You're Next

"For now,"

I spoke up.

In this situation, refusing would only put me at a disadvantage. Poseidon was the master of Odysseia. I had to stay on his good side.

"I'll give you my answer after I return."

"No."

But Poseidon shook his head. Without the slightest hesitation, he said to me,

"Declare it right here. Only then will I grant you the right to hunt the Cyclops."

Damn it.

So it wouldn't work after all? I'd been trying to dodge, but he cut off every escape route without fail.

I looked up at Poseidon. Real fury was boiling up inside me. Why the hell did I have to make this goddamn choice because of this one bastard?

Fuck, please just spare me!

This was genuine terror. A world of ancient Greece where everyone—man or woman—fell for you. What the hell even existed for? Whose paradise was this supposed to be?

Whose? Fuck, it's a paradise for lunatics like Zeus.

Ah—ah! Snap out of it! If I let myself fracture or go completely insane, it was over. I had to keep my head screwed on straight and think of a way out. Surrendering to the madness would screw me for good.

"I—I underst…"

But how was I supposed to say it? My mouth simply wouldn't open. One word of agreement, and from that day forward I'd be reduced to Poseidon's personal onahole. Holy shit. Thinking about it, that was one hell of a grotesque ending.

"Haa… haa…"

My breathing fell apart on its own. Poseidon watched me with what looked like concern and stepped closer.

You crazy bastard! Don't reach out so gently! It gives me the creeps!

"Are you all right?"

"I—I'm fine."

I was not fine at all. It felt like my breath might stop completely.

"I am…"

I clenched my teeth and carefully floated my opinion.

"I am a heterosexual."

"I know."

…?

He knew? And he still wanted me to become his hero?

"But I am confident."

Poseidon grinned slyly and rested a hand on my shoulder. His blue eyes regarded me in perfect calm. A chill unlike anything before ran down my spine.

"That conquering you…"

Oh, for the love of—

In that moment I could only desperately call out to some god who was not a Greek one.

Save me! Somebody help!

"…with this body of mine should be more than enough, no?"

"I—I…!"

I'd fled thinking Zeus was the only problem, only to find another cliff waiting right in front of me. Despair crashed through my entire body.

"I…!"

I forced my mouth open. Squeezing my eyes shut, I shouted,

"I will…! Do it…!"

Tears streaming down my face, I had no choice but to accept in the end. Crushed by the silent pressure leaking from Poseidon's eyes and the despair that came with it, I collapsed straight onto the floor.

Poseidon naturally and gently lifted me back up. The way he stroked my back and shoulders was, to anyone watching, pure caressing.

Haa… ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠haa…

My breathing turned ragged. My head spun. A full-blown panic attack was setting in.

"You may withdraw for now."

At Poseidon's soft words I fled the temple ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as if running for my life.

Staring at the risen percentage, I found myself sobbing.

"So you ended up accepting it after all?"

"What else was I supposed to do!"

The moment I returned to Hecate's cabin I collapsed face-down on the table and bawled. Hecate looked down at me with pure pity.

"You fool. You could have simply said you were my hero."

"Most of your power is sealed, Lady Hecate!"

Fuck, how was she planning to stand against the other gods in that state?

"Th-that may be true, but still! Are you mocking me?!"

Hecate's face flushed scarlet as she raised both fists and shouted at me.

"If it's that hard, just go beg that fine goddess of yours!"

Did she think I hadn't wanted to? I couldn't, damn it!

"If anyone, she's the one I want to go to most!"

"Then why…!"

"There are circumstances that keep me from it!"

Even in front of Hecate, the words "I fucked a virgin goddess" simply would not leave my mouth. Strictly speaking she was still part of this ancient Greece. If I carelessly admitted I'd taken a virgin goddess and she cut me off for it, I was finished that very day. Until the Status Window flashed a message of complete submission, I could not afford to let my guard down.

"Uwaaaaaaaah!"

Hecate watched me scream, folded her arms, and let out a long sigh.

"You've finally broken, haven't you."

