CHAPTER 119: LET’S RETURN

It had been three days since Hades left the castle and began his training with his mother.

Now, he stood face-to-face with a Thunder Ape.

The beast was a semi-battalion rank creature, known for its terrifying skills—Thunder Clap and Thunder Movements. This wasn’t Hades’ first encounter either; he had fought the same monster once before during his training. Because of that, he wasn’t completely unprepared this time—and the wounds on both of them were proof of their battle so far.

Holding a handmade spear firmly in his grip, Hades fixed his gaze on the towering ape. The beast stood nearly six feet tall, its body tense and sparking with faint traces of electricity. Its wild, blazing eyes locked onto him with a bloodlust so strong it seemed to fill the air, heavy and suffocating.

"GHUU!! GHUU!!"

The Thunder Ape roared, its voice cracking through the forest like a clap of thunder. Power surged around its body, sparks dancing on its fur. Then it lunged—fast for its size, but not fast enough.

Hades twisted to the side, the ground shaking under the beast’s weight as its fist smashed into the soil, leaving a smoking crater. He darted forward, spear in hand, aiming for its exposed ribs. The tip grazed flesh, but before he could strike deeper, the ape swung its arm like a tree trunk.

Hades ducked, felt the wind of the blow skim over his head, and rolled away. Branches shook. Birds exploded into the sky.

The ape spread its arms wide, muscles bulging, and dark clouds gathered above its head. Its skill—Thunder Clap.

Hades didn’t wait. He bolted into the thick of the forest, weaving between trees. Lightning struck behind him, splitting a trunk in two. Bark flew everywhere, the smell of burnt wood filling the air.

The ape tore through the forest after him, smashing anything in its path. Wild, powerful, unstoppable.

But Hades was quick. He darted up a low branch, sprinted across it, and leapt. The beast followed with iron steps, but its size slowed it down in the undergrowth. Hades spun midair, landing behind the ape, and drove his spear at its back.

The tip sank in shallowly before the ape twisted with impossible speed. Its elbow caught him in the chest. Pain exploded through his ribs as he was slammed against a tree, the spear slipping from his hand.

Blood dripped from his lip, but Hades smiled.

The ape charged.

At the last moment, Hades rolled aside, snatching up a sharp rock from the ground. He dove straight under its arm as the monster slammed into the tree he had been leaning against. The massive trunk cracked, groaned, then toppled with a crash, pinning part of the beast’s leg.

Hades didn’t waste the chance. He climbed up the fallen trunk, heart pounding, sweat stinging his eyes, and leapt down with the rock raised high. He jammed it into the ape’s shoulder, where sparks sputtered weakly.

The beast howled, lightning flashing wildly around them.

It wasn’t over. Not yet. But for the first time, the Thunder Ape staggered back.

The Thunder Ape ripped the rock from its shoulder, blood and sparks flying. With a furious roar, it smashed the fallen tree aside as if it weighed nothing. Its leg bled, but the wildfire in its eyes burned hotter.

It charged again, fists crackling with power. Hades ducked between trees, lungs burning, ribs aching. He knew if he traded blows head-on, he’d be crushed. He had to think.

As he ran, he spotted the thick vines wrapped around a giant oak just ahead. His eyes narrowed. A plan.

"Come on, beast," Hades muttered and slowed his pace deliberately.

The ape, blinded by rage, fell for it. It barreled after him, crushing roots and snapping branches. Just as the Thunder Ape raised its fist for another blow, Hades darted aside at the last second. The monster’s punch slammed into the oak trunk, splintering it. The tree groaned but didn’t fall—yet.

Hades seized his moment. He grabbed one of the heavy vines hanging above, sprinted across a root for momentum, and swung like a whip around the oak. Using his weight and speed, he looped the vine across the ape’s neck before it could free its fist from the trunk.

The beast thrashed, snarling, sparks flashing violently. But the more it fought, the tighter the vine burned into its flesh.

Then Hades did the final step. With all his might, he drove his shoulder into the weakened side of the oak. The already cracked trunk gave way with a deafening crack.

The giant oak toppled.

The Thunder Ape’s eyes widened—before the massive tree crashed down on top of it, the vine strangling it further as it struggled beneath the crushing weight. The forest floor erupted with dust and leaves, the air sparking once, twice... then fading.

Silence.

Hades stood still, chest heaving, staring at the massive body pinned under the oak. No more lightning. No more breath.

Hades exhaled a long breath as he turned to his right.

His mother was standing there, a proud grin on her face.

"You did so well, baby!" She couldn’t stop herself from jumping on him in joy.

Her baby slaughtered a sem-battalion rank with just his bare hands. Not a single use of his mana.

"How did you do that?" She asked.

Hades wryly smiled, "I was well fed, so I was able to think clearly."

He ate for the first time in two days last night, after he finally hunted a horned rabbit(his mother was about to skip the monster, but before she could have moved even an inch, he was on the beast).

Hades was actually fortunate that Thunder Apes are found back in the human realm as well, though not so big. That allowed him to lure the beast into a trap.

Kaelith hummed, her hands on her hips as she said, "Now, let’s find tougher beasts-"

"Mother," Hades called out, and Kaelith flinched.

This...was the first time he called her that.

She looked at him and heard him requesting, "Can we return for now? Just for an hour...I want to be with them. After that, I will accompany you."

All her determination to continue the training faded in that very moment.

Yes, she was a warrior, a general and a ruler, but apart from that, there was a big part of hers which exists only for Hades.

She was a mother as well.

She gave a faint nod, "Let’s rest for today."

°°°°°

A/N:- Thanks for reading. If you are enjoying the story so far, please drop a review.