When the golem spotted the other presence that had irritated it, it went berserk, thrashing until the tree Ed was lounging in shook violently. Ed nearly lost his balance, but just as he prepared to bolt with his blinding speed—the golem’s giant palm snatched him right out of the air."Argh!" he cried out, feeling as though his very bones were being crushed in the vice grip.Meanwhile, Eugene struggled frantically to free his trapped leg. Just as he managed to stand back up, a lingering sting shooting up his calf, Ed unleashed a point-blank burst of lightning straight into the golem's face, forcing the giant to drop him instantly.Ed flashed away, his boots hitting the dirt, but the moment he landed—his balance faltered. He nearly collapsed, his face suddenly draining of all color.Now that Eugene finally had a brief window to breathe and regroup, Ed became the sole target of the golem's fury. The beast locked its blazing eyes onto the Rank 1 demigod, and strangely—Ed wasn't moving at

Beneath the steep hill where Olympiades stood, lay a sprawling demigod civilization, structured much like human society. They didn't rely on the advanced artificial intelligence that mortals called technology, as they were blessed with low-to-mid-scale cosmic energy—which proved far more useful in facilitating their daily lives.Pavkos City was the largest settlement in Horochora, serving as the cultural and commercial heart of the borderline. Leonidas visited often, drawn by its massive market that felt like a perpetual street carnival. Yet, he didn't come merely to indulge in the daily festivities; instead, he frequently navigated the broad alleyways nestled between urban structures to find a quiet bookstore tucked away on a street corner.The bookstore looked modest from the outside, but stepping through the threshold revealed an endless labyrinth of uncounted volumes. Leonidas made his way to the deepest section of the shop, where, at the bottom corner of the largest bookshelf, hi