The bandits lounged in the village square, boasting about their latest conquest, when a blinding flash of light interrupted their revelry.
Roderic, who had been called to address the appearance of a mage among the villagers, ran towards the village square. Upon his arrival, he saw a tall man in makeshift clothes that were almost unnecessary, as he was half-naked.
"Are you the mage? You look odd," Roderic sneered, stepping forward. The other bandits, who had been exchanging confused glances at Zeus's sudden appearance, now mirrored their leader's jeer.
Zeus grinned, crouching down beside Leonard before whispering, "Oh, you want them dead, mortal?"
Leonard didn't respond; he was still stunned by the sudden turn of events. Why had Zeus appeared? Was it really Zeus?
Roderic's eyes narrowed. "Who do you think you are? State your name."
"Boss, he just appeared out of nowhere. He must be this kid's master."
Roderic's gaze fell on his subordinates, who were pointing towards Leonard, who was helplessly kneeling at the moment.
"He looks stupid. Was he the mage? Who is the mage you announced?!"
"The kid!"
Roderic nodded, then looked back at Zeus, who seemed calm and unconcerned despite the number of men around him.
"Fool. Does he think he can save his disciple? It looks like he's either completely unconcerned about others' opinions or he really likes acting stupid. What kind of garments are those? What's the point?" Roderic mumbled under his breath.
Zeus chuckled, a twinkle in his eye. "I'm Zeus, the king of the Greek gods."
"Well, yeah, a god. Might as well call yourself a stupid clown who lost his clothes. Why are you half-naked? Don't you feel a little embarrassed?"
Zeus chuckled softly once more, before posing and showcasing his toned body.
"Why should I feel embarrassed? With this godly body? I don't think so. Just excuse my current garments; I was about to enter my bath before I got here. It seems like you've done something to this kid who yearns for your death."
Roderic pondered, confused by the change in the man's voice. He didn't sound playful this time, but rather serious.
"Fucking stupid. God? Are you really serious about calling yourself a god while referring to your disciple as a mortal?"
The bandits stared blankly, clearly not buying Zeus's words, and considered him a joke. One of them, Kellan, muttered, "A god? Calling someone mortal? This guy looks more like a circus performer."
Zeus winked. "Ah, but appearances can be deceiving. Shall we dance?"
Roderic tried to regain his composure, taking the matter seriously as the intruder remained shrouded in mystery. "Even if you are a mage, we outnumber you! Attack!"
The bandits charged, but Zeus casually extended his arms. As the first bandit swung his sword, Zeus snapped his fingers. A tiny thundercloud appeared over the bandit's head, zapping him with a harmless but startling bolt of lightning. The bandit yelped, jumping back in surprise.
"Hey, no fair! Fight us like a man!" the bandit exclaimed, rubbing his singed hair.
Zeus laughed. "Fair? Where's the fun in that? You even had the audacity to ask for fairness when you outnumbered me?"
Another bandit, trying to be brave, swung his weapon, only for it to turn into metal dust. The bandits' courage wavered further, confidence replaced by confusion.
"He's just a trickster mage!" one of them stammered, stepping back.
Zeus's grin widened. "Trickster? That's Hermes's nickname. I prefer being called a charismatic man whom any woman would want to have."
He conjured a rain of harmless lightning bolts, sending the bandits into a comical frenzy as they tried to dodge the playful sparks. Their aggression melted into sheer panic.
"Retreat! I will deal with him!" Roderic yelled, his face a mix of anger and confusion.
"Oh, so you will face me now? Well then, I will respect your decision and use my real power for this duel. I won't hold back."
Grinning, Roderic tightened his grip on his sword before injecting magical energy into his legs.
"You don't know this, but I am also a Player."
Every bandit, seeing their leader's confidence, cheered and rooted for him.
"That's right, boss! Show that clown he shouldn't mess with you!"
"I'm excited to see the boss's skills. He's a top-class swordsman from back in the day!"
"I want to be a Player too! If only I could have a Philosopher's Stone for myself, I'd be a top Player for sure."
Zeus prepared for whatever the mortal before him might do. He was eager to see how they would react once they realized he wasn't joking about being a god.
'Why don't they believe that I'm a god? Do they not know about my background? How odd.'
Roderic then breathed slowly, his sharp eyes staring at Zeus coldly.
"Blinking Steps."
To Roderic's perception, time around him slowed, but his movement did not. He took a huge leap forward towards Zeus, swinging his sword with a satisfied grin.
"What are you doing? Is this all you've got? Didn't I say I'd use my full power? How stupid of you to fight against me. I just revealed my identity, but you're still clouded by your arrogance," Zeus said, staring at Roderic, who was now only a few steps away with his sword halfway reaching him.
Roderic, hearing Zeus's voice, froze in surprise. Time around him returned to normal, and his
Before he could even react, a lightning bolt fell from the sky, hitting him directly. The lightning flashed upon impact, and a crisp sound and scent filled the air.
'W-w-w-what the hell…'
'How strong is this mage's
Confusion, fear, and rage washed over the bandits. With their boss now gone, they didn't know whether they should avenge his death.
'There's no way to survive this!'
The bandits attempted to flee, tripping over each other in their haste to escape. As they scrambled out of the village, Zeus stood there, barely containing his laughter. The villagers, who had been watching in stunned silence, slowly regained their hope.
"Just die!"
Boom! Another lightning bolt was unleashed, directly hitting the pile of bandits with weak knees.
Seeing the result of his handiwork, Zeus smirked proudly and approached Leonard, who had been watching everything from the back.
"Hey, are you okay?"
Zeus looked at Leonard with concern, but he didn't seem to have heard him. Zeus tried again, but Leonard still didn't budge.
"Are you ignoring me? Why are you acting like that? Don't make such a stupid face."
"Who wouldn't make a stupid face when the Greek God of the Sky and King of the Gods just appeared before me?"
"So, you know me? Why did you summon me? Is that why you appeared in our abode? Hey, why are you staring at nothing?"
Zeus sighed, realizing how much the shock must have affected the mortal. The meeting in Olympus could have been a coincidence, and he wasn't a child of any Greek god. But he still wanted to understand how he was summoned here.
"Hey, why don't people recognize me anymore? I know we have a lesser presence in the mortal world, but at least remember our legacies."
"Thank you," Leonard said, his voice trembling with a mix of gratitude and disbelief. "I don't know how I summoned you, but it seems like I gained power due to my reincarnation."
"Hey, you didn't answer my question. And what's this about reincarnation?"
"As confused as you are, so am I. Zeus, it seems like meeting you in Olympus wasn't just a dream for me. You just said you saw me there, which means I have the power to summon you!"