The morning sun poured through the cracked blinds, slicing through the shadows of a messy dorm room. Aiden Cross lay sprawled across his bed, one arm hanging off the edge, the faint shimmer of golden light flickering around his half-open palm.
Beep. Beep. Beep.
The alarm clock had been going off for fifteen minutes.
"...Five more minutes," Aiden mumbled, burying his face in the pillow.
Then the door slammed open.
"CROSS!"
A familiar voice roared like a thunderclap. Standing at the door was Kael Drakon — tall, broad-shouldered, and radiating barely-contained fire energy. His crimson aura flared faintly as he glared down at Aiden.
"You're gonna miss the first Mythos Combat exam of the year!" Kael snapped, tossing a training gauntlet at him. It smacked Aiden in the chest, jolting him awake.
Aiden blinked, still half-asleep. "Oh. Right. That's today."
Kael's eye twitched. "Yeah, genius. Today. The same exam that determines our ranks for the semester. The same one you said you'd be on time for."
Aiden sat up, rubbing his eyes. His baggy shirt slipped off one shoulder, revealing a faint golden mark etched into his skin — a stylized lion's head glowing under his collarbone. The mark pulsed once before fading.
"I'll make it," he said simply, grabbing his uniform jacket and slipping past Kael.
"Unbelievable," Kael muttered, following after him. "You've got a Mythos and you act like it's a house pet."
They raced through the towering halls of Helios Academy, a vast campus built upon floating platforms suspended in the sky — sunlight glinting off marble statues of gods and heroes. Students in sleek combat uniforms filled the walkways, their auras shimmering with mythic energy.
A group of them turned to stare as Aiden passed. Whispers followed him like a cold wind.
"That's the guy with the sealed Mythos…"
"Twelve Chains? Sounds cursed, not divine."
"Why even bother training if you can't use it?"
Aiden ignored them. He was used to it.
They reached the Divine Arena — an enormous coliseum suspended above the clouds, where the exam was already underway. Professor Orion stood at the center, tall and composed, silver hair tied back. His presence alone silenced the crowd.
"You're late, Mr. Cross," Orion said without looking up from his clipboard.
"Sorry," Aiden said, bowing slightly.
"Your partner will be Lyra Vale," Orion continued, turning his sharp gaze toward the blonde girl already waiting in the arena. Her silver eyes glinted behind thin glasses — sharp, calculating, and unimpressed.
"The weakest student paired with the top strategist," she said coolly. "This should be… educational."
Kael snorted from the stands. "Oh, this is gonna be good."
The crowd murmured with excitement.
Orion raised a hand. "Begin."
Lyra moved first — blindingly fast. A shimmering golden owl symbol flared behind her as her Athena Mythos activated. A tactical field of light formed around her, mapping out trajectories and weak points.
She lunged, her spear thrusting straight for Aiden's chest.
He barely dodged, the spear slicing the air beside him. The ground cracked from the force.
"Too slow," Lyra said, spinning her weapon for another strike.
Aiden exhaled slowly, blue eyes steady. He didn't activate his Mythos. He just… moved. Every motion was calm, efficient, instinctive — dodging her strikes by inches, his body flowing with impossible precision.
Lyra frowned. "You're not using your Echo?"
"Don't need to."
Her eyes narrowed. She swung again, harder. Aiden caught the shaft of her spear mid-strike — muscles flexing beneath his loose sleeve. For a brief moment, her expression faltered.
The arena floor trembled.
Then a roar echoed through the sky.
The air darkened. The barrier around the arena shimmered as alarms blared.
Professor Orion's head snapped upward. "Impossible… a Titan?"
A massive hand of black stone crashed through the clouds — veins of molten gold pulsing through it. A Fallen Titan — one of the corrupted remnants of divine power — was descending straight toward the academy.
Screams erupted. Students scrambled back as divine energy ripped through the air.
Lyra turned toward it, horror flashing across her face. "We can't fight that! Not without the upper division—"
Aiden stepped forward.
The golden shimmer returned to his eyes.
Something deep inside him — chained, sealed, waiting — began to stir.
The faint sound of breaking metal echoed in his chest.
