Melric floated in the sky, spinning slowly, his arms awkwardly flailing as he twirled above the city like a leaf caught in a lazy whirlwind. The wind brushed against his skin, and for a moment—just a moment—he loved it. The feeling of floating freely above buildings, cars, and people… it was surreal.
"Whoa..." he muttered. "I'm actually flying. I'm really—"
He spun again, completely out of control.
"Okay, okay—wait, I'm getting dizzy...!"
He clutched his stomach. "Twirling isn't as fun as it looks in movies!"
Just yesterday, he was powerless—just another unnoticed background student with no strength, no presence, and no purpose. Now here he was, floating like some superhero knock-off above the skyline.
"Wait… all I did was complete a weird quest," he thought, frowning. "And now I can fly? Isn't that a little too OP? What's next—summoning lightning dragons?"
But that excitement quickly turned into dread.
"Hold on... How do I get down?"
That's when it appeared again.
> 🜁 [THE DIVINE SYSTEM HAS DETECTED YOUR CONFUSION]
Would you like to deactivate FLIGHT MODE?
Melric blinked. "Uhh... yes?" he said hesitantly.
The system obeyed.
And gravity did too.
He dropped—like a human meteor.
"WAIT—WAITWAITWAIT—AAAAHHH!!!"
The wind screamed past his ears as the world rushed up to meet him.
He was about to become a pavement pancake when—suddenly—his fall froze midair, his nose just inches above the ground.
He hovered there, eyes wide, breathing hard.
"…If I hit that, my brains would've painted the whole sidewalk," he gasped.
Then—plop—he dropped gently the final few centimeters, smacking the concrete with a groan.
"Owww... My skull's gonna file a complaint."
He sat up, holding his head and wincing. When he looked around, he realized something else: he was nowhere near school. He must've drifted during his flight.
"Great," he muttered. "Not only did I almost die, I'm also lost. Cool."
But before he could complain further, the system chimed in again.
> 🜁 [CONGRATULATIONS, HEIR OF ZEUS!]
You have completed the Beginner's Trial!
The previous quests were designed to let the Heir of Zeus taste just a fraction of his true potential. Now, the real trials begin.
Prepare yourself: The journey to divinity will test your limits.
[NEW QUEST UNLOCKED]
Melric blinked again.
"So that flight thing was just a free sample? What is this, a power buffet?"
He read the next screen:
> 🜁 [PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENT TRIAL]
Complete the following tasks each week for the next 2 months:
300 Push-ups
300 Sit-ups
Run 20 kilometers
1-Hour bar hold (isometric endurance)
1-Hour meditation (mental stabilization)
No processed food
> Each week completed will grant stat increases.
Then, his current stats appeared. His strength, stamina, speed—all of them were in the negatives. A big, bold F- glowed at the top like a grade from hell.
Melric's soul left his body for a second.
"I'm... weaker than an F-Rank?"
He stared blankly at the screen. "What am I—tissue paper?"
> 🜁 [FAILURE TO COMPLETE THE WEEKLY CHALLENGES MAY RESULT IN DIVINE PENALTIES]
Melric squinted.
"…Penalties?" he asked cautiously.
> 🜁 [PHYSICAL STRAIN, EXHAUSTION, TEMPORARY POWER LOCK—AND POSSIBLE TERMINATION]
He choked.
"YOU MEAN DEATH?!?!"
He glared at the floating system interface. "What kind of messed up system are you?! That's not a penalty, that's a death sentence!"
> 🜁 [Then succeed.]
[Challenge begins tomorrow at sunrise.]
Melric groaned, flopping dramatically on the ground.
"Great. I can't even go home now. Those two are probably hunting me down like angry wolves."
He sat up and sighed, brushing dust from his hoodie. "I'll find a place to crash tonight. I've done it before. The city always has some empty rooftop or abandoned alley to rest in."
With a final groan, he stood and looked out toward the distant skyline.
He clenched his fists.
"…Fine. If this is the path to becoming something more... to becoming the Heir of Zeus... I'll do it."
Then he paused.
"…But seriously, who puts push-ups in a divine quest?"
Inside the high council chamber of Olympus Academy—a towering glass-paneled room suspended in the upper levels of the Stormspire Tower—ten elite students sat around a crescent-shaped obsidian table, each bearing the insignia of divine heritage.
The air was tense. Crackling.
Zeke's fist slammed into the reinforced marble wall, cracking it with a deafening thud. Dust rained from the ceiling as he roared, "He called me a douchebag?! Me?!" His voice echoed like thunder in the chamber.
"I used to mock that rat every damn day and he'd just smile like a beaten dog. Now he dares to stand up—to me?! I'll kill him the next time I see his face!"
Hera, seated beside him, didn't speak. But her expression had twisted into something venomous. Her usual cold elegance was now warped by humiliation. Her fingernails dug into the armrest of her seat, carving scratches into the ancient wood.
"How—how did he know?" she muttered under her breath. "Did he read my mind? No... he knew what I was doing. He played me."
Her lips curled into a snarl. "That little insect mocked me… me!"
Zeke turned toward her. "He must have planned this. Probably bought some cheap power-up item to fake flying. Trash like him must've been saving up for years."
Before anyone could answer, a smooth voice cut through the tension.
From the corner of the room, Savi rose from his seat. His red hair glinted under the magical ceiling lights, eyes dark and unreadable. He adjusted his black blazer, calm as ever—like a devil enjoying the chaos.
"Flight items aren't just rare," Savi said, casually shoving his hands into his pockets. "They're forbidden for first-years. And expensive enough to buy an entire district."
He gave a lazy smirk.
"There's no way someone like Malric—who eats leftover cafeteria bread—could afford one. Even if he sold his soul and worked as a slave for eighty years, he wouldn't even cover a fraction."
Hera's face contorted further. "Then what are you saying?! That he really did it? He has nothing! No power! No divine spark! He's a zero!"
Her voice rose into a scream. "HE MUST HAVE STOLEN IT!"
Savi raised his eyebrows, amused by her outburst. "Or maybe…" he said, pausing, "...he's not the same weakling you think he is."
That made the room go quiet.
Zeke clenched his jaw. "I don't care how. I'll burn his house down if I have to. I'll hunt him like a dog and make him regret every second of defiance. I swear it on my blood."
Hera stood abruptly, her golden eyes burning with madness. "I'll help you. I'll crush his will to live."
But Savi just yawned. "Tch. Boring. The two of you can have your little revenge party. I've got better things to do than chase a cockroach. Later."
He turned, cape fluttering behind him as he left the chamber without a second glance.
Zeke glared at his back. "Arrogant brat…" he whispered.
The room was left in silence, simmering with rage and unanswered questions.