Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!

Chapter 42 Celestial Threads—"THEM!"

The roulette hummed as Parker selected six spins. A faint glow surrounded the wheel, brighter than usual, as if the system itself was reacting to the number.

"This is interesting," Apollo said, leaning forward. "Six isn't just a number. It's symbolic of... If the system recognizes that..."

"It's a gamble," Hades murmured, his deep voice sending a chill through the room. "And the system, I don't think it recognises that number but the universe definitely does."

Ares, his blood-red armor glinting in the divine light, grinned wickedly. "Let's hope the boy crashes and burns. It'll be more entertaining that way than "that" happening."

Even Dionysus set his goblet down, his usual playfulness replaced with genuine curiosity. "If this backfires, he's getting something worse than those invisible glasses. Like a cursed banana peel or something."

Hera, her gaze fixed on the wheel, ignored the banter. "The system doesn't usually take this long," she muttered.

Parker, oblivious to the divine audience, clenched his fists as the wheel spun faster and faster. The hum turned into a deep growl, as if the system itself was straining under the weight of the choice.

"Come on," he whispered, leaning closer. "Don't screw me over. Not this time."

The wheel slowed. The glow around it intensified, shifting through a spectrum of colors before finally dimming. The gods leaned forward, their breaths collectively held, as the pointer clicked into place with an echoing thud.

Parker barely had time to register the words flashing across the system's interface before it hit him.

[Ding! Host has received: Celestial Threads.

Description: Celestial Threads are invisible threads connecting the host to higher planes of energy. These threads allow him to "pull" all magical energies directly from the universe without needing a medium!]

The next thing he knew, his legs buckled, and he fell back onto his bed.@@@@

At first, it was a dull ache, like pins and needles spreading across his skin.

But then it hit—a sharp, burning pain that shot through his entire body, so intense he couldn't even scream. His jaw locked shut, his muscles seized, and his body convulsed violently against the mattress.

Hades ignored him, his eyes locked on the projection of Parker. "Celestial Threads," he spat, like the words tasted bitter. "I expected the system might throw something big after SIX... but this? This is... insane."

Hera's gaze was sharp, her voice calm but dripping with unease. "Not even demigods, immortals, demons or gods can fully harness even a fraction of those threads. You're telling me that... he—" she motioned toward Parker's unconscious figure—"managed to sync with them perfectly?"

Apollo leaned forward, his usual smirk replaced with something closer to fear. "That's not just rare. That's impossible. Even we can't pull that off without..." His voice trailed off.

"Without a slumber of at least one hundred years," Athena finished grimly. "The threads rip apart anyone who's not... compatible."

"Compatible," Dionysus snorted, though his laugh was nervous. "You're all thinking it, right? This kid isn't normal. He's gotta be one of... "THEM""

The room fell silent again.

No one wanted to say it out loud, but the thought lingered in the air, heavy and suffocating.

"Let's not jump to conclusions," Hera finally said, her voice strained. "We don't know what he is. Not yet. I don't think THEY've left him behind..."

"But if he is..." Ares started, grinning darkly. "Oh, this just got a whole lot more interesting."

Zeus who had been silent slammed his fist against his throne, his teeth gnashing together. "I pray he isn't. For all our sakes. Hermes! Call Hades and Poseidon "

The gods didn't say anything and Hermes disappeared, but their eyes remained fixed on Parker.

Whatever he was, whoever he was, the Celestial Threads had chosen him.

****

Across the world, gods from other pantheons froze mid-drink, mid-battle, mid-whatever-the-hell-they-were-doing.

"What the actual fuck was that?"

One by one, they bolted toward Olympus, yelling, "Yo, Zeus, you better have answers for this monster!"