Azazel leaned back in his chair, folding his arms with a grin. "So that's the deal. Our new supreme ruler wants some of us to go assist in the salvation of the human race in another world. I've already volunteered, and Michael is sending these two rookies over here."
He pointed casually toward Irina and Xenovia, who had just arrived. Both young women frowned in unison, and Irina puffed her cheeks in irritation. "We're not rookies!" she protested, her voice brimming with indignation.
Azazel smirked. "You're newborn angels, and what—sixteen years old? You're definitely rookies."
Before Irina could argue further, Michael cleared his throat calmly, his serene tone cutting through the tension. "Azazel will also be sending young Vali and his team, which includes Bikou, and the current descendants of King Arthur and Morgan le Fay."
Sirzechs nodded, his expression composed. "And we'll be sending Serafall, Sairaorg, and Kiba."
Odin stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Do you need me to send someone as well?"
Before he could continue, Bill raised a hand slightly. "Actually, another version of Thor—and his remaining forces—are currently fighting in the Seventh Singularity: Babylon."
With a wave of his hand, Bill projected the battlefield into the air above the table. The room filled with the sounds of distant thunder and battle cries as everyone saw Thor unleashing bolts of lightning upon an army of demonic beasts. A small force of Einherjar charged fearlessly into the horde while Uruk's soldiers held the line. At the forefront stood Ares, shouting orders as he cut through beasts with precision.
Odin's jaw dropped in astonishment. "Damn… can I trade Thors?—I mean, I think I'll send them some more Einherjar to reinforce their numbers." He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "I'd feel bad if I were the only one not contributing."
Hades gave a quiet, approving nod. "Apollo and Artemis are going to pitch in on a few of the singularities as well. We'll be sending a few demigods to help out here and there once we've got things under control back home. Lord Tet intends to get rid of the monsters in my world, but the members of my original pantheon that aren't being forcibly retired will most likely continue having children. And demigods are natural-born fighters."
He leaned back slightly, folding his arms. "So Lord Tet said he'll send those who wish to fight on missions as an outlet for their natural battle lust—especially the children of Ares."
He paused, his expression softening. "Speaking of children… Bill, if Bianca is out of the casino, where's Nico?"
Bill blinked, raising an eyebrow. "Wait—you don't know?"
Hades furrowed his brow. "Know what?"
Bill smiled faintly. "Dad… Nico is a Horseman like me. He's Death himself."
For a moment, silence filled the room. Hades stared at Bill, his eyes wide with disbelief. Then, to everyone's surprise, he slowly covered his face with one hand and turned away from the table.
Bill tilted his head. "Are you… crying?"
Hades' voice cracked slightly as he laughed through his emotions. "How can I not? My little boy grew up and became straight-up Death! I was so proud when I heard you were resurrected and became a Horseman, but now… now I find out my youngest is the literal Grim Reaper!" His shoulders trembled as he wiped at his eyes. "I'm so happy!"
The gods and devils looked on awkwardly as Hades had his emotional outburst. Sirzechs cleared his throat delicately, forcing a polite smile. "Well… with that, I think this meeting is successful. Enjoy the party, everyone."
The group quickly dispersed, leaving only Bill and Hades behind.
Bill chuckled softly. "Let's go, old man. Stop crying, or I won't introduce you to your daughters-in-law."
Hades immediately straightened up, his tears vanishing in an instant. "Daughters-in-law? As in plural?" He grinned and gestured forward. "Let's go, then. Lead the way!"
Bill led Hades across the room toward a blonde girl standing near one of the tables. "Ravel, this is my dad—Hades."
Ravel blinked in surprise, momentarily flustered by the sudden introduction. But she quickly composed herself, straightening her posture and performing an elegant curtsy. "Pleased to meet you, Lord Hades," she said gracefully. "I am Ravel Phenex."
Hades' face lit up with approval as he studied her. "Oh, I like her. Well done, son. She'll make an excellent daughter-in-law."
Ravel's cheeks turned crimson almost instantly. "D-Daughter-in-law?" she stammered, eyes wide with embarrassment.
Bill smirked, crossing his arms. "What are you getting all surprised for? You had to know that was coming."
Ravel fidgeted with her hands, glancing away shyly. "Y-Yes, but I didn't know you'd already introduce me as one of your fiancées."
Bill chuckled softly and reached out to pat her head affectionately. "Well, get used to the idea."
Her nervousness melted into a soft giggle, and she smiled up at him. "Of course."
Hades looked around curiously. "Where are the other two?"
A calm, confident voice called out from nearby, "Over here, Lord Hades."
Turning toward the sound, Hades saw Kuroka and Shirone approaching, both dressed in elegant formal yukata. The sisters moved with practiced grace, stopping before him to bow politely in unison. "Welcome, Father-in-law," they said together.
Hades' expression softened with pride, a genuine smile spreading across his face as he looked back at Bill. "I'm so proud of you."
Bill grinned. "Thanks, old man."
