It's almost the same.
At least when it comes to world wars. If humans exist, interests will appear. And if interest is involved, conflict is bound to arise.
Pride, Envy, Greed, and all of the cardinal sins will always plague the world as long as we live.
You know, the good stuff.
I also find it interesting that the main seven continents were all residing in the same land. They weren't divided into 4 lands like in my world.
It was mostly rivers and mountains doing the dividing.
Well, except for one. Japan. Those lads always get special treatment in these JRPG games. They are still the same damn island as in my world.
But still, It's so weird seeing what would be the versions of North America, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Antarctic on a world map that has almost all the lands together.
But it's not like it matters much as I know that, after the Great Collapse, they are probably islands now. Or maybe even sunk to the depths of the ocean, never to be seen again.
It's also funny that most survivors couldn't decide what to call the remaining continents since they wouldn't like to admit that the place they used to live is somewhere at the bottom of the ocean.
This created even more division which has mostly settled down enough for them to work together with the good ol' schemes under the scenes where they compete in a 'friendly' manner with some bullshit political game under the such facade.
Or at least that's what I have deduced so far with the info I got. Plus my knowledge about God Eater and Code Vein being in the same universe…
Oh, boy. I haven't even gotten out of the city yet so I will leave that can of worms for the future me.
Either way, what I was curious about was where we should be at the moment.
Gaol of the Mist doesn't say much or has any recognizable structures like a Japanese temple or an Eiffel tower. The facilities, buildings, and roads seem to be more western with some cultures thrown in.
So I can guess that we are in the US version of this world. Mostly due to everyone speaking English and how there are many people with different ethnicities in this place.
Davis is African, Mia is Russian, the Amamiya siblings are Asian, Eva is Egyptian I believe, and my descent is possibly European, and maybe throw some Latin in there just to be sure.
Now, as for which counterpart version of the cities in the US we are in specifically. I would say Detroit or Ohio just to humor myself. But to be honest, it could be Florida-
-Nah, just kidding, this is possibly New York or another big city with high commercial value. The streets and the big and old electronic signs on those buildings told me that this used to be a busy place, perfect for marketing.
There are many more interesting things about the world that used to exist before. Unfortunately, it's mostly gone now.
The threat of a 3rd world war was on the horizon when the Great Collapse happened. I could guess that this was the reason the BOR Parasite, or Project Queen, was changed from a medical project into a government experiment.
Trying to weaponize it for military purposes.
And thinking about it… Slimes, dogs, moles, and other animalistic Lost that I saw on my way to the base… they must've been by-products.
Some by the government, and a lot by Juzo Mido most likely.
No way they just implanted the parasite inside a human corpse the moment the prototype was done. There must be a lot of procedures done before that. Testing it on animals before finally trying it on a human.
Huh.
Things are starting to make sense now.
Things that I just accepted when this used to be a video game are real issues I have to tackle if I want to live a life here.
Like the dogs with their bullshit infinite iframes. They aren't here just because 'iT's AniME dARk SOuLs, OF coURsE tHeRE ARe DoGs'
There is genuine weight to their existence.
Despite my thoughts about my current situation that many could find worrying, I found myself laying on the bed all comfy between covers with Io soundly sleeping beside me, using my arm as a pillow.
Guess she got her payback when I used her thighs as cushions.
Also, being a superhuman has more pros than I thought at first. The idea of a girl using your arm as a pillow it's often fantasized, but let your girl do that for 10 min and you might have to amputate it.
This will come in handy for cuddling.
Thankfully, the weight of her head didn't affect my blood circulation one bit… well, not the arm but my extra leg is affected…
I also had an easier time keeping the horny away than I thought at first when she wanted to stay with me.
I have standards.
Pu$$y can make a man go to places that he wouldn't go with a gun. And I wasn't about to go to the deep end. Banging a naive girl with the emotional awareness of a child wasn't right.
No matter how bad her body made mine want to be wrong.
Besides, I have another thing to play with at the moment.
