Author's Note: This chapter will return to being narrated from Akhon's point of view.
My training lasted a full year within the safe and secluded confines of the Hesperides' garden. It wasn't the brutal or monotonous training I had imagined it would be. Instead, it was a period of intense but surprisingly enjoyable growth. During this time, I made tremendous progress in my combat skills, and as a result, my stats skyrocketed.
It wasn't brutal or monotonous training as I might have imagined for a fledgling god. Instead, it was a period of intense but surprisingly enjoyable growth.
Every session, every challenge I set for myself or was suggested by the Hesperides, instantly translated into tangible improvement. I felt my muscles respond better, my reflexes sharpen. And my mastery interface, visible only to me, constantly confirmed this progress: my stats, particularly Strength and Agility, were skyrocketing, and every point gained was confirmation that I was becoming more formidable. This increase in my basic stats had a positive domino effect, significantly increasing my HP (Health Points) and EXP (Experience). It was addictive to watch those numbers grow.
The training ended up being more fun than I expected, especially since I was surrounded by my two best friends and the girl who was now apparently my girlfriend. Aegle and I hadn't gone on any "dates" outside the garden during training; we usually just spent time together when we weren't training. The only difference between spending time together before and now was that now we kissed quite often and spent a lot of time "cuddling," enjoying the simple comfort of each other's presence.
This, of course, did not go unnoticed by Erytheia and Hesperia. They delighted in teasing us, making witty comments or laughing at our expense whenever they found us in a moment of intimacy. It made me a little embarrassed, I guess because I was new to all of this, but Aegle didn't seem to be bothered in the least. Probably, after eons of dealing with the family dynamics and the distinctive characters of her sisters, she was already immune to their jokes and teasing.
While I devoted myself to training and enjoyed this new personal dynamic, my responsibilities as a god did not stop. Every day, my interface flashed with notifications about the city of Kaeron and my faithful followers, allowing me to supervise them from above and through the notifications I received.
It was almost a perfect routine, an idyllic balance. I supervised my people from Olympus, improved my mastery, and in return, they progressed every day.
My stats rose steadily, my divine influence grew stronger, and I had unlocked some low-level skills that made me feel stronger and stronger.
In short, life in the Garden of the Hesperides was good. I had company, love, a purpose, and constant progress. Everything was going smoothly, in a bubble of relative peace and growth... until one day, that bubble burst.
I was lying under one of the large laurel trees in the garden, breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the soft sound of the fountains, when I sensed a new presence.
I wasn't the only one.
The Hesperides, who were nearby—Erytheia practicing her defensive moves, Hesperia throwing golden apples into the air to catch them, and Aegle sitting next to me, humming a soft melody—stopped instantly.
The atmosphere changed.
An almost palpable vibration, like the echo of a sweet, heavy perfume, filled the garden.
Erytheia frowned, crossing her arms.
"That's not normal," she growled, as if she could smell the problem.
Hesperia tilted her head, alert.
"I sense an intrusion... and not just any intrusion."
Aegle gently let go of my arm and stood up, looking alert.
"Akhon..." she whispered to me, her eyes searching for the source of the disturbance. "It's Aphrodite."
I sat up a little, blinking.
Aphrodite?
I had heard her name countless times, she was mentioned a few times by the Hesperides and Hermes when he mentioned she was one of the gods wanting to spy on me. I even remember when on my other life, I learned stories about her unparalleled beauty, her power to enchant even the most stoic gods.
But that was all they were: stories.
I never thought I would see her in person.
Until now.
Between the flowering bushes and the columns covered with vines, she appeared.
Aphrodite.
It was as if the entire garden had agreed to highlight her presence.
Her golden hair fell in perfect waves, capturing flashes of light, while her skin glowed with the smoothness of the finest marble.
Each of her movements seemed calculated to seduce, yet natural, as if perfection itself flowed through her.
When her blue eyes fixed on me, I felt the whole world go silent. And my heart skipped a beat.
