"If only... if only I weren't in this wretched body...!"
The light faded from Kronos's eyes as he collapsed, and I turned my attention to Echidna. Typhon’s wife, a creature with the upper body of a beautiful woman and the lower body of a snake, lay lifeless with a gaping hole in her chest.
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I wonder if she realized she had been used by Gaia. No, even if she had known she was a pawn, she might have willingly gone along with it to avenge her husband.
"Sigh..."
I took a deep breath. I could feel the damage inflicted on the human body I had possessed.
I used too much divine power fighting Kronos. Although I tried to regulate it, the mortal body couldn't handle all of my power.
A short distance away lay Encelados, the Gigantes, his body charred by the sun's brilliance. Golden ichor trickled from various wounds on Apollo’s body, dripping onto the ground as he looked over the monster’s corpse.
"Apollo, when I leave, please attend to this human body. I've significantly shortened its lifespan." "Understood, Uncle. I am the god of healing after all. That shouldn't be a problem."
Apollo replied cheerfully, his smile as bright as the sun.
"You arrived sooner than I expected. Were you watching Thebes from above the clouds?" "Yes, as soon as Lady Styx’s messenger arrived at Olympus, Father dispatched me. As I flew near Thebes, I sensed an abnormal power emanating from the cave..."
He was referring to when Kronos unleashed his power. Kronos must have been trying to adapt to Echidna's body by drawing out his power, but...
It turned out to be beneficial for Apollo in identifying friend and foe.
Having heard that I had descended into the mortal world, Zeus must be convening a meeting by now.
"Oh, and I had my servant inform Olympus that Kronos had manifested. Who would have thought a divine entity trapped in Tartarus could be brought to the mortal realm... The Protogenoi gods are truly remarkable."
Gaia is one of the Protogenoi, gods that emerged from chaos at the dawn of the world. With knowledge and wisdom unknown to us, such feats are possible.
But to manifest Kronos, who once held dominion over the world... This is an unprecedented and serious situation that no one anticipated.
"Also, a Gigantes appeared near Athens, so Athena and Ares descended there." "Athens too? Gaia is making quite a grand declaration of war."
It's too risky for the Earth Mother to reveal herself directly before us, so she has no choice but to mobilize her followers or employ Gigantes and the like.
"I shall return to the underworld. I trust you with the aftermath." "Then I'll reassure the people of Thebes."
The Gigantes have been dealt with... No monstrous presence is felt nearby. With Apollo’s immense and versatile divine prowess in arts, archery, prophecy, and more, he will handle the cleanup well.
As I returned to my throne in the underworld, Hypnos was waiting for me. His usually sleepy eyes were sharp as he stood with arms crossed.
Hypnos met my gaze and urgently spoke.
"Have the Gigantes been dealt with? Or could it be..." "Kronos descended but has been repelled." "What?! Kronos descended to the mortal world?" "Gather all the gods. I have matters to discuss."
Hypnos exited the audience chamber like smoke, and soon after, most of the gods of the underworld gathered there.
Some gods, seemingly ready for battle with the Gigantes, donned armor and wielded spears... And the aura of souls emanating from outside the stronghold... Were the soul soldiers on standby?
"The army of the underworld is unnecessary. The Gigantes invasion has been repelled for now." "I thought we were on the brink of war..."
Goddess Styx sighed with relief, ordering the withdrawal of the forces outside. The other gods appeared to relax slightly as well.
"However, Kronos, who should be imprisoned in Tartarus, descended to the mortal realm."
"Is this Gaia's doing?!" "How could she extract the consciousness of one trapped there..." "Surely there was a great sacrifice or offering involved, was there not?"
A murmur spread among the gods as Kronos was mentioned. I relayed what I had seen and heard through the priestess's body.
Echidna, Typhon's wife, the Gigantes commander, Apollo, and Kronos. Silence fell over the gods as they absorbed the entirety of the account.
"...Therefore, preparations in the underworld are necessary. Morpheus!" "Yes, Lord Hades." "Inspect Tartarus and place additional guards nearby. Also, inform the Hecatoncheires brothers that Kronos descended to the mortal world."
Next, I turned my gaze to the old god with black wings.
"Thanatos, can you alert me immediately if there are souls who have died under abnormal circumstances?" "You mean humans who might have been sacrificed or killed by the Gigantes... Honestly, that's a tall order." "Then, just let me know if there’s a large number of human deaths without any disaster." "That much I can do."
Kronos's descent was only possible because many humans were sacrificed. If Thanatos, the embodiment of death, can pinpoint areas with suspicious mass deaths, we can respond quickly.
"While I descended into the mortal world, was there any news from Olympus?" "There was. Hades... Iris visited the underworld."
