Divine Mask: I Have Numerous God Clones

The words hung in the air, challenging and mocking, but before Zeus could savor the moment, the ground beneath him began to tremble violently.

His smirk faded into a scowl as the earth cracked open, revealing a horde of thunder zombies clawing their way to the surface. Their eyes glowed with that same eerie blue light, void of life but filled with a relentless hunger for destruction.

Zeus clenched his fists, irritation clear on his face. "Damn it," he muttered, his voice laced with annoyance. "There are still more of them?"

[Obviously,] the system chimed in, its tone exuding its usual mix of arrogance and mockery. [Did you really think you were done? Come on, this is Zarek we\'re talking about. The guy was arrogant enough to have a personal graveyard of enemies. You didn\'t expect him to just let them all go, did you?]

Zeus groaned, rubbing his temples as if trying to ward off a headache. "Damn it, there are too many of them, and I don\'t have time for this nonsense."

[Oh, poor you,] the system mocked, its voice dripping with fake sympathy. [Too many thunder zombies for the great Zeus? Maybe you should have thought of that before you started taunting an ancient spirit. Now, look what you\'ve done—woken up the whole damn graveyard. Classic.]

Zeus shot a glare at nothing in particular, knowing full well the system was enjoying his frustration. "You\'re not helping," he grumbled, scanning the endless wave of thunder zombies slowly shambling toward him.

Fighting them all one by one would be a colossal waste of time, and Zeus could feel the seconds ticking away like a countdown to disaster.

Then a sudden idea lit up in Zeus\'s mind, and a mischievous smirk spread across his face as the solution to his problem became clear.

[Hold on… What\'s that look for? What\'s going on in that reckless head of yours?] the system asked, its tone a mix of suspicion and curiosity as it sensed the shift in Zeus\'s demeanor.

Zeus\'s eyes gleamed with newfound resolve. "System, you can absorb all mana, right? And technically, these zombies are just animated corpses. Plus, we\'ve got this massive Thunder Mana Stone right here. Why don\'t we absorb it all?"

There was a brief pause before the system responded, its usual arrogance giving way to a hint of admiration. [I see where you\'re going with this. Not bad, Host. Not bad at all. But let me be clear, genius—this isn\'t going to be as easy as you think.]

Zeus\'s curiosity piqued, and he narrowed his eyes slightly. "What\'s the catch?"

[Well, for starters,] the system began, its tone dripping with condescension, [even though these zombies are technically corpses, they\'re still moving. That means their mana is fierce, unruly, and a lot more painful to absorb. It\'s not like you\'re just dealing with dead bodies here; these things are still kicking, in a way.]

Zeus frowned, considering the system\'s words. "So, the pain will be worse?"

[Oh, much worse,] the system confirmed, almost gleefully. [And let\'s not forget about the Thunder Spirit inside that massive stone. I can absorb it too, but the pain is going to be tripled. That spirit\'s influence has made the thunder mana as wild as a raging storm, and trust me, it won\'t go down quietly.]

Zeus took a deep breath, his expression hardening as he weighed his options. "Will the wild mana do anything to me besides causing more pain?"

The system practically scoffed. [Please, do you think I\'d let you get hurt? Aside from the pain—excruciating as it may be—it won\'t harm you. I\'ll convert the mana into the purest thunder energy for you to absorb, but I can\'t tone down its wild nature. You\'re going to have to endure every bit of it.]

Zeus let out a deep sigh, the weight of his decision settling on his shoulders. But then, his resolve solidified, and a fierce determination lit up his eyes. "I\'ve been dealing with pain since the beginning of this journey. What\'s a little more? Let\'s do this."

[Oh, I love this attitude,] the system replied, its voice oozing with twisted encouragement. [Just remember, when you\'re writhing in agony, that you asked for this. But hey, if you survive, you\'ll be stronger than ever. So, shall we begin?]

"Let\'s proceed," Zeus commanded, his voice steady, even as the anticipation of the coming pain coursed through him.

[Your call, boss,] the system agreed, almost too eagerly.

The process began almost immediately. The system started to absorb the mana from the surrounding zombies and the massive Thunder Mana Stone.

As the mana flowed into Zeus, he felt an overwhelming surge of energy, but it was wild, untamed, and incredibly painful. The thunder zombies\' residual life force and the Thunder Spirit\'s fierce influence made the process excruciating.

Zeus gritted his teeth, his body trembling as he endured the unbearable pain. The wild mana surged through him like a raging storm, tearing at his insides and filling every fiber of his being with raw, unrefined power.

It was unlike anything he had experienced before, and it took every ounce of his willpower to remain standing.

"AARRGHHH!" Zeus roared, the searing pain driving him to his knees, his body trembling under the relentless onslaught of wild thunder mana. His face contorted in agony, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to surrender to the torment.

[Oh, what\'s the matter, big guy? Thought you could handle a little shock therapy?] the system taunted, its voice laced with shameless amusement.

"Shut up, you sadistic bastard!" Zeus snarled through gritted teeth, every muscle in his body tensing as he fought to stay conscious. "And to hell with this damned Thunder Spirit! I\'m going to crush both of you for this!"

[Bold words for someone who\'s on the verge of passing out,] the system mocked, clearly enjoying every second of Zeus\'s struggle. [But hey, if cursing me and the Thunder Spirit helps you get through this, then by all means, keep it coming. I\'m here for the entertainment.]

Zeus\'s eyes blazed with determination even as his vision blurred from the pain. "I\'ll make sure you regret enjoying this… after I survive it!" he spat, his voice filled with both fury and resolve.