The Tale of Otus and Ephialtes
Chapter 1
The Summoning of Iris
Not long after I sent the messenger, Iris arrived.
"What brings you to summon me, Lord Hades?"
"Open the passage to Olympus."
"...Understood."
From Iris's fingertips, a spectrum of seven colors flowed, creating a beautiful rainbow that connected the realms. It's always convenient to call Iris when traveling long distances.
Shaaa—
Crossing the passage, the space twisted, revealing the cloud-filled Olympus. Now, where is Zeus?
"Ah, Uncle Hades?"
"Apollo."
My nephew, Apollo, with his radiant golden hair and eyes shining like sunlight, was nearby. He was carrying a lyre as usual.
"What brings you to Olympus today?"
"That's not your concern. Where is Zeus?"
"Oh, Father should be at the banquet hall."
A banquet, of course. I dispatched Thanatos for a so-called grave sinner, only to find out it was all a false alarm, and Zeus is at a banquet, not even considering the chaos caused by his actions.
Entering the banquet hall, I saw various gods indulging in nectar and ambrosia, typical of these gatherings.
"Oh...? Lord Hades?"
"You don't seem to be in a good mood today..."
"Why have you come to Olympus after so long?"
And there, seated comfortably on a golden throne, was the king of the gods.
"Thanatos was sleeping? He's not the kind of god to do that. You must have been mistaken..."
"It's true, Father! He was lying there so comfortably..."
Zeus, looking baffled as he listened to Ares's report, was filled with disbelief.
Step, step.
Walking straight to Zeus, he looked surprised to see me.
"Oh? Brother Hades, what brings you to Olympus?"
"Ares told the truth."
"What? Then Thanatos really disobeyed my orders...!"
A vein bulged on Zeus's forehead, but I wasn't finished yet.
"And about the human you ordered Thanatos to bring to the underworld."
"You mean Sisyphus?"
"What exactly did he do to warrant the king of the gods personally ordering Thanatos to take him?"
"Ah... Haha..."
Zeus's face turned awkward. Of course, you know we have the goddess of memory, Mnemosyne, in the underworld.
"Hades is right, what exactly did Sisyphus do to deserve such punishment?"
Hera, who had been enjoying ambrosia, approached. Her face was full of curiosity, clearly unaware of the full situation.
"You deserve to know the truth, Hera. The thing is, Zeus..."
"Ah! Ahem! Brother, wait a moment!"
"Shush! You be quiet! So, what did Zeus do, Hades?"
Zeus tried to divert the conversation, but Hera sensed something was amiss and silenced him.
"Well, Hera, you know the river god Asopus, right?"
"I've heard of him."
"Zeus raped his daughter, and Sisyphus informed Asopus of the crime."
"...?!"
Zeus tried to sneak away but was grabbed by Hera.
"So, in short, Zeus tried to kill the man who revealed his crime...?"
"Exactly."
Hera glared at Zeus, then turned back to me.
"You aren't lying, right?"
"I confirmed it with the help of Mnemosyne. I swear on the River Styx that this is the truth."
"Zeus!!!"
Hera's face twisted into a demonic expression. As the goddess of marriage and family, such acts of infidelity and rape were abominations to her.
"Ahem!"
"You thought I would just let you get away with raping another goddess?!"
"And using Thanatos to punish the human who exposed your crime?"
Zeus was at a loss for words, sweat pouring from his brow.
"Oh, brother, it's just that Thanatos... my authority as the king of gods..."
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"Authority? What authority does the god of rape and infidelity have?"
Zeus's face turned even paler. Hera's constant berating didn't help either.
"You always do this. Whether it's Leto, Europa, or any pretty mortal woman, you can't help yourself. Today you even flirted with Iris several times! Now you rape the river god's daughter and try to kill the man who exposed you? If even one thing I say is wrong, go ahead, refute it..."
"I... I was wrong."
So you admit your mistake.
"Then you owe me compensation."
"Com... Compensation?"
"Because of you, the underworld's work has been overloaded. I'll be taking some of the Olympian gods to help out for a while."
