Reborn With the Infinite Gods System

Merely ten minutes had passed since Josh and his team exited the spaceship, stepping out into the open on a desolate, alien landscape. The planet stretched before them like an endless barren wasteland. Pale orange skies loomed above, casting a murky glow over the vast, rugged terrain.

Sharp, jagged rocks jutted from the ground like the teeth of some ancient beast, and hills rose in uneven, imposing clusters, painting a picture of abandonment and decay. It was a place that seemed untouched by any kind of life, yet somehow it felt far from lifeless.

The air was strange—chilled and heavy, as though filled with a coarse dust that scraped at their throats. It was breathable but far from comfortable, and each inhaled breath felt like a weight settling inside their lungs. Stranger still, the ground beneath them radiated an unnatural warmth, almost as if the planet itself held a hidden, buried heat source.

It defied logic, yet they chalked it up to the mysteries of an alien world.

Josh led the team with careful, steady movements. They followed a narrow, twisted path that wound through the towering rock formations and the hills that cast ominous shadows in the pale light. Every few moments, one of them would dart behind a boulder or crouch low, scanning the area as if expecting an attack.

Although they hadn't spotted any enemies, the eeriness of their surroundings kept their nerves on edge, making them extra cautious.

Thor, who was close behind Josh, whispered, "How far did the alien guy say the drop zone was from the monitor?"

Josh didn't answer right away. He kept his gaze fixed ahead, his steps deliberate as he maneuvered around an outcropping. After a long moment, he replied in a low voice, "Shouldn't be more than an hour's walk, I think."

After that, they moved in silence, casting wary glances at their wristwatches now and then. Thor remembered Commander Asher's briefing on the watches; these high-caliber devices had been specially designed with integrated AI and advanced sensors to scan and analyze unfamiliar planetary environments.

As they walked, a notification flashed across their screens:

*{The planet you are on has no levels of awakened energy. Beings here would possess zero abilities, unlike Rika and Earth.}*

A wave of relief washed over them. If there were creatures on this planet, they likely wouldn't have any supernatural powers. But that reassurance was short-lived, as the next alert appeared:

*{The atmosphere contains a high concentration of Zerotoxin. Prolonged exposure—about two days of continuous inhalation—will result in poisoning.}*

Josh felt a strange chill crawl down his spine. Zerotoxin was an unknown chemical, something no one had ever encountered before. And the planet's unusual climate made a little more sense. With no plant life to generate oxygen, the air was bound to carry compounds foreign to their bodies.

He could feel the subtle weight of this alien atmosphere pressing down on them, heightening their awareness of each step.

Despite the unsettling discoveries, they pressed on, refusing to let the strangeness of this place deter them. Their objective was clear: reach the monitor and complete the mission. But as they moved, the trail began to change subtly. The once-thin, barren path grew denser, the rocks casting longer shadows as they ventured deeper into the heart of the wasteland.

Then, a new, sickening odor hit them—thick and nauseating, like rotten eggs left to fester. It clung to the back of their throats, intensifying with each step.

"What the hell is that smell?" Andre muttered, pressing a hand against his stomach as he fought down the urge to retch. "I feel like I'm gonna puke."

Josh scanned the area, his eyes narrowing. "I don't think it's the planet's air…or a trap. It might be something…alive. Something we haven't seen yet."

Haze, her voice tense, added, "A beast, maybe?"

The group tensed immediately, their senses heightened as they looked around. The stench was stronger now, and it felt like it was seeping into their skin, making it impossible to ignore.

A notification popped up on their watches:

*{You have entered the range of an unknown lifeform. Proceed with caution.}*

Everyone froze, instinctively lowering themselves and taking cover behind the nearest large boulders. They scanned the area, trying to spot any signs of movement. But the rocky terrain remained eerily still, the shadows playing tricks on their eyes.

"Did this thing just malfunction?" Thor hissed, tapping his watch as if hoping it would correct itself. But the watch remained still, its screen unwavering, the alert clear as day.

"The watches adapt quickly," Josh replied, his voice barely a whisper. "I don't think they'd malfunction from a few odd readings on a new planet. Whatever it is…it's probably close, maybe even hiding in plain sight."

The implications of his words sent a chill through the team. If the creature lacked any awakened energy signature, it wouldn't trigger their usual detection systems. They were effectively blind.

Josh signaled for the others to stay hidden. He crouched low, searching the ground until his fingers wrapped around a small rock. Taking careful aim, he flung it across the clearing, sending it clattering against the barren ground in the distance.

The sound barely settled before something shifted—a creature that had been blending seamlessly with its surroundings. It rose from the ground, and what they saw made their blood run cold. The beast was grotesque, its form like a nightmare brought to life. Its body, a horrid amalgamation of rock-like skin and sinewy flesh, seemed to pulsate with a sickly, oozing slime.

It had multiple limbs—eight, maybe nine—and a crocodilian shape, yet it lacked any discernible face, only gaping pores that released the foul stench they'd been smelling.

Josh's heart pounded in his chest. The creature had been only a few feet from where he and Thor had hidden, blending so perfectly with the rocks that they would have never noticed it. If he hadn't thrown the rock to draw it out, they might've been caught completely off guard.

The beast turned toward the sound of the rock clattering, giving them the perfect opportunity. Its back was exposed, vulnerable.

Josh signaled to Haze. She nodded, raising her palm, ready to unleash her power. She focused, her face tightening with concentration…and nothing happened. She tried again, her eyes widening in disbelief as her abilities refused to activate.

"What…what the hell?" she whispered, ducking back behind the rock, a look of sheer panic in her eyes. "My powers…they're not working."

Josh's face hardened as he tried summoning his own ability, but he felt only emptiness where his powers should be. Panic flickered in his gaze. He clenched his fists, desperately trying to sense even a hint of energy, but it was as if something had severed his connection entirely.

"Damn it!" he hissed. "Something's blocking our abilities."

Thor's expression mirrored his horror as he realized they were essentially defenseless, left to fight this creature with nothing but their wits and physical strength. The alien wasteland that had seemed merely strange moments ago now felt like a death trap, a place where everything familiar and safe had been stripped away from them.

Meanwhile, the creature continued to move closer to where the rock had landed, its grotesque form oozing as it slithered along the ground. Josh knew they couldn't stay hidden forever. If the creature caught their scent or heard even the slightest sound, it would only be a matter of time before it turned on them.

Josh motioned silently to the others, indicating that they needed to move. He gestured to a narrow gap between two large rocks that led into a deeper, shadowed part of the terrain. One by one, they carefully slipped through, their movements slow and deliberate as they did everything possible to avoid drawing attention.

As they moved, the pungent stench followed, thickening, becoming nearly unbearable. It filled their senses, a constant reminder of the danger lurking just a few feet away. Every step they took felt like a gamble, a silent test of survival on a planet that defied every rule they knew.

Once they reached a safe distance, Josh dared to look back, spotting the creature still investigating the area where he'd thrown the rock. It sniffed the ground, emitting a low, guttural rumble that reverberated across the barren landscape. The sound was haunting, like the groan of the planet itself.

Without their powers, they were vulnerable, and every instinct screamed that this mission had turned from a routine exploration to a fight for survival. Josh knew they needed to be cautious, but more than that, they needed a plan. And fast.

Because something about this planet was very wrong, and they were right in the heart of it.