[Third Person Pov]
Hades reached across the table with casual entitlement and plucked another handful of fries from Lucian's tray. Lucian reacted instantly, slapping his hand away with a sharp smack, his face twisting into a look of pure offense. "Get your dirty hands off my fries," Lucian snapped, curling his arm protectively around the basket as if shielding it from a starving predator. "If you want some, go and order your own."
"Why would I?" Hades replied without the slightest hint of shame, his tone calm and indifferent, as though the answer were obvious. He leaned back slightly in his seat, his eyes half-lidded with lazy amusement. "Think of this as nothing more than parental tax."
"There is no such thing," Lucian shot back immediately, his voice filled with indignation. He hunched forward and began stuffing fries into his mouth at a frantic pace, hoarding them like a dragon with its treasure, as if speed alone would prevent further theft.
"You forget yourself, boy," Hades scoffed, his lips curling faintly as he leaned forward again. "I am a king. I can impose any tax I desire." His hand moved with supernatural speed, slipping past Lucian's defenses to snatch two more fries directly from under his nose.
"And I'm a prince," Lucian growled through clenched teeth, his pride wounded as much as his hunger. He retaliated by grabbing the stolen fries directly out of Hades' fingers and shoving them into his mouth in a blatant act of defiance. "I should be exempt from taxes."
"The only thing you'll be exempt from is the world of the living if you keep testing my patience, you greedy brat," Hades replied dryly. He wrinkled his nose in distaste and leaned back into his seat, draping one arm across the backrest behind Annabeth in a posture of relaxed authority.
Lucian rolled his eyes, utterly unimpressed by the threat. "Been there, done that," he muttered dismissively. He swallowed the last of his fries before leaning forward, his expression shifting from irritation to focused curiosity. "Anyway, enough of that. You said you would explain the hierarchy of demons to me. After what we faced, I'm more than curious to learn how it all works."
Hades let out a long, slow sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose, as though the subject itself were exhausting. The neon lights of the family diner flickered faintly overhead, casting shifting colors across his pale features. For a moment, he simply stared ahead in silence.
"Where do I even begin…" he murmured.
"The start is usually a reliable option," Lucian replied dryly, unable to resist the sarcasm.
Hades lowered his hand and fixed him with a flat, unimpressed parental glare. Lucian wisely chose not to elaborate further.
Ignoring the comment, Hades shifted slightly in his seat. "Very well. I'll begin with the lowest tier. Minor demons, also known as Lesser demons. They are the weakest entities in Hell. Pathetic creatures, for the most part. They exist to serve, to obey, and to die."
He raised a finger slightly as he spoke, his tone becoming more instructional. "Imps are the most common example. Hellhounds can also fall into this category, depending on their age and bloodline. These beings possess very little individual power. Even a trained mortal could kill one under the right circumstances. They are slaves in all but name, utterly dependent on stronger demons for purpose and protection."
Hades gestured toward the waiter, ordering himself a plate without even glancing at the menu. He wasn't hungry—hunger was beneath him—but the act itself grounded him in the moment, a mimicry of mortal normalcy.
As the waiter left, Hades continued. "However, demons are creatures of growth. They evolve through accumulation—contracts, souls, influence. When a Lesser demon gathers enough souls and survives long enough, it can ascend into a Greater demon."
Annabeth leaned forward slightly, her attention fully captured. Lucian mirrored her focus, his earlier irritation forgotten.
"Greater demons include entities such as succubi, incubi, and empusas," Hades explained. "They are not necessarily stronger in raw physical terms, but they are far more dangerous. They possess intelligence, cunning, and refined supernatural abilities. They manipulate rather than overpower. Seduction, deception, illusion, shape-shifting—these are their weapons."
He paused briefly, allowing the information to settle.
"The next stage beyond that is the Knight classification. Demon Knights are true warriors. This is where the increase in power becomes dramatic. Their strength, speed, durability, and combat ability surpass the lower ranks by an enormous margin. They are soldiers, generals, conquerors."
He tapped the table lightly with one finger.
"This is the level where most demigods would fall," he added. "Ordinary demigods, at least. Not anomalies like you and your little circle of troublesome prodigies. Even Markus, despite being something of a unique case, could reasonably be classified among Demon Knights based on his capabilities."
Lucian frowned slightly, absorbing the comparison. "Are Demon Knights the common population in Hell?" he asked.
"It is more balanced than that," Hades replied. "The majority consists of Greater demons and Demon Knights combined. Think of it as a mortal civilization. The lower and middle classes make up most of the population, while the true elite exist separately, elevated beyond the masses."
Lucian and Annabeth nodded slowly, understanding.
At that moment, the waiter returned with Hades' food. Hades began eating calmly, his movements refined and unhurried, as though he had all the time in existence—which, in many ways, he did.
He swallowed a bite before continuing. "Now we arrive at the transitional threshold. The point where status ceases to be merely hierarchical and becomes sovereign."
