Just do what you think. Hades has never been a hesitant person; his rationality outweighs his emotions, and he avoids impulsive actions because impulses come with risks. Although his initial efforts and impulses did not lead to negative consequences, he has seen the dangers involved.
However, the road to becoming stronger has never been peaceful and smooth. It's a rugged mountain path, and only by conquering this daunting mountain step by step can one truly reach the apex. Hades left the Underworld and returned to the Chaos Sea.
"Lord Hades..."
"Lord Hades!"
Aether, Hemera, Hypnos, and Thanatos, every follower sensed Hades' determination. They would not hesitate; since this was Hades' choice, they would willingly sacrifice their lives for him. A god worth following embodies the virtue of loyalty.
When you recognize a god you are willing to follow, betrayal is nearly impossible; loyalty persists until death.
Arriving at the Chaos Sea again, Hades knew the way well and made his way straight to the edge. Compared to before, he arrived much faster.
Hades stood at the border of the Chaos Sea, gazing at its beautiful yet treacherous depths. He was acutely aware of the terrifying dangers lurking beneath the surface. This second visit, only 30,000 years after the last, demanded no hesitation or wasted time.
To hesitate is to lose. To be weak is to remain forever so. This is Hades' belief. His calm expression turned serious as a deep light emerged from his black eyes. He raised one hand, and bright dark purple energy surged forth.
"Click click"
With that strange sound, Hades summoned 72 magic stars, sending forth his divine thoughts into each one as they entered the Chaos Sea.
Hades didn't know if his preparations would succeed, but he was determined to make it happen. After such a long time, he had grown stronger; failure would be embarrassing.
Upon entering the Chaos Sea, Hades felt a crushing pressure, threatening to shatter his divine sense. But at that moment, divine power flooded in from the Underworld and the magic stars within him, stabilizing his essence.
One. Two. Five. Ten.
Under Hades' control, it took a full hundred years to integrate the 72 magic stars into each small world simultaneously. With this coordination, he finally breathed a sigh of relief as the immense pressure dissipated.
"Next. That's where it really begins."
Hades whispered, waiting patiently. As time passed, small worlds began to collapse and shatter.
Within these magic stars, there emerged Underworld fighters, or the magic stars would randomly select one to become a Underworld fighter. In essence, even if there were no chosen fighters, any Underworld fighter in this state possessed invincible strength.
Hades didn't expect to seize a large amount of the world's origin this time. As long as he could plunder some, that was sufficient.
What mattered was efficiency, the sooner, the better. As small worlds collapsed, magic stars emerged. Rather than returning, he directed them straight to the next small world, exploring even farther. If not for the divine power bolstered by the Underworld and the magic stars, he might not have been able to sustain this endeavor.
Nonetheless, he managed to annihilate small worlds one after another, absorbing countless sources of power from them. Time passed, and Hades had successfully balanced his efforts, exploring farther but stopping when he reached his limit.
His pursuit was not about risking his life; it was about reaching his limits. If he aimed to break through to the realm of the God King in 30,000 years, he needed to find limits in his pursuits. Otherwise, achieving this goal would be impossible.
Every step Hades took was deliberate, precise, and resolute. Each move was calculated and not impulsive. This is not the character of Hades, a god more rational than emotional, fully aware of the implications of his actions.
Suddenly, as a magic star entered a small world, Hades was taken aback.
"?!"
Charon stepped out of the magic star, carrying oars. He surveyed the dark red world, with its crimson sky and seventy-two giant pillars rising into the air. A smile crept across his lips as he remarked, "Interesting! Interesting! Isn't this the Seventy-two Demon God Pillars?"
The Seventy-two Demon God Pillars!
In the legendary stories of various myths, many hells are notable, particularly the seven kings of hell, who are the masters of the seven deadly sins. Among them, Belial, the lazy devil, is the master of the Seventy-two Demon God Pillars.
He lent these pillars to Solomon, with the condition that after Solomon's death, the soul of the Son of God would fall into Belial's hands.
It's worth noting that in different worlds, there exist peers with entirely different owners. Hades is no exception. In the vast expanse of the Chaos Sea, countless peers share his existence.
Some of these peers may be weak, while others could rival Hades. However, none have reached the level of absolute gods; perhaps the strongest are at the level of Primordial gods.
Why?
Because once you attain the level of an absolute god, all peers become part of a perfect body centered around you.
When Hades reaches the level of an absolute god, he will absorb all his peers. From that point on, in the entire Chaos Sea, only Hades will remain, while the other versions of himself will contribute to his power.
Hades will absorb the divine power, souls, and divine bodies of his counterparts, gaining their memories and knowledge. Yet, his dominant consciousness will remain his own. This is the essence of peers.
For every god, if they wish to ascend to the level of the absolute god, absorbing all their peers is an essential path. However, if they cannot do so, their chances of ascension diminish drastically.
The peers across every timeline in the parallel universe, every universe in the multiverse, and every world within the Chaos Sea, these are the components needed for Hades to become a true absolute god.
Of course, this road is still distant for him.