King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 123

The King of the Underworld is Tired 123

Second Task – Slaying the Hydra (2)

Heracles arrived at the Nerne Spring, the Hydra’s supposed lair.

Perhaps due to the pervasive poison gas, the surrounding vegetation was withered, devoid of any life.

How could any hero function in this environment saturated with such dangerous green mist?

‘Asclepius [the Greek god of medicine] said he got this cloth from the Temple of Apollo. I hope I can return it intact.’

He meticulously wrapped himself in the Nemean lion’s skin, covered his mouth with the blessed cloth, and gripped his iron club.

The cloth covering his mouth and nose was a divine artifact blessed by Asclepius, allowing him to breathe normally amidst the potent poison gas.

Of course, even without the cloth, the poison gas wouldn’t severely affect him, but following Chiron’s [a wise centaur and Heracles’ mentor] teachings, he knew carelessness was forbidden…

“Hmm?”

Suddenly, something shot through the air with incredible speed.

Something long and golden… a sword?

Whoosh. Ting!

The gleaming golden sword sliced through the air, aimed at his heart, but the iron club deflected it.

A golden sword… could it be…

Shhh!!!

A serpent larger than a house. A golden sword dancing in the air.

Could that be… Chrysaor of the Golden Sword, who inflicted heavy losses on the Athos expedition and slew the hero Orion…!

‘Chrysaor of the Golden Sword? What’s that monster doing here?’

The monster, born from the severed head of the Gorgon Medusa, shifted its massive body, focusing on him.

The serpent charged, roaring. Heracles, overwhelmed by its sheer size, was lifted and hurled through the air.

“Gasp!”

Thud! Bang!

The Nemean lion’s skin absorbed the impact.

However, the sudden assault dislodged the iron club from his grip, sending it tumbling away.

As Heracles reached for the fallen club,

someone else seized it first…

“Ohoho… so you’re the hero Lady Gaia spoke of?”

“…?”

A beautiful woman with a smile as sweet as a rose.

Yet, her lower body was serpentine.

Heracles recognized this monster from Chiron’s teachings.

Zeus’s lover, his own father’s paramour, cursed by Hera and transformed into a monstrous figure…

“Lamia?! Weren’t you lurking in the mountains near Athens?”

“Oh, am I to be flattered that a pawn of the gods recognizes me?”

Lamia’s smile widened, stretching her lips almost unnaturally. For a fleeting moment, her smile seemed more grotesque than joyful before she addressed Heracles.

“Of course~ the great Lady Gaia promised me a chance to avenge myself against those cursed gods, you see?”

“Lady Gaia, you mean a Protogenoi [primordial deity]?”

“I know you’re the son of Zeus, and that vile Hera stood by as I was cursed… Ugh… Hehehe… nothing good ever comes from tangling with the gods. Your fate will be no different.”

Her eyes, previously filled with self-pity, now blazed with madness.

The claws she extended grew sharp, and with monstrous strength, she effortlessly lifted the heavy iron club.

“You seem to be favored by the gods, but I wonder if that will last once you’ve outlived your usefulness…”

Heracles glared at the half-human, half-snake monster and Chrysaor, the giant serpent beside her.

For some reason, this hero of strength had many encounters with snakes.

He didn’t remember it, but he was said to have strangled two snakes in his crib.

In the underworld training camp, he fought a bloody battle with the giant serpent Python.

And now, he was tasked with slaying the nine-headed poisonous Hydra.

Lamia and Chrysaor, who had appeared before him, were also repulsive snakes.

“I don’t know about my usefulness, but I know I have a knack for catching and killing snakes. Come at me.”

“Hehe… without your precious weapon, and with your bare hands?”

Heracles roared and charged.

* * *

Gaia’s prophecy was absolute.

Her wisdom had uncovered a crucial detail.

If a human hero participated, the Gigantes [giants] would be defeated.

She couldn’t interfere with the heroes already born.

Cadmus, Bellerophon, Perseus, etc…

Their souls resided in the underworld, beyond her reach.

Therefore… she had to prevent more heroes from being born.

Especially the son of Zeus, who was gaining more fame than Bellerophon.

She had to prevent the hero from achieving great deeds.

That’s why she sent Chrysaor and Lamia to the Hydra’s lair.

If they could kill Heracles, all the better. But even if they failed, weakening him would give the Hydra the advantage.