An uncontrollable heat rose from my neck to my cheeks.
I blushed.
I wanted to look away, to maintain my dignity... but Aphrodite was walking toward us, and escape was impossible.
At that moment, my dominance interface reacted:
[Alert: Divine Charm influence detected.]
[Passive ability activated: "Dominance Resistance."]
[65% reduction in enchantment effects.]
I felt a barrier rise within me, cooling my impulses, clearing my thoughts.
Thanks to that protection, I was able to remain standing... although I could still feel the blush on my face.
Aegle, serious, stepped forward slightly, as if to protect me.
Erytheia tensed, preparing to intervene if necessary.
Hesperia, meanwhile, watched with her arms crossed, measuring the goddess's every move.
Aphrodite smiled, a smile capable of inspiring wars and madness, and spoke in a voice that seemed to envelop me:
"I need your help, handsome."
Her tone was so sweet that it almost made me forget where I was.
I stood up straight, struggling to regain my composure.
"What kind of help?" I asked cautiously.
Aphrodite took another step, closing the distance between us, her intoxicating perfume filling my senses.
"I want you to distract my dear husband... Hephaestus."
I blinked. My mind went blank for a moment.
Hephaestus? The blacksmith god?
Known as much for his genius as for his temper... and his tendency to create traps for those who dared cross him.
I swallowed hard.
"May I ask why?" I said, already knowing I wouldn't get a clear answer.
Aphrodite let out a charming giggle and simply raised her hand, pointing toward the sky.
I followed her gesture until the light blinded me. The bright, golden sun prevented me from seeing it directly.
Understanding struck me immediately.
I couldn't explain it because Helios was watching.
Helios. The sun god, who saw everything during the day. She couldn't say more, she couldn't risk Helios hearing.
Aphrodite winked at me, as if to confirm my deduction without words.
"Trust me." She said simply.
Behind her, the Hesperides watched us silently, as if they knew exactly how dangerous (or fun) this was going to be.
The interface flashed again:
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
📩 NEW QUEST AVAILABLE
🔴 [Epic Quest: Distract the Blacksmith]
"The goddess of Love requests your help in carrying out her mysterious plans, but Helios watches from the heavens."
Objective: Distract Hephaestus without being discovered.
🎁 Rewards:
+58 ⚔️ Strength
+50 🛡️ Will
+23 🧱 Authority
Unlock Skill or Artifact: [🎭 Divine Actor] (or variant based on the method)
+2000 ✨ Divine Exp
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
🟢 [ACCEPT] 🔴 [DECLINE]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
"Holy shit!! An epic mission? I've never had one before, and the rewards are very tempting. I would gain almost ¾ of the strength stats I earn in a year, just with this quest. But the risks are also high. What should I do?" I thought silently, analyzing the screen and staring at the accept button.
Aegle was the first to speak, her voice serious, devoid of her usual sweetness. "Akhon... don't trust her so easily."
Erytheia nodded vehemently, her dark eyes shining with suspicion. "Aphrodite never does anything without an ulterior motive. And those motives rarely benefit anyone but herself."
Hesperia crossed her arms again, her gaze sharp. "Distracting Hephaestus... in his own forge, I suppose, if Helios is watching. It's all very strange, even for me."
I looked at the interface, which only I could see, with the epic quest glowing before my eyes. The stats, the Authority, the divine EXP... and the possibility of unlocking a new skill or artifact. It was undeniable. The potential benefits were enormous, a massive shortcut to my progress. But the words of the Hesperides echoed in my ears.
I looked at the three nymphs. Their concern was genuine. However, this is just distracting a God, I don't have to fight him.
Finally, I stopped thinking about the risks and made a decision:
🟢 [ACCEPT]
The screen flashed immediately, confirming my choice. A surge of energy coursed through my body, so intense that I could almost feel it in my bones. The mission was now activated.
"I'm gonna do it."