Chapter 2: Tales of the Underworld - Part 1

The war against the Titans—later known as the Titanomachy—ended in our victory. Now, dominion over the world belonged to us.

"Hecatoncheires brothers! Just how many of those Titans did the three of you take down?"

"And what about this trident? All thanks to the Cyclopes for crafting such an incredible weapon that causes earthquakes!"

"No, this is but a small token of gratitude for freeing us, Zeus."

The atmosphere was lively and full of joy. With the war finally over, it was only natural that we were celebrating while gathering the spoils.

First, we needed to decide who would rule the Seas, the Underworld, and the Skies. Hera, Demeter, and Hestia, sensing the mood, quietly stepped back.

"I have no interest."

"Me neither."

"Let the men sort it out."

Was it because Poseidon, Zeus, and I were the strongest among us? Or perhaps they simply found it burdensome and had no desire for it.

"Well then... we should decide who will govern where."

"Let's settle this fairly, by drawing lots. Honestly, who wouldn’t want to rule the heavens?"

At Poseidon's suggestion, Zeus stroked his beard and agreed to leave it up to luck.

Wait, what if I draw the sea or the sky? That would completely twist the knowledge I have of the myths...

"Hahaha! Of course, I should rule the heavens!"

"Tch. Looks like I got the sea. But at least it’s not the Underworld..."

I quietly glanced at the last lot that was handed to me. When did they even pick? Did they rig this?

Poseidon and Zeus both looked at me with relieved expressions.

Of course, who would want to live in the dark, gloomy Underworld? My ambitious younger brothers, both dreaming of becoming king of the gods, would probably start a rebellion rather than live in such a place.

Perhaps it was better that I go to the Underworld after all.

* * *

“When will you come~ if I go now~”

Humming a small tune, I searched for a suitable place to descend into the Underworld. After all, I was now its king and had to manage it.

Birds chirped and flowers bloomed on an ordinary meadow.

Thud.

I stomped the ground, infusing the power of my will.

Swoooosh—

A black aura spread through the earth, forming a downward path before me. The grass and trees around me withered, and the surrounding life fled in a hurry.

Spinning my invisible helmet Kynee in one hand, I stared at the newly formed passageway. It was shrouded in darkness and led into an endless, ominous pit.

Down I went, continuing in an ever deeper descent.

How far had I gone? Even the occasional bugs had stopped appearing by now.

After passing through several underground caverns, I finally reached a vast, open space.

Despite being in a sunless world where nothing should be visible, I saw a foreboding landscape of mountains, a blackened sky, and a vast river.

This was the first river of the Underworld, Acheron—the River of Woe. Although its woe would later become widespread among mortals, it looked like any other clear, ordinary river to me. However, no creatures lived within, and the surrounding mountains were equally devoid of life.

Crossing the Acheron, I came across another river. As I gazed into its waters, reflections of my past flashed before my eyes.

This was the River Cocytus—the River of Wailing. Even for a god like me, it felt as cold as plunging my feet into ice water. I saw glimpses of myself from the Titan War—fighting back-to-back with Zeus, wielding Kynee, and plunging my sword into a towering Titan’s gut...

I lifted my head and kept walking forward.

Next was the River Phlegethon—a river not of water, but of flames.

Its fire was imbued with the power to burn and purify souls, though it had no effect on me. For humans, this river would cleanse their souls as they passed through it.

Then came the River Lethe—the River of Forgetfulness. For human souls, drinking its waters would erase their memories. For me, it was just bitter-tasting water. I tried it once out of curiosity.

Now my new home, the Underworld, was just ahead.

Finally, as I was growing weary of walking, the last river came into view. Upon approaching, the water began to take shape, forming into the figure of a beautiful goddess.

"Welcome, Hades. I've been waiting for you."

Her name was Styx. A goddess born of the Titans Oceanus and Tethys, she embodied the river that encircled the Underworld nine times, forming the boundary between the realms of the living and the dead.

As the first deity to assist us in the Titan War, she was granted a unique privilege in return. Well, technically, it was Zeus who insisted, and we all agreed.

