章 3: The Novel's Next Chapter

Chapter - 03

The Celestial Gate was a place of both terror and opportunity. It was a realm where nightmares took physical form, where monsters that defied human comprehension roamed freely. These creatures, twisted by dark magic and primordial chaos, slaughtered anyone who dared step into their domain unprepared. But for those who were brave—or foolish—enough to venture into the gate and survive, there was a prize beyond imagining. Killing these monsters didn't just ensure survival; it gave power. Every slain beast released a surge of energy, a surge of Iridium, the latent mystical force that existed within all living beings. By absorbing this energy, adventurers grew stronger, faster, and more powerful, their own Iridium reserves swelling with each victory.

In theory, with enough dedication, training, and risk, one could reach the power level of the gods themselves. This tantalizing promise of godhood, of breaking free from the limitations of mere mortals, was what drove thousands to risk their lives within the gate. But it wasn't just power they sought. Hidden deep within the Celestial Gate were ancient treasures, relics of forgotten times and lost civilizations. Some of these treasures were said to be so potent, even the gods coveted them, for they could grant immortality, change the course of history, or bend reality to the will of the possessor.

Two centuries had passed since the Celestial Gate first appeared, shaking the very foundations of the world. The old kingdoms of man had long since fallen, unable to withstand the cataclysmic changes that came with the arrival of the gods and the gate. In their place, four new kingdoms had risen, each aligned with one of the four great pantheons: the Olympians in the south, the Norse in the north, the Shén in the east, and the Ennead in the west. These kingdoms were not just political powers but spiritual and military dominions. Each kingdom revered its gods, and their societies were built around the academies where these gods trained the new generations of warriors.

The region where the Celestial Gate stood was a land unto itself. It belonged to no kingdom, no nation. It was an independent territory, fiercely guarded by all four pantheons. Each kingdom had deployed its most elite soldiers, scholars, and adventurers to this neutral ground, forming a fragile but necessary alliance. They worked together to maintain a delicate balance of power, ensuring that no single pantheon could seize control of the gate. It was a constant game of politics and strategy, where each faction watched the others closely, waiting for any sign of betrayal or power grab. Their forces patrolled the borders of the gate, slaughtering any monsters that attempted to escape and facilitating the passage of adventurers brave enough to enter its depths.

Within this new world, the protagonist of the novel was a young man from southern Europe, specifically from a small, unremarkable village under the watchful eyes of the Olympian gods. He had grown up hearing stories of the great adventurers who ventured into the Celestial Gate, many of whom never returned. His parents were both renowned adventurers who had braved the gate and come back changed—more powerful than before. From them, he had inherited vast stores of Iridium, though this fact had been something he was unaware of, for most of his life.

It wasn't until his enrollment in the Olympian Academy that his true potential was revealed. The academy was a towering marvel of marble and gold, built atop the ruins of ancient Greece and Rome. Statues of Zeus, Athena, Apollo, and the other Olympian gods lined the walkways, their stone eyes watching over the new generation of heroes being trained within the academy's walls. The protagonist, like all new students, was subjected to a series of tests to measure his Iridium levels. When the results came in, the instructors were stunned. His Iridium capacity was beyond anything they had seen in decades, possibly since the gods themselves first descended.

This revelation set him on a path unlike any other. His journey through the academy wasn't just about learning how to wield his Iridium—it was about living up to the legacy of legends and ultimately surpassing them. Under the tutelage of the gods themselves, he trained alongside other students, each with their own dreams of glory, but none with the same raw potential as him. The story followed his growth, his struggles, and his relationships as he worked to become the greatest adventurer the world had ever seen.

And of course, it wasn't just the action that drew me into this novel. One of the reasons I had stuck with it for so long was its large cast of vibrant, well-developed female characters, many of whom played pivotal roles in the protagonist's life. There were rivals who challenged him, friends who supported him, and even divine beings who were intrigued by his potential. The romantic subplots wove seamlessly into the story, adding depth and emotional stakes without overshadowing the primary narrative of growth, adventure, and discovery.

By now, I had devoured a hundred chapters of the story, my eyes glued to the screen as I had clicked through each new page. The rich world-building, the intense battles, the character development—it all kept me hooked, even after hours of non-stop reading.

As I clicked the "Next Chapter" button, ready to dive back in, something strange happened.

The screen flickered, the familiar text glitching for a split second before returning to normal. I blinked, leaning in closer. Maybe it was just a momentary lag, nothing more. I shook it off and clicked again, but the flicker came back, longer this time. My heart skipped a beat as the text warped, twisting into unrecognizable symbols. My hand froze on the mouse. The screen went black.

"What the hell?" I muttered under my breath, staring at the monitor in disbelief. This had never happened before. Was my internet down? Was the website glitching? I moved to refresh the page, but just as I was about to hit the button, the screen lit up again—only now, it wasn't the novel anymore.

Something was wrong. Instead of text, the image on the screen looked like... a portal. A swirling mass of light and darkness, colors I couldn't even describe bleeding together as they shifted and moved. My heart raced as I leaned closer, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end.

It wasn't just a glitch. It felt real. Too real.

The edges of the portal began to ripple, as if whatever was on the other side was pushing against the screen, trying to break through. My breath caught in my throat as the room around me seemed to dim, the glow from the monitor casting eerie shadows on the walls.

Then, without warning, something reached out from the screen.