The battlefield trembled, shadows rippling under the shattered courtyard. Daniel’s body refused to move, but inside his head—

  "This is your chance. Awaken!"

  The voice thundered through his mind, not gentle, not kind. It was a command.

  "If I fail… if I can’t save them… everyone will die here."

  His teeth clenched, his chest tightened—and then something broke. Not his body, but his limit.

  A shockwave burst from him. Crimson energy roared out like wildfire, forcing even the Greater Titan to take a step back. The air hissed, cracks spiderwebbed across the ground.

  Victor smirked, brushing dust off his shoulder.

  Leo grinned wide, his fists glowing faintly.

  “So,” Leo said, “he finally got pissed.”

  Victor chuckled. “Took long enough.”

  The other five weren’t so calm.

  Jackson’s jaw dropped. “DANIEL—what the hell is this aura?!”

  Selena’s strings trembled midair.

  Sasha whispered, “That’s not… human.”

  Tom muttered, “If this is him holding back before, we’re screwed.”

  Noir leaned on a cracked pillar, eyes wide. “Cool. We officially have a nuke for a classmate.”

  Daniel’s shirt ripped apart across his chest, crimson flames licking from his skin. His eyes bled from black into blazing red, strands of his hair igniting crimson like burning threads. And then—he floated. Calm. Cold. His face had no expression except a flicker of wrath.

  The Titan roared, charging its six arms forward. But Daniel blurred, vanishing—then reappearing with his fist crashing into its chest. The impact thundered like an earthquake, the monster staggering back, dust cloud exploding.

  Leo whistled. “All that Titan training finally paid off.”

  Victor smirked. “Yeah. Worth every punch.”

  The Titan staggered, then lifted two hands. Black matter twisted between its palms, condensing into orbs before fusing into a dark beam. It howled and fired.

  The beam screamed across the air—yet Daniel didn’t move. Floating, untouchable, the energy parted around him like water against stone, harmless.

  Noir’s jaw dropped. “That beam just decided not to hit him.”

  Daniel raised a hand. A crimson orb of his own swelled, pulsing with heat. With a flick, he unleashed it. The blast tore through the Titan’s chest, leaving a gaping hole.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Through the smoke—something pulsed inside. A dark sphere.

  Leo’s eyes narrowed. “That’s the core!”

  Daniel’s gaze locked. Crimson energy stretched into his hand, forming a sword. Aura wrapped around the blade, vibrating with lethal intent. He darted forward, blade aiming for the core—

  But the Titan’s flesh sealed in a grotesque instant, its claws clamping Daniel mid-swing. The monster roared, mouth glowing as it gathered a torrent of darkness.

  BOOM!

  The blast swallowed Daniel and hurled him into the ground, debris scattering like shrapnel.

  “DANIEL!!” Selena screamed.

  Tom’s hands lit instantly, flames sparking into shape.

  Jackson stepped beside him, eyes sparking thunder.

  “Ready?” Tom growled.

  Jackson grinned madly. “Always.”

  “Combined magic!” they roared together.

  “LIGHTNING FLAME ARROW!”

  Together, the fused arrow crackled, burning with fire and thunder. They loosed it— BOOM! —the arrow pierced the Titan’s skull, exploding half its face into charred ash.

  But the Titan didn’t die. Its rage swelled. With one massive hand, it unleashed a beam wide enough to swallow Tom and Jackson whole—

  A portal snapped open. Noir shoved them through. “Go long, you idiots!”

  The beam obliterated the ground they’d stood on.

  Victor and Leo didn’t wait. They leapt—launching themselves like cannonballs, fists pulled back.

  “LET’S BREAK IT!” Leo roared.

  “Ofcourse,” Victor added calmly.

  Their fists slammed into the Titan’s chest— CRACK! —the impact rippled reality, exposing the core again.

  The Titan screeched, raising all six arms to crush them.

  But three froze midair, locked as if time itself had halted.

  The other three shredded apart, threads slicing clean.

  On the sidelines, Sasha stood with her eyes glowing faintly, while Selena, bloodied but unyielding, tightened her threads. Both gave a soft, almost elegant smile.

  Victor smirked. “Appreciated.”

  Leo grinned. “Ladies, remind me never to piss you off.”

  The Titan shrieked.

  And then—

  The ground shattered. Crimson light burst upward.

  Daniel emerged, body steaming, aura blazing like a god descending. His wounds healed as his crimson energy surged higher. He seized his sword again, its glow now blinding.

  “No more running…” his voice was low, steady. “No more fear.”

  He soared upward, blade ready. With a roar, he plummeted, driving the sword straight through the Titan’s chest.

  “RAAAAAH!”

  The core shattered under his strike, cracks spreading like glass breaking under thunder. With one final scream, the Titan’s body collapsed, disintegrating into ash.

  Silence followed.

  Then the first rays of dawn broke through the ruined courtyard.

  Tom collapsed on his back, panting. “Morning sun’s got better timing than Noir’s portals.”

  Jackson laughed, voice trembling. “Daniel, you psycho… remind me never to spar you.”

  Selena exhaled, threads fading. “We actually… survived.”

  Sasha leaned against a broken wall, smiling faintly. “Barely.”

  Noir clapped. “Alright! Victory breakfast on me. Assuming the cafeteria isn’t still a crater.”

  Victor and Leo stood side by side, watching Daniel land. They said nothing—but the pride in their eyes spoke louder than words.

  Daniel looked at his hand, energy still crackling. “I guess I got a hold on how to use this… no, my magic.”

  Jackson smirked. “A hold on it, you say? Not that I can complain… me and this hothead got a hold of ours too.”

  Tom groaned. “I’m just exhausted… otherwise this hothead would’ve roasted your face.”

  The group laughed. The tension cracked. Relief spread through the broken courtyard like sunlight.

  Daniel raised his hand. Crimson energy flowed—and the destroyed courtyard, the dorms, the shattered walls… began to mend. Stone reformed, glass slotted back, the campus restoring itself as if time reversed.

  The seven stood together at last, smiling.

  But then—

  A shadow stirred. From the trees beyond the courtyard, another Titan stepped forward. Its body was leaner, sharper. Its eyes… calculating.

  And then—it spoke.

  “They celebrate, defeating an under-fledged Greater Titan. Hmph.” A smirk twisted its monstrous face. “At least it will be fun… playing with them in the future.”

  The ground shook as it turned and vanished into the mist.

  The heroes’ celebration continued without realising the future threat

  The true war… was only beginning.

  End of Chapter 10 — Crimson Awakening

  Next chapter preview ??

  “Dawn bled gold across the ruined campus, now eerily spotless — Daniel’s quiet magic had rebuilt what war had torn apart. Victor sat lazily on the roof edge, legs swinging, smirking at Daniel below. “So… Mr. Crimson God, how’s the ego?” “Shut up,” Daniel muttered, still drained, his crimson hair fading back to black strand by strand. Leo tossed a pebble at Jackson’s head; Jackson dodged and grinned. “Careful, I still got lightning left.” Sasha and Selena whispered among themselves, their voices soft but eyes scanning the horizon — like they sensed something. Noir quietly stepped through a fading portal, carrying breakfast for everyone, because of course he did. For a moment, laughter floated on the wind — fragile but real, echoing brighter than any victory cheer. Then a low rumble quivered through the sky, subtle but heavy enough to freeze conversation mid-laugh. Victor’s smirk faltered. “Tell me that’s just aftershock…” Far beyond the horizon, a shadow — impossibly huge — slid behind the clouds, watching.”

  Next time on Son of Gods—Chapter 11: Morning After the Crimson Dawn

  — Daiwik