This Ten Tribunal Road was constructed by the power of the Ten Judges at the birth of the Hades Circle. It stands as a shield for those of the Hades Circle in the mortal world.
People of the Hades Circle, even if crushed into pulp, will not die—and there is a reason. Every Hades Circle Born is delivered to the end of this road, into the heart of the Hades Circle, before birth. In their mother's womb, they receive the baptism and protection of the Hades Circle.
Once the protection is complete, their parents lead them back to the city, where they learn all kinds of knowledge, waiting for the day when they will inherit their parents' legacy.
Every child born here, regardless of how many siblings, is branded with the Hades Circle Mark from the day of birth. When the time comes to inherit their parents’ legacy, they must faithfully carry out the soul collection duty—exactly 9,999 souls.
The truly terrifying part is that every person of the Hades Circle knows the precise moment of their death—down to the second. Some, after collecting 9,998 souls, try to avoid collecting the last one, hoping to extend their life. But the Underworld Court will not allow this. When your lifespan ends, they will drag you down directly, and you will be cast into hell for punishment.
As we walked, Lance Lan kept telling me about the Hades Circle. I didn’t know why he wanted me to hear all this.
"So, for us Hades Circle Born, the moment we’re born, our fate is set. If you refuse to fulfill your duty, the only way out is for a ghost to devour you. That way, you simply cease to exist in this world."
I swallowed hard and took a sip of water. The strange old man walking ahead sighed.
"To know the exact moment you’ll die—honestly, it’s a tough thing to live with. Young man, you seem pretty optimistic. Most of the Hades Circle Born I’ve seen are steeped in death."
"Heh, sir, I’ll die at forty-four. I’ve known that since I was old enough to understand. Since it’s already decided, why torment myself over it?"