Rowan Bryant noticed the sky before anyone else said a word.
It wasn't obvious at first. Just faint lines of gold stretching across the blue, thin as hairline cracks. They shimmered for a second, then deepened, spreading wider.
Someone nearby slowed. "You see that?"
Another voice answered, uncertain. "Yeah… what is that?"
The lines brightened.
Then the sky split.
Light poured through the fractures, sharp and blinding. It washed over the buildings, the street, the people—turning everything pale and unreal. The air grew heavy, thick enough that breathing felt slower, like moving through water.
And then—
Everything stopped.
Sound vanished.
A car froze halfway through a turn. A man stood mid-step, his foot hovering inches above the pavement. A woman's scream hung silently in the air, her mouth wide but motionless.
Rowan could still move.
Barely.
His chest rose in a slow breath as he stared upward at the broken sky.
Then the voice came.
It didn't echo. It pressed into his mind, vast and distant, impossible to ignore.
[Divine Descent Initiated]
[All participants will receive an initial blessing]
[Survive. Grow. Compete.]
Time snapped back.
Noise crashed into the world all at once.
Screams erupted. Tires screeched. Glass shattered somewhere down the street. People ran without direction, shoving past each other in panic.
Rowan stayed where he was.
His breathing remained steady.
A glow formed in front of him.
A small orb hovered at eye level, rotating slowly. It was about the size of his palm, its surface smooth and faintly translucent. Inside, soft golden light drifted like smoke.
[Divine Orb Acquired]
[Break to claim contents]
Rowan reached out and caught it.
Warm.
Solid.
Real.
Around him, others reacted.
Some crushed their orbs immediately. Each one shattered in a flash of light, dissolving into glowing fragments. Reactions followed—shouts of confusion, disbelief, even laughter.
Rowan tightened his grip.
The orb cracked.
Then shattered.
Light filled his vision.
[Legendary Blessing Acquired: Mind of Athena]
Something shifted instantly.
The noise around him separated, no longer blending together. Individual sounds stood out—the scrape of shoes against pavement, distant shouting, the flutter of something moving above.
His thoughts moved faster.
Clearer.
Everything felt easier to process.
More text appeared in front of him.
[Mind of Athena - Legendary]
[Description: A divine blessing that enhances intelligence, perception, and wisdom. Grants heightened awareness, accelerated thought processing, and improved decision-making.]
[Stat Bonuses:]
+10 Intelligence
+5 Perception
+4 Wisdom
Rowan exhaled slowly.
"…Good."
Another window appeared.
[System Initialization Complete]
[Displaying User Summary]
It settled into place, sharp and easy to read.
[STATUS]
Name: Rowan Bryant
Divine Favor: 0
Health: 170 / 170
Mana: 140 / 140
[Stats]
Strength: 5
Agility: 6
Endurance: 7
Intelligence: 20
Perception: 11
Wisdom: 9
Charisma: 5
[Items]
Empty
[Blessings]
Mind of Athena (Legendary) Lv.1
Additional lines followed beneath it.
Health: Life force. If it reaches zero → death.
Mana: Energy used to activate abilities.
Divine Favor: Gained through combat and achievements.
Stats: Determine physical and mental capability.
Items: Stores objects, currency, and equipment.
Blessings: Powers obtained from Divine Orbs. Orbs must be broken to reveal their contents.
Rowan read everything once.
The information settled immediately.
A scream cut through the chaos.
Close.
Sharp.
Rowan turned.
Something dropped from above.
It hit the ground with a heavy impact, wings spreading wide. Dust and loose debris skidded across the pavement from the force.
Up close, it was worse.
Its body was twisted—part human, part something else entirely. Its wings were large and uneven, covered in dark feathers that looked jagged and rough. Its face stretched into a permanent snarl, filled with sharp, uneven teeth.
A harpy.
It moved instantly.
One swipe.
A man in front of it didn't have time to react.
Claws tore through him.
Blood splattered across the ground.
People froze.
Then they ran.
The harpy shrieked, a high, piercing sound that cut through everything. It launched upward, wings beating hard as it climbed before circling for another strike.
Rowan stepped forward.
A metal pipe lay near the curb. He picked it up, the cool weight settling into his hand.
The harpy climbed higher.
Then turned.
And dove.
Fast.
Rowan waited.
The distance closed rapidly.
Ten feet.
Five.
At the last moment, he stepped aside.
The claws missed him.
He swung.
The pipe struck its wing with a sharp crack. The creature faltered, crashing into the ground instead of gliding through.
It shrieked, struggling to rise.
Rowan moved in.
He drove the pipe forward.
Once.
Twice.
The third strike crushed into its throat.
The harpy's body jerked.
Then went still.
Silence lingered for a second.
[Enemy Eliminated]
[Divine Favor +12]
A faint warmth spread through Rowan's chest.
[Divine Favor: 12]
"…Alright."
A shimmer appeared near the corpse.
Light gathered, forming into solid shapes.
[Drops Generated]
Drachma x24
Common Divine Orb
A small pile of dull silver coins rested on the pavement, each one faintly marked. Beside them hovered another orb, dimmer than the first.
Rowan crouched and picked up the coins.
They vanished the moment he touched them.
Stored.
He looked at the orb in his hand.
Less radiant.
Less intense.
He crushed it.
The orb shattered into light.
[Ability Acquired: Shock]
Electricity sparked across his hand.
Thin arcs flickered between his fingers, snapping lightly before fading. The energy wasn't wild—it settled quickly, responding to his movement.
More text appeared.
[Shock - Common]
[Description: Releases a burst of electricity on contact, dealing damage and briefly stunning the target.]
[Cost: Mana 10]
The sparks faded, but the sense of control remained.
Another message appeared.
[System Notice]
[User data is private]
[Sharing required to view others]
Rowan let out a quiet breath.
"…Good."
More screams echoed from farther down the street.
More creatures.
More fighting.
The city was falling apart.
Smoke rose between buildings. Glass crunched underfoot as people ran past him, their faces pale, their movements frantic.
Rowan stood still for a moment.
Then raised his hand slightly.
A faint spark flickered between his fingers.
Electricity.
He looked toward the next sound of movement in the distance.
"…Then I keep going."
No hesitation.
No panic.
Rowan stepped forward.
The world had changed.
And he was already moving with it.