Chapter 132
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 132
Chapter Title: Gathering of the Kings
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Messenia Heroic War.
The battlefield chosen for it was the vast plain overlooked by Mount Taygetus.
The event had originally been scheduled for the newly rebuilt Colosseum, but Chiron had changed the venue at the gods' suggestion—who had come from afar to witness the heroes who would lead the next generation of Greece, and wouldn't it be a shame if they missed their exploits?
"Oh, it's been a while, you blockhead."
"Hah, the runt's got a big mouth."
"Looks like Arcadia's fool didn't make it after all?"
"With his precious daughter marching out as commander? I figured he'd come rushing over."
"Heard he's been getting frailer lately and took to his bed. Guess he's paying the price for abandoning his daughter."
Most of the kings had sent heralds to learn the situation, but those whose children were studying in the Hero's Forest or who ruled nearby kingdoms in Messenia seized the chance to witness the might of the next generation's heroes firsthand.
"I hear Theseus, who's said to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Heracles, is personally leading his troops."
"Atalanta... A girl leading girls? How much can she really do?"
As they busily exchanged expectations and doubts while pouring wine, the forest parted, and they appeared.
-Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!
The warriors marched toward the camp in perfect ranks and files.
Clad in helmets adorned with red plumes and bronze armor, they advanced with spears and shields at the ready.
The red banner held by the general at the forefront gleamed under the sunlight, bearing Chiron's hoof emblem.
It was the banner of Theseus's army, composed entirely of male troops for this war.
Their numbers were comparable to any kingdom's legion, but their spirit and the fighting spirit radiating from them drew gasps of admiration from all—they truly were the greatest heroes of the age and their warriors.
"Ho, those commanders at the front must be them?"
"Yes. That's Prince Theseus of Athens and Prince Jason of Iolcos."
"Prince Jason's military tactics were nothing short of astounding. Even our generals were left speechless by how he turned a band of bandits into soldiers who wiped out nearby brigands."
"And Prince Theseus's wisdom? Our kingdom's oracle had everyone stumped over a riddle about a treasure, but he solved it in one go."
"Ho, and they're still so young? Already achieving such feats?"
"The Golden Generation heroes live up to the name."
Even from afar, the kings couldn't hide their awe as they glimpsed the next generation's heroes and swapped tales of their exploits.
Look at those spirited warriors.
If even a few of them could be brought into their own kingdoms, the military power would multiply several times over!
The ones drawing the most attention were, of course, Theseus and Jason at the forefront.
With wisdom proven through countless feats and martial prowess among the top heroes—overshadowed only by Heracles—they were the sort any king would gladly offer family ties to recruit.
"Hm... So that rumor was true after all."
"What... Ah!"
The one man every king gathered there sought.
Heracles, the hero among heroes, who from childhood had displayed extraordinary talent and monstrous strength, the next great hero.
He'd supposedly sat out this war for fairness' sake, and it seemed it was true.
"Heracles—or Alcaides, as he calls himself?"
"Even if others don't know, daring to claim the name Heracles himself..."
"I hear he reveres all the gods, even offering daily prayers to Lady Hera."
"Hah, no matter how devout a hero, that's no easy feat at his young age..."
A hero born with divine power.
Heracles, who couldn't tolerate injustice and always sided with the oppressed and the great gods in his exploits.
Like Perseus, who shone with the gods' aid long ago, or Bellerophon soaring the skies on Pegasus.
This man evoked the ancestors and the heroes from childhood tales heard at nurse's knee and mother's lap, impossible not to admire regardless of age.
"His spirit and strength truly scream Zeus's bloodline."
"Must be nice. Seeing his feats up close."
"Ahem, but there's no need to lament Heracles's absence."
King Lacoius of Laconia, neighboring Messenia, had seen many extraordinary heroes from the Hero's Forest thanks to his location, receiving commissions there.
His tales were always hits at kings' gatherings, and with his boastful tone now, the others' ears perked up.
"Ho, I think I know what you're about to say."
