The Story of the Underworld (1)
After the war with the Titan gods—which would later be called the Titanomachy—ended in our victory, the sovereignty of the world passed into our hands.
“Hecatoncheires brothers! How many of those Titan bastards did you three take down!”
“And what about this trident? It’s all thanks to the Cyclopes for forging such a magnificent weapon that can summon earthquakes!”
“No, this is merely a small token of gratitude for you rescuing us, Zeus.”
The atmosphere was incredibly warm and cheerful. The brutal war was finally over; it was time to claim our spoils. Naturally, the first order of business was deciding who would rule the sea, the underworld, and the sky.
Hera, Demeter, and Hestia observed the discussion for a moment before quietly withdrawing.
“I have no interest.”
“Neither do I.”
“You men can settle it among yourselves.”
Perhaps it was because my power, Poseidon’s, and Zeus’s were the strongest among us. Or maybe they simply found the whole affair burdensome and had no particular ambition for it.
“Then… we should decide who will govern which realm…”
“Let’s draw lots fairly. After all, who wouldn’t want the sky?”
At Poseidon’s suggestion, Zeus stroked his golden beard and agreed to leave it to pure luck.
Wait. What if I drew the sea or the sky? The mythological knowledge I carried from my previous life would be completely upended…
“Hahaha! As expected, the sky belongs to me!”
“Tsk. The sea for me, then. At least it’s not the underworld…”
I quietly stared at the final lot held out to me. When exactly had these two drawn theirs? This wasn’t rigged, was it?
Poseidon and Zeus looked at me with obvious relief. Well, who would actually want to live in the gloomy underworld? My two younger brothers, burning with ambition to become king of the gods, would probably rebel rather than rule underground.
Yes. It was probably better that I took the underworld instead.
Now if I go~ when will I return~
I hummed the tune as I made my way to a suitable spot to descend into the underworld. After all, I was its king now; management came with the territory.
A perfectly ordinary meadow where birds sang and flowers bloomed.
Thud.
I stamped my foot with clear intent.
Sssssss—
Black energy spread through the earth, carving a descending path before me. The surrounding grass and trees withered instantly. Nearby creatures fled in panic.
Spinning my Helm of Invisibility, Kynee, idly in one hand, I gazed at the passage I had created. It looked distinctly ominous—a pitch-black pit with no visible bottom.
Down. And further down.
How deep had I gone? Even the occasional insects had vanished. After passing through several underground caves, a vast open space finally appeared.
There was no sun here, so nothing should have been visible, yet I could clearly see gloomy mountains, a sky stained black, and an enormous river.
This was the first river encircling the underworld—the River of Woe, Acheron.
The river that future humans would call the River of Woe looked like nothing more than a clear, ordinary stream. Yet no living thing dwelled in its waters, and the surrounding mountains showed no trace of life.
After crossing the Acheron, another river appeared. My reflection on its surface flickered with scenes from the past.
The River of Lamentation, Cocytus.
Even as a god, the water felt cold enough to freeze my feet. Images of the Titanomachy reflected on its surface—me fighting back-to-back with Zeus, me wearing Kynee and driving a blade into the belly of a towering Titan.
I lifted my gaze and kept walking.
The next river was Pyriphlegethon, filled with roaring flames. The river that should have held water burned instead. It carried the power to purify souls through fire, but it did me no harm. Human souls passing through here would be cleansed completely.
Next came the River of Forgetfulness, Lethe. If a human soul drank from it, their memories would vanish. To me, it was simply bitter water. Out of curiosity, I had tried it once.
My new home, the underworld itself, was now close. Just as walking was beginning to feel tiresome, the final river appeared.
As I approached, the water rose and naturally took form, becoming a beautiful goddess.
“Welcome, Hades. I have been waiting for you.”
Her name was Styx. Born to the Titan Oceanus and Tethys, she was the personification of the river that wrapped around the underworld nine times, forming the boundary between the living world and the realm of the dead. For being the first to aid us during the war against the Titans, she had received a special privilege—one Zeus had strongly advocated, and we had all agreed to.
“Swearing on the River Styx, I speak only the truth: you look beautiful today as well, Lady Styx.”
