I pause amid our battle and meet Persephone's gaze. "Me?" I question, my suspicions rising. Is this a trap? Is she secretly working with Zeus?
She apologizes with a laugh, her sword slicing through another monster. "I didn't mean it like that!" she clarifies. "What I meant to say is, since coming to the Underworld, I've realized something. While I may not know much about Greek mythology, I do know that Hades and Persephone were in love. But don't worry, I'm not saying I want us to be like them." She pauses again, letting out another awkward laugh. "I believe the only way for me to truly level up in this world is by standing by your side. That's why I've decided to stay in the Underworld with you! Sure, I'm still weak as a goddess, but the truth is Hades, this isn't just a game we play on our PCs or game consoles. This is our reality now and it's something I need to accept." She plunges her sword into the final monster's chest, pulls it out, and turns back to face me.
"Alright, that may be one of the reasons I brought you here. But I want to make it clear that my intention is not to gain glory for myself or to win this game, whatever its main objective may be in this world. My goal is to bring down Zeus. It seems like Levi, who used to be a college friend, has taken on the persona of Zeus and is becoming power-hungry. Speaking of college, were you a student too?" I sheathe my sword and pick up a torch from the rocky walls as we continue our journey through the dungeon.
"I was also a college student, but I went to an all-girls college." She smiles warmly at me.
"Truthfully, I wasn't much of a gamer in my past life. I preferred spending my days exploring the outdoors and admiring nature's beauty. So it's almost comical that I ended up being reborn as Persephone." She lets out a sigh and we pause in front of a massive pair of iron doors.
I find it rather ironic, considering her reputation as the Goddess of Spring. I allow myself a small smile at the thought before it fades away. It makes me wonder why I was reincarnated as Hades. But I push that thought aside for now; the boss could be behind those doors, and I need to focus on that first.
Together, we push open the heavy iron doors, revealing a cavernous chamber bathed in an otherworldly glow. The walls are adorned with shimmering crystals, casting a surreal light across the room. A low rumble fills the air as the ground beneath us trembles, anticipation pulsing through every fiber of my being.
A notification appears, "Side quest: Assist Persephone in defeating the Spider Queen." I assume the Spider Queen is the main boss and this task must be a crucial quest for Persephone. As it's only a side quest for me, I won't put all my effort into this battle; I'll only lend a hand when necessary. I want to let Persephone take the spotlight in this fight.
Persephone strides confidently towards the looming figure of the Spider Queen, her eyes locked onto its terrifying form. The creature, covered in a sleek black exoskeleton and sporting multiple spindly legs, lets out an enraged screech at the sight of us. Its eight eyes glimmer with malicious intent as it prepares to attack. As Persephone charges forward with a fierce battle cry, her sword glinting in the otherworldly light, I hang back and observe. Her movements are fluid and precise, each strike aimed with deadly accuracy. She gracefully dances around the Spider Queen, avoiding its venomous attacks with ease.
I brush something off my leg and jump in surprise as I see a giant spider, the size of a cat, crawling away. I scan my surroundings and realize more spiders are heading towards me.
Apparently, not fighting was not an option; it seems these are the offspring of the spider queen.