Persephone fell silent, quietly gazing at her daughter.
It was undeniable.
As Persephone suppressed her worry and composed herself, she took a long, deliberate look at her daughter. In that moment, she realized just how much time had passed and how extraordinary her daughter had become. Somewhere along the way, without her noticing, her little girl had grown into someone remarkable.
So this was it.
Her daughter had already matured to this degree?
Truly…
Persephone's heart was filled with emotion. Smiling softly, she looked at her daughter, pride evident in her expression.
"Mother…"
Yama returned her mother's gaze with a gentle smile and a nod. No matter what, this was her duty, and it was something she needed to do.
As the Princess of the Underworld.
It could be said that even if Yama lived a quiet, uneventful life in the Underworld, doing nothing at all, no one would criticize her. No one would expect anything more from her.
After all.
She was the Princess of the Underworld. Even if she contributed nothing, her position was secure, and no one would question it.
But…
For Yama, that was unacceptable. She couldn't do that, nor could she even entertain the thought.
If she really were to choose such a path?
Then.
Even she would look down on herself. She couldn't respect someone who lacked the courage to strive, someone unwilling to take on responsibility. That was no joke.
This wasn't just about pride.
It was a matter of principle. For Yama, if she ever chose to avoid responsibility, her heart would fall into a state of endless doubt and confusion.
She would stagnate.
For Yama, this would become an insurmountable barrier, one that would prevent her from taking any steps forward. Wanting to achieve more would be utterly impossible.
It was much like her father Hades' own struggles in the past. Back then, both Erebus and Nyx had understood what Hades was going through, yet no one could guide him. Why? Because certain realizations couldn't be handed to you by others; they had to be achieved through your own understanding.
If Yama truly avoided this path…
Then.
She would forever remain at this stage.
Yama wasn't someone who lacked ambition. Like any god, she longed to go further, to achieve more. This was a natural drive shared by all deities, one that was beyond question.
For every god.
This desire to grow was universal.
Yama, as the child born of her parents' essence, had already ascended to the rank of God-King.
However.
This ascension wasn't particularly noteworthy for Yama. For her, reaching the rank of God-King was merely a matter of time. With her lineage and inherent gifts, achieving this level was inevitable as long as she lived long enough.
That's just how it was.
For Yama, stepping into God-Kinghood was effortless, almost too easy.
But precisely because of this simplicity.
Ancient God.
Creator God.
Absolute God.
These next stages—these distant, challenging goals—were they unreachable?
Did she not want to continue along this path?
Of course, she did! That wasn't even a question.
At the very least.
For any deity, these milestones were the dreams they yearned to achieve. This desire was a constant, undeniable truth.
Every god wanted to move forward.
That was the essence of divinity itself.
For Yama.
The same drive applied. She wanted to forge ahead and seize the opportunities before her.
Yes.
This mission was an opportunity for her—not only to assist her father but to challenge herself. As the Goddess of Hell, she was, in some ways, her father's equal.
The Underworld.
Hell.
The divine positions governing these domains weren't inherently superior or inferior to one another. Their power was equivalent.
Anyone with basic knowledge could see that these two roles were almost identical in stature and influence. There was no significant difference between them.
Because of this.
Yama was determined to improve herself. She had no desire to rebel against her father—that was a hallmark of the Greek Pantheon, a place of endless drama and chaos.
What did that have to do with Yama?
While Yama did originate from the Greek Pantheon, she had no such thoughts. In her eyes, those gods were little more than lunatics.
As for them...
Heh.
Yama quietly shook her head. The disorder and absurdity of the Greek Pantheon didn't appeal to her at all. Was that kind of dysfunction truly reasonable?
To Yama, it was uninteresting and entirely irrational.
This wasn't a joke.
Any being with a sound mind wouldn't emulate the Greek Pantheon's chaos. From any perspective, it was illogical, bordering on absurdity.
"Phew~~~"
Taking a deep breath, Yama expelled her wandering thoughts. Her eyes shone with focus and determination.
At this moment.
Yama was utterly serious. She had made all her preparations. No matter what, she wouldn't let her father down. This was her conviction, her resolve.
"Ehehe~~~"
Hestia smiled mischievously and said, "Oh my! It seems my Little Yama has grown into someone truly remarkable!"
"This is wonderful!"
Hestia's eyes sparkled with playful admiration as she teased Yama.
Undeniably.
Hestia felt immense pride at her niece's growth. Yama's development wasn't just about power—it was also about her maturity.
And that was the most important thing.
It wasn't just about strength but the growth of character.
Her firmness.
Her resilience.
These were qualities worth celebrating, qualities that inspired hope for the future.
