The King of the Underworld is Tired

Chapter 149: The Story of Asclepius – (3)

This is Calydon.

Not too long ago, a monstrous boar appeared here and ruined the crops, but thanks to the efforts of the heroes, it was hunted down.

Perhaps because the hunt for the boar ended too easily, the heroes gathered here didn’t return to their homelands but instead held a feast for several days...

“Ahh...! Where did you catch this venison?”

“Idas, tell us the story again. When you went against Apollo…”

“Went against? How could I dare to face the Sun God? If Lord Pluto hadn’t appeared…”

“I’ve heard the Lord of the Underworld is merciful to the living, and it seems to be true.”

The heroes, gathered around a campfire in a nearby forest, enjoyed their meat and chatted.

The recent boar hunt was the hottest topic of conversation.

“That boar we caught recently… do you think it had a mother?”

“I think so too. Isn’t that why we’re still lingering here?”

“Anyway, when we killed the little one, mist rose up, and its body vanished, right? What’s that about?”

“Well, probably just some nymphs playing a prank. What would they even want with a creature like that…”

“Nymphs are always up to mischief.”

They enjoyed reminiscing about the past.

Meleager, a master of the spear, was smiling as he cut meat for Atalanta, the female hero skilled in archery, who accepted it without complaint.

“Ahem, Atalanta. You’re the famous princess of Arcadia, and gained quite the reputation on the Argo, didn’t you?”

“That’s right.”

“Then why haven’t you married? Is there some prophecy involved?”

“I’ve never received any prophecy related to marriage. It’s just that no one has caught my eye… besides, the goddess I serve is the goddess of chastity…”

“Ahem! Still, if you haven’t sworn a vow of chastity, you might find a good match. Like, say… a prince of Calydon who’s good with a spear.”

“I didn’t take a vow of chastity, as I spent my childhood in the Underworld, but… hmm.”

While Atalanta and Meleager shared a pleasant moment, Jason was boasting to those who hadn’t been part of the quest for the Golden Fleece.

“So then, Heracles struck down the dragon with his bare hands…!”

“Ah, that’s Heracles for you. But I haven’t heard anything about him lately?”

“Could he have become a god?”

“But Jason, you’re a king. Shouldn’t you be taking care of your kingdom instead of hanging around here?”

“For the moment, Medea is ruling in my place! She’s a wise and clever woman! What about you, Theseus? You’re a king too, yet here you are…”

“Ahem! My queen, Ariadne, is handling matters…”

As night deepened, a soldier came running to them.

Judging by his attire, he was from Calydon. He stopped before Meleager.

“Prince! A monster has appeared, far more terrifying than the boar from a few days ago!”

“What?”

“It’s three times the size of the previous beast, its hooves spit fire, and meeting its gaze disturbs the mind…!”

Before the messenger even finished speaking, the heroes threw down their food and leaped to their feet.

In their hands, weapons were already gleaming.

“You see! I told you it probably had a mother!”

“Hah! Glad we stayed around here!”

“A grand achievement awaits!”

Despite the terrifying news of a monstrous beast, the heroes wore bloodthirsty smiles and filled the air with their fighting spirit.

The soldier who had come with the king’s orders to report the sighting took a step back.

“Hey, messenger! Where did the creature appear?”

“At… near the upper reaches of the Achelous River…”

“Let’s go! Now we can finally test our battle formation in a real fight!”

Is this the usual reaction to news of a monster appearing?

Are these heroes… or monster-obsessed madmen?

* * *

The heroes headed swiftly towards the area near the Achelous River where the monster had appeared.

They soon spotted a creature that was clearly powerful.

Roooaaaarrr!

The monstrous boar was three times larger than the last one they’d faced.

Flames constantly erupted from its hooves, setting everything around it ablaze.

Its gaze held a maddening force that shook the minds of those who looked into its eyes.

A creature empowered by the goddess Artemis herself, it appeared immensely strong.

It was nothing like the boar that had easily fallen to the heroes’ combined attack before.

While it might not be on the level of Typhon’s children, like Chimera or Cerberus,

It surely seemed like a creature close to that rank.

Despite its terrifying appearance, the heroes smiled with anticipation, their spirits aflame.

“Yes, this is what we’ve been waiting for! Finally, a worthy opponent!”

“Theseus, Jason! You’re royalty; stand back!”

“Don’t even think about it! If you’re scared, step aside, Castor!”

Just as the powerful monster and the battle-crazed heroes were about to clash—

Unseen by the humans, a manifestation of Thanatos yawned and casually waved his hand.

Ssshhh…

A chill spread briefly through the air, and then, the monstrous beast suddenly breathed its last breath.

