Chapter 358 (1/2)

Hercules led the three injured sisters back to the volcano that was home to Atlas. It was three days after entering the labyrinth that he finally managed to meet Atlas.

[Aegle, Erytheia, Arethusa...]

Atlas, the giant monkey carrying the sky, had wide eyes when he saw his wounded daughters. They were the daughters he reunited with after a few decades. Yet he met them in such a wounded state. Atlas was heartbroken. Once Atlas heard about the circumstances from Hercules, he thanked Hercules for saving his daughters. Hercules replied that he just did what was natural. Atlas immediately started treating his daughters. One day passed and it was the fourth day.

“...Thank you for the help.”

Hercules sat on a rock in a corner of the Labyrinth of Souls. He was watching the souls heading to the Underworld when he heard a familiar voice behind him. He asked, [Are you okay?]

“...Thanks to you.”

Arethusa responded while pretending to be fine. However, it could be seen she was in pain from her frown. Arethusa sat on the rock next to Hercules. There was quite a distance between his rock and the rock next to Hercules’. Therefore, the two of them were sitting slightly apart.

Hercules burst out laughing at the thought that this was the distance from her heart to his. “Why are you laughing?”

[No, just. It’s been a while since I’ve sat next to you like this. I thought this wouldn’t happen again.]

“Bah. I would’ve punched you in the face right away if it wasn’t for my father asking me to forgive you. My father said you made up for the wrongs you’ve done by saving me this time. I would still hate you if it wasn’t for my father’s words.”

[......]

Hercules stared blankly at Arethusa before taking a deep breath and standing up. Arethusa cocked her head and wondered, “Where are you going?”

[I’m confirmed that you are safe, so I’m going to do my job.]

“What is it?”

[Revenge.]

“Revenge?”

Arethusa had a question mark over her head like she didn’t understand. Hercules nonchalantly turned his back to Arethusa. He was going to find Lucifer, who made the three sisters like this. Hercules decided in his heart that he could never leave Lucifer alive.

Step, step.

Arethusa watched his back as he moved away. She had a rough idea of what he was going to do. She wanted to hold him back, but she couldn’t stop him. Hercules was a stubborn man who never gave up until he achieved his goal. He was so good that she loved him. In fact, it was the same now.

[Wait a minute.]

Just then, Atlas finished treating Aegle and Erytheia and called out to Hercules who was moving away. Hercules turned in the direction of the voice. A small cloud flew in front of him.

[This...]

Hercules glanced at the cloud in front of him and raised his head to express his gratitude to Atlas.

[Thank you, Father-in-law.]

[Bah. Who is your father-in-law? How cheeky. Get out of here.] Atlas ordered Hercules to leave in a rude tone.

Hercules smiled and disappeared into the fog of the labyrinth. Arethusa and Atlas watched him leave together. Then Atlas turned around and muttered in a small voice, [I have a weird guy as my son-in-law.]

The distant Hercules paused for a moment and gave a little smile. Then he headed back into the depths of the Labyrinth of Souls. Arethusa stared at Hercules as he disappeared into the fog.

* * *

At the capital of the Atlan Kingdom...

Park Muyeol was deeply troubled as he looked up at the crescent moon from the balcony of the royal palace. The night sky wasn’t dyed black. It was a pale purple that looked like a black pearl. It was due to the influence of the barrier magic used by Hecatiana, goddess of the moon and magic.

Hecatiana had never left the temple in order to maintain the barrier after Jupiter’s warning that day. Park Muyeol was deeply moved by her bold determination to protect humans.

“......”

Park Muyeol’s forehead wrinkled as he sighed and looked down at the night scenery of the Atlan Kingdom. This place that was incomparably beautiful to before was the new hometown of Park Muyeol. The Atlan Kingdom had a stillness that was like the calm before the storm. The scene of the kingdom facing death was enough to make Park Muyeol emotional.

“There are three days remaining.”

Three days remained until the one week deadline that Jupiter spoke of. According to the photos and information that Union had uploaded to the community, it was possible to know the route of the demonic army and its size. It was a large army of demons close to one million so it would probably be a fierce battle.

Fortunately, the governments of each country have promised through Arkstagram that they would give enormous wealth to the rankers in each field if they participated in the war against the demonic army and survived. From the government’s point of view, this was the only way to save the large number of innocent, weak hostages. It couldn’t be helped.

‘But...’

Park Muyeol was filled with absurd worries. Those people said they would participate in the war, but it was unknown if they would really risk their lives and fight fiercely. No one wanted to die in a place like this. The only ones who would truly fight for Atlan were the NPCS.