With unwavering confidence in victory, Hades continued his desperate struggle. It wasn't until Cerberus sent a second message that he glanced at it with his divine sense during the chaos—and truly, he was extraordinarily busy. He kicked away the Sea King's trident with one foot, punched Hercules's axe off course, and used his twin-forked staff to block Hera's lightning spear.
His divine sense swept over the message. He didn't know before looking, but once he saw—Charon! By the gods, had this guy's audacity grown beyond all bounds? Someone who would normally lick his boots now displayed unparalleled courage!
He'd just threatened to make an example of him, and instead of cowering in fear waiting to die, this bastard had turned around and robbed him!
Being defeated by Hera or Poseidon wouldn't be shameful—they were all siblings.
But now, being bullied to his face by this old fool—Hades found it unacceptable. The old man's greed wasn't news; he'd known about it ages ago. But how did he have such audacity to commit this monumental crime?
The token Cerberus transmitted made his eyes narrow. Hypnos!
Was his boldness because the twin gods of death and sleep were backing him? Was this Charon's reliance? In the midst of being besieged, Hades instinctively filled in the blanks, and his imagination ran wild with additional details.
Was Hypnos plotting rebellion? Did he have dealings with the gods? Had the brothers made some secret pact with the gods behind his back? The more Hades thought, the more frightened he became. The twin gods of death and sleep had long served as his right and left hands—their prestige was hardly inferior to his own.
His thoughts churning, he involuntarily glanced toward the twin gods amid the chaotic battle.
The two brothers stood shoulder to shoulder, battling Apollo and Supergirl together. Plus the Sea King's three brutish giant sons helping nearby, the brothers fought with perfect coordination born of shared consciousness. Considering their opponents—Supergirl and Apollo hadn't started fighting each other, which was already worth celebrating—the two-versus-five situation still seemed manageable.
Before receiving Cerberus's information, Hades would have thought Hypnos's attacks were graceful and fluid, like a dance, silently affecting the enemies' five senses.
But now, with suspicion in his heart, the more he watched Hypnos, the more convinced he became the guy was slacking off!
Combined with the actual battle situation—he himself was being beaten black and blue by three gods, waiting for rescue—they were slowly wearing down their enemies. Hades's expression darkened.
After fighting the three gods with a grim face for several more exchanges, his concentration slipped. Hera's spear struck him hard across the face—a literal slap in the face. Only then did Hades shout.
"Thanatos, come help me!"
The twin gods of death and sleep were momentarily stunned. The direct consequence was Supergirl's heat vision burning two holes in the Death God's elegant gray robes. The brothers fumbled to regain their footing, utterly baffled. You're fighting three and need support, but we're fighting five—don't we need it too?
Moreover, Hades's tone carried heavy overtones of command. The brothers were displeased. They held high status, possessed strong abilities, and worked in perfect harmony. Normally Hades didn't speak to them this way. Without any verbal or visual communication, they simultaneously chose to ignore him.
We're also the number two and three figures in the Underworld, not your servants, Hades. Show us some respect!
The two acted as if they hadn't heard, which further confirmed Hades's suspicions about their disloyalty.
Between external enemies and internal traitors, which was more hateful? Hades's answer was traitors—especially since he knew the twin gods commanded high prestige and many of the Underworld's forces answered to them. This made Hades even warier.
He'd played all his trump cards and was still being pummeled by the allied gods. Was it because of their secret obstruction?
The more he extrapolated, the more terrifying it seemed. He wanted to intimidate his subordinates, to show them who was the true master of the Underworld.
Using his struggle against Hercules as cover, he shot into the air and appeared before the twin gods, calling out sinisterly, "Hypnos!"
"Ah?" Not understanding the truth, Hypnos thought he was about to say something and turned to look at Hades.
What greeted him was a pitch-black twin-forked staff.
The weapon gleamed with lethal intent, and Hades's eyes flashed with cruel light.
He wants to kill me! Hypnos didn't know why Hades would turn on his own in the middle of battle. He only knew he had to dodge.
During the Trojan War, Sleep God Hypnos had committed an infamous act. To prevent the war's outbreak, he'd tried to use his ability to make all things sleep to "put Zeus to sleep." Unfortunately, the plan failed and he was directly banished to the Underworld.
Now, at this life-or-death moment, this usually refined male god unleashed his full potential. At the critical instant, he evaded the thrust.
The refined deity, his face pale with fright, cursed Hades. "You're insane!"
Seeing his certain-kill strike dodged, Hades's misunderstanding deepened.
He felt his opponent had been hiding his strength all along, waiting to deliver a critical blow. With a cold snort, he unleashed the King of the Dead's true might, determined to capture this traitor in the shortest time possible to intimidate all the Underworld's deities.
Unfortunately, he'd underestimated the twin gods' mental synchronization. After tens of thousands of years together, when Hades launched his sneak attack, Thanatos had sensed it. Now seeing him press the attack relentlessly, the death god could only join his brother in resisting the King of the Dead.
Is this some kind of conspiracy? This question circled through the minds of Hera, Poseidon, Hercules, and Apollo. As for the simple Supergirl, she hadn't even processed why her opponent was suddenly fighting someone else.
The other gods fighting at a distance were just dumbfounded. Rhadamanthys, first of the Three Judges, had been suppressing the cyclops when shock at the development caused him to take a club to the face, distorting his handsome features. But he couldn't focus on his enemy—he couldn't understand why, at this critical moment, the Underworld's boss was fighting with numbers two and three. This is a recipe for disaster.
Thea's clone, who'd been playing around with the Firstborn, received information from her true body. Combining the two perspectives, the truth wasn't hard to guess. Greed moved hearts—she could only note that this minor character, Charon, had unwittingly become the key factor deciding the war's outcome.
No time for lengthy explanations. Thea's clone quickly alerted Hera. Now they needed to cement the evidence, ensuring the brothers couldn't clear their names even if they jumped in the River Styx. If the Underworld split in two, their chances of victory would be assured.
Hera received her information and was initially shocked beyond measure. Though somewhat incredible, it cost her nothing to say a few words.
She immediately shouted, "Thanatos! Hypnos! I, Hera, swear—if you help us take down Hades, I, representing Mount Olympus, will accept you back! All past grievances will be forgiven!"