The Mortal God of Olympus Ch.32 (Patreon)

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Chapter 32- Down the Hellhole

AN: Sorry guys, had a very shitty day. Couldn't complete the promised scenes. Also, beta'd by no one.

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Hell was a better place than I'd imagined.

I didn't know what I'd been expecting really. Maybe a flaming Satan raping some poor sod's arse while hurling abuses. Maybe a bunch of demons feasting upon the flesh of men. Maybe wailing spirits that were forced to dance upon fiery charcoals...

Or maybe just some plain old fiery volcanoes.

Instead, the Underworld was more civil and orderly than most of the mortal establishments that I'd been to in my past life.

Unfair as all hells of course—pun intended—but more orderly that I'd imagined. And I can imagine some pretty wild stuff.

After I bullied Charon—a right helpful chap, that guy—into making some room for us three upon his barge, we received a first class ticket to the scenery of Hell.

Our boat made its way through the oily waters of River Styx, and the greedy part of me that was hoping for some easy invincibility curled up in disgust at the sheer thought of jumping into the stuff.

Of course, that alone wouldn't have stopped me from gaining almost complete invulnerability.

Sure, I'd always have to be paranoid of that one spot which will basically do ultra critical damage, but some nice Divine Armor and specialized magic should've seen me through.

No, what did however kill all thoughts of taking a dip into the dirty, blackened river was the sub-description for the power I found whilst 'Observing' River Styx;

Curse of Achilles: Submerging within the River Styx shall grant the power that is a blessing and curse at the same time.

Rewards: 

• Almost complete Invulnerability 
• Tier increased by 2

Note: Only applicable upon beings at Tier 5 and below.

Warning*: Upon receiving the Curse, the User will no longer be able to progress further.

'Such bullshit.' I grouched, kicking a small pebble in silent tantrum and almost turning the boat over.

Spirits wailed, some toppling over, some hanging on with their smoky fingertips.

No one cared to help them.

"Look mate," Charon chimed in as the boat stabilized. "I get that you could break me in half and all, but I'd rather that than fall in the river, alright?"

I huffed, crossing my arms, before creating some entertainment for myself by making faces at the wailing and sobbing spirits who desperately raised their hands at us, begging to be brought up.

That too came to a quick and sudden end when a startling realization went through me. 'Some of these might be the victims of my fight with Heracles.'

I spent the rest of our journey alone— sulking—until at last we reached the shorelines of Underworld, and our eyes fell upon the core of Hell.

Jagged rocks jutted out of the black volcanic sands that covered all the grounds, stretching back over a hundred yards till it touched the base of a high stone wall. The wall extended as far as our eyes could see, petering out to either side of us.

Our barge soon parked itself upon the black sands and—with a last wave at Charon—we quickly disembarked, joining the line of souls that made their way deeper inside the Hellhole.

The entrance to Hell was in the form of three highways stacked side by side under a large black archway that said 

'YOU ARE NOW ENTERING EREBUS'. All caps.

Each highway had its own booths that checked spirits in— sort of like Airport security—all geared up with pass- through metal detectors and security cameras.

Real advanced stuff. I was beginning to wonder if I might also find some free wifi here.

No one barred our way as we made for Hades. Even the massive black monster of shadows that chowed people up seemingly in random disappeared out of our way with a warning growl.

We took the highway that seemed least teeming with people, a large gate signaling its name 'Ez Death.' The metal detectors all blared red as soon as we passed, yet no one seemed to give a fuck. Even the black hooded figures that manned the booth glided aside as soon as they took a look at us.

'Hades wants us here.' I concluded, frowning, my mind a whirlpool of thoughts.

'A trap perhaps? No, he wouldn't need one to finish us off. Maybe Kronos is here? Or his agent. Capturing me or Percy seems like a likely goal.'

The conclusions weren't solid but I wasn't willing to dismiss them either.

'Better to be wrong but prepared.'

I willed my teleportation device to one of the front inventory slots, where they'd be much faster to access. In the unlikeliest of events that Hades does not care for talks or blackmailing, simply choosing to bury us here regardless of the wrath he would incur, I would have a failsafe way to teleport back to the camp.

Thankfully, I wouldn't have to leave the kids behind either.

"Percy, Annabeth, divide the pearls between you and keep them ready."

The kids must've sensed my growing gravity for they complied without questions.

Thus we pressed on in silence, the fields of Asphodel soon greeting our eyes.

It was, in one word, astronomical. Hundreds of millions of translucent spirits crowded the fields, spreading forth for miles and miles, as far as my eyes could see. It was the biggest crowd I'd ever seen, far surpassing anything I'd laid witness to in both my lives. 

Imagine the largest open ground you've ever seen with your eyes, and every single bit of it is filled with ants...that was how I saw the fields of Asphodel.

