King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 14

The King of the Underworld is Tired – 14

The Tale of Typhon – (3)

I witnessed an utterly ordinary human being imbued with the courage of Ares [the Greek god of war].

I had seen countless humans before, but never had I been so deeply impressed as I was today.

However, willpower alone is not enough to fulfill Zeus’s command.

Does this Cadmus truly possess the ability to do so?

So, I asked him directly.

How he intended to retrieve Zeus’s sinews from Typhon.

“Though I may not be comparable to Apollo, the god of music, I am confident in my ability to beguile at least one monster.”

Cadmus rummaged in his cloak and took out a flute, placing it to his lips and slowly breathing into it.

His posture while playing the flute was so skilled and natural that it was clear he was no novice.

Pee-ree-ree-ree~

The sweet sound from Cadmus’s flute made the surrounding animals pause.

Even the nymphs [minor female deities associated with nature] dwelling in nature emerged to listen to the music, and the air vibrated softly.

Every space where the flute’s sound reached flowed in harmony with his melody.

When the soft rhythm that had been resonating for a while ceased, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of regret.

Cadmus took the flute from his lips and said to me with a confident expression.

“The monster will be unable to resist my flute’s sound!”

I briefly compared it to the music I had heard from Apollo, the god of music and art, Zeus’s son.

Similar to Apollo… no, isn’t it even better than Apollo?

A performance skill that could dare to aspire to the position of the god of music.

Still… still, it’s dangerous.

It’s not just about the performance; he also needs the eloquence, courage, and luck to retrieve the sinews from Typhon.

A gamble that would never work on even a slightly experienced monster.

But if I picture Typhon, who was strong but somehow clumsy, and assess the possibilities…

“Lord Hades, I am already prepared.”

In truth, I still think Zeus is crazy, but…

The eloquence and courage Cadmus showed when answering my question earlier clearly surpassed the realm of ordinary people.

I finished my thoughts and slowly nodded.

However, if Typhon is not affected by the flute’s sound and tries to kill Cadmus, or if something seems amiss, I will use my Kynee [Hades’ helmet of invisibility] and step in from my hiding place.

* * *

Pee-ree-ree-ree~ Pee-ree-ree~

Some distance from Mount Olympus.

A man disguised as a shepherd, Cadmus, was walking along playing the flute.

And a few steps behind, I, wearing the Kynee, was following with the Styx Sword [a sword imbued with the power of the River Styx, the river separating the world of the living from the Underworld] drawn.

It was a path towards a monster that could kill him instantly, but he calmly played his music.

As they entered Typhon’s sphere of influence and a fierce storm began to rage, he stumbled and lost his footing.

Koo-ooo-ooo…

But only for a moment; the violently swirling storm gradually subsided.

A sign that Typhon was interested in the song and was withdrawing the wind surrounding his body.

Seeing clear evidence that Cadmus’s music was working on Typhon, he gained confidence and continued forward.

Gradually, the animals living in the mountains disappeared, and the number of broken trees around them increased.

The pressure gradually intensified as they headed towards Typhon, but Cadmus persevered, sweating profusely.

And finally, they encountered the monster.

“Kahaha! That was truly a magnificent performance! What is your name, human?”

Typhon’s laughter, as he lay leaning to one side, shook the earth and sky.

Despite this, Cadmus stood firm on his two feet.

“I am just a shepherd passing by, a human named Cadmus. O great one!”

“A shepherd? Just a shepherd! You have given me heavenly music, and yet you do such a lowly job?”

Typhon looked down at Cadmus with eyes full of favor, as if looking at an ant performing tricks.

The hundred or so snake heads that spewed lightning and venom were also silent towards Cadmus.

“Follow me, and if you play that music for me whenever I desire, I will bestow great rewards upon you.”

“What kind of rewards do you speak of!”

Typhon pretended to ponder, bestowing a favor upon the ant before him.

At least, that’s how it looked to me, Hades.

“If you wish, I will give you any goddess you desire, whether it be Athena, Aphrodite, Leto, Artemis, except for Hera. What do you say?!”

That crazy monster, Hera is his trophy, is it?

I was briefly worried that Cadmus might succumb to the temptation.

To take a goddess is a temptation hard for a human male to resist, and if the danger of deceiving the monster disappeared…

“Of course, I will obey if the great one commands it! But wouldn’t you like to hear even more outstanding music?”

“Oh ho… even better than the flute sound just now?”

Cadmus’s Adam’s apple bobbed once, and he began to vehemently denounce Typhon in a thunderous voice.

“In the past, I once won against the god Apollo in a lyre competition. But Zeus, upon learning of this fact, cut my lyre with lightning!”

“You are indeed worthy of defeating Apollo, but he cut the lyre strings with lightning, you say…”

“If I could only rebuild my lyre, I would play melodies twice as sweet as now.”

Truly, his eloquence, courage, and even wisdom were all befitting of the first hero of mankind.

“Good! This is the sinew of Zeus, who was defeated by me. Use this to rebuild the lyre and come back to me!”

“I am simply grateful. O great one.”

Typhon moved his massive body and took out the sinew from under the bearskin he was lying on.

As befitting the body of a god, it pulsed intensely even though it was separated from its owner’s body, and there were no rotten or damaged parts.

“I will return after making the lyre.”

“Uhahaha! Yes, return quickly!”

The hero, imbued with the courage of Ares, the musical skill of Apollo, and the wisdom of Athena, had completed his task.

