King of Underworld

Chapter 138 The Argonauts – (5)

In the dead of night, a red dragon suddenly rampaged, setting fire to the palace and village.

Though no one knew why the dragon, which had once guarded the Golden Fleece, was now attacking people, the soldiers assembled to stop the creature had to grit their teeth and raise their spears.

Without Princess Medea, the renowned sorceress, Thanatos would have appeared before them already.

And then, unexpected reinforcements arrived.

“Meleager! Aim for its eyes or mouth with your spear! Atalanta too!”

“Zetes, let’s take to the skies and keep it in check!”

“Is there anyone else here who can use magic?!”

The heroes, each formidable in their own right, quickly formed squads to face the dragon.

It was clear they had experienced similar battles before, as they moved seamlessly under Jason’s command.

Yet, the dragon’s body remained unscathed.

Despite the fierce attacks from the skilled heroes, its impenetrable hide stayed intact.

It was hard to think of this as a mere monster. No matter how formidable a dragon might be, for so many heroes to strike it…

It felt like they were moths challenging a deity.

But from the moment he appeared, the situation shifted.

“Jason! There were too many people trapped under the rubble, so I’m a bit late! I just need to kill this dragon, right?!”

Clad in a lion’s pelt over his head, wielding an iron club and golden sword, and so massive he made full-grown men look like children,

Hercules entered. Imitators of the great hero Hercules could be found even in Colchis… but this man was different.

The dragon, which had been wildly rampaging as if merely toying with them, lunged forward.

Their barely maintained formation broke, and the soldiers squeezed their eyes shut in fear.

However…

Thud!

“What… What! He stopped it!”

“…Who is that man?”

He was different. He blocked the dragon’s claws—something no hero had done before—with his iron club, dodging its flames and striking back. He wasn’t just holding his ground; he was matching the monster blow for blow!

This wasn’t some fool mimicking the great hero; the real Hercules stood before them.

Relief and hope revived within them, their tear-filled eyes fixed on the man named Jason, who clasped his hands in prayer.

Hercules, the great hero, was a mortal, not a god.

But at that moment, he was closer to them than any deity.

Realizing this, one by one, the soldiers clasped their hands and prayed.

“Please, save Colchis from this dreadful dragon…”

O god.

* * *

Kraaaaa—!!!

In his battle against the fire-breathing dragon, Hercules’s face shone with exhilaration.

Other humans had always been too weak. Even fights with heroes had been the same. Monsters were troublesome, but ultimately, they were no match for him.

His sparring with Lady Megaera had been more like practice, and his encounter with Lord Triton was far too brief.

But this dragon was different.

Its red scales rivaled the durability of his body, strengthened by the waters of the River Styx.

Its searing flames and sharp claws could even wound him.

It felt like he was battling a god.

It was a truly worthy adversary!

“Hrraaaah!”

At last, Hercules threw aside his mangled iron club, which had been torn by the dragon’s claws, and clung to its wing.

The dragon beat its wings furiously, trying to shake him off, but Hercules tore at the annoying wing with his bare hands.

Sppplurt!

Kraaaaaa!!!

The dragon, with one wing torn off, writhed in agony and screamed. Flames spewed directly at him from its gaping maw.

Hercules felt the burning pain sear his body as the flames hit him point-blank.

“Hahaha! More! Give me more!”

Yet, despite the searing agony, his crazed laughter did not waver.

Is this what people call a worthy foe? So, this is what Theseus meant by a monster worth fighting!

Like the Chimera that Bellerophon fought, or the Ismenian Dragon that Cadmus killed, this was a monster sent to test him.

Now, he tore off the dragon’s battered left wing with his bare hands and began punching it.

Just as he’d grabbed and battered the Nemean Lion by the throat, his primal violence now assaulted the dragon.

Thud! Crunch!

It was an unbelievable sight—an unarmed man lunging at a dragon and beating it.

Even more astonishing was that the dragon, in visible pain, struggled desperately to shake him off.

“This… is madness.”

“Am… am I dreaming?”

“O Zeus…”

Everyone watched in shock and awe at this legendary fight, eyes fixed on Hercules.