Zeus looked around nervously, then spoke reluctantly.
"Of course. Take whoever you need, Brother..."
"And stop using the busy gods for your whims, especially for such pointless tasks..."
If he had refused, I was considering using my bident on a certain part of his anatomy. But he is still the king of the gods, and Hera is already giving him an earful, so I'll let it go for now.
"Zeus! I am not finished with you!"
"This incident..."
The other reason I came to Olympus was to bring a few gods to the underworld. Instead of arguing further with Zeus, I needed to return and manage my domain.
Who should I take to help with the work? Athena, who has experience in the underworld? Or perhaps Ares, who managed souls well?
I glanced around. Ares, who had been listening, frantically waved his hands.
"Huff...! Uncle Hades, Athena would be a better choice than me!"
"You reported Thanatos's misconduct, so I'll spare you."
Leaving Zeus, who was still being scolded by Hera, I scanned the banquet hall. Was there a suitable god for the underworld here?
* * *
Gods have senses far superior to humans. Conversations held at a distance are easily heard unless blocked by divine power. So...
"Zeus has assaulted someone again."
"Father..."
"This time, it's the daughter of Asopus..."
Zeus's reputation sank even lower. Virgin goddesses sighed, and married goddesses shuddered.
"Should I swear an oath to the River Styx for my virginity?"
"Perhaps becoming like Athena would be better..."
"Is it true that Zeus has the domains of rape and infidelity?"
Among them, one goddess reacted differently.
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"Oh my, Zeus hasn't come to me yet..."
With beauty seemingly personified, it was Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and love. She smiled, causing Ares's eyes to glaze over. He would likely get into trouble with Hephaestus soon... Tsk tsk.
Aphrodite walked gracefully on the clouds and approached me. Not this troublemaker again.
"Hades, you came to Olympus because you missed me, didn't you?"
"Go to your husband."
A slight frown creased her perfect forehead, but even that seemed beautiful as she smiled at me.
"How long will you keep resisting..."
"Aphrodite, don't trouble Hades too much."
"Oh? Hestia?"
Hestia, who had been tending the hearth in the corner, approached.
"Hestia, didn't you swear to keep your virginity by the River Styx?"
"...? What's that got to do with this?"
"There's only one reason you'd want to stop free love between men and women."
Aphrodite circled behind the relatively short Hestia and whispered. Is that sly look a trait of the goddess of love?
"Hah! Hades and I are not like that!"
"Oh, you can tell me. For love advice, the goddess of love is here~"
Wait, maybe Aphrodite's charm could be useful for managing souls in the underworld?
* * *
"Aphrodite."
"Yes~? Speak, Hades."
"Would you consider coming to the underworld for a while?"
Aphrodite's face lit up with a dazzling smile.
"Oh~ So that's your preference. You should have told me earlier. Spending time in a quiet, secluded place isn't bad."
"So, will you come?"
"Of course!"
Her enchanting smile made my head throb, but I smiled back. If she could be this effective on me, the souls in the underworld would be utterly captivated.
"As the goddess of beauty and love, you don't have much to do in Olympus, right?"
"Indeed! I can spend many hot nights... I mean, days and nights with you."
Hestia, shaking with determination, misinterpreted the situation.
"Hades! You can't! You have Lethe and Styx..."
"They haven't even married Hades yet, so I can spend time with him first..."
"Hmm. Quality time, that's a good term."
Having Aphrodite in the underworld would make everyone's work a bit more enjoyable. Especially for Charon and the minor gods, it would be a pleasant change.
Just as Aphrodite and I exchanged smiles of anticipation, a loud noise echoed from the outskirts of Olympus.
Boom! Boom!
The Tale of Otus and Ephialtes
Chapter 2
The Giants' Ascent to Olympus
Boom! Boom!
The noise from the outskirts of Olympus grew louder. It wasn't just an earthly disturbance if it was audible in the palace of the gods on the clouds.
Could it be Hephaestus hammering at full force? The other gods were also beginning to feel uneasy.
