"Now, I need someone who knows the sea routes and the situation in Atlantis to serve as the captain of the Argo..."
Time was short. With the mobilization completed smoothly and the work of tallying personnel broken up and handed off to the people at Areopagus, Samael scanned the crowd, his gaze settling on a tall, broad figure with an honest, almost childlike face.
Orion froze for a moment, scratched his head with a bashful grin, and was just about to stand up when a slender figure shoved aside the tent flap. He squeezed clumsily through the crowd and raised his hand high.
"Me! I volunteer to be the captain of the Argo!"
"You're not—"
Samael looked at the suddenly appearing Jason in surprise, stopping himself halfway through the sentence.
"Yeah. I was planning to run off to Athens, but you only gave me a pass and no travel money. A big adventure like this is bound to pay off like last time. Should be enough to cover my retirement."
The blond youth answered with a shameless grin. His exaggerated gestures and lively expressions made him look like a clown trying to get a laugh.
"You should know this Argo expedition isn't about risking everything for personal gain. You won't get any advantages out of it."
Samael replied quietly, offering a calm warning.
"Doesn't matter. I'll take a loss this time. Besides, I've figured out that compared to life on land, the sea suits me better."
Jason spread his hands. The flippant smile slowly faded, but a seriousness that had never been there before surfaced in his emerald-green eyes.
"Come on, man. Let me go."
Samael stepped down from the throne and looked straight at Jason, speaking in a low voice.
"The port at the tip of the Peloponnesus has already fallen..."
"Greece has plenty of ways out to sea. The islands around Athens are shattered enough to form natural defenses. There are shipyards and harbors, and we can detour through the Aegean Sea. It's the best option."
"The Storm Sea is occupied by the Alien vanguard..."
"With the gods holding them back, they'll leave eventually. I can grab that opening."
"The Spatial Pathways..."
"I could find my way through there with my eyes closed."
"Once you enter the Ocean of the Age of Gods, you'll be completely cut off..."
"Last time the gods didn't exactly help either, and we still made it through."
The more Jason spoke, the more confident he became. Samael fell silent for a moment, his tone turning heavy.
"But this expedition only has a one-in-ten-thousand chance of success..."
"Then I'm willing to gamble everything, to trade every sacrifice for that one-in-ten-thousand chance!"
"No. Promise me you'll do everything you can to bring everyone back alive..."
"Haha, relax. All that stuff earlier was just me messing with you. I'm actually the most afraid of dying out of anyone here."
The solemn look on Jason's face was instantly replaced by his usual roguish grin. His restless hand casually slung itself over the shoulder of the leader of the Greek coalition, acting as if they were old drinking buddies.
"Tch, I object! Why should we entrust our lives to a coward like this?"
Straight-talking Caenis stormed out of the crowd, glaring at Jason with open contempt.
After parting in Atlantis, with Samael deliberately covering things up, she'd honestly believed Jason had taken the wounded home out of a sense of responsibility. It was only after they reached land and she thought it over that she realized the truth. This guy hadn't been acting noble at all. He'd abandoned his companions and fled the battlefield.
Faced with the dark-skinned beauty's razor-sharp, murderous glare, even Jason's usually solid nerves couldn't hold. He stood there stiffly, awkward and at a loss.
"Being cautious means valuing your life. Valuing your life reduces crew losses. During the last Argo expedition, it was precisely Jason's caution that allowed us to bring everyone back alive. This mission isn't a suicide run. I want every single one of you to return."
Samael spoke with solemn authority, laying out facts that left no room for argument. His gaze bore down on Caenis, his tone growing heavier.
Yet the stubborn dark-skinned beauty still looked unconvinced.
"Then what about Orion, Peleus, or Telamon? Why does it have to be him?!"
"Because the Argo is the finest ship, and Jason will be the finest captain."
The Ancient Serpent answered without hesitation. Hearing those words, the golden-haired youth—his back slightly hunched, shoulders slumped—froze. He slowly straightened, lifting his head as he clenched his teeth and looked around at the gathered heroes, his voice firm and resolute.
"That's right! In this tent, and in all of Greece, no one knows the Argo better than I do. No one understands the sea routes more clearly. No one knows Atlantis better than I do. That's why no one is more suited to this role than me!"
His declarations grew louder with each sentence, echoing through the tent. Jason swept his gaze across the assembled heroes, yet not a single one spoke up to challenge the supposedly frivolous man.
