The arena was vast, carved from black stone and ringed by towering statues of gods long forgotten. The air smelled of ozone, faint sparks clinging to the edges of reality itself.
[System Notification: Silver-tier Challenge Initiated – Target: Descendant of Minor Lightning God]Objective: Survive and endure combat to improve willpower.Reward: Experience +500, Silver Progress +25%
I stepped into the arena, the hum of the system in my mind now a constant pulse. My Bronze-tier body had grown stronger through training, and my Sky's Authority gave me minor environmental control. I had confidence… or so I thought.
The opponent appeared—a young man radiating raw divine energy, his aura crackling like a storm. Even from a distance, I could feel the sheer force pressing against me.
Warning: Significant threat – Silver-tier superiority detected
The first strike came before I could blink. Lightning arced from his fingers, faster and more precise than anything I had ever faced. I dodged instinctively, but the force slammed into the ground beside me, sending shards of stone flying.
I staggered back, breath catching. My hands tingled, sparks jumping wildly without control.
[Bolt Manifestation: Partial Control – 50%]
This isn't training. This isn't a duel. This is survival.
The system pulsed, whispering, guiding… but even its voice felt faint against the storm of his power. I felt lost, adrift in a storm I couldn't control. Every instinct I had learned faltered. Every strategy I had practiced seemed insufficient.
I was on my knees, trembling. "I… I can't—"
Then a voice, calm and steady, pierced my panic.
Child of Zeus… strength is forged in moments of doubt. Will is tested where control fails.
I clenched my fists, the hum of the system a lifeline. I had never felt this powerless. The opponent's lightning struck again, scorching the ground mere inches from my arm. Pain shot through me, but I forced myself to stand.
[System Hint: Willpower Test – Survival Mode]
I focused on my breathing. The spark in my chest, once timid, began to roar. Lightning wrapped around my arms, no longer wild but concentrated. My mind cleared.
I didn't attack. I survived. I dodged, learned the pattern, adapted to the storm of his strikes. Each step, each breath, built resolve.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, I raised my hand and directed a small, controlled bolt—not to kill, but to force the opponent to respect my presence.
He faltered, blinking at the sudden precision and control. For the first time, I wasn't a Bronze-tier boy flailing in the storm. I was Caelum Ardentis—the spark of Zeus, surviving against a god-descendant's wrath.
[Willpower Strengthened +50%][Silver-tier Progress +15%]
I collapsed to my knees, exhausted. My body ached, my arms still crackling with residual energy. But inside… inside, I felt something I hadn't felt before.
I can endure. I can survive. I can rise, no matter the storm.
Richa appeared beside me immediately, concern and pride etched into his features. "Caelum… that was—"
I shook my head, still catching my breath. "It's not over yet. But I… I understand now. I can't just rely on power. I need will. I need strategy. I need control."
Bronze → Silver… survival is only the first step.