I Am Hades, Lord of the Underworld!

"Sparta."

"Lord Hades!"

Hades spoke calmly, and the man, no, Sparta, almost couldn't contain his excitement as he lifted his head.

Hades knew his name! He knew! Sparta was thrilled that Lord Hades knew his name. At this moment, he trembled with excitement, feeling that all his efforts and devotion had been validated.

This feeling for Sparta was akin to working hard and achieving excellent results, only to receive the reward and recognition from one's parents. The joy of hard-earned success was the greatest happiness.

"Death."

"War."

Hades spoke quietly as two beams of light emerged, gradually descending upon Sparta.

In an instant!

Death and War merged into the Mark of Infinity, branding itself on Sparta's chest, forming a pitch-black mark.

Hades spoke softly, "Sparta, do you choose to enter the Underworld, stepping onto the path of a god, or do you choose to return to the Palace of Hades as a mortal, to lead your people and build your nation?"

Hades' voice was gentle, almost as if he held no expectations for Sparta.

But!

If another god were in Sparta's place, they might be baffled. Wasn't this a priceless treasure? Why not take it back to the Underworld to nurture properly instead of leaving it on the surface?

Isn't Hades afraid that someone might seize this treasure when he's not looking?

But Hades remained infinitely calm and indifferent. His words were serene, with no hint of jest.

Or perhaps!

Hades was not joking at all.

"Lord Hades…"

Sparta fell silent, seemingly deep in thought about what to do.

Hades did not rush him, quietly waiting. In truth, all the gods were curious about Sparta's decision.

They knew well! Sparta's choice now was crucial. Sparta, having ascended from a devout believer to a saint, was now on the verge of becoming a god. He was to receive Hades' blessing, specifically the laws of Death and War.

Indeed!

Hades had mastery over War, as well as plagues, disasters, and more. All sorts of minor and obscure laws fell under his domain because, as the ruler of the Underworld, anything that could bring death naturally came under Hades' control.

At this moment!

Hades watched Sparta quietly, seemingly awaiting his answer.

And!

After a long while.

Sparta's gaze became firm as he spoke earnestly, "Lord Hades! Forgive me. I should serve you eternally as your most devout follower, forever praying in your name. However! I also have my duties. I came here because of a promise, and now that I have received your blessing, I must return. I will lead my people and build a new nation!"

"A nation that belongs to you, one that worships you!"

Sparta's eyes were filled with respect and seriousness. He was utterly sincere. This was a promise he had made, and so, he must fulfill it.

"A wise choice."

Hades spoke softly. He raised his hand, and a beam of light appeared before Sparta.

The light gradually coalesced into a divine sword. Hades spoke calmly, "Sparta, take this sword and go build your great nation. Go, become the God of War in the Underworld. I look forward to the day you enter the Underworld."

"Lord Hades!"

Sparta bowed once again, then respectfully lifted the divine sword from the icy ground. He stood up slowly and left without looking back. Compared to when he arrived, the return journey was far easier.

Faintly!

Death!

War!

Destruction!

...

And more!

All these shadows flickered around Sparta, forming a tapestry of war, a scene of epic proportions. No one knew what this truly represented.

But Sparta, as the God of War of the Underworld, would soon reveal to the surface world that everything had changed.

Sparta departed. Each step on his way here had tempered his will, soul, and body. Now, each step on his return further elevated him.

The Eighth Sense? 

The Will of the Gods? 

Third-tier God? 

Second-tier God? 

First-tier God?

No one knew!

When Sparta returned to the Palace of Hades, what heights he would have reached. But one thing was certain: Sparta's journey was far from over. In fact, it had only just begun.

This God of War of the Underworld would show everyone what was to come.

A war, perhaps in the Golden Age, perhaps in the Silver Age, but ultimately, a war that would sweep across the surface world. Sparta would ignite it, forging his own epic through the crucible of battle.

"God of War, huh!"

Hestia appeared with a smile, teasing, "Such an outstanding child! But Hades, isn't this a bit too much? Every time the Underworld intervenes, it brings death. And now, war as well!"

"It doesn't matter." Hades replied calmly, "Big sister, the Underworld will never be fully accepted by others. I didn't anticipate Sparta's emergence in my original plans, but perhaps this is fate."

Hades had to admit that this situation had taken him by surprise.

In his initial plan.

To put it simply! 

He had intended to build a nation around the Palace of Hades, gathering ambitious humans from the Golden Age. This way, when the Silver Age came, most of his pawns would be those from the Golden Age.

This fundamentally changes things.

As it turned out, Hades never expected that what was initially an SR card draw would result in pulling an SSSSR card—a result beyond all expectations.

Sparta's birth had not been part of his plan, but now! With Sparta having merged with the laws of War and Death.

Then!

This God of War representing the Underworld could certainly make his future plans much easier.

___________________

Read Ahead

[email protected]/Mutter