever you decide."
The brilliantly smiling Jason sees Hecate's gaze toward him turn icy and hurriedly yields from the heart, indicating he will listen to his teacher.
"Into the abyss again..."
And recalling the memories from last time, Cerberus's expression turns bitter.
"After the matter ends, I can agree to let you eat honey cakes freely for a week."
Hecate says flatly.
"Go go go, I will go, I will go! How could I bear to see Jason in such pain!" Cerberus's demeanor changes instantly.
If her tail were not hidden, it would probably be wagging vigorously right now.
Jason is simply speechless.
So, his matters amount to just a week of honey cakes in Cerberus's eyes.
With things having come to this, time to act.
Jason is the type who does not sit idly by but takes the initiative.
Moreover, every extra minute means an extra minute of pain for him.
Thus, after very brief preparations, Jason and Cerberus, embraced by dark butterflies, head toward the endless abyss, within Tartarus.
And just as Jason leaves, Hecate prepares to follow right after, only to be stopped by Nyx.
"What are you doing?"
"I am going to find Typhon."
"Why find her?" Nyx says: "Did you not say you would not influence the choice Jason made himself?"
Hearing this, Hecate falls silent.
Nyx, looking at her like this, cannot help but laugh, saying: "You, if you could just be a little more honest in front of Jason, how could that child have nearly been deceived by that Athena...
Alright alright, I will not say it. Stop glaring at me. I stopped you because I have something to say to you... Still about that child."
When Nyx says this, her expression turns serious as she says to Hecate: "Actually, from the beginning, when I learned that Themis was preparing to give her divine position to that child as inheritance, I felt something was off.
This time going to the divine court, I asked her about it, and she did not conceal it, directly telling me the reason..."
Hecate sees Nyx's expression is very serious and cannot help but raise her brows lightly, saying: "Very serious?"
"Yes, very serious." Nyx nods. "Even I feel it is truly a bold idea..."
Hearing this, Hecate is speechless.
"Why does everything have to relate to that wicked disciple... What is it? Tell me, Goddess Nyx.
I am already used to it. No matter what it is, I will not be surprised anymore."
"Alright, then do not tense up. I will state the conclusion first."
"Yes." Hecate nods.
"Themis wants to enter into marriage with that child Jason!"
"...Yes?!"