"I swear by the River Styx, you're as beautiful as ever, Lady Styx."

"G-goodness... suddenly paying me such compliments..."

Swearing by the River Styx was binding, even for gods. If a god broke their oath, they would be rendered comatose for a year and banned from participating in the council of the gods for nine years after. In other words, they would be unable to fulfil their duties as a god.

But Styx was so beautiful that I had no intention of breaking my oath. With her long, flowing black hair, curvaceous figure, and her shy, fidgeting posture—how could I not?

"Haa... Please, stop swearing oaths so frivolously, especially for something so trivial!"

She put one hand on her hip and tapped my forehead with a finger. Though Styx tried to scold me with a serious expression, she looked more like an adorable student whining.

Ah, I can’t help it. Looking at her just makes me want to tease her. I swear by the River Styx...

"You're doing it again! Stop it! Please!"

"I was just joking..."

"Hah... If you're going to be the god of the Underworld, at least act with some dignity."

I had grown quite close to Styx during the war. We both had a similar dark aura, and when we attacked together, our powers complemented each other well.

Upon hearing that I had drawn the Underworld in the casting of lots with my brothers, Styx seemed pleased to have a friendly god for a neighbour.

"...Do you understand? As one of the three great gods now ruling the cosmos..."

On a side note, one of her defining traits was her incessant nagging.

* * *

After being held up by the goddess of nagging, Styx, I finally arrived in the Underworld, the place I was to call home. With a sense of expectation, I looked around to survey my new domain...

It was barren. There was nothing here. Would I really have to cultivate this wasteland from scratch? How could this be...

Despite having defeated countless Titans and become the ruler of the Underworld, I collapsed. Why was I being subjected to such trials? 

Daughters of Nyx, goddesses of fate, why do you torment me so? Must a god’s life—no, godhood—really begin by cultivating a wasteland?

Well, I had no choice. It was my duty, after all. At least I wouldn’t have to deal with Tartarus, which was far removed from the Underworld. That prison was reserved for the defeated Titans.

Poseidon himself crafted the bronze gates, and it was surrounded by bronze walls so no one could escape. A perfect place to imprison the most dangerous criminals, and also home to Nyx, goddess of the night.

The three Hecatoncheires brothers stood guard at the entrance to Tartarus. They volunteered for the job themselves. Their grudge against their father, Kronos, who never freed them, was etched deep into their bones.

What I needed to create now was a space for the souls arriving in the Underworld to reside, and of course, my own home. As the ruler of the Underworld, my divine powers responded naturally to my will, reshaping the barren land.

Rumble... rumble...

Here, I am absolute.

With mere intent, the landscape around me began to transform.

Since I’m the king of the Underworld, I should at least project some majesty, right? Minerals and gems are plentiful underground, so I’ll have plenty of materials to work with.

Zeus is building a grand palace for the gods on Mount Olympus, so I should make mine just as grand…

* * *

Styx, the ruler of the greatest river encircling the Underworld and the river itself, sensed the fierce tremors from the afterlife and emerged from the waters once again.

The bleak and dim world, once nothing but barren plains, transformed freely at the will of the King of the Underworld.

Rumble...

The vast, endless expanse of the Underworld trembled, celebrating its new master. One could feel how the fundamental cycle of life and death, the very foundation of existence, had become more firmly established, its principles deeply etched into the universe.

This clearly signaled that the authority of the carefree god who had been toying with vows in his name had now reached the level of a supreme deity.

As expected, a supreme god who holds dominion over the world is different.

In the sky, there was Zeus, the god of lightning and heavens; in the sea, Poseidon, the god of earthquakes and waters; and here in the Underworld, Hades, the god of the Underworld and wealth.

Her first encounter with Hades had been during the war against the Titans. That gloomy god, twirling a jet-black sword in one hand as he was drenched in the blood raining down on the battlefield, was now the king ruling over the Underworld.

Perched by the riverside, she rested her chin on her hand, observing the Underworld change in real-time. It wasn’t often one could witness a kingdom being built in this usually dull Underworld.