Erebus.
Nyx.
Moros.
Killing Shrine's Qi Huang.
The three Ancient Gods of the Underworld, empowered by the divine energy of the Invisibility Helm, had already begun their operations. This process would not take much time. With the precise coordinates and the added protection of the helm, the task was greatly simplified.
Most importantly, the current state of the Chaos Sea was one of rare calm.
Because of this.
Now was the best time and opportunity. All gods, even the evil gods, understood this.
The impending turbulence of the Chaos Sea heralded the arrival of a new era.
At this moment.
Any god with a shred of intelligence would refrain from stirring up trouble and instead patiently wait, hoping to seize the first opportunity to achieve success in the new era.
This was the crux of the matter.
Because of this!
The mission of these three Ancient Gods of the Underworld to locate small worlds was unlikely to face any obstacles. In fact, if they stumbled upon additional small worlds along their path, they could take those as well.
After all!
For the Underworld, the more small worlds, the better. Each one they controlled contributed to the growth and development of the Underworld.
Of course.
This was not without risk, as Persephone and Hestia had noted earlier. The rapid growth of small worlds could potentially outpace the Underworld's ability to manage them. In such a scenario, the small worlds might even attempt to overpower and absorb the Underworld.
However...
While this danger existed, Hades had chosen to walk this path regardless.
The likelihood of such a threat materializing was incredibly low—practically impossible. Describing it as such was no exaggeration.
No matter what.
This path.
Was undoubtedly the most suitable for the Underworld's current situation. Hades understood this well. Given the circumstances, abandoning this approach was out of the question.
Hades was resolute.
Even if there were risks involved, they were manageable. That was beyond dispute. From the outset, this path was chosen for its viability and long-term potential.
Moreover!
Problems do not mean unsolvable issues. Hades had already developed ideas for handling potential conflicts. While their success was uncertain...
For now, it was enough to have even a small chance of success.
...
The Underworld, Elysium Fields
Hades sat quietly upon his divine throne, lost in thought.
Hestia had left, and Persephone had gone into the temple to handle some matters.
For Hades, most of his time—nearly all of it—was spent seated on the throne in Elysium Fields. He didn't need to involve himself directly with much but instead observed the entire Underworld and cultivated the laws.
This was Hades' primary duty.
After all.
At this stage, the Underworld had matured to such an extent that requiring Hades to personally oversee every detail would have been impractical.
Most tasks were managed by dedicated individuals within the Underworld.
Still...
It must be acknowledged that the Underworld lacked a fully functional administrative structure.
The Specters were primarily responsible for combat.
The 72 Pillar Demons maintained the stability and balance of the demon pillars.
The Underworld Gods, children of Erebus and Nyx, each had their own unique roles.
While the Underworld's operations were stable and orderly, it was missing a comprehensive organizational framework.
Because of this.
Hades had been pondering how to establish a more stable structure, a key question for the future of the Underworld.
If there were an ideal model, it would undoubtedly be the system of the underworld from a certain nation in Hades' memories.
However...
Such a system didn't exist in the Chaos Sea. That pantheon was absent from the very beginning.
Thus.
Hades understood that replicating such a model might not be feasible.
But!
Theoretically, could a similar system be implemented?
It was possible!
A particular pantheon's hell shared striking similarities—perhaps 80 to 90 percent—with the underworld system Hades had in mind. While their origins and essences differed vastly...
This didn't matter to Hades. As long as the core principles aligned, it would be enough.
He could cultivate the minor differences over time. For Hades, such discrepancies were trivial.
This was the foundation of Hades' thoughts.
And...
"If..."
Hades mused about the Mythical Great World where Eris resided, considering, "If my guess is correct, that world should align with what I anticipate."
"If everything goes smoothly…"
"The Lord of the Underworld will emerge."
"And the Underworld will gain a fully-fledged administrative structure."
"At that point…"
"The Underworld will enter a new phase of perfection."
Hades' mind was filled with thoughts of the future.
The Underworld now...
The World Tree had fully grown.
The six gods representing the heavens and the four elements—earth, water, fire, and wind—had been born.
The 72 Pillar Demons, serving as pillars, were stable.
The five realms—Heaven, Earth, Sea, Underworld, and Stars—were solidified.
Each Underworld God who reached the level of a God-King created their own domain, circling the Underworld as appendages.
With all these elements, the Underworld had achieved near-perfection.
At this point, further improvement required detailed refinements. This was undeniable.
Because of this!
Hades was well aware of what needed to be done next.
The Lord of the Underworld.
The administrative structure.
These were the remaining gaps in the Underworld's framework. Once these were filled...
The Underworld would be complete, ready to enter a stable phase. Once that phase was overcome...
Then!
Everything would become uncertain.
What lay ahead would depend on time, adaptation, and growth.
Hades had reached the theoretical peak of perfection but still faced uncertainties about whether he could continue on this path.
...
As Hades pondered, his thoughts were interrupted. Raising his hand, he summoned a broken figure before him.
"Hmph."
The figure's divine body was tattered. But as the evil god's corruption faded away, clarity returned to his eyes.
Though weak, the injuries were not life-threatening for a god. Time would suffice for recovery.
"Cough, cough…"
The figure coughed weakly, sitting on the ground and gasping for air.
In that moment.
He looked around, his gaze finally settling on Hades with shock and awe. This was the being who had slain Hydra.
He had witnessed it himself.
Indeed!
This god had been devoured by Hydra. Of course, as a God-King-level deity at best, his survival to this point was miraculous.
Likely...
Hades surmised that this god had been swallowed just as Hydra confronted him, leaving Hydra no time to digest him.
Normally, the evil god's corruption would have consumed him entirely.
But in the chaos of battle, Hydra had no chance to address this god. And Hades' swift victory ensured the god's survival.
"Grand Marshal Mingwang."
Hades spoke quietly, recognizing the god before him.
"Lord of the Underworld?"
The god also recognized Hades. Or rather, he recognized the essence of the Lord of the Underworld emanating from him. Failing to do so would have been odd, given its purity.
Their pantheon also had a notable figure whose essence bore a striking resemblance to Hades'.
However!
The one from their pantheon was far weaker in comparison.
Hades regarded the Grand Marshal Mingwang with thoughtful eyes.
The 108 Demon Stars corresponded to 108 perfect Specters.
Each star had a unique counterpart.
Some represented humans, others elves, beasts, or monsters. Some... corresponded to gods.
Indeed!
The Grand Marshal Mingwang before him was tied to one of the Specters, one of the most special among them!
------------------
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Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
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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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