Odysseus gave the order to kill, and something in me broke. The hatred and fury I was feeling seconds before disappeared leaving only disappointment. In that moment I realised I didn't care anymore.
I didn't care if Odysseus's quest was to kill all the losers.
I didn't care if he understood who I was.
I didn't care if he had a personal agenda.
I was just tired.
My hands were bloody, my skin charred, my heart broken, but my mind was calm.
It doesn't matter what timeline or world you live in. My family was right.
Eat or be eaten, but if you don't want to eat, be sure nobody can find you.
At the end of the day, the world doesn't change just because a naive guy thinks it could.
The gods couldn't care less for the lives of their loyal subjects, they encouraged to put their lives on the line. As if becoming strong could really save you.
That swordsman was clearly leagues above me in terms of strength, yet he died because of me, someone weaker.
Not to forget how men loved to play gods and impose their rule on the lives of others. This is so stupid.
I just went on the bed and knocked myself out.
That night I truly came back to be Klaus Damocles. No dreams, no thoughts just rest for pure necessity.
Waking up I just stayed seated on the ground meditating. There was no need to uselessly engage in training, my injuries were nothing to scoff about after all. Unless some kind of miracle was about to happen, I would lose, get myself killed by Odysseus and finally embrace my eternal rest, which was already due after all.
I was in a trance and only realised I was in the middle of the arena when the announcement of my match was made.
Fuck! I know I don't stand a chance but I'm still not offering myself as a sacrifice.
[Mr. Damocles, specialty - stealth vs. Emery Ambrose, specialty - nature magic, please begin!]
Emery Ambrose? What the fuck?
"The Mage of flowers?!"
Since this was my 5th match, my voice came out spontaneously, although in english.
Suddenly beautiful flowers started to bloom all around me and I felt myself being filled with energy and vitality.
Looking around to understand what was going on, I found the mage of flowers himself, Merlin, looking at my body suspiciously.
"You speak my same language and know my future moniker, but I don't know you… how is that possible?"
I was shocked momentarily, but soon came to my senses. Especially thanks to those beautiful flowers all around me, they seemed to improve everything in me.
"How is that impossible Sir? Why would the Kingmaker know someone like me? But what's going on? Although I don't stand a chance shouldn't we fight?"
"Ah don't worry about that, I casted an illusion, we are currently fighting for everyone else"
Looking at the audience I made eye contact with Odysseus.
He didn't fall for the illusion.
"Yes, of course the judge you hate so much didn't fall for the illusion, I am at the 3rd circle in this body after all"
"He seems to have some business with you though, so I think he won't snitch on us, let's have a chat, shall we sir Damocles?"
"Sure, saves us the useless hussle, I would rather be killed in the midst of this flowers anyway. Also, what are this flowers?"
"Hahahahaha" the childish laugh Merlin let out caught me off guard, the young man with long white air and purple eye seemed to have the time of his life until he noticed the seriousness in my expression.
"Oh, you were serious… I won't kill you even if that psychopath orders me to, what's he gonna do? Chase me to Avalon?"
"Fair, it is impossible to enter Avalon after all, well… with one exception"
Merlin was clearly intrigued. Not only did I immediately recognise him, I also had knowledge I shouldn't have.
Why would I care? This is an atemporal zone anyway. This half-incubus might have noticed something from Avalon and got here because he was bored.
"You're thinking of something rude sir Damocles."
"Yes and? What about this flowers anyway? I feel to good for the state I was minutes ago."
"Hahahahahah so refreshing! You don't even try to hide your rudeness!"
He was clearly evading my question about those flowers so I did the best thing I could think of and just picked one up.
As soon as the flower was stripped from the ground it turned into green particles and rushed inside my body.
[!attention! Changes to this body are forbidden. Storing mana from the garden of Avalon]
[once you retain your true body this mana will be added to your circle.]
I was in a daze. These beautiful flowers were from Avalon.
I thouched Avalon, and I'm still alive.
"How is this possible?! How could I get in contact with Avalon while alive?!"
