Chapter 114
This is the training ground of the Underworld.
Chiron couldn't take his eyes off one place, staring blankly.
It was where Heracles, whose enthusiasm was revived thanks to Hades, and Megaera, one of the three goddesses of vengeance, were fighting.
The hero and the goddess of vengeance dueling on a cliff.
Their clashes shatter rocks and send fragments flying everywhere.
Boom- Crash!
"Hah!"
"Hehe..."
Heracles swings his club at the goddess, charging as if to kill, while the goddess calmly blocks his attacks with her torch.
Chiron himself knew that Heracles was stronger than any other hero, but...
"To be on par with a goddess of vengeance, not just some minor river deity..."
Words escaped his mouth without him realizing.
Chiron felt a moment of pressure. For a hero who hadn't accomplished any tasks yet to be able to face a god.
Although the goddess of vengeance was merely receiving his attacks and occasionally counterattacking,
where in the world was there a human who could match a god in the first place?
Such a monstrous human was his disciple, and the hero Hades had asked him to educate in character.
The centaur sage felt his shoulders grow heavier today.
Not just Chiron, but other past heroes and hero aspirants were also watching their fight.
"Huh... I can't believe what I'm seeing."
"I knew Heracles was strong, but to be comparable to a goddess of vengeance?"
"Is this even possible? If I hadn't seen this with my own eyes, I would've thought it was nonsense."
"He hasn't even gone to the mortal world yet, but he's already at the level of a great hero..."
"I don't think it's just great hero level? Hasn't he already defeated everyone except Lord Cadmus?"
"And he doesn't even get injured... If I go to the mortal world, I should never become Heracles' enemy."
The eyes of the heroes who were training together until recently were filled with jealousy, admiration, envy, and longing.
Because the crystallization of power they dreamed of, its essence, was unfolding before their eyes.
Rumble... Crash!
Chiron turned his eyes away from the scene of the crumbling cliff and shouted at the hero aspirants.
As an educator, he knew well how to draw enthusiasm from the jealousy and admiration of those ahead.
"You must all have many thoughts watching that."
"Yes... It's truly amazing."
"So that's Heracles..."
"Hmm. To think the power of a hero chosen by the gods is to that extent..."
As soon as he subtly mentioned Heracles, sighs could be heard from all around.
Recognizing the dejection and frustration mixed in their voices, Chiron refocused their attention.
"So, are you going to give up on becoming heroes?"
"...Well."
"But compared to Heracles..."
"Are you thinking you're losers, overwhelmed by Heracles' power, that no matter what you do, you'll never match him?"
There was no answer to that, but Chiron knew that a wall had appeared before the eyes of the hero aspirants.
And it wasn't an insurmountable god, but a fellow mortal performing so impressively.
For heroes who were overflowing with confidence and pride in themselves,
Heracles' existence was like a mountain they could never overcome.
"What separates heroes from ordinary people might be power, intelligence, or exceptional lineage. But the most crucial difference lies in mentality."
"......"
"When you go out to the mortal world to perform your tasks in the future, if you're targeted by powerful monsters like Heracles, will you just give up? Consoling yourselves that it can't be helped because of bloodline and talent... Will you return to this Underworld as deceased?"
At Chiron's cry, those who had lowered their heads began to meet eyes one by one.
There wasn't a single person here without a burning desire in their heart.
Those who were careless about their resolve to walk the path of a hero...
They were filtered out from the oath of the River Styx even before coming to the Underworld.
The training they had endured here... Memories of fighting mythical monsters or the war god Ares...
And Chiron's words threw a spark onto the firewood of ambition and dreams that each of them held.
Before long, the eyes of the heroes who had raised their heads were quietly burning with the desire for improvement and fighting spirit.
"...Now you have eyes worth looking at. So, do you have time to be playing around like this?"
"No, we don't!"
"We showed a moment of weakness to Teacher Chiron."
"The difference between heroes and ordinary humans is mentality..."
The heroes scattered in all directions and began sparring as usual.
More fiercely than ever before.
***
I was receiving reports from messengers on the throne of my fortress.
As always, reports coming from all over the Underworld. I couldn't just skim through them carelessly because important matters were often mixed in.
Especially now, with matters related to the Protogenoi.
"Hades. Our mother has succeeded in persuading Lady Nyx, according to the message. Now it's up to Hades."
