Fate: I Heard After Death, You Can Ascend to the Throne of Heroes?

And when he heard the Goddess' words, Promise, who was standing nearby, wasn't surprised at all. 

After all, in some sense, Artemis was the goddess he understood best.

"But that was in the past. Lately, little Ata, you've become much cuter." With that, Artemis, standing on tiptoe, smilingly patted Atalanta's head and said, "Ever since you met little Promise, you've become cuter.

The latter stood there in a daze, looking at Artemis, not knowing how to react.

At that moment, the river god Asopos, leaning on his staff, approached Promise.

He looked at the boy, and because he was a god, he could naturally see more. 

For instance, despite predicting his own death, Promise's determination remained unwavering.

This was also why Artemis said what she did. 

For a goddess like her, just witnessing what he was about to do was the highest form of praise and recognition.

"Do you intend to capture him?"

Even so, the river god Asopos asked Promise.

"Yes." The young man nodded.

Hearing the unwavering nod, the latter was silent for a moment, then said to Promise, "I should stop you because if you die, my daughter will be very sad."

Seeing Promise, noticing the blessing his daughter had left on him, and looking at the painting he had given him, the river god Asopos realized not only that his daughter had fallen in love with Promise but also that the latter had saved her.

"But I see your determination, and... that was once my dream, too." As he spoke, the river god Asopos gently tapped the ground with his staff.

The river water surged from afar, delivering a silver-white bridle into Promise's hands.

This was the artifact Asopos had spent decades collecting precious materials for and finally had the god of craftsmen, Hephaestus, forge, while he gazed longingly at the silver meteor.

"Go, child," the river god Asopos said. "Go and capture it!"

Holding the silver bridle, Promise took one last look at Atalanta.

Then he walked towards Pegasus.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

Pegasus didn't respond... it couldn't. 

It folded its wings and crouched down, allowing the boy to place the silver harness on it.

For Promise, it was willing to give this opportunity.

Atalanta watched all this, her eyes still a bit confused.

Having felt the power of Pegasus clearly in that painting, she had almost concluded that Promise would certainly fall from the silver meteor tonight, just as the goddess of fate had prophesied.

But at that moment, Atalanta recalled certain things, like why she had noticed Promise in the first place... a group of thieves who humorously made a vow to the gods, involving a boy aspiring to be a hero.

She then remembered that night, the monster that turned into a giant deer, and the events of that evening... In that instant, Atalanta suddenly understood something.

For instance, why Actaeon, who had turned into a giant deer, would come to Promise against all odds, and why, despite being so weak, so many gods still cast their eyes on him...

"Promise."

Finally, she spoke again, her sacred green eyes reflecting the boy before her.

"Your friends are waiting for you. They are waiting for you to return."

Promise paused for a moment, looking at the beautiful huntress before him, then smiled and nodded at her, turning to sit on Pegasus.

Pegasus slowly stood up, spreading its silver wings.

With a gentle cry, it stepped into the air, flying towards the starry night sky!

Promise held the silver bridle tightly, feeling the refreshing night wind on his body. 

At this moment, he was finally riding this silver meteor, heading into the starry night sky.

Atalanta, Artemis, and the others watched this scene, and at the same time, on the cliff, the silver-haired, golden-eyed goddess of wisdom also took in the sight.

Though the goddess of fate, Clotho, could not see, she too knew that Promise was now riding the silver meteor.

The atmosphere between the two was somewhat silent. 

Since Athena had quietly stated that fact, Clotho had not spoken a word.

Until now,

"It really suits him."

Watching the boy sitting atop the elegant and graceful Pegasus, Athena smiled once more and said, "Due to Themis, I couldn't see the god of craftsmen, Hephaestus, for a while, so when I was looking for something suitable for him on the continent, I fell in love with it at first sight... It's a pity you can't see it, Clotho."

Pegasus, the symbol of art, is the protector of the Muse goddesses.

Though Promise didn't look like a warrior or a hero, his innate poet and painter aura, coupled with his clear emerald eyes, made him even more noticeable in this era.

When they were coming down the mountain, Jason had said that if Promise wished, and didn't want to be a hero, he could simply play a tune or paint a few pictures in front of noblewomen and be worry-free for life.

In fact, among all of Chiron's students, there was only one who could slightly surpass Promise, and that was Tithonus.

Tithonus, a student of Chiron, was also known as the most handsome youth in the world. 

Upon seeing him for the first time, the dawn goddess Eos fell head over heels in love with him.

However, because he was mortal and Eos, as a goddess, was immortal, she repeatedly begged Zeus to make Tithonus immortal. 

Seeing Tithonus, the god-king, granted Eos's request.

However, because Eos had only asked for immortality and not for eternal youth, she watched as her beloved strong youth aged and withered, eventually turning into a cricket.

He lost the ability to speak and was only able to accompany her with the sound of his chirping.

"Athena..."

Finally, Clotho, who had been silent until now, spoke.

She lowered her head and softly asked, "Even if Promise dies, you don't care?"

"Don't you know about my oath with him?" Athena lightly laughed and retorted.

"Is this the end you have planned for him?"

"Of course not." The latter shook her head decisively. "After all, the offerings he has given me astonishes all the gods. 

