"Yes. It was probably at the request of my father—or rather, the God-King Zeus. Goddess-Queen Hera doesn't harbor enmity toward her brother, nor toward that irritating Pluto, and certainly not toward Aunt Demeter. Therefore, it's most likely that he asked her, given that Hera's power is far more subtle compared to Zeus's."
I gently tapped my fingers on the table. I could feel and perceive the seals within my father's power, but my knowledge of magic wasn't advanced or specific enough to help break those seals. Using a higher, more potent energy might not necessarily work and could even prove dangerous, even if I drew from the essence of my phantom lineage and the powerful flame of the Ancient Dragon God.
Touching my fingers lightly to my forehead, I asked, "I imagine you weren't able to complete the mission related to the Chimera, were you? Besides that one, how many of these 'challenges' remain?"
"Unfortunately, no," he replied. "This is the sixth of nine challenges. As one of the more complicated ones, it would unlock a significant portion of my strength—let's say around 50% of my original power. Once I complete all of them, I'll also receive the universal benefits tied to the laws governing Olympus."
"You can't receive help... but it's still possible to do something to reduce the interference of intruders," I said thoughtfully. "I'll offer you some items imbued with my energy and magic to assist you."
While my sealing magic or techniques are limited, I can still draw from some Harry Potter spell principles to create useful enchanted items.
"And after that, what shall we do regarding Uncle Pluto?" I asked.
At my question, he tensed slightly, irritation flickering across his face. "That will take priority once I've regained my strength. As for how... I know that Mother has been making some preparations and shifting a few pieces both in the mortal realm and Olympus to free my brother."
"As for the Chimera, I will deal with it myself this time. I won't fail," he declared.
My father's eyes grew serious, and the divine and mental energy radiating from him became noticeably stronger. At that moment, Ares stepped in.
"Not just you, brother," Ares said. "I don't know if you remember, but when I offered to help you earlier, I sensed not one but at least two more Chimeras. They seemed slightly weaker than the one you faced before, but it's likely they'll still engage in your battle. This time, however, the goddess won't act, or Demeter will become furious and bring a harsh winter upon the divine realm. Still, fighting three enemies is quite risky given your current power."
Father frowned and muttered, "Two might still be feasible, though dangerous."
"I can't intervene further either, or I'll face punishment for disobedience as a member of Olympus," Ares added.
Before Mother could raise her hand, I spoke. "I'll help. I'll take care of one Chimera. Mother, you can't interfere with the main target, but you can support against the second Chimera—just offer something minimal. Since Father holds the title of the God of Family, receiving help from his family should be permissible."
Everyone agreed to my proposal, though there was some resistance from Mother and Father. In the end, they consented.
....
Mission: First Battle with a Mythological Monster
Objective:
Defeat one Chimera. Assist your father in defeating another Chimera.
Reward: Kusanagi (Enhanced Version) [Naruto World]
Description: You've just learned about your father's past and his quest to recover his strength, requiring him to complete several challenges. Among these, defeating Chimeras has become more complex due to prior interference from Goddess Hera and other factors. Now, you must confront some of these monsters.
....
Seeing the familiar mission screen, I smiled and prepared myself after everyone rested and ate some delicious food.
...
I found myself in a mountainous area, more specifically a valley. Flying with faint trails of wind, my father hovered nearby using divine energy to stay aloft, though it seemed inefficient. The same went for Uncle Ares.
Mother, on the other hand, stood on a platform of radiant light she had conjured.
Using my Observation Haki and divine sight, I expanded my mental power throughout the region. Soon, I located the three Chimeras—luckily, they had already split into separate areas.
Focusing on the right, I noticed two of them were relatively close but not close enough to be an immediate threat. I raised my hands toward that direction.
"Ice Make: Sabertooth Tiger."
Two bluish-green magic circles appeared, followed by my beautiful ice creations. Standing over three meters tall, their sturdy bodies emitted an aura so cold that faint frost spread beneath them.
"Please, lure the two closer," I instructed.
Given that the challenge would yield greater rewards if my father dealt with both at once, this was the best scenario.
"Father, please remain in the combat area and prepare yourself," I added.
Father nodded, descending to the ground. Drawing on his physical strength and divine energy—a luminous white tinged with pink—he launched toward the designated zone. His force left small cracks in the ground beneath him.
"I'll assist too," Mother said, summoning light into her right hand and shadow energy into her left.
