Scylla,
She was originally an exceedingly beautiful nymph.
But due to the jealousy of the Night Witch Circe, she was transformed into the current man-eating sea monster that strikes fear into all who hear of her.
Hermes had brought her forth to serve as a trial for Jason.
In truth, it was indeed a dilemma of moderate difficulty.
Because whether Jason killed her or spared her, neither option was the best choice.
If he killed her, then Hera would have grounds to question Jason and impose punishment upon him.
And if he did not kill her, what awaited Jason and the heroes of the Argo would be her relentless pursuit. To escape it, he would have to offer up six human lives to her.
However, Hermes had failed to realize one thing.
That was, the very idea he had conceived to use this method to trouble Jason.
Had actually been influenced by Jason himself!
To persuade with virtue, to convince with reason, to move with emotion, to regulate with laws, to inspire with ambition... These words sufficed to encapsulate the patterns Jason had followed all along.
And as one of the first gods to interact with Jason, Hermes had naturally witnessed time and again how Jason handled the various troubles he encountered.
Hermes himself was a very clever god. Although he could not put Jason's methods into words.
He simply felt that they were excellent, leaving people convinced and unable to harbor any desire to cause further mischief.
But over time, he had naturally picked up a thing or two.
Undoubtedly, in this instance, Hermes had intended to stand on the side of 'reason,' suppressing Jason with the momentum of the great path.
Yet what he had learned was ultimately just the superficial aspects. Moreover, it was done unconsciously, and Hermes himself had likely not even noticed.
Therefore, for Jason to unravel it was naturally not difficult.
The legend of Scylla appears in the English idiom "Between Scylla and Charybdis."
With the Scylla rock ahead and the Charybdis whirlpool behind, it translates to the meaning of "between a rock and a hard place."
But evidently, Jason preferred taking the initiative over being passively caught in a dilemma.
Thus, upon learning of the Scylla sea monster and the massive whirlpool, Jason decided to enter the whirlpool deliberately, forcing the waiting Scylla to make her move.
Turning passivity into activity!
"Great gods, as you can see, we did not intrude upon her domain, nor did we provoke her. Yet she appeared to ambush us.
And if we do not counterattack now, must we wait until she crushes the Argo and all the members aboard perish in the great sea?!"
After Jason finished speaking loudly, he once more instructed the spirit of the Argo.
"Argo, what are you waiting for? Counterattack now!
And heroes of the Argo, is this not the perfect moment for you to offer your courage and valor to the great gods above?
What are you hesitating for? Take up your weapons and deliver the punishment she deserves to this sea monster who seeks to destroy the Argo and halt our grand voyage!"
With his words concluded, the Argo no longer hesitated. Thus, magical missiles launched from the Argo, striking Scylla's body with fierce blasts.
The many heroes also took up their weapons in turn, smashing them against the tentacles Scylla used to coil around the Argo.
Atalanta even drew her Heavenly Bow, her arrow precisely striking Scylla's left eye.
Soon, a miserable wail echoed across this stretch of sea.
One section of tentacle after another was blasted apart or severed by the heroes.
Heracles and Theseus and the others climbed onto Scylla's body with even greater ferocity, green blood staining this whirlpool.
"Unforgivable, unforgivable!"
Scylla cried out, then lifted the Argo with her tentacles, shaking it vigorously within this whirlpool.
This truly made many of the heroes, who were already poor swimmers, feel the world spinning instantly. They fell directly from the ship into the whirlpool.
"Senior Brother Theseus, and you all, hurry and save them!"
Seeing this, Jason shouted while instructing two winged members on the ship to quickly rescue the heroes who had fallen overboard.
"Argo, prepare. Once everyone is brought back aboard, drop the protective barrier and unleash maximum firepower to bombard her, driving her into the whirlpool!"
Upon hearing this, the ship's spirit intensified the firepower blasting the sea demon.
A short while later, once the heroes had either climbed back aboard or been rescued, the Argo suddenly deactivated its protective barrier. Without the shield, the Argo fell directly into Scylla's grasp.
Seeing this, before Scylla could feel any joy, the Argo, propelled at full force, slipped from her tentacles in an instant.
And in the next second, magical projectiles rained down upon Scylla without restraint, bursts of brilliant white light exploding in dazzling array.
Finally, with a roar of unwillingness from Scylla.
Unable to resist, she could only allow the whirlpool to drag her away.
Just as everyone aboard the Argo believed the matter concluded.
A swarm of nether butterflies emitting a faint underworld glow suddenly appeared. Then, Jason, staff in hand, stepped upon a path paved by these nether butterflies.
He charged toward Scylla, who had fallen into the whirlpool.
"Master Jason!"
"Junior Brother Jason!"
"Captain Jason!"
Seeing this, many widened their eyes and cried out to Jason in alarm.
But Jason did not stop. He strode forward swiftly and landed upon Scylla's body. Together with Scylla, he plummeted into the whirlpool and soon vanished from sight.
This action of Jason not only shocked the vast majority aboard the Argo.
Even the gods above who were observing the events, such as Hestia and Amphitrite, were stunned and grew flustered.
Just as they instinctively prepared to intervene and save Jason.
"Wait, look at him. He... he seems fine!"
Hermes stopped them, pointing downward at Jason, who had fallen into the whirlpool alongside Scylla.
Jason, upon entering the whirlpool, immediately produced a deep blue pearl and gripped it tightly in his hand.
Holding this pearl, even within the whirlpool, he seemed utterly unhindered, moving with complete ease.
"...The Heart of the Deep Sea?"
Hera recognized the pearl's origin at a glance, then abruptly turned her head to look at the Queen of the Sea, Amphitrite, beside her.
Amphitrite herself was stunned for a moment. She blinked at the pearl.
Only then did she recall that she had indeed given it to Jason back then.
When they had gone to the deep sea temple to retrieve the Lyre of the Deep Sea, she had casually handed it to Jason and then apparently forgotten to take it back...
Ah, this...
Regaining her composure, Amphitrite met Hera's deathly stare.
After a dry cough, she revealed a smile that was somewhat awkward yet still polite. Gritting her teeth, she feigned surprise and exclaimed, "Oh, so that child actually has the Heart of the Deep Sea in his hand. Strange, who could have given it to him!"