Ranker Who Lives Twice

『Where is……?』

Steropes couldn’t tell where he was.

He occasionally felt himself floating around without being tied up anywhere. The sudden return to reality was a shock to him.

And.

“This isn’t possible…..!”

Hades burst up from his throne with a flustered face for the first time.

According to what he knew, it was impossible for a soul to be used in that way.

He was a god of death, not a god who ruled over death. Also, moving souls in the way one desired was against laws and principles. Gods were beings who enforced rules, not broke them. The fact that Yeon-woo was able to do such a thing was…..

“Haa.”

Hades plopped down on his throne with a sigh. His wrinkled forehead showed his conflicting state of mind.

At the same time, albeit for a short while, countless emotions swept through his eyes. Jealously, envy. Even greed.

[Hermes smiles bitterly, looking at his uncle.]

[Athena looks at her uncle with still eyes.]

“…..Don’t look at me like that. It’s humiliating to be compared to that idiot Poseidon.”

Hades knew that his niece and nephew were looking at him through their Channeling with Yeon-woo. And that they were watching warily in case he tried to hurt Yeon-woo.

He snorted. He acknowledged that he made a mistake, but he didn’t have any regrets.

Also, he didn’t care about something continuing “his” power. He was already gone from this world. There was no need to be stuck in the past.

Also, he knew what the children of Hermes’s generation thought of “him,” so he wasn’t displeased by their gazes.

He was just irritated at being compared to Poseidon, the simple fool who crushed anything he didn’t like.

[Hermes smiles mysteriously at his uncle.]

[Athena nods at her uncle.]

“Anyways.”

Hades narrowed his eyes.

“So that’s how you’re using ‘his’ power? Incredible.”

The Black King’s power broke the laws of nature. That, in itself, was a miracle that exceeded what a god could do. It was the power that went beyond a greater god’s—the power of a primordial god or a conceptual god.

Hades looked at Yeon-woo with observant eyes.

Meanwhile.

Yeon-woo had been focusing on the conversation between the three Cyclopes and missed the exchange between Hades and his niece and nephew.

『Steropes……!』

『Brother……?』

Brontes quickly ran to Steropes and hugged him tightly. Steropes muttered to himself with a blank face, and then his face turned to one of surprise.

『Brother!』

『Yes! Steropes. How, how are you in this condition! Even you…..!』

『Brother……!』

“Ahh!”

『Even our youngest!』

The three Cyclops brothers hugged each other, tears dripping down their faces.

It was a reunion they didn’t think would come after they split up 200 years ago.

They remained like that for a while, crying. Brontes and Steropes were dead souls and didn’t have any tears to shed anyway, but their sadness could be perceived.

“Steropes.”

Then, Yeon-woo stepped up.

A part of him was crying as well.

The union of dead brothers. That was his greatest wish. He wished it was him and his brother in that position. He also thought it wasn’t going to be long until he achieved it.

He felt sorry for interrupting their reunion, but there were things that needed to be done first.

Steropes turned around. He recognized Yeon-woo as the one who called him to this place. His gaze immediately sunk.

『So you are the human who called me here.』

“Yes, sir.”

『A power that breaks the laws of nature and creates new ones….. you must be “his” descendant.』

Steropes was the one among the three brothers who had mastered theology. This field was occasionally called philosophy sometimes, and all his words were so unclear that it was hard to understand them.

『Bad fate is still fate. It’s also due to the result of the principles of causality that we brothers could meet like this. Alright. Why have you called me here?』

“You may have already felt this, but you can’t stay here for long. So I’ll get to the point.”

Yeon-woo explained the situation in Tartarus shortly and why Kynee was needed for Dis Pluto to turn the tables. He said it was only possible after the three Cyclops brothers gathered again.

Steropes listened to Yeon-woo while sitting down, and he organized his thoughts after closing his eyes.

Then, he opened his eyes slowly and spoke.

『……That means I have to stay here for some time.』

“Yes, that is so.”

『And to do that, I must be bound to you.』

Yeon-woo nodded.

Steropes had a conflicted face for a moment. A holy being shouldn’t be bound to a mere human.

Also, the remnant of the Black King Yeon-woo had inherited was a mortal enemy of the brothers. He was displeased at the fact that he had to follow Yeon-woo’s orders.

『Steropes.』

Just then, Brontes gripped Steropes’s shoulder.

『What happened in the past is all in the past. And that child is “him.” You are dead now, so why are you still caught up in the past?』

『Brother.』

『Also.』

Brontes’s eyes were dark.

『I don’t want us to be split up again.』

Arges nodded firmly next to him. His exhausted face looked determined. It was the determination not to lose his two brothers again.

From the time when they were born, they were abused and bullied because of their strange appearances. They were discarded by the world. And so, they were the world to each other. It wasn’t an option for them to be split any longer.

In the end, Steropes accepted the persuasion of his brothers. He looked at Yeon-woo with a deep gaze.

『Fine, human. I’m only accepting because it sounds too good to be true, but I accept to be bound to you.』

Yeon-woo nodded. However, Steropes spoke flatly, as if he was telling Yeon-woo not to be too happy.

