Ocean Song stood at the bow of his ship as it sailed the high seas.
Sure, there was some…damage to his vessel, and he had to find an island to flip it back over and empty it of water after what happened before. And sure, it took him several hours to paddle to the nearest landmass, but those things didn't matter.
If no one saw them, then he can deny they ever happened!
Someone might ask him why he simply didn't swim himself at that point, as it would have been faster and logical.
Ocean Song would answer that he forgot he could do that.
But also, a proper cultivator sails a boat!
Or something; he wasn't sure if the ancient texts ever covered such a situation before. But since he was a proper cultivator and this is what he did, does that not mean that it's what a proper cultivator would do!?
It was flawless logic.
He had been in a good mood for a while now.
Oddly, he realized that the sun should have set awhile ago, but the world was now in a perpetual haze of sunset.
When he cast his gaze towards the horizon, he could see it.
The Pillars of Hercules.
And it was as if the Pillars were preventing the sun from setting.
Or rather, if he squinted and used his Qi, he could see the Sun God arguing with someone and looking annoyed that they couldn't drive their chariot forward.
Of course, Ocean Song realized that it was only taking place in this small part of the world; otherwise, things would be far too chaotic.
But that didn't concern him; he just steered his ship as it continued onwards until it finally reached the landmass!
He could feel the Ancient Power once he stepped onto the shores.
Power certainly seeped into every crevice and rock of this place.
The feeling wasn't too dissimilar from when he was on Olympus or Atlantis.
And he could feel it now, what his father explained to him. Like there was a wall, an invisible force that prevented him from continuing onwards.
Ocean Song was a little excited.
Greece's most famous hero.
Herakles to the Greeks, Hercules to the Romans.
Though, despite the name for this island being called the 'Pillars of Hercules,' the Greeks still called him Herakles in the same breath.
Thankfully, the man in question wasn't hiding.
In fact, he was a little ways down the beach, standing in the sand.
From the looks of it, Ocean Song thought he had been in that same spot for years.
They're called the Pillars of Hercules, but in Ocean Song's eyes, they paled in comparison to the way he towered over the area.
His presence itself was like a warning to anyone crossing the sea.
This place wasn't just the entrance or exit to the Old World; it could be said to be the door to the Greek cosmology.
The world had changed since the old days.
Now, everyone existed in the same world and walked down the streets as neighbors, even if they ignored one another.
But in the past, if anyone dared set their eyes on Greece, they would have to get past him.
The gatekeeper, the indomitable wall that held back the enemies of Olympus, undefeated.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist!" Ocean Song ran over without hesitation. "This one is named Ocean Song. I seek passage to the Old World!"
He, of course, offered a clasped-hands bow as he got close.
The god turned to him with a blank look on his face. "I've been waiting."
"Waiting?" Ocean Song repeated. "I see, my arrival was foretold. A prophecy of—"
"No, I sensed you coming earlier today; I've been waiting all day." He cut Ocean Song off. "Do you think I want to stand here for hours for every idiot that's trying to pass by? I had to stop Apollo from setting the sun in the area because I go to bed when it gets dark."
Ocean Song looked up and also annoyed Apollo. Though, his annoyance seemed to be directed at Hercules.
Ocean Song blinked because he vaguely thought he saw the God of the Sun flip off Hercules.
"Oh…" He lost his enthusiasm.
"Well, get on with it. What do you want?"
Ocean Song eyed the hero turned god. He was a man of large stature. He wore a purple toga adorned with gold, very cleanly worn despite standing in the sands next to the ocean. And he held a club over his shoulder, one that looked more like a baseball bat.
"I request permission to pass, Great God."
"No."
"Please?"
"Well…since you asked nicely… no."
"Why not?"
"Because I don't like you." He said it plainly.
"But we've never met before." Ocean Song pointed out.
"True. But I know who you are. I still get updated on what's happening, you know. I laughed my ass off when I heard that bitch's Apple Tree got stolen. And you're the one who returned it, right? So, that's why I'm not letting you go."
"Don't you have to let me go if I complete a challenge from you? You have to give me a challenge, right?" Ocean Song only vaguely recalled the lore here.
The ancient texts weren't very explicit, unfortunately.
