[V1/C22] A GENTLEMAN'S BEHAVIOUR

The staffs all looked back to see a regular youthful old man smiling at them.

One of the male staff came forward and respectfully asked.

"Excuse me. Are you his relative?"

"No."

"Then why are you offering up your money to a stranger?"

To quench his curiosity he still asked with an awkwardly smiling look on his face.

"Because I have money, and I could do whatever I want with it, so get lost."

The old man smiles back at him as if to show his superiority.

'Uhh... What's up with his smile? I feel like I'm the one who's wrong here...' he instinctively thought to himself, continuing his awkward smile.

He scratches his head, slightly bowing his head to apologize.

"Hahaha... Indeed, I apologize for my rudeness."

The old man then threw a white handkerchief mid-air as if performing a magic trick.

*BOOM*

The thrown handkerchief turned into cash and slowly rained down on them.

"W-what?!"

"Is he a magician?!"

The old man in question answered.

"Indeed I am.

This should be more than enough for the clothes he has bought.

Oh and also, you guys can keep the change."

The old man walked closer towards Rey and patted his shoulder, whispering in his ear.

"Let's go somewhere quiet."

As he spoke, all the CCTC cameras in and outside the mall suddenly went offline, unable to record the disappearance of the old man and Rey, along with any of their traces and items, vanishing into thin air, making it look like they just silently left the premises.

Security was alarmed by this matter and tried to do their utmost best to recover the cameras, but even after spending a quarter of an hour on it, the CCTC cameras remained offline.

The police have been called up to investigate this matter until a minute after their arrival, all of the CCTC cameras went back online.

With the strangeness that is happening, the police released a full search of the mall, momentarily evacuating all of the people inside.

Davao, somewhere inside the Shrine of the Holy Infant Jesus of Prague.

The two appeared out of anyone's notice.

"Let's quietly talk here."

The old man continued to show a bright smile. Rey immediately backed off a few meters back and put up a stance for combat as if it were natural.

"Tell me. Who are you?"

The old man continued to smile at him. Without a doubt, he's now on high alert if the person he encountered is an ally or a foe.

Rey took a glance at his nose and saw a drop of sweat dripping down. Slowly, he also felt like he was being boiled alive inside a magma as he stared deeply into his eyes.

'This abnormalities. Don't tell me.'

"Yes. I'm also one of the Gods you've discovered earlier."

As soon as he read his thoughts, the old man's skin started melting as if it were wax drooping all over his body.

"You see."

He took two steps forward, making his advance.

"I'm quite interested in you."

Rey then awkwardly posed with disgust upon hearing his words.

"Get away from me! I'm straight!"

The old man confusedly looked at Rey and laughed.

"HAHAHAHA!

You're quite funny. I like funny mortals."

He took another step forward.

As soon as the old man took one last step mid way. The entire area vibrated, transforming the entire place into a sea of flames emitting the color of the darkness. With the change of scenery, his disguise has also vanished along with it.

The old man turned into a young youthful man wearing a full black attire. Holding a sceptre and a weird-looking helmet. Looking fully rejuvenated.

The man rose his foot above, leaving a heavy imprint on the cubic block of ashen soil.

With the dimly lit grey and black light, his domineering aura skyrocketed compared to earlier.

"Let me introduce myself.

I am Hades. One of the many rulers of the Underworld, or you can call it. The Land of the Dead."

He politely gestured and introduced himself to Rey. On the other hand, Rey once again nervously questioned.

"Where are we?"

Hades chuckled lightly and slowly explained.

"We are currently in one of my domains.

Per every faithful believer we have, our Divine powers settle into any structures your kind prays to.

Although, my strength in each domain varies per accumulated faith or believers. For example, I have approximately tens of thousands of believers who prayed in this very shrine."

"Does that mean it has to be a religious structure?"

"Not necessarily, it's not recommended for Gods like us to appear on a smaller scale of faith. Because like I've said. Our strength determines the faith we've accumulated so far to use our domains. Simply, it's an extended power of ours. Though our Divine powers are deeply connected to faith, it doesn't necessarily need to be so as well."

"So, why have you kidnapped me?"

Rey questioned, sharply glaring at him.

With question after question, Hades still put up a bright smile and answered.

"You see... The thing on that boat you were carrying around isn't supposed to be handed over to the likes of you.

Do you even know that it can regenerate itself over time after accumulating enough yin energy? You could also call it the negative energy of the inhabitants of this world."

"Does that also apply to you Gods as well?"

"Of course, that's why every century or so, some Gods will be corrupted and polluted by this energy and slowly become demonic creatures themselves.

That's why there's an academy for young Gods to take over the vacant spaces that were left behind by a corrupted God.

... And so on and so on.

....."

*SLAP!*

Rey slapped his face to try and stay awake from his long explanation.

"I've told you to stop asking. You only dug your own grave." Said by the black slime hovering above Rey's head.

While Hades was still going strong about his finely detailed explanation, Rey and the black slime had an internal discussion using their thoughts.

"Seriously, I wouldn't have asked if this person or God or something is going to explain everything this detailed!

Also! Why are you sitting on my head now?! Do I look like a chair to you!"

A loud grumbling sound echoes throughout the space.

Having heard that his guest had yet to eat, Hades suddenly stopped chattering due to hearing Rey's stomach growling.

"Oh! You must be famished after the long series of events you've experienced in not even half a day!"

The God of the Underworld snapped his fingers. Upon snapping his fingers, a round white marble table filled with meat and wine, along with 2 chairs, appeared right in between them.

"Here, let's have some snacks first before we continue."

The human mortal Rey didn't want to be seen as rude when he was being offered a full-course meal, so he gladly dived in and dug in with his empty stomach.

Hades still kept his calm demeanour along with his bright smiling face so as not to intimidate Rey.

"Is the food to your liking?"

"Yes! But... Why does this taste like..."

"Like a dead person?"

*PFFT!*

"You SICK MOTHERFUCKER! Why are you saying such things in front of the food!"

"Oh, you must be quite surprised. You see in the Underworld, our food is rather quite unique here.

Every food and wine which is served is entirely made up of the dead sinner's soul."

Rey stopped eating, dropping his fork and spoon along with a piece of soul meat. He stared at Hades with a terrified and disgusted gaze.

"Oh please, don't look at me like that."

Hades still kept his usual expression as he talked it out with Rey.

"You find it delicious, wouldn't you agree?"

"..."

The man with ashen hair kept silent as he heard his twisted words.

"There's no need to pity such sinners who deserved it."

*SMILE*

*TAKE*

*SIP*

He smiled at Rey, took a glass of wine on the table, and drank a small portion of it.

"Ah~ I can never get enough of this."

Rey furiously stood up and slammed the round table making the exquisite dishes which was prepared by Hades fall on the ashen soil.

"Seriously... I thought you were just an old God geezer, but to think you even had this kind of twisted personality!"

Right as he was enraged, Hades suddenly vanished and appeared right at his back and whispered to his ear.

"Are you that impolite because Cronus is backing you?"