Chapter 15: Tough Decisions
Goku continued to trade blows with the now transformed Kogu. Both fighters punched and kicked each other at speeds practically eclipsing light itself, making their movements invisible to everyone else in the area. All Percy and his fellow demigods could see were brief flashes of yellow energy that appeared within every second or so.
This, to no one's surprise, greatly confused and terrified Bianca. She blinked a few times and then thoroughly rubbed her eyes.
"Okay. Am I hallucinating or did they just completely vanish from thin air?!"
"I know! Isn't it awesome, sis?" Nico cheered in delight.
"Stop saying that! This is not something to be happy about!"
Artemis walked up to stand by Bianca's side. "You're not imagining things, dear girl. Although it may seem like Goku and his opponent have vanished from the battlefield, they are, in actuality, moving too fast for mere mortal eyes to comprehend. Even I'm struggling to keep up with some of their movements and I'm an Olympian goddess."
Bianca quirked a brow. "Um… by 'Olympian goddess', you mean that you're just a talented athlete who competed in the Olympics once, right?"
"No", Zoë shook her head, "She means one of the Greek goddesses. Don't be foolish."
"So-so… she's the real Artemis from mythology and all that lame stuff Nico's into? That's not just her name?!"
"You weren't convinced when she turned that fully armed helicopter into a bunch of birds?" Percy asked from nearby.
"I thought that was another hallucination, honestly." Bianca groaned, holding both hands on the sides of her head. "Now, I'm even more confused!"
Artemis gently clasped her shoulder. "All of your questions will be answered soon, child. Let's just watch and see how Goku's fight pans out first."
"Tch. Easier said than done, Artemis. I can't see shit!" Thalia grumbled. She squinted her eyes in an attempt to catch a small glimpse of Goku's Super Saiyan form, but no avail. The powerful bursts of wind emanating from Goku and Kogu's respective attacks made it practically impossible to move closer.
Goku himself was not struggling in the slightest. Kogu put in a few good hits here and there, sure, but the Saiyan of Earth's defenses were nothing short of perfect. He was able to block each strike of Kogu's fist before it even had a chance to land.
And this infuriated the Hera swordsman to no end.
"Hmph. I'll admit, your Super Saiyan form is just as strong as the legends made it out to be." Kogu clenched his teeth. "But a monkey draped in gold is still just a monkey, Son Goku."
They continued their onslaught of blows in the air. They moved from one point to another, causing small explosions that eviscerated nearby trees.
"Heh, funny. Did you take that one from Frieza's book?" Goku chuckled sarcastically. He looked at Kogu's new appearance, thinking of how it similar it was to Frieza's 100% Full Power state. "Your form even looks like his too."
Furious, the Hera underling narrowed his eyes. His temper was reaching its breaking point.
"Errgh! Don't compare me to that pompous tyrant! I'm stronger than Frieza will ever be!"
He flexed his muscles, enshrouding himself in a field of green energy that forced Goku backward. Said Saiyan crossed both arms in front of his face to keep steady.
"HRAAAAAAAH!" Kogu screamed. Fully enraged, he thrust his fist straight into Goku's stomach and then followed it up with a fierce uppercut across the chin.
"Gah!" Fresh blood shot up from Goku's mouth. Although fatigued, Goku quickly teleported away from Kogu in order to recover.
"You can't get away from me that easily, fool!" Kogu growled. He phased himself in front of Goku and kneed him straight in the abdominal area once more.
"Damn!" Goku winced. He was sent flying to a higher point in the sky, giving Kogu the opportunity to grab ahold of his skull.
Squeezing Goku's entire head as tightly as possible, Kogu then placed his body in front him and flew back down to the surface.
"Let's go for a ride, Goku! HAHAHA!" Kogu laughed. The two then crashed straight into the ground, causing a massive explosion of snow and dirt that blew everyone in attendance away.
"Yikes! Whatever that attack was, I can tell it wasn't pleasant." Percy winced.
Artemis looked a bit concerned, but not enough for anyone to notice. She was smart enough to realize that Goku had his own counterattack just waiting to be unleashed.
Zoë, on the other hand, wasn't as certain.
"Milady, you don't think Goku will actually…"
Artemis shook her head. "Just keep watching, Zoë. This battle isn't over yet."
"Alright then…" The huntress murmured. She watched as the smoke cleared, revealing Goku's seemingly despondent body. His gi was ever-so-slightly smudged and torn in a few places.
Kogu, not wasting any time, leapt away from the body and unsheathed his Devilish Blade. He stared at his own reflection in the sword and smirked, transferring large amounts of ki into its tip.
He grasped the hilt and then jumped upward, aiming to pierce his sword through Goku's back. "DIE!"
Thalia's mouth was agape from uncertainty. "Woah. Is he actually going to—"
"Get up, Goku!" Annabeth shouted.
Their comments fell on deaf ears. Goku's body appeared to remain motionless, but just as Kogu was about to land the killing blow, he opened his green eyes and caused his golden aura to resurge in strength.
"HYAAAAH!" Goku screamed. He protectively thrust his right arm in front of the Devilish Blade, stopping Kogu from moving even further. At this rate, the sword wasn't even sharp enough to pierce Goku's very flesh.
"No way…" Annabeth whispered. She couldn't believe any mortal's skin could be that tough. It was no wonder he was able to counter Ares' divine weapons.
"W-What?! That's impossible!" Kogu stammered in disbelief. He put all his strength into the sword in order to somehow cut off Goku's arm, but it just wouldn't budge. Goku's power was simply greater than his.
He kept pressing down onto Goku's skin until…
SNAP! The Devilish Blade was subsequently broken in two!
Its top half was flung into a tree that just happened to be located near the unconscious Grover.
"Gah! What's happening?! Where am I?" He bleated in surprise. The satyr then felt his heavily damaged internal organs. "Yowow! And why does my stomach hurt so much?!"
"Welcome back to the party, goat boy. You almost missed it." Thalia sniggered.
The aforementioned "goat boy" was completely lost. He looked up at Percy. "Missed what?"
Percy just jerked his thumb at the two aliens still fighting close by. Grover gulped.
"O-Oh."
Kogu looked at his destroyed weapon in horror. "This can't be! You broke my—"
Before he could even finish speaking, Goku crouched down and punched his fist straight through Kogu's stomach. Blood burst forth from the Hera's back as a result of this fierce attack.
Kogu gasped from indescribable pain whilst Goku remained silent. He simply ejected his arm from Kogu's body, frowning.
