Divine Mask: I Have Numerous God Clones

Hades stood over Thalnor's lifeless body, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction as a dark smirk curled across his lips. The once-formidable elder, now a mere hollow shell, lay crumpled at his feet—a testament to Hades' victory.

[To think that fool actually believed he could trap you,] the system's voice rang in his mind, dripping with its usual arrogance. [Honestly, it's almost insulting. The man had no idea who he was dealing with.]

Hades chuckled softly, his expression still twisted in dark amusement. "Of course, he didn't. Thalnor thought I was just another naive disciple—easy prey." He let out a low, mocking laugh. "He underestimated me from the start."

The system snorted in derision. [Typical. You'd think these so-called 'elders' would be more careful. But no, they just throw their weight around like they own the place. I mean, who does that? Trying to turn you into a puppet?

It's laughable.]

Hades crossed his arms, glancing around the eerie lab that now felt eerily silent without Thalnor's presence. His eyes flickered over the strange tools and dark symbols lining the walls, each one a remnant of Thalnor's twisted ambitions. "So, what do you think we should do now?" he asked, his tone calm but calculating.

The system hummed thoughtfully, clearly reveling in the moment. [Oh, now you're asking me for advice? How refreshing. I suppose you could start by using this place to your advantage. After all, the fool did leave it all to you.]

Hades nodded, his gaze shifting as if weighing his options. "I plan to make use of it, of course. But before I get to that, I've been thinking about something..."

The system's voice perked up, dripping with mock curiosity. [Oh? You thinking? Now this should be good. Go on, enlighten me.]

Hades' smirk deepened, his eyes narrowing with mischievous intent. "You know how I use Soul Fusion to bind souls to corpses, turning them into my perfect puppets? What do you think would happen if, instead of using the souls on a corpse, I fused them directly into my own soul?"

For a moment, there was silence from the system. Then, a slow, incredulous laugh echoed in Hades' mind, the system practically howling with disbelief. [Are you serious? What the hell are you thinking? Fusing other souls with your own? Do you have a death wish or are you just that insane?]

Hades let out a low chuckle, unfazed by the system's mockery. "I'm just saying… souls are energy, aren't they? If I can manipulate them externally, what's to stop me from using that same energy to strengthen my own soul?"

The system groaned, clearly exasperated but still intrigued. [Souls are a kind of energy, sure. But you're treading into seriously dangerous territory here, genius. One wrong move and you could turn your own soul into a fragmented mess—or worse, destroy it entirely. Still… I suppose it could work.]

Hades raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Could? So you're saying it's possible?"

[Well, don't get too excited. I said could, not will. Let's be clear: you might end up as a screaming wreck if you screw this up. But... your soul's already shattered into shards anyway, thanks to Divine Clone Technique. You could try fusing one of those shards with some stray souls to test it out.

Not that I'd recommend it, but hey, you've done dumber things.]

Hades nodded thoughtfully, a smirk still playing on his lips. "I see. Well, that's all the encouragement I need. Let's try it."

The system snickered, its tone filled with shameless arrogance. [Fine, go ahead. But when this all goes sideways, don't say I didn't warn you. I mean, you can't possibly be this reckless... oh wait, you totally are.]

Hades rolled his eyes but didn't lose his smirk. "I'll take my chances." He closed his eyes and focused inward, reaching out to the countless souls trapped within his Soul Vault, feeling the raw energy they radiated. One by one, he pulled the souls toward him, channeling them into his own fragmented soul.

[Oh, this should be entertaining. Don't scream too loudly now, Host. I have sensitive ears.]

Ignoring the system's relentless taunts, Hades steeled himself and activated Soul Fusion, drawing the foreign souls toward his own fragmented soul.

"Let's see if this really works," Hades muttered under his breath, his fingers tightening into fists as he closed his eyes. He focused inward, diving deep into the recesses of his Soul Vault. Inside, the countless souls he had collected over time swirled, trapped in a chaotic storm of energy.

The system snickered in the back of his mind, its voice dripping with smugness. [You're really going through with this, huh? Alright then, prepare for the worst, genius.]

Hades ignored the jab, taking a deep breath to center himself. He could feel the souls pulsating, their energy raw and untamed. With deliberate focus, he activated Soul Fusion, pulling the restless souls toward his own fractured essence.

The moment the first soul touched his own, an excruciating pain exploded through him. It was immediate, violent, and far beyond what he had anticipated. Hades' entire body convulsed as the agony struck deep into his very soul, sharper and more unbearable than any physical pain he had ever endured.

"What... is this...?" Hades groaned, his voice a strained whisper as the pain intensified. It felt like his soul was being torn apart and forcibly reshaped, every piece of his essence being crushed and reassembled.

The system's mocking voice broke through the haze of pain. [Well, well! What did I tell you? Feel that? That's what happens when you mess with forces you barely understand. Enjoying yourself?]

Hades tried to respond, but the agony stole his breath, his mind overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of it. The system, ever shameless, continued its taunting commentary.

[I warned you, didn't I? But nooo, you had to play with your precious Soul Fusion. Now look at you—writhing on the floor like some helpless bug. Not so tough now, are you?]

The pain grew even worse, pushing Hades beyond his limits. His vision blurred, the room spinning as his body succumbed to the strain. Before he could stop it, his consciousness faded. With a final gasp, Hades collapsed, the world around him going dark.