Episode 87.
[hmm….]
Hercules did not give an easy answer.
A half-and-half expression.
It seemed like he was having a hard time.
[The riddle contest with the Sphinx is a bit…]
As expected, it was like that.
And what.
Siwoo also agreed to some extent.
If Thoth, the god of wisdom, had lost, then it would have been a level where he could say nothing.
So Siwoo had no choice but to change his mind.
“But after hearing what you said, I don’t think we should go with a normal riddle contest.”
[Is there another way? A way to defeat the Sphinx?]
Hercules asked with eyes full of anticipation.
Siwoo answered that question firmly.
“No. There isn’t any.”
[……what?]
Then Hercules’ expression rose.
What kind of guy is this?
He looked at Siwoo with a curious expression.
“There is no way to defeat the Sphinx. Even Thoth lost. So how do you win?”
Even though Zhuge Liang had insight (S+), this was not something that Shi Woo would do.
In any case, it’s something Hercules must do.
Of course, Hercules’ head wasn’t that bad.
Far from being bad, it was on the very good side.
It just looks that way because the power it possesses is so strong.
Can’t you understand it just by looking at the concept explanation sometimes?
But still.
He was no match for the god of wisdom.
anyway.
“A battle of wits against a god with omniscience is a bit….”
Omniscience, omnipotent.
It was omniscience, meaning knowing everything.
Of course, he wouldn’t really be omniscient.
But it wasn’t for nothing that such talk came out.
“Anyway, you can’t beat the Sphinx.”
[And yet you want to have a riddle contest?]
“yes.”
[What is that….]
“Well, our goal isn’t to win, right?”
Then Hercules tilted his head.
It seemed like he didn’t understand what Siwoo was saying.
[What do you mean? A showdown?]
“You don’t necessarily have to win a showdown. To be exact, you can win in other ways.”
[Win another way?]
Siwoo nodded slightly and said.
“We just need to choose YouTube angles… So, we just need to choose GodTube angles.”
* * *
A few days later.
A video was uploaded on YouTube.
『
“What is thrush? Thrush.”
Siwoo let out a small laugh.
But whatever.
It was a very fitting choice of words for Hercules.
anyway.
“Let’s see if I did well.”
Siwoo played the video.
Hold on.
What appeared as the video played was a vast desert.
A pyramid in the middle of the desert.
A single entity guarding the side of such a pyramid.
It was a sphinx, with the body of a large lion and the head of a human.
The Sphinx, oddly enough, appears in two different myths.
Egyptian mythology.
Greek and Roman mythology.
The legends are slightly different, but it appears in both myths.
And in both myths, the Sphinx can be seen as the same person.
To put it simply, the original sphinx was from Egypt.
A god called Shesep Ankh.
It came to Greece and was pronounced as Sphinx.
The story of the Greek Sphinx then flowed back to Egypt, where it became established as the present-day Sphinx.
For example, the names and appearances of the Sphinxes depicted in the two myths were the same.
Well, anyway.
[What, what is it!]
In the video, the Sphinx is startled and sits up.
He seemed to be quite wary of Hercules.
No, it wasn’t to the extent of being on guard.
[Yes, yes, why, why, why, why did you come!]
It was really causing a stir.
Well, it couldn’t be helped.
Because the Sphinx was afraid of Hercules.
Of course, the two had never met.
Still, the Sphinx could not help but fear Hercules.
The Nemean lion.
Kowloon, Hydra.
Cerberus, the gatekeeper of the underworld.
These are called mythical monsters.
They were none other than relatives of the Sphinx.
To be exact, my aunts and uncles.
But what the heck.
The Nemean lion is killed by Hercules, his whole body disintegrating.
The Hydra is killed by Hercules after having all nine of its heads torn off.
Cerberus, the gatekeeper of the underworld, was beaten by Hercules and forced to return to the surface.
At least Cerberus was able to save his life because he was Hades’ pet dog.
anyway.
The Sphinx’s aunts and uncles, who were mythical monsters.
All of those relatives were torn to pieces by Hercules.
So now.
[What, what, what, what is it for!]
How could I not have a seizure?
Siwoo was able to fully understand the Sphinx’s feelings in the video.
[Nothing special. I just came to challenge you to a riddle.]
[Number, number, riddle contest?]
