《Destroy The Fantasyworld With Science》


 Chapter -1 - Author Information

    So Ladies and Gentleman welcome to this short info chapter.


    This one is just to inform you about some aspects or questions that may come up.


    For that reason I will just briefly about this.


    First of all: THIS FANFIC WILL PROPABLY NOT BE REGULARY!!!!


    The reason for this is the fact that I write this fanfic while still being at school and as such have limited possibilities to write.


    Second: I will release chapters whenever I''m done with them so that I can check everything with the plot etc. ----> low propability of mass releases so stop asking


    I also offer up my free time for this so I can and will not slave away for this fanfic as that would rob me of all my creativity and would destroy all the fun of writing.


    Third: I am not a native speaker and as such I will generously allow all the grammar nazis out there to comment and correct everything.


    Forth: This is my first fanfic so it might be possible that I screw this up completely and have to change some things.


    Lastly I wish every last one of you a lot of fun reading, commenting and everything else you might enjoy.

 Chapter 1 - Prolog

    Earth, Germany, Baden-W¨¹rttemberg, Stuttgart


    In this City, specifically in a hospital a boy with the name Hermann Kaiser was born. As time passed he learned how to speak, to crawl and then to walk and after a few years he was sent to school and learned "what is needed for life". In many aspects he was simply ordinary.


    What made him different however was his passion for literature and films which border-lined addiction as well as his thrive to amass knowledge which he deemed necessary apart from the general knowledge taught in school. Due to this habit he was alienated by others and as a result he also started to distance himself from others to seek for new and quiet places suited for reading, far away from his classmates and peers.


    Because of his thin figure his parents forced him to do sport to help him live a healthy life. As he grew up with his age being 16 his body took on a new above average look. He was still slender but was not scrawny anymore with well defined but compact muscles and is now 1,80 meters tall. His face with dark green eyes, short brown hair and slightly toned but never the less light skin color, was good looking but due to his habit of wearing plain clothes as well as reading kept him at a distance from others.


    If he was asked about his friends he would say that he has none, only a few acquaintances. As the sole child in the middle-class family he had almost no long-term interactions with anyone besides his parents and grandparents. Due to these circ.u.mstances he lost almost all of his emotions and only the cold and harsh reality remained. As he lived his life every day was merely repetition for him it was just unfulfilling very unlike the hero stories he read which were filled to the brim with adventure. Nothing ever changed besides the content of his books and manga''s. Until the day a certain truck fus roh dah''ted him out of existence.

 Chapter 2 - The mysterious being

    As Hermann regained consciousness he saw two paths leading to two doors. One colored white and golden and the other colored red and black. At this moment he could only think one thing:


    H: "WHAT THE F.U.C.K ??!! How did this happen?!"


    Suddenly his vision blurred and he was struck with a moment of blindness. A his eyes refocused and he was able to see again he noticed that he was standing in a simple styled office with a wooden desk buried under mountains of paperwork with a chair in front of it. Behind the desk stood an office chair with the chair back towards him. After a few minutes of silence a mysterious voice asked from the office chair:


    ???: "Don''t you have any questions young man?If you want to know something now is the time to ask."


    After this statement the office chair turned and a figure clad in light became visible.


    ???: "But before that sit down and get comfortable for a while, then we can talk"


    The being pointed at the chair in front of me.


    After sitting down Hermann asked:


    H: "Would you mind telling me the ending of the last book I couldn''t finish?"


    ???: "You mean the Narnia series? I think the world was destroyed and all protagonists died¡­"


    After a few more minutes of silence Hermann asked:


    H: "So, would you mind telling me why I am here?"


    ???: "I''m glad you asked. I have a lot to tell you. First of all you died."


    H: [Duh, wasn''t that somehow obvious?]


    H: "OK, but what were these two paths and doors?"


    ???: "They are the paths to heaven and hell."


    H: "So why am I even here? Shouldn''t I be sorted into one of the places?"


    ???: "Well, right now we have a few problems. You humans are now everywhere and due to the two world wars we have now not enough space for everyone. Neither in heaven nor hell. That is why we have decided that until we find solutions to this problem all newcomers are going to be reincarnated into other worlds."


    H: "So for how long has this happened?"


    ???: "Just a few seconds, you just missed the last spot to enter one of them. Which means you will be earths first future transmigratior. Congratulations !!!


    H: [Maybe this means that I can somehow influence my future reincarnation. But I should do this carefully as I still don''t know anything about him. Also angering a potential god is not a good idea. Hybris has already killed a lot of heroes and leaders at least according to history.]


    H: "Have you decided on a course of action yet?"


    ???: "Indeed I have"

 Chapter 3 - The ingenious plan

    H: "Would you mind explaining the procedure?"


    ???: "I wouldn''t mind at all. You simply chose any world you can think of that might arouse your interest and I''ll send you there."


    H: [WHAAAT!! No great plan and just this bullshit?! This is worlds apart from satisfying me. Maybe I can change this.]


    H: {cough cough} "Excuse me Sir but have you ever heard about Isekai novels? "


    ???: "No, is that some new type of novel?"


    H: "Not really they originated from Asia if I recall correctly"


    ???: "And what about them, how are they relevant for this discussion?"


    H: "These novels, as they originate from countries where people believe in Buddhism already deal with the topic of reincarnation into different worlds and their thoughts could perhaps aid in this situation."


    ???: "Fascinating. Then as an Expert concerning this topic would you like add something to my idea?"


    H: [Yes! I saved myself from this miserable excuse of otherworldly reincarnation but how should I ''convince'' him to accept my wishes without him limiting my future chances?]


    H: "Normally in these novels omnipotent beings grant the reincarnator a certain amount of wishes and they get to chose for example their power. You could implement this as it saves you the trouble of thinking about your gifts to them for example as apology for accidental deaths etc. and makes them happy"


    ???: "Seems interesting. How many wishes do you suggest? I mean it should still be balanced somehow, right?"


    H: "No worries, I completely agree with you"


    H: [Yes! This is just going perfectly according to plan. I am going to abuse these wishes so hardcore.]

 Chapter 4 - Preparation

    H: "I would grant 5 wishes. 4 wishes will contain anything they can imagine for example certain skills and one wish will be to decide the new world, the new timeline as well as the ''mode'' of reincarnation."


    ???: "What do you mean by ''mode''?"


    H: "You can choose whether to be born as a baby in a family, reincarnate as an existing character or simply create your own character and start of as an orphan."


    ???: "That seems plausible. So go ahead and choose as you provided me with such splendid ideas."


    H: [{Hahahahaha} with the power of human research I will conquer everything!!!]


    H: "Would you have some paper and pencils for writing down my wishes? I would like to get the best wishes I can come up with."


    Wordlessly the being reaches out its hand towards Hermann, creates some paper and a pencil and hands it over.


    ???: "Here you go. Take your time. If you need anything I''ll be right here and do some paperwork."


    After close to half an hour Hermann calls out to the being and presents his wishes.


    H: "That should be everything. Could you send me away now?"


    ???: "Yes of course. Thank you for your input. I hope to not see you in the near future. Stay alive."


    ???: "But these wishes are really extreme, isn''t it to broken in the end? Why did you chose them?"

 Chapter 5 - Wishes

    H: "I chose them because I can have a good shot at survival while still having endless potential growth and unending applications. Now to the first wish:


    - Wish 1 : AI-System with following functions:


    1Quest: by desires, conscious and subconscious wishes can be declined without penalty


    2Status: shows stats, Fusion, acquired skills & additional information I want to know


    3Shop: can be used through points earned from quests, everything in existence can be bought there for good price


    ?Inventory: everything can be saved in subspace with frozen time


    That wish can help me with management and baggage carrying as well as acquiring new skills and powers as well as strong Bloodlines that help me improve. Fusion will allow me to fuse similar abilities to gain an even stronger skill/ability/bloodline.


    - Wish 2 : Skills Adapt& Improve as well as eidetic and photographic memory and teleportation to other worlds I wish for, from the start


    As for the second wish: Adapt&Improve can generate new skills and refine my body according to the environment or actions taken, The memory is useful for remembering skills and analyze situations as well as learning new skills. The teleportation is a necessity in case I get bored of a world, I have reached the Apex in a world and have learned everything there or if I encounter beings and enemies I cannot defeat.


    - Wish 3 : Control, creation and destruction of all kinds of energy, matter and antimatter


    This is my real ability which I want to be able to use without an upper limit.


    - Wish 4 : Knowledge about my former life as well as a system guide and a training manual for the use of my third wish


    This will aid me in finding applications for my power, as well as training instructions and explanations about the full content of the system.


    As you can see, I have created my own unique and powerful ''future Me'' which will be better than everything before it''s existence."


    ???: "But what about the world, timeline and ''mode'' you chose?"


    H: "Well, I wanted to start with an easy world as that will aid my growth but still offers challenges to me. With that being the case I chose..."

 Chapter 6 - The new world

    Author: Hey, as no one voted or suggested anything I have decided the following. For the future all of you can suggest countless works of literature, be it manga, light novels, films or just common fantasy books. I will look at your suggestions and choose them if I can find out a lot of things about them or even know them and they fit into certain parts of my future story. With that being said I wish you a lot of fun with this new chapter.


    ------------------------------------------- Back to the story -------------------------------------------------------


    H: "¡­. With that being the case I choose the world of ''My Hero Academia''."


    H: [Of course I won''t go there because I have a hero complex. I mean I am not that stupid. I just do it for the Quirks.]


    ???: "Timeline and ''Mode''?"


    H: "Let''s just say the same year as Midoriya and please born as a baby but abandoned at a good orphanage as I don''t want more bonds than necessary."


    ???: {sigh} "As you wish boy. But you should really start socializing with others."


    H: [Why would I if I don''t plan on staying. It''s not like I get anything out of it.]


    H: "If you insist..."


    ???: "OK. Now bye and take care"


    The being pointed it''s arm to my left. Suddenly a swirl came into existence right next to the desk. It slowly grew until it reached a height of approximately two meters and then stopped. The being turned it''s ''head'' towards me and said:


    ???: "What are you waiting for? Your ride is ready, enjoy your trip!"


    Hesitantly Hermann walked towards the swirl and slowly inserted his hand inside. It surprisingly just felt like he was touching nothing but air. As he wanted to pull back his hand however he felt it was somehow stuck and a mysterious force started to pull him towards the portal. In a matter of seconds he was almost fully ingrained in the portal when he heard the voice of the being behind him


    ???: "What are you waiting for, move!"


    and felt a hand behind him that fully pushed him through the portal.

 Chapter 7 - System initializing

    The first thing Hermann felt was a strange warmth. Although he tried as hard as he could it was impossible for him to open his eyes and so he seemingly ''floated'' in the darkness. However, even though he was unable to see, hear or smell anything this darkness did not feel scary but instead felt comforting. I reveled in this silence for a short while until I remembered something.


    H: [Shouldn''t there be some sequence with the system like ''System initializing'' or something?]


    H: [OK. And I suppose I can''t learn of his name as I have not enough authority at the moment?]


    H: [So you know all I know and nothing more¡­but then why did you use such a strange combination of signs?]


    H: [OK. So why am I awake even though I am currently in a w.o.m.b as I estimate?]


    H: [Well, that is a most appreciated. Now would you mind giving me all contents of wish 4?]


    As he tried to observed his memories he saw countless orbs containing all kinds of memories lying around in his mind.


    H: [What a mess. Seems as though I have to organize this somehow. If I ever go to the Harry Potter world then this will immensely aid me in Occlumency.]


    As he finished sorting all his memories into shelves with dates on them behind Doors labeled ''Life'', ''fantasy knowledge'', ''real world knowledge'' and ''Abilities'' he went into his brand new ''Ability''-Section and took a memory orb out of a shelf which contained the information about how he should train train his energy and matter ability. After he inserted the orb into his chest the full information came to him and a new orb took form in the shelf. Apparently the training manual of his creation skill had two sections, one for internal/body and one for external creation. As he was currently in a w.o.m.b he decided on training his internal control and creation first.


    H: [System, set a timer for 5 minutes before my birth and while I''m at it would you happen to have some relaxing music collection for studying and relaxation or something?]


    H: [Does it cost anything?]


    H: [Awesome please do that then and start playing it as I will enter meditation to perceive my whole internal body which is the minimum requirement for the practice]


    As his conciousness faded and he started to explore the inner workings of his body he heard a prompt


    But he was already so focussed on his task that he decided to ask aboutit later.

 Chapter 8 - Birth

    H: [Fine. Just as I finished the first step. As soon as I''m out there I can start on ''customizing'' myself but for now I have to mentally prepare for this ordeal]


    Suddenly he felt pain and pressure from almost all directions. Then he felt his head going through a tiny opening awfully similar to being squeezed through a bottleneck. However the outside was extremely cold and bad when compared to the comfortable warmth inside but no matter what he tried he just couldn''t resist. From outside you could see a pair of doctors and nurses aiding a sweating and m.o.a.ning painfully as she gave birth to a healthy young boy. As everyone but the new mother looked happy Hermann had only one thought in mind.


    H: [Damn, that hurt. Next time I have to do something like this I will buy painkillers or something]


    Almost immediately Hermann felt better. Although it still hurt like crazy it wasn''t as bad anymore. Until someone thought it was a good idea to smack his tender posterior. In protest and pain Hermann cried out. Then he was cleaned and wrapped into a warm cloth and put inside a small bed. From his side he heard a man ask:


    Man: "What will be his name?"


    and then a voice he recognized as his mothers answered:


    Mother: "Kaiser but before you think about listing me as his mother, I don''t intend to keep him"


    Man: "Are you sure about that? This is not some simple decision that can be taken lightly. Should I come back at a later date? What is your reason for this?"


    Mother. "No. He was an accident but I couldn''t bring it over me to end this life so I decided to send him to a good orphanage."


    Man. "Understood. I will inform all the necessary institutions about this."


    They talked for a while longer but it wasn''t about important things anymore so I decided to take on the second step of my training, the intake of external energy and matter to enhance my body. This will give me a good foundation for my growth as well as train my control and will.


    H: [But before that, system show me my status]


    Name: Kaiser (Formerly known as: Hermann Kaiser)


    Age: 1 hour


    VIT: 10


    STR: 10


    DEF: 10


    INT: 10


    WIL: 10


    STA: 10


    LUK: 10


    - ??? Energy&Matter Manual (Stage 2: Basic Internal)


    - Energy&Matter Creation


    - Energy&Matter Control


    - Adapt&Improve


    - Multidimensional Travel


    - (NEW) Observation (internal) Lv.5


    - (NEW) Pain Resistance Lv.2


    H: [Thank you. From now on only show my stats, and my skills only when I ask.]

 Chapter 9 - Skill Analysis

    Author: As Hermann now only uses his last name Kaiser I will still call him Hermann in the story but everyone else just calls him Kaiser.


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    After 5 hours of training Hermann exited his meditative state and started to ask the system a few things he was not yet clear about.


    H: [System, show me my skills]


    - Energy&Matter Creation


    - Energy&Matter Control Lv.2


    - Adapt&Improve


    - Multidimensional Travel


    - Observation (internal) Lv.5


    - Pain Resistance Lv.2


    H: [Why do some Skills have no listed level?]


    H: [OK. Now tell me why I could advance to the second level of my training although my Observation Skill is still only at level 5? And why don''t I have any abilities related to a quirk?]

 Chapter 10 - First Quest

    H: [No, I think I understood everything related to that. Now tell me everything about the world travel function. What are its limits, its energy source and abilities?]


    H: [Wait. That means I am stuck here for 10 more years?]


    H: [Well shit. This is going to be annoying.]


    H: [I will try]

 Chapter 11 - I will transform you

H: [A lottery ticket? Where did that come from? I didn''t wish for a lottery ability if I recall?!]


    H: [I prefer being prepared and being able to make further plans without depending on luck or some kind of random plot armor.]


    H: [Until what exactly?]

 Chapter 12 - First months in the orphanage

    Not to long after the discussion of his mother with the mysterious man Hermann was taken out of the hospital and was moved to a new orphanage. Although he had lovely and caring caretakers he was mostly left to his own devices. As such he had a lot of time for his training.


    Over the course of a few months Hermann used his abilities to strengthen his body more and more. As his control increased and his Observation skill leveled, he kept on growing faster and more effective with each passing moment.


    Due to his efforts he acquired a lot of new Skills including passive Skills such as Bone Enhancement, Muscle Enhancement, Nerve Enhancement and Ligament Enhancement which all reached Lv.6 as well as a passive Energy&Matter Creation Skill that he used to sustain his body without nutrients but because of the watchful eyes all around him he couldn''t level it well and it only broke through to Lv.2.


    As a result of his tireless training his body grew up faster than the others and at a young age he could already walk while others crawled and by the time his peers spoke their first word he was already able to converse fluently with others. This was only possible due to the fast development of his vocal cords, his overwhelming memory and the translation function of his system which he discovered after the discussion of his mother and the man.


    His system didn''t see it as something important but its integrated dictionary helped him out greatly. As soon as Hermann was proficient enough at walking he explored everything possible to acquire new Skills.


    His efforts were not in vain as he learned a lot of essential skills such as the Running Skill that increased his speed and lowered the stamina consumption as well as increase his overall stamina, the Sneak Skill he learned by playing hide and seek with his caretakers as well as sneaking away from their watch which obscured his visibility upon activation as well as a bonus on sneak attacks, the Observation (external) Skill he earned by observing objects and people and judging their attitudes and intentions or the durability and contents of objects which listed all important data about them in the style of his Status.


    Later down the road he gained the Tailor Skill for weaving a mattress out of blades of grass that grew in the backyard of the orphanage for the puppet of a young girl that was his age. This Skill raised the probability of crating better clothing related objects as well as granting additional bonus attributes to his creations. He tried to get more but due to the supervision of the caretakers it was currently impossible for him.


    And so he waited until the day arrived that he was able to roam the outside world that laid beyond the boundaries of his newfound ''home''.


    ----------------------------------------------- New Status -------------------------------------------------------------


    Name: Kaiser (Formerly known as: Hermann Kaiser)


    Age: 10 months


    VIT: 30


    STR: 25


    DEF: 25


    INT: 31


    WIL: 29


    STA: 35


    LUK: 12


    - ??? Energy&Matter Manual (Stage 2: Basic Internal)


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.3


    - Energy&Matter Control Lv.4


    - Adapt&Improve Lv.MAX


    - Multidimensional Travel LV.MAX


    - Observation (internal) Lv.10


    - Observation (external) Lv.3


    - Pain Resistance Lv.2


    - Sneak Lv.3


    - Bone Enhancement Lv.6


    - Muscle Enhancement Lv.6


    - Nerve Enhancement Lv.6


    - Ligament Enhancement Lv.6


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.2


    - Running Lv.4


    - Tailor Lv.2

 Chapter 13 - New Body Skills

    Hermann was considered to be one of the greatest geniuses by the orphanage. Normally they wouldn''t allow such young kids to wander around the city but as he displayed a frightening amount of intelligence they reluctantly permitted it.


    Hermann used this freedom to aquire as many skills as possible. However he restrained his thirst for improvement and went to ask his system a few questions beforehand.


    H: [Hey system why don''t I get any new quests?]


    H: [Fine...I''ll try]


    H: [Awesome, accept all. Seems as though I have work to do]


    Hermann already had a plan to acquire a few new skills but to make it more effective he had to train a few of his already existing skills. One of the most important ones was the Creation Skill. If he could create matter externally it would help with the acquisition of new Skills without needing any materials. But before he was at that stage he would simply acquire and level fighting Skills.


    As for needing any techniques they weren''t necessary as Hermann noticed that with each new Skill or a level up of a Skill he would get new knowledge about fighting and inspiration for further training.


    As an example the moment he acquired the Tailor Skill he suddenly gained inspiration about design and method on how to best sew clothes as well as how to choose the most suited cloth.


    So after he used his new Stealth Skill to escape from his observers he ran into the forest that was located behind the orphanage. Not long after escaping into the forest he came across a clearing located next to a small stream. There he stayed and prepared to practice.


    H: [System play ''Born for this'' from the score]


    And with that out of the way Hermann got into a fighting stance for fist fights he had seen in a martial arts movie. Slowly he started shadowboxing while recalling the movements. After a short while the system gave a prompt


    As soon as Hermann heard that he stopped and started to ask himself a few questions. And shortly afterwards he started to experiment. He stood still and with his newfound martial arts knowledge started to simply punch again and again and again. Until he heard a prompt


    H: [As I suspected. Although I have Skills that cover an entire area I can still generate new skills]


    And so this day he trained his body and got the new Skills Kicking and Evasion. Kicking gave the same bonuses but for kicking while Evasion gave +3 STA and DEF as well as a 5% chance of completely evading a projectile or attack. Additionally he started to climb on the trees around him which gave the skill Climbing that gave him + 5 STA. With that he completed his first quest and earned the reward. But as it was getting late he did not pay attention to it and saved everything for later. Before ending his training session as his caretakers were surely frantically searching for him he checked the Skill Fusion option.


    H: [How is the maximum level defined? What level does it correspond to?]


    H: [OK then Plus Ultra it is]


    After that being said he refocused on his surroundings and quietly left his new training spot only to make plans for his next training.

 Chapter 14 - Second day of training

    Authors Note: Sorry guys, I messed up in the last chapters with an END Stat that didn''t exist to begin with. I will change this to defense bonus and will edit the stat out of the original chapter and add a skill to complete a quest i forgot about but for now have fun with this new chapter.


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------


    After he went home several of his caretakers grabbed and dragged him to the directors office.


    There he was given a stern talking from the director and as punishment for running away and always worrying the rest of the orphanage he had to clean all of the bathrooms in the orphanage as well as take out the trash. At the end the director gave an inspiring speech about how he hopefully learned from this and avoid doing it from now on because everyone there is a family and bla bla bla. While on the outside he showed a tearful face and told everyone that he will learn from this on the inside he though:


    H: [The only thing I''m learning from this is that I need better ways to escape from all this bullshit without anyone noticing.]


    So to avoid punishment in the future he made up a story of how he was afraid of the other kids because they envy his accomplishments and to avoid this he needed a single room. As everyone thought that he was just a pure and sweet little kid who is afraid they gave him what he asked for. In the future whenever he wanted to train he could now lock the door to his room and slip out of the window to train. So the very next day after breakfast he went to his room with the excuse of wanting to read books to enrich his knowledge he slipped out of the window and with the use of his Sneak Skill ran towards his new training space. There he stayed until lunchtime, headed back and returned after lunch to train some more.


    As he started his training in the afternoon he was suddenly struck by inspiration. He couldn''t use his energy outside his body to fight or use the energy already present in the surroundings. But he could use the energy inside his body to strengthen his punches or kicks. As soon as he started to infuse energy into his punches and kicks he got a notification from the system.


    This prompt made Hermann really happy as now he had more options in attacking as well as defending and the fact that all of his skills were compatible was even better as they could be trained together. Additionally the prolonged use of his Energy Creation Skill would improve his passive Creation Skill. And with these newfound skills he continued to train until the sky went dark.


    -------------------------------------------------- New Status ----------------------------------------------------------


    Name: Kaiser (Formerly known as: Hermann Kaiser)


    Age: 10 months


    VIT: 32 (+10)


    STR: 25 (+5)


    DEF: 25 (+5)


    INT: 31


    WIL: 29


    STA: 37 (+12)


    LUK: 12


    System points: 500


    Unused Rewards: 1 Lv. For a random Skill


    Open Quests: Acquire a title


    - ??? Energy&Matter Manual (Stage 2: Basic Internal)


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.4


    - Energy&Matter Control Lv.4


    - Adapt&Improve Lv.MAX


    - Multidimensional Travel LV.MAX


    - Observation (internal) Lv.12


    - Observation (external) Lv.6


    - Pain Resistance Lv.3


    - Sneak Lv.5


    - Energy Enhancement (internal) Lv.2


    - Bone Enhancement Lv.7


    - Muscle Enhancement Lv.7


    - Nerve Enhancement Lv.7


    - Ligament Enhancement Lv.7


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.4


    - Martial Arts Lv.3


    - Punching Lv.5


    - Kicking Lv.5


    - Running Lv.5


    - Climbing Lv.2


    - Tailor Lv.3

 Chapter 15 - Villain debut

    Over the course of the next days Hermann realized that his Creation and Control Skills were limiting his potential. With that being the case he tirelessly trained them until reaching the stage were he could influence atoms and energy outside his body.


    To relieve boredom and stop falling behind in other things he began hone his Martial Arts and train his body at daytime and train his creation and control at night. By stopping to sleep trough the constant supply of energy and matter he could save time and fully dedicate himself to training.


    This behavior of his continued until he felt that he lacked real combat experience to efficiently train his Martial Arts and so after a few months of training he switched his training around and practiced his Creation and Control Skills during the day and at night he ran around the city to hunt criminals.


    To aid in this matter he asked his system for hunting Quests as well as general rewards for defeating other beings. As his requests were reasonable the system agreed as his efforts would aid in his growth which was the sole reason for the systems existence and its quest creation.


    Due to his greed for more system points as well as proud feeling of seeing his own continuous improvement he continued these hunts. He only stopped for going to libraries to acquire new books, going for walks to calm down his worried caretakers that told him that shutting himself in his room is bad for his health or attending mandatory excursions with the rest of the kids as soon as everyone in his age group turned three years and their interest in the outside world grew.


    His regular hunts not only alerted the criminals in the city but also the local heroes. Especially since nobody knew who he was. He just appeared, stabbed the criminals in their headquarters with a knife which killed them instantly, stole their goods and money and disappeared. Few survived through hiding and their traumatized self''s could only report that they saw a shadow killing everyone and dyeing everything around him in blood. Through this Hermann gained the villain name ''Blood Shadow'' that terrorized the small organizations.


    Hermanns method of being undetectable was actually pretty simple. When he went through his ''mental library'' to search for methods that would allow him to conceal his identity he stumbled across a lesson from the beginning of his physic classes. It was the fact that the could only see the reflection of light on objects. So to make himself ''invisible'' he simply absorbed all light rays that collided with his body thus resulting in a being seen solely as a void like shadow. That combined with his stealth was truly a terrifying sight to witness.


    As a relaxation between training sessions he went around the city and searched for fights between villains and heroes. In his raids he had seldom seen villains or heroes as he observed his targets for a long period of time to ensure the absence of villains as well as hurrying in accomplishing his goals to escape before the heroes arrived so as to avoid unnecessary attention. Additionally after his first raid in which he killed everyone present he would probably locked up as a psychopath.


    The most difficult kill was his first where he had captured a gang member, tortured him to gain every possible information and finally killed him to secure his secrets. Afterwords he had vomited as he had never killed before. But after the first few killings that were still problematic for the young boy he quickly grew accustom to it. He wasn''t really enjoying it, it was just easier and faster compared to capturing and with that the most convenient way to clean up trash. It wasn''t as though they hadn''t killed a few people either. With that being the case he saw it as a necessary action for himself and others to get rid criminal activity. At that time he gained first Title: Assassin which gave him 3 STA as well as two levels for his Sneak Skill. In the past he had tried various methods to aquire a title but just one small decision he took gifted it to him.


    And so he continued his training towards greatness and invincibility.


    ----------------- New Status ---------------


    Name: Kaiser (Formerly known as: Hermann Kaiser)


    Titles: Assassin


    Age: 4 years


    VIT: 55 (+10)


    STR: 37 (+5)


    DEF: 36 (+5)


    INT: 35


    WIL: 30


    STA: 40 (+15)


    LUK: 14


    System points: 515 436


    Unused Rewards: -


    Open Quests: Destroy Gang Headquarters (repeatable) = Destroy a base of operation


    Spartan Training (repeatable) = Train your body to your limit for a day


    - ??? Energy&Matter Manual (Stage 2: Basic Internal)


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.7


    - Energy&Matter Control Lv.8


    - Adapt&Improve Lv.MAX


    - Multidimensional Travel LV.MAX


    - Observation (internal) Lv.14


    - Observation (external) Lv.11


    - Pain Resistance Lv.4


    - Sneak Lv.9


    - Energy Enhancement (internal) Lv.6


    - Bone Enhancement Lv.9


    - Muscle Enhancement Lv.9


    - Nerve Enhancement Lv.9


    - Ligament Enhancement Lv.9


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.7


    - Martial Arts Lv.6


    - Punching Lv.11


    - Kicking Lv.11


    - Running Lv.13


    - Climbing Lv.8


    - Tailor Lv.3

 Chapter 16 - External Energy

    Close to two months before his fifth birthday Hermann got to the third stage of his training manual where he was able to use his creation and control outside of his body. The moment he advanced to this new stage he could feel something similar to a sixth sense developing. It was like his mind had expanded his senses out of his body and could feel the matter and energy in a radius of one meter all around him. This brought a major boost to his training. As soon as he was proficient with it he went to his usual training place and worked to acquire new abilities.


    As he was still lacking in his external abilities he started with smaller things. As he thought about what to start with he walked towards a tree.


    H: [Can I change the growth structure of living objects]


    Curiously he sent his sense towards the tree and observed it carefully. However the tree was to big for him to change yet so he moved towards a low hanging branch as thick as his ankle and tried again. Slowly he straightened a part of it, made it flat and slowly changed the overall appearance.


    After his design was finished he thinned the ends of his new object until it was cut out from the branch completely. After polishing his creation once again he looked at his newly made wooden great sword.


    To complete his design Hermann dove into his mental library and looked for scanned elements. Shortly after he found the copy of the scanned structure corresponding to stainless steel.


    Slowly he closed his eyes, focused his new sense on his sword and created new atoms. From an outside view one could see the swords blade and pommel slowly being coated with a shining layer of stainless steel.


    After the blade was fully covered Hermann engraved groves on the hilt of the great sword. Following that Hermann once again accessed his memories and created a comfortable leather grip on the hilt.


    After he had finished his sword he got a notification from the system:


    H: [Sword of the Beginning]


    Hermann thought it was a fitting name for the sword as it was the first Sword he had ever created and the first Sword that was ever created from nothingness. For the future he planned to extract the wood beneath the blade and make the blade fully metal.


    Afterwords to train his Tailor Skill he created a big piece of leather which he cut by coating his hand with a sharp layer of energy. Then he created a tiny needle out of stainless steel and by enhancing his eyesight with energy and coating his new needle with sharp energy pierced countless small hole into the two leather pieces. With a fitting metal thread he sewed the two pieces together and created a scabbard for his new tool. To carry it comfortably he also created a shoulder strap and bound his scabbard to it.


    After his preparations were finished he observed the notifications he received in the process of creation of his sword. He had made it a habit to order the system to only display his his progress if he asked for it to not disturb him.


    His Tailor Skill had leveled up twice as he had worked with good material and had put effort into the creation. Additionally he had leveled his control and creation ability as well as learned a new Skill Energy Coating. This Skill allowed him to cover himself or Objects with external energy. It did additional 10% damage and 5% defense. Besides all of that he had gained the Title Craftsman (Beginner) that gave +25% bonus stats on his creations. After he went through the notifications he used his external Observation Skill on the Sword.


    Attack: 40


    Sharpness: 30


    Durability: 50


    - Bleeding : Attacks can cause bleeding on enemies that continuously lowers their health


    - Crush: Attacks can break the bones of a target


    STR: 40


    This sword made out of stainless steel, wood and leather was the first work of the beginner craftsmen Kaiser. It is exceptionally sharp due to being created from nothingness instead of being made by a smith.


    ----------------- New Status -------------------


    Name: Kaiser (Formerly known as: Hermann Kaiser)


    Titles: Assassin, Craftsman (Beginner)


    Age: 4 years 10 months


    VIT: 62 (+10)


    STR: 43 (+5)


    DEF: 42 (+5)


    INT: 39


    WIL: 35


    STA: 53 (+15)


    LUK: 14


    System points: 578 532


    Unused Rewards: -


    Open Quests: Destroy Gang Headquarters (repeatable) = Destroy a base of operation


    Spartan Training (repeatable) = Train your body to your limit for a day


    Inventory: Sword of the Beginning (equipped)


    - ??? Energy&Matter Manual (Stage 3: Basic External)


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.13


    - Energy&Matter Control Lv.12


    - Adapt&Improve Lv.MAX


    - Multidimensional Travel LV.MAX


    - Observation (internal) Lv.15


    - Observation (external) Lv.14


    - Pain Resistance Lv.4


    - Sneak Lv.11


    - Energy Enhancement (internal) Lv.8


    - Energy Coating


    - Bone Enhancement Lv.11


    - Muscle Enhancement Lv.11


    - Nerve Enhancement Lv.11


    - Ligament Enhancement Lv.11


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.10


    - Martial Arts Lv.9


    - Punching Lv.14


    - Kicking Lv.14


    - Running Lv.15


    - Climbing Lv.9


    - Tailor Lv.5

 Chapter 17 - Enchanting (1)

    Until his sixth birthday Hermann regularly ventured into the forest and continued his training. Due to his extensive sword training he developed the Skill Sword Arts that gave him +5 STR, +5 DEF, +5 STA and +10 VIT as well as trained his other abilities to a higher level.


    Shortly before he was supposed to start attending school he realized that if he wanted to leave this world at the soonest possible he had to hasten his plans. To kill All for One in the most efficient way he looked for similar scenarios in his memories about video games.


    There he found an answer to his questions. In video games if one did not have the necessary skills or ones status was to weak it always came down to two additional support options.


    Potions or enchanted Items.


    And as Hermann was now in a fantasy world it could not hurt to give the professions of an alchemist or enchanter a try.


    But before he began his endeavor he asked his system:


    H: [System, can I create enchantments in this world without prior knowledge?]


    After getting a positive reply he started with his experiments. First he tried a few enchantments in Nordic Runes. For this test he started with simple things first. As his first test he created a wooden plate, covered one of his fingers in sharp energy and engraved a rune attributed to fire onto the plate.


    Then he sat away from plate and waited....


    As he waited it occurred to him that the runes probably had no source of energy so he edged closer and grasped the plate from below. Then he slowly inserted energy through the wood into the runes.


    After a short amount of time the runes started to glow and a small flame began to burn on top of the wooden plate. Excitedly Hermann observed the newly enchanted object more closely.


    Although it seemed as though the wood was burning if one looked more closely one could see that the flame was burning a few millimeters above the rune. Once Hermann stopped the supply with energy the glow of the rune subsided and Hermann touched the surface close to the enchantment he felt no warmth although he himself had felt the heat of the flame.


    After he looked at his system display and noticed that he had acquired the Skill Enchanting that allowed him to apply magic and magical effects to items he returned to his experiments about the world of enchanting.

 Chapter 18 - Enchanting (II)

    Author: Hey there. As I wrote this chapter I realized, that it was not enough for my standards. That is why I decided to release another right after this one. And now: Have fun and enjoy


    -------------------------------------------


    To enhance his understanding of enchanting Hermann firstly observed the new information he gained from the Skill. Apparently enchanting objects did not necessarily mean that he had to use ancient runes. Even modern languages or emojis were possible. The only requirement for his form of enchanting was meaning. As long as the written signs or letters correspond with the intentions of the enchanter everything was possible.


    To test this he drew a circle around the rune that corresponded to infinity and tried to activate the runes again. After the runes began to glow he stopped the energy supply but the runes still functioned. Slowly a tiny flame manifested above the wooden piece. As he searched with his energy sense he felt the energy in the surroundings gather around the circle and being infused into the fire rune.


    To stop it he carved the rune for eternal standstill Isa (I) four times around the circle. After another round of observation he could sense that the new runes prevented the energy to come into contact with the circle, effectively shutting down the fire rune.


    As soon as he had eliminated the possibility of a future forest fire due to his experiments he returned to his comfortable room to think about possible future applications of enchantments. As he currently saw no merit in learning potioneering as he did not want to rely to much on single usage items he immersed himself into the new books he rented for a nearby library as he did not like to associate himself with other kids as they always played childish games and could take nothing seriously.

 Chapter 19 - First day of school (I)

    Author: Hello Ladies and Gentleman. Tomorrow is my first day of school fitting this chapter quite well. What that means is that I will not be able to update as often as it was until now. Additionally this is my last year in school so I have to put in a lot of effort to get good grades. Never the less I wish you a lot of fun with this chapter.


    ------ Time Skip -------


    Today was Hermanns first day of school. Due to his habit of always running away or straying from groups he was taken to school by a caretaker as they wanted to prevent him from truanting on his first day.


    But as many parents accompanied their children on the first day as all the new kids were still a bit anxious about not being able to see their parents for a long time while being in school it did not feel to bad or even embarrassing for him at all.


    As the class started there was a tearful separation as the parents left their children at school and headed home. Before Hermann could leave the caretaker and go to class his caretaker held him back for a moment to give him good advice for his future.


    Caretaker: "Kaiser, today is the day that you will start your real education. From now on you will stay in this building for a long time in your life. Today is beginning of something that will determine the rest of your future. So make sure to pay attention in class, get along with your classmates and take your fate into your own hands."


    H: [Wow. This is what you expect from a six year old child? Since when do six year olds care about something that is further away than the time they already lived?]


    Hermann remained silent and gave his caretaker a serious but questioning look.


    Caretaker: "I know that what I said was had to understand. We, your ''family'', simply want you to be a good boy for the time you are in school and pay attention. Although you could have skipped a few classes as you can already read, write and solve simple mathematical problems we still think that you should remain with your peers so that you could make friends for example and enjoy a childhood."


    H: [Friends¡­. Who needs friends? They will only drag me down and hinder my future. I don''t need friends to find happiness.]

 Chapter 20 - Introduction

    As Hermann slowly entered the classroom he paused for a moment to observe his new classmates. There were lots of new and different people all around him talking and doing things loudly. There were shy people sitting isolated from others silently keeping themselves occupied, loud and active people sitting in groups discussing their points of interest and other people mixing in between. Slowly Hermann moved away from the annoying loud kids searching for a quiet place among the socially awkward to avoid being annoyed by nosy brats.


    After a few minutes a teacher entered the noisy classroom.


    Teacher: "Silence! Quiet down so that we can start the lesson. My name is Suzuki and I will be your homeroom teacher for this year. Now we will start with the introductions. First I will call your name from the list and if you hear your name being called please stand up and introduce yourself to the class."


    Slowly everyone quieted down and the introductions began. Hermann didn''t seriously pay attention to their introductions as he didn''t know most of them both from this life as well as from the show. The only times he was a tad bit interested was when he realized that he was in the same class as ''The weakling'' Izuku Midoriya and ''The annoyance'' Katsuki Bakugo.


    H: [Why did I have to be in this troublesome class¡­.I just wanted to live normally to relax]


    The first introduction he payed attention to was Bakugos. Proudly and menacing he declared:


    "I am Katsuki Bakugo. I like food and doing stuff. I hate Deku over there. In the near future I want to be the strongest hero."


    A short while after Bakugo it was Midoriyas time for the introduction. Shyly he said:


    "My name is Izuku Midoriya. I like hero shows but I don''t really dislike anything. In the future I wish to become a hero like Almight."


    After a few introduction of side characters it was finally Hermanns turn to introduce himself. He came last as he had no family name. His mother had somehow insured that he couldn''t be traced back to her in any way. So he stood up slowly while contemplating on his introduction.


    H: "My name is Kaiser. I don''t feel like telling you about my likes and dislikes. I haven''t really really thought about my dreams for the future. As for hobbies¡­.I have lots."


    After his short introduction he quickly sat back down. As he looked around he could see all of his classmates looking at him questioningly. Following this were a few silent seconds until the teacher decided to continue the lesson.


    Suzuki: {cough}"After this short introduction let us start with explaining to you about our school rules¡­."


    As soon as Hermann heard this keyword he put his arms to the middle of the table, put his head on it and slowly drifted towards the dreamland. At least until he was rudely awakened by a piece of chalk and his teacher yelling at him for sleeping in class in the the first lesson. After this Hermann forced himself to stay awake and listen to boring rules he could learn by simply glancing into the rule book. When the class was over they had a short break to eat and drink something. In the next class the got a small tour around the school where the teacher explained the facilities and the location of important rooms. Following that they had a short lesson in Japanese as well as math until they were sent home along with the parents that came to get them.


    Along the way to the orphanage he was asked about his day by his caretaker to which he replied as short as possible due to his fatigue. After they arrived at the orphanage and had a meal Hermann excused himself and went to bed. After all, what''s the point in training when you can''t give 100%?

 Chapter 21 - Do you want to be my friend?

    The next day Hermann went to school and forced himself to pay attention in class. Even though he had never experienced it himself he could swear that torture would probably be more pleasant compared to this annoyance. After his math class they had a short break. He planned to spend his time with an interesting book until he noticed an approaching green squirt that seemed to want to speak with him.


    H: [Shut up, my mental state is far from being a child]


    H: [Yes and now shut up]


    As he argued he was interrupted by the kid.


    Midoriya: "S-s-sorry, w-w-would you have some time to talk?"