"I think we're done here." Goku grunted. He glared down at Kogu as the swordsman struggled to pick himself off the ground.
"…Damn … Damn you! HYAK!" Kogu coughed up blood, painting the snow white ground beneath his feet red. He wrapped an arm around the hole in his stomach, struggling to prevent any internal organs from falling out.
Goku crossed his arms. "Now, answer me a few questions and I'll let you go. Is that clear?"
Artemis, her hunters, and everyone else couldn't believe what they were hearing.
"What did he just say?!" Annabeth asked aloud.
"That absolute idiot! He shows Ares no mercy, yet he makes an exception for this monster?!" Zoë spat in displeasure.
"Huh. Maybe he wants to be his friend or something." Nico guessed. Bianca placed a hand over her face in displeasure.
"Oh, pipe down. This isn't some Saturday morning cartoon about friendship, Nico…"
Even Kogu himself was shocked. He gulped down a bit of his own blood and laughed in amusement.
"BAHAHAHA! Is that a joke? You'd let me go, even after I killed all of those people?! You're even more of a moron than I thought you'd be."
Goku shrugged. "Don't take me seriously, if you want. But it's either you give me the information my friends and I need or…"
The Saiyan of Earth outstretched his arm and hand, generating a large sphere of blue ki directly in front of Kogu. His expression was completely calm, yet intimidating.
"I finish you off right here. It's your decision." Goku said.
Kogu immediately stopped laughing. Feeling the sheer power emanating from Goku's ki ball, he knew he wasn't joking in the slightest.
A bead of sweat trickled down the side of Kogu's face. He promptly deactivated his Full Power transformation and sighed. There was no other decision he could make.
"Fine," Kogu scowled, "I'll talk."
Goku then dispersed the ki from his palm, satisfied with the answer. "Good. Glad we didn't have to resort to that."
Artemis was somewhat intrigued by this exchange. She witnessed Goku's more serious side before, but the goddess wasn't aware he could be this… interrogative when the situation called for it. She wondered if a moment similar, yet different to this one happened in the past.
"I'm curious to see where Goku is going with this. Will he keep his word and let that Kogu person go free?"
Goku, still in his Super Saiyan form, blew out a sigh. "Alright. First of all, who are you and who is this leader you were talking about earlier? Are there others like you?"
"Not much I can really say about him. We members of the Hera Clan prefer to keep our history discreet." Kogu sneered. His breathing was calm, yet ragged. "B-But to answer all of your questions, his name is Bojack and we are a group of five Hera known as the Galaxy Soldiers. I, Kogu, specialize in swordplay, as you've probably noticed."
"Bojack, huh? Is he pretty strong?" Goku asked in growing intrigue and excitement.
"Far stronger than I am, yes. And potentially, even stronger than yourself, Son Goku." Kogu proclaimed with a smirk. "He is very interested in fighting you at full power."
"Really? That's great! I can't wait to—"
He suddenly felt Artemis (and potentially, even Zoë) burning holes into the back of his head. He carefully reworded his statement.
"Erm… I mean… I see. Do you or Bojack work for this so-called General guy too?"
Kogu sniffed in disgust. He almost felt offended by such a baseless assumption.
"Work for him? Hardly. The General is a Titan named Atlas that we were assigned to work with. You could say that we're both working towards a common cause, I suppose."
The swordsman darted his eyes toward Zoë Nightshade, noticing some similarities between her and the Titan in question.
"He actually resembles that girl over there. At least, in terms of his face and eyes." Kogu pointed out.
Zoë froze, not expecting for her to be put on the spot like that. Any mention of her disgraced father brought back too many painful memories. Artemis, of course, noticed this right away.
Curious, Percy turned his head to look at Zoë. "Wait… does that mean Zoë is one of Atlas'…"
He didn't speak his thoughts aloud. The look of torment painted on Zoë's face was enough confirmation for him.
"I see…," Goku muttered. Admittedly, he didn't expect this person to have that close of a connection to anyone he knew, let alone someone like Zoë. "And what kind of cause is that?"
Kogu snorted. Fresh blood began to trickle out of his mouth as he spoke. "Heh. Isn't it obvious? The downfall of Olympus and, most importantly, your death, Son Goku. Kronos requested our services for that very purpose. We'll supposedly be earning quite the reward once he takes back control of this world."
With that, Artemis' suspicions were all, but confirmed. Kronos did indeed manage to make contact with alternate universes separate from this one.
She walked over to the alien warrior with a firm glare. "How did the Titan Army contact you? And how many of you are there?"
"My apologies, goddess. I only agreed to answer the Saiyan's questions. That was a part of our deal, remember?" Kogu snickered deviously.
Artemis' eyes began to glow a bright yellow. Her divine blood boiled from anger at this… man's mocking tone.
"How dare you speak to me in that tone, you…!"
She attempted to move a bit closer, but was gently pushed back by Goku.
"He's right, Artemis. Just let him finish." He said. Artemis, although begrudgingly, did as the Saiyan requested and agreed to not take any further action.
"All I can tell you is that a certain Labyrinth holds all of the answers you seek." Kogu vaguely proclaimed. "Maybe even the key to winning this whole sham of a war too."
Everyone quietly gasped at this revelation. Percy, Bianca, and Nico, in contrast, were just confused even more. There was definitely a metric ton of explaining they needed to get through.
The moon goddess was equally dumbfounded. "Labyrinth? You couldn't possibly mean—"
"Unfortunately…" In that moment, Kogu used the remainder of his power to dash away and retrieve the Devilish Blade's severed half. "That's all I can say. We Hera are men of few words, I'm afraid."
He clung onto his gaping wound and flew away at faster than average speeds. It was much slower than before, however.
"Hey, Kogu! Whenever Bojack gets the guts to finally show himself, let him know that I'll be waiting for a fight anytime and anywhere." Goku shouted in sheer determination. Kogu turned around to glower back at his former opponent.
"Of course! Whatever makes you crave death faster, fool. Hahaha."
Laughing maniacally, the Hera swordsman flew further away in the distance. Phoebe brought out her bow and prepared to shoot an arrow.
"Should we attempt to shoot him down, milady?" She whispered. The remaining Hunters of Artemis were ready to follow suit.
Artemis grimaced. As much as she wanted to finish what Goku failed to accomplish, the goddess knew his heart was in the right place. It may have not been the smartest thing to do, but they did gather some noteworthy information from their little "interrogation".
"No, let him go. Given his wounds, I doubt he'll even get very far." She spoke.
