Zeus was born.
The younger brother, destined to overthrow Cronus and usher in a new era, had arrived. The great wheel of fate had finally passed through another crucial node.
Hades slowly withdrew the power that had activated the [Soul] divinity, temporarily pacifying the newborn and restless force deep within the core of his divine spark.
"Thank you for telling me, Mother," Hades replied in thought, his voice seeming unusually calm within his heart.
"Mother Rhea... Is she alright?"
Gaia's will was accompanied by a complex sigh, carrying the weight of the earth and a faint trace of sorrow:
"She has made her choice. She wrapped the stone I gave her in swaddling clothes and deceived Cronus. The tyrant who devoured his children was now satisfied to have once again 'eliminated' a threat, but he did not know that the true flame had been cast out of Olympus."
Hades was silent.
A cold resolve intertwined in his heart. The tyranny of Cronus must end.
"Where is the real Zeus?" Hades asked.
"I have arranged for him to be sent to a hidden cave on Mount Ida in Crete. The Curetic nymphs there will raise him, concealing his cries with dances and the sound of clashing shields," Gaia replied, her tone becoming extremely serious, carrying a warning:
"Hades, listen. Zeus's growth requires time and needs shelter. Until he is strong enough to raise the banner of rebellion, you must not easily reveal yourself."
"I understand," Hades said in a deep voice. "Cronus's eyes are still sharp, and the forces of Olympus are intertwined. Now is not the time for confrontation."
"And not only that," Gaia's will emphasized.
"As the first prophetic god, Hades, I can tell you about some of the waves of fate. Hades, you are not the god spoken of in the prophecy. Zeus... He is the child of prophecy, the 'banner on the surface' who will overthrow Cronus in the future."
"His presence will attract the brunt of Cronus's anger and suspicion. This is his fate and your cover. You are my child, and I do not want you to step onto the stage too early, before your wings are fully grown, only to become Cronus's primary target."
Hades's eyes flickered.
He understood the profound meaning of Gaia's words. Zeus was the eye of the destined storm, a shield attracting fire. But Gaia did not know that Hades's wings were already fully grown at this time.
Nevertheless, Hades still decided to continue hiding. With Zeus in front, why not take advantage of it?
"I will wait and see, Mother," Hades promised.
"Very well," Gaia's will carried a note of approval. "Patience, Hades. Patience is the most valuable virtue of a hunter. Use this time to build your strength. When Zeus raises the banner of rebellion, that will be the moment for you to truly step onto the stage."
The connection ceased, and Gaia's will receded like a tide.
Hades stood alone in the hall of the Underworld, his breath increasingly merging with the realm of the dead.
He gazed into the void, his eyes seeming to pierce through the walls of the Underworld, past majestic Olympus, to the father who sat on his throne devouring his children, unaware that his end was approaching, and also to the younger brother in the cave on Crete, waiting to be fed yet burdened with the fate of overthrowing the world.
"Zeus..." he whispered the name, his voice containing no brotherly warmth, only a cold, calculating gaze based on interest and fate.
"Grow up, my brother. Attract all the attention, bear all the pressure. And I, in the chaos and opportunities you create, will take everything I deserve."
He turned and walked towards the inner sanctuary. Metis waited there, her eyes shining with wisdom, clearly sensing the ripple of fate from Zeus's birth.
"The storm is approaching, my king," Metis said softly.
"The storm has already begun, my queen," Hades replied, taking her hand.
"And now we have clearer 'allies' and a clearer 'timing'. Before we can debut, we need a stronger and more secure Underworld."
He needed greater power—not only personal power, but also the power belonging to his command as the King of Hades, power capable of shaking the world in the future divine war.
His gaze naturally fell upon the depths of the Tartarean abyss—the forbidden place that even the Titans held in secret.
According to Mother Gaia's hints and the ancient messages he had seized from the laws of the world, there were ancient forces remaining from the time of Uranus, once feared and sealed away by Cronus: the Hundred-Handed Giants (Hecatoncheires) and the Cyclopes.
The Hundred-Handed Giants—Briareos, Cottus, and Gyges—with fifty heads and one hundred hands each, embodied pure strength, wielding mountains as if throwing stones.
The Cyclopes—Brontes, Steropes, and Arges—though each with only one eye, possessed unparalleled talent in forging. Legend held that they forged the thunderbolt for Zeus, the trident for Poseidon, and the helm of darkness for Hades—but that was in the original mythology. Today, they were still imprisoned in darkness.
These giants were descendants of Gaia and Uranus, considered his uncles by blood. They harbored only bitter hatred for Cronus, who had imprisoned them. If they could be freed and brought under control, the power of the Underworld would be qualitatively elevated.
"It is time," Hades said to Metis, his voice echoing through the corridors of Hades with undeniable resolve. "Let us go meet our forgotten 'relatives'."
A light of wisdom danced in Metis's eyes, and she immediately understood Hades's intentions. "Deep in Tartarus... That is a place where even the power of the goddess Nyx must be wielded cautiously. Madness and disorder are the masters there. Are you sure, my king?"
"The power of [Soul] allows me to perceive the 'veins' of life more clearly, even if that life is blurred by madness," Hades spread his palms, and in his hand appeared a dark halo that seemed to convey the essence of all living beings.
"[Purification] cannot dispel the origin of Tartarus, but it is enough to open a pure land for us for a short time. As Hades, Tartarus is a prison, and I... intend to become the true 'warden' of this underworld."
The plan was set, and Hades began preparations. He did not take Thanatos and Hypnos with him; the environment deep in the abyss was too oppressive for their powers. This action required precision, not numbers.