White clouds drifted lazily across the sky, and the sun warmed Eros's skin just right.
Wearing a straw hat, Eros sat cross-legged on the deck, a fishing rod in hand.
It had already been three or four days since he set sail. Sometimes the wind carried him forward; sometimes, he had to row with sheer effort.
The excitement he'd felt at the beginning had gradually faded into boredom after so much drifting.
There were no waves, no storms, no sirens singing from the rocks, not even strange and fantastical seascapes.
Just… stillness. And boredom.
Eros had imagined all kinds of dramatic scenarios before setting sail. He'd even prepared for emergencies.
In the end, the only thing he was using was his fishing rod to kill time.
The Aegean Sea, after all, was calm and temperate most of the year. If wild waves were stirring, it usually meant some god or sea monster was up to mischief.
But with the God of Light sitting at the bow of his boat, what sea monster would dare show its face?
So that's why there are no mermaids or sirens, huh? They're all scared off?
Apollo, you criminal!
Whatever. Fishing it is. At least that's entertaining.
If there was a Greek god of fishing, Eros figured he now had the top score. No one could out-fish him in this world.
Apollo, seated on the bow in a flowing white dress that danced in the sea breeze, watched him with interest, her figure outlined by the rippling fabric.
Honestly, being alone with Apollo on this boat for days was torture.
From head to toe, she was his exact type: golden-haired, sun-kissed, radiant. But then he'd remember, this was Apollo.
Any little stir of attraction that sparked in his heart would vanish the next second, like bird poop on clean glass, unsightly and irritating.
Of course, Eros had considered the possibility that maybe this world's Apollo really was a goddess.
But what about the other nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine possibilities?
He constantly reminded himself: This is Greece. Don't go firing shots recklessly. One wrong move and you'll get stabbed in the back.
There are 100% confirmed goddesses out there, why risk your life playing roulette in a landmine?
Just then, the fishing line in his hand suddenly snapped taut. Eros jumped up.
"Got another one?" Apollo leaned forward to peer at the ripples on the surface. Judging by the shadow, it looked pretty big.
But Eros's fishing rod wasn't exactly high quality. If he kept pulling like that, it might snap.
"Heh, you think you can fight back? Watch me use… the Forbidden Technique!"
Gripping the rod with both hands, Eros took a deep breath.
"Left-zero, right-fire… Electrofishing Technique!"
Electricity surged through the rod and line. A moment later, the tension on the line vanished.
Eros reeled it in naturally and let out a quiet sigh. "Don't blame me for playing dirty, fish. You left me no choice."
He only had one rod. If it snapped, he'd have nothing to do for the next few days.
A beautiful bluefin tuna emerged from the water, something considered a luxury in the modern world.
Here, though, it was nothing special.
"Lunch it is, then. You should feel honored, becoming an offering to a god."
He hung the tuna to drain the blood, already imagining the grill marks.
On the second day after boarding, Apollo had given in to the temptation of Eros's cooking and shamelessly joined his meals.
As a result, his week's worth of rations had plummeted and now had to be supplemented with fresh catch.
"Is that kind of fish tasty?" Apollo asked, a bit puzzled.
They usually ate bass, bream, and other small fish, catching something like a tuna wasn't common among the gods.
"You gods really don't know how to enjoy life," Eros muttered, exasperated by her cluelessness.
If it looked edible, why not try cooking it?
Once we reach the Oceanid domain and I can dive freely, I'm gonna blow your minds with what real cooking looks like.
While preparing lunch, Eros struck up a conversation.
This time, he wasn't asking about Artemis—this was serious business.
"It's been days. How come we haven't even seen an island? Are you sure we're not lost, Apollo?"
He was starting to worry. If they didn't reach the Oceanid Sanctuary soon, they might miss the window.
"Don't worry. We're on the right path. Just a little further and we'll reach the Oceanid Thrones," Apollo said confidently.
If it weren't for Hera watching from her heavenly seat, Apollo would've just zipped them both straight to the Oceanids by now.
Until danger struck, Eros still had to rely on himself.
"Alright. Hope we make it by tomorrow," he muttered, gazing into the distance.
Once they reached the Oceanid Sanctuary, he'd find some excuse to get Apollo to take him to the Oceanid goddesses, not to see that stubborn mule Poseidon.
He hadn't expected this voyage to go so smoothly. In fact… it was a little too smooth. Almost boring.
At this moment, Eros completely forgot one cardinal rule:
Never jinx yourself before the journey ends.
Apollo, who had been casually strumming her lyre at the bow, suddenly grew serious.
"Eros! Pack everything and come to me, now."
In her divine sight, a muddy tidal wave was charging across the horizon, crashing toward them.
Ripples spread across the calm sea, and the previously clear sky darkened as storm clouds began to creep in.
"Something's wrong? Sea monster?" Eros jumped to her side immediately.
He liked to talk big, sure, but when it came down to it, he wasn't about to die for a thrill.
Still, he wasn't exactly scared either.
Come on, standing beside him was Apollo, future Olympian, god of light and prophecy.
A sea monster? Bring it on. He'd like to see one try.
What were the chances he'd run into one of the really nasty ones, like Ceto or Charybdis, those children of Gaia-level monsters?
Confident in Eros's trust, Apollo didn't feel too threatened either.
But still, the towering waves and looming dark sky gave her a strange, uneasy feeling.
The crashing surge slammed into the side of the boat. If Apollo hadn't reinforced it with divine protection, it would've shattered instantly.
Gone was the gentle sea from earlier. Towering waves now came one after another, and the boat tossed violently in the current.
The sea had shed its gentle disguise… and was now revealing its true, ferocious nature.
And in the midst of this churning darkness, a shadow began to take form in the waves.
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Hey everyone! I'll be dropping an extra 1 chapter once we hit 200, 400 power stones! If you're enjoying the story, don't forget to spend some power stones. I'd really appreciate the support. Thanks a bunch!