Phoebe and her fellow huntresses lowered their weapons in understanding. All of them then disapprovingly scowled at Goku, who was, in that moment, changing back to his normal appearance.
"Phew. Wish that fight could have gone on a bit longer." Goku said while loosening his joints a bit. He then turned his head toward the unamused crowd. "What's everyone staring at?"
"You, you imbecile! Why didn't thee kill him when thou had the chance? You landed a fatal blow on that alien creature!" Zoë fumed.
"Yeah, I'm all for showing mercy and what not, Goku, but come on. This guy blew up an entire school building! One with actual kids in it too!" Annabeth added. She gestured to the broken remains of Westover Hall, which was currently riddled with the bodies of unconscious and dead students.
Goku winced at the sight of it. Maybe things could have been different if he arrived there sooner.
He held up his hands in a pleading manner. "Look, I know it seemed like a bad idea, but trust me, killing him wouldn't have solved anything. We did get some useful information out of the guy, right?"
"Useful, sure, but wouldn't it have made more sense to gather the intel and then kill him? That's how it works in war, at least. Diomedes and Odysseus did the same thing back in the Trojan War." Thalia pointed out. She picked up her spear from the ground mid-conversation.
Goku sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Well, when you put it like that…"
"You just wanted a chance to fight him again, didn't you?"
"Wow. You really read me like a book. Haha." The Saiyan chuckled. Artemis and the Hunters had a feeling he'd say something like that.
"Eh. It comes with being a daughter of Zeus." Thalia shrugged nonchalantly. "Annabeth's even better at it than I am."
"Yep. We don't call her Wise Girl for nothing." Percy chimed in. He gave the daughter of Athena her prized Yankee's Cap back. It was knocked off her head during the prior skirmish with Dr. Thorn.
"Very valuable insight, Seaweed Brain." Annabeth deadpanned as she put her hat back on. "Honestly, I can't be too mad. You did save me from that Dr. Thorn creep."
"Yeah. Thanks again for doing that, Goku. I don't know what I'd do if something happened to… uh…" Percy suddenly got a bit flustered. He should have just thanked Goku and kept his mouth shut from there.
"Um… did your brain shut down or something? More than it usually does, I mean?" Annabeth asked. Percy quickly darted his eyes away from hers.
"It's nothing. I'm just glad you're safe. That's all." He grunted in embarrassment. His cheeks flushed a faint red, much to Thalia's amusement and Goku's, as usual, obliviousness.
"Well, spit it out, Percy. What would you do if Annabeth was captured? Jump off that cliff and follow her?" Thalia chided. Not liking her shit-eating grin one bit, Percy threw his hands up in anger.
"Oh, nevermind! Just drop it already." He yelled. Feeling the newly returned Riptide in his pocket, Percy turned his attention back toward the damaged school building. "How are we going to explain what happened to Westover Hall, anyway? Last time I checked, the Mist couldn't mask tall blue dudes with swords."
"That may be true, Percy Jackson, but the Mist may be able to alter the memories of mortals who have witnessed this event firsthand. While Kogu did cause this disaster, the Mist will make it so people think he is nothing more than a explosion that took place in Westover Hall's basement." Artemis logically surmised. "Any camera footage that exists could be easily altered as well. There's nothing to worry about."
"I guess that's true," Percy sighed, balling his fists in frustration. "I just wish those poor kids and teachers didn't need to die. If only I could have done something to save them!"
"There's nothing you could have done, Percy. Kogu was just too powerful of an opponent for you to fight on your own." Goku proclaimed. He then gave the demigod a thumbs up. "But with me around, we can change that."
Percy tilted his head to the side. He recalled Goku saying something about his dad earlier. "What do you mean by—"
"Hello?! Are you guys forgetting something here?" Bianca shouted. She couldn't afford to keep quiet any longer. "Either I figure out what's going on right now or I'm going to have a panic attack!"
Grover tried to console her. "Calm down, Bianca. It's hard to explain, but—"
"And what the heck are you, Grover? You playing some pipes caused grass to burst from the ground!"
"Oh that… Well, that's because I'm not actually human." Grover kicked off his shoes to reveal a pair of goat hooves. "I'm a satyr."
Goku blinked a few times in surprise. "Huh. Didn't expect to see that."
Bianca's eyes were the size of dinner plates. She felt a bit faint all of a sudden. "I think I need to lie down…"
Thalia rolled her eyes. "Nice one, Grover. You just freaked the poor girl out."
"She was the one who asked! Did you want me to lie about what I am?"
"Just put your shoes back on."
"Oh, calm yourself, girl. You and your brother aren't fully human either. Thou art half-bloods." Zoë revealed matter-of-factly. "One of thy parents is mortal and one of them is an Olympian god or goddess."
"We're part god?! That's awesome!" Nico whooped happily. He began to dance around like a kid in a candy store.
"But how do you know that? Me and my brother have been orphans for our entire lives." Bianca said frustratedly. "Are you trying to tell me that one of our parents was alive somewhere and didn't even try to help us?"
"Unfortunately, Bianca, that's how the lives of demigods usually are. Gods have kids with humans, leave them after giving birth, and then, we basically have to fend for ourselves. It can be incredibly dangerous for us." Thalia replied. She could definitely understand where Bianca was coming from.
"Especially when there's monsters around like Dr. Thorn." Annabeth added.
"It was so cool how that buff guy blew him up with one punch! Is he dead?" Nico chirped.
"Not exactly, young one. That manticore, Dr. Thorn, and other monsters like him never truly die. After they're destroyed, they gradually reform in Tartarus until their time to be reborn comes to pass. That's why all monsters must be hunted as soon as they emerge." Artemis explained.
"Or they'll continue to hunt demigods, yeah." Thalia glowered.
"I guess that counts for me too. I had to fight this giant hydra thingy before I arrived at Camp Half-Blood." Goku mentioned. "Hard to believe that I'll probably have to fight it again someday."
"Normally, I'd be surprised that you took on a full-blown hydra by yourself, but compared to that Kogu dude, it must have been child's play." Thalia said.
Goku chuckled. "Yeah. Suppose you're right about that… er…"
"Thalia Grace. Pleasure." She bobbed her head with a smirk.
Bianca regained some of her lost composure and said, "That explains why those guys tried to attack us in the alley way in D.C. last summer, Nico."
"Oh, and that bus driver with the ram's horns! They must have all been monsters trying to kill us! I told you that was real."
