From the moment she was born, Pandora emerged as the perfect commander of the underworld.
It can be said outright that Pandora's birth was remarkably special. Her existence represented a significant enhancement for the underworld. This realization made Prometheus's expulsion and Metis's house arrest a greater loss for Zeus than could be perceived at first glance.
"God of the Underworld."
"Pandora."
"Hell God."
"Hm."
As Pandora departed, Hades pondered for a moment. After a while, he murmured softly, "With the emergence of the seventy-two demon gods, the underworld may be on the brink of a new transformation. No, that's too eager to say. The true transformation, along with the integration of hell, will signify a real birth, so there's no need to rush for now."
Gradually closing his eyes, Hades maintained control over the entire underworld. With the influx of souls and Pandora's return, even without full control, the world had not entirely consumed the four elements and had begun to show some improvement. He needed to carefully manage this growth in divine power.
Underworld! Sea World! Heavens!
Everything returned to a strange calm. This calmness felt peculiar, yet regardless of its nature, time continued to pass. With each moment, calmness would inevitably cover all. After all, for the main gods, time seemed trivial.
"Princess!"
Kushi Inada and Pandora followed behind Yan Mo.
The three women walked across the vast land, each lost in thought. Yan Mo gazed into the distance, holding a cigarette, from which wisps of green smoke curled upwards. The smoke evoked different feelings for each woman.
"War is coming!"
Yan Mo stared ahead, sensing the shift in the world around them, feeling a sense of melancholy. The balance of deception had gradually been torn apart. With the disappearance of the Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds, the faith of the entire human realm was shattered. It began to crumble completely, and as belief collapsed, the eight million gods reliant on it began to clash and vie for dominance in the war of faith.
In this era, the belief of the gods was paramount.
Pandora pondered for a moment and said, "Princess! The actions of the three gods seem very peculiar. They could easily control the human realm, so it seems unnecessary to act this way."
Pandora's thoughts stemmed from her understanding of the situation. It appeared strange to her that there was no need for such maneuvers, as separating the Ya Ta Jing and Ba Chi Qiong Gou Yu would yield clear benefits.
"Hehehe"
Yan Mo smiled softly, "Pandora, you don't yet grasp the greed of the gods. Winnie, Ya Ta Jing, and Ba Chi Qiong Gou Yu belong to Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi, respectively. If they were truly to hand them over to their subordinates, would Susanoo establish the Ashihara Kingdom in the human realm? What would happen to those artifacts then?"
Pandora, being a perceptive woman, had yet to experience such complexities since her birth. In the underworld, she didn't have to think so deeply. Thus, upon hearing Yan Mo's words, Pandora fell into a state of bewilderment.
It seemed indeed...
Quickly regaining her composure, she said respectfully, "Princess, I was too naive."
Yan Mo smiled and shook her head, continuing to gaze into the distance. The impending battle among the gods was about to erupt completely. However, Kushi Inada softly remarked, "Princess! There appears to be a young man approaching from the distance!"
"A boy?"
"Um?!"
Yan Mo frowned slightly.
As Hades's concubine, Yan Mo was distinct from other underworld entities. Her unique ability allowed her to harness part of the power of the magic star. Consequently, she sensed that the young man rushing toward them was an exceptional underworld fighter.
"Hehehe"
Yan Mo smiled, "It's good to encounter a warrior of the underworld."
As she spoke, Yan Mo flicked her fingers, causing a skull to transform into a magic star that soared into the sky. With its peculiar cry, the magic star dissipated and sped away.
"Ha"
A teenager with short black hair and a distinctive eye ran swiftly. His eyes burned with a fierce intent; his hometown lay in ruins, utterly destroyed.
The devastation had come without any chance to retaliate. The cause? It seemed all too simple: a monstrous creature had obliterated everything, seeking nothing but flesh and blood to bolster its strength.
"Roar!"
A terrifying roar echoed as a ferocious tiger monster chased the boy, intent on devouring him. Yet, the creature wasn't in a hurry; it pursued him like a cat toying with a mouse, creating a disconcerting atmosphere.
"Damn it!"
As the young man cried out in pain, the magic star fused directly into his body. In an instant, a terrifying power surged forth, and the boy's form began to twist dramatically.
"Ah!!!"
The boy emitted a chilling roar, and in that moment, his body transformed drastically.
However, unlike other ghost fighters, this one wore relatively light and thin ghost garments, akin to samurai armor, with a dark purple katana hanging at his waist—a weapon inherent to his ghostly attire.
"God Knot Severing Slash!"
Without hesitation, the young man turned to face the fierce tiger. He stepped forward, and in an instant, shadows of blades fell like light, scattering bloody flesh and blood. Countless souls erupted from the body of the slain tiger.
"Roar!"
The ferocious tiger let out a final roar, staring deeply at the young man before gradually succumbing to unconsciousness and death.
The young man sheathed his long sword and departed quickly, soon arriving before Yan Mo, Pandora, and Kushi Inada. He knelt respectfully, offering a knightly salute.
"Earth Dog Star, Lailaps, Okino Suzuri!"
"Greetings, Concubine Ming!"
"Greetings, Lord Pandora!"
"Greetings, Your Excellency!"
Okino Suzuri bowed deeply, his eyes filled with respect and devout faith.