Hades.
Persephone.
The King of the Underworld.
The Queen of the Underworld.
Using the essence of these two primordial deities as the core, the energies gradually fused together. In the end, they transformed into a radiant orb of light that settled within Persephone's abdomen. Along with the strand of Yomi's aura, the chaotic atmosphere slowly calmed, leaving only a serene stillness.
"Is that it? Is it done?"
Eris blinked, utterly puzzled by what had just happened.
While she understood that divine children required gestation, she had no personal experience with childbirth—let alone with the intricacies of divine pregnancies. She wasn't quite sure what to expect.
More importantly…
Even if Eris herself were to bear a child, she likely wouldn't be as nervous as she was now. After all, this wasn't just any child—this was the offspring of her King and Queen!
This…
This was monumental.
Eris felt as though her hands were tied, trembling with a nervous energy. She didn't know where to place them and felt completely at a loss.
"Surely it doesn't just end here, right?"
Hestia wasn't entirely certain either. She blinked several times, her face filled with equal confusion.
Under normal circumstances…
Well~~~ under normal circumstances…
When a god was conceived through natural means, there was indeed a process of gestation and childbirth. But given the nature of this particular situation, wasn't that process unnecessary?
For Hades and Persephone, this child had been conceived entirely through their divine essence—crafted from the very core of their beings.
If that were the case, wouldn't the typical process of gestation be irrelevant?
Right?
Hestia didn't fully understand either. She was as bewildered as Eris.
Clearly.
Both Hestia and Eris were now exchanging glances, utterly clueless as to what had just happened. They were like two lost children, staring at each other in mutual confusion.
At this moment!
Hades spoke slowly and calmly: "For the birth of a child, the process of a ten-month gestation cannot be omitted. Otherwise, no matter how the child is conceived, they will be born with inherent flaws. This is never a good thing for a child."
"Ah, I see!"
Hestia and Eris nodded in understanding, the realization dawning on them.
So that's how it is!
Of course.
What Hades referred to as "ten months of gestation" wasn't the same as human pregnancies. It was a symbolic process—a period during which the divine child's essence would fully form and mature. This was essential.
This process represented the child's completeness from the moment of their birth. That was the crux of the matter.
As for those so-called "instant creations"?
Hades scoffed at such notions.
To him, such beings could hardly be called true children. They were more akin to puppets—hollow creations lacking the completeness of a properly nurtured divine essence.
Gestation.
Birth.
These!
These were immutable laws of creation. They could not simply be bypassed.
To attempt such a thing was sheer folly.
After all…
If it were possible to skip this process, then why did Gaia choose to carry Typhon in her womb after conceiving him with Tartarus?
Why not simply expend her essence to bring him into existence instantly?
This was the reason.
Only through the process of gestation could a child be born complete. Without it, they would inevitably be flawed at their very core. This was an absolute certainty.
Hades understood this perfectly, as did Persephone.
This was why.
Despite the immense cost—each sacrificing 50% of their divine essence—neither Hades nor Persephone had opted to create their child directly. Instead, they chose to nurture and gestate their child properly.
Creation!
Gestation!
These were two fundamentally different concepts, especially when it came to a child.
On this matter, there was no room for doubt or debate.
The reason was simple!
From a fundamental perspective, skipping the gestation process was entirely meaningless.
As the King of the Underworld, Hades, who ruled over life, death, and reincarnation, understood this better than anyone. Was there anything about this process he didn't know?
Of course not! That would be absurd.
"Huff~~~"
Hestia let out a long sigh, her expression tinged with resignation. "Fine! I get it. There's no talking you two out of this. The child is already conceived, so what's the point in arguing? But still, I have to say… You two really need to think things through! There's so much you could be doing instead, and yet…"
Hestia's words trailed off as frustration bubbled over, leaving her momentarily speechless.
She was livid.
Her brother and sister-in-law—these two fools!
The advent of a new era.
The turbulence in the Chaos Sea.
Clearly!
All of this was about to unfold imminently. And yet, these two chose now of all times to expend 50% of their essence to conceive a child.
This was no trivial matter!
What if something went wrong?
If the timing worked out, then fine—everything would be manageable. But what if it didn't?
That…
That would be a true disaster!
This wasn't just some minor issue.
Yes, the Underworld was unlikely to face any immediate threats.
The outside world?
Heh~~~
The outside world couldn't pose a problem, even with Hades weakened by 50%. As a primordial god, Hades would still be nearly invincible against ordinary deities.
Weaker? Sure.
But that didn't mean his enemies got stronger.
The real danger wasn't the mythical world itself.
The true threat lay in the Chaos Sea!
The eruption of the Chaos Sea.
The first to seize its opportunities might not reap the greatest rewards, but they would undoubtedly secure significant advantages. That was undeniable.
"Big sister."
Hades looked at his sister with his usual calm expression and said, "You're not wrong. But there's one thing you've overlooked. The Underworld, at the end of the day, is only a realm governed by primordial gods. Even if I take it a step further, I'm merely a Creator God."
"I…"
Hestia froze, blinking rapidly as realization hit her.
"Big sister," Hades continued, his tone unwavering. "This is about the Chaos Sea—a disturbance affecting all mythical worlds and lesser worlds.
"Even…
"True Gods, Chaotic Gods, Transcendents—
"These entities.
"Even they are quietly waiting. Do you think that I, as a primordial god, or even as a Creator God, truly have the qualifications to be the first to participate?"
Hades' calm words struck a chord. Both Hestia and Eris suddenly realized the truth.
Indeed!
This was the true core of the matter.
Unquestionably.
Who wouldn't want to be the first god to seize this unprecedented opportunity?
But!
Were they truly qualified to do so?
In their eagerness, many gods had overlooked this critical question.
In truth…
Even the most cunning and powerful deities—be they kings, primordial gods, or Creator Gods—had neglected this fundamental issue.
They all saw this as an opportunity.
But for True Gods, this was also an opportunity!
The Chaos Sea's disruption.
Did ordinary deities truly think they could stand alongside True Gods, Chaotic Gods, and Transcendents?
Don't kid yourself!
The gap between these beings was insurmountable. No amount of ambition could bridge it. To think otherwise was the height of foolishness.
"…"
Hestia blinked, cold sweat dripping down her temple.
For a god of her stature to break out in a cold sweat was no small thing.
But at that moment, she felt a chilling realization settle over her. With a deep sense of dread, she murmured, "You're right. We're not qualified. To be precise, no god is truly qualified for this. The only ones who are…
"Are the higher entities.
"True Gods, Chaotic Gods, Transcendents.
"They're the ones."
Hestia's voice trembled as she pieced it all together.
"Opportunity."
"That word has blinded countless gods. Everyone is eager to make their move."
"But…"
"They've all forgotten the most fundamental question."
"Are they truly qualified?"
"Or rather…"
"Who truly holds the qualifications?"
"That's the most important issue here."
Hades' calm voice only added weight to her realization.
It wasn't fear or panic, but a chilling truth that settled in their minds.
Opportunity had corroded the hearts of countless gods.
But this…
This was the first and most fatal test.
------------------
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
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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