Hades sat still upon his throne, his silver hair glinting faintly beneath the cold, violet light that emanated from the torches in the hall.
His expression remained unreadable, his gaze calm yet piercing as it swept across every god and goddess seated before him, Olympian and Underworld patron alike.
For a long moment, the hall was filled with nothing but the faint hum of divine energy and the restless tension that brewed in the air.
Then, in a voice that was deep, resonant, and heavy with authority, Hades finally spoke.
"As it stands now," he said slowly, his words echoing across the grand chamber like the toll of a bell, "our combined power, even united, cannot compare to those beings. Not even close."
The weight of his statement hung in the air.
No one dared to refute it. Even Zeus, whose pride had never known restraint, said nothing.