    H: "What do you want?"


    Midoriya: "I just wanted to introduce myself and make new friends. Do you want to be my friend? You can just call me Midoriya."


    Hermann just glanced at him when his system contacted him.


    H: [Why would I need friends...I won''t stay in this world anyway]


    H: [What would I achieve by becoming his friend? What is it worth?]


    H: [Fine, just stop annoying me. You will drive me to insanity with your dumb friendship]


    ---------------------------


    In a comfortable chair in front of a screen on a wooden table sat a mass of light watching the scene and answering questions though text he wrote on it. Behind him stood a beautiful person in a suit. It had quietly stood there for a large amount of time until it asked a question.


    ??: "Why? Why are you so interested in this being. Why didn''t you just judge him and be done with it? Why did you lie? Why?"


    After a while the being answered without so much as turning away from the screen


    ???: "Because he was surrounded by an aura of loneliness and apathy. But contrary to murderers or those who commit suicide he was not consumed by this void. I found it intriguing and decided to give him an opportunity to change himself. Now let us see what happens."


    With these words silence once again took over the room as both focused their attention back to the screen.


    --------------------------


    When Hermann refocused on the outside world he looked into the worried face of Midoriya.


    Midoriya: "Are you all right Kaiser?"


    H: "Yes I am. And I have decided to accept your proposal of friendship."


    Midoriya: "Yes, thank you. Let''s go and watch heroes after school. I will as my mother. What about your family?"


    H: "I don''t have family but I am certain that my caretakers will approve."


    Instantly Midoriya apologized for his mistake and left for his seat as the next lesson was about to begin. Before the bell rang another annoying child ran up to Hermann.


    Bakugo: "Stay away from Deku if you know what''s good for you!"


    With a mocking and pitying look Hermann looked up to Bakugos face.


    H: "Are you going to make me? You and what army?"


    With a face reddened by anger Bakugo turned away and went to his place as the teacher had arrived. He turned around once more and left the words


    "This isn''t the end Kaiser!"


    Chuckling Hermann stayed seated and focused on the following lecture. He was excited to witness what would happen at the end of the day. Would Bakugo try to assault him first or would Midoriya try to drag him to his caretakers to watch heroes first.


    ----------------------------


    Find out in the next episode of ''destroy the fantasy world with science''

 Chapter 22 - Searching for a Hero (I)

    After the bell rang to indicate the end of the lesson an overly excited Midoriya appeared, grabbed his arm and started to drag him towards the exit closely followed by the constantly mad kid Bakugo. Thankfully they were able to loose the hindrance in the crowd that stood outside the classroom.


    After they had found their ''parents'' which were surprised about the friendship (when they turned away Hermann could swear he saw his caretakers shed a happy tear) and were allowed to roam the city until nightfall as long as they stayed together all the time they quickly ran away to search for heroes.


    Happy beyond compare Midoriya started to run dragging Hermann with him. Of course he could have freed himself from the grip but for an unknown reason he felt no discomfort.


    H: [Is this a special influence main characters have on other people? I mean why else would Naruto''s talk no jutsu work on every villain or why are MC''s in cultivation worlds always seen as weak and idiots try to kill them for no reason and without benefit. Do you know system?]


    H: [Thank you for the explanation. I hope I will never get something like this]


    Suddenly he was forced to stop by Midoriya. They stood in front of a red traffic light. Surrounding them were dozens of skyscr.a.p.ers, wonderful shops with colorful interior and wonders of architecture and art at the side of the roads. Fascinated Hermann looked all around him absorbed in the sight had hadn''t seen in a long time


    H: [Wow, this is wonderful. It''s been a while since I have last been in the center of a city with such large buildings. I mean it''s a big difference compared to seeing them from afar like from the suburbs where I live and go to school. Although I wonder how I wasn''t hurt while being dragged around the City without paying attention to my surroundings.]


    Suddenly he felt a push from behind and he stumbled and took a few steps forward to balance himself. As he looked behind he saw a large crowd wanting to cross the street. It seemed that one of them had accidentally pushed him¡­


    He suddenly remembered that he had taken a few steps forward when he had stumbled¡­


    and he had already stood close to the edge of the street¡­


    At that moment he heard a horn and when he looked to his right he saw a large truck heading his way. For a short moment time seemed to slow down and he just thought


    H: [Shit not again. Please Truck-sama, stop this madness]


    Shortly before the truck arrived he stretched out his hand and...

 Chapter 23 - The Candyman (I)

    He stretched out his hand and the truck impacted his palm.


    Against his expectations, as he still considered his strength within the realm of human limits and the approaching truck an almighty weapon of the gods, the front of the truck started to fold itself around his palm as it''s impulse forced it to move forward.


    Meanwhile, although the asphalt cracked under his feet due to the force of impact, Hermann stood completely still and tried to comprehend the situation. Although he knew he was strong in all his raids he sneaked around in the shadows and took out all of the gangs assassin style.


    H: [...I guess that this wasn''t the real one? I though that truck-sama worked as some sort of counterforce in this world to remove dangerous entities from the world...guess I''m wrong]


    Whilst he stood there lost in thought everyone around him was close to freaking out. Chaos broke out as people started shouting.


    Mob1: "Quick, call an ambulance!"


    Mob2: "Call the police!"


    Slowly the police and an ambulance together with some firefighters arrived in the company of a few heroes. Efficiently the police together with the heroes closed off the site of the accident and went to the side to question eyewitnesses and make space for the ambulance and the firefighters to inspect the situation and rescue the poor driver. The firefighters quickly cut the man out of the deformed vehicle (as it''s form could no longer be automatically recognized after the accident) and he was moved to the hospital with multiple fractures and broken bones.


    Hermann used this time to observe the status of the heroes. Their overall status was around 40 to 60 for each attribute. As such Hermann, who was many years younger was as strong and in some cases even stronger when compared to them. However the ones he was seeing didn''t seem to be that strong.


    H: [Probably somewhere at the lower end]


    As a comparison he observed a civilian at the side. His stats were only between 10 and 20. with that being the case he assumed that stat points had no linear growth and was more of an exponential growth. (A person with 40 stat points is stronger than the strength of a person with 20 stat points doubled).


    After everything was in order and the driver was taken away and was out of danger, a policeman with a hero that seemed to supervise the hero squad approached him.


    Policeman: "Hey there kid..."


    H: [And another annoying a.d.u.l.t that will most likely not take me seriously¡­]


    Policeman: "...and as such I''m taking you with me."


    H: "Huh? Did you say anything?"


    On the side the hero tried hard to stop herself from laughing while the policeman seemed as though he would explode with veins popping out all over his face.


    H: "I''m sorry mister but you should calm down. Being angry is bad for your health you know?"


    This sentence only served to further annoy the policeman and caused the hero to erupt with enormous laughter.


    Hero: "That was a good one kid! Now let''s go to the police station and inform your parents about this."


    H: "Do you have candy?"


    The policeman grabbed into a pocket of his vest that contained candies to calm down panicked kids during missions.


    H: "Then I''m not allowed to go with you as my caretakers often told me not to go into cars with strange men that give you candy to accompany them."


    With that sentence he was grabbed and pushed into the car by the policeman and the hero who were fed up with him all while Hermann screamed about being abducted. With that the doors of the car closed and they left the scene. Suddenly he remembered about the promise he made to the a.d.u.l.ts and Midoriya. After they turned around and picked him up with Hermann almost managing to run away while they were busy with locating Midoriya, they arrived at the police station.

 Chapter 24 - The Candyman (II)

    After they arrived at the police station Hermann was escorted to a room for questioning. Because he had annoyed the a.d.u.l.ts so much, they forced him to wear handcuffs and tied a scarf across his mouth to stop him. (I''m pretty sure that''s illegal but I don''t care, I''m the author)


    In a small room with white walls, a giant mirror built into one and a table with four chairs, two at each side the hero and the policemen both sat down on the side opposite to the door which forced Hermann to sit down on one of the chairs on the other side. After the a.d.u.l.ts exchanged a few meaningful glances the policeman stood up and untied the scarf covering Hermanns mouth.


    H: "So after you shoved us into your candy van you now want to commit your atrocious actions? Criminal sc.u.m!"


    Policeman: "I''m a member of the police! Why would I be a criminal? If you know words like the one you used just now then you should at least have some common sense!"


    H: "Isn''t it the perfect background to be a criminal? Who would expect a policeman to be a criminal?"


    Policeman: "No matter! We have more important things to worry about. For one could you tell us why you jumped in the middle of the street? Your action almost killed the driver of the truck!"


    H: "Why should I tell you? ... But I was pushed."


    Policeman: "If you have nothing to hide then why would you refrain from answering? Now tell me the name of your parents so that I can inform them about what happened."


    H: "I don''t have parent. I live in an orphanage."


    Suddenly with a guilty expression both the policeman and the hero who had been quietly spectating look down and stop to question him.


    Policeman: "I''m sorry boy, I shouldn''t have brought it up."


    Hermann just smiles wryly and answers:


    H: "Don''t worry about it. They didn''t die, they just abandoned me without even giving me a family name."


    The policeman tries to put a smile on his face but halfway he gives up his pretense and with a quiet broken voice he replies:


    Policeman: "That doesn''t make it any better. No child should be without family. And with your power you should find someone who can give you what your parents denied you and can help you to learn how to live in harmony with your power and other people."


    After getting the address of the orphanage the policeman tasked the Hero with escorting Midoriya and Hermann home.


    --------


    In his comfortable chair the being of light looked away the screen for a short while. The suited man asked:


    ??: "What is it Master? Do you need anything?"


    The being simply extended it''s arms with it''s palms pointed upwards if directions existed in this place. After a short moment a honey like golden colored orb with multiple swirls inside appeared in its hand.


    ??: "What is that?"


    ???: "This, my old companion, is the fate of the version of the world the boy resides in. I think we might change a few things to make it more interesting."


    After it had said that the orb started to glow and the swirls inside the orb started to move in another direction, fuse, new swirls came into existence or faded away.


    ???: "And with that!", it willed the orb to disappear, "Enjoy the fun!"


    If anyone present could see emotions on the being made of light one could have seen a grin filled with excitement, anticipation and a hint of something else hidden underneath.


    .


    .


    But as it was a being made of light no one could see something like this.

 Chapter 25 - OK

    Author: Hello there. After a week of tortu- {?hem} anticipation I came to deliver you your weekly ration of this book. As I, the mighty Beggar, a cultivator of the mighty dao of cliffhangers, am intersted in your thoughts I have graciously decided to use the small box below to ask for your oppinion on certain topics. If you want to influce the future development of this novel then answer in the comments. Now enjoy you greedy bunch!


    -----


    After Hermann arrived at the orphanage without any interruptions he was welcomed by his caretakers that were asking him worryingly why he was brought back in a police car. After the policeman had erased all troubles and cleared all misunderstanding, he left and Hermann was finally free.


    H: [I''m glad that this is finally over. I have to get back to training as I am only as strong as some average heroes. It seems as though I will need more training.]


    After Hermann had escaped by using the usual method (Somehow he was never discovered¡­) he went to train his abilities.


    H: [I think that to combat stronger people I need more power but if I don''t have enough time I will need to disadvantage my enemies. The best way to do this is by creating a "special" shield.]


    With that in mind he started to create his special shield. As a foundational design he simply took Heatcliffs Shield (SAO) but colored it completely black with red lines. To make it strong but light he compressed iron into a dense but thin sheet. To avoid hurting himself he cushioned the inside with leather that he filled with wool. Putting the finishing touches on it he created some leather strips to tie it to his arm.


    H: [Now onto the enchantment]


    He engraved the image of a chain, an hourglass, broken bones and a mirror, one in each corner of the shield before drawing circles around each symbol and flooding it with the maximum amount of energy he could create and draw from his surroundings.


    H: [Now let''s see what kind of cheat tool I created.]


    H: [As I already have a Sword of the Beginning why not name this one Shield of the End?]


    Defense: 90


    Durability: 70


    - Bind: Whenever a person you designate as an enemy touches this shield he will be unable to move for a certain amount of time. The duration varies from individual to individual.


    - Slow: Whenever a person you designate as an enemy touches this shield he will be slowed for a certain amount of time. The duration varies from individual to individual.


    - Cripple: Whenever a person you designate as an enemy touches this shield there will be a decrease in the Durability of the touching object. The severity varies from individual to individual.


    - Reflect: Whenever a person you designate as an enemy tries to damage this shield there will be a chance of reflecting the damage of the attack back at the enemy. The probability varies from individual to individual.


    Allowance of the Creator is required to be used


    A shield created to be the bane of all that stand against it''s user. Created by the beginner craftsman Kaiser it was created as his second work to protect against every foe.


    H: [OK. With this I win every fight that last for a prolonged period of time. Perfectly balanced and not broken or anything¡­By the way what does my sword look like...]


    Attack: 35


    Sharpness: 20


    Durability: 22


    - Bleeding : Attacks can cause bleeding on enemies that continuously lowers their health


    - Crush: Attacks can break the bones of a target


    STR: 40


    This sword made out of stainless steel, wood and leather was the first work of the beginner craftsmen Kaiser. It is exceptionally sharp due to being created from nothingness instead of being made by a smith. Due to prolonged use it degraded from it''s former glory.


    H: [Damn. I only planned to enchant it but now it seems as though I need to restore it first.]


    And so he took out the sword he had stored in his inventory and used in all of his raids.


    H: [I think it would be best to completely remake this weapon]


    With that in mind he removed the still wooden core of the weapon and filled it up with more stainless steel. To strengthen it more he used the same thing he had done to his shield: compression. Afterwords he engraved a flame in a circle one one side of the blade and an icicle in a circle on the other side. After he was finished he noticed something.


    H: [If my weapons are named after the Beginning and the End why not integrate a respective symbol. Maybe it will cause a larger synergy?]


    and so he remodeled the cross-guard of his sword to form the open end of the alpha symbol while the loop became a part of the hilt. In the middle of the four symbols of his shield he engraved a large omega symbol. At last he filled all the engravings on the shield with red colored iron and the engravings on the sword with golden colored iron.


    H: [Now System show me the improvement of both!]


    + 10 Defense (total 100)


    + 20 Durability (total 90)


    + Ability: Curse : It is possible to trigger multiple Shield Abilities


    + Ability: Omega: Synergy with Alpha, all Enemies that were slain with Alpha have their Souls sealed in the Shield and empower it permanently


    + 55 Attack (total 90)


    + 60 Sharpness (total 80)


    + 58 Durability (total 70)


    + Ability: Burn: Inflicts fire damage for a certain amount of time


    + Ability: Freeze: Inflicts cold damage for a certain amount of time


    + Ability: Song of ice and fire: Raises swordsmanship by 5 levels when equipped


    + Ability: True Wound: Cuts of this weapon will never heal and stop bleeding


    + Ability: True Death: If this blade deals a killing blow to your enemy nothing can bring him back to life or save him from death


    H: [This seems kind of overpowered but who am I to complain about additional help. System!]


    H: [Place the Shield in my Inventory and equip it. Additionally open the Store to search for life saving skills. After all the raids I have done I should have enough to buy something decent.]


    - Phylactery


    - Instant Regeneration


    - Protective Talisman


    - Reincarnation Manual


    .


    .


    .


    - Gaia''s Protection


    - ????????????


    H: [What is that last Skill?]


    This is a skill that grants you an immortal body with unlimited stamina as long as you touch the ground. It was ¡­..


    H: [No, the one after that.]


    Following was a long period of silence.


    H: [What do I have to do to buy a Skill?]


    H: [Is there another way?]


    H: [Don''t ask. Do it]


    Slowly in the real world a small tablet materialized. On it one could see the name of countless items and skills that could cause wet dreams for every mortal and cause wars between countries. From iron shovels to bombs that could wipe out galaxies everything was present.


    But Hermann had only eyes for one skill. The only skill not even the system knew about. He knew that this skill was the one skill he had to buy to ensure his survival under any circ.u.mstances. He was committed to invest all of his funds into this skill. Until he saw the price. Five. Million. Points.


    H: [OK]

 Chapter 26 - Night Raid (I)

    As soon as Hermann had confirmed the price and the impossibility to buy such strong skills with the current meager amount of points he possessed he convinced himself that the villains were, as always, the best source of points. Although he had eliminated most smaller gangs and the bigger bases had enhanced their security by a large amount it would still be possible for him to defeat a few of those strong gangs, especially with his new/enhanced weapons.


    After he had returned to the orphanage to dine and he had informed the caretakers that he would go to bed early so that they wouldn''t disturb him with anything he activated stealth, absorbed the light particles (or waves whatever) around him and left through the window.


    On a rooftop close by he stopped and took a moment to clear his thoughts. The cold night air caressed his skin with a slight breeze that carried the scent of warm and freshly baked pizza from the pizzeria two blocks away that now in the evening welcomed many customers that had finished their daily work. In the distance he could hear their discussions together with many cars that drove by on the main street in front of the pizzaria. A perfect evening for a perfect extermination mission.


    Slowly Hermann opened his inventory and took out piece of paper. Written on it were the location of countless bases and hideouts, as well as the number of people stationed there, of the White Tiger Gang he had gathered by asking family-friendly questions to certain people that prefer to spend their lives with selling drugs or kidnapping other people (including children). Although not everyone of the questioned knew the answers it mattered little to him. The people went missing and were never found in one piece. Rumors regarding the appearance of many burning trashcans as well as murder cases that included scrap presses started sprouting although the government tried to cover up multiple stories to avoid panics.


    Many of the bases were already crossed out with a red marker. One of the remaining would also be crossed out after this evening. Today''s target was located in a cellar underneath a harmless looking office building across the street from the pizzeria. It might be a good location for a small snack after his "workout".


    H: [This one is going to be easy with my new weapons]


    With this thought in mind he jumped of the roof, crossed the road and walked into a dimly lit alley that opened up next to the office building. In a shadowy corner he focused on his power. In his mind he saw an exact replica of his surroundings. The only difference were the countless molecules that existed everywhere. To gain access to the building and the cellar he first checked for guards. He noticed many acc.u.mulations of carbon compounds. One, Two, Three, ¡­., twenty four.


    H: [This should work¡­]


    In the next phase he looked for spots in the building that were not being watched by the guards. He quickly found one and prepared his assault. Beneath his feet he imagined the molecules to slowly change into Oxygen, Nitrogen and Carbon-dioxide and other gases in the same ratio as the air surrounding him. After he had arrived at a certain height underneath the earth he started to form a tunnel. Firstly he raised the density of the earth in the shape of a door frame and extended that shape towards the chosen point of exit, thus creating a tunnel with the same height and width everywhere. Secondly he changed the earth that present inside his newly formed tunnel and erased it for the most part while taking the rest to create ''normal'' air.


    (To avoid vacuums if everything vanished and excessive pressure if all was transformed into air)


    Then he casually walked forward as if he was just taking a stroll, not forgetting to activate his light absorption trick. Readying his weapons and leaving his powers activated he prepared for the fight. He felt perfectly ready.


    As he exited the tunnel he arrived in a large empty room, at least devoid of humans. To clearly see his surroundings with his eyes instead of through his powers he stated to emit light out of his hands. In the big room he could see many rows of shelves filled with weapons, ammunition, money, jewelry and what was the most important thing to him: scraps and pieces of metal that was probably stolen from construction sites. To him they were the real treasures as he could store their composition and create new and stronger alloys or metals. He found pieces of lead, a small amount of titanium and a new copper alloy. That in itself was more worth than the rest. Of course that didn''t mean that he wouldn''t take the rest with him that they had gifted to him so nicely. He decided to repay them by ending them as painlessly as possible.


    After he had looted everything he could find, by touching it and storing it in the infinite void of his inventory (not even the shelves could escape him), he decided to just kick down the doors and kill everyone as they were to weak to hurt him anyway. And so he simply jumped and kicked.

 Chapter 27 - Jeremy

    Third person POV


    ------


    In front of the door Jeremy Thompson and his partner Fred Spencer were standing guard as usual. As it was currently around 8 he just had to wait for two more hours until he could go home to his wife and three children. He had never been involved with any real shady business but was working in a security company that cared little about their clients. Although he didn''t share the same view as the company they payed very well and so he just worked without question.


    As his shift was boring as usual, which might be because they were stationed far away from the exits, he had brought a newspaper and a few card games with him to ease his boredom. Fred was a big fan of the game Uno but Jeremy knew that Fred always cheated would start to insult him if he ever lost so Jeremy made sure to hold back to not destroy their partnership. Today''s newspaper was really interesting. Some kid had managed to stop a truck with his bare hands and almost killed the driver accidentally. However the most concerning article was about the "Demon of the Void". He shared many similar traits with the villain "Blood Shadow" but the Demon used a sword while the Shadow was using a knife. Although many suspected them to be the same others told tales of an organization that specialized in assassination. In the last year the demon had raided many bases of various gangs and killed almost all residents in the buildings. Various small gangs went extinct and very few gangs started because of him. The Black Panther Gang, The Red Snake Gang, The Pink Rabbit Gang were razed and disappeared. More than 40 hideouts were raided and this year wasn''t even finished. This time was known among Gangs as the Dark Ages that started with the Blood Shadow. Having finished the article he called out to his partner:


    Jerome: "Hey Fred look at this. If this continues I''ll quit. I''m not a big fan of death. People die if their killed, you know?"


    Fred: "Yepp, I can totally understand you. Especially since you have a family to take care of."


    Jerome: "But I have to admit that that demon in a real badass. Even though he raided multiple Gangs nobody has ever seen his face. Do you think he''s disfigured?"


    Fred: "Hahaha, that would be funny."


    Jerome slowly turned away to search for the lunchbox he had packed this morning. Rummaging through his backpack he asked his partner:


    Jerome: "Hey what should we do after our shift ends?"


    Suddenly he heard the sound of a loud crash and as he looked up from his backpack he saw the two wings of the door burst open from the inside, the door hinges broke and in a loud explosive sound they collided with Fred and shortly after the wall. After a second of blank staring Jerome looked away from the meat paste on the wall that formerly formed the body of his partner. In the now open door frame stood a completely black but small figure with a silver and golden colored sword and a black and red shield. With a slightly childish voice the figure exclaimed:


    H: "1 down, 23 to go."


    With shivering hands and weak legs Jerome dropped the newspaper and slowly walked backwards. The void-black figure walked forward, sheathed it''s sword on it''s back and picked up the newspaper and looked at he articles.


    H: "The Demon of the Void, huh! It doesn''t sound that bad."


    Disbelieving Jerome watched as a red face mask with black curly demon horns formed inside the shadowy hand of the person he believed to be the Demo of the Void. Slowly the Demon placed the mask over his face. Interestingly just with his weapons these objects were visible although the Rest of the Demons Body''s was shrouded in Darkness.


    H: "With that out of the way let''s get back to business."


    Suddenly the Demon''s silhouette blurred and suddenly his field of vision started to spin and shortly after his vision went blanck. The last thing he heard was:


    H: "2 down, 22 to go."


    His last thought was that maybe he should have stayed home for today and taken care of his family. It wouldn''t have led to this outcome. And with that his live went out like a flickering flame.


    ----


    End of POV

 Chapter 28 - Nightraid (II)

    Authors Note: I forgot to include the passive skill of swordsmanship in his status. I will change this in the next post of the status. Which will most likely happen after the raid part is over.


    ---


    A few seconds prior ¨C Hermann''s perspective


    ---


    After he had kicked the door open and accidentally killed a guard by smashing the door with him at a wall he looked around. This new room was about the size of a slightly bigger room and only possessed two doors. The only source of light were a few lamps at the ceiling. The only objects in the room were two chairs next to a table, one of them was knocked over and laid a few meters away. The guy that crashed against the wall probably sat on this one. On the other one was still seated and looked at him with a scared expression on his face.


    H: [He''s probably thinking of me as a child. Let''s give him a short lesson.]


    H: "1 down, 23 to go."


    As soon as he said that the guy started trembling and began to stumble backwards towards one of the doors while dropping a newspaper he had held in his hand. With slow strides Hermann advanced while sheathing his sword on his back. With the now empty hand he bent down and picked up the news paper.


    H: [It seems as though today''s newspaper is all about me. Both as a civilian as well as a "cleaner". But the name ...]


    H: "Demon of the Void, huh! It doesn''t sound that bad."


    H: [But there is something missing]


    In his mind he remembered about the masks he had seen some people wearing for carnival in his past life. As such he deemed a plaster mask with a demonic appearance a fitting touch to his image as the Demon of the Void. After he had equipped the mask and made sure to stop the absorption of light on the mask and only absorb what got through he looked at the shivering wimp in front of him.


    H: "With that out of the way let''s get back to business."


    As he wasn''t a hero and a wanted man it would be best for him to leave as few witnesses as possible. The only time when he would allow a few people to get away was when heroes were approaching the location of his raid. Lucky for him most were to traumatized to report on his small and child like appearance. Additionally he had never talked to most of the people so his voice was not recorded as far as he knew. To make sure that that won''t happen in the future made sure to put a small piece of cloth between his mouth and the mouth opening to slightly alter it. After his preparations were complete he activated his sneak skill, his internal energy enhancement as well as quickly drawing his sword and activating energy coating to eliminate his enemies without mercy and avoiding to die due to carelessness. Within a second he arrived behind the pathetic man and beheaded him with a large swing of his sword. With an emotionless look on his face he watched the head bounce and roll around all while his body still remained standing for a moment while blood leaked out from his now headless body until it suddenly collapsed on the floor and began to twitch uncontrollably.


    H: "2 down, 22 to go."


    Shortly after the movements stopped and unlike normally on his raids where nothing else happened, this time a slight flicker became visible and slowly moved towards him. At first he was highly on guard but after he remembered the effects of his weapons he relaxed and held his shield in front of him. Curiously he awaited the arrival of the flicker. When it came close to the shield and touched it''s surface ¡­ nothing happened besides it''s disappearance. Lightly let down he took the shield back to his body when he suddenly felt something. A thought, no an emotion, no the vague feeling of happiness? Yes happiness. Intrigued Hermann looked at the shield.


    H: [Is it somehow developing an intellect? Or was it merely my imagination? Let''s ask the System]


    Suddenly he felt a pull in his right hand that still held his sword. As he looked down on it he saw that somehow all the blood on the blade had vanished and in the direction it softly pulled laid the corpse. Still in thought about the earlier he stabbed the sword into the still bleeding corpse in front of him. Shortly after a notification awoke him from his untimely pondering


    H: [Fine. Let''s go!]


    With his empty right hand he grasped his sword once again and moved towards the door to his left, leaving a dried up corps behind. As he opened the door he saw about 10 individuals with clubs and knifes in their hands running towards him.


    Dude 1: "There he is! Get him!"


    Dude 2: "How did he get in here?! If we don''t catch him we''ll get fired!"


    Without a bored expression he activated his helpful active skills once again. Like a shadow he appeared from the right behind the first one and with a twist beheaded him while swinging his shield to the other side of his body to protect him from the rest of the attackers.


    H: [One down!]


    While he was turning the shield he accidentally bashed it against the head of one of them. While the guy stumbled backwards holding his bleeding face with a mushy nose the others quickly closed in.


    To avoid being surrounded Hermann retreated into a corner beside the entrance to the room behind him. Then he began to use a new tactic he though of. First he bashed against the ones that stood in front of him and after the left an opening after retreating he stabbed his sword forwards into their throats.


    H: [Three down!]


    While it went well the first time when he wanted to try it again they quickly retreated further where they were outside his reach. Some in the back took out handguns and called their companions to come back.


    H: [Shit! I can''t let them get away. If they manage to get out of the line of fire the others will start shooting at me. I have to get closer while trying not to get surrounded.]


    Quickly he rushed forwards towards the retreating men and moved as quick as possible. He managed to stab two of them, one just beneath his rib cage and another one in the chest. If he manages to drag the fight out long enough they will quickly die. The one with the pierced chest was already on his last leg but the other one could still fight for a short while. Bashing his shield against the weapon arm of another he managed to get another good stab at the wide open opponent. With a slash at the guys neck he made another head roll.


    H: [Four down!]


    Next he bashed the corpse towards the three holding guns and ran after it to use it as a cover. While the people holding guns were still surprised and stunned he manged to stab another ones chest and slash the second ones neck before he had to hide his head and upper body behind his shield to avoid the panicked shot of the third. After six loud shots fired and four loud {clang}''s later he lowered his shield and stabbed the last one before turning back towards the rest of the melee fighter.


    H: [Seven down!]


    Until he saw the one with the stabbed chest and his buddy stabbed lower torso lying on the ground.


    H: [Make that nine]


    The only one left was his special friend "Bashed Nose".


    H: "Hey there!"


    Shakily holding his knife in front of his chest the other one stared at him with wide eyes. To avoid any problematic situations that might come to stab him in the back he cut of the guys arms and legs. To stop his "friend" from dying in him he used his Energy & Matter Control to close of the open bloodstreams, thereby stopping the blood.


    H: "I just want you to answer a few nice questions of mine? You don''t mind do you?"


    After seeing the bloodbath the person/thing in front of him caused he decided to simply nod his head in hopes to survive. This caused Hermann to smile slightly.


    H: "How nice of you! Now tell me. Why are you all not accustomed to seeing blood and teammates dying?"


    Bashed Nose: "We were just hired to stop intruders and are members of a security company. We aren''t the mafia after all."


    H: "Well, interesting answer. Unfortunately you are working with gangs. How unlucky for you. Now my last question. Did. Anyone. Of. You. Inform. Your. Boss???"


    Intimidated the last survivor simply shook his head. Without any warning Hermann cut of his head. As he stared with an unbelieving expression his head rolled away.


    H: "Sorry, but this is the most I can offer you as a potential threat. A painless death. At least you will never be truly lost. Your soul will live on in my shield and your blood in my sword."


    As if to support his words he stabbed the chest of the corpse and all around him flickers rose and traveled to his shield. After they had entered the shield he once again felt the feeling of delight from it but stronger this time. Shortly after the soul shard present in the sword sent him a feeling of greed. As he looked at the corpse in front of him he saw that it was completely dried out. With that being the case he drew it out of the now mummified corpse and began to first stab the cut off body parts followed by the other corpses. A minute later only dried mummies were left. After everyone was fully emptied out he sheathed his sword once again and got ready for the next wave of enemies by hiding in the corner close to the door.


    H: [12 down, 12 to go]

 Chapter 29 - Nightraid (III)

    Authors Note: This chapter is the replacement for the chapter on Saturday as I have some family stuff on that day. Nevertheless enjoy the early chapter. Until next time ; )


    ---


    Not long after he had positioned himself he heard hurried footsteps from the other side of the door. As the room he was currently in was only connected to a few individual rooms whose inhabitants were already slain by him he didn''t need to worry about a sneak attack from behind and could fully concentrate on the approaching group. Carefully he raised his sword to neck height and prepared himself. After the group had hurriedly arrived at the room they slowed down and sent one guy to open the door and peer inside the room. Hermann on the inside of the room reacted lightning fast by stabbing the sword into the curiously peeking eye.


    Person 1: "Aaaarrghh!!"


    Person 2: "Dude, you OK?"


    Quickly Hermann grasped his sword tighter and pushed it deeper inside the eye until it penetrated the brain and the person died. Kicking the now dead body away he freed his sword and looked at the group of attackers. Including the now dead person there were seven people in front of him. Four of them stood close by, the other two stood close to the door he had smashed against the wall and had apparently been observing the remains of the one he had transformed into paste and pieces.


    H: [Well, let''s finish this, I''m getting tired and I have school tomorrow.]


    H: "Let''s get this over with, sc.u.m!"


    With an angered expression the ones in front grabbed their weapons and rushed towards him. Seeing them rush towards him retreated back behind the door frame to avoid fighting multiple people at once. In his first fight he wanted to finish everything quickly before reinforcements arrived but now he had the time to play a bit with his opponents. He didn''t have to wait for long before the first one rushed towards him. After a timely shield bash he received a most welcomed notification.


    H: [More than enough!]


    When he looked forwards he saw the person stuck in his attacking position while with a fearful look in eyes trying to escape from his current position. Still trying to free himself he felt a cold and sharp pain at his neck. As he looked at the masked demon in front of him he heard him whisper something:


    H: "You are already dead."


    With his worsening hearing and the pain he simply responded:


    Person 2: "What?"


    and fell down in the middle of the door frame, making it difficult to attack Hermann by rushing in as they could trip on the body. At moments like these he wished for a few longer ranged weapons but it was easier to simply learn one weapon after another. With a quick shake of his head he awoke from his thoughts and focused back on the situation. Luckily his enemies were still stunned from the strange situation their comrade found himself. Strangely no one of his enemies used any quirk. It was probably cheaper to hire quirk less people rather than famous villains that were mostly somehow mentally damaged.


    To not lose this advantage of his enemies stupor he quickly stepped in the empty space besides his torso and rushed one of the remaining three. Before they fully snapped out of it he had already slit the throat of the one that stood in front and impaled the chest of another right next to the last one. Before he could he struck with an attack he pulled back his sword leaving both with unbelieving expressions and strongly bleeding lethal wound. To wipe out the last of the four he first struck the solar plexus of the enemy and while the man winced and held his belly he gave him a clean death by chopping of the head. With a blade still dropping of blood he stepped away from the small pile of bodies and advanced towards the remaining two. Shivering they tried to hide somehow behind the crashed doors.


    Person 3: "Don''t come any closer¡­ You vile demon!"


    With a slight chuckle he stepped closer while raising his sword. Fascinatingly no blood remained on the blade and in the light of the lamps it glowed with a divine like radiance.


    H: "Beautiful isn''t it. A tool in the color of holiness and purity used to spread terror, pain cruelty."


    Slowly he infused additional energy into the sword. One after another the golden colored symbols lit up on one side coldness and clear pieces of ice, on the other heat and small flames materialized. On the border between both tiny clouds formed. After observing the phenomenon for a short while he quickly looked back up to the last two remaining people.


    H: "Playtime is over. I''ve had my fun."


    With these words he activated all helpful active skills, seemingly teleported behind both and with his sword cut through both of their necks like butter. While sheathing his now no longer empowered sword he spoke:


    H: "And no I have 19. Five more and I can go home. I don''t think that I''ll do this again. It is becoming to suspicious and more and more people pay attention to the gangs nowadays. I have to let the situation calm down. It''s like with a population of fishes. Excessive fishing causes many problems. As such it is important to allow the population to grow again to an acceptable level for long lasting gains."


    Reaching a conclusion to his train of thought he began to absorb the soul fragments and blood. After he was finished he stepped towards the second door his enemies had entered from and he hadn''t opened yet. Taking a deep breath he mentally prepared himself and cleared his mind. With the blade of his sword he pressed the handle down and pushed the door open.

 Chapter 30 - Nightraid (IV)

    The moment he pressed the handle down and pushed the door open he was met with a rain of bullets. Cowering behind his shield, he retreated and hid behind the corner. After the shots stopped he quickly peaked around the corner and assessed the situation. Four of the five remaining stood in front of two doors, one of them barricaded by rubble that had fallen from the ceiling and littered the room. The other was closed and was seemingly intact. All of the four stood orderly protecting the free door with guns in their hand.


    H: [I might have to repair my weapons quite a lot after I''m done with this. The shots are really wreaking the durability. But for now, I''ll just rush them, finish this and look for the last one.]


    Tightening the grip on his sword he activated his skill and vanished in a blur of speed. In the blink of an eye he had traversed the distance between him and with slashed the throat of the first one from below followed by a downward slash at the head of the next. As blood sprayed around him he bashed his shield into the next one throwing him towards the last one to stop him from shooting his gun. With a strong stab he managed to skewer both of them in the chest area, injuring both fatally. Pulling out his sword from both of them he retreated as blood flowed from the now open wound to not dirty his clothes. With despair filled eyes and bloodied lips that revealed the severity of their internal injuries they collapsed never to stand up again. After another short harvesting of souls and blood he turned towards the only free door.


    Pushing it open an office presented itself to his eyes. Behind the desk the leader of the headquarter sat with his legs crossed and his back reclined in an office chair. With one hand on the armchair supporting his chin in a thinker pose and a glass of wine I his other hand, he said in a low tone:


    Boss: "Welcome, young killer, I have been expecting you. You have come here to join the league of villains?"


    H: "You''re gravely mistaken. I have not come here to join you, I have come to annihilate you."


    Boss: "Do not make the mistake to sort me in the same category as those you killed in this base before arriving here. They are but quirkless humans that seek to earn money for their family to survive. But I don''t do this job solely because of the money, I do it because I can do whatever I want without anyone being able to stop me!"


    H: "Let us end this fruitless talk. I want to go home so stop bothering me."


    Crushing the fragile glass in his hand the boss shouted:


    Boss: "YOOOUUU! Insolent brat. Once I am through with you you will be begging to join the league. I will not kill you as you have potential but that won''t hinder hinder me from spanking you a bit."


    As soon as he had finished he stood up from his chair while Hermann had already readied himself and rushed towards his last enemy. Contrary to the people before him he was able to see and react to Hermanns blade. Shortly before the blade impacted the bosses throat it was blocked by a wooden shield that had extended out of the bosses arm and deflected the blow.


    Boss: "Reckless. But no matter. Once you have joined us I will make sure to engrave the meaning of cautiousness deep in your very being."


    Silently refraining from answering Hermann drew back his sword and focused on his opponent. Raising his shield he rushed forwards to bash his enemy. And so the clash began. One side death, the other servitude. What would be the final outcome?

 Chapter 31 - Nightraid (V)

    Author''s Note: This chapter got a bit larger than I anticipated as I got somehow carried away but I''m sure none of you will be complaining about a longer chapter. For all of those who got fet up with this larger Raid story part, don''t worry, this is the last one for this raid. I''m pretty excited about what I have planned for the next on so be prepared for the messed up fate of the world.


    -----


    As Hermann raised his shield and ran forwards to inflict any of his shield skills onto him it was quickly blocked by the wooden arm of the boss. The boss grabbed the upper rim of Hermanns shield and pulled it forwards as well as downwards to make him stumble. As Hermann realized this he quickly pulled his shield back in his inventory to avoid falling to the ground. His slight lack of focus, even if it was only for a split second, was rewarded with another wooden fist punching him in the stomach sending him sliding a few steps backwards. Preparing himself for the next punch Hermann reequipped his shield just in time to feel another punch colliding with it. Astonished Hermann was in shock as he had never faced an enemy with such strength as well as a useful quirk. In his head countless thoughts raced but none seemed helpful until he noticed a small notification.


    As he looked up he saw the smiling face of his opponent right in front of him.


    Boss: "Scared? If you want to defeat me then maybe you should try using your head."


    Without waiting for an answer the boss reeled back his head and his forehead towards Hermanns nose. Quickly ducking his head behind his shield he managed to avoid the blow.


    Boss: "It seems that up until now you have never faced someone else in real combat that had the potential to harm you. Let me teach you! Listen up! Your shield is not flexible enough. If you choose to protect your head..."


    Suddenly he used one of his legs he had turned to wood to kick at Hermanns lower body which was not covered by the shield.


    Boss: "Your sight gets hindered and your lower body is unprotected. If you truly want to fight like this then why don''t you wear armor?"


    At this moment the boss felt the blade cutting below the left side of his rib cage. Shocked he looked downwards only to see that Hermann had diverted his attention to his right by seemingly showing a lack of skill with his shield inviting him to try and kick his lower left side were his shield didn''t cover his body anywhere.


    Boss: "How? Why did you do something this dangerous?"


    H: "I knew of your arrogance and simply exploited it to win. As simple as that. You said that you wanted to recruit me so I knew you weren''t going to fatally injure me."


    Boss: [Impossible! This damn fool! If I wasn''t for that strange moment were I took a lot damage when I punched that shield I wouldn''t have been so cautious about it.]


    After evaluating the severity of his wound that was barely even a centimeter deep he answered:


    Boss: "No matter. Such a small injury won''t harm me. It is but a scratch."


    As soon as Hermann saw the injury he knew he had won as nothing could heal the wound caused by his sword or even stop the bleeding. With that happy thought in mind he advanced closer towards his enemy. Using his shield once more to push him back to allow for openings he quickly stabbed right after in hopes of creating more wounds that would accelerate the death of his enemy. And so as they continued their fight Hermann managed to find another opening allowing him to sever the left arm of his enemy.


    H: "Now tell me who is the overconfident one."


    Boss: "It''s just a flesh wound. Nothing to worry about."


    H: "A flesh wound? Your arm is off."


    Boss: "No it isn''t."


    With a mocking gaze Hermann looked at the ground were the arm laid. To his astonishment his opponent simply picked the arm back up and held it at the stump at his shoulder. Slowly small wooden tendrils emerged from the wooden stump, trying to reconnect with the severed arm. Pleased with himself the boss raised his arm.


    Boss: "See? Good as new. Something as minor as a mere limb injury is not enough to seriously concern myself with."


