Chapter 64 Trial

I wonder what expression Apollo will have when he sees his "younger brother," whom he has always been close with, competing for the position of the chief god against his own sister. That scene will surely be quite entertaining! Hebe admitted that she had a bit of a wicked sense of humor. However, the most pressing matter at hand was still in the Underworld. After forming an alliance with the goddess Nyx, the god of darkness, Erebus, returned from Tartarus, holding a rather significant fragment of the essence of space. This god, with the deepest black hair and black eyes, casually handed this fragment over to Hebe. Hebe weighed the fragment of essence in her hands, her lips twitching. Just how much had the gods Erebus and Tartarus extracted from Cronus? They were quite ruthless... Though it was tragic for Cronus, for Hebe, it was like a pie falling from the sky. After inscribing the divine patterns needed for the Gate of Reincarnation, there was still some essence left over. Naturally, she had no intention of returning it to Cronus; she graciously accepted it. Time flew by like a fleeting horse, and a month passed in the blink of an eye. On this day, the gods of the Underworld rarely set aside their tasks. Hypnos, the god of sleep, spread his white wings and released his slumbering divine power throughout the Underworld, allowing the souls within to temporarily enter a state of sleep, so as not to disturb the establishment of reincarnation and cause unnecessary trouble. The four primordial gods rarely gathered together in the dark Underworld, and even the enigmatic embodiment of Hell, the dark side of the Earth, the god of Tartarus, made a rare appearance to witness the event. This god was tall, with hair, eyes, and even lips of an unusual dark purple hue, complemented by skin as white as the finest porcelain, exuding a mysterious and otherworldly beauty. His expression was calm, tinged with a hint of weariness and boredom. In modern terms, he resembled a somewhat punk, world-weary handsome man. "Since all the gods have gathered, let us begin," Nyx, the goddess, said as she sat upon her throne, turning to Gaia. "Mother Earth Gaia, my prosperous and noble sister, please communicate with the will of the world and convey our intentions to it." The majestic goddess, crowned with the diadem of all things, nodded. Her deep green eyes, reminiscent of vast forests, sparkled with divine light as strange waves emanated from her. In the unseen realm, a great will descended upon the Underworld, and all the gods present felt an inexplicable weight of immense pressure. This was the first time they had faced the will of the world so directly, and the boundless pressure made them feel like mere specks of dust. "Chaos, my omnipotent and omnipresent father, I, your glorious daughter, Gaia, Mother Earth, present to you the decision to establish reincarnation for the world. May your will descend to witness this and graciously bestow blessings upon this great endeavor." The goddess spoke divine words, communicating with the will of the world. Another strange wave resonated, and while the other gods were puzzled by its meaning, Gaia and several of the primordial gods visibly relaxed, smiles appearing on their faces. "Those gods connected to the duties of reincarnation, under the witness of the will of the world, please articulate your authority and responsibilities!" On the divine mountain, Hermes suddenly shifted in demeanor. Unable to contain himself, he stood up and announced loudly, "In the name of Hermes, the messenger of the gods, oh souls of the earth, please, under the guidance of the god wearing the winged helmet, proceed to the distant and mysterious Mount Acheron, where you will embark on the journey to another side of life." When did the divine status of the Soul Guide take shape? Hermes felt a surge of divine power, sensing a breakthrough was imminent. This made the young god unable to hide his joy; it seemed this matter had some benefits after all. "Argh!" At the entrance to the Underworld, Mount Acheron, a ferocious three-headed giant dog suddenly sprang to its feet. It raised its head high, trying to appear as dignified and unassailable as possible. "Kerberos, the brutal son of Typhon and the piercing-eyed Echidna, I will guard the entrance to the Underworld with all my being. The souls will enter the Underworld under my scrutiny. Beware, souls attempting to escape the judgment of the Underworld, of my sharp teeth and venom!" The three-headed dog, Kerberos, proclaimed to the world in the language of magical beasts. A divine status marked with a door and an eye was born, merging into Kerberos's body, and the laws acknowledged its identity as the guardian of the Underworld. Then, over the dark Acheron River, a bridge constructed of infernal stone