Olympus, Winter Solstice.
The pre-dawn darkness cloaked Olympus like a thin veil, but the city of the gods never slept. Torches and bonfires blazed along the mountainside, causing the palaces to shimmer in a myriad of colors, from blood red to indigo blue, reflecting off the white marble like falling stars.
The winding streets were alive. Demigods, nature spirits, and minor gods moved with haste, some riding golden chariots pulled by winged horses, others carried in litters borne by strong-armed cyclopes. Winter was nonexistent here—the air was warm, laden with the sweet perfume of flowering gardens, where jasmine and roses mingled with even more exotic and nameless scents.
Music flowed from open windows, ethereal sounds of lyres and bamboo flutes filling the streets with an almost hypnotic harmony. At the highest point of the mountain rose the grandest palace of all: the hall of the gods, a pristine temple of white marble, shining with a celestial light.
Then, amidst the bustle and movement, a sudden whirlwind of wind broke the calm. In a blink of an eye, Ikki, Thalia, and Zoë appeared in the center of one of the main streets, the force of their arrival scattering golden leaves and shimmering dust into the air.
Silence fell for an instant. Several minor gods and spirits who were in their path froze, surprised and cautious in the presence of the son of Zeus. But when Ikki cast a sharp glance, a mixture of indifference and authority, the gods quickly averted their eyes and went on their way, as if not wanting to draw attention to themselves.
Thalia sighed, crossing her arms.
"Well, that was a flashy way to arrive."
Zoë just cast a discreet glance at Ikki, who didn't seem the least bit bothered. He simply raised his head and continued forward, leading the two towards the imposing hall of the gods.
After climbing the long marble staircase to the Hall of the Gods, side by side, the three entered the immense throne room. The air here was different, charged with something almost electric, as if the atmosphere itself were too dense for mere mortals.
Twelve enormous thrones formed a U around the central hearth, echoing the arrangement of the cabins at Camp Half-Blood. Each seat was unique, sculpted and adorned according to the deity who occupied it.
The ceiling was like a living night sky, shimmering with constellations that seemed to move subtly. It was beautiful, but also intimidating.
All the seats were occupied. Each god and goddess was colossal in form, at least five meters tall.
From Zoë and Thalia's perspective, if you ever imagined what it would be like to be under the scrutiny of a dozen immense, all-powerful beings… well, suddenly, facing monsters seemed like a picnic.
Ikki, on the other hand, didn't seem worried.
"Welcome, heroes." Artemis' voice echoed through the hall, solemn and firm.
"Moo!"
It was at that moment they noticed the ophidian cow and Grover—Atalanta and Phoebe were nowhere to be seen.
A sphere of water floated in the center of the room, near the hearth fire. The bluish glow of the liquid reflected off the marble walls, and within it, Bessie—the ophidian cow—swam happily, swishing its scaly tail and nudging the sides of the magical bubble. It seemed to be having as much fun as a fish discovering a new aquarium.
Grover was kneeling before Zeus's throne, looking like he had just given a detailed report. But as soon as he saw them, his face lit up.
…
Grover still clearly remembered the moment he and the Hunters neared Long Island. Fatigue weighed on his shoulders, but there was a certain relief in seeing the familiar coastline. The mission had been exhausting and full of dangers, and now they were finally going home.
But before they could even decide what to do next, the sound of wings slicing through the air made everyone look up.
From above, a black Pegasus descended rapidly towards them, the morning light reflecting off its sleek coat. And mounted on it, holding the reins with his usual carefree confidence, was Percy Jackson.
As soon as he saw them, his expression changed instantly.
Grover barely had time to open his mouth before Percy pulled the reins of the Pegasus, making it land softly on the boat made of lightning. In an instant, the son of Poseidon was dismounting, walking towards them with a look of expectation and urgency.
"Grover! How did the mission go? Where are Thalia and Ikki?!"
The satyr barely had time to process the barrage of questions before Percy noticed the ophidian cow swimming happily beside them in the water. His green eyes widened when he saw the creature.
"Hey… wait a second. What are you doing with Bessie?" Percy frowned, crossing his arms.
Grover blinked, confused.
"Bessie?"
"Yeah, the cow-snake-monster! I named it," Percy explained, as if it were obvious.
That made Grover freeze in place for a moment. He couldn't be hearing right.
"Wait… you named it?" The satyr furrowed his furry brows, looking perplexedly at the monster. "How—"
Before he could finish his sentence, a new presence interrupted the conversation.
