Episode 2: The King of the Underworld is Tired

Episode 2: The Story of the Underworld – (1)

The war with the Titans, which would later be called the Titanomachy, ended in our victory.

The dominion of the world now passed into our hands.

“Hecatonkheires brothers! How many Titans did you three defeat?”

“And what about this trident? Thanks to the Cyclops for making such a great weapon that causes earthquakes!”

“No, this is just a small reward for freeing us, Zeus.”

The atmosphere was very cheerful.

The hard war was over, and it was time to collect the spoils, so it was only natural.

First, we decided on who would govern the sea, the underworld, and the sky—this was the most important thing.

Hera, Demeter, and Hestia quietly stepped back, watching the situation.

“I’m not interested.”

“Neither am I.”

“You men can figure it out among yourselves.”

Was it because among us, I, Poseidon, and Zeus were the strongest?

Or perhaps they simply found it burdensome or had no desire for it.

“Well then... it's about time we decide who will govern where...”

“Let’s draw lots to keep it fair. After all, who wouldn’t want the sky?”

At Poseidon's words, Zeus stroked his beard and suggested leaving it to luck.

Wait, what would happen if I drew the sea or the sky?

Then my knowledge of mythology would be completely twisted...

“Hahaha! Of course, I should rule the sky, naturally!”

“Tch. I got the sea? Well, at least it’s not the underworld...”

I quietly looked at the last lot extended to me.

When did they draw everything? This isn’t rigged, is it?

Poseidon and Zeus looked at me with relieved expressions.

Who would want to live in the gloomy underworld?

My two younger brothers, full of ambition to become king of the gods, would rather stage a rebellion than live underground.

Well, maybe it’s better that I take the underworld after all.

* * *

“When will I ever go~ Again~”

I hummed a tune as I headed to a suitable place to descend into the underworld.

Well, since I’m now the king of the underworld, I have to manage it.

A simple meadow where birds chirped, and flowers bloomed.

Thunk.

I stomped my foot with determination.

Saaaaah—

Black energy spread across the ground, creating a descending path before me.

The grass and trees around me withered, and the surrounding life hastily fled.

I twirled the Helm of Invisibility, the Kynee, in my hand as I looked at the passage I had just made.

It looked ominous at first glance, a dark, seemingly endless pit covered in shadows.

Downward. I kept going further downward.

How far underground did I descend?

Even the occasional bugs were no longer visible.

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

Although it was a sunless place where nothing should have been visible, I could see a mountain exuding a sinister atmosphere, a darkened sky, and a vast-looking river.

This was the first river that encircled the underworld, the River of Woe, Acheron.

The river that would later be called the River of Woe by humans seemed like a clear, ordinary river.

However, there were no living creatures in the river, and the surrounding mountains also showed no signs of life.

After crossing the Acheron, another river appeared.

My past self flashed across my face as it reflected on the surface of the water.

The River of Lamentation, Cocytus.

Even as a god, I felt it as cold as dipping my feet in ice water, and I saw myself in the reflection—fighting the Titans in the war.

There I was, back to back with Zeus in battle, wearing the Kynee and stabbing a tall Titan in the stomach with a sword...

I lifted my head and continued walking forward.

The next river was filled with flames, the Phlegethon.

A river that should have been filled with water was instead filled with burning fire.

It was imbued with the power to cleanse souls by burning them, but it didn’t harm me.

When a human soul passed through this place, it would be purified completely.

Next was the River of Forgetfulness, Lethe.

When a human soul drinks from its waters, it loses its memories.

To a god like me, it was just bitter water. In fact, I was curious, so I tried it once.

Now, there wasn’t much distance left to my new home, the underworld.

As I began to grow tired of walking, I finally saw the last river before reaching the underworld.

As I approached the river, the water naturally took shape and formed the figure of a beautiful goddess.

“Welcome, Hades. I’ve been waiting for you.”

Her name was Styx.

A goddess born from the Titan gods Oceanus and Tethys, she was the personification of the river that encircled the underworld nine times, marking the boundary between the underworld and the living world.

For being the first to aid us in the war against the Titans, she was granted one special privilege.

In truth, Zeus strongly insisted, and we all agreed with him.

“I swear by the River Styx that I speak only the truth, you look as beautiful as ever today, Lady Styx.”