"And there will be more to come after Dr. Thorn, I'm sure. That's why you and Nico need to train at Camp Half-Blood. It'll help you survive." Percy suggested.
"Plus, I'll be one of the counselors there. I can help teach you guys some martial arts abilities that'll make you stronger." Goku offered to help out. Hearing this, Nico had practical stars shining in his eyes.
"Could you teach me how to shoot lasers from my hands like that scary pirate dude?"
"Well, it'll take awhile for you to reach that point, but sure! You should be able learn some ki attacks with enough practice." Goku nodded.
"Sweet, let's go!" said Nico.
"Wait, Nico! I don't think this is—"
"There is another option for you, Bianca." Zoë interjected with a raise of her finger.
Thalia slammed her spear in front of Bianca. "Um, actually, no there isn't, Nightshade."
"Yes, there certainly is, Grace." growled Artemis' lieutenant. The two fiercely glared at one another with a burning hatred.
Goku leaned close to Percy. "Any idea why these two don't like each other?"
"No clue." Percy shrugged.
"Ah, okay. Just checking." Goku said. At least he wasn't the only one Zoë seemed to dislike.
Artemis, still in her younger form, looked up at the sky. It appeared that the sun wouldn't rise for another few hours. That gave her some time to prepare before she began hunting for the Ophiotaurus.
"That's enough, Zoë." Artemis announced. "We will be resting here for a few hours. Raise the tents and treat everyone's wounds."
"Yes, milady." Zoë complied. She gave Thalia one last dirty look before reconvening with her fellow Hunters. As she left, Thalia barely suppressed the urge to throw her spear at the archer's head.
"And Goku?" Artemis said. Goku turned toward the moon goddess with a curious smile.
"Please watch over Nico and the others for me. I wish to speak with his sister alone."
"Sure, Artemis. You can count on me."
"Thank you." Artemis smiled in gratitude. "Come with me, Bianca. We won't be long."
"Okay…" The eldest di Angelo sibling murmured.
"Huh? But why can't I go?"
"Don't worry. It's nothing to concern yourself with." Artemis assured him. "How about you show Grover how to play that card game you enjoy? I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while… as a favor to me?"
Goku could have sworn he saw Artemis bat her eyelashes at the satyr for a second. It was subtle, but Grover seemed to comply with her request hook, line, and sinker. He moved so fast that he almost tripped over his own two hooves.
"Of course! Come on, Nico!" Grover bleated. The two trailed off to another part of the forest as Nico talked the satyr's ear off about Mythomagic and all of its different cards.
Artemis, meanwhile, led Bianca to the cliffside Annabeth and Dr. Thorn fell off beforehand.
"Is it just me or did Artemis just act like Aphrodite for a second there? It's like Grover was hypnotized or something." Goku noted.
"Eh, I wouldn't say that. Grover and most satyrs just have a weird obsession with Artemis. Something about her being sacred to the forest and its creatures or whatever." Thalia explained.
"Huh. Has it always been like that?"
"Pretty much. Satyrs just have this weird fondness for her that will, obviously, never be reciprocated." Annabeth said. "Grover doesn't take it that seriously, though… for the most part."
"But try to be careful around him, Goku. He might get jealous. Haha." Percy joked as he playfully nudged the naïve Saiyan.
"What do you mean by that?" Goku asked.
The three demigods all exchanged knowing looks with one another.
"Well, you do seem pretty close with Artemis. I've never seen a guy make her laugh and smile like that. It's pretty surreal." Thalia admitted. The only time Artemis has ever really laughed was when she transformed some poor, unfortunate sad sack into a wild animal.
Goku crossed both arms behind his head and chuckled.
"Yeah, I'd like to say we're friends now, but it only has been a day at most. Not even a day ago, Artemis was being sent to capture me by her… and, I guess, your dad. Funny how things have turned out so far."
"I'll say. Do you even know what a camp counselor is and what they do?" Percy inquired.
"Nope. I've never even been to a camp before. Hehe." Goku laughed. The trio sighed heavily in unison. This guy was trusted with ensuring their survival?
"At least you're honest." Annabeth lightly giggled.
Percy suddenly felt lightheaded. After Kogu kicked him in the shoulder, he must have hit the ground harder than he initially thought.
"Alright. I think we should all get healed up. My head feels as if it's about to split in two." He said. Annabeth, noticing that more blood was trickling out from Percy's wound, frowned in concern.
"You think?" She yelled sarcastically. Goku and them then walked over to the Hunters' newly built campsite.
To avoid attention from being drawn to themselves, the Hunters set up camp in a part of the forest that couldn't be seen from where Westover Hall stood. This was to prevent the authorities from possibly investigating the area for a source of the so-called "explosion" that took place there. There were quite a few deaths that resulted from Kogu's attack, so, hopefully, the Mist would do its job and redirect any suspicion from Percy, the di Angelo's, or anyone else who attended the dance.
Their campsite consisted of seven silver tents that surrounded a bonfire in the shape of a crescent moon. A dozen white wolves guarded the camp and were fed treats every-so-often for their service. For some reason, these wolves felt oddly comfortable around Goku and would even nuzzle against his legs as he walked near the tents.
He pat one of them on the head, much to the Hunters' displeasure. "Wonder if Yamcha would get along with these guys."
"If thou know what's good for you, you will stop touching our wolves, Goku. They are here to protect, not to play." Zoë snapped in annoyance.
"Oops. My bad, Zoë." Goku apologized. He stopped petting the wolf, causing it to whine sadly.
They all sat by one of the tents, waiting for Artemis to call upon them.
"Don't mind her, Goku. She's like that with everyone." Thalia assured him.
"Eh, it's alright. I think she's warming up to me, honestly." Goku said, trying to remain optimistic. "She was a whole lot angrier when I chopped her in the back of the neck."
Thalia paused for a moment, standing almost as motionless as the time she was a tree in Camp Half-Blood. A huge smile was now etched onto her lips.
"Wait, what? You actually did that?! Pfft. Hahaha!" Thalia chuckled aloud. "That is gold! Gods, I wish I was there to see that!"
Zoë Nightshade's face turned beat red from shame and humiliation.
"Silence! He merely took me by surprise! That's all!"
"Oh yeah. I'm sure it was a surprise when your face hit the dirt too, Nightshade. Haha!" Thalia snickered mockingly. Annabeth and Percy looked at each other in uncertainty. She wasn't getting a bit too much enjoyment out of this.
"Grrrgh! Why you…!" Zoë snarled. Practically fuming with rage, she stormed off to locate Artemis' tent.
