The Expedition to Mount Athos - (2)

A divine oracle was issued from the Temple of Athena across Greece. The oracle called for an expedition to gather under the leadership of Poseidon's son, Orion, to exterminate the monsters gathered on Mount Athos.

The gathering point for the expedition was the Kingdom of Macedonia, near Mount Athos.

"They say all the monsters we need to slay have gathered there?" "The oracle from the goddess Athena confirmed it, so it must be true. Many monsters have gathered on Mount Athos..." "No wonder I couldn’t find any monsters when I went to hunt."

As a result, many who had failed to find the monsters they were meant to hunt flocked to Macedonia from across Greece. They came with hopes of achieving great feats and becoming legendary heroes under the guidance of a divine oracle.

"If Poseidon's son is leading the expedition, surely we'll have the blessing of the sea." "Orion is recruiting members for the expedition in Athens! Are you going to join?" "I heard the heroes from Thebes' training grounds are accepted without question. Doesn’t that seem a bit unfair?" "Hmph. Is he playing favorites just because they're from the same training ground?"

Orion's reputation as a giant hunter was well-known throughout Greece, so most heroes accepted him as the leader of the expedition. His arrows, known for their perfect accuracy, had dominated many hunting competitions in Greece.

However, many were dissatisfied with Orion’s decision to automatically accept those from Thebes' training ground. This dissatisfaction finally boiled over when Orion chose a small, frail-looking man to join the expedition, while rejecting others.

"Orion! Why was I rejected, and yet that scrawny fellow was accepted?!"

A bald Spartan warrior, with black tattoos, protested to the massive, blue-haired Orion, his face filled with frustration. But Orion calmly responded.

"That's because Perieres over there is stronger than you."

"What did you say?! You mean to tell me that scrawny runt, who looks like he hasn’t even trained properly, is stronger than me?"

At those words, the man named Perieres stepped forward and replied in a smooth voice. Although he started to say more, something seemed to catch in his throat, causing him to cough.

"Ha! Not trained properly, you say? Have you even fought a monster before? A sphin—urk!" "...What nonsense is this? Who are you, and where do you come from?" "Well, I graduated from the hero training ground and thought about becoming a king in Messene... but I ended up here."

At his words, the crowd that had gathered to join the expedition burst into laughter. However, none of the heroes from Thebes' training ground joined in.

"Hahaha! Becoming a king? This guy’s a real comedian." "He should join a troupe and play a clown, not join the expedition. Is it really right to accept someone like him, Orion?" "Orion, I think there’s something wrong with the way you’re picking members for the expedition."

Faced with the grumbling crowd, Orion exchanged a somewhat awkward glance with Perieres. Perieres shrugged and raised his voice.

"How about we settle this fairly with a pankration match? If I lose, I’ll recommend you in my place."

"Hah! Pankration, you say? Fine, but don’t blame me if you meet Thanatos afterward!"

Thus, what began as a recruitment for the expedition turned into an impromptu pankration match. Spectators formed a circle around the two men who were about to fight.

Orion, holding a staff, acted as the referee while the heroes prepared themselves.

"All right! By mutual agreement of the participants, we’ll be conducting a Kato-style pankration! Let the match begin!"

In Kato-style pankration, the match continues even if the fighters fall to the ground. As soon as Orion gave the signal, the two fighters, now stripped bare for the fight, lunged at each other.

The Spartan warrior attacked first, letting out a fierce shout as he swung his powerful right fist. His massive muscles bulged as he put all his strength into the punch. However, the punch missed Perieres, who dodged it effortlessly.

Then came Perieres' counterattack.

Born as a demigod from the wind god Aeolus, Perieres had the ability to control wind. His fists, infused with the power of wind, rained down like a storm, striking the Spartan's abdomen, chin, and head.

"Gah... Ugh!"

The Spartan warrior staggered back, beaten by a relentless barrage of blows. However, being a warrior, he retaliated with a savage kick aimed at his opponent.

But once again, his attack missed the mark, and Perieres, dodging with ease, taunted him with a mocking smile.