"Is someone approaching Olympus?"
"But this sound..."
"Look over there!"
A lower deity pointed towards the ground.
Two enormous giants were constructing a path to Olympus by piling up mountains and filling the sea with rocks. Each time they threw huge boulders or heaps of earth, it caused the booming noise.
"Who dares approach Olympus?"
"Those giants don't seem like gods. Surely, Zeus will handle them."
"There's no need for Zeus to intervene. I'll handle it..."
"Wait, there's a prophecy!"
As the gods discussed dealing with the audacious giants, someone mentioned a prophecy.
Hermes, flapping the wings on his sandals, flew in urgently.
"No god or human can kill those two brothers, according to the prophecy!"
"What?!"
"Do we just watch them then?"
"Who are they?"
Can't be killed, huh... We should hear what they have to say, though I doubt they come with good intentions. There's something familiar about their power.
"There's never a dull moment on Olympus..."
"Compared to all the events here, the quiet underworld doesn't seem so bad~"
Hestia and Aphrodite spoke in turn. Aphrodite only gave me a coy smile, seemingly uninterested in the commotion.
By now, the source of the noise had appeared on Olympus.
Two enormous giants. Their faces looked like teenagers, but their bodies were colossal, as if dozens of humans had been combined into one monstrous form.
"Oh, so this is Olympus? Where is Hera, my future wife?"
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"Artemis! Your husband is here!"
Are these lunatics?
* * *
"Hey, you're pretty. Are you Hera?"
"Hmm... I'm not Hera, and you're not my type."
One of the giants pointed at Aphrodite, who responded smoothly.
"Then where is Artemis? Her husband is here."
"Maybe if we break a few things, she'll show up."
These idiots.
As if sharing my thoughts, someone took immediate action.
"You madmen! Do you think Olympus is your playground?"
"Huh? What's this kid saying?"
"Who are you?"
Wielding a sword, the god of war faced the giants.
"I am Ares! I can't kill you, but I can beat you until you're close to death!"
"What will you do with that toothpick?"
"Shut up! I'll show you the horrors of war!"
Ares charged, but the giants appeared strong. They might be at the upper echelons of the Olympian gods.
Thunk—clang!
"Argh!"
Ares's sword shattered, and he was flung away. War inevitably involves death, but with the prophecy preventing the giants from being killed by gods or humans, Ares's defeat was expected.
"Ow. That stung a bit."
"Still just a toothpick."
They indeed possessed immense power. Unkillable by gods or humans and strong enough to rival the upper echelons of the Olympian gods.
"Whose lineage do you belong to? What are your names?"
At my question, their gaze turned to me.
"I am Otus, the future husband of Artemis!"
"I am Ephialtes. We come from Thessaly!"
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Thessaly? Such powerful giants coming from a human kingdom...
"Thessaly...?"
"What are they?"
"Claiming Hera as a wife? This is..."
The gods murmured among themselves. Perhaps they feared these giants might succeed in taking Hera and Artemis.
"Let me go, you scoundrels!"
"You're too noisy. Stay there."
"....? You think you can imprison me?"
Otus and Ephialtes restrained Ares and threw him into a giant bronze jar, further unsettling the gods.
"Why is Olympus always like this... Hades, did you cast some curse?"
"What nonsense are you talking about..."
Demeter expressed her disdain for the underworld with a bored look. She seemed to be joking, but it was true that Olympus had been rife with incidents lately.
"There are always loopholes in prophecies... Hades, this should be easy for you, right?"
Aphrodite approached, flirting. Annoying, but a valuable worker for the underworld, so I'll endure.
Despite the commotion, the Olympian gods remained mostly calm. Even Ares, just before being trapped in the bronze jar, glanced at me as if expecting something. He'd probably break out soon enough.
Imprisoning the god of war in a bronze jar was a display of their inflated egos.
Their power was top-tier by Olympian standards, but they still bore the marks of Ares's sword. Inexperienced in combat, they were boastful about their invulnerability but overlooked the prophecy's ambiguity about subduing them.