The air seemed to change, becoming heavier. A sweet smell of wine spread through the ship, and with a sudden pop, Dionysus appeared before them, adjusting his Hawaiian shirt with a bored look.
"Ah, excellent. You finally arrived," he said, yawning. "I really hate waiting."
The Hunters tensed, their eyes watching the wine god's every move. Percy also straightened up, clearly not thrilled with Dionysus's presence.
"Ah, Perseus Jackson," Mr. D said, rolling his eyes at the sight of him. "Of course you would be involved in this somehow."
"Good to see you too, Mr. D," Percy replied dryly.
Dionysus ignored the comment and turned to Grover.
"The Council of Gods wishes to speak with you, satyr. And also with… that." He gestured vaguely towards where Bessie was swimming unconcernedly.
Grover's eyes widened.
"The Council? But we just got here! We need to talk to Chiron, we need to tell him what happened—"
Dionysus sighed dramatically.
"Yes, yes, tragic stories, dangerous missions, blah blah blah. The fact is, I don't care," he said with an exasperated tone. "Now, if you don't mind, let's just get this over with."
Before Grover or any of the others could protest, Dionysus snapped his fingers.
In the blink of an eye, the ship vanished.
The world around them dissolved into a golden glow, and when Grover came to, he was standing in the Throne Room of Olympus, right in the center, with the bubble of water containing Bessie floating beside him.
He gulped.
Before him, twelve enormous thrones formed a U around the central hearth. All the gods were present, their gazes weighing upon him.
Grover felt his knees tremble.
He had no idea what was going on, but he was certain of one thing: facing monsters seemed much, much easier than this.
…
"You did it!" Grover shouted, almost stumbling as he stood up abruptly.
The satyr started to run towards Ikki and Thalia, but then hesitated, remembering that he had his back to the almighty Zeus. His gaze silently pleaded for permission.
"You may go," Zeus said with a curt nod, without taking his eyes off Ikki and Thalia. The Lord of Olympus was studying the two with a disquieting attention, as if trying to decipher something beyond their mere presence.
Silence reigned as Grover trotted across the hall. None of the gods spoke. Each sound of his hooves on the marble floor seemed to echo exaggeratedly, each small movement of the water inside the sphere seemed thunderous in the stillness. Even the central fire, which normally crackled loudly, seemed to restrain its flames, as if respecting the moment.
Grover didn't hesitate to wrap Thalia in a tight hug. Then, without warning, he grabbed Ikki's arms tightly.
"Ikki! Bessie—I know it's a weird name, Percy gave it to him, I found out at camp—anyway, we did it! But you have to convince them! They can't do this!"
The intensity in his voice sent a shiver through Thalia and Zoë.
Something was wrong.
"Do what?" Ikki raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms.
His sharp gaze swept the hall, and he noticed the gods exchanging tense glances.
The strangeness of the situation increased when Artemis slid off her throne and, upon landing on the floor, shrunk to human size.
Now, she looked like a young woman with auburn hair, her face serene and impassive, with no apparent emotion. Her silver dress shimmered in the firelight, and her posture was impeccably controlled. She walked towards Ikki with the lightness of someone moving through a mist of moonlight.
"The Council has been informed of your deeds," the goddess said, her voice devoid of any trace of pride or arrogance. It was simply a fact. "They know that Mount Othrys is rising in the West. They know about the attempted release of Atlas and the assembled armies of Cronos. We have voted to act."
A murmur ran through the gods. There was something in the way they whispered amongst themselves, something that seemed… uneasy. As if not everyone was in complete agreement with the decision.
"At the command of my Lord Zeus," Artemis continued, "my brother Apollo and I are to hunt the most powerful monsters, seeking to strike them down before they join the Titans' cause. Lady Athena is to personally check on the other Titans, ensuring they remain imprisoned. Lord Poseidon has been granted permission to unleash his full fury against Luke's Princess Andromeda cruise ship and sink it to the depths of the sea."
There was silence after her words. A heavy silence, as if something was left unsaid.
Then, her silver eyes turned directly to Ikki.
And the tension in the hall reached its peak.
The central fire crackled, casting dancing shadows on the enormous golden thrones that formed a semicircle around the heroes. Each god and goddess was seated, their colossal forms towering five meters high, observing Ikki, Thalia, and Zoë beside Artemis from above like divine judges.
Then, Athena spoke.