The tiny ants soon became human sized as we drew closer, following the line of new spirits that arrived, heading towards a black-tented pavilion with a horizontal banner stuck across its arched entrance that proclaimed;

JUDGEMENT FOR ELYSIUM AND ETERNAL DAMNATION
Welcome, Newly Deceased!

My eyes flickered towards the pavilion's back, where two smaller lines went down in different directions; one leading to the Fields of Punishment and the other to Elysium.

'Now this is what I'm talking about.' A grimaced smile curved up my lips as I took in the gigantic wasteland down at the base of the left road; it's lands splintered and cracked, with rivers of lava and minefields jutting out around them.

This was what I’d imagined Hell to be.

A barbed fence separated different areas of torture; their severity ranging from listening to Opera music and dancing on a thin rope....to burning alive on stake and running through a field of cactus stark naked. One of the men running through the sharp edges of cactus tried to protect his hanging jewels with one hand but a wave of power forced him straight. A wince escaped me as his balls got lacerated the next second; his screams and howls reaching my ears from miles away.

But just as grim as the Fields of punishment were, even more breathtaking were the valleys of Elysium. Hidden away from the grimness of Hell, the beautiful valleys of Elysium were surrounded by glowing white walls. Within them lay a vision of stunning beauty; neighborhoods of grand houses from every time period in history, gold flowers and silver vines decorating the lawns. Even the grass rippled in shades of rainbows.

'Elysium is what dreams are made of.' I concluded.

"Now I know where I want to go when I die." Percy muttered beside me.

It was a shame our mission today was much grimmer than sight-seeing.

Thus, I pressed us forward.

The herds of spirits soon thinned down, the place starting to grow darker and darker with every step. At last, after a few miles of traversing through the spirits, the castle of Hades finally greeted our eyes.

I glanced at my companions, both looking almost as pale as the spirits. "You two ready?"

A couple of deep breaths and nods later, I led us up the Palace's steps, through the black marble portico, past the beautiful garden of Persephone, and into the House of Hades.

We walked through the entry hall, the silent gloom only broken by the clacks of our steps upon the polished bronze floor, passing by Skeleton guards dressed in a varied range of uniforms from Greek Armor to British redcoats to camouflages with tattered American flags.

Waiting for us on the opposite end were two big sets of bronze doors that opened at once upon our arrival.

"I guess that means entrez-vous," Annabeth muttered beside me.

We entered together.

The Throne room seemed pre-occupied; six figures standing at attention—looking ready to fight. All of them were kids, none looking older than 16—with even a six year old boy being present.

"Mikael Gabrielson." The lead one intoned, also the strongest in the group.

'Observe'

Cao Cao

Age: 16

Race: Human (Sacred Gear User)

Tier: 6

Level: 480

Holy Power: 3,000,000/3,000,000

Stamina: 2,440,000/2,440,000

Health: 990,000/990,000

Stats

Strength: 319

Speed: 569

Dexterity: 510

Endurance: 488

Constitution: 198

Mental: 40

Spirit: 550

‘How the hell did a human reach Divine Tier? Probably some Sacred Gear bullshit.'

I dismissed the boy, my eyes flickering upon the spear held in his arms. Something about it screamed familiar to my senses—as familiar as Stormbreaker, in fact—constantly pricking me for attention.

Yet, the huffing of the god behind it demanded an ever greater attention, and I found myself agreeing.

He laid sprawling upon a huge black onyx throne, lavishly decorated with skulls of all sizes. Inhumanly tall—at least 10 feet—and with albino white skin, the God of the Dead cut a figure imposing enough for his titles.

I realized I had his attention just as he had mine.

Eyes darker than black—glittering with a strangely amused glint that could be taken as madness or genius—stared within my soul; judging and curious.

'Observe'

Hades

Race: God

Tier: 9 (Elder God)

Current Tier: 8 (True God)

Level: 880 (Divine Form) [Max]

Current Level: 780 (Mortal Form)

Divine Power: 790,000,000/790,000,000

Stamina: 366,490,000/367,500,000

Health: 397,500,000/397,500,000

Stats

Strength: 750 (850)

Speed: 775 (875)

Dexterity: 798 (898)

Endurance: 795 (895)

Constitution: 780 (880)

Mental: 74

Spirit: 790 (890)

Physically weaker than Zeus, though almost as powerful.

‘…I can’t win against him.’

It wasn’t a surprising realization of course, but I’d wondered if I might stand a chance against his mortal form.

The answer was a big fat ‘Nope!’. I may have a solid shot against a True God Olympian in their mortal form—I was willing to bet on myself due to pure haxary, even though my domains and Authority weren’t on their level yet—but Hades stood upon an entirely different pedestal than the rest.

There was a reason why most often counted him amongst the ‘Big three’.

