The essence of battle- No, the two key points in all forms of warfare that branch out into a myriad of other factors is psychology and overall battle prowess. Even if someone has the best physical body formed through a life's worth of training and unsurpassable mastery of martial arts, there is no other option but to die should they give up.
Actually, rather than giving up, even a body builder wouldn't be able to deny death should they be tricked into fighting an armed military platoon. The problem isn't mindset, but circumstances.
To live and fight another day sounds like an easy decision to make... Heh, that's hardly the case.
I knew from experience that it's never easy to stop yourself from acting on what you truly desire to do.
That was one of the reasons I didn't retired from duty earlier on in my past life as 'Damian'.
It was only at the end of my life did I truly gain enlightenment... A life shouldn't be indulged in.
'You really suck at being glib.' I spoke into his head with helpless expression as he let her take control of the conversation. Although we learnt a lot from her this way, he still didn't find what he wanted.
From what Angelica was telling us, the Abyss Mark had both symbolic nuance and functionality connected with the Shadow Head of Whirling Wealth. Every 'Mark' contained a bit of his Mana.
To understand the Abyss Mark, one first had to understand its creator: The child of Wealth.
Little is known about this Shadow Head as like the others. However, it is widely known that Whirling Wealth is actually a child. This particular kid was the type to act like the entire world is his 'Wealth'.
Unlike a normal greedy person who would lock his belongings in a safe of some sort, Whirling Wealth was the type to label both objects and people with his 'Abyss Marks' before calling it a day. Whatever becomes Marked gains his protection.
It might sound stupid and impractical, yet from the seriousness Angelica displayed, this seemed to be the truth. None of us knew the reasons behind the creation of these Marks but what she told us was that they symbolically represented that anything Marked by him should never be harmed. Anyone disobeying this law would be hunted by 'Wealth'.
'I guess that means your mother will be treated nicely.' Looks like there's nothing to worry about.
"When will you return her home? There's no reason I can't see her if that's all." Bob ignored me and instead asked this 'kind' girl in front of him her request. A smile curved on her lips as she spoke.
"That's not a problem. I've already sorted things out and had her returned home safe and sound." It was kinda anticlimactic how she agreed to his request so easily. I once again checked if she was saying the truth and found his Mom at home.
'I feel her Mana Flame at your home again.'
'Oh, that- Wait, you can do sense Mana?' It seems I forgot to explain I had this ability as well...
'What did I tell you before?'
'That you are near omnipotent, I think.'
'Close. I have a lot of ways to use my power. As the main character, it is only natural that I can.'
'Sure sure.' He waved off my nonsense.
"If my mom's at home, then I'm leaving now. I have no reason to get involved with the underworld."
"That will be a little hard now that Sis wants you as her possession. The only reason I was able to find out about what she was doing was because there was someone vying for my favour. If not, I would have never known where you vanished to."
"What position does Dorothy have?"
"She's a high-ranking member of Dark Nobility. I can hardly do anything to her despite being a Shadow Head due to the rules within Cerberus keeping us from fighting." She shook her head.
It was then she got up from the seat next to him and walked up to him with a jovial mood about her.
She stopped next to him and gave him a hug like a big sister, and Bob didn't resist as they weren't strangers. However, he could feel a different intention from before from her as she climbed onto his lap and turned his face to look him in the eye.
"A lot of your problems can disappear if you marry me." I would have spat tea if I was drinking it after hearing such a shameless yet very familiar set of words. Why does everyone want to marry Bob?!
'You better not be starting a harem.'
'Why would I do that? I am confused myself!'
'Confused, my ass! I told you girls like you. One of your innate skills must be turning normal girls into harem candidates. You are just sick, man. Go ahead and jump off a cliff..' Why wasn't I this popular in my past life? This is just cheating...
'She might be joking. Just an innocent joke!'
'Do NOT pull the dense protagonist card at this moment. You know well she is damn serious.'
"I will have to refuse. We're not an item." Bob tried to get her off him, but found himself unable to.
It wasn't that he was restricted, it was just his gentlemanly demeanour and the certain way she acted made it hard for him to just selfishly throw her off. Her hands wrapped around his neck at that moment, almost like a serpent constricting him.
"Why refuse so quickly? Think about it properly. It's not like we're strangers... If you have someone else in your heart, then we can keep this a secret from her. One of the reasons I'm asking this of you is to protect you." She frowned while leaning into him.
Her act was as if she was stopping him from running away... almost like a spoiled child.
"You're trying to protect me...?" His heart melted at those words as the cold air around him lessened.
I could tell that he believed there to be some sort of misunderstanding. That what I said could just be me accidentally interpreting things in the wrong context. I wasn't that disappointed... as Angelica had known him for longer, but I was a little pissed.
I could use a cigarette right about now...
"You're natural talent in Dark Arts can only be matched by the founder of Cerberus, the first Dark One to ever come into existence as the Shadow Head of Heavenly Fortune. Unlike our four Shadow Head positions that represent a separate head, the fifth Shadow Head represents the unification of the entire organisation. The reason Cerberus doesn't fall apart is due to him keeping us together." She spoke in a somber tone while within his arms.
"What does that have to do with marriage?"