Lucian leaned forward unconsciously. Annabeth did the same.
Hades deliberately took another slow bite, chewing with exaggerated patience.
Lucian's eye twitched faintly.
"Next," Hades said at last, his voice lowering slightly, "come the Demon Lords."
He said nothing further.
He simply continued eating.
Lucian stared at him, his irritation mounting with every second of deliberate silence. 'I swear,' Lucian thought bitterly, clenching his jaw as he watched Hades calmly enjoy his meal, 'one of these days, I'm actually going to punch him again.'
"Djinn, such as Ifrit, and even some of your Shadow Soldiers, can be considered equivalent to Demon Lords," Hades said, gesturing faintly with his fork as he spoke. "They earn that designation because once a demon reaches that stage of evolution, it no longer simply exists within the hierarchy—it begins to dominate it. A Demon Lord gains authority over elements, territory, and in many cases, other demons themselves."
Lucian blinked, his chewing slowing before stopping entirely. His brow furrowed as he processed the first half of that statement. "Wait," he said slowly, lowering his food. "What do you mean some of my shadows can be considered Demon Lords?"
Hades swallowed his bite before answering, his expression calm and matter-of-fact. "I mean in terms of raw strength and accumulated power," he clarified. "More specifically, that Ashura you possess. Ever since you acquired it, you've continuously fed it strength. You've allowed it to grow, to mature, to evolve. Naturally, it has reached a point where its power can be classified within the Demon Lord threshold."
Lucian stared at him for a moment, the words sinking in. That Ashura had always been powerful, but hearing it described in the same category as Demon Lords gave its existence an entirely different weight.
"…Cool," Lucian muttered under his breath, unable to hide the faint note of satisfaction in his voice.
"Do not misunderstand," Hades added immediately, his tone sharpening slightly. His crimson eyes flicked toward Lucian with quiet warning. "Having a subordinate that qualifies as a Demon Lord is certainly impressive. It would terrify most beings across multiple realms. However, there is something I have yet to explain."
Lucian straightened unconsciously, sensing the shift in tone. Annabeth also turned fully toward Hades, her entire focus fixed on him.
"The difference between a Demon Knight and a Demon Lord is vast," Hades continued. "The gap is immense. But the difference between a Demon Lord and a Demon of Nobility…" He paused briefly, allowing the tension to build. "…is far greater still. Insurmountable"
He leaned back slightly in his seat.
"It is the difference between a soldier and a sovereign. Between prey and predator."
Lucian said nothing, waiting.
"This is, of course, a general estimate," Hades continued, his voice calm and precise. "But it would take approximately fifteen Demon Knights working together to defeat a single Demon Lord. And even then, victory would not be guaranteed."
He lifted another fry, examining it absently.
"However," he added, "it would take nearly fifty Demon Lords just to meaningfully harm a Baron. A Baron is the lowest rank among the Demons of Nobility, yet even they exist on an entirely different plane of existence."
Silence settled over the table.
Lucian felt the scale of that difference pressing down on him. He leaned forward slightly. "What about me?" he asked, his voice quieter now, more serious. "Where exactly do I stand?"
Hades did not answer immediately.
His chewing slowed, then stopped entirely.
His eyes narrowed faintly as he studied Lucian—not as a father, but as a king assessing a potential rival, or perhaps a future equal.
Lucian held his breath without realizing it.
Hades finally gave a faint nod, as though arriving at a conclusion. "You already know that beyond Demon Lords come the Demons of Nobility," Hades said. "And as you further understand they possess their own internal hierarchy, modeled similarly to mortal aristocracy."
He began listing them calmly. "Baron. Viscount. Count, also known as Earl. Marquess. Duke. Prince."
He paused.
"And finally… King."
Each title felt heavier than the last.
Hades then reached over and took one of Lucian's remaining fries, holding it between his fingers as he pointed it directly at him.
"You, my son," Hades said evenly, "as you currently exist… stand somewhere between a Baron and a Viscount."
Lucian froze.
Then his expression twisted into disbelief.
"What?!" he barked, his voice rising loudly enough to draw a glance from another table. "That's complete bullshit. There's no way I'm that low."
Hades did not react to the outburst. He simply lowered the fry and ate it.
"Being above a Baron means you possess the power to defeat one in its true form," Hades explained calmly. "A feat that would require an entire legion of demigods working in unison. In your Brightheart form, you would be capable of matching a Viscount evenly. The battle would be uncertain. Balanced."
He paused briefly.
"But once the Viscount unleashed its true form," he continued, "the advantage would shift in its favor. Gradually, but decisively."
Lucian stared at him, his jaw tightening.
"Bull," Lucian said flatly.
He grabbed a drink and took a sip, then added with emphasis, "Shit."
Hades merely sighed softly, completely unmoved by the protest. He picked up his fork and resumed eating.
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