I Am Hades, Lord of the Underworld!

"Ha~~~"

"Ha~~~"

A man, nearly naked save for a loincloth, walked step by step through the snow and ice. Normally, for humans in the Golden Age, they were born with the Seventh Sense of the Microcosm, and once they reached adulthood, they would possess the Eighth Sense of the Microcosm. For them, surviving in the freezing cold or even in the depths of space was effortless. 

Because once you have comprehended the Eighth Sense of the Microcosm, you essentially transcend life and death.

However, that is in a future era, one vastly different from this Golden Age. In this era, where the earth, sea, and underworld are still largely unchanged, the natural elements on the surface are incredibly terrifying. The extreme cold and snow of the far north are so fearsome that even a True God might not survive if thrown into such a place. This is the terrifying nature of the world at this time.

Why? 

Simply because it is the Golden Age, and though the supreme Earth Goddess is weak, she has not fallen into slumber. As long as she remains awake, the world stays in a state of turmoil.

In such circumstances, this human from the Golden Age, akin to an ascetic monk, walks through the snow of the far north, step by painstaking step. Just watching this scene could strike fear into the hearts of even the gods.

Karl remained silent, hiding in the shadows as he watched this human, who resembled a monk, and softly muttered, "Such will and soul..."

"I..."

Karl didn't know what to say. To be honest, if such will and soul existed in a certain biblical pantheon in another mythological world, at this very moment, this man would likely have ascended to become an angel. If this were the Hindu pantheon, a blessing would have already been bestowed upon him due to his devotion.

The truth is, the four Gods of the Underworld had guided many humans of the Golden Age, who possessed strong beliefs and will, to the far north. They gathered around the Temple of Hades, forming a tribe.

However, where there are people, there is competition, and where there is competition, there will be conflict.

Just when a conflict was about to break out among these humans of the Golden Age, this man stepped forward and made a vow. He pledged to walk with the utmost devotion, step by step, to the end of the far north.

Until he would reach the end of the far north to meet the supreme Lord Hades. If he failed, he would remain there forever. But if he succeeded, he would return as the king of all the people, and there would be no more conflicts among them. These were the words of this man.

But the problem is, this is the far north! It's important to know that the Temple of Hades is located in the heart of the far north, and to travel from there to the border, taking one step at a time, would take at least hundreds of thousands of years. The question is, can this man really endure that long? It's an unimaginable feat!

Yet, this man has already made his vow, and so he must go. Otherwise, as a devotee who has bowed before the Temple of Hades, if he breaks his vow, he will suffer eternal torment. But the eternal torment he might face pales in comparison to the suffering he is enduring now, as he walks step by step like an ascetic monk.

This... 

It's unimaginable what he's going through! Walking from the heart of the far north to its border with utmost devotion, the hardships he will endure along the way are beyond comprehension. Not even a human of the Golden Age with the Eighth Sense, nor even a True God or a Major God, might survive such a journey.

And yet, he has already been walking for fifty thousand years.

In these fifty thousand years, he has been engulfed by death countless times. However, his soul, forged through blood and tears, ice and blood, has repeatedly rejected death's embrace. 

Or perhaps, though death enveloped him, it also shielded him, protecting him from all else—a scenario beyond imagination. This is not a gift from Hades; on the contrary, even Hades is watching over this human. It is his will and soul that have summoned the shroud of death—not through Hades' intervention, but through his own strength of spirit.

Such a devout follower, even death, protects him, hoping he can fulfill his vow. Hoping that he can receive the blessing of the Underworld Lord and return to the Temple of Hades to establish a new kingdom around it.

"Ah~~~"

Garsus whispered, "Such a soul, such willpower... To be honest, if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it possible!"

"It's too beautiful."

"No!"

"It's too radiant and magnificent. This light is already forming into a beam, and if not for the watchful gaze of Hades..."

"Perhaps..."

Garsus, Cursis, Eurynomos, and Karl—the four Gods of the Underworld—understood well. Although they were Underworld Gods of the Chief God level, the light emitted by this man's soul and will was something they could no longer conceal.

Many gods, as long as they had a bit of strength, including the two God-Kings and even the Ancient Gods, were already quietly watching this human.

And the reason they haven't made a move is that their Lord Hades is watching him, with the Ancient Gods Erebus and Nyx backing him. 

Otherwise, this man would have long been taken by another god. Such a devout follower—no, it's more than just being a follower. His will and soul are treasures to any god, and with a little cultivation, he could become a top-tier subordinate god, with the potential to reach the level of a God-King's subordinate!

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