"Why not, what can possibly go wrong?" Leo mused as the system responded, "Activating simulation."
In an instant, Leo was plunged into a vision of the future—a future that left him reeling. In just three and a half years' time, everything he had worked so hard to build would be obliterated by an overwhelming force, and he would be forced to rebuild from the ashes. He watched as the extraterrestrial invaders descended upon his home—beings that looked human, but with horns and strange lines running from their eyelids down to their jaws. They were male and female, a fearsome sight to behold.
As he traversed the ravaged land, Leo's heart dropped. He saw five demons kneeling before a figure who could only be their king. The five had an aura about them, something that set them apart—perhaps generals, or some higher rank. The demon king stretched his hand and pointed at Leo, his voice chilling, "Be ready: I am coming for you, and may the Lord have mercy upon you all."
The vision then shifted, and Leo was forced out of the simulation. A cold chill ran down his spine. Sitting on the floor, Leo couldn't shake the feeling of dread that settled over him.
"I won't stand a chance if I sit here and mope like a baby."
"System, what can I do to prevent this outcome?"
The system was silent.
"Hello? System, what can I do to change this tragic fate?" Leo asked, his frustration mounting.
Still, no answer came.
"You useless and dumb system," Leo muttered. "Now I ask you a question that could change my life, and you go silent? What the fuck is wrong with you?" Silence.
Leo clenched his fists. "I hate you, I really do. Well, since you're useless, I'll figure this out myself. System, rewind to the beginning of the destruction."
The scene replayed in front of his eyes.
First, he saw that the soldiers of the middle and noble sects were completely outmatched by the demons. He thought, The first thing I need to do is form a truce with the sects, or force control over them. But if I do that by force, it'll paint me as the villain...
"System, continue the replay."
He saw Acheron fall, unable to withstand the pressure of the battle. If they were to stand a chance, he realized, I need to create a separate dimension—something to give us a level playing field.
As he continued watching, the demons' ability to regenerate and outmatch his robots in prolonged combat became clear. His robots could hold their own, but the demons' sheer power would overwhelm them in the end. And when Leo's robot faced off against the generals, it was utterly outmatched.
Then, the most crushing realization hit him. He saw himself, lifted by the demon king, his chest impaled by the king's dark energy.
"No... After everything I've been through... I can't accept this. I won't be killed by some extraterrestrial asshole. No... I need to change this fate!"
Just as Leo's anger surged, the system suddenly flashed a message: The way to change your fate...
"You useless system!" Leo barked. "Now you answer me? If you were real, I'd give you a good beating right now!"
But then, the thought settled in: It's time to improve myself and change this fate.
As the scene shifted to the gods' realm, a conversation unfolded.
Zeus addressed the gathering. "I called you here to discuss an important matter of reasoning."
Leonidas, ever the skeptic, raised an eyebrow. "Wow, the god of women is actually serious? Who are you afraid of to make you act this way? You don't know the threat the gods faced in the past."
"What threat?" Leonidas asked.
Zeus' gaze darkened. "You were born recently, so you wouldn't understand."
The god of reincarnation spoke up, his voice cutting through the tension. "Enough, you children. Quiet down. Let's focus on why we're here. I don't have time for your petty bickering."
Zeus sighed. "The seal of Denzan is weakening. It's only a matter of time before he breaks free. Any ideas on how we stop his return?"
Chromos, ever direct, offered a solution. "We kill him. Simple."
"No," Zeus interjected. "We gods are immortal. We cannot die unless killed by an opposing force. But where can we find someone strong enough to do that?"
"As you all know," another god chimed in, "Vultra nearly gave us the end last time—we barely escaped."
"Then," Chromos mused, "why not use Vultra to kill him?"
Helios spoke up, shaking his head. "Vultra's mind is a fortress. Full of vengeance. We won't manipulate him."
Buddha offered an alternative. "What if we give half of our power to a host capable of wielding it?"
Ra, intrigued, nodded. "That's not a bad idea. But where do we find this host?"
The god of technology smiled knowingly. "I have someone in mind. A boy. He broke all limits and transported a wasteland into a highly advanced world. That boy is more than capable of taking our power."
"What's his name?" Buddha asked.
The god of technology's smile widened. "His name is Leonard."
Meanwhile, on a mountain, Leo was deep in his work. He fused different materials, running various scenarios to improve his robots. Combining a combat robot and a tactical robot, he discovered that the fusion not only advanced their combat capabilities but allowed them to multitask, commanding other units while engaged in battle.
"Now I have a robot that can fight and command other robots," Leo said, satisfied.
He continued experimenting, fusing combat robots together. The results were nothing short of amazing. A robot with a star on its chest emerged. "Just like a game of Candy Crush... time to experiment."
Over the course of the next six months, Leo refined his creations, building five of the most elite and advanced robots he could imagine. These would be his high generals, his strongest warriors.
As he continued experimenting, Leo realized something crucial: if he fused health, lab, combat, and stealth robots, he could create the perfect assassin—a being that could regenerate at high speed and target enemy vital points with surgical precision.
With this army of robots, Leo called them to the forbidden zone. He explained his strategy to them, which was met with unanimous approval. He could feel his strength surging.
"Now, hear me, god of technology," Leo said, feeling the weight of the moment. "Grant me the strength to protect my home."
With that, Leo unleashed his power, and the forbidden zone defenses were temporarily down.
One month later, the robots were complete—fused, perfected, and imbued with growth potential. Their operating systems were adjusted so that every decision felt as if it were made by Leo himself.
As he powered up the robots, Leo fainted from exhaustion. The highest-tier general commander caught him before he fell.
"Rest easy, master," the general said. "We'll make sure this threat is nullified."
In the gods' realm, the god of technology spoke once more. "The boy, Leonard—he has the power to surpass all limits. Half of our power will be enough for him to take on the coming threat."
There it was, the beginning of the path that would decide Leo's fate.