The imminent Titan War instilled a sense of urgency in Hades. Despite having utilized the past million years effectively, he still felt that time was insufficient.
After the Titan War, his time would be infinite, stretching from the Silver Age into the distant future. How many years would pass in that vast span? It was an era beyond description, an eternity. But by then, time, though abundant, would be meaningless.
Only before the end of the Titan War, while everything remained undecided, was there an opportunity. After the war, any chance for significant change would be lost.
Suddenly, Hades halted his steps. A thread of darkness appeared at his feet, as if guiding him.
Seeing this dark tendril, Hades paused momentarily, then followed its lead. His figure gradually disappeared. When he reappeared, he found himself in the Dark Realm.
This was a world created by two Ancient Gods. Though it could be termed a small world, calling it so would be an insult. The Dark Realm's vastness far surpassed any small world, a difference as vast as heaven and earth.
"Erebus."
"Nyx."
Hades greeted them calmly, without any subservience despite their ancient status. Waiting for him in the Dark Realm were the two Ancient Gods:
Erebus, the Ancient God of Darkness.
Nyx, the Ancient Goddess of Night.
"Hades," Erebus spoke after a long silence, his eyes filled with endless darkness. "You have transcended the constraints of your essence. Truly, it's something beyond our expectations."
Erebus's voice carried a tone of amazement.
It was no joke. Erebus found it unimaginable. Though he and his wife, Nyx, had chosen to invest in Hades, it was merely the first step of their investment.
Who could have anticipated that Hades would reach such a level? To ascend to the rank of a Chief God of the Titans without reclaiming his essence was beyond comprehension.
As for how Hades achieved this, Erebus and Nyx were aware. To Ancient Gods, very little was hidden. They might not have known everything Hades did in the Underworld, but they understood that he had acquired the World Tree's seed and utilized a special method to harness the world's power.
"A narrow escape from death," Hades responded calmly.
The dangers of the Chaos Sea, his near-death encounter with the Outer God—these were experiences that could be described as a brush with death. Yet, to Hades, they were merely a few words.
For Hades, the past was past, and he had emerged victorious. Hence, there was no point in discussing it further. It was meaningless.
"Hades, are you planning to go to the Far West?" Nyx asked gently.
Hades saw no reason to conceal his intentions. "Indeed."
Nyx continued, "It seems you are after it. The magic star is a very unique divine object. Its origin and nature are beyond even our understanding as Ancient Gods."
This wasn't surprising. From Uranus and Cronus to Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus, these were the five God-Kings already born in this era. Besides them, there were two more yet to be born, who belonged to the fourth generation of gods.
In the Greek pantheon of the Great Mythological World, from the beginning to the end, these seven God-Kings were destined to emerge. Each was beloved by the world, and before their births, the world prepared divine artifacts for them.
Uranus's Sky Palace.
Cronus's Palace of the Gods, the Maze of Time.
Hades's Magic Star.
Poseidon's Atlantis.
Zeus's Mount Olympus.
Among these five divine artifacts, there were palaces like Uranus's and Cronus's, a star like Hades's, an island like Poseidon's, and a mountain like Zeus's.
Each of these artifacts did not originally come from the Great Mythological World. They arrived here through serendipitous events, making their way to this world because their destined owners were the God-Kings.
For instance, the Magic Star was born in the Chaos Sea and crossed it to reach the Greek pantheon of the Great Mythological World because Hades was its natural master.
In fact, the Magic Star was not even something the world had prepared for Hades. It was naturally his. The Nether Realm was the world's intended gift for Hades, but it was replaced by the Magic Star.
This is why both the Nether Realm and the Magic Star are filled with abundant divine artifacts. The Magic Star, though a divine artifact, wasn't initially part of the plan.
Thus, every divine artifact came from the Chaos Sea, and even Ancient Gods like Nyx and Erebus couldn't fully comprehend them.
Because they couldn't grasp the essence of the Magic Star, Nyx made such remarks. The Ancient God couple had some understanding of what Hades intended to do.
However, the reasons behind Hades's actions or his ultimate goals remained unclear to them.
Hades saw no need to explain. Though they were investors, he didn't feel obligated to disclose everything. Their investment was motivated by their desire to gain something from him.
"However," Nyx continued, "I don't fully understand your intentions, but that's fine. I think there is a divine artifact that you might be interested in, something that could be a perfect match for you."
"What is it?" Hades asked calmly.
Hades's response, though inquisitive, came across as a statement due to his inherently composed nature. This tone, while potentially irritating, didn't bother Erebus and Nyx. Otherwise, their interactions could easily turn hostile.
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