I Am Hades, Lord of the Underworld!

The three God-Kings each returned to their respective realms: the Underworld, the Heavens, and the Seas.

At the Yellow Springs of Hirazaka, Hades descended from his chariot and calmly said, "Hypnos, Thanatos, I leave the responsibility for this First Holy War to you."

"Understood!"

"Your Majesty!"

The twin gods knelt respectfully, their eyes filled with endless reverence.

Hades shifted his gaze to Hestia and said gently, "Big Sister, if you enjoy playing around, feel free to join in."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty, I've got it," Hestia replied with a sweet, obedient smile.

With a single step, Hades disappeared. Hypnos and Thanatos also departed with Hades' chariot, while Hestia cheerfully returned to her own home.

Elsewhere, after settling everything, the twin gods convened a quiet meeting. Many Underworld deities had arrived, and even those who were usually away returned for this crucial moment. The First Holy War was of utmost importance to the Underworld, and failure was simply not an option.

Aether sat quietly on the side, curious to see how things would unfold. Every Underworld deity knew how significant this war was. Hypnos calmly explained the situation, and the other gods nodded thoughtfully, deep in contemplation.

Sitting in her seat, Hestia pondered aloud, "Logically, the Underworld should be able to suppress both the Sea and Heaven realms. However, if Aether doesn't step in, Baal, you and the Seventy-Two Demon Gods might need to participate, right?"

Hestia wasn't trying to give orders, merely offering her thoughts. She understood her position well—she was content to attend meetings, offer suggestions, and then stay out of the deeper decision-making. Her role in the Underworld was too unique to actively interfere, especially since her brother had entrusted everything to the twin gods.

After a moment of thought, Baal nodded. "Miss Hestia, according to Hypnos' assessment, unless something unexpected happens, the Seventy-Two Demon Gods will likely need to join this Holy War."

It was clear: although the Underworld was strong enough, under the current circumstances, things could still go awry. In fact, it was almost certain that the Seventy-Two Demon Gods would have to participate.

Hypnos considered this and said, "Ideally, we should avoid exposing you and Mephisto if possible."

"However," Hypnos continued after a brief pause, "if the situation becomes dire, Baal, you and the Seventy-Two Demon Gods can reveal yourselves. As for Mephisto, he should avoid showing up, or else our plans for the Silver Era could be compromised."

"Heh..." Mephisto, sitting to the side with a smile, agreed, "Indeed. If I appear in this Holy War, and the Sea and Heaven realms grow wary in the Silver Era, our subsequent plans will be complicated."

"But!" Mephisto's tone shifted to seriousness, "Hypnos, if things get problematic, that's fine."

For Mephisto, ascending to God-King was his eternal obsession. Yet if the Underworld needed him to expose himself and his plans, he would do so without hesitation. At worst, he could wait for the World Tree to evolve further and then progress again. It wasn't a significant issue.

Mephisto's loyalty to the Underworld, and to Hades in particular, was absolute. He would sacrifice everything for his allegiance.

The reason? The despair that once consumed Mephisto was shattered by Hades—what more needed to be said?

"Still, it's best not to go that route," Hemera chimed in, contemplating the matter. "The Underworld doesn't need to reveal all its cards just yet. We alone are enough to deal with the Sea and Heaven realms."

"Besides..." A sly smile crept across Hemera's lips, and all the Underworld gods understood her implication. Eris was already stationed in the Heavens.

Sometimes, using subtle methods could yield immense benefits. If handled well, the rewards could be astonishing.

"In general..." Hemera concluded, "Judging by the combined strength of the Sea and Heaven realms, victory for the Underworld shouldn't be difficult. But we must still be prepared. The first battle in this Holy War—victory will belong to the Underworld!"

"Agreed!" Ceres echoed. "Only with the Underworld's victory can many of our plans move forward. Hestia's preparations and Moirai's weaving of fate—these are crucial elements."

It was clear that winning the first Holy War and claiming the title of God-King was vital. If the Underworld secured that position, they would experience explosive growth. Sparta's domination of the mortal realm would elevate them further, and Moirai's breakthrough into God-Kinghood would shatter any remaining barriers.

Hestia's own advancement could even bring forth another God-King. Though everything was planned and prepared, obtaining the first God-King title and the power to destroy the world would make everything easier. It would be practically guaranteed, requiring minimal effort.

Hestia thought for a moment and said, "Given the situation, it seems the Seventy-Two Demon Gods will need to act. The Heaven realm may be manageable, but the real challenge lies with the Sea realm. The Sea realm is connected to the Black Sea, and no one knows what hidden dangers lurk there."

"Furthermore..." Hestia trailed off, but everyone knew what she meant. Some matters didn't need to be said aloud but had to be understood.

Though the Underworld's discussions were lively, they all understood the situation well. Each of them was absolutely confident in victory!

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