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SHK CH 786 (Start of B9)
🕑 Added 2025-12-09 05:50:34 +0000 UTC『 Nihil’s Dimension 』
In a realm teeming with crimson light, Hypnos sat on a lofty throne fit for a god, at least a former one. The throne was not just a random seat for radiating majesty and dominance, but an exact replica of his original divine throne created with his power over Dreams. A seat of power he had crafted with his own hands during better times. Now it felt more like shackles than sovereignty. The proof of his weakness and failure— of his fall.
Nevertheless, it was not yet time to discard the venerable coalition of his power. Fake as it might be, this pseudo-divine throne still boosted his power by a tremendous margin, far more than any Divine Weapon. It was thanks to this very throne that he was able to create so many avatars so fast. At the price of considerable divinity, of course, but it still had allowed him that boon.
"You look terrible," came a voice from beyond the crimson darkness.
Hypnos did not turn his head. He knew the voice all too well— a connection of countless eons. "Thanatos. You came to gloat?"
Two figures emerged from the void. The first was a woman with black hair that seemed to absorb light itself; her eyes were of a beautiful gray with no discernible pupils at all.
She was Thanatos. The goddess of Death. Or rather, what had once been the goddess controlling the seat of Death.
Thanatos, unlike gods like Hypnos and the others, managed to survive the Twilight of the Gods. Death, Time, Space, and Life were on the side of Chaos alongside Destruction.
She vanished in the last divine war that opposed Chaos and Order, even losing a spark of her divinity. Her total disappearance made even her sisters speculate that she had indeed died, lost in the echoes of the End. But here she was, alive— a demigod through and through.
Behind her, Euphoria limped forward, her form diminished, breaking, barely hanging on to the fabric of reality.
The wounds from her humiliating defeat were still visible, cracks running through her divine essence like broken porcelain. Her limbs had grown back, but there was no way to get back the divine power and concept she had lost to Dawn at the culmination of her defeat.
She said nothing, her pride too wounded to even start speaking, only looked down, her shoulder slumped, and eyes hollow.
"Gloat?" Thanatos' lips curved into something that did not resemble a smile at all. "No. I came to make things clear. You failed my request. You were not able to get back the Book of Death.”
"I still have more chances. I do not think it’s too late."
“There is no need to bother anymore.”
"Can you manage without the Book of Death?" Hypnos asked, his tone neutral. He finally looked at her, his expression unreadable and distant. "It’s the representation of your Divine Authority. It belongs to you, or rather, belonged to you. Anubis holds it now, wields it even."
"I know who has it." Thanatos walked closer, her footsteps making no sound, no footprint, no traces, as though walking on air, or maybe treading on some other reality.
"Anubis has the Book. He's been using it, studying it, adding to it with every soul he claims." Thanatos stopped a few paces from the throne. "Every death in his territory, every piece of knowledge from the deceased, it all flows into that artifact. He's making it stronger.”
"And you don't care?"
"Why would I?” Thanatos tilted her head. The movement was too smooth, almost unnatural, eerie, frightening. “To not say anything else, just the fact that the more he develops the authority of Death, the stronger I become. And the simple fact is that I don't need the Book of Death anymore."
Hypnos' eyes narrowed at that, squinting dangerously. "Explain."
"You felt it, didn't you? During the wedding. When Euphoria ascended, the rule of this world changed, or rather, was restored. Since one succeeded, the path toward Godhood has become much easier now. The change in the laws governing the mortal Realm allowed me to finally succeed after millennia of failed attempts.”
Thanatos raised her hand, and in her palm, two forces swirled. One was the familiar darkness of death, cold and final. The other was something different— a vibrant green energy that pulsed with vitality. "I became one with the Authority of Life."
Euphoria finally spoke, her voice hoarse and uncertain. "Vita. You fused with your twin."
Vita, the Goddess of Life, was Thanatos' direct twin sister.
"Fused is such a crude word." Thanatos closed her palm, and the energies vanished like they did not exist, fading into her. "We were always meant to be one. Two sides of the same coin. Life and Death, Death and Life. Separate, we were incomplete. Together..." She looked at her hand, flexing her fingers. "I am the strongest demigod walking the realms right now. Perhaps even the strongest goddess, once I can fully ascend and take back my Divine Kingdoms. Unless Ymir managed to obtain the power of Creation, I should be stronger than even her."
Ymir was the Goddess of Destruction, and like many gods and goddesses, she had her own twin that represented a different yet complementary concept.
Destruction and Creation were a cycle not unlike Life and Death or Day and Night or Hatred and Love— a cycle complementing each other, not opposing, even though they were direct opposites… one was nothing without the other, no reason for existence.
"You should not underestimate the powerhouses of this era. Anubis aside, Tiamat is also a dangerous target. Furthermore… you haven't ascended yet," Hypnos pointed out.
"I underestimate no one. Death is equal for all after all. As for my ascension, I need one more thing." Thanatos met his gaze. "A big war. The kind that reshapes continents and drowns nations. I need death on a scale that hasn't been seen since the Twilight of the Gods. With that much death, with that much life ending..." Her smile grew sharper. "I'll ascend properly. Not like our dear Euphoria here, scraping into godhood through narrative manipulation.”
Euphoria glared but said nothing. She knew it was true and that hurt her more than Thanatos’ words.
