Divine Mask: I Have Numerous God Clones

It was someone he knew all too well.

"Caius," Zeus thought with a slight smirk. This was the person he had defeated to claim the third-place ranking, a battle that remained fresh in his mind.

It was easy, as Zeus didn't really use all of his power and emerged victorious. And judging by the look on Caius's face, he hadn't forgotten it either.

"Ah, so Caius hasn't taken that loss lightly. Not that I'm surprised," Zeus mused, watching his former opponent.

[Oh, look at him,] the system's voice slithered into his mind, full of mockery. [Still sulking over that humiliating defeat, is he? Hilarious. You really crushed that guy's pride, huh?]

Zeus let out a low chuckle. "Yeah, looks like he's still sore."

[Obviously! I mean, who wouldn't be? Losing to someone as incredible as you must've shattered his tiny little ego,] the system continued, dripping with arrogance. [He probably cried himself to sleep for weeks.]

Zeus smirked, amused by the system's shameless tone. "Well, I'm curious to see how much stronger he's gotten since then. Let's take a look..." With a subtle thought, he activated his scan, curious to measure Caius's progress.

The results flashed before his eyes.

[Name: Caius Arcturus]

[Race: Human]

[Physique: None]

[Tier: 4 Star]

[Cultivation Manual: Storm King's Dominion]

Zeus's eyes flickered with mild annoyance as he scanned Caius's information. He frowned slightly but wasn't surprised. "Another one boosted by family connections," he thought, his gaze shifting to the elder seats.

Just as expected, Elder Thorne Arcturus sat among the top five, the same last name making it obvious. Caius hadn't gotten this far on his own merit—it was his family pulling the strings, no doubt showering him with resources to prop up his cultivation.

The system, ever quick to mock, chimed in with a haughty tone. [Oh, look at that! Another one who had mommy and daddy helping him climb the ranks. What a shocker.]

The sarcasm dripped heavily. [It's almost a theme at this point, isn't it? These so-called top disciples... they've all got elders coddling them. What, did they buy him a few breakthroughs for his birthday?]

Zeus couldn't help but smirk, the system's shameless mockery always entertaining. "It's becoming predictable," he murmured.

[Predictable? It's downright pathetic! These kids wouldn't know real cultivation if it smacked them in the face. The only reason they're even up here is because their elders don't want to see their precious little protégés fail.] The system scoffed. [It's almost sad... almost.]

Zeus raised an eyebrow, a bit amused. "Yeah, well... let's see if all that family help does anything for Caius this time around."

[Ha! As if!] The system laughed, practically oozing arrogance. [They can give him all the handouts in the world, but none of it will matter when he's standing in front of you. He doesn't have the grit, the talent, or the power to go toe-to-toe with someone who's earned their place.]

Zeus's smirk deepened, his eyes gleaming with confidence. "We'll see," he whispered, fully aware of what was coming next.

Caius strode toward the testing stone, his steps slow and deliberate, each one echoing his resolve. His eyes, however, were locked onto Zeus the entire time, filled with a smoldering mixture of resentment and fierce determination. His expression all but screamed, "I'll prove myself today."

Zeus met that glare with a wicked, taunting smirk, utterly unfazed by Caius's silent challenge. "Is that supposed to intimidate me?" Zeus thought, his amusement barely hidden as he tilted his head, letting Caius stew in his frustration.

Caius's scowl deepened, the fire in his eyes intensifying. He hated that smug look on Zeus's face, hated how calm and confident he was. But Caius wasn't about to let his anger control him.

Not now. He forced himself to turn back to the task at hand, exhaling sharply as he pushed his emotions aside. His body tensed, and he took a deep breath.

In an instant, his aura exploded to life, raw and crackling with electric energy. Thunder rumbled faintly around him, growing louder as the power of his Storm King's Dominion cultivation surged through his veins.

The air around him began to distort, rippling with barely contained lightning mana, the atmosphere thick with anticipation.

With a sharp yell, Caius activated his Storm Aura, his body glowing with the blue-white energy of thunder. The power coursing through him grew fiercer, and his eyes flashed with determination.

Without hesitation, he channeled all of it into his sword, which began to hum with the same electrifying energy.

"Storm Slash!" Caius roared, swinging his blade with calculated precision. A massive, thunderous wave of energy shot forward, the crackling lightning illuminating the arena as it tore through the air and slammed into the testing stone with a deafening crash.

The impact was violent, sending tremors through the ground and causing a shockwave that rippled through the stands. The audience collectively held its breath as they watched the stone buckle under the sheer force of Caius's attack.

When the dust settled, a deep crack stretched across the surface of the stone, deeper than anything Julian had managed earlier. The stone shuddered, its resilience clearly tested by the overwhelming power of Caius's Storm Slash.

Caius straightened, a smug grin spreading across his face. He turned to Zeus, eyes gleaming with arrogance, practically daring him to respond. His message was clear: "I'm stronger now. I won't lose again."

Zeus barely reacted as Caius turned to him, smug and arrogant. He simply smirked, his expression cool and unfazed by the display. "Still the same arrogance," he mused, his eyes narrowing just slightly. "He's improved, sure... but it's still not enough." content source mvlempy r

The system jumped in almost immediately, oozing with its usual mockery. [Oh, look at him puffing out his chest like he's the king of the arena! Hilarious. Does he really think that little crack on the stone will make him a legend?]

Its voice was dripping with sarcasm. [He's got something to prove, all right... too bad for him, you're about to crush whatever shred of confidence he's got left.]

Zeus chuckled under his breath. "He'll find out soon enough." He didn't need the system to remind him of what was coming next. His confidence was unshakable, and the gap between him and Caius was still there—wide and clear.

[Of course he will! The poor fool doesn't realize who he's up against. You'll make him look like an amateur in front of everyone! This is going to be delicious,] the system added, its tone almost gleeful in its mockery.

Zeus's smirk deepened as the arena announcer's voice boomed out, calling for the third-ranked outer disciple to step forward. The moment had come.

Without hesitation, Zeus strode out into the arena, his movements smooth and deliberate. His calm, composed demeanor was in stark contrast to Caius's earlier heated display.