Even Caenis, who had been bristling with anger moments before, merely opened her mouth before her frustration finally subsided into silence.
"Since there are no objections, then it's settled. I hereby appoint Jason as captain of the Argo expeditionary force. All heroes who volunteered will be assigned accordingly, withdraw from the front line for rest and reorganization, and assemble toward Athens. This expedition sets out at daybreak."
Samael issued the order decisively. He kept Jason, Orion, Heracles, and several other key figures behind to finalize the remaining plans and contingency measures.
Once everything was settled, the Argonaut heroes filed out one by one. Soon after, Themis, the Goddess of Justice, entered the tent, escorting Daedalus, the gifted engineer with a history stained by murder.
The old craftsman, his conscience already in turmoil, began trembling the moment he stepped inside. His legs gave out, and he dropped to his knees with a thud, crying and begging the Greek co-ruler and King of Athens for mercy, tears and snot streaming down his face.
"The Athenian fleet was overseen by you, wasn't it?"
Samael ignored the pitiful display and cut straight to the point.
"Y-yes, Your Highness…"
"Earlier, coastal city-states suffered surprise attacks from the Alien vanguard. Two-thirds of all vessels, large and small, were destroyed. Athens fared slightly better thanks to its shattered reefs, which weakened the tsunamis, and its shipyards. Now, I want you to repair and fully replenish Athens' damaged ships within eight hours."
"Your Highness, that's impossible! Before I left, there were already three hundred warships in Athens' naval docks, not to mention nearly a thousand auxiliary vessels. I—"
The cold edge of the Sword of Justice pressed against Daedalus's throat, and the old man instantly fell silent.
"I'm not interested in your excuses. I want results. Within eight hours, the Athenian fleet must be fully repaired and replenished. The number and scale must be greater, not less.
"During this time, all materials and manpower from Athens and Areopagus are at your disposal. In addition, Hephaestus, the god of forging from Mount Etna, and the three Cyclopes serving Zeus are already on their way to Athens, leading hundreds of divine craftsmen and their subordinates.
"Themis will accompany them to restrain the gods of Olympus and ensure they obey orders.
"If you fail to accomplish this before dawn, I will throw you off the walls of the Athenian Acropolis—just as you did to your own nephew."
Samael narrowed his serpent-like eyes, his gaze icy and merciless.
"I guarantee it will be done as you wish!"
As the red point at his throat widened, Daedalus's hair stood on end. He nodded frantically without a second thought.
With that, the craftsman didn't waste a moment. As if his life were on fire, he rushed straight toward Athens to begin rebuilding and repairing the ships.
If he didn't want to die, he would have to work himself to the bone.
"Is it really necessary to go this far?"
Athena looked toward Areopagus from afar and sighed softly.
"If the Argo goes out alone, it'll stand out too much. It would likely be destroyed before it even reaches the Storm Sea. Only by mixing it into an entire fleet and releasing bait on all fronts will they have a chance to break through this deadly sea."
"But that would cost many lives…"
"For that one-in-ten-thousand chance, gods and humans alike must give everything they have. This is a catastrophe sweeping across all of Greece. Weakness is no excuse to flee.
"Even if it only tips the scales of victory slightly in our favor, we are prepared to pay the necessary price."
Samael's gaze stretched far into the distance, his voice low and cold, like a god who had lost much of his warmth while looking down upon the mortal world.
Bang!
At that moment, the tent flap was slammed open as three figures burst inside.
"Why weren't we informed about what just happened?"
Atalanta slammed her hand onto the table, staring coldly at the leader of Greece inside the tent. Little Medea tried to step forward to draw closer, but Circe sensed the dangerous atmosphere. She shrank back, tightly grabbing her niece and retreating obediently into a corner.
The Ancient Serpent glanced sideways.
"The third defense line needs your long-range firepower more…"
"No one is more important than anyone else! If they can board the Argo, so can I! I request to join the expeditionary force!"
"Mhm! Auntie and I want to help Lord Theseus too. We want to join as well!"
Little Medea wriggled free from Circe's grip and pushed her way forward, waving her small fists with a serious expression as she insisted.
Athena leaned against one of the tent pillars, her eyes darting between the four confronting figures, her expression growing increasingly amused.
Tch. Instead of witnessing divine coldness, she ended up seeing divine selfishness first.