Hades entered the meeting hall. Hectate was already there, seated with an irritated expression. No one knew the reason, but her foul mood was obvious. Amazel, on the other hand, looked cheerful—almost like a child who had just found a new toy. Druvak sat cross-legged on his chair, deep in meditation.
Once everyone had settled, Hectate stood.
"Currently, four dukes have formed an alliance against us, building a large army," she began. "These dukes are Dracula, the vampire; Armaror, the wraith demon; Sicsil, the giant slime; and Sebath, the half-snake, half-titan."
She unfurled a large map of the underworld, pointing to the locations of each duke and their areas of influence.
"They control everything from the northern lands to half of the eastern territories."
Hades asked, "What's our current status?"
Amazel stood and read from a parchment.
"Currently, we have: thirty-one old male demons, seventy-three young male demons, eleven male demon children; twenty-four old female demons, sixty-six young female demons, and fourteen female demon children. Roughly sixty to seventy percent are capable of fighting."
She hesitated before adding, "Compared to the army and influence of the four dukes, we're at the bottom. Even those who've joined us now are here either because they have no choice… or because they live close to us. Basically, they hold zero loyalty. For something as small as a bag of food, they might sell our information to the enemy."
Hectate scanned the room. "Does anyone have any opinions?"
Everyone fell into deep thought, silently weighing possible solutions.
After some time, Druvak broke the silence. "Why don't we detain them in prison and make them work for us?"
"Rejected," everyone said in unison.
Druvak scratched his skull, confused about what he'd said wrong.
Hades spoke up, forming a dark-blue energy orb in his palm. "Why not reward those loyal to us… and offer this to others?"
He handed the orb to Druvak and Amazel.
Amazel tilted her head, curious—it was the first time she had seen something like this.
"Um… Lord, what is this?"
"Oh, right. I forgot to explain," Hades said. "This is my unique energy orb, crafted by me. It can evolve any being to a higher order. I suggest you absorb it in a safe, open space."
Amazel's eyes lit up. "Wow! With this, we could attract more people to our side!"
But Hectate quickly doused the excitement. "Don't get ahead of yourself. Even with this, maybe two villages will join us at most. The four dukes have ruled for centuries—they're well-known and trusted in the underworld. People will always choose them over us."
The room sank back into silence. Some stared at the map, others muttered ideas under their breath. Druvak, however, seemed to have given up entirely, continuing his meditation.
Amazel suddenly stood. "Most of them are physically weak because of the food shortage. Why don't we provide them with food? That would earn their gratitude."
Hectate's eyes lit up slightly. "Excellent. But instead of giving it away, we exchange it for certain tasks or work."
Amazel frowned. "But… why?"
Hades answered, "What you're suggesting is charity. What Hectate is suggesting is control—and a system."
"I… still don't get it," Amazel admitted.
Hectate elaborated, "If we give food for free, they won't value it. They'll think, 'We came under you, so it's your responsibility to feed us.' But if they have to work for it, they'll depend on us and be bound to a system that benefits both sides."
Amazel gasped. "So something that small can have such a big effect?"
Druvak raised a brow. "Benefits both sides? All I see is us benefiting."
Amazel grinned. "When they work, they gain food and also experience in their field. We'll also discover who's skilled at what. Right, big sis?"
Hectate's lips curved into a rare smile. "Exactly. As expected from my sharp Amazel… though sometimes you can be a little too mischievous, can't you?"
The smile turned cold as she pinched Amazel's cheek lightly.
Amazel broke into a cold sweat, her eyes darting to Hades for rescue.
Cough, cough. Hades cleared his throat. "Let's move to the next agenda. Druvak, pick the best individuals and train them into perfect soldiers. Maintain strict discipline—even if you have to be cruel."
"Yes, my lord," Druvak said.
They discussed the remaining issues: food supplies, which crops to farm, task assignments, soldier training, and the creation of new rules.
As the meeting neared its end, Hades stood.
"During my fight with Miramor, I realised my shortcomings… but I also gained something valuable. I've decided to go into closed training for a time. During my absence, all central power and decision-making will shift to my wife, Hectate. Any objections?"
No one objected.
With that, Hades left the chamber.
Druvak and Amazel remained, their eyes fixed on the dark-blue orbs resting on a pedestal.
Druvak finally asked, "Lady Hectate… is it true Lord Hades killed Miramor?"
"Yes."
"The wandering ghost of the desert? The one with powerful illusions and nullification abilities?"
"Yes. Do you doubt your lord, Druvak?" Her gaze sharpened.
"No! Not at all. It's just… hard to believe. Everyone in the underworld knows Miramor's strength."
Amazel nodded in agreement.
"Enough," Hectate said. "Back to work."
They returned to sorting data. Hours later, Hectate stood.
"Meeting adjourned. You two, meet me in the garden. I'll set up a shield for your evolution—no interruptions. After that, get back to work."
---
Barren Lands
Hades arrived at the barren lands where he had slain the skeleton giant.
"It should be around here…"
His gaze swept across the wasteland until it landed on a small cave—one he had noticed earlier while searching for the giant.
Inside, the cave was wider than expected, with faint light streaming through cracks in the ceiling.
"This will do."
He stood in the centre.
"Against Miramor, I saw how much I rely on my divinities. My weapon skills are lacking. But I also gained two things: a sharper sense for killing intent… and a new crown spell. Both need refining."
A faint grin crossed his face.
"And for that, I got some… excellent inspiration from Miramor."
His shadow thickened, rising like liquid darkness until it solidified into a perfect replica of the same armour, the same weapon, the same cold eyes.
Without warning, the clone lunged.
Sparks flew in the dim cave. The ring of steel echoed off the stone walls.
"And who better to train me… than myself?"
Clang! Steel slammed into steel, the shockwave knocking loose pebbles from the ceiling.
The clone's strikes were lightning-fast, predictable only because they were his own. Hades countered with a low sweep, but the clone leapt back, boots skidding on stone.
"Good," Hades muttered. "Don't hold back."
The clone vanished. Hades's killing intent sense flared—he spun just in time to parry a downward strike aimed for his skull.
The impact forced him back several meters. He steadied himself, dust swirling at his feet.
Both attacked at once. Blades blurred, sparks danced, and each clash thundered like a war drum.
The clone adapted quickly. When Hades tried a familiar feint, it punished him instantly—its boot slamming into his chest, sending him crashing into the cave wall.
Hades coughed, wiped the blood from his lip, and grinned.
"Yes… This is exactly what I needed."
He activated his crown spell. A spectral, dark crown appeared above his head, radiating oppressive power. The clone mirrored him.
The cave's air grew heavy.
They moved faster now—only flashes of steel and bursts of dark energy remained visible. Every strike carried lethal intent; every block was a hair's breadth from failure.
Minutes passed like seconds.
Finally, they locked blades, each pushing with all their strength. The ground cracked beneath them. With a roar, Hades twisted his sword, disarmed the clone, and drove his blade through its chest.
The replica dissolved into black mist, sinking back into the ground.
Hades stood, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"Better… but still not enough."
He glanced into the shadows.
"I'll keep going until my body moves on instinct alone."
The darkness beneath him stirred, and another clone began to rise.