Merlin was still laughing, at some point he fell to the ground and started rolling. Decency was clearly an optional, which I generally didn't mind, but now I needed answers.
"Merlin for fuck sake! Answer me you joke of an incubus!"
"Now that was uncalled for." He was pouting, but clearly enjoying the situation.
This bastard is incapable of being truthful.
"Yes, yes, I'm not very honest aren't I? Anyway, the answer is clear you dumbass! You could accept Avalon because that body is dead!"
"Although we are in a temporal fissure, changes to the body are still possible if the body can bear them in the future, and since you didn't die for absorbing Avalon's mana I'd say that body is dead, you have a new body, but your happiest memory was not in it, that's all really"
"This bastard makes it so easy, like it's a normal thing to have multiple bodies."
"You switched your thoughts with your speech you ungrateful scum!"
Looking at Merlin straight in the eyes I saw the glint of joy sparkling, someone was being honest with him for the first time after all and that was enough for him to be happy even while being cursed at.
"Why do you curse so much anyways, a knight should behave upholding honour before all."
"Do I look like a knight to you?"
"More or less? Your muscles are exceptionally toned for use, not for show, and maybe you have aura in that other body?"
"Shouldn't you be able to see everything present related?"
"I am, but you simply seem to not exist"
"That's unsettling, don't joke about these things, I'm already living in a nightmare on my own."
"I'm not joking. You know me right? You know I have some prophetic abilities. You simply-"
Before Merlin could continue explaining how I seemingly didn't exist, something forcibly shut his mouth while I could only stare in daze.
What does it mean I don't exist? Is it something related to my fate? That explains the Moirae's attention when I transmigrated in Dimitris body… is it a crime to transmigrate? I didn't chose to.
"It seems we cannot talk about this issue.
So if you're not a knight with those abilities, what are you?"
"A mage."
We exchanged stares for a good minute, until finally…
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA"
…Merlin exploded and hugged me tightly.
"Now that was uncalled for." I deadly locked contact with his eyes.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA SORRY SORRY! A MAGE WITH THAT BODY IS SO FUNNY"
Punching his ribs I freed myself from the hug, looking around I noticed everyone still cheering at the illusory fight while Odysseus himself seemed pleased about something.
That bastard still thinks he has a chance with me.
"That psychopath seems to like you, poor thing, doesn't even realise he dug his own grave."
"Stop reading my thoughts sorry excuse of an incubus"
"Yeah sure. I don't care anyway, what I do care about though is you! Care to be my disciple?"
Boom. My mind crumbled, build itself up and than exploded again.
My mouth agape, I couldn't even think of speaking.
"Wa ea ?! Mlin Iple?! How?"
Once again, Merlin burst out laughing.
After a full minute passed laughing at my face he finally stopped, I wasn't even mad.
I'd laught at that reaction as well. Totally deserved.
"You're very honest, you're not even mad! Do you respect me that much?"
"I have 0 respect for you as your personality seems utter trash, but I do respect your capabilities as a mage."
Laughing at my face did come with a cost, even if it was rightfully done.
"Fair enough."
Picking up a couple of flowers from the ground and thinkering with magic, he made a couple earrings. He then put one on his right ear and the other on my left.
"With this I can reach you from Avalon once this situation is cleared up and we can start your apprenticeship!"
I didn't care of the incubus cheeky smile, nor of the negative waves coming from behind me. My mind was only focused on one thing and one thing only.
"Magical engineering truly is one of the most beautiful wonders of the world."
"Oh? Maybe that psychopath has a chance?"
"Don't joke around, he's just my captain as soon as I get the chance I'm going to ditch that bastard and find a way home on my own."
Merlin clearly unconvinced muttered a cordial "sure" before deciding to put an end on our little chat.
"So? Should we end this and get going? I do have things to investigate, should I surrender?"
"That bastard is gonna make me kill you"
"Not a problem, this body is a puppet anyway. I'm going to find you in your room later yeah? We still have a day before the final struggle after all"
"What do you mean?"
"No time, just kill me in 3 seconds"
Merlin's neck never seemed so lonely, it was a puppet so… I could do whatever right?
