King Of Underworld [EN]: Chapter 37

The King of the Underworld is Tired 37 (37/82)

The Tumultuous Tale of the Underworld – (2)

Crack— KWA-JEE-JEE-JIK!

The sound of Charon’s ferry splitting in half, unable to bear the weight.

No, the sound of it being destroyed.

Unlike humans, we gods are transcendent beings with quick reflexes.

We moved with agility at speeds beyond imagination.

Charon hurriedly pushed Otus and Ephialtes’ souls away, throwing himself towards the riverbank.

The River Acheron is within the Underworld’s domain; I manipulated the water to pull up the wrecked ship.

Thump. Thump.

“Haa… This is insane!”

“The ferry that has never been broken for thousands of years…”

“…?!”

This was why Otus and Ephialtes’ souls didn’t fall into the river.

Old Man Charon gaped with a bewildered expression.

Aphrodite seemed surprised to see Charon’s ferry, which she had only heard about, being destroyed.

“Wasn’t that a divine object…?”

“No, I didn’t expect it to be completely shattered like this…”

“Do you have any idea what could have caused this? Did you make a mistake last time…?”

No matter how heavy those two souls are, Charon’s ferry is a divine object.

Charon’s power reduces the weight of the boat and assists in moving through the river, among other functions.

Normally, no matter how many souls board it, there should be no reason for it to break…

“It’s been creaking slightly since the last Great Flood, and it finally ended up like this.”

“Since the Great Flood? If you had told me in advance, I would have taken measures…”

“…? How can I go all the way to the fortress to tell you when I’m busy?”

Well, it’s a wonder that the ferry has been intact for so long, considering how long it has been in operation.

No matter how much divine power it has, it has been overworked for too long.

“Well, since the Underworld was created, countless souls have boarded the ferry. It’s bound to break…”

“Tsk… It’s because mortals keep dying from trivial things.”

Charon spoke, looking at the remnants of the completely shattered ferry and his oar.

Despair was evident on his face.

“Damn it! What is going on! Hades!”

“As you can see, Charon’s ferry is in this state, Thanatos.”

Thanatos, who had been dispatching and controlling numerous clones to the mortal realm, appeared.

He probably came to protest because of the situation where numerous souls were stuck in the River Acheron.

The souls that couldn’t cross the River Acheron and were gradually increasing in number were also collectively expressing their confusion.

The murmurs of the dead grew louder as they discovered us.

“What on earth is going on…?”

“Huk… P… Lord Pluto?!”

“No way… He looks exactly like the statue in the temple… Lady Aphrodite?”

“Why is Charon’s ferry…?”

They died, were guided to the Underworld by Thanatos,

Only to find the ferry they were supposed to ride on broken, the ferryman Charon standing blankly with his oar,

And even face Thanatos, me, and Aphrodite, the souls began to wear blank expressions.

“Good heavens, Zeus…”

* * *

We need to quickly resolve this.

If this continues, the cycle of the world will be broken again like last time.

“Aphrodite, charm all the dead coming from now on and line them up in an orderly manner.”

“Yes..? Ah, yes…”

“Thanatos! There should be a small boat near the River Styx to rescue the dead who have fallen in; bring it here.”

“Damn it! Understood!”

“Once Thanatos brings the boat, we can ferry the dead across the River Acheron, right, Charon?”

“I can, but the speed and durability of the boat are much different from my ferry…”

“Let’s do that for now. I’ll quickly make a new boat and send it here!”

Damn it, this Underworld has accidents happening almost every day.

“Hades! The dead are suddenly stopping midway; what on earth…”

“Lady Styx! Charon’s ferry has been destroyed!”

Lady Styx, panicking at the situation where the dead were suddenly not coming, rushed over.

When I urgently explained the situation to her, she made a similar expression to Thanatos.

“That can’t be! That ferry hasn’t had a single scratch even after so many years…”

“It’s been many years, so it’s bound to break!”

“…?!”

Soon, seeing Styx’s attendants busily moving and transporting the boat with Thanatos’ clones,

I hurriedly returned to the Underworld’s office to resolve the matter.

“Lord Hades! Perhaps Lord Thanatos is doing something like last time…”

“That’s not it; this time, it’s because Charon’s ferry broke, so quickly get to work.”

“Yes…?! Ah… Understood!”

“And contact Olympus and tell them that I’m urgently looking for Hephaestus!”

I should remodel Charon’s ferry this time.

