Chapter 31

Chapter 35

Susanoo's intense gaze locked onto Marcus, his words freezing Marcus in his tracks. The offer before him was weighty—to unlock his hidden potential and join forces against the Greeks. It was a chance that could reshape everything.

With both sides thirsting for revenge, the idea of collaboration seemed logical. "I think I get the idea," Marcus replied cautiously, the gravity of the situation settling in. "But I need the full story. Why this war against the Olympians?"

Susanoo's contemplative hum hung in the air, a mix of intrigue and surprise. "Most would jump at this chance without hesitation. Your skepticism is intriguing," he mused, stroking his beard as though seeking answers within its strands.

"I'll take it as a compliment, I guess," Marcus replied with a half-smile. "But I need to understand your motivations. Lay it out for me."

In an instant, the atmosphere shifted. Susanoo's demeanor transformed, his very presence growing heavier. His eyes turned into swirling vortexes, pulling Marcus in with their intensity. The storm within Susanoo seemed unleashed.

"Have you heard of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?" Susanoo's voice was deliberate, his words hanging in the air.

Marcus nodded, a solemn expression on his face.

"When we stood with Hades, we didn't expect Zeus's faction to stoop so low. Yes, our descendant caused chaos by bombing their harbor. But that was beyond our control. We were ready to make amends, to offer their heads as a sign of apology and withdraw from the war. They could've asked for anything, and we'd have given it willingly."

"But they crossed a line. They dropped atomic bombs on our lands," Susanoo's voice trembled with anger and grief, shaking the ground. "Thousands died—a tragedy diplomacy could've prevented. But those Olympians, those cursed gods, allowed the devastation."

The tremors subsided, leaving an electric charge in the air. "The world forgave them, but the gods, including me, won't. I'll do anything to avenge those lives, even take you as my disciple."

The sky darkened, clouds swirling ominously. Nature itself seemed to react to Susanoo's emotions.

Marcus felt a shiver down his spine. Susanoo's presence was overwhelming—both divine and terrifying. The boundary between gods and humans blurred in the face of his wrath.

Susanoo's mood shifted like a storm passing. Laughter filled the air. "Forgive my outburst—it's a quirk of mine," he said with an abrupt change of tone.

"I understand your anger. I can relate," Marcus replied, finding common ground.

"Thank you for understanding," Susanoo nodded, his expression softer.

"So, are you ready to accept?" Susanoo asked.

"I won't agree without assurances. Swear to me that your intent is revenge and that I won't be a pawn, swear to whatever you hold sacred," Marcus insisted.

Susanoo's lips quirked in a wry smile. He couldn't be bound by others' oaths, but he could make his own. It was a solemn promise, forged from his essence.

"You ask much, even of one of the Bright Three. But that audacity is intriguing. Fine," Susanoo agreed.

"I swear on the Grand Shrine of Ise to take Marcus Arkanghel as my disciple and uphold his purpose in accepting my offer," Susanoo's declaration seemed to weave an unseen bond.

"I accept being your disciple," Marcus affirmed, sealing their pact within the echoes of divine power and the energy of change that hung in the air.

****

The quest to find the bolt continues. The Oracle of Delphi gave Percy, Annabeth and Grover a quest to find the bolt. The prophecy said.

"In the edge of the land of the gods, there lies the fractioned lightning.

Be the son of the sea, the daughter of wisdom, and the spring of nature, retrieves what was once stolen.

When the weapon of the king is given back to its owner, must the whole Olympus prepare, for the one who was framed will return."

Now with the word framed in the picture, they are starting to think that maybe Marcus was indeed innocent.

And to prove that point, after the incident with Marcus Luke who was supposed to be the innocent one, wasn't seen anywhere in the camp ever since then. Some said that he was away on another quest to regain his honor but it was fairly obvious what happened especially to Annabeth.

But she was still in denial of it, so she decided instead of pouring all of her mind into worries she should just focus on the quest right now.

****

In the realm of ancient Japan, where the moon's glow held a mesmerizing allure, there existed a tale of Tsukuyomi, a celestial deity who danced between light and shadow.

Long ago, when the world was young and the heavens were close, Tsukuyomi was born from the left eye of the primordial god Izanagi. Radiant and serene, he embodied the tranquility of the moonlit nights. With each shimmering beam of moonlight that graced the Earth, Tsukuyomi's essence was felt, casting a serene glow that whispered of ancient magic.

Tsukuyomi's domain lay in the mysterious hours between dusk and dawn, when the sun and moon exchanged their roles. It was during one of these twilight moments that Tsukuyomi found himself drawn into a banquet hosted by Amaterasu, the radiant sun goddess. Amaterasu's grandeur was undeniable, her brilliance casting aside any shadows in her presence.

As the divine banquet unfolded, Tsukuyomi's gaze fell upon a wondrous feast laid out before him. Yet, the tale takes a twist in this celestial tale. The food had been prepared by Uke Mochi, the goddess of food and nourishment, using her magical abilities. The feast presented itself in an unconventional manner—as the goddess brought forth food from her very body, crafting dishes from her eyes, nose, and mouth.

Witnessing this unconventional creation, Tsukuyomi's soul recoiled. He was filled with a mixture of astonishment, disgust, and disrespect. The beauty of Uke Mochi's magic was eclipsed by his inability to understand her unconventional ways. In a moment of profound emotion, Tsukuyomi drew his sword and slew Uke Mochi, bringing a sudden end to the feast.

The heavens trembled, and the delicate balance between sun and moon was shattered. Amaterasu, upon learning of the grim deed, was stricken with grief and fury. The celestial bond between siblings fractured, and Amaterasu swore to never again set eyes upon Tsukuyomi.

From that moment on, the moon and sun were destined to forever grace the skies separately. Tsukuyomi's radiance, once a soothing companion to Amaterasu's brilliance, became a distant luminary, illuminating the world only in the tranquil hours of night.

Tsukuyomi, forever haunted by the memory of his impulsive act, withdrew from the realms of the divine, choosing solitude over the company of fellow gods.

He withdrew all of his divine activity in the mortal world and the Japanese Pantheon however after the incident with Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he was once again awakened and he involved himself into worldly matters.

"Hmmm so Susanoo managed to get a weight to bring the tip of the balance into our side," Tsukoyomi said as he gazed down upon the mortal world.

"Soon…. Yes…. Soon I will give the head of those Olympians to Amaterasu as an apology,"