spanned both banks. Charon, with his bluish skin and eyes burning with ghostly blue flames, was already dressed in formal divine robes. He stood at the head of the Underworld bridge, holding a divine status in his hands, within which were faint images of boats and souls. This was his divine status as the ferryman of the Underworld. "In the name of Erebus, the god of darkness, and Nyx, the goddess of night, an indestructible bridge will be erected over the Acheron River. The ferryman of the Underworld is no more; instead, we have the bridge guardian, Charon. Anyone wishing to cross the bridge must pay a toll. Mortals, save your last silver coin; it will be the fee for crossing the bridge." As Charon spoke, the divine status of the ferryman of the Underworld emitted a dark glow, and within it, the faint images of boats transformed into a bridge, souls, and an ancient silver coin. Charon, with an excited expression, absorbed it into his being. Finally! He had escaped the fate of ferrying souls across the Acheron River day after day, no longer needing to worry that the weight of the souls would sink his fragile little boat! "Oh, newly arrived souls, in the name of the radiance of the Underworld and the rulers of the Underworld Sun and Moon, the light of the Underworld Sun and Moon will guide your path forward, leading you through the journey ahead." Pallas and Hecate announced simultaneously, each gaining a divine status of the Soul Guide within themselves. "The Hall of Hades will be the first stop for souls to officially step into the Underworld. All souls belong to me, and everything from their lives will be recorded and preserved here," declared Hades, the Lord of the Dead and King of the Underworld, before the will of the world. His words were acknowledged, and a divine status of records and registration was born within him. The will of the world even granted him a feather quill that would never run out of ink and a golden sheepskin scroll that would never be filled. Hades felt the weight of the two artifacts in his hands, his lips twitching slightly as he resolved to have Thanatos send another batch of souls over as soon as this matter concluded. "Oh, newcomers, the good deeds you performed in life will be remembered, and the atrocities you committed will not be forgotten. You will come before the Hall of Judgment. I, Themis, the goddess of justice and law, will weigh your life's good and evil with the scales that symbolize absolute fairness and justice. Be mindful of your words and actions, for whether good or evil, all will face the final judgment." In the Hall of Judgment, the goddess, crowned in gold, clad in a white robe, and with her eyes covered by a white veil, raised her hand, holding the scales that shone brighter than gold, announcing, "The will of the world descends, and the divine status of the Judging Souls is born, absorbed into my being." The golden scales emitted dazzling divine light, lifting from the goddess's hands to hover in the center of the hall. The great power of fairness and justice spread forth, rendering any act of injustice or bribery powerless before it. "O sinners, the sins you committed in life are now entwined around you, stripping you of the chance for rebirth. You shall endure the punishment from the gods in this deep hell, for only pain and tears can cleanse your transgressions. Be mindful of your words and actions, for all sins will face the ultimate punishment!" Near Tartarus, before the small hell that had been reasonably developed by the gods of the Underworld, the deities wielding whips, shackles, and various instruments of torture issued their declaration. They were all children of Nyx, the goddess of night—gods of misfortune, violent death, slander, pain and sorrow, and discord. These deities, representing the dark aspects of the world, warned the souls that fell into their hands to hope for the best. The hellish divine status, radiating a dark and profound light, was jointly wielded by this group of gods. "Oh, innocent and kind souls, souls seeking redemption from their sins, the heavy memories of your past have become unbearable. Come here, to the Temple of Forgetting, where you can forget everything. You will see a spring, and by drinking from it, the sacred waters of Lethe will wash away your burdens, allowing you to embrace your original self once more." In the Temple of Forgetting, the goddess, holding a candle and a golden cup, sat upon her divine throne. Not far in front of her, a spring bubbled forth, emitting a faint white light, with the divine power of forgetfulness permeating the area. The will of the world heard her words, and a pure, flawless divine status appeared before her, granting her the title of the Soul Purifier. The waters of Lethe shone brightly, becoming firmly fixed in this place, immovable.