Meanwhile, this assembly of gods included seasoned veterans of wars against Titans, Gigantes, and Typhon. Even Zeus and I were present.
"Hahaha! Bring Hera and Artemis here!"
"Or face the same fate as that one!"
Their loud voices were grating. I'll personally handle this and put them in a cell where they can't grow any stronger.
* * *
Otus harbored ambitions. He desired to ascend Olympus, defeat all the gods, and claim the beautiful goddess of the hunt as his wife.
"Otus, then I'll take Hera as my wife!"
"With our combined strength, the gods are nothing!"
With the support of his equally powerful twin brother, Ephialtes, it seemed feasible. They piled Mount Ossa on Mount Pelion, creating a path to Olympus, and eventually set foot on the clouds.
"Let me go, you scoundrels!"
"You're too noisy. Stay there."
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Otus imprisoned the audacious god who had attacked him, anticipating the beauty of Artemis.
"Hahaha! Bring Hera and Artemis here!"
At that moment, a god who had questioned them earlier stood up. A gloomy-looking deity sighed deeply.
"The ruler of the underworld personally stepping in... Are they headed for Tartarus?"
"Causing a ruckus in Olympus..."
"Hey, giants, you should start apologizing now."
As he stood, the gods regained their composure. Who was he?
Ephialtes, curious, asked his identity.
"Who are you?"
The dark-haired god rose with a look of irritation and waved his hand. A bident, a two-pronged spear, appeared.
Did he intend to face us with a mere toothpick? Otus laughed and raised his massive fist.
The dark-haired god stood there, showing no response.
"Hmph. Whoever you are, you won't survive my punch."
Otus's iron-like fist swung through the air with a terrifying sound.
Whoosh!
The sound echoed, but his fist struck nothing. Pain shot through his wrist.
"Aaagh!"
"Otus!"
How did he avoid my punch? I didn't see anything, but how did he pierce my wrist?
With the same expression of boredom, the dark aura from the god spread, dimming the surroundings despite the bright daylight of Olympus.
Otus, usually confident in his strength, felt fear for the first time. This was nothing like facing Ares earlier. Could he be Zeus?
"You seem to have divine lineage... doesn't your father care about his offspring?"
"No! Otus... aah!"
Ephialtes, rushing over, was quickly impaled in the ankle by the bident and collapsed.
"First, you're going to the cell."
The sharp prongs of the bident approached Otus's eye. Too fast to react. His body wouldn't move.
"Wait! Hold on, brother!"
"Zeus?"
A voice called out, and the bident stopped just before his eye.
"Ahem. These are honored guests to Olympus. We must treat them well."
The stern-looking god with golden hair who stopped the bident spoke. Zeus and Hades, so this must be one of the three supreme gods?
Zeus's slight smile at the giants' demand unnerved Otus.
"So, you came to take Hera and Artemis?"
But for some reason, Otus found that smile terrifying.The Tale of Otus and Ephialtes
Chapter 3
The Giants' Challenge
Dealing with the giants who introduced themselves as Otus and Ephialtes wasn't particularly difficult. Avoiding their blows and delivering a few stinging pricks with my bident to make a point...
"Aaagh!"
"Otus!"
When I exerted a bit of my divine power, Otus froze, terror evident in his eyes. Despite their strength, they were clearly inexperienced in battle.
"First, you're going to jail."
I aimed my bident at the fallen giant's eye but actually targeted his ankle. As I feinted with the bident in my right hand, I quietly drew the Styx sword from my waist with my left hand to slice Otus's ankle when suddenly...
"Wait! Hold on, Brother Hades!"
"Zeus?"
Zeus had returned to the banquet hall, calling out to me. His hair was disheveled, and ichor flowed from his scalp, likely from Hera's wrath.
Zeus's attempt to reattach his hair was comical, but the smile on his face was anything but.
Since he seemed to have a plan, I sheathed my bident and stepped back. These giants could be dealt with again if necessary.
"Ugh..."
As I stepped back, the giants slowly got up, but the fear in their eyes and their trembling fingers betrayed their unease. Zeus, looking at the bleeding giants, gave a sharp smile.