With no sign or warning. As if its mortal life had simply come to an end.

Thud!

"Hmm? What was that?"

"Did it die?"

As the beast, which had been emanating such terrifying energy just moments ago, suddenly succumbed to death, the heroes, understandably, were taken aback.

“It really seems dead, doesn’t it?”

“There’s no sign of injury. Did someone use a special ability?”

“There’s only one explanation for this… could it be a god?”

“Hmm. Interfering with the gods doesn’t usually end well. Let's stop here and head back.”

“It might indeed be a dispute among the gods. Surely, it wasn't Thanatos, was it?”

Despite their high expectations to achieve a great feat, the heroes dispersed with uneasy expressions. They knew well enough that, no matter how powerful they grew, only someone like Heracles could dare challenge the gods.

* * *

I saw Artemis rushing to the Underworld after receiving my summons. She didn’t seem particularly remorseful.

“Artemis.”

“Yes.”

“Why did you revive the divine boar and send it back down to humans? This action was beyond the authority granted to you.”

“…I honestly didn’t expect Apollo’s son to be able to resurrect a divine beast.”

It seemed only half-truthful.

“Don’t make excuses. What I’m asking is why you threatened a mortal to bring back the dead in the first place.”

“But if the divine beast I sent as punishment died too easily, it would damage my prestige…”

“Then you should have sent a suitable divine beast. I’m asking why you threatened a mortal to resurrect the dead. Looking into the memories, you even invoked an oath on the River Styx."

Artemis lowered her head and said nothing. It was only natural; she had intruded on my domain as the god of the Underworld and had no justification.

If she had kept making excuses, I would have been severely angered.

“For encroaching upon my domain, you will work here in the Underworld for a while. I’ll inform Zeus of this matter as well. Any objections?”

“No. Thank you for letting me off lightly. I will make sure to never…”

“Letting you off? I don’t show mercy in matters like this.”

“…?”

New gods who enter the Underworld for the first time often have a misconception. Despite hearing all the grim rumors about me from Olympus, they assume it’s not so bad compared to losing their divinity or being forced into servitude under mortals.

Apollo, Hermes, Ares… they all thought that way at first.

After Artemis left the audience chamber, I called for a messenger.

"Assign Artemis, who just left, to oversee the major excavation project in the underground mines."

“But, Lord Hades, even Lady Lethe found that place overwhelming…”

“She’ll obviously have a hard time. If she refuses, inform Styx or Hypnos. They’ll handle it accordingly.”

Seeing the messenger nod in understanding, I added a few more instructions.

To go to Olympus, inform them of Artemis's wrongdoing, and ensure she stays in the Underworld for the time being… and to recommend Asclepius, the god of medicine who once revived the dead, as a subordinate deity.

Lastly, I mentioned when to hold a meeting about the final battle against the Gigantes.

Once the day is set to march on the Plains of Phlegra, where the Gigantes have gathered, we'll need to visit Lady Nyx again to get her final confirmation.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

The Earth Mother’s power may have been significantly drained by creating Typhon, bringing forth the Gigantes, and influencing various monsters like the dragon of Colchis, but she will still likely be stronger than us.

* * *

Meanwhile, Artemis, thinking she would only have to work temporarily in the Underworld, headed to her assigned post with a light heart. She was left speechless by the mountain of documents piled on her desk.

After glancing through the papers for a moment, she suddenly stood, her eyes shooting daggers at the attendant.

Her expression looked like she was on the verge of handing out divine punishment, but the location kept her in check.

“Move aside. There must be some mistake from Lord Hades. I’ll speak to him myself.”

“Oh… about that. Just a moment, please!”

The attendant, sweating under Artemis’s glare, quickly exited... and soon returned with someone else.

Long black hair, the power of a major god. Wait, that face…?

“Artemis greets Lady Styx.”

“Hmm. I’m not too fond of gods who take their frustrations out on innocent attendants instead of doing their work… Surely, that’s not the case here?”

“……”

“Both Apollo and Ares… these young gods. Tsk tsk. Back in my day, we weren’t like that.”

As Goddess Styx, whose face had a single vein of tension forming, entered, the moon goddess, who had 

been ready to cause an uproar, could only bow her head.

After all, Goddess Styx had been the first to assist Olympus in the Titan War—a venerable goddess whose achievements and power were beyond question.

“I trust… you’ll manage well on your own? I’d hate to have to come back.”

“…Of course.”

“Oh, and that’s only today’s workload.”

“…?!”

The moon goddess finally understood why her brother Apollo trembled at the mere mention of the Underworld.