Night fell over Arima Cavern.
The nine-headed Hydra sprawled in a cool, shaded corner, eyes half-lidded as she dozed lazily, her posture loose and unguarded, her thoughts drifting.
Ever since the ferocious Colchis dragon pried open Ladon's private treasury and ran off with the loot, things had gone quiet. The Nemean Lion, Chimera, and Sphinx were still tied down guarding Areopagus and couldn't leave their posts. Ladon and the Caucasian Eagle were both busy as well. One was dozing off while circling the golden apples in the sacred garden, the other was stuck watching over Prometheus. The Harpy was said to be hiding out on Aeaea, occupied with other matters. As for the three Gorgon sisters, their curiosity about the human world had gone into overdrive. They spent their days strolling streets and wandering markets, so there was no way they would stay in this remote backwater with nothing to do.
The increasingly hands-off Mother of Serpents was just as laissez-faire as ever, leaving Arima Cavern practically deserted. As things stood, the nine-headed Hydra had effectively become the undisputed overlord of the entire area.
Aside from occasionally dealing with a few clueless Magical Beasts for the nearby human settlements that worshipped her, Hydra spent most of her time enjoying long, comfortable naps.
When she got hungry, all she had to do was lift her head to reach the smoked cured meats and air-dried salted fish hanging from the ceiling of the cavern. They were offerings from humans, and each had its own distinct flavor.
When she got thirsty, a slight turn of her head brought her to a pool of crystalline dew gathered by the nymphs. And if that wasn't enough, there was still plenty of aged grape wine stored away in the cellar.
Life really couldn't get any better.
Honestly, days without the Black Demon and without that stupid dog Cerberus were the good days.
Otherwise, it was lessons here, brawls there. How could anything compare to this kind of leisure?
All nine serpent heads rested comfortably on the dry straw, ready to drift back into sleep, when a series of eerie lights suddenly flared from deeper within Arima Cavern.
It wasn't even spring yet. Why was the Queen of the Underworld coming up now?
Hydra turned her head toward the depths, recognizing the familiar patterns of light, and muttered to herself.
Arima Cavern was one of the pathways connecting to the Underworld. On top of that, the goddess of justice Themis, who once lived in the waterside treehouse, had been the witness to that agreement.
Normally, the released Queen of the Underworld, Persephone, would emerge from Arima Cavern every spring, ascend to the surface, and meet Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, accompanied by Themis and the Mother of Serpents.
Still, none of that had anything to do with her. Eating well, drinking well, sleeping well, and enjoying herself was all that mattered.
Growing bored again, Hydra let her eyelids droop, preparing to sink back into slumber. In her mind, she gathered the shared consciousness of her nine heads to seriously debate whether they should change things up tomorrow and go hunting instead.
Just as the nine-headed serpent closed her eyes, a clatter of chaotic noise erupted from the cellar. A panting, wheezing figure came bounding toward her from around a corner, full of misplaced enthusiasm.
"Plop…"
A strand of sticky saliva dripped onto Hydra's head, landing with a dull sound as a strong stench of alcohol spread through the air.
Hydra's muscles tensed instinctively. She lifted her head, crimson slit pupils locking forward, only to see three millstone-sized dog heads staring back at her. Wine-red grape liquor dripped from their mouths, and their faces were twisted into smug, obnoxious grins.
That damn filthy dog! It actually crawled back from hell! And it even dared to steal her treasured stash!
As Hydra fumed internally, she craned her neck and hissed sharply. Opposite her, Cerberus scraped his claws across the rock wall, sending sparks flying. He answered with a low growl, circling his old rival as he searched for an opening, his expression full of ill intent.
"Hiss—!"
"Woof!"
Before long, the two bitter rivals were at it again, biting and clawing just like always.
In an instant, Arima Cavern shook violently. Barking and hissing, the shrill screech of scales scraping against claws, and furious roars all blended together, echoing through the winding tunnels.
"They're really going at it…"
Inside the passageway, Atalanta and the others—guided by Persephone back to the mortal world along this route—stared at the uproar inside the snake den. They brushed the dust off their clothes, their expressions hard to describe.
"Oh, it's nothing. Just their way of showing sibling affection," Samael said cheerfully.
He stepped out from a nearby cellar entrance, tossing several jars of grape wine to the companions who had just come ashore, then smiled as he explained it to Atalanta.
"You call this affection?"
Atalanta's eyelid twitched as she watched Cerberus get whipped away by Hydra's tail, half his body jammed straight into the wall.
