A Desperate Trump Card

At the critical moment, divine power trembled. At the top of the Interstellar City Mountain Range, the nearly disintegrated Crown of Cronus building was forcibly squeezed and glued together. A figure with wings of light gracefully arrived, and a warm halo of light shone into the Great Altar, bringing vitality.

"Ahem... you're here... buddy..."

Jason coughed violently, opened his eyes and looked at the gap in the wall, where a figure with its back to the sunlight smiled.

"We won, right?"

"Yes, Seferu has disintegrated, the arrival of the Tearful Star has come to an abrupt end, and now those mechanical creations are being paralyzed and destroyed one by one. The gods are cleaning up the remaining aberrations..."

Samael found a comfortable position and slumped against the wall next to Jason, muttering his reply.

"The leader, Medea, Circe, they're all still alive."

"I know there are several other partners at the Godbreaker Alliance Base. Don't worry, they've already been moved... Also... thank you..."

"Haha, I kept my promise this time! So, do you have any wine?"

Jason looked smug, licking his dry lips as he spoke, and asked slyly.

Samael raised his hand to open a spatial rift, took out a jar of wine aged in the Arima Caves, and handed it to his old friend beside him.

Sake!

Jason took a deep breath, his face filled with ecstasy, his eyes shining, but he only smelled it and did not drink it eagerly.

Samael turned his head and smiled slightly, then asked curiously.

"How did you get through this journey? Why don't you tell me your story? I'd like to hear it..."

Jason perked up immediately upon hearing this, raised his elbow and placed it on Samael's shoulder as if they were old friends. He then exaggerated his facial expressions and began to recount the Argo's adventures after entering the eye of the tidal sea with embellishment.

When the golden-haired captain spoke of the ultimate fate of ascending the Great Altar, he paused, took a deep breath of the wine, and raised his hand to pour the crimson nectar towards the center of the altar, where the trident, which was stuck in the ground and covered in cracks, fell to the ground.

"To be honest, I had already given up in that situation. I never expected that this Sea God's son, with whom we didn't have a deep relationship, would become the trump card for turning the tide."

"He defeated Mechanical God Zeus?"

"How is that possible? I got a beating, and my life was in that monster's hands!"

"That..."

"He detonated eight Machine God cores on his body, melting that thing at close range! Even with a severed arm, he could still install a mechanical arm. Thinking about this move, this guy is really something..."

Jason shook his head with emotion, his eyes filled with respect.

It was only through Teshitong's selfless attack that he was given the opportunity to shut down the starship's core.

Without this crucial bargaining chip, even if he staked everything on the Godbreaker Alliance Base, he was destined to lose everything.

Warm sunlight streamed into the room through cracks in the wall, bathing the two people in warmth and making them feel drowsy.

Jason opened his eyes and peered through the gap at the wreckage of the ship in Sea God Temple Atlantis in Atlantis, his face filled with regret and sorrow.

"The Argo was the most wrecked ship I've ever seen, what a pity..."

"You're the most ridiculous captain I've ever met!"

"Alright, stop praising me. The reason I've achieved this is simply because I have the best crew! Without you guys, someone like me is nothing... cough cough..."

The blond captain rolled his eyes and gave a weak groan, but before he could finish speaking, he coughed violently, a smear of purplish-red blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

Samael's eyes narrowed, and he raised his hand, but Jason pressed down on his wrist.

"Brother, seeing you again and exchanging a few more words is enough. Stop it..."

The blond captain had clear eyes, gently shook his head, and his voice faded.

As the angle shifted, the gradually brightening sunlight scattered shadows, revealing patches of purplish-black stains beneath Jason.

Those are bloodstains...

As for the cause, the abdomen was ripped open, the wound was already white, and wriggling organs could be vaguely seen inside. The chest was pierced by broken metal, and the blood stuck to it had dried into clumps...

Therefore, he didn't need to drink alcohol; the aroma of the wine was enough to satisfy his craving.

The real fatal flaw was that his Spirit Core had collapsed and shattered.

Even Samael, the King of Gods, could not fix this.

The explosion of eight Machine God cores at close range, along with the destruction of Mechanical God Zeus, meant that even if he was only slightly affected, he was destined to perish. It was a miracle that he had survived until now.

To fight against Mechanical God Zeus, and to seek a glimmer of hope in a desperate situation, one must not only risk Testo's life, but also Jason's own!

This is the price to pay.

Samael paused for a moment, then lowered his hand, picked up the jar of wine from the ground, and took a few gulps.

"Dude, actually, being with you guys isn't easy..."

Your wisdom, Peleus's magnanimity, Heracles's bravery, the eldest sister's archery skills... each of you is a favorite of fate, a born hero...

I worked hard at the Athenian Academy.

However, as an ordinary person with no talent, I can't catch up with your talent even if I spend my whole life working hard. Sometimes I feel both envious and jealous.

So all those honors, achievements, and promises you speak of are not as valuable to me as a few gold coins and the throne in my house.

Last time, I could leave you all behind from Atlantis without much burden, thinking that in this life I could only be an ordinary person who craves luxury...

Jason raised his hand to shield his eyes from the blinding sunlight streaming through the gap, and began to speak his mind. Then, he changed the subject, a smug smile playing on his lips.

"But this time, I did something none of you could do! I created an unprecedented miracle!"

At this moment, among the ordinary people gathered around heroes, those who turned to look at Samael saw an unusual radiance on his blood-stained face.

"So, do I... look like a hero now?"

"No, you always have been!"

Samael raised his hand and placed it on Jason's shoulder, with an unprecedented seriousness.

The true measure of a hero is not strength, but deeds. Power is not the most important factor; actions are the standard of judgment!

Calydonian Hunt and helps his friend Meleager save his people;

At a royal banquet, he resolved his inner conflict with his idol Heracles.

Humble yourself and help Hera, who has been transformed into an old woman, cross the river to complete the divine trial;

The Golden Fleece, possessing both wisdom and courage, led its crew to a safe return voyage.

A hero is someone who is aware of their own flaws but is able to overcome their inherent weaknesses.

The Argonaut Expedition, breaking through the vast ocean, risked their lives to seize that one in ten thousand chance!

He was not a perfect man, but he was certainly worthy of the title of hero!

Faced with such an answer, Jason was stunned for a moment, then smiled freely, as if a huge burden had been lifted, and tilted his head back, closed his eyes, and murmured.

"Haha... Now even if we run into them... we'll finally have a new heroic tale to brag about!"

Snap...

The pale fingers that had been resting on his knees fell to the ground, and the sound gradually faded away. The hero, who came from an ordinary background yet created something extraordinary, had a satisfied smile on his face and the corners of his lips turned up, as if he were telling a story vividly in his eternal sleep.

This is a voyage of adventure and honor...

This is a conquest of death and hope...

This is a human myth created by a group of people gathered on the same ship, who do not rely on gods and are called "Argonauts"...

This is... a heroic tale belonging to Jason!