CHAPTER 10
Jared stared blankly at the roaring crowd, his expression cold and distant, untouched by the chaos engulfing the colossal arena. After his father's death, no mortal dared to utter a word that might offend the Gods—fear alone was enough to silence them. By the time the survival matches ended, over a hundred worlds had already been condemned to destruction.
His gaze slowly shifted to the Sovereigns, their bodies now glowing with divine light, preparing to vanish from mortal sight. Jared's eyes narrowed. He wanted them dead. Every last one of them.
But what could a powerless child like him do against the Sovereigns?
Still, not all hope was lost. He had a planet to return to… and many who once called his father a friend. He was certain—he wouldn't be alone.
Oh, how wrong he was…
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THREE DAYS LATER — EARTH
"Get out of this house, you cursed bastard!"
The voice rang out with fury as the towering gates of a massive, noble-looking fortress creaked open. A young boy, no older than six, stood quietly at the entrance, his small frame dwarfed by the grand structure behind him. A richly dressed middle-aged man stormed out after him, face twisted in anger.
"You're nothing but a disaster. Leave—and don't ever come back."
Jared looked up at the man for a long moment. His eyes were unreadable. Then, without a word, he turned and walked away.
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SOME DAYS LATER
A small figure sat before a grave nestled beneath the shadow of a tree. Jared brushed away the leaves and placed two small, smooth stones—circles marked with a faded emblem—on the grave's surface.
He smiled faintly. A sad, hollow smile.
"You must've missed me, huh, Dad?" His voice was soft. "Sorry I didn't visit sooner. Things have been… messy."
He hugged his knees to his chest.
"I've been trying to find a place to stay. Funny, right? You'd think I'd have a home waiting for me—a whole fortress, even. But it's gone. Burned. Obliterated. Not a single brick left."
He paused, brushing dust off the gravestone.
"At first, I thought the Gods did it… but now, I'm not so sure. Maybe it was one of us—an Earthling. Someone scared. Someone greedy."
Jared's voice trembled, though his face stayed calm.
"I didn't cry when the fortress fell. It wasn't the stone or the banners that made it a home. It was you."
He looked up at the gray sky.
"I thought your friends would help me. I really did. I went to them—each and every one of them. I didn't even get to speak before I was turned away. They looked at me like I was a walking curse. A ticking bomb."
A bitter laugh escaped him.
"They all made oaths, you know? They swore to stand by you. To protect me if anything happened. But now they're more terrified of the Gods than they were loyal to you."
He leaned closer to the grave, whispering.
"Isn't it funny? You died so they could live… and now they'll do anything to keep living—even if it means spitting on your name."
Jared fell silent for a moment, then gave a soft sigh.
"Don't worry though, Dad. I found a place. It's not fancy, just a big building up in the hills. A few other orphans live there too. There's an old man and woman who take care of us."
He smiled, a bit more warmly this time.
"It's peaceful. Quiet. I think you'd like it. So, don't worry about me."
More than anything… Dad, I really miss you.
Jared's voice cracked as the words slipped out. His eyes, usually cold and unreadable, brimmed with emotion. Raw. Unfiltered. Real.
"I swear I do…" he whispered.
Tears streamed down his cheeks.
He wanted so badly to prove to his father that he could survive on his own. That he was strong enough. But no matter how hard he tried, the pain wouldn't go away. The sorrow was too heavy, too suffocating. It wasn't something a child should carry.
It was all too much.
Everything—everything—led back to those damn Gods. If it weren't for them, his father would still be alive. His home would still be standing. His life wouldn't have shattered like glass.
He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.
He wanted revenge. He wanted to tear them down—all of them. Every last divine being who sat above the worlds and treated mortals like ants. He wanted the Gods dead.
But what could a powerless kid do?
He couldn't even control his aura properly. Couldn't protect anything. Couldn't stop anything. How could someone like him hope to face beings who could erase entire galaxies with a mere thought?
Jared lowered his head, eyes closing under the crushing weight of his helplessness. The ground blurred beneath his tears. Minutes passed… or maybe hours. He wasn't sure anymore. He had lost track of time—lost in grief, in rage, in despair.
Then—
"Seems someone's having a rough day."
The sudden voice snapped Jared out of his thoughts. He blinked, looking around in confusion. No one was there. This place was isolated—hidden. Who would even come here?
He rubbed his eyes. Maybe he was imagining things?
"Down here, kid."
Jared looked down.
His eyes twitched.
Standing calmly between his feet… was a rat.
No—not just a rat.
The creature wore sleek, black clothing made of fine silk—clearly expensive. But what truly caught Jared's attention was the glowing emerald necklace around its neck, radiating an ethereal light. The rat had long, flowing black hair and a mustache that gave it the appearance of an ancient sage.
It was… absurd.
It looked like a wise old man trapped in the body of a rat.
"Hey, don't stare too hard," the rat coughed lightly, brushing its whiskers before casually sitting down beside Jared. "You'll make me self-conscious."
Jared blinked. Twice.
"What... are you?" he asked, barely holding onto reason.
"Well, for now, let's just say I'm someone who's listening," the rat replied. "So, tell me—what's troubling you?"
At first, Jared hesitated. Talking to a rat? Really? But… talking to a talking rat was still better than talking to no one.
So he told him everything. About his father. The Sovereigns. The betrayal. The cowardice of those who once called themselves friends. About the revenge he burned for.
The rat listened in silence, nodding once in a while, not interrupting.
Finally, after a long pause, he spoke.
"So, in one word… you want revenge."
Jared nodded.
"Then get your revenge," the rat said calmly.
Jared stared at it is in disbelief.
"Are you insane?" he said, eyebrows raised. "We're talking about the rulers of the universe. Beings who control creation and destruction like a game. You talk like they can actually be killed."
The rat didn't respond right away.
It simply sat there, smiling. Smug. Mysterious.
Jared's brow twitched.
"…Why are you looking at me like that?"
The rat looked up at him, its emerald eyes gleaming.
"Who told you… that Gods can't be killed?"
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TO BE CONTINUED...
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