I Am Hades, The supreme GOD of the Underworld!

The World Tree had finally reached full maturity.

Heaven and Earth.

The Pillars.

Earth, water, fire, and wind.

These are the essential elements required for the growth of a World Tree. Even though Hades created the Underworld by merging it with the World Tree in his own divine realm, the fundamental growth process of the World Tree would never change.

Everything would still proceed according to this natural order.

So, when the Underworld's World Tree finally reached perfection, it brought a tremendous boost not only to the Underworld itself and to Hades' divine power but even to Persephone, who, as Queen of the Underworld, became the first Ancient God of the realm.

However, for the Underworld, the one who gained the most from this transformation was undoubtedly Hades.

Hades, the King of the Underworld!

For the entire Underworld, Hades' advancement was monumental and could not be matched by any other being. As the ruler of the Underworld, Hades alone reaped the most powerful gains from the World Tree's complete transformation.

As for the other gods of the Underworld? Any enhancements they experienced were only residual effects of the vast power radiating from the tree itself. Only Hades, with his essence, truly experienced boundless growth.

The divide between God-King and Ancient God is vast. Though it may appear to be a small leap, it's a gulf as deep as Heaven and Earth. Upon reaching the Ancient God level, one grasps power beyond comprehension: Ultimate Power.

This force, exclusive to Ancient Gods, cannot be rivaled by any God-King, no matter their efforts. The difference in essence between them is too great; it cannot be bridged by effort or planning alone. The true Ultimate Power grants an understanding of what it means to wield such boundless force.

Hades absorbed the essence of Tartarus, step-by-step, and now, with the World Tree's growth, he reached a second transformation—this one even more profound than before.

At last, Hades slowly opened his eyes, which seemed to contain the entire cosmos.

"Creator God…"

To Hades, the title of Creator God now felt almost within reach.

Standing at the peak of the Ancient Gods, Hades was as dominant as Gaia had once been, towering above her peers. No other Ancient God could compare.

The difference between Creator God and Ancient God is like the distinction between a Major God and Chief God. Though they might be classified as adjacent realms, their power disparity sets them worlds apart. Only by standing at the apex of Ancient Gods does one understand that Creator God represents a level far beyond their own.

The division of divine ranks is complicated, with a system spanning ten levels: Third-tier God, Second-tier God, First-tier God, True God, Major God, Chief God, God-King, Ancient God, Creator God, and Absolute God.

Despite these levels, the true nature of their separation is sometimes indistinct. Yet, anyone who understands the hierarchy knows the vast difference between each of these ranks.

Hades could sense the vast divine power of the Ancient God's peak, feeling as though he was only one step from Creator God. Yet, this single step revealed an abyss. The Creator God level was not a mere extension of the Ancient God level, but a realm of power that dwarfed everything beneath it.

"Gaia…"

"If you hadn't been restrained by the Great Mythical World…"

"Perhaps…"

"To you, the gods would be insignificant."

Now Hades understood how Gaia's sheer power had come to threaten both the gods and the Great Mythical World itself. Gaia's existence today was the inevitable result of her power; both weakness and strength could, in the end, be considered sins.

Had Gaia not been injured, had she not been limited by the Great Mythical World, she alone would have ruled unchallenged. Yet the Great Mythical World could not allow that and so events unfolded as they did.

"However…"

Hades murmured, "Gaia, the more I understand, the more I grasp the magnitude of your strength. So, let's see… perhaps one day we'll meet as equals."

"I hope…"

"That by then…"

"You will not have perished."

Hades turned his thoughts away, his gaze settling into a steady calm.

The existence of Gaia threatened the gods, and even the world itself. It was almost inevitable given her immense power, for both weakness and strength could be seen as original sins.

Now, Gaia bore the consequences of her "sin." Whether she would overcome it and rise again, no one could say. The future remained uncertain for this supreme Earth Goddess and Creator God, whose existence hung between survival and oblivion.

And Hades knew that with the changes to the Great Mythical World, nothing could be certain. If things continued to shift, the future might hold even greater transformations, yet neither Hades nor the other gods could predict what lay ahead.

"Great Mythical World…"

"Chaos Sea…"

"The future…"

"What will it hold…"

Hades sat in contemplation, reflecting on the impending disturbances.

Indeed, for Hades, the world had become strangely silent—a foreboding silence before the storm. If the entire Great Mythical World spiraled into turmoil, perhaps even the Chaos Sea would become enmeshed in conflict.

Those gods unaware of the impending chaos might continue their lives unaffected. Yet Hades, who knew some of what was coming, felt a strange mix of shock and dread.

Could it be…

Just then, Hades murmured, "Erebus, Nyx, since you're here, why don't we talk?"

"Hades!"

Erebus and Nyx, the ancient godly couple, emerged with gentle smiles on their faces. Erebus looked at Hades with admiration, saying, "Hades, your divine power has reached an astonishing level. I can't even hope to compare!"

Nyx also smiled and nodded.

They held no jealousy; for them, Hades was like their child, and they felt only pride in his accomplishments. Watching Hades ascend to such a height filled them with joy and deep reflection.

"Creator God."

"Ancient God."

"The difference between these two is truly as vast as Heaven and Earth," Hades remarked.

The words caught Erebus and Nyx off guard.

"Hmm?" Nyx asked, frowning slightly. "Hades, are you referring to Gaia?"

"Yes," Hades replied. "Had Gaia not been injured or restricted by the Great Mythical World, she could have single-handedly dominated the entire world. Yet, due to these circumstances, she was gradually weakened, much like Father once was."

"Though everything seemed coincidental…"

"In reality…"

"This was the Great Mythical World suppressing them, which is the core of the matter."

Hades spoke plainly, for only at this level could one fully understand the terrifying force at play.

"I see," Nyx sighed, looking thoughtful. "The more one understands, the more one grasps Gaia's overwhelming power!"

"But…"

She shook her head, saying, "What's past is past. It is pointless to dwell on it now."

Hades nodded quietly, unfazed by Nyx's response.

At that moment, Hades and the godly couple turned their gaze upwards toward the World Tree. Its branches spanned the entire Underworld, visible from any point as though it were positioned directly overhead.

"Roar!"

As they observed, a thunderous roar shook the realm.

A massive, seven-headed, ten-horned red dragon soared into the sky above the Underworld, its roars reverberating as if it sought to devour everything in its path.

"The Seven-Headed, Ten-Horned Red Dragon!"

Erebus and Nyx watched this apocalyptic dragon with quiet reverence. They knew of its existence, for Hades had not kept its presence hidden; most gods of the Underworld were aware of this dragon's growth.

However, due to its long period of immaturity, the dragon had remained mostly dormant, with only one notable appearance when it devoured a star.

But now, with the World Tree's growth unleashing a surge of power, the dragon had finally matured. It wasn't fully grown, yet it had already reached a level that rivaled the Ancient Gods.

Indeed, aside from Persephone, this Seven-Headed, Ten-Horned Red Dragon had now become another Ancient God-level force within the Underworld!

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