That didn’t mean I wasn’t a little disappointed at not being able to give him a solid deck on the jaw—and then quickly teleporting away, of course. The god was more than eight times stronger and faster than me, even in his current form.

Fighting was out of question.

‘Blackmailing isn’t.’

“Sons of Zeus and Poseidon.” Hades intoned, his voice oily and amused. “How…considerate of you to present yourselves at much a wonderful time.”

Percy and Annabeth quickly bowed low, “Lord Hades.”

I was busy wondering if this was a good time to pop out a little; ‘Ha! Give up the Bolt or I’mma blast your kids open like balloons.’

…For some reason I thought not.

As beautiful a sight as watching his face twist in rage and helplessness would be, diplomacy was currently the way to go.

‘Save the world first, take revenge later.’

“Hades,” I started, proud of the calm my voice projected. “We’re here to—“

“Take the Lightning Bolt—that my evil, plotting self obviously stole—back to your dear father,” The God of Dead snorted, eyes shining with bitter malevolence. “I know all about your quest, little god. I don’t suppose a simple, ‘Don’t have the Bolt, go away’ will solve the issue?”

I blinked.

“I thought not.” Hades sighed. “You’re lucky these mortals explained the conundrum behind the thieving. Had you come a day earlier, your friend here would’ve been making a fine lieutenant in my army for even daring to step within this realm.”

I frowned, protesting; “You didn’t even let me speak!”

The god waved me away like an irritating fly. “You’ll have all the chances for that after you deal with these irritants.”

Frown deepening, I turned to see the six now surrounding us—their weapons bared and ready. I couldn’t see what was special about them.

“We will not underestimate you, Mikael Gabrielson.” The lead one, Cao Cao, uttered solemnly, twirling his spear in idle dramatics. “It is a shame that you cannot join us. But know that you shall die for a good cause.”

I glanced at Hades, my eyes all but asking; ‘Seriously?’

The god grimaced. “That is the best you will get for now, Godling. And be sure to make it entertaining. If you kill them too fast the deal is off.”

The words seemed to startle Cao Cao, the solemnity disappearing behind a frown as he glanced at Hades. “I hope you stay firm upon your promise, Lord Hades. For we will not lose. It is in your best interest to join Lady Ophis.”

Hades stared at the boy, the shadows swirling around him in agitation. “I change my mind, Nephew. Show him what a god can truly do.”

Then he cocked his head, eyes flickering to me. “…That doesn’t mean you can’t make it entertaining of course.”

The boy in front of me chuckled—forced and edgy—angsty blue eyes turning to me as he raised his spear overhead. “Let me show you the might of humanity as well then. God or Titan, I will kill them with this spear. Come Mikael Gabrielson, let the battle begin.”

His spear started glowing, a bright halo of light forming behind his head as seven twinkling orbs suddenly started swirling around him.

My sense of familiarity spiked up to an almost painful level, a part of me jealous and enraged to see the boy holding what was rightfully mine.

‘Holy power.’ A sudden realization struck me, my mind a cyclone of thoughts—ignoring Percy's call for direction—as the six kids started giving off an aura of rising power similar to Cao Cao, though nowhere near his degree.

Observing the boy revealed that he now stood at Tier 7—the same as me—as if he’d taken a godly form of his own…just made from Holy Power.

I smirked, summoning Stormbreaker with a flex of my fingers.

Holy Power…something that has grown to an intimate level of familiarity with me in the last week or so.

And the feeling was now more powerful than ever…

“Attack!” Screamed their leader. “Parinayakaratana!”

Pushing Anna lite and Percy back, I came to stand still at the front, eyes closed and nonresponding against the multitude of attacks my enemies launched at me.

I was aware of my surroundings of course—even as a large part of my mind focused on understanding this new level of authority I could exercise over Holy Power–for to me, every movement shifting through the air was like a drawing on the canvas made solely for my viewing pleasure; I was aware of Percy arming himself with Riptide, I was aware of Annabeth crouching beside me, her electro shooter and knife at ready.

Even more so, I was aware of all my enemies; the mysterious mist slowly spreading around the room—promising imprisonment; the powerful magic permeating the air—letting off an aura of space and time; the twelve strange creatures of magic—all towering over a hundred meters tall—materializing from the shadows of the small child; and the utter raw strength pouring off of a two meters tall brute that reminded me of Heracles…

I felt it all…yet I stood still.

Two attacks were clearer to me than the rest. One, a shower of Holy swords racing to impale me—curtsey of the only female in the group; and two, the Orb of pure destructive might launched from Cao Cao’s—My!—spear.

At once, my Authority came rushing to me in a moment of stark clarity. The world grew slower than usual, and divine power coalesced around me like a shroud.

