King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 98

The Underworld King is Tired 98

Mount Athos Expedition – (1)

This is the Underworld connected to Thebes, a training ground for heroes.

Even today, instructors of the dead, including Chiron [a wise centaur known for tutoring heroes], are teaching aspiring heroes.

Suddenly, a bell rings out.

Ding- Ding- Ding-

“That sound… it must mean we need to gather in the main building.”

“Let’s postpone training for a bit.”

At the centaur sage’s call, the heroes put down their weapons and began to gather in the building in the valley.

They were all panting or sweating, as if they had just finished intense training.

“Alright! Everyone gather around. Today, we have a special guest visiting!”

“Teacher Chiron, a special guest…”

“Who could it be? We already have so many great heroes here…”

At Chiron’s words, the aspiring heroes looked at the surrounding instructors, the deceased heroes.

Prominent figures such as the great heroes Perseus, Cadmus, and Bellerophon were among those teaching them.

If it’s someone more special than a great hero… Could it be a god?!

No way, surely a god wouldn’t come here directly…

As the word ‘god’ gradually formed in their minds,

someone entered the gathering place.

A huge, muscular man wearing gleaming armor.

He confidently strode in, drawing everyone’s attention. He faced Chiron on the platform and spoke.

“Are these the ones who want to become heroes, Chiron?”

“That’s right, Lord Ares. I heard about it from Lord Hades in advance. He said you would be helping us for two months.”

…?! Who? Did Teacher Chiron just say Ares?

No, really a god? Even the god Ares?!

One of the twelve Olympians, the god of war, and the son of Zeus?

Come to think of it, this pressure… the power I feel…

“Uhm! Greetings, Lord Ares! I am from Sparta…”

“Greetings to the God of War. Always giving blessings on the battlefield…”

“Ares of the Golden Helmet! It is an honor to meet you in person!”

Realizing who he was, they hurriedly prostrated themselves or greeted him, reacting as any mortal would.

Anyone would react this way upon seeing the God of War.

However, Ares continued talking to Chiron without looking back, as if Chiron was the only one worthy of his attention.

“Well, I’m working in the Underworld again. Though it’s only for two months.”

“Have you worked in the Underworld before?”

“Um. During the Great Flood, I fell for Athena’s cruel scheme, and…”

“Hahaha! That’s a story I’d love to hear sometime.”

The heroes listened intently to the conversation between the centaur sage and the god of war.

Their casual conversation surely held all sorts of divine secrets and stories.

“By the way, having to educate mortals so they can at least defeat one monster is going to be a lot of trouble.”

“Still, they are all excellent students. I feel a sense of accomplishment.”

“Since I’m here, I should at least assess their level individually. Then…”

Ares, who was talking to Chiron, glanced around.

The mortals didn’t dare meet the god’s eyes and lowered their heads, but…

A boy mustered the courage to briefly meet the God of War’s gaze.

“Hup…!”

“Oh… What’s your name?”

Though he couldn’t maintain eye contact and immediately looked down…

Ares, thinking he had shown considerable courage for a human, spoke to him.

“A-are you talking to me? It’s an honor! I am a human named Peleus. God of War!”

“Quite the spirit for a mortal. Then, let’s start with you.”

* * *

While Ares was speaking in the heroes’ training ground,

in the fortress of Hades, the lord of the Underworld, the messenger god of Olympus arrived with news.

“Hermes, you’ve been coming to the Underworld frequently lately.”

“Ahaha. My father told me to keep a close watch on the movements of the Gigantes [giants born of Gaia] since the hero of prophecy has been born…”

Hermes scratched his head, laughing awkwardly at my question.

But the hero of prophecy… Of course, I am confident in Heracles [Hercules in Roman mythology], but what about the other gods?

“Do the other gods of Olympus believe Zeus’s words?”

“Of course not. Especially Hera [Zeus’s wife, queen of the gods], who shouted in great anger, causing a stir in Olympus. As far as I know… she said, ‘The philandering god has another bastard, and now he has no excuse, so he’s using the hero of prophecy as an excuse!’”