    H: "Oh really? Let''s see about that! Why were you able to attempt to reconnect your arm with your body but were unable to heal the cut underneath your rib cage?"


    Slightly sweating on his forehead replied:


    Boss: "Something as minor as that is not worthy of my attention. Even a chopped off arm barely meets the requirements. As you can see..."


    With that he attempted punch out with his freshly reconnected arm only for it to fall off and roll around on the floor.


    Boss: "something as minor as this...WHAT??!! How is this possible??"


    H: "I told you that you were overconfident. Now shut up and fight!"


    Faced with the traumatic shock of being unable to reattach his arm the boss backed away and screamed:


    Boss: "Stay away!"


    in a extremely frightened voice. Never in his life had he encountered a situation were he couldn''t recover from having been cut in his limbs. In fact he had never fought a battle were he even had a chance of loosing. As such he had no experience of dealing with a loss or the appropriate actions one had to take to avoid death in such a scenario.


    With slow steps Hermann advanced towards the now terrified leader.


    H: "Now that I think about it, I don''t think I''ve had the chance to use my punches and kicks against people with my full power. I''m so glad you volunteered for the job."


    Storing all of his equipment besides his mask Hermann sprinted towards the leader and kicked him upwards in the stomach. Accompanied by a loud crashing sound the leader bulldozed through the ceiling and the outside wall of the office building, across the street straight into the pizzeria and bashed his head into the counter painting it with brain juices.


    H: [WEEELLL...I guess that was a bit over the top¡­]


    H: [A useful thing called brain that this guy sprayed across the pizzeria where I wanted to eat later but now that the store is covered in blood and chunks of brain I don''t think they''ll serve me some pizza.]


    H: [Sure why not, I mean what could go wr¡­]


    As soon as Hermann decided to agree to the proposal he felt a fist impact his right cheek along with a loud shout


    ?: "Texas Smash!!!"


    The punch and the winds generated send Hermann spinning back into the office building. After the world stops spinning in his eyes he can see a large muscular man with weirdly shaped blond hair turned with his back towards him declaring to the gathering crowd:


    Almight: "Worry not! For I am here! As the symbol of peace I will protect you from this villainous Individual."


    Then he turned towards Hermann and declared:


    Almight: "Come here Demon and face justice!"


    Chuckling Hermann rises up from the rubble that was created due to his impact with the already fragile structure of the office building.


    H: "I know that suit. It''s Altight!"


    Almight: "Cease your mockery and face me. I will send you to prison to protect the innocent from your evil plans."


    H: [Damn. After that whole fight I''m just totally disinterested and because of that punch that I noticed that I am by far outmatched. It is best to retreat for now and confront him once I have become stronger.]


    To allow for a safe escape Hermann cloned the cells surrounding his wounds and additionally drawing back the blood to allow for the necessary cells to take that place once more. From the outside nothing could be seen as Hermann was still only visible as a void-black shadow. After the short time he had needed to ''heal'' his wounds he began to prepare his escape.


    H: "Hey Mr. Altight have you ever heard the saying ''Where the light is brightest, the shadows are the deepest''? It might be interesting for you to find out what lays beneath this office building. There should be a few files down there about the people down there and the people who funded them. Enjoy your reading. But I have urgent business to attend to so forgive for not being able to entertain you right now."


    Almight: "Stay! Or I will chase you until you surrender yourself!"


    H: "I''m sorry Mr. but you are not my type and seemingly a creep so excuse me. As for the poem...the opposite is also true. Only in the deepest darkness can light shine the brightest."


    With that Hermann firstly activated his Energy&Matter perception ability that had grown to 25 meters and erased all light followed by releasing a bright light from himself after a second of adaption to the darkness to blind everyone similarly to a flash bang thus blinding everyone which helped him in his escape. After he had escaped closer towards the orphanage without anyone noticing he took off his mask, stopped his light absorption and reentered his room and closed the window. As soon as he was finished he erased all traces of blood in his clothing as well as repairing all damaged parts. Following up he changed into his pajamas and went to bed early oblivious to what would await him the next day.

 Chapter 32 - Would you like some cookies and tea?

    Author''s Note: Hello there Ladies and Gentleman. After a full weekend of learning I was notified that we wouldn''t write the exam...Today was my first day of going to school while staying at home and I was surprised that not every server collapsed or had conection problems. Anyway I save at least two hours a day that would otherwise be spent on going there and coming back which I can now use to write this novel. Now enjoy todays chapter. Until next time!


    ---


    When he awoke early in the morning and had changed his pajamas for his new school uniform he slowly made his way the big cafeteria where everyone in the orphanage gathered before they headed of to do their own things. On his way he greeted the ones he was the most familiar with and asked them about how their day went yesterday while yawning with sleepy eyes. Many laughed at seeing his sleepy face but after teasing him for a while they asked what he had done to be delivered to the orphanage by a hero. Not missing the opportunity to get back at them for their teasing he replied that his deeds would probably be mentioned in a newspaper.


    After they had eaten and acquired a fresh newspaper from one of their seniors that had already finished their meals his acquaintances were astounded by his strength and told him that with his level of physical strength he would surely be able to become a pro hero even though no one really knew what quirk he had or if he even had one. When he had taken part in an examination they only found out that he possessed a greater strength, life force and cell density compared to most people. As such they had concluded that he must have a body enhancement quirk but no one expected that his strength could grow to such an extent.


    When Hermann had finished his meal and stood up to go back to his room to pick up everything he needed for school and brush his teeth he heard the ringing of the doorbell. Curiously he stopped and turned towards the hallway that lead from the cafeteria towards the entrance of the orphanage. Visitors rarely came to this orphanage which had always made him curious but as it didn''t impact him negatively he had ignored it up until now.


    Shortly after the bell stopped ringing a few people entered the room. Among a small group of caretakers, the principal of the orphanage and a middle aged man accompanied by two heroes entered the large hall.


    H: [Wait...one is the hero that escorted me on the way back and the other is Mr. Alltight. Did they find out that I was responsible for yesterdays raid?]


    As he made his way towards the staircase that lead towards the dormitories upstairs he kept glancing at the group out of the corner of his eyes. When he noticed that the group made their way towards him he forced himself to remain calm. When he heard the principal call out to him he turned around and observed them with a mustering gaze. With a steady and calm voice with a hint of curiosity he replied to the caretaker that had called out to previously.


    H: "Yes Mrs. Alby. What is it?"


    Mrs. Alby: "Would you mind accompanying us to my office? I also recently received a few boxes of your favorite cookies if you want some."


    H: "Yes, I would be delighted to consume a few if you were to share a some..."


    Mrs. Alby: "Then let us get moving. As for tea, would you like the usual?"


    H: "Most certainly. I could drink it every day."


    As everyone moved towards the office of the principal the middle aged man was asked by both heroes about the things that had just transpired. As they were walking the man explained to them that as Hermann was a genius kid the principal got very interested in him and the personal was advised to always watch out for him. After they had allowed him to walk ''alone'' in the close vicinity of the orphanage they had observed his a.d.u.l.t like behavior and after they had reported everything at the end of the day the principal she had decided to tutor the child by herself to diversify her job. As she had come from an old english family she taught him everything about the english language, noble behavior and good manners. As she was married to someone of the higher ups in the youth welfare office so she had no problems in keeping him in the orphanage instead of finding a new family for him. Despite that no one knew why she didn''t adopt him herself. Some said she cared for the child because she was impotent and couldn''t bear children but her husband''s pride wouldn''t allow him to adopt a child that didn''t share any of his blood. But no matter the circ.u.mstances it was obvious that she treated him like her own child. Despite this deep and long relationship the man and the heroes would attempt something that could potentially tear it apart.


    After they had arrived and everyone had a warm cup of tea in front of him and a plate with sweet chocolate cookies stood in the middle of the table the middle aged man began to speak:


    Mr. Yamamoto: "Greetings everyone! My name is Mr. Yamamoto. Today I am here on official business of the youth welfare office. I came to talk about young Kaiser over there."


    Mrs. Alby: "You don''t want to transfer him, right...You know my husband."


    Mr. Yamamoto: "I''m afraid I have to. His performance yesterday has aroused the interest of many reporters. I know that many quirkless children end up in your orphanage but there are almost none with quirks and most certainly there isn''t any child as strong as the boy over there. This will result in many questions concerning the corruption of the government and might get your husband fired to pacify the public."


    Mrs. Alby: "Then were do you want to put him? Can you guarantee that he will not be taken advantage of?"


    Mr. Yamamoto: "This is why we have brought Mr. Allmight with us. As he had decided to become a teacher at the national school UA in the future and the news of Kaiser''s abilities appeared, we the government with his agreement, have decided that he will be teaching Kaiser everything he will need in the future to become a good member of society and if he wants to, a hero. To achieve this goal Mr. Allmight or rather Toshinori Yagi has volunteered to adopt him. We hope for your cooperation."

 Chapter 33 - What a troublesome boy

    After along period of silence Mrs. Alby breathed out and with a sad voice she replied to the request of Mr. Yamamoto.


    Mrs. Alby: "It seems that there is nothing I could do to stop you. I knew the day would come when he would leave but I didn''t expect it to be so suddenly. I will permit the adoption but I have one last request for you all."


    Allmight: "Speak. If I am able to fulfill it I will do my very best to grant it."


    Mrs. Alby: "I want him to come visit at least three times a week to continue his lessons. It is always wonderful to have him here especially since he is a quiet boy unlike most kids."


    Mr. Yamamoto: "What is it that you have still left to teach him?"


    Mrs. Alby: "I have taught him almost everything about the english language and theory. What is left is mostly practice such as dancing etc were we will be going parties of the high society."


    After a short round of discussion they came to an agreement and permitted the visits of festivities within the confines of the law. Followed by the signing of all necessary doc.u.ments Hermann became the adopted son of the most famous hero in the whole country. As soon as the discussions were finished Hermann went to his room and packed everything important into boxes he had gotten from the people responsible for the supplies of the orphanage. As adoptions were common the personal always had some prepared.


    As he didn''t have many personal belongings it didn''t take long to pack everything, in under twenty minutes everything was ready. When he walked to the cafeteria with the boxes stacked on top of each other in his arms he met no one else. Strange. Normally everyone would still be walking around to prepare for school or work. Intrigued he entered the cafeteria only to meet Almight, the other unknown hero, Mr. Yamamoto and the principal. Welcoming him with smiles the group took him in their midst and they walked towards the exit. When they stepped through the door and looked at the driveway that lead towards the street lined with blossoming plum trees. Under this example of the fleeting beauty of nature stood all members of the orphanage in orderly lines. People known and unknown to him wished him farewell and a happy future. As he walked through the small path between both lines surrounded by his group towards the big car that would bring him to a new home he couldn''t help but think about what the future might bring.


    H: [New knowledge? Exciting adventures? Greater strength? Fun?]


    In a warm breeze that carried countless petals of the nearby trees with it he decided to worry about the future later and simply shape the present carefully according to his desires.


    After everyone in the group had entered the car besides the principal they waved their hands at all the people that had gathered in order to see them off. A last hug between Hermann and the principal later, the trio took of with Mr. Yamamoto at the steering wheel. After they had driven for a while Allmight asked:


    Allmight: "Do you have any questions young Kaiser?"


    Hermann couldn''t hold himself back and he began to laugh loudly.


    Allmight: "What is the matter young one?"


    Wiping the small tears that had rolled out at his laughing he replied:


    H: "You sound like a servant in front of his master. When I was little the principal taught me the meaning of my name..."


    H: [I already knew it from my past life but I can''t tell him that. Despite that, it wasn''t a lie.]


    H: "is Emperor. If you still want to call me like that I won''t mind. If you would treat me accordingly I wouldn''t mind as well."


    Allmight: [Why did I have to adopt this troublesome boy...I already know that he will cause me quite a few headaches.]

 Chapter 33 - How to bond as family

    When he had entered the room and had dropped his boxes the door closed behind him automatically. As he looked around he saw things he didn''t expect to see. The house was neither overly luxurious nor absolutely average. It showed a perfect balance between both and was beautifully designed. Although he had used the elevator to go to the highest floor Allmight''s apartment had an additional floor above the ones that can be accessed by an elevator. As he strolled around he came across a large and comfortable living room. Inside it he found multiple game consoles As he went through the large collection of games he took out one of the most basic games: Minecraft. As he played for a short while he heard Allmight entering the apartment. As Allmight began to search for him Hermann was absorbed in building various redstone contraptions. When Allmight found him Hermann turned around and shouted:


    H: "Get out of the room I''m playing minecraft!"


    Slightly shocked Allmight firstly stepped back before asking:


    Allmight: "I have a lot of time when the villains aren''t active as the staff you have seen in front of the room deal with all trivial matters such as paperwork. If you want we can play together. It''s not like I do much else besides training, gaming defeating villains and taking care of my body..."


    H: "Fine. What should we play? We could play minecraft in survival mode together if you want to."


    Allmight: "OK. After we have enough of it we can play other games. I have so many that I could outlast the apocalypse as long as I have electricity."


    After they had enough they began playing a few rounds of Halo in a private match against one another. Of course Allmight completely crushed Hermann as he had a couple hundred hours in it compared to Hermann who had never played the game before. And so, as the day progressed they bonded over video games and began building a relationship of love and hatred towards one another. Although they became a bit salty in a few online matches with crappy teammates they went to bed with smiles on their faces.

 Chapter 34 - The golden ball and the golden turd

    Author''s Note: Currently I''m thinking about the future of this novel and might swith out I world I had planned. If you know any good fantasy books that are western oriented (what I mean is no chinese cultivation etc.) then write about it in the comments.


    ---


    As they continued to drive closer towards the center of the city Hermann got bored of the long silence and decided to ask:


    H: "Hey Allmight, where do you live?"


    Allmight who sat next to the drivers seat pointed ahead towards the city center.


    Allmight: "As most heroes do, I live within my own agency. That way I don''t get stuck in traffic and am always available. Do you see that big skyscr.a.p.er up ahead?"


    With a confused expression Hermann looked out the window only to see at least a dozen skyscr.a.p.ers.


    H: "Which one?"


    Allmight: "The one with the big golden sphere surrounded by two rings. That''s were I live."


    Mumbling to himself Hermann once again looked at the streets of the city


    H: "At least it''s not a golden turd"


    Once they arrived at the skyscr.a.p.er, parked in it''s underground parking lot, climbed up the stairs and entered the giant lobby of the building Mr. Yamamoto and the unknown hero who''s name he hadn''t even bothered to find out excused themselves and entered an elevator right next to the stairs they had climbed up.


    H: "Why did we use the stairs when we could have used the elevator to arrive earlier?"


    Allmight: "LESSON ONE AS MY DISCIPLE!! EVERYTHING CAN BE USED TO TRAIN YOUR BODY!!"


    H: "Sheesh! Why do you have to shout all of the sudden? You didn''t have that problem in the car. Please turn down the volume, I value my sense of hearing."


    Ruefully Allmight rubbed the back of his head.


    Allmight: "Sorry, it''s a habit from hunting villains."


    H: "You know that''s not good for your vocal cords and I doubt it helps that much."


    Suddenly they were interrupted by a group of reporters that jogged towards them. They had heard Allmights loud voice and came to look if anything had happened as the building of Allmights hero agency also housed many departments of the government that had bought apartments here to gain better protection from the hero as well as use his reputation to scare of villains. As they looked around they saw Allmight shouting and being berated by a young boy. When they took a closer look they recognized him as the strong boy that had stopped a speeding truck with his bare hands at the tender age of six. He had great potential for becoming a future hero if his powers grew further. Once they had come close they asked:


    Reporter 1: "Excuse our Intrusion but would you mind answering a few questions for us?"


    With a slightly annoyed look on his face Hermann turned towards Allmight and asked:


    H: "Is this necessary? I still have to unpack all of my boxes and have to go to school."


    Allmight: "Don''t worry, Mr. Yamamoto already called your school to inform the about your circ.u.mstances and they were willing to give you a day off to settle everything. BUT THAT BRINGS US TO LESSON 2: THE MEDIA IS YOUR FRIEND SO HELP THEM IF THEY NEED SOMETHING!"


    H: "Stop shouting! My poor eardrums..."


    Allmight: "I''m sorry!"


    As the media looked at this comedic pair they tried to ask their questions once more.


    Reporter 2: "As my colleague asked before, would you be willing to answer our questions?"


    Allmight: "YES!"


    H: "No."


    Allmight: "Why not? It doesn''t hurt you or anything."


    H: "I want to unpack my boxes. They are getting heavy."


    This was clearly a lie as he has stopped a truck with his bare hands that had weight more than a few tonnes.


    Allmight: "Then why don''t you put the boxes on the floor?"


    H: "Why don''t you simply show me my room where I can put my boxes and deal with this stuff yourself?"


    Suddenly Allmight had an idea as to why Hermann always refused to be with many people or talk to the reporters. He was an introvert who spent most of his time in his own room. How could he know how to properly talk to others. With a warm smile on his face he promised himself to properly teach him about relationsh.i.p.s and slowly get him used to crowds and open speeches, to give him self confidence. On the outside they simply saw him smile warmly before telling Hermann to take the elevator to the highest floor and enter the biggest door in the back. After Hermann had entered a free elevator and the doors had closed Allmight turned his attention towards the reporters once more.


    Allmight: "You have to excuse the boy, he seems to be shy around most people he doesn''t know."


    Reporter 1: "No worries, he is still young after all. But that brings us to the question of why he is here and why you send him to your personal office?"


    Allmight: "Well, as you saw the boy is quite shy. He grew up in a good orphanage but due to his nature he was never noticed and got to experience how it feels to have a real family. When I heard that I asked the ministry if something could be done to place him in a good family that would help him grow up to be a good part of society. As they had no one in mind they asked me to take over this role. After thinking about it I quickly agreed and adopted the boy. Do you have any other questions?"


    Reporter 2: "Yes, how was he not noticed until now? Although he is shy they should have all important information about him. He isn''t ugly, is strong and seems more reasonable than most, so how is it possible that no one adopted him?"


    At that question Allmight averted his eyes and remained silent for a minute. It wasn''t his character to lie or misinform someone as he was supposed to be the symbol of piece and justice and a role model for everyone. He was supposed to to show morality, peace and social justice against the immoral, violent and unjust deeds of the villains. With that in mind he answered weakly:


    Allmight: "Maybe no one was interested in him until now. If you were to excuse me now, I will see to my son and help him get used to everything."


    With that he turned around and entered an open elevator behind him, quickly leaving for his agency. In the lobby the reporters turned to one another and remained silent until one of them decided to speak up.


    Reporter 1: "I think he is hiding something. I''m sure that was not a coincidence. For now we should simply report that the boy was adopted by Allmight and might become a great hero in the future but research about his origins and find a true answer to your question."


    Reporter 2: "Yes, I think that this is a great idea. I think we might be on to something. I''m sure there are other reasons. It might be a conspiracy."


    With that in mind the reporters exited the lobby and made their way towards their office that was just a few blocks away. When they arrived they told a few others that were available to head to Allmight''s agency to see if anything new happened while they wrote their article for tomorrows news as well as research about Hermann''s origins.

 Chapter 35 - Allmights Agency

    When Hermann exited the elevator and entered Allmight''s agency he saw a reception in front of a wall of glass. Behind the wall sat 16 people at individual desks in front of computers with headsets equipped. If he hadn''t known that this was an agency he would have mistaken them for streamers or professional gamers. Behind them was a large door with something written on the ground I front of it but due to the people seated in front he was unable to read the writing.


    When he approached the reception the lady looked up from her computer and the files on her desk and asked:


    Receptionist: "Hello there young boy. Why are you here alone with those boxes? Where are your parents?"


    H: "Hello, I came here because my father told me to bring all of this stuff to my room."


    Receptionist: "Your room?"


    H: "Yes. Could you look at your files? My name should be on there somewhere."


    With suspicion and slight confusion she took the visitors list for today.


    Receptionist: "What''s your name kid?"


    H: "Kaiser"


    Looking down on her list she slit her finger down to search for his name until she tapped on an entry and looked back at him.


    Receptionist: "Interesting. So you are Allmight''s son huh?"


    Opening a drawer she pulled out a small golden card with Allmight printed on the front right side. Extending her hand she gave it to him. Looking closer at it he could see his name on the left right next to Allmight''s picture. Looking at her still extended hand he shook it carefully to not hurt her accidentally. As she wasn''t a hero and didn''t seem to be overly physically strong he had to restrain himself. Normally he wouldn''t do things like actively hugging someone or even touch them if he wasn''t forced to. As such he grasped her hand with the same amount of strength he normally used to hold his pen.


    Receptionist: "Nice to meet you. My name is Sakura. I hope we get along."


    H: [Hopefully she is useful and good at her job]


    H: "Nice to meet you too. Could you tell me something about this card? Why do I need it?"


    Sakura: "This is your clearance. There are multiple clearance levels, namely copper, bronze, silver and gold. Normally if someone wants to talk to me about general information they need at least a copper card. If someone has a bronze card they can enter the room behind me and ask for live information as the people behind me all communicate with different hero agencies and the government to assign cases to the most suitable heroes. With a silver card you are allowed to stop one of them from their work and search for exclusive information as well as some restricted files just for you. This clearance only belongs to high level heroes and members of the government. With the golden card you just received you are allowed access to Allmight''s personal space as well as all files in our possession be it restricted or not. You are currently the only one with a gold card. Allmight possesses a diamond one with which he can completely command the agency as he pleases."


    H: "Why do you even need these cards? Can''t you recognize the people who have a clearance above bronze?"


    Sakura: "Yes, but this is a security feature. This way we can protect everyone from villains that can change their appearance or have invisibility. Anyway, good luck with your new dad. To enter the office simply insert the card in the small slit in the small iron pillar to the right of my desk."


    When he walked closer towards the pillar on the right he saw a small slit, barely large enough to fit the card. Before he inserted the cared he turned to the receptionist once more.


    H: "What if someone hypnotized you to give them cards? Or open the door on your own?"


    Sakura: "I don''t own a card. As for giving cards to people that don''t belong to them...You''ll see once you insert your card."


    Septic Hermann inserted the card and waited. Just when he wanted to ask Sakura why the door didn''t open he heard the sound of an opening automatic door (just imagine the noise of an automatic of a supermarket). Strangely it came from above. When he looked up he saw that a part of the ceiling had opened and a device similar to a CCTV camera looked down upon him. Shortly after he heard:


    CCTV: "Scan complete. Compare to data files¡­complete. Access granted. Welcome Kaiser."


    As soon as the announcement had ended a portion of the wall in front of him opened up, allowing him to enter after his card had had been pressed back outside the small opening into his hand.


    Sakura: "This little device has access to all files in our office. It can compare them to all footage we have of you and depending on that calculates whether or not you are granted access. As it has access to almost every feet of all cameras in Japan as well as several other sources it always knows whether you are who you say you are. If it isn''t able to confirm it then put a drop of your blood on it so that our scanner can analyze your genetic composition. If it matches you are granted access. No go. These boxes seem heavy. Take care!"


    H: "See you next time!"


    When he entered the call center like room a few of the people looked up as they had heard the door open. Contrary to the receptionist lady they seemed to be informed as they smiled at me. Some even waved before turning back to their work. Waving back with a small smile on his lips he walked through the rows until he stood before the large, massive door. Now he could also read what was written on the ground. Might only. This time the card receiver was located on the left side of the door.


    H: [I guess I''m allowed. But Might only¡­Does that make me a mighty Kaiser? ???? Anyway. Let''s get back to business.]


    Inserting the card once more into the opening mechanism Hermann waited patiently. To his surprise the door simply opened without him needing to pass another check. When the doors slit open he set his boxes down and observed his new home.

 Chapter 37 - Why do I have to go to school?

    When Hermann woke up the next day in a comfortable bed he gazed upon an unfamiliar ceiling. Confused at first he slowly remembered the craziness that had happened yesterday. Scouted by Allmight, adopted and playing games with one of the most influential people in the country. Although it had certain positive aspects about that he was absolutely certain that this whole thing would be really annoying and bothersome and absolutely not worth it. He wouldn''t be able to sneak around as many people would watch him constantly and his actions now had great impact. As he lazily watched a few bright rays of sunlight that were creeping across the walls of his rooms thinking about past, present and future he heard a lout shout just outside his room.


    Allmight: "WAKE UP! IT''S BREAKFAST TIME!"


    H: "Just give me a few more minutes..."


    Rolling around in bed, pulling his blanket over his head he enjoyed the comfortable warmth of this new bed. That was until Allmight opened the door to his new room and began pulling the blanket from his grip and exposed him completely to the morning light.


    Allmight: "GET UP!"


    H: "STOP SHOUTING! It''s still morning damn it!"


    Allmight: "Fine. But get up. You have school in a short while and still haven''t eaten yet."


    H: "I don''t have to. You know that thanks my quirk I have a lot of vitality?"


    Allmight: "Yes?"


    H: "I noticed recently that I don''t have to eat because my body can somehow take in energy from my surroundings."


    H: [More like creating it from nothing but still I''m not far from the truth]


    Allmight: "Are you sure you don''t want to eat?"


    H: "Just consider it as training. If I can''t endure it then I''ll eat. Now go and let me sleep me a bit more since I don''t have to eat."


    About half an hour Allmight came again to wake him up. As they went towards the elevator Allmight asked once more before they exited the apartment:


    Allmight: "Are you sure you don''t want something to eat?"


    H: "For the last time. NO!"


    Allmight: "All right. But take some money with you if you do get hungry."


    With that he walked towards a small cabinet right next to the entrance. Pulling out a wallet he took out 500 yen and gave it to Hermann before putting the wallet back in the small cabinet.


    As they exited the apartment and walked through the call center like room in which many people were already working Allmight once again turned his head towards Hermann opening his mouth to ask a question when Hermann spoke.


    H: "NO! I''m absolutely certain I don''t want to eat anything!"


    Allmight: "I only wanted to ask if you want to walk to school or if I should drive you there."


    Astonished Hermann paused for a second before replying:


    H: "Oh...I''ll walk I guess? Do you have a problem with that?"


    Allmight: "No, not at all. Just...take care and don''t jump on streets in front of trucks again. You hear me?"


    H: "Yes DAD! No bye, I''ll see you after school is over."


    As the elevator doors closed behind Hermann, Allmight walked back to the apartment to prepare a surprise for Hermann. Meanwhile as Hermann exited the elevator and walked through the exit of the lobby he saw himself quickly surrounded by a large crowd of journalists.


    Reporter 1: "A question young man!"


    Photographer 1: "Look over here young man!"


    Reporter 2: "A moment of your time please!"


    Shocked to the core Hermann looked around before shouting:


    H: "Let me through, I have to go to school!"


    Reporter 3: "What a nice young boy and so well mannered. Would you mind a quick interview?"


    Irritated by the shameless and obtrusive behavior he made up his mind to use the ultimate trump card. Jumping back to the wall of the large skyscr.a.p.er he propelled himself above the heads of the large crowd of reporters and curious passers-by that were attracted by the ruckus. Running through the crowd he disappeared in a few small alleys, hurrying towards the school. Once he had arrived safely he looked out the window only to see the crowd of reporters being held of by the security guards of the school. Relieved Hermann let out a sigh and turned towards his classmates that hadn''t approached yet. Curiously he looked at their faces. Some showed envy, some curiosity and some were simply disinterested and others seemed to be somewhere in between. Already regretting coming to school today he simply gave up and accepted his fate.


    After surviving the countless questions of Midoriya about Allmight, his hobbies, food preference and whatever I saw and learned about him all while being threatened by his shadow, the crazy murder hobo who had probably already exploded more than half his brain cells, Bakugo Hermann escaped the school by climbing over the fence in the back of the school to avoid encountering the mob of reporters once more. As he somehow managed to sneakily enter the agency through the garage underground and take the elevator to the top without getting swarmed by reporters. As he entered the agency and greeted Sakura that was manning the reception just as yesterday. Making his way into the apartment he was greeted by a smugly smiling Allmight at the dinner table.


    Allmight: "Did you have fun?"


    H: "Not. Funny. Stop"


    Allmight: "I offered to drive you there"


    H: "And I didn''t think that everything would escalate so extremely..."


    Standing up Allmight walked towards a large room Hermann had not yet entered and opened it. Turns out it was a large training room filled to the brim with training equipment.


    Allmight: "Before we start I would like to know your motivation for training. Why do you want to become stronger?"


    Hermann opened his mouth to reply but paused when he thought deeply about Allmight''s question. Why did he want to become stronger? Did he have a reason?


    H: "I have none. I guess I search for strength for strength''s sake."


    Although Hermann knew that Allmight wouldn''t like his answer he thought that as Allmight had gone out of his way to help him he should at least be honest to repay Allmight for it.


    Allmight: "Then I will not personally train you until you find a good reason for yourself. But I won''t stop you from training yourself in here. Just don''t overdo it."


    At these words Hermann smiled slightly.


    H: [Although I don''t fully agree with your philosophy you are a good person.]


    H: "Fine. I tell you my reason once I find it."


    Smiling Allmight replied:


    Allmight: "Just do that. No come with me. This morning I have decided that I will give you a special present. Let''s go the car."


    H: "You don''t have it here?"


    Allmight: "No, you have to chose it yourself."


    Intrigued Hermann chose to let himself get surprised and together with Allmight he drove to the outskirts of the city until they stopped in front of a large building with the writing over the door: "Mrs. Sato''s Animal Shelter".


    H: "You want to adopt a pet?"


    Allmight: "I thought that since I adopted you I could also adopt an animal to keep me busy when you are not home."


    H: "You sound like an old man asking his grandchildren to come visit some more."


    Allmight: "Well I almost have the same amount of free time..."


    H: "True."


    With these words they entered the animal shelter. Inside behind a small reception area they could see countless cages of various sizes containing many different animals. After they had greeted the receptionist that almost couldn''t believe that japan''s most famous hero would visit her animal shelter they walked around looking for a fitting animal. All of the sudden Hermann saw a small black puppy sleeping in a cage to his left. Dragging Allmight towards the cage Hermann observed the pup closer. At that moment the small black puppy opened it''s eyes and it''s silver eyes met Hermann''s dark green ones. The receptionist informed them that they didn''t know it''s exact race but the puppy was male and seemed to be closely related to natural wolves. At that moment Hermann decided:


    H: [I want this one]

 Chapter 38 - No more school!

    When Hermann saw the cub and decided to take him as a pet for the time being he heard something he hadn''t heard in a while, the sound of notifications.


    H: [Wow, I never had that many at the same time. What can those things do?]


    H: [What do you mean by beast tongue? If there wasn''t the ability category displayed besides it this would be really gross.]


    H: [Nice. I want that!]


    Turning towards Allmight Hermann declared:


    H: "If we are getting a pet then we are taking this one!"


    Allmight: "Aren''t you going to ask for my opinion?"


    Astounded Hermann paused to think before replying:


    H: "Aren''t we here to get a pet for me? If that is true then you are simply here as an adviser and to handle the paperwork as well as paying for everything?"


    Disappointed and sadness as well as utter surprise revealed itself in Allmight''s face. He had anticipated many answers but none as cold as this one. Rolling his eyes Hermann relented and asked:


    H: "Fine. What do you think about it?"


    Suddenly Allmight''s face lit up with a wide and happy smile.


    Allmight: "I think it''s WONDERFUL!"


    H: "Quiet down! You are scaring everyone with that! Sometimes I wonder who the child is between us! Should I buy you a pacifier or something?"


    Mumbling something about annoying and stupid kids Allmight walked towards the reception with the receptionist that had just stood besides the pair without commenting, simply observing their bantering.


    After Allmight had finished the paperwork and they had been informed about the things a puppy needs to grow up well they took it out of the cage and took it to the car. Until the time they arrived home Hermann kept the puppy on his arms. Once they arrived at home without the puppy pissing, shitting or vomiting all over Hermann he released it to explore the apartment hoping that it wouldn''t destroy anything valuable. Once Allmight had ordered one of his employees to buy everything necessary, he and Hermann sat down at the table to eat dinner. It was time for conversations about their day. Allmight told about the people he had helped. Although he mostly helped in the highly dangerous cases he also patrolled the streets from time to time. Most trouble was caused by small fry villains that had attributes around 40. No match for Allmight or even himself. Then came the time where he had to tell his stories. The chases, the bothersome classmates and Allmight''s surprises. After he had told everything Allmight spoke up.


    Allmight: "Are your classmates really that bad?"


    H: "I want to graduate early. I could have done that but I wanted to relax in class but now with this new situation I just want to graduate early and stay here for a while. Since you have good connections with the government tell them that you teach me about being a hero or something."


    Allmight: "Are you sure you want that? You have got to know so many people? Do you want to give that all up?"


    H: "Yes, there is no reason for enduring unnecessary bad things if you can get rid of them."


    With a sigh Allmight gave up and promised to arrange everything as long as Hermann passed the exams. That evening Allmight called the ministries and asked for an exam for his son. The day Hermann wrote the exam in a few hours under the watchful eyes of two teachers. When the teachers quickly graded his papers and he got the envelope containing his grades he got to see the shocked face of Allmight when he opened the envelope only to find out that Hermann had aced all exams up to the high school level.


    H: [I didn''t want to shock him to much after all I''m just a bit older than 6 years. This should be more than enough.]


    With the results in hand Allmight followed the suggestions of his adopted son and relayed Hermann''s wishes to the ministries. For that point in time Hermann no longer had to go to school and could focus on more important and relaxing things. He now had time to fulfill his quests. Daily training for himself and his dog. That was now what really counted.


    H: [But one thing is still missing. What shall be your name.]


    H: "Hey! Allmight!"


    Slowly Hermann heard Allmight''s steps coming closer and closer towards the training room.


    Allmight: "What is it boy?"


    H: "Do you have an idea for naming the dog?"


    Allmight: "How about¡­.Magnum?"


    H: "It''s a good name...but...somehow it doesn''t fit...I know...Your name shall be Orion. Orion the Hunter."

 Chapter 39 - Orion and his adventure with the strange pale creatures

    The first thing Hermann felt the next day was a weird wet ''thing'' touching his forehead over and over again. When he opened his eyes he saw that Orion had climbed on his head and had licked him awake. After picking him up and setting him on the floor next to his bed Hermann looked back at his bed. Apparently Orion had busied himself with the task of licking him awake as the pillow besides the place his head had rested on was still wet and covered in saliva.


    H: "Why Orion? Why did you have to do that?"


    Shoving the overly excited puppy out of his room Hermann changed his clothes, the covers and the pillow to clean everything up. As soon as he was finished he opened the door once more only for Orion to rush into the room, barking excitedly. Trotting towards the dining room he was overtaken by a speeding puppy that hurried towards Allmight who was already seated and was reading a newspaper. Curiously Allmight looked down at the small dog who jumped up towards Allmight yapping happily.


    Allmight: "What is it Orion? Is the sleepy head awake?"


    H: "I''m right here...I''m sure the dog won''t answer you"


    Allmight: "Who knows...I mean we have a mouse as the president of our national hero school."


    H: "True. Maybe we have to wait for a few years to see if he has a quirk. Anything new in the news?"


    Turning back to his newspaper Allmight replied slowly while reading some more.


    Allmight: "There is always something and if there isn''t anything important they just make news. But there is nothing really important today."


    H: "Got any plan''s for today?"


    Allmight: "I think I''ll just go patrolling around the city. You?"


    H: "I''ll go to the park with this energy bundle you got me. I hope that these annoying reporters are gone. If not could you bring me somewhere where no one is, preferably a park?"


    Allmight: "Sure. Just tell me when you''re ready."


    After a long and delicious breakfast both stood up and made themselves ready. After a lot of coaxing and threatening Hermann managed to put leash on Orion''s collar. Tanking the elevator to the lobby they saw a large mob of reporters just outside the building through the large windows close to the exit.


    H: "I think it would be best to take the car. I''m not going out there. Not voluntarily."


    Allmight: "Good idea. Let''s take the car."


    Orion: "Wuff! Wuff!"


    H: "Exactly"


    Walking down the flight of stairs towards the underground parking area they entered Allmight''s black car.


    - P.O.V Orion -


    Getting into the car Orion curiously explored the new environment. Although he had already seen everything the day before it was still fascinating. The smells, the strange corners and the vibrations that suddenly erupted once the bigger of the pale creatures sat in the large box and performed strange movements. Suddenly just like the day before the box began to rumble and from his position on the legs of the smaller pale creature he could see through the strange hard air on the sides that everything seemed to be moving. The day before he had determined that this strange hard-air that blocked even normal moving air from influencing the big box seemed to be coming from the pale creatures.


    Suddenly he saw the small pale creature push a part of the wall in the box. Strangely the hard-air seemed to disappear at the top and moving air came inside the box. This only further cemented the thought in his mind. When he had been in the den of the pale creatures they had been able to catch the cold-clear-wetness in the hard-air. The pale creature are truly mysterious. Enjoying the moving air that caressed his hair Orion closed his eyes and the comfortable warmth of the legs he was lying on.


    That was until all of the sudden the box stopped vibrating with the same intensity and his body was forced forward a bit. The small pale creature pushed another bigger part of the wall that looked like a thick vine and the box was ripped apart. Shocked Orion looked at the pale creature. Why did it have to destroy the comfortable box? It was so warm! Perhaps it was hungry? He had seen the pale creature eat some plants in milk. That wouldn''t still it''s hunger! Yes, that must be it!


    Strangely the pale creature grabbed him and put him outside before exiting the box by itself. Looking around he saw large green grass and trees, further convincing him that the pale creature wanted food. His mother had told him that many creatures went to such places to hunt food. Hearing a loud slamming sound he turned back only to see that the pale creature had mysteriously closed the big tear in the box. Not even fractures were seen on the box. The pale creatures seemed to be mighty. They could do many things Orion had never even heard of. When he saw the small creature move towards the hunting grounds he heard the box vibrate once more. Peeking towards it he could see it moving away many times faster than he could run. Scared and impressed of the boxes he moved closer towards the pale creature. Perhaps the box was alive?


    When they went further into the hunting grounds he tasted the air and smelled many small creatures. Some two legged creatures with long hair that allowed them to move through the air above the fields. Small four legged creatures with a long fluffy tail that jumped through the trees and scurried around on the ground. When he tried to sneak towards them he noticed that a long vine stopped his movement when he wanted to walk to far away from the pale creature. When the pale creature had put it around his neck and body hadn''t paid it any mind but now it was annoying. When he tried to pull stronger he felt that the pale creature pulled stronger and seemingly wanted him to come closer.


    Why would it want that? Could it be that the pale creature didn''t want to hunt? The day before it had already wanted him to do a few strange things. First he was supposed to walk and then he was supposed to stop. It clearly didn''t know what it wanted. After a short while he met another one of his kind accompanied by another pale creature although this one seemed to be older and had a gray pelt on his head. Curiously he approached the other one of his kind.


    Orion: "Hey!Are you also here to hunt?"


    Dog: "Hunt? No, this one is here to enjoy the green fields. Nothing more."


    With a sad expression Orion replied:


    Orion: "Really? That doesn''t sound fun at all."


    Then he felt a pull on his vine and the other on of his kin was also pulled away. Staring up to his pale creature he began to wonder. Where they really not here to hunt? If not then why were they here. Suddenly he heard a humming and in the distance he could see two weird moving thin things that carried one pale creature each. Their pelt seemed to be similar to the one the box had. Maybe they were related to the boxes? Perhaps children? All of the sudden he heard his pale creature yell something.


    H: "Sit!"


    He couldn''t understand it so he sat in a piece of the green fields that he had been walking in to observe the strange beings. Like the pale creatures and the box-creatures they seemed to love running on the gray fields. He personally disliked them and preferred walking on the green and brown fields. His pale creature seemed pleased with his action and gave him a small piece of tasty food. Maybe that was why the pale creature didn''t want to hunt yet. Perhaps it''s entire pelt was still filled with food that it had to eat before it went bad and it just wanted to find out where it can find new food once it has nothing left. When they walked a bit more my creature once more called out to me once more.


    H: "Sit!"


    Intrigued and confused he looked at the pale creature in wonder. What did it want this time? Remembering what had happened previously he remembered my actions. Perhaps it wanted him to observe his surroundings carefully? After thinking about it for a while he sat down to look around only to be rewarded with food. Happy about this discovery he committed the weird sound to his memory. In the language of the pale creatures it meant to watch out and observe while sitting and thinking. His pale creature also seemed to be very pleased. It seemingly wanted him to learn more words. Strangely it took of the vine that had bound him to the pale creature.


    H: "Stay!"


    Followed by that strange sound the pale creature moved away. Curiously Orion stood up and followed only for the pale creature to come back and say:


    H: "Bad! Sit!"


    It seemed as though he hadn''t done what the pale creature wanted. Still curious he sat back down expecting more food. Strangely the pale creature didn''t give him food and only said


    H: "Stay!"