"Ikki." Her voice was firm, echoing through the hall like contained thunder. Her gray gaze, sharp as a blade, rested on him coldly. "You destroyed the Sky and killed Atlas, releasing him from his eternal punishment."
An uneasy whisper ran through the gods.
"You killed Ladon."
This time, the murmur was more audible. Some of the gods exchanged glances.
"You made the Apples of Immortality disappear."
Hera, until then motionless, turned to face Ikki with fury in her eyes. But, remembering the last meeting—how Ikki had reduced her to a catatonic state—she quickly looked away, clenching her fists.
Athena continued, without emotion, without hesitation.
"Olympus now debates whether you represent a danger to the gods."
The hall plunged into a deathly silence. Only the crackle of the hearth flames and the sound of the magical water surrounding Bessie filled the air.
Ikki held the gaze of the goddess of wisdom without saying a word, his blue eyes gleaming with amusement; currently, he had no qualms about facing and killing all the Gods of Olympus...
Then, Zeus leaned forward slightly in his throne. His presence, even at that distance, was overwhelming. The air around him crackled with static electricity.
"If you decide to fight against my son…" His voice was deep, filled with power. "Know that I will not be on your side."
The impact of his words reverberated through the hall like a thunderbolt.
The gods startled. Apollo's eyes widened. Artemis tilted her head in surprise. Hermes stopped playing with his caduceus, his expression now serious. Hera turned slowly to face Zeus, her mouth agape.
Poseidon was the most perplexed of all.
Next to Ikki, who was also surprised, Thalia seemed unable to believe what she had heard.
Zeus kept his impassive gaze on the other gods. His voice was like the distant rumble of an approaching storm.
"I'm tired." He said, his expression hardening. "Tired of worrying about what might happen, of fearing a son who has done nothing but protect this world."
His eyes flashed with contained lightning.
"Ikki retrieved my weapon in the Underworld. He destroyed Atlas and saved millions by preventing the Sky from collapsing."
He swept the other gods with a sharp look.
"This is what a hero does." His voice resonated with strength. "If we condemn him just out of fear, we'll be no different from the Titans we fight so hard against."
The hall remained silent.
Then, Poseidon leaned back in his throne, watching his brother for a moment before speaking.
"I hate to admit it, but my brother, Zeus, is right." His voice was as deep as the tides. "If we kill our children simply out of fear of what they may become, we will be preaching a tyranny that I refuse to exercise."
His gaze swept over the other gods. Dionysus raised an eyebrow, as if he hadn't expected this turn of events. Hephaestus sighed, thoughtful. Aphrodite glanced at Ikki, as if saying everything would be alright.
Ikki, standing in the center of the hall, absorbed everything in silence. He never expected to be defended—much less by Zeus.
The silence that followed Poseidon's words was broken by a low, husky laugh.
Ares leaned forward in his throne, his red eyes sparking with something between amusement and irritation.
"I like the kid." He said, his voice echoing through the hall. "I don't want him dead."
His fingers drummed on the arm of his throne, and a predatory smile curved his lips. "Besides, who the hell am I going to fight when I want a real fight? You guys? Please."
The gods looked at him with varying expressions—some surprised, others exasperated.
It was then that Apollo leaned back lazily in his throne, crossing his arms behind his head. His radiant smile emerged.
"Well, I'm definitely not going against my awesome brother-in-law," he said, winking at Ikki. "He saved my sister, after all."
The impact of Apollo's words reverberated through the Hall of the Gods like unexpected thunder.
"Awesome brother-in-law?"
The murmur echoed among the gods, each processing the information at their own pace.
Ares stopped drumming his fingers on the throne and raised an eyebrow, genuinely intrigued. Hermes almost choked on his own saliva, while Aphrodite tilted her head with a sudden glint of interest in her eyes. Even Dionysus, who seemed indifferent to the discussion, raised his eyebrows slightly.
Zeus and Poseidon exchanged a confused look, clearly trying to understand the situation.
Athena, who rarely showed surprise, blinked twice before casting an inquisitive look at Artemis.
Demeter, who was happily eating cereal, looked at this with surprise, along with Hera, who seemed upset for some reason.
All eyes turned to the goddess of the hunt.
Artemis was visibly blushing—a detail that didn't go unnoticed. Her silver eyes flashed with anger as she turned to her brother, glaring at him.
"Apollo." She said with dangerous calm. "Explain. Now."
Apollo, sensing the impending storm, raised his hands in an innocent gesture, but a mischievous smile played on his golden lips.
