There was no prior discussion, and he had no idea what the other party intended to do.
Without ever having met, Pandora and the two great Sea God factions coincidentally began working towards the same goal.
Within the boundless Primordial Sea, the Authority of Material Destruction intertwined with Poseidon's original divine power, with the vast ocean acting as a catalyst.
Centered on the Sea Emperor's legacy left in this world, their combined powers produced an effect greater than the sum of their parts.
Far beneath the West Sea, Pandora herself was a little confused by the situation.
"Is my power… really this strong?"
A hint of bewilderment flashed in her eyes, then quickly returned to her usual indifference.
Pandora was merely following Gaia's previous instructions, continuing to stir up natural disasters in the four seas.
In the ethereal realm, the Sea Emperor's lingering divine Authority even resonated faintly with her.
However, she was no longer her past self. After so many years, Pandora had learned many taboos that belonged only to Gods.
Divine Authority could not be stripped away, nor could it be seized by someone like her, who gained power by assimilating the 'corpses' of Gods.
The ancient meteorology Titan had left the mortal realm so many years ago, yet to this day, no other God dared to claim mastery over meteorology.
So, no matter what she did, this was an unchangeable fact… but it didn't matter anyway.
Expressionless, Pandora plucked the string named Destruction.
Whatever it was, if others told her to do it, she would do it.
She had always done so, ever since she brought destruction to the Bronze Humans long ago.
…
From the sea to the Sky, then from the Sky to the seabed.
The sun rose into the Sky six times and set from the Sky six times.
No God intervened in their battle; Heracles and Ladon's only opponents were each other.
Scalding dragon blood splattered across the sea, and the roar of the giant dragon shook the clouds.
The Hundred-Headed Dragon lived up to its fearsome reputation; it even managed to make the Great Hero bleed in places not covered by his lion hide.
But when the morning light once again rose from the eastern land, Ladon finally ran out of all its strength.
Its massive corpse lay on the surface of the sea, with ninety-nine fleshy tumors writhing on its neck.
Ladon attempted to regenerate its flesh and blood, its powerful vitality gathering at the severed sections.
However, the Great Hero had long anticipated this, so he used the venom flowing from Hydra's fangs to suppress the demon's Life.
Ladon tried to rally its spirit, to summon the Typhon's wrathful flames that could incinerate the Sky.
However, the Great Hero also noticed its movements, so he blew the bone flute made from the Siren's throat, causing the demon's spirit to become scattered and disoriented.
With no other recourse, Ladon wanted to dive into the seabed, hide its form, and fight him again after expelling the poison.
But its form was completely exposed before the eyes of the Caucasus Divine Eagle, making it impossible to escape the Great Hero's assault.
Finally, it wanted to compete in endurance with its human opponent, but after absorbing the remnants from Sphinx's domain, the Great Hero could fight it for three years without rest.
When all methods proved ineffective, Ladon's defeat was inevitable.
If it had encountered a novice Heracles, perhaps it truly could have won.
But having reached this point, there was almost nothing in the mortal world that could stand against the Great Hero.
Stepping on the water, Heracles looked at the demon before him.
The bronze pillar that supported the Sky revealed its true form, pressing the Hundred-Headed Dragon beneath it.
By now, the victor was decided.
"Ladon," the Great Hero asked the last dragon head of the Great Demon, "Do you have anything else to say?"
"We are enemies; you want to kill me. But we didn't need to fight, only because I wanted to enter the Heavenly Empress's garden."
"I will not let you go, but if you have any wish, I might be able to fulfill it for you… if it does not violate my principles."
"…Roar…"
It said nothing. The only response Heracles received was a weak roar and Ladon's unyielding gaze.
It looked at the Great Hero, and it also seemed to be looking at the land behind him, at the divine mountain on the land.
Typhon's wrath burned in its blood and soul, a flame that even Death could not extinguish.
Gazing at this scene, Heracles understood the other party's request.
It only needed a Death like Typhon's, and the War God's never-ending fighting spirit.
Bang—
The final blow ended Ladon's Life.
Heracles picked up his bronze club and dragged its corpse towards the sacred island.
The Hundred-Headed Dragon was dead. Next, no one would stop him from obtaining the golden apple.
