King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 11

Koo-oong! Kung!

Father Cronus is striking the thick bronze, the sound echoing through the underground.

As befitting the strongest of the Titan gods, he endures the scorching heat near the bronze gate and speaks again.

“Hades, I’ve heard that Zeus has seized dominion over the world!”

A beast-like roar, as if feeling pain from the scorching heat.

In preparation for any eventuality, the Hecatoncheires [hundred-handed giants] brothers exchange glances and gather their strength.

I placed my hand on the Styx sword at my waist and approached the bronze gate.

The Hecatoncheires brothers suggested it would be better to just ignore him, but he already heard my voice anyway.

I need to crush his hopes of escaping from here so he doesn’t keep bothering the three brothers.

“What does that have to do with you?”

“Of course, it matters! Are you truly content as the master of this dark underworld?!”

I wondered what he was going to say…

Is he trying to sow discord with the news from the outside that I just told the three brothers?

“If you release me, I will drive out that damn Zeus and give you everything under the heavens!”

I have no interest in power.

Moreover, you tried to kill your own children and even started a war. You think you can win me over with power?

“I’ll give you any goddess, except for Rhea! Imagine it, that beautiful…”

“Abandon your vain hopes and remain imprisoned forever.”

It’s impressive that he’s still enduring the heat beyond the gate.

“Why?! Does my offer not please you? Those hideous creatures are guarding it, but you should be able to open the gate for a moment!”

‘Those hideous creatures’ refers to the Hecatoncheires brothers, whom his grandfather Uranus threw into Tartarus,

and Cronus left unattended.

Upon hearing Cronus’s words, they frowned even more deeply than their already grim expressions.

The chief god who once ruled the world had such a rude personality, so it’s no wonder he was defeated by us.

“No matter what conditions you offer, I have no intention of releasing you even a little…”

As I continued to refuse, Cronus shouted in a desperate voice.

“Ugh… Hades! Does your own father not deserve pity! You are the child of me and Rhea!”

* * *

The lord of the underworld, Hades, is one of the most virtuous gods.

It’s hard to believe that the god of the dreaded underworld is virtuous, but at least that’s how Lethe felt.

A character who holds a high position as one of the three chief gods, yet respects even lower-ranking gods like herself.

A simple appearance as Pluto, the god of wealth, who doesn’t even wear common ornaments like bracelets.

The aspect of a wise ruler who always worries about the lives of the souls who have become his people.

A compassionate god who thinks of mortals living short lives rather than the power of the underworld.

He was so different from Zeus or Poseidon, who were also among the three chief gods.

Unlike his brothers, who would forcibly take any goddess they liked, Hades was not a rogue like them.

Sometimes when she wore revealing clothes, she could feel his gaze, but it wasn’t like he enjoyed lewdness…

Why doesn’t he touch the goddesses, even though he has enough power and authority?

Perhaps that’s why she fell for Hades.

Hades doesn’t know it, but there are many women aiming to be the mistress of the underworld.

Various goddesses of Olympus, the goddess Styx, nymphs [minor deities associated with nature] who are spirits of specific objects or nature…

And finally, Lethe, the goddess of oblivion, herself.

So, just now, she subtly focused her power of oblivion to fulfill her personal desires.

She was glad that he didn’t scold her harshly and let it go, even though he caught her holding his hand.

Lethe could tell that such a kind and virtuous god was now genuinely enraged.

“Did you just say ‘father’?”

As the god of the underworld, staring beyond the bronze gate, wore a savagely twisted smile, the entire underworld trembled.

His form was covered in pitch-black, icy divine power, transforming into a figure of darkness.

With just one word, one could feel how much his emotions were fluctuating.

A different level of anger than when he warned Olympus through Iris about the Great Flood.

Lethe retreated endlessly from the release of his powerful divine power.

The Hecatoncheires brothers, who had been active in the Titan War, also watched Hades’s back with hardened expressions, not daring to disregard him.

As if unaware of his rage, Cronus beyond the bronze gate continued to speak.