"Don't you think that was a bit much, Thalia?" Annabeth wondered.
"Nah, she deserved it. These stuck-up Hunters need some damage to their ego every so often."
"You know, you probably shouldn't be saying that when they're responsible for delivering our bags and—"
"Here."
Percy and Thalia's backpacks were practically thrown at them by the Hunters. They politely handed Annabeth her belongings and then gave them a vicious death stare before walking off.
Percy looked at his slightly damaged bag. "My point exactly."
"Aw, man. Now, Zoë's going to have an even bigger grudge against me." Goku slumped his shoulders in exasperation. "I was kinda hoping she forgot about me knocking her unconscious…"
"To be fair, for any of the Hunters of Artemis, something like that isn't something they'd easily forgive or forget. Falling in a battle is a huge deal for them." Annabeth informed.
"How so?"
"If a Hunter falls in battle, they basically lose their immortality. Zoë's lucky she didn't lose all of her powers fighting you."
"Woah. I had no idea being a Hunter could be so… risky, you know?"
"They also cast away their freedom and ability to make their own decisions, but we don't need to get into that." Thalia snorted. "Makes it hilarious that they think they're better than everyone else, doesn't it?"
"I don't know. Artemis seems alright to me. She was a bit hostile at first, but once I got to know her some more, she treated me pretty respectfully." Goku assumed based on his own experiences. "I'm sure her Hunters are the same way, Zoë included."
Percy shook his head. "Hate to say it, but I think you're in the minority when it comes to men, Goku. Who knows what she would have done if you weren't as freakishly tough as you are now."
"Like what? Turn me into an animal?"
"Much worse than that. Don't you know anything about Artemis' past experiences with men?" Annabeth asked in surprise.
Goku didn't know how to exactly phrase his response. "Um…"
Suddenly, Grover and Nico returned from their walk. The satyr had a bag of ambrosia in his hands while Nico tightly was clutching his backpack.
"Alright. I'll heal you guys in no time flat." Grover promised. The internal organs that were damaged by Kogu seemed to be healed already.
He gave squares to Annabeth, Thalia, and finally, Percy. Their wounds steadily vanished in a matter of minutes.
He then stopped in front of Goku, looking both uncertain and intimidated.
"Wait a sec. Aren't you a mortal? I'm not sure you can handle stuff like this." Grover said.
"It's okay. I already had a piece back in Artemis' temple last night. It was pretty delicious!" Goku beamed as he licked his lips. He wished there was something like it back home.
"A-Artemis' temple?! You lucky dog…" Grover grumbled. He handed Goku his own square and then leaned against a nearby tree, feeling dejected.
Goku chewed on his piece in puzzlement. Was there something he said?
"Told you he'd be jealous." Percy whispered.
"Am not!" Grover bleated in denial.
As Goku's wounds disappeared one by one, he noticed Nico taking some things out of his bag. They were figurines that resembled various Greek gods and heroes. Some of them looked familiar to him, but others didn't.
"Are these all for that Mythowhatever game?" Goku asked as he crouched down to level his face with Nico's.
"Mythomagic, yeah. I've got almost all of the figures, including their own holographic cards. I don't have a lot of the rare ones, though." Nico happily explained. One of the figures in his possession was, funnily enough, Ares. Apart from the spear, it looked absolutely nothing like the actual god.
"Wonder where he is right now. It'll probably take some time for him to reform after what I did." Goku thought. A part of him was really looking forward to a rematch with the hotheaded war god; preferably in a less populated area this time.
"You've been playing this game a long time?" Percy chimed in.
"I just started this year. Before that… erm … I'm not sure. I forgot for some reason." Nico said. His mind suddenly went blank. "Weird."
Everyone made their confusion towards this behavior. Annabeth was particularly suspicious.
"You can say that again…" She muttered. The daughter of Athena paid closer attention to Nico as he spoke.
"Can I see that sword you were using?" Nico said, pointing to Percy's pocket.
"Uh… sure," Percy uncapped his pen, revealing Riptide once more. "It changes from a pen to a sword just like that."
"Cool!"
"I can tell that's a pretty nice sword, Percy. I saw you using it against Kogu earlier." Goku complimented the demigod on his choice of weapon.
"Psh. Like that ended up doing anything. It was knocked out of my hands almost instantly."
"You still held him back in a one-on-one fight, though. It was brief, but for someone your age, that's impressive. I can see why you were able to wound Ares in the past."
"You knew about that, huh?"
"It might have been mentioned a little on Mount Olympus, yeah." Goku chuckled. Percy examined Riptide some more before placing it back in his pocket.
"I appreciate your words of encouragement and all, but what are you getting at with this, Goku? Did my dad ask you to do something for me?" Percy asked in a somewhat demanding tone.
Goku nodded in confirmation. "Yeah, he did. Poseidon asked me to help guide you as your personal trainer back at Camp Half-Blood. I tried to tell you earlier."
"Hmph. I see…" Percy said. Before he could properly express his thoughts about this offer, Nico cut in.
"So, you're really the son of Poseidon?"
"Yeah, I am."
"Can you surf really well, then?"
Grover, Thalia, and Annabeth tried their hardest not to laugh at Nico's random questions.
"Well, jeez, Nico. I've never really tried." Percy said in sudden realization.
"Is Annabeth your girlfriend?"
Percy and Annabeth stopped in their tracks. They blushed up a storm and desperately tried to look away from each other.
"No… she's not!" Percy shouted. He honestly considered strangling the naïve kid right and there.
"Maybe we should move away from the more personal questions, okay, Nico?" Annabeth asked in a sweet, yet impatient tone. She nervously played with her blonde locks and tried to keep her body temperature under control.
Goku peered at the two embarrassed teens. Even he was smart enough to realize that there was something going on between the two of them. "Maybe this is what Aphrodite meant about Percy's love life being… 'juicy'. Still not sure what that has to do with juice, though."
This newfound tension, thankfully, was broken by the returning Zoë Nightshade. She appeared to have calmed herself down from before.
"Percy Jackson, Annabeth Chase, and… tch… Son Goku." Zoë rolled her eyes. "Lady Artemis wishes to speak with thee."
"Alright then." Goku shrugged his shoulders. He stood up straight with Annabeth and Percy in toe.
"Follow me." Zoë said. The four then made their way to the part of the camp where Artemis' tent presided.