At this moment, the River of Forgetfulness in the Underworld was already beckoning to him.
As long as the corresponding potion was prepared, there would be no further obstacles in his path.
…
"Hoo…"
"Hoo… hoo…"
"Is it safe outside?"
On the Heavenly Empress's sacred island, in the garden where the golden apple tree was planted.
Peeking out from the nearly shattered barrier, the Sea Nymph looked at everything before her with fear and shock.
It was as if a hurricane had passed, or a meteor had fallen in the wilderness.
Except for the core orchard, almost no part of the entire island remained intact. Looking around, there was only devastation.
In the distance, the sea churned with terrifying waves, and storms and tsunamis rose and fell, a scene of doomsday calamity.
This left the Sea Nymph, who had never witnessed such a situation, frozen in place, momentarily unsure what to do.
The Gods treated her with courtesy, and mortals worshipped her, for she was Hera's attendant; but demons and natural disasters did not know who she was, so the Sea Nymph dared not run around.
Unsure if the disaster had passed, she could only pray that the great Heavenly Empress would notice the danger occurring here… However, at a certain moment, the Sea Nymph, who was praying with her eyes closed, suddenly felt herself enveloped by a shadow.
"Hmm?"
"What happened… Ah—!"
A deafening scream. Her eyes snapped open, and the massive body of the Hundred-Beast Dragon, Ladon, came into view.
The Sea Nymph retreated in terror, but after a few steps, she tripped over a tree root and fell to the ground in a panic.
"No… I don't want to die yet… I, I…"
Trembling, speaking incoherently.
At this moment, the shadow of Death enveloped her, and the Sea Nymph had almost lost her ability to judge.
The garden's barrier could not possibly stop this demon; she would surely—
"Hello, esteemed guardian."
Emerging from beneath Ladon's corpse, the Great Hero greeted her.
However, the moment he saw the Sea Nymph, he realized that she seemed to have misunderstood something.
Stepping forward, Heracles extended his hand, wanting to help her up.
"Do not be afraid… Ladon is dead. This is his corpse."
Speaking in a deep voice, the Great Hero explained earnestly.
"Cor… corpse?"
Her trembling body gradually calmed down. Hearing this, the Sea Nymph finally composed herself a little and examined the demon she had previously feared so greatly.
Although its aura was still powerful, its Life force was no longer vibrant.
All ninety-nine heads had been severed, and the last one had lost its light.
Her suspended heart completely relaxed, and the Sea Nymph let out a sigh of relief.
Looking at the Great Hero's outstretched hand, she was about to use it to stand up. But just as she extended her hand halfway, as if suddenly remembering something, she hesitated and asked.
"This Lord looks a bit unfamiliar… May I ask what Authority you command, God, have we not met before?"
"I am not a God." Speaking truthfully, Heracles explained, "We have indeed not met before."
"Not a God?"
Frowning slightly, the Sea Nymph hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but ask again, "Then whose attendant are you, God, granted immortal divinity by a noble Lord?"
"None."
Shaking his head again, Heracles vaguely felt that the other party's attitude seemed to have changed a little.
"I am not any God's attendant, nor has anyone granted me immortal divinity."
"You may not know me. I am a human from the land, named Her—"
Slap—
Before he could finish speaking, a crisp sound interrupted the Great Hero's self-introduction.
Attempting to slap away Heracles's outstretched hand, the unsuccessful Sea Nymph snorted coldly and stood up from the ground on her own.
"So, you are a mortal from the human world… You are not worthy of physical contact with me."
"Your Life is still too short. This is not a place you should be."
"Alright, step back. For your good intentions, I will overlook your intrusion into the Heavenly Empress's garden."
"Leave quickly. I'll pretend I never saw you."
Her words flowed like water, and in an instant, all panic receded, leaving only a faint trace of arrogance and confidence on the Sea Nymph's face.
Standing aside, Heracles didn't react for a moment. He paused, as if wanting to say something, but in the end, he said nothing.
Withdrawing his outstretched hand, the Great Hero felt a bit helpless for a moment. Well, he truly hadn't expected to encounter such a situation.
But it didn't matter. He was only here to obtain the golden apple.
Even if this guardian had a bad attitude, he had no intention of doing anything to her.
