Chapter 44

CHAPTER 44

Hades (1)

Ju-Heon reached out and grabbed it.

The instant he did, a black god manifested, and waves of dark energy spread in every direction.

Even Yu Jae-ha, who had created countless artifacts, was stunned.

Everyone swallowed hard.

Something was rising from the ground.

A pitch-black handle.

Ornaments that sounded as though souls were screaming.

The Staff of Hades.

"..."

Ju-Heon casually planted the staff upright.

"Good. Hades, you're here."

[You called for me?]

The Rulebook ground its teeth.

Cynthia began shivering as the air suddenly turned ice cold.

"...That... is that really... Hades...?"

[Summon complete.]

[Warning! Hades is classified as an extremely dangerous entity! Whatever happens to you after this... we accept absolutely no responsibility!]

[Something truly horrifying is about to happen!]

[It'll drain your life away!]

The Rulebook issued frantic warnings, but instead of answering, Ju-Heon simply lifted the staff.

"Alright, Hades. Time to drag those bastards down."

He lightly struck the staff against the ground.

Thunk.

Everything changed.

As though the city itself had just declared that it now belonged to Death.

Majester Yu Jae-ha let out an impressed whistle.

"...As expected. A god of this caliber really is different."

Cynthia swallowed nervously.

Seeing her reaction, Ju-Heon shrugged.

BOOM!!

"Don't panic. This is the only way to lure Demeter out."

Shadows spread hundreds of meters in every direction, and the city began to transform.

The first things to react as Hades' domain engulfed the city...

...were the plants.

Flowerpots.

Leaves.

They blackened and shriveled in an instant.

It was as if invisible hands were draining the life from every living thing throughout the city.

Cynthia screamed.

"...The Demeter artifact reacted!"

"Wait! My vineyard! My wine cellar!"

Yu Jae-ha immediately recognized the Majesty's power radiating from the artifact.

Ju-Heon answered as if it were obvious.

"This Majesty is pretty impressive."

"Since this is now the Land of the Dead, every bit of wealth you've accumulated should die along with it."

"What?!"

Then—

A roadside tree suddenly shook as though screaming in agony.

Yu Jae-ha noticed the violent convulsions and quietly curled his lips into a grin.

She's coming.

At last, a voice emerged from the tree.

[Why don't you stop?]

It was only a voice.

Yet that single voice seemed to weigh down the entire city.

Ju-Heon looked up.

"...That voice."

It was a threat.

Resting the staff across his shoulder, Ju-Heon smirked.

[Did you really think power like yours would work in my land? This is the field I cultivated with my own hands.]

"Scared already? You've got quite the mouth for someone who planted roots in someone else's land. Can't you see I've already taken over this world?"

Cynthia's eyes widened.

Then Delreira's voice became even more mocking.

"...Delreira...!"

Apparently Delreira had established a communication link with Ju-Heon.

[You've done nothing more than step into my soil, little one. The owner of these roots is me.]

[Go ahead. Expand Hades' domain one more time. Your amateur world—one that has nothing worth seeing except Zeus—will rot away first.]

It was a warning.

Or more precisely—

[Don't cross the line.]

A threat from someone convinced they held the upper hand.

But Ju-Heon had heard more threats than invitations to eat.

To him, it was simply laughable.

As expected, the corners of his mouth slowly rose.

"I hear that as an invitation to stomp even harder."

[You little—!]

"So watch your mouth, asshole. You're not the one who draws the line."

Shaking with fear, Cynthia shouted,

"You! If you provoke Delreira, this world will—!"

"Hey."

"If this is what you call telling me to stop..."

Ju-Heon simply nodded.

Then he slammed the staff down.

At once, Hades' shadow expanded explosively, forcing Demeter's domain backward.

"Yeah."

"Everything's going to die."

"...What?"

"Though we're destroying every bit of wealth that's been piled up here anyway, so it doesn't matter if the whole place collapses."

A wave of black energy swept across the entire city.

Shadows wrapped themselves around buildings, roads, street trees, and signboards.

At the same time, the roots hidden inside every structure began to die.

"...What?!"

"Wait! You said you were only going to turn it into a wasteland! You never said you'd destroy everything!"

"A wasteland? That's just Earth's garbage."