"Mhm. Fighting means closeness, scolding means love. If love isn't intense enough, you kick harder," Samael said solemnly. "Look how invested they are. Best not interrupt."
He casually waved away the dust in front of him, took a swig of aged wine, and put on a dignified, unbothered expression.
That was when a jet of venom spat out by Hydra, narrowly dodged by Cerberus, came screaming straight toward a certain onlooking teacher.
Samael's expression changed instantly.
Crack. He flexed his fingers, knuckles popping, a feral grin spreading across his face.
"Trying to hit me now? Getting bold, aren't you? Come on. Teacher's going to give you both a refresher course in practical combat."
The next moment, Samael charged into the cavern without another word and proceeded to beat both Cerberus and Hydra senseless. Heavy, dull impacts echoed one after another, mixed with the pitiful howls and wails of the two mythical beasts.
Half an hour later, the Hellhound and the nine-headed Hydra lay sprawled on the ground, bruised and swollen, trembling under the overwhelming presence of the Black Demon.
The Mother of Serpents hurried over after hearing the commotion. Seeing so many familiar faces return, she was overjoyed. She grabbed Samael's hand, eagerly asking about his experiences after fleeing across the sea, and expressed concern over the absence of her old friend Tina.
As for the two unfortunate kids who fought every day and got beaten regularly, she was already used to that and naturally chose to ignore them.
Only after Samael briefly recounted his journey and subtly hinted at Tina's whereabouts did the Mother of Serpents finally relax.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Samael learned that there were still three days left until his appointed meeting with Poseidon. He then took his leave, leading the human Heroic Spirits toward Areopagus to begin the next phase of preparations.
Cerberus and Hydra were left behind in Arima Cavern to rest, recover, and wait obediently for orders.
Along the way, to avoid attracting Zeus's attention, Samael constantly enveloped his companions in the authority of destiny, disrupting the gods' ability to perceive this suddenly rising force.
After a full day of tense, rapid travel, the outline of a majestic white marble city finally rose above the horizon in the morning light. Samael rubbed his aching temples and let out a long breath.
They had arrived in Athens.
After paying a few gold Zeus coins at the city gate, Samael led the group inside discreetly. The streets were crowded, and as they moved along at a stop-and-go pace, the splendor of Athens gradually unfolded before their eyes.
Palaces, council halls, theaters, clubs, galleries, inns, markets, workshops, harbors, and stadiums—every kind of public building was present.
In the plazas stood bronze statues of athletes, their powerful muscles and graceful lines fully on display.
Some of these statues depicted past participants in the Olympic Games who, as Athenians, had achieved remarkable results.
Others honored heroes who had made outstanding contributions to the city: the sage Chiron, founder of the Athenian Academy; Pandion, the city's founder who once ascended Olympus alongside the three goddesses to resist Typhon's army; and even divine beasts like the Chimera that had repeatedly defended Athens from monstrous calamities.
Their achievements were engraved into bronze, and many passersby paused to touch the statues, hoping to receive unseen blessings.
When enthusiastic Athenians introduced these heroes and their deeds to visiting outsiders, they did so with chests lifted high, pride shining plainly on their faces.
Beyond human heroes, Athens was also filled with temples. The most eye-catching was undoubtedly the towering sanctuary on the highest platform, dedicated to Athena, the goddess of wisdom; Medusa, the goddess of vengeance; and Themis, the goddess of justice.
Descending along the terrain, statues of the eighty-eight constellation Saints were arranged neatly within temples of varying scale, forming a protective ring around the three goddesses.
Worshippers flowed in and out without end.
Within the temple complex, Samael also noticed a disaster bell hanging at the entrance of a medical shrine, where prayers could be offered to the god of healing to dispel widespread plagues.
He smiled faintly, feeling genuinely reassured.
It wasn't just him. Athena and the others were clearly accelerating their own preparations as well.
After briefly assessing Athens' development, Samael did not linger in the bustling districts. He led the group through the Acropolis.
The Acropolis' architecture was masterfully integrated with the terrain. Seen as a whole, the hill itself formed a natural foundation, with the buildings and their internal layout harmonizing with the rises and dips of the land. Together, they formed a unified, solid fortress capable of resisting attacks step by step by relying on the terrain.
Passing through a leaf-stalk-shaped gate, the group followed roads resembling branching veins, heading straight toward the northwest—toward Areopagus.
When they broke through a layer of light and stepped onto the jagged foothills, Samael finally let out a breath he'd been holding. The journey had been tense, but they had made it through safely.
At that moment, streaks of light shot down from the sanctuary atop Areopagus, landing before them. As the glow faded, one familiar face after another was revealed.