    Did he do something wrong? The pale creature began to move away again while he pondered over the meaning of the words. What did it want? Then the creature stopped and turned around shouting


    H: "Come!"


    Maybe it wanted me to follow it now? Running towards the pale creature he looked at it expectedly. In wonder he looked at the paw of the pale creature. It held more food this time compared to the last time he had watched carefully. It seemed as though the sounds the creature made were the sounds for follow and stop. He looked at the weird and pitiful pale creature before him. Not only did they not have a beautiful long pelt and a wonderful tail, they were also unable to learn the sounds of other creatures.


    When they got closer to a tree the pale creature picked up a piece of it and showed it to me.


    Orion: "Strange pale creature. I know what this is. Don''t worry, you can have it. I''ve seen it often. Although it is impressive what your paw can do I don''t need it."


    The pale creature only laughed and waved it around. Truly sad that the pale creature couldn''t understand him and had no tail that could help with communication. Suddenly the creature opened it''s paw and the tree piece flew away. It looked at it flying away towards a few more trees that stood together. What a clumsy creature. It could be sad that it threw this piece away. Happily he ran after it to help the pale creature. Before going he shouted:


    Orion: "Don''t worry! As the good and friendly creature I am I will help you get that tree piece back."


    Running towards the trees he picked up the tree piece and brought it back only for the creature the pale creature gave him some food but only hurled the wood piece away once more. Curious he ran towards it once more and brought it back again only for the creature to throw it towards the woods once more. Then he stood there and started to think. Why was the pale creature doing this? Did it want to tell him something? And why didn''t it give him more food? Perhaps it had no more food left!


    Now Orion seemed to have found the reason for the pale creature to throw pieces of wood towards the forest! It wanted him to hunt more food! But why didn''t it hunt for food by itself? Perhaps it was tired or lazy? That must be it!


    Excitedly barking Orion ran into the woods to hunt for food. It didn''t take long for him to find a young creature of the four legged with fluffy tails. Jumping on it from behind he took it up in his mouth while it was still in shock, careful to not kill it. Maybe the pale creature would be happy if he brought it back alive. Maybe he would get more food if it was fresh without to many injuries. More food was always good. It was the best thing in the world.

 Chapter 40 - Do you have nuts?

    When Hermann had thrown the stick for a third time instead of bringing it back Orion simply ran off into the woods. Confused Hermann sat down under the lone tree he had been standing underneath and decided to wait. Perhaps the dog found something interesting? He was convinced that Orion would soon come back.


    Indeed his time spent waiting was not wasted as Orion emerged out of the small forest soon after. He seemed to be carrying something in his mouth that didn''t resemble a stick but due to the still large distance between them he was still uncertain. When Orion closed the distance between them he could ascertain that his earlier hunch turned out to be correct. A orange-red-brown color was visible, contrasting with Orion''s black fur. When the dog arrived at his feet and carefully pushed the captured being into his hands Hermann saw that it was a squirrel that tried to free itself from his grasp. He was stunned for a moment as he observed the resistance of the squirrel asking himself about what he would do with it. When he carefully observed it, it seemed that Orion had not harmed it at all. Suddenly he heard the system that had just observed previously call out to him.


    H: [Why didn''t you inform me about gaining any of these abilities?]


    H: [Integrate all. There is no use talking about it for long now!]


    Suddenly Hermann''s body erupted in pain, especially his throat and his brain. Clenching his hands and gritting his teeth the squirrel cried out for being squeezed so roughly. Worriedly Orion yelped and licked Hermann''s fingers. After a long while the pain stopped and Hermann relaxed his hands and breathed deeply. Caressing Orion''s head Hermann tried to communicate with them.


    H: "Hey you two! What happened?"


    Surprised that the pale creature could finally speak in an understandable language Orion replied:


    Orion: "I brought food! It was difficult to understand the meanings of your tree-piece-throwing but I succeeded!"


    The squirrel replied:


    Squirrel: "Finally an intelligent creature! I tried to tell that brute to let me go as I have to get more nuts and berries! The winter is coming!"


    Looking around the trees were still green and autumn had just begun.


    H: "Well I still have food at home and I don''t need to eat the squirrel."


    Squirrel: "Do you have nuts?"


    H: "I should have? Probably? If not I can easily get them."


    Squirrel: "Then I''m coming with you."


    H: "Fine. I don''t care."


    Meanwhile Orion was curiously observing the interaction between the other two creatures they seemed to talk about something he could not understand. It seemed to be the language of the fluffy-tail-creature.


    After Hermann had heard everything necessary about what had happened he gave Orion the last piece of meat he still had and told both creatures:


    H: "I will do something now that will help us communicate faster and allows us to move faster without other people noticing. Will you accept that?"


    Both agreed although Orion showed more enthusiasm compared to the squirrel that was busy thinking about the nuts Hermann supposedly had. Once both had accepted Hermann used his ability Soulbond on both of them. He felt something inside him stretching, reaching for both creatures in front of him, mingling with something that was inside them but could not be seen by the n.a.k.e.d eye. Suddenly he could sense thoughts that were not his own. The free-spirited squirrel and the haughty but hungry thoughts that could only belong to Orion. Confused he tried to separate everything, his own thoughts, the thoughts of the squirrel and Orion''s. Although he succeeded he still felt himself being influenced slightly by the foreign thoughts.


    H: [Why?]


    H: [Register immediately!]


    H: [What? How did this happen?]


    H: [Give both Adapt&Improve. I think this will work best.]


    Stopping the discussion with the system he looked at his new companions that seemed to be cramping in pain.


    H: [What is happening?]


    Once his companions stopped convulsing and looked up to him he took them into his soul storage he heard the notice:


    H: [Did you kill them?!]


    H: [Alright...What improved in them?]


    H: [We will see about that. Let''s go back home first]

 Chapter 41 - Birthday present

    As the years passed Hermann prepared himself for the fight against All for One with an ever growing intensity. Serious Training had replaced silly games. After Hermann had recognized the intelligence of his companions that he had raised even more by inserting his own genome into their bloodstream he had included them in his training plans. Sadly almost all of his abilities were unusable for them and were discarded by their Adapt&Improve or were bound to his soul and could not be transferred. The only things they had gained were enhanced physical and mental states.


    With Orion and Gaia the squirrel he practiced chasing, attacks on multiple different opponents and more but even though they had excellent tactics both creatures lacked firepower and so once he turned nine years old Hermann decided to ask Allmight for permission to fight villains together. Even though he was hesitant Allmight finally allowed it under the condition that Hermann would only do it under his supervision. But as Allmight still thought that it was to early for him, he decided to not gift Hermann anything to express his displeasure.


    Despite being upset about this silly gesture Hermann was excited for his first legal villain smacking. It had been a long time since had gotten to enjoy the small rush each fight gave him and with each fight he felt the foggy and intangible wall that separated himself from his emotions thinning out, allowing him glimpses at what laid beyond. As Allmight prepared himself Hermann stood back and waited.


    Allmight: "What are you waiting for? The villains won''t come to you to let themselves get caught!"


    H: "I''ll just make sure that Orion and Gaia are Allright and have everything they need."


    A bit more than a year ago Allmight had come back earlier from his patrol and while Hermann had been watching Netflix while petting Orion had found Gaia feasting on various nuts with countless ripped open empty packages while she sat on the enormous mountain of nuts. Confused Allmight had asked Hermann about her who had casually replied that he had found her while training and could communicate with her. Astounded by the amount of gifts Hermann had received in the form of his quirks Allmight had surrendered his sanity and limits of possible quirks. Most had only one but to his knowledge Hermann had a physical enhancement, could survive years without food and now speak with animals. Shortly after Gaia had been accepted into the family.


    Accepting Hermann''s reason he opened the door to leave. Just before the door closed he shouted:


    Allmight: "Do your thing but please stop making these jokes about my name. I''s time to stop!"


    Just as Hermann prepared a fitting answer the door closed before him and his chance was gone. Disappointed in himself he called out for his companions.


    H: "Come guys, it''s time for an adventure!"


    Suddenly he could hear claws skittering over the floor. Shortly after the two arrived before him.


    Orion: "What are we doing today? It''s been a while since we did anything fun! Are we going hunting?"


    Gaia: "An adventure? Are we going to search for legendary nuts?"


    H: "Wrong! Both of you! We are¡­."


    Orion/Gaia: "We are not interested."


    H: "Well, it isn''t exactly hunting but we will catch villains that will surely run away. Is that good enough? And we have no more nuts so we need to buy new ones after Gaia over here ate everything yesterday evening."


    With that reasoning they were on board even if they weren''t fully satisfied. After Hermann had stored both of their souls in his Soul Storage and their bodies in his inventory he put on his shoes and his jacket he exited the apartment and made his way to the lobby were Allmight was already waiting for him impatiently and a serious expression on his face.


    Allmight: "Good. Get over her, I have something for you."


    As Hermann was coming closer Allmight extended his hand and presented him a headset he had been holding in his hand.


    Allmight: "Put it on. I''ve already gotten word about a villain a few blocks away that is currently robbing a bank and has taken some hostages. Although it''s not the best case to take you will take part as a helper. Despite the situation you could be rather useful as this particular villain has the ability to control snakes. Somehow he got his hands on the most poisonous ones and uses them to keep the hostages in check while he steals the money. Once we get there we will receive more information from the heroes and police forces located there."


    Without wasting more time he turned towards the doors without waiting for Hermann''s reply. Quickly Hermann ran after him, only stopping after both had arrived at a blockade around the building.

 Chapter 42 - Hostages

    When they had arrived at the blockade they were quickly received and let to the meeting room. The police and the heroes had successfully borrowed a house close to the bank and declared it as the temporary headquarter for this operation were they could formulate a plan and could direct everything without delay. Inside the meeting room three seemingly important people stood around a table on which the layout of what he assumed to be the bank laid. Two looked like they belonged to the police, the other looked like a hero as he wore a costume. As they entered the room they looked up and seemed to be relieved at seeing Allmight figure that blocked out the entrance but seemed skeptic and irritated when they saw Hermann who entered behind Allmight and had looked at them through the small empty space underneath Allmight''s right arm. After they had seen enough they turned to Allmight. The older one of the two policeman who already had parts of gray hair and a receding hairline spoke up first.


    Older Policeman: "Good morning Allmight. What is that kid doing here? This is serious business!"


    Allmight: "That is why I am here Mr. Kobayashi. I thought that I myself and my adopted son could be of assistance."


    Mr. Kobayashi: "I can agree with you being of assistance but I don''t think I can agree with the involvement of your son. We have files on him that state that he has an enhanced physiology but he is untrained and too young! He isn''t even a hero!"


    Allmight: "Your files don''t record everything. We have recently noticed that his vocal chords and ears mutated which allows him to communicate with animals."


    Abruptly the younger policeman stood up and exclaimed:


    Young Policeman: "Sir! That could be of great assistance to us when dealing with his snakes. If he can convince them to stand down or at least distract them we could use that window of opportunity to free the hostages, kill a few snakes and storm the building!"


    Mr. Kobayashi: "Sit down! Don''t rush to conclusions when firstly we don''t know everything about him and his exact capabilities, secondly he is a civilian and lastly he has no training whatsoever concerning infiltration or other risky meneuvers."


    Young Policeman: "I''m sorry Sir. I was just so excited to have a possible and quick solution."


    Now the hero that had until now remained silent chose to intervene in an attempt to return the discussion to the matter at hand.


    Hero: "If you are finished now then how about we talk more important things. How do we get the people out of the building and capture the villain? It is good that we know of him as an alternative but how about we first find out what that villain wants? We don''t have any records of him that could help us determine his character or his regular behavior so how about we simply ask him?"


    Mr. Kobayashi: "If he chooses to speak though an opening we could shoot at him with tranquilizer darts. We could request a few snipers from the government..."


    Allmight: "To risky. What if he goes crazy and commands the snakes to poison the hostages? Or the dead snake bites due to reflexes? The reports that I received stated that they saw a few of the snakes through the windows and they are really dangerous."


    Mr. Kobayashi: "True. The people spotted a cobra and a snake which we later identified as an inland taipan. These snakes aren''t native and we don''t have the antivenom. If the snakes manage to kill or even cripple a few people then the people and the government will rage. More then a few heads will role in this case."


    As they finished their discussion it was decided that Mr Kobayashi would inform his superiors and the government about the exact situation and request snipers equipped with tranquilizer darts. Meanwhile Allmight, the nameless Hero and the young policeman would request negotiations with the villain. Hermann was ordered to stand aside, observe and wait until being told otherwise.


    As the snipers arrived and positioned themselves in the surrounding buildings the three people went out to negotiate.


    Allmight: "Speak villain! What do you want to leave the hostages you captured!"


    From inside a voice shouted:


    ?: "I want a fast truck and free passage. None shall follow me and you will allow me to board a ship of my choice with a victim. If you fulfill these demands then I will release the rest of the hostages."


    After the demands had been received the three retreated together with Hermann and the Mr. Kobayshi to the meeting room to discuss the final strategy.

 Chapter 43 - Who could it be now?

    Before anyone else had the chance to speak up Hermann decided that is was time to reveal his strategy.


    H: "I have an idea. I could try to contact a snake from the outside and help her break free from the villains control. If I succeed then I might be able to convince the snake to pinpoint the villains as well as the other snakes locations and stop this whole thing. And if I fail we have lost nothing as long as you manage to distract him for a certain period of time. If you aren''t convinced then simply allow me close to the building to try and communicate with one snake. If I attract his attention it might even be possible for you with the help of an Ice-type emitter quirk kill or at the very least incapacitate the snakes."


    Mr.Kobayashi: "It''s to risky. What if the snake alarms the villain?"


    H: "Do you want to let this guy get away with everything? Sometimes you have to take chances! What if that villain doesn''t let the other hostages free but kills them just for his own entertainment?"


    A period of uncomfortable silence followed. Although everyone had seen Hermann simply as a young teenager he had brought up a valid point. But could such a risk be taken? The lives of many depended on it.


    H: "I''m sure the villain won''t kill them now as they are still of value to him but if he gets out they are worthless. If we act now everyone has a bigger chance to make it out alive! Stop wasting time!"


    After this short discussions the policemen made another call in private and after a few minutes they brought confirmation to Hermann''s plan. The higher ups had approved the operation and Hermann was good to go.


    H: [Finally. Perhaps that will allow me to get a good reputation among the people and the government. That might become useful in the future.]


    While the policemen made a big show out of moving many goods and equipment just in front of the bank Hermann moved closer towards the side of a building.


    H: [Hey System! How close do I have to be to initiate a Soulbond?]


    H: [Fine]


    After receiving this answer Hermann snuck even closer to the wall of the building and moved to where he assumed the victims to be located. Before activating his plan he asked his companions:


    H: [Hey guys? If this goes wrong would you mind fighting the snakes for me? As we are being watched I can''t simply disintegrate the snakes with my abilities.]


    Shocked Orion and Gaia replied:


    Orion: [I''m neither a crazy honeybadger nor am I a mongoose! I''m just a dog! I might cosider eating a dead snake but not a live one!]


    Gaia: [They don''t have nuts, they aren''t nuts but if you want me to fight them then you are nuts!]


    Disappointed Hermann gave up on the idea, wishing for the best. If it didn''t work out as planned he would simply have to try to kill them without alarming the villain. Having arrived at the location he had deemed perfect he activated his Skill. Almost immediately he felt the stretching feeling once more and he mentally grabbed it and tried to push it through the wall. On the other side he could somehow feel similar "Soul blobs".


    Contrary to the first time he had done this with the intention to bond with specific creatures he now took the time to take a good look at all of them. All blobs were unique but it could still be seen to which organism it belonged. All blobs vaguely resembled their species, with the snakes having a long and stretchy blob appearance and the humans having five protrusions out of a big central blob where the upper protrusion was shorter, rounder and thicker than the four other ones.


    As he was not interested in the humans he focused more closely on the snake blobs. They varied largely in length and brightness. Additionally the were colored unbelievably beautiful, shimmering in many different colors.


    H: [Why are they colored differently? Why does their brightness vary from each other?]


    H: [What difference does their soul strength make?]


    H: [Is that why the human souls are brighter? Because they have more brain power?]


    H: [So the brighter the snake the more intelligent and stronger it is?]


    H: [Then let''s do this!]


    Without hesitation Hermann began to stretch the small piece of his soul towards the brightest glowing snake soul. In the beginning it was easy but the more he stretched the more difficult it got. Like a strong rubber band it expanded until it finally reached the snakes position.


    H: [Fine, I''ll be more careful next time. Don''t w¡­]


    Suddenly the connection was fully established and Hermann felt the snakes emotions. Compared to his other companions this one felt far more primal. There was no clear thought process but emotions and needs coming together to form a big mess. Hoping to sort out this whole messy thing he separated the snakes thought from his own thought process and tried to convince her to come towards him while sending the happy emotions of his companions through their link.


    Cautious at first but more and more curious he felt her move towards him, interested in the foreign mind and emotions it somehow felt. Having slithered around the bank before hand she quickly found a hole in the wall where she traveled between the pipes and cables before exiting through another hole that lead to the outside. Enjoying the suns warmth for a while she stood still until finally moving towards a large heat signature that she discovered after a while. Strangely she didn''t feel fear when she approached, rather it was as if she had found a part of herself she didn''t know of until now. Suddenly she felt something weird in her head. In pain she rolled herself together and hissed loudly.

 Chapter 44 - Protecc the Snek

    After Hermann had gifted the little snake the ability Adapt&Improve and inserted a few of his cells into her bloodstream he was suddenly shocked by the extreme pain that his new companion experienced. Why did it happen? The previous times he had give his cells to his companions, although they had felt some stinging feeling, they hadn''t felt such pain. Panicking he decided to turn to the one that had accompanied him from the beginning, his personal System.


    H: [Hey System! Tell me! What is happening?]


    H: [So that''s why my other companions felt less pain. Their brains are much more developed.]


    After close to five minutes the pain he felt through the link had lessened by a large amount and the snake seemed to be able to cope with it now although the pain was still present as the growth had not yet finished. With new wariness the snake approached him and unsure of whether or not he was a possible threat opened her mouth to scare him away. However contrary to her expectations he did not retreat but instead she felt curiosity and other indescribable things through their link.


    H: [So you are a Black Mamba! How fascinating!]


    Still muddled by the pain she thought:


    Snake: [Go away two legged creature! My territory!]


    Exited by the development Hermann replied:


    H: [You can talk now! How wonderful! System? Did I somehow transfer that ability to her as well?]


    Snake: [Strange voice go away as well!]


    H: [Why don''t you go with us instead? We can give you a a comfortable home and I can definitely can guarantee you safety and security. With my support no one will be able to harm you I the slightest.]


    To fully convince her to follow his wishes he showed her memories of Allmight''s apartment and the warmth that was present there all the time. After she had seen everything the snake came to a decision.


    Snake: [Fine. I will later follow you to your den.]


    H: [Do you have a name?]


    Snake: [What is that?]


    H: [Something that identifies you as an individual. Could I name you?]


    Snake: [Fine! Do whatever.]


    H: [Then your will be known, from now on, under the name of Tiamat.]


    Disinterested the snake simply agreed and focused on more important things. A mouse was currently scurrying underneath some bushes that had aided Hermann''s advance towards the building and had concealed Tiamat until now from all views.


    H: [No! Stop! If you help me now I can give you even more mice without any effort.]


    At this point Gaia became increasingly jealous while Tiamat seemed unimpressed.


    Gaia: [Why does she get so many free things! That is pure injustice! Give me food as well!]


    Tiamat: [What do I have to do?]


    As soon as Gaia mentioned food Orion became instantly attentive.


    Orion: [FOOOOD!]


    Now Hermann had heard enough and began shouting in his mind.


    H: [EVERYONE SHUT UP IF YOU AREN''T ASKED. THIS IS GETTING OUT OF HAND. IF YOU DON''T STOP NOW BOTH OF YOU WILL GET NO FOOD!!!]


    Instantly Gaia and Orion stopped protesting. Quietly Gaia remarked.


    Gaia: [I don''t like mice anyway but I still want nuts. This is unfair.]


    H: [Stop complaining! Who doesn''t work doesn''t get to complain.]


    After that was said Hermann convinced Tiamat after a long and tedious discussion that ended with Tiamat saying:


    Tiamat: [Fine! I''ll do it! Stop bothering me!]


    With that Tiamat slithered back towards where she had come from although she didn''t stop to complain about the job, how bothersome it was and why she had to be the one to do the job.


    H: [Is that were the whole brainpower went that I gave her? Into laziness?]


    H: [You mean that guy from Naruto?]


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, just a few meters away in front of the bank the two policemen regulated a line of various police and military vehicles. In truth they had a big parking spot for all vehicles just around a few blocks but to intimidate the villain they ordered some of the already arrived vehicles to drive in front of the bank in a big circle in a random order. Although they had this plan they knew that the distraction wouldn''t last long enough. Worried the two turned to Allmight who was observing the various vehicles next to them. The younger one asked in a thin and doubting voice:


    Young Policeman: "Are you sure this is going to work out? Don''t we place to much faith in him?"


    With a confident smile on his face an encouraging voice Allmight replied:


    Allmight: "Do not worry! Have faith in the boy! I am sure it will all work out!"

 Chapter 45 - Knock! Knock! Whos there?

    As Tiamat was slithering back into the bank and reviewed her past interaction she noticed that it had become increasingly easier for her to think and plan actions. In the past she had almost solely relied on her basic emotions and made short term goals but now she was somehow...more? Despite the small headache she noticed and dealt with everything more clearly, everything could be planned and handled with greater ease. Shortly after she emerged from the walls and returned to her former location where she could detect multiple heat and pheromone signatures corresponding with many of her own kind although every last one of them differed in race.


    Tiamat: [Hey strange creature! What now?]


    H: [Can you take them out somehow or lure them away from the other ones of my kind?]


    Tiamat: [They are somehow not in control. If you could block the smells then I might be able to convince them to leave¡­]


    H: [Stay there for a while...I have to think about this.]


    There were many paths he could take now. For one, as the hostages were in a different room than the villain, giving him the opportunity to fill all openings with stone or metal to block all smells. This however could attract attention to him and might raise questions causing him to rate it only as a last resort option. Alternatively he could task Tiamat with poisoning the villain but it would leave the villain with plenty of time to kill all hostages. In the end he decided on luring the villain towards the vault and sealing it shut to isolate him and achieve his goals.


    H: [Tiamat! As soon as I give you the command assert dominance over all the snakes and take them away from the hostages. Understood?]


    Tiamat: [Yes, yes. Just do your thing and bring me to my new warm den¡­]


    Activating his Energy&Matter perception Hermann quickly found the way that connected the vault with the room the villain was currently located in. The villain was apparently in the process of accessing a computer that was present in the room, the room probably belonged to the director of the bank. Perhaps the villain was also a hacker or copied all files to let a hacker encrypt it?


    Regardless he had to lure the villain inside the vault...Smiling after a short time of thinking Hermann forced the vault to open on it''s own. Dozens of small connected locks opened at the same time due to a small simulated electric signal Hermann had induced into the cables inside the door. Soundlessly the vault door swung open. Now onto the next point on the agenda. Luring the villain inside the vault. How should this be possible?


    Unsure on how to proceed Hermann decided to create small valuable objects out of gold and silver embedded with various precious gems whose components he had scanned during his many raids in the air above the ways from the route that passed from the hostages room towards the vault, not forgetting to simulate the smell of a human that had quickly walked towards the vault.


    In his raids he had by now scanned almost every metal and substance he had ever known of and should he at some point in time decide to become a large drug producer or smuggler he would find no problems in doing so.


    Letting the pieces fall with short intervals of pauses between each drop, starting from the room that held the hostages, he hoped that the sounds of the dropping objects would be enough to alert the villain. To his happiness he succeeded and the villain instantly ordered all of his snakes that were not guarding the hostages to investigate and protect him. Strangely enough the orders he sent through the pheromones did not seem to affect Tiamat but to keep up the disguise she followed the rest that were quickly slithering towards the villain. As the villain asked to investigate the surroundings of the door and all snakes remained calm, answering with pheromones that corresponded with security the villain finally opened the door. After ordering all of the present snakes to climb on his body the villain slowly followed the trail, regularly sending out snakes to scan the surroundings for potential ambushes.


    After a few minutes of slow and careful advance the villain finally arrived in front of the open vault. Surprised and shocked the villain ordered almost all of the snakes to guard the entrance as the room laid in the center of the building, had no windows, only one entrance and only one source of smell that seemingly had wanted to escape the room but after hearing him decided to hide in the corner furthest away from the entrance in the hope of him not noticing it.


    Slowly stepping away from the vault door inside the room he sent the rest of the snakes to investigate the source of the smell. Confident about his victory the villain slowly advanced towards the source of the smell.


    Villain: "Come out! There is no reason to hide...I know much about you...You are male, you are a child, you are afraid and you must be somehow related to the director...His son?"


    The last on was a pure guess as he tried to explain to himself how a small child had been able to open the vault where he had failed although he had searched the directors computer for information only to find countless pictures of cute kittens and pictures of the directors family. As the child was male and had somehow been able to open the safe he had simply assumed the obvious. Slowly with his hands in the air he advanced towards a small mound in the corner where the smell originated. Until he suddenly heard the door behind him close, locking him in without any opportunity to escape or communicate with the outside.

 Chapter 46 - Live to win or simply die!

    Author''s Note: Hey there everyone tomorrow is my last written exam before I have two full months to prepare a 15 Minute presentation. You could say I''m at the Finish Line and I''m most likely Skillet enough to succeed in almost every subject were I have to write my final exams. Now enjoy the 2.7 k long chapter. You''ll most likely won''t see this again for a long while. I''ll try to write 1k chapters again in the future but I just wanted to finish this small arc today.


    ---


    Slowly Hermann snuck out of his hiding spot. Now that the villain was securely locked behind the doors of the vault he had succeeded in cutting off all methods of communication with the snakes. Before they could become frightened by their surroundings and attack everything in their close proximity he hurried towards the entrance of the bank.


    The many interested passerby''s, the police and several reporters of various news channels curiously watched as a small boy ran around and entered the dangerous building unsupervised. Almost instantly the reporters rushed towards police officers that were overseeing the operation to question them about this phenomenon.


    Meanwhile Hermann opened the door slowly and entered the large lobby of the building. In front the villain had blocked the large entrance with what seemed to be everything he could find. Tables, chairs, pin walls and more were stacked on top of each other, leaving only one small opening at the side that could be used as a passage. Slowly and carefully Hermann maneuvered around the large pile of junk to take a look at the rest of the lobby. After a few meters of empty room he could see a small row of counters close to the back of that room that were the only thing that was left standing in the room. Perhaps they had been anchored to the floor or they simply provided additional cover for the hostages.


    With small and soft steps Hermann edged closer. Now he already regretted partially that he had sent Tiamat with the rest of the snakes into the vault as she might have been able to help in this situation. The snakes were still in close proximity to the people and quick movements might cause the snakes to bite the hostages in a desperate defensive move. For now he decided it would be for the best if he simply talked to the hostages to explain the situation and tell them what to do so that they could cooperate effectively.


    H: "Hello there! Please remain calm, talk quietly and most importantly don''t move under any circ.u.mstances!"


    Alertly many looked around, searching for the origin of the voice that just spoke to them. When they saw his small frame many sighing in disappointment, hoping for a hero to arrive quickly giving them back their freedom. A few simply sneered at him, thinking he had been captured as well while others looked around panicked, waiting for the villain to reappear who might kill them for making such a ruckus and planning an escape. With a wide smile Hermann displayed a childish image of himself that might help him to gain their trust and their cooperation.


    H: "Don''t worry everyone. I''ve locked the big bad villain in the vault so he won''t come out anymore. Everyone is safe!"


    After looking at everyone while flashing his brightest smile he continued with his small speech.


    H: "Yes. It is true. He can not harm you anymore however we still have to take care of the snakes. For now please act according to my instructions."


    Immediately a middle-aged brown haired women spoke up.


    Women: "How do we know that you aren''t lying? Who knows, you might even work with that villain? And why should we listen to your orders specifically? You are just a small kid, just stand over there and let us grown-ups handle this. Go home! I''m sure your mother is worried about you."


    Slightly annoyed and angered Hermann replied:


    H: "Just for your information my mom gave me to an orphanage right after I was born. I have nothing prove that I don''t work with that villain..."


    At that the woman looked up triumphantly with a sneer visible on her face.


    H: "...but you don''t have that either so don''t interrupt me for petty reasons. And you should listen to my instructions because I''m not the one with snakes all over me and I have a bit of expertise with them. If you still have problems with my instructions you are welcome to try and escape from this room while trying not to get bitten."


    With a sour expression on her face the woman lowered her face, her disgust and disdain still clearly visible and ever present on her face. Many others however now looked intrigued and seemed to at least be willing to listen to his plan.


    H: "Good. Now that everyone has calmed down how about we introduce ourselves. To formulate the optimal plan please also tell me your quirks and your skill level with it if you have them. Please don''t exaggerate excessively as your life depends on it now. I''ll start. My name is Kaiser and I am pleased to make your acquaintance although I would have preferred to meet you under different circ.u.mstances. Now it''s your turn to introduce yourselves. You over there!"


    With his hand he pointed at a large, strongly built man in his fourty''s.


    H: "Introduce yourself!"


    At this moment the middle-aged women decided it was once again time to intervene.


    Women: "Why didn''t you tell us about your own quirk first of all? You should be an example for others."


    Now Hermann decided that he had enough and decided to give up all pretenses of friendliness towards her.


    H: "And how about you shut up and leave room for intelligent people to talk that have productive thoughts and ideas to share! Stop wasting out good oxygen excessively with your useless complaints!"


    Looking back up he saw everyone looking at them, seemingly enjoying their small "discussion".


    H: "Now let''s get back to doing something productive. Please continue with your introductions."


    - - -


    After everyone had introduced themselves and presented their abilities, besides the woman that was now being ignored on purpose by everyone and had seemingly no intentions to cooperate, they started their discussion. It seemed as though about three fourths of the people possessed a quirk although only about 20 percent of those had a quirk that might be useful in this situation. One had a quirk that allowed him to conjure a rather small barrier, another could control earth and rocks to a certain extent and a third one could cause a wave of repulsion in all directions. Quickly coming to a conclusion Hermann presented his plan.


    H: "Ok guys! Listen here everyone! We are going to do everything in one fell swoop so listen closely. First of all James will use his control over rocks and earth to bind everyone to the ground, excluding the snakes of course. As they are located behind everyone''s heels this should not be to difficult. Next Evelyn will generate a small shock wave along the ground that should knock them away from you. Once they are far away from you John over there will create a small barrier around your back splitting the snakes from us. Then James will release the bindings and we will all walk away from this place. Simple right? If any thing doesn''t go according to plan I will handle it so don''t worry."


    As they began everything was going according to plan until that annoying woman decided to move all of the sudden because "her seating position was uncomfortable and that they shouldn''t make such a big fuss about it as it was such a simple plan". Indeed it wouldn''t have been a problem if she didn''t kick the snake that was located directly behind her heel. Because of that they had to speed up their plans, alerting many snakes in the process. When they tried to blasted every last snake away and seal them behind the barrier a few managed to hold on causing fear and panic among their ranks. Hermann quickly ran towards them, grabbing them by their tail, throwing them across the barrier while reminding everyone of their plan. When he told them to hurry towards the barrier in front of the entrance the middle-aged woman pushed and pulled her way through the crowd to be the first one arriving outside.


    When everyone finally arrived outside and gathered on the small plateau that was located in front of the bank and on the stairs that lead towards the street and everyone could see them, reporters turned their cameras towards them, filming their arrival outside. Suddenly the women turned back towards Hermann and said:


    Woman: "Well...Didn''t your plan work nicely. You almost killed us with that plan. I will tell everyone about your stupid plan and the almost deadly outcome caused by it. I''m sure you won''t be pleased with the outcome."


    Unnerved Hermann looked up at her grinning face and said:


    H: "Well, without my plan you would still be inside and considering your personality possibly dead and now go out of my way before I yeet you down the stairs"


    Flabbergasted the women took a step back as Hermann walked forwards, down the stairs towards the building where Allmight and the police were located. Although many reporters stepped forwards towards him to ask him about what had happened, as news about captured children that became victims of the attacks of villains always sold very well, especially when that child was the adopted son of a famous hero, he shooed them away and entered the building that had been occupied by the police. Shortly after he arrived at the conference room and entered without knocking, surprising them as they had gathered in front of a large screen that showed scenes over and over again. Him hiding in the bushes, seemingly doing nothing as Tiamat had not been visible from that angle which had probably been filmed by a drone, his seemingly random entrance into the building and shortly after the exit of the hostages. Before he could even open his mouth the older police officer sprang up from his seat and asked:


    Mr.Kobayashi: "How did you do it boy? After your "espionage", of which I don''t even know how you succeeded although there was no opening where you could have communicated with anyone, you entered the building without even checking for traps or even the villain and after a few minutes you simply exited the building with the hostages."


    H: "Just ask the hostages. They have experienced almost everything firsthand and I have nothing to add to that. Any other questions?"


    Sighing the old policeman sat down, put his hand on his forehead before leaning backwards. After a short pause he answered.


    Mr.Kobayashi: "Fine. Keep your secrets! But at least tell us what happened to the villain. As long as we don''t know what happened to him we can not rest easy."


    Smiling Hermann replied:


    H: "Don''t worry about him. I''ve locked him inside the vault, thus disrupting his communication with the snakes outside. You should still be vary of the snakes he has inside but once you get rid of the snakes he will be rendered powerless."


    With that information the police immediately requested the assistance of many hero''s with the ability to either deal with poison or the power to render the snakes attacks ineffective (for example barrier types or armor materialization). Although Allmight wanted to convince Hermann to return right away he was quickly defeated when Hermann decided to use his "small kid ability" which practically meant that he begged to stay until the villain was being driven away until Allmight simply gave up to not deal with the annoyance anymore.


    Allmight: [It''s not that bad anyway, after all this is the first time he defeated a villain and even without any civilian casualties. I shouldn''t be to harsh on him. He''s still a kid after all. It might even be a good idea to let him experience more fights with many small villains, although I will not subject him to fights with to dangerous villains like this one anymore. Maybe this will awaken the true hero in him that will strive to defend the people and help our country. I''m so excited about his future. Once he wins a few more fights I think that I will grant him One for All and train him personally. He has earned it.]


    Shortly after the villain was being escorted out by two young policemen that seemed to be working in that job only for a short amount of time and most likely only recently graduated from the police academy. Suddenly when they were walking down the stairs the villain freed himself from the two policemen and with a jump and an incredible display of acrobatics he managed to bring his arms that had been bound a handcuff with slightly longer chain than usual in front of his body. Before the policemen could react he put the chain of the handcuffs around the throat of one of them. Quickly turning towards the other he pulled on his cuffs, pressing the strongly against the throat of his new hostage. Quickly glancing at the entrance of the bank where no one was yet to be seen he took a relaxing deep breath before smiling at the policeman across from him. Slowly a small snake they seemed to have overlooked when they had searched him slithered out of the sleeve of the villain.


    Villain: "Would you mind dropping your weapons? You see I don''t like to hurt your dear friend here but you leave me no choice."


    Quickly his face became stern.


    Villain: "Drop your weapon now! I don''t have time for your bullshit!"


    Hermann who had previously walked close towards the wall behind which the vault was located to retrieve Tiamat and samples of various venomous snake species that he implanted in her body resulting in stronger poison, better camouflage and greater temperature resistance. When he turned away with her in his Soul Storage and saw this scene he noticed Orion''s intent to communicate with him.


    H: [What is it Orion?]


    Orion: [Let me out! I want to hunt that guy! You had so much fun but I didn''t get any and just had to watch! Let. Me. OUT!]


    H: [Fine. I''ll put your body behind that street corner behind him. Have fun!]


    Shortly after he did so he looked for a nice seat. In the end he sat at a nice place in the sun between the bushes and the plateau in front of the bank. As he was seated behind the villain he hadn''t been detected yet and had a great view. Opposite to him were still a few reporters that began to film this dramatic scene that could earn them a nice sum of many if they managed to broadcast this in the news. As everyone focused on that scene nobody had seen him yet. Thankfully Orion didn''t let him wait long as he quickly ran around the corner, shortly after arriving next to the villain. Due to the various enhancements of his body he had grown to over a meter in height with even greater strength compared to common dogs. Still running Orion bit into the leg of the villain which caused him to loose his balance. Due to that the young policeman was pulled with them, quickly falling to the ground. Due to this the chain was freed from his throat and while he laid on the ground holding his paining throat Orion pulled the villain further away. After a few meters he began to run in a circle, ripping a deep wound in the villains calf while whirling him around. After what seemed to have been four rounds Orion finally decided to let go, effectively causing the villain to take a short flight before colliding with the wall of a house. From the looks of it he could have broken his nose or fractured his skull. He would probably find out in the evening news.


    After Orion noticed that the villain didn''t move after colliding with the wall he felt extremely let down and grumpily trotted towards Hermann. Filled with disappointment he laid down next to Hermann while placing his large head on Hermann''s lap, demanding intensive patting for a job well done. Chuckling Hermann caressed the large almost wolf like dog''s head all while small drops of blood trickled down from it''s powerful jaws. Like that they stayed until the Allmight and the other heroes and policemen arrived.

 Chapter 47 - Sassy Snake

    Close to 5 weeks passed after the incident, where he had gotten in trouble afterwards because his dog had almost ripped off a leg and some annoying woman had though she could sue him for saving her life, and contrary to what someone would expect from someone that had finished school so early in his life he still had much to do. Additionally to his seemingly infinite lessons on manners, dancing or learning foreign languages from Mrs. Alby the principal of his former home where he was always told to sit a bit straighter, be more fluent in his movements and even more so in his pronunciation.


    By now in everything but language where he learned something new almost every day he had almost no idea what he did wrong though he did not question her on it as he had tried once and bitterly regretted it afterwards as he had to listen to over an hour of complaints of which many were not even relevant for this topic and sometimes got really personal with threats of embarrassing baby photos and guilt trips. From this day onward he decided to just put up with it as it seemed to him that she just needed someone to accompany her and talk to her.


    In the many years that he had been taught by her never once had he seen or heard anything of her husband though he remembered seeing her cry about two years ago which had shocked him immensely as she had never been an overly emotional woman. Although she hadn''t told him anything that day he somehow still suspected that it had been related to her husband. Despite that he had tried to set up a relationship between Allmight and Mrs.Alby but so far he hadn''t succeeded although they saw each other regularly to talk about his education which might be a good first step.


    Speaking of Allmight he had begun to train with him in the gym and had done some friendly sparring where Allmight limited himself excessively. As Allmight had to do a lot of hero work almost all housework fell to Hermann who decided that it might be enjoyable to invite Mrs.Alby over to dinner with everyone. Who knows...that might bring a bit of development and make for a lovely evening.


    Yes, it had truly become interesting around him. Just a few days ago a rather...interesting thing had occurred. Allmight had offered him One for All and he...he had refused.


    --Five days ago--


    After a long and tiring training session in the evening Hermann stood under the shower while Allmight prepared something for dinner as he did every second day. Hermann was enjoying the wonderfully warm shower when he heard Allmight say something about him. Reluctantly he turned off the water and began shouting through the house.


    H: "What was that about me?"


    The only reply he got was


    Allmight: "We''ll talk about it once you''re done showering and sit at the table."


    After Hermann finished about 10 minutes later and after they had sat down Allmight finally decided to repeat what he had said earlier.


    Allmight: "I have decided to pass All for One to you. After observing your training and your will I think that you are the most suitable candidate for it. Will you take it?"


    Surprised and pleased Hermann wanted to accept until he heard the systems evaluation.


    H: [Is that always the case? Is it impossible for me to use the powers of protagonists?]


    H: [Aren''t you bound to my knowledge? How could you know about something I don''t know about?]


    After a long pause and a deep breath Hermann replied:


    H: "No. I think you should wait for longer. Who knows? There might come someone even stronger and better after me. I am already strong enough even without it. Besides you would loose your ability even before your retirement. Keep it longer and stay the hero you are."


    --End of Flashback--


    Well, there had been nothing he could have done so it was better to just accept it as it was. Now there were more important things to do like shopping for groceries and going to a museum to check up on new armor he could wear in his fight against All for one. History was always inspiring. However shopping by oneself was always boring so he decided to take his familiars with him. The first one he came across was Tiamat who laid on her usual spot on the windowsill that was getting heated from the sun that shone upon it in blinding rays.


    H: "Hey do you want to come shopping with me? We can also go to the museum and look at depiction of dragons in various cultures and some awesome armor and weapons."


    Tiamat: "Leave me, today I don''t feel like doing anything."


    H: "Are you sure? You''re missing out on a golden opportunity here..."


