Myth: The Ruler of Spirituality

There, he witnessed the real Golden Apple Tree and those fruits that even the deities coveted.

Compared to them, the so-called golden apples before them were mere facades, perhaps only capable of hastening the reformation of the gods' bodies after their destruction.

Besides that, the only thing commendable about them was their taste... of course, this was from a deity's perspective.

To humans, these golden apples may seem indistinguishable from the original. Because their greatest function was to grant mortals near-eternal life.

Near, not absolute, because the power of the golden apple would eventually be exhausted, though that day would be measured in millennia.

With a slight shake of his head, Prometheus paid no more attention to this replica.

He simply took out the [Purgatory Book] and found the page with the potion recipe.

"Begin, brew your potion."

"This is not difficult; it is not a traditional magical potion but a concoction with a unique intent... It allows your existence to hover between 'life' and 'death,' evading certain rules."

"Alright."

Nodding slowly, Heracles took the [Purgatory Book].

Watching this scene, Dionysus finally reacted.

What potion, what rule evasion, what is this for?

Weren't they a team supporting Heracles through his twelve labors? Could it be that after fighting the dragon Ladon, the God of the West Wind had already been here?

"Cough, cough, what is this for?"

Confused, Dionysus pointed to the cauldron in front of him.

"Naturally, this is to brew a potion called the 'Living Hell Potion.'"

Explaining, the Great Hero wanted to see what his companion would choose.

"You heard its effect; it can shift one's state between life and death, avoiding certain rules."

"Certain rules?"

Still puzzled, Dionysus continued to ask.

"For instance?"

"For instance, the power of the Styx."

Calmly responding, Heracles answered.

"The Styx?"

Surprised, Dionysus then understood.

"So you've already known."

The power of the Styx, when the Great Hero mentioned this term, Dionysus first thought of the River Styx of Vows and then the Acheron River guarding the entrance to the Underworld.

According to the plan of Zephyrus and the Divine King, their next step was indeed to go to the Underworld.

The Sky-holder's stance was clear, next would be Hades.

Though the Underworld had always been viewed by the gods as a barren place, it didn't mean Zeus disregarded its existence.

On the contrary, the Underworld held many secrets. If it weren't for having personally traversed the Abyss, Heracles' journey might include Tartarus.

Dionysus wasn't entirely sure about this, but knew a part.

"So your potion is for the journey to the Underworld? This is unnecessary."

"Charon, the ferryman of the underworld, wouldn't dare stop you from crossing, at most he'd play some tricks... Well, it's good to be prepared, as it's still the Underworld."

Nodding, Dionysus indicated his understanding.

Next to him, Heracles remained silent upon hearing this, ultimately shaking his head with a mysterious expression.

So it was like this, the gods had arranged the subsequent trials in the Underworld? Truly a fateful coincidence.

Looking up at the bronze rod fixed at the sea near the island, the Great Hero felt this force more strongly.

Atlas had said, holding up the sky wasn't about strength, but qualification.

The whole mortal realm might not have another qualified person, and he just happened to be it.

Yet in this world, there's no love or hate without reason.

He was so unique, but what was the price?

Typhon was born great and glorious, but their final fate was losing everything.

If someday he also faced the same situation, what choice would he make...

"Ande."

Continuing his work, the Great Hero questioned in his heart.

"I've heard from His Highness Prometheus that the Divine King tried to recruit Typhon during the catastrophe?"

"Indeed, that happened." Affirmed Ande.

"What did he think then?"

"How would I know?"

Shaking his head, the puppet speculated:

"No one knows how the Divine King coerced, perhaps using what he cared about."

"For instance, saying that being alive means having everything, and dying means having nothing. As a monster, it would always be a backdrop in the gods' stories; as a demon, its rebellion would be a joke, people only mocking its helplessness."

"But these probably had no effect on Typhon, I can even guess how it would respond."

"Oh?"

"Nothing surprising." Ande laughed: "It would probably just tell Zeus, I'm inherently a monster... inherently a demon."

"..."

"You're right."

After a moment of silence, Heracles calmly spoke. He did not know the true situation, but the Great Hero was willing to believe the puppet's guess.

Monster and demon were Typhon's inherent symbols, its fortune and misfortune stemmed from this.

The King of All Monsters never cared about this... So regardless of whether fate's gift was good, when its price was due, Heracles would embrace it.

······

At the edge of the Holy Island, the Great Hero brewed his potion.

At the center of the Holy Island, a few sea nymphs who had just awakened from their stupor were unable to accept humanity's rebellion, yet feared Heracles' power.

Before today, their memories told them humans never defied the gods' orders. From the deities occasionally visiting the Holy Island, they heard of the devotion and kindness of the gods' followers.

Anyone connected to the divine, even if mortals were not their believers, would worship fervently, an innate trait of humanity.

Until recently, when Heracles stormed in abruptly, they panicked, realizing humans dared to harm them like demons.

This violated their past worldview, rendering them incredulous.

Fortunately, a nymph questioned, because the dragon Ladon was dead.

"He must not be human, for humans couldn't defeat Ladon."

Confidently, the fairy nymph further elaborated: "No god could surpass Typhon's child, only the great Divine King could imprison it."

"That guy is surely not human, he must be an ancient god discontent with the Divine Court, here to challenge the Heavenly Empress."

"What we should do now isn't anything else, but to rush to the Mount of the Gods and report to the Divine King that a human has overturned the Heavenly Empress's garden and taken all the fruits."

"With the Divine Royalty's intervention, no matter who he is, he won't escape justice."

This statement immediately gained the nymph's approval.

The seven sea nymphs and fairies elected a representative to Olympus to accuse Heracles of his crimes.

The rest would stay to continue their work for Hera.

"Hmm... by the way."

"That pseudo-human ancient god seems unaware, His Majesty's orchard doesn't just have fruits on the trees."

"Besides the unharvested ones, the ones we stored are the main stock, used for His Majesty's feasts with the gods."

Hesitating, the chosen messenger sea nymph spoke before setting off.

"You"