Upon reaching Artemis' tent, Zoë led Goku and the rest inside. It was deceptively much bigger than it seemed, containing multiple silk rugs and pillows on the floor. The walls contained animal pelts from black bears, tigers, and many mythological creatures that Goku wasn't familiar with in the slightest. He assumed they were gathered from many of Artemis' previous hunts.
The goddess in question was seated in the center near a gilded brazier of fire. To the right of her was Bianca, whose facial expression could be described as a mix of contentment and worry. Zoë promptly took the seat to her left.
Goku also noticed Artemis' bow resting on a display stand made from oak. He never got a proper look at it before, but from where he was standing, its silver edges seemed to resemble the horns of a sacred animal. He could obviously tell whoever crafted that weapon was divine in both nature and skills.
Something else that caught his eye was a large deer with silver horns and fur. It was resting its head in Artemis' lap.
"Hey, is that your—"
"Please be seated first, Goku." Zoë snapped.
Goku immediately shut his mouth and sat down on a pillow. Unfortunately, he moved a bit faster than expected and fell fully backward at an awkward angle. He would have brought the whole tent down if not for his quick reaction time.
"Oops. My bad." Goku goofily chuckled. He quickly stood up straight, readjusted his position, and waited for Artemis to begin speaking.
Percy and Annabeth, seated on either side of him, just palmed their faces from embarrassment.
Artemis, ultimately deciding not to make a big deal out of Goku's buffoonery, cleared her throat.
She carefully studied the three of them. "Well, I suppose we have much to discuss."
Her eyes darted towards Goku's. The Saiyan was having a bit of trouble looking down at her in this form.
"Are you bothered by how I look at this age, Goku?"
He crossed his arms and his legs. "Oh, not really. I'm fine with it. It's just kinda hard to see you as the same person at this, well, young of an age, you know? Hope you don't take offense to that."
"I'm a little surprised myself. It's not really the age that comes to mind when I think of your myths from Ancient Greece." Percy expressed similar sentiments.
"Each of your perspectives are perfectly valid, but as a goddess, I can choose any form I want. While a grown woman may be closer to my true, divine appearance, this state is what I generally prefer. It's the average age of my Hunters and all young maidens before they go astray." Artemis explained. "Hestia is similar in that regard."
Goku snapped his fingers in realization. "Oh, that's right! That make me wonder what she'd look like as an adult."
"Like a goddess of her status would ever show thee…" Zoë grumbled under her breath.
"He is sitting right there, you know?" Annabeth pointed out.
"Thy point being?"
The daughter of Athena scrunched up her nose. Thalia definitely wasn't lying about Zoë's superiority complex, especially when it came to being around boys like Goku and Percy.
"Anyway, as you've probably noticed, my Hunters aren't exactly the most welcoming towards you. Boys are quite a rarity in this camp, so do forgive them for their behavior. Goku is a notable exception due to the… complicated circumstances behind his arrival."
"Yeah, we've heard all about it. It's still crazy the elevator in the Empire State Building is capable of all that." Percy proclaimed in disbelief.
"Indeed. Interdimensional travel is an incredibly risky and dangerous thing to delve into." Artemis gravely admitted. "Which is why these "Galaxy Soldiers" are a serious threat to not just Olympus, but the entire cosmos itself."
Goku cupped his chin in thought. "Kogu mentioned something about a "Labyrinth" earlier. Do you guys know what that is?"
"Annabeth here's a huge geek when it comes to architecture. She should be able to tell you all about it." Percy cheekily patted her on the back. She furrowed her eye brows, clearly not amused by Percy's "encouragement".
"Gee, thanks." She adjusted her Yankees cap and sighed. "I can't say this will be easy to understand, but I'll try my best. The Labyrinth was an underground maze built by a son of Athena and my half-brother, Daedalus…"
"Have you met him before?" Goku asked.
"No, but I wish I could. He was an absolute genius." Annabeth replied. She then continued her explanation. "As I was saying, Daedalus designed the Labyrinth on the island of Crete for its ruler at the time, King Minos. It was mainly constructed to contain a half-bull; half-human monster called the Minotaur."
"Yeesh. Sounds pretty dangerous." Goku cringed.
"Tell me about it. I had to fight that thing when I was twelve." Percy said.
"Nice! I actually defeated a whole army by myself when I was twelve." Goku beamed, suddenly feeling nostalgic about his childhood. "Man, those were good times."
"An entire what now?" Percy choked.
"Given everything that you've told me about your past, I'm not surprised in the slightest." Artemis lightly smiled.
"You're a whole lot scarier than you look, you know that?" Bianca said, feeling a bit unnerved.
"Oh, come on! I'm not that bad." Goku laughed. He then motioned for Annabeth to continue. "You were saying?
"Ahem. Before Percy's encounter, the Minotaur was slain by a hero named Theseus. He managed to escape after that, but even with the Minotaur's absence, the Labyrinth still remained on Crete. Some say Daedalus even gave the maze its own consciousness, making it so it can read your own thoughts, change shape and size at will, and design ways to fool anyone misfortunate enough to end up trapped inside."
Goku was growing more and more disturbed by the existence of such a facility. He could tell that even for someone as attuned with his own senses as him, the Labyrinth would still be next to impossible to navigate.
"I fear it is much worse than that, Annabeth Chase." Artemis whispered.
"What do you mean?" She inquired.
"As with Olympus, the Labyrinth is now located somewhere in the United States. But over these past thousand years, it has continued to grow and expand in size with each passing day. Multiple entrances to the maze exist all across the world and, judging by Kogu's final statement…"
Artemis narrowed her eyes as she pet the deer sitting in her lap. She frowned deeply.
"…even in worlds other than this one."
"That explains how Atlas was able to come in contact with Bojack, Kogu, and the others!" Goku realized. "There's straight up portals to other universes opening up in this Labyrinth thing."
"But how can that be? The mere idea of it all sounds preposterous!" Zoë shouted.
"So is an elevator that can magically teleport with a single push of a button. Nothing's off the table in terms of bizarreness." Percy argued.
"He's got you there." Annabeth shrugged.
Bianca fidgeted in her seat. "D-Does… Does that mean more monsters as freakishly strong as that blue guy are going to show up then?"
"If we don't intervene with the Titan Army's plans, then yes. I believe it's only Bojack and his four subordinates for now." Artemis noted.
"Don't take them lightly, though. There may only be five of them, but each one could be as strong, if not stronger than I am at the moment." Goku inferred based on Kogu's description of his leader. "That's why you guys should avoid engaging Bojack until you receive enough training from me."