"Hey, I'm just telling the truth," he said casually. "If he saved my sister and she didn't turn him into a stag to be hunted, that means something, doesn't it?"
There was absolute silence.
Ares let out a booming laugh, slapping the arm of his throne. "This is getting good!"
Aphrodite covered her mouth with an amused smile, though a touch of melancholy was present in her eyes.
"That makes sense," Hermes murmured, blinking several times.
Hephaestus just grumbled, shaking his head.
Zeus frowned, still taking in the conversation, while Poseidon scratched his chin, thoughtful.
"Apollo." Artemis hissed, her voice laden with threat. "If you keep talking, I swear I'll—"
"Oh, come on!" Apollo interrupted, laughing. "I know you like him. You don't have to be so mad."
Artemis' expression hardened, and for a second, the air around her seemed to grow colder.
Ikki, who until then had only been watching the exchange, crossed his arms, analyzing the situation with a mixture of exasperation. He didn't know whether to intervene or simply let the gods get lost in their own assumptions.
Artemis took a deep breath, trying to regain her composure. When she spoke again, her voice was firm, but laden with contained irritation.
"This is irrelevant to this meeting."
The gods were still exchanging glances, clearly doubting this, but no one dared challenge Artemis at that moment.
Silence dominated everything again, until Aphrodite called everyone's attention.
"Getting back to our conversation. I'm not going against Ikki either." Her voice was soft, but there was a menacing weight in her words. Her bright eyes scanned the gods around her. "And I warn you: any of you who try, I will curse you."
The hall became even quieter.
Aphrodite smiled, but there was no sweetness there—only a cruel promise.
"Infertility. Or a horrible love, impossible to bear. You choose."
Hermes, who until that moment had remained silent, let out an exasperated sigh.
"Well," he murmured, adjusting his posture. "I didn't even think of that."
Athena didn't speak immediately. Her gray eyes analyzed Ikki for a moment, assessing the reactions around her.
Then, she simply said:
"It would be idiotic to fight him."
It was a statement, not an opinion.
Dionysus shrugged, bored. "Whatever. Just don't bother me with this nonsense."
The gods turned to Hephaestus. The smith god scratched his singed beard and cast an irritated look at Ikki.
"Look..." he grumbled. "I'm not happy he destroyed my junkyard. But I'm not in favor of destroying the boy."
He shrugged, crossing his arms.
"Besides, it's hard to find people who really know how to wreak havoc. I respect that."
The Gods turned their attention to Demeter and Hera, who had not spoken.
"Leave him alone," Hera murmured, her voice laden with subtle fear. "You've caused enough already. You don't need to do anything else."
The goddess of family and marriage seemed devoid of her usual confidence, and her eyes quickly darted away from Ikki, as if she feared what might happen next.
Her reaction was met with an exchange of glances among the other gods. Although Hera tried to maintain her haughty posture, her fear was palpable, and everyone could perceive it.
However, it was Demeter who truly brought up a delicate point that silenced the room once more.
"If Ikki dies, my daughter, Persephone, will be devastated," Demeter said, her voice soft, but filled with anticipated pain. "And if that happens, I don't know how she will react."
There was a slight tension in the air as Demeter spoke, and soon all eyes turned to her, intrigued. Athena, who always remained calm and controlled, had a slight flicker in her eyes, a tension that only the most attentive would notice. Her imperturbable posture seemed to hold a thread of curiosity, but at the same time, there was something in her gaze that indicated an almost imperceptible reaction to what had just been said. In front of the group of mortals, Artemis bit her lip slightly, as if she were hiding something. She quickly looked away, trying to prevent anyone from noticing the slight unease in her expression.
But they weren't the only ones. Zoë, who rarely showed vulnerability, cast a furtive glance at Thalia and then at Athena and Artemis, as if trying to discern what those words meant. And Thalia, in turn, looked at the floor for a moment, her thoughts racing.
Aphrodite shifted in her throne, crossing her legs with calculated smoothness. Her gaze shimmered with a peculiar glint, but there was a small crease in her forehead as her lips formed a small pout.
She didn't comment immediately, but anyone who paid attention could notice the way her fingers drummed lightly on the arm of the throne.
The silence was broken by Zeus, his eyes fixed on Ikki, leaning slightly forward in his throne, his deep, imposing voice breaking the silence of the room.
"Tell me, my son." He began, his presence dominating the room. "Is that where you spent the last year? With Hades and Persephone?"
