Days had passed in the Land of the Gods. For Leon, every second felt like eternal torment. His life, once filled with mechanical formulas and "extorting" nerdy friends, had now transformed into an unending domestic hell. Cooking, washing, sweeping, mopping, drawing water from the crystal well, cleaning the stone toilet that somehow always got dirty—his list of chores seemed endless, shackling his lazy soul.
"Aghhhhhh! THIS ISN'T WHAT I'M SUPPOSED TO BE DOING!" Leon shrieked in frustration, slamming the sacred broom made of cloud feathers. His voice boomed across the tranquil grassland, shattering the eternal silence that enshrouded the gods there.
Grand Master Long, the snow-bearded martial arts deity, who was now contentedly swaying in his rocking chair, opened one eye. "Why are you so noisy, boy?" His voice was flat, yet held an absolute, undeniable authority.
"Why?! WHY DO I HAVE TO DO ALL THIS HOUSEWORK?!" Leon marched up to them, his face crimson, veins protruding on his neck. "When will I learn magic and martial arts?! When will I become mighty?! I'm stuck here, and all I do is act like a servant?!"
Merlin, the Grand Sorceress with impeccably neat silver hair, who was preparing to 'go' somewhere, smiled thinly, an unreadable expression. "If you please us, young man, then we will teach you. Now, move aside."
Leon's blood boiled. His patience had completely run out. This was the breaking point. "I... I can't take it anymore! If you won't teach me, I won't do anything! I'm on strike!" Leon crossed his arms over his chest, challenging them defiantly, his face displaying annoyance like a sulking child.
Merlin and Long exchanged glances, then a sly smile formed on their lips. "Ah... Very well," Merlin said, seemingly unaffected by Leon's threat. "But after we get back from shopping."
Leon frowned. "Shopping? Where? There's only a bottomless chasm and an expanse of clouds here! Don't tell me you're going shopping in another world again?"
"Don't ask too many questions, Young Man. You're coming with me. Quick, take this magic basket." Merlin waved her simple wooden staff, and a swirling portal of purplish light suddenly opened before them, emitting a strange hiss like a time vortex.
"Wow... Amazing!" Leon's eyes widened, half-scared, half-amazed. "But where exactly are we going?!"
"Come on in! Don't ask so many questions!" Merlin pushed Leon's back with her palm. Leon stumbled, then was sucked into the swirling light, like a speck of dust in a cosmic storm.
The next second, Leon was flung out of the portal, landing on unfamiliar ground. His eyes almost popped out of their sockets, trying to process the sight before him. They had arrived at a gigantic market that stretched limitlessly as far as the eye could see, where strange stalls lined the streets, filled with goods he had never imagined. Even more surprising were the visitors. There were three-eyed aliens haggling with hissing sounds, golden-winged angels shopping for glowing fruits from nebulas, horned demons busy bargaining for glittering blood gems, and even furry monsters with tentacles meticulously choosing spices from distant galaxies! Strange aromas mingled, from the smell of sulfur to the intoxicating scent of celestial flowers.
The clamor of conversations in thousands of languages he didn't understand filled the air, creating a captivating symphony of chaos.
"What is this place?! Why are there so many strange creatures?!" Leon stammered, pointing in every direction with trembling hands. He felt like he had stepped into his wildest dream, where logic no longer functioned.
"This is the Heaven and Hell Market," Merlin explained, walking casually as if it were an ordinary traditional market back home. "All beings from various dimensions can trade here. Let's go, let's buy what we need, then go home."
As Merlin stepped forward, Leon witnessed an incredible sight. Every creature who saw Merlin, no matter if they were mighty aliens, angels, or demons, suddenly stopped moving and respectfully made way. They bowed deeply, stepping aside obediently, as if Merlin were a cosmic queen who had just passed by. Leon could only gape, his jaw dropping to the market floor, which was made of some unknown material, reflecting strange light from the objects around him. This old woman... who exactly was she? What was the true power level of these two strange elders?