“Hmph... If you suddenly compliment me like that...”

Even gods must keep their oaths if they swear by the River Styx.

If they break the oath, they must spend the first year in a comatose state, and for the next nine years, they cannot participate in the councils of the gods.

Essentially, they would be unable to fulfill their duties as a god.

But since the goddess Styx is beautiful, I didn’t break my oath.

With her black hair flowing down to her waist, her well-proportioned figure, and her bashful posture, twisting shyly.

I didn’t have any particular feelings, but since I’d be seeing her often in the underworld, I just offered a compliment.

“Sigh... And please stop swearing by me all the time, especially over trivial things like just now!”

With one hand on her waist and the other lightly tapping my forehead with her finger, Lady Styx tried to scold me with a stern expression, but she looked more like a cute student grumbling than commanding any real authority.

Ah, I can’t help it. The more I look at the goddess Styx, the more I want to tease her.

I swear by the River Styx...

“There you go again! Stop! Stop it!”

“I was just kidding...”

“Whew... As the god of the underworld, you should really maintain some dignity...”

I became quite close with the goddess Styx during the war.

Our powers were similarly dark, and our personalities were alike, so when we fought together, there was a certain synergy.

When she heard that I drew the lot for the underworld, she was happy that a close god would become her neighbor.

“...Do you understand? Now that you are one of the three great gods who hold the dominion of the world...”

One notable characteristic of her is that she nags a lot.

* * *

After being held up for quite a while by the goddess of nagging, Styx, I finally arrived at the underworld, where I would stay.

With a slight sense of anticipation, I began to survey the land where I would live from now on...

It’s desolate.

There’s nothing here.

To think I have to pioneer from bare ground... How could this be...

After defeating countless Titans and becoming the ruler of the underworld, Hades lost consciousness from the shock.

Why do you bestow such trials upon me... Daughters of the night goddess Nyx, goddesses of fate?

Life... No, divine life... As a god, I have to pioneer a wasteland?

But there’s no choice. It’s work, so I have to do it.

At least I don’t have to deal with Tartarus, which is far from the underworld.

That place is the prison where the Titans defeated in the war are confined.

Poseidon himself created bronze gates, and the walls are surrounded by bronze, so no one can escape.

It’s the perfect place to confine serious criminals, and it also houses the residence of the night goddess Nyx.

At the entrance of the fog-shrouded Tartarus, the three Hecatonkheires brothers stood guard.

They volunteered to guard Tartarus themselves, determined to prevent anyone from escaping, perhaps because they still harbored resentment against their father Cronus for not releasing them.

What I need to build now is a place for the souls coming to the underworld to reside and a house for myself.

The underworld is my domain, and ever since I drew the lot to govern this place, my divine power has resonated with it.

Rumble...

In the underworld, I, Hades, am the absolute ruler.

As soon as my will arises, the entire landscape begins to change.

After all, as the king of the underworld, I need to have some dignity, right? There are plenty of minerals and gems underground, so materials are abundant.

Since Zeus is building a divine palace for them to live in on Mount Olympus, I should also make mine grand...

* * *

The ruler of the largest river encircling the underworld, Styx, sensed the intense vibrations in the underworld and emerged from the river.

The once desolate and gloomy world was transforming according to the will of the king of the underworld.

Rumble...

The vast, seemingly endless underworld trembled as it welcomed its new master with joy.

Life and death, the fundamental cycle that makes up the world, had been made even more solid, and this principle was deeply etched into the universe.

This was a clear indication that the power of the once playful male god who had been joking with oaths by her name had now reached the level of a great god.

‘As expected, it’s different when one becomes a great god who holds the dominion of the world.’

In the sky, there’s Zeus, the god of thunder and sky; in the sea, Poseidon, the god of earthquakes and water.

And in this underworld, Hades, the god of the underworld and wealth.

The first time Styx met Hades was during the war with the Titans.

On the battlefield, the gloomy male god who wielded a jet-black sword in one hand, drenched in the blood of his enemies, was now the ruler of the underworld.

Sitting by the riverbank, she propped her chin on her hand and observed the underworld as it changed in real time.

Watching a kingdom being built in this always-boring underground world was not something she could witness often.

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