Hermes couldn't believe what he was hearing. All twelve of the Protectors were in one person's head? And a child at that? He just couldn't believe it, but soon, he was forced to as the boy started repeating the conversation that was seemingly going on in his head between the Protectors.
As Ethan kept divulging more and more of the conversation, Hermes was going through all sorts of emotions. shame at being criticized for choosing a mere child for this great power and responsibility. Regret and pain for leaving his fellow protectors at the mercy of Hades who everyone knew had none to spare.
When he heard they were dead and that just a tiny portion of their soul was in Ethan's head along with their consciousness, or at least some part of it, he thought for a flitting second of committing suicide so he could join them in the boy's head but he had banished that thought immediately. Who knew what would happen to him if he killed himself. He may end up in Brava's mind for all he knew. He most definitely did not want that.
When Ethan told Hermes about the gods finally accepting his decision to grant Ethan the power locked in the 'eye of the gods', Hermes practically wept in joy and sorrow. He had been having sleepless nights ever since he has been tasked to find a worthy person to grant the power of the gods.
Even after he had chosen Ethan, he had been still worried about his own choice for the same reasons the Protectors had given not too long ago. Hearing now that they agreed with him, even though he was suspecting it was simply because they had no choice still have him a feeling of accomplishment. Finally, he could train the boy in peace.
Ethan on the other hand didn't know what to say or even do as he saw Hermes burst into tears. He understood what Hermes was going through. If he had spent mellinea with a group of very close friends or a bunch of his family, assuming he had any, and they died, he was sure he would be doing the same thing Hermes was at the moment.
After some time of sobbing, Hermes wiped his face with the sleeve of his uniform. "Alright..what were you saying before about a screen?", Hermes asked mid sniffles.
"Yh. it's this system screen that appeared Infront of me a few seconds before the Protectors awoke in my head. It called itself the 'MULTI-GOD SYSTEM'. did you guys create this system?" Ethan inquired.
"A system? By system, what do you mean?" Hermes asked in puzzlement. Zeus hadn't said anything about a system when he had handed over the neck chain. Or had he secretly tampered with the chain before the powers had been transferred into it?
In Ethan's head, a question similar question to what Hermes had asked himself was being thrown by one of the Protectors to Zeus.
"Is this what you meant when said you had a plan that will make our successor mighty and powerful? This thing called a 'system'?" Poseidon asked the question in all the Protectors' minds.
"No. I have as much idea about this system as all of you, which is absolutely no idea at all about this thing." Zeus confessed.
"When I said I had a plan, it was something else entirely. not this." The king of the Protectors told his brother.
Ethan who had seen Hermes' reaction when he mentioned the system, as well as the conversation that had just gone on between Zeus and the other person concerning the system, decided to clear the air for them by informing them of what a system was.
"Alright.. listen up everyone." Ethan began in a loud voice which caused Hermes to arch a brow and the other Protectors in his head to go silent.
"A system is a game-like interface which guides a player in a game as well as assigns quests or missions and rewards when said quests are completed. Systems were once very popular among gamers, especially among those who enjoy those old RPG games. It's also not uncommon to see a robot with its own system. Why I am puzzled though is because I've never heard of a human with a system interface in my life. It's normally for robots and AI." Ethan educated the others.
"And I presume a robot is not a living thing. Neither is this AI thing you mentioned as well, no?" Zeus asked Ethan.
"No..a robot is a machine. And an AI is just a bunch of codes. Simply put, the two are machines. and a system is a game board. Hope that clears it up for you."
"You know, you don't have to always speak out loud when referring to us. We're in your head and we can hear your thoughts just like we hear your voice." A female's voice informed Ethan in his head.
"So can you still see this system screen?" Hermes asked Ethan who nodded.
"It's gone now. It left whiles the others were having their meeting earlier in my head." Ethan disclosed.
"Do you think it will come back?", Hermes asked. He was hoping it would so that they could inspect it some more.
"I don't know. it comes and goes as it wishes. Maybe it will. After all, it asked me to wait." Ethan shrugged. He wasn't bothered about the system. In fact, he was a little excited to try it out. Maybe he could inspect things just like how those robots in those old films could. With lines of gibberish floating around in space Infront of them.
"Well...If it's gone then there's no point waiting for it. Let's get on with our training. In fact, I think we've done enough for now. It's still a little early so you can wait around here with me." Hermes told Ethan who agreed to wait there until it was time for him to go home. Hermes had asked the boy to wait there with him not because he enjoyed the boy's company. It was for a different reason all together. He had started to associate Ethan with his fellow colleagues. In other words, he now saw Ethan as an all-in-one 'Elder Protector package.'
"Er...Hermes. not to be a burden but when I was working at the restaurant, I normally ate my dinner there. Now that I am here..."
"Don't worry... someone's on the way with food as we speak." Hermes Interrupted the boy. As if on cue, the door to the dojo opened and in walked a man who Ethan was very familiar with. A man he had never thought he would see here of all places. Scratch that statement. Here was a man he had never even imagined would step foot out of the school compound.
"Mr.Twist?!" Ethan shouted in a questioning tone. What was Mr.Twist doing here? Was he also a god? Mr. Twist was carrying a basket in one hand as he walked forward with his famous creepy smile.
"Hello, youngster. How nice to meet you here. I never thought my master will pick you after he refused my suggestion that day, but here you are. Like the Tele-tuby sage once said; the world is a triangular place where everything goes down."
Ethan face palmed as he heard Mr.Twist. He just couldn't take this anymore. He thought he had escaped this mad man, but now here he was infront of him, again. Just as he had made up his mind to excuse himself and head off home, a ding sound that echoed in his ears stopped him in his position. 'DING!!!'
[Data gathering completed. User can now view his status]
DING!!
[User should input his name for better reference in the future]
DING! DING! DING!!
[User has new skills from the system. Would user like to view these skills?]
Ethan's heart started beating madly in joy as his whole body shook in anticipation. He already had skills from the system? What was it going to be? A summoning skill, an inspect skill? He wondered.
'Now how do I choose to view my skills?' Ethan had barely finished his thoughts when the previous screen shifted as if swiped by invisible hands and a new screen appeared Infront of him. As Ethan's eyes fell on his new skills, he burst out into mad giggles that made even Mr.Twist worried.