With Ares, the underworld's local expert, leading the way, Heracles naturally had an unimpeded journey.
Under the War God's intimidation, Charon, the ferryman of the Styx, didn't even dare to accept the drachmas he offered, holding his nose as he ferried the two across the River Styx.
After formally stepping onto the land of the Underworld, Ares walked and explained the "local customs and traditions" of various parts of the Underworld to Heracles, leaving Son of Zeus quite stunned.
"Teacher, you seem to know this place so well," Heracles exclaimed as they walked.
"Of course," Ares boasted, spreading his hands. "No one understands the Underworld better than I do."
"I heard Orpheus also came to the Underworld," Heracles casually asked, watching a wailing soul clutching an instrument float by.
"Yes," Ares replied. "That boy came to find his wife, but neither Hades nor I agreed to release her, so he killed himself."
"His wife can't be released?" Heracles asked.
"Except for special circumstances, no dead person can be released," Ares answered seriously.
"I understand."
Heracles nodded.
The master and disciple continued forward, passing the Fields of Truth. Ares ignored the Underworld guards along the way and directly led Heracles to the Black Palace in the center of the Underworld, where they met Hecate, who was currently in charge of the Underworld for Hades.
In front of Hecate, Ares naturally had no qualms. He brought Heracles into the main hall of the Black Palace without even announcing their presence. When they entered, the loli-form Hecate was concentrating on painting some kind of purple nail polish on her toenails. Seeing Ares and Heracles enter startled her. The Moon Goddess quickly put away her little things, straightened her posture, and then coughed as she asked:
"Ares, why have you brought someone to see me?"
"Heracles, my disciple, an old acquaintance."
Ares leaned casually against a pillar closest to Hecate in the palace, pointed at Heracles, then pointed at Hecate, introducing them to each other:
"Hecate, my teacher, your grand-teacher."
"Greetings, grand-teacher."
Heracles honestly bowed to Hecate, but hearing Heracles call her "grand-teacher," Hecate seemed a bit displeased. She waved her hand and said:
"You can just call me Hecate, or Lady Hecate."
"Yes."
Heracles was obedient. After hearing her, he didn't play any tricks with Hecate and immediately honestly called her "Lady Hecate," which pleased Hecate.
"Why is my disciple so mischievous?"
As she spoke, Hecate secretly glanced at Ares.
"I think it's a matter of educational standards."
Ares shrugged:
"Look, Medea was also taught by me, wasn't she? Is she obedient or not?"
Hecate thought seriously for a moment, then sighed:
"No, it should be that the seeds you pick are better than the ones I pick."
Ares raised an eyebrow slightly; it sounded like Medea hadn't been very well-behaved during her time in the Underworld.
However, Hecate didn't elaborate. Instead, she straightened up, looked at Heracles, and asked:
"Tell me, why have you brought him here?"
Heracles's gaze was currently flitting between Ares and Hecate, wondering what he was thinking. Hearing her question, he quickly snapped back to attention and, with an even more respectful and honest demeanor than before, replied to Hecate:
"Noble and beautiful Lady Hecate, I have come to the Underworld to borrow your pet, the Hell Gate Dog, Cerberus."
Hecate frowned and asked:
"What, Eurystheus still dares to make you come and snatch my things?"
"That's indeed the trial he gave me."
Heracles didn't bother to cover for Eurystheus, his so-called "brother."
"Alright."
Heracles looked at Hecate's expression and initially thought she was reluctant to lend it, but unexpectedly, Hecate readily agreed to his request:
"Anyway, Ares and I haven't had time to walk the dog lately, and Hydra can't control her brother by herself. If you can control him, take him for a couple of walks in the mortal realm. He hasn't had a good run in a long time."
Saying that, Hecate pulled open a crack in a virtual space, then pulled out some things from inside, ran to Heracles, handed them to him, and said:
"This is his leash, and these are his treats. If he starts pulling on the leash, just kick him and give him some treats."
"Oh."
Heracles held the pile of items, somewhat dazed, and raised a small wooden shovel in his hand, asking:
"What about this?"
"This is for scooping his poop," Hecate explained. "Cerberus's poop contains potent venom, and if left in the human world, it would have a significant impact on the environment. As a god who owns a dog, I can't be so inconsiderate. If he poops in the mortal realm, remember to scoop it up and bring it back to bury in the Underworld."
Ares noticed that when Hecate said this, the face of the peerless hero of Greece immediately changed. He probably couldn't have imagined that he would one day become a poop-scooper.
Even when Eurystheus deliberately made things difficult for him, asking him to clean the cow dung from King Augeas of Elis's cattle pens, Heracles never actually got close to that cow dung.
"You'll get used to it, you'll get used to it. It's better than coming to the Underworld and fighting Hades, right?" Ares patted Heracles on the shoulder and said to him, "That's how it is with pets; there's a ton of trouble, and you have no choice but to deal with it."
After speaking, Ares glanced at Hecate, then said to Heracles, "I'll see you off."
The two walked out of the palace. When Heracles entered, he was fully armed, but when he came out, he looked as if he had gone shopping at a pet store, carrying a large pile of dog supplies.
The two crossed the River Styx again and returned to the Hell Gate. Heracles deftly subdued the fierce Hell Gate Dog, forcefully putting on its collar and leash.
However, after the collar and leash were on, Cerberus, perhaps seeing Ares nearby, thought Ares was taking him out to play. So, he didn't resist much. He even squatted obediently in place, panting with his tongue out, drooling all over the ground, causing a circle of poisonous weeds to grow in front of the Hell Gate.
Ares paid no attention to the dog, who now considered him its male owner. Instead, he called Heracles over and handed him a small bag.
"Keep this close to you."
He instructed:
"As soon as your Twelve Labors are complete, come find me in the Underworld and join my army."
Heracles nodded, then took the bag and asked:
"Teacher, are we finally going to fight?"
"Yes."
Ares nodded:
"We are finally going to fight."