King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 157

The King of the Underworld is Tired 158 (157/179)

Gigantomachia – Aftermath

One day before the Olympus gods stormed the Plessra Plains.

Following the suggestion that the human world should also be warned… oracles were delivered to each temple.

Tomorrow, no one should approach the vicinity of the Plessra Plains.

For the terrible monsters, the Gigas [Giants], will be overflowing.

If you get caught up in the gods’ war, only death awaits.

The human world was filled with heated debates about the sudden oracle.

Unlike usual, why did they warn about the Plessra Plains? Why did they describe it as a war?

“Are you saying that those Gigas are overflowing in the Plessra Plains?”

“Perhaps the gods are trying to exterminate those monsters, just like how Apollo killed the serpent Python in the past.”

“Hmm. Looking back at history, those with the lower body of a snake and the upper body of a human were said to be as strong as gods.”

“It is said that the gods subdued the Gigas who were destroying temples back then.”

“There are also records of Ares and Athena descending near Athens… and the monster that King Cadmus fought in his later years had the form of a snake…”

“Wait! There’s a record that King Cadmus captured a Gigas!”

The great hero, the founder of Thebes, could barely capture one Gigas.

Conversely, that means…

Does that mean that whoever captures a Gigas is a great hero?

No, even just participating in an expedition to capture a monster is an opportunity to widely publicize one’s reputation as a hero!

“If the gods are fighting them with all their might, then if we capture even one of those Gigas and offer it as a sacrifice…”

“Ha. But wouldn’t that be too dangerous?”

“We can gather heroes from Thebes, can’t we? Immediately put up posters and spread this fact throughout Greece!”

“But it’s definitely tomorrow…”

“So move quickly! Hurry!”

“Someone claiming to be the king of Athens has appeared outside!”

“How did they get here from Athens? No, the king of Athens is the hero who caught the Minotaur. Hmm.”

“The result of summoning heroes near Thrace…”

“Great deeds! Where are the great deeds!”

“Prince Meleager? No, I heard you were on your honeymoon, why are you here?”

“I happened to be traveling near Thrace with Atalanta, and I thought she would like it if I gave her the skin of that Gigas monster as a honeymoon gift.”

Monsters have been drying up these days.

Numerous heroes who seized the opportunity to spread their fame and name gathered near Thrace.

Those who were too far away couldn’t come, but… it was enough to form an expedition.

Near famous cities like Athens and Thebes, there were no villains or monsters.

Monsters worth building achievements on were all swept away, and the heroes who had completed their training in the underworld had to sit idly by.

Compared to training in the underworld or the Argo expedition [Jason and the Argonauts’ quest for the Golden Fleece]… this world was too peaceful, and heroes were wandering around Greece in search of monsters.

So, they were also near the Plessra Plains, where people rarely set foot and where rumors of missing people often circulated.

All of this was a manifestation of the desire to somehow build achievements and become a great hero.

Of course…

“Hmph. I see quite a few familiar faces.”

“Iason isn’t here this time? Where did Castor go?”

“Who cares! Anyway, at this rate… we can definitely kill them unless the monster is as strong as the goddess Megaira [one of the Erinyes or Furies]!”

It was unfortunate for the few Gigas who barely escaped the plains.

* * *

Surprisingly, the heroes were very rational.

That’s because they were always training and fighting against those stronger than themselves.

“The gods said it was a war. Then it could be like Typhon or Python.”

“Let’s stay far away. A battle beyond our imagination might occur.”

“I don’t want to get caught up in it, so let’s hide around here…”

And so, the heroes crossed several mountains and quietly hid with their weapons.

As the oracle said… the unimaginable power of God spread out.

KWAH-KWANG!!! DRRR… WHOOO!

They witnessed the sky splitting, the ground roaring, and even mountains flying.

Fortunately, they were far away and… thanks to good fortune, they were not caught up in the aftermath of the battle.

“Is it right for us to intervene?”

“…It seems like Heracles should be here.”

Their morale was gradually declining.

No matter how strong they became among humans, they couldn’t even guess what was happening in the Plessra Plains.

Just as they were thinking that it would be right to return… a wounded Gigas appeared before them.

“Keuk! Cough… Hmm!”

The Gigas, with the lower body of a snake and the upper body of a human, was desperately fleeing as if being chased by something, covered in blood.

So… it looks like a perfect prey.

“Can’t we catch that guy?”

“He looks a bit strong. But it has to be at least that strong to be a great deed.”

“Finally, we can fight properly.”

