Gregorian Empire — Province of Phrygia
The radiance of the Bifröst erupted into a dance of a thousand colors.For an instant, the world became pure light—and then… nothing.
Silence.
The beam vanished so abruptly it nearly blinded me. I blinked several times until the shadows regained form. The ground beneath my feet was rough and damp; the mountain wind cut like frozen glass.
Ahead of me, a city stretched across the plain at the base of the slope.
Still disoriented, I stared at the lingering sparks floating in the air, as if the Bifröst refused to leave completely.
Aphrodite, with that smile that looked like sin given a face, turned toward me.
Aphrodite: —"See? That right there is Tontheón."
—"That was fast… whatever. Now we go to Olympus."
Lilith took my hand lightly, almost playfully. Her fingers were warm, her gaze teasing.
Lilith: —"Wait… what if we go down there for a bit and have some fun?"
—"No thanks. I didn't come here for sightseeing." (I came to massacre an idiot.)
Lilith let out a long sigh, as if finishing a thought:
Lilith: —"Olympus is visible at the summit of this mountain—at the peak covered by clouds… from there, you can see the floating island where Olympus rests."
Aphrodite crossed her arms, adding in a tone that didn't quite tell me if it was flirting or a warning:
Aphrodite: —"On foot, it would take about two hours to get there." (For us… he's strong, but not that fast… any human would take around twelve days.)
The moment I heard the time estimate, I didn't hesitate.
—"Okay. You two wait here. I'm going to take a leak." (I'm not patient. Never have been.)
I stepped into the bushes, the cold air thick with ozone. Lowering my voice:
—"Hey, Quincy. Push everything to 100%—except charm. Keep that the same."
[Okay, Master.]
Without asking them anything, I just left. (I'm free!)
[Basic Skill «Infinite Speed» is now active.]
The world became a streak.
I had never moved this fast—air screamed past me, the landscape bending into lines of color. I reached the summit in a blink, and using the momentum, I jumped.
The void opened beneath my feet.
The wind roared in my ears as I saw it—
the floating island, rising between the clouds, imposing. A divine barrier surrounded it, shimmering in gold.
I almost overshot the altitude.My basic skill deactivated.
And now I was in freefall—straight toward the island.
[Master, knowing you… I will reduce your Strength stat. ( ❛ ₒ ❛ )👌]
I tensed at Quincy's voice, the air slamming against my face.
—"Why?"
[Because if I don't… and you use «Force of Creation», you will undoubtedly cause the total destruction of the island, the planet… and half the universe. \( ㆆ ﹏ ㆆ )/]
[So, since I enjoy watching you suffer, I'll set your Strength to 1%. Then you can activate the skill. After that, I'll return it to 100%. ( ^ ‿ ^ )👍]
I nodded.
Mid-fall, I activated the skill, gathered power into my fist—and struck.
The barrier shattered with a sharp crack, like glass exploding under sunlight.
I pierced through effortlessly, but that didn't stop the impact.
Marble groaned beneath me as I crashed. I knew I survived thanks to my beloved basic skill: «Absolute Resistance.»
I stood up, brushing off the dust. My heart pounded—adrenaline, anticipation, something darker.
Olympus unfolded before me:
Majestic. Blinding. Vast.
Buildings of polished white marble adorned with gold and gemstones reflected the light as if daylight itself emanated from them. Streams flowed between gardens of flowers, and the air smelled of fresh water… and power.
For the first time—
I had reached Olympus.
***
Three minutes before the Glitch's arrival
Olympic Zone — Throne Hall
At the heart of Olympus, in the chamber where the gods gathered to deliberate the affairs of the Pantheon, an unusual silence reigned.
White marble columns glowed under the golden light cast by divine fire suspended in the air.
A translucent sphere—woven from pure energy—enveloped the entire hall.
A divine barrier, crafted by Zeus himself.
No sound could escape.No external interference could enter.
Only those within could hear what was about to be said.
Hades and Persephone stood before the central thrones. Shadows danced across them, shaped by the flickering ethereal fire.
Zeus, seated at the central throne, held a rigid posture, fingers tapping the golden armrest with impatience.
Hera, beside him, watched closely.Athena's gaze remained fixed on Hades—sharp, analytical, wary.
Hera spoke first, her eyes shifting toward Athena:
Hera: —"So… this meeting—is it about what to do with the mortal who destroyed my sister's temple?"