"The other Shadow Heads other than me will try scouting you once they learn of your talent. I know you only desire peace and quiet, so this marriage will serve to shut everyone up. No one will dare lay a hand on my husband." She said with great confidence, as if she was truly thinking about him.
"At least get off of me when you talk."
"Are you feeling uncontrollable?" She spoke innocently while matching her breathing with his.
There was an air of seduction about her, yet also a gentleness that made it hard for others to hate her.
"I am." But Bob steeled himself and spoke up.
"Hmph, then get me off yourself." She spoke like a spoilt little girl as she shamelessly clung to him.
'You have acquired Harem Protagonist Ex.'
'Just help me out here... Please!' Hey, I hit the mark with that joke. Though I feel your frustration.
'You want me to reveal myself?' There's no way I'm showing myself just because he's being a wuss.
'At least give me some advice right now.' Since when did I become your problem-solving machine?
'Just pick her up and throw her away like dirt.' That would be the natural course of action in my book.
Being a sociopath is so much easier.
'That will hurt her! I am not an ungrateful person who would disrespect my saviour that way.' Looks like this guy is much more of a blockhead than I imagined. To respect her to this extent...
'Since when did I become your Harem Ward?' I gave him a look that said: 'Just buzz off already.'
"Please... Please help a guy out.' He begged as it seemed like he might actually agree at this rate.
'Then give me control of your arms.'
'What are you going to do...?' There was an air of suspicion about him after hearing my request.
'Either give control or get married!' He shut up and gave the motor functions of his arms immediately.
It took a few seconds to get used to his arms as Angelica thought Bob was about to do something perverted from how he also started leaning into her. A cheeky smile appeared on her face:
"Oh~? Are you finally being proactive? Wait, what are you to doing? Hahaha, stop it! Hahahaha!" A fit of laughter came out of her mouth as I tickled her off his lap. Don't underestimate my skills in breaking both the atmosphere and tension!
"Well, I will be leaving now. I'll give Mom the news that you're in the neighbourhood again." He used this opportunity after I gave back his arms to get up and start leaving with an embarrassed face.
"Wait!" She spoke up in a uncharacteristic tone.
"I'll see you later." Bob seemed really into goodbyes right now as he headed for the door.
'You have acquired the Thot Ward.'
"I'm coming with you...!"
"Thot Ward has failed. Immediate retreat!'
"Mom can't cook you anything, she needs some rest after the hectic day she went through."
"That's why I should cook instead."
'Just refuse her already.'
"I don't-" Just as he was about to shake his head at her, she gave a look as if he was being unfair:
I am amazed at how great she is at making all her expressions pleasing to the eye... Maybe I should learn a thing or two from her since this idiot actually ate the words he was about to say.
"Okay... Fine." Was what he said in the end that somehow infuriated me a bit. This pushover!
'You have acquired Harem Protagonist Ultra Ex.'
'You are misunderstanding me...'
'Do NOT give me an excuse. I am connected to your consciousness. No matter what you say, I could sense you were enjoying her intimacy. And I thought you were traumatised and a misogynist.'
'I am. She is different from all that.'
'How? She makes me... feel like a man.' I sighed inwardly but couldn't find a way to make fun of him.
In the end of the day, it seems like some people can forget about their pain when someone acts in a certain way. Perhaps in his eyes, her advances actually validate his feelings of 'dominance'.
'I see you are no different from other men.'
'That is a relief...' I felt his words strike my heart.
Never will I understand why he looked so happy to hear such ironic words. For a second, I looked at Angelica dangerously. My kill switch hasn't been flipped yet, but whenever I look at her, I get the feeling that I might assassinate her unconsciously.
To prepare for the future, I took out something I had stolen from Chaos before we had cut our own little 'connection'. The way it manifested was as an apple, but I knew well that the redness of this fruit came from blood. This was my 'Killing Instincts'.
If I was to split the way my instincts worked, then I would say it was in four separate categories:
Killing, Animalistic, Battle, and Primal.
The first was my instinctive desire to kill formed through years on the battlefield. It was less a natural instinct, instead more of a mechanism within my mind needed to erase my hesitation.
The second was my emotional and sociological instincts developed through years of trying to sense the 'atmosphere' and 'mood'. This was what allowed me to make keen observations on what others were feeling and what to do in response.
The third was formed through fighting. It was the reason that I could time my attacks appropriately and fight even without resorting to martial arts of the past. A natural gift at opening new possibilities.
And lastly, the fourth was just the natural instincts of a living organism sharpened to sense danger. It was my most sharpened instinct among the four categories as I relied on it heavily to survive.
The reason I'm bringing this up now is because there was a large part of my memories I chose not to acknowledge after being reincarnated as Simon Rainglow. Although I admitted the past sins I made in my heart, I hadn't accepted the result of those mistakes. To keep myself happy- No, to keep myself sane, I had blamed my country as ungrateful inwardly to continue my victim complex.
In the end of the day, there was no force stopping me from quitting my role as a soldier, right?
Therefore, the reason I continued to live an life of servitude for my nation was right in front of me.
It was because of this fruit I plucked from Damian.
The Apple named 'Indulgence'.