"Lord Hades!"
The twin gods, Hypnos and Thanatos, approached and bowed their heads respectfully.
Hades, looking indifferent, replied, "The entire Underworld is sealed off; no outsiders are accepted."
"Yes!" the twin gods responded, immediately getting to work. Hades set Cerberus down and returned to the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. He sat on the throne of the gods, ready to sort through the treasures he'd acquired, particularly the ultimate power seed.
However, while the seed was remarkable, it wasn't the pinnacle of his haul. Hades lifted his hand, a special light glowing in his palm, it was the core of Hyperion's memories and skills. Wisps of divine power emerged as Hades began purging impurities, revealing a product akin to Godhood, encapsulating Hyperion's vast skills and experiences.
Without hesitation, Hades merged with this Godhood. In an instant, a torrent of skills and experiences flooded his soul. He absorbed knowledge like a sponge, rapidly evolving. In that brief moment, Hades synthesized the skills and experiences of himself, Koios, and Hyperion, forging a unique path that was unmistakably his own.
When he opened his eyes again, everything had returned to normal. For that fleeting time, his skills were unparalleled.
But he understood that this would only be temporary. He knew his father, the supreme Titan king Cronus, could surpass Hyperion if he wished. Both Cronus and Zeus shared a belief in their own power, relying on it to shape their fates. For them, mastery of skills was a mere side path; laws and artifacts were what truly mattered. Hades, however, was different he embraced all forms of knowledge, integrating everything to strengthen himself.
After sorting through the knowledge in his soul, Hades let out a long breath. "It's enough for now. Continuing to absorb will lead to ruin. Exceeding a certain limit brings destruction."
Hades recognized the limits of his absorption. If unchecked, the consequences could be dire.
"Next, only those with complete ultimate power can wield the golden apple," he concluded, mentally cataloging the necessary considerations. "If something can't be touched, it should be left alone."
After reflecting, Hades dismissed the thought; knowing was sufficient. It was time to move forward.
With a flicker of divine thought, he vanished and reappeared before the World Tree. Observing its gentle sway, he opened his hand, revealing Hyperion's red lotus World Tree; a creation that could nurture and cultivate itself. The effort Hyperion had invested was evident.
Regrettably, this gift was meant for Hades. As he held the red lotus World Tree, the Underworld's own tree trembled, aware of the superior quality it was about to absorb.
"Slowly, now," Hades murmured as he tempered the red lotus World Tree into pure energy and merged it into the World Tree. It entered a deep slumber, quietly absorbing the essence.
Hades recognized that while the World Tree was vast, it would require time to fully assimilate the red lotus World Tree's origins, which were substantial.
"Roar! Roar!"
The Ouroboros at the apex of the World Tree circled and floated toward Hades, seemingly eager for its gift. Hades lifted it with one hand, merging it with his own Ouroboros.
"Roar!" the Ouroboros exclaimed, rubbing against Hades before devouring the red lotus Ouroboros, returning to its place atop the World Tree to operate in harmony.
With the issues of the World Tree and Ouroboros resolved, Hades thought for a moment before injecting a fragment of the red lotus flame into the body of the fire nymph, ensuring it could cultivate this powerful flame created by Hyperion.
Once everything was settled, Hades integrated the remaining divine power and laws absorbed from Hyperion's essence into the magic stars, which were designed for such assimilation. The one hundred and eight magic stars could incorporate various types of divine power and laws, a key reason Hades could effectively use the golden apples.
As he observed the fire nymph, he felt a flicker of astonishment, he hadn't anticipated its potential.