*plop*
A dense wet sound was produced from my other hand as I experimented with the Blood Code I had acquired.
Ren's Blood Code, don't know the name yet, allowed him to manipulate his Ichor to make a liquid substance that he could manipulate out of his own body. Almost like gaining telekinesis for said product only.
I remember how he managed to condense it to the point that it became a unique metal, but that kind of control is way out of my reach. I can barely make the fluid dense enough to function as a microwaved slime.
Ren must've had absurd control to condense it to the point that it rivaled Queen Metal. An alloy made for weapons designed to pierce flesh and crush bones of superhumans that can tear lesser metals like paper.
No, his control should be beyond that. He made bombs with Yami's sound waves and managed to put them inside his little capsules for up to a week. Those were the decoy bombs that would serve as a distraction so they could escape, with Louis joining the fray the plan became a guarantee and some more.
His control could be almost microscopic.
And here I am. Barely able to control it and make it levitate above my hand. If I make it smaller than my fist my control becomes messy and it spills through my fingers.
Oh well, you start somewhere. And the first step to most things is to suck at it.
"Hmmm."
My playtime with the playdoh was interrupted by the squirming of Io who just had woken up.
Those pretty eyelashes flickered for a second before she finally gazed into my eyes with those golden stars she has for eyes.
"Good morning." She greeted me and began to sit up, showing off her nightwear. It's not see-through but I could still see every delectable curve as God intended.
We had to settle that she should at least wear a sports bra on the expeditions as I couldn't afford to be hypnotized during battle.
Dying by tities might sound like the only death acceptable by men, maybe not for ass men, but getting murked because you got entranced by some bouncing melons wasn't ideal. Even if I'm sort of immortal.
Such death must come by touching, not looking. If you die, it better be by doing something you enjoy.
And when she asked about when we were alone… Well, I'm a man.
What kind of answer do you expect from me? "Good morning indeed." I wholeheartedly smiled.
"It should be today," I told her. She didn't question what I meant since I already explained it to her last night. The deal that Louis will possibly make and my decision.
It might be meaningless to tell that to someone who would follow me to the ends of the earth and jump down the abyss with me with no questions asked. But I want Io's development to happen early.
To give her a little push so she can find her own purpose.
"I see…" She wanted to say more, but she held it in.
"What is it?" But I won't let her. Better let her know that she can give her opinion than to take my words as an order. I would need to show trust for this to work out.
"But I'm not much of a capable fighter…are you alright with that?" She questions more out of her own feeling of inadequacy than doubt about my request.
"We already talked about this. I wouldn't have done any better in your situation." I held her shoulders. The girl managed to find me, unlike most attendants. She was more than qualified to help me.
"Besides, you didn't tell me about the monster that wounded you." And I was more than curious about the beast that could instill the feeling of powerlessness in her.
"A Lost. It was a big monster covered in white armor wielding a giant mace. Its head looked like a crown and had spikes coming from its back."
It took me a moment to match the image to a monster that I knew of…
"Was the place you fought a palace of some sort?"
"Indeed."
Did she fight the Argent Wolf the moment she gained consciousness??
"... Io, you fought a greater lost without any prior training and survived…"
"Is that so?" She did that little head tilt.
Gosh, she is cute.
…
I walked out of the room with Io following behind. Our feet marched on the dull-colored marble and stone of the old cathedral.
It was today.
The day that the journey would truly start. The search for blood beads' headwaters.
Although Louis has something to say to me first before anything.
"I ran an analysis in your blood and you seem to be a void type." He explained my situation.
I already knew it. But it's not like I could tell him. The memory loss due to not just almost dying but also having my BOR Parasite almost destroyed.
"... or at least you should be. Your code was certainly damaged. I can tell that for certain, but…how could I put this…" Louis had now found something about my BOR Parasite that I didn't.
"Hm. Maybe because it was damaged but the remains of your Blood Code seem to be much different from the others just by looking at the loose DNA strands. Almost alien.
