Pioneer of the Underworld's Threshold

I stared at the devastated surroundings, utterly speechless. "...This is supposed to be poison?"

The plants around me had melted away completely. The ground was stained pitch black like ink. Any land permeated by Hydra's venom became a place where no living thing could survive. With this level ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠of toxicity, it seemed not only civilians but even most awakened hunters would struggle to endure it. Monsters too. Of course it couldn't compare to the original Hydra's venom, but it was clearly a horrific poison in its own right. Simply releasing it into a water source could enable mass slaughter.

Moreover...

That was the most important part. There was no poison more terrifying than one that couldn't be prevented.

I should test it out.

I headed deep into the forest where no one was around.

"Jeanne."

With a soft rustle, Jeanne was summoned before me.

"Mr. Seojun, are you alright?"

As soon as she was summoned, Jeanne checked on my well-being. She didn't know what had happened after Zeus descended.

"I'm fine, Jeanne."

I chuckled and told her everything that had occurred while she was gone—how Zeus had reduced the twelve labors to one, and how Apollo had purified Heracles' madness.

After hearing the whole story, Jeanne smiled brightly in relief.

"I'm glad it all worked out well."

She must have been worried that something might happen to me. I also told her about the new ability I had gained in the process.

"Congratulations, Mr. Seojun!"

Jeanne's eyes widened as she celebrated as if it were her own achievement. I smiled faintly and said,

"The reason I called you is to test out this ability."

"How can I assist you?"

I pointed to a nearby zelkova tree.

"Please infuse that tree with your holy power."

"Understood."

As Jeanne's hand touched the zelkova tree, holy power enveloped it. With Jeanne's holy power infused, ordinary curses or poisons wouldn't affect that tree. It was the perfect way to test Hydra's poison.

I placed my hand on the tree imbued with Jeanne's holy power. A purple aura rose from my hand and seeped into the tree. Hydra's poison pierced through Jeanne's holy power, and the tree began to wither from where my hand touched.

"That's enough, Mr. Seojun!"

"..."

I was inwardly surprised as I watched the poison spread. I had expected it, but even Jeanne's holy power couldn't prevent the poisoning. This was the moment it was proven that no ability in the world could block Hydra's poison. If even Jeanne's holy power couldn't stop it, then hunters' awakening abilities would be useless.

It seems detoxification is possible, though.

When Jeanne channeled her holy power, the tree poisoned by Hydra's venom quickly regained its vitality. The already withered parts didn't recover, but the poison disappeared completely. Of course, this was only possible because it was Jeanne; for others, detoxification would likely be difficult. After all, records showed that the only one who could detoxify the original Hydra's poison was the nymph Oenone.

Anyway, I'll only be using it against monsters.

There was no way monsters would know how to detoxify poison. It did have the drawback that the toxicity would fade over time, but I could just poison them again. Most monsters would probably die before the poison even wore off.

I had felt it when the grass field disappeared too, but Hydra's poison was truly horrific.

And soon enough, I'd meet the perfect test subject for it.

Cerberus, the hound of hell.

The mythical beast that guarded the gates of the underworld. Hades' three-headed hound. It would be the ideal first stage for using Hydra's poison.

"Let's head back, Jeanne."

"Yes."

After finishing the test of the Hydra poison, we made our way back to the General Store.

To capture Cerberus alive, we had to go to the underworld where he resided. However, the living could not enter the underworld. It was a place only the dead could go.

A task that no living person could possibly complete. Faced with this obstacle, Heracles couldn't find a solution, so I told him,

"Go seek out Lord Hermes."

"Hermes?"

"Yes. If you receive Lord Hermes' help, he'll know a way to get to the underworld."

As the official messenger of Olympus, Hermes was the god of travel who could go anywhere. Naturally, he had free passage to the underworld as well. In the myths, Hermes had helped Heracles by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠guiding him to the underworld.

"I see. I'll be back."

Having received my advice, Heracles immediately left for Hermes' temple. And that evening, the schedule for the underworld was set.

"We depart for the underworld in three days."

Vanessa would occasionally compare her hand size with mine. Even in situations where stealth was needed, she would often hold my hand. Today was no different.

"I'm measuring the size."

A soft hand pressed against my palm.

"To see how big it is."

Beyond her fingers, fox-like golden eyes examined our joined hands. At first I was puzzled why Vanessa did this, but now I understood. She was making gloves from the Nemean lion's pelt.

