Chapter 11: The Tale of Tartarus - (2)

Boom! Thud!

The sound of my father, Kronos, striking the thick bronze echoes through the underworld.

Befitting the strongest of the Titan gods, he endures the hot winds near the bronze gate and continues to pound on it, then speaks again.

"Hades, I've heard that Zeus has seized control of the world!"

A beast-like howl, seemingly in pain from the hot winds.

The three Hecatoncheires brothers look at each other and gather their strength, preparing for any situation.

I place my hand on the Styx sword at my waist and approach the bronze gate.

The Hecatoncheires brothers suggest it might be better to ignore him, but he's already heard my voice anyway.

I need to crush his hope of escaping from here so he won't keep bothering the three brothers.

"What does that have to do with you?"

"Of course it matters! Are you truly satisfied being the lord of this dark underworld?!"

I wondered what he was going to say...

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

"If you release me, I'll drive out that damned Zeus and share everything under the sky with you!"

I have no interest in power.

Moreover, you who tried to kill your own children and even started a war, are trying to persuade me with power?

"I'll give you any goddess, except Rhea! Imagine, that beautiful..."

"Give up your vain hope and stay imprisoned forever."

It's impressive that you're still enduring the hot winds beyond the gate.

"Why?! Don't you like my conditions? Even with those hideous creatures guarding, someone of your caliber should be able to open the gate briefly!"

'Those hideous creatures' refers to the Hecatoncheires brothers whom grandfather Uranus threw into Tartarus,

and whom Kronos left abandoned.

They frowned even more at Kronos's words, their already fierce expressions worsening.

No wonder we defeated him, given how rude the once-ruling chief god was.

"No matter what conditions you offer, I have no intention of releasing you..."

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

"Grr... Hades! Don't you feel any filial piety towards your father! You are the child of Rhea and me!"

***

Hades, the lord of the underworld, is counted among the benevolent gods.

It's hard to believe that the god of the underworld, feared by all, is benevolent, but at least that's how Lethe felt.

A character that respects even gods like herself despite holding the high position of one of the Big Three.

A modest appearance, being Pluto, the god of wealth, yet not adorning himself with common ornaments like bracelets.

The aspect of a wise ruler always considering the lives of the souls who have become his subjects.

A merciful god who thinks of mortals living short lives rather than the authority of the underworld.

He was so different from Zeus or Poseidon, who are also among the Big Three.

Especially unlike those two who forcibly take any goddess they like, Hades was not a scoundrel like his brothers.

Occasionally, when she wore revealing clothes, she could feel his gaze, so he wasn't interested in men either...

With sufficient power and authority, why doesn't he touch the goddesses?

Perhaps that's why she fell for Hades.

Hades might not know, but there are many women aiming to be the lady of the underworld.

Various goddesses of Olympus, Goddess Styx, nymphs who dwell in specific objects or nature...

And finally, Lethe herself, the goddess of forgetfulness.

That's why she just subtly concentrated her power of forgetfulness to indulge her personal desires.

In the end, it was discovered that they were holding hands, but she liked that he didn't scold her much and let it pass.

Lethe could tell that this usually gentle and benevolent god was now truly enraged.

"Did you just call yourself my father?"

As the god of the underworld glares beyond the bronze gate with a fiercely twisted smile, the entire underworld shakes.

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

With just one word, it was clear how much his emotions were stirring.

A fury of a different dimension compared to when he warned Olympus through Iris about the great flood.

Lethe retreated helplessly at the release of such powerful divine energy.

Even the Hecatoncheires brothers, who played active roles in the Titan war, didn't dare to underestimate him and watched Hades' back with stern expressions.

Seemingly unaware of his rage, Kronos beyond the bronze gate continued to speak.

"Although our relationship has been hostile, aren't we still father and son! I remember when you were born and held in Rhea's arms..."

"If I could, I'd like to drain all of your blood flowing in my body."

Although the ground where Hades stood was cracking due to the intense emotions bursting forth...

His voice, on the contrary, was surprisingly calm and composed.

"How dare you! Those born from my father's blood will judge you!"

"The Erinyes are getting along well with me. They visited my fortress not long ago."

"What?!"

The monstrosities born from Kronos's father refer to the three goddesses of vengeance, the Erinyes.

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

Lethe, the goddess of forgetfulness, knew well about them who resided in the underworld.

Tisiphone, Alecto, Megaera.

These three goddesses were the goddesses of vengeance with bronze wings, blood-shedding eyes, and snake hair.

They punish all kinds of sins, but especially avenge familicide and strictly punish crimes against one's parents.

Although they were fearsome goddesses of vengeance that everyone avoided, the king of the underworld approached them without hesitation, and now they were on terms where they often shared friendships.

"Weren't you the one who tried to kill us first? The Erinyes are not fools as you think."

"Hades! I..."

"As the lord of the underworld, I say this,"

Hades' cold voice cut off the words of the god of time and agriculture.

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

The declaration, staking the divinity of the god of the underworld, constricted Kronos.

Although not to the extent of interfering with fate, it would become a prophecy with power difficult to resist, at least in this underworld.

"You will never escape from there for eternity."

"Grr... You... You think you're any different...! In the end, when someone threatens your authority too..."

The voice beyond the bronze gate gradually fades away.

Even Kronos seems unable to withstand the raging hot winds any longer.

As the voice slowly disappears, Hades also calms his emotions.

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

He opens his mouth to the Hecatoncheires with a bitter smile.

"Sigh... The underworld shook, so the souls must have been quite startled. I'm sorry, but I'll be heading back now."

"Hmm... Then we'll see you next time."

"Today wasn't a good day for catching up."

"Go back without worry, we'll keep guard here."

He really is a benevolent god after all.

***

What a madman. Appealing to blood ties, calling himself my father, did he think I would fall for it?

What? He'll share everything under the sky and give me goddesses if I release him?

The underworld shook quite a bit because of that serious criminal spouting nonsense.

To think I couldn't control my emotions properly, not good for a ruler...

"Um... Hades."

Lethe, who had been quietly walking with me back to the underworld, opened her mouth.

She had her usual blank expression, but somehow she seemed to be sympathizing with me.

"I could make the memory from just now a bit hazy if you'd like..."

"...It's fine."

She said it considering how greatly agitated I was...

But it's not to that extent. I'm just feeling a bit unpleasant, that's all.

For now, I need to take care of the underworld's subjects who were startled by the recent earthquake, rather than my own emotions.

When I get back, Styx will probably nag me again.

As we ascended to some extent, the soldiers stationed here were clutching their weapons tensely.

They seem to think an enemy has invaded due to my recent mistake.

"Lord Hades. There was a vibration from deep underground..."

"Has something happened to the criminals in Tartarus..."

I passed by them, saying it was nothing to worry about.

I should hurry back to the fortress and attend to my duties.

"Lord Hades!"

"Morpheus? What's the matter?"

The male god with distinctive mint-green hair, Morpheus, the god of dreams.

The son of Erebus, god of darkness, and Nyx, goddess of night, he was one of the gods of the underworld.

He usually had a gentle and soft impression like Hypnos, the god of sleep, but...

For some reason, he now had an extremely urgent expression.

It should be nighttime now, so he should be briefly leaving the underworld to deliver dreams to the living beings above.

"Huff... The god Hermes has collapsed covered in blood at the entrance of the underworld!"