Zeus was on the verge of instructing the system to begin absorbing the potent thunder mana from the corpses of the Thunder Eagle and Thunder Python when a sudden disturbance pricked at the edges of his awareness.
The serene stillness of the mountainside, previously filled only with the soft hum of residual energy from the fallen beasts, was now broken by the subtle but unmistakable sound of footsteps approaching—rapidly and with purpose.
His battle-honed instincts flared to life, warning him of an imminent threat. Zeus's eyes snapped open, his gaze sharp as lightning as he turned his head toward the source of the disturbance.
Emerging from the shadowed trees at the base of the mountain, three figures came into view, their movements deliberate and full of intent.
The men stopped a short distance away, their expressions twisted with a mix of contempt and anger. The tension in the air was palpable, crackling like the remnants of a storm.
