Prologue

The city followed its usual rhythm. People walked without concern, the murmur of conversations blending with the hum of car engines. The sun illuminated the buildings, and everything seemed to be in perfect harmony.

Until a strange sensation took over the atmosphere.

A chill ran down spines. The air grew heavy, dense, suffocating.

Crack.

The sound echoed throughout the city, reverberating like the omen of an impending disaster.

Boom.

A colossal spear, formed from clouds and lightning, tore through the sky. Its descent sliced the wind, shaking the buildings around it. Its mere presence shattered windows and made structures tremble. But that spear had a target.

Lee Ji-Ho.

The young man walked along the sidewalk, lost in thought, when he sensed the danger. His body reacted before his mind could process what was happening. In a fluid motion, he leaned to the side, dodging at the last moment.

The impact of the spear against the asphalt behind him triggered a deafening explosion. The ground split apart, debris flying in every direction. Chaos consumed the city.

Another crack.

Another spear.

This time, Ji-Ho was ready.

The second spear descended with overwhelming force, completely obliterating what was left of the street. The air vibrated with destructive energy, a sharp sound that seemed to tear through reality itself.

Ji-Ho didn't hesitate. With only his left hand, he caught the spear. The impact sent him skidding through the streets, his feet carving deep trails into the shattered ground. He clenched his teeth, struggling against the absurd force of the celestial weapon. The pressure mounted. The earth beneath his fingers crumbled.

He couldn't waste time.

With a roar, he channeled his strength and, in an explosive motion, hurled the spear back into the sky.

The sound of the throw echoed like thunder. The spear shot upward, slicing through the clouds even faster than before. The moment it reached the heavens, daylight was consumed by darkness.

A pair of crimson eyes emerged from the storm.

The creature revealed itself.

A towering silhouette of clouds and electricity took shape. Its imposing body looked like a sculpture of black marble. Its sharp teeth gleamed with the lightning slashing through the sky. Its presence was suffocating.

Ji-Ho lifted his gaze, a confident smile forming on his lips.

— Come at me, you bastard.

The creature didn't hesitate. From within the storm, its colossal arm extended, ready to crush him.

Ji-Ho moved. His body shone blue, and his speed tripled.

The entity's punch fell upon the city.

The impact was catastrophic. Buildings crumbled, streets split apart, and the thunderous sound spread for miles. The crater formed by the blow looked like a bottomless abyss.

With a single leap, Ji-Ho was no longer there.

He was already in the air. His body left a trail of blue electricity as he swiftly approached the creature.

Then he saw it.

A monstrous, grayish hand, covered in razor-sharp claws, emerged from the clouds. It came at him with terrifying speed.

Ji-Ho didn't hesitate.

A purple dagger materialized in his right hand. With a single strike, he carved a deep wound into the creature's flesh.

The roar of pain that followed made the earth tremble.

All eyes turned to the sky.

The storm momentarily dissipated, revealing the true form of the creature.

Arathos, the Colossus of the Gods.

Its black eyes with crimson irises glared at Ji-Ho with fury. Its jaws parted, revealing fangs as large as buildings. Its colossal arm rose again, ready to crush its enemy.

Ji-Ho laughed.

— There you are, you bastard. BRING IT ON!

He charged forward.

At the last moment, his right hand shone intensely. A punch charged with energy collided with the colossus's palm, generating a colossal explosion.

Ji-Ho was hurled toward a distant building, destroying part of its structure upon impact.

But Arathos wasn't alone.

From the storm's shadows, demonic harpies emerged, their dark wings slicing through the skies as they rushed toward Ji-Ho.

He watched their approach, a smirk of defiance forming on his lips.

— Going for cheap tricks now?

In an instant, he moved. He leaped onto one of the harpies, using it as a foothold to propel himself to the next. Midair, he spun the dagger, decapitating the monster before launching toward another.

The sky became a battlefield.

As Ji-Ho advanced through the harpies, the Colossus seized the opportunity to grab him.

When it opened its hand, it realized it had only caught one of the harpies.

Ji-Ho was already climbing its arm at high speed, channeling his energy once more.

— This is your end, you piece of shit.

With his arm surging with power, Ji-Ho delivered a thunderous punch to Arathos's face. Taking advantage of the Colossus's lowered guard, he conjured a blaze of energy from his palm.

Striking the divine being.

Through the smoke of the explosion, Arathos emerged, his face deformed, the flesh and muscles of his face burned away, exposing parts of his skull.

Arathos prepared his final move. With a dreadful roar, portals began opening all over the city.

Monsters emerged.

Terror took hold of the streets. Grotesque creatures attacked civilians, tearing apart everything in their path. The ground was stained red.

Ji-Ho landed, taking in the chaos around him. His expression turned serious. Without hesitation, he dashed through alleys and ruins, his dagger moving like a blur. Each strike was lethal.

The monsters sensed his presence. They tried to surround him. A squadron charged at him.

He didn't back down.

With a leap, his fist glowed once more, and as it touched the ground, a devastating explosion of energy obliterated the enemies around him.

The Awakened arrived.

Ryūga led Team Titan, his imposing presence dominating the battlefield. Arashi, at the forefront of the Vanguard, kept the monsters away from the city's central zone.

But Ji-Ho had a target.

Arathos.

The colossus raised a gigantic spear and hurled it. The impact destroyed an entire avenue.

Ji-Ho didn't waste time. He ran along the spear itself, using it as a path to the divine monster. More spears appeared, being thrown at him.

He jumped from one to another, climbing higher and higher.

All the Awakened watched, astonished by his insane skill.

Then, Ji-Ho reached Arathos.

With a snap of his fingers, a colossal shadowy spear, dense as the void itself, materialized.

He gripped it firmly.

And then drove it into the colossus's chest.

Arathos's final roar echoed through the heavens.

His body began to disintegrate into ashes before even touching the ground.

The portals vanished. The monsters dissolved into the air.

Ji-Ho landed softly, gazing at the clear sky.

— This won't be the last attack from the gods...

He smirked.

— Only I prevail.