Ocean Song let out a small sigh, flicking his wrist, a few dozen droplets of water shot out, piercing through the heads of some low-level monsters.
The kind of monsters that indulged in their instincts above higher thinking.
Thankfully, and noticeably, it seems that monster attacks had been reduced since his arrival in the city.
And not just because he'd been killing the ones disobeying his warnings.
It had been well over a week now since his proclamation of ownership over the city, and it seemed that the majority of the monster population was adhering to his new rules.
Despite reforming eventually, no monster wanted to die. It was painful, annoying and a dreadful experience all around.
Tartarus was not a nice place, even for Monsters.
And then they had to crawl back out of the pit, avoiding things in the realm of the Underworld in order to make it back to the human world. Who knows how many years that would take?
He was sure there was something else as well. He was highly unlikely that a Monster didn't lose….something every time they died and came back. Be it part of themselves, their mind, or even their power as a price.
Giving it some thought, it seemed like Monsters in modern day – or most things compared to their older status – are….weaker? Comparaitively to their myths, he recalled their appearances from his previous life, and it certainly seemed like they degraded a degree or two over the years.
Perhaps it was a happenstance of their constant reformation in the depths of Tartarus.
Regardless, Ocean Song had a goal for today. Cleaning up the stray troublemakers was something he considered simply a chore at this point and not worth mentioning.
He collected a great deal of trophies and various odds and ends that he felt like the one receiving them would be happy!
He had been staying at the small campsite he made previously when he hosted that Demi-God, and he even started building a small house!
It was slow going.
Mostly because he had no idea how to build a house. Stacking trees on top of each other proved to be incorrect.
His Father didn't respond when he questioned him why he didn't have that kind of talent when he should be an expert crafted by default!
However, he put such thoughts to the side and lit up a proper brazier he had procured and created a proper altar to the Goddess of Magic.
With everything set up, and a literal pile of monster parts as tall as he was, he sat down and slowly started throwing the trophies into the fire.
Minutes, hours, he lost track of time as the massive pile slowly decreased, each of the trophies disappearing into the brazier, accepted as an offering from the other side.
He grabbed a horn of something or another – he didn't remember where it came from – and he tossed it into the brazier nonchalantly, only for it to be set firing back out, bouncing off his head and knocking him back.
A familiar darkness descended as a Goddess appeared on the mortal plane once more.
"Do you have nothing better to do than to send all this trash in my workshop!?" She let out a huff, stepping out and kicking over the pile of materials.
Ocean Song sat back up, just happy that she appeared. He didn't think she would, he was just hoping for acknowledgement! "Greetings Goddess Hecate!" He clasped his hands politely towards her. "To what do I owe your personal visit?"
Her lips thinned as she looked at the stupid cyclops infront of her. "Do you think it's normal for monster parts to be sacrificed to me constantly over the course of hours?"
"Do you….not like my offering?" He asked with a strange look.
The Goddess Hecate glanced his way her projection of annoyance cracked ever so slightly. She waved her hand, and all the monster parts disappeared. "They are…. acceptable and…useful, even if nothing of extraordinary quality was among them." She admitted, crossing her arms.
Ocean Song looked down. "If you desire, I will stop – "
She kicked him over – gently – with another annoyed huff, not even giving him a proper verbal response.
"What do you want as a reward?" She turned away.
"This lowly Cyclops requires no reward, Great Goddess. As long as they make you happy, I'm content." Ocean Song smiled.
Hecate scowled and marched over, grabbing his mouth and pulling him up to eye level. "When a God asks you what you want for a reward, you answer. Do you understand?"
Ocean Song, unable to speak, nodded.
"Good." She dropped him, her expression for a brief moment turned faintly gentle as her gaze swept past him before returning to normal. "It's in our nature." She decided to explain to him properly. "Mortals worship us, and we bestow blessings upon them. If you reject outright a God telling you to request a reward, it can be insulting to the God. Gods to not like owing Mortals. And if you refuse a reward, they may become paranoid about your intentions."
Ocean Song didn't consider that. "What if I wanted to postpone a reward and build up to a bigger reward?"
"Then speak openly about your intent and what you desire." She said simply. "It is not wise to reject a God without a good reason to placate him."
"Would stating that your presence is enough of a reward be an insult?" Ocean Song smiled.