What I'm looking at is a letter from Lethe, the goddess of forgetfulness.
Lethe's mother is Eris, the goddess of discord, and her mother is Nyx, one of the primordial deities, the Protogenoi.
Even if we raise Heracles to beat down the Gigantes...
There's a possibility that Gaia won't acknowledge us.
That's why we prepared a contingency plan.
It's to persuade Nyx, the goddess of night, who is a sibling born under Chaos like Gaia and also a Protogenoi.
But Lady Nyx has withdrawn her hands from the affairs of the world and remains an observer.
She has consistently maintained the attitude that it doesn't matter to her whether Gaia wins or we win for over thousands of years...
Somehow, to turn her heart, I asked Nyx's children.
To arrange just one opportunity for me to persuade her in person.
Nyx's children who received my request.
That is... Eris, the goddess of discord, as well as Thanatos, Hypnos, Moros, Keres, and others took turns visiting her dwelling.
After a long time, for whatever change of heart she had...
Finally, the heavy-bottomed Protogenoi agreed to listen to my story.
An opportunity to receive the protection of a primordial deity equal to Gaia.
I will not miss it.
***
Lady Nyx, the goddess of night, is darkness and extinction itself born from the absolute god Chaos.
She possessed a divine nature opposite to Gaia, who creates and produces everything as the Earth Mother Goddess.
That's why we thought she might have thoughts different from Goddess Gaia and set out to persuade her.
It's also the reason why I, who am somewhat familiar with the divine nature of night, need to meet her in person.
Trudge, trudge.
Lady Nyx's dwelling is in Tartarus, in the most terrifying area there.
However, she's not trapped in Tartarus... When night falls, she switches places with Hemera, the goddess of day who is her daughter, and comes out.
The downhill path leading to Tartarus.
I encountered Goddess Eris, another goddess residing in the Underworld.
"Ah. Hades."
"Lady Eris. Thank you so much for persuading Lady Nyx for us."
Goddess Eris, who possesses beautiful looks but wears an expression colder and more vicious than Demeter.
She spoke to me with an attitude as if it were nothing.
"It's nothing. When my son-in-law asks, saying a few words to my mother is no big deal."
"Son-in-law..."
"Hmm? Don't you plan to marry Lethe?"
I quickly changed my words at her frowning gaze.
"No. That's not it. Thank you. Mother-in-law."
"Ohoho! Living as the ruler of the Underworld for so long has only increased your slyness. Are you on your way to Tartarus?"
"Yes. Since you arranged a meeting with Lady Nyx..."
"Don't enter Tartarus, just wait at the entrance and she might come out. Well then, good luck."
It seems that occasionally visiting and greeting the goddess of discord, whom others avoid, has paid off.
Although whenever I invite her to feasts, something suspicious happens and the feast gets interrupted...
Indeed, you must always bow deeply to your elders.
"...Take care."
After parting with Goddess Eris, no, Mother-in-law, I continued going down.
Little by little, more... more... Mist started flowing out, a sign that I was getting closer to Tartarus, and a chilling cold lingered.
About 300 steps to the bronze gates of Tartarus.
Lady Nyx must know that I've come this far.
Numerous reasons to persuade her and methods to appeal appeared and disappeared in my mind.
No, no... It will be even more difficult than persuading Prometheus.
No matter what flowery words I use, it's hard to avoid the intention of asking her to fight Gaia on our behalf.
The bronze gates come into view, and I see three giant beings sitting side by side in front of them.
The three Hecatoncheires brothers with 50 heads and 100 hands each greet me.
"Oh! Hades!"
"It's been a while. I heard you met Prometheus recently?"
"Kronos has been quiet lately. The other Titans too. But what brings you here today?"
"Ah, today..."
Whoosh-
As I was about to answer them about Lady Nyx, the air suddenly became heavy.
An overwhelming pressure. Disappearing light. Far surpassing Zeus and even more than Kronos' intimidation...
No one present was unaware of what was happening.
The three Hecatoncheires brothers hurriedly stood up and straightened their clothes.
I too, prepared to greet the being about to appear here and bowed my head towards where the energy was gathering.
Soon the surroundings were enveloped in darkness, and I felt a powerful presence before me.
Simultaneously, I heard a sweet, beautiful voice.
"My, isn't it uncomfortable to bow your head like that?"
The goddess of night and primordial Protogenoi, Nyx, had descended.