"Ahem. We must treat our esteemed guests who have come to Olympus with proper hospitality."
This was Zeus's way of showing his true intentions to those who dared challenge his authority.
"So, you've come to claim Hera and Artemis as your brides?"
There was a chilling menace in his calm demeanor, but Otus and Ephialtes seemed oblivious. Young and brash, they were blind to the subtleties of the situation.
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"That's right! We swore on the River Styx to take Hera and Artemis as our wives!"
"Hurry up and hand them over!"
Despite their bravado, it was clear that Otus was slightly more perceptive than his brother. But how could he still speak so boldly after being pricked by my bident?
I had intended to subdue them and drag them to the underworld's prison. The prophecy said they couldn't be killed, and I sensed familiar divine power from them. Zeus knew this but intervened, not to show mercy, but to kill them in the most humiliating way.
"Ah, of course, heroes like you deserve Hera and Artemis!"
"Really? But what about Hades?"
"There was a misunderstanding with my brother, ha ha ha!"
Zeus planned to kill them.
* * *
"I'd love to hand over Hera and Artemis right now, but..."
"But...?"
"They aren't here."
The giants were furious upon hearing that their intended brides were not present. Zeus might have hidden them or instructed them to stay out of sight.
"What?! Are you deceiving us, Zeus?"
Ephialtes snarled, but Zeus soothed him with a gentle voice.
"Artemis is on the island of Naxos handling important business."
"What business?"
"Tracking down the Gigantes, fearsome creatures with the lower body of serpents and the upper body of humans. Even you might find them difficult to handle."
Indeed, Artemis was absent from the banquet. So, she really was on Naxos hunting Gigantes?
"She hasn't returned, so she might have been captured by them. It would be great if some brave warriors could rescue her..."
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"Artemis is captured?! Zeus, if we kill those Gigantes and save Artemis..."
"Oh, if you do that, I will personally arrange a grand wedding for you here on Olympus!"
So, that's your plan, Zeus.
Zeus's proposal was full of holes. His tone was subtly goading them, and he set conditions for their marriage that required defeating monsters. He didn't even address Hera's whereabouts directly.
But the young giants didn't notice the flaws. Their youth and inexperience played a part, but the goddess of persuasion, Peitho, subtly exerted her influence beside Zeus. His flawed words carried an uncanny persuasiveness that muddled the giants' thoughts.
"Then hurry to Naxos! Artemis might fall prey to the Gigantes if you're too late!"
"Alright! Keep your promise, Zeus!"
"Where is this island of Naxos?"
The two fools fell for Zeus's words and left Olympus. Being subdued and imprisoned in the underworld would have been a better fate for them.
As if no longer needing to hide his intentions, Zeus watched the departing giants with cold eyes and spoke.
Raising a goblet of nectar, the king of gods drew everyone's attention.
"We had a brief disturbance, but I will handle it personally. All gods, please continue enjoying the banquet!"
"Understood!"
"Anyone who challenges Olympus is doomed."
"Naxos, huh? Their grave."
"Their last bit of luck was when Hades almost subdued them, ha ha ha!"
"Prophecies often have loopholes..."
Apollo's lyre began to play softly again. The nine Muses resumed their art, and Dionysus distributed wine to the gods.
"So, this is the famous wine."
"Thank you, Dionysus."
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The gods returned to their revelry as if nothing had happened. Ares, who had broken free from the bronze jar, complained about the lost jar's value.
I approached Zeus directly.
* * *
"Zeus. Did you really find Gigantes on Naxos?"
"Ah, Brother, you might not know. Helios discovered traces of them while driving his sun chariot."
Gigantes were creatures created by Gaia. Their strength and regeneration were formidable as long as they were connected to the earth.
But finding them on an island in the middle of the sea? This must be a trap by Gaia.
They were likely waiting for the Olympian gods to descend to the island to spring their trap.
"Gigantes infiltrating an island? Tricking Poseidon's followers?"