“Since he has done so many things, not many gods would believe Zeus’s words…”

“There’s a rumor that Hera is scouring the mortal realm with fire in her eyes, planning to kill Heracles.”

Does she know that I hid Heracles for a month?

Probably. So I can’t hide him in the Underworld any longer. Hera’s anger is justified…

She must be even angrier because Zeus secretly had him suckle her milk.

But Heracles is the hero of prophecy, so how do I appease her?

That’s why I had him immerse himself in the Styx River [a river in the Underworld that grants invulnerability] to prepare for this, but there are still some uncertain aspects.

No matter how much Heracles grows after immersing himself in the Styx River, he will die if Hera inflicts direct divine punishment.

So what I have to do is…

“Hermes, deliver my words to Hera.”

“To Hera?”

“Tell her that trying to kill an infant will only stain the hands of the queen of the gods. Suggest giving him a task after he has grown to some extent instead.”

If the queen of the gods, enraged by the bastard, calms down for a moment and listens to my words…

If we avoid suddenly encountering the Gigantes or incurring Gaia’s [the Earth goddess] direct wrath, there will be no enemies threatening Heracles.

And dealing with monsters according to Hera’s tasks will provide good practical experience for the great hero.

“Yes. When I return to Olympus, I will tell her that.”

This might be a terrible thing to do to my nephew…

It’s no different from tempering a person to create a great hero who can defeat the Gigantes.

Even if humans call me the god of mercy,

I am still the deity who rules the Underworld.

* * *

Now that I’ve heard Olympus’s opinions about Heracles, it’s time to move on to the main topic.

Hermes’s arrival means something has happened in the mortal realm again.

“You must have come to the Underworld to tell me about the movements of the Gigantes, right? Tell me.”

“Yes. Strange things have been happening recently. The monsters that the heroes who left Thebes after training are supposed to catch keep disappearing.”

“Monsters are disappearing?”

“Yes. Could it be that Gaia… has changed her strategy to prevent the heroes from completing their tasks? The Gigantes are tied to the Plesrae Fields, so…”

Is she now actively interfering with the heroes? Gaia’s prophetic abilities seem to be improving.

The speculation that human heroes and the Gigantes are somehow related may have turned into a conviction.

If this happens, it may be difficult to develop Heracles into a great hero.

The locations of the monsters he was supposed to kill may change, or they may be killed by other heroes…

“So, Apollo and I searched the mortal realm and found that the monsters were surprisingly close.”

“If they’re close, then where?”

“They were on Mount Athos, near the Macedonia region in northern Greece. If the monsters are gathered in one place, isn’t this an opportunity for many heroes to achieve great things?”

Gaia would have diverted the monsters to prevent the heroes from gaining glory.

It wouldn’t have been difficult for the Earth Mother to influence those born and raised on the earth.

“So Athena is planning to issue an oracle directly and recruit an expedition. She is planning to gather heroes in the Macedonia region and provide various support.”

“However, that may be what Gaia wanted. Conversely, the heroes may be annihilated.”

Organizing a large-scale expedition of heroes…

However, the gathered monsters may annihilate the heroes instead.

That is the aim of the Earth Mother Gaia. But Olympus would not fail to grasp this…

At my question, Hermes smiled and opened his mouth.

“But shouldn’t mortals overcome this level of hardship to become heroes?”

In other words, only those who break through Gaia’s trap can prove that they are truly great heroes.

If Athena even issues an oracle, heroes from all over Greece who want to participate in the expedition will flock there.

And many humans will die again.

“…That’s true. So, who is going to lead the expedition?”

“The hero who will lead the expedition to conquer Mount Athos was a bit surprising. It was a mortal that Artemis [goddess of the hunt] seemed very interested in… Ah! I remember.”

Olympus would have already decided on the hero to lead this task.

Supporting those who show the potential to become great heroes is a matter of choice and focus.

“Poseidon’s son, Orion.”