Chapter 190: Side Story – The Underworld’s Rebellion (4)
I parted ways with Epimetheus and immediately headed back to the Underworld.
If Prometheus managed to persuade Atlas and I successfully concluded my conversation with the three Hecatoncheires brothers, we could march on Olympus.
When I returned to the Underworld, a familiar face greeted me.
A massive giant, smiling at me from afar, was none other than Atlas, the great Titan god who once bore the weight of the celestial sphere.
He gazed at me with a peculiar mix of emotions.
“Well, well. Is it Hades?”
“Atlas.”
“I was really surprised when I heard from Prometheus. That loyal servant of Zeus planning rebellion?”
A loyal servant of Zeus, huh…
“Ha. Yes, I’ve given up playing the loyal servant and decided to become the king of the gods.”
“Oh… Good. As long as I don’t have to bear the heavens anymore, I’m satisfied.”
“From now on, Zeus shall carry the celestial sphere.”
Clap. Clap. Clap.
Prometheus, who had been watching us from the side, applauded and smiled in satisfaction.
“Ha ha! Good. Very good. Did you manage to persuade my foolish younger brother, Hades?”
“Epimetheus will destroy the mountain and return to the Underworld.”
“Hmm. Then all that’s left is…”
“I intend to persuade the three Hecatoncheires brothers to stay out of the war. Do you have any useful advice or prophecies?”
Prometheus laughed with a chuckle and answered immediately.
Atlas shrugged his shoulders and made a dismissive expression.
“Well? Judging by your face, it doesn’t seem like you’ll need my advice.”
“…I don’t think they’ll want to guard the entrance to Tartarus forever.”
“Stirring their ambition isn’t a bad idea. Something like abandoning hunting dogs after the hunt is over. Ha ha. Do as you think best.”
I nodded and started to head toward Tartarus.
But Prometheus stopped me again.
“Wait. If Epimetheus comes to the Underworld, subdue me and tie me up, then send a messenger to Zeus.”
“…?”
“Use the excuse of handing me over to Olympus to summon Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, to the Underworld. Once she opens the passage, claim you’ll escort me directly and infiltrate Olympus.”
So, I’d pretend to capture the fugitive Prometheus, restrain him, and call Iris?
The strategy was to ambush Olympus the moment Iris, the rainbow goddess, opened the passage between Olympus and the Underworld?
Would Olympus really fall for it?
The plan had many flaws, but at least it seemed more plausible than a full-scale war.
It was essential to strike swiftly and decisively, so it might not be a bad idea to follow his suggestion for now.
If they fell for it, great. If not, we could just storm Olympus directly.
Two powerful Titans and a perfect prophet—this force gave me a glimmer of hope.
Epimetheus needed to play his part well.
It would also be good if Olympus’s internal strife had worsened recently.
If they didn’t realize I had started a rebellion…!
“It’s not a bad idea. Atlas, hide yourself for now. Hypnos! Are you outside?”
* * *
At the entrance of Tartarus.
The three Hecatoncheires brothers, gods with fifty heads and a hundred arms, guarded this place.
Cottus, Briareos, and Gyes—their names belonged to giants so powerful that even Uranus had been wary of them.
To show my gratitude for their tireless watch over Tartarus, I often visited and spoke with them.
Sometimes, I even brought them nectar or ambrosia, and I believed we had grown close over time… I wondered how they viewed me.
While asking them to join the rebellion was too much, I could at least ask them to turn a blind eye to it out of respect for our bond.
“Hm? Is that Hades?”
“You’ve been visiting frequently lately.”
As I descended further, the three brothers came into view.
As usual, they were resting, leaning against the bronze gate of Tartarus.
“Hecatoncheires, I came today because I have something important to tell you.”
“Something important?”
“No Titans have escaped Tartarus recently.”
“Hmm?”
Clearing my throat, I declared my intentions to them.
“I plan to rebel against Zeus and become the king of the gods. Would you turn a blind eye to this?”
Their expressions changed as soon as I finished speaking.
The three brothers stood up abruptly, their demeanor making it clear they couldn’t support my words.
“…Sorry, but we can’t do that.”
“We’ve gotten along well with you, but if Zeus hadn’t freed us, we’d still be trapped in Tartarus.”
“Yes. It was Zeus who freed us. You should abandon any thoughts of rebellion.”
“Can you listen to me a little longer?”
