(Greek Mythology) The Abyss of the Underworld
Chapter Sixty-Two
"Artemis." Tarasa called out with a smile to a black cat with a silver crescent moon mark between its brows.
The black cat looked up at the sound of her voice, and upon recognizing Tarasa, transformed into a young girl.
"How have you been these days? I heard Hera has been giving you trouble," Tarasa asked with a hint of worry.
Artemis only stayed in the Underworld for a few years before being thrown back by Amy and Eris, who had grown tired of her. However, this brief period was enough for Tarasa and Artemis to become friends. Later, Artemis returned to the Holy Mountain with her mother and brother, and the two gods' contact decreased, but Tarasa continued to keep tabs on Artemis.
"Indeed, but I failed every time. Don't worry, I'm not that easy to bully." Despite being constantly bullied by Amy and Eris, Artemis is no pushover. While her fighting prowess is average, she compensates with intelligence. The directness and straightforwardness of Hera, the queen of the gods, meant that any attempt to take action would only result in a loss of goodwill from Zeus and further damage to her own reputation.
Moreover, shortly after returning to Mount Zeus, Artemis became Zeus's most beloved daughter. Hera, with her reservations and several failed attempts, temporarily abandoned her plan to deal with Leto and her children.
"Still, be careful." Thalassa had come to see Artemis out of concern for her life on Mount Zeus. Now that she knew Artemis was doing well, Thalassa felt relieved.
"I used to think that Father God, though a bit of a scoundrel and a womanizer, was otherwise alright. Today I've seen it for myself." Artemis's tone was sarcastic, showing none of her usual respect and admiration for Zeus.
"It's just acting, anyone can do that."
"Don't say that, it's just a strategic retreat." Tarasa winked playfully, speaking ironically.
"No matter how nicely it sounds, it's still running away." Artemis frowned, feeling unhappy and particularly embarrassed at being forced to flee with them.
"Enough, you should go back quickly, it won't be good if they find you're not here." Tarasa urged Artemis to return after estimating the time.
"No need to rush," Artemis chuckled, a hint of sarcasm and nonchalance in her voice, "They can't care about me right now."
On the sacred mountain, everyone appeared harmonious and affectionate, seemingly deeply connected. However, it was already a miracle if there was any genuine sincerity among them. Artemis's personality had a somewhat aloof and unconventional air, seemingly cold and unapproachable, but in reality, she cherished relationships deeply, and naturally, she was very disappointed with the divine realm.
Tarasa didn't answer. Although she knew of the decadence of the divine realm, having always resided in the peaceful underworld, she couldn't possibly know the true nature of the divine realm. Even if she empathized, it would only be for a moment. Without the same experience, she had no right to say anything, not even offer comfort.
"Let's not talk about me. How have you been lately?" Artemis didn't need anyone's comfort. Her mood dipped slightly, but she quickly recovered.
"This can't be explained in a short time. Maybe next time. Zeus won't run away with us. No matter what, he will eventually fight. It wouldn't be good if you didn't participate."
"It would be bad if I participated. We gods dare not get involved in the trouble Her Majesty the Queen caused. We'd rather do more harm than good. Even if Father God didn't lead the escape, we would still avoid it." Artemis waved her hand, her tone rather dismissive.
"Then I'll tell you."
——————
While the atmosphere was harmonious between Tarasa and Artemis, Zeus, who had fled to Egypt, finally realized that running away wasn't enough and resolved to confront Typhon.
Zeus first attacked with lightning bolts from his weapon, Thunderbolt, then fought Typhon with his corundum scythe. Typhon was wounded and fled all the way to Mount Corsius in Syria. Zeus pursued him there and engaged Typhon in hand-to-hand combat. Typhon seized the opportunity to entangle Zeus with his snakes, disarmed him, and severed Zeus's tendons. He imprisoned Zeus in the cave of Cilicon, hiding his muscles under a bear skin.
"I don't understand why Zeus, a ranged fighter, would insist on engaging Typhon in close combat. Was he courting death, or death, or death?" Hemera couldn't help but complain.
"They don't even have a concept of combat awareness, so there's nothing surprising," Eris replied, her words particularly sarcastic.
"Shut up, be quiet and keep watching." Ai Miye's words silenced both gods.
The most annoying thing about watching a movie is having someone chattering incessantly in your ear; the same applies to watching a play.
After Zeus had his tendons pulled out by Typhon, Zeus's son Hermes, with Pan's help, secretly stole the tendons and returned them to Zeus's body, restoring his strength.
After Zeus recovered, the gods gathered to discuss countermeasures to defeat Typhon. Someone suggested a plan: trick Typhon into eating a fruit that would increase his strength for a day. Of course, this fruit wouldn't actually increase his strength; it would only temporarily increase it, and his strength would decrease significantly after the effect wore off. The gods unanimously agreed to the plan, and the three Fates volunteered to carry it out.
What an incredibly naive and simple plan! The god who suggested it certainly had a unique imagination, and of course, the gods who agreed to the plan also had equally unique imaginations.
And so, all the gods of the underworld, who were watching from different places, simply watched as the three Fates went to promote Typhon's ideas.
And Typhon actually believed them! He actually believed them!
"Young man, wake up! Those are your enemies! Don't you know that? You're at war! Don't you know that? Even children know not to trust strangers or eat strangers' food, and you actually believed your enemy and ate their food! Young man, you really have extraordinary courage!"
The gods of the underworld all closed their eyes and turned away, unable to bear watching any longer. They were speechless with utter despair at this world where everyone was acting like a fool.
"I've always thought I wasn't actually stupid. While I'm not incredibly intelligent, I'm at least average. It's just that compared to the other gods, I've become an idiot with an IQ below five. But now I've regained my confidence," Hermella's self-deprecating humor was unusually sharp.
"I think they don't even have an IQ," Ai Miye said, not even bothering to despise them anymore.
" "Calling them pigs is like calling them pigs; even pigs will come after me. Saying they're not as stupid as them is absurd," Eris agreed.
They're so stupid they're practically making me want to cry. —by Ai Mi Ye, Eris, and Hemera
Tartarus in the abyss, watching the scene in the Mirror of Life, was utterly speechless.
The plan to deal with the enemy was to trick them into eating the "One-Day Fruit," supposedly increasing their strength. This absurd plan actually received unanimous approval from the gods and succeeded. He really shouldn't have had any expectations of the average intelligence of this world.
He thought he had already overestimated their intelligence, but it turned out he had.
#Is there still a lower limit to your intelligence?#
#Let's talk about that group of collectively acting stupid idiots#
#What can save your intelligence...? Forget it, there's no point in saving it.# Chapter 62