Two days later, a beige backpack and a common school bag, decorated with cute drawings and symbols, could be seen. However, what was unusual was that the bag sat seemingly isolated in the middle of a mountain, with no signs of life for miles around. The wind blew strongly, yet the bag remained completely still, as if something was preventing it from moving.
Yet, when someone opened the bag, an enormous space could be seen inside.
A wooden staircase led downward, revealing multiple areas. One area was covered in snow and ice, another resembled a small desert with intense lighting, and the central area was filled with various trees and plants. In the middle of this space stood a wooden house, built in a simple countryside style, yet exuding a cozy and welcoming atmosphere.
On the house's porch, there was a wooden table with cushioned chairs, surrounded by red and yellow flowers that emitted a sweet and refreshing fragrance.
Seated at this table were four individuals—three men and one woman.
The woman had long black hair, dark as the night, and eyes with bright hues, as if the sun itself resided within them.
Next to her sat a young man with black hair tinged with soft blue highlights and heterochromatic blue eyes that radiated immense power and pressure. He carried an aura of nobility, delicacy, and strength.
The last two men exuded overwhelming and terrifying energy, with an almost bloody presence. However, one of them had a gentler, more familiar aura, with a subtle warmth to it.
The four of them seemed engaged in a conversation, discussing various topics while eating sandwiches of different flavors.
…..
MC's POV
"So, Father, you're saying that for the next step, you'll need a few weeks or even months to complete it?" I asked, curious about why such a delay was necessary.
"Yes, but the next step is crucial. The being I must challenge resides in a special realm. Facing him will allow me to reclaim a significant portion of my strength. And not only that—doing so will be one of the steps toward bringing back my older brother, as well as reestablishing contact with some allies."
I was intrigued by what exactly this entailed, but my father seemed unwilling to provide any more details. So, I moved on to the next topic.
"Is there anything I can do to help?"
He shook his head in refusal.
"No, at least for now. In any case, let's return home."
I acknowledged his words and was about to leave when Uncle Ares spoke up.
"Well, nephew, I have a request for you. Actually, two requests… but the second one can wait."
Hearing his words, I felt intrigued, especially since I remembered my system mission. My parents also turned their attention toward him, though I sensed my father tensing up slightly.
"Please," Ares said, his eyes burning with intense flames of excitement, his entire body radiating an eager energy.
"I want to train with you!"
The moment he spoke, my father stood up, his voice filled with irritation.
"No! Given your sometimes reckless combat style, it's too dangerous."
Ares visibly flinched at my father's words but continued speaking nonetheless.
"Cough cough, while that may be true, I have better control now. If I sense myself losing control, I will stop immediately… Besides, my excitement isn't just for fun. I want to test him—to evaluate his capabilities before making a request of him."
My father fell silent, his discomfort and reluctance evident. However, after glancing at me—perhaps remembering my strength and my presence in the room—he hesitated. My mother, meanwhile, was already staring at me expectantly.
"Of course," I agreed, a wide smile forming on my face. Honestly, I wanted to gauge my strength against a god. Ares was likely at a similar level as Thor and Loki, so while this wouldn't be a definitive battle, it would be a good test of my progress.
And naturally, the system notification appeared, confirming that all I needed to do for this mission was fight my uncle.
With my acceptance, my father remained silent, while my uncle's excitement only grew. In the end, we decided to have our battle later that day.
As the sun slowly set, darkness and shadows crept over the landscape, as if attempting to conceal the events about to unfold from any unseen eyes.
On the right stood my uncle, clad in an ancient gladiator's armor—his divine armor, as he had informed me.
In his hand was a spear, old and worn in appearance, yet radiating powerful, dangerous divine energy. Runes etched into it glowed faintly, pulsating with immense strength.
I stood opposite him, wearing armor as dark as the night itself, with a mysterious mist swirling around my form. The fading sunlight and rising moon only enhanced the enigmatic aura surrounding me.
A serpent coiled around my arm before transforming into a sword in my right hand.
The blade was razor-sharp, exuding a murderous intent along with a natural, overwhelming energy. Its dark hue was accented with streaks of red and silver.
The hilt bore golden tones, interwoven with various other materials. At its center, a phoenix was embedded, encircled by a serpent—symbolizing the Kusanagi aspect of the sword.
I met Ares' gaze, and as his energy surged, I unleashed my own, meeting his challenge head-on.
My sword emanated an intense, cutting force, carrying a colossal, soul-crushing pressure. A wave of magical energy burst from my body, illuminating the surroundings, as if daring the darkness itself to challenge me. It was as if I were creating my own sunset—a battle of light and shadow.
Above my head, a projection of a crown materialized, radiating a mental force imbued with a powerful dominion.
In response to my provocation, the God of War, Ares, unleashed his own mental energy.
A silent yet fierce clash ensued, the atmosphere heavy with tension as our auras collided.
For a moment, an equilibrium seemed to be reached—until both energies vanished. In a blink, the first attack was launched.
A spear shot forward, releasing an overwhelming surge of energy, causing reality itself to tremble. In contrast, my sword, brimming with sharp intent, met it head-on with equal ferocity.
When our weapons first clashed, there was no sound. But upon the second strike, an explosion of energy and noise erupted.
"CLACK!!!!!!!!!!!!"
A deafening sound reverberated through the air, enough to shatter the ears of any ordinary bystander. But that was the least of the concerns.
The true threat lay in the power behind each strike.
On one side, murderous intent, divine energy, and sheer brute force surged forth. On the other, my sword's energy sought to reduce everything to particles smaller than molecules, carrying a cut sharp enough to pierce even souls.
And this was only the beginning.
Our weapons clashed repeatedly, each strike becoming more refined and swift.
I employed my ancient power of the wind's sound, fusing it with light magic to accelerate my movements. Meanwhile, Ares relied on his superior physique and divine energy, refusing to slow down even slightly.
As our melee battle continued, I suddenly teleported a short distance away.
Gathering a massive amount of my internal energy, I divided it between my hands. My sword reverted into a serpent, coiling around my arm.
Above us, sharp ice swords and spears of light formed in the air.
With a mere thought, the barrage of attacks surged toward Ares, intent on erasing his existence.
Yet, instead of retreating, he grinned even wider, his excitement intensifying.
His spear moved in a unique rhythm—a fusion of martial arts and mastery over multiple weapons.
The divine energy condensed into his spear, forming a dangerous, multicolored aura of red, purple, and white.
Positioning himself defensively, he gathered all his strength. And just as my attacks reached him—
With blinding speed, he struck.
His spear tore through countless ice swords and light spears, his movements accelerated by the energy he had gathered. He destroyed each attack effortlessly, as if warming up.
As I observed this, I raised my hand, compressing dense threads of energy and wind into my palm.
Ares soared through the air, breaking through every attack, displaying no signs of struggle—only exhilaration.
As our attacks clashed, our eyes met, and it was possible to see the excitement in both warriors and the fire—unique, belonging only to those present on the battlefield.