Persephone.
Hestia.
The two goddesses looked at Hades.
Hades remained silent for a moment before speaking. "Pandora, leave the invitation here. Prepare yourself; we will head to the Sea Realm."
"Understood!"
Pandora handed the invitation to Hestia, who had come bouncing over, and then respectfully exited. She didn't know exactly what needed to be done next, but the preparation of the royal chariot signaled one thing—His Majesty intended to leave the Underworld.
And this departure would be anything but subtle.
After all, for Hades, leaving the Underworld with his chariot hidden would be an absolute disgrace. That was an impossibility. Understanding this, Pandora set out to make all the necessary arrangements.
As for the reason? The process? The rationale?
These were not matters for Pandora to question or consider. Her sole duty was to execute His Majesty's orders, and that was enough. All else was irrelevant to her.
Pandora departed.
Hestia curiously asked, "Brother, is this an invitation from Poseidon?"
"Let me see…"
Hestia didn't wait for a response before opening the invitation. Inside, there was only a single location noted: The Heart of the Ocean.
"The Heart of the Ocean!" Hestia exclaimed, her tone tinged with nostalgia. Gazing into the distance as if lost in memory, she murmured, "I never thought I'd hear of the Heart of the Ocean again. It feels like an eternity since I last saw it."
Indeed.
Since the meetings of the three God-Kings came to an end—since the Titanomachy concluded—the Heart of the Ocean had disappeared from sight, truly hidden away. It had been countless eons since its name was last spoken.
And now, Poseidon had sent Hades an invitation to the Heart of the Ocean.
This… In a sense, it felt like history throwing its weight back upon their shoulders.
However.
Unlike Hestia's nostalgia, Persephone was filled with concern. "Husband, is it really safe to travel to the Mythical World? It's so turbulent right now, and the suppression you're under…"
Hades answered calmly, "There's no need to worry. Eros is on the verge of awakening, and I must personally bring him back. Furthermore, the current turmoil in the Mythical World ensures they have no time to concern themselves with me. Stability is their top priority."
There was no other way.
The Mythical World had chosen compromise. Whether due to the collapse of the Age of Heroes or the vacuum left as humanity awaited its next era, adjustments needed time—or even required starting over entirely.
Abandoning the legacy of the Heroic Age and starting anew was a bitter pill for the Mythical World to swallow. Yet reality left them no choice. Accept it or not, the fact was inescapable. They lacked the resources to deal with additional turmoil.
On this unstable foundation:
Poseidon had entered a strange state by merging the powers of divine and unholy beings.
Uranus had freed himself from the constraints of the sky.
Cronus had escaped his Underworld seal.
These three God-Kings had re-emerged—or evolved further—plunging the Mythical World into utter chaos. It was like a frail adult facing a group of terrifyingly strong teenagers.
Would you be afraid?
One punch might be enough to bring you down.
So now, the Mythical World had taken a step back: as long as no one caused trouble, all was well. Any semblance of peace was welcome. The only goal was to maintain stability and let the current turmoil subside.
Of course.
The Mythical World also understood that if things transitioned smoothly to the next stage, the new status quo would be unshakable. Unfortunately, this was ultimately meaningless.
Even if it became fact, it wouldn't change the underlying truths.
At present, the most critical concern for the Mythical World was ensuring that certain individuals—such as Gaia and Athena—did not stir up any new chaos. It was imperative for them to remain quiet and compliant.
But…
Could events truly unfold as planned? Who could say?
"Eldest Sister, when is the date set by Poseidon?" Hades seemed to be lost in thought, pondering an unspoken question.
"Three hundred years," Hestia answered.
Although Poseidon had only specified a location in the invitation, the additional details—time, place—were clear.
"Three hundred years…" Hades mused for a moment before stating, "It seems Poseidon is also waiting."
"Waiting for what?" Hestia blinked curiously.
Persephone softly interjected, "Eldest Sister, he's waiting for Athena. Though we don't know her current condition, three hundred years should suffice for a definitive result. Success or failure, it will be enough time."
"If Athena succeeds, she will have a place at this gathering."
"If she fails, the spotlight will belong solely to the four God-Kings: my husband, Father, Uranus, and Poseidon."
"I see!" Hestia nodded in understanding. "So that's the plan. Got it. That makes sense now."
Hestia didn't dwell further on it. To her, this was no longer worth worrying about.
The next step was simply to wait out the three hundred years.
...
Greek Pantheon, Mythical World.
At the Core of the Earth, a heavy silence hung over two figures:
Athena.
Gaia.
These two deities—the past and present rulers of the earth—stood in profound stillness.
Athena appeared extremely weak, but Gaia fared no better. Both had reached their limits.
Under normal circumstances, Gaia could have easily overpowered Athena despite her weakened state. After all, the disparity between them was vast:
One was a Creator God.
The other, a God-King.
These were entirely different realms of power. Athena's defeat should have been inevitable.
Yet now, the two seemed evenly matched—a puzzling outcome.
"Athena," Gaia said, her gaze penetrating. "I must admit, you're exceptional. Using the earth's bindings to restrain me is a masterstroke. But for you, this is the end of the road."
Athena, though frail, retained her poise as a God-King. With a faint smile, she replied, "Your praise humbles me, Earth Goddess. Yet no matter what, I cannot afford to lose this battle."
"Failure?"
"No."
"This is my final chance. I will not die. Under the laws of the Mythical World, Earth Goddess, you cannot kill me."
Her confidence lay in her unique status. By binding Gaia and leveraging her own immunity from death, Athena sought to wear Gaia down over time.
This was her last card—a slim hope.
Success required a miracle, but miracles were precisely what the leap from God-King to Ancient God demanded.
Athena had no other choice.
Poseidon had succeeded.
Boros had failed.
Now it was her turn. Would she triumph, or would she fall short?
She had walked this path to its conclusion. The outcome was near.
"An admirable plan," Gaia remarked, nodding approvingly. "But merely binding me isn't enough. Your preparations, while impressive, fall short of what's needed."
Her voice carried an air of inevitability. Gaia, as the first deity of the Greek pantheon and a Creator God, was not so easily defeated. The gap between them was insurmountable.
And bridging it was no simple task.
"I know," Athena replied calmly. "But this is the only path left to me. Whatever lies ahead, I must press on."
"Press on…" Gaia studied Athena intently. After a moment, she smiled faintly. "Very well. Let's see how far you can go. Perhaps if you fail, I might ascend even further."
Gaia's calm acceptance belied her determination.
At that moment, a trace of divine power descended upon the earth's core.
"Mother?"
"Metis?"
Both Athena and Gaia were startled by the sudden arrival of Metis. For a moment, confusion flickered across their faces.
With a warm smile, Metis said gently, "Athena, as your mother, there's little I can do to help you. But in this final moment, let me assist you one last time."
"Help me?" Athena was stunned, but realization dawned quickly. She reached out instinctively, trying to stop Metis.
But it was too late.
Divine power surged from Metis, heavy and vast like the earth itself, flowing into Athena.
"Part of the Earth Mother's power?" Gaia instantly recognized Metis' actions.
The Earth Mother—ancient goddesses born of the earth—embodied the earliest divine essence. Metis, Gaia, and Athena all bore the mantle of the Earth Mother, but harnessing that power required more than mere possession.
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