* * *

“You truly retrieved my sinews, human.”

“It is an honor to be of help to Lord Zeus.”

Cadmus and I took the sinews and returned to the mountain, finding the cave where Zeus was imprisoned.

I was briefly taken aback by the sight of the once-powerful Zeus, having lost all his strength and collapsed on the floor…

Still, as soon as we retrieved the sinews and reattached them to both legs, he returned to the Zeus I knew.

“Zeus. It seemed the three goddesses of fate had a hand in Typhon’s actions.”

“The Fates are helping me?”

Upon hearing about the weakened Typhon, Zeus cracked a confident smile and clenched his fist.

He seemed to have regained his confidence.

“I know where Typhon hid my Astrape [thunderbolt]. While I retrieve it, could you, Hades, look for the other gods?”

“Alright.”

Even though Zeus’s power had returned, Typhon, who had single-handedly brought down Olympus, was not to be underestimated.

If Zeus fought alone, he might lose again, so he must be planning a joint attack.

I immediately left the cave to find the other gods.

I took off the Kynee [Helm of Invisibility] so the gods could recognize me and subtly held it in my hand while searching the surroundings.

Fortunately, a god found me first.

“Hah… Hades!”

Hestia, the goddess of the hearth, appeared.

She was terrified as she ran towards me and hugged me.

The warm and gentle divine power I usually felt from her was shaking unstably.

Like a hearth fire about to be extinguished by a strong wind.

“You’ve come to help! But Zeus couldn’t escape in time…”

“Calm down, I’ve already met with Zeus.”

Even a seasoned god who had experienced wars against the Titan gods and Gigantes [Giants] was trembling with fear like this.

It once again brought home how strong a monster Typhon was.

I explained about Zeus’s sinews and set out to find another god.
Hestia was also very surprised by the actions of a human, whom she had only regarded as someone to be cared for.

“My goodness… a human hero helped us…?”

“I’ll introduce you again after we defeat Typhon.”

She also decided to find the other gods and gather on Mount Olympus, which Typhon had occupied.

The speed at which the gods gathered would gradually accelerate.

As I thought this, a god with the lower body of a goat and horns, and the upper body of a human, ran towards me.

He had the same expression that humans had when looking at Zeus.

“Hades-nim…!”

He stopped in front of me.

“Sob… You’ve come to save Olympus… I’m so sorry!”

Wait, were you the goat and fish combined creature I saw before meeting Cadmus? Pan?

I thought you were just a minor god and passed by, chasing Zeus’s trail, but it was Pan. If I had known, I would have subtly taken off the Kynee and talked to you.

Pan.

The god of nature and shepherds, a Satyr [a creature that is part human and part goat].

For reference, he is the son of Hermes and the grandson of Zeus.

You really need to improve your transformation skills.

It’s a good thing Typhon wasn’t interested in the gods who were running away, except for Hermes.

“Is my father safe? Sob… I was so flustered…”

I told him that he was being treated in the underworld, and he gritted his teeth.

He seemed to be experiencing a mixture of powerlessness and bitterness for not being able to stand against the monster as a god and running away.

As with Hestia, I calmed him down and told him to find the other gods.

“Yes! I may look like this, but I am the god of nature. If you ask me, I can find the others quickly!”

I didn’t bother asking who he would ask.

Because I saw birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and other animals gathering around him.

Pan and many other gods seem to have transformed into fish, should I go to the river?

There was a suitable river nearby.

I revealed my presence and widely emitted divine power, and two fish suddenly jumped out of the river.

The appearance changes in a short moment. Powerful divine power. One of the Twelve Olympians.

“Uncle Hades!”

“What’s with the god of war looking like this?”

“…I’m sorry. The feeling of defeat was too strong…”

One was Ares, the muscular god who helped with the work in the underworld during the Great Flood.

And…

A goddess with glamorous blonde hair and a chilling beauty.

An aura that captivates everyone, regardless of gender or age.

A flawless body and a spreading floral scent.

It was Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love, whom I hadn’t seen in a long time.

The goddess born from the blood foam that splashed into the sea when Cronus cut off his father Uranus’s genitals.

“It’s been a while, Hades.”

Of all things, she’s wearing the Kestos Himas [a magical girdle that makes the wearer irresistible], a girdle with the power to captivate men.

The irresistible charm of the goddess of beauty.

I turned my eyes away from the throbbing headache and told Aphrodite.

“Save that for when you fight Typhon.”

“Hmph… It doesn’t work well on the three main gods after all.”
The personification of perfect beauty grumbled and untied her girdle.

If Eros, the god of sexual love, and Peitho, the goddess of persuasion, were next to her, I might have wavered a little.

“Ah… Aphrodite.”

My nephew has already fallen for her and is grinning.

Aphrodite is already married to Hephaestus…

I can’t tell the goddess of love not to seduce men, so there’s nothing I can do. Will she one day have the divinity of adultery?

I told them the situation and asked for help.

“I see. Father’s sinews are back… Then we’ll look for other gods too!”

“See you later, Hades.”

Like Zeus, who tries to take anyone to bed if their appearance is to her liking.

I turned around to find the other gods, but the wind blowing from the forest seeped into my ears.

The swaying bushes whispered Pan’s message to me.

Zeus’s messenger, the eagle, also flies this way.

[Hades-nim! I found everyone!]

[Brother, while we fight him first, please take care of Skýthe. Probably Olympus’s…]

The time for a counterattack has come.