"Alright, since you have some prejudice against mortals, then I will leave after I take the golden apple."
Shaking his head slightly, the Great Hero intended to bypass her.
However, before he could take a step, another sharp voice came from behind him.
"What did you say? You actually intend to steal the golden apple?"
"Not steal," Heracles took a deep breath and turned to say, "This is the reward I deserve after completing my trial."
Not just the previous one, looking back, behind the Great Hero, several other Nymphs and Sea Nymphs had also noticed the commotion and seen the dragon corpse.
Frowning slightly, the Great Hero did not want to get entangled with them. But upon hearing his explanation, the other party directly blocked his path.
"What trial, what reward?"
Righteous and stern, the Sea Nymph stood her ground.
"This is the Heavenly Empress's garden. Without the Heavenly Empress's decree, no one is allowed to take the golden apple here."
"Moreover… the Heavenly Empress's fruit is her gift to the Gods, and yet you still want the Heavenly Empress's fruit?"
"How can this be allowed? What does a human need a golden apple for?"
"Hmph, I think you should stay here first. As for how to deal with you, wait for the Heavenly Empress to make her own judgment!"
"?"
Unsure what to say, Heracles looked back at Ladon's massive corpse, and his last shred of patience was exhausted.
So that's it, someone like that Triton… It makes sense.
One was bound and punished since the Bronze Age, and these ones before him had likely been guarding the golden apple tree here since the end of the last era… Their understanding of humans was almost nonexistent, still stuck in the descriptions of fanatical believers of the Gods and the Golden Age.
They feared demons but were not afraid of him.
Because in their eyes, humans were naturally incapable of resisting Gods; their existence was born of the Gods…
Stepping forward, the Great Hero's expression was calm. Although he had no ill will towards the Heavenly Empress he had never met, this did not mean he would allow the Sea Nymph before him to disregard his dignity.
"Move."
He warned for the last time, Heracles's voice calm.
"Never!"
With an angry shout, seeing that the human before her actually intended to force his way through, the Sea Nymph suddenly reached out and summoned more than a dozen venomous snakes from the garden behind her.
The venomous snakes flicked their tongues and lunged rapidly towards the Great Hero.
Seeing this, Heracles did not put them in his eyes. He merely grabbed them casually, preparing to forcefully snap the venomous snakes' vital points…
"Hmm? This scene…"
He froze on the spot, allowing the remaining venomous snakes to bite him, yet they couldn't even break his skin.
Holding the venomous snake by its vital point, for some reason, a long-forgotten Memoryresurfaced from the depths of the Great Hero's mind.
It was when he was just born… He was still in a cradle.
And facing such an infant, the Heavenly Empress, high above the divine mountain, cast her gaze down.
Hera 'Cles', Hera's glory, this name was actually the Heavenly Empress's shame for not recognizing her rival's child, an unbearable testament to her.
So, by her will, two venomous snakes climbed into the infant's cradle… and were then killed on the spot by the newborn infant.
It seemed that from that moment, Heracles had already begun to display his supreme talent.
Awakening from his Memory, looking at the venomous snake in his hand, the Great Hero's expression was complex.
Heavenly Empress Hera… It was hard to say whether they were enemies or not.
She had unintentionally fed him milk when he was young, yet she ultimately struck him down mercilessly.
His gaze swept over the few people present. The Great Hero casually sent them flying, then strode to the core of the garden.
Here, the golden apple tree swayed gracefully, with hundreds of golden apples on its branches.
The branches were not the main body; the fruits they bore did not have such powerful effects. But in turn, the difficulty of them bearing fruit was also reduced.
"…I really didn't expect that I had such a past with the Heavenly Empress…"
"Forget it, let's take these golden apples first."
He had originally only intended to take one, but when old memories were awakened here, although Heracles hadn't yet decided how to deal with his relationship with this Goddess, it didn't stop him from taking a few more as 'interest' for the Goddess's past actions.
The legitimate Heavenly Empress persecuting her husband's illegitimate child… It was indeed difficult to say what was right or wrong in this matter, especially since the other party was also his half 'wet nurse'.
Feeling somewhat conflicted, the Great Hero simply acted silently, picking the fruits that filled the garden.