Zumi exhales slowly, the noise of the room fading to a distant hum as his focus sharpens.
He doesn't rush.
He doesn't hesitate.
This isn't desperation anymore—this is direction.
"Celestia," he says calmly, voice steady. "Allocate my points."
✨ CELESTIA ✨
Awaiting allocation command.
Zumi's intent is clear, precise.
"Seventy-five into Charisma.
Two hundred into Strength.
Two hundred into Damage Points.
One hundred into Constitution."
There is no dramatic flare this time.
No violent surge.
Just inevitability.
The System accepts his will.
✦ ATTRIBUTE ALLOCATION — CONFIRMED ✦
✨ POINTS SPENT: 575 / 575
✨ UNALLOCATED POINTS: 0
✨ THE CHARISMA SYSTEM — STATUS UPDATE ✨
HOST: Zumi Gold
AGE: 24
📊 ATTRIBUTES (AFTER ALLOCATION)
STRENGTH:439 ⬆️ (+200)
DEXTERITY: 247
CHARISMA:337 ⬆️ (+75)
WISDOM: 241
INTELLIGENCE: 241
CONSTITUTION:340 ⬆️ (+100)
🔹 SUB-POINTS
CHARM: 240
DAMAGE POINTS:445 ⬆️ (+200)
LEGENDARY QI: Level 10
✨ SYSTEM NOTE ✨
Physical integrity significantly reinforced.
Damage scaling greatly amplified.
Charisma pressure increased — passive influence radius expanded.
Host survivability elevated to near-divine baseline.
Zumi feels it—not as pain, not as heat—but as density.
His muscles feel heavier, more grounded, like the world itself is less capable of pushing back against him.
His heartbeat slows… deepens.
Each breath carries weight.
Not oppressive.
Authoritative.
Viktoria stiffens slightly on his lap—not in fear, but awareness. Her divine intellect instantly registers the shift.
"…You just did something," she murmurs, eyes narrowing with interest.
Zumi smiles faintly.
"Yeah," he says. "I did."
Around them, the girls don't fully understand what changed—but every one of them feels it.
Not power exploding outward.
But power settling in.
Like a king finally sitting properly on his throne.
And somewhere, deep within the System…
✨ CELESTIA ✨
Host growth trajectory stabilized.
Request Value (1) remains unused.
Future evolution paths unlocked.
Zumi leans back slightly, one arm secure around Viktoria, gaze steady.
Stronger.
More durable.
More dangerous.
And still… in control.
He's ready for what comes next.
Zumi doesn't open his eyes when he speaks.
His posture stays relaxed—one arm around Viktoria, her weight warm and real against him—but his intent is sharp enough to cut divinity.
"Celestia," he says calmly.
"I know the Monkey King had far more than what I currently wield."
The room doesn't go silent—
the girls are still chatting softly, Serafina explaining things to Viktoria in low tones—but the System does.
"I'm not asking to break balance," Zumi continues evenly.
"I'm asking to prepare for it."
A pause.
"I want to use my Request Value to unlock all Monkey King abilities—
but only at low-tier versions.
Sealed. Dormant. Limited."
His golden eyes open halfway.
"When I reunite with Athena and meet the requirements…
every ability will then unlock to its true potential."
The System hesitates.
✨ CELESTIA ✨
Request detected.
Analyzing scope…
Warning: Request exceeds autonomous authority.
Creator Authorization Required.
Zumi exhales slowly.
"Again," he murmurs.
Time stretches.
One second.
Ten.
Thirty.
Then—
The air changes.
Not pressure.
Not power.
Presence.
✨ SYSTEM OVERRIDE — CREATOR INTERFACE ACTIVE ✨
The world seems to listen.
A voice—not loud, not soft—
but impossibly certain, echoes through the system itself.
✨ CELESTINA — CREATOR OF THE SYSTEM ✨
"Interesting request."
Viktoria stiffens instantly.
Serafina's eyes sharpen.
Bia stops mid-laugh.
Only Zumi remains still.
"You're not asking for strength," Celestina continues.
"You're asking for structure."
