Chapter 119: The Trials of Heracles

Chapter 119: The Trials of HeraclesAfter informing Olympus of the situation, I immediately descended to the Underworld and headed towards Tartarus.

As I approached closer to Tartarus... just like before, a dark shadow descended, and Lady Nyx appeared.

"Welcome. Did you bring the symbol of Uranus?"

"Yes. He gave me a strand of his hair."

Looking at her face, as beautiful as the night sky, I took out a silver thread from my pocket.

Swoosh.

"Judging by the scent of the deep sky, this is indeed Uranus' hair."

"Then, will you now assist us?"

In response to my question, the Goddess of the Night gave a playful smile.

"Hehe... And yet you seem to be in one piece? With Uranus' personality, I thought he would’ve thrown a punch at you right away..."

"The sky did turn hostile towards me for a moment. But he spared me, and I was able to pass the test safely."

This scene made me realize just how important it was to persuade Lady Nyx.

Even Zeus could create a storm with winds between the stars. Poseidon and I could also launch attacks of that magnitude.

But to summon such a catastrophe with just a playful gesture—only the Protogenoi could do that.

No matter how much mortals praise us Olympian gods as absolute beings, the only true absolute being in this world is Chaos, the primordial god.

And those closest to Chaos by blood, like Gaia, the Protogenoi, naturally possess overwhelming power.

"Hmm... Since you’ve brought the symbol of Uranus as I asked, I must keep my promise."

"...!"

"If you manage to defeat those Gigantes, but Gaia appears afterward, I will help you then. However..."

The Goddess of the Night trailed off for a moment.

The surrounding darkness deepened, and I heard her voice from all directions.

"If you are defeated by those Gigantes and seek my help, I won’t wait for Gaia. I will be the one to punish you."

"...I will keep that in mind."

With those final words, the thick darkness vanished without a trace, taking Lady Nyx with it.

Staring at the spot where the Goddess of the Night had been, I couldn't help but smile.

It was a triumphant smile.

* * *

A worldwide holiday, known to the mortals of the living world as "Thanatos' Day."

Once a month. A day to distance oneself from death and enjoy rest. The impact this day had on the Underworld was considerable.

An oracle declared that temples all over the world would officially recognize it as a holiday.

For just one day, executions were prohibited, and even conflicts were discouraged.

The gods of war laid down their weapons for a brief moment, and the Goddess of Peace exerted her power.

Naturally, the number of souls arriving in the Underworld was cut in half...

And thus, an unusually harmonious atmosphere spread throughout the Underworld.

"...Isn't it strange for things to end so quickly?"

"No matter how much this is the first holiday after the oracle, it’s unusual for the number of dead to decrease this much."

"Perhaps the mortals are truly avoiding death on Thanatos' Day?"

There was so much free time that it almost felt peaceful.

Even the gods held back a little on this day and enjoyed it, so there were almost no humans dying from divine punishment.

According to the news Hermes delivered,

The Goddess of Peace, Eirene, was very grateful to me.

"But honestly, I could use a break too, uncle..."

"...You and Iris are still working hard, aren't you?"

"I'm not struggling as much as Lord Charon or Lord Thanatos, but I'm doing my part..."

Of course, there were exceptions—like Hermes, Charon, and Thanatos—who still couldn’t rest.

At least the workload had decreased a bit, so it was a little more manageable.

Actually, the same went for me.

While the workload has lessened... it’s not like I can rest completely.

Still, this is better. In the past, I was constantly on standby every day, not just once a month.

I used to worry even during banquets about whether a war would break out in the mortal world...

And whenever a plague swept through, everyone cursed Apollo, the god of disease and medicine.

Anyway. Things are much more relaxed now. Which means...

Sluuurp... Mmm...

"...Why don’t you take a break as well, Styx?"

It also means I can spend some sweet time with the goddesses.

Having finished all my extra work, I was reclining on my throne with my eyes closed when Lady Styx, holding a cup of nectar, leaned in and kissed me on the lips. I was caught off guard, but thanks to my godly reflexes, I was able to respond quickly.

After that sweet moment ended... or should have ended, she didn't get off my lap.

Her hand gently rested on my chest, and she smiled seductively. Then, her soft, full form pressed against me.

As the mood grew increasingly heated, and I even began to feel a bit intoxicated... I heard her whisper in my ear.

"Hades. I..."

"...?"

"Shall we continue...? We have plenty of time today..."

Wait, what? Continue what?

As I looked at her with slightly trembling eyes, perhaps she took it as permission, as her hand began to move downward...

"Hades, I have a regular report from the sage Chiron. Heracles has returned to the mortal world... Ah!"

"Oh."

* * *

“W-why… Why now, of all times! Ugh… You’ve ruined the mood!”

