Chapter 22
The divine palace above the clouds of Olympus.
The palace of the gods, looked up to by mortal beings who revere the gods.
This place, once partially destroyed by Typhon, was once again in crisis.
Was it because of an external enemy as powerful as Typhon?
Was it due to an invasion by Kronos, the Gigantes, or the Titan gods?
"Damn it... What are you doing, Uncle!"
It was none of these.
"Can't you see, nephew? Zeus is finished now."
"Apollo, brother! Why are you standing on that side?"
"My dear sister. Father, who chases after human women instead of our mother or Lady Hera, is no longer..."
It was because of an internal war over the throne of the king of gods.
While Zeus was asleep, his lightning bolt was hidden, and his muscular body was bound with tough leather straps.
Zeus was surprised when he opened his eyes, but the tide had already turned.
Poseidon, Apollo, and Hera imprisoned the bound Zeus in a building in Olympus and summoned the gods.
To exile Zeus and proclaim a new king of gods.
"Don't be ridiculous! I object!"
"Ares, the situation won't change just because you object."
"Mother!"
"No, Brother Apollo, please don't do this and think carefully."
"Hermes, I've already acted after much deliberation."
"Brother, aren't you the god of reason? Is this really..."
"Do we really have to do this among ourselves? Poseidon? We're still in danger from the Gigantes..."
"Zeus, who was defeated by Typhon despite having the divine status of the sky, is not qualified to stand above me. Hestia."
The great Olympian gods were divided into two.
Those who wanted to install Poseidon as the new king, and those who wanted to somehow rescue Zeus imprisoned in the building.
"What are you all doing! We should fight to rescue Father!"
The god of war, Ares, gets excited as if he's about to charge in.
Other gods also tense up, drawing on their divine power and reaching for their weapons.
Athena's spear flashes, and Hermes infuses power into his caduceus as if he's made up his mind.
But...
"Hmm. That's good, don't just talk, try to enforce your will with power. I'll face you with this Trident."
"Ugh..."
"Uncle! Are you really doing this?!"
"Damn it, how can we defeat Lord Poseidon..."
As Poseidon casually points his trident with an indifferent face, everyone hesitates.
Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades.
These Big Three possessed strength on a different level from other gods.
To what extent? Enough to win even if they fought against all other gods except the other Big Three.
"Aaaargh! We won't know until we try!"
Ares, who had been looking around at the gods on Zeus's side swallowing their anger, lets out a shout.
Intense red divine power rises from his body, and he charges at Poseidon with his sword drawn, but...
Clang! Boom!
"Tch...!"
"How insolent towards the new king of Olympus, nephew."
Poseidon swings his trident at an invisible speed.
Blue divine power spreads like a wave, striking the challenger's body directly.
Ares's prized sword breaks instantly against the sharp trident, showing a clear difference in power.
In the end, the god of war had no choice but to step back, smelling a strong scent of defeat.
"Are there any more gods who oppose me becoming the owner of that seat!"
Poseidon raises his voice and points his trident at the golden throne.
However, that was the highest seat among the 12 thrones, where Zeus usually sat.
It was a seat that only the king of Olympus could sit on.
At this, the gods on Zeus's side fell into miserable silence, and a suffocating stillness hung over Olympus.
Seeing the quieted gods, Poseidon declares with a satisfied expression while stroking his beard.
"Then now we'll exile Zeus..."
"I object."
***
"I object."
"What...?"
"What, I didn't sense any presence at all!"
"I didn't hear any sound from the wind..."
All the gods in Olympus are shaken by the sudden voice.
Because a voice came from an empty space where no presence was felt at all.
"Are you going to interfere with me after all..."
But the experienced gods who had participated in wars against the Gigantes and Titan gods recognized the identity of the voice.
This invisibility that perfectly escapes even a god's senses is allowed to only one god...
"This is Kynee...! Lord of the Underworld!"
"I said I would treat you well..."
"Uncle Hades!"
A black-haired, black-eyed male god holding an old, worn helmet and a two-pronged spear, the Bident, reveals himself.
The male god, looking shabby without any adornments, had very gloomy eyes and a tired appearance, but no one could ignore him.
"Hades! Come to our side now, I'll even give you control over the sea except for the sky!"
"I don't need such things, just stop this rebellion."
Because he was Hades, one of the Big Three equal to Poseidon.
I barely made it in time.
It's fortunate that I rushed up to Olympus after hearing Thetis's words.
Zeus was almost exiled before I could intervene.
Where is Zeus?
"Lord Hades!"
"....Uncle! Uncle Poseidon has gone mad!"
"Phew... Did you rush here from the underworld?"