"Why do you think demolition contractors exist?"

"So pay me compensation."

CRACK!!

An entire building collapsed where it stood.

Cynthia's scream echoed through the city.

Ju-Heon scratched one ear as though the noise bothered him, then spoke with a straight face.

"Compensation."

At that moment, the staff rose.

The instant it touched the ground again, the entire earth trembled.

BOOM!

RUMBLE!!!

"Get used to it. And for compensation, I'll take your artifacts."

"How does that make any sense?!"

"And..."

"...What now?"

"Hand over the Majester Summon Ticket, the Connection Ticket, and the Invasion Ticket you got from the Rulebook."

"What?! Those are my rewards!"

"The Rulebook and I aren't exactly friends, so it never gives me any. And..."

"There's more?!"

"Interest."

"Damn you!"

Yu Jae-ha added dryly,

"You call that consolation?"

At the same time, curiosity crossed his face.

Cynthia buried her face in her hand.

Is this even a negotiation? This is outright robbery!

But the more Ju-Heon expanded Hades' domain, the faster the world transformed into a black, lifeless city.

Finally, Cynthia dropped to her knees.

"Still... this is strange. Demeter governs the land, doesn't she? Why is she collapsing so easily? Was Demeter weaker than Hades in the myths?"

Ju-Heon answered calmly.

"...It's over. The city I built with my own hands... has really... died..."

"But she can't create plagues here anymore, either."

"No. Demeter's position is overwhelmingly superior. But Demeter governs living land."

"The dead are outside her jurisdiction."

Chuckling, Ju-Heon motioned for her to stop struggling.

"As expected."

He grinned.

"That's right. On dead land, there are no crops, no infection, and no winter."

"Demeter is the goddess of the earth—not the ruler of the Underworld."

"She's overstepping her authority. Got it?"

"Life is affected by time."

"But in the world of death..."

"...time itself doesn't flow."

Ju-Heon's gaze pierced straight through Delreira.

Immediately, Delreira's authority over the Seasons collapsed.

She hurriedly attempted to activate another skill.

But the moment her spores touched the shadows covering the ground, they crumbled into dust and died.

"So your power is useless here too."

Just then—

Swoosh.

[Seed of Disease: Disabled]

[Demeter Artifact: Functions Suspended]

Every form of change—

Infection.

Decay.

Corruption.

All of it was frozen in a state of complete suspension.

Delreira roared in fury.

[You fledgling Majesty! Do you have any idea what you've tampered with—]

"I know exactly."

[Connection terminated.]

Ju-Heon slammed the staff down even harder.

BOOM!!!

Half the city sank into a black abyss.

Delreira shouted.

Within one's own world, a Majesty could unilaterally sever incoming communication links.

The Rulebook definitely mentioned that.

[Hmph! A mere Hades! Remember this! Even in Hades' land, seeds remain!]

"Yeah."

"Get lost."

At that instant—

CRACK!

Ju-Heon chuckled.

"Looks like Delreira's offline now."

Cynthia held her head in both hands.

She understood why he had done it...

...but watching the city she had painstakingly built collapse in an instant still broke her heart.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Yu Jae-ha folded his arms, looking oddly sympathetic as someone who also created things.

Then Cynthia suddenly froze.

"...What?"

"You should've just given this world to me."

"I would've made it look way cooler."

"That guy has absolutely no artistic sense."

Ju-Heon casually surveyed the ruined streets.

...They're both exactly the same.

He gave Cynthia a light pat on the back.

"A city is built from structures."

"And those structures are built from artifacts."

He casually tapped the staff against his shoulder.

"Hey. Stop crying."

"You're a Majesty."

"How can I not cry?! Everything was destroyed in an instant!"

"Even the wealth the citizens worked so hard to build..."

"Everything they earned through blood and sweat..."

"...It's all gone!"

"Then just bring it back."

"...What?"

"Delreira's Demeter artifact."

The corners of Ju-Heon's lips curled upward.

"Just switch it to its summer-season version and use that instead."

Half crying and half looking like she'd lost her mind, Cynthia stared at him.

"S-Summer... version...?"

"I mean... it's theoretically possible..."

"But that artifact doesn't belong to you!"

"Then I'll just make it mine."

"...How are you planning to do that?!"