"That's all well and good, Goku, but there's something else I should probably mention." Percy blew out an exasperated sigh. "It's about a dream I had on the way to Westover Hall."
Artemis paid full attention to what Percy was about to say.
"A dream, hm? What kind of vision did you see in it?" She asked, almost in a demanding tone of voice.
"It was brief, but I saw Bojack and his crew talking with Atlas about their respective plans. Bojack mentioned something about Goku being popular with a group called The Time Patrol…" Percy recounted. He turned his head toward the Saiyan in question. "That ring any bells at all?"
"No. This is the first time I'm hearing about it." Goku shrugged his shoulders. "Is that what Bojack is a part of?"
"I don't think so. One dude referred to themselves as Time Bandits, so they might be enemies? Your guess is as a good as mine." Percy said. "However, the most disturbing thing I overheard was about a monster called… the Ophiotaurus and how Atlas is trying to locate it."
Annabeth audibly gasped while Goku, Bianca, and Percy were puzzled by her response. Artemis closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"I was afraid you were going to mention that." She murmured in sadness. "Father's request will be much more difficult to complete now…"
"Why didn't you mention this sooner, Percy? This is serious information!" Annabeth growled.
"The opportunity never presented itself, Annabeth! We were trying to not get killed by a Final Fantasy reject on steroids, remember?"
"What's this Ophio… toysrus, exactly? Is it really that dangerous?"
"Ophiotaurus, Goku. It's a mix of a bull and a serpent that when sacrificed, can be used to destroy the Olympian gods." Annabeth described the Ophiotaurus' powers. "So, to summarize my point, yeah. It is that dangerous."
"Dangerous when thy entrails are burned, to be more specific. Lord Zeus prevented that from happening during the First Titanomachy." Zoë clarified.
"Correct. That's why I must hunt The Bane of Olympus at once." Artemis exclaimed determinedly. She gently moved the deer's head away and reached for her silver bow.
Zoë tried her best not to look scared for her mistress' safety. "I'll gather Phoebe and the others right away, my lady."
"Not this time, Zoë," Artemis shook her head. "I must do this alone. I already explained that much to Goku back on Olympus."
Goku felt a bit hesitant now. He did understand Artemis' original explanation just fine, but with Bojack and the Galaxy Soldiers around, her hunt for this Ophiotaurus creature was getting more and more risky by the second.
"Are you sure you want to go by yourself? These guys are bad news, Artemis! If I'm not there to help you, they could seriously hurt or even—"
Artemis held up a hand, motioning for him to stop talking. "I'm… aware of the consequences involved, Goku. You don't need to remind me."
"Your responsibility is to ensure the safety of Camp Half-Blood and its campers. Mine is hunting this monster before Atlas discovers its current location." She said. Goku still wasn't convinced. "The point is that I don't want to put more of a burden on you than what I and the other gods already have…"
The Saiyan frowned. He could tell that Artemis still felt a little guilty for getting him involved in all of this.
"Artemis…"
To everyone's utter shock, especially Zoë's, Artemis reached for Goku's hand and lightly squeezed it before letting go. Now, they had officially seen everything that day.
"It'll be alright. I shall find and bring it to Olympus by the winter solstice. It'll help prove to the Council of the Gods that you are the least of our concerns at the moment, and that there are much more dangerous forces at play." The goddess of the hunt promised.
"Not sure when or what a solstice is, but okay. You've convinced me." Goku hesitantly said.
"It'll be in about a week, Goku. That's all you need to know. Hehe." Artemis briefly giggled. She then looked up at him, smiling. "Plus, there's something else I need you to do for me."
"What?"
"I want you to bring my Hunters over to Camp Half-Blood and watch over them. They should be safe there until I return. Could you do that for me?"
"What? Thou want us to go back there again?! But we absolutely hate that place and—"
"Yes, I'm well aware," Artemis said. "You girls will just have to bear it for a few days at most. Goku can help pass the time with his martial arts instructions, which I highly advise that you follow, Zoë. We cannot afford to dawdle in these dark times."
Zoë bared her teeth in clear reluctance. "At least let me go with thee, Lady Artemis! It'll make this hunt much easier."
"It's far too dangerous, dear one. After all, the very place I will start my search is where he lies. You will not be properly protected there."
Zoë, knowing that this argument was a losing battle, bowed her head in sorrow. "As… as you wish, my lady. I'll follow Goku to that camp…"
"They'll be in good hands, Artemis. You can count on me." Goku expressed with the utmost confidence.
"I know I can," Artemis nodded. "Now that that's settled, there is one last decision that needs to be made."
She turned to Bianca with an inviting, yet neutral gaze.
"Have you made up your mind, my girl?"
"N-No… I still need some to think about it."
Percy raised an eyebrow. "Think about what? What's going on?"
"They… they've invited me to become one of the Hunters." Bianca stammered.
"What? But you can't! You have to come to Camp Half-Blood, so Chiron, and now Goku, can properly train you. It's the only way you can learn to survive."
"It is not the only way for a girl." Zoë said. She then exchanged eye contact with Annabeth. "You're always welcome to join as well."
Percy's skin paled. He almost lost Annabeth once today, so losing her again would not be something he could handle mentally.
"Um… I'll put a raincheck on that offer, thanks…" Annabeth coughed awkwardly. "Are you sure this is what you want, Bianca? What about Nico? He'll be all alone."
"Not necessarily. He'll have other half-bloods like you to look after him. Counselors like Goku will also be there to offer assistance." Artemis assured. "You, Bianca, will be free of all responsibility. You can visit Nico from time to time, but it'll be on your own terms. You will have a new family from now on. Us."
"Isn't this is a lot of pressure being put on her? At her age, I wouldn't have had the emotional maturity to make this kind of decision." Goku expressed concernedly.
"Implying that you're anything other than immature now, let alone then." Zoë snorted.
"Hey! I can be plenty responsible when it counts." Goku insisted.
"Regardless, Goku's got a point. Camp is a far more comfortable place to live for someone as young as you, Bianca. It's got a dining hall, a pegasus stable, a sword-fighting arena… well, before Goku and Ares blew it up, anyway, but my point still stands! Aside from a few tents and some wolves, what do the Hunters have to offer?"
"To begin with, immortality." Zoë replied.
"Does a twelve-year-old girl really need that?" Annabeth questioned.
"That is Bianca's choice to make, daughter of Athena. Anyone, regardless of race, age, or appearance, can join my hunt if they swear to remain a maiden forever. They must promise to forgo romantic love or lose the immortality I have bestowed upon them." Artemis shared the details of her oath.
