Chapter 10
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Hero's Forest
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The forest we're heading to now, Chiron's Forest, is in Messenia, directly opposite Pasos.
We were to take a ship to Attica and then travel overland.
"Who exactly is staying in the forest right now?"
"Oh, you're finally asking about your fellow students.
The forest is truly in its most radiant era at the moment."
The old centaur smiled proudly and began introducing the students.
"First, there's the shining sun, Asclepius, son of the god of medicine Apollo.
He's probably the one everyone in the forest relies on the most."
The forefather of physicians, who would later become the god of medicine himself—reviving the dead, only to get struck by lightning and die, then come back to life.
"Zeus's blood kin and prince of Troezen, the wise Theseus.
His strategies are so brilliant even Athena would be impressed."
Theseus, famed for slaying the Minotaur. I recalled he was a prince of Athens, but this must be before he found his father.
"Glorious prince of Thebes, son of the dragon, guardian of hunting dogs, Actaeon.
He loves hunting so much that he worships Artemis—the goddess you clashed with—and keeps fifty hunting dogs, the same number as her hunters."
That guy... even in Greek myths where humans die left and right when gods get pissed, he's the undisputed king of bad luck.
The one cursed by that hysterical goddess, turned into a stag and torn apart by his own prized hounds?
"Orpheus, son of Apollo, muse of the muses. You must hear his lyre playing at least once.
His music makes even wood and stone dance, and brings tears to the eyes of the Furies."
The musician who went to the underworld to save his wife, only to screw it up on the way back?
"Prince of Thessaly, Jason, who dreams of vengeance for honor. His feats are truly astonishing."
Jason... ah, the Golden Fleece raid boss? The guy who cheated on that witch Medea and got his life wrecked.
After that, more heroes were mentioned in passing, and Chiron looked pleased, as if cherishing them all, before finally naming one last.
"And finally, the most outstanding man among all the heroes I've seen in my long life.
Dare I say, the boy who will become the strongest man in the world. Alkmene's Son, who strangled snakes to death.
He's also called Heracles."
"Pardon?"
"Heracles. He hates the name and insists on being called Alkmene's Son.
But seeing you know it too, it's so famous that everyone calls him that."
Suddenly hearing the name of the final boss, I couldn't hold back my admiration.
The Greek and Roman myths I'd chewed through until even the marrow was gone.
And now, the great hero who could be called the protagonist of that grand mythology had appeared out of nowhere.
"What do you think? Doesn't your heart race?"
"Haha... hahaha!"
Back on 21st-century Earth, he'd been famous from original comic books aimed at kids, then web novels, games, plays, even academic papers.
Even in the Central Plains martial world, tales of those overseas masters were occasionally etched on amphorae pottery and cotton fabrics.
The protagonists of those stories—and among them, Heracles, who topped search rankings and oral traditions.
To meet them all in person... for the first time in ages, this old heart of mine began pounding with excitement.
I was still a demon who had learned forbidden demonic arts from twelve masters in the rift between the underworld and the living world.
I had reached the realms of Sword Immortal Yeo Dongbin, Dharma, and the first Heavenly Demon, wandering the world as an absolute being.
The memories were still fresh.
Crushing the hypocrites called the Ten Great Masters of the Qinghe Battlefield in one go.
Crossing swords with the old master secluded at the peak of Kunlun's main hall.
I clashed spears with the Sea Dragon Divine Spear of the Hae-nam Sect, who had targeted me from aboard a ship
After a day of sword debate with Shaolin's old abbot, regretting our twisted karma and competing with fists instead of wine.
Martial artists who disappointed me, delighted me, and even inspired awe and respect.
I thought nothing could boil my blood like facing them, no matter what happened.
Yet news of heroes from myths spanning the world awaiting me made me unable to stifle my laughter.
"That's... very, very good news."
"Hearing that makes me happy too! Hahaha!"
Dreams as statues, was it? With the half-man, half-horse's laughter oblivious to what I knew, the ship carrying us rode Zephyrus's blessing on swift winds, gliding across the sea.
A week later.
"We've arrived! This is the Hero's Forest, your new home."
"...Pardon?"
What?
Why was I suddenly standing before a massive forest the moment I stepped off the ship?
Wasn't the destination Athens?
The birthplace of Greek civilization, cradle of myths!
