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Every muscle in his body screamed in agony, his bones felt as though they were being ground to dust, and his veins burned as if molten lightning coursed through them. But Zeus knew that this pain was necessary. He had to endure it if he wanted to break through and reach the next level.

Gritting his teeth, Zeus focused all his willpower on condensing the thunder mana. Slowly, painfully, he began to compress the volatile energy within him, forcing it into the temporary Heavenly Thunder Core. Each pulse of energy felt like a hammer striking an anvil, reverberating through his entire being.

[Oh, struggling, are we?] the system\'s voice cut through the pain, its usual arrogance tainted with a hint of amusement. [Condensing thunder mana isn\'t for the faint of heart, you know. But I\'m sure you\'ll manage… eventually.]

Zeus ignored the system\'s mockery, his focus unshaken. He continued to compress the mana, his breathing ragged as the pain intensified. It was as if he was trying to force a raging storm into a single, tiny space, and every moment was a battle to maintain control.

Minutes felt like hours as Zeus persisted, his determination unwavering. Slowly, he began to feel the Heavenly Thunder Core within the mask respond. The core pulsed with power, absorbing the condensed thunder mana, growing denser and more potent with each passing moment.

The pain grew sharper, more intense, as the core strained under the pressure. But Zeus knew he was close—just a little more, and he would break through.

With one final, agonizing push, Zeus forced the last of the condensed thunder mana into the core. For a moment, everything seemed to hold still—the storm within him quieted, the pain reached its peak, and then, with a shattering burst of energy, the Heavenly Thunder Core broke through.

A surge of power exploded within Zeus, the energy of the breakthrough washing over him like a tidal wave. The Zeus Divine Mask resonated with the newly strengthened core, its aura growing more potent, more formidable.

Zeus could feel the mask\'s power increasing, the connection between him and the Heavenly Thunder Core deepening as the mask ascended to the level of a three-star.

The pain began to ebb away, replaced by a sense of overwhelming power. Zeus slowly opened his eyes, feeling the newfound strength coursing through him. He had done it—the Zeus Divine Mask had reached three-star, and with it, his own power had grown significantly.

[Well, well, look who finally pulled it off,] the system chimed in, its tone a mix of arrogance and genuine approval. [I have to admit, that was quite the show. Breaking through to three-star isn\'t something just anyone can do, you know. But you… you did it.]

Zeus, still catching his breath, let out a weary chuckle. "Of course I did it. If I didn\'t, I\'d have gone crazy from all that pain."

[Oh, is that what it would\'ve taken? Going crazy? I thought you were already halfway there,] the system mocked, its voice brimming with its usual shameless arrogance.

[But really, you should be thanking me. After all, without my guidance, you\'d probably still be floundering around as a lowly two-star, crying about how \'hard\' cultivation is.]

Zeus rolled his eyes at the system\'s usual attitude. "Thanking you? Maybe, but don\'t forget, I\'m the one enduring all the pain while you just sit back and watch."

[Sit back and watch? Oh, please,] the system scoffed, its tone almost dismissive. [I\'m the one doing all the heavy lifting, absorbing all that thunder mana and converting it for you. If anything, you should be begging me to stick around. But, hey, I get it—taking credit for my brilliance is all part of the package.]

Despite himself, Zeus couldn\'t help but smirk at the system\'s shamelessness. "I suppose enduring the pain and actually breaking through counts for something, too."

[Sure, sure, whatever helps you sleep at night,] the system teased, clearly enjoying itself. [But let\'s be honest, without my impeccable management of that thunder mana, you\'d still be groaning in agony, nowhere near three-star. But you did good, I\'ll give you that. Even a broken clock is right twice a day, right?]

Zeus sighed, shaking his head at the system\'s relentless mockery. "You really know how to keep someone humble, don\'t you?"

[It\'s a gift,] the system replied, its voice full of smug satisfaction. [But let\'s not forget, this is just the beginning. Three-star is nice and all, but if you really want to stand toe-to-toe with the big players, you\'ve got a long way to go. And guess who\'s going to be right there, making sure you don\'t mess it all up?]

Zeus couldn\'t suppress a laugh this time. "Yeah, yeah, I know. No need to rub it in."

[Oh, I\'ll rub it in as much as I like, thank you very much,] the system shot back, its tone playful yet full of its usual arrogance. [But don\'t worry, with me guiding you and your occasional flashes of competence, we might just get somewhere. Eventually.]

Zeus shook his head, still smiling as the last of the pain subsided, replaced by a newfound sense of power and clarity. Despite the system\'s relentless teasing, he knew it was right.

This was just one step on a much longer journey, and he would need every ounce of strength, cunning, and maybe even the system\'s guidance to reach his ultimate goals.

"Well, let\'s get moving then," Zeus said, standing up, his body feeling lighter and stronger than ever before. "There\'s still a lot to do."

[That\'s the spirit,] the system replied, its tone almost approving. [Now, let\'s see how far you can really go. Just try not to embarrass us, alright?]

With that, Zeus took a deep breath, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead. The road was long, and the stakes were high, but with his newfound power and the ever-present, if somewhat insufferable, system at his side, he felt more prepared than ever.