[Divine Domain: Activated] Lvl 1

The entire room—save for us two gods—flinched away from the golden glow of power emanating from my body, my divinity bearing down upon the mortals present, shaking them to the core.

It may not be capable of incinerating them yet—I wouldn’t have used it with Percy and Annabeth present if that were the case—but it was no doubt still similar to looking at the sun with naked eyes.

Still, the constitution of these mortals must be amazing as their attacks did not falters, bearing down upon me with all their might.

I acted.

Accessing my Authority over this world and its elements, I moved forth my divinity to take ahold of the storming onslaught before laying out a simple command.

“Stop.”

And the world acquiesced to my Authority.

The Orb of incredible destructive might withered away before it can reach me, and the Holy Swords bowed down in supplication—hanging in the air suspended.

The other attacks grew slower as well but my control over them was limited to Divine Authority, none of my domains being any help here.

I smiled, opening my eyes.

Authority wasn’t the only way for me to deal with these attacks of course.

It was simply the most fun…and dominating—leaving my opponents stunned.

With a great chuckle of satisfaction—still in my divine form, glowing golden—I waved Stormbreaker and launched a powerful gust of wind—brimming with my authority—over the purple mist.

These attacks were not weak by any means. The Mist alone gave off an aura at the level of a minor God, while the others were around Tier 5 or 6, I’d wager.

Yet, with the Divine Domain and Stormbreaker supplying me a bonus of 40 in all stats—except Mental—I found my already ridiculous power surpassing these attacks.

And thus I acted.

My divinity blew the strange Mist away like it were normal smoke. The space-time magic extended but for a couple of meters before its caster found himself riding an uncontrollable tornado that suddenly took form beneath his feet, his magic spluttering out in thin air without guidance.

The only attack that managed to reach me was the group of twelve titanic monsters whose every step shook the very earth beneath us.

Still unmoving from my position, I waved Stormbreaker and two Holy arrays suddenly materialized over my shoulder.

And then started the rain of Holiness inside the House of Hades.

Dozens of spears and swords quickly blasted towards each one of the monsters—looking like tiny needles in comparison to their massive stature. I was surprised to see the monsters tanking the first wave of Holy weapons—almost like they had a particular resistance to it.

Yet, each of the weapons were filled to the brim with my ridiculously increased Authority over Holy Power, their raw might almost at the level of my Divine Lightning Bolt, easily matching an Olympian’s oomph.

And that was clearly shown in the next millisecond as the torrent of glowing energy soon started digging deep craters into the enormous monsters, the third round neatly cutting all twelve of them in half—their gigantic upper bodies falling upon the ground like meteors striking earth.

I rested my arrays, their job done. Yet, a few Holy spears continued on, their momentum unstoppable as they burst out from the other side of the monsters and headed for my stunned enemies—even scattered as they were.

Only two people managed to put up any sort of resistance.

One was the Mist user, who quickly formed multiple arrays of magical shields in front of his companions. The other was their leader, who came to the fore, holding his—my!—spear slanted against the incoming missiles.

The Holy weapons sheared through the shields like hot knife through butter, destroying them faster than the Mist user could create until they finally reached their targets.

It was hilariously easy.

One moment my enemies stood confident with straight spines, launching a colorful wave of attacks—most that I’ve even never encountered before—the next, two of the six members suddenly had a couple of gaping holes gasping in their guts and throats, disbelieving and stunned eyes still uncomprehending of their fate as they fell to their knees.

It was a tiny bit of shame that one of them was the six year old kid, his emotionless eyes showing a flicker of frown as he stared down at his wide open stomach.

“Leo!”

Then he fell down, dead.

Their leader, Cao Cao, turned to me, eyes bubbling with fury, the Orbs of light twirling around him more rapidly. “That…was a mistake.”

The Orbs came gliding at the front, shining more brightly than ever—completely obliterating the darkness in the hall of Hades on their lonesome.

“Prepare to die!” The boy spat.

Instantly the seven Orbs spread through the air, their shape starting to wilt and change.

“Hatthiratana!” One of the Orbs moved to touch the boy, seemingly enabling him to levitate in the air.

“Kahabateiratana!” Another Orb twinkled, and suddenly the Throne Room of Hades was filled with an army of armored knights, each holding a glowing white Holy Sword in their hands.

Curious I may be to see the Spear in action, I wasn't foolish enough to let an unknown attack land. Especially the might behind them that spoke of a god, albeit minor.

Deciding to cut the boy’s demonstration of power short, I waved the Stormbreaker and focused my Authority.

“Break.”

Three things happened at once.

The Orbs spluttered and died, winking out of existence. The Knights disintegrated into fine powder and dispersed in the air. The halo of light behind the boy’s head followed suit, flickering away—plunging the room back to its original gloom.