After filling the magic basket with various strange ingredients—there were wriggling mandrake roots, pulsating light mushrooms, and a bottle of liquid that twinkled like stars in a bottle—they returned to the Land of the Gods through the same portal, leaving the market's hustle and bustle behind.
That night, on the edge of the cloud chasm filled with countless sparkling stars, while eating a strange dish made of who-knew-what, Leon's curiosity peaked.
"Grandma... Grandpa... Aren't you gods? Why do you still need to eat?"
Merlin sighed, gazing at the ocean of clouds stretching below. "Even if we wouldn't die without food, it keeps us from getting bored, young man. Just imagine, being stuck in this remote place for thousands of years without being able to enjoy anything." Her eyes drifted, as if recalling infinite boredom, a prison of eternity.
"Then, why don't you just leave here? Move to another planet, or to a livelier dimension?" Leon asked again, his brain working hard to digest this crazy information.
Grand Master Long, who had been silent, now interjected, his voice heavy and serious. "That's impossible. If there is no successor to guard this place, then we cannot leave. We are bound to this Land of the Gods until someone replaces us."
"But why could you go to my world, and to the market earlier?" Leon persisted, looking for loopholes in their narrative.
Merlin smiled mysteriously. "To visit other worlds, like yours, we can only go once every thousand years, and the time there can only be one day. As for going to the Heaven and Hell Market, that can be done once every ten years."
"Ah... I see." Leon thought hard, a cunning idea beginning to form in his mind. "Why don't you just find a successor? Then leave here if you're bored?"
"Do you think it's easy to find a successor?" Long snorted, his expression annoyed. "Our successor must perfectly learn all our abilities, mastering magic and martial arts to their peak. Only then can they become the new guardian of the Land of the Gods."
Leon's eyes sparkled for a moment, then he shook his head vigorously, as if dismissing the idea. "Oh... I see. In that case, I won't be your disciple! You'd better just throw me into any world! I don't want to be stuck here forever!"
Long pointed to the cloud chasm below them. "If you want to leave, just jump from here. But I don't know which world you'll land in, or if your body will be intact when you arrive." There was a mocking tone in his voice.
"Oh, thank you for the information!" With new enthusiasm, Leon immediately rushed to the edge of the area, ready to leap freely. Any world, as long as it wasn't here!
"But your body will be shattered if you jump unprepared, young man," Merlin said, her voice calm, yet containing a dreadful warning. "At best, you'll become disgusting alien mush."
Leon turned, his face pale, his enthusiasm collapsing instantly. "So, what am I supposed to do?!"
Grand Master Long smirked, a triumphant smile etched on his face. "Easy. I'll teach you the Steel Body Technique! This technique will make your body indestructible, even if you jump from infinite heights!" Long raised both eyebrows, luring him with a sweet promise. "That way, you can jump whenever you want, without fear of shattering into pieces."
Leon's eyes brightened again, a spark of hope rekindled. A perfect way out! "Really?! Alright! I'll learn! Teach me!"
Grand Master Long and Merlin looked at each other, sly smiles forming on their lips. Their plan was going smoothly, far beyond their expectations. Leon, too naive and desperate to see the trap, was finally caught in their snare. From that moment on, Leon studied diligently, tirelessly, and assiduously, driven by the false promise of freedom he always dreamed of.
Five hundred years flashed by in the Land of the Gods. For Leon, who had now mastered magic and martial arts to a proficient level, time seemed meaningless. His once careless face was now firm and mature, his muscles perfectly formed, and his eyes radiated deep wisdom, yet also the weariness of eternity. However, boredom remained his primary enemy. He was tired of the training routine and the never-ending promise of freedom, a hope that felt increasingly distant.