Hades let out a satisfied sigh, clearly pleased. "Signing up with Lord Tet was the best decision I've ever made. My life has improved tremendously since." He straightened his robe slightly, his expression fond. "Now, I'm going to go check on your sister."
With that, the Lord of the Dead turned and made his way toward the crowd, leaving Bill shaking his head with a faint smirk.
As Bill stood with the girls, a booming voice echoed across the hall. "Sir Strife! There you are!"
Bill turned toward the sound and saw a towering young man with black hair and striking violet eyes confidently striding over. A faint grin tugged at Bill's lips. "Sairaorg, right?"
Sairaorg nodded firmly. "Indeed. I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to go on this mission. I'm looking forward to testing my strength in another world." His tone carried genuine excitement, and his posture radiated the pride of a warrior eager for battle.
Bill waved a hand casually. "I only gave the mission, didn't choose who was going. But from what I've heard about you, you're strong and reliable." His gaze sharpened slightly as he sized the young devil up. "And I can tell just from looking—you'll be fine through the first few singularities. But around the fourth one, you'll start to struggle."
Sairaorg's expression shifted, his usual confident grin fading into a focused, determined look. "Any advice?" he asked seriously.
Bill crossed his arms, nodding slightly. "Chaldea will be summoning various Heroic Spirits—legendary figures from the past. Take advantage of that. Spar with them, learn from them. Let them pass on their knowledge to you. Grow stronger."
A gleam of excitement returned to Sairaorg's eyes. "Thank you. I'm actually even more excited now," he said with a smile that carried both gratitude and anticipation.
Bill smirked faintly. "No problem, man. Enjoy the party."
Sairaorg gave a respectful nod before turning to leave. "You as well, Sir Strife."
On the other side of the room, Sam and Rossweisse were having a good time chatting and flirting, their laughter blending with the lively music and chatter around them. Meanwhile, Hades stood with Bianca, listening attentively as she finished recounting her recent adventures and how happy she was to finally enjoy a normal school life.
Just as she finished, Odin approached, rubbing his temple in mild exasperation. "Hades, I'm so confused," he muttered.
Hades let out a long sigh and asked dryly, "What exactly are you confused about, Odin?"
Odin crossed his arms and huffed. "Rossweisse—that stick in the mud—has never been able to get a boyfriend before. But now, all of a sudden, she has one. And he actually likes her! I even took the time to point out all her flaws and annoying habits to the lad, and while it embarrassed her, it only made him like her more!"
Hades pinched the bridge of his nose before replying flatly, "Yes, Odin, that's what happens when people actually like each other."
Bianca frowned and looked up at Odin, her expression full of disapproval. "You're so mean to your subordinate," she said, her tone laced with disbelief.
"Bah, she's annoying," Odin scoffed. "I was planning to fire her after this anyway."
Bianca's jaw dropped. "That's so much worse! Dad, do all gods treat their subordinates like this?"
Hades chuckled lightly and shook his head. "No, dear, not all of us. As annoying as Charon can be, I wouldn't fire him—he's been with me too long." He turned to Odin with a calm but pointed look. "If you're planning to fire the girl anyway, I'll hire her—if you don't mind."
Odin raised a brow. "Knock yourself out. But what could you possibly want her for?"
Hades smiled faintly. "Lord Tet is looking for people to help Chiron run Camp Half-Blood, and a Valkyrie would make an excellent addition to a camp meant to train demigods. I may offer the job to young Mr. Winchester as well—he can provide insight on monsters from other pantheons."
Odin stroked his beard thoughtfully before shrugging. "In that case, rather than fire her, I'll just call it a job transfer."
The two gods made their way over to where Sam and Rossweisse stood. After a brief explanation, Rossweisse blinked in surprise. "A job transfer?" she asked.
Hades nodded with a calm smile. "Yes. Instead of following this old fossil around, you'll be helping Chiron train demigods—giving them the skills to survive."
Sam looked between them with mild surprise. "You want me to do this too?"
"Yes," Hades confirmed. "Your knowledge and experience could be invaluable, especially since these demigods will likely be fighting creatures from other worlds."
With a casual wave of his hand, two contracts appeared in a puff of black smoke. Sam and Rossweisse each took one and began reading. Sam's eyes widened. "We get paid how much?"
Rossweisse's expression mirrored his astonishment. "Plus our housing and food expenses are taken care of… we get medical, dental, vacation, and sick days? Is there a catch?"
"There's always a catch," Hades said with a grim smile. "In this case, it's that you must be prepared for the possibility that some of your charges may never return. That's why your medical also covers therapy."
Both Sam and Rossweisse stared at him wide-eyed, the weight of his words sinking in. After a moment, Sam nodded firmly. "I'll take the job—if only to improve their odds of survival."
Rossweisse nodded as well, her expression soft but resolute. "Same here."
Hades smiled, clearly pleased. "Wonderful. You'll start in a couple of months. We need to sort some things out back home before you can officially begin."
"That's fine," Sam said. "I've got a few things I need to handle myself."
Rossweisse smiled at him and added, "Yes, and I'll need to prepare to move as well."
