Reyes and Leezy stared in stunned silence at their surroundings.
From atop Odin's massive hand, they had an unobstructed view of the place they had been brought to.
They stood upon a floating island of cloud, its surface solid beneath their feet. At its center rose a pristine white temple, ancient and immaculate. Flanking it were two colossal hourglasses, each one towering over the structure itself, their sand flowing endlessly like liquid. Four marble pillars framed the temple, and between them rested a single oak door, dark and unadorned.
Above it all hovered a gigantic clock, suspended in the air. Both hands were frozen at twelve.
"This is the Indestructible Hyperbolic Time Chamber, one of the many training grounds used by the gods. Time flows differently here. A year spent inside amounts to only a week back on Earth." Odin said.
Reyes and Leezy listened intently.
"The gravity within is heavier than what you're accustomed to," Odin continued.
"It will strain your bodies until they adapt. Once you enter, the clock above will begin tracking the time you spend inside."
He lowered his hand, placing them gently before the temple's entrance.
"When you walk through that door, you'll find an altar with a book resting atop it. Leave a bloody fingerprint inside. Doing so will summon an apparition that will teach you the basics of what I've explained."
He turned away, beginning to walk.
"The apparition will spar with you," he added.
"From that exchange, it will assign each of you a rank based on your potential and current combat power. Your rankings will be recorded permanently within the book."
As their feet touched the stone, Odin paused.
"I have other matters to attend to. I'll return in a few days. Train well, youngsters."
A towering green door entwined with vines appeared before him. Light spilled through the opening, blinding in its intensity. Odin gave the brothers a final nod before stepping through. The door vanished the moment it closed.
Without hesitation, Reyes and Leezy approached the temple and stepped inside.
The moment they crossed the threshold, their bodies grew heavy.
"Jeez." Leezy muttered, knees bending slightly.
"Feels like someone doubled my weight."
The interior stretched endlessly in every direction. The floor was paved with red marble tiles, infinite in number. Behind them, the entrance door stood alone within its frame, disconnected from any visible wall.
Ahead of them rested a small stone altar.
A thick brown book sat atop it. An hourglass was engraved on its cover, surrounded by unfamiliar symbols. A single red bookmark hung from its pages.
Leezy walked up and flipped it open while Reyes carefully propped the unconscious girl against the door.
The first page detailed the summoning instructions. The pages that followed listed names—columns upon columns—each paired with a rank.
Some names stood alone. Others shared ranks.
Near the top of the page, several names were marked the same.
Unknown: Demios, Roth, Ares, Grim, Tir, Calypso, Menos, Krill, Xander, Var, Arrom, Nyx…
Leezy frowned. "The hell does 'Unknown' mean?"
He flipped back to the first page, cut his finger, and pressed it into the parchment.
The air shimmered.
A figure materialized above them.
He was tall and thin, pale-skinned with neatly combed blond hair. He wore a black suit with a red bowtie, resembling a butler more than a warrior. His eyes were completely white—no pupils, no irises.
"New arrivals," the apparition said calmly.
"Please state your name and race. Once confirmed, we will begin the sparring session used to determine your ranking. Rankings range from Copper to Obsidian."
"What about 'Unknown'?" Leezy asked.
The apparition smiled faintly.
"That rank is reserved for those who destroy me before I can properly assess them. Though marked as unknown, they are considered exceptional. Few manage it."
"I see…" Leezy muttered.
Reyes stepped beside him, hands in his pockets. "Can we go all out?"
"Yes. All damage inflicted—upon yourselves or the environment—will be repaired. Please state your name and race."
Reyes's eyes gleamed.
"My name is Reyes. Human."
Leezy jabbed a thumb into his chest.
"Leezy. Race… OG."
The apparition tilted his head. "That race is unfamiliar to me."
"This dumbass is human," Reyes said, snickering.
"Very well…" the apparition replied.
"Reyes and Leezy. Let us begin."
He floated down and landed before them before splitting his body in two.
The halves twisted, stretched, and reshaped themselves. When the transformation finished, two figures stood before them.
Perfect copies of themselves as if they were staring into a mirror. Every detail was identical—from their weapons to their clothing.
Only the eyes differed: blank, white, empty.
Electricity crackled around Leezy as blue lightning wrapped his body. His berserker tattoos glowed beneath his armor, power surging through him.
Red aura ignited around Reyes, flickering like living flame. His hands and feet glowed faintly as he tightened his grip on his blade.
Reyes moved first.
He launched forward, his sword crashing against his clone's guard and sending it flying. Using his aura, he formed a solid wall midair, rebounding the clone back toward him.
He followed, unleashing a precise flurry of strikes from shifting angles, stepping on small aura platforms to build his momentum as he twisted through the air.
The final downward slash slammed the copy into the marble floor, shattering tiles and leaving a deep crater.
Nearby, Leezy charged his own clone.
Lightning exploded from his fist as he threw an uppercut. The clone blocked, but the force launched it skyward. Leezy grabbed its leg midair and slammed it into the ground, thrusting his sword downward.
The clone spun free, dodging the strike.
A bolt of lightning erupted from Leezy's blade, slamming into the copy's chest and sending it skidding across the floor, carving a deep trench.
Leezy leapt.
Too hard.
He crashed headfirst into the marble.
"Fuck you." he groaned.
"You could've stayed still and cushioned my fall."
"Yes," the clone replied calmly, arms folded.
"But that would still have been reckless."
The clone spoke again—this time with the apparition's voice.
"I have seen enough. Please cease combat."
Both copies vanished.
The blond apparition reappeared, holding the book. He wrote swiftly.
Two voices echoed through the chamber.
'Reyes has been ranked: Silver.'
'Leezy has been ranked: Bronze.'
"What!?" Leezy roared.
He leapt after the apparition, trying to grab him as the man effortlessly drifted out of reach.
"Your recklessness lowered your rank," the apparition said evenly.
"The potential within you is impressive, but your current combat power lacks finesse."
"How about I finesse my foot up your—stop running!"
Reyes collapsed into laughter.
Behind him, the girl stirred.
Slowly, her eyes opened…