    Tiamat: "Yes, just go and wake me up when it''s all over"


    With a light smile on his lips Hermann replied in slightly sarcastic voice:


    H: "And when will that be? When you''re wiser and you''re older?"


    Without even a second of hesitation Tiamat replied while taking only a short glance at him:


    Tiamat: "Just do your stuff or are you too incompetent to fulfill such simple tasks? How much time do you think on spending for this? Begone for I need my beauty sleep."


    Surprised at the amount of new human words and expressions Tiamat had learned in this short time as well as her overly excessive obsession with sleep he turned away and looked for Gaia or Orion to accompany him.


    In the end he succeeded in convincing the both of them, though he had to promise Orion a juicy steak and a tasty bone as well as an extensive visit in the museum of all places that were connected to wolves and dogs which was practically everything and when Gaia heard that she wouldn''t settle for anything less although she demanded many different kinds of nuts in great quantities. And so with this escort he decided to visit the museum first before going shopping as he knew that Orion would spend countless minutes on deciding what to take, debating size, quality, freshness, smell, origin and more until finally settling with what he deemed perfect for a moment. And Hermann knew that he had to take that opportunity else Orion start anew with his ranking. Although Gaia was easier she always wanted to much and ended up gifting a lot of it to the rest of them although both Orion and Tiamat had absolutely no interest. So everything came down to Allmight and Hermann. To combat this problem both had called a producer and ordered special nut bags. Similar to many other product they ordered them to be mostly filled with air and only the normal amount of nuts, resulting in a way bigger package, especially made for the nut craving Gaia. Normally such a thing wouldn''t have been possible for normal customers but since Allmight had good connections almost everything legal and even some illegal things were possible for them. After he finished everything and went to his "special classes" with Mrs. Alby and did his daily training with Allmight he fell into bed and slept soundly.

 Chapter 48 - Weapon adjustments and weird troublemaker Gaia

    The next day after he had eaten breakfast and made sure that Allmight had left the house and wouldn''t return for a long while he once again delved into the building he had created in his mind and once more stood before the large gateways leading to certain parts of his memories. Over time he had changed the names of the gateways in front of him to other ones he deemed more fitting. While the Life and Ability sections had stayed the same he had decided to change the "real world knowledge" to a science section and the fantasy knowledge had been sorted by world in different categories such as general knowledge, abilities, physics etc. However for the moment he was more interested in his recent experiences. Originally when he had created his Sword of the Beginning he had planned for it to be used as a two handed great sword. Now however that he had fought with it together with a shield and had visited museums and analyzed the pieces on display and what was kept in the archives and gone over it once again by watching his memory orbs he decided to change it''s structure. After all if he would decide to fight without a shield one day he could simply change it back, that was what his abilities were for after all.


    As soon as he came to that conclusion he took out his large sword. Although he had made it like a Greatsword when he was young it had become more of a Longsword for him by this point. However he decided to condense it down to a size from around 80 cm around 60 cm while making sure not to destroy the runes. Additionally he made it broader in the lower ? ths while keeping it''s width the same resulting in a better cutting ability and slashing capability. Furthermore he made the last ? more pointy towards the tip to enhance it''s piercing ability. Finally he decided to erase the fire runes on his swords and instead focus completely on ice while carving the fire runes on his shield by hand. This way his sword could be made of diamond, adorned with gold and silver while his shield would be able to give additional scorching debuffs to anyone trying to damage his shield.


    Speaking of his shield although it looked awesome the strange bumps all over gave him lots of opportunities to catch his own sword in it or limit his own motion. Because of this he changed it to a much smother kite shield that went down to his feet and was able to protect his head. This would help against opponents trying to pull down his shield to hit him in the face. With this the problem should be solved


    Once he had figured out what he needed to fight effectively from now on he came to something he would most definitely need in his next fight. Armor. And as much as he could get. While he had his shield to protect him against punches and had the ability to inflict debuffs ans well as a sword that could freeze the opponent he wanted to get as much protection as he could. As a result he decided to not only wear a full set of gambeson, a full set of mail above that and as an exterior protection a set of plate armor. As he had strengthened his body way over what can be considered normal by humans he had no problem to move fluently in it and it posed almost no hindrance to him.


    Additionally he decided to wear a large belt above his waist that would hold his sword and scabbard. Once he enters a fight he can simply put his scabbard into his inventory but if he wanted to appear like a demonic knight he would need something like this.


    With that in mind he decided to create mail and the plate armor before trying to make the gambeson by hand. After all he could not build a large forge into his room but sewing many layers of linen and comfortable wool or cotton together sounded plausible and should not raise any questions. He decided that from now on he would make use of his production skills as much as possible to achieve maximum advantages. After all he could only so many runes on an object. If the object could have advantages from the beginning why not do it?


    As he began created the mail he soon realized it would be an extremely tiring job, after all who likes to create many rings in already existing ring structures. To make it easier for him he decided to create the rings first before putting them in the right order. Chain mail should stop slashes and to a certain extent piercing. However as All for One is a physical type piercing or punching would be more probable. For this matter he would use the shield against the punches and the plate armor against piercing attacks. The gamberson and the mail would be his last line of defense. Because of this he decided to create the tiniest rings possible out of titanium with as many durability enchantments as possible. As he could simply force atoms to separate, bend and connect the rings wouldn''t have weaknesses in their form.


    His plate armor would also be made out of titanium which he compressed to the maximum. Due to it weighing less than steel while being just as durable he could make a stronger and slightly thicker armor. Finally he designed it fully. He decided that his armor should combine the design of his sword and shield. With that in mind he thought about coloring it black but with the wonderful silver color he decided to color the edges golden. However to keep his image as a demon he decided to add silver horns that originated at his forehead and curved upwards and to the sides and ended shortly before they reached the back of his head. Then he carved on every piece of armor possible runes of durability and shock absorption.


    After he had created that which already took him until the late afternoon he sewed until his fingers bled. The following days he focused on the gamberson where he made every material as dense as possible. In this time he assembled all of his companions and played with them or made attacking plans to entertain himself while sewing this armor. In these times Tiamat mostly asked him to take out his shield whose outside layer was extremely hot. Had Hermann not temporarily turned down its output drastically then she would have gained massive burns. Orion was meanwhile completely content with being petted on his big head from time to time. Gaia meanwhile had taken up the strange habit of relaxing in Orion''s mouth. At first Orion had protested, claiming it to be too dangerous but Gaia had asked repeatedly to try it out until Orion finally relented. Interestingly both found it really interesting. Gaia claimed that it was like a massage and would help her get rid of things that remained stuck in her fur while Orion stated that she helped clean his teeth and helped in exercising his jaw muscles.


    Although Hermann did not fully believe them he decided not to interfere. Of course he could have checked by using their connection to view their memories but all of them had decided that such things should only be done in emergencies. Normally for communication they only touched each others outer layer of consciousness.


    For Hermann that was the large field outside the building which contained his memories. There his mental avatar materialized and could talk to the connecting territories. There their own avatars stood in their own territories. Gaia''s was filled with large and strong trees that blocked out all light. Orion''s was an open forest with an small clearing towards them where he sat upon a hill. Tiamat''s was a large stony hill with the scorching sun above while a small river ran down from the top where she sat on a large rock basking in the strong sunlight.


    While Hermann had once again become lost in thought Gaia had tried to push the sleeping Tiamat from the warm shield to try it once for herself against the warnings of Orion. Unfortunately for her Tiamat was very passionately about her sleeping time and spot and began to quickly chase her. Running like crazy Gaia decided to find rescue by hiding in Orion''s mouth only for Orion to bite a bit stronger to lock her in place although he did it carefully to not hurt her excessively. Tiamat however felt that this punishment was far from enough and curled around Orion''s mouth to forcefully squeeze his jaws even stronger together. Just in time Hermann was there to stop everything before it escalated even further.


    Once he finished this set of armor the only thing left would be to train. Although he could wait until the fight between All for One and Allmight, where would be the fun in that? And I he did all this training for nothing where would be his sense of achievement? He had to admit that it would definitely be the smarter option to wait but he was somehow just getting so impatient. Strange...normally he would never do something so foolish and unsafe. So why?


    With these thoughts in mind Orion returned to the situation at hand to stop Tiamat from killing Gaia with either poison, constriction or both.


    H: [It seems as though I need to teach Orion to handle the quarrels by himself so that they don''t kill each other by accident one day.]

 Chapter 46 - Why does everyone think Im a nut job?

    When he had finished the armor and made all the changes to his equipment that he deemed necessary he filled up the runes he had carved with other materials such as gold in his armor, silver in his sword and rubies in his shield. Now when he reviewed what he had achieved he was very pleased. He was especially proud of the gemberson he had made by hand as he had embroiled countless runes in each layer of it which enhanced with his tailor skill really boosted the outcome. As a result of his remodeling and new crafting process his enchantment, tailor and energy skills had grown extensively. After he had finished his observations of the aesthetics he decided to take a look at the new stats of his creations before reviewing his status.


    Attack: 110


    Sharpness: 120


    Durability: 90


    - Bleeding : Attacks can cause bleeding on enemies that continuously lowers their health


    - Crush: Attacks can break the bones of a target


    - Freeze: Inflicts cold damage for a longer amount of time


    - Song of ice and fire: Raises swordsmanship by 5 levels when both sword and shield are equipped


    - True Wound: Cuts of this weapon will never heal and stop bleeding


    - True Death: If this blade deals a killing blow to your enemy nothing can bring him back to life or save him from death


    STR: 40


    Permission to use from Kaiser


    This sword made out of stainless steel, wood and leather was the first work of the beginner craftsmen Kaiser. It is exceptionally sharp due to being created from nothing instead of being made by a smith. Now it is made of diamond and precious metals. It is soul bound to the creator and can never be taken away against his will.


    Defense: 110


    Durability: 100


    - Bind: Whenever a person you designate as an enemy touches this shield he will be unable to move for a certain amount of time. The duration varies from individual to individual.


    - Slow: Whenever a person you designate as an enemy touches this shield he will be slowed for a certain amount of time. The duration varies from individual to individual.


    - Cripple: Whenever a person you designate as an enemy touches this shield there will be a decrease in the Durability of the touching object. The severity varies from individual to individual.


    - Reflect: Whenever a person you designate as an enemy tries to damage this shield there will be a chance of reflecting the damage of the attack back at the enemy. The probability varies from individual to individual.


    - Burn: Inflicts fire damage for a certain amount of time when hit


    - Curse : It is possible to trigger multiple Shield Abilities


    - Omega: Synergy with Alpha, all Enemies that were slain with Alpha have their Souls sealed in the Shield and empower it permanently


    Allowance of the Creator is required to be used


    A shield created to be the bane of all that stand against it''s user. Created by the beginner craftsman Kaiser it was created as his second work to protect against every foe. It is soul bound to Kaiser.


    Defense: 150


    Durability: 170


    - Enhanced Durability and Defense: The armors has been enhanced way beyond what can be considered normal


    - Shock Absorption: 50% of the force colliding with the armor is being absorbed


    - Perfect Temperature: When you wear the armor heat or cold will never bother you


    - Reduced Weight: The armor is way lighter than normal armor made of the same materials


    - Maximum Comfort: The armor will always feel comfortable and fits you perfectly


    Allowance of the creator is needed to use it


    As a work made with blood and sweat it holds greater power than every work of the craftsman he made before it. It consists out of three parts: the gamberson, mail and plate armor. It can truly be called an armor worthy of a knight, the question is if you are worthy enough for it. Soulbound to the Craftsman Kaiser.


    Ecstatic about his wonderful items he decided to check on his status since he hadn''t taken a good look at it in a long while


    Name: Kaiser (Formerly known as: Hermann Kaiser)


    Titles: Assassin, Craftsman (Beginner)


    Age: 9 years


    VIT: 85 (+10)


    STR: 74 (+5)


    DEF: 76 (+5)


    INT: 65


    WIL: 54


    STA: 64 (+15)


    LUK: 23


    System points: 703 547


    Unused Rewards: -


    Open Quests: Destroy Gang Headquarters (repeatable) = Destroy a base of operation


    Spartan Training (repeatable) = Train your body to your limit for a day


    Inventory: Sword of the Beginning (equipped), Shield of the End (equipped), Demonic knightly armor (equipped)


    - ??? Energy&Matter Manual (Stage 3: Basic External)


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.23


    - Energy&Matter Control Lv.22


    - Adapt&Improve Lv.MAX


    - Multidimensional Travel LV.MAX


    - Observation (internal) Lv.21


    - Observation (external) Lv.22


    - Pain Resistance Lv.8


    - Sneak Lv.19


    - Energy Enhancement (internal) Lv.15


    - Energy Coating Lv.9


    - Bone Enhancement Lv.19


    - Muscle Enhancement Lv.19


    - Nerve Enhancement Lv.19


    - Ligament Enhancement Lv.19


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.22


    - Martial Arts Lv.20


    - Knife Mastery Lv.9


    - Swordsmanship Lv. 19 (+5)


    - Punching Lv.25 (MAX)


    - Kicking Lv.25 (MAX)


    - Running Lv.32


    - Climbing Lv.21


    - Tailor Lv.10


    - Enchanting Lv.12


    It looked like he had grown fantastically. The fact that Allmight had begun to train with him and when he he asked for it even hired a martial arts trainer that helped him with the training. Due to the lessons with the martial artist he could improve on his knife and sword mastery without raising suspicion of being connected to the demon.


    The fact that everyone still treated him like an innocent child that was simply fascinated by training, epic swords and cool martial arts was really helping him. This was really confusing him to no end. He had rescued countless people like a normal hero, did basically all the work at home and did not hold back against Allmight or his martial arts teacher, showcasing his now enormous power, speed and defense but they still treated him like a snot-nosed brat that was to childish to understand the real world.


    He had heard similar things when he had asked about the public opinion on the Demon of the Void. As a few years had passed since then many couldn''t really remember the name as there were countless villains a many had done crimes far worse compared to what he had done so few could remember. The few that remember simply thought that the demon was a mentally challenged child that had gone a rampage and was now probably contained in some psychiatry.


    After he had returned home he directly went to Orion and began to furiously stroke his fur. Although Orion was really surprised to be used as an emotional support dog he decided to just allow it. The harmony didn''t last long however as shortly later Gaia came running into the room demanding some cuddling as well.


    Shortly after Tiamat came over as well even though it was to simply enjoy the warmth of the large body pile that had formed on top of Orion. At this time Orion became truly glad about his larger frame that helped him endure the pressure on his back. Although it wasn''t like didn''t enjoy himself.

 Chapter 47 - Towards new knowledge

    As the months passed and the time of his tenth birthday drew closer he decided that the time had come to gain whatever was left for him to find in this world. Actually the only thing that was of any real value to him was knowledge as with enough time and effort he could create anything he could ever need as long as he knew it''s composition. Of course it was easier to simply copy objects rather than creating completely new things as he would need to consider it''s structure and much more. Organic materials or ores and similar things were the worst as they were made out of many different materials, many different forms and in many different amounts. Because of that he made sure to keep many differed samples of everything he encountered.


    The only reason why could regenerate his body before his passive Energy&Matter creation had passed the necessary threshold to always regenerate his body was that he had scanned his body before each fight and memorized the type of cells present in each part of his body only to copy the necessary cell type and closing up the wounds with it. When he made mistakes his Adapt&Improve altered the cells until everything became like it had been previously. This way his body also avoided the risk of cancer as all cells were kept in the same condition and mutations happened rarely as only beneficial mutations were permitted to remain. Because of his passive Energy&Matter Creation his body didn''t even need mitosis and all necessary amino acids and other molecules were being created without him needing to eat. His digestive system however was still functional and all helpful bacteria in his body were being aided in every way possible.


    However creating things like cakes or even bread took a lot of effort and time to create and when he and tried to create it the taste was sometimes off as he hadn''t mixed all components perfectly. This was why he still preferred to use natural things only only resort to something like that when he had no other choice. The more time had passed the more he came to appreciate his passive creation skill as he could never sustain his body otherwise. By now if he would want to be able to use as much strength as he currently wielding he would spend most of his day eating and sleeping to compensate for the massive use energy. He wondered why Allmight never faced such a problem. Did he gain energy via photosynthesis? How else could he sustain himself...And what about the other heroes?


    Anyways to gain knowledge he decided to ask Allmight about a few things


    ¨C A few days prior ¨C


    When Allmight, Hermann, Tiamat and Gaia sat and ate breakfast while Orion laid on the ground, chewing on some bones and meat as he gotten to large to sit on any piece of furniture in their house besides anything the size of a couch or bed Hermann decided to ask questions that had plagued his mind for a whole while.


    H: "Hey dad do you know if there are samples of all animals and plants on this planet in one location? Something like a seed bank or anything like that?"


    Allmight: "Sure. There is a vault that is being filled by both research organizations and the government. Because of the strong emergence of quirks the problem of poachers that hunted down rare animals for some quick money increased and so many research institutes and governments around the world kept samples and live specimens for increased breeding or cloning of rare and common organisms. Why are you asking?"


    Full of excitement Hermann replied:


    H: "Can we go there? I helped in quite a few fights with villains and I haven''t asked for much until now. Could you? Please?"


    With a slight smile on his face Allmight said that he needed to make a few phone calls before he would be able to answer my questions


    ¨C In the present ¨C


    And that is why he was inside a flying plane right now. They were on the way to one of the largest storage facilities in the world which was located in the largely empty countryside of China. On the long flight he had done many things. He had scanned the entire small private jet they were currently flying in, read all books he had found and taken with him but with his growing Int stat he was finished quickly and so he had finally arrived at his present occupation the last resort of all options : talking to himself.


    As he looked out of the window he saw the blue sea and not far away on the near shore the large mega cities that were common around the coast of China. Sighing he leaned deeper into his comfortable seat and closed his eyes. Normally he filled his day with a lot of training, studying or simply relaxing in the wild far away from the city where he could enjoy his peace and quiet together with his three companions. At the moment they were all safely kept within his soul and inventory and where busy annoying each other. Especially that damned squirrel that just had to keep teasing and annoying the forever sleepy snake while Orion tried to run damage control. Just why did I have to take them all with me? If this goes on for much longer I may get gray hair before reaching the age of twenty. Finally having enough he decided to meditate slowly letting everything fade into the background while he pulled memories of his time in the forest out of his memory vault. The best thing about his special memory was that every time he reviewed them he would not only be able to see but also be able to smell, taste and feel. Lost in his memories he only noticed that they had landed several hours later when Allmight woke him up by shaking his shoulder.

 Chapter 48 - Happy Grandpa

    Author''s Note: This is a small warning that our world and the world of "My Hero Academia" are not identical and as such a few things in geography etc. may differ slightly. This may also apply to the other worlds he may visit in the future.


    When Hermann and Allmight exited the plane they found themselves on a small and empty runway surrounded by desert. Carried by a slight breeze yellow sand flew over the dunes and began to slowly cover up the runway. After they had taken everything they needed with them they walked towards a Jeep parked next to the runway while a small crew of mechanics and other personal transported the jet into a nearby hangar to protect it from the sand.


    When they arrived at the Jeep and sat in the back seats they were greeted by an older man with already grayed out hair that wore a friendly smile on his face and despite his age still possessed eyes that gleamed with curiosity. To solve the language barrier between their countries they talked in English which everyone present could speak more or less fluently. As they introduced themselves the old man seemed to be bubbling with excitement. Contrary to Hermanns expectations the old man was a researcher at the laboratory and was an excellent conversationalist. He knew when to make a few jokes and he gladly talked about his work and his coworkers. Hermann had expected the researchers to be much more serious, mature and a lot more secretive but this man reminded him more of a child on a sugar rush that had just played in the park with his friends and intended to tell his parents about everything that had happened.


    When they told the researcher that it had been Hermann that had specifically requested to visit this facility the old mans excitement intensified even more and his smile grew so wide that Hermann feared the old man would seriously hurt himself if he would smile just a bit more. Until they arrived at a small small mountain in which the research team had build their base the old man could barely focus on the things in front of the car and Hermann was really glad that they drove far away from human civilization else the man would have been responsible for countless countless traffic accidents along the way with how often he had turned around in the driver seat to be able to talk to them better. When they finally arrived at the mountain Hermann decided to finally ask the question that had plagued him for a long time.


    H: "Why did you even decide to build this thing inside the desert? Aren''t there better places?"


    The old man laughed at that and with a wink he replied:


    Old man: "There are many benefits. First of all there is a lot of space and we can build our things as low as we want. Additionally no one meddles with our research and the we can do what is necessary with out anyone breathing down our necks all the time. These bureaucrats are nasty buggers sometimes I tell you."


    After parking the Jeep into a garage they had dug inside the mountainside they entered the Research and Preservation center. When they exited the corridor that connected the garage to the rest they entered a large white cylindrical shaped room. Above them seemed to be only a few floors as it seemed that each floor had a gallery around the room while below them were countless floors and on the bottom he could see green plants growing. On top of the room some see through dome made of a glass like substance that allowed for light to spread inside the facility. Contrary to his expectations the facility was rather cool despite the sun shining warmly through the dome and the hot desert outside. When he asked the old man about it he told him that the glass window had been an artificially created material that couldn''t be harmed by the sand outside and because the facility had been dug deep inside the mountain where the air cooled down extremely they circulated the air from this warmer room down to the lowest floor and back to warm everything up for the night were everything would cool down.


    As they walked around the large building and visited countless rooms each serving specific purposes the old man patiently explained to them everything there was to know about the facility. Additionally the old man happily introduced them to his coworkers that were almost as excited as the old man to meet new people. The long isolation with a few others must really stress them. On the top floors many laboratories were situated, in the middle area many living quarters etc. could be found while storage rooms and the habitats of the creatures were located at the bottom layer, far away from any entrance that would allow intruders to capture them. It truly was a fascinating experience and although they were not allowed to take out things from the storage they were allowed to look at everything for as long as they wanted. This of course was no hindrance for Hermann as he could simply use his Creation Skill to copy everything he came across. Plant matter, frozen animal cells and much more landed in his inventory.


    At the end of the day they visited the animal habitats. Because his extraordinary strength, defense and the ability to communicate with the animals he was allowed inside under the condition that he would not harm them. After many hours of cuddling, playing and some playful fighting with the animals they slept in the quest quarters of the institute before making their way back the next day. After a friendly goodbye where everyone asked them to come again some day to visit they flew back to Japan. On the flight back Allmight seemed to have finished everything that had occupied him on the flight to China so he attempted some conversation to busy himself.


    Allmight: "So, how was it?"


    H: "Interesting. They were really friendly and everything they do they do for a good cause."


    Allmight let a small laugh and replied:


    Allmight: "They''re also getting paid really well but they still are really friendly. What did you like the most?"


    H: "What I came to see there for. The animals and plants."


    After a long silence before Allmight began to talk again with a deep sigh.


    Allmight: "I don''t understand why you don''t want my power even when it could help you in becoming a great hero. Hell I''m not even sure if you want to become a hero anymore. If you decide to become a researcher instead I won''t complain but no matter what you do do it only because you enjoy it and not out of a mere sense of duty, you understand boy?"


    With a smile on his face Hermann replied:


    H: "Sure dad. I''ll just do that. You''ll see eventually."


    H: [Although you may not agree with my decisions]


    Turning away to look out of the window Hermann once again entered his meditation.

 Chapter 49 - This is extortion!

    When they returned to their apartment and Allmight departed the next day in the morning to continue with his work Hermann decided that today would be a good time to grant his familiars whatever buff he could with his newly acquired samples. After copying every sample that seemed suitable for them and inserting them in their bloodstream most of them simply gained thicker and harder fur ans well as sturdier claws and teeth. Gaia however was strangely compatible with the DNA of ferrets and others of it''s closely related species. Because of that not only did she gain a thicker fur and stronger claws but she also transformed her diet from purely herbivorous to an omnivorous diet. Because of that she also gained more and sharper teeth to be able to eat the meat.


    A few weeks later Hermann celebrated his tenth birthday...again. As Allmight had some Hero work to do in the morning they decided that they would celebrate by driving to an amus.e.m.e.nt park and staying there for almost a full week. Hermann however had already made different plans. Now that he had turned 10 it was time to fight All for One and leave this world.


    As he had done everything he could think of that might help him in fighting All for One he decided to store Orion, Gaia and Tiamat in his Soul Storage while storing their bodies in his Inventory. The last thing he needed was All for One''s location but he already knew who might be able to give it to him.


    H: [Hey System! Do you know All for One''s location? Considering that he is connected to my quest there should be something mentioned in the quest description.]


    H: [How much?]


    Confused Hermann decided to ask again. That just couldn''t be correct!


    H: [How much was that again? I could swear you said 250k.]


    H: [That is extortion and you know it. There is no way that that tiny piece of information is so valuable. I call BS]


    H: [Hey God! I''ve decided that I want a refund. I wanted something different when I made my wish. Can we change this one?]


    H: [Fine. Whatever. It''s still extortion but take my hard earned points.]


    H: [I''ll never financially recover from this especially considering that the older I get the less points I get for my training, defeating villains and raiding hideouts as with my continuous increase in strength the rewards are now next to nothing.]


    After lamenting his bad situation and his many first world problems he finally decided to check out the location. Apparently All for One had temporarily decided to hide in an old abandoned factory on the outskirts of town. How unexpected and totally original. Definitely not 250k System Points worth.


    H: [OK. I need to calm down. I don''t need a mental breakdown now. Not that I really have feelings or anything buuut.]


    Anyways Hermann decided that it was time to go to the location before All for One decided to move elsewhere, do some grocery shopping or whatever the leader of a group of villains does. Before he left he decided to leave a note on the dinner table for Allmight with All for One''s location on it together with the explanation that he discovered the hideout of the villains and went to fight them alone to prove himself. In case something were to happen and he couldn''t win the fight they might distract All for One long enough so that he could escape.


    H: [Hey System! How long does it take before I can teleport out of this world?]


    H: [That''s fine I guess]


    Leaving the building he closed in on his final location. Taking in everything in his view he reminded himself that today was his last day. However the closer he came towards the hideout the faster his pulse became until it seemingly became unbearable. Strangely enough although it might sound unpleasant his face was adorned by a wide smile unlike any he had shown before and his eyes showed something which he had lost for a long time. Real excitement. At that moment while his adrenaline rush continued to increase the veil that had surrounded his very being, dampening all emotions he felt receded a bit in an area and he felt something behind it he had longed for for such a long time. Anticipation.


    H: [Well...That sounds really depressive but thanks I guess. But something is still better than nothing at all. Just let me enjoy this feeling for a while OK?]


    With that Hermann walked a bit faster to arrive at the location. Now there would be nothing that could stop him from fighting his greatest battle up until now.

 Chapter 50 - Fabulous fusions

    Shortly before Hermann arrived at the hideout he decided to check his status one last time.


    Name: Kaiser (Formerly known as: Hermann Kaiser)


    Titles: Assassin, Craftsman (Beginner)


    Age: 10 years


    VIT: 87 (+10)


    STR: 76 (+5)


    DEF: 79 (+5)


    INT: 69


    WIL: 55


    STA: 68 (+15)


    LUK: 24


    System points: 453 598


    Unused Rewards: -


    Open Quests: Destroy Gang Headquarters (repeatable) = Destroy a base of operation


    Spartan Training (repeatable) = Train your body to your limit for a day


    Inventory: Sword of the Beginning (equipped), Shield of the End (equipped), Demonic knightly armor (equipped)


    - ??? Energy&Matter Manual (Stage 3: Basic External)


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.25


    - Energy&Matter Control Lv.25


    - Adapt&Improve Lv.MAX


    - Multidimensional Travel LV.MAX


    - Observation (internal) Lv.23


    - Observation (external) Lv.22


    - Pain Resistance Lv.9


    - Sneak Lv.20


    - Energy Enhancement (internal) Lv.17


    - Energy Coating Lv.10


    - Beast tongue Lv.MAX


    - Soul Storage Lv.MAX


    - Soulbond Lv.MAX


    - Bone Enhancement Lv.20 (MAX)


    - Muscle Enhancement Lv.20 (MAX)


    - Nerve Enhancement Lv.20 (MAX)


    - Ligament Enhancement Lv.20 (MAX)


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.25 (MAX)


    - Martial Arts Lv.23


    - Knife Mastery Lv.10


    - Swordsmanship Lv. 21 (+5)


    - Punching Lv.25 (MAX)


    - Kicking Lv.25 (MAX)


    - Running Lv.34


    - Climbing Lv.22


    - Tailor Lv.10


    - Enchanting Lv.12


    Now the time had come to do something he had been waiting for for a long time. In the last months many skills reached their peak but he decided to wait until the last moment in case others reached their peak as well. This was because if he decided to fuse just a few skills he might gain a weaker skill and would have to train it until it reached it''s peak to fuse it with others once more. This is his reason for waiting until the last moment.


    H: [System! Activate Skill Fusion!]


    H: [What about the Punching and the Kicking Skills? Shouldn''t they be compatible?]


    H: [Then do the last one. This seems to be the best option for now.]


    H: [Just name it "Perfect Body" or something]


    As soon as Hermann had confirmed everything he felt pain run through his entire body causing him to lean himself onto the wall of the building next to him before he sat on the ground with his back to the wall, trying to endure the strange movements in his body. When the pain began to increase tremendously after a short while he tried to flee into the deepest parts of his soul to stop the pain but no matter where he went he could not escape it. Flooding his mind with the best memories of his lives he tried to ignore the pain until it finally ended after what felt like years of agony.


    When he observed his new body still disoriented from the pain he noticed that although his body seemed sturdier than before nothing much had changed. At least until he saw what had happened to his nervous system. What had previously simply been connected with his head now connected to his soul directly somehow. Hermann was confused. How could something physical connect to something that wasn''t made out of matter?


    H: [True. By the way what happens to the souls that are consumed by my shield?]


    At this moment Hermann decided that perhaps using this shield on small fry was a bit over the top and he would only use it on people that were either really evil or that pissed him off extremely. Others could die at peace as long as they stayed dead. Should he land in a world where everyone endlessly resurrects then he would absorb everyone regardless of character that got in his way.


    Shaking his head to rid himself of these distracting thoughts he tried to push himself up with his hands from the ground and after a bit of stumbling on his numbed legs he managed to walk properly once again. Stretching himself for a few seconds he ordered the system to equip everything he had before walking to the entrance of the base, wearing his armor while holding his sword and shield.


    H: [But why would my nerves even connect to my soul? What are the benefits?]


    Smiling Hermann tried to view these changes objectively. This might be helpful to him in many different ways in the future. When he finally looked up to the sky he saw that the sun had already traveled much further than he had expected.


    H: [What time is it now?]


    H: [Then I have about an hour before Allmight might notice my absence, finds the note and arrives here.]


    H: [Nope I want a real fight! I''ve waited for this fight for more then ten years!]


    H: [Just let me do my thing I know what I''m doing. If anything happens I can still flee somehow.]


    H:[Just watch me]

 Chapter 51 - This is why you dont play in old buildings

    Author''s Note: Hello there everyone! I hope you had a wonderful week! I just want you to read the note at the end because it''s important. With that out of the way I wish you lots of fun with this chapter. Enjoy!


    ---


    When Hermann stood in front of the old factory which by now mere looked like a large sized brick building with a large round broke chimney that could still be seen looming over the back of the building like a broken watchtower of an ancient castle. Here and there remains of white paint could still be seen that had presumable covered the building entirely before it had been abandoned many years ago. Slowly walking towards the entrance where a few bricks had already fallen and cracks covered the rest he carefully entered in order to not cause a collapse. Looking up to what remained of the roof he carefully maneuvered around a few pillars that stood in the room and still supported parts of the ceiling and the piles of rubble that had already fallen down here and there to avoid alerting the other ones in this hideout.


    H: [Hey System! Could you tell me his exact location?]


    H: [Then let him taste some dirt.]


    With that Hermann advanced a few meters, stored his sword in his inventory and punched towards the ground with his full power. The ground shook for a short while and seemed to cave in but after a few centimeters is stood still once more. When he raised his fist only a deep imprint of his fist could be seen.


    H: [How? What did he put below ground to stop this?!]


    Digging his hand deep into the earth besides his fist imprint he easily excavated what could fit in his hand like a hot knife cutting through butter. Beneath a thin layer of bricks and dirt he felt a strong resistance. Taking a good look inside he quickly noticed the silvery gleam of metal. Before he could investigate any further he was interrupted by the noise of hurried steps from his right where what had seemed to be a massive brick wall opened up quickly and many people emerged from the darkness that obscured what laid behind. Wanting to stand up to fight against him he rose from his kneeling position only to be blasted towards the partially collapsed room when ground he had stood upon was blown upwards.


    As he was flung upwards he avoided the still standing parts of the roof and ascended further up into the sky. He barely had time to contemplate whether crashing into the ceiling and falling only a bit or flying higher and falling over a large distance in this case would hurt more before he was interrupted by something that had attached itself to his leg and began to pull him towards the ground at high speeds. As he looked down he saw something that reminding him of cables tied around his ankle and the ground that was coming towards him at a terrifying speed. In the few moments before he landed he merely came to two conclusion.


    H: [ First of all I''m completely screwed and this is really really¡­.really going to hurt]


    Reentering feet first he crashed through still standing parts of the ceiling before impacting the ground in a large cloud of dirt and dust.


    H: [Yepp. My legs definitely hate me now. Let''s not do this again]


    Before the dust cloud even rose he move away to avoid another attack targeted at him shortly before many projectiles quickly passed by him. Although he wasn''t exactly sure about the exact power of the projectiles and he was pretty confident in his defense and abilities he still believed that if he hadn''t moved in time he would have probably gotten a few more holes than necessary which he was not a great fan of. Turning towards the origin of the attack with his shield raised he equipped his sword once more and quickly advanced through the dust clouds towards the source of the projectiles only to greeted with an empty piece of room where nobody stood. Realizing that he had been tricked he turned around only to be greeted with another blast that send him crashing towards the wall, cracking it even further with some bricks already falling. Although he had felt pain he wasn''t seriously hurt as his shield and armor had reduced the severity of the attack by a lot.


    H: [Did we give him any form of debuff? I mean there are so many skills on this shield that it''s already disgustingly broken.]


    H: [Damn it. And it seems like we have to fight this enemy for a very long time to try and deal as many bleeding wounds, debuffs, etc. as we can. I really hope that this was All for One and not one of his many annoying minions because if that wasn''t him then we are royally screwed.]


    This comment came not one moment to late because just he leaned to the front and stumbled a bit to the right a fist came smashing out of the dust impacting the wall behind him where his head had been located, reducing the impacted area to rubble that flew across the street located behind it followed by a collapse of the wall segments that were located above it. Sadly or rather luckily for Hermann the man had punched towards his left side where his shield was located and to properly engage the enemy he needed to turn around and stand up straight which wasted precious time. To gain more he pushed his shield towards the attacker. The attacker however managed to grab it with his other hand and pulled Hermann towards his other fist that was once more ready to bash some kids head. Ducking behind his shield Hermann stabbed towards the mans fingers that had grabbed his shield.


    Although he flew into another wall his sword had managed to cut three of his opponents fingers that had grabbed the edge of his shield. Preparing himself for another attack he got a first good look at his opponent that slowly walked closer to him. A man in a black suit with white hair and light colored eyes.


    H: [Is that him?]


    H: [Then how about we take a closer look.]


    With a slight smile on his face that was not visible however due to the helmet he wore he activated his Skill Observe to quickly capitalize the moment while the enemy was also evaluating his abilities.


    Name: All for One, Shigaraki


    Title: Ruler of the Age of Villains, Main Antagonist


    Age: ????


    VIT: 98


    STR: 96


    DEF: 92


    INT: 83


    WIL: 76


    STA: 84


    LUK: 30


    Skills:


    Too many


    Feeling sweat running down his forehead Hermann thought.


    H: [Well, I guess we f.u.c.k.i.e.d up completely?]

 Chapter 52 - Last Stand

    Author''s Note: Hello there Ladies and Gentleman! Please read todays note below as it is very important for the next weeks. As I will be away for a short while you will have more than enough time to come to a conclusion.


    P.S. This chapter is for the guy that asked yesterday for another chapter in the comments. Just this once I will grant you this wish and rejoice for it has double the word count of normal chapters so ~2200 words. Enjoy!


    ----


    After a few moments of observation had passed All for One let out a short laugh and shifted himself in a more comfortable position. With a wide smile on his face he began to talk.


    AfO: "Well, well, well. What is a small child like you doing here to play hero? Are the heroes so desperate to defeat me that they already use children to fight their wars? You could be someone that possesses a quirk that allows you to shrink in size but that seems highly unlikely. Why don''t you go home and bother your momma kid."


    H: "How about you shut your mouth."


    With that Hermann advanced with his shield raised and sword ready to stab. Evading without too much effort he continued talking.


    AfO: "Is your momma not scared that you''re fighting with other people? She must be worried sick for you. Why don''t you go home and we forget this here ever happened, ok?"


    Without giving an answer Hermann continued to advance towards him, trying to hurt him even more than the small cuts on All for One''s fingers that he had caused moments ago and had begun to bleed steadily. Although All for One hadn''t payed much attention to it previously he now seemed irritated by it. Perhaps he owned a quirk that allowed for a passive healing of his body which was rendered useless when matched with the abilities of Hermann''s sword. While evading flawlessly both shield and sword he curiously observed his wounds. At this moment he decided to speak.


    AfO: "You are quite an interesting child. You seem to possess a special quirk that allows you to harm my body that can stop my recovery. Truly fascinating. Let''s test you some more. I''ve already seen you attack so how about you evade or defend from mine."


    Following this long black wires emerged from his right palm and began to chase him like homing missiles. Careful not to be surrounded by them he tried to avoid by moving back and to the left or right. Watching for a while All for One seemed to grow dissatisfied by Hermann''s performance began to throw fire balls at Hermann with his other hand causing him to evade at even weirder angles through twisting and turning his body while also keeping in mind the many wires that were homing in on him and tried to catch him and the slippery piles of rubble on the floor and the many pillars in the room. At this point Hermann had long realized the All for One was merely toying with him, reducing him to a mere source of entertainment for one of the strongest people in this world. After a few minutes All for One''s excited smile switched to a bored expression and he finally stopped, sucking the wires back inside his palm and extinguishing the sparks in his hands that had previously formed the fireballs. While Hermann regained his breath while keeping All for One in his exact field of view. With a short round of applause All for One spoke up again.


    AfO: "What a wonderful display of your capabilities. Considering your age you are an outstanding individual. The wound you caused me has still not healed. Your ability is extremely useful but..."


    With that his left uninjured hand transformed into sharp blade that he raised over his head.


    AfO: "now let us see what happens if someone removes the part that was injured by you."


    As soon as he finished his sentence he hacked down onto his injured right hand, severing his fingers from the rest of his body. Merely a second later the stream of blood that fell from his hand stopped and from the remaining stumps new fingers grew until he stood before Hermann a few seconds later without any trace of an injury.


    AfO: "So it was really that simple. Well it seems that I have seen enough."


    Gesturing for his minions he ordered


    AfO: "Surround him and aim at his arms, legs and torso. You only have to keep him alive long enough for me to absorb his quirk. You should feel honored boy. Not every quirk is strong enough for me to be added to my arsenal. In a way you will also take part in my achievements. You are becoming a part of something greater than yourself."


    Slowly the minions began to circle him to cut off all possibilities of escape. A few formed a half circle behind All for One while the rest disappeared through the entrance of the building. When he took a quick look behind his back he saw that behind him someone had already created another large and smooth wall whose upper edges were curved towards him where the normal brick walls of the factory had formerly stood.


    H: [This is getting ridiculous. How did Allmight even beat that guy. Is is strong in close as well as in ranged combat and has a great intellect. In the beginning he tried to enrage me to attack him without formulating a plan. When he saw that such an attack didn''t work he decided to evaluate all my abilities by testing my limits. Now it seems that he thinks to know enough about me to defeat me effortlessly.]


    At that moment Orion decided to intervene.


    Orion: [Why don''t we fight together? It''s better than nothing.]


    Incredulously Hermann replied in a sarcastic manner.


    H: [What a ridiculous proposal. You have nothing. No armor, no weapons and your body might be destroyed in the process.]


    Chuckling Orion replied.


    Orion: [What need do we even have anymore for our bodies. Just like with you the only thing that matters is our soul. I for one don''t mind losing this body for a good cause. As soon as I exit prepare our escape. Inform us at least a few seconds prior so we can return to you.]


    H: [What about the rest of you?]


    Tiamat: [It seems as though all hope is lost. Nevertheless I will support you although I would much enjoy sleeping for even longer.]


    H: [And what about you Gaia?]


    Gaia: [Hmpf! I suppose I can lend you my aid but I want something in return.]


    H: [Let me guess. Food?]


    Gaia: [More! I want more!]


    Orion: [I wouldn''t mind just having more food.]


    H: [This is serious. How about we eat a lot when we finally meet again in the next world. And I will give your fur a long grooming session how about that?]