Chain I — Lion's Valor
Golden light erupted around him, swirling like a storm. His hair lifted in the surge of energy, muscles hardening as his aura flared.
He caught the Titan's descending fist with one hand. The ground shattered beneath his feet, but he stood firm.
The crowd froze. Lyra's eyes widened.
Kael whispered from the stands, voice barely audible—
"…What the hell are you?"
Aiden looked up at the Titan, golden light burning from his eyes.
"I'm just getting started."
The ground quaked beneath Aiden's feet as he held back the Titan's massive hand — its molten veins dripping golden fire onto the arena floor. The sheer pressure alone sent shockwaves spiraling outward, shattering the marble tiles and cracking the protective wards that lined the coliseum walls.
Students gasped and stumbled back, their auras flickering in panic.
Professor Orion stood at the edge of the arena, eyes narrowing. "Chain activation… impossible. He was ranked at Echo Form."
Aiden's arms trembled under the impossible weight, but his expression never changed. His breath came slow and steady — calm in the middle of chaos.
Then, with a guttural roar, he pushed.
The sound of muscle and power colliding with divine energy filled the air. His uniform strained, fabric pulling tight over his arms and chest as the golden aura flared hotter and brighter.
Rrrip—
His shirt tore down the middle, shreds of fabric fluttering away in the heated air.
Beneath it, his body was a map of divine resilience — bronze-toned skin glowing faintly with lines of golden light tracing along his veins like liquid fire. The Lion's Mark on his chest burned brighter, roaring to life as if it were alive.
Students froze in awe. Lyra lowered her weapon, her analytical eyes widening for the first time.
"…That's not a normal Echo," she breathed.
Aiden's voice came low, steady — carried by the hum of raw power.
"I said… I'd make it to class."
With a thunderous shout, he lifted the Titan's colossal hand. The being's stone-like body groaned in protest as Aiden's aura exploded outward — a pillar of golden energy shooting into the sky.
Kael's jaw dropped. "He just—lifted a Titan?"
Lyra's eyes darted to Orion. "That kind of strength shouldn't be possible at Chain I. What is he?"
Orion's gaze didn't leave Aiden. His expression was unreadable.
"…A burden born of divinity," he murmured. "And maybe… its answer."
The Titan howled, pulling back its arm, molten eyes locking on Aiden like a predator recognizing a threat. It slammed its other fist downward, trying to crush him.
Aiden crossed his arms, muscles tensing like steel cables. The impact blasted a crater into the arena — but he didn't fall. The shockwave threw rubble, dust, and lightning-like energy through the stands, but at the center of it all, he stood.
Golden flames curled around him like a lion's mane.
He drew in a deep breath — not for show, not for bravado, but pure focus — and drove his fist forward.
The punch connected with the Titan's wrist.
A sound like a thunderclap ripped across the sky.
The creature's arm snapped, molten stone spraying out as divine energy burst like shattering glass.
The Titan stumbled backward, roaring in agony before disintegrating into clouds of golden ash.
Silence followed.
Only the wind moved, scattering dust and faint embers around the ruined arena.
Aiden exhaled and straightened, the golden light fading from his eyes. His torn shirt hung in tatters, his chest still glowing faintly from the strain.
He looked up at the broken sky above Helios Academy — the storm of light from the Titan fading into nothingness.
And for a moment… the whole world seemed to stop.
Then, from the stands, Kael let out a low whistle.
"…Guess we found the real strongest in our class."
Lyra's gaze lingered on Aiden, her calculating demeanor replaced with something quieter.
"…He broke his chain," she whispered. "Through sheer will."
Professor Orion finally spoke, voice echoing through the arena.
"Aiden Cross…"
The young man turned slightly, golden shimmer fading from his calm blue eyes.
"…Welcome to your true beginning."
The crowd erupted in awe and disbelief. But Aiden didn't bask in it. He only glanced down at his hands — still trembling slightly — and felt something strange stir deep within his chest.
The faint echo of another chain rattling in the distance.
The last traces of the Titan's essence dissolved into glowing dust, drifting like embers through the air.
Silence hung heavy over the ruined Divine Arena — a silence thick enough to feel divine itself.
