King Hades

RECONSTRUCTION

UNDERWORLD ARC

Chapter 9: Underworld Reconstruction

A calm silence settled over the Underworld after Amon's defeat.

The once-violent battlefield was now nothing more than broken mountains and cooling craters.

Hades stretched lazily.

"I'm exhausted."

Persephone giggled.

"After all that fighting?"

"Fighting makes me hungry."

She smiled knowingly.

"I figured."

They walked for nearly an hour before finding a quiet plateau overlooking one of the lava rivers.

"This should do."

Persephone reached into the Divine Bag Hestia had given her.

A faint golden light shimmered.

Moments later...

A beautiful wooden cottage appeared where there had once been empty land.

Hades blinked.

"...You can do that?"

Persephone smiled proudly.

"It's enchanted."

"It carries whatever I need."

Hades walked around the little house.

"...Can it make food too?"

"It stores food."

His eyes sparkled.

"I suddenly love that bag."

---

Inside the cottage...

Persephone prepared a simple meal.

Fresh bread.

Roasted meat.

Fruit.

Warm soup.

She placed everything neatly before Hades.

Then she picked up a spoon.

"My Lord."

"I can feed you."

Hades immediately took the spoon from her hand.

"I have two perfectly functional arms."

She laughed softly.

"I thought I'd offer."

He began eating.

"...Still."

"I'm impressed."

She tilted her head.

"About what?"

"Cerberus."

"You tamed a legendary beast..."

"...without throwing a single punch."

Persephone smiled.

"You don't always solve problems by fighting."

Hades swallowed another bite.

"I've noticed."

She giggled.

"And your father being the God of Time certainly helped."

"Thanks to him..."

"You figured out Amon's Time Skip Art."

Hades shrugged.

"I suppose having Time itself as your father has its perks."

He leaned back.

"So..."

"How exactly are we supposed to conquer this place?"

"I was thinking..."

He clenched his fist.

"...a generous amount of brute force."

Persephone nearly choked on her drink.

"Must everything involve punching someone?"

"It usually works."

She shook her head.

"There is an easier way."

Hades looked interested.

"Oh?"

"How?"

Persephone folded her hands.

"If you want loyalty..."

"True loyalty..."

"You don't buy it with fear."

"You earn it."

Hades listened quietly.

"Feed the hungry."

"Shelter the homeless."

"Ease their suffering."

"When people no longer struggle just to survive..."

"They'll follow you because they want to."

She looked outside toward the barren wasteland.

"The Underworld isn't evil."

"It's neglected."

"Fix the realm..."

"...and its people will change."

Hades remained silent for several moments.

Finally...

He smiled.

"...That's completely different from how I'd do things."

She raised an eyebrow.

"So?"

He stood.

"You've been right twice already."

"Cerberus."

"And Amon."

"So..."

He extended his hand toward her.

"Let's try your way."

Persephone smiled brightly.

"The first thing..."

She pointed toward the endless darkness.

"...is to give them light."

---

The following morning...

Hades stood before one of the colossal Divine Walls separating Heaven from the Underworld.

The wall stretched endlessly in both directions.

Built from sacred divine stone...

It had sealed away sunlight since the dawn of creation.

Meanwhile...

Persephone carefully wrote a letter.

She addressed it to the twin Guardian Angels.

Erzik.

Erzika.

Within the letter, she respectfully requested permission to dismantle one section of the barrier and included a formal appeal asking for greater leniency toward sinners imprisoned within the Lower Underworld.

After sealing the letter with divine magic, she smiled.

"Done."

Hades rolled his shoulders.

"Good."

He stepped toward the wall.

He inhaled deeply.

Then—

BOOM!

His first punch cracked the divine barrier.

BOOM!

The second shattered half of it.

BOOM!

The third split it from top to bottom.

He smiled.

"One more."

BOOOOOOM!!

The entire wall collapsed.

For a moment...

Nothing happened.

Then...

A single ray of sunlight pierced the darkness.

Silence.

Then another.

And another.

Within seconds...

Golden light poured endlessly into the Underworld.

For the first time since its creation...