"Oh, Thespios. You must've seen him too, then?"
"Indeed. How to put it... Different from Heracles, but extraordinarily exceptional all the same."
"Hah! You lot gossiping among yourselves? Keeping us in the dark?"
The king of Thespiai, bordering Laconia, nodded vigorously in agreement, drawing indignant cries from the expectant others.
"Ahem! Making a racket in this sacred battlefield under the gods' gaze... Right, Thespios?"
"Hah, who says otherwise, Lacoius? I'll have to stop by the temple later and offer prayers of atonement."
"Y-You bastard Lacoius pulling that smug face again?!"
"Whoa, Penelapinon, calm down. Another legion's entering."
"An army of girls? What kind of army is that! Shut up and tell us who he is..."
The king fumed as his friends whispered among themselves, but he couldn't finish.
-Clang!
A sudden arrow streaked in.
It struck dead center on his wine jug, chilling the spines of the gathered men.
"Gasp?!"
"What?! An ambush?!"
"Who dares in this sacred place under the gods' watch!"
The crowd scattered in panic, but soon spotted a female warrior emerging from the distant forest, bow trained on them.
"That insolent wretch!"
"We may not enter the forest, but we're guests all the same! Kings blessed by Zeus himself!"
The kings leaped up in fury at the sniper shot, but one calmed them.
"Hey, everyone, relax and sit."
"Thespios! This is no time to relax! That one's threatening us..."
Wait.
Threatening?
Even at a glance, the distance from their spectator seats to the archer in the woods was hours for a swift herald at full sprint.
Yet from that range, she'd overheard their talk and nailed his exact wine jug?
"Hah, didn't expect much from a girls' army, but I might need to rethink that."
The helmeted female warrior who appeared out of nowhere.
In her grasp was a blue banner emblazoned with Calliope's leaves—the banner of Atalanta's army, the other pillar of this war.
The commander planted the banner proudly beside her and lowered her bow, with beautiful female warriors and mages appearing behind her.
Treating ranks as tedious formalities, they emerged freely as if heading out for a casual outing.
Yet the kings fell silent again at the sight of them strolling leisurely toward camp, chatting amiably.
Their spirit, palpable even at this distance, yielded nothing to the male heroes.
Unlike Theseus's all-warrior force, their diverse mix of warriors, archers, mages, and alchemists sparked hopes they could overcome the numerical gap.
Thespios, king of Thespiai—who had grown into an indomitable king and mighty warrior studying in Chiron's forest as a youth—praised his decision to come in person.
"If that warrior had aimed to kill, we'd be headless corpses by now."
"Hah, like lionesses heading out to hunt."
"Indeed. This might turn into a fiercer war than expected."
"Ahem! Y-Yes. I was rash. Heroes' feats and renown know no gender!"
"Q-Quite right. You were rash, Pelops."
As the sweating king gulped dryly and he and his friends nodded vigorously,
Atalanta's army formed ranks, facing Theseus's.
But then the vice-commander whispered something, and the commander—who'd just displayed that divine archery—nodded and casually removed her helmet.
"Gasp...!"
"H-How can such beauty exist..."
As the gleaming bronze helmet came off, revealing the stunning warrior beneath, the lords forgot decorum and gaped.
A red-haired beauty clearly blessed by Aphrodite and Artemis.
Yet the ambition and fighting spirit blazing in those red eyes screamed Chiron's disciple.
"Come to think of it, didn't Arcadia's fool send an army to the forest to get his daughter back?"
"And now his kingdom's crumbling under Artemis and Zeus's wrath?"
"He's still begging Chiron to return her, but honestly, at that level, even without a curse, holding a courtship festival could rebuild his nation."
The kings sighed at the enchanting beauty of the warrior who made even rusty hearts tremble and eyes impossible to tear away.
"Come to think of it, didn't this war start with those two heroes competing over this Atalanta?"
"Right. Our son Actaeon in the forest told us."