And in the midst of it all, the boy stood uncomprehending, weakness visible in his eyes as his Tier reduced back to 6.

“How?” He whispered.

His four remaining companions stood stock still, the only one capable of responding being the Mist user who quickly dragged his leader back.

And for the first time since the fight started, I spoke.

“You dare ask that after using my own power against me, Mortal?” An amused smirk curved up my lips. “Let me introduce myself properly then.”

Right on time a twinge of notification hit my ears.

[Skill Leveled Up: Divine Domain] Lvl 2

The golden glow around me flared up in intensity, forcing all the remaining kids to flinch away in discomfort, tears stinging their eyes.

“You kneel before Mikael Gabrielson, God of Holy Power; the eventual successor to the Biblical God.”

My hand extended forward. “And I believe you have something of mine.”

True Longinus (Celestial): Holy Spear of the Setting Sun, the Spear of Destiny and the Spear/Lance of Longinus, is the first and most powerful Longinus and the same spear which St. Longinus used to stab Jesus Christ. The weapon increases the User's control and Authority over Holy Power and Creation.

• 50 points to Spirit 
• 30 points to all physical stats

Note: Currently Bonded to Cao Cao.

The magnificent spear flew out of the boy’s grasp, his yell of ‘No!’ falling on deaf ears. I felt the Spear offering a brief resistance, but the moment it touched my Authority it snapped in my awaiting hands voluntarily.

Instantly a new surge of power eclipsed the Stormbreaker, breathing within me a fresh source of Holy Energy.

I took a deep breath in, marveling upon my increased might, holding Stormbreaker in one hand and True Longinus in other, both Spears feeling equally familiar within my grasp.

It was a shame that the power surge soon balanced out—taking the higher bonuses as my present weapon. For a moment I’d wondered if I could equip both the weapons…

That would’ve been lit.

“I see.” Cao Cao’s hollow whisper carried over through the air, grim eyes staring up at the high stalactite ceiling. “So you have chosen him over me.”

I turned to the boy, snorting. “Spend your last words for something better than blaming others. You won’t get another chance.”

The boy dismissed my words, shaking his head almost patronizingly. “You don’t understand. You never will. To spend all your life running after a single goal, to devote your entire being in making your vision come true…and then to have it be spat upon by the one you considered your sole support…No, you cannot understand that, Mikael Gabrielson. But perhaps you will. When the Spear leaves you for someone he considers more worthy. When it abandons you at your most needful moment…you may just get a glimpse of my anguish then.”

I stared at the angsty little shit for a long moment, before finally finding myself unable to shut up.

I burst out in hilarious laughter.

“You…did you not hear a word of my intro?” I asked, controlling my chuckles. “Damn, and I put so much effort into it as well.”

Shaking my head, I stared at the boy in pity—his own eyes unable to stay upon my glowing form. “Don’t you see kid? I am him…or well, I will be soon. No, I will be more than him. As for the Spear; it didn’t abandon you for someone more worthy. How can it, when it never belonged to you in the first place? No, you simply carried it for me all this while. And now I have taken back what belongs to me. All that remains is washing your stench away from it.”

I extended my new Spear at him, its exquisite design sending anticipatory shivers through me, begging to be used. “Don’t think I’m an asshole though, for I, your ever generous god, present you with a last chance to say your final words, Mr. Cao. Make them worth it.”

My well-meaning advice was, once again, not taken to heart.

“You will regret this day forever.” The boy spat, vengeful eyes flickering between me and Hades. “Both of you will. Do you truly think our plan would hinge on your agreement, Hades? No, this was simply a diversion. A diversion that worked perfectly. While you wasted your time here, the Khaos Brigade was in the midst of stealing away the Titan Lord’s sarcophagus from the depths of Tartarus…under your very nose. I hope you find some ‘entertainment’ in what’s about to come next. Lady Ophis will not be pleased with your choice.”

The words sent a jolt of recognition through me, things slowly coming to make sense. A glance at Hades showed the boy wasn’t bullshitting, as the god of the dead stared into an empty corner, eyes glazed and growing grimmer by the second.

But I pushed down my worries, eyes focusing ahead as Cao Cao turned away, waving at one of his three remaining companions. “We’re done here. George, if you will.”

The Mist boy, George, started forming a teleportation array behind him, and the rest began to quickly step inside the circle—along with the bodies of their fallen.

I tsked, shaking my head. “...And you’ve fluffed your last chance, Cao boy. Congrats. Great parting threat though.”

The two spears spun in my hands with divine grace. “Now let me show you why my divinity thinks I could’ve been a great god of Domination.”

And then I finally moved.

Before anyone could react I was already beside the group, my target their least guarded member—the two meters hulking figure, carrying the name of Heracles.

