King of Underworld

Chapter 53

Prophet Prometheus - (1)

In the underworld, the great gates to Hades’ citadel loomed large.

Huff, huff. Creak...

I stood watching the creature before me, a monstrous hound with three heads, each dripping with venomous saliva as it panted and wagged its tail, trying to please me. This was Cerberus, the guardian of the underworld, who had grown a bit larger since the last time I saw him.

As I watched Cerberus, I pulled out the Cornucopia, the horn of plenty. Thinking of a juicy piece of meat, I reached into the broken horn and grabbed a large chunk of flesh.

Crunch. Rip.

I threw the meat to Cerberus, and all three heads dived in, devouring it eagerly. The fresh meat disappeared quickly into the beast’s belly.

Pant, pant, pant.

Cerberus looked back at me, wagging its tail, as if asking for more. Just then, the god of dreams, Morpheus, approached me.

“Hades, it seems you’re personally feeding Cerberus today. Is something troubling you?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

“Your expression says otherwise. Is it Gaia that’s on your mind again?”

Lately, Gaia had been unusually quiet.

At first, she had used the Gigantes to set traps, weakening our forces. When the gods successfully defended against her attacks, she attempted to reduce her influence on the mortal world by using human heroes like Oedipus.

Her next move could be...

“I feel like she’s about to start something again.”

“Perhaps she’s preparing to use human heroes again, or maybe she’s gearing up to use her last chance to unleash the Gigantes?”

“The problem is, I can’t be sure.”

As Morpheus suggested, Gaia was undoubtedly planning something, but the exact nature of her strategy remained uncertain.

Gaia, the primordial deity of the Earth, wields immense power, influencing all things. She holds dominion over the earth, even above Demeter, and she also possesses...

“Gaia also has the power of prophecy.”

“Yes, her prophetic abilities surpass even those of Apollo. That is indeed a problem.”

Gaia, the Earth Mother, is the embodiment of the earth, seasons, and ecosystems. She is also a powerful seer.

When her relationship with Chronos, the god of time and agriculture, soured, she famously predicted that he would one day be overthrown by his children. That prophecy was well-known.

Only one other being’s prophetic power rivals hers: Prometheus. Even Apollo can’t match his foresight, making him a significant threat to us.

“Wait, what if we could somehow persuade Prometheus? His help could be invaluable.”

“But he bears a deep grudge against Zeus. Would he really help Olympus?”

Prometheus was punished by Zeus for giving fire to humans, bound to a rock, and tormented daily by an eagle that devoured his liver. The resentment he must harbor against Zeus would be substantial.

“However, I’ve never seen a Titan as devoted to humanity as he is. If we appeal to his concern for mankind—who are preyed upon by the Gigantes—we might be able to convince him...”

“But first, we would need to release him from his chains.”

Zeus sent a servant to fetch Athena. It seems he wants to hear the opinion of the goddess of wisdom whom he trusts.

Shortly after, Athena arrived, fully armed as always. After hearing the conversation between me and Zeus, her expression grew thoughtful.

“I mean no disrespect, but haven’t you already let go of your anger, Father?”

“What did you say?”

“The very fact that you called me to ask for my opinion suggests that you believe Prometheus has already been punished enough.”

“Hmm... Fetch your mother, Metis.”

Moments later, Metis arrived, descending on a cloud. She, who was once deemed the wisest in Olympus before giving birth to Athena, approached with a gentle smile.

Although Zeus devoured Metis to prevent the prophecy from coming true, she was released when Athena was born, as no male child was born between them, thus she was no longer a threat in his eyes.

Metis, once considered the wisest being before Athena’s birth, seemed to already know what was discussed and spoke softly as soon as she arrived.

“Zeus, to counter Gaia’s prophetic abilities, we need Prometheus’s power.”

“But can we really forgive him so easily?”

“As the king of the gods, perhaps it’s time to show some magnanimity. Even if someone defies you, if they can be of help, why not bring them into the fold...”

With the most intelligent deities in Olympus in agreement, Zeus frowned but waved his hand in acknowledgment.

“Ah. Ah. Fine... I get it. Metis, you may go now.”

“Just as you have done in the past, I trust you will make a wise decision.”

Zeus, rubbing his temples, seemed slightly troubled. It was evident he was struggling with the decision to forgive Prometheus, who had challenged his authority, even if he might need his help.

I waited patiently, not pressing him. I knew my brother, who had led Olympus well thus far, would make the right decision.

“Hmm...”

After a long silence, Zeus finally spoke, seemingly having made up his mind.

“I had no intention of seeking Prometheus’s help, but... You’re very merciful to even consider releasing him, Hades. Have you been called the god of mercy lately?”

Is he implying that I’ve gone soft? But I could tell that he had been persuaded; his tone was more of a grumble than a stern rebuke.

Understanding this as his way of accepting my request, I smiled at Zeus.

“A god of mercy cannot condone excessive punishment, especially when the one being punished holds the key to defeating Gaia...”

“Perhaps it’s not so bad to have a god as lenient as you around...”

Zeus rose from his throne and looked me in the eye.

“You may deal with Prometheus as you see fit. But I expect an apology from him.”

“I’ll do my best to secure that.”

With Zeus’s permission, it was time to visit Prometheus at the rock. However, I couldn’t just rush over there—I needed to prepare a bit more.

If I could persuade her in the underworld...

We might just gain the help we need from Prometheus.