I Am Hades, Lord of the Underworld!

Atlantis!

Poseidon sat silently on his throne, lost in thought. Typically, with his emotionless nature, nothing should concern him. Yet now, he felt a twinge of envy—real, undeniable envy.

Why?

How was this possible?

How did Hades get so lucky?

A devout follower with a perfect will and soul like this should not have appeared in the Golden Age, nor even in the Silver Age. In a mythological world, it's rare enough to find one or two such followers over the course of eons.

A believer with a perfect will and soul, steadfast like an ascetic monk, capable of walking a path of faith—such a person is almost unheard of. In the Hindu pantheon, where devout ascetics are most common, many receive divine blessings. 

But the thing is, that's due to the unique nature of the Hindu pantheon. Those ascetics are often weakened in the process. How to put it?

It's like in the Japanese pantheon, where faith is so abundant that it can support eight million gods. The Hindu pantheon is known for producing ascetics with perfect will and soul. 

However, when something becomes too abundant, it tends to diminish in value. The difference isn't vast, but it's significant.

To put it simply, this ascetic man with the talents, qualifications, and potential of a human from the Golden Age, combined with the faith of a devout believer and a flawless will and soul—this man is destined to pass his test. Afterward, he will have the potential to become a God-King. And with Hades' resources, even if they have to throw everything at him, he will ascend to that level!

But the Hindu ascetics are different. Although similar in many ways, they usually fall short in some areas, which limits them. Their maximum potential might be reaching the pinnacle of a Titan God.

For ordinary gods, such followers are invaluable. But for a God-King like Hades, they're just not enough. No matter how many Titan Gods you have, if they can't reach the level of a God-King, they're of little use.

Kronos, for instance, only valued Hyperion and Coeus among the Titans. Hyperion truly became a God-King, while Coeus had an extraordinary intellect. That's why Kronos cared about them. As for the other Titans, despite their large numbers, Kronos didn't pay them much attention—they were left to their own devices.

Similarly, Hades doesn't care much for subordinate gods unless they contribute to the Underworld. Why would he bother keeping a god that doesn't benefit the Underworld? 

What about Hestia? First of all, she can benefit the Underworld, albeit just barely, but it's enough to be considered a good match. Secondly, she's Hades' sister, so she's treated differently. Hestia and Hades didn't have the best relationship initially, but now that she's willing to become an Underworld deity, their sibling bond has strengthened.

In summary, Poseidon is currently very displeased.

However, Poseidon, despite his displeasure, isn't likely to cause any trouble due to his character.

But Zeus is another story...

Crackling lightning surged violently, as if it would consume everything. Zeus's eyes were filled with endless thunderbolts, clearly showing his burning rage. Or rather, at this moment, Zeus was feeling deeply resentful.

Why?

Why?!

Zeus couldn't understand why Hades always seemed to be one step ahead. Why did Hades manage to find such a high-quality believer—no, a top-tier believer—especially in the Golden Age?

It would make sense if this had happened in the Heroic Age of the Silver Era, but this was the Golden Age, where humanity was generally apathetic. How did such a believer emerge from such a time?

"Could it be..." Zeus muttered softly after his rage subsided, "That humans of the Golden Age actually have potential?"

Both Poseidon and Zeus began to wonder if they had been biased against the humans of the Golden Age. Could it be that these humans really had untapped potential?

As they began to investigate the humans of the Golden Age, the course of history changed.

In the Realm of Darkness!

Meanwhile, Erebus and Nyx were filled with joy, their faces beaming with delight. The sheer happiness they felt was impossible to conceal.

Did you see that?

Did you see that?

This is the result of our nurturing!

This is the Golden Age! And among the humans of this age, our protégé has become a perfect top-tier believer. Can you do that? Can you?

This was their way of boasting, their version of "returning home in glory." Even Ancient Gods feel this way. This divine couple, Erebus and Nyx, were now flaunting their success through Hades.

Just look at what you've invested in! Now look at us! This is our investment, and it's flourishing.

For the other Ancient Gods, this was nothing short of a devastating blow, like being struck by a thousand arrows to the heart.

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