King of Underworld-Chapter 190

“Zeus will have to bear that burden now.”

Clap. Clap. Clap.

Prometheus, who had been watching us from the side, clapped his hands with a pleased expression.

“Heh, heh! Good. Very good. How did it go with my little brother, Hades?”

“Epimetheus is going to destroy the mountains and then 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 advice or prophecies?”

Prometheus chuckled and immediately replied, while Atlas shrugged as if the matter didn’t concern him.

“Well? Judging by your face, I doubt you need my advice.”

“…I doubt they want to guard the entrance to Tartarus forever.”

“Stirring their ambition isn’t a bad idea. Like a hunting dog discarded after the hunt is done. Heh, heh. Do as you please.”

I nodded and prepared to descend toward Tartarus when Prometheus called out to me again.

“Wait. If Epimetheus comes to the Underworld, bind me and send a messenger to Zeus.”

“…?”

“Make it look like you captured me and call for Iris, the goddess of the rainbow, to open a passage. Then, under the pretense of escorting me directly, you’ll infiltrate Olympus.”

Pretending to have captured the escaped Prometheus and summoning Iris?

Using the goddess of the rainbow to open the passage between Olympus and the Underworld and attacking at that moment? Would Olympus really fall for such a plan?

It’s riddled with holes, but it’s at least more plausible than an all-out assault.

A swift and decisive surprise attack is essential anyway. Following Prometheus’s suggestion might not be a bad idea.

If they fall for it, that’s great. If not, we’ll simply storm Olympus.

Two powerful Titans and one perfect prophet—this might give us a fighting chance.

Epimetheus had better play his part well. If Olympus has grown more divided from recent conflicts, that would be ideal.

They might unite in the face of an external threat, but if they haven’t caught wind of my rebellion yet…!

“It’s not a bad idea. Atlas, hide yourself for now. Hypnos! Are you out there?”

*****

The entrance to Tartarus.

The three Hecatoncheires brothers—Cottus, Briareos, and Gyes—stood guard at the gates.

These giants, with fifty heads and a hundred hands, were powerful enough to make even Uranus wary.

I made it a point to visit them regularly, ensuring they knew their efforts weren’t forgotten.

Bringing them nectar and ambrosia from time to time had also helped strengthen our bond—or so I believed.

I wondered what they truly thought of me.

As gods who never forgot a favor, asking them to join my rebellion was out of the question.

However, I might be able to convince them to turn a blind eye, considering our history.

“Hmm? Hades?”

“You’ve been visiting us often lately.”

As I descended further, the three brothers came into view.

Leaning against the bronze gates of Tartarus, they looked as relaxed as ever.

“Hecatoncheires, I’ve come with important news today.”

“Important news?”

“No Titans have escaped Tartarus.”

“Hmm?”

I cleared my throat and declared my intentions.

“I intend to rebel against Zeus and take the throne of the gods. Will you turn a blind eye to it?”

Their expressions changed immediately.

All three brothers rose abruptly, their stances clearly signaling refusal.

“…I’m sorry, but that’s impossible.”

“We’ve grown fond of you, Hades, but if Zeus hadn’t freed us, we’d still be trapped in Tartarus.”

“That’s right. It was Zeus who released us. You should abandon this rebellion.”

“Will you at least hear me out a little longer?”

I had already prepared my argument.

These brothers were ancient beings, long detached from the affairs of mortals.

Appealing to their sympathy for humanity would be pointless.

“I’ve always been grateful to you—for aiding us during the Titanomachy and for guarding Tartarus all this time.”

“…?”

“But let me ask you this—what has Zeus done for you in return?”

“What?”

“Don’t tell me freeing you from Tartarus counts as repayment. Didn’t you already repay that debt by siding with him during the war? What I’m asking is, after all these years of loyalty, has Zeus ever truly cared for you?”

The brothers froze.

All 150 of their eyes darted about, processing my words.

But no matter how they reasoned, my argument would stand.

“Zeus no longer cares about you. Frankly, he doesn’t need you anymore.”

“What?!”

“Has Zeus ever come down here to see you? Even once?”

“…No, he hasn’t.”

“And after the Titan War, has he ever sent anyone to reward you or even acknowledge your service?”

“Not even once.”

“Then why are you still loyal to him? Tell me, mighty Hecatoncheires.”

They fell silent, glancing uncertainly at each other.

This was clearly Zeus’s mistake.

No matter how strong one is, maintaining loyalty requires effort.

Though the Hecatoncheires owed Zeus for their freedom, centuries of neglect had eroded that gratitude.

“I’m not even asking you to join me. All I need is for you to stand aside.”

“Hmm… Is that so?”

“Hades does make a point. When was the last time Zeus visited us?”

“Even if Tartarus is far from Olympus, shouldn’t he have come at least once?”

“Think about it carefully. Between me and Zeus, who has shown you more respect?”

*****

I successfully secured the Hecatoncheires brothers' promise to stay out of my rebellion.

Their overwhelming strength had been a potential wildcard, but with their neutrality assured, the likelihood of success had risen significantly.

I immediately returned to the audience chamber to review our plans with the gathered gods.

Thanatos, Lethe, Styx, Hypnos, Atlas, and Prometheus—all their insights added layers of refinement to our strategies.

“We’ve sent the message to Olympus, so Iris should arrive soon.”

“I stopped by the coast while delivering dreams to the mortals earlier.”

“What’s Poseidon’s status? Even with Atlas, Epimetheus, and Prometheus on our side, Poseidon could still be a major obstacle…”

“Do we… really have a chance?”

“If Hades uses the Kynee to ambush Zeus first, we can win this.”

“Atlas is right. Hades, you need to strike Zeus when he’s unguarded. The rest of us will support from behind…”

Finally, I turned to Epimetheus, who had safely returned to the Underworld after destroying the mountain ranges.

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“You weren’t spotted by any Olympians or others on your way back, were you?”

“I saw Hermes at a distance, but fortunately, he didn’t recognize me.”

“Demeter might still be able to trace disturbances through the earth’s memory, so we need to act quickly and storm Olympus. Epimetheus, you’ll assist us when the time comes, right?”

While we continued discussing the rebellion to overthrow Zeus, a voice called out from outside the chamber.

“Lord Hades! The goddess of the rainbow, Iris… has arrived at the gates of the Underworld!”

The time for rebellion had come.

“…and the goddess of wisdom, Athena, is with her!”

“Athena?”

“Has the goddess of wisdom sensed something?”

“Could our plans already be exposed?”

The room erupted in murmurs.

Had Athena come at Zeus’s command, or was this merely her own suspicion?

Either way, I had no choice but to face her directly.

“If they knew everything, they wouldn’t have come here. Not without an army. I did chase Hermes out in anger not long ago—perhaps Zeus sent Athena to investigate the Underworld. Atlas and Epimetheus, hide outside. Once the passage to Olympus opens and the gods start crossing over…”

I ordered the attendant to lead the two goddesses into the chamber and seated myself on the throne, awaiting their arrival.

If either of them showed the slightest hint of suspicion… I would eliminate them here and now.

Creak—

“Hades, esteemed uncle. It’s been a while.”

“We greet the Lord of the Underworld.”

I suppressed a bitter smile as I observed the two carefully stepping into the chamber.

Athena was fully armored, equipped with her shield, spear, and gleaming bronze armor.

Well, it didn’t matter either way.

Now that they had entered the Underworld… she was no longer a hawk soaring through the skies but a rat trapped in a jar.