"Besides, that robe of yours seems quite a bit thicker than usual. Normally, you'd proudly show off your skeletal frame, wouldn't you? Is it because winter is approaching? Dressing warmly is good. I heard it's especially cold where you're from—it wouldn't do for you to catch a cold."
Hearing Jalter speak these words with feigned concern, Azazel, seated beside her, nearly lost his composure.
Catch a cold...? Seriously? Since when did a chief god catch a cold—especially Hades, the god of the Greek Underworld?
And what was that nonsense about "winter approaching" and it being "especially cold" there? Of course it was cold—the Underworld was eternally shrouded in deathly gloom, devoid of sunlight all year round.
Others might be unaware, but Azazel knew perfectly well why Hades was dressed so heavily—it was because of Jalter. The divine light she'd unleashed with the [Sword of Salvation] had chased Pluto straight down into the Underworld, killing him instantly. Hades had also been severely injured in the blast—hence the missing right hand.
He was bundled up solely to conceal those wounds. As a world top-ten powerhouse, there was no way Hades wanted to appear weakened before so many gods.
Yet here was Jalter, fully aware but pretending ignorance, deliberately prodding at Hades's sore spots, even adding a sarcastic "it wouldn't do for you to catch a cold." Anyone with half a brain could see she was mocking him openly.
Around Hades, grayish-black deathly aura boiled like water, clearly signaling his rising fury.
As the eldest of the Greek pantheon's three supreme gods, lord of the Underworld, and one of the world's strongest beings, when had he ever been treated with such open contempt? When had he ever been humiliated like this?
Immense, oppressive power radiated outward from Hades, forcing weaker gods around the table to lower their heads in submission, feeling their very life force eroded by his aura.
Yet the strongest gods merely watched, smiling faintly as if enjoying a performance. To beings like Shiva or Odin, the deathly aura posed no threat. The weaker ones could only silently endure it.
Such was the tragedy of weakness: suffering silently, even when treated unfairly.
"Don't deliberately ignore my questions," Hades snarled, slamming his skeletal hand onto the stone table before him. The surface instantly weathered away, crumbling as if it had aged thousands of years in mere seconds.
All things died, whether living or nonliving, organic or inorganic. As the god presiding over death and the Underworld, Hades naturally wielded such devastating power. Otherwise, he wouldn't rank among the world's strongest.
"I now have reason to believe that you're conspiring with Ophis—indeed, conspiring directly with the terrorists of the Khaos Brigade. Of course, a mere human doesn't qualify as their partner alone. I assume the Fallen Angels and Devils are also involved? After all, you lot have never had a good reputation. Promoting peace accords? Don't make me laugh. Your very existence aligns far more with the Brigade's chaotic ideals."
"Hades! Enough with your groundless accusations!" Azazel leapt up furiously, abandoning all decorum, pointing aggressively at Hades. "You're the one colluding with the Brigade! The Hero Faction members we captured already confessed to cooperating with your Underworld! Sirzechs's sister and her peerage were attacked by your Grim Reapers in league with the Brigade. With evidence this clear, do you still intend to invert black and white?"
Yet Azazel had underestimated Hades's shamelessness.
"What nonsense are you spouting? I haven't the faintest clue," Hades replied calmly, spreading his remaining hand dismissively. "Sirzechs's sister and her peerage? Aren't they Devils? Everyone knows Devils can't be trusted; their testimony is worthless. As for the supposed confession—well, those captives are in your custody. Who can say if their words weren't forced out of them?"
"Then what about Samael, the [Dragon Eater]?" Azazel's expression darkened. "Jalter, Rias, and even Ophis were attacked by Grim Reapers and terrorists from the Brigade, who unleashed Samael—your people were guarding his seal! Without your explicit permission, how could Georg and the others quietly spirit him away?"
Azazel's bombshell finally forced the observing gods to stop pretending neutrality.
"The Dragon Eater, Samael?!"
"Hey, hey, nobody told me about this…"
Even Shiva, Odin, and Zeus grew solemn. They knew precisely how dangerous Samael was—that's why he'd been sealed deep beneath the Underworld.
Seeing the gods' reactions, Azazel smiled coldly toward Hades. "But your great trump card, Samael, didn't help you much. He's already been destroyed by Miss Witch here. If you think we're lying, feel free to release Samael right now and prove his seal intact… if you still can."
