The Chosen Crew of the Argo
We had spent the day in Iolcos Palace, and only the cream of the heroic crop had been permitted to board the Argo.
A carefully selected fifty-strong elite.
Of course, not everyone bore the same heroic lineage as Peleus or Bellerophon. There were even rogues who declared themselves descendants of heroes without receiving any prophecy or oracle. But when someone boasted like that, it was because they truly had the strength, or else they were simply empty-mouthed scoundrels. So it was simple: just pick the ones who actually qualified.
At first a handful had grumbled about taking on a child like Perseus 2 or a weak woman like Iolaus. Yet no matter how powerful someone was, calming a storm or stilling waves was impossible. Thanks to Jason’s persuasion, the complaints died down. Of course, since their voices weren’t understood, there were those who charged forward with raw physical force. But Perseus 2 simply used his miracle to settle the matter through strength alone.
We’ll skip the details of that.
After that, the story ends simply: no one was annoying Perseus with complaints anymore.
“Follow Jason-sama!”
“Woooooow!!!”
“We’ll be waiting!!!”
From the distant shore, people lined up to shout, wishing us a safe return. The eleventh Jason had always been a youth who won hearts even before he became king of Iolcos, and his current appearance perfectly showed that popularity. Jason, in turn, waved back to them until the mist of the horizon swallowed their forms.
“Oh~! Killing popularity? If you die even by accident, Iolcos will turn into a funeral home?”
“So we have to succeed in this expedition, even if just to avoid that. You can rely on us, Heracles 4th.”
“Who the hell are you calling me ‘you’~! I’ll smash any expedition straight to hell, so relax.”
Jason and Heracles 4th were forming a close friendship. Even while they bantered, Heracles kept rowing, his muscles flexing and the ship surging forward noticeably. Everyone cheered at the sheer power, amazed by the vessel itself. For this was the most massive warship in the age.
‘Why does such a huge ship even exist? I figured it’d be a standard trireme at best… but this…’
Especially Perseus 2, who carried modern knowledge, was stunned.
*Knock knock.*
Today, he knocked his head twice to open the Wisdom Pouch, and it answered as follows.
“The old Argo was offered to Poseidon, so this new Argo is a freshly built ship.”
“The Argo carried fifty passengers when it carried the ancestor Jason—records vary slightly, but that’s the number. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, personally prepared the ship plans, which is why it was possible. A man named Argo built the vessel in Argos. In truth, this is not a human-prepared ship. It’s an anomaly for its era, but that’s fine.”
“Although not widely known, the Argo used very special materials: timber from the Dodona Forest. Located in the Epirus Mountains, the Dodona Forest is a sacred site containing the temple of the supreme god Zeus. There are even myths that Zeus himself grew up in a cradle made from its trees. Because of this, the timber is called sacred wood.”
“Thus, the Argo was designed by Athena’s wisdom, its hull built from Zeus’s lightning-protected sacred timber, and its prow crowned with a Hera statue to secure divine power. It is unmistakably the greatest ship of this age. It borrowed strength from three of the Twelve Gods, so calling it merely a warship is an understatement.”
Athena, Zeus, and Hera—three gods’ power woven into one vessel. While this made it sound like a monster to Perseus, he decoded it precisely.
‘Name: Eleventh Argo (Argo)’
‘Hull: Modified Trireme’
‘Length 37.5 m, Beam 6.5 m, Crew of fifty heroes, the supreme monster warship of the age, built according to Athena’s wisdom. Famous for ruling the eastern Mediterranean in the early fifth century BC. An object that should never have existed in this era.’
Thinking that way, Perseus felt genuine chills, sweat beading on his forehead. Still holding the Wisdom Pouch, he stroked the deck. The information compressed itself into something game-like.
‘Designer – Athena’
‘Hull – Zeus’s timber (lightning-resistant)’
‘Prow – Hera’s statue (navigation/disease protection)’
‘Primary offensive power – Heracles 4th’
It really did look like specs from a naval combat game. Entertaining, but Perseus decided there was nothing more to learn from it. He closed the Wisdom Pouch and turned his full attention to rowing alongside the others. In his adult form, he wasn’t as tired as he would have been racing his son, and he even chatted happily with everyone.
Throughout the conversation, everyone explained the same reason they had joined.
Deeds, deeds, deeds, deeds, deeds…
The Greek men who had thrown themselves into the Argo so they could leave their name like their ancestors. A few offered slightly different motives; the clearest was from Antiope.
“How did you end up all the way here? Coming down from the Amazons isn’t exactly common.”
“I have the same reason as Jason. Succeed here, win glory, claim the queen’s throne. We Amazons value glory just as much as you do.”
“Hey, I hear you try to cover the men once a year to keep the seed alive~? Is that true~?”
“You’re a muscular pig. If you get any ideas, my sharp arrows will punch through your forehead. Ready to die? Then fight.”
“Fierce~! That’s exactly what a crew for this ship needs.”
Antiope’s personality matched her bold looks. With her sun-tanned skin and quick temper, she was an especially effective stimulant for the Greek men’s lust. They gave her lascivious glances, and Achilles did the same.
“What’s with the staring, you horny bastards.”
Of course, Achilles couldn’t stay silent. “If you want to grope my body, die once and come back!” he spat. Her reaction was far more genuine than anyone expected—her black hair stood on end in pure fury. Thanks to that, the men lost their smirks, and everyone remembered she was a true hero.
“Oh, stop getting angry. Everyone called you pretty!”
“If you’re that worked up over a little praise, you’re in trouble.”
