AWAKENED INTO GODLIKE

Chapter 1: Awakened

Hot-white pain tore through Zane's body as the knife drove into through his chest.

"Ahhhhh!!!"

An agonizing scream escaped from him, echoing through the night.

A tall figure, muscular and looking rugged pulled out the knife with a wet Slush.

Zane cried, his breathing laboured and wrong, bleeding into the asphalt.

"You couldn't pay up your debt," the thug growled, "you're useless, Zane. Your pathetic shameless life ends here. The boss wants you to pay with your life because your existence in the casino has caused only unfortunate things you couldn't afford the cost."

His two accomplices spat on Zane's faltering body.

"Let's finish him already." One of them said impatiently.

Zane was on his knees, bleeding, his head slumped forward weakly as life slowly drained out of him.

The leader of the thugs leaned to his face, flashing a smug ugly grin to his face. He grabbed his hair and yanked his head backward. Zane winced, barely. He was exhausted, breathing only with sheer effort that couldn't stop his life from draining as he bled.

"I'll carve you open and toss your useless body into the sea." The thug growled against his ear, grinning wickedly. "That's the price of your debt."

He plunged his hand deep into Zane's chest, squeezing through, Zane's expression twisted out of sheer agony, gripping the thug's hand but it was useless against the man's strength. His heart was ripped out, leaving his chest hollow. A visceral scream of pain escaped his lips, echoing down the sea below. His body slumped forward, hitting the asphalt with a heavy thud, blood pooled beneath his body.

Across the sky, thunder rumbled, lightning streaked. Rain spilled down heavily as though the heaven was mourning his death

"Dispose his body into the sea." The leader commanded his men, walking out of the place as though the body on the floor was nothing more than trash.

Zane's body was lifted up from the floor and left to cascade into the sea.

His body sank to the bottom of the sea, surrounded by a shoal of fish.

Suddenly, a white light shot out of the sky, plummeting toward the earth with the speed of lightning and shot into the sea. Shockwave erupted.

A deep ancient voice echoed through the sea, making sea creatures flee.

"Finally, a rebellious soul." He said, "Dirty life, shameless existence, but a worthy soul. I'll finally be awakened after 1000 years of non-existence."

The blinding white light poured into Zane's body completely, then darkness fell. Strangely, the hole on his chest began to close, forming new flesh without any trace of scar as if he wasn't cut a few minutes ago. His eyes snapped open, flashing white blinding light.

Zane shot out of the water like a star and landed on the bridge. The rain had stopped falling, and the cloud was clearing away from the night.

He looked around his surroundings strangely.

"Water, Air, and land.." He said with a deep and powerful voice. "Earth. Planet of mere mortals." His expression twisted into a frown as though appearing here was the worst of insults.

"I, Caeleon the mighty god of Calestara awakened in a mere mortal body." He scoffed. "Weaklings. Let's see if I have all my power."

He raised his hand to the sea. At once, the sea froze. But it didn't last long before the wave continued splashing again.

Caeleon frowned deeply, staring at his hand.

"What an insult!" He hissed, "I don't even have half of my power. This body is worthy— rebellious, but useless."

He pressed one finger to his temple, memories of Zane's past existence flooded his head.

"So, my name is Zane Mercer..." He looked around the place. " ...and I was killed right in this place."

Then his voice hardened, the air trembling to an invisible energy around him. The white light flashed in his eyes again, his expression held determination.

"I will dominate this world and I'll make everyone who tormented me pay."

With the memory he recovered, he found his residential address, a big black gate with a fence.

"What is this? Wall? Shield?" He scoffed. "Can these fragile structures protect them? How ignorant."

The gate suddenly creaked open.

A uniformed gateman stood there with a permanent scowl twisting his expression.

"Get the hell inside, Zane." He spat "You're drunk again. Your life is a complete waste as a young man."

Zane stepped inside. He didn't even look at the gateman. His gaze was fixed on the tall building ahead of him.The Sterlings family house.

"People in this world rest behind cheap small walls unlike my empire made of gold."

"Are you lost?! or you lose your memories drowning in too much alcohol?" The gateman spoke arrogantly.

Zane turned to look at him. His expression was perfectly calm and unreadable.

"Is this how you people bark in this world?" His voice was calm and unhurried. "You're too loud."

"What did you just say?" The gateman paused in shock.

"Answer the question." Zane's voice was flat. He stared him hard "Is this how you go around barking at people."

"What..are you crazy?!!" The gateman stuttered, clearly flustered by the unusual attitude and the steel in his eyes that made his knee buckled.

"You're dumb." Zane continued with the same flat voice. "No wonder you're rotting away at the gate and you think you're high because you allow cars to pass."

He turned and walked out, leaving the gateman dumbfounded and shaking with the steel stare in his Zane's eyes earlier registered in his brain.

"What the heck was that? It feels chilling merely looking into his eyes."

Zane stood at the door of the house. He could hear every small voice from inside audibly, impossible for a mere mortal.

"This is my home," he said, "let's see what is inside."

He pushed the door of the room open and strode in confidently.

A strange smell hit his nostril— the aroma of food he wasn't used to, but it was strangely satisfying.

"What is that smell? Is that what they eat? Smells good. Humans might be weak but sure they have a good sense of taste."

He traced the aroma to the end of the living room and stepped into the dining room to see the familiar faces of the members of the Sterlings family seated around the table with lavish meals spread in their front.

They all stopped eating immediately, their expression unwelcoming and irritated as though his presence was a piece of shit in their expensive plate.

Margaret the woman of the house wore an extravagant gown, her expression twisted in pure disdain. At the end of the table sat Mr. Sterlings, the man of the house, he stared hard at Zane with the look of a wrong thing in the wrong room. Dora, the favoured daughter sat across from her mother, her spoon clattered against the plate immediately Zane showed his face.

"What the heck are you doing here your idiot?!" Margaret barked. "Have you forgotten your place in this house?"

Zane exhaled softly. "Why is everyone loud around here?" He responded calmly, and Margaret took it up, the biggest insult because Zane had never spoken back. She jerked up so fast the chair scraped the marble. "Are you mad? Did you just open your gutter mouth and talk back at me?"

Her voice was sharp, cutting across the room like a blade. Her finger snapped to the floor.

"Get on your knee now and apologize for this irrational behavior, or I'll throw you and your useless wife out of my property!!"