So I started to strangle him.
1 second passed.
"By the way, is it an habit to go around shirtless?"
That snarky comment popped my nerves, my shirt took fire on the last match and I didn't even try to cover my self up.
Completely enraged by Merlin's antics I looked at Odysseus who immediately gave the order to kill.
So I snapped his neck with my bare hands.
Never had violence tasted sweet, but this bastard was a puppet anyway. I had also got myself a teacher who wasn't a complete psychopath to teach me magic, one who could reach me whenever and wherever.
My plan to ditch the Odyssey seemed to be on his way to success.
Being transported from the arena to my room, a blue screen popped before my at lightning speed.
Is the system so eager to give me my body back?
[challenge complete]
[full authority of former Dimitri's body granted]
[The Boar who roars is impressed with your abilities as a fighter and chooses the appropriate skill for you]
[skill from The Boar who roars granted]
[skill: basic spearmanship - passive, growing upon enlightenment]
The fuck? How is it spear and not daggers? He must have taken some hits on his head with all that fighting.
[the curse of the king of titans is being removed, Klaus Damocles' body ineligible for the curse; returning true body]
[Adding previously absorbed mana from Avalon to your circle.]
[Mana +5]
[Adding training effects previously accumulated, please check your status]
You ain't gotta tell me twice.
"Status."
[•name: Dimitris
•affiliation: Itaca
•constellation: -
•trait: babel tower
•magic circle: 1st circle - nature
•invariable stats:
-luck: 3
-willpower: 9.1
•variable stats:
-strength: 3.6
-constitution: 3.2
-agility: 4
-dexterity: 4.2
-intelligence: 10
-mana: 9.2
•skills and magic knowledge:
Skill - Negative answer F (active)
Skill - Basic spearmanship F (passive)
Spell - Thorny path (1st circle)
Spell - Minor blessing of growth (1st circle)]
That single flower from Merlin more than doubled my mana, damned incubus.
For the first time since entering that damend arena, I was smiling again.
"Oh so this is your real body! And look at your circle! You really just started your journey through the world of magic!"
My smile instantly washed away.
This sorry excuse of an incubus has the worst possible timing one could have.
"Let's leave the cursing for later, we don't have much time and I won't be able to help later, so let's start with changing your attribute mana shall we?!"
"My what now?"
_____________________________
-Odysseus' POV-
What is going on?!
Dimitris and that white aired mage were chatting happily in the midst of a garden while everyone else was trapped in an illusion, like they knew each other, like long lost friends.
He doesn't talk to me like that since he lost his memories and now he's fooling around with a stranger! While I'm here?!
I knew Dimitris didn't share my feelings for him, I knew this could be a great misunderstanding, but what could I do? My man was chatting with someone happily while he only spared hateful stares my way, and even though Dimitris never lost his composure he didn't reject the man at all.
And then it happened.
The white aired man hugged Dimitris, my heart sink thinking I had finally lost.
Everything we shared lost due to a memory loss, his repulse to killing his enemy and now this man.
I was trembling in terror at the mere thought, but then Dimitris mercilessly punched the man away.
Yes! Don't let that bastard touch you!
Maybe I have not lost yet.
Dimitris looked my way, relief immediately engulfed me and a smile finally appeared in this stressful situation. The thought of my men dying in this quest was stressful enough, we all knew the risks of entering the king of titans fragment, it was a duty and still a curse nonetheless. But nothing was distruptive as watching Dimitris slowly going from relief to haterd to apathy in these days.
Yet now he punched a man hugging him and looked for me.
I'm sure. I just need to get his memories back, and if not that, create new ones.
While I was relishing in my delight, the white aired mage suddenly created earrings, a couple, and shared it with Dimitris.
FUCK NO! HE LOVES CRAFTSMEN!
Soon after the illusion was coming to an end, the fake Dimitris was winning while the real one was strangling the mage.
As soon as Dim looked at me, I gave the order and the white aired man's neck cracked.
YES. KILL THE BASTARD WHO TRIED TO STEAL MY MAN.