King Aristaeus of Thebes pulled out a letter from his son Actaeon, who had watched the war's origin up close, and read it slowly.
"You brought your son's letter all this way?"
"Quiet. Do you know how long it's been since he last wrote?"
Let's see...
The letter Aristaeus read went like this:
-Theseus challenged Dianes to a duel on the condition of freeing Atalanta.
But Atalanta and Dianes always seemed like close lovers, so I don't know why the misunderstanding arose...
"I figured he was no ordinary guy, but to steal such a beauty's heart already... Meanwhile, our daughter's pining away. Tsk."
"Shame. I thought Atalanta would make a fine match for my boy."
Suspicions confirmed, the letter nailing Atalanta and Dianes's relationship shut, Lacoius and Thespios sighed in unison.
"Hey, Lacoius, Thespios. Just who is this Dianes?"
"Don't tell me the talk of him rivaling Heracles as a new great hero is true?"
The other kings voiced doubts at the regret from rulers of mighty kingdoms like Laconia and Thespiai,
but the two merely smiled mysteriously and raised their cups.
"Better than words a hundred times over—you'll see soon enough."
"Speaking of which, here he comes."
Thespios gestured with his cup toward the forest entrance.
There, the war's final participant slowly emerged.
He was truly a black man.
From head to toe, pitch-black in a way that instantly explained his moniker of Black Wind, Black Wave in Messenia.
Unlike other warriors, he wore no armor but a billowing black robe with sleeves flapping wide, long hair cascading to his waist.
His face was so beautiful it could be mistaken for a girl's at first glance, and he strolled into the battlefield leisurely as if on a walk.
In the man's hand fluttered a pitch-black banner, devoid of any emblem.
"...Huh?"
"No way, alone?"
The other kings were aghast at the lone figure strolling casually without an army,
but the two who knew him set down their cups and watched silently.
As the kings reeled, the black man reached the battlefield's center where the two armies' commanders gathered and joined the final council.
"What in the world is he thinking? Everyone else brought such mighty legions!"
"That can't be Dianes? No matter how confident...!"
"Does he think he's Heracles?!"
The kings—and even the gods watching from on high—were appalled and enraged by the arrogant display,
but still, the two kings gripped their armrests wordlessly.
"Hey, Lacoius, say something..."
"Everyone."
"Hm?"
"Shut up and watch."
"We might witness the edge of myth today."
"What...?"
The others wanted to press the cryptic pair, but one look at their eyes silenced them.
Eyes filled with intense longing and awe, as if entranced.
For famed warlord Thespios and wealthy Lacoius to gaze with such reverence.
Still baffled, the kings sat at their assurance.
-Clang!
As they watched quietly, the commanders' rite to Zeus, Athena, and Ares ended, and the shared cup shattered.
-Bwoooo!
The commanders returned to positions, preparations complete, banners raised—and the horn signaling battle's start blared.
-Roooar!
-Yaaah!
With that, the two armies charged ferociously.
But oddly, both legions surged toward one spot at once.
"Huh?"
"W-Wait, that...?"
The point their vanguards led to was none other than the fluttering black banner.
Where the bizarre hero called Dianes stood alone.
"W-What's going on...?"
The two bitterly hostile armies charging not each other, but a solitary third party.
But before the kings' doubts could fade,
they understood why the rush.
-Ruuuuumble!!
"Hiii?!"
"E-Earthquake?"
"Did Poseidon suddenly rage?"
The kings tumbled in shock from the earth-shaking roar and tremors, but Lacoius and Thespios rose as if drawn, staring skyward.
"Hah..."
"Hahaha... This..."
The two kings burst into hollow laughs.
The others naturally followed their gaze.
And joined the hollow laughs.
"Hah..."
"Hahaha..."
"T-Too much wine?"
The earth.
The vast ground that always cradled and sheltered them rose up, blocking the sun.
With a single kick from that black man, Dianes.
Dianes.
The moment the protagonist of vain rumors—said to rival Heracles—etched himself as a new great hero divine in the kings' minds.