The moment Odin said that, Athena finally understood what he had been planning all along—and she understood the reason behind that unusually gentle tone.
In that instant, her view of him changed completely.
Athena had always believed that Odin was wiser than her and all their siblings combined, that his insight surpassed theirs altogether. She had always thought that he saw things from a deeper, more distant perspective—especially when it came to the children and questions of who was superior among them. She believed he was above such shallow comparisons, unlike the rest of them, and that he viewed such matters from an entirely different angle.
But his words now… shattered that image completely.
Athena couldn't think clearly, nor could she intervene in the conversation. Her shock was too great to hide. She froze in place, lost in her thoughts, watching the scene unfold in heavy silence.
As for Hades' eldest daughter, when she heard Odin's words, she couldn't believe what he was saying. Her eyes widened in clear shock, then—after a brief moment—she waved both her hands quickly and said nervously:
"No, no, Uncle, you're mistaken.
I'm not fond of him at all—you're completely wrong."
Odin smiled smugly as he saw the blush creeping across his niece's face, but he didn't stop there. He quickly added, laughing:
"Oh, come now, little girl.
Do you really think I don't know what's going on in your mind?
Just look at that red face of yours… hahaha!"
He ended his words with loud laughter, which only made the girl blush even more before she turned around and ran away in sheer embarrassment.
Odin watched her as she hurried away, then raised his voice and called out:
"Don't worry, my little one. Your secret is safe with me—no one will ever know."
The moment she heard his shout behind her, she ran even faster, as if she wanted to disappear from the place entirely.
Odin followed her with his gaze until she vanished from sight, then smiled faintly and thought to himself:
I've planted the seed of doubt now…
All I have to do is wait for it to grow.
Odin didn't truly care whether the girl loved his son or not.
All that mattered to him was that the two would marry—and produce powerful children.
He felt a surge of excitement as he imagined the strength of the children born from his eldest son and Hades' eldest daughter. The girl had already awakened an immense power, and he expected his son to awaken a power no less formidable—after all, he was of Odin's blood.
He thought about it with complete coldness. His only concern was the strength of the children who would come from this union. He didn't care in the slightest whether his son and Hades' daughter shared any feelings for one another.
While he was immersed in these thoughts, he suddenly remembered that Athena had been standing beside him the entire time. He turned to her quickly and found her deep in thought. He immediately understood what was going through her mind.
Without hesitation, he began explaining everything—what he had intended to do and the true plan behind every word and action he had taken in those moments.
Odin spoke in a low, firm voice:
"Please don't tell Hades or anyone else about this, sister. This must remain a secret for now. If Hades or anyone else interferes, my plan could fail completely."
Athena slowly came out of her daze and looked at him with a gaze filled with doubt and questions. She then said calmly, though cautiously:
"Your plan?
And what exactly is your plan, Odin?"
Odin replied while staring at the spot where Hades' eldest daughter had been standing moments earlier, as if his eyes were still clinging to the trace of her presence:
"I want, my sister…"
Then Odin began explaining his plan to Athena in clear detail—laying out his view of linking Hades' eldest daughter with his son, and how this bond, in his eyes, was not a fleeting relationship between two children, but a carefully calculated step toward the future. He spoke of the power that might be born from such a union and marriage later on, and of offspring that could carry strength beyond all expectations.
While Odin was explaining his ambition and desire for powerful descendants through this plan, Hades was elsewhere—running after Poseidon at tremendous speed. His mind held only one thought: to catch him and beat him to release his pent-up rage. Hades had no idea—nor could he even imagine—that his brother Odin had already chosen a potential spouse for his daughter without his knowledge.
Poseidon was sprinting toward the sea, shouting loudly, his voice trembling with fear:
"Don't come any closer, brother! If you get any closer, we won't be brothers anymore!"
Hades smiled darkly as he chased him and said in a voice dripping with malice:
"I don't care about that, you bastard. All I want is to bury you alive and write on your grave: Here lies the dog. Then I'll turn your grave into a urinal for my dog—and every dog on the island, you piece of trash!"
The moment Poseidon heard Hades' words, he shuddered in fear. Just imagining it was enough to send chills through his body. He was about to respond, but suddenly stopped running and raised his hand, signaling Hades to stop as well.
Hades was surprised by the sudden halt. He approached cautiously and noticed the strange seriousness and concern on Poseidon's face. He stopped near him and said:
"What is it, brother? Is something wrong?"
Poseidon motioned silently for him to stay quiet, then spoke in a low but urgent voice:
"Go and tell Odin… there is a danger surrounding Asgard."
Hades looked at him with complete seriousness and said:
"What's happening, brother? Where is this danger?"
Poseidon didn't answer. Instead, he turned and ran swiftly toward where Odin and the others were, saying in a tense voice:
"We must speak to Odin immediately. There is a great danger in the depths of the ocean, brother!"
Hades hurried after him, anxiety beginning to seep into his heart. He wondered what kind of threat could make Poseidon act with such fear and seriousness—Poseidon, who rarely ever lost his composure.
Hades did not yet grasp the magnitude of the danger Poseidon had sensed, nor how catastrophic it truly was. Had he felt what his brother felt in that moment, he would have acted the same way without hesitation.
For that danger rising from the depths of the ocean…
was enough to completely destroy the island and everyone upon it.