The Sphinx’s voice trembled without rest.
Beware, be careful, be cautious, be mindful.
I was having all kinds of doubts.
[Yeah. But it’s no fun if we just do it. Let’s add one new rule.]
[New rules, regulations?]
The Sphinx had been asking the same question Hercules had been saying all along.
I wasn’t able to do anything like thinking.
How scary must one be to do that?
Siwoo found himself laughing without realizing it.
[You get hit once every time you get a riddle wrong. How about that?]
[What, what did you say?!]
The Sphinx screamed in horror.
That’s understandable, one Hercules is no ordinary one.
[Aren’t you trying to kill me!]
That was tantamount to saying you’re going to kill the Sphinx.
[Then you ask 3 questions and I’ll ask only 1 question. Isn’t that fair?]
[Stop talking nonsense!]
To be honest, it didn’t make any sense.
Even if you get all the questions wrong, the Sphinx can hit you three times.
Still, it would not be as good as Hercules’ first generation.
but.
[You just have to solve the riddle.]
That was when Hercules could strike.
So, this is the story of what happens if the Sphinx gets the riddle wrong.
But it was safe to say that that wouldn’t happen.
The Sphinx is a being with omniscience.
Any riddle, any problem.
Sphinx couldn’t have been unaware of the answer.
[Are you actually beating the three of them unilaterally?]
[……]
The Sphinx was silent.
Now that I think about it, that’s what happened.
But it didn’t seem like it would be an easy answer.
Hercules’ sudden proposal.
I thought there might be some hidden agenda.
The Sphinx continued to ponder for quite some time.
How much time has passed like that?
[Okay, good.]
The Sphinx nodded cautiously.
And looking at the expression on his face.
I could see a hint of anticipation on his face.
You can beat Hercules.
Where can you get an opportunity like this?
Above all, there is also a chance to avenge your aunt and uncle.
[Okay! Then Sphinx, you ask three questions first.]
Hercules said with a hearty laugh.
The Sphinx opened her mouth, glancing around slowly.
[Mom, what is it that has no form but can move around anywhere?]
[hmm….]
Hercules thought for a moment and then answered.
[wind?]
[Yes, that is correct…]
The Sphinx opened her eyes in surprise.
It seems Hercules didn’t know how to hit it.
“I told you Hercules wasn’t a bad person.”
Siwoo was able to become more certain of that thought.
And what.
Nothing much happened.
The rules of the competition are to hit each time you get a question wrong.
Just because I hit it doesn’t mean I’ll hit it back.
[Second, second problem.]
The Sphinx thought for a moment and then opened her mouth again.
[What is this that is born from water, dies when it enters water, and lives when it comes out of water?]
Hercules was once again in trouble.
And answer.
[whale?]
[The answer is salt.]
In the end, I ended up getting the answer wrong.
That means.
Hercules has to get hit once.
But why is that?
The Sphinx hesitated, watching Hercules.
[What are you doing? Not hitting.]
Then Hercules stuck out his chin and told him to strike quickly.
The Sphinx still did not move.
Is it really okay to hit him?
The moment you hit, won’t you get beaten while saying, ‘Do you want to fall?’?
Wouldn’t my whole body be torn to shreds?
Am I going to die like my aunts and uncles?
The eyes, filled with all sorts of thoughts, were rolling around.
But that was only for a moment.
The Sphinx closed both of her eyes.
And then he rushed at Hercules.
Kwaaaa …
“crazy.”
Siwoo muttered without realizing it.
A landscape with desert sand scattered in all directions along with a large explosion.
Where did he hit me from?
But what.
That’s because the opponent is Hercules.
In fact, the Sphinx was also a mythical being.
You could tell just by looking at the Sphinx’s relatives.
There’s no way that gene could have gone anywhere.
“No matter what, it’s still like that….”
To that extent… .
It was a power that could erase a village from the map.
Wiping out an entire village in one blow.
“This is truly a different class.”
Godtube was Godtube.
The scattered sandstorm in the desert has calmed down.
Hercules revealed himself.
Hercules looked a little pale.
How can I get hit by that direct blow and still only get a scratch?
At the same time as that question, Hercules’ eyes sparkled.
In the meantime, anger passes through me, thinking, ‘This kid?’
The Sphinx screamed in horror.
