"Insolent children, you dare stand before me and not bow immediately?"
Elaine, trembling from head to toe, timidly asked, "Who... who are you? Whatever you intend—whether to kill us or something else—surely you should first announce your name?"
The shadowy figure turned toward Elaine, silent for a moment, before coldly responding, "You mean to tell me you don't recognize my name?"
Josier and Elaine exchanged uncertain glances, replying in unison, "You're so shrouded in darkness, who could tell who you are?"
The shadow nodded slightly. "Indeed. As I am now, only my 'consciousness' remains... my physical body long since dissipated..." He paused, his tone laced with mockery. "I am Hades."
At the sound of that name, Elaine gasped in horror. "You're the SS-class Hades!? The records clearly say you died long ago, but your body was never found!"
As those words left her mouth, Josier and Kaires turned to Elaine in shock, their faces etched with disbelief.
Hades chuckled darkly. "Ah, so the younger generation has heard of my reputation?"
Josier, confused, leaned toward Elaine and whispered, "Elaine, the SS-class 'Hades'? Such a terrifying figure, how could he be here?"
Hades let out a few cold laughs, a glint of disdain in his eyes. "No body, and so you assume I am dead? Hahaha... In this world, no one has ever managed to kill me. Long ago, I chose to let my body slumber here, awaiting the right moment... And now, the time for my resurrection approaches!"
His chilling laughter echoed through the cavern, and even the air itself seemed to grow heavier. Josier and Elaine exchanged a worried glance, their unease growing. Kaires stood by, fists clenched, deep in thought.
"You insolent youngsters..." Hades' voice rang out again, this time with a hint of amusement. "Since you managed to break the seal I placed, you are clearly no ordinary trespassers. Tell me, what is your true purpose here?"
Elaine took a deep breath, forcing down the terror that threatened to overtake her, and with trembling resolve replied, "We didn't mean to intrude... We were merely fleeing from pursuers and stumbled into this place by accident. We meant no disrespect."
Hades snorted derisively. "Whatever your reasons, you have set foot in this forbidden domain. Now, you must pay the price."
Josier, nervous, whispered to Elaine, "What does he mean? What should we do?"
Elaine shook her head, her eyes filled with unease. "Hades' power is far too overwhelming. We stand no chance against him..."
"That... that might not be entirely true," Kaires suddenly spoke, his body trembling as he took a step forward. He fixed his gaze on Hades, his tone steady despite the fear. "Perhaps you were once an SS-class warrior, but now you're merely a consciousness, far from the strength you once wielded."
Hades cast a cold glance at Kaires, a faint, disdainful smirk curling his lips. "Of the three of you, only you and the blonde girl are 'Awakened.' But... with such meager power, you couldn't even lay a finger on me."
Kaires' entire body trembled, but he forced the words out. "We won't know... until we try..."
Before the sentence was finished, Hades casually waved his hand, and an invisible force surged like a tidal wave. In an instant, Kaires and his companions were hurled violently against the rock wall, the thunderous impact reverberating through the cavern.
Josier and Elaine immediately lost consciousness, collapsing to the ground, motionless. Kaires, gritting his teeth against the searing pain, struggled to his feet, his mind a whirl of confusion.
"So... powerful..." he gasped, his heart pounding with disbelief. "He didn't even attack us directly, just a casual gesture... and we were completely overpowered."
Kaires looked up at Hades' towering figure, a deep sense of despair swelling in his chest. This level of strength far surpassed anything he had ever encountered. Even Achilles—the formidable warrior he once faced—seemed insignificant when compared to the overwhelming presence of Hades.
"Achilles... is nothing compared to this monster..." Kaires thought, as beads of sweat trickled down his forehead. His fists clenched, yet he couldn't suppress the fear and helplessness that gnawed at him.
Hades gazed down at Kaires with cold indifference. "You are nothing but an insect, yet you dare challenge me? How utterly foolish."
Kaires gritted his teeth, lifting his head with great effort. Though his body was battered and broken, the fire in his eyes had not yet dimmed. He knew that if he gave up now, not only would he die, but Josier and Elaine would also perish.
"I... can't fall here..." Kaires muttered under his breath, arcs of electricity once again crackling between his fingers. Though his body was at its limit, he forced himself to stand, readying for another strike.
Seeing this, Hades' brow furrowed slightly. "You still dare resist?"
Kaires unleashed his full power—"One Billion Volts"—lightning roared from his hands, surging toward Hades like a raging beast. Yet, with a dismissive step forward, Hades rendered the attack utterly futile. The lightning slipped harmlessly past him, as if encountering an insurmountable barrier, leaving him completely unscathed.
Kaires felt his strength drain from his body as he collapsed to the ground, despair flooding his heart. "Too powerful... Is this truly the end, so soon after my rebirth?" he silently questioned, as his consciousness began to fade and his vision dimmed.