“The news about Heracles was part of a scheduled report, so there was no way to avoid it…”

I barely managed to stop the Goddess of the Styx River, who was angrily threatening to punish the messenger, even though he had instantly realized the situation in the audience room and bowed his head in shame.

Her face was flushed red, and there were even small tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

Her clenched fists trembled. If she kept biting her lips like that, they would start to bleed…

Swoosh.

I gently reached out and wiped away the tear forming at the corner of her eye.

The goddess, who had been pouting and sighing for a moment, moved closer to me… Was she going for another kiss?

I flinched, thinking she was about to repeat the kiss from earlier, but instead, her lips moved towards my ear, and she whispered sweetly in a soft voice. seaʀᴄh thё ηovёlFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

“Let’s continue this next time. Alright?”

“…Yes, of course.”

It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.

The slightly sulking goddess left the fortress, and I turned my attention back to the messenger’s report, who had narrowly escaped eternal suffering.

The news that Heracles had left for the mortal world meant that he had been acknowledged by the goddess Megaera.

He may not have been able to defeat the goddess of vengeance, but did he manage to land a blow?

When I headed to Chiron’s Hero Training ground, I saw a massive crater in the deep canyon.

It was as if a giant’s fist had struck the ground. It was hard to believe that the destruction before me was the result of a human’s strength.

And there, waiting for me, was the goddess Megaera.

The snake-like hair on her head hissed as if greeting me after a long time.

“Is it true that Heracles created that crater?”

“Yeah…”

Listening to the goddess of vengeance for a while made it clear just how much Heracles had grown.

“At first, he just charged in recklessly with brute strength, but whenever he wasn’t sparring with me, he was always with Chiron…”

“He couldn’t beat you with strength alone, so he learned techniques.”

“He had incredible talent. Now I understand why Hades dunked him in the Styx River…”

Of course, it was still impossible for him to actually injure the goddess of vengeance… But it seemed he was enduring her attacks for longer and longer with each sparring session.

Not by relying on his Styx-hardened skin to withstand the blows, but by deflecting and countering her attacks with technique.

“I’m planning to watch over him as he heads to Hera’s temple. Would you like to join me?”

“Hera won’t punish him too harshly, will she?”

“…Probably not.”

I told myself this, hoping that she wouldn’t kill him, at least.

* * *

In the mortal world, Heracles breathed in the fresh air of Thebes.

So much had happened to him in the underworld.

He met countless friends who didn’t fear him, Trained under the guidance of the wise Chiron as his mentor, had spoken with the great lord of the underworld himself, and had even sparred with one of the goddesses of vengeance.

“Whew…”

Despite all the hardships he had overcome, the divine punishment from Hera that awaited him still frightened him a little.

As Lord Hades had instructed, he needed to go to Hera’s temple and beg for her forgiveness…

The power of the goddess Megaera he had felt during their fight was truly immense.

She wasn’t even a river or forest god, but one of the three goddesses of vengeance. So how powerful must Hera, the queen of the gods, be?

Still, whatever task she gave him would likely be of great help on his path to becoming a god.

Having steeled himself for what was to come, Heracles arrived at Hera’s temple.

He planned to enter the temple and beg for forgiveness in front of the goddess’s statue…

“I am Heracles, and I have come from Thebes to beg the goddess for forgiveness.”

“Wait. Please stop. You may not enter.”

“What? Why am I not allowed to enter?”

“There was an oracle from Goddess Hera, commanding that you absolutely must not be allowed inside.”

The priest standing in front of him had a resolute look in his eyes, making it clear that this was indeed the goddess’s will.

“Then, am I also forbidden from begging for forgiveness outside the temple?”

“…There was no specific command regarding that.”

Upon hearing the priest’s words, Heracles knelt on the ground in front of Hera’s temple and prostrated himself.

The priest didn’t say anything, as it seemed Heracles’s posture was one of sincere repentance.

Four weeks passed, and Heracles felt an impending crisis.

Though his body had been trained to rival that of a god and his skin tempered by the Styx River…

Plop. Splat. Splat—

“Ugh…! What’s that smell?! What is this?!”

“Just leave him be. He’s obviously repenting for some wrongdoing in front of the goddess Hera. It’s already been four weeks.”

"Then what's going on there? All the birds and animals are dropping their Feces on him!"

“Shh! Quiet! That must be part of his divine punishment.”

“Ugh… the smell. It’s so disgusting, even inside the temple! Is this for real?!”

“I’d better pray to the goddess and tell her that this sinner seems to have repented enough. I can’t stand the stench anymore…”

“What kind of sin did he commit, anyway…?”

Unfortunately, his sense of smell had not been trained at all.

‘Damn it.’