The realm saw daylight.

Countless demonkins looked toward the heavens.

Some shielded their eyes.

Others fell to their knees.

Children laughed as they chased the beams of light dancing across the ground.

Old demonkins wept openly.

"I..."

"I can see..."

A blind old man slowly reached toward the sunlight with trembling hands.

"...It's beautiful..."

Persephone smiled.

"It worked."

Hades looked around.

"...Not bad."

---

They immediately began the next phase.

Using the enormous chunks of divine stone from the destroyed wall...

Hades reshaped the terrain.

Punch after punch...

He carved massive channels through the earth.

The lava rivers were redirected into carefully constructed drainage systems.

Once the molten rivers had been diverted...

Persephone scattered sacred fertilizer blessed by Demeter.

The once-black soil gradually regained life.

She planted divine seeds.

Almost instantly...

Green shoots burst from the ground.

Flowers bloomed.

Fruit trees rose toward the sky.

Fields of golden grain stretched across the once-barren land.

The dull gray landscape slowly transformed into vibrant shades of green.

Demonkins watched from afar in disbelief.

Then...

Hades turned toward the enormous volcanic mountain.

"...That thing."

"...is annoying."

He gathered countless boulders.

One after another...

He hurled them into the volcano's massive vent.

The mountain shook violently.

Molten fire erupted.

Finally...

The opening sealed.

The unbearable heat that had plagued the Underworld for centuries began fading.

Cool breezes drifted through the realm.

The trees Persephone planted further purified the air.

Four days passed.

Four days of nonstop labor.

Neither of them complained.

Hidden atop a distant cliff...

Beelzebub silently watched everything.

"...Why?"

"They're gods."

"So why..."

"...are they doing this themselves?"

---

On the fifth day...

Hades stood in the center of the Underworld.

Behind him...

Fields stretched endlessly.

Sunlight illuminated the realm.

The air had become cool.

Life had returned.

Persephone smiled.

"It's time."

Hades sighed.

"...I hate speeches."

"You'll do fine."

"I'd rather fight ten Amon's."

She gently pushed him forward.

"You'll survive."

---

Word spread quickly.

Soon...

Thousands of demonkins gathered.

They came cautiously.

Many still carried weapons.

Others glared at Hades with open hostility.

The crowd grew louder.

Insults echoed everywhere.

"Tyrant!"

"Leave our home!"

"We don't need another ruler!"

Hades scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"...This is exactly why I hate speeches."

Persephone whispered,

"Just speak honestly."

He nodded.

Then stepped forward.

The crowd slowly quieted.

Hades cleared his throat.

"...Well..."

"...I'll get straight to the point."

"I originally planned to make all of you obey me."

He shrugged.

"Probably through brute force."

A few demonkins scoffed.

"But..."

"I started thinking."

"If I were starving..."

"If my family suffered every day..."

"If all I knew was pain..."

"I'd probably rebel too."

Silence slowly spread.

"So..."

"I don't hate you."

"I understand you."

He gestured toward the fields.

"For the last four days..."

"Persephone and I have worked to change this realm."

"You have sunlight."

"You have food."

"The unbearable heat is gone."

"And..."

He lifted a scroll bearing Heaven's golden seal.

"I received permission from the Guardian Angels..."

"Approved by the Supreme Creator Himself."

The crowd gasped.

"This treaty grants leniency."

"Once every week..."

"Sinners in the Lower Underworld will be spared punishment."

"Those who have sincerely repented..."

"Will gradually return to the Upper Underworld."

Tears began appearing among the crowd.

Hades continued.

"This..."

"...is only the beginning."

"I don't want your fear."

"I don't even care whether you call me King."

"I simply..."

He smiled gently.

"...want everyone here..."

"...to have the chance to live happily."

Complete silence.

Then...

A tiny hand tugged on his cloak.

Hades looked down.

A little demon girl...

No older than four...

Stood before him.

She had crimson skin, pointed ears, tiny horns, and bright pink triangular eyes.

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

She threw her arms around his waist.

"T-Thank you..."

Hades froze.

She sobbed uncontrollably.

