Divine Mask: I Have Numerous God Clones

[Oh look, they're glaring at you like you stole their favorite toy. Typical weaklings,] the system chimed in, dripping with its usual mocking tone. [I almost feel bad for them. Almost.]

"Let them have their moment," Zeus replied inwardly, his voice calm and collected. "I'll crush their pride soon enough."

[Crush? You better shatter it into a million pieces, boy. If you don't show them up now, they'll think you're as pathetic as they are!] The system's arrogant, shameless laughter echoed in his mind. [But don't worry, you've got me to keep you from embarrassing yourself.]

"Keep talking," Zeus muttered mentally, rolling his eyes. "You love taking credit for everything, don't you?"

[Credit where credit's due! Without me, you'd be flailing around like a headless chicken.]

Up in the stands, Elder Roxana Volcaria's eyes were locked onto Zeus, her sharp gaze following his every movement.

Unlike the other elders, who watched with their usual stoic expressions, her look carried a flicker of something different—amused curiosity. She leaned forward slightly, resting her chin on her hand, a faint smirk tugging at her lips.

"Let's see what you're hiding, Zeus," Roxana murmured under her breath, her voice carrying a note of intrigue. She'd been watching him closely, sensing there was more to this disciple than met the eye.

Her eyes narrowed, her smirk deepening as Zeus continued toward the testing stone. The other elders remained silent, their faces unreadable, but she couldn't help feeling that this one would put on a far more interesting show than the rest.

Zeus, catching her gaze for just a moment, felt her curiosity from across the arena. "I guess even the top elders can't resist watching me," he thought, his smirk growing even more confident.

[Oh, now she's interested. Can't say I blame her. You've been holding back, and they're dying to know just what you can do,] the system added, its tone sly. [Don't disappoint now, unless you want to make a fool of yourself in front of her.]

"I never disappoint," Zeus replied smoothly, his confidence unwavering.

Zeus reached the massive testing stone in the center of the arena. The crowd hushed in anticipation, expecting him to summon some grand attack or powerful skill.

But instead, Zeus did something unexpected. He simply walked up to the stone, placed his hand on its left side, and stood there silently... for five long minutes.

The arena was filled with whispers of confusion. Even the top elders were frowning at the sight. Elder Aric Valen, in particular, could barely contain his displeasure as he leaned forward, watching Zeus closely. "What is he doing?" he thought, his brows furrowed in frustration.

Zeus, however, didn't seem bothered by the growing confusion. After five minutes, he simply removed his hand from the stone and walked back toward the center of the arena, his smirk still intact. He gave a short bow, as though his task was complete, and turned to walk away.

The crowd fell into a stunned silence, confusion rippling through the arena like a wave. The top elders exchanged puzzled glances, except for Roxana, whose smirk only grew wider as she leaned back in her seat, clearly entertained by what was unfolding.

Elder Aric Valen, however, wasn't amused. His patience had already worn thin. He shot to his feet, his voice thundering across the arena. "What are you doing, boy? Why are you just standing there?!" His tone dripped with irritation, his eyes narrowing in frustration. "Are you mocking this test by doing nothing?"

Zeus stopped in his tracks, his smirk never faltering. He turned back toward Elder Aric, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Oh, I've done it," he replied casually, almost as if he were discussing the weather.

Elder Aric's face turned a deep shade of red, his temper flaring. "What do you mean, you've done it?" he snapped, his fists clenched at his sides. "I saw you merely touch the stone! Don't you dare insult this test with your arrogance!"

mvle|mp-yr chapter

Zeus's smirk widened as he held up one finger, wagging it lightly as if correcting a child. "No, no, Elder Valen," he said in a patronizing tone, his voice cool and calm. "You misunderstand. It's not arrogance... it's just that my skill takes a while to activate."

Elder Aric opened his mouth to retort, his fury evident in his eyes, but before he could speak another word, Zeus raised his hand and flicked his finger.

In an instant, a deafening explosion echoed through the arena. The entire left side of the testing stone—where Zeus had touched it—erupted in a massive blast, sending chunks of stone flying in every direction. A huge portion of the stone had been completely destroyed, leaving the audience and the elders in shock.

Zeus stood tall amidst the chaos, his expression calm and composed. "That's my power, dear elders," he said smoothly, the smirk never leaving his face.

The top elders were stunned, their frowns deepening as they processed what had just happened. Elder Aric Valen's face had gone pale with disbelief, while Elder Sylph Margrave and Elder Thorne Arcturus exchanged concerned glances. None of them had expected such an overwhelming display of power from the third-ranked disciple.

But among them, Roxana Volcaria's smirk had grown into a full grin. She leaned back in her seat, clearly entertained. "Interesting," she thought.

Meanwhile, Cedric, Julian, and Caius stood frozen, their smug expressions crumbling into deep frowns. The confidence they had worn like armor only moments ago shattered under the weight of Zeus's effortless display.

All the boasting, the arrogance—they now realized how hollow it was compared to what Zeus had just done. Their pride lay in tatters, and it showed in the way they clenched their fists, their jaws tightening in frustration.

As Zeus made his way back to his place, his smirk never faltered. He could feel the eyes of the top elders burning into him, some watching with thinly veiled frustration, others with cautious interest. But Zeus was unbothered. He had done what he came to do—and more.

[Look at them,] the system snickered in his mind, its tone dripping with mockery. [They're all fuming like children who just had their toys taken away. Priceless.]

"They thought they were unbeatable," Zeus replied inwardly, his amusement evident. "It's always fun watching arrogance crumble."

[Oh, I'm sure they're scrambling for excuses right now. 'It's a trick! He got lucky!' Pathetic.] The system laughed, shamelessly reveling in the defeat of the others. [But let's be honest, you just crushed their fragile egos in front of the whole arena. They'll never live this down.]

"Good. They needed the reminder," Zeus said, his smirk growing wider as he felt the weight of his impact settle over the crowd. "Now they know who's really in charge."

As he passed by Cedric, Julian, and Caius, Zeus cast a sideways glance at them, his smirk daring them to say something. But they didn't. They were too busy seething in silence, too stunned by what had just unfolded.

[Oh, look at them! They can't even talk,] the system sneered, clearly enjoying their humiliation. [And here they thought they were something special. Please.]

Zeus gave a slight nod to himself. "One thing's for sure: I've made my mark."

The system chuckled. [Not just a mark, boy. You've just carved your name into their pride. And they'll never forget it.]