Vanessa's magic flowed from our touching hands, tracing the shape of mine.

"Done."

Vanessa smiled sweetly and lowered her hand, then cheerfully continued her sewing.

Even when I came out to the living room for a drink of water in the evening, Vanessa was still sewing. Two days passed like that, and on the early morning of the day we were to depart for the underworld.

"Silver Lord."

Vanessa came to my room holding a pair of gloves.

"Would you try them on?"

I slipped on the Nemean gloves that Vanessa handed me.

"How are they?"

"They fit perfectly."

The shape and size matched as if they had been mine from the beginning.

"Thank you, Lady Vanessa."

Instead of replying, Vanessa took a step closer and casually interlocked her fingers with mine.

"Lady Vanessa...?"

"Try gripping it."

"Ah, yes."

"Hmm, it folds properly."

As I flustered, Vanessa's fingers subtly bent and scratched the back of my hand as if tickling it.

"Can you feel it?"

"Yes, I can feel it."

It was ticklish yet somehow gave a strange feeling. Her fox-like golden orbs with long lashes curved softly.

"I made gloves for the first time."

Smiling brightly, Vanessa released our fingers and stepped back. I idly clenched and unclenched my fist a few times. Then, Heracles' voice came from outside.

"Understood."

I left the room with Vanessa. For some reason, the back of my hand felt itchy.

As we waited after leaving the General Store, a sudden intense gust blew in.

Whoooosh— A refreshing wind that swept away the muggy air swirled around the field. Looking up at the sky, there was a boy floating with the sun at his back. A golden hat adorned with feather decorations. A staff entwined with two snakes. Winged sandals. His lips were curled up with a hint of mischief.

"That must be Lord Hermes, right?"

"Yes, he's agreed to be our guide to the underworld."

Jeanne looked up at Hermes with curious eyes. Hermes descended to the field and approached us.

"Foreigner, we meet again."

Hermes greeted me warmly.

"Yes, Lord Hermes. It's been a while."

"I heard the story. You became Lady Artemis's apostle?"

"It just sort of happened."

Hermes laughed and turned to Heracles.

"Shall we head to the underworld then?"

"Let's."

As Heracles nodded silently, Hermes raised his staff.

Sssssss...

The two golden snakes wrapped around the staff came to life, flicking their tongues. The moment their eyes glowed red.

Whoooosh—!

An intense magical wind enveloped all of us and tore through space. Beyond the torn space, the boundary of the underworld with its numerous rivers came into view.

The boundary of the underworld was a space with a dim red sky spread out.

Whoooosh— We rode on Hermes' wind and flew through the underworld's boundary. Looking down, barren wastelands and river streams stretched out. For some reason, my eyes kept being drawn to one particular river.

"Don't stare at it for too long. You'll lose your memories."

At Hermes' warning, I startled and looked up.

It must be the River of Forgetfulness.

The River Lethe of oblivion. Crossing that river meant losing all memories of the living world and becoming a shade, residing in the underworld forever.

Below me was the River Lethe of myth.

After flying past the river streams for some time, on the other side of the red sky, countless pale things were gathered like a swarm of mayflies.

Souls.

They were all souls.

"Even ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠if they speak to you, don't answer. They'll try to take over your body."

Leaving those words, Hermes flew into the midst of the souls.

—Why have you all come here?

—Just recently two others came, and now many living people are visiting the underworld lately.

—Hey! Can't you hear me? Are these mutes? Why won't they answer?

The souls kept speaking to us, but I kept my mouth firmly shut as per Hermes' advice and didn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠respond.

—Hermes! It's Hermes!

—Long time no see!

"Haha, hello! Wow, Leda, it's been a while."

Hermes seemed to be on good terms with the souls as he chatted away with them. The voices of the souls gradually faded and became inaudible. Then suddenly, the world went black.

─────.

It felt like passing through a dark tunnel.

And then.

I opened my eyes wide.

Permanent immunity.

Souls cast all kinds of curses on the living. They possess bodies to control them or sometimes try to make them commit suicide. There were even spaces like gates that wouldn't accept the living at all.

And by crossing the boundary of the underworld, I was classified as one of the 'dead' as well, so I was no longer affected by those restrictions. Since I was the first modern person to cross the underworld's boundary.

After exiting the dark tunnel, a world of night unfolded before us.