"Stop speaking nonsense, you're testing my patience." She rolled her eyes. However, there was the briefest illusion of a smile from her before being quickly squashed. "Now, tell me what you want as a reward."
"This one does admit he has a few things he wants, I intended to extor – request a reward from my father. If it is not too much trouble….I have a list." Ocean Song offered, producing said piece of parchment.
A list.
She went through the effort of getting him to properly ask for a reward, and he had a list already prepared.
Hecate scowled, snatching it out of his hands. Once more, she had a similar thought regarding him.
If she didn't know he was actually an idiot, it felt like he was intentionally being a little shit.
She looked it over.
A bag that is bigger on the inside. That's rather common and easily producible. Hardly worth the number of offerings she received. Second was a gourd with the same properties, able to hold a larger amount of liquid than what should be possible. Slightly…..odder, but just as easy to produce as the first.
Lastly, the third thing on the list had her furrow her brow.
It was a very detailed description and even a scribble to go along with it for a visual regarding a set of clothing he wanted.
Three small things, well, she wouldn't be stingy.
Despite calling the offering trash, it was rather convenient. She was a Goddess, she wasn't going to go out and collect these kinds of low level materials herself. The best of which could be said to only be moderately valuable and impressive. That being from a Drakon of all things.
Which was impressive that he slew one so soon.
There were many branches of Magic and Witchcraft that utilized Monster Parts, especially for new practitioners. She had a few daughters that could use these materials to a greater extent than she would.
She put the list away. "Do you intend to do something absurd again with your body and nearly kill yourself? I believe this is the longest I've seen that you haven't tried to kill yourself in new and fantastical ways."
"Great Goddess, I admit that my Cultivation has stagnated to this point. I will need to meditate to understand the next path in my Cultivation." Ocean Song quickly stated.
At this point, she was used to him throwing out nonsense and could interpret his words to some extent.
She understood that he hasn't found a new way to kill himself or do something absurd.
Yet.
Deciding that she was done, she disappeared, going to work on the reward for him.
(Line Break)
Ocean Song mediated.
It had been three days since Hecate had left and after admitting he didn't know what to do next with his Cultivation, he resolved himself to figure it out.
After spending a lot of time on it, he came to a realization, his Golden Core could be improved!
His Golden Core was mixed with his inherited Divinity and the Qi he absorbed. However, what if it was purely Divinity as Divinity is a higher form of Qi!?
He would slowly convert all Qi of his Golden Core into Divinity, that seemed like the correct path.
As for his Monster Core, it was the same.
However, instead of Divinity, he would be refining his Monster Essence until it was made of purely such.
He recalled the tales of the Primordial Cyclops, a type of God in its own right that didn't lose to the Titans of old.
Both paths reached towards the heavens, and they were combined in his singular body!
Truly, he was blessed with talent in Cultivation.
While engrossed in his Cultivation, his eyes suddenly shot open because a bunch of objects fell onto the ground infront of him.
He wasn't even unhappy because he had been waiting for these!
Without hesitation, he quickly grabbed the new clothes, carefully and rather awkwardly, he attempted to put them on. After….several attempts, and about thirty minutes of nearly falling over, he tightened the strings on his boots, and pulled his hair back, tying it back properly.
He grabbed the storage pouch and tied it to his waist. He did a double take because there were things inside it as well.
A few books on magic, and some supplies to draw talismans!
He felt a happiness in his heart and smiled knowing that the Goddess bestowed on him a gift beyond a 'reward'. He would need to make sure and give her a proper thanks later.
And on his opposite, he tied his gourd as well.
As a proper cultivator, he should have a gourd of alcohol to drink from….for reasons. He was actually never really much of a drinker in his past life, but it was something a cultivator would do!
With his sword in hand, he felt like a true and proper cultivator!
It was true what they said, clothes really do make the man. And Ocean Song felt elegant and refined in his new clothing.
He summoned a cool breeze, letting the winds bellow through his hair and his new black and blue cultivator robes.
With a newfound – albeit already possessed – confidence, he threw his sword out and hopped onto it, shooting into the sky.
He held his hands behind his back, with a smile on his face.
It was then that he had a great thought.
He should go find his brother that lives in this city!
(Line Break)
A/N
Smaller chapter, but Ocean Song is now dressed for success and going to find his brother.
If you want to read one chapter ahead of this snippet, or support me, go to my p.a.t.r.e.o.n.c.o.m / astoryforone