How long had the Ruins of the Star existed? How many divine relics were there within? No god knew the answers to these questions. Even the Star God, who was tasked with guarding and discarding everything into the Ruins, couldn't explain its true nature or condition.
The truth is, the Ruins of the Star were considered utterly meaningless to any deity. They were seen as a dumping ground for divine garbage, devoid of any significance. What was there to study? Over time, everything returned to a state of calm. The World Tree expanded by thirty percent, and the Underworld also grew proportionally. More importantly, it began generating divine power internally, marking a promising beginning.
Following this, an endless stream of divine power began to pour into Hades, almost as if trying to thoroughly cleanse him. His grasp over various laws deepened with this influx of power.
To be precise, the feedback from the World Tree wasn't pure divine power—it was better described as the power of the world. However, it wasn't the true essence of world power; it was a unique form that closely resembled it.
This world power was akin to the power of faith. Its most distinctive feature wasn't merely boosting one's strength. Instead, it functioned similarly to 'merit' in a primordial world, enhancing one's absorption rate of divine power and accelerating the comprehension of laws.
In essence, this was a versatile form of divine power, extremely special. Each growth spurt of the World Tree provided Hades with significant feedback and a substantial amount of world power, aiding him in deepening his understanding and mastery of laws.
Hades spent nearly another ten thousand years absorbing the feedback from the World Tree until he had fully integrated its benefits.
"The initial danger, indeed, brought tremendous rewards," Hades murmured with a smile. "The risks involved in hatching the World Seed led to the significant growth of the World Tree."
He calmed his excitement and composed himself. Regardless of the circumstances, he needed to remain cautious and level-headed. Any lapse could lead to dire consequences.
Hades left the Star Realm once more, heading straight for the Mortal Realm. Having retrieved two World Chains, his next priority was to secure the remaining three.
"Golden Apple, World Chains..." Hades muttered. "Compared to my initial plans, the gains have been far greater. The path to reclaiming my essence will be much smoother."
Indeed, Hades' ultimate goal was singular: to reclaim his original essence. Compared to this goal, everything else held little importance.
Although he possessed the "Divine Elegy" obtained from Zeus, theoretically simplifying the retrieval of his essence, he preferred to keep it for future use. This precious elixir would be far more beneficial later on.
Some divine objects, if preserved, could yield immense future benefits. The "Divine Elegy" clearly belonged in this category.
Deep in thought, Hades contemplated these matters as he journeyed back to the Mortal Realm. Unlike his previous return, there were no Titans waiting for him this time. This shift was largely due to Zeus' recent actions.
Since Zeus freed his three sisters and Poseidon, the entire Titan pantheon had descended into chaos. The term "chaos" might even be an understatement.
As a result, no Titans had the time to lie in wait for Hades. They were all preoccupied with their own issues. Besides, wasn't Hades supposedly sealed within the confines of the world barrier created by Koios?
However, this assumption was flawed. Though fewer Titans were on guard, a more formidable presence awaited Hades: Iapetus, one of the Twelve Chief Titans, the God of Dimensions.
Hades stood silently before Iapetus. How Iapetus had located him wasn't the issue—what mattered was the present encounter. Although the Cloak of Invisibility's divine power was remarkable, it was not yet forged into a proper invisibility helmet. Therefore, if someone truly sought him out, they could indeed find him.
Hades understood this well and was not surprised by Iapetus' presence.
What puzzled him, however, was why Iapetus was here while he was supposed to be confined within the barrier created by Koios. This was the critical question.
"Hades," Iapetus spoke calmly. "There's no need to be surprised. While Koios' barrier and seal are impressive, they were never capable of completely restraining you. The unique dimensional power you possess is something I can detect."
Iapetus needed no extensive thought to understand this. He could easily sense the distinctive divine power Hades used to escape the confines of the barrier.
To Iapetus, considering Hades' capabilities, it was not surprising at all. In fact, it was entirely expected. As the eldest son of the Emperor, Iapetus saw in Hades the reflection of their ruler. A god of Hades' caliber would never be held by Koios' mere barrier.
From any perspective, it was clear that the barrier could not contain Hades. Recognizing this, Iapetus patiently awaited Hades' return from the Star Realm.
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