“Although you and I had a rough relationship, aren’t we father and son? Remember when you were born and held in Rhea’s arms…”

“If I could, I would want to draw all of your blood flowing through my body.”

Intense emotions erupted, and the floor where Hades was standing was cracking,

but rather, his voice was surprisingly calm and subdued.

“That bastard dares! Those born from my father’s blood will judge you!”

“The Erinyes [Furies, goddesses of vengeance] are getting along well with me. They even visited my fortress recently.”

“What?!”

The monstrosities born from Cronus’s father refer to the three goddesses of revenge, the Erinyes.

Born from the blood of Uranus’s severed genitals, they were beings that everyone shunned and avoided.

The goddess of oblivion, Lethe, knew well about them residing in the underworld.

Tisiphone, Alecto, Megaera.

These three goddesses are the goddesses of revenge with bronze wings, bleeding eyes, and snake hair.

They punish all kinds of sins, but especially avenge fratricide and strictly punish crimes of parricide [killing of a parent].

They were terrifying goddesses of revenge that everyone avoided, but the king of the underworld approached them without hesitation, and now they were on friendly terms, sharing camaraderie.

“Didn’t you try to kill us first? The Erinyes aren’t as foolish as you think.”

“Hades! I will…”.

“As the master of the underworld, I say,”

Hades’s cold voice cut off the god of time and agriculture.

At this moment, his words became a kind of declaration and a law.

The declaration of the god of the underworld, invoking his divinity, bound Cronus.

It was not to the extent of interfering with fate, but at least in this underground, it would become a prophecy with irresistible power.

“You can never escape from there.”

“Ugh… Do you think you’re any different…! Eventually, when someone threatens your authority, you will also…”

The voice beyond the bronze gate gradually faded away.

No matter how much of Cronus he was, he could no longer withstand the raging heat.

As the voice slowly disappeared, Hades also calmed his emotions.

The chillingly ominous black form disappeared, and he returned to being a gloomy-looking male god.

He gave a bitter smile and spoke to the Hecatoncheires.

“Haa… The underworld shook, so the souls must have been very surprised. I’m sorry, but I’ll be going back now.”

“Hmm… Then see you next time.”

“Today wasn’t a good day to catch up.”

“Rest assured and go back, we are guarding this place.”

Indeed, he is a virtuous god.

* * *

Like a madman. Appealing to blood ties as my father, did he think I would fall for it?

What? Offering to divide the world under the heavens and give me goddesses to embrace, asking me to release him?

The underworld shook quite a bit because of the insane criminal.

To not even be able to properly control simple emotions, not good as a ruler…

“Um… Hades.”

The goddess Lethe, who had been quietly following me since earlier as I returned to the underworld, opened her mouth.

It was the same blank face as usual, but somehow she seemed to pity me.

“I could make those memories a little faint for you…”

“…It’s alright.”

She said it thinking of me being greatly enraged,

but it’s not that bad. I was just a little unpleasant.

First, I need to take care of the people of the underground world who were surprised by the earthquake rather than my emotions.

The goddess Styx will nag me again when I return.

As I went up to a certain point, the soldiers working here were gripping their weapons, very nervous.

It seems they thought an enemy had invaded because of my mistake just now.

“Lord Hades. There was a vibration from deep underground…”

“Did something happen to the prisoners of Tartarus…”

I told them that it was nothing and not to worry about it, and passed them by.

I should hurry back to the fortress and get back to work.

“Lord Hades!”

“Morpheus? What’s wrong.”

The male god with impressive green hair, Morpheus, the god of dreams.

He was the son of Erebus, the god of darkness, and Nyx, the god of night, and one of the gods of the underworld.

He always had a gentle and soft impression like Hypnos, the god of sleep,

but for some reason, he had a very urgent expression now.

It’s night now, so it’s time for him to leave the underground for a while and deliver dreams to the living beings of the mortal realm.

“Hee… The god Hermes was found collapsed at the entrance to the underworld, covered in blood!”