At the height of battle, with the Supreme Gods surrounding him, the Monkey King scoffed, his tone dripping with defiance. "So, this was never meant to be a fair fight, huh?"
A furious shout erupted from the gods, shaking the very cosmos. Reality itself trembled under the weight of their wrath.
Determined to end his reign of chaos, the gods devised a coordinated assault, each of them positioning themselves strategically. At their helm stood Jupiter, ruler of the gods, leading the charge. Their plan was simple: attack from every direction, overwhelm him, confuse him, weaken his resistance.
The Monkey King remained unimpressed. As their forces lunged at him, he effortlessly deflected their strikes, unfazed by the seemingly relentless attacks.
"This just proves how weak you gods really are," he sneered.
Every blow aimed at him was meaningless. The gods knew they were facing something beyond their comprehension, but they refused to relent.
Jupiter clenched his fists. Enough was enough.
"Wednesday, NOW!" Jupiter bellowed.
A figure crouched beneath the Monkey King's feet—Wednesday, gripping a celestial artifact with unwavering resolve.
"Black Hole Imprisonment!" Wednesday roared.
The Monkey King, preoccupied with the gods attacking from all sides, failed to notice the true danger. The artifact in Wednesday's grasp—the Black Hole Crystal—was no ordinary relic. It was a prison designed specifically for beings that even the gods themselves couldn't defeat.
Suddenly, the crystal activated. A vortex swirled open beneath the Monkey King, pulling him in with a force beyond comprehension. His defiance melted into shock.
His body was being dragged into an abyss that not even his power could resist.
"This can't be happening!" he screamed. "AHHHHH!"
His cries of rage and despair echoed through the heavens, growing fainter as the crystal swallowed him whole. The gods listened in silence, watching him vanish into oblivion.
Twelve years later…
"And that, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly why we should follow the gods instead of opposing them. No matter how strong you think you are, they'll always find a way to take you down."
"That's not how it went down," another voice challenged.
"My brother has told me this story more times than I can count. I think I'd know if I left something out."
"The part where the Monkey King screamed in despair? Sounds like an exaggeration to make it more dramatic."
"No, that really happened! My brother said so!"
"And your brother wasn't even there when the battle happened, so forgive me if I don't believe him as much as you do. Amari, what do you think? Do you really think the Monkey King cried out like a little—"
"Hey! Watch your language! We're on school grounds!" Amari interrupted.
"I don't know. I've actually never heard this story before," Amari admitted.
The two boys turned to him in absolute disbelief.
"YOU'VE NEVER HEARD IT??!!"
Their shock rippled through the classroom.
"Shh, the teacher is coming!" Amari warned, pressing a finger to his lips. The room instantly shifted from chaotic chatter to silence, leaving only the distant hum of the wind outside.
Seconds later, Miss Laurant stepped into the classroom, her arms filled with paperwork.
"Good morning, class! Hope you've all had a good morning and a restful night," she said with a cheerful smile.
"Good morning, Miss Laurant!" the class responded.
"Now, please take your seats."
"Today, we're discussing artifacts," Miss Laurant announced, writing 'Artifact' on the board in crisp white chalk. "Who here knows what artifacts are? Raise your hand if you do."
A sea of hands shot up instantly, but Miss Laurant's gaze landed on Amari, who hadn't raised his hand.
"Amari?" she called.
Silence. Every student turned to look at him.
"Well, Amari? We don't have all day," she pressed, crossing her arms.
"I... I don't know, ma'am," Amari admitted, eyes locked onto the movements of his fingers rather than facing the teacher.
"Bruh, what do you even know?" a student murmured beside him.
Quiet snickers spread through the classroom.
Miss Laurant sighed. "Apollo, mocking your classmate isn't acceptable. You know that leads to punishment, correct?"
"Oh, come on, ma'am! It wasn't intentional," Apollo protested.
"Stand up and apologize—to Amari and to the whole class," she ordered.
Apollo groaned before standing. "I apologize for breaking the rules and making fun of my classmate. Please forgive me."
Amari nodded, and the class followed.
"Now, as punishment, explain to everyone what artifacts are."
"But ma'am—"
"No excuses," she said firmly.
"Ugh… fine," Apollo muttered, dragging his feet to the front of the room.
"Artifacts," he started, "are objects that make life easier. Some, like furniture artifacts, help us store things more efficiently, regardless of size. Others, called imprisonment artifacts, are used to imprison beings that are too powerful for conventional containment—like demi-gods or even gods themselves. These types of artifacts are rare and usually controlled by royalty or the government."
Miss Laurant nodded. "You forgot a few."
Conrad grinned and raised his hand. "Artificial and Mythical Artifacts," he announced smugly, sending a glance Apollo's way.
Apollo muttered under his breath, annoyed. "Royal prick."
Miss Laurant smiled. "Would you care to elaborate, Conrad?"
"Gladly!" Conrad said. "Artificial Artifacts are man-made objects used in construction, research, and communication. They're essential tools for scientists and engineers. Meanwhile, Mythical Artifacts include sacred scrolls and relics tied to legends—objects rumored to hold knowledge about the heavens or mythical creatures like dragons, behemoths, and hybrids. They're extremely rare among humans and are often possessed by demi-gods."
"Mythical artifacts are the most valuable—"
"That's enough for now, Conrad," Miss Laurant interrupted. "Now, Apollo, as part of your punishment, you will tutor Amari."
Apollo opened his mouth to argue, but Miss Laurant cut him off. "And that is final."
Defeated, Apollo slumped back into his chair.
After school…
Apollo, Conrad, and Amari walked toward the school gates.
"You're lucky you're royalty," Apollo grumbled at Conrad. "You get access to the newest and rarest books."
"Not my fault you can't afford them," Conrad retorted.
Annoyed, Apollo shoved him away. "Ugh, screw you."
He threw an arm around Amari instead. "Forget him. He'll never understand our struggle."
Amari just smiled awkwardly. "Yeah."
A sharply dressed butler appeared near the gate, bowing slightly. "Your Royal Highness, this way," he said, gesturing toward an elegant vehicle.
Conrad nodded at the butler before turning back to his friends. "Same time tonight?"
"YES, DUMBASS!!" Apollo exclaimed. "Why do you keep asking? As if anything would change!"
"You never know," Conrad replied with a smirk.
All three boys chuckled before exchanging nods.
With that, Conrad stepped into his carriage, the butler holding the door open for him.
"Come on, let's go," Apollo said, nudging Amari.
Amari followed him, heading in the opposite direction