"Hehehe~~~"
Hestia's silly smile exuded an adorable charm.
Of course, this wasn't because Hestia was truly naive or foolish—it was simply her nature.
When someone lives a life of peace and comfort, where food and clothing are readily provided, and they are constantly protected, cherished, and loved, their mindset naturally evolves to match their environment.
This was exactly the case for Hestia.
For her, life was delightful. She had no need to think or concern herself with anything—because, frankly, it was all meaningless to her.
As always, her attitude could be summed up as: if there's a problem, go talk to my brother.
This was Hestia's mindset: carefree, indifferent, and utterly unconcerned about anything.
"Honestly!"
Persephone shook her head with a hint of helplessness. Her voice was soft and calm as she said, "Still, no matter how you look at it, big sister, the truth is that the Mythological Great World no longer poses a real threat to the Underworld."
"That's true!"
Hestia leaned back on her divine throne. Finding it a bit uncomfortable, she procured a cushion from somewhere, casually remarking, "From what I can see, the Mythological Great World is already in a state of chaos."
"What's more!"
"For them, they now need us, not the other way around. That order of dependency is crucial."
To Hestia, this was a trivial matter, not worth caring about.
Exactly!
From her perspective, the Underworld could operate just fine without the Mythological Great World. But could the Mythological Great World function without the Underworld's cycle of life and death?
That was the real issue!
For the Mythological Great World, it was an inescapable dilemma. It felt akin to a powerless emperor realizing that a vassal under their rule had grown strong enough to overthrow them. Yet, the emperor still relied on this vassal and couldn't sever ties.
Such circumstances!
There was nothing but frustration—a helpless despair that couldn't be adequately expressed in words.
This was the current state of the Mythological Great World. Beyond resignation, there was little else they could feel.
"That's all true..."
"But!"
Persephone shook her head, her expression turning serious. "It's still important to remain cautious. These issues shouldn't be underestimated. If we let our guard down too much, problems could still arise."
"Well..."
"That's true enough!"
Hestia thought for a moment, conceding the point. For beings like gods, who knew what unpredictable schemes their counterparts might concoct?
After all, if someone managed to pull off some absurd, flashy trick, it could spell trouble.
So yes, caution was indeed warranted.
"As for Athena, Poseidon, Cronus, and Uranus," Hestia continued with a wave of her hand, "they're not worth worrying about."
"Hehehe~~~"
Persephone covered her mouth, giggling softly. "It seems, big sister, you're brimming with confidence."
"Confidence, huh?"
"Hmm~~~"
Hestia rubbed her chin, shrugging. "It's not that I'm brimming with confidence. It's just... well, it is what it is!"
She added nonchalantly, "For gods, even the slightest disparity grows wider over time. A small gap today becomes an insurmountable divide tomorrow."
"So really!"
"It's just not worth worrying about!"
Hestia spread her hands in a gesture of indifference, clearly unbothered by the issue.
The truth was undeniable: the gap between gods could be immense. And bridging that gap?
It was nearly impossible.
Take Athena, for instance.
Even if she had devoted herself fully, or encountered fortuitous opportunities that allowed her to leap ahead, all she'd done was achieve a temporary advantage.
And beyond that?
To put it bluntly!
Beyond that!
Athena's situation was fundamentally limited. No matter how hard she tried, surpassing Hades was nothing more than a pipe dream. Why should her effort outweigh Hades's centuries of accumulation?
Could her achievements in a short span really outmatch the eons of Hades's endeavors?
It was utterly unrealistic!
"Still," Persephone said thoughtfully, "I suppose what you're saying isn't wrong." She eventually shook her head, acknowledging the logic in Hestia's words.
If someone could leapfrog ahead repeatedly, it wouldn't just be Athena's doing—it would be due to failings on Hades's part. And blaming Athena for Hades's inability to progress further would be absurd.
Anyone who understood the dynamics of power recognized this truth.
Moreover, both Persephone and Hestia had absolute confidence in their brother—or husband, in Persephone's case.
Could Hades fail?
Absolutely not.
Never!
After everything he'd invested, after the countless efforts he'd made, how could Hades fall behind?
The idea that Hades could be overtaken was laughable—a notion completely detached from reality.
In the Underworld.
The fifth Ancient God had emerged.
To be precise, this fifth Ancient God was in addition to Hades.
The roster included:
Persephone. Erebus. Nyx. The Seven-Headed, Ten-Horned Crimson Dragon. Maara and Sesshouin Kiara.
Now, the Underworld boasted five true Ancient Gods.
What did this signify? The implications were self-evident.
Undeniably, the Underworld had evolved to resemble a Mythological Great World in its own right. Yet at its core, it remained Hades's divine kingdom.
And under Hades's rule, there were now five bona fide Ancient Gods. As for God-King-level deities?
Those were too numerous to count.
What did this mean?
Every god knew the answer.
For other God-Kings, the Underworld's strength was nothing short of overwhelming.
Athena, who had personally visited the Underworld, understood this better than anyone. She'd experienced its power firsthand.
This was why Athena never considered the Underworld a rival.
Because the gap was simply too vast. It wasn't just a matter of difficulty—it was impossible.
The power, the essence of the Underworld, was truly terrifying.
Unless one had seen it with their own eyes, they could never comprehend its magnitude. Athena had, and she understood perfectly.
Now, with the Underworld continuing to grow, the disparity between it and other realms widened. Hades had no need to act rashly or impatiently.
Impatience would only lead to problems. At this point, steady progress was far more important.
For Hades, the path forward was already clear. There was no need for haste—only to follow the plan step by step.
The Underworld had become an unparalleled force, a realm capable of overshadowing even the Mythological Great World. Only those with the strength of a Creator God, akin to Gaia at her peak, could pose a threat.
For ordinary Mythological Great Worlds?
They were no longer worth Hades's attention.
This was the terrifying truth of the Underworld. It was no exaggeration, but a hard, undeniable fact.
Even so, Hades remained calm and composed, proceeding methodically without allowing arrogance to cloud his judgment.
This was Hades: the unshakable ruler of an ever-growing realm.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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