"No, I don't have to." Hercules replied. "But…alright." He finished with a shrug. "I guess I can toss you a bone." He leaned on his club. "Entertain me."
"How?"
"That's for you to figure out." Hercules gestured.
"I know how to play music!" Ocean Song's eyes lit up. "If I play you a song, can I go?"
"You know what? Show me what you got; if you play me something good, I'll let you through." He answered.
"Rock on, Cyclops kiddo!" Apollo shouted from the sky, suddenly taking much more interest in what was happening.
"Behold!" Ocean Song took out his zither. "And bear witness to my musical prowess."
As a Jade Beauty, Ocean Song instinctively knew how to play the zither and didn't need to practice.
He sat down cross-legged and put forth his best effort. All his emotion, his heart, and his soul began to pluck the strings.
The sharp screech sent shivers down the spines of the watching gods.
And it was only the beginning.
The screeching and off-chorded notes made them both clench their teeth and cover their ears.
The 'music' continued, much to their continued horrific expressions. Never before had Hercules thought he might actually be felled by music of all things, yet right now, he felt his legs wobble as he was almost certain his ears began to bleed.
"Stop!" He roared, kicking the ground, a wave of sand crashing against the Cyclops.
Ocean Song spit out a mouthful of sand. "That was good enough, right?!"
Hercules was about to respond, to give him his genuine thoughts, but before he could get the words out, he looked up as he heard Apollo, the god of music, let out a scream of pain and fall from his chariot, hitting the ocean some miles away.
"Does that answer your question?" Hercules snorted.
"...he was so moved that he fell from the Heavens—"
Hercules smacked him upside the head.
"What if I play another song—"
"I will hit you with my club." Hercules warned.
"...What if I play another song if you don't let me pass?" Ocean Song was a quick thinker.
Hercules looked at him and slowly raised an eyebrow. "Are you threatening me?"
"...yes." He hesitantly replied.
Hercules leaned down next to him. "Have you ever been thrown into the upper atmosphere at Mach 10?"
"No?"
"Well, go ahead and play another song; you'll get to find out what it's like." He smiled, but it carried with it an uncomfortable pressure.
Ocean Song carefully put his zither away.
Truly, this fellow Daoist just couldn't appreciate the prowess of a proper Jade Beauty.
"I feel like I'm being bullied." Ocean Song pouted.
"It builds character." Hercules didn't even try to hide it.
Ocean Song got up, brushing himself off. "How about a swimming competition?"
"Do you think I'm an idiot?" Hercules deadpanned. "One, you're a brat of Poseidon. Two, I can't leave the island."
"Winning by forfeit is still a win." Ocean Song stated firmly.
"How about we play a game of seeing who can smack a Cyclops further into the ocean?" He patted his club.
Ocean Song gulped.
It was strange.
He felt more of a sense of danger than when he fought Ares.
Perhaps it made sense.
Hercules, as a god, without utilizing a divine form, was the strongest god of the Pantheon. Below the threshold of Divine Forms, Hercules was invincible.
When he was still a demigod, he had defeated many gods in fights or competitions.
Endowed with Divine Strength.
Such that fighting was certainly out of the question.
Maybe he might have some manner of courage if he were at full strength. But he still hadn't recuperated fully after his fight with Ares. His Domain Expansion still hadn't returned; the cost had been great to bear the weight of sealing away Ares' Divine Form.
However, even still, Ocean Song wasn't one to be bullied!
It didn't need to be a competition of strength! But what about one of skill? He had an ace up his sleeve; he had the memories of his previous life. Vague as they were, there were things that would come naturally to him.
Years of repetitive actions, of playing, of practicing.
He stood up and took a step forward, a breath away from Hercules, and poked his chest. "Can you ball?"
Hercules blinked. "What?"
"I said, can you ball?" He poked the God of Strength's chest again. "Can you guard me? No divine powers, no super strength."
Hercules stared at him for a long moment before lifting up his club. Ocean Song was worried for a moment, until he threw it dozens of feet away into the sand.
It hit the ground with a thump that caused the island to shake.
Then, it began to change shape and grow. And out of the sand, a basketball court began to rise up until it fully emerged, sand pouring off the edges.
It was a standard basketball court that you could find on plenty of corners in New York.