『However, I have one condition. I’m different from my kind brother. I swear on the Styx River that if you try to ignore these conditions I give after you become my master, I’ll destroy my own soul to refuse your orders.』

“Please speak.”

『The moment I am bound, I’ll follow your orders. However, that’s only for things related to Kynee, justice, and order. If you try to use me for your own greed…..』

“That won’t happen.”

Yeon-woo spoke assuredly.

『…….』

Steropes glared at Yeon-woo for a while. It was hard to read his hard eyes.

『……Fine. Let’s begin the contract.』

He nodded.

Yeon-woo held his hand out to him. He had guaranteed Steropes that he wouldn’t use him for personal gain, but actually, Yeon-woo didn’t care about that too much.

They had no idea.

The constraints of the Soul Collection were that they couldn’t do anything according to their own will.

‘Once you’re bound, that’s the end.’

He could hear Shanon muttering, ‘Another one’s been caught. Flap flap,’ to himself, but Yeon-woo ignored it.

* * *

After the contract was finished.

『From a lowly soul to a Monster Portent. It’s beyond lacking compared to my godly body, but this isn’t too bad of an upgrade.』

Steropes muttered to himself after checking his body’s condition. Arges looked overjoyed that his brothers were here, even though they were only souls.

Also.

[You have succeeded in binding an outstanding godly being. You have achieved an unbelieveable feat. Additional Karma is being rewarded.]

[You have gained 10,000 Karma.]

[You have gained an additional 15,000 Karma.]

[The sudden quest (Helm of Darkness) has been created.]

Yeon-woo checked the new continuation quest of Persephone’s Long-time Wish.

[Sudden Quest / Helm of Darkness]

Summary: The king of Giants, Typhon, has found a way to take the energy of the dead Kronos, and he has increased the combative power of the Titans and the Giants.

The Titans, having become larger, started to plunder parts of the lands to take over Tartarus.

Due to this, Hades and Dis Pluto suffered from continued losses and were forced to retreat into the ‘Temple of the Underground.’

While the Temple of the Underground was surrounded by enemies, threatened by the danger of being taken over, you appeared.

When you gathered the scattered three Cyclops brothers, you were able to find a way to increase the power of the Dis Pluto.

First, you have to regain Hades’s power.

Help the three Cyclops brothers to create the holy artifact ‘Kynee.’ Once you have finished this holy artifact, you will receive great admiration from Hades.

Conditions:

Gather materials for ‘Kynee’

– Apodis Scale (30/45)

– Kathran Liquid (0/5)

– Silent Conch (12/300)

……

Creating Kynee

– Refining 0%

– Smelting 0%

– Cleansing 0%

– CGrafting 0%

……

Overall progress 0%

Rewards:

Hades’s affinity +150

Title ‘Artisan’

Authority to use the holy artifact ‘Kynee’

‘It’s up.’

Kynee was one of the most powerful holy artifacts. Just by attempting to create it, he would gain an incredible amount of Karma and rewards.

Yeon-woo especially focused on the title ‘Artisan.’

It was the title that only five people in the Tower had earned, including Henova, Brahm, and Victoria. If he could acquire this…..

‘I’ll be able to view more information about the pocket watch.’

A title given by the Tower wasn’t something to be taken lightly. It was something only given to those who reached the pinnacles in their respective fields.

However, there was something that worried him.

‘I don’t have many of the required materials.’

When he looked back at Hades, a cold smile returned to his face.

“There’s something we need to deal with before we can fix Kynee.”

Arges’s face turned ashen after realizing what Hades was going to say. Yeon-woo clicked his tongue after guessing what Hades wanted.

“Kynee is an outstanding artifact and requires precious materials to make. However, as you know already, we are severely lacking in soldiers and resources. There’s no way we’ll have any of the materials. Even if we did, we can’t afford to use them for it.”

Yeon-woo nodded in understanding. Even if it was for Kynee, they couldn’t give him the resources needed for the war.

That meant.

“I’ll have to get them myself.”

Hades nodded with the same cold smile still on his face.

“That is correct.”

He might’ve looked arrogant for someone asking for help, but Yeon-woo was familiar with that particular attitude. Those who were exhausted mentally to the extreme from a long war. They lived with bitterness and cold smiles on their faces, but some didn’t let go of hope until the end.

That was Hades right now. It would’ve been nice if Kynee was created. But he didn’t look like he would be disappointed even if it didn’t work out.

Hades nodded with the cold smile still on his face.

“Yes.”

“And we don’t have much time. The Titans and Giants are ready to attack anytime, and Kronos’s energy is almost completely gone. Do it in that time.”

“I will.”

Yeon-woo’s eyes flashed.

“No. I have to.”

Hades raised a corner of his mouth. It was a different expression from the cold smile he had shown. It contained the appearance of a warrior ready for combat. He might’ve looked like that in the past when he fought with Kronos.

“Good. I wish you success, descendant of the Black King.”

Then.

Pat—

Black light scattered around him, and the world around Yeon-woo changed.

[The trial of the hidden stage ‘Tartarus’ has been paused by Hades’s authority.]

[You have gained the title ‘Hades’s Representative.’]

[You are being transported to the 31st floor.]