CHAPTER 281: DIVINE APTITUDE

With the urging of Zarek, Zythaira and he quickly stepped inside the palace, amidst the countless gazes that were directed at him.

"So where could I gain all the benefits that you stated from—?" Before Zarek could voice further, he heard the familiar voice that had just announced his results before.

"As the new Demi-god authority has been given, we will commence a new court meeting. Everyone, gather." The voice was very ethereal, as it felt like it was speaking right to his ears, but in reality, the voice came from nowhere and everywhere at the same time.

"Welp, that answers the question," Zarek grumbled as he went to the center building with the plaque of "Demi-god Court" written in rather bold words.

Zytharia and the two Paragon closely followed behind him in silence.

Even though it was the first time for Zarek to come into this place, he was walking wantonly as if he owned it.

Zytharia looked at this with a twitch of annoyance, but she quickly let it slide. There was no reason for her to get into a fight just for this mere reason; after all, the brat in front of her was already worthy and a genius that she didn’t want to admit.

Soon, they arrived at the court. Even though the distance seemed really close, it felt like the fabric of space itself was warped here, and they passed a distance of a hundred kilometers before reaching it.

If it was for a normal person, then they would probably not even be qualified to reach this court.

Zarek looked around him, then he felt a force naturally compelling him to step forward and enter the place.

He tried to resist it but was still forced in the end nonetheless. The door opened itself, revealing a group of people sitting on grand thrones; all their gazes were immediately drawn towards him.

’This is...’ he felt a strange quiver in his heart. These were the gazes that were staring at him all the time before.

Then his eyes were drawn to a green-haired woman sitting on the most grand throne and a notch above the others.

Her cold and emotionless eyes were looking at him with a hint of complete indifference, unlike the others.

"Zytharia, is he the one?" the woman spoke.

"Yes, big sister," Zythaira answered quickly.

"Hmm, your body is a mere mortal flesh and cannot handle the Divine Energy; that’s why your entire skin is gold right now," she said and extended her slender finger forward, pointing towards Zarek. "Extend your palm."

A feather floated out of her fingertips and slowly drifted in front of Zarek, landing on his palm.

Then, right in front of Zarek’s stunned eyes, the feather phased right through his skin and entered his body.

In an instant, a strange energy surged through his body. It strengthened his flesh and organs and beyond that, he could feel profound changes unfolding within his genes and bloodline.

His genes were rewriting themselves; his muscles reorganizing.

The divine energy, once congested and unruly, now settled naturally within him as if it was there to begin with, although his body could handle it previously but that doesn’t mean it accepted it but it completely accepted the divine energy.

His golden skin cracked like delicate spiderwebs, revealing his original skin beneath, now smoother and more radiant than before.

Zarek had returned to his true form.

[Your body has become more attuned to divine energy]

[Your have gained an exclusive skill Divine Aptitude]

[Beep]

[Detected three similar skills: Divine Aptitude Divine Affinity Divine Body]

[Do you wish to combine the three?]

Zarek looked at it and immediately accepted. He would be a fool not to embrace such a boon.

The moment he did, another blue panel appeared before him, signaling the start of the process, which, judging by the progress bar, would take quite some time.

"Hey, Zarek," Zytharia tugged at his sleeve.

He tilted his head and turned to her. "What?"

"You should thank big sister," Zythaira said coldly.

Zarek glanced at the green-haired woman and smiled. "Thank you."

He had been so absorbed in the system panel that he hadn’t paid any attention to his surroundings, and had likely missed the entire exchange.

However, when Zarek observed her, who was looking at him with a cold expression, the faint murmurs from the demi-gods at the side rang in his ears.

"What the hell is this guy doing?"

"How dare he be so disrespectful towards the Lord."

"She even gave him the divine feathers, which allow one to have a divine aptitude; there are only three of them, and he is not even grateful for it."

Zarek’s ears twitched as he looked at the "Lord" before him, who still had an unchanging expression, patiently waiting for her decision. It didn’t sound disrespectful to him at all; he much rather believed in action rather than being in the forefront of things.

"You’re welcome." She said, clapping her hands. In an instant, a medallion materialized before Zarek. "This is the Medallion that will prove your identity and the authority of a Demi-god, even though you have not yet fully reached that state."

"Thank you," Zarek replied with a simple bow.

"Good. Now that this is settled, tell us, what is Mirabella’s condition? Has she truly betrayed us?" she asked casually.

"Yes," Zarek answered plainly.

An oppressive silence immediately settled over the surroundings. It had already been quiet, but now it felt heavy, like a storm brewing beneath the surface.

"Where did she go? Which race?" Her expression remained cold, but cracks had already begun to spiderweb across her armrest.

"The Mythos Race, I believe, is creatures with the body of an orc and the head of a Yaksha," he replied.

"The Mythos Race?" she scoffed. "It seems some of those remnant races have suddenly sprouted wings."

The throne beneath her shattered completely, crumbling to dust, and she rose with a graceful, deadly poise.

"Then let us go and destroy them all."