The Greece Antagonist

Half an hour later, on the banks of the River Styx.

Sisyphus looked at the long-still surface of the river, his expression ugly.

He had already thrown away all the Coins of the Dead he had, but Ferryman Charon of the underworld river had yet to appear, steering his ferry.

Even more, as the ripples surged, the few coins he had tossed as payment gradually washed back to the shore.

Looking down at the wet Coins of the Dead at his feet, Sisyphus couldn't help but be dumbfounded.

What's going on? Is that old Charon refusing to take the job?

Isn't he always eager at the sight of money? Since when does he refuse business that comes knocking?

We can offer more money if it's not enough!

"Forget it, it doesn't look like we can count on him this time."

Luo En shook his head, squashing Sisyphus' impulse to increase the offer.

They had stirred up such a huge mess that even if Charon's flimsy body were weighed down with flesh and bones, it wouldn't amount to much; under these circumstances, that guy wouldn't dare come close, let alone offer help.

He loves money, surely, but he's not stupid...

We are in trouble.

Caught by this unexpected turn of events, a shadow of gloom couldn't help but arise in Luo En's eyes.

After briefly pondering, he made a new decision.

"Let's not wait for the ferry. Let's go along the riverbanks!"

According to the map given by King Minos, they could also reach Arima Cave by following the riverbank.

However, this meant they would have to take a much longer route, and along the way, they would inevitably encounter twists and turns, including the Netherworld's forces scouring the land and sea for them.

Just as the four of them were about to embark on their new journey, Sisyphus suddenly heard the turbulent sound of water from behind and couldn't help but excitedly turn back.

"Wait, there's something happening on the water!"

At this moment, ripples spread out from a distance, and the ashen fog lit up with ghostly specks of light.

One... two... three...

Tens... hundreds... till they reached a thousand!

Luo En's face drastically changed, and he immediately burst out.

"It's the Underworld Butterflies! Run!"

"Damn it, that old Charon actually betrayed us!"

Seeing this, Sisyphus by his side also instantly realized the situation.

The two figures, each possessing the Authority of Divine Speed, hurriedly picked up their teammates and turned to flee for their lives.

"Go! Don't let them get away!"

From a warship constructed from the bones of the dead, four sinister and formidable figures leaped up, swiftly moving to encircle the fleeing Netherworld criminals ahead.

Glancing back, Sisyphus' soul almost leapt from his body.

The God of Sleep Hypnos and The Furies were all there! In addition to that, there was a large number of the Tribe of Dream Spirits and Underworld Guards!

As an old swindler who took pleasure in deceiving deities, upon realizing he had been thoroughly tricked, Sisyphus cursed under his breath and sped up.

Charon, you old immortal, just you wait, I'm not finished with you!

As they raced, even though both Luo En and Sisyphus possessed the Authority of Divine Speed, they still couldn't put much distance between themselves and their powerful pursuers due to the disparity in strength.

Even worse, as time passed, the presence behind them grew closer and clustered more abundantly.

Seeing the dire situation, Luo En glared at Sisyphus with ill intent.

It seems it's time for a good brother to make himself useful, right?

However, as if sensing an inkling of danger, Sisyphus instinctively tightened his grip on Adonis, whom he was carrying on his back, and looked around warily.

Tsk, no good, Aphrodite's pretty boy is still in his hands.

If we lose them both, this trip would have been in vain.

Forget it, let's think of another way...

Left with no choice, Luo En had to temporarily set aside his unkind intentions of betraying his teammate. He remained vigilant, his thoughts whirling in his head, trying to find a new way out of their predicament.

"Over there..."

A soft voice whispered in his ear like a fragrant breeze, and trusting his intuition, Luo En fledtoward the direction Thetis was pointing.

Very soon, his gaze was captured by a garden in the distance, abundant with Golden Grain Flowers, grapevines, daffodils, pomegranate trees, cypress trees, and more, all radiating a strong sense of vitality that seemed to be from the surface world.

The rich greenery and fragrant flowers seemingly contained all the vitality of the above-ground plants, dissipating the deathly aura of the Netherworld, creating a serene and beautiful paradise within this realm of death.

"What is that?"

"Persephone's garden..."

Thetis, cuddled in Luo En's arms, leaned in and reminded him in a low voice, her gaze flickering.

Upon hearing this in the midst of their flight, Luo En suddenly realized the implication and felt a surge of excitement.

It seems we might have a chance!

"Escape that way!"

After Luo En reminded his teammates behind him, he immediately brought his divine speed to the extreme and leaped into the garden beyond the wall with lightning speed.

Seeing this, Sisyphus hurriedly followed suit, speeding up to shake off the large group of pursuers behind him and also dashing into the thick shadows.

"Chase!"

God of Sleep and The Furies, following closely behind, rushed in on impulse, but as deities of the Netherworld, they unavoidably carried a heavy aura of death with them, which naturally conflicted with the plants that symbolized life above ground.

Therefore, as soon as they entered the garden, the plants around them began to wither under the invasion of the deadly aura, hanging withered petals and dried fruits on their branches.