Goddess Lethe relayed the news brought by Iris.
First, near Athens, a Gigantes claiming to be Porphyrion appeared, boasting about assaulting Hera...
"Did he intend to defile the queen of the gods?" "These crazed fools are multiplying." "Weren't there those creatures called Aloadae who did the same before?!"
"Enough, let Goddess Lethe finish."
...Furious, Zeus sent Athena and Ares, who tore the creature limb from limb. The soul of the slain Porphyrion was brought to the underworld and awaits my judgment.
"I'll consign him to Tartarus. Please continue."
"Oh... and Zeus convened a meeting at Olympus."
The news that Kronos, long presumed to be eternally trapped in Tartarus, had reemerged was enough to alarm all the Olympian gods.
The main issue is the difficulty in quickly identifying Gaia’s deployment of the Gigantes. The Earth Mother Goddess Gaia's power far exceeds that of Demeter.
The solution proposed during the council of gods was...
"They've decided to temporarily entrust the Omphalos to Demeter."
"They intend to use Demeter’s power to locate the Gigantes’ stronghold." "Indeed, since the Omphalos amplifies divine power..." "But is it necessary to use such a significant artifact that symbolizes the world's center?"
"It might be necessary. Gaia herself is the Earth Mother Goddess, so Demeter's power alone..."
The stone swallowed and later regurgitated by Kronos instead of Zeus, the Omphalos. If Demeter temporarily holds this treasure, which symbolizes the world's center, she might stand against Gaia’s power.
In other words...
"Demeter said that if the Gigantes attack the surface once more, she can trace their footsteps back to their stronghold."
Since the prophesied hero has not yet been born, even if the location of the Gigantes' stronghold is discovered, we cannot launch an immediate assault.
However, it might be possible to strike a preemptive blow by tracking their movements. Additionally, we can prevent any sudden attacks like the one we just faced.
Zeus’s decision seems appropriate. Of course, since the Omphalos is a crucial symbol, it must eventually be returned.
"But Gaia will surely realize the Omphalos has been moved elsewhere... and will know that deploying the Gigantes might reveal their stronghold." "Yes. Athena and Metis argued that the next attack must be thwarted at all costs." "If we fail to prevent it, they’ll gain the upper hand."
The next Gigantes attack...
Unlike before, where only a couple of commanders or traps were involved, it’s likely they will mobilize a massive force.
They might prepare a surprise attack on the Olympian palace. They could target the underworld, aiming to open Tartarus, or even devastate entire human nations and use the sacrifices to summon Titan gods.
The gods murmured amongst themselves as they digested the results of the meeting at Olympus.
"Where do you think they’ll strike?" "Perhaps they’ll annihilate human nations and free the Tartarus prisoners into the mortal world..." "They might launch a surprise attack on the Olympian palace." "A full-scale war must be avoided at all costs. Just until the prophesied hero emerges..."
For now, the Gigantes won’t make a move. More accurately, they will bide their time, sharpening their blades for a single, decisive strike while observing our actions.
Hades Temple in Thebes.
Penedeeia, the priestess who was kidnapped by the Gigantes and later freed, was recounting her experience to her fellow temple members.
"Those monsters were near Thebes?" "My goodness... Lord Hades descended into your body..." "Did he really say that? Don't worry, for I have come!"
With Hades having descended into her body and receiving direct healing from Apollo, Penedeeia emerged as a strong candidate for the next high priestess.
The very fact that a god descended into her demonstrated her unwavering faith.
"Lord Hades is indeed a merciful deity." "Could it be that the lord of the underworld cherishes his followers?" "Spreading this news could greatly aid in expanding the temple."
All who die become subjects of Hades. The more humans die, the stronger his dominion grows.
Yet, a god who prioritizes his followers over his own dominion? One who descends in times of mortal peril? And not just any god, but one of the Big Three?
As these thoughts came together, Penedeeia spoke up.
"Perhaps... he embodies the aspect of mercy? The underworld is the final destination of life, after all, so maybe he is benevolent to the living..."
The surrounding priests displayed expressions of realization.
"Indeed... that makes sense." "Despite being busy governing the underworld, he doesn't neglect his followers..." "He prioritizes his followers over his dominion..."
In the days that followed...
The influence of the Temple of Hades grew exponentially. It seemed that priests were spreading the word of Pluto's mercy.
"Lord Hades... or Pluto cherishes his followers more than any other god, they say." "Yes, while his other name is quite fearsome..." "Is it true that he is merciful to those living in the mortal world?"
In Thebes, the renown of Pluto, the god of wealth and mercy, began to surpass that of the city’s original primary deity, Dionysus.