A faint, amused hum ripples through the interface.
"You plan far ahead for someone reborn not long ago."
Zumi doesn't deny it.
"I've learned what happens when power comes without preparation."
A pause.
Then—
"Very well," Celestina says.
"I will grant all abilities of Sun Wukong at sealed, low-tier manifestations."
"No mortal will rival them."
"No god will fear them."
"But they will exist."
"When Athena is reclaimed…
when conditions are met…
they will awaken."
✨ REQUEST VALUE CONSUMED ✨
✨ REQUEST VALUE: 0 ✨
🐒 MONKEY KING ABILITY SET — INITIAL UNLOCK(LOW-TIER | SEALED | SYSTEM-BOUND)
Note: All abilities scale with attributes, Legendary Qi, and divine reunification.
🔱 PHYSICAL & INNATE ABILITIES
• Enhanced Strength (Wukong Base — Sealed)
Far beyond human limits; restrained from mountain-tier output.
• Enhanced Speed & Reflexes (Cloud-Step Residual)
Supersonic bursts; long-distance somersault travel locked.
• Diamond Body (Fragmented)
High resistance to blades, fire, poison, lightning.
Not true invulnerability yet.
• Endless Stamina (Bounded)
Extreme endurance; not infinite.
• Keen Senses
Superhuman vision, hearing, and spiritual perception.
• Fiery Eyes, Golden Pupils (Dormant State)
Illusion detection active.
Reality-seeing and divine aura piercing locked.
🧠 MENTAL & COGNITIVE
• Tactical Genius (Residual Memory)
Combat intuition, battlefield reading, rapid adaptation.
🌀 MAGICAL ABILITIES
• Seventy-Two Transformations (Locked to 3 Forms)
Small animal, humanoid disguise, object mimic.
Extra lives disabled.
• Hair Duplication (Partially Unsealed)
Up to 6 clones; reduced duration and power.
• Size Manipulation (Restricted Range)
Human-scale enlargement or reduction only.
• Summoning (Information Only)
Can sense local spirits; no forced aid.
• Protective Circle (Minor Barrier)
Defensive zone effective against mortals.
• Body-Freezing Spell (Single-Target | Short Duration)
• Elemental Avoidance
Fire/water survival spells enabled.
True elemental control locked.
• Lock-Breaking Method
Non-divine locks only.
• Astral Projection (Short Range)
• Resurrection — LOCKED
Requires divine authority.
⚔️ COMBAT FORMS
• Ruyi Jingu Bang — ACTIVE
Scaling suppressed.
• Three Heads, Six Arms — LOCKED
✨ CELESTIA ✨
All Monkey King abilities registered.
Status: Dormant / Low-Tier / Scalable.
Full awakening condition: Athena Reunification + Divine Threshold.
Zumi leans back slowly.
He doesn't smile.
He breathes—deep, steady, controlled.
Viktoria finally exhales, her divine intellect racing.
"…You just acquired an entire myth," she murmurs.
Serafina's lips curve faintly.
"Not acquired," she corrects.
"Reclaimed."
Zumi looks down at his hands.
Nothing flashy.
Nothing wild.
But he can feel them.
Every spell.
Every instinct.
Every echo of a god who once shook Heaven.
Low-tier.
Sealed.
Waiting.
And for the first time since his rebirth—
Sun Wukong's shadow fully aligns with his own.
"Good," Zumi says quietly.
"Now… I can grow into it properly."
Somewhere deep in the system—
✨ CELESTINA ✨
"Let's see how far you take it, Monkey King."
Zumi inclines his head slightly—not in submission, not in arrogance, but in acknowledgment.
"Thank you," he says calmly, his voice steady.
"I'll have another request for you in the future."
For a moment, nothing happens.
Then the System shimmers.
Not text.
Not light.
Laughter.
Soft.
Ethereal.
Amused in a way that makes reality itself feel like it's being observed from above.
✨ CELESTINA — CREATOR OF THE SYSTEM ✨
"Welcome, mortal."
The word doesn't carry insult.
It carries anticipation.
"I look forward to it."
The presence fades.