I had prepared arguments to persuade them in advance. These were ancient Titans.
They didn’t care much about mortals, so saying that the Olympian gods were oppressing humanity would mean nothing to them.
“I’ve always been grateful to you. You aided us during the Titanomachy, and now you voluntarily guard Tartarus so diligently.”
“…?”
“But let me ask you this: what has Zeus ever done for your devotion?”
“What did you say?”
“Don’t even try to claim he freed you from Tartarus. That debt was repaid when you fought on our side during the Titanomachy. What I’m asking is… has Zeus ever shown concern for the hardships you’ve endured guarding this place for so long?”
The movements of the three brothers halted, and the eyes of their combined 150 heads began to whirl restlessly.
No matter how much they thought about it, they’d only arrive at the conclusion that I was right.
“Zeus doesn’t care about you anymore. To be precise, you’re no longer useful to him.”
“What?!”
“Has Zeus ever visited you here, even once?”
“…No, he hasn’t.”
“Then, after the Titan War, did he ever send any Olympian gods to reward you or acknowledge your efforts?”
“Not even once.”
“Then why are you still siding with Zeus, oh mighty Hecatoncheires?”
The brothers were rendered speechless, merely exchanging glances with one another.
This was a clear misstep by Zeus.
No matter how powerful one is, maintaining the support of others requires attention and care.
Though the Hecatoncheires were indeed indebted to Zeus, the millennia of neglect they endured had long since diluted that gratitude.
“From the start, I never asked you to side with me. I only requested that you look the other way.”
“Hmm… Is that so?”
“Hades does have a point. When was the last time we even saw Zeus?”
“Even if Tartarus is far from Olympus, shouldn’t he have visited at least once?”
“Think carefully. Between me and Zeus, who has shown you more consideration?”
* * *
I successfully secured the agreement of the three Hecatoncheires brothers to stay out of my rebellion.
Their immense power was a significant variable, so this increased the likelihood of the rebellion’s success.
I returned immediately to the audience chamber to review plans with various gods.
Thanatos, Lethe, Styx, Hypnos, Atlas, and Prometheus all contributed their insights to refine the strategy.
“A message has been sent to Olympus, so Iris will surely come.”
“I briefly checked the sea while delivering dreams to mortals earlier.”
“What’s Poseidon’s stance? Even with Atlas, Epimetheus, and Prometheus joining us, Poseidon remains an unpredictable factor…”
“Do we stand a chance…?”
“If Hades uses the Kynee and ambushes Zeus, we can win.”
“Atlas is right. Hades, you must target Zeus first while he’s off guard, and the rest of us will back you up…”
Finally, I turned to Epimetheus, who had successfully destroyed the rocky mountain and returned to the Underworld.
“When you came to the Underworld, you weren’t spotted by any Olympian gods or anyone else, were you?”
“I did see Hermes along the way, but fortunately, we were far enough apart that he didn’t recognize me.”
“We must attack Olympus swiftly. If Demeter examines the earth’s memories, she could uncover something. Epimetheus, you’ll assist us when the time comes, won’t you?”
As we discussed the rebellion to dethrone Zeus, a voice called out from outside the audience chamber.
“Lord Hades! At the entrance to the Underworld, the rainbow goddess Iris…”
The time for rebellion had arrived.
“…and the goddess of wisdom, Athena, have arrived!”
“Athena?”
“Did she sense something, as expected of the goddess of wisdom?”
“Could we already have been discovered?”
Everyone murmured uneasily at the servant’s announcement.
Was Athena here because Zeus had warned her, or was it her own suspicions?
I would have to meet her myself to find out.
“If we were truly discovered, they wouldn’t have come to the Underworld. I suspect Zeus sent Hermes to investigate the Underworld’s situation after I chased him out angrily a while ago. Atlas and Epimetheus, go outside and hide yourselves. If the passage to Olympus opens and the gods begin crossing over…”
I instructed the servant to let them into the audience chamber and sat on my throne, awaiting Athena and Iris.
If either of them showed any sign of suspicion… I would have to deal with it here and now.
Creak.
“Uncle Hades, greetings.”
“I pay my respects to the Lord of the Underworld.”
I smirked as I carefully observed them entering the chamber.
Athena was in full battle gear—shield, spear, and armor—fully prepared for war.
Well. It didn’t matter either way.
Once you’ve entered the Underworld… you’re no longer the worm in a heart but merely a rat trapped in a jar.