“Initially, I planned to complete my ascension in the Mortal Realm. But there is no need for that now. The Abyss has many times the population of the Mortal Realm. I can also just enter the Afterlife Realm and absorb some of the souls there. My territory is also there.”
The Afterlife realm was one of the Big Realms alongside the Divine Realm, the Astral Realm, and the Mortal Realm. It was there that Anubis created his Underworld by stealing a part of it.
As the representation of Death, Thanatos had her Divine Territory created there. She could have become a goddess at any moment. But if she used that divine territory, she would only become the goddess of Death once more, not the dual authority she was pining for.
She wanted more now. Far, far more.
"You're not the Thanatos I knew anymore," Hypnos said quietly, a quiet sigh exhaling from his lips.
"No. I'm not." The woman before him agreed without hesitation. "I'm not really Thanatos. I'm not really Vita either. I'm both. I'm neither. I'm something new, something that should have existed from the beginning. Not unlike Mother before she separated into two entities.”
She turned to leave. "You can still call me Thanatos for now. I will only choose a new name after I regain godhood. The current me has perfect mastery over Life and Death. Remember that when you plan your next move against Sol Luxuria."
"Is that a warning or a threat?"
"Neither. Just information. You asked what I am now, so I'm telling you." Thanatos paused at the edge of the darkness. "Though if you're curious, I have no intention of helping you. Or helping that prince. I'm waiting to see which side will give me what I need— enough death to complete my ascension."
"You'll ally with whoever starts the bigger war."
"Exactly."
“Sister!” Euphoria growled, “Are you truly not going to avenge me?”
Thanatos smacked Euphoria on the back of her head. Though she was now a goddess, even if she had her two authorities, she would still have been no match for Thanatos.
Thanatos was the second strongest Goddess in all of their Pantheon, when not counting the Mother Goddess and Father God. The only one who could surpass her was Ymir.
“You are awfully talkative for someone who got destroyed by mere mortals.”
Euphoria felt wronged. She wanted to argue that if she had been able to use her full power, those people would have been no match for her.
But then, she remembered Sol’s mocking words and decided to stay silent. Inwardly, though, she vowed to pay everything back one day. One name in particular was deeply carved in her heart.
Lilith. She would kill that bitch. No matter what.
Shaking her head with a mock sigh, Thanatos vanished into the shadows, taking Euphoria with her.
Meanwhile, Hypnos sat alone once more, his throne feeling lonelier than before. The game had changed. Again. He would need to revise his plans. Again.
In the distance, he felt like he could hear Karma's laughter echoing through the void, mocking him for all his foolishness, as he had once pointed out.
Comments
Hikaru Genji
Haha don’t worry you know well SHK never been this kind of story where mc always gotta go plus ultra with some last minute power up. Preparations always been the key. B9 will be very interesting since before the event of B8 the old gods didn’t really have much awareness about Sol
Chris Gill
For me I am hoping some of the Gods/Goddesses will join Sol (Beside Dawn) and not out of petty reasons or thinking they can double cross him if he wins, but legit reasons that he is on a "Better" path. I could see Thanatos beings one who after she Ascends can join him and Anubis can become like a partner in Death and grow the Divine Realm.. I truly hope it isn't always Sol and his party fighting against those that are technically superior and he has to almost kill himself to win every time.
Hikaru Genji
Haha Thanatos definitely doesn’t ha full understanding of Anubis but you will see and understand more of her as story advance. The emotions goddesses are the youngest and most fickle and unstable so to speak. Euphoria isn’t that different. Divine beasts don’t really care about political situations born from mate. For example even though Sol is the direct Son of Blaze he still had to compete for the title of Prince alongside Nidhogg and Kaiser who are also direct descendants. For example if Sol was weak. Then him being Kiyohime mate only mean he get a little more respect but no title. Same for thr other way. Only power matters. Outside of their sphere mate relationships might influence. For example if Sol the mate of Kiyohime visit the other divine beasts they might say oh he is the mate or so or so treat him with respect. But nothing else
Tracer999
What a bunch of fools Thanatos might think she's not underestimating anyone but she is looking down on everyone and views her victory as certain. She is especially looking down on Anubis a fact she will later deeply regret for whatever time she ends up having left. If she realizes death is equal for everyone she should know that also applies to her. For someone who doesn't even understand their own concept she's stupid to think she could also govern over life. The thing is Euphoria is in a similar boat she had absolutely no business being the goddess of love and hate for she understands neither. If she was wise she would give up on revenge but she'll definitely be the first god Lilith kills at this rate. If Thanatos was wise she would get the book back and kidnap Anubis wife or daughter in the upcoming war which while bold and stupid would be her only shot and keeping Anubis at bay. As for Euphoria I have to laugh here she's the one who invaded and used the live Medea and sol had to ascend her state was brought about because she decided to be a greedy bastard and then act like she was doing them a favor. Out of curiosity if Sol adds Welsh and Tiamat to the harem how would that impact their status? Like would he be recognized as a dragon goddess to his marriage to Tiamat or a dragon king due to his marriage to Kiyohime? And if all three share a mate would that elevate Kiyohime and welsh status? Have similar questions with regard to the witches. And phoenixes like his political status amongst groups is weird to say the least.