"Who let you in? Get out!"

At that moment, a serene and pleasant voice emanated from deep within the garden, and the anger and disgust mixed within it made the chasing gods of the Netherworld stop in their tracks subconsciously.

"My lord, criminals of the Netherworld have intruded into your garden, we were just..."

"I don't care who you are after, but right now, I only see you trampling my flowers. Get out before I decide to take this matter further!"

The serene voice responded indifferently, and then a trace of gloom began to brew within it.

"Or would you prefer to stay here as fertilizer for the flowers? Shall I call 'him' over?"

Hearing the firm command ringing in their ears, and recalling the "gardener" tending potted plants in the Great Temple, Hypnos and The Furies swallowed in fear and hastily retracted their steps, leading the Underworld Guards behind them to recede like the tide back beyond the garden's territory.

The eldest of The Furies, Megaira, with a headache, looked at the insurmountable barrier before her and turned to ask her colleagues.

"What now?"

"Secure the perimeter first and search the area. I will immediately report to His Majesty, the Underworld King, and ask for his judgment."

After leaving these instructions, Hypnos flapped his wings and flew swiftly towards the Great Temple of the Netherworld.

Meanwhile, in the quiet courtyard shrouded by flowers and plants, an elegant female figure draped in a light veil and wearing a black diadem, leaned in a pavilion, gazing lazily and comfortably at the daffodils blooming in the pond.

And the pomegranate seeds she peeled in her palm entered her lips; she gently bit and sucked them, bursting with juice that was tangy and sweet, with a hint of astringency.

The emotions that surfaced in the goddess's verdant eyes were complex, and she sighed to herself.

Once upon a time, it was because of these two things that she fell to the Netherworld, devoid of sunlight. Now, ironically, they had become the objects on which she placed her thoughts and memories.

Memories of frolicking with the nymphs in the forest and valleys arose in her mind, and the goddess's enthusiasm for the vibrant daffodils before her waned, as she lifted her head to look at a figure hiding in the dense shadows, revealing a subtle smile on her face.

"Come out. Do you really want me to invite you personally? After all, I did you a big favor."

Thetis let out a wry smile, helplessly emerging from the dense forest, as the layers of disguise curses faded from her.

They… knew each other?

Just when Sisyphus and Adonis subconsciously craned their necks to see this unexpected development, they both felt a sharp pain at the back of their necks, their souls shaken by a tide-like assault.

Dammit, not again!

As the familiar sensation washed over him, Sisyphus cursed inwardly in despair, his consciousness then engulfed by boundless darkness, and along with Adonis, he fell into complete unconsciousness.

Luo En looked at the two men who had fallen and expertly threw seventeen or eighteen curses such as suppression, confusion, and binding, making sure they weren't faking unconsciousness. Only then did he step confidently out of the dense forest, following in Thetis's footsteps.

The blazing fire of gossip within compelled him to ask quietly.

"Do you two know each other?"

Thetis nodded and briefly explained her relationship with the Queen of the Underworld while they walked.

They had once been close, before Persephone became the Queen of the Underworld. The two deities often banqueted and chatted together, and since both of them enjoyed quiet comfort, they indeed shared a good friendship.

Luo En listened and started to understand.

The mythological epic "Iliad" mentioned that Thetis, in order to break the curse of the Goddess of Discord, repeatedly entered the Netherworld, holding her son Achilles by the heel and immersing him in the river Styx, making him invulnerable.

Being able to enter and leave the Netherworld so easily, and utilizing its divine power to forge a divine body for her son, Thetis clearly had backing in the Netherworld.

Now it seemed that Persephone was the source of her confidence to come here.

If anything went wrong, her old friend could likely cover for her.

No wonder Thetis had been so calm and composed all along.

Realizing that his teammate was also an influential figure, Luo En decisively left the task of negotiating with the Queen to Thetis.

Persephone listened to her friend Thetis's earnest request and nodded slightly, "You want my help to get you out? That can be arranged..."

Just as Thetis's face lit up with joy, the Queen of the Underworld in the pavilion turned the conversation.

"But after such a big favor, how do you plan to thank me?"

"I…"

Just as Thetis was going to make some lightly made promises, Persephone raised her hand to interrupt her, her gaze drifting over her shoulder.

"How about this, leave him behind, and the rest of you are free to go..."

Hearing this, Luo En instinctively glanced towards Adonis, who lay unconscious in the dense forest.

In legends, after the Prince of Cyprus died, his spirit was fought over by the Queen of the Underworld and the God of Love. Eventually, under Zeus's mediation, he spent six months of the year in the Netherworld with Persephone, and the other six months on earth, belonging to Aphrodite.

That damn pretty boy, causing me trouble again!

Just as Luo En was inwardly complaining, he suddenly felt an intense gaze burning in front of him.

Following the Queen's deep gaze, he stiffly lowered his head to look at himself, his brain crashing in disbelief.

Wait a minute, something isn't right here?!