But perhaps that could just be because you are a void type."
I couldn't tell him that he was wrong but also right. How do I bring up that my artificial heart can talk to me without sounding crazy?
"And as for your unique case of lacking a blood code," he continued, "I saw that you seem to possess another one yet also quite different from your original, even if it isn't complete as well."
"Oh, that? I obtained it through a vestige." I held my hand and invoked a whip composed of a slimy substance.
An achievement of my constant practice last night and today.
"You What?" He almost shouted.
Being a void type is already rare. But being able to obtain blood codes through vestiges is truly unprecedented. And I enjoyed Louis almost losing his shit over it.
He fakes a cough and regains his composure. "I… would like to try something, to see if you can truly have more than one blood code."
And there it is. This sly little bastard. The Louis of this world is in a more gray area than the one in the game. But it's not like I dislike such change. Granting me powers like his to get on my good side and make sure I help him in the task he is undertaking.
I would gladly take the pyrotechnic powers he was offering, but I had to make sure of something just in case.
"Io, an additional Blood Code won't be a problem, right?" My question got the pretty girl thinking for a moment.
She shook her head. "It won't."
"That's all I needed to hear." I held my hand forward for Louis to take… but he handed me a red vial.
"..."
"..."
Oh, that's right…. Vampire stuff…
"... do I have to drink it?"
"...yes."
"Oh…"
The things I do for cool powers…
…
Waiting for Yakumo to bring Oliver and Yami, I stayed in the living room with Io and Louis.
"Anything different?" The researcher had thrown me some inquiries since I drank his blood.
"I do feel warmer… I can feel a certain heat, that's for sure." I answered. I also won't truthfully answer the question he asked about the taste.
The fact that I felt the urge of sucking him dry at the first taste will be a secret that I will take to the grave and my next reincarnation… honestly, is blood from a revenant supposed to be that succulent?
"Maybe it's not enough? I've never met a void type. Their existence is known mostly through word of mouth." He wondered before writing something on his research notes.
Please don't.
"The process of obtaining a blood code by the consumption of blood must be different from a vestige," Io commented as she gently held my hand, checking if I'm really getting warmer.
Our chatter came to an end once the trio we were waiting for came to the living room.
"Seems like everyone is here." Louis put down his notes, got up, and approached the bulletin board displaying a map of the city with many notes written on it.
Photos and sticky notes on the sides showed places that I'd yet to visit. Plenty of push pins holding notes about blood springs and the beads while others pinned on the map encircled highlighted areas with additional info.
He took his time in his research. Gotta appreciate that amount of effort.
"I'm sure you know the current situation in Gaol of the Mist." Louis began his explanation.
Nothing too different from the one I already know from the game.
The situation that Io and I found ourselves in isn't a rare event in this place.
Since Silva has taken the rest of the humans under its protection, Revenants have to make do with the blood beads they scavenge in this deserted land to satiate their thirst.
But Blood Springs, trees that bud blood beads, began to dry up because of miasma. The only thing that can stop a revenant from losing themselves was becoming scarce, the unending thirst forcing revenants to turn against each other in an ironic attempt at keeping their humanity. Furthermore, the levy that the government had imposed on everyone made it clear that the situation would become worse the longer time passes.
If only the blood beads shortage could be dealt with, then perhaps everyone could actually work in fairness instead of petty favoritism.
This is the reason Louis has put his mind to researching blood beads.
But there is one problem that no badass sword or chunni ideals can solve.
The miasma itself. A spore-like substance that the Lost spread just as humans exhale carbon monoxide.
And this is why I'm their light of hope in this dark and ravaged remnant of a city.
"-that is why we need someone like you. Someone who can clear the miasma and revitalize blood springs." He finished his explanation
"And we will need all the help we can get." He turned to a solemn Oliver and a frozen Yami with an offer.
He warned us. "I won't lie to you. You will be drawn into a bitter conflict. But without your help, we don't have much hope of getting anywhere close to our goal." There was a short silence as Louis stared into my eyes.
