Sisyphus

The Book of the Dead being altered was a monumental event for beings like the Grim Reapers.

After Bal and Sebas reported the matter, the Underworld's personnel began passing the information up the chain of command, layer by layer. No one dared to handle such a situation.

Ultimately, the news reached the Great Grim Reaper who had recently awakened from a long slumber, the original Grim Reaper—Thanatos.

In Greek mythology, Thanatos and his brother didn't hold a high position. They were merely two subordinate gods to the King of the Underworld, and they didn't even have a proper palace.

It wasn't until the Greek gods fell into eternal slumber that he took charge of the Underworld. He then established a massive castle in the Underworld. As it was built later, its architectural style was very similar to Britannia's—a Baroque-style castle.

In the oval office within the left tower of the castle, Thanatos sat at his desk, his brow slightly furrowed as he looked at the two low-ranking grim reapers kneeling before him.

He had the classic appearance of a Greek man, with black hair and black eyes, sharp features, and a particularly straight nose—the classic Greek nose.

He was clad in the same black robes as them, but he also had a pair of black wings behind him.

Sebas and Bal prostrated themselves before Thanatos, trembling slightly and not daring to utter a word.

It was the first time either of them had seen the true Great Grim Reaper.

The entire palace was silent. Donka, who had greeted Sebas not long ago, stood by the Great Grim Reaper's side, holding documents.

"What you're saying is true?" Thanatos asked gravely, "The Book of the Dead has been altered?"

His voice was deep and steady. He spoke an ancient Greek dialect, but everyone could understand him, regardless of whether they knew the language.

Bal looked up. "You can examine our memories, or… or we can bring that Hart back for questioning."

Thanatos snapped back to attention and rubbed his forehead, a hint of a headache surfacing. He paused for a moment before waving his hand at the two lesser grim reapers.

"I understand. You may leave now."

Sebas and Bal exchanged glances, each seeing a flicker of surprise in the other's eyes.

Before coming to the palace, they had considered two possible reactions from the Great Grim Reaper: either he wouldn't believe them, or he would fly into a rage and order a thorough investigation. After all, while directly altering the Book of the Dead was a crude act, in a sense, it interfered with death itself.

This was a provocation to the Underworld.

However, he had never expected the Great Grim Reaper to react this way.

It was as if he believed them, yet he was so calm.

But this was not something they, as minor figures, could inquire about. From this point on, this matter was no longer their concern.

They obediently rose and withdrew from the office.

"I think I finally understand what woke me up…"

Thanatos turned his head, his gaze deep as he looked out the window. It revealed a fiery purgatory of lava, filled with the wails of countless lost souls, a landscape of scorched earth as far as the eye could see.

Donka tilted his head in confusion but remained silent.

The office was silent for a long time before Thanatos let out a soft sigh.

He had encountered something like this before.

He hadn't actually left no legends in the mortal world.

In the Iliad and Odyssey, there was a very famous story called "Sisyphus."

According to the records, Sisyphus was the most resourceful and cunning man in the mortal world, the founder and king of Corinth.

When Zeus abducted Aegina, the daughter of the river god Asopus, the river god came to Corinth searching for his daughter. Sisyphus, who knew of the matter, informed him in exchange for a river that flowed year-round.

Because he had revealed Zeus's secret, Zeus sent the Grim Reaper to escort him to the Underworld.

Unexpectedly, Sisyphus tricked and captured the Grim Reaper, causing no one to die in the mortal world for a long time, until the Grim Reaper was rescued. Sisyphus was thus cast into the Underworld.

Before being sent to the Underworld, Sisyphus instructed his wife, Merope, not to bury his body.

Upon arriving in the Underworld, Sisyphus told Persephone, the Queen of the Underworld, that a person whose body had not been buried was not qualified to be in the Underworld and requested a three-day leave to return and handle his funeral arrangements.

Unexpectedly, as soon as Sisyphus saw the beautiful earth, he lingered and refused to return to the Underworld.

It wasn't until after his death that Sisyphus was sentenced to the punishment of pushing a boulder up a hill.

He had to push a large stone to the other side of the mountain peak, but due to the stone's weight, it would roll back down every time he reached the summit. Sisyphus could only repeat the process endlessly.

This was a story that had actually happened.

What many people, even some gods, didn't know was that before this incident, Thanatos had encountered a person, an old man.

He was a mortal without any divine aura. At that time, all the Greek gods disdained mortals; to the gods, mortals were merely insects on the earth.

He was the same at the time, and because of it, he offended the old man.

He said he would give him a punishment, to make him realize the power of mortals.

At the time, he didn't take it seriously and was even somewhat disdainful, until not long after, the incident with Sisyphus occurred.

A god kidnapped by a mortal?

And it was the Grim Reaper, the most terrifying figure to mortals?!

This was an utterly preposterous event, whether heard by mortals or gods, and it had happened.

He became the laughingstock of the divine realm, a incompetent clown among the Greek pantheon.

To this day, the matter remained the greatest humiliation in Thanatos's entire life.

This was also why, after gaining control of the Underworld, he chose to erase all records of it.

During the years he was imprisoned by that mortal, he also learned one thing.

In this world, there truly existed some terrifying powers that even the gods could not imagine.

He believed it, but the Twelve Olympians, including Zeus, did not believe him and even constantly mocked his incompetence.

Then, they fell into eternal slumber.

And he became the master of the Underworld.

He was silent for a moment before speaking.

"Issue a decree. Inform all Grim Reapers, including the probationary ones.

From now on, if you encounter anything like the Book of the Dead being altered, do not report it. Act as if nothing happened."

Donka bowed without any doubt and replied.

"Yes."

He then retreated from the office.

Thanatos once again fell into thought.

If it was truly that being, and he wished to conceal himself, no one would detect his presence.

And this current situation was clearly not his usual way of doing things.

Thanatos recalled the voice that had awakened him from his slumber. He seemed to have realized something and slowly rose from his seat.

That's right, it must be like this.

This must have been deliberately exposed to him. He had some message he wanted to convey to him.

It seemed he needed to take a trip to the mortal realm.

It seems I haven't outdone anyone this week and didn't get recommended, but my mental state is okay right now. Still, I'm asking for your continued reading and various votes. Please don't hold back chapters before it goes on sale.