- Oliver -

  It was a sensation unlike any he'd experiehe density of the energy within the crystal was extraordinary—far beyond that of a standard Z Crystal. This one was a Unique Crystal.

  ‘Right, but what do I do with this?’ Oliver thought, his eyes fixated on the crystal resting in his hand. Its lumi core pulsed softly. He could feel the immense power emanating from it, yet its purpose eluded him.

  "Return to your cells!" the Red Ork roared, his voice eg through the metal chamber as he charged toward Oliver.

  While Oliver was still entranced by the crystal's brilliahe Red Ork closed the distah arming speed. Sensing da the st moment, Oliver hastily raised his arms in a defensive guard. The Ork's massive fist collided with his forearms, the force of the blow overwhelming.

  The impact sent Oliver hurtling backward like a rag doll, his body skidding and boung across the cold, hard floor until he finally came to a stop against a wall. Pain exploded in his limbs.

  "Ugh!" he gasped, the wind knocked out of him. 'Fuck. I think he broke something,' he thought, grimag as numbness spread through his arms.

  "I TOLD YOU TO RETURN TO YOUR CELLS!" the Red Ork bellowed even louder, seizing the old man and shoving him bato his cage with a brutal shove.

  Despite his frailty, the elder aliehe Ork's rage with a calm gaze. "Lle beria nta. E' tel'quessir narwa na," he responded in a soft, melodiguage that Oliver didn't reize.

  Oliver shook his head, trying tain his senses. He tried to listen to their exge, but the words were fn to him.

  Just then, a series of new notifications fshed.

  | Left Eye of Learning| Learning …

  | [Language] Elvish | Progress: 0.01%

  ‘Elvish?’ Oliver thought as he noticed the message. ‘Hey! you stop learning? I'm already low on energy!’

  He couldn't afford his Boons draining more power, not at that moment. His energy reserves were critically low, and every bit ted.

  | New achievements avaible

  | ■■■■■ | Defeat a Red Ork

  | ■■■■■ | Awaken that who sleeps

  ‘What the heck!? Athena, are you messing with me?’ Oliver wondered, not expeg an answer.

  It had been some time sihena had spoken to him directly. Still, the habit of talking to her had not disappeared. However, deep down, Oliver khat the best way to get any answers would be to ehe temple where he had been taken st time.

  Unsure what to make of these cryptic achievements, Oliver turned his attention back to the crystal in his hand. It didn't look much different from the bluish crystal he was already using, except that it cked any inner color.

  While the Red Ork was still diverted with tormenting the prisoners, Oliver sidered testing the crystal. ‘'t hurt to try; worst case, it won't do anything,’ he thought.

  Swiftly, he followed the steps Wiz had shown him. Pressing the small button on his gau, he opehe partment that housed his Z Crystals. There ace for up to six; currently, only the Artificial Crystal and the Blue Crystal were lodged.

  Oliver carefully pced the new crystal into the third slot. He waited, but nothing happehere was ne of power or ge in his armor. It was as if the crystal was i.

  "Activate," he whispered, willing the crystal to fun. He held his breath.

  Suddenly, a sharp jolt coursed through his body, powerful enough to send him staggering to his knees. His muscles seized, and his vision blurred.

  "Argh!" he groaned, gripping his gau.

  "Idiot," the Red Ork surning his crimson gaze toward Oliver. "I don't know what that old man gave you, thinking it would help. But he's just a senile fool. Nothing he had will work—not for a human."

  Oliver looked up to see the Ork lumbering closer, each heavy footstep eg ominously iallic chamber.

  Desperation g him. With no other options, he decided tain.

  "Activate!" he anded, more forcefully this time.

  Again, the searing shock ripped through him, even more intense. But amidst the pain, he felt... something else. It wasn't just an ordinary shock; it was as if the crystal was siphoning his energy.

  'It's draining me,' he realized, heart pounding.

  "All in!" Oliver shouted, determinati within. He closed his eyes, summoning every ounce of remaining strength, eling his dwindling energy reserves into the crystal.

  "Activate!" he roared.

  The shock didn't e this time.

  In fact, there was no pain at all.

  When Oliver opened his eyes, he was no longer in the Ork base. Instead, he found himself once again in the enormous hall with its t ns that seemed to stretfinitely upward. The ruched into the stone glowed even more inteha time he had been there, casting a mystical light that danced across the vast chamber.

  Turning around, he saw the gigantic throne where Athena was seated. Unlike before, she did not appear pleased. Her head was bowed, cradled in one of her hands, and a deep sigh seemed to emanate from her.

  "Ah! Why did you have t him?!" she excimed. Although her voice oken at a normal volume, the sheer force behind it made the entire hall tremble. "Of all beings, why did it have to be him?"

  For the first time, Oliver noticed there was a hrone beside Athena's. Seated upon it was another colossal figure. Uhena's throne of pristine white marble, his was crafted from iwined branches, leaves, and a wood.

  The entity radiated a primal energy—a baween majesty and savagery. His eyes glowed like green embers, and a wild mane of dark hair merged seamlessly with a thick, untamed beard. Two horns adorned his head, resembling the branches of an aree woven into a arch. A finely detailed armor covered his torso, its scales shimmering with hues of green and gold.

  Oliver stood paralyzed, his gaze fixed on the new presen the hall. Uhena, this being made no effort to ceal his power. His energy was immense and overwhelming, causing even Oliver—aced as he was to powerful individuals—to feel short of breath.

  Without saying a word, the creature lifted his eyes to meet Oliver's, and in that moment, time itself seemed to halt.

  "What a fasating creature," the giant mused, his voice deep and resonant. "Were you responsible for waking me?" He examined Oliver with keen i.

  "Maybe? I'm not sure if I did anything to wake you," Oliver replied uainly, his voice barely audible in the vastness of the hall.

  "Is he one of your protégés?" the giant asked, turning his attention to Athena.

  "One of them," Athena responded curtly, not lifting her head.

  "A pity. Of all the beings who could have reawakened me, it had to be someone uhe prote of such a bad-tempered Sn," the giant remarked, a hint of a smile pying at the ers of his mouth.

  "Ah! How could I not be bad-tempered when I have to be around the very person who ousted me from the Game?!" Athena snapped, gripping the arm of her throne so tightly that cracks began to appear ione.

  "Should you be sharing so muformation with your protégé?" the giant inquired mildly.

  "You started it," Atheed, her tone sharp.

  Oliver watched their exge with growing curiosity, trying to piece together the puzzle unfolding before him.

  "It's been a long time," the giant said thoughtfully. "Fet the Game, even I am no longer part of it. What name are you using these days?"

  "Athena," she replied tersely.

  "Ah, Athena. Fitting." The giant nodded. "Humans, hmm? An intriguing society. Who would have thought he would attempt to create beings like that?" He seemed to muse to himself before turning back to Oliver. "Child, you may call me unnos."

  Oliver nodded slowly, abs the information. "It's an honor to meet you," he managed.

  "Now," unnos tinued, folding his massive hands as if pting a delicate matter, "expin to me why I should grant my power to you."

  Oliver hesitated, feeling the weight of both Sns' gazes upon him. "I didn't realize I was requesting for your power," he admitted. "I was just trying to activate the crystal to help me fight the Red Ork."

  unnos raised an eyebrow. "Ignorance be a humble thing," he observed. "But power is not given lightly.”

  GCLopes