Not abruptly—
but like a tide pulling back from shore.
✨ CREATOR INTERFACE — CLOSED ✨
✨ SYSTEM STABILITY RESTORED ✨
Silence settles.
True silence.
Zumi opens his eyes.
Nothing explodes.
No golden storm.
No divine proclamation.
But the room knows.
Serafina's pupils narrow slightly as she exhales.
Bia straightens unconsciously, her muscles tightening before relaxing again.
Thalassia tilts her head, nature itself responding to the shift.
Even Viktoria—still seated sideways on his lap—feels it.
Not power.
Density.
Zumi feels… heavier.
Not in weight—
but in presence.
Like something ancient has finished settling into place.
Serafina breaks the quiet first, voice low and reverent.
"…You're stronger."
Bia nods once, instinctively.
"Not loud. But deeper."
Thalassia smiles faintly.
"The roots just went further down."
Viktoria's crimson eyes flicker with calculation and awe as her divine intellect processes the change.
"It's subtle," she says softly.
"But the probability curves around you just shifted."
Zumi exhales slowly.
He doesn't flex.
He doesn't test anything.
He simply exists.
And the world around him seems to accept that existence a little more readily than it did before.
Somewhere unseen—
beyond gods, beyond systems—
a creator watches.
And waits.
The atmosphere in the living room slowly relaxed, the lingering weight of divinity fading into something warm—familiar.
Zumi shifted slightly, careful with Viktoria still settled against him, then smiled.
"Alright," he said, voice easy.
"Let's head to the kitchen. It's been a while since I cooked."
The reaction was immediate.
Jasmine's eyes lit up first.
Kathy nearly bounced in her seat.
Ana's lips curved into a knowing smile.
"Yes," Jasmine said, clasping her hands. "It's been way too long."
Kathy nodded enthusiastically. "Last time you cooked, I swear I almost cried."
Ana laughed softly. "He's not exaggerating."
Viktoria blinked, then laughed in genuine surprise, a faint blush touching her cheeks.
"Oh?" she said, amused. "A man who can cook?"
Her eyes flicked to Zumi with playful appreciation.
"You're somehow even hotter than you were five minutes ago."
That earned a chorus of teasing groans and laughter as everyone stood and migrated toward the kitchen.
Zumi moved with practiced ease, tying an apron around his waist as if this were the most normal thing in the world. The sound of knives against wood, oil hitting a hot pan, and water running filled the space—grounding, domestic, human.
The girls gathered around the counters and island, chatting as he worked.
Viktoria glanced out through the wide kitchen windows, eyes narrowing slightly in curiosity.
"…Do you have neighbors?" she asked. "I haven't seen a single car in any of the other driveways."
There was a brief pause.
Gia looked up from her phone, utterly casual.
"Oh. That's because Zumi bought all the houses."
Silence.
Viktoria slowly turned.
"…All of them?"
Zumi continued chopping without missing a beat.
"All fifty," Gia added. "The entire plaza."
Viktoria stared, genuinely stunned.
Even as a billionaire—someone who could buy that many properties—she knew how absurd that statement was.
"That's…" she searched for the word, then laughed breathlessly.
"That's insane."
Gia smiled slightly. "He'll probably give you one."
Viktoria froze.
"…Excuse me?"
Zumi, overhearing mid-cooking, glanced over his shoulder.
"Oh. Right."
He wiped his hands once, then casually reached out.
To anyone watching, it looked like he slid his hand into empty air—then pulled.
Reality rippled.
A sleek black keycard emerged from nothingness, wrapped in a faint halo of golden Qi. It hovered in the air, spinning slowly, light reflecting off its surface as Zumi guided it forward.
The card floated gently across the kitchen and stopped in front of Viktoria.
"When you're in New York for business," Zumi said calmly,
"the house to the left of this one is yours."
He released the Qi.
The card dropped neatly into her hand.
Viktoria stared at it—then at him—then laughed in disbelief, joy breaking through her usual composure.
"Thank you!" she said brightly, smiling so wide it almost hurt to look at.
"Seriously—thank you."