Rossweisse smiled brightly, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "I can't believe we get to work together, Sam! This is gonna be great!" she said, practically bouncing on her heels. "I've got a few calls to make—be back soon!"
Before Sam could respond, she leaned in, kissed his cheek, and hurried off, her silver hair swaying behind her as she disappeared into the crowd.
Hades grinned, clearly amused. "Congratulations, young man. Don't mess it up," he said with a teasing tone.
Odin smirked and added, "Yes. I may find her annoying, but do take care of Rossweisse."
Sam chuckled softly, rubbing the back of his neck, a faint smile from the still lingering from the kiss. "I'll definitely take care of her—and I'll try my best not to screw up." He paused for a moment, his expression growing a little more serious. "While I've got you here, Lord Hades… can I ask if my brother will get a similar job offer?"
Hades tilted his head thoughtfully. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "I'll need to meet him first."
"Well," Sam said, folding his arms with a small sigh, "that could take a minute. He's off doing something right now… I wonder how it's going."
---
Meanwhile, in Baldur's Gate 3, deep within the goblin-occupied ruins…
Dean roared as he swung his hammer in a wide arc, smashing a goblin swordsman into the wall with a sickening crunch. "Who's next?! I've got plenty for everybody!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the stone chamber.
Yang charged forward with her axe raised high, a feral grin on her face. "Come on, you little creeps!" she bellowed, slamming into a cluster of goblins and cutting them down in a violent blur of motion. The surviving goblins turned to flee—only to run straight into a massive black-and-red wolf that snarled before pouncing on them.
The wolf tore through the panicked creatures with savage precision, claws and fangs flashing until the room fell silent. As the dust settled, the beast shimmered and shrank, transforming back into Ruby, who jumped up and shouted, "That was awesome!"
Yang laughed, wiping goblin blood from her axe. "Hell yeah, it was!"
Dean looked back at them with a wild grin. "There's more in the back! Come on, girls—follow me!"
"Yeahhh!" Ruby and Yang shouted in unison as they charged after him, ready for more chaos. Dean kicked open the next door, eyes blazing with battle lust, and yelled, "This is friggin' awesome!"
---
Back in the ballroom, Sam chuckled to himself as he finished his drink. "He's in a fantasy world based on an RPG," he said wryly. "So I'm sure he's bored out of his mind… oh well, I'll see when he gets back."
Hades returned to Bianca's side with a faint smile and asked warmly, "How are you enjoying the party, Bianca?"
Bianca beamed up at him, her eyes bright with excitement. "I'm having a great time, Dad! How about you?"
"Oh, I'm having a—" Hades began, but his words were abruptly cut off by the sound of something massive crashing through the wall. Acting on instinct, he immediately threw up a barrier of shadow magic, shielding Bianca from the shower of shattered glass and falling debris.
The entire ballroom froze as they turned toward the source of the chaos. Standing amidst the rubble was Loki, smirking arrogantly atop a colossal Fenrir. He had barely started his villainous monologue when a black shadow tendril shot across the room, wrapping tightly around his throat. His words turned into a strangled gasp as the tendril yanked him off Fenrir's back and violently dragged him across the floor until he came face-to-face with a furious Hades.
The god's eyes blazed with wrath as his voice rumbled like thunder. "That little stunt of yours almost harmed my daughter," he growled, his tone deadly calm. "You'll pay dearly for that, you imbecile. My Furies await you."
Before Loki could utter a single word, he was pulled down into the darkness beneath Hades' feet—vanishing into the god's shadow.
Moments later, Loki awoke in the underworld, strapped tightly to a cold stone chair. The air was thick with dread. Standing around him were the three Furies, their lips curled into wicked, gleeful smiles as they prepared to make him regret his life choices.
Back in the ballroom, Hades dusted off his suit jacket and said matter-of-factly, "Sorry about that, Odin—but the boy earned it."
Odin sighed, rubbing the back of his neck with a grimace. "No, it's my fault. I should've anticipated Loki being a dipshit. My bad, everyone."
Sirzechs chuckled and crossed his arms. "Well, that was over very quickly. What should we do with Fenrir?"
The massive wolf looked around nervously, tail twitching as dozens of powerful beings stared at him.
Hades' expression softened into a sly grin. "Bianca, would you like a puppy?"
Bianca's eyes lit up with pure delight. "Yeah, I would! Thanks, Dad!"
Hades raised his hand, pointing toward the towering wolf. "Come."
Fenrir immediately bounded forward, his body shrinking as he approached until he was the size of a large dog. He sat obediently in front of Hades, ears perked and eyes lowered in submission.
"You're my daughter's pet now. Understand, great wolf?" Hades commanded.
Fenrir gave a quick, respectful nod before trotting over to Bianca's side. A sleek black collar with a silver skull emblem materialized around his neck as he sat beside her proudly.
"Well," Odin said with a small grin, lifting his drink, "that settles that. Shall we return to the festivities?"
Everyone nodded in agreement, and just like that, the party resumed—music and laughter quickly filling the room again, as if nothing had happened at all.