They all stood still—only Cao Cao managing to track my movements—yet unable to do anything as two spear points suddenly burst out from within the fake Heracles’ chest, rising his entire body to the air.

“You’re a disgrace upon his name.” I hissed in his ears a millisecond before I tore him apart in two, separating his body in half by tugging the spears in opposite directions.

“Go! Now!” Their leader bellowed, stepping forth, his hand removing a glowing sheath from somewhere while the teleportation array gained power, lighting up with a purple hue…

“Stop.” I commanded, and the array flickered for a single millisecond, but that minute instance should’ve been enough for me to deal with the entire crew with some time to spare...

Unfortunately, I forced myself to a halt as a crackling bolt of pure energy announced its presence to the room.

‘The Lightning Bolt.’

Cao Cao held it pointing at me, its tip growing hot, glowing brighter and brighter as a familiar power coalesced together…

But the lightning never struck.

The boy was now just a Tier 6 being. I was more than seven times faster than him; in the time it took for the boy to point the bolt ahead, I was already at his side, letting go of Stormbreaker to clamp upon the cylindrical rod of power, my other hand stabbing the True Longinus straight in his heart.

The Spear struck true—too fast to dodge—its long silver blade piercing deep into the boy’s heart, until the silver circlet of the Spear met his chest.

A hitched gasp of pain came from the boy, disbelieving eyes glancing up at me in bewilderment, seemingly unaware of the blood trailing down his lips.

I could understand really. Just an instance prior he’d been threatening the God of Dead within his own realm...half a second later he was kneeling on the floor; death much closer than ever.

Just to speed it up, I twisted the spear deeper inside—eliciting a weak cry, the light in his eyes finally dimming—before absently kicking the dying body away, the ping of notification informing of his death.

But my attention had already shifted to more important things; the Lightning Bolt and the True Longinus—definitely my now!—clutched in my hands.

I didn’t even glance as the other two sobbing members picked up their leader’s body and escaped, their desire for my death—felt clearly through my domain—simply eliciting an absent strike of Holy spear.

A shame that it missed; the duo disappearing away quickly.

But I couldn’t have cared less right now, overwhelmed as I was by the status windows.

[Bond with the True Longinus?] Yes/No

‘Yes’ had never come faster within my mind.

[Bonding with Sacred Gear: True Longinus]…

All of a sudden the entire world seemed to halt—as if someone had clicked the pause button—and I felt myself falling out of Hades’ throne room, my feet simply slipping down into the ground like smoke. An upward glance revealed I was leaving my body behind, my hands pale and translucent.

Startled, I quickly extended my Authority across the room, trying to deny the hold of whatever being was upon me.

Nothing happened.

…Cause I found my Authority missing. In fact, I couldn’t feel the trio of deep wells inside my spirit, or the Stormbreaker’s connection, or my inventory, or the Gamer’s Mind, or…anything really.

It was as if my entire godly life was just a dream that I was finally waking up from, going back to the mortal I once was.

I felt it then, just when the beginnings of panic were setting in. My soul, naked and exposed, being searched by a power far surpassing Zeus. My goals, my morals, my ambitions…my sins, my lies, my faults…

All of it laid bare before this being. Even my past life was not an exception.

The being examined me like a bug beneath his vision; though I never felt like a bug. I felt like a child before his parent, feeling their judging stare on me after committing a new mischief.

Perhaps it was my imagination, but I heard a clear sigh of exasperation.

And then, as if the skies split open in my ears, the voice of the God rumbled down at me, letting me know that this was very much real.

“What do you want, little one?”

Somehow, I knew exactly what the voice was asking.

My mind went to the first time I’d witnessed my system, the goal I’d made when I popped out into this world: to see my level grow. To grow into a powerful being, one who does not need to hide or run from the monsters. 

But it changed soon enough, once I achieved my first target, simply morphing into a desire to surpass my mother’s level. 

Of course, that too changed eventually, finally settling upon an even simpler desire: To reach the very top. To become the strongest existence in the universe, surpassing Gods, Titans, Dragons, and even Ascendants…

“What do you want, little one?”

Then my mind flickered to my lust. To the ambition that grew out of it. To the women I’d screwed; the beautiful wives, daughters, mothers, girlfriends…anyone who caught my fancy was fair game. And I wanted it all; to experience the highest forms of pleasure, to conquer the beautiful goddesses, devils, angels, Titanesses... 

Finally my thoughts went to the one I lusted the most for…the image of her twelve black wings flaring in the air, revealing her sinful body to my needy eyes stark clear in my mind...

I heard another long-suffering sigh, before the voice thundered down again.

“What do you truly want, child?”

And finally…finally my mind searched the deepest of my ambitions. The greatest of my goals, the things I didn’t wish to admit to myself—knowing how arrogant they sounded, even in my own mind.

