Cronus.
Jason truly had not expected to encounter him as soon as he arrived here.
What luck this was!
But at the same time, what misfortune!
At this moment, Cronus was looking at Jason with slight surprise, gazing at the mortal before him.
And at the Nether Butterfly beside Jason that had not disappeared.
"What is your relationship with Hecate?"
Jason sighed lightly.
This was truly the worst possible meeting.
And this time, due to the circumstances, Jason had not been able to perform prior simulations or deliberations.
He could only walk the tightrope!
"Great god, greetings, Lord Cronus."
Jason respectfully bowed to Cronus, then raised his head and said to him, "I am a student of Teacher Hecate. This time, I have come to this Abyss precisely to seek you, great god!"
"You are looking for Cronus?"
Upon hearing this, before Cronus could speak, the God of the Abyss, Tartarus, looked at Jason in confusion and said, "What do you want with him?"
After all, Cronus was the king of the second-generation divine court, who had been abandoned by the era and was destined to be eternally suppressed in the Abyss!
"It must be because of my power."
Cronus looked thoughtfully at Jason and said, "Your body clearly bears wounds caused by my power."
"Exactly." Jason admitted this candidly and said, "My heart was wounded by your power, great Lord Cronus. Even my teacher could not heal it, so I ventured to this land of the Endless Abyss.
In hopes of seeking your help."
Jason stated the matter directly. Although it was not the wisest choice, Jason had no other options.
Because Cronus had seen at a glance the traces of his power on Jason's body, and he had also seen the familiar of Hecate's Goddess, the Nether Butterfly, floating beside him.
"Did Hecate not tell you about the relationship between her and me?"
Cronus said indifferently, looking at Jason without a word.
His gaze seemed extremely cold.
And before the hesitant Jason could reply.
"I say, you are at least the grand king of the Titan divine court. What is the point of quarreling with a child?"
Tartarus interjected into the conversation and said to Cronus, "He is just a child. From what I know, he has only been born for a little over ten years.
Ten years. You could close and open your eyes more times than that, right?"
Upon hearing this, Cronus was stunned for a moment.
He looked at Tartarus, who was protecting Jason, then at Jason.
After thinking for a while, he could not help but laugh and shake his head.
"The interesting child you mentioned, Tartarus, must be him. This chessboard is the tribute he gave you, right?"
"Exactly." Tartarus nodded, stroking his white beard and smiling as he said, "How about it? This tribute is pretty good, is it not!"
"Indeed, it is good. Since that is the case, then offer me a tribute as well." Cronus thought for a moment, then looked at Jason again.
"Retracting the divine power remaining in your body is as simple as breathing for me.
But since you are a student of Hecate, I naturally cannot help you without reason.
Thus, a tribute. As long as you can offer me something as interesting as this game called Go, I will retract the divine power remaining in your body and free you from the torment of my power."
Upon hearing this, Jason could not help but look at Cronus in surprise.
He had not expected the other party to be so accommodating.
But soon, the quick-witted Jason looked toward the God of the Abyss, Tartarus, beside him.
He understood that the main reason was still on account of Tartarus's face.
Otherwise, as the king of the Titan divine court, he would probably not even bother to blink at a insignificant thing like him, who was not even a god.
Thinking of this, Jason awakened once more.
He realized that this journey was not as difficult as they had imagined.
Because, facing someone as minuscule as him, for Cronus as the Titan king, he was too lazy even to think of tormenting him.
But at the same time, it was not simple either.
Because, by the same logic, for Cronus, who saw Jason as so insignificant, under normal circumstances, there would probably not even be a possibility of him listening to Jason speak or glancing at him.
"A tribute as interesting as Go. This is good!"
Hearing Cronus's words, Tartarus's eyes lit up. He looked at Jason and said, "Boy, can you produce something like that? If you cannot, it is fine. I can have him temporarily suppress the power in your body for now.
Set a time limit, and when you are prepared, come back here to offer the tribute to him."
Tartarus felt that Jason producing Go last time was already impressive enough. It was impossible for him to produce a second tribute as interesting as Go in such a short time.
Cronus thought the same. Just as he was pondering how many years' time limit to give this minuscule existence.
"A tribute as interesting as Go."
Jason murmured softly, his eyes lighting up slightly. Then he said to Tartarus, "No need, Lord Tartarus. I have already thought of the tribute!"
"So fast?"
Tartarus looked at Jason in slight astonishment and said, "Are you sure?
