Ship of Theseus 1/2

The Giant God Ocean, Hecate Island.

On the deck of the Argo, Caenis, who was once fearless, limped out of her room, leaning on her spear. However, she hadn't run more than a few steps when Rhode, the little mermaid, rushed up behind her and kindly dragged her into the room.

"Oh dear, you're so badly injured, why are you running? Get some rest! Aren't we trying to get through the area? Let's use this time to get to know each other better. By the way, what are some good places to eat and fun things to do in Athens? Tell me about them..."

What nonsense! Ever since you boarded the ship, your mouth hasn't stopped moving. You're either eating, drinking, or talking. Can't you do anything else?

I haven't had a moment's peace and quiet lately; it feels like there's a swarm of bees and flies buzzing around me.

I'm a patient, can't you be more understanding?

Caenis froze, her gaze turning back with grief and indignation. However, when her eyes met that innocent and endearing little face, the urge to curse was swallowed back, and all the words she wanted to say turned into a muffled groan of resentment.

"I'm sleepy..."

"Okay, I'll lull you to sleep. I'll secretly tell you something, I'm the best at bedtime stories. Let me tell you about my experience in the sea. There are so many interesting things that I could talk about them for three days and three nights."

The Little Mermaid Rhode in high spirits, her eyes sparkling, and without saying a word, she closed the doors and windows and made the bed.

Ugh! Damn it! I'm such an idiot! If I'd known, I wouldn't have accepted this escort mission. I should have just gone to the Underworld and had a good time killing people!

Caenis felt her brain throbbing and trembling, her face filled with despair, and she cursed silently in her heart.

Damn it, I hate anything related to the sea!

Just as this unlikely pair, destined to be companions on the road, were getting to know each other, the cabin door slowly closed, the sails billowed, and Magecraft light patterns floated and shimmered.

"The wind direction is perfect! The wind speed is perfect! Argo, return to port!"

Inside the captain's cabin, Jason, brimming with excitement and high spirits, drew his sword and swung it down, transmitting his voice through Sorcery Array to the ears of every Argo Heroes.

"Phew, finally I can go home! The Golden Fleece, plus all these jewels and spices, I've made a killing! Thanks for getting me out of that mess today. How about I treat you to a drink sometime, buddy..."

The triumphant voice abruptly stopped. The blond youth looked around at the empty space, his face stiffened, his eyes lowered, and his lips moved silently, the words gathering into simple syllables in the deathly quiet captain's cabin.

Feel sorry...

The ship propelled itself forward through the waves, the heroes took their positions, and a group of dolphins leaped and frolicked on the azure water, joyfully guiding the Argo. These were all guides from Atlantis.

At this moment, in the Starry Sky Mountain Range, in the Machine God Corridor.

Dressed in scale armor, Triton stood quietly before the transparent floor-to-ceiling window, gazing into the distance as Argo gradually disappeared into the sea and vanished from sight.

Change is coming, and you shouldn't get involved.

Let's go, the farther the better!

The mermaid prince moved his lips and murmured softly. As time passed, the trident in his hand, which shimmered with a ghostly blue light, gradually dimmed. His figure was swallowed up inch by inch in the afterglow of the setting sun, and finally fell into silence.

Meanwhile, above the underworld, three colossal walls cast in bronze shimmered with light, their bricks retracting and converging as if alive, opening a narrow passage.

Immediately, the azure vortex spread down the crack, and the figure caught in it leaped out at the opulent, dark entrance to the road.

The surroundings were dark, with only the faint blue phosphorescent flames drifting around providing a little light.

Moreover, the moment they landed, the black mist and Death Qi seemed to sense the life force and transformed into jet-black snakes, rapidly coiling around and eroding the group of vibrant intruders.

However, the clear and solemn sound suddenly trembled, and circles of red and black light patterns spread outwards. Like a gust of wind, the snakes and pythons formed by the aggregation of Death Qi instantly disappeared.

At the crossroads, the leader, Samael, looked down at the back of his hand and saw a black crown-shaped brand with seven angular protrusions emerging from his flesh, shining brightly in the darkness.

