The Hunt for Project Hades Begins

The night air was crisp, but my mind was already racing.

Project Hades.

If Project Orpheus was about creating monsters, then Hades… was something far worse.

Gregory sat on the ground, still trying to process everything. I, on the other hand, was already planning my next move.

I flicked my cigarette away, stepping toward my Maserati MC20 before glancing back at him.

"You're coming with me."

Gregory looked up, confused. "W-what? Why? You already saved me."

I smirked. "Yeah, and you're going to help me track down Hades."

He paled. "Are you insane? You just destroyed a high-security facility! If we go after Hades, we'll be walking into something a thousand times worse!"

I chuckled, pulling open my car door. "Then I guess it's a good thing I don't care."

Gregory groaned, rubbing his temples before finally sighing in defeat. "Fine… but if we die, I'm haunting you."

I laughed. "Get in."

As I drove, I activated my laptop, connecting it to my custom encrypted database.

Project Hades had to be somewhere.

And I was going to find it.

Gregory sat beside me, still shaken but clearly trying to pull himself together.

"Okay, listen…" he said, taking a deep breath. "Before I was taken, I overheard some conversations. They mentioned a second site—one that's even more hidden than the Black Site."

I nodded. "Go on."

He continued, "They called it The Abyss."

I raised an eyebrow. "Dramatic."

Gregory frowned. "No, you don't get it. The Abyss isn't just a hidden facility. It's located underwater. A fully isolated research base, impossible to reach through normal means."

I smirked. "Normal means don't apply to me."

He exhaled sharply. "You don't get it, Samuel. Whatever they did in The Abyss, it worked. Project Hades is alive. And it's not just a mindless monster—it's something intelligent."

My fingers tightened on the steering wheel.

A monster with intelligence?

Interesting.

Gregory continued. "I don't know the exact location, but I know someone who might."

I glanced at him. "Who?"

He hesitated before saying, "Irena."

I raised an eyebrow. "Didn't I just deal with her?"

He nodded. "Yeah, but she knows more than she told you. If anyone has access to The Abyss, it's her."

I smirked. "Then I guess it's time for another meeting."

I accelerated, the Maserati roaring down the road.

Next stop: Irena.

And after that?

I was going to hunt down Hades.

Because if there was something out there stronger than Orpheus…

Then I was going to find it. And break it.

As I sped down the empty road, the Maserati's engine growling beneath me, my vision suddenly flickered.

A blue holographic screen materialized in front of me—only visible to me.

---

[SYSTEM QUEST: THE FALL OF HADES]

Objective: Locate and eliminate Project Hades before it reaches completion.

Location: Classified – Information must be acquired.

Enemies: Unknown, but highly evolved.

Difficulty: S-Rank (Extreme Danger)

Rewards:

+20 Strength

+18 Agility

+15 Endurance

??? (Hidden Skill Unlock)

---

I smirked.

"Finally, something interesting."

The System was something only I could see, and no one—not Gregory, not Irena, not even Abigail—could detect it without my permission.

Gregory noticed my smirk. "What's with that look? You better not be thinking something reckless."

I chuckled, my eyes returning to the road. "Oh, don't worry. I was already planning something reckless."

The Hades hunt had officially begun.

And I was going to win.

Interrogation with Irena – Fear is the Best Weapon

The VIP lounge of the high-end club was dimly lit, bathed in the soft glow of expensive chandeliers. The air smelled of cigars, whiskey, and power.

And right now?

That power belonged to me.

I sat across from Irena Vasiliev, her sharp green eyes hiding nervousness behind confidence. She was good at playing the game, but tonight…

She wasn't the one in control.

Across the room, Gregory sat quietly, watching but keeping his distance. He had seen what I was capable of, and he knew better than to interrupt.

I leaned forward, placing my black-gloved hands on the polished table.

"You know why I'm here, Irena."

She exhaled slowly, swirling the whiskey in her glass. "You always make an entrance, Samuel. But what makes you think I have what you need?"

I smirked, but there was no humor in it.

"Because if you didn't, you wouldn't be sweating right now."

Her fingers twitched slightly before she masked it with a small chuckle. "You think brute force will get you answers? Please, I deal with men more powerful than you—"

CRACK!

Before she could finish, my fist slammed into the table, causing the whiskey glass to shatter against the surface.

Irena flinched.

I leaned in, my voice calm but sharp as a blade.

"I don't care who you've dealt with before. Right now, you're dealing with me."

She swallowed, her usual smugness fading.

I picked up a piece of broken glass, twirling it between my fingers lazily.

"See, Irena, I'm not like the Syndicate. I don't threaten people with business takeovers or blackmail. I don't do politics."

I pressed the glass lightly against her hand, just enough for her to feel the sharp edge.

She stiffened.

"I deal in something much simpler. Pain."

Her confidence cracked. "Y-you wouldn't—"

I grinned. "Wouldn't I?"

I let go of the glass, letting it drop between her fingers. She instinctively pulled her hand away, her breath unsteady.

Across the room, Gregory watched in silent horror.

I stood up, walking around the table slowly.

"Now, you're going to tell me where The Abyss is."

She clenched her jaw. "I can't."

I grabbed the back of her chair and tilted it backward, forcing her to meet my eyes.

"Wrong answer."

She gasped, her fingers gripping the armrests.

"The people you're afraid of?" I whispered. "They won't find you. Because after tonight, you won't exist if I don't get what I want."

Her breathing was uneven now. Fear. Real fear.

I could see it.

She was cracking.

She hesitated, her lips trembling.

I sighed, rolling up my sleeves. "Fine. Let's do it the hard way."

I grabbed her wrist and pressed my thumb down on a pressure point near her tendons.

She screamed, her body jerking violently.

I didn't break anything—yet.

But the pain was enough to make her eyes blur with tears.

"Okay! Okay!" she gasped, her voice shaking. "The Abyss—it's located beneath the South Atlantic, disguised as an oil rig!"

I released her, and she collapsed forward, panting.

Gregory let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

Irena clutched her wrist, glaring at me with fear still lingering in her eyes.

"You're a monster," she whispered.

I smirked, stepping back. "No, I'm just very, very good at what I do."

And now… I had exactly what I needed.