"My mama..."

"She almost died..."

"The volcano made her sick..."

"But now..."

"...she can breathe..."

She pointed toward the sky.

"My papa..."

"He couldn't see..."

"It was always too dark..."

"But..."

"He can see me now..."

She looked up with a trembling smile.

"...Thank you."

Hades stood perfectly still.

He didn't know what to do.

No one had ever thanked him like this before.

Slowly...

Very awkwardly...

He gently patted her head.

"...Hmph."

"...You're welcome."

The little girl smiled.

Almost instantly...

The entire crowd erupted.

Cheers.

Applause.

Laughter.

Tears.

Many demonkins fell to their knees.

Others cried openly.

Families embraced each other.

For the first time in centuries...

Hope filled the Underworld.

Hades scratched his cheek.

His face slowly turned red.

"...This is..."

"...embarrassing."

Persephone watched him.

She smiled warmly.

Their eyes met.

Realizing she had noticed...

Hades immediately looked away.

Returning to his usual carefree expression.

"You can all enjoy yourselves."

He casually walked away.

Persephone couldn't help laughing.

Even when trying to hide it...

She had seen the genuine happiness on his face.

---

Later that evening...

Beelzebub finally approached.

Persephone looked toward him calmly.

She didn't seem frightened.

"...You're not afraid?"

Beelzebub asked quietly.

She shook her head.

"No."

"Because I don't believe you're evil."

He looked surprised.

"You hate humanity."

"You hate the Supreme Creator."

"But..."

"I think circumstances made you that way."

Beelzebub lowered his head.

Persephone continued softly.

"Yes..."

"Humanity has done terrible things."

"But are all humans evil?"

He remained silent.

She smiled.

"When you and Lady Lilith lived among humans..."

"Were all of them cruel?"

Beelzebub's eyes widened.

Fragments of old memories surfaced.

A lonely hut.

Lilith...

Weak...

Rejected...

Yet...

A humble family brought her food every day.

A widow often visited simply to keep her company.

He remembered Lilith smiling.

"Beelzebub... never judge an entire race because of the sins of a few."

"Love everyone."

"Hatred only leads to destruction."

His knees gave way.

"...Lilith..."

Tears fell freely.

"I broke my promise..."

"My hatred consumed me..."

Persephone gently embraced him.

"The Supreme Creator could erase every demon..."

"...with a single thought."

"But He doesn't."

"Do you know why?"

Beelzebub slowly shook his head.

"Because He believes everyone deserves another chance."

"He wants every one of His creations..."

"...to return home."

Beelzebub cried openly.

For the first time in centuries...

The burden in his heart began to lift.

Just as he turned to leave—

A hand rested on his shoulder.

It was Hades.

Beelzebub looked surprised.

Hades smiled.

"You know..."

"My experience with humans is pretty limited."

"But..."

"I've realized something."

"We're not that different."

"We all get angry."

"We all make mistakes."

"The only way the world gets better..."

"...is if we stop hating."

"We forgive."

"We keep moving forward."

He glanced at Persephone.

"...I guess..."

"...I learned that from Perseph."

Persephone blinked.

"...Perseph?"

He shrugged casually.

"It's shorter."

She laughed.

"I like it."

Beelzebub smiled for the first time in centuries.

He bowed deeply.

"From this day onward..."

"I shall atone."

"I will support both of you..."

"...with everything I have."

Hades grinned.

"Great."

"I was wondering where I'd find a sparring partner."

Beelzebub laughed.

Persephone laughed.

Soon...

All three were laughing together beneath the sunlight of the newly reborn Underworld.

---

Far away...

Inside Lucifer's floating fortress...

Azazel crashed through several stone pillars in fury.

"That rotten traitor!"

"He switched sides!"

Lucifer calmly sat upon his throne.

Then...

He burst into loud laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"So what?"

"One more join dem?"

"When me finally move..."

"...Nothing go remain."

His crimson eyes glowed ominously.

Beside him...

Samael remained silent.

For the first time...

He questioned whether following Lucifer would truly lead to the future they desired.

End of Chapter 9