Divine Mask: I Have Numerous God Clones

Startled, Lucy's eyes shot toward the entrance of the room. Lucas stood there, his small frame steady and calm.

She hadn't even sensed his arrival. How long had he been standing there? The shock was evident on her face as she blinked, her mind trying to catch up with the unexpected turn of events.

Roxana, who had been watching the scene unfold, turned to glance at Zeus, a knowing smile curling at the corners of her lips. "Thank you for easing my job," she remarked, her voice light but filled with amusement.

Zeus smirked slightly, giving her a small nod. "No problem," he replied, his tone as casual as ever, though his eyes gleamed with hidden satisfaction.

Still processing Lucas's sudden appearance, Lucy looked at him with disbelief. "Lucas... how can you be here?" she asked, her voice laced with confusion and a touch of worry.

Lucas stepped forward, his expression calm, though there was a firmness behind his words. "I already know everything, big sister," he said. His tone was even, but there was a quiet strength in it—one that belied his youthful appearance.

"Master Roxana has told me everything," he continued, glancing briefly at Roxana before his gaze returned to Lucy. There was no hesitation in his eyes, no fear. Only determination.

Lucy's heart clenched as she stared at her younger brother. "Everything?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper. She wasn't sure if she wanted to hear the answer.

Lucas nodded. "Yes, everything. You don't have to worry about me anymore." His voice softened, and for a moment, the brave facade wavered, revealing the boy who simply wanted to stand by his sister's side. "I already understand the reality of the cultivation world."

Lucy's lips parted, but no words came. Her heart pounded in her chest. He was too young to be exposed to the harshness of that world. Too innocent. She had always wanted to protect him from the brutal truth of cultivation, to shield him from its dangers, but now...

Lucas took a step closer, his voice firmer this time, but still laced with the warmth of the bond they shared. "I don't want to be the one who's always protected, big sister. I want to protect you too."

Those words hit her like a wave. Her heart skipped a beat, a lump forming in her throat. She searched his face, looking for a trace of hesitation or doubt, but there was none. Only sincerity.

"Lucas..." she whispered, her voice barely steady.

For a moment, there was silence between them, an unspoken understanding passing through the air. Lucas, no longer the little boy she once had to shield, stood tall in front of her, determined to share the burdens of the world they lived in.

He straightened his posture, his eyes locking with hers, a fierce determination burning in his gaze. "Sister, bring me with you," he said firmly, his voice carrying the weight of a decision he had already made.

Lucy's heart clenched again. The boy standing in front of her wasn't asking for permission; he was telling her—declaring—that he would stand by her side, regardless of the dangers. His resolve was unwavering, and for the first time, she truly saw the fierce determination burning in his eyes.

Lucy hesitated, torn between her instinct to protect her brother and the terrifying knowledge that their destination—the Death Volcano—was a place of unpredictable, lethal danger. How could she let Lucas, her sweet, innocent brother, venture into such a perilous place? Her heart wavered, her thoughts spiraling in uncertainty.

Maybe if I insist—

Before she could complete the thought, a commanding voice echoed in her mind, cutting through her doubts with the force of a blade.

[Bring him with you.]

Lucy's eyes widened in shock, recognizing the voice immediately. "Ancestor Olympus?" she questioned silently, her heart racing. "What do you mean?"

The voice of the so-called "Ancestor" was calm, but there was an undeniable edge of arrogance in his tone. [You heard me, girl. Bring your brother. Don't tell me you're scared of a little heat.]

Lucy blinked, stunned by the audacity of the response. "This isn't about fear," she protested inwardly, her mental voice shaky but firm. "The Death Volcano is dangerous. Lucas is too young—"

The voice interrupted her with a derisive snort. [Too young? He's fourteen. Nobles have been throwing their children into battles at ten. Face it, Lucy, you're just being overprotective. And weak.]

A sharp pang of guilt shot through Lucy's chest. "I'm not weak," she whispered in her mind, her fists clenching at her sides. "I just—"

[Oh, stop whining,] the voice snapped, dripping with condescension. [Listen to me for once, would you? There are treasures hidden within the Death Volcano, powerful things that could change everything. Your brother needs to claim one of them. That's why you need to bring him along.]

Lucy frowned, trying to process the sudden revelation. "Treasures?" she asked, her heart now pounding for a different reason. "What kind of treasures?"

The voice let out a long, exaggerated sigh, as if exasperated by her lack of immediate compliance. [You'll know when you get there. Honestly, must I explain everything to you?] His tone grew even more dismissive. [Just do as I say. Bring your brother. This isn't a suggestion, it's a command.]

Lucy's lips pressed into a thin line, her frustration growing. This "Ancestor Olympus" always spoke to her as if she were some naive child, incapable of making her own decisions.

"What if it's too dangerous for him?" she argued, refusing to back down so easily. "I'm not risking his life over some vague promise of treasure."

The voice laughed mockingly, a cruel edge in the sound. [Dangerous? Please. Your brother isn't as helpless as you think. And you—] the voice paused, its tone turning sly, [—you're not as invincible as you pretend to be. Do you really think keeping him in the dark will protect him?

Or will it just make him weaker in the long run?]

The words stung, more deeply than Lucy cared to admit. Her mind raced, torn between her instincts and the insidious logic of the system.

[Face it, girl,] the voice added, its tone softening only slightly. [He's going to need this. You both are.]

For a long moment, Lucy said nothing. She could feel the tension in the room, with Lucas standing just a few steps away, watching her closely.

He didn't know what was going on inside her mind—didn't know about the voice that pretended to be an "ancestor" but often felt like something else entirely. But he trusted her.

And that trust weighed heavily on her.

Finally, she exhaled slowly, a hint of defeat in the breath. "What's in the Death Volcano that's so important?" she asked, her voice softer now, resigned but still curious.

[Ah, finally coming around, are we?] the voice said smugly. [Let's just say there's a special something hidden there. Something that will make all this hesitation seem laughable. But, of course, I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise.]

"You're insufferable," Lucy muttered in her mind, though there was a faint hint of amusement now, despite her lingering doubts.

[Takes one to know one, dear,] the voice quipped, the mockery still present but tinged with satisfaction at her acquiescence.

Lucy let out a long sigh, her eyes shifting to Lucas. His determined expression had softened slightly, but his resolve remained firm.

Despite her concerns, she could see how much he wanted to join her. How much he wanted to stand by her side, no longer the little brother who needed to be shielded from the world.