"Auntie…"
Yama sighed, a little helpless. The atmosphere had been so serious, but now her aunt had completely disrupted it. What could she do?
But.
This was her aunt. What could she possibly say?
"Ehehe~~~"
Hestia giggled, blinking playfully. "Alright, alright! Little Yama, sister-in-law, you two are just too much. Honestly, it's not even that big of a deal, yet here you are making the atmosphere so heavy. Someone who doesn't know what's going on might think something catastrophic is happening! Geez!"
Hestia shrugged dramatically, pretending to be exasperated as she continued, "Besides, everything's already been decided and prepared for. There's no way anything will go wrong."
"Just look at you two!"
"Honestly!"
Hestia shook her head, exasperated by their behavior.
Come on!
Five million years ago, everything had already been meticulously planned. And yet here they were, discussing it like it was some pressing, unresolved issue.
For Hestia, it was baffling. Why dwell on something that had been settled so long ago?
"Ha ha ha~~~"
Persephone, hearing her sister-in-law's complaints, shook her head with a soft laugh. She said, "Elder sister, while everything is indeed prepared, the mood was so nice, and you just had to ruin it!"
"Huh?!"
"Sister-in-law!"
"Are you telling me you were setting up a heartfelt mother-daughter bonding moment?" Hestia blinked, genuinely surprised.
"…"
Persephone and Yama both shook their heads, exasperated by their playful relative.
Forget it.
Forget it.
It was better not to get hung up on this. But they had to admit—the previously tense atmosphere had now calmed down entirely. In truth, Hestia probably understood.
She knew the tension couldn't linger indefinitely. Prolonged anxiety could lead to real problems.
That wouldn't have been good!
In the end.
Thanks to Hestia's antics, the heavy atmosphere had been thoroughly dispelled, leaving no lingering tension.
"Alright."
At this point, Hades spoke calmly, his voice steady. "Yama, have you made all the necessary preparations? Are you ready to proceed to the Japanese Pantheon Mythological World?"
Though his tone was gentle, it carried the weight of his deep concern for his daughter.
In Hades' eyes, his daughter was undeniably the most important person in his life.
After all.
Hades' capacity for love was complete and profound. If he didn't care for his daughter, that would be the truly strange thing.
"Yes!"
Yama nodded seriously and replied, "Father, I've made all the preparations. Moving forward, I won't hesitate."
"And…"
Yama paused, then continued with resolve, "Father, I promise I won't let you down!"
"Good."
Hades nodded, his gaze warm and filled with affection. In a soft voice, he said, "Then, Little Yama, go forth. Your path is ready for you. No matter what lies ahead, this is your road to walk."
Hades' voice was calm and steady.
No matter what the future held.
For now.
His daughter had chosen her own path, and that was enough. After all, at the end of the day, a chosen path was only meaningful if one had the courage to walk it.
If someone lacked even that courage…
Then.
Failure was inevitable.
This was a truth beyond dispute.
No matter what.
Once you decided on a road to take, it was crucial to walk it yourself. That was what truly mattered.
This was the essence of everything.
Because.
No matter the circumstances, the path of a deity was inherently so...
Even if a road was laid out perfectly before you, if you lacked the courage to take it...
Then.
Everything would be meaningless.
That was the fundamental, irrefutable truth.
After all.
If you couldn't manage even that, what was the point?
In Hades' eyes, failing to
act was the true futility.
"Now that's more like it!"
Hestia clapped her hands and said with a satisfied grin, "After all, you've already come this far. If you don't even have the courage to keep going, that would be truly embarrassing!"
"Ehehe~~~"
Hestia giggled, teasing her niece with her usual playful tone.
"Auntie…"
Yama sighed, shaking her head helplessly.
As always.
Her aunt's words left her feeling completely exasperated.
"Ehehe~~~"
Hestia, undeterred, continued, "Alright, alright! Stop overthinking everything. None of this matters much anyway. Why not focus on something more fun?"
"Something more fun?" Yama asked, confused.
Hestia's eyes sparkled mischievously. "Of course! You should figure out how to surpass your father! Just think—if you work hard enough to defeat him one day, wouldn't that be thrilling?"
"…"
Yama fell silent, staring at her aunt. She had no idea how to respond to such an absurd suggestion.
What was she supposed to say?
She was utterly speechless. What was this even about?
In that moment.
Yama could feel the chaotic mischief emanating from her aunt.
Hades, however, simply smiled calmly and said, "Little Yama, if you truly manage that one day, I'll look forward to it with great anticipation."
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I Am Zeus, KING OF GODS (Chapter 79)
Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 391)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 471)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 677)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 1059)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1418)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1422)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1452)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1504)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld!(Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 703)
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