The King of the Underworld is Tired

Chapter 122: The Second Task – Slaying the Hydra (1)

Heracles looked around at the Nemean Lion he had killed and the monstrous lions that were its offspring.

Then, he slung the lion’s corpse over his shoulder and began walking toward Hera’s temple.

Since he had killed the lion, he thought it necessary to bring evidence for his report.

"Ah… no, wait, that lion corpse he's carrying."

"Isn’t that the Nemean Lion? But wasn’t that place full of monster lions?"

"Who on earth is that person?"

"Killing a child of Typhon? Even Bellerophon achieved that feat at the cost of his own life…!"

Naturally, many people were shocked to see the corpse of the massive lion.

As news spread that a muscular giant had completely wiped out the lion horde, Heracles encountered a middle-aged man who was about to offer a sacrifice to the gods.

"No, no…! The Nemean Lion! Thank you so much! You've avenged my child!"

“…?”

"I’m just a human shepherd named Molorchos. That beast on your shoulder killed my child."

"And what business do you have with me?"

"I’d like to offer a hero like you some hospitality. Won’t you come to my house?"

Introducing himself as a shepherd, Molorchos explained that he had been about to offer sacrifices to the gods, praying for the Nemean Lion to be defeated, when he saw Heracles.

In response, Heracles paused for a moment and headed to his house, engaging in conversation.

“So, you’re going to Hera’s temple?”

“I need to submit this corpse as evidence, since this task was from the goddess.”

“Instead of taking the whole body, why not skin it and wear it? After all, the Nemean Lion is famous for its thick hide, and it would be a fitting reward for such a great hero’s feat…”

Hearing this, Heracles began skinning the lion on the spot, preparing it to fit his body.

The preparation wasn’t much more than cleaning off debris and adjusting the hide to his size, but…

Rip– Tear–

“Wouldn’t it be easier to use the lion’s claws to skin it? Why are you using your bare hands… no, how is that even possible…?”

“Its claws couldn’t even scratch me. I figured it would be easier to tear it apart with my own hands.”

“What…?!”

Perhaps because the lion was dead, the hide easily tore as Heracles pulled on it. Of course, it still required a fair amount of strength from him.

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It was clear that the hide had lost some of its toughness compared to when the beast was alive.

After donning the lion’s hide, Heracles stayed at Molorchos' house for a while before setting off once again toward Hera’s temple.

* * *

"That lion hide… is that the man who wiped out the Nemean Lion horde?"

"The one who was once groveling in front of Hera's temple has now become a hero."

"A feat to rival even Orion or Bellerophon…"

By the time he arrived at Hera’s temple, word of his deeds had spread far and wide.

It wasn’t surprising, given that he hadn’t returned quickly after killing the lion horde but had leisurely explored the world on his way back.

“Welcome, Heracles. The oracle for your second task has already been delivered.”

The high priest of Hera seemed to know that Heracles had completed his first task and wasn’t surprised by the lion hide draped over him.

“Your second task is to slay the Hydra at the Springs of Lerna in the southern region of Argos.”

‘The Hydra is another child of Typhon, just like the Nemean Lion, thought Heracles as he left the goddess’ temple.

The Hydra was a serpent-like monster with nine heads, whose entire body contained deadly venom.

The Springs of Lerna, where the monster resided, were a magical gift from Poseidon to Amymone, a human he had relations with, and were considered a sacred place.

However, once the Hydra began dwelling there, the water became completely contaminated with poison.

As he pondered how to deal with the venom, someone blocked Heracles' path outside the temple.

A man with stark white hair and a frail, sickly appearance.

“Heracles. So, you were here after all.”

“Asclepius? Weren’t you supposed to be out with Jason?”

“That fool is still in training because of you. The others are in the same boat.”

Asclepius, the son of the Thessalian princess Coronis and the sun god Apollo, was considered a peer of Heracles.

He was recognized for his exceptional medical skills and had been chosen by the gods to travel to the underworld from Thebes.

Whenever Heracles would break the arms and legs of other aspiring heroes during sparring…

“Yes, if you break the bone here, they can’t move. Let’s take a closer look.”

“Ah! Asclepius, you crazy bastard! Just treat me already!”

“Why don’t we investigate a little more for the sake of medical progress? Hmm. The bone here is sticking out… if I twist it like this…”

“Aaaargh! How does a quack like you even have any medical talent?!”

He was always busy examining this and that with sparkling eyes.

Being completely uninterested in martial arts, he was one of the few heroes who bore no jealousy toward Heracles.