As a gift in return, what I have prepared for him is a conclusion that will shock the entire world and the gods!"

Upon hearing this, Clotho's expression didn't change much; knowing well Athena's personality; she knew that even though this ending looked fitting for a hero, the goddess of wisdom might have stored something else in her bag. 

"If that's the case, why..."

"Why would I watch him walk to his death like this, right?" Athena smiled, and it was a gentle smile.

Her golden eyes gazed at the delicate goddess of fate, and without any hesitation, she revealed the answer in her heart.

"Because, in my view, he won't die at all."

"Even if all of you think he can't do it, even if you, holding the spindle of fate, see his destiny to fall from the sky tonight, I still believe in him.

And I know that starting tonight, he will truly leave his mark among the countless stars of this era."

"He will become a shining star... no, he may become the brightest star on this continent!"

The wise goddess Athena said this to the goddess of fate, Clotho.

Facing the goddess who controlled fate and had seen Promise's destined death, Athena seemed to abandon her wisdom and spoke with such conviction.

At this moment, while everyone and all gods believed Promise would fall from the night sky tonight, only Athena showed absolute trust in Promise!

...

...

Above the clouds in the night,

Promise held tightly to the silver bridle.

This artifact, crafted by the god of craftsmen, Hephaestus, ensured that as long as Promise held it, he would not be thrown off Pegasus.

Pegasus did not fly fast towards the stars; in fact, when it reached the sky, it deliberately paused.

With its silver wings spread, it presented Promise with a breathtaking view he had never seen before.

Promise looked down, his clear emerald eyes gazing upon the divine era continent.

At that moment, he even somewhat understood why Icarus, the figure from Greek mythology who crafted wings and flew higher and higher until he was burned by the sun, was unwilling to stop.

Because even Promise, at this moment, wanted Pegasus to fly straight to the moon!

As he immersed himself in the beauty of the scenery before him,

"Chirp—"

The sound of Pegasus brought him back to reality.

Promise looked down and saw Pegasus turning its head to look at him.

It was watching him, and when Promise looked back, it let out two soft calls.

"Are you saying... you can actually take me down?"

Pegasus gently nodded.

Promise was slightly taken aback, then smiled and shook his head lightly, saying, "No need, thank you, Pegasus, but... I still want to try."

He said this while gripping the silver bridle tightly in his hand.

"Because my friends are waiting for me, and besides, you're really beautiful Pegasus. Since I have the chance to capture you, it would be a great pity to give up. And...

In this situation, whether I succeed or not, I'm sure it will be recorded in history. I don't want to be a hero who gives up halfway and becomes a laughingstock!"

Pegasus didn't fully understand Promise's words, but seeing his determined expression and feeling his resolve, it said nothing more.

Then it gently flapped its wings, stepped back a couple of steps, looked down at the divine continent below, and assumed a sprinting posture.

In the next second, as it stepped forward, it transformed into the brightest silver streak in the night sky, rushing towards the ground!

At that moment, even though Promise held the silver bridle tightly, he felt the taste of death for the first time.

This moment was undoubtedly the closest he had ever been to death!

Given Promise's mortal body, even holding the silver bridle couldn't withstand the full speed of Pegasus.

In Greek mythology, only two people had managed to do so.

One was Bellerophon, who, with the help of the wisdom goddess Athena, received a special sacred ointment from the sun god Helios, allowing him to survive the sun's chariot and capture Pegasus.

The other was the great hero Achilles, who was invulnerable after being dipped in the waters of the River Styx.

Thus, the prophecy of the goddess of fate, Clotho, was not wrong. 

At this moment, death truly approached Promise.

As he instinctively closed his eyes, gripping the silver bridle tightly. Images of his own death flashed in his mind, scenes of falling from the silver meteor...

In that instant, Promise was terrified.

Just like a person jumping off a building, once experienced, they could never muster the courage to do it again. 

Only those who had felt it knew how terrifying it was when death truly approached.

Promise had always been looking forward to death, so he had always felt that when it would really come to him, he would definitely not feel the slightest bit.

But at this moment, he realized how wrong he was.

Even though he knew deep down he wouldn't die, facing death for the first time still scared him.

But fear is normal, so there's nothing to be ashamed of.

After all, Promise was still human.

In this embrace of death, his mind suddenly became incredibly clear, and countless thoughts flooded in.

He remembered when he first arrived in this world, his journey with Theseus to meet the centaur sage Chiron, memories of Jason, and the promises he made with Actaeon...

Thinking and remembering so many things, so many promises, Promise suddenly found that he seemed to have a lot of things to do.

And even if he died, it seemed like there was no way to put an end to all this.

After all, in the future, they would meet again.

By then, Jason would surely laugh at him for not keeping his promise, Meleager would still die at his mother's hands, and Chiron, who died from Hydra's venom, would place his hope in the Holy Grail.

And at that time, would he really be able to face them as if nothing had happened?

Promise thought they would probably just joke with him, not minding at all.

But for himself... it might be hard to get over it.

After all, on the scales of judgment, the goddess of justice, Themis, personally raised the scale representing goodness.

Thinking this, Promise opened his eyes.