The question was direct, and the ensuing tension was palpable. Zeus didn't seem to be in a hurry, as if waiting for a careful answer. The atmosphere in the room became strange with the mention of Hades and Persephone, and the gazes of the other gods, especially Demeter, became fixed on Ikki, as if the answer to that question were of utmost importance.
Zeus himself seemed to sharpen his attention, as if he wanted to better understand the details of this relationship that had never been mentioned until now.
Ikki let out a calm sigh, as if he were talking about something normal. He looked at Zeus and the other gods before answering, in a relaxed tone.
"Yes, I spent some time in the Underworld. Hades and Persephone aren't as bad as everyone thinks, in fact, we got along quite well." He shrugged, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I returned to Camp Half-Blood for a favor I owed Hades. It's not the only reason, of course, but he asked me to look after his children, Bianca and Nico di Angelo."
The silence that followed Ikki's words was deep, almost palpable. None of the gods seemed to know how to react, and even the cow-serpent in the bubble of water seemed to have paused for a moment. Every gaze was fixed on Ikki, but he, completely at ease, didn't seem to notice the tension hanging in the air.
"So, Hades also broke the promise…" Athena's murmur cut through the heavy silence that still hung over the room.
All eyes turned to her, while Zeus seemed to be reflecting on something important, which clearly made him more somber.
"What is the surname you mentioned, my son?" Zeus asked, he seemed pensive, as if trying to piece together a puzzle that still didn't make sense to him.
"Di Angelo…" Ikki replied calmly, unhurriedly, as if the revelation were just another detail of his story.
Zeus was silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he made a connection in the back of his mind.
"So, they are the children from that time, huh?" He murmured to himself, his tone now heavier. "What a mistake I made…"
A wave of tension swept through the room. The expressions of the gods became somber, more serious. They began to discuss what to do with Hades' children, at least until they were interrupted.
Ikki, with his usual calmness, raised his hand and said, "You don't need to worry about Bianca and Nico. I'll take care of them personally."
The way he said it brought immediate relief to the gods, who relaxed slightly. He continued, with a lightness that seemed incongruous with the situation:
"I know what I'm doing, they won't get lost along the way."
Ikki's simple assurance seemed to have dispelled the cloud of tension that hung over everyone. When he spoke like that, with such confidence, something about his presence reassured even the most restless gods.
However, before anyone could get too lost in this relief, Ikki added something that brought a new layer of concern. "Cronos spoke to me when I opened the sarcophagus that Ethan Nakamura had in his possession."
Zeus immediately sat up straighter, his expression becoming more serious. "What did he say? What did he want?"
The concern in his voice was clear, and his eyes flashed with the same intensity as thunder about to strike.
Ikki sighed; he had to share. He said, "He invited me to join his army."
As he spoke, he grimaced slightly as he recalled the invitation, as if the idea were almost ridiculous to him.
Silence filled the room again, and then Athena, with an inquisitive look, couldn't contain herself.
"Did you accept?" She asked with a firmness that mingled with her concern.
After all, if Ikki had joined Cronos, they would all be dead...
Ikki, unhurriedly, turned to face her, his gaze direct and without a sign of hesitation.
"If I had accepted, I wouldn't be here, on Olympus, talking to all of you now."
The answer was simple, but laden with clear meaning. He was there because he had taken a different path, a path far from what Cronos could have offered.
Concerned about something else, Zeus crossed his arms and looked directly at Ikki. "So, my son, tell us everything that happened on the mission. From the beginning."
Ikki shrugged, as if he were about to recount something trivial, and began:
"Well, it all started when we went to the Museum in Washington, DC. That's where we encountered the Nemean Lion. Tricky beast. Invulnerable hide and all that. I kind of had to destroy it with a punch, and the whole museum along with it…"
Some gods nodded, familiar with the news about this. Others, like Ares, seemed amused.
Ikki continued: "After that, we crossed to the west and ended up at Hephaestus's Junkyard. The idea was just to keep going, but, well… things got out of control."
The son of Zeus glanced at Hephaestus, who raised an eyebrow.
"You kind of… wiped the place off the map," murmured the god of fire.
Ikki scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah. Kind of. There was also that giant robot, Talos. I had to face it, and in the process… well, let's just say that junkyard was toast."
Hephaestus sighed, but didn't seem exactly surprised.
"We went to San Francisco after that," Ikki continued. "That's where we captured Nereus. Nothing too complicated, just a treacherous old man who likes to escape from anyone who tries to hold him. After that, we were attacked."