I need to make it bigger and stronger so that this situation doesn’t happen again.

If Hephaestus, the world’s best blacksmith who far surpasses the Cyclops, makes it himself, this wouldn’t happen.

Still, if there are more who can assist the blacksmith god…

If we’re going to make it, we should make it properly, right?

“Summon Daedalus and Pygmalion as well. Visit Lady Mnemosyne and have their memories restored.”

“Understood!”

Those who lived all sorts of eventful lives in the mortal realm eventually come to the Underworld.

Daedalus was the best architect and inventor who lived in the same era as King Minos, the judge of the Underworld.

And Pygmalion is a sculptor who fell in love with the statue he created.

Surprisingly, he even got married to the statue he fell in love with…

Because Aphrodite turned the statue Pygmalion made into a real person.

“So, Aphrodite turned the statue you made into a person?”

“Yes, she responded when I offered sacrifices and prayed!”

“No wonder there’s a statue in the Underworld’s register…”

I was quite embarrassed when the statue that became a person came as a citizen of the Underworld.

* * *

Thus, the best architect, sculptor, and blacksmith in Greece all gathered in the Underworld’s fortress.

The reason was to make a new boat for Charon.

“Huk… To be able to work with Lord Hephaestus is truly an honor!”

“Daedalus, you say? I’ve heard your name a lot too.”

“I’m a sculptor… Are you perhaps planning to make a figurehead?”

Pygmalion is right.

Now that the ferry is broken, I’m going to make a proper boat for Charon.

Of course, there must be a figurehead in the shape of Charon at the bow.

“Uncle Hades, what do you think about making the boat out of metal?”

“Metal? Is that possible?”

“Yes, since moving it is possible with divine power anyway, securing durability…”

“The internal design is…”

I don’t know if it would be possible with my past life that advanced into the sky and space,

Even if he is a blacksmith god, there is a limit to his technical skills, so it doesn’t seem like a boat made of metal would move well, but…

Since it is the age of mythology, it is possible to fill in the lacking parts with supernatural power.

And trees do not grow in the Underworld, but metal is overflowing, so it might be okay?

“Let’s try it once. I will provide as much material as you need.”

“Then trust only Hephaestus, the world’s best blacksmith, Uncle!”

The blacksmith god laughed heartily and pounded his muscular chest.

Daedalus next to him is also thinking about something with an expression that it is worth trying.

Thus, an unexpected boat construction operation began in the Underworld.

Clang! Clang!

“Is this the metal that only comes from the deep underground?”

“Does that mean this will be circulating in the River Acheron from now on?”

“Turn that side a little to the side.”

“A boat made of metal, who would have thought such a thing would be created in the Underworld…”

Numerous Underworld technicians, blacksmiths, and workers rushed in and moved materials according to instructions.

On one side, those who committed sins and were doing forced labor were moving heavy metals,

Hephaestus and Daedalus were busily moving around and giving instructions.

“Hmm. How can I express Lord Charon’s hair loss magnificently… If I just make it lush…”

Pygmalion, the best sculptor in Greece, was also seen making a figurehead modeled after Charon.

If Pygmalion sculpts Charon’s appearance, I was planning to infuse it with divine power and place it on the bow.

The work of making Charon’s boat ended quickly.

Because the blacksmith god’s command, Daedalus’ design, and the tireless soul workers joined forces.

“Charon will be satisfied with this much, right?”

“As you said, I have installed several devices on the lower part of the boat to push away the water…”

I looked at the huge boat that seemed to be fine even if dozens of souls boarded it.

It was made of all kinds of metal, and as I requested from Hephaestus, a device that naturally pushes away the water was attached,

In addition, there was divine power and a figurehead in the shape of Charon.

“Poseidon might covet it.”

It cannot be compared to Charon’s shabby ferry.

* * *

Near the entrance of the Underworld, the River Acheron.

Charon, who was hurriedly ferrying souls,

And Aphrodite, who was controlling the rampaging souls, welcomed us.

“No… Are you saying I have to ferry souls with this from now on?!”

“Hades, how long do I have to keep doing this?”

I don’t know about Aphrodite… but I can see Old Man Charon looking at the magnificent boat.

He climbed onto the boat and touched this and that, admiring it.

“Oh! It even has the power to cut through the water; with this, I don’t have to row anymore…”

“Ah, because of the laws of the River Acheron… you still have to continue the ‘act of rowing’ itself.”

Charon’s face, which had briefly brightened, turned dark again.