    Gaia: [I suppose that is barely acceptable]


    Although she might have sounded reluctant he could secretly feel her happiness that she desperately tried to hide from everyone. Although she constantly demanded things from him and the group he had often caught her gifting various things to others and sometimes she would even give their group many things when she had eaten much or was absent minded although she denied it vehemently when she was asked about it directly.


    As much as Hermann wanted to rebuke Orion''s proposal and the support of the rest he agreed that he had to do something that surprised One for All so that he would gain more time to try anything that wouldn''t end in his death and in him acquiring a sample of All for Ones cells. Through everything he had noticed that One for All was a careful man and only acted once he was sure of his victory at the lowest cost possible so with yet unprecedented actions he might be able to buy more time. Luckily the exit of his Inventory was somehow tied to the range of his Energy&Matter Control which currently spanned about a radius of 25 meters. Although he still needed to touch things to store them taking them was way more convenient. To solve the current problem he decided to let Gaia fight against the minions behind the wall behind his back while Orion and Tiamat would fight together with him against All for One. As he took at good look at the villain the man smiled at him.


    AfO: "You''re back! Thanks to your patience we are now all set and ready to go. Because of your wonderful we decided to gift you a lot. A lot of pain that is. Now..."


    He snapped his fingers to his right and a man besides him made a downwards pressing motion with his hands. Looking over his shoulder quickly he saw how the wall returned to it''s previous brittle and half destroyed appearance. The most frighting thing about this was that everything had happened had been done in complete silence without any indication of environmental changes. At this point All for One continued with his small speech.


    AfO: "¡­ go ahead and die for our greater benefit."


    At this point Hermann decided to intervene.


    H: " Selecting Species.


    Analyzing Appearance and Capabilities.


    Recreating Behavior and simulating Intelligence.


    Binding wills and intents to the Caster.


    Materializing creatures."


    Curiously All for One motioned for his minions to retreat until they understood what he was doing. Perhaps it was a bluff but it would be best to be cautious in this case it would do anything. Only a madman would risk anything in such a situation. Using various quirks to strengthen his body even further he decided to wait until the kid finished it''s job.


    AfO: "What are you doing kid? Have you given up?"


    H: " Imagination creates Energy


    Energy creates Matter


    Matter creates Life


    Life created me


    and it shall set me free!


    First act of creation: Genesis!"


    Following this move Hermann pushed his hand against the ground and opened portals that were invisible for all that did not have a soul contract with him or were knowledgeable in spacial fluctuation, other dimensions or other things. Two portals to his inventory one to his left, one to his right and as the large wall had disappeared and the minions were aiming at him through the many holes in the walls another one opened up behind him. A body emerged out of each one and was immediately possessed by the souls that had rested inside his soul until now. As always Orion was convinced that he had done something unnecessary and could have done something different.


    Orion: [Why did you do this? That was totally unnecessary!]


    H: [But does he know that? Now he beliefs that I can create living beings. As they cannot see what I''m capable of they think I created you piece by piece instead of slowly pushing your bodies out of a portal. The fact that I called it the first act might incite the thought that I control even more of the power of creation. This can help in the grand scheme of us.]


    Before anyone else could do something Gaia decided to interrupt grumbling.


    Gaia: [All just excuses. You merely wanted to sound cool. You cannot deceive us!]


    H: [A wonderful small side effect, that is all.]


    Gaia: [I think it''s the other way around but that''s just my opinion]


    At this point Orion decided to interrupt the discussion before this situation would get out of hand and ruin their entire plan.


    Orion: [How about we focus on the situation at hand? I''m sure we will be able to continue this conversation at another time but we are in the middle of the fight right now.]


    Proud that Orion had by now learned how to properly dissolve issues and strife in a calm, collected and efficient matter Hermann focused back on the situation they were in right now. When he looked around he merely saw confused faces all around him. Astounded by this odd scene he turned back to All for One who began to talk.


    AfO: "Are you ok kid? You seem to phase out from time to time and just stand there. Is your armor to heavy? Do you get enough air? Is your armor getting to warm and uncomfortable? Your behavior is getting really weird. Are you already giving up? You must surely be exhausted from that creating."


    H: [And it seems we are back at taunting. He must be unsure of my capabilities. After all what would stop me from creating a large dragon that kills him with fire, wind, water, ice or lightning?]


    Suddenly outside the building police sirens began to howl and just a few meters outside the building he could hear a loud voice cry out.


    Allmight: "HEROES ASSEMBLE! THERE ARE VILLAINS INSIDE, THE BUILDING IS ABANDONED AND YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS FOR OUR BATTLE PLAN! HIT THEM ''TILL THEY FALL"


    At this moment Orion decided to ask one final question before they would try to end the battle quickly before the heroes arrived and made the situation even more complicated.


    Orion: [ We have two options now. Either you stay back and kill him with your Energy&Matter Skills or we all charge him directly. What should we do?]

 Chapter 53 - Confusion and forgetfulness

    Author''s Note: I am back Ladies and Gentlemen after two weeks of pause. Because of this I present you with this over 2k words long chapter. The fighting continues and yet our hero has not gained any advantage. Can he win this fight? As always I wish you a lot of fun with this chapter. Todays turn of events is due to the comment of ahmed_waleed_1200. Thank you for your contribution


    ---


    H: [ Well we might have a better chance if we charge at him together and I wound him with the sword in vital regions rather than try to kill him with my Creation&Manipulation which might not even work effectively as he could possibly regenerate any damage I cause. If I damage him in vital regions he can''t rip the damaged parts off so easily.]


    Connecting his mind to his familiars he began to give orders.


    H: [Gaia kill all the minions surrounding us at all cost. Don''t let them attack us from behind. Just attack every soft spot you can find to spread fear and terror. Tiamat should sneak around and attack the heels of everyone that might come to bother us and if possible attack All for One. Orion will attack All for One directly with my assistance each attacking one side of him. This way we might have a chance before we are being interrupted.]


    Readying themselves the System decided to add a final touch to everything.


    H: [Do it but not too loud so that we can still focus.]


    H: [Nice! Now let''s get this over with now.]


    At this moment Gaia decided to intervene.


    Gaia: [Why are you choosing something like that? Considering his chuuni behavior before there must be better ones.]


    H: [Stop it. Be serious and give me something good to work with. I can''t fight with this song stuck in my head]


    H: [Good! Now let us fight this last battle. For Victory. And everlasting Glory!]


    Before he had even finished his sentence Gaia had already leaped up from her position just behind his back, biting into an exposed throat of a minion that had stood behind him causing the man to stumble backwards attempting to pull her off his throat. Only causing the already deep wound to bleed even stronger and large pieces of skin and flesh to be ripped of in the futile attempt to remove her. Shortly after she jumped off of him while the man still struggled for a short while before he finally ceased all movement.


    Orion and Hermann quickly advanced and began to attack All for One. Although Orion had grown extremely large for his kind and had gained many enhancements he still preferred to target lower regions like the legs or areas just below the rib cage. Hermann however liked to target the head, throat, arms or the torso. As they began their fight, Hermann stabbed at All for One''s throat while Orion bit at the left leg, they decided to let AfO exhaust himself which would give them more opportunities to attack. After a few small exchanges Orion once more initiated a mental conversation.


    Orion: [Why are we fighting him again?]


    H: [We need his DNA for the quest and it might help me activate my own quirk]


    Orion: [We don''t know if you even have a quirk. But we really only need his DNA?]


    H: [Yes? Wasn''t that the plan all along?]


    Orion: [Then why don''t we just pick up the fingers he severed not to long ago and use them. There is no point in fighting a losing battle. We are strong but not strong enough. Let us leave this world and be done with this. I like the hunt but extremely dislike being the prey.]


    Surprised Hermann stopped his assault for a second almost receiving a powerful punch to the head if he hadn''t raised his shield at the last moment. Sliding backwards he mitigated the force of the punch before looking at Orion with a deadpan expression on his face.


    H: [Why didn''t you bring that up before?]


    Orion: [I just thought you wanted to kill him for some extra points? I thought you were supposed to be super smart and all? Why didn''t you think about this?]


    H: [I just have good memory. Nothing else. I was just so focused on the fight that I kind of forgot about our goal. So would you mind and bring me these fingers?]


    Orion: [I always knew you were a bit idiotic but I decided to follow you anyway so I might as well clean up your messes and stop you from doing anymore stupid things.]


    Quickly Orion turned away from AfO and seemed to jump at a few minions that stood behind him seemingly unwilling to interfere with the fight to avoid hurting their master who would surely punish them severely for their mistake. It could also be the result of seeing the people across from you being ripped to pieces by a small, fast and absolutely furious furball that had sent them into shock. Anyway as they snapped out of their shocked state they instinctively raised their arms to protect their head and throat Orion quickly snagged the fingers that laid at their feet before jumping back to Hermann, shoving the bloody objects into Hermann''s hand which held the shield. Grossed out by the sensation Hermann threw them into his inventory for later use.


    H: [Hey system! Is there a restriction on the quest? Can I infuse them at a later date?]


    H: [So now it''s either stay and get better rewards or go and get something of less value. I have decided. There is only one way. RUN AWAY!]


    Quickly he ordered all of his familiars to return to him. Gaia jumped of the victim she had just finished off, her red pelt appearing even more crimson now that it was covered in the blood of her enemies. Orion had stayed beside him until now and didn''t decide to move. Tiamat seemed to be...missing? As he looked around while keeping his sight on AfO who still curiously evaluated the summoned animals, their strengths and weaknesses as well as their special features and capabilities and only defended to test them he suddenly noticed Tiamat. Since she had absorbed many abilities of her kind and similar organisms she had somehow gained the ability to blend into her surroundings although her color had shifted from brown to a black color with a purple hue. Perhaps it had been a quirk she managed to absorb that had belonged to one of the snakes? She had somehow managed to sneak up behind AfO without being stepped on and had seemingly decided on a single goal. Bite and retreat. Surprised Hermann was proud of her idea as it perfectly aligned with his new tactic.


    AfO noticed his glance behind his feet that seemed to take longer than something casual and decided to turn around. Sadly for him however Tiamat had already prepared herself and now jumped up, landing a bite shortly above AfO hip. After she had pumped as much venom as possible into her bite. Letting go the 1.5 meter long snake slithered back to Hermann, avoiding many kicks of AfO that tried to cover the wound with his hand. With a satisfied and smug tone she finally arrived and replied to his message.


    Tiamat: [Slow and steady wins the race. You always rush into everything. The only things that need to be fast is the actual attack and the retreat. And I would advise you to hurry as I do not believe that he will now allow you to retreat easily.]


    As he saw AfO who now seemed to have realized that he would need to speed up the fighting in order to win this battle and treat the poison. Due to the anger that AfO displayed Hermann concluded that the man probably didn''t possess a quirk that allowed him to conquer the toxins. Quickly retrieving his familiars and storing them in his Soul Storage and their bodies in his inventory he tried to run out of the building through the large hole that had opened up at his back due to Gaia''s rampage. Before he could get far away however the cables that had chased him previously flew over his head, interweaving and forming a giant dome above his head, surrounding him from all sides. Shortly after blades emerged from them and the entire dome began to spin rapidly. The ground he stood on began to quake and lava began to spread from the direction of AfO, setting the grass, bushes and trees that covered the ground outside of the abandoned factory on fire.


    The inferno that surrounded him began to feel incredibly hot despite his powerful status and the spinning movement of the large dome caused strong winds that began to empower the sea of flames that had spread all around him, letting the flames burn sideways which made him even more uncomfortable. Although his armor offered some heat resistance and could mitigate it to a certain extent this heat was far beyond it''s capabilities. As Hermann watched the factory AfO exited it as well. The closer he came towards Hermann the more the dome shrank as it was bound to AfO''s will and the distance between them decreased the cage began to restrict his evasive capabilities. The more the cage decreased in size the more powerful the rotation became. AfO slowly advanced, walking through a river of lava that reached up to his knees until he stood just about two meters away. Suddenly the cables that had been rotating fast stopped and suddenly entangled his arms in the tight net they formed. With eyes that promised pain AfO slowly covered the few centimeters that had separated them. With the same slow and effortless movements as before he raised his hand and grabbed Hermann by the throat before softly whispering


    AfO: "You thought you were smart and could escape from me? You might be an interesting individual, possess many powerful abilities and great personal strength I have had enough of this."


    Suddenly he began to glow in a dark red aura. As soon as the aura began to touch Hermann he felt a stinging and pulling sensation before it got uncomfortable the system send a message.


    H: [Nice!]


    AfO retracted his arm and looked curiously at his hand and then at Hermann. Suddenly the world around them began to crack and shatter. When Hermann looked around he noticed that he still stood at the same spot he had stood after he had retrieved his familiars. The minions surrounding Hermann stood still and their eyes stared into nothing with large pupils. AfO seemed to have crashed into a wall nearby and a team of four heroes stood at the entrance and Hermann''s father stood just a meter away from Hermann separated from the group with an extended fist and a line of rubble leading from his position to the wall AfO had slammed against. The red aura that had covered AfO slowly subsided and Hermann now knew what approximately had happened. Everything besides AfO''s actions had been an illusion that the other minions were now slowly snapping out of. Perhaps he had recovered faster because of his relatively high Int stat? Allmight had entered and punched towards the distracted villain the resulting shock wave blasting the villain away and destroying the illusion.


    Although this had helped him now the situation just got a lot more difficult. How would he manage to implant the cells? How would he gain enough time to leave? Many questions but not enough time for exact planning. The near future shrouded in mystery Hermann prepared himself for the difficult battle and retreated a bit to observe the situation.

 Chapter 54 - How can there be even more pain?

    Author''s Note: Sorry that you didn''t hear from me for a while but I had to work on an oral exam relevant for my finals and write a few applications. In the next few weeks however my schedule should be relatively clear so I can write a bit more.


    As soon as Hermann noticed that AfO had noticed the identity of his new opponent he activated his stealth ability and tried to escape through a few holes in the walls trying to gain a few minutes in order to gain the AfO-quirk. Jumping through he encountered a barricade of heroes that tried to protect the civilians behind them from encountering any threat from the fights inside the factory as well as stop potential escapes.


    Quickly Hermann jumped next to the wall which was blackened by the shadows that were being cast by the still rising sun. Although it was almost nonexistent it seemed to be enough to hide him for a few seconds of hiding. Now the question remained how he would achieve his goal the fastest way possible. Until suddenly¡­


    H: [Hey System...]


    H: [I believe I have found an easy solution.]


    H: [The finger just like every other part of the body.]


    H: [How about you stop interrupting me and I will get to it. So where were we?...Oh yeah! Clumps of cells. That means that I should be able to separate them within my inventory. Not only that but once they are separated and I am able to open up exits of my inventory in a radius of 25 meters I should be able to open up miniature portals inside my body that can insert a single cell inside my body which will fulfill my requirements. This will be way faster compared to copying a cell and putting it in my bloodstream.]


    As soon as he heard the evaluation he went ahead and executed his plan. Within a second it was completed and stinging pain began to assault his brain as his cells changed, causing him to almost be detected as his Sneak skill began to deactivate as his concentration switched to his pain.


    After close to thirty seconds during which weaker heroes tried to chase away the observing crowd all while keeping a close eye on the fight between the strongest people known to them inside the factory. Hermann was convinced that outside of Japan even stronger quirk users should exist that weren''t registered or simply not being talked about nationally. Leaning closely to the wall he tried to relax his body which was still hurting after the new skill had been fused with his body. Closing his eyes he waited for the pain to slowly disappear as his passive Energy&Matter creation repaired any damage done to his body in the past moments.


    Meanwhile inside factory Allmight and AfO had already clashed multiple times, trying to gauge the true strength of their opponent without reveling their own true capabilities. Shortly after the moment Hermann had begun to rest outside after gaining his new skill the two also stopped their game of cat and mouse with AfO beginning his usual tactic of taunting. Contrary to the small kid in armor Allmight was a well known person and thus AfO knew much more about him.


    AfO: "If it isn''t everyone''s favorite hero Allmight. Did you come to fail at the same task as your predecessors? Oh how I loved their screams of despair and their realization of their own incompetence. Have you come to entertain me in the same way?"


    The smile that always adorned the face of Japan''s greatest idol seemed strained now and his eyes blazed with hatred, a sight that hadn''t been observed by the public that merely knew him as a gentle but powerful individual. With a voice that seemed as restraint as his impulses to punch the villain who was also responsible for the death of his mentor he said:


    Allmight: "Surrender and go to prison or feel pain through my fists. This is your choice now but be quick."


    AfO merely laughed and with a mocking smirk he gazed at Allmight.


    AfO: "Do you truly think you can defeat me? But since you want me to choice options I think the best and most logical outcome would be my freedom and your leave in a body bag."


    With that their fights resumed but this time they didn''t hold back anything and slowly the factory began to fall apart following their rampage. The heroes outside tried to push the crowd back even further while trying to stop the flying debris from the fight that were threatening the people and buildings in the surroundings. When Hermann finally felt that he had rested enough only a few chunks in the corners were left standing while the rest had been destroyed by various means. As he observed the destruction in and around the obliterated factory Allmight decided to speak to him as he had suddenly reappeared after he had vanished after Allmight had attacked on AfO.


    Allmight: "Who are you? Friend or Foe?"


    Hermann answered¡­

 Chapter 55 - So if I stand in front of a speeding car...

    Author''s Note: Hello there everyone! I''ve been stuggeling for the past few days, debating how I should finish this part of the story as I wanted to give a wonderful conclusion. So as I sat down and wrote for many hours, contemplating I came up with this. i hope you will be satisfied. I already planned for the next so stay excited for more. With that I wish you a lot of fun with the following 2k words :).


    H: "I can tell you that I am AfO''s enemy. As long as you do not stop me from fighting him I won''t attack you. Is that enough?"


    With a judging gaze Allmight observed the short and armored individual in front of him.


    Allmight: [Either this person is a child or a petite lady with no assets. Regardless I am sure that I can deal with the outcome. Despite that I should continue to observe it carefully.]


    Meanwhile Hermann was having a short discussion with his system.


    H: [Aren''t you a quest giving system? If I have nothing to gain then give me a quest.]


    H: [I have the feeling that you are getting lazy. You don''t even bother to give specified rewards now.]


    H: [So you give the rewards based on my wishes and behavior? How fascinating. Then as a reward I want to specify the lottery ticket]


    H: [Then I want to specify a certain category from which possible rewards can be chosen.]


    H: [OK.]


    Tuning back in to the fight he saw a quite peculiar sight. All three of them simply stood around in the shape of a triangle while trying to figure out how to cope with this situation. Before he continued his internal conversation he made sure to raise his shield even higher while trying to make his movements seem as pacifistic as possible. When he allowed the system to continue their talks it immediately decided to question his intentions behind all of his previous actions.


    H: [For the first part you have never even tried to scam me (although the prices on information was awful) and over the last years I have decided that you seem to be reliable enough to not shoot me in the back at every give opportunity. As for the second question see it as me repaying the debt I owe to Allmight for taking me in and training me by killing the strongest known evil since I believe that he wouldn''t find anything more valuable than removing such a powerful antagonist.]


    H: [Wrong! This is purely a rational decision and I hate owing people something.]


    Luckily Hermann wore a helmet that hid most of his actions and expressions which didn''t allow the other two combatants to observe his face. To them he seemed as focused as he had always been.


    Finally Hermann decided that it was time for him to leave and so he decided AfO with everything he got. After quickly bashing with his shield he followed up with a stab to AfO''s lower body who had already jumped back to avoid the shield bash causing both attacks to miss. Hermann slowly began to circled towards the right for what seemed to be an attack aimed at AfO''s side. Seeing the opportunity Allmight decided to join by going left around AfO and blocking possible escape routes as well as restrict possibilities to evade Hermann''s attacks.


    As Allmight had already been a hero for a long time he decided to play a more supportive role which would allow him to conserve energy in case the armored individual might turn against him as well as allowing him to observe their fighting style. Additionally with his experience he could immensely improve their chances of winning.


    Delivering a strong punch towards AfO''s back he succeeded and managed to force AfO forwards towards Hermann. Stumbling due to the surprising blow from the back he staggered towards Hermann who delivered a strike with the lower rim of the shield which caused AfO to fall to the ground.


    H: "You''ve been hit by!..."


    He raised his sword and slashed downwards, decapitating AfO who was still in a state of shock. How could this have happened? Why did he freeze up and stop all of his actions? Why didn''t he use his quirks to protect himself? Was he really that afraid of death? With a self-mocking smile on his face AfO died.


    H: "...You''ve been struck by! A smooth criminal!"


    Following this he began to laugh like crazy. The absurdity of the situation had just been to hilarious. One of the greatest warriors had just died because someone had pushed him a little. Truly a spectacle. With this action today had become one of his best memories. They had fought for some time and he had been pushed around but his enemy had died simply by practically stumbling into his sword.


    Still laughing Hermann began to focus. After all five seconds was all he needed. He closed his eyes and hoped for no interruption. Allmight had looked shocked beyond belief so he didn''t he would try anything troublesome.


    One second passed.


    Two seconds passed without interruptions.


    Three seconds passed and Hermann could feel a tingling throughout his body.


    Four seconds passed and Hermann felt the sensation increase as well as some pressure through his helmet. Ignoring everything he decided to focus fully the complicated process.


    Five seconds passed and Hermann opened his eyes only to see a clear blue sky only lightly sprinkled with white fluffy clouds. The sun still shone directly above him. Strange. His helmet had limited his vision to attacks towards the top. And why did he hold his head towards the shy?


    Looking down he saw Allmight holding his helmet in his hands looking at him with a shocked expression. Hermann was curious. What might he feel at this moment. Disappointment? Betrayal? Simply Sadness? Regret? Looking at him expressionlessly Hermann stored his equipment in the inventory and extended his right hand.


    H: "Would you please hand back my helmet, father? That would be much appreciated."


    H: [System why am I not teleporting?]


    H: [Fine. How long?]


    Sighing as he lowered his head for a second before looking back at the man who had raised him for many years. Finally Allmight gave back the helmet with a face where the shock of the revelation slowly began to fade only for the helmet to instantly disappear into the inventory once it touched Hermann''s hand. Taking a deep breath Hermann decided to make it short as not much time was left.


    H: "I guess it''s time to say goodbye."


    Allmight: "Goodbye? Why would we?"


    H: "I have repaid you for your care and all the interesting memories we made."


    With that he gestured towards the decapitated head on the floor of the battlefield that had come out roughly unscathed besides a few trenches from air blasts or sliding and a few holes where people had stood before the punched as strong as possible.


    H: "Now there is not much time left as I have already completed what I sought out to do. With that I wish you farewell. I would have loved to talk about our ideology but my time has come."


    Allmight: "But...how? What? I don''t understand! You still are apart of my family! You are my son!"


    With a quick chuckle Hermann replied:


    H: "Perhaps it is for the best that you do not know. But I can promise you that you will never see me again. And I truly enjoyed my time as your son. It was quite pleasant."


    Suddenly he heard something far away coming towards them at a fast pace. It was quite unusual as it seemed to far away to be noticed under normal circ.u.mstances and although he could not perceive with any of his senses he still somehow knew it was coming. A strange melody seemed to accompany it but as it drew closer he began to understand it as it got clearer and louder.


    ???: "...my mind. There''s a flashing in my eyes. Don''t you see my commission?"


    H: [What is this? Where have I heard this before?]


    ???: "...The nation has gone running again. ..."


    The system seemed afraid as it answered in a shaky voice


    ???: "¡­Can''t you see now?..."


    H: [Why would I be dead? What is this?]


    ???: "¡­Illusions,..."


    ???: "...Right into your mind. ..."


    ???: "...Deja vu!..."


    At this moment various cars, trucks, tanks, vans, bikes, buses, carriages, rickshaws and more come from the roads all around them while planes of all shapes and sizes came dropping from all sides towards them, leaving no room for escape.


    H: [Why are they here? What do they want?]


    H: [So it didn''t kill me previously because I just wasn''t worth the effort?]


    H: [What about other world wills?]


    H: [Yeah I''m truly proud of it. It really outdid itself today]


    Suddenly between the wall of vehicles he could make out the shape of the ever annoying kid that watched excitedly and seemed to write something in a small booklet as fast as possible.


    H: [Should we scan him?]


    Name: Izuku Midoriya


    Age: 10 years


    VIT: 6


    STR: 4


    DEF: 5


    INT: 8


    WIL: 10


    STA: 4


    LUK: 100


    - Pain Resistance Lv.12


    - Punching Lv.1


    - Running Lv.5


    H: [Well this is disappointing. Some of those stats are really low even compared to a civilian. And he has almost no skills that would help with fighting. How pathetic.]


    H: [Holy...What is this? No wonder he always succeeds somehow. Do all protagonists have luck on that level?]


    With that he faded from the world, leaving only crashing vehicles behind. Allmight had strangely evaded most of them but a splinter that shot of the crash site in front of him pierced his stomach on his left side, leaving a deep wound, considering Allmight''s natural resistance it was truly a strange occurrence.

 Chapter 56 - Fantastic worlds and where to find them

    As soon as everyone in the My Hero Academia World saw Hermann fading he himself saw an entirely different thing. From his point of view he seemed to be entering hyperspace but instead of uniformly colored rays he saw a wide array of all colors visible to man. Finally his field of vision began to clear and what he saw confused him to no end. Surrounding him from all sides were spheres of all sizes, colors and clarity within a black fluid like substance where he was also located in. Turning back he noticed that he had also come from one of these spheres but it seemed to be strangely murky and it''s content was no longer visible.


    H: [So if world is clear then everything is ok and if it is murky it is chaotic?]


    Hermann observed the spheres more closely and indeed some seemed to be moving with some moving faster compared to others.


    H: [Why are they spheres? What is this black fluid?]


    H: [OK? So how do I move in here?]


    After a few small problems at the beginning Hermann quickly got the hang of it and began to search for a large cl.u.s.ter which provide him with unaltered worlds. If possible he wanted to enter a copy of an original world which would work best according to previous explanations.


    Soon he found a large cl.u.s.ter and began to approach the clearest world he could make out. The almost perfectly clear snow globe like world revealed a world relatively similar to his original with forests, lakes, rivers, oceans, desert and grass lands. Contrary to his however the icy regions of the world were much more extensive compared to his own home world. Before he entered though he decided to ask his system a few things beforehand.


    H: [What will happen with the world will this time? How can I protect myself and my familiars from it?]


    H: [Are all world wills the same?]


    H: [OK so no Murky ones for the beginning. Got it but before we go in there show me my status.]


    Name: Kaiser (Formerly known as: Hermann Kaiser)


    Titles: Assassin, Craftsman (Beginner)


    Age: 10 years at present (26 total)


    VIT: 89 (+10)


    STR: 78 (+5)


    DEF: 81 (+5)


    INT: 71


    WIL: 57


    STA: 70 (+15)


    LUK: 29


    System points: 453 598


    Unused Rewards: System Lottery Ticket + unspecified Reward


    Inventory: Sword of the Beginning (equipped), Shield of the End (equipped), Demonic knightly armor (equipped)


    - ??? Energy&Matter Manual (Stage 3: Basic External)


    - Energy&Matter Creation Lv.25


    - Energy&Matter Control Lv.25


    - Copy&Paste Lv.MAX


    - Multidimensional Travel LV.MAX


    - Observation (internal) Lv.23


    - Observation (external) Lv.22


    - Pain Resistance Lv.13


    - Sneak Lv.20


    - Energy Enhancement (internal) Lv.17


    - Energy Coating Lv.10


    - Beast tongue Lv.MAX


    - Perfect Body Lv.MAX


    - Martial Arts Lv.23


    - Knife Mastery Lv.10


    - Swordsmanship Lv. 21 (+5)


    - Punching Lv.25 (MAX)


    - Kicking Lv.25 (MAX)


    - Running Lv.34


    - Climbing Lv.22


    - Tailor Lv.10


    - Enchanting Lv.12


    H: [Nice. Can I transfer my Energy&Matter Creation Skill to my familiars?]


    H: [Didn''t I already fuse it into the Perfect Body Skill? Can''t I just transfer this one?]


    H: [Fine. Fine. Only this Skill and then I will wait with giving them additional Skills until their soul has grown enough.]


    Following that Hermann activated his Skill and granted each one of his servants the passive creation Skill which was at Max and would ensure that would never need to fear hunger or thirst or crippling injury with both Adapt&Improve and this new Skill. Following that he decided this was his opportunity to use his ticket.


    H: [I want to use the ticket and use my unspecified reward to restrict it to system upgrades]


    H: [Just do it!]


    H: [Perfect. I think we are done for now so let us set out to explore this new world. Who knows what we will find!]


    With a slight smile on his face Hermann moved a bit closer towards the sphere before he was suddenly sucked towards the center of the sphere.


    H: [Good. Contact the world will!]


    After a moment of flashing light he appeared before a small glowing orb that began to pulsate, sending various different ripples though the space between them. When he looked around he simply saw a dark cube like room only illuminated by the dimly glowing orb.

 Chapter 57 - Its a brand new world

    Author''s Note: Hello there Ladies and Gentleman! Before we start I would like to inform you that in this chapter I tried a new writing style in which I decided to integrate the spoken words more deeply into the narrative. Please tell me your thoughts on this.


    When they stood before the shining pulsating orb the System as promised began to oversee the mediation between both parties


    Knowing that this discussion would decide over the quality of his stay Hermann was prepared to be as friendly as possible. With a wide smile he replied: [I thank you for accepting my wish to bargain.]


    The system began to reply to him, translating the messages of the world will to Hermann.


    With an even wider smile Hermann answered: [As you seem like a world will that seems pleased by experiencing entertainment I thought that it might be more interesting for me to watch my actions without knowing me fully to find the maximum entertainment in watching my actions. Is that not the case?]


    When the system relayed the message to the world will the orb seemed to glow even more brightly, sending even stronger pulsating waves throughout the room. Finally the System decided to translate back to Hermann.


    Only at that moment did Hermann realize that he no longer had a body and was instead a vaguely humanoid shape of light which housed many smaller shapes inside him. It seemed as though the three shapes inside roughly occupied a third of his soul. He decided on asking the system about the current status. [Hey system why am I only present in the form of a soul? And the fact that three souls cover a third does that mean that I can contract only 9 beasts?]


    [True. What about my second question?]


    [Sounds painful.]


    [Sure. I''m not THAT stupid. Now let us focus on the terms necessary for my stay in this world.]


    [What about my passive creation skill which is not only present inside me but also inside my companions?]


    [Is this a hotline?]


    [Good. I will accept these conditions as long as you agree to mine.]


    [First of all, all of my familiars will be reborn in the strongest possible form for them. Should that not be immediately possible then give them something that will allow them to reach that point. Additionally I want all information about the energy present in this world and how to manipulate it as well as a sample. Before I state my third condition I need to ask a few questions.]


    [Is your world of magical nature or does it simply possesses technology as the only thing to alter the power of individuals]


    [Which means it is impossible to ask for an ability which will allow my companions to alter their size from their current and possible future larger forms to a smaller form that they possessed when they were little?]


    At this Hermann grimaced and replied:


    [Then I simply want all knowledge about the technology of this world from it''s very beginning until the present day]


    Suddenly Hermann began to laugh and through the chuckles he mentally replied to his system


    [There is always something to gain. Even in my two previous worlds I was unable to learn most of it so I only have something to gain.]


    [Can you even grant me that?]


    is only so much I am allowed to do and knowing future events is not in my power. I could however give you a continuous update on development if that is what you seek?>


    Suddenly the system paused the discussion to explain the reason for this as that was it''s purpose. To answer the questions of it''s user and support him in all matters to the best of it''s ability.


    [Thank you.]


    Now the system continued with the translated message.


    [That is fine by me. Anything else?]


    [You mean Energy Enhancement and my Energy Coating Skill?]


    [I want to enter this world at the age of ten at the very least]


    Once more it seemed as though the system had other plans


    [Fine. Eight years.]


    Now the world will wanted in on this.


    [Six. I won''t go much lower.]


    [Fine. At this age I can at least do something without constant supervision.]


    Skeptical Hermann narrowed his eyes at the glowing orb in front of him.


    [Special event?]


    [OK. Whatever. Let''s do this.]


    [Bye]


    With that Hermann vanished from the room and his sight blurred and became black.

 Chapter 58 - Discovering a new element

    Before Hermann could open his eyes he already received a message from the world will.


    As I have said before this world doesn''t have magic and because of that the strength of humanity is much lower compared to where you came from. Because of that the boost you would receive at the age of ten has been canceled in this world but not lost. In exchange I decided to invest your favor in something you will most likely come to enjoy. Have fun!


    Annoyed, Hermann began to grid his teeth. [How can she do this without my consent?! Why?]


    Contrary to him the system didn''t seem to be surprised about the situation.


    Still displeased Hermann began to open his eyes, wanting to know about the situation on the outside. When he tried to raise his head he noticed that he was too weak to even lift his head for a long period of time. With great difficulty he tried to look around and call out to someone but all that came out of his dry throat was an unidentifiable grunt.


    From somewhere outside the room he heard the sound of something crashing followed by the sounds of hurried footsteps. Shortly after, somewhere behind him the sound of a door opening was heard and the footsteps came closer. Before he could even attempt to turn his his head around he was enveloped in a crushing hug while a young, dark skinned, long black-haired woman was sobbing above his head, slowly wetting his hair and the shirt he wore. Even if he had wanted to free himself he wouldn''t have the strength to do it. Then the beautiful women between her sobbing cries began to talk to him in a shaky voice.


    "I''m so glad you are alive my dear son. I don''t know what I would have done should you have died." Then she began to laugh though the tears still steamed down cheeks, dropping on her old and faded dress where still beautiful light yellow patterns were visible. "Just wait ''till the rest of the family hears about this. I''m sure that all will be very excited". After that she carefully placed his head back into the pillow behind his head and once more covered him with a woolen blanket before carefully siling beside him, holding his hand while caressing the back of it lovingly with her thumb. Her tears had now dried and only a radiant smile remained like a meadow in spring after a night of rain which made her look even more beautiful.


    At this moment after encountering this unexpected scenario he felt deep within himself a slight change in the fog which still covered his emotions. As he closer his eyes to focus better he tried to mentally charge at this wall of apathy which always stopped him from truly feeling with others, automatically forced into a role of an observer, silently watching the joy and pain of others without the ability to understand them. Because of that he wanted nothing more that finally be like the others.


    So as he charged and expected resistance like always he simply fazed through it. Confused he looked around until his system announced what he had achieved.


    [Yes?]


    Now that Hermann had done everything he had wanted to do he noticed just how weak, tired and malnourished his body truly was. Even his passive ability would need a long time to fix everything. Because of that he decided to go to sleep which he hadn''t done in a few years to allow his body to be repaired. The beautiful woman stayed at his side for a few minutes until some more clattering from outside the room caused the woman to hurry back outside. Not long after, just before Hermann fully drifted to sleep, he could hear the young woman shouting at a certain Theodore that shouldn''t play with pots or knifes and go back to playing with the wooden toys on the floor or play outside.

 Chapter 59 - Welcome!

    When he had fallen asleep he dreamed that he lived the live of a small boy named Kaiser. When he was little he had once asked asked why his name was so different compared to others in their District. His mother had answered that long ago they had come from far away and to honor their origins the ancient names of their family had been passed down.


    In the beginning of his dream most things were unrecognizable but as time passed the quality began to improve and he could observe everything in greater detail. Another thing that he noticed was the fact that many things or events were missing, especially in the beginning. A few unknown words, weird turns of events and much more made it difficult to understand the story. But over time everything changed.


    As he grew older he got to learn many things.


    How they lived trapped in isolation.


    How they were treated worse than farm animals.


    Just how much people suffered from sickness, hunger and oppression.


    Not long after his fourth birthday he had to help. Small tasks at first which slowly grew to be more complicated. And then it happened. Right on his fifth birthday he had picked up a small and wrinkly apple that had fallen of the trees in the large orchards. He had thought nothing of it. Who would fault him? It was only an old apple nobody would really like to eat and it would just rot away if he didn''t take it so why shouldn''t he put it to good use and give it as a small present to his older sister?


    Oh how wrong and naive he had been. Just when he walked out of the orchard as his parents and the rest of his family also went home the apple in his hand happened to be spotted by a white garbed guardian. Immediately the man grabbed him by the neck and began to drag him away from his family. His family seemed to protest but as it was a dream Hermann could not always comprehend what was happening inside it. His vision was sometimes off or he was unable to hear a few things but now after he had been dragged away everything seemed to explode with sensations.


    He could feel his quick heartbeat. Each sweat drop that ran down his skin. The growing confusion, pain from the grab and the fear of the unknown. Each second that passed now felt like minutes, hours, days. After he had been stuffed inside a small room he had been left there for a long while before he was pulled out again this time with an iron collar around his neck which was connected to a chain which one of the guardians held in his hand and used to drag him around.


    Slowly they approached a wooden platform which had been constructed a long time ago. Although it was cleaned daily it was always colored red somewhere. Red with the blood of many who committed any wrongs. His mother had always told him that he should stick with the rules. ALWAYS! But he hadn''t listened. Because of his sister. Because she had been hungry. He knew that his parents and older sister didn''t eat much in order to allow him and his younger brother to eat enough. That is why he had wanted the apple in the first place. To pay back what he owed. To give back something others had given him without even caring about receiving anything in return. But now he knew that it was over. Possibly. Because of that the platform was also called "The last stand" or the "chopping block" because few ever lived after going on the platform and the few that survived never walked the same way they had before.


    He remembered that one time when he had been even smaller and had asked his mother why some people on the "last stand" still smiled even though they knew they would get hurt. At this time his mother had told him "some people stand there because they cared about their family. They would do what they did wrong over and over again, regardless of the cost because this had been their only choice to make them happy". At that time he had been simply astonished and replied "But they could die? If they do what will happen to them?". His mother had smiled and simply said "For their loved ones they would gladly give up their lives. But heroes and legends never truly die. They will always be remembered by their family, friends and everyone else who witnessed them. They will ignite a spark of hope. A will to continue and to defy the world that wants to end your existence so badly". At that time he had not fully understood. Even now he understood only a few parts of it but it strangely gave him peace and hope. To not be forgotten.


    So as he stood on the platform bound to a wooden stake with shackles he looked at the many faces around the pole that looked up to him he could see many crying, desperate, sad and a few angry faces although these were hidden quickly else they would next on the "chopping block". When the guardians passed his judgment even more began to cry. 20 whip lashes. On the pack of a five year old boy. No one expected a good outcome. Even a few of the guardians seemed to be clearly uncomfortable but did not speak out. His head looked behind his shoulder to look at what was going on behind him he saw a relatively old man deciding on a suitable tool. Among a few spiky ones which he had possibly considered he picked up a long straight whip. Although Hermann was glad that the man had chosen a less terrifying one he still knew that he still could not evade his inevitable fate. Facing forward another guardian shoved a stick in his mouth on which he could bite during the process. To traumatized to even react properly he simply accepted this intrusion and unconsciously simply bit on it. Here on this very moment he remembered a few lines of a song his mother had sang to him when they had witnessed another brutal execution which all had to attend. "...when the world is calling you. Can you hear them screaming out your name?". Indeed he saw many he personally knew. The neighbors and their kids, the old lady who worked in a small shop closer to the town square which had sometimes gifted him a few leftovers, his parents friends and other people who worked with them from time to time. He watched them for the last time before closing his eyes, anticipating the hits.


    As he heard the snapping sounds and felt the first impact on his back he simply couldn''t help himself but to scream out and flinch from it. He almost let go of the stick but from watching former people on the last stand he knew that this was the worst possible outcome so he desperately bit on it again in order to keep it. Before he could clear his mind and somehow truly think about anything besides the pain the next one hit. The next few were even more painful as they also hurt the previous wounds, turning into a net of pain which constantly amplified. Not long after his fourth one he lost had already given up and his cries grew weaker as his consciousness began to fade. After his sixth he completely passed out. And never woke up again.


    At this point Hermann woke up, dripping with sweat, his mind filled with brutal images and feelings of nothing but pain. Panting he waited until he had calmed down enough before asking his system.


    [What was that?]


    [So that means that next time I have to start even earlier?]


    [We???ll see. But where am I? Why am I being treated like this? Can you tell me?]

 Chapter 60 - Today I dont feel like doing anything...

    At this moment Hermann was simply shocked. He was in a world were children were being sacrificed for the entertainment of others while their families have to observe their brutal deaths.


    Suddenly realization struck him really hard. The special event he had agreed on participating in must have been the Hunger Games. With most of his skills and the power he had acquired previously sealed he could only hope to grow strong enough before his time had come. When he activated his Internal Observation Skill he with great relief saw that no extreme scars had been left behind. As he had only worked with his Observation Skills to a limited degree and lacked much practice he would wait until he could properly walk again to examine the result of the whipping. Although this might raise some questions it greatly improved his chances of winning the games. When he tried to equip his armor, sword and shield his system simply told him that those items as they contain otherworldly powers had been taken away the the world will in order to ensure a fair competition. Dissatisfied and disappointed Hermann closed his eyes once more and drifted back to sleep.