Lamia had been the queen of Libya and Zeus’s lover, but Hera cursed her out of jealousy.

The curse from the Queen of the Gods was: [You will kill all of Zeus’s children that you have given birth to, and you will kill any children you give birth to in the future.] and…

Transformed into a half-human, half-snake monster, Lamia killed any human child she encountered.

Likewise, men lured by her sweet voice became meals for the monster.

Naturally, Lamia, harboring deep hatred for the Olympian gods, eagerly accepted Gaia’s offer.

Interfering with those hateful bastards looking down from the sky, even a little, was worth it!

But…

Shh… Shhh!

“Aaaagh! How can he wield an iron club with his bare hands…!”

They couldn’t even scratch Heracles.

The golden sword flying through the air was easily avoided, and Lamia’s claws and the iron club felt like mere tickles.

The serpent that killed Orion collapsed, spitting blood, after being struck by Heracles’ fist…

Lamia was lifted into the air, his rough hands gripping her neck.

“You said things don’t end well when you get involved with the gods, right?”

“Kuh! Yes! No matter how much you struggle, you’re just a human! Divine punishment…”

“You don’t have to worry about that. Because I will become a god.”

“What?! You crazy bastard… Keo…ugh.”

Heracles released Lamia, who had suffocated, onto the ground.

Beside her, the giant serpent lay still, its bodily fluids leaking out, its breath extinguished.

The hero, tucking the monster’s golden sword into his belt, dusted himself off.

‘That was nothing. Now, let’s go catch the Hydra… Hmm?’

Thud… Shhh!!!

Drawn by the commotion, the Hydra emerged from its cave.

* * *

Nine snake heads, the center one particularly large. A body larger than Chrysaor’s.

The offspring of Typhon [a monstrous giant], spewing a deadly poison that even gods felt pain from, glared at him.

Heracles quietly picked up the iron club and firmly covered his mouth with the cloth.

This snake was larger and stronger, but as always, it would fall at his feet.

He swung the iron club at the nearest head.

“Die!!!”

—Thwack! Splatter.

One of the Hydra’s heads, struck by Heracles’ superhuman strength, exploded.

Unlike the Nemean lion, the Hydra’s skin wasn’t particularly tough.

However…

Thwack! Sizzle…!

The problem was the fluid spraying from the crushed head.

All the Hydra’s fluids were deadly poisons, and even the slightest contact was lethal.

Fortunately for Heracles, the Nemean lion’s skin protected him from the Hydra’s poison.

And the poisonous fumes rising from the ground couldn’t penetrate his defenses.

Fsssh-

But Typhon’s child had more than just poison.

A tremendous regenerative power rivaling the Gigantes standing on the earth.

“Huh. The crushed head regenerates immediately.”

The crushed head rapidly regenerated, and the other heads attacked in turn.

One bite, and the poison would spread, leading him to Thanatos [the personification of death]. Heracles twisted and dodged the poisonous attacks.

In a fight between a giant monster and a human, even a strong human couldn’t withstand a direct hit.

The monster’s massive size could break his balance and leave him vulnerable.

Of course, this wasn’t a problem for a hero with transcendent power like Heracles.

Nevertheless, he had to evade each of the Hydra’s attacks.

Sizzle!

Because of that damn poison.

‘Should I retreat for a moment…’

Immortality through continuous regeneration, even after losing three heads.

The ground turning green with poisonous liquid. The power of the enormous body.

Weakness crept into Heracles’ mind, but then an idea sparked.

‘Should I cauterize it with fire… my pride stings, but I have no choice.’

The solution was to cauterize the regenerative power with fire.

He had considered this before, but he wanted to achieve a feat worthy of divinity, relying on his own strength as much as possible…

But the Hydra’s poison left him no choice.

‘If it weren’t for that damn poison, this would have been over long ago.’

Heracles moved away from the Hydra, rummaged at his waist, and pulled out a small flint.

He grabbed a withered tree and set it ablaze…

Whack! Sizzle—!!

Smash the head with the iron club and cauterize it with fire…!

Shhh!!!

However, the Hydra’s exploded head regenerated even when cauterized.

Exploiting the gap during cauterization, another head swung at Heracles, forcing him to roll away.

Fortunately, the Nemean lion’s skin protected him from the poison on the ground.

Heracles glared at the monster, bewildered.

‘…What. It regenerates even when cauterized with fire?’

Why wouldn’t the regeneration stop?