The Sea of Chaos!
That vast ocean is filled with endless dangers yet brimming with intoxicating beauty. Any god who has gazed upon it, even for a fleeting moment, is captivated, forever unable to break free from its allure. Even Hades is no exception.
Compared to Poseidon and Zeus, Hades' heart has always been extraordinarily resolute. Why? Because Hades understands the allure and danger of the Sea of Chaos. Within the Mythical World, no matter how beautiful or grand any mythical world may be, they are all, in essence, like frogs at the bottom of a well. All the gods are just looking up from within, and once you've glimpsed that outside world, even for a moment, you no longer care much for what lies within.
Everything within is just a tool to aid you in breaking these limits and overcoming these constraints. That's what you must do, right? Hades is in such a position because, after having glimpsed that truly beautiful world, his goal is simple: to one day fully step into the Sea of Chaos, to become a god of the Sea of Chaos, rather than remain confined within the Mythical World.
Right or wrong? Good or evil? Life or death? None of it matters! None of it matters! For the gods, this transcendent path—the road that breaks all limitations—is the ultimate goal. Isn't that the core and fundamental truth?
Hades and Persephone, as husband and wife, chatted idly, sometimes laughing lightly, sometimes falling into peaceful silence, much like any ordinary couple. They were quietly learning more about each other. Like many couples who marry first and fall in love later, they didn't know much about one another initially, but over time, they realized how well-suited they truly were.
This was the nature of their relationship—slowly understanding each other, exchanging thoughts, and as time passed, this connection would continue to grow deeper. And this was just the beginning.
...
Hypnos and Thanatos.
The twin gods walked at a leisurely pace as they arrived at the border of the Underworld, where Aether was already waiting for them.
When Aether saw the twins approach, he greeted them with a gentle smile and said, "Hypnos, Thanatos, I've found it! I found traces of the original Solar Divine Fire in the Astral Realm."
"Really?"
"That's great!"
Even Hypnos, who typically hid his emotions well, couldn't help but show a smile of excitement. It was incredible—they had actually found the traces of the original Solar Divine Fire.
This discovery was immensely important.
For the Underworld, the four elemental beasts of earth, water, fire, and wind were crucial. The Earth Beast, Gaia the Earthmother Serpent, and the Water Beast, the Black Sea Whale, were both God-King-level creatures.
This had already set a high bar. If the remaining two beasts they sought turned out to be weaker, it would not only be embarrassing but also mismatched in terms of power.
The benefits would then be insufficient. As a result, finding the Fire Beast and the Wind Beast had always been a top priority. Hades had plans for the Wind Beast for some time, so that wasn't as urgent. But the Fire Beast? No one had expected that traces of it would finally be found. This was a complete surprise!
No!
Not just a surprise.
The fact that they had located the Fire Beast at all, in a Mythical World, and found a God-King-level beast that matched the elemental attributes required, was no easy feat. But now, success seemed within reach.
Aether nodded and said, "Yes, we've found it. But! For now, we've only found traces. To thoroughly investigate it will take at least several million more years. However, this is undoubtedly good news!"
Aether was suppressing his excitement.
Indeed!
It wasn't about wasting time. Time didn't matter in the grand scheme of things. What mattered most was this initial clue. As long as they had this trace, it was only a matter of time and patience before they found the Solar Divine Fire.
For Aether, the time and effort spent didn't concern him. What terrified him was the thought of returning empty-handed, disappointing Hades. That was something he couldn't accept.
"That's great!"
"That's wonderful!"
Hypnos smiled and, after a moment's thought, asked, "Aether, do you need us to send Underworld gods to assist you?"
Aether shook his head. "No need. At least, not for now. The Solar Divine Fire is being concealed by other gods, and ordinary Underworld gods might inadvertently reveal our tracks. In the Astral Realm, ordinary gods won't be of much use. I can handle it myself."
As the ruler of the Astral Realm, even though Aether wasn't the lord of the Greek pantheon's Astral Realm, he held a position of great power. Having ascended using the Heart of Space from this Mythical World, Aether's abilities in the Astral Realm were unmatched.
In the Astral Realm, Aether could find far more than anyone else could. That much was certain.
"Then?"
Thanatos was puzzled. If that were the case, had Aether returned just to report his findings?
Aether shook his head. "I didn't return just to report. I've come to request two items from His Majesty— the Demon Star and the Eternal Book. With the power of the Demon Star's chains, even if we find the Solar Divine Fire, it will be easier to seal it. The Eternal Book will help in the next phase."
Aether had returned to claim these two artifacts.
The Demon Star.
The Eternal Book.
These!
These weren't items one could simply retrieve on a whim. For the Underworld, the Demon Star was of undeniable importance. And the Eternal Book? As a fusion of the four divine tomes, it represented something entirely unique.
Aether had to personally return and request them. There was no way he could just casually take such items. That would be impossible!
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