Zumi glanced toward Gia while returning to the stove.
"Gia," he said casually,
"when you get a moment, can you start looking into ancient alchemy texts and blacksmithing techniques? The old ones—pre-modern."
Gia didn't hesitate.
"Of course."
She reached for her tablet, already unlocking it.
"I'll look for online books on ancient alchemy and blacksmithing techniques," she said matter-of-factly.
That earned another round of laughter.
Within ten to fifteen minutes, the kitchen smelled incredible.
Zumi plated dish after dish with effortless speed:
Fresh pasta coated in rich sauce
Perfectly seared meats
Garlic bread still steaming
Salads dressed lightly, balanced and bright
An entire Italian feast appeared as if by magic—though everyone there knew it wasn't magic at all.
They gathered around the long dining table, filling the seats, plates passed hand to hand, conversation flowing easily.
For all the power in the room—gods, goddesses, empires-in-the-making—
It felt like home.
And Viktoria, seated among them, realized something quietly profound:
This wasn't just a pantheon.
It was a family.
Kasumi stayed behind in the dining room as Zumi finished plating the last dishes, quietly helping him set the table. She moved with practiced grace—placing utensils, adjusting plates, pouring water—every motion precise, respectful, and warm. When everyone finally sat down, the room filled with conversation and laughter as they ate.
The food disappeared fast.
Compliments came from every direction.
By the time the last plates were cleared and people leaned back in their chairs, content and relaxed, Gia finished scrolling through her tablet. Her expression sharpened—focused, satisfied.
She stood and walked over to Zumi, handing it to him.
"I found several comprehensive digital archives," she said. "Ancient alchemy texts, pre-industrial blacksmithing manuals, lost forging techniques. Some are fragmented, some reconstructed… but together they're complete."
Zumi took the tablet and skimmed.
Only a few seconds passed.
Then—
✨ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ✨
MAX PROFICIENCY GRANTED
• Ancient Alchemy — MASTERED
• Ancient Blacksmithing — MASTERED
The knowledge didn't trickle in.
It flooded.
Formulas. Ratios. Heat tolerances. Spiritual transmutation. Alloy memory. Rune-forging. Philosophical alchemy. The difference between symbolic refinement and material purification. Techniques lost to time—now perfectly understood.
Zumi inhaled slowly as the system continued.
✨ ALPHA GOD PRIVILEGE UNLOCKED ✨
Conceptual Fabrication Awareness
As long as the Alpha God can clearly conceptualize an object, its function, and its structure, the system will identify:
• Required materials
• Proper forging order
• Necessary tools
• Optimal enhancement paths
However—
Direct manifestation requires clear mental imagery of tools and processes.
Zumi lowered the tablet, eyes thoughtful.
"…That's dangerous," he murmured, half to himself.
Kasumi blinked. "Dangerous… good dangerous?"
He smiled faintly. "Very."
He looked to Gia again.
"Can you call Emily and her brother over tomorrow?" he asked.
"I want to take them to the casino. Help her secure the job I promised—and see how things look now that it's officially open."
There was a brief pause.
"Casino?" Viktoria repeated.
Zumi turned slightly toward her. "I opened one across from the Hyatt Centric Hotel."
He added casually, "Which I also own."
Viktoria's eyes widened just a fraction.
Then a slow, satisfied smirk curved her lips—the kind that said of course you did.
"I'm very proud," she said smoothly.
The expression on her face said more than the words ever could.
My man is ridiculous.
And extraordinary.
Gia didn't waste time. She lifted her phone and made the call.
Emily answered almost immediately.
Gia smiled. "Hi, Emily. Zumi would like you and Noah to come over tonight."
There was a brief pause on the other end—then:
"O-okay," Emily said. "We'll be ready."
Gia glanced toward Rachel. "Can you grab the car?"
Rachel was already standing.
"On it."
She took the keys without another word and headed for the door.
Within minutes, the engine started.
Rachel was on her way to pick up Emily Hart and her little brother—unaware that tomorrow wouldn't just be a visit to a casino.
It would be another quiet step into a world that was already beginning to move around them.