I'd been so excited to see that ancient civilization in person—not just from stories, the internet, imaginations, or games.
To witness the city of gods and heroes firsthand!
But the moment we docked at Athens harbor, Chiron told me to climb on his back.
He bypassed the walls of Athens I'd been looking forward to and bolted straight for the forest.
We crossed streams and leaped rivers—even small seas at speeds that would astonish Jesus.
Then he dropped me at some forest entrance and proudly introduced it.
"...This is Messene?"
"Yes, the sacred forest near Messene. It's my wife's forest too."
I looked up at the old half-man, half-horse with eyes hard to describe, but Chiron was simply overjoyed, like he'd lured in fresh prey—no, a new student.
"No, it's been ages since I set foot on land myself... and you skip it all like this?"
How to put this feeling into words?
Since reincarnating, seeing the majestic history built by humans breathe in real life was one of my rare hobbies—like a time-traveling tourist.
Even conquering the martial world as Heavenly Demon, I preserved buildings in the Nine Great Sects' headquarters as much as possible and avoided touching relics.
That was all for this purpose.
Coming from Pasos to Athens, I'd expected vivid historical tourism... but to skip straight to the destination?
"Hahaha, come on in. Everyone's waiting."
"...Yes."
Sigh, hold it in for now.
I could tour Greece later, after restoring my martial arts and re-entering the world.
And above all, this forest swarming with mythic heroes was the ultimate historical site—a gathering of the pre-historical mythic era.
Harboring new expectations, I slowly followed the old centaur into the forest.
"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you."
"...What did you forget?"
Why say something ominous like that?
Even with my reproachful glare, Chiron just burst into hearty laughter.
"Nothing major. To enter our forest, you have to pass one test."
"A test?"
"Yes. Nothing else but sparring with me in front of the other students."
"Oh...?"
I hadn't tested my skills against that hysterical virgin goddess.
But the half-man, half-horse before me was a son of the Titan king Cronus from ancient times, a master who raised countless heroes.
As the saying goes, if no pheasant, a chicken will do—this should be plenty fun.
"Right as we enter?"
"...As soon as the kids gather."
Chiron seemed flustered by my unexpected reaction, but I strode lightly into the forest ahead of him.
Chiron's Forest.
Known as the Hero's Forest, it was a haven for heroes hidden within the woods by the magic of Chiron and his nymph wife Karyklo.
The students here trained under masters in various fields suited to their talents, awaiting graduation.
Music, medicine, oratory, sculpture, hunting, scouting—everything needed to become a hero.
But the field that fired up the students the most was undoubtedly combat training.
The surest path to glory and fame, the clearest proof of a hero's renown.
Subduing fierce battlefields soaked in blood and sweat, or slaying monsters tormenting the people.
Thanks to that, one corner of the Hero's Forest boasted a colossal arena like the Colosseum, and the infirmary was always packed with trainees carted back from it daily.
Especially on days with large-scale combat drills like today.
The infirmary brimmed with boys and girls, each bandaged somewhere, groaning in pain.
Centaur, nymph, and human healers bustled about, frantically carrying patients.
"Hey, man! You okay?"
"Urgh... don't talk to me, Thess. It stings like hell."
The beautiful boy with eyes sparkling like morning stars and neatly tied hair the color of sunlight was Theseus.
The cheerful-looking boy beside him, with short-cropped light brown hair, was Jason.
Both were sons of famed heroes in the forest—princes of Troezen and Iolcos, respectively.
But right now, they were just Defeated Generals 1 and 2.
Prodigies excelling in martial prowess and strategy, second to none.
Yet this forest was ruled by a monster that crushed them.
"Sigh... honestly, that's just cheating. Giant-slaying tactics, traps for giant snakes all night, and he bulldozes right through."
"I didn't expect him to dig all the way to Tartarus's entrance, yank out the fixed traps, and hurl them."
"Tactics mean nothing against that... "
Theseus of strategy, Jason the commander—young heroes born for wits and troop leading.
Expected to become kings etched into Greek history upon graduating Chiron's Forest.
Yes, kings. Not heroes—kings.
Why dream of kingship in the Hero's Forest?
The reason was the tyrant looming over this forest.
"Kuhahaha! There you are, you losers!"
BAM!
The door flew off its hinges with a thunderous crash.
A savage laugh battered their ears from beyond.