"We suspected they were setting a trap to weaken our forces."
Zeus's head shook side to side. They let themselves be deceived to an extent to understand the trap Gaia and the Gigantes were setting. They could always sink or destroy the island if necessary.
While Gigantes were divine beings, they were more monstrous. Whether they could be killed needed to be seen directly...
"Even if they don't die there, my son Dionysus will handle it."
"Drive them to madness so they kill each other?"
"Indeed. Those who challenge me won't live."
I realized Zeus's intentions when he stopped me from subduing the giants. Using their strength against them, they would be dealt with appropriately.
When Zeus intervened to stop me from subduing them, I had already guessed his plan and didn't object. Their challenge to take the queen of the gods and a sworn virgin by force was a direct affront to Olympus.
This was a battle of power, not justice. If they died and reached the underworld, they wouldn't be welcomed warmly.
"Whose offspring are they?"
"The important thing is they challenged me. They will die horribly."
Even if Dionysus failed to drive them mad, Zeus had other plans. Using cloud creatures to trick them into attacking each other, or having Aphrodite enchant them.
"A good way to check Gaia's trap and eliminate nuisances."
"True, but..."
"Looks like they're heading to Naxos now. Dionysus, prepare just in case."
Zeus showed wisdom as the king of gods, yet his judgment was often clouded by his lower desires. How did the same mind handle matters of governance and personal affairs so differently?Chaotic Tales of the Underworld - (1)
With Dionysus quietly heading to Naxos Island, Zeus and I began observing the situation below the clouds.
"This is Naxos Island? Artemis~!"
"I can't see anything."
Naxos was an uninhabited island, making it an ideal place for Gigantes to set a trap. Humans who worship us serve as our eyes.
"Gigantes, show yourselves!"
"We'll crush you in one blow, hahaha!"
Crash. Crack.
The two enormous giants shouted and smashed trees, confident that no monster could challenge them.
But the Gigantes were created by our grandmother Gaia to destroy Olympus. They would be wary of us, especially after Typhon's defeat.
"I don't see Artemis!"
"Monsters! The Aloadae brothers are here!"
The giants would never be as careless as they were. They were likely setting up an ambush or preparing to activate some kind of trap.
At that moment, Naxos Island trembled.
Rumble—
"Is that the Gigantes' trap?"
"That power exceeds Demeter's control over the earth. It must be directly from Gaia."
The entire island shook with a deafening roar, the ground splitting as if struck by Poseidon's trident.
Boom! Crash!
"What's this? Is this the Gigantes' doing?"
"These cowards!"
The giants, who called themselves the Aloadae brothers, lost their balance and fell. Ephialtes, whose ankle I had stabbed, rolled on the ground, clutching his head.
Even Gaia's trap couldn't completely incapacitate such powerful giants. Something else was at play.
"Ugh! What's this..."
"A trap? Did Zeus lie to us?"
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From what I could see, there were deadly toxins, hallucinations, and the earth itself rejecting them. Gaia had meticulously planned this trap.
"Oh... I'm glad I didn't send Hermes for reconnaissance."
Zeus observed the island with a serious expression. The trap seemed designed for the Olympian gods, and the giant brothers were disoriented.
As the island was devastated by a massive earthquake, Gigantes emerged from the cracks, swarming the giants. One particularly large Gigantes shouted, seemingly a leader among them.
"Just as Mother said, we've caught a big one! I am Agrios under King Eurymedon!"
"Die, dogs of Olympus!"
"Attack!!"
"These bastards!"
"You cowardly monsters who took Artemis!!"
King Eurymedon? The Gigantes have grown powerful enough to crown a king. And this Agrios was a new face.
Zeus's expression hardened at the mention of a king. With the prophesied hero yet to be born, it was wise to avoid a full-scale war.
Soon, the island became a battlefield, giants and monsters clashing violently. Gigantes threw boulders and swung trees.
"Which god are you?! Ares? Apollo?!"
"Ugh!"
"Vile monsters! Give back Artemis!"
Crash! Crack!