If you dare to pass off something inferior, not to mention Cronus, even I will not acknowledge it!"
As he spoke, Tartarus's expression became serious.
Clearly, he truly liked Go very much, though he played it terribly.
"Which is superior between the two, I naturally cannot say, but in terms of interest, that one is absolutely an interesting tribute as well!"
Jason said this to Tartarus with great confidence.
Seeing Jason so full of confidence and not seeming to boast.
Tartarus, in his surprise, naturally became curious.
Even Cronus grew curious.
And soon after, not long passed before Tartarus manifested the item Jason required in the Abyss, as per his request.
Soon, Tartarus and Cronus looked at the object Jason had placed on the stone table. After curiously examining it for a good while, Tartarus could not help but look at Jason and ask, "Boy, what is this thing again?"
"Chinese chess."
Jason did not keep it a secret. He pointed at the already set-up chessboard and smiled at Tartarus as he said, "This is called Chinese chess. There are thirty-two pieces, half red and half black, with each side holding one color.
The rules are also very simple.
The red side is led by the general, commanding two advisors, two elephants, two chariots, two horses, two cannons, and five soldiers.
The black side is led by the king, commanding two guards, two ministers, two chariots, two horses, two cannons, and five pawns.
During play, the two sides take turns moving pieces. The win is achieved by 'checkmating' or 'trapping' the opponent's king (general)!"
After speaking, Jason respectfully bowed to Cronus and sat down across from him.
While explaining the specific rules, he played a game against Cronus.
Through a simple practical match, he showed the two the exact way to play.
Not long after, once Jason ended the match with a simple chariot press, horse jump, and general seal.
Cronus and Tartarus's eyes both lit up slightly. Clearly, they had fully understood the rules of Chinese chess.
After all, it was simple to begin with.
One could even learn it without a teacher just by watching a couple of games from the side.
But though it was simple, this was undoubtedly a cultural treasure, so how could it truly be simple?
Once Cronus and Tartarus understood the rules, Cronus's brows suddenly furrowed deeply.
He looked at the chessboard before him.
After a long time, his expression suddenly became extremely serious. He said in a deep voice, "Little one, help me reset this chessboard!"
Jason was slightly stunned, then stood up and placed all the pieces back in their original positions.
He then saw Cronus staring silently at the chessboard for a very long time.
When he finally stood up, he moved one step as black, then one step as red, as if bargaining with someone.
With every step, he paused to think for a long time.
It was as if he was recalling some event.
Later, with every step black moved, red would move several steps.
When the black pieces were eaten down to just one king, one guard, one minister, and two pawns.
Looking at the full red side's chessboard opposite, and the pieces eaten by the red side, Cronus's expression appeared exceptionally complex.
After a long sigh, he said, "Sigh, it is not an unfair loss."
Jason, seeing Cronus like this, could not help but look puzzled toward Tartarus.
While Tartarus, looking at the final state of the board, showed a thoughtful expression on his face and nodded. "Indeed, your loss is not unfair.
After all, even the guard most loyal to you was eaten by the opponent.
Cronus, you were completely checkmated by Metis."
Metis?
Jason blinked.
This name was somewhat familiar to him.
Soon, Jason reacted. This was Athena's mother, the first-generation Goddess of Wisdom, Metis!
Wait, that meant the chessboard before him was...
Jason looked at the current board, where the red side had not lost a single soldier, then at the black side's board for Cronus.
After understanding the meaning of this board's setup, he could not help but feel a chill in his heart!
Clearly, this board represented the outcome left by the war between Zeus and Cronus!
What Cronus had just reenacted was everything that happened in that ancient war between him and Zeus!
"Back then, when Zeus listened to Metis's strategy and rescued his brothers and sisters, that was merely setting up this board formally.
But soon, she had Zeus gradually dismantle the power around you, taking away one Titan god after another from your side.
And when you finally realized it, by your side, there was only one guard, one minister, and two pawns left."
As Tartarus spoke, he placed one chariot and one cannon in front of the black king.
Checkmate!
And in that instant, through this chessboard, Cronus seemed to see himself in the past, firmly grasped by the Hundred-Handed Ones' hundred arms, roaring in helpless fury.
Cursing Zeus angrily, and raging at the Titan gods who betrayed him...
"Little one."
Only after a long time did Cronus speak, looking at Jason. He said, "This tribute, I, Cronus, accept it!"