Chapter 295
Chapter 295
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 295
Chapter Title: Heracles
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H eracles.
I knew of him from myths. Unusually, even though he was human, he was depicted as a protagonist of 'myth'.
A human hero who wore the skin of the Nemean Lion on his head, swung a club, and massacred giants.
That was the depiction of Heracles in the myths.
But.
'Heracles?'
Soo-hyuk couldn't associate the man Thor had introduced with that Heracles.
Half-lidded eyes without focus. Skin turned dark blue as if dead. Melted muscles and a limping leg.
He looked just like a walking corpse. The only things proving the man before him was Heracles were his height, a head taller than Thor, and his massive build.
"You look disappointed."
His voice was soft and masculine. At least his voice was calm, unlike his hideous appearance.
"Can't believe it because of my looks?"
Soo-hyuk shook his head.
"On the contrary, that's why I believe it."
Among the twelve labors Heracles had completed, one was slaying the Hydra.
He was the one who had felled a full Hydra with nine heads all by himself.
This state was probably due to the poison from back then.
"This guy lent us his cave."
"Sounds like you're saying I invited you to a shabby place for nothing."
"What kind of harsh words are those?"
Thor waved off Heracles' joke.
But it wasn't entirely wrong.
'He really lives in a place like this?'
Looking around, there were wooden pieces scattered here and there that could serve as furniture.
A worn, rotten table. Clothes hanging on the wall. Hides spread on the floor.
Even the spot where Soo-hyuk had lain was covered with animal hide. It seemed he lived without a proper bed, just sleeping on hides.
"Olympus treats its war heroes poorly, it seems. Living in a place like this."
"No need for good or bad treatment. This kind of life? I do it because I like it."
"Even if you're fine with it, Olympus shouldn't be doing this."
"Is that so?"
Heracles smiled warmly.
His face was hideous, melted by poison, but that smile was still kind.
For some reason, looking at him made Soo-hyuk feel oddly unwell. The face dying from Hydra poison, his situation living in a cave, strangely resembled his own.
Soo-hyuk looked at his ruined face and asked.
"Did this happen from the fight with the Hydra?"
He assumed it was obvious.
"That day, I didn't shed a single drop of blood."
Heracles shook his head.
An unexpected answer. No, a shocking one.
Not shedding blood against a Hydra in perfect condition.
"It wasn't an easy fight. But this state of mine isn't from that battle."
"Then..."
What the hell is that? The words wouldn't come easily.
Heracles was practically dying. There was no life in his eyes anymore.
Heracles tossed wood into the campfire one by one and asked.
"Do you think the gods will keep their promise?"
Hermes headed underground beneath Mount Olympus.
Deep, deep underground. Complete darkness where not a speck of light entered.
Entering the depths of that earth, Hermes boarded a ferry. The ferryman waiting there took a coin from Hermes and began rowing.
Having flown so hard, Hermes was drenched in sweat.
The boat soon reached its destination. They'd only crossed a short river, but the air had completely changed.
Thud, thud. Hermes moved with quick steps, neither running nor flying.
Even he couldn't afford to act frivolously here.
Soon, a cry echoed from the pitch-black darkness.
Grrrrowl-.
Woof, woof woof-!
The wolf's barks filled the underworld. Hermes lifted his head high, looking up at the monster gazing down at him.
A dog with three heads, massive enough to crush a house under one paw.
The monster known as the gatekeeper of hell, Cerberus.
Hermes spoke affectionately to Cerberus.
"Don't you remember me, pup?"
Normally, he'd pretend to be scared, pet its head, and play, but there was no time now.
"Could you move aside? Big bro's in a hurry."
"No need."
Two men emerged from beneath Cerberus' massive leg.
Hermes immediately knelt. He'd come here, but hadn't expected both to be waiting together.
In the darkness of the underworld, the two men's eyes gleamed.
"Weren't you out on Hera's mission?"
"Yes. Just finished the mission and on my way back."
"Then why come here? What if Hera gets suspicious?"
Hermes, known as neutral.
He had joined hands with the underworld of Olympus.
For that decisive moment, when Olympus' throne might be decided.
"I have a report."
"What is it?"
"The human sent on Hera's mission has won against the Hydra."
Woooosh-.
At Hermes' words, the underworld shook. The darkness everywhere flowed like water, and the ceiling cracked as if about to collapse.
Whine, whiiiine-.
The massive Cerberus cowered, letting out pitiful cries. Hermes, kneeling, felt the same fear.
The king of hell, Hades.