With two swift movements, she unleashed her attacks. A powerful beam of light shot forward while a whip of shadow energy lashed out with ferocity. The resulting impact was evident as roars echoed across the battlefield.
"Good job, Mother!" I called, giving her a thumbs-up.
At the same time, I saw my ice creations rushing from inside the cave, and I finally got a good look at the enemies.
Their bodies resembled lions with light scales and feathers covering parts of them. Where their tails should have been, a serpent's head and body coiled menacingly.
Their size rivaled that of my ice creations, appearing even larger and more fearsome in comparison. Greenish-black toxic venom, identical to the one afflicting my father, dripped slowly from their bodies onto the ground.
My eyes narrowed as I watched them advance into battle.
Mother, staying nearby, utilized her dual-element powers to blend into the surroundings while flying toward my father's position. She appeared ready to offer minimal support if necessary.
"Roarrrr!" A third roar echoed, signaling the approach of the Chimera assigned to me.
Before proceeding, I turned to Uncle Ares.
"I assume you're unable to intervene, correct?"
He turned his head and replied, "No. If I interfere now, it's possible one of the gods on Olympus might report it to the God-King Zeus. That would give me plenty of headaches. But if it becomes absolutely necessary, I'll step in."
"Understood," I said, nodding, and moved toward my target without much concern.
With the sound of wind and light magic coursing through my body, I quickly closed the distance to the Chimera.
The creature's senses were clearly sharp, as its razor-sharp claws, enhanced with raw physical strength and speed, slashed toward me as I approached.
I raised my right hand.
"Ice Make: Shield."
A shield of ice materialized, halting the Chimera's claw.
With my left hand, I conjured two lances of light and sent them directly at its body.
One struck its front leg, while the other was caught and crushed in the serpent head that served as its tail. After destroying the lance, the serpent lunged toward me, jaws snapping.
"Spider's Web."
In response, a vast, sturdy web of fine, sharp threads appeared between us.
A loud impact followed as the Chimera collided with the web, but I could see and feel the threads wouldn't hold for long. Using my other hand, I summoned more fine, sharp threads, which shot into the sky and descended toward the Chimera like deadly rain.
The creature sensed the danger and tried to defend itself with its claws, retreating slightly to avoid some of the threads. However, with over a dozen descending upon it, a few managed to leave light cuts on its body.
"Although its regeneration is already healing these wounds, it's still a drain on its energy," I murmured, retreating to the side with the aid of wind magic and my movement technique.
"Ice Make: Attack of Vines and Roses."
A beautiful magic circle appeared, from which icy vines and roses emerged, rushing toward the Chimera. I poured a considerable amount of magic into the attack, infusing it with my understanding of ice.
The vines and roses moved quickly, with the roses targeting the creature's claws and tail, attempting to encase them in rose-shaped ice crystals. The vines coiled around its legs and body, cutting into its flesh with hidden thorns while trying to freeze it from the inside out.
Signs of frost appeared on the creature's surface and began invading deeper.
I accelerated my movements, appearing beside the Chimera with sharp, white threads radiating a dense energy in both hands.
With swift, claw-like motions, the threads seemed ready to slice the beast in half.
Realizing the danger, the Chimera retaliated with its claws, clashing against my attacks. The collision created shockwaves, and we seemed evenly matched for a moment. However, the cold continued to seep into its body, forcing it to retreat slightly.
Sensing its power rising as it fought to close the gap, I activated my Soul Energy. Using a technique tied to my phantom lineage, I amplified my offensive capabilities.
The threads turned darker with violet hues, easily overpowering the Chimera's claws and wounding it deeply.
"Roarrr!!"
An immense cry of pain echoed as my attack not only pierced its flesh but also injured its very spirit.
My gaze remained cold. These Chimeras had left my father in such a state, even under the influence of the Goddess. I wouldn't let it escape unscathed.
Taking advantage of its agony, I teleported into the sky, raising my left hand toward it.
From my hand, dense threads imbued with intense flames shot downward. Although the fire was created through friction and my Devil Fruit powers, the influence of my comprehension of divine flames within my soul made it far more dangerous than normal.
Another howl of pain resounded, somehow even more anguished. A gaping hole burned through a portion of the fearsome Chimera's body.
From a distance, the God of War observed, a slight tremor crossing his expression as he noted the cruelty and danger of my attacks.
"Well... he seems truly enraged with someone who hurt his father," Ares muttered, momentarily admiring the battle unfolding before him.