Aiden stood at the center of it all, shirt torn and glowing faintly, chest rising and falling with steady breaths. His arms still crackled faintly with golden light, but the fury had faded from his eyes. Only exhaustion — and focus — remained.
Professor Orion lowered his hand, dismissing the emergency barriers that had automatically triggered when the Titan appeared. The shimmering wards flickered out one by one.
Then, with a calmness that felt almost eerie, Orion said,
"Resume the exam."
Every student gaped at him.
Lyra, still holding her weapon, blinked in disbelief. "Resume? After that?"
Orion turned his gaze to her — the faintest trace of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"The world will not wait for comfort, Miss Vale. Continue the assessment."
He looked to Aiden.
"You still owe us your combat evaluation."
Aiden met his gaze, then nodded. He rolled his shoulders, the golden aura fading into faint motes of light. The adrenaline was gone — but a calm fire still burned in his chest.
Lyra took a step back, spinning her spear into ready position. "Fine. But don't think I'll go easy on you just because you saved everyone."
"I wouldn't want you to."
The crowd leaned forward, the atmosphere tense again — this time, not from fear, but from awe.
Lyra activated her Mythos — the sigil of an owl made of light spreading its wings behind her. A field of energy formed around her again, mapping out trajectories and probability lines — a tactical simulation only her mind could read.
"You may have brute strength," she said sharply, "but I have strategy."
Aiden smiled faintly. "Then I'll try not to ruin your plan too quickly."
She darted forward. Her movements were precise, controlled — every thrust of her spear guided by Athena's foresight. Aiden weaved through them with surprising grace for someone built like a brawler, each dodge fluid and instinctive.
Sparks of divine energy clashed between them — golden against silver.
Lyra feinted left, then jabbed at his exposed flank — only for Aiden to twist aside, catching the shaft of her spear mid-swing. The impact rippled through the air.
He wasn't even using full strength now — he didn't need to.
Lyra's expression hardened. She pushed forward, using a burst of energy to knock him back, but he planted his feet and held firm.
"Predict this," he murmured.
He stepped in — faster than her field could calculate — and flicked the end of her weapon upward. The spear spun into the air, and before it even hit the ground, Aiden stopped his fist an inch from her chest.
The shockwave alone sent her hair fluttering back.
Her eyes widened behind her glasses. She hadn't even seen the movement.
Professor Orion raised a hand. "Match concluded."
The entire arena erupted — students shouting, whispering, disbelief spreading like wildfire.
"Did he just outmaneuver the Athena Mythos?"
"He wasn't even using his Echo fully…"
"He broke a chain and then beat Lyra Vale?"
Lyra caught her breath, then lowered her gaze. Her pride stung, but something else flickered in her eyes — respect.
"You're not what I thought you were, Aiden Cross."
He offered her a small smile. "I get that a lot."
Orion descended from the stands, his cloak brushing over the cracked marble as he approached. He studied Aiden for a long, silent moment — then nodded once.
"Your control, even after a Chain Break, is… remarkable. Most would have been consumed by divine feedback."
"I'm still standing," Aiden said simply.
Orion's eyes glimmered. "For now. Be cautious. Power demands a price — and the gods always collect."
Aiden tilted his head slightly, unsure what that meant, but Orion had already turned away.
"Class dismissed," he announced. "We will reconvene tomorrow to evaluate the damage… and the results."
As students filed out, Kael ran up and clapped Aiden on the shoulder, laughing. "Man, you just punched a Titan and then aced the exam. You know that, right?"
Aiden shrugged, a faint grin tugging at his lips. "Guess it's a good start."
Lyra passed by, her usual composed voice softer than before. "Next time, I'll win."
"I'll look forward to it."
When the arena finally emptied, Aiden stood alone amid the ruins — the wind cool against his skin, the tatters of his shirt fluttering in the breeze. He glanced at his hand, the faint golden veins still pulsing faintly under his skin.
Then, faintly, he heard it — like chains rattling somewhere deep inside his soul.
One broken. Eleven remain.
A slow smile formed on his face.
"Guess I'm finally awake."
The sunlight broke through the clouds, casting golden rays over the shattered arena — and for the first time, the boy everyone thought was weak felt the world begin to notice him.