Jin had never expected to return to Olympus, much less as a pupil of the gods who once sought to control his fate. Yet here he was, standing among the divine, prepared to reclaim what was lost. His training began the very next day, under the watchful eyes of those who ruled the heavens.
The morning air was crisp, the scent of ambrosia drifting through the marble halls. Jin awoke to a soft knock on his door. When he opened it, he was greeted by Demeter, her golden hair shining in the morning light.
"Rise and shine, mortal-turned-demigod," she teased, tossing a folded bundle of white and gold garments into his arms. "Put these on. You should at least look the part of someone training under the gods."
Jin unfolded the robes—a magnificent ensemble of white and gold embroidery, designed with the same devine craftsmanship as the gods themselves. The fabric shimmered with an ethereal glow, as if woven from the very essence of divinity.
"These look expensive," Jin muttered, running his fingers over the fine embroidery.
Demeter smirked. "You're under our care now. Olympus does not train warriors who look like beggars."
Jin chuckled, quickly changing into the divine robes before following Demeter outside. The grand training grounds of Olympus stretched before him—an open coliseum with towering statues of past gods, and at its center, a field where several deities were already sparring.
Hermes and Apollo stood nearby, watching two figures clash in the arena—Ares and Athena. Jin's eyes widened as he saw the raw intensity of their battle. Every swing of Ares' blade sent shockwaves through the ground, while Athena dodged with seamless precision, countering with calculated strikes that forced the war god on the defensive.
"She's something else," Jin muttered.
"She always is," Hermes replied, grinning. "Ares keeps challenging her, and she keeps embarrassing him. It's one of Olympus' finest traditions."
"Doesn't he ever win?" Jin asked.
Apollo chuckled. "If you count the times she let him win as mercy, then sure."
As if to prove their words, Athena disarmed Ares with a single, decisive strike, sending his sword clattering across the arena. The god of war scowled, rubbing his wrist. "Damn it, Athena. Must you always humiliate me?"
"Must you always challenge me?" she retorted, sheathing her sword.
Jin couldn't help but smirk at Ares' frustration. Just then, he felt a presence—someone watching him. He turned slightly, catching sight of Athena standing at the edge of the coliseum, her sharp, stormy eyes fixed on him. She didn't look away even when he met her gaze.
Jin trained under Zeus, who forced him to withstand divine lightning until he could channel its energy. Poseidon took him to the vast seas, where he had to fight monstrous waves without being swept away. Hades tested his willpower by forcing him to navigate through the Underworld, where illusions of his past haunted him.
Then there was Ares—brutal, relentless, unforgiving. Ares would throw Jin into a pit of warriors and demand he fight his way out. "War does not wait for the weak," Ares bellowed.
"Neither does common sense," Jin retorted after dodging a particularly savage strike.
But not all training was harsh. Dionysus introduced him to the fine arts of relaxation—though 'relaxation' in Dionysus' terms meant drinking divine nectar and singing terrible songs about past battles.
Hermes, the trickster, taught him the art of speed and deception. One day, he stole Jin's sandals mid-run, causing him to face-plant into the ground. "Lesson one—never trust a messenger god!" Hermes laughed.
Jin groaned, dusting himself off. "Noted. Next time, I steal your sandals first."
Apollo, always cheerful, trained Jin in precision, forcing him to hit moving targets while blindfolded. Every time Jin missed, Apollo would strum his lyre in mock disappointment. "That note? That was the sound of failure, my friend."
From Hephaestus, Jin learned to wield weapons forged by the gods themselves, crafting and wielding tools that could shape reality itself.
One afternoon, Jin found himself in the gardens, resting after a long sparring session with Athena. He had noticed something odd about her—she was always watching him from afar. Not directly approaching, but present in a way that was impossible to ignore. It wasn't just the observation that caught his attention; it was the quiet intensity in her eyes.
"You know," Jin muttered to himself, stretching his sore limbs, "for a goddess of wisdom, she's not very subtle."
Just then, Hermes and Apollo appeared, both grinning mischievously.
"Oi, Jin," Hermes called, dropping onto the bench beside him. "Something on your mind? You seem... troubled."
Jin smirked. "Just curious about Athena. She's been watching me a lot lately. Any reason?"
Apollo laughed, nudging Hermes. "Told you he'd notice."
Hermes shrugged. "Athena? Watching you? Oh, that's serious business. She only watches things that are worth her time. Or worth destroying."
"Helpful," Jin deadpanned.
"Nah, but seriously," Apollo added, leaning closer. "Athena doesn't just observe people for fun. Either she sees potential in you, or she's planning a long, drawn-out lecture. And trust me, her lectures are worse than Hera's scolding."
Jin chuckled. "Noted. So what's she like?"
Hermes smirked. "Oh, she's a perfectionist. Has to have everything just so. You ever seen a battlefield she's commanded? Not a single move wasted. Every strike planned five steps ahead. Makes Ares look like a headless chicken."
"Yeah, she's the responsible one," Apollo added. "We're more… the fun ones."
Jin shook his head, amused. "So she's all about discipline, huh? No room for fun?"
Hermes laughed. "Fun? I think the last time Athena relaxed was when the Titans ruled. And even then, she probably had a battle plan."
Their conversation was interrupted when a smooth, melodic voice joined in. "Are you boys gossiping? That's a little unbecoming for deities."
Jin turned to see Aphrodite, lounging elegantly nearby. Her presence was like a warm summer breeze—comforting yet dangerously intoxicating.
"Aphrodite," Hermes greeted with an exaggerated bow. "We were just enlightening our mortal friend here about our dear Athena."
Aphrodite chuckled. "Oh, Athena's not as cold as she pretends to be. She just has a reputation to uphold. But watch out, Jin—if she's watching you, it means you've done something very, very interesting."
Jin raised an eyebrow. "Should I be concerned?"
Aphrodite smiled. "Only if you break her rules." She took a deep breath. " My dear Harmes, Appolo if you don't mine can I talk with jin privately. "
They nodded and Harmes and Appolo leaned towards the Jin. " Remember Don't step on her traps. She is Goddess of Love. So be careful."
Jin swallowed and they left him alone. He looked at Aphrodite who was smiling. " You can continue your talk."