“Surely he’s not stronger than that dragon, the god of war, or the goddess Megaira?”

“Okay, let’s kill him!”

The Gigas, who was desperately fleeing from the battlefield, faced insane humans blocking his path.

How dare they. Creatures created by the gods. Do they want to die?

WHOONG!

He thought of killing the impudent humans at once and swung a nearby tree, but…

“Hiss! This guy is quite fast. Be careful!”

“He’s injured in his right eye. If we use the blind spot…!”

“Let’s pluck out his left eye too!”

For some reason, not a single one of them was hit by his attack.

* * *

KWAH-KWANG! PEE-YOONG! CRACK.

The heroes and the Gigas fought for quite a long time.

Even though he was injured and exhausted, it was difficult for the humans to catch the Gigas.

But this was from the heroes’ point of view…

The Gigas, who thought that only the gods were his match, had a different perspective.

“Kuaaaak! To those creatures of the gods… me…!”

“Shut up! You’re weaker than the undying dragon!”

“Hoo… If Heracles were here, he would have folded you in half!”

“Huk. Huk. You’re quite strong, but I’ve fought countless opponents like you…”

And so, the Gigas, with arrows and spears stuck all over his body, met his death while bursting with resentment.

No, I didn’t die fighting the gods… I, created by Gaia [the primordial goddess of the Earth], died to those mere humans…

“Haa… Hook. Hey. Meleager. Are you okay?”

“Uh. Uhh.”

“Be careful, you’re on your honeymoon. You have Atalanta, don’t you?”

“Take care of Theseus over there. He got hit earlier, didn’t he?”

Of course, the heroes were also injured and exhausted all over the place.

Nevertheless, their faces were filled with the joy of killing a powerful monster.

“Heu. Heuhahaha! We killed him!”

“Surely no one died to that guy, right? Thankfully… there’s no one who will be scolded by Chiron [a wise centaur and tutor of heroes] later!”

“Python? Chimera? He seems stronger than those.”

“Who’s taking this guy’s skin? Theseus? Meleager? Idas?”

Thus, the heroes who divided the spoils hid in the mountains again to search for the next target.

Then they discovered another Gigas who was injured and fleeing…

“There’s another one!”

“Stop right there! I, Idas, will take your head…”

“We need to peel off the snake skin, so let’s attack the human part if possible!”

“Great deed! Great deed!”

“What. What is this…!”

By the time they finished their subjugation while wandering around the mountains.

Three Gigas corpses were laid out in front of the heroes.

“Shall we offer it as a sacrifice to Ares?”

“I’m thinking of offering my share to the temple of Athena when I return to Athens.”

“Then I’ll have to offer a sacrifice to Pluto here. Hey! Those who worship Pluto, let’s do it together!”

“Where to Zeus too…”

There are several conditions for a prayer to be delivered to God.

The faith of the worshiper, the earnestness, whether God is watching over this world, the amount or quality of the sacrifice…

Of course. Offering the Gigas, the enemy of the gods, as a sacrifice was the best-case scenario.

The quality of the sacrifice is superior to any gold or silver treasure.

Naturally, it was also delivered to me, Hades, who was cleaning up the aftermath in the Plessra Plains.

After listening to the words of the goddess Styx [goddess of the River Styx and oaths] and concentrating for a moment.

“O Pluto! We have captured several monsters called Gigas that you have given us through the oracle!”

“These monsters who have headed to the place you rule…”

I saw the heroes offering the Gigas’ corpse to me and praying.

The snake skin of the lower body is peeled off, and the Gigas’ corpse is being burned as a sacrifice.

Zeus seemed to have realized that humans had beaten the Gigas, and he was making a subtle expression.

The other gods were also taken aback by the fact that humans had captured several Gigas.

“I can understand the god of strength and struggle, but were the other humans this strong?”

“Aren’t humans getting too strong?”

“I can’t help but think of Heracles…”

I felt a bit of an ambiguous emotion.

It is commendable that they have become strong enough to protect themselves, and I know that they have been working hard in the underworld training camp, but.

I wonder if they have become too strong?

If they inflict atrocities on other weak humans, just like the gods did to mortals…

Most of the heroes were demigods, so wouldn’t they develop a sense of elitism?

I hope that the pride of being a hero who kills monsters does not develop into arrogance.

Should I send an oracle that humility is a virtue? First, I need to tell the goddess of justice to keep a close watch on the humans.

“Hmm… humans have become this strong…”

What is Zeus muttering about?