"…"
Hypnos.
Thanatos.
The Twin Gods exchanged glances and sighed helplessly.
There was no other way.
They had already done everything they could. As for what remained, no matter how much they wanted to involve themselves, it was simply impossible to do so.
This was Aether's task now.
All they could do was hope for Aether's success. Beyond that? There was nothing else they could do.
As for whether Aether would succeed?
Though Thanatos had considered the possibility of failure, deep down, both Hypnos and Thanatos, along with their other siblings, had unshakable faith in their eldest brother. Aether had always been mature, dependable, and someone who tirelessly looked after his younger siblings.
In everyone's eyes, would Aether fail?
That was absolutely unthinkable!
However!
Even with such confidence, a trace of worry lingered.
How to explain it?
It was a bit of a contradiction.
But it was understandable.
Though they trusted their elder brother's abilities and believed he would succeed, the uncertainty of the outcome still gnawed at them. After all, what if he didn't succeed?
Hmm…
Pondering this, it became clear that it was just human (or godly) nature to feel this way.
"In any case!" Hypnos shook his head and said, "For now, there's no point in overthinking it. There's no need to dwell on it further. Let's leave it here for now. Thanatos, all we can do is trust Aether."
"I know," Thanatos nodded.
Of course, he trusted Aether. After all!
If even Aether couldn't be trusted, that would truly be strange.
Honestly! Among all their siblings…
Hypnos.
Thanatos.
The Twin Gods were among the strongest. But if asked who they trusted the most?
Well!
There was no need to think twice. They trusted Aether the most. Their elder brother's abilities were absolutely beyond question—immensely powerful without any need for exaggeration.
For this reason!
Everything boiled down to a deep, instinctive trust. As for anything else?
Well!
There was no need to overanalyze it. It wasn't important, nor would it be an issue. There was nothing to worry about.
If even this level of trust didn't exist, then that would indeed be strange.
After all!
To all the siblings, Aether was the most exceptional and capable among them. Why would they ever doubt him?
Just like now.
Hypnos and Thanatos knew that even the Seventy-Two Pillars of Demon Gods were studying this matter.
But at the same time!
Apart from their elder brother and Baal, had anyone else in the Underworld figured out this issue?
Clearly!
No.
Given that, there was nothing left to say.
So!
Naturally, there was no room for doubt here. Everyone firmly believed that there wouldn't be any issues.
In the vast Underworld, only Aether and Baal had conceived of this plan. Only these two had taken the initiative to explore and experiment.
And even though!
In theory, only these two were capable of accomplishing it…
The lineage of Erebus and Nyx.
The lineage of the Seventy-Two Demon Gods.
Only these two groups met the requirements.
But regardless.
The critical point was this: Why hadn't anyone else thought of it?
Why couldn't anyone else come up with the idea?
Clearly!
It was a matter of capability. When it came to raw talent and skill, there was nothing else to discuss. This was the essence of the issue.
Aether's abilities needed no further elaboration.
Moreover.
Now, after millions of years had passed, Aether was already at the final step. Hypnos and Thanatos believed without a doubt that Aether would succeed.
Even though!
Their worries weren't about failure. Failure simply meant trying again later.
But.
What the Twin Gods truly feared was that their elder brother, Aether, wouldn't be able to accept failure this time. This wasn't just a personal endeavor—Father God and Mother God had also been involved to help ensure success.
Under such circumstances, if success wasn't achieved…
Then…
The Twin Gods feared that Aether's mindset would crumble under the weight of failure. That could lead to far-reaching consequences. Though unlikely, it wasn't entirely impossible.
And if such a breakdown did occur…
What then?
What if their elder brother, Aether, truly lost his mental composure? That would be a dire situation.
For gods.
A fractured psyche could lead to catastrophic consequences.
After all!
It would affect everything moving forward. Preparing for such a possibility was essential. If issues arose, they could prove disastrous.
Every aspect had to be considered carefully. There was no room for negligence.
In truth!
This wasn't just a concern for Hypnos and Thanatos. Their other siblings felt the same way. There was no doubt about this.
Everything needed careful consideration.
Otherwise!
If something went wrong, how would they handle it?
This…
For anyone who thought about it, the answer was clear: it would be a monumental problem.
Prepare.
Plan.
In fact.
Even the Seventy-Two Pillars of Demon Gods were nearly at their final step.
However!
Without the support of an Ancient God, their progress was slightly slower. Nonetheless, even they understood the importance of ensuring that Baal didn't encounter any setbacks.
Such was the state of the Underworld. While it was supposed to be a realm devoid of emotion, feelings had undeniably emerged. Though strange, it was simply the reality.
Even if unusual, it was the truth.
For gods, this was simply how it was!!!