Another uproar erupted at Azazel's declaration.
Samael, destroyed?
Countless astonished eyes darted between the confident Azazel and the calmly indifferent Jalter. Even Shiva regarded Jalter closely, his thoughts unreadable.
"Oh, that..." Hades finally spoke slowly, feigning realization as if he'd only just remembered. "Recently, my subordinates reported they'd located Ophis, the Brigade's leader. Naturally, eliminating Ophis would solve the Brigade issue, so I authorized deploying Samael. Besides Samael, I can't imagine any other being capable of containing the Infinite Dragon. Surely, you wouldn't say I was wrong for trying to maintain world order? As for this supposed collaboration with the Brigade… this is the first I've heard of it."
He admitted releasing Samael—but claimed it was purely to eliminate Ophis, entirely unaware she'd already switched sides. He categorically denied cooperating with Georg or the Brigade.
No matter what evidence Azazel presented, Hades stuck firmly to his story.
Hades's defense wasn't without holes, and those who knew him well believed him capable of exactly such schemes. But so what?
He was a god of death, a top-ten powerhouse. Without undeniable evidence, few gods would dare openly challenge him.
Even if proof appeared, Hades remained untouchable. His role as god of the Underworld made him irreplaceable—killing him would plunge the world into chaos. At most, he'd suffer meaningless symbolic punishment.
No matter Azazel's frustration, the other gods merely spectated silently, emboldening Hades further.
Thus, he repeated his earlier accusation—implying again that Jalter had long conspired with Ophis and the Brigade.
Zeus opened his mouth as if to persuade Hades not to escalate tensions further, but ultimately sighed in resignation. Clearly, Hades was beyond reasoning now.
Although Zeus preferred peace with the Biblical factions, Hades was his elder brother—and more powerful to boot. Given Hades's ambitions, any open disagreement could isolate the Greek pantheon entirely.
Even Shiva merely smiled mildly, glancing from Hades to Jalter, curious about how she'd respond. Truth meant nothing to him—only Jalter's reaction intrigued him now.
"So, Hades, you suspect I'm conspiring with Ophis… that I'm on the Brigade's side?" Jalter interjected suddenly amid the heated argument.
The room instantly fell silent, every deity focusing sharply on her, eager to see what proof she'd offer.
Hades stood eagerly, crimson eyes flickering beneath his hood. "Of course. Your closeness with Ophis is suspiciously unnatural. In fact, I heard that Ophis appeared at your side months ago… But perhaps that was misinformation?"
"Sharp tongue, bastard..." Azazel cursed inwardly.
"If you provide solid proof clearing your names or demonstrating Ophis only recently changed sides, I'll withdraw my accusations and apologize—after all, I'm not unreasonable..." Hades continued mockingly.
"Proof? Very well." Jalter's voice was serene, carrying unshakable certainty. "And weighty proof at that."
Hades froze.
Proof? What proof could she possibly have?
Unable to gauge her sincerity, Hades suppressed his growing unease. "Then show it—this proof of yours."
Every deity leaned in expectantly, unwilling to miss whatever came next. Jalter simply smiled mockingly.
"Proof? Isn't it obvious?"
"...What do you mean?" Hades, puzzled, pressed cautiously.
The mocking edge of Jalter's smile sharpened further as she spoke words that pushed Hades's sanity to the brink:
"You're still alive, standing here talking nonsense with me. Isn't that proof enough?"
Then her expression turned chillingly cold.
"Don't mistake me for Ophis—she can't be bothered to deal with you, but I'm different. Flies like you buzzing incessantly disgust me. Normally, I'd have slapped you dead ages ago. Yet here you stand, alive—precisely because I'm aligned with order, not terrorists. Understand now?"
Hades trembled violently, voice shaking with rage: "You mean, if you truly were with the Brigade—"
"You'd already be dead," Jalter interrupted softly, coldly stating facts. She swept her gaze around the room, her calm words like thunder:
"In fact, every god here would already be dead."
A deathly silence engulfed the hall as the chilling weight of her words settled over everyone present.
---
T/N: was gonna update earlier but got lazy, so im just doing 4 chapters for today's update, should be an update tomorrow too maybe 4 maybe not
Hello. I'm Enkidu.
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