Zeus exhaled, turning his gaze toward her.
Zeus: —"This secret meeting concerns something far more serious. Something that affects all Zones."
Persephone remained silent.
Then Hades stepped forward, his voice deep—resonating within the sphere like a contained echo:
Hades: —"I don't know if Zeus has told you already… but eleven days ago… we discovered that the Moirai were killed."
The weight of those words surpassed any thunder.
Hera turned sharply, disbelief written across her face.Athena frowned.
Zeus didn't move—but his fist tightened enough to make the air tremble around his throne.
Hera: —"What are you saying? The Moirai cannot die. They were created by Mother before the Titans."
Hades: —"I know… but we found all three of them split in half. There was no evidence left—only that."
Persephone stepped forward, her voice gentle—but firm:
Persephone: —"We found their remains in their cave near the Valley of Shadows. But fortunately… we recovered their final prophecy. We just haven't been able to decipher it yet."
Athena narrowed her eyes, restraining the storm of questions forming in her mind.
Athena: —"A final prophecy? What did it say?"
Hades raised his hand, materializing a dark scroll covered in shifting symbols.
The markings glowed and faded—as if the language itself refused to be understood.
Hades: —"No one in the underworld under our rule has been able to interpret it. Zeus and I chose to keep it secret from the other Zones… due to the danger it poses to the balance of our functions."
He lifted the scroll—and recited the final words of the goddesses of fate:
Hades: —"'He will lay waste to everything, and his power will grow. His soul will be wounded to its very foundation… and Ragnarok will begin. The resurgence of the Entity will draw the destroyer—and in its end, he shall never return.'"
Zeus leaned forward, eyes like storm lightning.
Zeus: —"I still don't understand… Hades, what do you think it is? The return of the Martial God? A new incarnation? An external threat?"
Hades: —"I don't know, brother… but I can tell you this—whatever it is… it's the greatest threat since the Martial God."
The air inside the divine sphere tightened to an unbearable degree.
Hera looked away, hands clenched in her lap.Athena exchanged a glance with Zeus—searching for calm.
She found none.
Athena: —"Then… if the Moirai fell… they must have framed the succession of the Gift, right? Like Oneuli… maybe there's still a way to preserve balance." (Could it be that mortal?… No, impossible…)
Zeus: —"Perhaps… I've decided. I will inform the Zone representatives at the next council."
For a moment, Zeus's divine energy surged, the sphere crackling like contained storms.
Hades stood firm.Persephone instinctively placed her hand over his, trying to steady the tension.
Zeus inhaled deeply… and closed his eyes.
Zeus: —"No one outside this chamber is to know what has happened. If the threads of fate have been severed—and now converge on those final words… then only the principal gods of the Zones shall bear this knowledge."
With a gesture of his hand, the divine sphere tightened further—as if the outside world had ceased to exist.
***
Temple of the Sacred Flame
Elsewhere in Olympus, Hestia tended the white fire that burned endlessly.
Each spark was a vital pulse of the divine barrier—the heart of the Pantheon.
Her serene face reflected the warm glow of the flames, but her mind remained focused… vigilant.
Footsteps echoed behind her, breaking her concentration.
Ares: —"Still here, Aunt? I just got back and you're exactly where you always are… have you even rested?"
Apollo: —"What are you saying, brother? Even minor gods couldn't sustain that flame this long without exhausting their existence."
Hestia smiled, without turning.
Hestia: —"As long as this flame exists, harmony endures. If it goes out, Olympus is exposed. How could I abandon it?"
Apollo stepped closer, carrying his usual carefree air.
Apollo: —"We just got back from Muspelheim today… and you're not even going to ask how the battlefields are?"
Before Hestia could answer—
The ground shook violently.
A deep roar—like the sky itself cracking—rattled the entire island. The temple columns trembled. The fire flickered wildly.
Hestia's eyes widened in terror. Her breath caught.
Hestia: —"No… that's not possible!"
Ares instinctively drew his spear.Apollo looked up toward the sky.
The white flame turned gold… then red.
Hestia: —"The divine barrier has been broken!"
Ares cursed under his breath, staring toward the summit—toward the palace.
Ares: —"Who would dare…?"
Apollo: —"I don't know… but I didn't feel any existential power. Whatever it is… it's not a god."
Without wasting another second, both of them ran out of the temple—
leaving behind the fire still flickering between white and red…
as if Olympus itself trembled before what was about to come—for the first time.