Hercules didn't break eye contact with Ocean Song as he leveled his hand out towards the stuck chariot in the sky. The Chariot churned and shot towards his grasp, turning into a basketball.
Hercules caught it with one hand, then casually threw it behind him.
Ocean Song watched as the ball soared through the air and landed perfectly through the hoop.
A swish sound followed it from nearly the full court.
"Can I ball?" Hercules asked. "I'm the God of Sports."
"...errors have been made." Ocean Song swallowed.
If someone were to ask.
He would admit.
He didn't know that there even was a God of Sports.
But Ocean Song wasn't a coward!
He walked over and grabbed the ball. It felt warm in his hands, probably because it was apparently made from the sun. He wondered why it was still bright outside but decided not to question it.
He felt the weight of the ball in his hands; it was about what he remembered. It had been years since he last picked up a basketball, a literal past life.
But he was also far from the meek and weak mortal of yesteryear.
It was like his body remembered.
His hands went right where they were supposed to, and even his feet moved properly.
He shot the ball, and it gently carried on the wind; barely a sound by the net catching it indicated that it had gone in.
"Fellow Daoist." Ocean Song spoke to him, making a 'come at me' gesture. "Square up."
Hercules raised an eyebrow.
He grabbed the ball, walking to the center of the court.
Ocean Song welcomed him as he tossed the boss to him, bouncing off the ground. Ocean Song caught it and tossed it back, indicating that he can start whenever he wants.
Hercules barely batted an eye as he started dribbling with practiced ease.
One would think that Hercules, despite even being the God of Sports, wouldn't be so…accustomed to the sport.
They would be wrong.
He's actually very into almost every sport on the planet.
He watches all the big games even from his island.
"Rules?" Hercules asked.
"Schoolyard rules, quick game, first to three, one point per basket." Ocean Song answered.
It was what he recalled playing the most back in the day. And he didn't have the confidence to go for a longer match against a God known for his stamina and endurance.
Hercules just grunted, and he took a few steps forward, fluidly passing the ball between his legs with each step.
Ocean Song took on a serious expression as he moved to guard.
Hercules had a cocky smirk on his face as he started to step back and forth, juking one way, taking a step to the other, then moving back to the same spot. Just messing with his opponent, leading him on.
Ocean Song followed him closely, not letting him get a sneaky pass by.
He faked to the left with an overextended arm as if he were finally going to make a move, only to pull the ball back and bounce it around Ocean Song's back, grabbing it from the other side, a mocking maneuver.
Before Ocean Song could recover, he took a half step back and a light jump as he shot the ball at the net.
"First point to me." He said arrogantly.
The ball landed through the net as expected.
The God of Sports wouldn't miss such an easy shot; he could have taken it with his eyes closed.
Ocean Song didn't say anything as he grabbed the ball and tossed it back to Hercules as the Cyclops took his spot. Hercules scored, and then it was his turn to start with it.
Hercules passed the ball back, and Ocean Song dribbled it easily enough. It was like relearning how to ride a bike; it came naturally and fluidly.
Ocean Song dribbled with the ball in hand, testing the weight, the bounce, and the rhythm.
His eyes were locked on Hercules, who stood in a low, athletic stance, the kind that you could tell he was experienced and knew what he was doing.
Ocean Song feinted left, then right. Nothing. Hercules didn't bite.
He went for a crossover and took a quick step toward the baseline, trying to gain an edge.
Nothing.
It was like Hercules could read him perfectly. The difference between a kid playing a pickup game after school and a professional player. Which was a very accurate assessment in this case.
Hercules slid with him perfectly, footwork sharp, eyes calm.
Ocean took a desperate step back and launched the jumper. Just the defensive pressure was enough that he couldn't get a clean shot, and Hercules tapped it with his finger just as Ocean Song let the ball loose.
Clank.
It hit the front rim and bounced long.
Hercules didn't blink. He boxed out casually, caught the rebound, and walked it back to the top of the key.
Hercules caught the ball from Ocean Song and casually walked it back to the top of the key, spinning it once on his fingertip before settling into a low dribble.
"Still time to forfeit," he offered. "Can save your pride."
Ocean Song huffed indignantly. "As a proper cultivator, I only have pride when I can act heroically. When I'm losing, there's no such thing as pride!" He declared.
