Clang!
Hades slowly drew the Sword of the Underworld.
In an instant, a terrifying divine power surged within the Sea of Chaos.
"..."
Seeing this burst of divine power, all those witnessing the battle—whether Absolute Gods, Outer Gods, or Transcendents—were momentarily stunned.
Danger?
Yes.
That's right.
For beings at their level, feeling a sense of threat after Hades drew the Sword of the Underworld was an utterly astonishing occurrence.
At their rank, could they truly feel threatened?
This...
In some ways, it was absurd, even unimaginable. What exactly was happening here?
No!
No!
How could this be possible? How was this achieved?
It was entirely inconceivable.
Of course, this was merely a fleeting sense of danger. It did not mean that Hades could stand on equal footing with an Absolute God. The outcome would still be the same: everything would end in an instant.
However!
The divine power displayed by Hades wielding the Sword of the Underworld seemed to prove that he was like a rising sun, slowly emerging. This power had already demonstrated that.
Things seemed to be getting interesting.
Moreover, the Sword of the Underworld, a divine artifact forged within the Mythical World, had unleashed such incredible power. This was becoming intriguing!
Hades was oblivious to the thoughts of these spectators. From beginning to end, he simply wielded the Sword of the Underworld with determination.
Indeed!
For Hades, this was the first time he had truly donned the Garment of the Underworld and wielded the Sword of the Underworld. The sensation was indescribable.
It was a fascinating and unique experience.
Sometimes, unless you personally use the divine artifact you possess, you can't grasp its true essence. Hades had been in that position before.
Now, things were entirely different.
Hades held the Sword of the Underworld with one hand, silently watching Hydra.
At this moment…
Hydra's expression turned grave. Gone was the earlier malevolence; now there was genuine solemnity.
The threat of death!
Indeed!
The moment Hades drew the Sword of the Underworld, Hydra truly felt the shadow of death. Hydra knew there could be no carelessness now; otherwise, death would be the only outcome.
As for retreating?
Heh. Don't be ridiculous!
For Hydra, that was not an option. In Hydra's view, at worst, he might lose. No! No! No!
Even defeat seemed almost impossible to Hydra.
After all, wasn't Hades merely an upstart nurtured in the Mythical World, a delectable morsel at best?
Could such a morsel truly threaten him?
Absolutely not!
Hydra's confidence and arrogance remained unshaken. In Hydra's eyes, the only reason he felt a trace of danger was the artifact's power.
And the true potential of an artifact is never just about the artifact itself.
That was Hydra's perspective. Clearly, he wasn't taking Hades too seriously.
Arrogance!
This is all it could be described as.
Even an evil god wasn't immune to the Seven Deadly Sins. Hydra's gaze on Hades seemed contemplative.
The next moment…
Hades's Sword of the Underworld descended quietly. It was as though it was a simple, casual swing. Everything seemed too easy, so easy it felt as though this was simply the way things were meant to be.
But!
The simpler it appeared, the more unsettling it became, leaving one with an eerie sense of something amiss.
In that brief instant…
Everything…
Fell silent.
It was as though the world had returned to calm and stillness, as though nothing had ever happened.
What…
Just happened?
"Impossible!"
Hydra's stiffened gaze dropped downward. He saw nothing—nothing at all.
With a single swing of the sword, everything had ended. Completely, utterly.
It seemed…
So effortless, almost unnaturally so.
Why?
Hydra did not know. But when he tried to look at Hades again, he suddenly realized...
His consciousness had already vanished. His body, mind, soul, essence—everything—had been utterly obliterated by that single stroke.
And!
Hades's face turned pale. While his complexion had always been exceptionally pale, revealing no emotional fluctuations, now it was ashen, almost paper-like, revealing profound weakness.
Hades himself had expected this.
Calmly, Hades remained still, watching as Hydra fell. From his disintegrating form, countless energies surged forth—divine energies, mortal energies, energies of myriad races, and even the power of worlds.
Hades had no interest in anything except the power of worlds, which he carefully collected.
As for the rest?
Heh. He had no interest at all.
However!
Hades suddenly paused when he noticed a figure—a form almost entirely decayed but stubbornly persisting through sheer willpower.
Hades extended his hand, dispersing all the evil energy from that figure. Then, carrying it, he departed.
Everything…
Returned to calm. The Sea of Chaos became tranquil once more.
But this battle had left the gods feeling that things were becoming more intriguing. Everything seemed increasingly fascinating.
It all seemed too simple.
So simple…
That it was unnerving.
With the gods gradually departing...
The Underworld, Elysium Fields.
Hades's form appeared faintly as he sat on his throne.
"..."
Persephone and Hestia stood beside him. Although they said nothing, their smiles betrayed their relief as they gazed at Hades's pale face.
Persephone stepped off her throne, moving to Hades's side. Gently, she let him rest against her. Her voice was tender. "My husband, are you alright?"
Leaning against Persephone, Hades responded calmly, "I am fine. It's merely excessive depletion of divine power. Still, I hadn't anticipated that even at this level, wielding the Sword of the Underworld would drain me so completely."
With a wave of his hand, the Sword of the Underworld floated before him.
As he gazed at the sword, Hades seemed contemplative.
"This…"
Hestia, relieved to hear it was merely exhaustion, chimed in, "If it's just overexertion, that's no big deal! You'll recover soon!"
Stepping forward, she reached out and picked up the Sword of the Underworld.
Thanks to Hades's influence, the sword remained sheathed, unperturbed by her touch.
Hestia made no attempt to unsheath it. She knew all too well the terrifying power of the artifact. Unsheathing it on a whim?
Heh. She would be drained dry in an instant. Death would be inevitable.
Hestia marveled at the sword. "Brother, even now, you can't fully wield the Sword of the Underworld?"
"One strike."
Hades replied quietly, "At my current level of divine power, I can manage only one strike. The sword seems to have evolved further. To wield it perfectly, I suspect I'd need to reach the level of a Creator God."
His tone was calm, but his analysis was clear.
"Really?"
Hestia blinked in astonishment. "That's terrifying! Is this sword really that powerful?"
Gazing at the weapon in her hand, she couldn't help but feel overwhelmed.
Even at Hades's previous level, a full-fledged God-King, he couldn't manage a single strike. And now, as an Ancient God at the pinnacle of his rank, he could only wield it once?
Was it possible...
Only a Creator God could truly master it?
But even if someone reached that level, could they use it perfectly?
Hestia was uncertain and could only ponder.
"Alright."
Persephone's gentle voice broke the silence. "Sister, let's not dwell on this. Husband, do you need to rest for a while?"
She gazed at Hades with concern, knowing well that resting wasn't in his nature.
For Hades, such depletion was insignificant. Rest was unlikely.
Hestia interjected, "Speaking of which, while Hydra has been dealt with, the Sea of Chaos remains too dangerous. The minor worlds under the Underworld's control could easily be swallowed up."
Her observation was correct.
The Sea of Chaos was no place for ordinary gods. If something happened, only Hades could resolve it.
The Underworld couldn't afford to lose these minor worlds, as they were crucial assets.
How to ensure their stability was now a pressing issue.
Everyone knew that the Sea of Chaos was unpredictable. With a new era dawning, it was bound to grow even more chaotic.
------------------
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Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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