"Come on now. You can’t just charge in recklessly like that. I can't trust someone like you to watch my back on the expedition."

"Shut up, you bastard! Haaaah!"

Angered by the barrage of punches, the Spartan charged forward. But just as he did, he felt something hook his leg, and suddenly the world flipped upside down. Perieres had tripped him and immediately slammed him into the ground.

Thud!

The Spartan's head hit the ground with a sickening thud. Though he could have died from a concussion, his shallow breathing indicated that he was still alive. The fallen warrior was foaming at the mouth and was quickly carried off to a physician. Orion then declared the victor.

"As you’ve all seen, the winner is Perieres! If anyone else thinks my judgment is wrong, come forward and I’ll deal with you personally."

"Huh. That big guy went down so fast." "He didn’t even land a single hit before being knocked out. How did Perieres move like that...?" "What kind of training do they do in Thebes?" "Did that Spartan offer his ankle to Zeus or something?" "It didn’t break, so probably not."

Though the defeated Spartan had been a muscular warrior, the towering figure of Orion loomed even larger, and the crowd quieted. With no more challengers daring to question Orion’s decision, about 200 to 300 people were selected as members of the expedition. Some of these were from Thebes' training ground, but there were many who were not.

Before setting out for Mount Athos, the expedition stopped at a mountain far from the Kingdom of Macedonia to conduct a special ritual, seeking the gods' blessings for the journey.

Dozens of animals, including deer, leopards, and birds, were hunted by the heroes and piled onto a wooden altar. Armed heroes stood beneath it as Orion, the leader of the expedition, approached with a torch and lit the altar, shouting loudly.

"O gods of Olympus who watch from above! Protect these brave warriors who seek to hunt the monsters!"

Boom!

As if in response to his call, a bright blue bolt of lightning suddenly struck from the clear sky, enveloping the altar. The lightning was brief but intense, and when it faded, all the animals on the altar had vanished without a trace.

"L-Lightning?! Does this mean Zeus is watching over us?" "Not just the goddess Athena, who issued the oracle... the gods of Olympus themselves are watching this expedition!" "I’m so glad I came to Athens. This expedition is bound to be legendary...!"

The heroes cheered, interpreting the lightning as a divine response. This was their chance to make a name for themselves. With the gods watching over them, what hero wouldn’t feel his heart race with excitement?

Orion, too, raised his voice once more and shouted loudly.

"We shall hunt every beast and monster on the land and offer them all to the gods of Olympus!"

A boastful, even arrogant declaration from the demigod. But from Orion, the greatest hunter in Greece, such words were not empty.

That is, until a voice resonated from the earth itself.

"Hunt every beast and monster on the land? Child of Poseidon. Can you take responsibility for those words?"

Suddenly, a soft but commanding voice echoed, causing the heroes to freeze in shock. What was this voice? This overwhelming presence... it was surely a god. But weren’t the Olympian gods blessing this journey?

"W-Who are you?!"

Orion shouted toward the mysterious goddess, while the heroes hurriedly drew their weapons. After a moment of silence, the majestic yet gentle voice answered them again.

"...I am Gaia, goddess of the earth. You will pay for daring to insult the earth."

Gaia, the goddess of the earth? According to myth, she was the grandmother of Zeus... a Protogenoi?! How...?

The heroes, their imaginations running wild, could no longer think straight. The ground beneath them began to crack and tremble.

Rumble... Crack.

The earth shook violently, as if an earthquake had struck. A massive fissure began to spread across the land, and the heroes, unable to conceal their panic, were thrown into chaos.

But it was still too early to panic.

From the widening fissure in the ground... numerous monsters, which were supposed to be on Mount Athos, crawled out onto the surface.

Grrr... Bark! Hissss—

"T-The golden sword of Chrysaor! How is this possible... the monster born from Medusa's severed neck is here?!" "My gods... that two-headed serpent-tailed dog... that’s Orthrus! Even Typhon's children are here!" "Send word to the city immediately! We need reinforcements!" "Dammit! Zeus, help us!"