The ambition to conquer the world of divinity. To become the king of Olympus, then Heavens, and then the rest of the world. To unite the splintered religions, the dozens of pantheons, thousands of gods…all under one banner; the banner of Mikael, the Mortal God.

…And out of this grew the need to have a harem of the most powerful and beautiful females to ever exist.

But the most arrogant ambition of all…to create a reality of my own. A universe that ran according to my wish, a single thought birthing life and winking galaxies out of existence.

‘What do I truly want?’ I wondered to myself, a moment of supreme clarity striking my mind.

‘I’m a simply man…I want it all. I want everything this world has to offer. I wish to become the supreme ruler of the universe. I wish to taste the greatest of pleasures this world can offer. I wish to Rule, Fuck, Eat, Conquer, and Create. And not particularly in that order.’

The admission made my soul feel lighter than it ever had, the weight of the God’s judging gaze lessening to a minor pebble.

“You shall do.” The God hummed. ‘A worthy goal; bringing to heel these unruly children. Pride seeps within their sins, lost in their might as they are. A goal worthy of thy fate.”

“I hereby declare you my heir, Reincarnator. Heed my words, lest the mistakes are made once more; follow not upon my path, my vision. Gravely has it failed me not one but thrice. Walk the thorns of your path, your destiny. You may yet go far, for all the disgust your faults bring me.”

And then I was thrown back out suddenly, finding myself in my own body once again—the two weapons of mass destruction held in both hands.

[Soul bond established: True Longinus (Sacred Gear)] Lvl 1

“You know there are easier ways to kill us, Kael?” Percy’s whiny voice broke me out of my daze, my eyes turning to where he was crouched, his face hidden in his lap. “You can stop being a firefly now.”

I acquiesced laughingly, the feeling of awe and wonder still marring my mind as I struggled to process what just happened.

‘That was the God.” My mind reiterated incredulously. “The Christian God with a capital ‘G’….’

Holy fuck.

‘Heh…he indeed is a holy fuck…and I’m now the heir to his Holy kingdom.’

I mean sure, I would’ve still replaced him through the system, with or without his permission…

But this felt much more real now. It was no longer a wild idea that my system popped in my head, but can actual, undeniable fact.

I was going to become the God of the Bible. I was going to lead the Angels, Fallen, and Devils…

One day.

And until then…Olympus would have to suffice.

“So…you really are a god now, Kael.” Anna lite whispered.

Strangely however, her voice carried a note of distress.

Another thing I realized was that at Lvl 2, my domain was now capable of passively picking up the desire of people in my immediate surrounding, without me actively using the appropriate skills.

From Anna, I felt a desire for me to deny her words, to declare them as false. Or else the chasm between us would be too huge to cross by simply going on some quests together.

There was another desire, an old one that constantly flickered in her mind no matter how much she tried to deny it…

I dragged my focus away, clearing my throat to dismiss the bundle of her deeper lying desires, forcing my attention upon the crackling bolt of lightning in my hand.

It was a beautiful thing; an awe-inspiring thing…yet, it fell short to what I’d just experienced.

And as the awe and wonder left me, all that remained behind was hollowness. A hollow heart that the Bolt cannot hope to fill.

Which was a shame. At any other time I would’ve taken proper time to appreciate the Lightning Bolt, etching it deep into my memory… but I simply wasn’t in that mindset right now.

The sound of slow clapping echoed around the room, and I turned to see an impressed Hades staring at me with raised brows. “Quite a performance, Nephew. Had your face not reminded me of my brother with such clarity, I might’ve even liked you.”

I shrugged, incapable of producing my usual contempt for the god. “Thanks.”

Then, raising the Bolt, I addressed the god again. “Well, we have what we came here for. Now that you know it was all a big misunderstanding, how about letting the mortal woman that you kidnapped go?.”

Hades’ brows crinkled up. “You make some truly high jumps, do you not Godling? I have little intention of letting you leave here. Surely you must understand that I would be the only one of the big three without his symbol of power? I will never join a council like thus. Not even for a threat as Ophis. No...I cannot let you leave with the Bolt.”

I closed my eyes, letting off a tired breath. I just wanted to go home and do some brainstorming over my new weapon. Maybe start upon the path of creation, now that I knew exactly what I wanted…

But of course it won’t be as easy. Some stupid godly plot just had to ruin my funtime.

My patience at it’s limit and me a second away from teleporting off, I decided to drop the polite game and do what I’d come here to do.

“Hades…I don’t wish to do this but…” With the power of creation, I formed two tiny images of the siblings I’d found in the casino. “Give up the damn woman and let us leave unharmed, or I blow up the brains of your kids all over that casino floor. I suspected something like this may happen, so you better believe I've come prepared. And killing me automatically activates self destruct so be very careful of your next action.”