I see the gods on Zeus's side looking at me with expressions of relief.
Ares, why are you covered in dust and your prized sword is shattered... You charged at Poseidon and got hit hard, didn't you?
On the other hand, Hera and Apollo on Poseidon's side look dismayed.
Why, did you think I wouldn't be able to intervene so quickly?
"Hmm..."
"Poseidon, do you want to fight me too?"
As I point my Bident at him, I see Poseidon sigh.
If he could just defeat me, the throne of the king of gods would be within reach.
But Poseidon isn't such a foolish god.
A fight between Poseidon and me in a place that's neither the sea nor the underworld would be protracted.
Even if I could gain a slight advantage with Kynee, he's also one of the Big Three.
But Hera and Apollo can't defeat these many gods.
Poseidon is clearly at a disadvantage in this power struggle.
While I handle Poseidon, if the other gods subdue Hera and Apollo and free Zeus, the rebellion will end.
"It seems Zeus is imprisoned in that building behind."
"How did you come here from the underworld..."
"Thetis told me."
Hera, is there any reason I shouldn't come to Olympus?
"No... Uncle Hades."
"What."
Apollo, put away that expression you had before Typhon's severed head entered Tartarus.
Poseidon's momentum, which was like a raging storm and waves, gradually diminishes.
His trident slowly lowers to the ground.
"Damn it... Fine. I'll withdraw."
"Poseidon!"
"What else can we do, Hera? We've lost since we couldn't exile Zeus before Hades intervened."
Poseidon withdraws with an expression like he's bitten into a stone while drinking nectar.
Given the circumstances, is that building where Zeus is imprisoned?
Going inside, I indeed saw Zeus tightly bound with tough leather straps reinforced with divine power.
His face brightens when he sees me.
"Brother Hades, have you come to save me?"
"I'm exhausted because of you."
"No, if it weren't for the ambush while I was asleep..."
The leather straps were cut by the Bident, and Zeus regained his lightning bolt.
Thus, the rebellion in Olympus was suppressed.
***
"I can understand the always ambitious Poseidon, but how could you do this, Hera! Apollo, you too!"
"I'm sorry, Father..."
"Silence! You will go down to the mortal world for a year and work as a slave under a human king! Poseidon too!"
Apollo and Poseidon withdrew from Olympus with darkened expressions.
Zeus's eagle will watch to ensure they properly live as slaves.
"And... Hera, you will be bound with anvils on your ankles and handcuffs on your wrists for a year!"
"...Do as you wish."
The fact that the rebellion against him almost succeeded.
As Zeus became enraged at this, thunder continued to rumble in the sky.
Humans will probably tremble in fear, saying "Zeus is angry with us again..."
In reality, it's just the god of rape throwing a tantrum because his authority was threatened.
After fuming for a while to calm his anger, Zeus looks this way.
"Phew... And I must express my gratitude to you again, Brother Hades."
"No, if you had just cheated less, Hera wouldn't have done this."
"That's a separate issue, I can never forgive those who challenge my position."
No matter how I think about it, isn't this reaping what you sow?
Although it's true that Zeus is more suited to be the king of gods than Poseidon...
"If even your son rebelled, maybe you should reflect on your usual behavior..."
"Ahem! I never thought Apollo would go this far..."
As I'm conversing with Zeus, other gods gradually gather here.
It seems the cleanup and handling of the buildings damaged by the rebellion is over.
"Uncle Hades! Thank you so much this time."
"I didn't expect you to appear in Olympus and help Zeus."
"If the lord of the underworld hadn't helped, it could have been dangerous."
Numerous gods sending bright-eyed gazes like chicks looking at a mother hen.
You've finally overcome your underworld discrimination, enlightened gods.
Now is the perfect time to fulfill Hephaestus's request,
I summoned the Bident with great satisfaction and showed it to them.
"Ah... That's what you were holding when you appeared after taking off Kynee..."
"It's a weapon I've never seen before, but it gives off an extraordinary feeling."
"Hades, is that something newly made by the three Cyclops brothers?"
As expected, they're curious about the origin of my powerful weapon.
Then I shall let everyone know.
Unfortunately, Hephaestus isn't here, but...
"This is called a Bident, made for me by Hephaestus, one of the Twelve Olympians and the world's greatest blacksmith who far surpasses the three Cyclops brothers. By the way, it has a very nice function of being summoned to my hand anytime even from afar, unlike Ares's prized sword that was shattered in an instant, it's not at all inferior to Poseidon's Trident, and after clashing several times with my prized invisible helmet Kynee..."
Judging by how everyone, including Zeus, is staring at my mouth with blank expressions...!
It seems they're very envious of my Bident after all.