    The next time he woke up it was much more unpleasant. This time the person who seemed to be his mother had shaken him awake forcefully. There were more people present this time besides his mother, based on the memories he viewed one seemed to be his father while the other one seemed to be his uncle. According to the memories his grandparents and aunt had passed away a few years ago in a year when they had lacked a lot of food after a dry summer had reduced the harvest by a lot. His uncle had never really recovered from it and had not married afterwards and when looking at his age now he probably never will again.


    Now all of them looked at him worriedly. His mother held a warm bowl of soup which she carefully placed on a small bedside table next to him. Now that he had gained some memories he actually knew where he was. This was actually the room of his uncle but he had probably moved to the small mattress where Hermann usually slept. It seemed as though they all hoped for a good recovery and were willing to put his well being as a gravely injured child over their own. To Hermann this behavior was completely irrational. A family which didn''t own much to begin with would give up essential things for someone who might never be able to return what they gave him. Strange indeed. Yet...despite this irrational behavior he seemed to like it. He had to chuckle at the thought.


    When they saw his smile they seemed to be a bit more relieved. His mom carefully began to feed him the soup while his father and uncle watched. When his father watched him eat a bit before he went out of the room after he told the rest that he would look after the kids before going to bed. His uncle followed soon after with an almost identical excuse but his mom seemed to be to busy stuffing his mouth with soup to care about her surroundings. When he had eaten what seemed to be enough for her she finally began to speak to him and told him about what had happened today.


    His whole family worked in the different departments. His mother and older sister worked in the orchards over the summer and mostly took the smaller kids with them to better take care of us whenever they had to go. His father and uncle and older cousin, which he couldn''t remember before as he didn''t live with them anymore, switched between two departments. In the early morning and evening they took care of dairy cattle and between both shifts they worked on the fields where many different crops had been planted. While he listened and smiled Hermann already began to feel sleepy again but soon after they had finished talking his mother insisted to look after his wounds. To her astonishment they had almost completely healed by now although they had looked really serious just five days ago when they had last checked the injuries while Hermann had been unconscious. Confused she shook her head, blaming her lack of sleep over their last few days and the bad lighting in the room for her bad vision and allowed him to go to sleep. Before she could even leave the room with the rest of the soup he had already went into a deep slumber.


    The next time Hermann woke up the room was empty. Underneath the closed door next to his bed a bit of light shined through, making him guess that he woke up in the morning while everyone was probably already off to work. Curious on how his injuries were he tried to get up slowly. Although he felt no pain when he got up his limbs felt heavy and his movements were off which he blamed on both being in a new body as well as having slept and not moved in a while. Step by step he slowly stumbled towards the door while supporting himself by holding onto the wall. As he opened the door with a few problems he was greeted with many rays of light that shone through the small windows of the shack. The room he seemed to be standing in was seemingly the combination of a living room and a kitchen area. The TV which stood in front of an old damaged couch was probably the only electronic device in the house as it was property of the government and a necessity in each household. Three more doors lead to different rooms. One belonged to his parents and another lead to larger room where he and the other children slept. The third one lead to a small bathroom and a small stairway close to the entrance shortly before the kitchen lead downwards to a cellar where they stored consumables and more. To avoid someone falling down from the kitchen they had put up a barricade with planks, boards and some branches and screwed everything onto the wall. Although it looked insecure it had been done pretty well and did it''s job.


    Letting go of the wall Hermann made his way towards the bathroom and when he arrived there he climbed onto a small stool to look at his back in the mirror. After he took off his shirt and the bandages he studied his reflection carefully. Across his back many straight scars crossed each other. I seemed that they had only continued until the tenth hit when they saw that he had already gone unconscious after the sixth. Luckily they had already healed and rose colored small elevations where all that remained. Carefully he traced each one with his fingers. In the near future they would turn white and accompany him for the rest of his life in this world. Hopefully they next reinkarnation would go much more smoothly.


    Putting his shirt back on he walked towards the couch and laid down to get some more sleep, this time for pure enjoyment as staying home alone was boring and the only thing they showed on TV was propaganda. Hopefully his siblings would return soon so that they could go and play. He couldn''t go out because he was still supposed to be recovering from his injuries so exploring around his house wasn''t an option. By now his Energy&Matter Skill had already taken care of the wounds and now provide much more to him, allowing him to now live without the consumption of food or water so he didn''t need to go eat. His body automatically recycled water so he didn''t need to go the toilet if he didn''t want to go. Already half asleep he wondered how his familiars lived. Did they suffer as much as he did? With these thoughts in mind Hermann slowly slipped deeper into dreamland.

 Chapter 61 - The great depression

    Sometime later he was woken up, this time not through strong hands that shook him but instead by small cold hands that played with his arm and pulled on the lid of his left eye. After pushing the hands away he opened the eye lazily and looked into the wide open green ones of a small boy with wild curly hair. The small boy grinned widely before running off and out the front door which he didn''t even shut properly. The sun had traveled far since he had fallen asleep and now shone directly into his face. Yawning he slowly he moved to a sitting position and relaxed his shoulders which had become stiff from laying in a bad position.


    A few seconds later his mother hurried inside followed by the small boy and instantly moved towards him. Although Hermann wasn''t an expert on reading facial expressions what his mother displayed was terrifying. Before he could even try to explain why he sat on the couch she had already begun to shout at him. Although he didn''t fully focus on what was being said he could discern that it something among the lines of "how could you do this to me?", "why are you not in bed?" and "stop being such an idiot". In the end she simply began to cry and hugged him carefully, quickly joined by the small child that also wanted to be a part of this. Despite the fact that she was crying Hermann felt warm, so welcomed and at home like he had never felt before. Perhaps it was because she was crying. Not because of herself but because she had been worried about him. Perhaps in this life and only in this he would accept this new name that simply wouldn''t leave him. If not because he preferred it over his old first name then at least out of respect for his new family.


    At that moment Kaiser noticed just how much he had changed. In the beginning of his journey he hadn''t cared for anyone but now he had already accepted a name which had not even truly belonged to him previously. Slightly chuckling at that he snapped out of his thoughts and hugged his new mother back. After all, where was the harm in that?


    When they had finished hugging his mother insisted on looking at his wounds. Now in bright daylight she could clearly see that the wounds had already fully healed and only rose colored elevations remained behind. Although she was shocked to the core she was too glad to truly care about his wounds had healed so fast. Perhaps the peace keepers had been lenient? Why would she care as long as her son Kaiser was alright and well.


    As soon as they had finished hugging the small boy grabbed Kaiser''s finger and began dragging him outside. He hurriedly followed the boy as the feeling of having his fingers almost ripped out of their sockets couldn''t be considered to be pleasant at all. After many times of asking the younger boy to slow down or grab his fingers differently Hermann gave up and simply grabbed the boys arm with his other hand to avoid any problems.


    The boy simply dragged him behind the row of shacks in which the greatest part of all people lived. Remembering the boy''s name Kaiser began to ask questions. "Where are you taking me Theodore?"


    The boy simply smiled back and giggled. "Surprise! The other kids and I found the spot when we could run around a few days ago. I want to show you!"


    Kaiser simply smiled back and allowed Theodore to lead him to the spot through a small forest area. When they arrived at another large road after they walked out between two backyards of another row of houses the followed the road until they stood before the entrance of the orchards which were guarded around the clock by peacekeepers. Theodore walked back behind the last house, back into the small forest that separated the two rows of houses. Now the forest was much different. Where previously many small bushes had blocked all visibility and obstructed their path now few grew in their immediate surroundings. Additionally the distance between both roads had greatly increased compared to before. Somewhere around what he guessed should be the halfway point the went back up towards where they had come from. Slowly they began to encounter more undergrowth and blackberry shrubs until their way was once more unidentifiable.


    Now Kaiser decided to speak up. "Where are we going? Did you forget the way? Should we turn around?" while he secretly thought [This whole things sounds like the plot of a bad killer movie]


    "No" Theodore replied. "This is the way. Two days ago we played hide and seek in these woods and Hazel ran into something interesting around here". Slowly he walked in circles until he found something that seemingly reminded him. "Where here. Look!"


    Kaiser walked forwards until he saw that a scratch mark had been left on a bush that was a tad bit taller than they were. "It''s a scratch. What''s wrong?"


    "No" Theodore seemed to be really excited about it. "This is THE scratch. When Hazel wanted to hide behind these bushes she slipped and wanted to hold onto the bush and scratched it. Now come with me." With that he went around the bush carefully while holding onto a branch of it. As soon as he was out of view Kaiser heard a sliding sound before calling out for him to follow. "Come! Just do what I did!"


    Carefully repeating the same steps as Theodore he stumbled down into a depression which was surrounded by shrubs. In the center of the somewhat crater-like depression a small hill arose and between it and the walls of the depression the kids had pulled a few long sticks there then built a roof with it. Underneath they had stuffed moss to sit comfortably as well as store a few beautiful stones, interestingly shaped twigs that could be considered to be treasures by children their age.


    A few things still bothered him and so he turned to Theodore who still looked fascinated at what they had built. "Isn''t it amazing big brother? That we found such a cool place because someone stumbled? Do you want to play with us here tomorrow?". "Why did mom even allow you to play here?" replied Kaiser. "Who looked over you?"


    Theodore still smiling answered: "Lobelia did. There were also others that went with us."


    At the mention of the name Kaiser had to think for a while. According to his memories she was around his age and would go to school next year, same as him. Although he didn''t know her that well he knew that she was very mature for her age although she sometimes still acted like the child she was. "Rue was as well". Theodore added. Kaiser was surprised. Rue was someone he knew more from what is told about her by the book and films than personally although he had the feeling that he somehow knew her mother. She should be one year younger than Theodore so around 2 years old. As their parents seemed to know each other it became clear why Theodore knew her. Their parents and older sister probably had told him to take care of her.


    For a while they stayed in that place until Kaiser decided it was time to go before his mom would get worried. As he helped Theodore climb the wall of the depression he turned around one last time. In one corner of the hill he saw something shining but he decided to examine it the next day as the needed to go now else they might spend even longer in the depression and his mother would have to search for them. When they arrived at home they, together with the rest of the family which had returned by now, began to eat after everyone had washed their hands. After his mother had nagged Theodore for dirtying his pants again as he had slid down the walls of the depression in a sitting position and dirtied his knee area from playing with things on the ground they all went to sleep although Kaiser now slept in the same room as his siblings while his uncle once more slept in his single room. After his Mary, his older sister, and Theodore finally decided to shut up and sleep he could finally shut his eyes as well.

 Chapter 62 - Digging in the dirt...

    Author''s Note: Hello there Ladies and Gentlemen!


    I seem to have succeded in my endeavor and I will be invited to work in the facility I wanted to work in for a day to test wheather it suit me or not. If it does then I will probably get the job. Luckily for you this job gives me a lot of free time in the afternoon and evening, possibly motivating me to write more chapters. So let''s see what the future holds.


    ---


    When Kaiser woke up the next day this time together with his siblings he carefully began to dress himself. His big sister still looked at him worriedly, ready to help him should his wounds open up again. Theodore seemed to have forgotten Kaiser had been injured at all and simply stormed out while shouting everyone who was still sleeping awake. When everyone arrived at the table and began eating breakfast Kaisers mom asked once more where he and his little brother had been in the evening. Yesterday they had successfully avoided it by pretending to be too tired to respond and Kaisers injured back, hoping that she would forget about it the next morning. Today however they had no excuse.


    Saying that they had been behind the house somewhere where Kaiser could get fresh air and recover better both successfully avoided any punishment although his mother still complained that Kaiser shouldn''t move to much in order to allow his body to heal further. Although his outer skin may have healed he could have retained more serious injuries on the inside. Because she had been worried this much Kaiser agreed to drink medicinal tee and accept herbal wraps around his back for at least 5 hours each day and whenever he went to sleep.


    However as he had gotten stronger and one was seemingly unable to take good care of him whenever he was outside ones field of vision as he would then proceed to do whatever he felt like with complete disregard for his injuries.


    When Kaiser left with his mother and siblings towards the orchards his father and uncle had long left the house. At the gates that separated the living areas from the orchards and other fields peacekeepers carefully kept watch. They were sorted into the groups in which they would work and when enough had assembled two peacekeepers would escort them to the right location. Today their mother and older sister had been chosen to work on the smaller fields instead of the orchards where they were responsible for the harvesting of blackberries. At the moment, as it was early summer, most the fruits were still ripening there but still many many things to do there and pick. The people in the orchards at the moment are mostly responsible for supporting heavy laden trees with forked sticks as long as they aren''t ripe to avoid branches breaking. Additionally they had begun harvesting apricots, cherries and nectarines.


    After having passed through several groves where different varieties of fruit were grown they arrived at the fields where the fruits grew in abundance. Everyone worked here, even the small children began to pluck the ripe berries and collected them in baskets and buckets. After about two hours the children which had to go to school left while the small children and older a.d.u.l.ts stayed. Around the same time the younger children including Kaisers younger brother began to run around and began to play. A few old women followed them slowly to keep watch. Now he knew how they could run around without any a.d.u.l.ts present, they simply ran faster than the old a.d.u.l.ts that were supposed to watch them.


    Deciding to follow them he ran after them, slowly catching up to the slowest. These were mostly the youngest and a few sickly ones that were older. Not long after they exited the gates while the peacekeepers simply watched them without any sort of worry, merely keeping an eye on them as it was part of their orders. The group turned left and entered the woods before slowing down. With the oldest ones in the lead they quickly made their way towards their newly discovered hideout. One after the other they slid down into the depression and began to play.


    In their imagination the small space underneath the branches they had thrown there transformed into the halls of great kings and queens where many treasures could be found. Righteous knights patrolled the realm and protected the inhabitants. Magicians and witches brewed powerful potions with mud and leaves that strengthened and cured many people. Smiths forged powerful swords from twigs and fearless adventurers left the safety of the kingdom in order to search for powerful materials.


    Despite all the chaos around him Kaiser did not join in but kept a clear head. Today he had come to investigate the strange thing he had seen just before he left. Opposite of the "palace" he found what he had set out in search for. In their great excitement the children seemed to have missed to look at this spot. Here a small piece of metal stuck out of the hill, although most of it was covered in dirt and rust a small piece was still clear. Perhaps someone had run over it, clearing it up. When he looked more closely and tried to pick it up he noticed that it was much larger than it seemed to be at first glance and most of it must be hidden within the hill. Quickly he stood up and walked towards one of the kids that had taken up the role of adventurer and gave him an order. "Hey there. I need a somewhat flat stone as wide as my hand or a piece of wood with similar qualities, the wider the better as long as it isn''t too unwieldy. "


    "That''s a difficult one." the boy replied. "I''ll see what I can do but it will cost you a lot."


    "What do you want in exchange?" Kaiser asked curiously "Is there something specific?"


    "I want something beautiful." the boy said "Or something that could impress everyone else."


    "Ok" Kaiser nodded agreeing to the boys wish. "I will find you something"


    Having an idea on what he wanted to give he ran outside. Walking around for a while he quickly found what he was looking for. A long vine of ivy that grew on a large tree. Grabbing a nearby fallen branch he broke it until it had a suitable size and began to somehow bash/cut off the ivy. After a few minutes of work he managed to rip it in two. Grasping the end that connected to everything that grew on the tree he began to pull until it snapped high up, falling down into a large pile at his feet. He carefully removed anything that grew away from the main vine, ending up with a long, straight piece of vine that he rolled up and began to carry back to the hideout. Halfway to the base he stopped and began to pull it after resting for a short while to recover. As soon as he arrived at the base he showed the vine to the impatient "adventurer". "Here is what you requested customer." With that the boy extended his hand and showed a large, flat stone. "It really wasn''t easy to find one so you better have something interesting for me."


    Kaiser grinned widely and threw the rolled up vine towards the boy "There you have the object you desired. A tool that can be used as a whip, to pull things and do many more things. It is perhaps one of the best and most useful things you will ever find. Additionally it is very durable and will serve you well. Is this enough?"


    The boy laughed and replied: "More than enough my friend. Should you ever need something else come look for me and I will give you anything else for free. This is way better than I expected. Until next time."


    Kaiser smiled and turned around. "Very well. I wish you good luck in your future endeavors. Until we see each other again I bid you farewell."


    Walking back to his new excavation site he began to dig with his new tool.

 Chapter 63 - The hunt begins

    When he began to excavate he noticed that the metal object was pointing downwards and went a bit sideways. Deciding to see the sideways part first, as it was easier to do compare to digging towards the center of the hill, in order to find out what he was dealing with. After a few minutes his digging revealed two metal plates connected to each other. Towards the top of the hill, deeper inside he found two additional plates that had been screwed orthogonal to the first two. The two upper plates were both placed in a symmetrical order, one on each lower plate, mirroring each other. Between both lower plates he found, after some more digging, two large pipes leading towards the center of the hill.


    Curiously he observed it even more closely. He somehow got the feeling to have seen it somewhere. Switching to more comfortable sitting position he went through all the information the world will had granted him. Before him in his mind he saw the development of everything that could be called civilization. From the first stone used to cut things, primitive tools, vehicles, metal working and much more all the way until today''s technology. Modern vehicles, large capitol buildings with almost countless integrated pieces of technology, weapons far more powerful than he expected, the list went on and on. In what must have been three hours he had mentally traveled through time and seen the history of mankind. The creation, the existence and finally the end of everything that had been built by humanity. When he now looked at the object in front of him, armed with the immeasurable knowledge he had gained he could quickly decipher what it was or at least make assumptions.


    What rested in front of him must have been a flying object which used propulsion to move itself. Because of the small amount of dirt covering it it must have been built in recent times. Extending his hand he grabbed the piece that was visible and imagined to pull it inside his inventory. Almost immediately the hill shrunk by about two meters making it loose almost all of its height. It really was a lot especially when considering that the hill was around 18 meters long and a bid shorter in width. The hall of hings fell and although a few people hurt their heads a bit most got away without any big injuries. The older kids grabbed the younger ones that stood to close to the still sinking ground and pulled up the slope of the depression.


    While everyone was retreating Kaiser stood still, close to the ground which was still ever so slowly caving in. As everyone stood opposite of him, busy with looking after the smaller kids who wanted to take a closer look at the strange phenomenon, he was watching something entirely different. He observed the object he had retrieved from within the hill. He simply couldn''t believe what he saw. Although it was badly damaged, especially in the front where it had impacted the ground and pierced itself deep within the earth, it was still very recognizable.


    A relic that had remained until his time, an old and discarded weapon of the capital, an aircraft of the Hawk series, the Artemis. In the time before the war between the capitol and the districts had ended and before the air defense system of the capital had been built the capitol had mostly relied on aircrafts similar to the fighter jets of his world to defend against other large aircrafts such as bombers etc which were sent by the districts. The Artemis model had been the fourth model which had been built for this purpose and also the last one. Few had been built of them and none were still active. After the capitol had defeated the districts and built their air defense system they had deemed the upkeep of the Hawks to be to high and unnecessary and as a result had stopped not only the production but also destroyed existing models.


    (The previous part is completely made up and I have found no evidence for this but also nothing against this so hooray for creative freedom)


    Today the capitol only used large aircrafts to deploy troops or drop bombs or perform similar tasks. Most research on improving flight had been canceled and the funds had gone into different fields the capitol deemed to be more important. Although a few plans and instruction manuals had been left behind, few still dedicated their time to these things.


    Because of these circ.u.mstances it could be considered to be a lucky coincidence that Kaiser had been the one to take it. Not only did he knew how it was built, he also knew how to operate it and much more. As soon as he had time he could repair it or even built it from scratch. Should he decide to repair it then he would need to invest a lot of time since various things needed to be fixed.


    Fist of all and the most obvious problem was that the c.o.c.kpit was completely destroyed and crunched together. He would most likely need to completely rebuild it. The wings had been pressed close to the body of the plane but it was easier to fix that. The tail was in almost perfect condition and the least amount of work would be spent on that. Another large issue was the rust. It would create a lot of problems in flight and didn''t look pretty at all so he would need to remove all of it.


    The one good point however was that it was almost full on fuel and only a small part had been used. Perhaps the rebels had jammed all signals in their area and managed to slam it into the ground or the pilots had more than just a few technical difficulties, who knows?


    Another fantastic thing was that the generators and similar equipment which allowed the hovercrafts to fly was still in good condition and that was perfect. This was the case because, contrary to ordinary hovercrafts which possessed one large circular hole that was used by the generators to give the hovercraft the ability to fly, his newly acquired Artemis model had two, one on each wing.


    For the speed for which modern hovercrafts used the two large jet engines on the side his possessed two in the center which were connected to the pipes he had seen between the tail.


    Sadly, what ultimately saddened him was that by being deprived of his creation ability he was currently unable to fix it due to a lack of materials and tools. Should he acquire these and get used to the feeling of handling them he could easily fix all the damage. But nevertheless he was rather satisfied with what he had found. After all everything that was essential was still in good condition and could be fixed easily if it even had to be fixed.


    Laughing he ran around the hill and joined the slightly disoriented children. After a quick talk everyone agreed to return to their parents and get back to helping them. Slowly the long line of children trotted out of the forest, through the orchards and to the fields where they spend the rest of the day playing, eating the food provided by the peacekeepers, which allowed the workers to stay on the field for the whole day without the need of going home to cook and eat, as well as helping the a.d.u.l.ts a bit with plucking ripe berries.

 Chapter 64 - Lord of the Winds

    After the day had passed and Kaiser laid in bed he thought about what he would do in the future and how he would proceed in order to grow stronger. Although multiple scenarios came to mind nothing could truly convince him and needed a lot of luck to succeed. Finding no answer to his questions he closed his eyes and went to sleep.


    ¨C Two weeks later ¨C


    When Kaiser and his family went to work today they were put into the group which worked in the orchards. Although most cherries had been harvested they had been put in charge to pluck the last few which remained. Due to his small statue he was able to climb between the branches without needing a ladder. And so while he searched around he came across a small bird. In the large sticky traps they used to catch small insects or birds which harmed the cherries, he found it struggling. Somehow the bird had managed to glue its feathers to it and trough its pointless struggle had only managed to worsen the situation.


    As Kaiser began to talk to it and assured it of his help the bird began to calm down and started to listen to him. After a short while the bird began to tell it''s tale. As it was a young bird it had seen the sticky traps as a great food source, as many insects had already been trapped in the glue, but when it attempted to fly away to the side, when it heard the humans approach, it had caught it''s wing in the trap.


    Although Kaiser was amused he managed to suppress his chuckling and disguise it as him clearing his throat. After that he smiled and offered to free the bird. The small bird gladly accepted and Kaiser carefully pulled the wing off by pulling the individual feathers off of the glue. When the whole wing had come off and the bird tried to move it. Although it tried it''s best many feathers stuck together or had broken during the struggle. Seeing the birds misery Kaiser decided to take the bird home with him and clear the glue off of the feathers as well as care for it as long as it decided to stay with him.


    The rest of the day the bird stayed perched on his shoulder and sang a few melodies it had heard from the surrounding workers or other birds while curiously observing the work or playtime. It didn''t truly mind the fact that kids wanted to stoke it''s feathers or simply look at it. As rewards every now and then the kids or a.d.u.l.t rewarded it secretly with a few cherries whenever the peacekeepers looked away.


    Once they returned from work Kaiser washed the bird with soap water to clean off the glue but much remained and only by cleaning it regularly or molting where the old feathers would replace the old ones, a process which was also necessary to get rid of the broken feathers.


    Once they had taken care of that the bird once again rested on Kaisers shoulder. After further investigation the bird turned out to be a male mockingjay which seemed to be a common bird in their neighborhood. Eating delicious food cooked by the a.d.u.l.ts Kaiser was in a great mood and after a few minutes the bird decided to ask him:


    "What is that name everyone is talking about?"


    Surprised Kaiser looked at him: "Don''t you have a name?"


    The bird, still curious replied: "No, never. Why would someone need such a thing?"


    Kaiser smiled and leaned back into his chair before replying: "A name defines who you are how others see you. It is the base of your identity and individuality. It makes you special."


    At that the bird looked at everyone, sadness within his tone as he spoke. "So everyone is special but me? I always wanted to be special too."


    Kaiser simply laughed and said: "There are many ways to gain a name. One option would be to receive a name from another which is the easiest. These names portray how others see you as, what they expect of you to become or simply what seems fitting.


    Another option, which would be more difficult would be for you to choose your own and make others accept it. Here you would find a meaning or connection to your own name yourself, thereby expressing yourself to your surrounding."


    The bird laughed which manifested as a trilling sound that filled the house with it''s wonderful melody: "I know nothing about names and I am very young", the bird said "but should you be willing to give me one then I would be delighted to hear what you would chose for me."


    "Very well", the boy replied: "then I shall name you Aeolus. It is a name of legend, the name of a king who ruled the winds as ordered to by the gods in these stories."


    Aeolus seemed surprised by the choice of his name. "Why would you chose this name for me?"


    Kaiser remained silent for a minute before answering: "I guess you could call it hope. Perhaps with time you might grow to fit the name. After spending a day with you I have decided to offer you a place among my companions. You seem trustworthy so I have decided to offer a place to you."


    The bird seemed to be in deep thought and only after a long while did it reply. "Although we have known each other only for a short while I quite enjoy your company so I won''t refuse your offer."


    Having heard the confirmation Kaiser used the soul aspect of his Perfect Body Skill to connect their souls, thereby binding both forever.

 Chapter 65 - EXPLOSION!

    Over the course of the next two years Aeolus constantly accompanied Kaiser and after some discussions with the teachers and principle he was even allowed to enter the classroom whenever he wanted and even sing countless melodies he had picked up all around the district. However, although Aeolus knew so many melodies Kaiser could always feel the unhappiness and envy in his heart that drove him to learn more and more. Wanting to help his companion to overcome these issues Kaiser spend many hours talking and spending as much quality time as possible with him to work things out but despite his best efforts he hadn''t achieved much.


    Today, almost exactly two years after Kaiser had met Aeolus something disturbing happened. Now at the age of seven he, like all other children born in his district, had to go to school after a few hours of helping with the harvest. In a few more weeks they would have no school for a while and help with the harvest all day.


    Shortly after their first break all electrical devices went dark which weren''t connected to a battery and a sound of something exploding could be heard rather quietly. Irritated their teacher moved towards the principle office after sternly reminding the children to continue with their work silently and telling them that he would return in a few minutes to check their work.


    Only a few seconds after he had closed the door to the classroom and the sound his footsteps had vanished all hell broke loose. Some tried to voice his opinion on what had happened while others began to panic and continued to ask about the cause of this event, raising the volume to the equivalent of a fully booked out, excited football stadium. Meanwhile Kaiser sat somewhere close to the window, somewhere in the middle rows and tried to look for the cause of the exploding sound. Somewhere, some distance away, he could see a small pillar of smoke rise to his right. Aeolus, who had evacuated from the classroom the moment everyone raised their voices extremely, mentally messaged Kaiser that he would go and find out everything. After around half an hour the teacher returned and everyone was naturally still busy talking, some even eating their food despite not having a break. Slowly after everyone had quieted down the teacher continued his lesson after explaining to everyone that the power lines nearby was broken and needed to be fixed by experts to work again. Perhaps a tree had collapsed on the line and ripped it apart?


    Of course Kaiser saw through the lie and what Aeolus told him soon after only supported his assumptions. A few people had blown up the central power line leading from District 5 to them, causing them to loose most power. Emergency generators kept the "most important" buildings like the garrison of the peacekeepers, the large storehouses close to the train station as well as the city hall and a few other, smaller and less important buildings. Additionally to the power loss the explosion had blown a large hole in the fence and strategically placed smaller portions of explosives had blown even more holes in it in many different places, some unknown to even the peacekeepers as their usual methods of surveillance had been totally destroyed after the attack. The sound of the smaller explosion had probably been overshadowed by the louder and larger explosion, masking most of the other ones.


    Although Kaiser found this quite interesting and entertaining he couldn''t help but question the reason for such things. What could be gained from this? He didn''t need to question himself for long to come up with possible intentions behind the attack.


    The many small holes in the fence would allow the people responsible for the attack to escape. That was the easiest part to understand. Although destroying the main power line aided with that he was sure that it hadn''t been the main reason. Perhaps they wanted to target other important buildings ad people to cause more chaos as long as the security was disabled? According to that line of thought the additional holes would be used to allow them to escape in case something bad happened which meant that they would be used as a backup.


    Although his speculations made sense he didn''t make the error to fully rely on them as humans tend to surprise everyone with either their genius out of the box thinking process or their stupidity.


    As it turned out shortly school ended in the afternoon after which he would have to return to his mother to aid her with work the latter one had been the case. The instigators of the incident had been caught trying to smuggle explosives into the city hall in a uniforms a few peacekeepers but had nothing prepared to prove their identity when they had been asked to show their ID. Under a bit of torture they had told everything they knew and everyone that had taken part in the endeavor had been captured. In order to celebrate the failure of their attempt to take over District 11, which had been their great goal, everyone would receive a free day from work with the opportunity to watch a delightful execution of all participants of the revolt in the evening at the town square (which was mandatory).


    Apparently the school had other plans and had quickly come to the decision that everyone would take part in a trip around District 11 to not only gaze at beautiful scenery but also visit the old battlefield in the rebellion against the Capitol. Although many were a bit disappointed that they couldn''t use the day to simply laze around and do nothing most were really excited that they would get to see the majority of the district with their friends especially when considering that most people were seldom allowed to move between the different zones District 11 was divided in.


    After Kaiser left school and walked back to the orchards and field with his schoolmates, passing the large guarded gates and fences which separated their living and common area from the production areas, he joined his mother and sister in harvesting the last remnants of cherries that grew on the trees. Feeling the warm summer breeze blowing through his straight long black hair that reached just below his shoulder blades. He closed his vibrant green eyes and simply relaxed. Although he had never felt as miserable and helpless like in this world everything felt so much more intensive and realer compared to his last world. Perhaps all this fixation on his training had truly experiencing his life to the fullest and limited him in a certain way? Perhaps his power had him look at everything at a different angle?


    Now that he was more like a normal person he was reminded even more just how fragile life was. The smallest mistakes could end it like frost a delicate blooming flower. Even though this life scared him a bit it seemed all the more enjoyable. Somewhat excited he looked forward to the trip they would make the next day. Until this day he had never really crossed the border between the zones and had been kept away from them. What was especially exciting to him was the question on how they would visit most of the district in a single day especially since he didn''t even know how large it was and only knew that it was one of the biggest.

 Chapter 66 - Final Boss Fight

    The next day Kaiser was thrown out of bed around 4 in the morning in order to not miss the excursion. It would take a long time until they would return late at night so he ate a lot and his mother packed him as much food as possible in preparation. Due to his abilities Kaiser wouldn''t need all of it but still had to pretend to be hungry in order to satisfy the ever-present watchful eye of his mother.


    Close to five everyone had arrived before the large school building, standing in big groups in the schoolyard. Kaiser, as one of the silent and introverted people stood inside the group where most of the other calm and quit kids stood to avoid the rest, keeping his thoughts to himself and only answering questions when he was directly being asked by people from different groups that walked around to greet their classmates and friends. Closing his eyes for a few minutes he began to inspect his private aircraft once more from all angles, constantly comparing it''s broken and partially rusted shape to the model and blueprints inside his memories. Although he already knew everything he would need to fix and even how to fix it, everything was only theoretical knowledge and he was still unsure if he would be able to fix it by himself with his limited skills.


    After what seemed like a few seconds to him he was disturbed by someone violently shaking his shoulder. Annoyed he opened his eyes a small bit and glanced at the cause of his interruption. Right next to him stood a child which was perhaps three years older than him. Before he even got a chance to ask for the reason why that child had ripped him from his own thoughts the child spoke: "Give me your lunch. Now!"


    Coldly looking towards the older child Kaiser remained silent. For a few awkward seconds a strange moment of silence followed. The children in the other groups had somehow managed to stop their loud mouths from spilling more shouting and screaming that assaulted everything in the nearby vicinity and curiously observed the situation in front of them while forming a large more or less round circle around the both of them. "Why should I?", Kaiser replied. "It is mine and with that it is up to me to chose with whom I want to share my meals, don''t you think so?"


    The older child seemed surprised at the calm and collected response. Perhaps he had expected Kaiser to break down in tears and give him whatever he wished for?


    "That wasn''t a question, kid!" the older child replied with a dark expression on his face while cracking his knuckles. "Either you hand me your lunch or I''ll take it from you on my own. There is no option where I''ll simply walk away."


    Sighing Kaiser walked towards the kid before pulling out a wooden box. Assuming that Kaiser was going to surrender his lunch to him he leaned forwards to grab it should Kaiser intend to put it away last minute. However Kaiser did neither of both things but instead kicked the older child in the balls before slamming the wooden box on the older child''s head. Surprised and shocked the older child fell to the ground, barely managing to protect himself from falling face first onto the hard stone pavement by landing in a strange push up stance.


    Slowly Kaiser walked over to the downed child and pressed his left foot down between it''s shoulder blades. Exerting pressure by leaning forwards he forced the child lie on the ground completely before calmly stating: "You are truly in luck. There are many who have died for less. In this moment I could kill you in so many ways, some more violent and painful than others. But as I don''t wish for any trouble to befall my family I will let you go today. I would advise you to correct your behavior or else ¡­ my hand might slip. Is that understood?"


    Although the older boy couldn''t see Kaiser''s face he somehow knew that the small child was being serious. Later he would laugh and joke about it but at this moment he was simply afraid. He gulped and replied quietly: "Understood. I won''t bother you again."


    Kaiser sneered and raised his voice. "What was that? Say it again. Louder this time. I could barely hear your voice over the sound of you wetting your pants!"


    This time the boy shouted: "Please let me go! I won''t bother you again! I promise!"


    Kaiser simply lifted his leg from the downed boy and silently walked towards the school building to sit on one of the benches that were located close to the entrances. The crowd parted before him, letting him through without any problems. As he approached one of the benches he saw two older teachers sitting on one of them, watching the events unfold. Although they said nothing he could still somehow sense their judgmental stares as he sat down some distance away.


    A few minutes later six large vehicles parked along the road next to the school. The rest of the teachers exited from them and began walking towards the school. Shortly after everyone lined up according to their respective classes and began to march towards one of the buses each. From afar they had already looked extremely large but from close up they were even more enormous. It seemed to be hovering slightly above the ground whenever it moved but now it rested on the street. Contrary to what one would expect from such large machines they were almost completely silent and moved quite fast.


    Kaiser was truly fascinated by them. As far as he knew these large vehicles were used by the military for mass transportation in case the trains couldn''t reach a certain spot in any way. He couldn''t wait to ask one of the teachers about them. Before he got the chance to even ask the question once everyone had been seated it was answered by the principal who talked to everyone over the loudspeakers. Apparently the trips where happening all over the district and to give every school the opportunity to see most of their home district the government had allowed the schools to use their special buses.


    A smart move in Kaisers eyes as it served as a good distraction for the explosions and chaos that happened the day before as well as being useful for PR reasons to worsen the relations between the districts by showing it on television.


    About two minutes after the principal had ended his announcement the buses began to move and soon they arrived at a large gate guarded by peacekeepers. They had reached the outer perimeter of Sector B2.

 Chapter 67 - Were in the Zone

    Before they had started the trip the teachers had taught them about the different zones present inside District 11. Most people lived in Zone B2 except for a few peacekeepers and the mayor who lived in Zone B1 where the city hall as well as a few warehouses were located. Zone A1 housed the a few power buildings as well as most other important buildings that were necessary to ensure the status quo and support the entire district. The train station and most of the warehouses were located within Zone C1.


    If one were to look at the district from above it would remind one of a game of tick tack toe with large walls and other fortifications forming the lines separating the individual fields. Kaiser and almost all of his classmates lived in the lower left corner of Zone B2 while the school was located closer towards the center. Their gate towards the orchards was actually just a small entrance to lessen the travel time between home and work.


    Zone A2 was completely covered in orchards while Zone A3 housed the large berry producing fields.


    Zone B3 housed most of the dairy cattle and large fields where grass and other plants for feeding the cattle was being grown.


    Zone C3 was densely covered with fields producing many different kinds of grain and other plants which produced edible seeds.


    Zone C2 produced most of the vegetables consumed in the Capitol and the Districts.


    Through all Zones lead a long road which lead from Zone A1 through A2, A3, B3, C3, C2, all the way to Zone C1 where most things were being stored and later loaded onto the train and transported towards the Capitol or other Districts. In addition there were also the "Cross Streets" which lead from Zone B1 down towards B3 and from A2 to C2. There was no other large road which connected the Zones with each other. This ensured that capturing all three important places one after another was difficult as there was only a small exception to that rule, this being a small underground corridor connecting the train station to the city hall which had been built for the tributes, VIP visitors or, so the rumors said, to smuggle illegal goods for the mayor and higher ranking peacekeepers.


    Now Kaiser and his classmates had arrived in front of the large main gates which lead from one Zone B2 towards Zone C2. As everyone pushed and shoved each other to get a decent look out of the window Kaiser simply remained seated and closed his eyes. Inside his mind his mental avatar exited the field which symbolized his mind, a large empty plane with a big cuboid structure which housed all of his memories and moved towards Aeolus''s newly added area.


    While the rest of the areas which stood for his other familiars were blurry and faded the birds territory was shining brightly. His territory was shaped like a large nest upon a long branch which extended from mist or clouds below, warmed by bright sunlight.


    When his avatar arrived at the border Aeolus''s avatar welcomed him and allowed him to cross the border between the individual minds. Once that threshold had been crossed Kaisers avatar fused with the one belonging to Aeolus.


    When Kaiser next opened his eyes his surroundings had completely changed. As he looked around he saw the buses from outside and the walls, the gate and other fortifications appeared much more clearly. Extending his wings he flew upwards and took a closer look. Although Kaiser appeared to be in control it were actually Aeolus''s own actions but their synchronization was so perfect that they felt like their individual wills were actually one, just like their bodies. After Kaiser had seen enough and enjoyed the sensation of flying he returned to his own body.


    The principal had apparently already talked to the guards, presented the necessary doc.u.ments and received the allowance to pass the gates. A few minutes later they once more started their journey around the district.


    As they drove away from Zone B2 where Kaiser had spent most of his life, which he had few clear memories of, and he looked back he saw quite a few holes that were being patched up. Apparently the attackers had deposited a few explosives around there to avoid having to go through the heavily protected gates. However, now that they had exited the city, the buses accelerated once more, leaving the large walls of the Zones behind. The teachers announced that their next stop would be in the corner of this district, close to Zone C1. Regretfully, due to the recent attacks they would be unable to enter all Zones labeled 1 due to their importance to the district.


    As soon as the announcement had finished Kaiser continued to study the scenery. Although the many different field I which vegetables grew were quite pretty to look at he soon lost interest and pulled out a few pages of old used paper which he had managed to acquire from a teacher as well as a pencil and began to draw.


    Slowly, as he reviewed what he had learned from all the gathered knowledge of this world he began to draw possible improvements for his jet. Lowered fuel consumption, easier maneuvering, improved ammunition and many other things came to mind and were engraved into the paper. Slowly he began to create an entirely new model although it still used his jet as a base.


    [This is how my aircraft has to be like. This is how I am going to build it.]


    Smiling he stuffed the paper back inside his bag and began to draw other things. Orion, Tiamat, Gaia and Aeolus. All of them were drawn in many different stiles and poses. Some jumping, resting, flying, slithering. The covered almost all of his pages. As he drew time passed by quickly and before he knew it they had arrived close to the forest while having driven on a small dirt path.


    They all exited the bus and after a bit of pushing and shoving close to the exit they all stood outside underneath the warm sun. Luckily it hadn''t rained else they would have stood up to their ankles in mud. Aeolus, who had hitched a ride on the roof of the bus, fluttered down and seated himself on Kaiser''s shoulder as the teachers began their explanation on why they had stopped exactly here.

 Chapter 68 - Gas! Gas! Gas!

    Author''s Note: A few days ago someone wrote a comment because I wanted to include this world and sealed the majorities of the MC''s powers to do so temporarily (can''t find it anmore, probably deleted) in which he stated that this novel would probably die soon because of that. As a response to that I will promise you that as long as you lot are willing to read this novel I will promise that I will do whatever possible to continue this novel and bring it to a great conclusion (I already have evil plans so I can''t abandon them no matter the cost).


    Besides that I wish you a lot of fun with this chapter! Enjoy!


    --- End of Author''s Note ---


    As they all waited in front of their buses their old and already balding history teacher Mr. Banks stepped forwards and began to address the large crowd of students in his usual monotone high voice.


