Mount Dikti – Crest of the World
The sun hovered low, casting long shadows over the craggy peaks of Mount Dikti. The air was thin and sharp, every breath tasting like clean stone and wind. Clouds drifted beneath the summit like lazy spirits, glowing orange under the fading light.
At the very top, near the jagged crown of the mountain, a boy stood.
White hair, wind-tossed. Eyes crackling with electric blue. Barefoot. Slight bruises lining his arms like battle medals. His new divine gauntlets shimmered faintly under the sun.
Zeus cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted into the sky.
"Alright, Grandma! I know you're watching! Get down here, already!"
A pause. Silence. Just the whistle of the wind and the cry of a distant eagle.
Then the stones began to shift.
Flowers bloomed between the cracks. Moss spread under his feet in soft spirals. The temperature rose slightly, like a warm heartbeat pressing against the earth.
And then—she stepped out of the mountainside itself.
Gaia.
Tall, ancient, barefoot, wearing robes of vines and woven bark. Her long green hair flowed behind her like slow rivers, and her eyes glowed with the weight of time. Wherever she walked, the land bloomed.
She smiled as she approached him, tilting her head. "What do you want, little lad?"
Zeus raised a brow at her.
"That's not a way to talk to your favorite grandson."
His voice was slightly off—he was still missing a back tooth—but his tone was all attitude.
Gaia chuckled, a deep, warm laugh that made the clouds curl tighter around the mountain's edge.
"You do know I have numerous grandchildren, right?"
Zeus didn't flinch. He folded his arms, chin high.
"I know. But let's not pretend. We both know I'm the favorite."
She raised an eyebrow, amused.
"Really?"
"Come on," he said, stepping forward. "Look at me. I'm adorable, powerful, dramatic. I yell at the sky. You like that."
Gaia snorted.
"You're insufferable."
"And yet… you're smiling."
She couldn't help it. Her laughter rolled like distant thunder, soft and full of fondness. She reached forward and ruffled his hair, even as it sparked gently from leftover lightning.
"Alright, you brat," she said, eyes softening. "What do you want?"
Zeus looked up at her, serious now.
He hesitated for a second, then said,
"I need a realm."
That made her pause.
"A what?"
"A secret one," he said. "Somewhere hidden. Off the grid. Beyond Cronus's reach. Somewhere I can train. Grow. Break things without blowing up half the mountain."
Gaia narrowed her eyes, thoughtful.
"You've already begun awakening. That power inside you—it's going to attract attention, Zeus. Even now, the threads of fate are tightening."
"Exactly," Zeus said. "I don't want to wait around and hope I'm strong enough when Cronus shows up. I want to be ready."
He clenched his fists, lightning dancing between his fingers.
"I'm not just some prophecy kid. I'm gonna take the throne. And when I do… I want to earn it."
Gaia studied him in silence. His body was still young, but his soul… she could see it. Ancient. Wild. Stubborn. Heavy with power that hadn't been unlocked yet.
She turned to face the mountain's edge.
"Follow me."
The Descent Beneath the Mountain
They walked in silence, down paths that didn't exist to mortal eyes. With every step Gaia took, the mountain opened for her—walls parting, stones moving like they breathed. The air grew colder. Older.
Eventually, they reached a massive stone arch carved into the mountainside, covered in glowing runes and spiraling roots.
Gaia placed her hand on the stone.
It pulsed once—and then split open.
Behind it was nothing.
Just a swirling, black-and-gold void.
"This place exists between heartbeat and breath," she said. "A pocket realm only the mountain remembers."
Zeus stepped forward, eyes wide.
"Whoa."
"It will obey only you," she continued. "Your will shapes it. Train here. Scream here. Destroy and rebuild. No one will find you—not gods, not titans."
Zeus took a breath, then stepped in.
The void shimmered and—shifted.
Suddenly, he was standing on floating stone platforms drifting over endless skies. Glowing islands spun in the distance. Waterfalls poured from nothing and vanished into light. Storms crackled quietly beneath him like a sea of thunderclouds.
It was… perfect.
"This is insane," Zeus muttered, grinning. "I want to live here."
Behind him, Gaia smiled.
"Then start building it."
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
New Realm Registered: [Thundervoid]
Realm Link Bound to Host
Realm Control: 1% (Training Mode Activated)
Tip: Your imagination is your weapon here. The more divine power you gain, the more the realm will evolve with you.
Zeus turned, eyes bright with electricity and awe.
"Thank you."
Gaia nodded. "You'll need this space soon. Cronus will begin searching. You've already sent ripples through fate."
Zeus exhaled, glancing at his fists.
"Then I'll make sure the next time fate sends something for me—"
He smirked.
"I send lightning back."
Silence.
Zeus stood alone on a floating stone platform, high above the swirling storm sea that raged far below. The wind danced around him, tugging at his white hair, licking sparks off his shoulders. His divine armor shimmered faintly. The new gauntlets hummed with quiet power.
[DING!]
A golden screen flared to life in front of him, hovering with a soft hum. Bright letters etched themselves across the light.
OLYMPIAN CODEX — STATUS WINDOW
Name: Zeus
Title: None
Divine Tier: 2 (Minor Deity)
Faith Level: Local (10 Nymphs, 2 Spirits, 1 Goat)
Divine Power: 21/100
Skills:
Lightning Flicker (Lv. 2)
Passive lightning discharge. Improved control. Sparks now arc with intention.
Thunder Shout (Lv. 2)
Enhanced sound shockwave. Can destabilize terrain and disorient enemies.
Smite (Lv. 1)
Call forth a bolt of focused divine lightning. Charges with emotional intensity.
Zeus crossed his arms and leaned forward, squinting at the screen.
"Still no title. Rude."
He tilted his head. "And seriously—one goat? What does a guy gotta do to get international worship around here?"
The screen flickered.
He closed it with a swipe, then turned his eyes to the endless sky above. His fingers clenched. Sparks danced between them, flickering with promise.
"I'm not leaving this place," he said to the wind, "until these skills are maxed out. All of them."
He looked at his fists.
"I want to shout loud enough to split mountains. I want my lightning to make the clouds scream. When I smite…"
He stepped forward to the edge of the platform, looking out at the storm below.
"…I want the realm itself to tremble."
He raised both hands to the sky.
The clouds above twisted violently. A dozen lightning bolts crashed through the heavens like divine exclamation marks.
[SYSTEM NOTICE]
"Training Realm Difficulty Increased"
Enemy Simulations Activated: Adaptive Beasts – Tier 2 to 4
Warning: Death is painful here. Not permanent. But still very, very painful.
Zeus grinned.
"Perfect."
The storm howled.
And from the shadows of the clouds below, figures began to rise. Shaped from darkness and lightning. Eyes glowing. Claws dripping storm energy.
The first of many.
Zeus cracked his neck and stepped forward.
"Alright."
He lowered into a stance, lightning crawling up his legs.
"Let's see what it takes to become the god of gods."
Then he launched himself into the sky—arms blazing, thunder roaring around him.
And the training began.