The greatest Greek sorcerer, heroes who had fought beside the great hero for a long time, even the leader of the Argonauts.

“Hahahaha!”

Kraaaaaa—!!!!

A human, fighting the pinnacle of monsters with his bare hands.

The name, Hercules.

Exhilaration overflowed within him. Power surged inexplicably, and despite the scorching pain, he felt no fatigue.

He continued to pound the unyielding scales, tore off the other wing, smashed the dragon’s claws with his fists…

His body was so blood-soaked that he could no longer tell whose blood it was.

With a final strike, he tore off one of its sharp horns and plunged it into the dragon’s neck,

ending the life of the apex creature.

Thud!

“My god… he killed the dragon with his bare hands.”

“…Oh god.”

“Was the great hero Hercules… a god?”

“Hercules! Are you all right?! Asclepius, check his condition!”

“He’s covered in blood! Wait… why are there no wounds on your body?”

Standing atop the fallen dragon’s head, Hercules looked at the heroes running toward him…

and realized something remarkable.

Despite fighting so fiercely, moving so intensely, he felt no exhaustion.

It was as if power flowed endlessly within him.

His vision sharpened.

He knew what he could do and what he needed to do.

“Hercules, there’s something different about you…”

“Jason.”

“Huh? Uh?”

“Thank you. It’s thanks to you.”

Smiling at his friend who didn’t understand his words, he drew the golden sword he had received from Chrysaor and severed the dragon’s neck, lifting it high.

“Woooo! We won!”

“Thank you, gods of Olympus!”

“Glory to Colchis! We saved our people!”

The dragon that had razed the city was defeated by a newly born god.

* * *

The battlefield was quickly restored to order.

The Golden Fleece, retrieved from the dragon’s stomach, was given to the Argonauts.

The people of Colchis, grateful for the heroes’ help, willingly relinquished their claim to it…

“Besides, my father perished in the dragon’s flames. My younger brother holds the succession rights, but we’ve reached an understanding…”

“We mourn the passing of King Aeetes.”

“It’s all right. This disaster was unavoidable… Sob.”

Because of their battle against the dragon, Jason and Medea fell in love.

The union between the beautiful princess of Colchis and the heir of Iolcos was beneficial to both nations.

With the instability caused by the dragon’s rampage among Colchis’s royals, and Jason’s own uncertain claim to the throne, given that Pelias was unlikely to abdicate easily, the mutual needs of love and alliance pushed their union forward rapidly.

“Jason. Look, we know the princess is beautiful, but could you stand a little further back?”

“Damn it. I don’t even have a fiancée, yet a guy like him…”

“Er… Princess, are you truly coming with us to Iolcos?”

“Is love also an illness?”

“Well, we got the Golden Fleece, so the expedition was a success!”

And so, warmly welcomed by the people of Colchis, Princess Medea boarded the Argo.

With the princess of Colchis now on board, the Argo returned swiftly to Iolcos.

Any sea monsters that appeared en route fled upon meeting Hercules’s gaze…

“I’ve never seen monsters run away like this.”

“…Could it be?”

On the island of Crete, they encountered Talos, the bronze giant.

Created by Hephaestus, this giant would sink nearby ships and kill any who approached…

“One punch… well, it is Hercules.”

“I was going to put him to sleep with magic…”

“Well, strength is for those who lack brains, right?”

With Hercules smashing obstacles with a single blow, nothing could stop the Argonauts.

They even visited the island where Hercules’s servant, Hylas, had mysteriously disappeared.

“Nymphs? Have any of you seen a handsome young man on this island? His name is Hylas.”

“Th-that…!”

“If you don’t speak clearly, I’ll sink this entire island.”

“Eek! I’m sorry! Actually… my sisters kidnapped a handsome young man…”

“It’s my first time seeing nymphs trembling like this.”

“Ah… I see.”

Apparently, the island’s nymphs had kidnapped Hylas, as they had fallen for him.

“…Thank you. I really thought I was going to die.”

“What on earth happened for you to look so haggard?”

“Your cheeks look hollow! Were you overworked?”

“Why are your legs shaking so much…?”

With these experiences, the Argonauts finally set foot on solid ground.

They had returned to their starting point, Iolcos.