Hercules paused for a moment, wondering what the hell was wrong with this Cyclops before resuming play.
This time, he took casual steps towards the net before charging forward. Just as Ocean Song squared up, he turned his back and feinted to the left, then feinted to the right. He pivoted on his foot and caught Ocean Song flat-footed, finding an opening to jump up right in front of the net for an easy point.
Ocean Song, however, had the time to jump up with him, ready to deny the shot.
But Hercules just smirked; just as he saw Ocean Song ready to block, the God of Strength dropped his hands and casually tossed it under his arms.
It gently bounced against the backboard and through the net.
"That's two." Hercules stated as he touched back on the ground. "Just one more, kiddo. I'm sure you can count that high."
"Jokes on you, no one taught me how to count!" Ocean Song met his taunts head-on.
Hercules did another double take again, genuinely wondering if there was something wrong with him.
Ocean Song took his spot and got the ball, bouncing it between his legs as he made a game plan.
"You know, I might have been nice to let you score a point or two, to make it seem like you had a chance." Hercules followed along with every move that Ocean Song made.
Again, any feints, any tricks, any moves, Hercules followed them easily. Like glue, the ancient hero never gave him a chance to breathe; he could barely gain a few inches forwards towards the net.
"But being asked if I could ball?" He spoke in Ocean Song's ear.
And like a snake, his hand slipped through Ocean Song's arms and pushed the ball out of his grasp.
The Cyclops had no time to recover, as Hercules had already grabbed it and stepped back enough to shift back to offense.
"You just had this coming, brat." He stated, his eyes turning more serious.
Ocean Song felt an intense weight bear down on him. Hercules shot towards the net without any care of Ocean Song; he was going for a dunk to finish things off.
Yet, with every step he took, Ocean Song could feel it; the island trembled.
This wasn't him cheating; this wasn't him using his Divine Power, his godly abilities.
This was Hercules.
He leapt towards the net, ball held high as he was ready to slam it down.
Ocean Song could feel the weight and pressure behind it. He could tell that it would easily be able to shatter and sink the island if it weren't contained in this magically and godly created court.
Despite this, Ocean Song didn't back down.
He didn't use his Qi.
He didn't use his Dao.
He didn't use any mysticism.
He jumped up to block.
Hercules didn't stop, but he was surprised. The monster in front of him forewent any semblance of safety.
Just barely, Ocean Song jabbed at the ball in his hands, knocking it out of his grasp.
In return, the full power of Hercules' slam landed on him.
The Island, even through the godly power that contained it to the court, rumbled. Waves pulsed out at the sheer force that reverberated through the land.
Hercules landed on his feet as the ball rolled to the side.
The court created through his godly power was cracked through, and Ocean Song was on the ground.
Hercules stared at him silently, even as the Cyclops slowly pushed himself up to his elbow, blood dripping down his mouth and nose. He coughed a few times, throwing up phlegm and blood along with it.
Ocean Song tried to push himself up but fell back onto his face before finally being able to get back onto his trembling legs.
Hercules knew that he was strong.
The ancient hero who had slain heroes, he could smell a strong monster miles away.
A monster that could fight Ares was no weakling.
The strength he used was his mortal strength, which, even in that last move, was enough to turn hundreds of Cyclops to a puddle of mush under it.
Yet, Ocean Song didn't use an ounce of his power to offset the damage, keeping strictly to the 'rules' that had been settled on.
Ocean Song just chuckled, putting his hands on his knees to keep himself from falling over. "I didn't hear any bell."
Hercules silently held his arm out as Ocean Song fell forward, his eyes rolling back.
He was just messing around with Ocean Song.
Truthfully, even after Ocean Song lost, he was going to let him go on ahead. He mostly just messes with people who come along just to alleviate his boredom. If he doesn't like them, he usually gives them a hard task or makes them do something humiliating.
Rarely does he actually stop someone from passing through.
It was one of the ways he liked to irk the gods.
He was silent for several moments as he held the unconscious Ocean Song in his arms.
"Destroying the court is a foul." He finally opened his mouth. "It's your win, kiddo." He hefted Ocean Song over his shoulder and walked towards his house on the island.
[Line Break]
A/N
Ocean Song: Can you ball?
Hercules: The God of Sports.
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