[Hey, hey, didn’t we promise! T, these are the rules of the showdown!]
[Who said what?]
Phew.
Hercules spat out the blood in his mouth.
And my throat was sore, it was like, thud, thud.
[What is the next question?]
[All, next is….]
The Sphinx lowered her eyes and said:
But inside, he looked happy.
It seemed like he enjoyed the taste of the hand that struck Hercules.
[What is this that doesn’t change color no matter how many times I change my clothes?]
The trembling voice was soon finding stability.
Hercules thought for a moment and then answered.
[Black clothes?]
[The answer is shadow.]
The Sphinx smiled and chuckled.
And this time there was no hesitation.
Kwakwakwakwakwakwakwang!!!
“and….”
An explosion more violent than before.
This one was enough to wipe a city off the map.
The view that finally came into view.
Hercules was bleeding.
There were torn wounds carved here and there.
His two eyes were sparkling, almost trembling.
Evil spirits and evil killings.
It was an expression that made these words come to mind naturally.
But he did not retaliate as promised.
[Tch. It’s my turn now?]
[That’s right.]
The Sphinx answered with a trembling voice.
Now that all three problems have been solved, it’s Hercules’ turn.
But the Sphinx was full of confidence.
He showed confidence that he could solve any problem.
Then Hercules opened his mouth.
[Do you know Centaur?]
[I know.]
[Then there is a problem.]
Hercules slowly opened his mouth.
[When a centaur is pregnant, which belly swells?]
[……?]
The Sphinx’s head tilted to the left.
Centaur, half man and half horse.
The upper body is human.
Lower body is a horse.
To be more precise, it could be said to be a shape with the upper body of a human attached to the neck of a horse.
That’s why there were both.
The organ in the human body that can become pregnant.
A horse’s lower body also has organs that can become pregnant.
Literally half man, half horse.
So now.
[…uh?]
The Sphinx began to look visibly puzzled.
My eyes were shaking as if there was an earthquake.
[Don’t you know?]
[Okay, wait! Bird, I’m thinking!]
The Sphinx cried out in panic.
And is it an attempt to demonstrate the power of omniscience?
He seemed to be thinking, rolling his eyes here and there.
but.
[T, why is this…?]
The Sphinx was unable to answer.
Soon the Sphinx looked down at her own body.
The Sphinx, a lion-shaped creature with a human head.
But it was different for him.
Because the Sphinx only had a human face.
Because the body was clearly that of a lion.
So there was only one.
But the Centaur was different.
The upper body of a human and the lower body of a horse.
There was an institution for both.
[Don’t you know?]
[That, that, that…!]
Cold sweat ran down the Sphinx’s face.
It seemed like he didn’t know.
At that sight, Siwoo shook his head.
“At least take a picture.”
Anyway, aren’t the odds fifty-fifty?
But it seemed to the Sphinx that simply solving the riddle wasn’t important.
[I, I… there’s a riddle I don’t know…?]
That you don’t know.
It seemed like he was extremely ashamed of that in itself.
“So when Oedipus solved the riddle, he jumped off the cliff and killed himself.”
Anyway, they were mythological figures that you knew but didn’t know.
And what.
It was meaningless to take a picture anyway.
[Okay, then I have to hit you like I promised?]
[Eek!!]
The sphinx jumped up.
Die.
You must die.
But before that.
[All, what is the answer!]
The Sphinx screamed desperately.
It seems he was curious about the answer even as he was dying.
And I say it again and again.
There is no riddle that the Sphinx does not know.
To be more precise, it was correct to say that there was no knowledge that the Sphinx did not know.
A person with the power of omniscience.
Therefore, there was no riddle that the Sphinx could not solve.
Yet the Sphinx could not answer that question.
It wasn’t much different.
[Hit me once.]
[……what?]
The Sphinx’s expression suddenly darkened at Hercules’ unexpected words.
Hercules shrugged his shoulders and spoke again.
[We decided that if you couldn’t answer, you’d get hit once each.]
[But why you…? No way!!!]
The Sphinx then cried out as if she had just realized it.
Open your eyes wide and look.
Only now can I realize the hidden intention behind this confrontation.
A snickering, smiling expression on Hercules’ face.
[You said there was a mystery.]
“I didn’t say there was an answer.”
Siwoo also smiled faintly.
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fantasy,
