chapter 8 (edited)

"That child has left, you should come out too," Prometheus said softly after Cyd and the white horse had completely disappeared into the clouds.

"King of the Gods, Zeus."

"I don't need to hide," Zeus said, walking out from behind the rock with his hands clasped over his chest. "I was gambling, and I lost quite easily."

"As always, you are intelligent," Prometheus smiled.

"Yes, I betted on that child to win Poseidon's warhorse, but I clearly miscalculated," Zeus shrugged. "I met with Thetis, and if possible, I might consider granting that child a day of fire to temper his flesh."

"The Goddess of Water Thetis? So, you still believe in that prophecy?" Prometheus nodded thoughtfully. "That child..."

"I want you to remember, I didn't lock you up just because of your actions," Zeus narrowed his eyes. "Your expression now makes me think that you've deceived me regarding the tribute for the first time. But you should know that."

"Naturally, as the omniscient and omnipotent King of the Gods, my cleverness in trivial matters cannot hide the truth from you," Prometheus shrugged. "So, why didn't I respond to that child's prayer, as you did?"

"That child trusts you a lot," Zeus looked into the distance, still concerned about Cyd's well-being.

"Yes, that's why I feel very guilty. That child only wants a peaceful life, but I used his trust to push him onto the irreversible path of becoming a hero," Prometheus looked down.

"This is the first time you've behaved this way," Zeus was intrigued, studying Prometheus's guilt-ridden face. "Explain to me why."

"That child is an anomaly in this world. In any case, he cannot live an ordinary life as he hopes," Prometheus felt helpless for the first time. "So, I could only make his life remarkable, at least in the eyes of others."

"Even if you also wear such an expression? You've had many low moments these years," Zeus approached Prometheus. "Rest assured, I won't harm that child. But how will he be forced to become a hero? You should care about that too."

"He will become a hero whom everyone praises."

"Then... that makes me even more curious."

The jet-black wings opened on Zeus's back.

"I won't gnaw on your liver today. After all, I've seen the expression I wanted to see on your face."

With that, Zeus transformed into an eagle and flew away.

"Cyd, Pure Son of Man," Prometheus looked up into the distance. "Your life may never be ordinary again, but your words will never give up. So, I bless you until you reach that seemingly unreachable place."

"I've been feeling... a strange feeling," Cyd trembled, riding on the white horse's back. "Is this horse really taking me to the Styx River?"

The white horse rolled its eyes, clearly irritated by Cyd's concerns. Was he worried about an attack? Who would dare attack the warhorse of Lord Poseidon? Besides, they had already arrived at the Styx River.

The pure white wings on the horse's back slowly folded, and it descended gracefully, stopping near a river that resembled a small stream.

"Is this the Styx River?" Cyd asked, not jumping into the water excitedly as one might expect. Instead, he remained on the horse's back, looking around with suspicion.

It wasn't exactly what he expected. The scenery was beautiful, with birds chirping in the branches and grass swaying gently in the breeze. The limpid water of the Styx River flowed slowly.

"Is this even the cursed river that prevented my ancestor from being washed away?" Cyd wondered aloud. The white horse approached the stream and shook its body, but Cyd didn't react. He was deep in thought.

As he expected, the Styx River couldn't harm him. But was this slight, involuntary motion of the water comfortable?

Cyd leisurely swished his tail and then lay back with his hands behind his head, allowing the water to rise until it almost touched his nose.

So peaceful...

Submerged in the Styx River, Cyd gazed into the clear water.

Does this make my body invulnerable?

Before his oxygen ran out, Cyd pondered. Did invulnerability refer to immunity from physical harm, or did it extend to other techniques?

If only physical harm was a concern, what about suffocation or being crushed by a Titan? What if someone tried to poison him or tricked him into drinking from the Styx River?

Cyd glanced at the white horse grazing nearby and noticed a woman with sea-blue hair and a Greek gown petting its head.

Suddenly, Cyd was kicked out of his reverie, almost choking on the water of the Styx River.

Then, he realized that his respiratory and digestive systems were also invulnerable.

Struggling to crawl out of the river, Cyd lay on the ground in a distressed posture, gasping for breath.

After barely managing to escape death at the hands of two female demons, Cyd had almost met his end in a simple stream.

"Such an interesting child," the woman said, approaching Cyd and crouching beside him.

"Which god are you?" Cyd asked nervously, realizing that he was in the presence of a goddess.

"Me?" She tilted her head, squatting down.

At that moment, Cyd noticed her gown spreading out, revealing her snow-white thigh right in front of him.

In an instant, Cyd closed his eyes, admonishing himself not to look or cause trouble. After all, even ants were afraid of the gods' wrath. And this was the Underworld, where survival was uncertain.

In Greek mythology, you could kneel and lick the goddess's feet, but beyond that, you should not do anything else. Because here, you couldn't be sure if you were breathing air or inhaling toxic fumes.