He paused and crossed his arms. "Ethan Nakamura and some mercenaries ambushed us. Thalia, Zoë, and the Hunters faced them. And I ended up having to fight Nemesis."
The name caused an uncomfortable silence to settle among the gods. Even Zeus narrowed his eyes.
"Nemesis?" Athena repeated, surprised.
"Yes. And she was on Cronos's side," Ikki confirmed.
Murmurs filled the council. It was a serious betrayal. Not even the gods expected Nemesis to ally with the enemy.
Athena was the first to regain her composure. "And you fought her?"
Ikki nodded. "Yes. And we managed to continue our mission."
Zoë decided to intervene, her voice serious. "After that, we went to the Garden of the Hesperides. There we faced Atlas."
With her and Thalia's help, they narrated everything that had happened.
The council was silent for a moment.
The gods absorbed the story. It was Zeus who finally broke the silence.
"You faced much more than we expected…" He said, his voice carrying something rare: pride, especially as he looked at Ikki and Thalia.
But the father-son moment was broken by Athena, who brought perplexity to all the Gods present.
"And you really didn't consider Cronos's offer?" She asked, her gray eyes gleaming with analytical intensity.
Ikki raised an eyebrow. It was obvious. "If I had considered it, do you think I'd be here now?"
Athena didn't react to his poker face that implied she was being foolish. Instead, she leaned forward slightly in her colossal throne, resting her chin on her hand as she reflected on everything he had said.
"And during the fight against Nemesis… How exactly did she try to persuade you? Did she offer anything?"
The gods exchanged discreet glances. It was remarkable how committed Athena was to analyzing every detail of Ikki's journey.
"She just kept saying that the gods were unjust and that balance needed to be restored." Ikki replied with a shrug.
"And what did you answer?"
Ikki sighed and lied. "That I'm not a babysitter for resentful deities."
He obviously hadn't answered anything, he'd just killed her…
Poseidon let out a low chuckle. Apollo whistled, impressed. But Athena just narrowed her eyes, seeming to memorize every word.
She then continued with more questions:
"The Nemean Lion—what did you do to defeat it? Hephaestus's junkyard—how exactly did you destroy it? And when you faced Atlas, was it strategy or pure strength that made you win? How did you destroy the Sky?"
The gods began to exchange glances, and some even raised their eyebrows, as if they had noticed something interesting.
It was Apollo who broke the silence first, a smile playing on his lips.
"Wow, sis, so many questions… Who knew you cared so much?"
Athena's face remained impassive, but her eyes flashed, ignoring the jealousy of some of the women in the room.
Ikki let out a long sigh, as if bored by so many questions.
"The lion? I broke it with brute force." He shrugged. "The invulnerable hide? It was sacrificed to Poseidon."
The silence that followed was almost palpable. Zeus, Ares, and even Apollo seemed a little envious. Sacrificing something so valuable to Poseidon was quite a gift.
"Talos?" Ikki continued, not giving time for comments. "It took one punch before exploding along with the junkyard."
Hephaestus grumbled something unintelligible, clearly irritated but without arguments.
"Oh, and the Sky? Well… I took Artemis's place for a while and then destroyed it."
The gods stiffened even more. Even for them, the idea of destroying the Sky itself was absurd. Even though Artemis had narrated this before, it didn't change that fact…
"And Atlas?" Athena asked, crossing her arms.
Ikki gave a half-smile. "I punched him and it was over."
The silence that followed was so absolute that you could hear a feather drop on the marble floor of Olympus. The gods stared at him as if he had said something completely irrational.
"A… punch?" Apollo finally broke the silence, blinking a few times.
Ikki shrugged. "A pretty powerful one."
Ares burst out laughing, slapping his hand on the throne. "I like this kid!"
Poseidon just shook his head, unable to hide his pride and surprise. Zeus, in turn, looked at Ikki with an indecipherable expression, but his eyes shone with something between respect and disbelief.
Athena remained silent for a moment before letting out a long sigh. "Frankly…"
Ikki just smirked, unconcerned with the reactions. After all, for him, all of that had just been another day at work.
"Is that all?" Athena questioned.
Ikki just gave a half-smile. "If I'd known you wanted a story full of flourishes, I would have let Apollo tell it."
Apollo grinned widely. "I can do that! With rhymes and everything!"
Athena rolled her eyes, but didn't insist. Artemis, Zoë, and Thalia seemed to be holding back smiles, while Aphrodite just sighed dramatically.
After all, this was Ikki's essence—making impossible things seem like everyday occurrences.