It was over. Completely over. I had stood before a god and sworn to become his hero. I had made the vow! Now I would become Poseidon's onahole and never escape for the rest of my life. I couldn't even thrash anymore!

At this rate…

No.

I snapped back to myself and jerked my head up. At the sudden change in my demeanor Hecate flinched and edged away, startled.

"Have you finally gone mad?"

Wait. Think.

"I didn't swear on the River Styx, did I?"

Had Poseidon deliberately taken a step back? Probably. He must have known how strong my revulsion would be after I declared myself heterosexual, and cut me a little slack.

But that is exactly the opening I can use to break free.

The only chance to slip out of his clutches. This was not something I could escape with Status Window, skills, and blessings alone.

"My lady."

I asked Hecate whether the plan I had already been forming might actually work.

"If I can take down the Cyclops single-handedly, would that be enough to draw Athena's gaze?"

Hecate nodded.

"That would be more than enough. She would probably even descend."

She grunted and scrambled up onto the chair, then stood on both feet and thrust a finger high toward the ceiling as she spoke.

"A hero with looks coveted by every god of Olympus—including Zeus—and the combat power to defeat a monster alone? Impossible to resist!"

Was she serious?

I stared hard at Hecate. At first she met my eyes, then gradually looked away, her face turning red.

"D-don't look at me like that. It's embarrassing."

Cute.

"It's because you're cute, my lady."

"D-don't say things like that!"

She yelled at the top of her lungs. I chuckled. The crushing helplessness, the self-loathing born of despair, and the foul mood that had been eating me all began to lift a little.

"You're certain?"

"Of course!"

Hecate puffed out her cheeks and glared at me. She clearly thought she looked furious, but to my eyes she just looked like a hamster putting on a show.

"Athena is extremely greedy for heroes! She will definitely appear!"

"In that case…"

When the goddess herself said it so firmly, the least I could do was listen. I rose from my seat. Hecate watched in silence as I prepared.

"Homeron."

Her voice suddenly sounded moist, so I lifted my head. Hecate's eyes had softened; she gazed at me with quiet melancholy.

"What is it?"

Click.

I buckled the belt around my body and equipped the sword and combat gear I had bought at Ares's temple. Then I raised Hestia's sacred relic.

"I was about to head out hunting right now."

"Will you be all right?"

Hecate asked seriously. Her question stabbed deep into a corner of my heart.

"If you defeat the Cyclops, Poseidon will notice immediately. He might even arrive before Athena…"

A sigh escaped me on its own.

Thud!

I tucked the relic into my waist and walked over to her. I planted both hands on ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Hecate's shoulders ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and locked eyes with her.

"W-what? Don't tell me you're trying to seduce me…!"

I spoke straight into her flaming-red face.

"Lady Hecate."

"Y-yes?"

"No one wants to die more than I do."

I laid my true feelings bare.

"Fuck, just thinking I might get fucked by those bastards makes my whole body crawl."

Hecate froze. When had a human ever said something like that to her? Even so, I poured out everything inside me. Right now she was the only person I could be completely honest with.

"No, fuck. A man is supposed to fuck a woman—why the hell are they openly declaring they're going to fuck a man? And why does it have to be me?"

I shoved her shoulders away, drew a long breath, and looked back at her.

"I can't stand it like this."

"W-what can't you stand?"

"When Athena shows up…"

I glanced at Hecate from the corner of my eye and declared it outright.

"Even if she's a virgin goddess, I'm going to fuck her."

"Euk!"

Hecate flinched. She and Hestia had discussed it before, but this was the first time she had heard it come directly from my mouth. A mere human forcibly shattering the absolute law of virgin goddesses that had been handed down since ancient Greece. Yet that intense sense of taboo must have wrapped around her entire body, because a strange little smile was playing on her lips.

"And."

I stepped closer. Right up to Hecate's face. My lips hovered a breath away from hers. I could feel her hot breath.

"You're next."

Leaving Hecate sitting there with her legs gone weak, I walked out of the cabin.

To hunt Athena.