“Hup… If you suddenly say such things…”
An oath sworn on the River Styx had to be kept, even by gods. Breaking it meant spending the first year in a death-like slumber and the following nine years barred from divine assemblies—effectively rendering one unable to fulfill their duties as a god.
But because Goddess Styx was beautiful, I had no intention of breaking any oath.
Long black hair cascading to her waist, a voluptuous figure, and that shy, fidgeting posture. I had spoken casually, knowing I would see a lot of this goddess while living in the underworld, but the words had come out more sincerely than expected.
“Sigh… Please stop swearing oaths at me. Especially over trivial things like this!”
Styx placed one hand on her hip and poked my forehead with a finger. She tried to look stern, as if lecturing me, but it only made her look like an adorable student throwing a tantrum.
Ah, I can’t resist. Something about Goddess Styx made me want to tease her.
Swearing on the River Styx—
“Again! You’re doing it again! Stop! Stop it!”
“I was only joking…”
“Hoo… As the god of the underworld, you really should maintain some dignity…”
Goddess Styx and I had grown rather close during the war. Our powers were both dark in nature and our personalities similar, so fighting together created excellent synergy. When she heard I had drawn the underworld in the lottery, she had been delighted that her close male friend would now be her neighbor.
“…Do you understand? Now, as one of the three great gods who hold sovereignty over the world…”
I really wished she would ease up on the lectures.
After being thoroughly lectured by the goddess of nagging, Styx, I finally reached the underworld where I would make my home.
With a touch of anticipation, I examined the land that would be mine from now on…
It was barren. Completely empty. To think I had to start from bare ground—this was too much.
Hades, who had slain countless Titans and become ruler of the underworld, promptly fainted on the spot.
Why must you give me such trials…?
O you three daughters of the Goddess of Night Nyx, you goddesses of fate.
Even as a god, I have to develop a wasteland?
Still, it couldn’t be helped. It was my responsibility now.
Tartarus, far removed from the rest of the underworld, required no attention from me. It was the prison for the defeated Titans. Poseidon himself had forged its bronze gates, and bronze walls surrounded it on all sides. No one could escape. It also served as the residence of Goddess Nyx.
At the foggy entrance to Tartarus, the three Hecatoncheires brothers stood guard. They had volunteered for the duty, apparently still carrying deep resentment toward their father Cronus for never releasing them.
What I needed to create now was living space for the souls that would arrive and a residence for myself.
The underworld was my domain. From the moment I assumed control through the drawing of lots, my divine power had transformed and begun to resonate with this place.
Rumble… rumble…
In the underworld, I, Hades, was an absolute sovereign. As my will naturally surged forth, the entire landscape began to change.
Since I held the title of King of the Underworld, I supposed I ought to have some dignity. Minerals and gemstones lay scattered throughout the earth, providing ample materials. Zeus was building a divine palace for them atop Mount Olympus in the sky, so I might as well make mine grand as well…
The entire underworld trembled as if rejoicing. The fundamental cycle of life and death grew stronger, its laws carving themselves deeper into the fabric of the cosmos.
Styx, master and embodiment of the greatest river encircling the underworld, felt the violent tremors and rose from her waters once more.
The gloomy realm that had been nothing but desolate plains was transforming at the will of its new king. The vast underworld, endless in every direction, shook with joy for its master.
She could sense it—the basic cycle that formed the foundation of life, death, and the world itself was becoming more solid, its principles etching themselves deeply into the universe.
This was clear proof that the power of that seemingly carefree male god—who had been teasing her with oaths sworn on her name just moments ago—had truly reached the realm of the chief gods.
As expected, the chief gods who hold the world’s sovereignty are on another level.
In the heavens, Zeus, god of lightning and the sky. In the sea, Poseidon, god of earthquakes and waters. And here in the underworld, Hades, god of the dead and of wealth.
Her first encounter with Hades had been during the war against the Titans. That grim-looking god who had spun a jet-black sword in one hand on the battlefield, drenched in blood, was now the king ruling this realm.
Perched on the riverbank, Styx rested her chin on her hand and watched the underworld change in real time. It was not every day one witnessed a kingdom being born in this once-boring underground world.