Goku tried his best to follow along with what she was saying. "Which is why you're considered a virgin goddess, right?"
"Yes, Goku. That's right."
Annabeth brushed some stray locks of blonde hair away from her forehead and said, "This just seems like a lot to take in. Are you really considering this, Bianca?"
"Well, when I think about it more, being free of responsibility would be nice…" Bianca hummed to herself. She loved her brother, but after taking care of him for so many years, she desperately needed a break. And if that meant deserting him at Camp Half-Blood, then so be it.
"This is nuts, Bianca! You're making a mistake." Percy implored her to reconsider.
The girl, sadly, ignored him in favor of addressing Zoë. "Is it worth it?"
"It is."
"What do I have to do?"
"Repeat after me." Zoë instructed. "I pledge myself to the goddess, Artemis."
"I… I pledge myself to the goddess, Artemis."
"I turn my back on the company of men, accept eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt."
"Okay. I turn my back on the company of men, accept… eternal maidenhood, and join the Hunt." Bianca repeated the lines given to her. "That's all I do?"
Zoë nodded. "If Lady Artemis accepts thy pledge, then it is binding."
"I accept it," Artemis said.
Artemis' words caused the fire in the center to emit an ethereal, silver glow. Goku couldn't tell what just happened, but Bianca's energy signature, although faint, suddenly got bigger. It was almost the same as Zoë's, albeit a little weaker.
Bianca took a deep breath and examined her body. "I feel… stronger."
Zoë smiled. "Welcome, sister."
"Remember your pledge. It is now your life." Artemis advised.
Percy was stunned speechless. It seemed like this day was filled with one failure after another for him.
"Our offer's still on the table, Chase. Please think carefully about it." Zoë smirked.
"Again, I'm good for now." Annabeth muttered. She rested a hand on Percy's shoulder sympathetically.
"Do not despair, Percy Jackson. The di Angelos will still be able to look around your camp. And Nico can stay there if he so chooses."
"Yeah, great," He glowered. "Now, we just have to figure out a way to get there…"
"I could use my Instant Transmission technique. I just need to track someone's ki and I'll teleport to their location… well, instantly!"
"I'm assuming that's how you got in front of Percy earlier?" Annabeth guessed.
"Yep! You're definitely Athena's daughter, alright." Goku chirped. If not for the dire situation they were in, she probably would have burst out laughing at Goku's goofy, carefree expression.
"Eh, I try." Annabeth smiled back.
"No disrespect, Goku, but I believe Instant Transmission won't be effective for this particular scenario. Teleporting all of my Hunters, Grover, and these demigods at the same time would be… problematic to say the least." Artemis warned.
Goku carefully processed her words. Thinking back on the current condition of Camp Half-Blood, he had a feeling Dionysus wouldn't appreciate a gigantic group showing up out of thin air. He'd probably have the divine equivalent of a heart attack in response.
"Yeah, I guess transporting this many people would have a pretty big margin of error. Heh." Goku agreed. "Flying everyone wouldn't work either. Got any other ideas?"
Artemis closed her eyes. She noticed some traces of sunlight creeping into the tent. "Since Dawn is approaching, I shall summon a ride from my brother. It's the safest way to reach Long Island."
"Ugh. Him? Really, Lady Artemis?" Zoë groaned in annoyance.
"No more arguing, Zoë. Break camp and gather the others together."
Zoë begrudgingly nodded and left the tent. Bianca followed, but not before stopping in front the trio. "I'm sorry, guys. But I want this. I really, really do."
"Be sure to talk with your brother about this. He deserves to know what's going on." Annabeth said.
"I-I will…" Bianca nodded guiltily. She then walked away, leaving them alone with Artemis.
"It'll be cool to see Apollo again. We didn't get to talk much at the trial." Goku stated in excitement.
"Yes, unfortunately. That annoying brother of mine is never going to let me live this down." Artemis sighed, barely suppressing the inevitable headache she was going to experience later on.
"We'll wait outside until day breaks. Hopefully, Apollo will actually do his job on time, but I'm not getting my hopes up." She said. Artemis then exited the tent, her sacred deer following close by.
"Didn't think Artemis and Apollo's relationship would be this on-edge." Goku lightly stroked his head in surprise.
"It's not. They just have completely different personalities." Annabeth shook her head. "It doesn't help that Apollo is notorious for treating Artemis like his little sister, even when they're actually twins."
"Ah, okay. I saw a lot of Athena's other kids at camp, but do you have other any other siblings that weren't there?" Goku wondered.
Annabeth's mood darkened ever-so-slightly. Any conversation relating to her dad and his "new family" brought out some bad memories.
"Yeah, but…" She trailed off, looking away from Goku. "I don't like talking about them…"
With that, she left to reunite with Grover, Thalia, and Nico. An awkward silence permeated between Percy and Goku.
"Annabeth's relationship with her dad and stepsiblings is a bit strained. I wouldn't bring it up too much." Percy recommended.
"Oh, got it. I'll try to remember that next time." Goku nodded in understanding. He could definitely relate to having some bad blood with his own family.
"You have any… alien siblings or whatever?"
"Just an older brother named Raditz, but he kidnapped my son and tried to kill me when I first met him." Goku informed. He figured it'd be best to not mention the fact that he died fighting him. Percy had no idea what the Dragon Balls were yet.
"Dang, that sucks…" Percy whistled. He stuffed both hands in his pockets. "My brother's a Cyclops."
"Meaning that…?"
"He's freakishly strong and has one eye." Percy summarized the nature of his brother, Tyson's, species.
"Oh… Cool!"
The two then continued their casual conversation outside of the tent, hoping that Apollo's arrival wouldn't take longer than expected.
*And that's it for Chapter 14! It wasn't as action packed as other chapters, but I tried to make the conclusion to Goku and Kogu's fight as satisfying as possible. It was brief, admittedly, but it both included some references to Bojack Unbound and gave some important exposition. This mainly includes the idea that the Labyrinth has developed into a multiversal maze that will connect to different planets, universes, and even alternate timelines. I thought this could be a cool way for Kronos and the Titans to recruit characters like Bojack into their ranks. It'll be fully explored in-depth once I reach The Labyrinth Arc, the storyline that will come after this one.
I also included more references to the Time Patrol. A scene set there will be included at the beginning of Chapter 15, so I'm excited to see how I write The Supreme Kai of Time and similar characters. They will assist Goku in his fight against Bojack, Atlas, and other enemies, eventually.
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