“Listen carefully, Jason! I have zero intention of mocking or belittling the expedition leader! But if anyone looks at you like that, I’ll rip their eyeballs out! Got it?!”
“Your reaction is over the top. Yesterday you were laughing fine. Why the sudden change?”
“Yesterday’s men were reliable! In that sense, the ones I met today are fine! But the ones I met today? Their credit is still zero!”
“You praised me…”
“Hmph, I don’t brag about looks, but I get that much praise every day! After listening to all that sweet talk, I wonder how many women here have been raped! This place is just a rape den!”
“Hahahaha! No way~! Our heroes may lack chastity, but they’d never do that among comrades—”
“—Oh! Jason! Can I climb on you tonight and take the night shift at the helm?!”
“Whoa! Cancel that order right now! This isn’t a rape den like Achilles said!”
‘Hahahahahahaha!!!!’
At the sudden, shameless flirt from Ancaeus, Jason instinctively cupped his own backside. The heroes, already tense from Achilles’s words, burst into loud laughter. Someone had clearly planned the timing.
“You thought I was just gay, but you read the mood perfectly?”
“Of course! If you can’t read the mood, you’ll never get laid! At least I’m better at it than Orpheus over there~!”
After Antiope’s praise, Ancaeus puffed out his chest and jabbed Orpheus with his elbow. Reading the mood, he flicked his lyre and flashed a bright smile.
“I was playing the lyre quietly today, and you just jumped in like that. It’s a little embarrassing~! …Hm? No, wait! This is also one of the interests… Hey, are you trying to seduce me? You little tease~!”
“Sorry. You’re not my type.”
“Oh, Ancaeus? You’re also picky about men!”
“Meleager! Think before you speak! If you embrace him, you’ll be listening to a day-long, mixed-up lyre sound right beside your bed!”
“I hate that! Just imagining it gives me chills! I accept that! Hahaha!”
‘Hahahahahaha!!!!’
Between the men’s booming laughter, Calais fluttered her pure white wings and suddenly felt interest in Achilles—the same woman. “Is he her husband? It was too much energy!” she blurted, pointing straight at Perseus. Achilles’s chin bobbed in confirmation, and all the men sighed in unison.
“Hahahaha! What a shame. She already belongs to someone.”
Especially Jason, who had been harmonizing the crew’s mood, laughed coldly and mocked them all. So many heroes had ruined their lives by touching married women; they no longer dared approach Achilles. Jason quickly changed targets.
“So what about you, Calais? Married already?”
“My sister? Hahaha! You’re kidding!”
“…Zetes?”
“Ugh. You’re unusually loose today.”
After glaring at his brother, Calais swept her white hair back, flashed an oily smile, and blinked her blue eyes at Jason. She seemed far more interested in the men here than the other two.
“Why are you so interested in some girl’s love story?”
“How many women in this world would stand beside the men here? It’s normal for everyone to get interested, right? So I’m just asking as the expedition leader.”
“Heh, well spoken~! Relax! I’ll just tell you I’m not as tightly wrapped as Antiope or Achilles. If you’re interested, how about showing me a good side during this expedition?”
Calais swept her white hair dramatically and struck a stylish pose. Jason froze for a second under her deliberate seduction, but Zetes didn’t miss it.
“Did you hear that, you men~? My sister says if you show her a good side during this expedition, she’ll remember you~! Show me a good side right now~! Come on, come on~!”
“…Huh?”
‘Woooooooooo!!!!’
Zetes spread his wings and delivered a splendid call-to-arms. The men followed the mood and roared. The rowing sped up even more, and the surrounding scenery blurred past faster.
‘Hmm…’
A smile spread across Jason’s face as he thought about it.
‘I was worried the expedition would turn weird with women on board, but it’s actually fortunate. Before the women, there are just heroes—perfectly compatible.’
No one didn’t know what happened when Greek heroes mixed with women. Most heroes’ lives only went downhill once they got involved with women. Perseus 2 had worried the same might happen here, but everyone seemed fine.
‘More importantly…’
Jason’s worries vanished as the waves began to surge.
It wasn’t a storm, but three sudden whirlpools were truly grotesque.
A situation that should never have existed.
In other words, an encounter with a monster.
“Hey, what’s happening?!”
“Jason! A descendant of the sea goddess Charybdis has appeared!!!”
“Hahaha! The incarnation of the whirlpool has shown herself!”
*Clatter clatter clatter!*
Jason released the oars, stood, and jumped overboard. He joined the man watching the prow and engraved the mythical scene he had longed for into his eyes. This was the mythic achievement he had desired more than anything. Like Jason, the other heroes set down their oars and joined him. None could hide their shock.
They saw it.
Suddenly, three whirlpools appeared on the calm sea, and at their center rose an enormously deep, grotesque maw.
‘GRRRRRROOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’
It was a monster that swallowed every drop of water around it and bit ships in half.
‘Just looking makes me shiver! But this is exactly it! This is what we came to the sea for!’
Even with the whirling teeth and the colossal maw churning to swallow everything in sight, Jason didn’t wipe away his sweat. He laughed savagely. Of course, the heroes felt the same thrill; no one would back down.
“Proceed as planned! Everyone focus only on their assigned tasks! ──Understood?!”
‘Woooooooooo!!!!’
A battle at sea began with the heroes’ cheers.
At first tense, it quickly turned fierce. The opponent was no mere creature—it was fifty heroic descendants.
The fight was brutal and the result inevitable…
Only a monster could possibly defeat fifty expert monster hunters? No way.