"Leon," Grand Master Long said one morning, standing before an ancient painting depicting a terrifying Demon King with fiery red eyes. The painting seemed to breathe, its aura heavy and oppressive, making the surrounding air feel stifling. "This time, you must enter the Demon King's Trial. If you succeed, I will teach you the Steel Body Technique you've longed for. This is my promise."
Leon felt something was off. "Master, why didn't you teach me the Steel Body Technique from the beginning? Why do I have to go through a trial first?" His voice was full of suspicion.
Grand Master Long sighed patiently, as if he had heard that question many times before. "To learn this technique, you must first master all other techniques. That is an absolute foundation. You are ready."
"Alright, Grandpa," Leon said, resigned. He had no choice but to believe, even though doubt gnawed at his heart.
"Now, prepare yourself. I will put you into the world of this Demon King painting. Inside, you must defeat the Demon King himself. Only then can you exit. Do you understand?"
"I understand." Leon looked at the painting, took a deep breath, then stepped forward. As he touched the canvas surface, his body was sucked in, disappearing into the dark depths of the painting, into an unknown dimension.
A thousand years passed.
Outside the painting, Grand Master Long and Merlin grew restless, pacing back and forth in front of the painting, which still emitted an oppressive aura.
"Why is Leon taking so long?" Merlin asked, her voice filled with impatience.
"I don't know what he's doing in there," Long replied, scratching his now longer beard. "But one thing's for sure, he won't be able to relax in front of the Demon King."
"I can't wait any longer to pass this Land of the Gods on to him," Merlin said, her eyes gleaming with eager anticipation. "So I can be free from this eternal confinement!"
"Exactly!" Long burst into laughter, his laughter filling the sky and echoing throughout the Land of the Gods. "When he comes out, we'll just give him everything, then we'll leave here! Hahahaha!" Both of them laughed contentedly, imagining the freedom that was almost within reach, a dream they had pursued for thousands of years.
However, their laughter suddenly stopped. The air around them tensed, and a chill ran down their spines.
"So... that was your plan all along?"
The voice came from behind them. It was Leon's voice.
Grand Master Long and Merlin spun around with lightning speed, utterly astonished. There stood Leon, having emerged from the Demon King painting, which had now returned to normal. His face was filled with burning rage, his eyes radiating wisdom now mixed with deep fury. His aura pulsed powerfully, far surpassing anything they had ever taught him, even exceeding their own. He stared at them with sharp eyes, full of unforgivable disappointment and betrayal.
"Don't expect me to inherit this boring land!" Without waiting for a response, Leon darted forward. A shadow flashed past them, too fast to stop, a pure burst of energy. He flew straight towards the edge of the Land of the Gods, towards the cloud chasm, towards true freedom.
"Merlin, stop him quickly! I can't catch him, he's too fast!" Grand Master Long cried, his face panicked, their thousand-year dream about to shatter before their eyes!
Merlin, with equally astonishing speed, began chanting a spell. A ball of silvery light shot out, hitting Leon's back just as he was about to reach the edge of the chasm, moments before he leaped.
"What's this?! Why are my hands shrinking?!" Leon flinched, his body rapidly shrinking, from an adult man to a child's size. He felt dizzy, his balance wavered, and his strength seemed to drain away. He fell, his body shrinking to the size of a tiny child.
While Leon stumbled, staring at his now tiny hands, Grand Master Long was already approaching, his hand outstretched to catch him. Seeing them almost upon him, Leon, with his remaining consciousness and increasingly small body, decided to run staggeringly.
As Grand Master Long's hand almost reached his wrist, Leon made a desperate decision. With a final, determined scream, he leaped! His tiny body plummeted freely into the ocean of clouds, leaving the two deities now shouting in frustration at the edge of the chasm, watching their ticket to freedom vanish.
"NOOOOOOO! OUR WAY OUT!" Grand Master Long and Merlin shrieked, their voices a mix of anger, despair, and deep regret, echoing throughout the now silent Land of the Gods, with two deities once again trapped in eternal boredom, forever.