Once everything was complete, only then would they be truly whole beings—not like before, when they seemed complete but were, in truth, lacking.
"All right." Hypnos spoke calmly, "Let's leave this matter for now. What we need to do is trust Aether—trust our elder brother."
"Mm!" Thanatos had no objections and nodded earnestly. At this stage, there was nothing else they could do but trust him.
Aether.
No.
Their elder brother!
With the birth of the Underworld's princess, Yama Princess, the entire realm seemed to have settled into this state. For the Underworld, this wasn't a bad thing. On the contrary…
It was a good thing.
A complete recovery was, without a doubt, beneficial.
"Let's go," Hypnos continued. "There's still the matter of the small worlds to deal with."
"Mm!" Thanatos nodded in agreement.
The Twin Gods left the hell they had created and headed elsewhere.
The World Tree of the Underworld stood tall, dominating the realm.
Hmm…
At its crown rested the Seven-Headed, Ten-Horned Crimson Dragon. However, due to incomplete development, it spent most of its time asleep, rarely awakening.
Beneath it lay the Pure Land of Bliss, the Eight Great Hells of the Underworld, and more.
Surrounding the Eight Great Hells were the five divisions of the Underworld: Earth, Heaven, Sea, Underworld, and Star.
Beyond that!
Various hells created by God-Kings and higher-ranked deities connected to the Eight Great Hells.
And below that…
Previously, the Underworld had nothing further. Now, however, it was different. Numerous points of light had appeared. These lights represented small worlds, floating like tiny spheres of the cosmos.
Once.
Hades had considered placing these small worlds within the Star Realm. But after some thought, he abandoned that idea, deciding instead to position them beneath the World Tree.
The roots of the World Tree would gradually nurture and transform these small worlds.
This ensured that these small worlds would never face instability. Instead, they would be fully integrated into the Underworld, perfectly adapting to its essence.
Hmm…
This method was undoubtedly the correct one. It was the most suitable approach for the Underworld.
For now, the management of these small worlds fell to Hypnos and Thanatos.
The Twin Gods were, without question, the hardest workers in the Underworld.
Their responsibilities were vast, far exceeding those of other deities, who simply needed to focus on their specific duties.
Who were the busiest in the Underworld?
Pandora!
Hypnos!
Thanatos!
Yes!
These three.
They were the busiest in the Underworld, overseeing nearly everything. Most of the realm's operations fell under their jurisdiction.
Of course.
The three harbored no complaints. How could they? This was their lord's trust in them—a mark of honor and the highest recognition.
Because of this!
Even with their heavy workloads, the three were unfazed. The workload didn't matter. It was utterly insignificant.
In fact!
To them, the most important thing was that their lord trusted them so deeply. Failing to meet those expectations would be the only true disgrace!
That!
Was what they couldn't accept.
As for Pandora's status?
Pandora.
In some sense, she wasn't technically a deity of the Underworld. But!
That didn't matter. Who in the Underworld didn't view Pandora as one of their own?
This was the essence and heart of it all!
The Twin Gods arrived at the lowest level of the Underworld, gazing at the small worlds there.
Hypnos said calmly, "Thanatos, continue inspecting these small worlds. Once this inspection is complete, we won't need to manage them for a while."
"Understood!" Thanatos nodded.
The Twin Gods separated and began inspecting the small worlds.
Hmm…
The purpose of this inspection.
In essence!
It was very straightforward: prevent any issues. Ensure that no problems arose within the small worlds. The World Tree's roots had to fully integrate and control these worlds.
Beyond that.
If a small world were on the verge of birthing a
world consciousness, this would be particularly significant.
Of course.
The goal wasn't to destroy or kill it. For Hades, that would be meaningless and beneath him. Instead, the priority was to stabilize and nurture any emerging world consciousness.
Hades had come to understand this principle.
If the Underworld continued to grow steadily, could it form a cycle with these small worlds?
By incorporating these small worlds into the Underworld's domain, they could create a feedback loop with the World Tree, where the growth of small worlds contributed to the greater flow of world energy.
Once the idea struck, Hades acted immediately. He was a man of action, always ready to try new methods. Even if he failed, the worst-case scenario would simply be destroying the small worlds altogether—not a significant loss.
However.
Given the current situation, everything appeared stable, with virtually no issues. Hades was very satisfied with this.
The Twin Gods, naturally aware of their lord's plans, maintained constant vigilance, ensuring they handled every detail of their work with utmost care.
These small worlds had to be managed without error.
Because of this!
The Twin Gods took their responsibilities toward the small worlds seriously, conducting regular inspections to prevent any problems and addressing potential issues at their earliest stages.
In this regard!
The Twin Gods were meticulous and highly alert, never letting their guard down.
And!
Once this inspection was complete, much of their workload would ease moving forward.
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