"What the hell does '100% Unarmed Weapon Catch' even mean?"

  "What do you mean I have to make Zeus and Hera truly fall in love?"

  Who the hell gives out skills like this? Who the hell comes up with missions like this?

  Alex Carter, a man who had just gone bankrupt and was about to wander the streets as a homeless man, had the misfortune of being struck in the head by a falling star.

  As he clutched his throbbing skull, a voice echoed in his mind, informing him that he had acquired two abilities. If he could make Zeus and Hera genuinely love each other, he would become an official candidate for something greater.

  Just as he was about to dismiss it as a hallucination caused by the impact, another phrase rang out:

  "Beginner’s equipment—bronze sword granted. Initiating transfer."

  Then, his consciousness faded.

  The morning sun filtered through the sparse clouds, casting golden rays over the vast forests of ancient Greece. The crisp scent of damp earth and morning dew lingered in the air.

  In the center of a wide clearing, a magnificent creature lay bound in heavy chains—the Ceryneian Hind, a sacred golden deer so swift it was said to outrun even an arrow in flight. Now, its sides heaved with exhaustion, its hooves twitching as it lay in submission.

  Standing beside it, club in hand, was Heracles. His expression was a mixture of triumph and exhaustion. Capturing this beast had taken him a full year—one of the grueling trials forced upon him by the gods.

  Not far away, King Eurystheus sat on his elevated throne, eyes glinting with calculation. He had been eagerly awaiting Heracles’ failure, anticipating the moment he could scorn him. But now that the demigod had actually succeeded, Eurystheus found himself scrambling to come up with a new, even more impossible demand.

  Yet, before he could open his mouth, a sudden burst of light erupted in the middle of the grand courtyard.

  A figure materialized out of thin air and crashed onto the ground with an unceremonious thud.

  The entire court fell silent.

  Heracles raised an eyebrow. The soldiers instinctively reached for their weapons. The gathered nobles took cautious steps back, eyes wide with suspicion.

  The young man who had appeared out of nowhere groaned and slowly sat up. He patted the dust off his clothes, then looked up at the staring crowd.

  He had deep-set eyes, light brown hair, and an unfamiliar face—clearly not Greek. His clothes were even stranger, unlike any known attire from any existing kingdom.

  He shook his head, muttered something under his breath, and then took in his surroundings. His expression shifted from confusion to sharp alertness.

  "...Well, shit."

  Nobody understood what he had just said, but the tone was unmistakably one of disbelief.

  But instead of panicking, the young man calmed down almost immediately.

  He had accepted it. The system, the ridiculous mission, the abilities—none of it was an illusion.

  If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

  Right now, he had a bigger problem—money.

  Thrown into this world with no preparation, no supplies, and no resources, he knew his first priority was to get some funds, or he’d starve within the day.

  He cleared his throat and forced himself to look as composed as possible. If there was one thing his time in Silicon Valley had taught him, it was that how you present yourself in a new environment determines everything.

  Right now, the entire court was waiting for him to speak. He had to establish dominance.

  "I am a god from the New World."

  His voice was firm, devoid of hesitation, as if his words were an undeniable truth.

  The nobles exchanged uneasy glances. The soldiers tightened their grips on their weapons. Even Heracles furrowed his brow, as if trying to recall whether any myths mentioned such a place.

  King Eurystheus’ eyebrows shot up, before his lips curled into a sneer.

  "A god? From the New World?" he scoffed. "From which pantheon? Olympus? The Titans? Or did you just crawl out of Hera’s wardrobe?"

  "That’s not important." Alex shrugged. "I just need to borrow some money."

  He didn’t know exactly who this king was, but judging from his extravagant clothing, the guy was at least a high-ranking noble—and nobles had money.

  The court fell into stunned silence once again.

  Several nobles began whispering amongst themselves. Soldiers shifted uneasily. Even Heracles pinched the bridge of his nose, his expression screaming, Not another crazy person...

  "You want me to…lend you money?" Eurystheus gawked at him, his face a mix of disbelief and rage. "You—some unknown madman—have the audacity to demand my wealth?"

  He shot up from his throne, pointing a trembling finger at Alex.

  "You fraud! How dare you mock my authority?! Kneel and apologize immediately, or I will—"

  Alex didn’t bother letting him finish.

  Instead, he drew the bronze sword from his waist and swung it.

  The entire court erupted into chaos.

  Soldiers rushed to form a defensive line! Nobles staggered back in terror! Heracles gripped his club, ready to intervene!

  But then—

  Something impossible happened.

  Eurystheus' eyes glazed over.

  Without hesitation, he threw aside his scepter, sprinted forward at full speed, dropped to one knee, and raised both hands high above his head—catching Alex’s sword in his palms like an offering to the gods.

  The entire court froze.

  Heracles’ eyes widened. The nobles’ jaws dropped. The soldiers stood in place, too stunned to react.

  What. The. Hell?!

  King Eurystheus stared at his own hands in horror, gripping the blade that had just been swung at him. His face twisted in a grotesque mix of shock and confusion, as if he had just witnessed an unspeakable cosmic horror.

  Alex, on the other hand, was overjoyed.

  So the skill was real.

  Seeing the fear and confusion on everyone's faces, he decided to push his advantage.

  With a slight smirk, he casually remarked:

  "Looks like my divine power still works."

  Eurystheus turned pale, then red with fury. He bellowed in rage:

  "Kill this fraud—"

  Alex swung his sword again.

  And then—

  Every single soldier, noble, and general in the palace dropped whatever they were holding and sprinted forward, forming a perfectly organized triangular formation, each one dropping to one knee, hands raised—

  —ready to catch his sword.

  The sheer absurdity of the sight sucked the very air out of the room.

  Heracles’ jaw hung open. Eurystheus’ face was frozen in absolute horror.

  The entire palace stood in complete, stunned silence.

  What kind of divine magic was this?! What kind of twisted curse compelled them to catch his sword against their will?!

  Alex maintained a blank expression, but inside, he was dying of laughter.

  100% Always Disarmed.

  It wasn’t a joke. It was real. Just like in the comics, this ability was a rule of reality—inescapable and absolute.

  He turned back to the now mentally shattered King Eurystheus, his voice calm and even:

  "Now… are you willing to lend me some money?"

  Eurystheus, though unable to see behind him, could hear it—the terrified gasps of his men, the sound of his entire court bowing to a lunatic, all because of some uncontrollable force compelling them to catch a damn sword.

  His anger remained frozen on his face.

  But his voice trembled as he gave the order.

  "…Fetch the gold from the treasury."