The lord of the Underworld closed his eyes, leaning back. His face was colder than the Arctic ice, an unusual calm upon his face.

But calmness was the last thing he felt currently. A fact that was reiterated as platoons of skeleton warriors quickly burst inside through the front door, with some truly massive Hellhounds materializing through thin shadows. I knew the Aura in the room currently was heavy, almost to the point of suffocation, but my recent stint with the God made me awfully unaffected and unimpressed.

“I take back my words.” Hades uttered, tone cool and calmly. “You do not simply look like your father, you are your father. Hurting the people close to me seems to run in your blood.”

I frowned, disliking the accusing tone. “You speak as if you sit with a clear conscience. Unless, of course, you literally don’t care what you did to my sister. Or perhaps you forgot already who she is?”

"Your father…” Hades hissed, his calm breaking as a flicker of his rage bloomed in the hall. “Killed the love of my life. Sending a couple of monsters after you is nothing compared to that!”

I nodded slowly, "Zeus was a dick. But what did Thalia and I have to do with it? You accuse me to being like him as if you're any different. As if you’re better. Never forget Hades, this is your doing. For the past three years, I've been rescuing demigods from every corner I could prawl. Do you think I wouldn't have rescued your kids had I found them? Hell, I might’ve even convinced father to build a cabin for your kids. Can you claim the same, Hades? Would you have helped me and Thalia, had Zeus not killed your wife?"

My contemptuous snort should’ve revealed exactly what I thought about that notion. "No. Your monsters would've come for us still; ready to tear us apart. So don't speak to me as if you hold any moral high ground to stand upon. You do not. You're still a Greek god, for all your laws and limits. And all Greeks are inherently pricks...except a couple."

Silence reigned in the House of Hades, the dark eyes of the Silent one growing cooler; unmoving and mysterious.

"And you, son of Gabriel?” He finally asked, his deceptively smooth voice striking the brittle silence into pieces. “You claim to be better than us? With my children your captive?"

I hesitated, my mind visiting the brief meeting with God. “Perhaps not, no. Not better…but I’m certainly different from all of you.”

And I truly did believe that. Yes, I was a mega prick to people that I didn't like. Yes, I was a horny bastard who felt no guilt in fucking other’s wives. Yes, I would be considered a grade A asshole by a vast majority of human population...

Yet, I was still a thousand times better than all the Olympians combined. Except Hestia—though that's terribly unfair. I doubted any god existed in mythology as pure as her.

Plus she wasn’t an Olympian so my point stands.

And I knew, with all my heart, should I achieve the goals my heart said I desired, should I become as strong as I envisioned in front of God...I would still be better than these tantrum-throwing babies. I would still understand the mortal life. I may take pride in referring myself as 'God' and them as 'Mortals', but that didn't change the fact that I've lived the life of both.

And I doubt I'd ever forget.

Hades was staring at me still, silent and judging. 

I continued. "Yes, I'm different from you all... because none of you have lived a mortal life. You popped out of your parents all strong and mighty, your divinity whole and gathered. How could you understand struggles outside your decrepit old halls? You cannot. I can. And that in itself makes me different from the rest.”

Hades was silent for a long second, eyes staring into my soul before flickering to the two who stood beside me; quiet and stunned.

"Very well Godling, I shall hold you onto that." Hades declared, a wave of his hand summoning the Sally out of thin air. “Command your…friends to take the woman and leave. I have a message for your father. And a long due explanation for you."

It was only two hours later that we would part ways. Two hours that made my thoughts on Hades take a U-turn. Two hours that left me grim and excited for the future to come. When I finally knew exactly what was to come; I realized this war was going to bring me plenty of opportunities.

It was as I turned to leave that Hades finally asked, "Would you have killed them, had I stayed obstinate?”

I stared back at the god with nary an expression on my face.

Before finally acknowledging the truth with a widened smirk. "Nah...I had an escape plan prepared if blackmailing didn't work."

The teleporter materialized in my hands and I disappeared within it, leaving the god of the Dead howling with laughter.

[Perk Unlocked: Blessings of Hades]

And I disappeared into the darkness, ready to confront what was about to come.

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AN: Sigh, sorry for the rushed chapter guys. Like I said, I've been having a pretty bad day. I'd planned a lot of things for this chapter, things that could've made this chap rival my best ones, but irl stuff crushed them into the ground. The next one will definitely cover the rest of the Lightning Thief plot.

Still, hope you guys enjoyed...tho let me know if it feels disjointed in some places. Actually, let me know if its shitty enough to rewrite completely cause I can't judge the chap right now.

I'll make up for it in the next chapter tho, I promise. 

Hope you lot at least have a wonderful day ahead. I'll see you in the next chap. Take care and peace!

P.S: ANs are of old me. I feel perfectly fine and dandy now!