"Enough, rise," a deep voice echoed beside him.
Kaires stood up, confused, and glanced around. "Where... am I?"
"This is your dream," the voice replied with a hint of mockery.
Focusing his gaze, Kaires realized it was Hades. But this time, Hades appeared not as a shadow, but in a fully formed, tangible body.
"You've got to be kidding!" Kaires shouted in disbelief. "You can invade even my dreams? What kind of monster are you... Wait, you no longer appear as a shadow?"
Hades chuckled lightly. "Dreams are just another illusionary space, and here I can manifest in my true form. You, boy, stubborn and defiant, remind me so much of myself back then." His laughter rang with a trace of self-mockery.
Kaires frowned. "What's so funny? Are you planning to kill us?"
Hades raised an eyebrow, seemingly amused by the question. "I never intended to kill anyone. You were the ones who attacked me first. I merely defended myself."
Kaires froze, recalling the battle earlier. It was true—they had assumed Hades was an enemy without knowing the full story. Doubt crept into his mind. "Did I... really misjudge him?"
"Then... will you let us go?" Kaires asked cautiously.
Hades' expression softened slightly, his tone laced with a touch of amusement. "Of course. I never meant to harm you. But now that you're here, don't you wish to leave with something?"
Kaires furrowed his brow. "Leave with what?"
"My power," Hades said abruptly.
Kaires' eyes widened in astonishment. "What... are you saying? Your power?"
Hades nodded, his tone calm. "Yes. Since you've come this far, I'm willing to share my power with you."
"What does that mean?" Kaires asked, bewildered.
Hades smiled faintly and explained, "We form a contract. You help me find a suitable body to return to the physical world. In return, you may wield my power freely."
Kaires' heart raced. The offer was incredibly tempting, yet it filled him with unease. "A contract? What exactly would we need to do, and what do we gain?"
Hades laughed softly. "Simple. Help me find a fitting vessel. Until you do, you'll have unlimited access to my power—no restrictions."
"Your power..." Kaires repeated under his breath, torn by inner conflict.
"You'll soon understand," Hades said, his voice cold and commanding. "Once you awaken, our consciousnesses will be linked. Whether you wish it or not, the contract is already sealed."
Kaires was stunned, filled with questions, but just as he was about to speak, the scene around him began to blur rapidly. A wave of dizziness hit him, and his consciousness was abruptly pulled back into the real world.
Slowly, he opened his eyes. The surroundings were hazy, like remnants of a dream, but Hades' ominous words echoed relentlessly in his mind: "You have no right to refuse. Be grateful—I like you, for you remind me of who I once was..."
Kaires rose slowly, glancing down at his body, feeling no immediate change. Putting aside the perplexing experience, he walked steadily towards the barely conscious Josier and Elaine.
"Josier, Elaine, wake up..."
At his call, they gradually stirred. The moment their eyes fluttered open, they asked in surprise, "Where's Hades? Where did he go?"
Kaires shrugged, his voice calm. "No idea. He was gone when I woke up."
At that moment, Elaine spoke up abruptly. "In my dream, Hades told me he'd give me a gift."
Josier, hearing this, frowned in thought and quickly added, "Yes, he said the same to me in my dream."
Kaires considered their words carefully, then asked, "Do you feel any different?"
Josier and Elaine exchanged a glance, then shook their heads almost simultaneously. Neither felt any noticeable change.
Kaires frowned slightly, contemplating Hades' cryptic words and motives. What exactly did he mean by "gift"?
"Let's get out of here first," Kaires finally said, his tone laced with caution. "Whatever Hades gave us, we'll need to observe ourselves closely."
As the three prepared to leave, Josier's eyes swept the surroundings and landed on a small opening behind the tombstone.
"There!" she pointed at the shadowed exit, her face lighting up with surprise. "That must be the way out Hades mentioned! Let's go!"
Kaires and Elaine followed Josier's gaze and saw the hidden passageway. Relief washed over them as they finally had a way out. Without further hesitation, the three hurried toward the exit.
When they passed through the narrow opening, the sound of rushing water greeted them. To their amazement, the exit was concealed behind a waterfall. The cascading water perfectly veiled the entrance, explaining why the location had remained undiscovered for so long.
Kaires stood at the edge of the opening, wide-eyed as he took in the sight beyond. "Unbelievable. The exit was hidden within a waterfall all along! Finding this place must've been nearly impossible."
Elaine nodded in awe. "No wonder Hades chose this as his resting place. It's hidden to perfection."
Josier glanced back at the tombstone they had left behind, still uneasy about Hades' "gift," but she decided to set those concerns aside for now.
"Let's just leave," Josier said.