His pitch-black eyes flashed in the darkness as he asked.
"Didn't the god of thunder help?"
"Yes. He was definitely alone."
"Explain in detail."
Hermes detailed the battle he'd witnessed.
A Hydra with eight heads.
Against it, a human hurling lightning and displaying unbelievable movements.
He'd eventually fallen, but he'd won against the Hydra. Hermes had confirmed he hadn't lost his life and flown straight here.
"Used thunder?"
"To my eyes... that's what it looked like."
"Thor shared the power of thunder with the human?"
Hades muttered expressionlessly.
"So that's how he came back."
The prince devoured by thunder. He'd wondered how Odin hadn't solved it, but a human was involved.
"The human reclaimed the power of thunder?"
"Yes."
"We should use him instead of Thor."
At Hades' words, the man beside him asked.
"What about Thor?"
"Are you that afraid of Odin?"
"Can't ignore it."
"...Fair enough."
Hades thought briefly and said.
"Then, let's do this."
The blue-eyed man nodded at his proposal.
"Not bad."
"Hermes."
"Yes."
Hermes, kneeling and awaiting orders, raised his head.
"Go back to those two. And if, by any chance, they succeed in pulling the lightning..."
"Understood."
At Hades' command, Hermes stood. With a light bow, he boarded the ferry again and crossed the river back.
Whine, whiiiine-.
The cowering Cerberus continued its pitiful cries. Hades stroked it soothingly and muttered.
"After dealing with Heracles, now this weirdo's causing trouble."
Crackle, crackle-.
The campfire burned. Heracles' face reflected in the red flames, and the flames reflected in Heracles' eyes.
After hearing his story, Thor wore an expression of utmost fury.
"Olympus..."
Grind-.
His reaction seemed to embody the calm Heracles' rage.
Soo-hyuk was just as angry.
"Why... do that?"
Heracles had been poisoned by Olympus' scheme, not the Hydra.
What an ironic situation. His position mirrored Soo-hyuk's past astonishingly.
Was it because of the memory of being poisoned himself?
Though still alive, Soo-hyuk felt it. Heracles before him was alive but not truly living. No different from a corpse talking and breathing.
"Don't you know Olympus' current situation?"
"The throne dispute?"
"They must've worried I'd pull the lightning. The gods don't want a human taking their father's legacy."
"For such a petty reason!"
Rumble-.
The cave shook with Thor's anger. His fist clenched so tight his hand visibly trembled.
Only Heracles remained serene here.
"You hold no hostility toward humans. No, something beyond that covers it?"
Thor flinched at Heracles' words.
Did he have no hostility toward humans? In the past, Asgard had lost countless gods to one human too.
But as Heracles said, a great favor overshadowed that hostility.
Heracles smiled faintly at the silent Thor.
"Asgard is different from us. Or is it you who's different?"
"...It will be different."
"That's fortunate."
Heracles' gaze turned to Soo-hyuk.
"You want the lightning, I hear. Is that right?"
"Yes."
"Still set on that? It might be... difficult."
Difficult. Soo-hyuk felt his consideration even in those words.
He probably wanted to say impossible. He'd come this far in this wretched state to show it with his own eyes.
But Heracles' appearance only fueled Soo-hyuk's resolve.
"I'll get revenge for you."
"Re...venge?"
"For them, having a human steal the lightning would be the ultimate revenge, no?"
Soo-hyuk bowed to the bewildered Heracles with pity.
"So... stop suffering and rest easy."
Thud-.
At that moment, the wood slipped from Heracles' hand.
He no longer had the strength to hold even a dry log.
The fire, without more fuel, gradually weakened. The fading flames felt like Heracles' breath.
Heracles looked down at the fallen wood and said.
"Thank you. For vowing revenge on one you've just met. For slaying the Hydra in my stead."
Even dying, he'd come here to finish the Hydra.
Responsibility for not fully killing it? Or guilt for those who'd die to it in the future?
Many questions, but no time.
Soo-hyuk watched Heracles' expression. Poisoned and surely in pain, yet he kept his smile.
"I was fated to die completing my labors. That I've lived this long is perhaps..."
Heracles' voice trailed off, growing quieter. They waited for more, but he didn't speak again.
Sizzle-.
The fire went out then.
The hero's time had stopped.
Soo-hyuk reached out and closed Heracles' eyes. Short meeting, but his presence was intense and memorable.
"I'll come back soon."
Soo-hyuk promised.
To the abandoned hero, and to the one resembling his past self.
"And give those bastards a piece of our mind."