Time.
Time is an extremely crucial factor. A good timing, a well-chosen moment, can change everything. Of course, from the very beginning, Hades and Persephone had already solidified their plan.
The two were not concerned about failure. In fact, in the hearts of this King and Queen of the Underworld, failure was a given.
When evaluating one's own strength and abilities, everyone must have a clear understanding. If I don't have the power or the qualifications to fully explore a mythical world, then I must assume failure as the starting point.
At all times, this principle holds. Success? That's just the next step after failure! What I must do is proceed with failure in mind, step by step. Only by understanding failure can one grasp success.
This is the fundamental, most important core point.
But sometimes…
Although failure is the core and foundation of the initial plan, as you move forward, things can change unexpectedly. The situation may evolve in ways that are hard to predict. Sometimes, when the timing is just right, everything can turn out differently.
"Dear husband," Persephone said after some contemplation, "In my view, if the mythical world on the other side of the Crystal Wall Gate is still in its early stages, I…"
At this point, Persephone hesitated slightly. She had some bold ideas, but she wasn't sure if her husband would support her in pursuing them.
Hades, noticing her hesitation, nodded calmly and said in an even tone, "If you wish to try, then go ahead and give it a shot. If it succeeds, I will naturally support you."
Hades understood very well what his wife was thinking, or rather, what she intended to do. And he had no intention of stopping her.
In fact…
If Persephone were to succeed, it could bring a tremendous boost to the entire Underworld. In the best-case scenario, Hades might even elevate himself to a level comparable to that of Gaia, the Earth Goddess.
This is no joke. Some things may seem like small gains at first, but the actual benefits they bring could be enormous. And who can say what the final result will be from these seemingly minor gains?
Clearly!
A bit of thought reveals this simple truth.
Persephone smiled at her husband's words, her beautiful face lighting up with warmth. "Thank you, my dear…"
Hades remained quietly seated on his throne. Between husband and wife—especially a fated pair like them—there was no need for words. Each knew exactly what the other intended to do and how things would proceed.
In essence, all of this was predestined, wasn't it?
A little thought and reflection would make this clear—this was always meant to happen.
While these events unfolded in the Underworld, the outside world remained oblivious. Both Zeus and Poseidon had their own schemes in play. In particular, Zeus, though Poseidon had no interest in the throne of the God-King, still felt the weight of his 5-million-year reign.
Even if Poseidon wasn't concerned, Zeus couldn't ignore the fact that he had only 1 million years of control. In this brief span, Zeus had a great deal to accomplish. Both he and Prometheus were so busy that they hardly had a moment to rest.
But…
What exactly were they working so hard on? And what would be the outcome of their efforts? These were questions that no one could answer just yet.
Hades and Poseidon, aware of some of the behind-the-scenes activity, could only wait in amusement to see how it all played out.
Meanwhile.
In the Underworld!
Hypnos and Thanatos, the twin gods, had gathered together, seemingly discussing something important.
In fact.
After the world-ending catastrophe, when the Underworld entered its period of stability, the twin gods had devoted themselves to intense cultivation. They rarely participated in other matters, because there was no need. Watching their siblings ascend to the rank of God-Kings, the twin gods, considered Erebus and Nyx's most outstanding and beloved children, felt a strong desire to break through their own limitations. It wasn't exactly arrogance, but they couldn't stand being left behind.
Clearly! They too were eager to overcome this barrier. And this wasn't necessarily a bad thing, nor was it a significant problem.
Now.
The twin gods had been making gradual progress, mostly staying in seclusion. But now that they had emerged, it signified that they had discovered a serious issue—perhaps even a major one.
"…"
After a brief silence, Thanatos spoke earnestly, "Hypnos, have you noticed the changes in the mortal realm? Or, rather, the unusual changes?"
Hypnos nodded seriously. "Yes, I've noticed. Although the specifics are still unclear, there's definitely a major issue behind it."
Indeed.
There had been changes in the mortal realm.
Ordinarily.
Such changes should never have occurred. Why? With the end of the Golden Age, there should be no life in the mortal realm.
The end of the Golden Age had been thorough and absolute. Aside from a few exceptions—like the Spartans sheltered by the Kingdom of Sparta in the far north and some humans on isolated islands in the sea—there should be no remaining humans or lifeforms from that era.
Yet now! New life had appeared in the mortal realm?
This…
From any perspective, this should be impossible. It almost defied the laws of the mythical world's development. The Creation Era hadn't even begun yet. The Silver Age hadn't arrived. The humans of the Silver Age hadn't appeared. Under such circumstances, how could this be happening? Clearly, after a bit of thought, it becomes apparent that something is very wrong.
Because of this.
Hypnos and Thanatos had come together to discuss the matter once more.
_________________________
[Check out my Patreon for +200 additional chapters in all my fanfics! Only $5 per novel or $15 for all!!] [[email protected]/Mutter]
[+50 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter]
[+5 Reviews = +1 Extra Chapter]