"Who am I?"
"Where is this place?"
"Dark?"
With the standard questions of a time traveler, the confused consciousness gradually opened his eyes, revealing nothing but endless darkness. Amidst this confusion, a flood of memories rushed back.
"I am…"
"I am…"
"Hades!!!"
Human consciousness. Divine will. In that moment, these two elements fused perfectly. The boy from the 21st century merged seamlessly with the will of Hades, born from the Age of Gods.
Is he a teenager now? Yes and no.
Is he the King of Pluto? Yes and no.
But it no longer matters. He is now the new Hades: Hades!
After accepting all wills and merging all consciousness, Hades spoke with a hint of bitterness, "I came here at this time, just as I should have been captured by Cronus."
In mythology Hades name represent death, darkness, and eternity. Among the three god kings, he is the elder brother of Pluto. The current Hades is not the Hades who inherits the underworld; rather, he is the one swallowed by Cronus, sealed within at birth.
"Based on this timeline, I have just been born. Do I really have to wait for Zeus to rescue me?" Hades frowned slightly. In this mythical world, countless rare treasures exist, much like in the prehistoric world.
In the future, why is Zeus the strongest among the three god kings? The answer is simple, he has been in the outside world since birth, accumulating countless treasures. By the time Hades and Poseidon emerged from Cronus' body, it would be too late.
Hades understands that if the original plot continues, he will be waiting for Zeus to save him.
So, he realizes he is likely to follow the same destiny.
"Strength!"
"If I want to break the seal, I need to master my power and divine energy."
Hades knows that instead of relying on fate and waiting for a rescue, it is better to focus on self-improvement. In this age of mythology, strength is paramount.
He closes his eyes and begins to mobilize his divine power. Although weak at first, it grows rapidly with time. Even gods need time to develop.
Cronus likely never anticipated that the sealed Hades would possess consciousness. Normally, children sealed within their father's body would not have awareness; their consciousness is entirely suppressed.
Without growth in consciousness, one cannot cultivate divine power, and thus cannot break free from the seal.
Unfortunately for Cronus, he overlooked two key points: Zeus was hidden away by his mother, who loved him deeply. Due to fate, she switched the babies, and Hades was sealed in the body, still able to manifest his own will.
And yet, this makes the situation all the more intriguing.
Over time, Hades felt his divine power increasing at a terrifying pace.
This is not surprising, as Hades is destined to be one of the three future god kings.
In essence, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus share equal talent, qualifications, and strength.
However, because Zeus was not sealed away at birth, he amassed power over the years. Consequently, Hades and Poseidon lagged behind, leaving Zeus as the strongest and most invincible god king in the universe.
Hades can only be Hades. Poseidon can only be the Emperor of the Sea.
This disparity arose from time itself.
Now, with Hades' will fully formed and actively cultivating his divine power, he was improving at an astonishing rate, one that could rival Zeus's ascent.
In this life, Hades was determined not to let that happen.
"Um?!"
Suddenly, Hades halted his cultivation as a light appeared in the eternal darkness.
"What is that…?"
"A passage to the outside world?"
Hades' voice was calm, yet filled with yearning.
As his divine power circulated and strengthened, Hades' emotions didn't fade but gradually steadied. As the ruler of death, this calmness was entirely natural.
However, freedom, something everyone desires, remains an inherent pursuit for Hades, no matter how tranquil he appears.
At that moment, a ray of sea-blue light shone down, revealing a crack that seemed to become an eye, observing everything. After a long while, calm returned.
"Poseidon."
Hades whispered in his heart, "Has it really been so long? Poseidon has already been born. If I want to escape, my best chance will be the next time."
He understood well that only during the next opportunity, when he could consume the false Zeus, would the exit open again.
That would be his best chance for freedom.
And there was only one opportunity to break free from a Titan god king's body it will not be easy. If it were that simple, Zeus wouldn't need to rely on external aids. Still, Hades continued to focus on his cultivation.
He knew he had only one chance. Before that moment, he must master a greater power to seize this unique opportunity.