So this is when I answer…
Huh.
I let the seconds drag on not because I wanted the tension to rise due to my inaction. But because it took me a moment to recognize Louis' genuine request for help.
Not more sweet words about how I could use his facilities to improve my weapons, have shelter from the outside or just use the equipment to train… no side comments to improve the chance of me joining his side and helping him in his endeavor.
I chuckled.
It's not like I even thought about rejecting his offer in the very beginning.
"Oh well, a little world-saving won't hurt anybody." I voiced my answer to the confused stares and they all visibly relaxed.
"I'm glad to hear that." He didn't bother to hide his relief when I shook his hand.
"If we can help with the blood beads shortage and stop people like him from appearing, I'm all for it." Oliver talked about his former boss.
As for Yami… "you can revive blood springs?!"
I looked at Oliver. "You didn't tell him?"
"I… sorta… kinda… might have forgotten…" He sheepishly admitted.
"Dude- I mean- of course I'm in, no way I will sit back and watch this place crumble more than it already has!" Yami gave his answer after getting his shit back together.
"Well then, we are officially a team from now on!" Yakumo talked for the first time and threw a rather ripe and juicy apple for me to catch. "Hope you don't have the habit of scaring people like that."
"It wasn't intentional… sort of." I smiled as I shook yet another hand. Though this time it felt more like an iron cast warped around my hand and shook it.
Yup, this man is a beast.
"Yakumo Shinonome. I will be looking forward to seeing you in action."
"Adam Hart. You don't have to wait much after this."
The ex-mercenary laughed with a wide grin on his face. "Glad to see that you can speak my language."
"I still have more to say." Louis deadpanned.
""Right.""
Louis got back to explain the details of his plan in finding the source of blood beads now that we formally joined his research.
What Louis wants to know is when and how blood springs appeared, their cycles for producing beads, and the composition of the beads themselves.
And mainly, finding the source of the blood beads. Through his research, Louis found out about the blood veins under the blood springs. They seem to be tubes that work as capillaries.
Additionally, by running some analysis, he discovered that the contents of blood beads and blood veins are almost identical. So it is safe to say that following the blood veins could lead us to the source.
At the moment, he needs to find three more blood veins to pinpoint approximately where the source is located.
With that said, he told us to acquaint ourselves with the other facilities before we head out. I didn't have any questions and neither did the others about our goals.
Which left us with our little spar.
"You are about to get your ass beat, man," Yami strode behind us as we walked to the training room.
Oliver surprisingly agreed with a nod. "He is tough."
"You spared already?" I don't remember seeing them… wait, they were together before, weren't they?
"Well, you did get up a little late today. And while you were in your room, we did have a much different battle than you." Yami wriggled his eyebrows, eyeing me and Io.
"So you got an ass whooping." I deduced.
"No comment."
"You won't try to back out now, right?" Yakumo asked, looking at my slit pupil's eyes with his own.
"Nah, I need to get used to fighting as a revenant. I want to try barehanded first." I shook my arms and shoulders.
The man gave me a hearty laugh along with his answer. "I'm liking you more. Still won't be going easy on you though!"
"Oh boy oh boy, it's been a while since we had a friendly spar in this place!" Rin jumped the counter of her workshop and joined our group.
"Io," I called for her. "Think you can spar with Rin?"
This would be good to see how strong she really is.
"I will do my best." She nodded.
"Don't worry, I will whip you into shape." The petite girl puffed her chest.
…
….
…..
"Phtoo!" Yakumo spewed his broken teeth as he blew his bloody nose to allow himself some fresh air.
"You are hard to knock out. Can your brain dodge my hits or something?" He licked his busted lip while patting his bruised and displaced right arm.
"Mamah didn rishe a figher, buh shhe didim rishhhe a bich eithhher." I somehow slurred through broken teeth and dislocated jaw. The fact that a clean kick to the jaw, which nearly took it off entirely, didn't make me feel wobbly like it usually should be was as surprising to me as it was for him.
