Crowned in the realm of death

As I sat there, focused and determined to begin awakening the smaller orbs within my soul, Hestia suddenly gasped, her cheerful expression shifting into mild panic.

"Oh! I completely forgot to tell you something important!" she blurted out, eyes wide. "Even if you fully awaken your orbs, even the big one, your power will only rise up to the level of a mid-level god at first."

I blinked, caught off guard. "What? Why?"

She nodded seriously. "Awakening godhood is just the first step. To ascend beyond that—to the level of high gods, chief gods, or even God Kings—you need more than just awakening. You need two things: a high divine energy level and a deep understanding of your godhood. Without those, your rank won't rise, no matter how many orbs you awaken."

I frowned. "Then… how do we increase divine energy?"

She smiled again, this time more patiently, like a teacher easing into an advanced lesson.

"Divine energy can grow in a few ways," she explained. "The most basic and slowest method is through age. As a god matures, their divine energy naturally deepens—like how a tree thickens over time."

"But there are faster, more efficient methods. Your divine energy also increases with your physical strength and your soul strength. When your body grows stronger, more refined, it can hold and channel more divine power. When your soul becomes purer, more stable, it can generate and retain energy more effectively."

I nodded, listening intently as she continued.

"This is one of the reasons why Titans like our father Cronus are so powerful. Their bodies and souls are vast, their energy capacity naturally immense. Even before understanding their godhood, they can crush lesser gods by sheer raw power alone."

"So if I want to rise," I said slowly, "I must train my body and soul as much as I train my understanding?"

"Exactly," she affirmed. "Divine energy is like a river. The stronger your foundation, the wider and deeper that river flows. You'll need that strength to bear the weight of a King-Class godhood. Otherwise, it might overwhelm you instead of obeying you."

I sat back, absorbing the truth of her words.

Awakening was only the beginning. If I wanted to rise above mid-level—if I truly wanted to become a God King—then I would need to forge my body, hone my soul, and master every layer of power within me.

Without wasting another moment, I steadied my breath and sank back into meditation. The memory of Kaos's gift echoed in my soul—the wish I made in that void between worlds: Mineral Manipulation.

I focused inward, reaching once more toward the celestial vision of my soul.

The orbs floated around the central purple sun like a divine constellation. I extended my will toward the golden orb, which pulsed faintly as if responding to my recognition. I knew immediately, this one represented Minerals.

With steady focus, I began channelling my divine energy into it, as Hestia had taught me slowly, without force, allowing the energy to nourish the orb like roots drawing from rain.

The moment the divine flow touched the golden orb, something shifted.

My senses expanded.

I could feel the presence of minerals, iron, copper, silver, gold, quartz, and even rare celestial stones hidden deep in the fleshy walls of this unnatural prison. Each had a unique frequency, a texture within my soul. It was as if the very veins of the world whispered their names to me.

And then, I felt a connection.

My energy reached deeper, harmonising with the essence of stone and metal. The divine signature of the orb merged with my soul, and slowly… I felt in control. I could command minerals not just sense them, but shape them, summon them, will them into form.

A subtle grin formed on my lips. This was power. Not just borrowed or felt mine.

—

Meanwhile, Hestia saw Hades awakening.

Her eyes widened in awe.

She saw his aura sharpen, condensing like a blade being honed. The once chaotic haze that surrounded his wings had begun to solidify, now gleaming with a metallic black sheen, jagged and sharp, like obsidian blades forged from the Underworld itself.

"This …" she whispered under her breath. "His essence… It's not just awakening. It's refining."

She had seen many gods awaken their first or other domains, but this was rare. Most awakened with a surge. Hades was awakening with precision. The golden orb wasn't just responding it was submitting.

Hades… the Lord of Minerals, the unseen force beneath the surface, was being born.

As I completed the awakening of the golden orb, the sensation of minerals bending to my will still thrumming in my veins, I exhaled slowly—steadily. One step forward.

But I wasn't done.

I turned my focus to the next—a dark blue orb, orbiting near the golden one, its surface swirling like a deep ocean under moonlight. I didn't need anyone to tell me what it represented. I knew.

Magic. Sorcery. Arcane Power.

The idea of wielding the raw force that governs spells, enchantments, and mystical law stirred something ancient inside me. I reached out and began channelling my divine energy into it, slowly feeding the orb as I had with the last.

But almost immediately I felt resistance.

Not rejection… but something strange. Familiarity.

It was as if this godhood already had a soul connected to it… Yet, for some reason, it still opened itself to me.

It felt like walking into a room that belonged to someone else, but the door was unlocked, the fire still warm, and a seat had been left waiting.

I frowned slightly. Is this… someone else's domain? Or am I bound to it through something deeper?

But I didn't press further. That was a mystery for another time. Right now, my task was clear: awaken the godhood.

I calmed my thoughts, ignoring the strange pull, and continued feeding it divine energy. The process was slower, gentler this time more elusive than the raw, tactile power of the mineral domain. Magic was subtle, fluid, like trying to grasp smoke. But the orb responded. Not with a violent surge, but a soft hum like a hidden current beneath still waters.

Across from me, Hestia sat quietly, watching with curiosity. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she observed the shift in my aura.

"It's… different this time," she murmured. "More mysterious. Not as intense. But… not weak either. It feels like…" She trailed off, unsure. "Like it's waiting for something."

She didn't press the issue, letting me continue uninterrupted.

—

Meanwhile, far beneath the world beside the void of Tartarus in the deepest region of the Underworld—stood a magnificent, eerie palace carved from black crystal and soulstone.

Within its highest chamber, before an empty obsidian throne, a woman stood silently.

She was breathtaking long black hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of night, and piercing purple eyes that shimmered with secrets and shadow. Her presence was regal yet haunting, her aura ancient and serene.

As the ripples of divine awakening stirred the fabric of realms, she felt it.

A pulse.

A whisper.

A familiar power, touching something that once belonged to her… or perhaps would belong to her again.

She turned her gaze toward the throne—untouched, forgotten by time—and a faint, knowing smile curved her lips.

"So," she whispered, her voice like wind on cold marble, "the soul has begun to stir… and the path unfolds at last."

She took a step forward, placing one hand on the armrest of the empty throne.

"It seems," she murmured with quiet certainty, "this throne will soon h

ave its master."

And far above, unaware of the eyes that now watched from the depths, Hades continued to awaken.