Flame. Fire in the world of Chaos today is nothing more than the sun in the sky and the faint, diffuse heat within the belly of Cronus.
The divine aspect of fire would be very simple for a later-generation Hades—merely create fire and interpret it.
However, Hades had to consider the consequences.
Would Helios, the sun god, one of the two Titans standing behind a power none could defy, react dramatically to Hades's intrusion into his domain?
Would Gaia fight the two Titans for him?
Facing this problem, Hades sank into deep contemplation. He stood in a newly grown birch forest, unconsciously touching a young leaf, the verdant power causing the leaf to stretch even further.
Directly touching 'flame' itself was indeed too sensitive.
Helios, as the embodiment of the sun, was the fire of the sky, the fire of light. But Helios was merely a manifestation of fire's power in the heavens, not its source.
"You cannot touch 'flame' itself," Hades murmured in his heart. "But the 'changes' caused by flame, especially the transformation of earthly matter, could be my opportunity."
He thought of the high heat generated by friction when drilling wood for fire, the ash left behind by flame burning wood, and the rock melted by the earth's fire... All these were changes of state caused by flame's action upon matter.
"I do not need to contend for the power of 'flame'; I merely need to interpret the 'consequences' that flame brings, especially the part connected to the earth."
A clear path gradually formed in his mind. He could not directly claim control over flame, but he could attempt to define and control the phenomena arising from flame, especially earthly fires—the heat, the ash, and the stones (lava) melted by flame.
This was not to seize the domain of the Sun God, but to govern the 'downstream' effects of flame's influence, based on his own earthly attributes. It was an indirect path, but it was more suited to his 'subterranean' and 'material' priesthoods.
He once again chose a barren mountain ravine as his testing ground. This time, instead of birthing a plant directly, he plunged his hands deep into the warm soil.
He first mobilized the [Subterranean Wealth] divinity to sense and guide the faint geothermal heat deep underground, emanating from the world's core. This power was majestic and primal, but scattered and difficult to control. It was not pure flame, but one of the sources of heat.
Next, he cautiously introduced the power of [Decay]. But this time, instead of leading it to decompose organic matter, he attempted to focus the concept of 'decay' on the 'transformation of matter's properties under the influence of heat.'
He envisioned dead branches carbonizing at high temperatures, and ores melting in fire. He merged the divine power of [Decay] with the geothermal heat, directing it at the ordinary silicate rocks and scattered metallic minerals hidden deep underground.
The process was extremely complex. Geothermal heat was untamable, and the power of [Decay] was not born for 'smelting'. Again and again, it cost him violent outpourings of divine power and slight softenings in the subterranean rock.
But Hades did not give up. He recalled the precise manipulation he used to extract remnants of 'value' from Cronus's belly. He needed a more delicate touch, not brute force.
He introduced the power of [Purification]. This time, [Purification] was not for expelling filth, but for separating impurities and extracting purer 'products' from the 'smelting' process.
The three powers began to work together in an unprecedented way: Subterranean Wealth detected and channeled geothermal energy and base materials; Decay simulated the changes in matter's properties (melting, decomposition) caused by high temperatures; and Purification was responsible for cleansing and separation.
Time passed slowly, and Hades's divine power poured forth like a flood bursting its gates. His brow was covered with beads of sweat, and his divine form trembled slightly from the high-intensity divine control.
Finally, just as he was about to exhaust all his divine power, movement began beneath the earth.
In the area where his divine power was concentrated, the solid rock began to redden and soften under the high temperature, eventually transforming into a hot, viscous molten substance.
The mixed metallic minerals were forcibly separated and gathered by the power of [Purification], forming a small pool of molten metal with a dark-red gleam. Some impurities that could not be smelted turned into gray-black, loose, ash-like residue under the dual action of [Decay] and [Purification].
Success!
Although the scale was minuscule and the process far from efficient, he had simulated and achieved an effect similar to earthly lava using his priesthood, without directly using the power of 'flame', and had created lava, molten metal, and ash!
"The great law: I, Orphos, the plant god, declare to the world: When the high heat of flame touches the surface of material..."
Boom...
The response from the world's rules echoed, far more intense and complex than when he had obtained [Purification]!
First, a fragment of divinity radiating a high-temperature, warping aura condensed and merged with his core—[High Temperature]. This was not flame itself, but the phenomenon of accumulated heat sufficient to change the state of matter, the embodiment of various heat sources such as geothermal and friction, which perfectly avoided direct conflict with the sun's fire.
Immediately after, a deathly, gray fragment of divinity descended—[Ash]. It represented the final residue of combustion or the decomposition of matter at high temperatures, and was one of the ultimate forms of 'decay' and a potential nutrient for new soil, closely linked to the concept of circulation in his [Plant] priesthood.
Finally, a fiery, dark-red fragment of divinity slowly formed, full of destruction and rebirth—[Lava]. It was the blood of the earth, the union of earthly fire and stone, one of the sources of creating new lands and forming mineral deposits, and it resonated strongly with his [Subterranean Wealth] priesthood!
The birth of these three new divine aspects was not creation from nothing, but a supplement and expansion of his existing power system, and a natural interpretation of the phenomenon of 'thermal energy transforming matter' based on the earth.
What's more important, the appearance of the [Lava] divinity directly altered the composition of the world.
Between the earth and the underworld, a sea of lava suddenly appeared, and Gaia now had hot 'blood'.
With just the [Lava] divinity, Hades felt he was on a fine line separating him from mighty divine power. With a little more accumulation, Hades could become a true force in the world of Chaos.
Hades (Orphos) breathed a heavy sigh of relief, feeling the three new powers within him. They were like three new keys, opening the door for him to a broader sphere of authority.
He knew this was only the beginning. The potential of [High Temperature] was vast, touching upon [Forging] and [Temperature]. This would require him to constantly practice and strengthen.
He looked towards the sun with deep eyes.
"Helios, your sun shines in the sky. But I... I shall dominate the heat and melting in the depths of the earth."
He had not touched the fire of the sky, but beneath the earth, he had ignited his own forge, giving rise to mighty divine power.
Helios, driving the sun chariot across the sky, sensed something and wanted to stop the chariot to perceive it, but he could not park, for he was driving the sun.