By the time Asclepius left for the underworld, the two had become quite good friends.

“Of course, I came running as soon as I heard you wiped out the Nemean Lion horde. Now, show me the wounds you got from the lion.”

“…? I’m tired, but I wasn’t wounded anywhere.”

“Hmm. I was looking forward to seeing something, but it seems not even that lion could injure you.”

“It was no big deal. The monster wasn’t much. The hard part was getting the task from Lady Hera. I mean, it’s not like I asked to be born as Zeus’s illegitimate child…”

Hercules' grumbling, with veins bulging on his forehead, made Asclepius flinch and cover his mouth.

"Shh! Shh! No matter how quietly you say it, don’t let thoughts like that escape your lips."

"...I know. But sending animal excrement was really…"

"What can you do? Mortals who get involved with the gods never end well."

Heracles' closed his mouth, still looking displeased, and Asclepius sighed as he watched his expression.

"...Of course, with the exception of Pluto, the god of mercy and fairness."

"That's true. If I hadn't heard a few words of advice from my uncle..."

"What?! When did you meet Pluto? Damn, I'm a bit jealous of that."

The conversation between the two heroes gradually shifted to Heracles' tasks. Hearing that the second task involved slaying the Hydra, the hero of medicine frowned.

"Anyway, I haven't been able to create an antidote for Hydra's venom, so be careful."

"...I know."

The Hydra's venom was a deadly poison, powerful enough to cause suffering even to the gods. 

Wouldn't it likely affect his skin, which had been reinforced by the waters of the Styx?

However, as long as he wasn’t hit directly by its bodily fluids, he thought he could withstand the poisonous mist...

"Oh, I’ve heard that the Nemean lion's hide you’re wearing is immune to the Hydra's venom."

"This?"

"That's right. After all, they are both children of Typhon. But if even a little of the venom touches your skin where the hide doesn’t cover, it'll be dangerous. Here, take this cloth imbued with the power of my father, Apollo. I hope it helps."

"Well, thanks. Now I’ve got to go slay the Hydra. I'll see you next time."

The hero of strength parted ways with Asclepius, who shrugged his shoulders, and headed off to fulfill his second task: slaying the Hydra.

* * *

"After the Nemean lion, now the Hydra…"

"That little baby has grown into a hero."

"Humans grow faster than expected."

Of course, I, Hades, along with other gods of the underworld, had been watching his journey as well. 

With word spreading that Heracles had defeated the Nemean lion without a scratch in just one day, other gods besides those of Olympus were paying attention too.

Chiron, Lady Megaera, and I had predicted that most tasks wouldn’t satisfy him, but the other gods must have been quite surprised.

Some still think it was luck or fortune.

"Defeating one of Typhon’s offspring is a feat on par with Bellerophon, but it won’t end well."

"Even though Hades dipped him in the Styx river, Hydra’s venom..."

"Right, its venom is so deadly it causes unbearable pain even to gods, doesn’t it?"

Of course, it's exceedingly rare for Hydra's venom to touch a god. It would be unthinkable for the likes of even a minor god like Mente to be hit by its flying venom. 

Any god with significant divine power could destroy the creature from far enough away that the Hydra wouldn’t even notice them.

The reason we haven’t taken down the Hydra ourselves is because of that.

But for a mortal, it’s a different story.

"Hades, do you think Heracles will die here... Will you help him?"

“…Do others think the same?”

When Lady Lethe nervously voiced her concern, I looked around at the other gods.

Thanatos and the other gods of death, Keres, Moros, Mente, and Hypnos, exchanged glances.

Well, Styx's water might not be able to block the Hydra’s venom, right?”

"Even if he isn’t the prophesied hero, defeating the Nemean lion was enough to make him a great hero..."

"Maybe we should keep an eye on him and send a divine beast to save him if needed?"

"He seems to have potential as a great hero. I understand Hera's situation, but this is a bit much..."

It seems most of them think Heracles will fall to the Hydra.

But Heracles is the greatest hero in history—he won’t be defeated so easily.

Even if some unexpected outside factors come into play...

"Let’s keep watching for now. If he can’t even accomplish this, we can’t take him into battle against the Gigantes.”

"But..."

"I’ve ensured that Hera won’t kill him outright with divine punishment. She can only torment him through these taks instead..."

How many tasks could truly challenge a man empowered by the waters of the Styx and Hera’s milk?

Especially someone trained by Chiron and who sparred with the goddess of vengeance?

Unless the Olympian gods themselves directly punish him, he’s nearly invincible.

I have no worries about Heracles at all.