I Am Hades, Lord of the Underworld!

Hestia, Hypnos, and Thanatos.

These three underworld gods respectfully knelt on one knee and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty, Lord of the Underworld!"

Nereus.

A sea god respectfully knelt on one knee and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty, Emperor of the Seas!"

Hera, Demeter, and Prometheus.

These three sky gods respectfully knelt on one knee and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty, Emperor of the Heavens!"

At this point, Hades, Poseidon, and Zeus, the three God-Kings, underwent a fundamental transformation. If they were previously akin to local lords ruling their own territories, they had now truly ascended to the status of emperors.

To draw an analogy, it's similar to the Three Kingdoms period when the kings of Wei, Wu, and Shu declared themselves emperors. Although their territories did not expand, their status was entirely different.

For the three God-Kings, this is more of a symbolic title. After all, even if they weren't addressed as "Your Majesty," their status wouldn't really diminish.

At the very least, for Hades and Poseidon, it didn't matter much. But for Zeus, it was a completely different story.

Zeus is a truly ambitious individual. He wants the entire world; he wants to be the true God-King. And this is just the first step in his grand plan, a step that is inevitable and irreversible.

Taking this first step gave Zeus a sense of exhilaration.

As the various subordinate gods rose to their feet, Poseidon remarked coldly, "The title of God-King is meaningless. What we should discuss next is the position of the true God-King."

God-King?!

To Poseidon, this position rightfully belonged to him. No matter what, it was his.

The real issue to consider was how to secure this position of true God-King.

This was the most crucial matter.

The God-King's Crown!

Whoever holds the God-King's Crown controls everything and rules over the heavens, the earth, the seas, and the underworld—truly reigning over the world of mythology.

However, as always, the issue of the astral world remains unresolved.

Moreover...

The three God-Kings might still need some sort of ceremony or grand event in the future. After all, when ascending to the throne, certain formalities must be observed for the sake of appearances.

Zeus frowned slightly, seemingly contemplating this issue.

Prometheus appeared to have some ideas, but at this moment, he did not speak. No one dared to speak carelessly at this time, as it would be disrespectful to the three God-Kings.

Hades said calmly, "Poseidon, Zeus, how about we determine the position of God-King based on the mortal realm?"

Hades seemed to be asking, but his tone implied that he was telling Poseidon and Zeus that they had no choice but to play this game.

And Hades had every right to speak this way—this was his confidence and authority.

Zeus frowned slightly but quietly asked, "Hades, how do you propose we decide?"

Poseidon, though silent, clearly shared the same interest.

Hades replied calmly, "Let the position of God-King rotate. Otherwise, none of us will ever truly hold the position of God-King."

Hades spoke calmly, but his meaning was straightforward. In essence, the position would rotate—after ruling for a certain number of years, the next would take over.

From any angle, this seemed the most appropriate solution. The position of God-King represents resources, and no one would willingly give up resources. Simply ruling over one's own small territory would eventually lead to being overtaken by others.

It's like how Hestia leveraged a favor owed by Cronus to access the Black Sea. If it hadn't been an unrepayable debt from Pontus, Poseidon would never have allowed it. Why would he let someone else strengthen his enemies?

This same principle applies to the position of God-King. Even if one cannot truly command the other two God-Kings, the resources that come with the title are undeniable. 

Having more resources is crucial—who would ever complain about having too much? Even if they don't need it, they wouldn't let others benefit from it either.

After a brief moment of thought, Poseidon calmly asked, "Hades, what are the rules you propose?"

"It's simple," Hades began. "The heavens, the seas, and the underworld are stable and won't see any major changes."

"Therefore."

"We should use the mortal realm as the stake."

"The Far North, the Far West, and the Far South."

"These will be the core territories, with each cycle lasting 16 million years."

Hades spoke calmly, his tone indifferent, but in just a few words, he outlined the basic framework of the rule.

Prometheus and Nereus were deep in thought, considering how to divide and manage this arrangement. If handled poorly, it could lead to significant issues. These were important matters that needed careful deliberation.

The mortal realm!

As the most resource-rich realm, occupying it for 16 million years would be incredibly advantageous.

In fact, if Hades were to win repeatedly in these cycles, wouldn't that mean he would truly become the God-King over time? The gap would only widen with each passing cycle.

The more they thought about it, the more they realized the potential problems. This was absolutely unacceptable!

Zeus immediately objected, "No, such an arrangement may seem fair, but it is fraught with issues."

Poseidon also refused, "No, this won't work."

Hades, unsurprised, calmly proposed, "In that case, let's adjust it. For a cycle of 16 million years, the first God-King rules the mortal realm for 10 million years, the second for 5 million years, and the third for 1 million years."

"What do you think?"

Hades once again asked calmly, and this time, the two God-Kings began to seriously consider the proposal.

If the 16 million years were divided among the three God-Kings, even the weakest would have control for 1 million years. It was like a feast where everyone got their share—meat, bones, and soup alike.

Upon further reflection, this seemed the most reasonable approach.

After all, true fairness is impossible.

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