The giant brothers, with their enormous strength, fought back, but they were wounded as the battle raged on.
"Ephialtes! We should retreat and... ugh!"
"Otus!"
The earthquake unbalanced them, the toxins and the earth's power weakened them, and hundreds of Gigantes ambushed them. Even the strongest Olympians couldn't defeat such a horde alone.
The Gigantes named Agrios jumped on Otus's back, strangling him. Otus struggled and fell, with Ephialtes howling in despair.
"The giants can indeed be killed. Gigantes are more monster than god."
Zeus rose, retrieving his Astrape. The blue lightning in his hand crackled with intense power, though it was one of his weaker bolts.
"Otus! Gah!"
"Just kill this one!"
"Crush him with your bodies!"
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The remaining Gigantes, down to a few dozen, threw rocks at Ephialtes, pinning him down and striking his ankle.
"No... it can't be..."
"Hahaha!"
Thus, the Aloadae brothers, who challenged Olympus, met their end. Despite defeating hundreds of Gigantes, their demise was anticlimactic considering their strength.
* * *
As the battle on Naxos Island ended, Zeus stood up with his lightning bolt. He intended to annihilate the exhausted Gigantes.
"Time to clean up."
"Throw lightly to minimize the impact on the sea."
Crackling—Rumble—
Lightning sparked from Zeus's body. The king of gods raised his arm...
Flash—Boom!
A single bolt of lightning struck Naxos Island, sinking it and killing the Gigantes. The island was torn apart, countless lives lost. I could foresee Thanatos complaining to me again in the future.
"Zeus, I'll return to the underworld now."
"Come visit Olympus again, hahaha!"
"Hopefully not for reasons like today."
I spotted Aphrodite talking with the goddesses, sipping nectar. Time to take her back to the underworld.
"Hades!"
Aphrodite, who had been watching from the corner of the banquet, met my gaze. She seemed eager to start working in the underworld.
She walked over and stood before me.
"Let's go. We have places to be, don't we?"
"Indeed."
With an expectant look, Aphrodite followed me. But the murmurs around us were concerning.
"Did Hades take her again..."
"After the great flood... I worked in the underworld..."
"Poor Aphrodite..."
...That goddess who shivered about working in the underworld, I remember assigning her to an easy job.
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* * *
"Humming~"
Bringing the humming Aphrodite to the underworld's entrance, I saw Thanatos's avatar. He had bound the souls of two giant brothers with ropes.
"How did you get caught by mere monsters! Release me!"
"Gasp! L-Lord Hades?!"
Otus and Ephialtes, who had died fighting the Gigantes, had arrived in the underworld. I should tell Minos to put them to hard labor.
Recognizing Aphrodite and me, they struggled.
"Release us, Hades!"
"Send us back to the living world!"
Not a chance. Maybe if they were still alive and under the prophecy's protection, but as souls, escaping Thanatos was impossible.
Thanatos's avatar threw the giant souls, and they rolled on the ground, shouting about Artemis and returning to the living world.
This would disrupt Charon's work.
"Aphrodite, can you charm them?"
"That's easy~"
The goddess of beauty and love smiled. Her enchanting gaze turned to the giant souls.
"Let us out... Ah..."
"Zeus tricked us! He must have... Ah..."
There had been many unruly souls, but with Aphrodite's help, the work would improve.
Where to assign her? The cold Cocytus River, where souls hesitate to cross? The banks of the Acheron River, where the unruly gather? Or the Phlegethon River, where memories cause hesitation?
As I pondered, Charon approached. The always weary ferryman grumbled.
"These have no coins. Should I still take them?"
"They're criminals, so they need judgment. I'll pay their fare."
"Tsk... Alright. Get on, you lot!"
The dazed giant souls boarded Charon's boat. Otus went first...
Splash—Wobble.
Huh? Was Charon's boat always this fragile? It should hold many souls.
"Why is it so heavy? Hey, you sit over there!"
Charon seemed to think the same. He seated the giants at opposite ends to balance the boat.
Next, Ephialtes boarded...
Crack—Snap!
What...?