The underworld... blessing?

The ancient snake paused for a moment, then smiled, a gentle light appearing in its eyes. It raised its hand and gently placed its fingers on its chest, a warm feeling welling up inside it, its gaze filled with reminiscence.

Ereshkigal... thank you...

Meanwhile, Medea and Circe, having regained their senses, hurriedly waved their staffs, casting a blessing spell on their companions from the Hecate, Goddess of the Dark Moon.

Of course, in terms of effectiveness, it can only ensure that teammates can move normally, and it is certainly not as good as the high-level divine protection that Samael can dispel a large area of Death Qi with a single arm strike.

Could it be that Mount of Ares has colluded with the gods of the underworld?

Artemis blinked, completely bewildered, and muttered to herself.

Fine, as long as my dear Orion can be saved, let them do whatever they want.

The moon goddess carelessly forgot about the crisis facing her father Zeus, embraced her lover tightly, and followed the group with light and quick steps.

Tartarus, born from the chaos and nothingness of the Greek world, is the Abyss, the very essence of hell and the underworld.

Therefore, it is the place where the souls of gods and humans return, and also a prison for the most heinous beings, connected to the sea and the earth through the River Styx.

Fortunately, by a twist of fate, Poseidon, who was temporarily brought in as an ally, was both the Tartarus Dungeon and the chief god who controlled the Taiga currents, making entry into the Underworld a breeze.

However, this is, after all, the place where the Titan Gods and other enemies of Zeus are imprisoned. If we delay too long, things might get complicated. We should hurry.

Samael then took out the colored scales with the route drawn by Poseidon, and after confirming the direction with the help of the phosphorescent light, he led his teammates to quickly pass through.

Tartarus's defensive perimeter is divided into two parts: an outer layer consisting of three copper walls—physical fortresses—and an inner layer consisting of three dark curtains that confuse perception, suppress power, and are filled with Death Qi, serving as an invisible barrier.

To avoid being too conspicuous and alerting Zeus and Hades, the master of the underworld, the ancient serpent had no choice but to obediently follow the rules and pass through the dark curtains one by one.

In the darkness, the team made their way forward in a winding path. Although the road led in all directions, it was uneven and difficult to walk on. Every now and then, they would step on dry bones, which would produce a chilling, crisp echo in the deathly silent environment.

On both sides, there were either slippery, cold cliffs or deep abysses and secluded valleys, making it a place fraught with danger.

With the help of the map containing the key points, and the powerful physical abilities and senses of the group, after about Tianyi of exploration, they finally emerged from the desolate area shrouded in darkness.

The mournful roar of the Styx River came from the riverbed not far away, and the wails of the souls in the water sounded quite beautiful at this moment.

The man breathed a sigh of relief, his tense nerves relaxed slightly, and then he looked around for a relatively flat open space to rest.

Immediately, the group sketched out the incantation to dispel the evil spirits, set up camp, and settled down briefly.

Squatting on the bluish-gray stone, responsible for guarding Circe, looking around at the lifeless, gloomy world and the desolate scene that was no longer lively, he couldn't help but feel a little melancholy.

Seeing the somber atmosphere, Samael began to spread the word among his friends. He stretched his limbs, clapped his hands, beckoned everyone over, and sat down with a light laugh.

"Come on, let's have some brain teasers. I have a rather interesting thought-provoking question. Whoever has the most original answer will get a small favor from me."

With nothing else to do, everyone became interested and sat down together to listen attentively.

"Tell me! Tell me! I can't wait!"

Previously the most depressed Circe was now the most cheerful, even drooling and urging him on.

Meanwhile, little Medea beside her blinked her bright, sparkling eyes, her expression expectant.

Samael cleared his throat, organized his thoughts, and then asked with a hint of amusement.

"If the Argo were my ship, and I needed to constantly replace the planks due to damage and rot, would the ship still be the same ship after a period of time, once all the planks have been replaced? If not, when did it cease to be the same ship? Was it from the moment the first plank was replaced, or after the last plank was replaced?"

After a moment of contemplation, the contradictory answers left them frowning, unable to find a solution.