"Hahaha! you didn't even answer the question, guess that last one got you good!" Yakumo laughed as he held his side with a slight wince.
"Yikes…" Yami perfectly described the scenery with one word as he watched from the sidelines with a pale Oliver beside him.
Quite a gruesome turned out to be the aftermath of our 'friendly' spar. But considering that it was taking place between nigh immortal beings, it was sort of expected.
The special rubber flooring of the training area that was made to withstand the fighting and training of superhumans who can lift tons was somewhat visible between the pools of blood.
Which was mostly mine.
"First of all," Yakumo took a moment to take a deep breath before taking a seat on the floor, "some pretty good grappling skills. But it would be better for you to use them as a last resort or you know your opponent is a purely physical combatant. Too many gifts out there can outright kill you if you get that close. If you want to restrain revenant you better knock them out."
Yakumo is an ex-mercenary. He was stacking bodies way before the great collapse. A man who was groomed as a child soldier and managed to live long enough to become a commander of his comrades only to die to monsters that couldn't be dispatched by guns or bombs.
He is sharp between the ears, has the strongest blood code in the game when it comes to brute strength and is perhaps the most combat-abled individual in the base.
Now, imagine such a person against someone like me who is a city boy who only knew grappling, karate, and boxing when it came to hand-to-hand combat.
Needless to say, I was dismantled like a car in a Detroit dealership.
I really miss my limbs being the right way. My bones are now as solid as a wet noodle.
So when I heard such a man point out my faults, I listened.
Like how I just can't stop flinching sometimes. Because, you know, the feeling of the bone structures in my body increasing by the delicate process of BLUT FORCE TRAUMA is not pleasant enough to make me want more.
The pain immunity skill isn't included in my technical immortality package. Good thing that adrenaline seems to still be a thing in revenants. Otherwise, I wouldn't have made it this far.
Another fault is that my fighting is 'outdated.'
Not because some limpd!cked wuxia old fossil master created an ultimate martial art in this future apocalyptic world, but close to that. The reason being that I fight as a human would…
I'm not using the full range of abilities that a revenant has. Beings who can do a handstand from pretty much any kind of lying position while carrying hundred pounds of equipment.
It's rather hard to imagine the type of kung-fu that could be created for monsters who aren't restrained by the laws of physics as a human would.
But trust me, the moment you have a man the size of Yakumo punish your plebian armlock with a fucking chad scorpion kick that hooks its leg around your neck and slams you towards the ground at blinding speeds only to realize that you have been hit three more times on your way down, you will get an idea real quick that this world is filled with much more than superpower shenanigans. It's also filled with the batshit concepts of what martial arts would be like if the human limit was raised through the roof.
Another thing I need to work on is my regeneration.
"-you are a nightmare to fight in one on one. The average revenant can recover from a critical condition at least 3 or 4 times before it takes a toll on them and they need to rest. Even then, the healing will take at least two or at most five minutes." Yakumo's bleeding stopped midway through his explanation and had already put his arm back in its place.
"But you take a few dozen seconds to do that, and your regeneration doesn't seem to slow down either. Be that as it may, it would be better for you to learn how to control the rate of your healing so you don't run out of juice mid-exploration."
My jaw had finally found its place back in my skull a while ago. "You can control it?"
He nodded. "As for the other kinks your fighting style has, you fixed a lot just now. You will get used to using your body at its full potential in no time."
*wham*
"Alright no more…" an out-of-breath Rin told Io.
The silver-haired girl lying on the floor only had a few bruises. Although compared to Rin, she didn't seem tired as much.
"Was I good?" Apparently, she thought she did so badly that Rin had to stop.
"...yeah… yeah you're good… huff." Rin bobbed her head. "Nohh.. worries on this side." She told Yakumo before flopping onto the floor.
________________________________________________________
Word Count: 4,390
I did want to add the actual fight but the chap was getting a little too long.
Besides, the next chap is more about information and concepts, so the fight doesn't even fit there either.