    "Good morning my dear students. Today we stand in front of a large forest. You might all as yourselves.." at that moment Aeolus shifted on Kaiser''s shoulder and began to ruffle through a few of his leg feathers with his beak which startled Kaiser and caused him to loose track of the ongoing explanation. When he was finally able to refocus he noticed that he had missed quite a lot. "...and after that battle about a third of the capitols airborne units had been lost due to the fortifications but managed to kill more than 40 000 of the encamped. Even today some remains are still visible. Now if you were to follow me please."


    With that the teacher turned around and slowly made his way towards the forest, strolling on the dirt road which narrowed even further as soon as it entered the forest, eventually becoming just a dirty trail underneath the tall trees. About half of the teachers walked just behind Mr. Banks while the other half urged the students forwards from behind.


    Due to the narrowness of the path people could only walk in pairs of three besides each other, causing a long line of students to stumble along the badly maintained trail. Not long after they had started some already began to complain. Their feet hurt, they clothes had become dirty, they were thirsty, they had fallen over tree roots and rock and they wanted to go home.


    Annoyed by the constant complains Kaiser began to move to the front where the people remained much more silent which was much to his liking. Although they began to sing songs after a while it was still better than hearing constant complaints. Finally after close to half an hour of trekking through the forest the came to a halt close to a clearing in order to wait for the slowpokes in the back. That means the front. The people in the back hadn''t understood the order and simply continued to push forwards. It wasn''t until a teacher walked all the way to the back and returned that everyone slowly walked the last few meters until they reached the clearing and gathered in a large half-circle along the edge of the clearing.


    In front of them they could see what could only be described as scorched earth. In an areal close to four kilometers in diameter nothing grew. The ground had become partially blacked, a rotten smell permeated the air and the rising fumes and fog of the morass that laid before them burned in their noses. Long trenches filled with green and muddy water were visible, in straight lines they almost seemed to have been carved into the earth. Long wooden logs or planks, sometimes even rusted pieces of metal could sometimes be seen piercing out of the mud as if they tried to escape their eternal grave. Within this eerie atmosphere that made the onlookers shiver their history teacher continued his story.


    "These, my students, are the last remains I spoke of. As the Capitol used poisonous gasses and chemicals on the fortifications nature has never managed to truly recover this place, not even close to 65 years after the war has it begun to properly heal. At least a small bit of green already managed to return..." he motions towards a thin green film swimming on top of the water inside trenches. "When I was last here, around ten years ago, there was nothing here." After that he sighs heavily and after shaking his head he continues: " I hope we will not have another war like this. Not only did many people and their families die but also nature was harmed to such an extent. Let us hope that people will learn from the past."


    After looking at the morass for another few seconds, taking in the sad atmosphere he motioned towards the teachers and students. "Now let us return. We have much more to see. Go! We don''t have all day!"


    Grumbling and quietly cursing about their way back they began to move although everyone was glad they were able to leave this disgusting and smelly place for good. After everyone had returned to the buses rather safely (only about three people had managed to twist their ankles and a lot more had fallen and scr.a.p.ed their knees etc) and the teachers had made sure that no one had been left behind in the forests they drove towards the next locations.


    Over the course of the next few hours they moved to many different places and had seen a lot more things. More trenches, more ruined nature, more ruins of destroyed buildings where rebels had hidden, more ruined nature. Everything had a repetitive and pointless feeling to it. People rose up against the oppressive capitol and died, leaving the survivors behind to deal with even harsher conditions and even worse problems.


    The trip had been a genius idea by the Capitol. These kids would grow up to be loyal followers of the capitol. After all history had proven their superiority.


    After some time they arrived in Zone B3 close to the border to Zone A3. There they went to visit the ruins of a large rebel hideout. In order to preserve it as a memento for the future the Capitol had only bombed it with regular bombs before rushing in, killing the rest of the defenders. Because of this every part of the ruin could be visited. Because of that the school decided to let the kids discover the ruins in groups of three.


    In order to mix up everything they took one student from each class and pared them up with each other. In Kaisers group were two girls and two boys. He actually only knew one of the girls named Aster who was one of the oldest among them, being eight year old herself as well as and older boy by the amusing name of Snake who his sister apparently found to be super likable. The other two also had some pretty strange names, the girl being named Alyssa while he instantly forgot the other boy''s name. As he introduced himself with the bird on his shoulder they looked at him weirdly. Not only did carry a bird around everywhere but he also had a strange sounding name. Despite that they moved on.


    After they had introduces themselves Snake took over as a leading figure and began to walk around the ruins, everyone following behind him. Although Kaiser wasn''t very keen on following a boy named after a lying and deceiving creature he just had to think about his own little sleeping bundle that he had carried around everywhere causing him to grin and follow much more relaxed. Why should he cause trouble over such trivial things? What did it matter anyways?

 Chapter 69 - A boaring trip

    As Kaiser followed the group around without fully focusing on them as he was more interested in the layout of the ruins as well as talking to Aeolus. Quickly getting bored with his actions he closed his eyes and attempted to train easier synchronizing with his familiars in order to aid in future spy missions, in case he lost his vision in the near or far future or similar situations. After he had followed his group around corners without stumbling or loosing track of them they simply looked at him even more weirdly. Despite everything they still kept quiet about it and chose to ignore Kaiser''s creepy behavior.


    Soon Kaiser wasn''t the only one to be bored and the entire group soon sat down close to a few collapsed walls in the warm grass that grew underneath. Consuming a nice meal which Kaiser sharing a few pieces of his meal with Aeolus they rested for a few minutes, leaning onto the wall and closing their eyes. Meanwhile Kaiser allowed Aeolus to fly around until they continued. Getting sleepy as well he began to fall asleep underneath the warm sun''s rays with the wonderful smell of heated stone and grass and gentle winds causing his hair to tickle him from time to time.


    About 15 minutes later they continued with their expedition, Kaiser being woken by a few gentle pecks from Aeolus''s beak. Soon they reached the outskirts of the ruins. After all the ruins weren''t that large. With about 30 minutes left they decided to leave the ruins and sneak close to the forest that always grew close to the borders of the Zones. Seeing no problem with that kaiser decided to tag along since the teachers had not stated any punishments for leaving the premises. Actually Aeolus had long since reported that the teachers had surrounded the entire area and observed if anyone would try to leave.


    Curiously the group managed behind a few large elevations and with that successfully avoided the view of the already bored and distracted teachers for whom spending the time relaxing seemed to be way better compared to staring at ruins for more than a few minutes.


    Wandering through the forest the group made a lot of noise as they trampled over sticks and dried leaves. Cautiously Kaiser followed them with a bit of distance towards them. They were far to loud and he didn''t know what might be ahead of them and what creatures still lived in the forest. Although the books and films had introduced a few creatures that existed in this universe many probably hadn''t been mentioned or


    Kaiser didn''t have to wait for long. Soon after they had entered the forest they stumbled across a clearing which was covered in shrubs and bushes, surrounded by large oaks and beeches. Somehow he had a bad feeling about this whole forest but perhaps it was just his insecurity of not knowing enough. Unwilling to be totally unprepared he sent Aeolus to fly just below the treetops around the clearing to look for potential attackers.


    From one moment to the next everything changed. Where he had previously heard only the rustling of branches and the snapping of twigs caused by the recklessness of his group he soon heard much more. At first it was only additional movements of a few twigs but soon he also began to hear very low and quiet grunts close to him. Calling out to the group who by now also picked up on a few strange things. Walking to a cleared area where only a bit of small grass grew, barely reaching his knee in height. Soon the grunts and rustling intensified before a large group of boars emerged from the surrounding vegetation. They had been completely surrounded and their possibilities of escape were minuscule.


    Observing the boars closely he noticed that they were not only around 1,50 meters in height but also around 2,5 meters in length. They seemed to be live mostly carnivorously if the long bloody tusks in their mouths were any indication. All in all it didn''t seem as though they would be willing to let them go. "Just where did they come from? How would the district ever allow the presence of such dangerous creatures inside it''s border?" he thought out loud.


    "They must have entered through the holes in the fences!" one of the other boys shouted, "They would completely destroy the harvest!". On the way throughout the Zones they had seen many destroyed parts of the fence causing the secret of the many openings to be spilled. Now everyone knew about it.


    Slowly Kaiser began to open his inventory and summoned his oldest friend into his hand. His first weapon and trusted aid: his first knife. Because the boars were so large and had lots of thick fur as well as tough hide only stabs through weak and exposed parts might be able to wound or perhaps even kill them. Before anyone could react or move as they were currently frozen in fear. The hoard of boars seemed to be astonished by his actions, although they had lived for a long time and were experienced hunters they had never encountered humans before so they remained cautious.


    Evading a boar which had tried to pierce him with it''s tusks by ramming it''s head forwards he grabbed it by them and swung himself on it''s back. Surprised by the sudden addition of weight it jumped, allowing Kaiser to avoid the tusks of the other boars which had tried to free their companion. Laying flat on the back of the boar, while one hand held onto the tusk and the legs were wrapped around the flanks of the boar he gripped the knife in a reverse grip, stabbing downwards towards the face of the boar. After a few stabs he had managed to wound the snout, rip the ears and even, with some luck, managed to pierce an eye. Although he had succeeded in that regard he had only made it angrier.


    Switching into a forwards grip he began to stab the boar underneath it''s left leg by piercing from the direction the hair was facing, making stabbing much easier, now that the thick hair wasn''t getting in the way. Piercing the skin and flesh underneath before he pulled it out and stabbed again, just a few centimeters closer towards him. Continuing this the boar was panicking even more. No matter what it did Kaiser didn''t let go and while it jumped, ran in circles and kicked wildly it''s companions were unable t help it. Because of the attack most of the boars had begun watching the fight.


    When the group Kaiser had been with noticed that they instantly decided to make a run for it. As everyone ran away about three boars decided to chase them down. Kaiser who was still busy decided to hurry up and follow them. After all should he return alone he would have to be the one to take the blame regardless of what might have happened.


    Slowly the boar gave up, shook a few more times before falling. Before it could even impact the ground Kaiser stored the remains and barely managed to land on his feet before chasing after his group and the three boars. [Good grief...Why did I have to be the one with such a troublesome group], he though. [Next time I''ll just go and do everything myself and I won''t take no for an answer.]

 Chapter 70 - The consequence of breaking rules

    As Kaiser followed the tracks he soon decided to get a bit more serious. Activating his Sneak Skill to mask his presence he followed the boars in almost perfect silence. In the previous fight he had barely managed to get a warm up which is why he hadn''t really done anything special. Additionally he had noticed that although he had a few passive abilities which aided when fighting most of his damage output had come through his use of enchanted weapons. Now that he was deprived of them he had been significantly weakened.


    Displeased with his realizations he sped up and hurried after the boars and children. Although the four children had run nearly the same way back in the beginning they slowly began to curve back towards the center of the forest. Perhaps the boars had been faster than expected and forced them to turn back?


    Few minutes later Kaiser began to hear them. Loud and excited grunts, loud shouts and screams could be heard. Despite all of this Kaiser took his time and remained hidden in the deep shadows of the forest. Aeolus had flown up ahead to investigate the scene in advance and had reported that the kids had climbed up a tall and sturdy tree so Kaiser was confident that he wouldn''t need to hurry up and risk foolish mistakes. Slowly sneaking closer Kaiser hid on top of a few branches in the treetops close to the children, observing the situation more closely.


    After walking around the tree for a bit they seemed to have settled on a strategy. Two would dig out the roots of the tree while the final one would guard the children and his companions. After they finished digging around the tree they would probably attempt to destroy the roots to make the tree fall. If Kaiser wanted to free all of the children he would first need to kill the one guarding the perimeter in order to even get to the tree. Additionally he would need to do it quickly and as silently as possible as the boars had good hearing. Luckily with his skin and hair color he had a slight advantage in this terrain


    He had noticed before that killing the boars with the knife was quite difficult so as he sat on a branch he tried to look for alternative things he could use. Sadly these boars were most probably a kind of muttation that the capitol had released against the rebels decades ago. Similar to a few other species like trackerjackers and in part the jabberjays through the mockingjays they had managed to survive and established themselves in the wild. With the genetic alterations which the Capitol had made to their ancestors they had many advantages. Not only were they bigger and more resistant to attacks through tougher hide and fur but they also seemed to be much more aggressive and intelligent compared to their previous natural form. Kaiser''s greatest problem in dealing with them however was their size and his lacking reach as his previous fight had shown him.


    Frustrated that he hadn''t bothered to make additional, normal weapons or even keep other weapons in his inventory which would have aided them immensely he began to carve away at a few branches with his knife. He had gone against the one rule that any gamer with an endless amount of inventory space and no debuffs or penalties of any sort because of that had firmly rooted and treasured inside their heart: Loot everything and leave nothing behind, everything has value and might help you in unexpected ways.


    Before his disappointment in his own actions could grow any further he decided to focus on his newly created work. As he had mostly focused on the sad reality that he had forgotten to bring necessary equipment he hadn''t created anything impressive. Actually he had only shaved off a large portion of a branch from the tree he was sitting on. Right now he only held the branch in his hands as it had broken off after he had put some effort in his works. This gave him an idea. Should he get a few more branches, cut them in decent shape and sharpen one end then he could use them to pierce the eyes of the boars as he could make them have a longer reach than his knife.


    [Makes me feel like I''m going to hunt for vampires right after this. Maybe I should go visit Mexico?]. Chuckling softly Kaiser continued with the execution of his new plan.


    About half an hour later he had finished preparing four long stakes, each as long as his forearm. He would have continued to create a few more as spares in case he missed a stab but the boars had already dug out most of the tree roots and had already managed to chew a few off. Luckily for Kaiser due to their large size they had to dig up more to reach the roots with their mouths and due their large heads they had problems in getting enough room to chew on the roots because others hindered them. This circ.u.mstance had allowed Kaiser to spend bit more time in creating an additional stake which could work as a spare. Sadly due to their large size they had managed to damage the tree so much that they were now capable to knock over the tree. The children on top had already long given up on screaming after they had resigned themselves to the situation.


    Strangely the other boars hadn''t reappeared by now which was really weird but Kaiser was thankful for that circ.u.mstance. Had they reappeared by now this whole operation would have gotten eve more difficult. He himself could deal with the muttations but the others would surely die. After all even though he was quite weak at the moment he had been trained by one of the greatest and strongest heroes and although everything had changed now something had remained with him from that time. But besides this greater intuition and fighting abilities he had also gained something else. It wasn''t a feeling but something similar. He couldn''t describe it but it didn''t seem to be a bad thing. Perhaps once in a while he could act like a hero to others? As long as it wasn''t an inconvenience to him of course.


    Looking at his new weapons he decided. He would simply try his best. Just like he always had. No more, no less. Should he go down that path he wouldn???t be able to find fault within himself regardless of the outcome. Perhaps life was a simple as that. If you have no dreams, no goals then just imagine, decide on something you fancy and let life take care of the rest. One thing after the other, like a giant puzzle he would form his life. In the past getting stronger was the only important thing on his mind. It had served him quite well and led to a few adventures but now that he had found a few of his emotions he wanted to discover the rest.


    Grinning, without giving himself a chance to think more about the situation and waste more valuable time he climbed down the tree and approached the guarding boar carefully.

 Chapter 71 - The people looked at him with terror and with fear

    Arriving a short distance away from the boar Kaiser crouched down and prepared to sprint forwards. Luckily most of his passive skills which he had acquired previously had been left for him to use freely without any restriction. Due to this he could start his duels with a boost due to his Running Skill.


    Sprinting forwards Kaiser quickly arrived next to the boar. His enhanced speed along with his reflexes allowed him to reach to boar in no time. Before much actions could be taken the stake in his left hand had already pierced the boars right eye after it had turned towards him.


    Letting go of it he summoned another into his now empty hand and sprinted towards the next ones before he had even managed to check on whether he had even killed the previous one or not.


    Jumping upwards he used the old trick of a surprise mounting and began to jab the stake in his right hand towards the surprised boar. Due to the sudden additional weight on its back the boar had fallen down shocked and had ceased all movement and after the stake pierced it''s targeted area it didn''t stand up again.


    The last one, confused by the situation decided it would be best to flee and left the scene never to be seen again in the near future. After Kaiser ensured that the boar he was still sitting on had truly died he turned back to the boar he had attacked first only to find it missing with a bloody trail leading deeper into the woods. Deciding against a pursuit, hoping that it wouldn''t return at some point and literally stab him in the back when he was expecting it the least.


    Finally, with the greatest threat out of the way he decided to turn his attention towards his group which was still stuck on the tree, seemingly petrified by fear. Although one boar was dead and the others had left the psychological trauma of being hunted, knowing the certainty of death and everything else that had happened he couldn''t blame them. They were human after all.


    After a while during which he dragged the dead boar a bit further away from the badly damaged tree and waited for them to climb down he decided stop and change his approach. "Get down this instant! The boars are gone and if they return they will die. Follow me back to the bus!"


    As soon as he had finished saying what he wanted he turned away, tied vines around the dead boar and left towards the woods. Cries and the sound of feet hurrying down the tree followed and soon the other kids began to hurry after him. Desperately they tried to make him wait for them, to protect them and not leave them alone. Although he looked back towards them they stayed a bit behind him, about two meters behind the body of the dead boar. Although it was clearly dead with a large stake sticking out of it''s eye the were still fearful and were seemingly struggling with themselves.


    On one hand they wanted to follow him who was their only hope and shining light in their dark world filled with fear, on the other hand the object of their great fear laid right in front of them, the fact that it was dead was besides the point.


    Regardless, they followed. Satisfied Kaiser turned back around and slowly walked back the way they had came from. Because he had to take care of the children now Kaiser could only rely on Aeolus for scouting who continuously flew in front of them. Sometimes he would fly up to see if they were still going in the right direction and changed course whenever necessary. Because of the disaster with the large open clearing he tried to walk around it now. He should have known from the start. The predators always hide in the tall grass, be it felines or even raptors. Never again would he look at clearings with tall grass and bushes the same way.


    Soon after they arrived at the edge of the forest. From here they could now see the ruins. On the elevations which they had used to hide previously they could now spot several teachers keeping watch, frantically searching for clues. As soon as the warm sunlight hit the faces of the ones following Kaiser and they could see the large and open terrain they ran around Kaiser who was still deciding on a course of action all while taking head not to get to close to the boar. With all their screams of excitement and speed it didn''t take long before the teachers spotted them and hurried towards them.


    Teary-eyed the students just wanted to leave and go home to their parents. Preoccupied with calming down the other students they took a while before they noticed the calm and collected student who was one of the youngest of the bunch they first assumed he was still shocked. That was until they saw the massive carcass of the boar the boy had been pulling despite his small size. Some teachers were almost puking after seeing the stake lodged inside the head of the boar and the blood flowing from it. After a series of questioning they allowed all of them to rest for a while. Kaiser asked them to take the dead boar back with him as the reward for leading the students back outside the forest and after some debates with the headmaster he was permitted.


    Dragging the dead animal behind him Kaiser closed in on his bus. All kids were already seated in their own seats and were complaining about the wait. That was until they spotted Kaiser and his haul. Although a few were disgusted by it quite a few were pretty impressed and decided not to mess with him anymore. After Kaiser spoke with a few teachers and a guy from the Peacekeepers who had apparently driven with another bus to insure that the buses were only being used for their specified purpose he was aided in storing it inside the storage room of his bus.


    After that he entered the bus and was bombarded by hundreds of questions by dozens of students which screamed them loudly to be heard. Skillfully he remained silent and sat in his eat, staring outside. "Good grief..." he muttered "how troublesome". After that he remained silent and closed his eyes. Soon after they drove home as the search for them had taken a long time and so they didn''t have enough left to visit the rest of what they had wanted to see. Soon they arrived back in the city.

 Chapter 72 - Fury and his Slaughterhouse

    To say he surprised everyone would be an understatement as no one could have imagined such an outcome. When he arrived and began to drag the carcass home many people watched him curiously, whispering among each other and speculating about why this child was pulling a large boar behind himself. Kaiser didn''t doubt for a second that most people would come to hear about this in the next couple of hours and countless rumors and theories would begin to circle around.


    As soon as he arrived at home he was immediately assaulted with questions by his family. To avoid staining the house and hide the boar he had to drag it around the house where they hung it up to bleed out. One of their neighbors an old man who had been attracted by the noise outside promised to help them in processing the boar if they would give him one of the boar''s tusks as well as some meat. At first Kaiser was suspicious as to whether or not the old man would be able to properly take care of the boar but his parents ensured him that the man had experience.


    As soon as Kaiser and his family had agreed to the old mans price he began to work. Because of his advanced age Kaiser and his father assisted him to the best of their abilities. As they were working on it the old man praised the boar as he had never seen such a large and powerful individual.


    Before they really could start the old man told them to collect the boar''s blood in pots before setting it on the stove to cook all while one of them constantly stirred the pot with a large wooden spoon to get the white blood cells out of the hot blood. After the boar had been drained they skinned it and kept the hide which was still a bit bloody with a few chunks of meat at the side. Perhaps they could find someone in tanning later who would be able to make good leather out of it.


    Then they began to separate the parts according to their future use. Some parts to be turned into minced meat, some into steaks, a few other into bacon and much more. For each part the old man had an exact plan and with great precision he executed it.


    After a break in between where they had to go and watch the public execution as it was mandatory they returned and after a few additional hours of work they finished. The old neighbor took what he had been promised and had headed home followed by the well wishes of the family. This night they feasted until the last sun rays faded and they had to go to bed.


    As everyone had to go to work the next day they could only continue slowly with their work. After a day of search they had found a middle-aged man nearby that had experience in tanning who agreed to work on the hide in exchange for two tusks and a few steaks which they still had. Although it pained them to loose some meat, as something like meat was very rare, they agreed because Kaiser had half jokingly stated that he wanted the hide to be tanned and as the hunter they thought he deserved it.


    When Kaiser went to school that day almost everyone knew about what he had done, the people whispered about him with each other and got out of his way as soon as he approached. Listening to their whispers when he had some spare time he came across some interesting news. When he went to the toilet during a break a few guys who hadn''t noticed his arrival as the were inside the stalls were still chatting loudly.


    One of the guys who was located closer by the door was the first one Kaiser could hear. Apparently they had been talking for a while so Kaiser intruded when they were almost done. Although he found it weird to go to the toilet with a friend and chat casually there he ignored this strange circ.u.mstance for now and instead listened. "...But that was completely crazy. That boar had blood streaming from its pierced eye and that kid didn''t even batting an eyelash! Even most people that watched just this small part got sick and were close to vomiting but he didn''t care at all and stored it in a bus to take it home! The other ones that were with him are all at home and will probably go to therapy but someone in my class told me that the kid came today and didn''t look any different. He''s a psychopath I tell you! I hope I''ll never have to meet him. Imagine if he ever got angry"


    The other one was silent for about two seconds before replying: "That''s really crazy. One of my classmates, Aster, who''s the daughter of the mayor is in my class and I was wondering why she didn''t come to school today. Bu..."


    The first one laughed before interrupting the second kid: "Oh, you like her? Do you want to kiss her?"


    The second one reacted embarrassed and started to shout loudly. "Of course not! Why would I?" before quietly continuing: "But how did you know about the therapy part?"


    The first kid chuckled and replied: "Sure...I believe you. Not! But that aside one of my friends knows someone whose father knows someone who works with the mayor and overheard a discussion between him and someone he didn''t know. But it''s true, trust me."


    Sadly at that moment one of them got up, opened the door of his stall and walked a few steps only to see Kaiser leaning on the wall (which normally not advisable to do in school toilets for young children), glaring at him with a scowl on his face. Shocked the kid stepped back while Kaiser smiled coldly and advanced towards the child. Sweating and nervous as he was worried that Kaiser could have overheard the discussion he had had about him he tried to retreat which was cut short when his back touched the door of the stall he had just exited. Gulping he tried to find a way out as Kaiser was still coming towards him but stopped just about two steps away from him.


    For a second everyone was silent until the kid who was still taking care of his business carefully asked whether his friend was still present. The boy in question was still too confused and irritated by the situation and just stood still, seemingly petrified. At least that was until Kaiser decided to speak up. Or rather he tried as he was still smaller than the guy in front of him who was a few years older. "Move". After he had said this the awkward silence continued. As a result Kaiser tried again. "Move. I need to go". After saying so he advanced, shoved the boy out of the way and answered the call of nature.


    Besides that rather...bizarre...occurrence nothing all too interesting happened besides the hide which returned a few weeks later in great condition as well as the return of the traumatized students around the same point in time. Another week after that Kaiser owned a long coat made of boar hide were its teeth formed the buttons and its tendons were used to sew a few parts together. The only problem was that it had been made to suit his future height and so he was still unable to wear it. Although to his convenience he stored it in his inventory and took it out from time to time when he felt a bit cold in the future or simply wanted to show of which was the case most of the time.

 Chapter 73 - Life is a highway? The opposite

    *A few weeks later*


    Within the mayor''s office besides the mayor a peacekeeper as well as a well dressed gentleman were present. The well dressed gentleman, who sat in a nice and comfortable chair, seemed to be from the capitol as he talked in a strangely as well as possessed an altered appearance which differed from normal humans through blueish-white scale like skin around his eyes, pointy ears and several other features which were hidden underneath his long robe. Currently they seemed to be deep in thought until the mayor broke the silence between them. "Have you come to a conclusion? What do you think would be suitable for him?"


    The peacekeeper, who stood next to the mayors desk, answered without a change in his strict expression: "I think allowing him to simply keep the boar was already enough. No need for any additions Mr. Cream."


    Nodding towards the peacekeeper the mayor replied: "Then I thank you for your evaluation. However I would like for you to watch this." With that he pressed a small button at the side of his desk which activated a built-in Hologram Projector. "This is the footage we have of him. I ask for your serious evaluation. I believe he has great potential." Without adding anything anymore he started the video.


    On it Kaisers return from the woods, the reactions of his classmates, Kaisers cold demeanor as well as footage from the interrogation of the children after the incident could be seen. As soon as the video finished the mayor turned off the projection before speaking again. "Sir. Ice I would propose to train him as a champion for the Hunger Games. I know that you have great connections in the capitol and could get an allowance for him to train just like the tributes in the career districts. You could probably show him off and parade him around to promote your products etc. This would help you immensely." Turning towards the peacekeeper once more he raised a brow questioningly: "If it''s alright on your side Chocolate."


    The peacekeeper simply nodded before resuming his statue-like posture next to the desk.


    The gentleman whom the mayor had called Sir. Ice smiled lightly before talking in his strange voice: "Oh? We''ve known each other for a long time and although we are distantly related you never called me without a valid reason especially after THAT incident." The mayors hand began to tremble ever so slightly which didn''t go unnoticed by Sir. Ice who continued regardless: "It is quite impressive that you went to such great lengths for that boy. Although I''ve thought about it I still can''t see your reasoning. Besides that your idea seems quite intriguing and I will take your proposition into consideration. But now if you''ll excuse me I have a company to run." After that all of them stood up, the two man bowed before him and wished safe travels before Sir. Ice left through a secret tunnel for his train back to the Capitol.


    *Meanwhile on the flat roof of the school*


    Although the summer hadn''t come to an end yet and it was still quite pleasantly warm cold winds stole most of the warmth, making it a popular spot in the midst of summer but by now it had already become to unpleasant for most who chose to spend their break with their friends closer to the ground on one of the many benches in the school''s yard. They were especially strong since the school was located on top of a slight elevation which added to the schools great height compared to other buildings in their surroundings.


    Contrary to them however Kaiser rather liked it today. He enjoyed the great view and the quiet atmosphere where he didn''t need to talk to people or answer silly questions which didn''t interest him in the slightest. With a warm cup of tee in hand and warmed by his new coat he had no reason to freeze in the winds. Additionally it was Aeolus''s favorite spot who loved to showcase his aerial maneuverability to Kaiser. Leaning his back against the wall, watching Aeolus he smiled. He was exited about the future meeting with his other companions. Did they miss him already?


    Tiamat would for sure as he had provided her with warmth and food, things she now would need to care for herself.


    Gaia would probably miss her grooming sessions as well as the food.


    Orion would probably be busy looking for everyone as well as miss good food.


    As a conclusion...Everyone would miss him because of the food with a bit of extra. Although that sounded slightly depressing he didn''t really care. They provided him with much more fun compared to anything humans could provide him especially since they were of a different species, could still speak to him, would never betray him and would always accompany him to different worlds.


    Human friends would always be temporary as their lifespan was rather short compared to his eternal life (at least body wise) as well as their capability to accompany him which was nonexistent. So why shouldn''t he instead bond with those that were like him especially since they were his eternal responsibility and they were forever inseparable without hurting one other by ripping their souls apart.


    Soon after Kaiser closed his eyes after Aeolus had told him that he would fly home and grab a few snacks which Kaisers mother always offered to him in a bird feeder which Aeolus furiously defended from other birds. Due to their contract Kaiser had seen Aeolus''s route quite often through their connection. It wasn''t far or complicated so Kaiser wasn''t worried in the slightest. By now they had been connected so often that entering Aeolus''s mind and body had become as easy and natural as breathing. They flew high in the sky and flew towards the ground along the elevation leading towards the city. Flying between the streets of the city they evaded loose cables, people, other animals and messed with a few stall owners by messing up their wares. Still exhilarated they flew away from the busy street towards their house. Kaiser slowly exited and prepared to rest until Aeolus would return.


    That was until he received strong signals of surprise, then shock. Reestablishing the connection Kaiser once again shared their senses. Memories of what had happened seconds ago streamed through his mind. The sound of a large horn. The shock of the impact on a window and finally the image of the back of a harvest truck after they had been pushed over the top of the vehicle. Then pain, a last breath and then the connection was forcefully canceled, pushing Kaisers mind back inside his own sweating body. Struggling to breath Kaiser slumped the wall completely until he regained the mental strength to reenter the plane which connected him and his companions. Still shocked he looked at Aeolus''s realm only to find the once vibrant and colorful plane which belonged to Aeolus devoid of color, gray just like all of the others.


    "Curse you damn truck!" was all he could think of.

 Chapter 74 - As cold as Ice

    The next two weeks Kaiser remained absent from school. After he had found Aeolus''s carcass he had buried the body behind the house and used a two weeks pause he gained by pretending to be sick to wander through the small forest behind the houses or through the large and extensive orchards by accompanying his mother and sister. Although he hid it quite well the experience of his familiars death had shaken him quite a bit. Not only did he miss his great usefulness through scouting or espionage but also his wonderful songs, flying maneuvers or the talks between them. Even his mere existence had had a soothing effect on him. Perhaps it had been the small part of Kaiser''s soul inside the bird? Regardless of the cause the time they had spent together had been quite pleasant.


    After the two weeks of sick leave Kaiser returned to school. Although he tried to hide it the other children noticed that he had changed. The usual carefree and dreamy atmosphere which surrounded him from time to time whenever he and Aeolus sat inside the class or in the breaks had completely vanished and only his sharp, direct, calculative and egocentric nature remained. Although the class was also quite sad that the cheerful bird which always provided them with beautiful melodies had died they were surprised by the impact his death had had on Kaiser.


    They had seen him punch or kick people without even a trace of empathy, had heard rumors of him killing animals without batting an eyelid and watched him drag a dead boar down several streets without any change in expression. The very same person that had completely changed after a small bird had died.


    The next day a few older students approached Kaiser and presented a few large cages to him which were covered with cloth. One of the boys stepped in front of Kaiser before saying: "We were concerned about you and though we could offer you these to make you cheer up. You could see it as a token of friendship if you wish". With that all of them raised the cages and pulled of the cloths off the cages. The chattering of bird filled the area as they awoke.


    Kaiser looked at them before tilting his head. He listened to the stories the birds told him. From what he could discern they had captured them with great care and hadn''t hurt them much. A few feathers had been lost and the boys had received scr.a.p.es instead but nothing too serious. Kaiser stepped towards the cages before opening every last one of them to free the residents. After a quick whistle from Kaiser they disappeared through an open window next to him. After he saw that all of the birds had left the building Kaiser turned towards their captors. "They deserve to be free," he said. "No one should chain them down". He walked even further towards them before pushing the cages they still held aside and punching them before mumbling. "They deserve to be free." Although he had punched them everyone could see that he wasn''t really mad by the fact that the punches were light, on their chest and only enough to make them fall to the ground.


    While Kaiser turned away they could still hear him faintly saying: "Although I don''t approve of you capturing wild animals I still thank you for trying to make me cheer up"


    A few days later Kaiser was summoned to the headmasters office. Inside besides next to the headmaster he managed to see the mayor as well as a robed individual who seemed to come from the capitol together with a man in peacekeeper uniform.


    [Observation] With a single thought Kaiser knew with whom he was dealing with.


    Head peacekeeper of District 11


    Origin: Capitol


    Likes: Order, Quietness, mineral water


    Mayor of District 11


    Origin: Capitol, Great-cousin of Sir White Ice


    Likes: Daughter Aster, water fountains, Candies, wine


    Chairman of the Gently Weeping Ice Company


    Origin: Capitol, Great-cousin of Sour Cream


    Likes: Ice skating, traveling, iced tea


    [Why do they all have such weird names? How do they cope with their names?] was all Kaiser could think of.


    Masking his chuckle as a soft cough he turned towards the headmaster. "Good morning headmaster. Is there anything I can do for you?" Kaiser knew him quite well by now as they had spoken quite often about Kaisers problems in dealing with others and Kaiser had quite often been only a tiny bit away from being expelled for all the trouble he caused.


    The headmaster only sighed and motioned towards the others that stood next to him. "The only thing I know is that our mayor has requested your presence. Now that you have arrived I''ll take my leave." With that he stood up and left the room to allow them to talk in secret.


    Seeing that now all other seats were occupied sat down in the headmasters chair. It was even more comfortable than he had imagined. [Of course it would need to be as comfortable as possible when you have to deal with problems all day.]


    Smiling Kaiser looked at the other people present, supporting his head on his left hand which was propped up on the armrest of his chair. "I''m assuming you know my name? For those who don''t my name is Kaiser, nice to meet you. What might be you names?"

 Chapter 75 - Wind of Change

    Hello there Ladies and Gentlemen!


    I''m sure you were surprised when I din''t update yesterday. In fact I was baking a lot yesterday and we had a guest so I was busy until the evening. In exchange you get the chapter today so we still have the same 1 chapter per week. Enjoy!


    --- End of Autho''s Note ---


    Inside the comfortable chair the being made of light relaxed, enjoying what he saw with a small smile on his face. The man in a suit who was standing behind him wasn''t as relaxed and seemingly impatient.


    "How can you watch this?" He shouted finally when he couldn''t contain his dissatisfaction anymore. "Last time you directly messed with the fate of a world to entertain you even more but now? Nothing really interesting happened while we were watching for all this time. Don''t you have better things to do like judging other souls?"


    The being made of light simply laughed before replying: "Patience was something you always lacked, my friend. The first instance was merely there to give a good start, but now? Don''t you find it fascinating to watch someone who possessed godlike powers struggle with the simplest things? The annoyance, the frustration he must feel. It will let him grow from his former, simple form into something beautiful.


    But let us talk about your second input. Time? What is time to us? For us, especially in this realm, does time even have meaning? One seconds in others can be eternity here, one second in here can be eternity outside? Time has been and always will be relative. Don''t worry about such simple things. I can always judge souls, be it in the past, the present or the future. After all, this is my role and it is who I am. So let us stop with this nonsense and continue shall we? If you don''t want to look after your territory. You are the overseer of Heaven''s dimension after all."


    The suited man simply scoffed before turning around towards the walls of the room where a doorway had suddenly appeared. "Do whatever you fancy," he said before opening the door and leaving. "Who am I to judge you anyways. I do not see why you are interested in him but don''t loose track of your responsibilities Master."


    With that the door closed and vanished. The being simply smiled and focused back on the screen in front of him. "That guy¡­ always so concerned about rules and regulations. What would he understand. I haven''t had a break in a long while. There are few ways to enjoy myself so this is excellent."


    *Meanwhile inside the Schools Headmaster office*


    Before Kaiser could even listen to the replies of the people who sat across of him his system interrupted him.


    Surprised and confused about why the system chose exactly this moment to talk to him he asked


    [And why did you have to mention it now? I''m kind of in the middle of something you know?]


    [Fine, fine! Now please don''t interrupt me for such things right now, as long as they can wait. Should something be overly important then alright, ok?]


    With that the introductions resumed. Expecting them to introduce themselves he was surprised when the mayor took on the role of presenting their case.


    "Good morning Kaiser. As you know I''m the mayor of this district Mr Cream," he began. "Next to me is an important businessman Sir. Ice who came here to speak to you. Mr. Chip next to me is here to assure our safety and he will be relevant in our later discussion."


    Raising a brow Kaiser leaned back and made himself even more comfortable in the headmasters chair. "What is it that you would like to discuss with me? As far as I know I haven''t done anything worthy of receiving visitors from the capitol. You most certainly have my attention."


    Surprised by Kaisers attitude and his relaxed posture he continued. "Well¡­ I am glad to hear that. As you know you saved my daughter and a few other students that had accompanied them from wild boars. I am a man that believes in justice and the law just like Mr. Chip over there. Because of that I decided to repay you with what you deserve. You were allowed to keep the boars carcass which you have slain in exchange for saving the other children but now I will repay you for saving my daughter. Sir. Ice here is one of my acquaintances and has agreed to help me. Everything clear up to this point?"


    Kaiser simply nodded and smiled. He would be eve more uncaring if such an important businessman from the capitol had sat across of him. Perhaps he would be able to make great connections through him.


    Seeing that Kaiser had understood Mr. Cream began to speak again. "After some discussions Sir. Ice has agreed to sponsor and support you. With his support you will be trained by Mr. Chip here until you have come of age, are ready to fight and can participate in the Hunger Games. There he will sponsor him as well but in return you will endorse his products during and after the games through various means. "


    This time it was Kaiser''s turn to be surprised. What an unexpected development. All in all it was a pretty good deal. "What are his products?," asked Kaiser. "What does he sell?"


    The mayor smiled slightly, knowing that the deal had now almost concluded and replied: "As his name suggests he is most actively involved in the frozen sector. Almost everything that is sold in a frozen state is produced by his companies as well as machines to freeze objects o creatures." He laughed slightly. "There is a great variety to choose from so you can test a lot of things."


    Seeing that the business sounded acceptable Kaiser asked for the contract. Using his Observation Skill to check for hidden lines and analyzing strangely worded sentences he only had to ask for a few minor changes seeing as the rest was acceptable and quite fair to him. A few minutes later Kaiser had gotten a pass for the most important gates as well as an ID-Card and an appointment with Mr. Chip every day for four hours after school.

 Chapter 76 - Work

    Over the course of the next few years Kaiser accompanied the Head of the Peacekeepers like a shadow. They trained together in all forms of combat with various lessons of weapon handling, putting a lot of focus on his knife mastery as, at least according to Mr.Chip, knifes were almost always available as they were a basic tool to guarantee a certain minimum of survival of the competitors. Additionally Kaiser was trained on how to distinguish between edible and inedible plants as well as their general properties, helpful as well as harmful, how to build things using commonplace materials, cooking as well as certain strategies and tactics which would allow him to survive for a longer period of time.


    On a regular basis Kaiser, accompanied by a small team of peacekeepers who could check on his location and general health, was sent into sections of the forest inside the district zones to test his knowledge in practice. His footage was later analyzed and they discussed what he had done correctly and what had went wrong. Additionally through practice using various simulations they taught him how he should behave in certain scenarios.


    Additionally to practicing combat and the complicated art of survival which was their main focus they also taught him art, dancing, playing instruments as well as acting and presentation which he was very good at due to the teachings of the principal of his orphanage, causing him to excel at these things which astounded many.


    After he had reached a certain level in the latter parts they stopped and refocused on the first two things which were much more important, art and dancing only being necessary to make his character a bit more interesting and acting as well as presentation were necessary for talks with important people as well as discussions and business with them.


    After his twelfth birthday which marked the beginning of possibles accidental draws were only dedicated to training him as much as possible. He didn''t have to go to school anymore as they had studied ahead in the previous years and so Kaiser had already finished the few things they were being taught there as well as a few extras. Now he only worked on the fields and with animals in the morning together with other workers to increase his strength while he studied fighting and survival in the afternoon and evening. Everything was going according to plan until a few weeks after his fourteenth birthday.


    When his alarm clock rang at six o''clock Kaiser simply yawned and stood up directly. Should he give in to the comfort of his bed he would never be able to leave before nine. He had tried once and had paid dearly. Three hours hanging from the ceiling by your feet while counting down all the plants mentioned in the fifth volume of "The World of Plants; Dark secrets and hidden truths" truly helps with getting ready in time. While his siblings grumbled at the noise, wishing to sleep for a few more minutes Kaiser , after finishing his usual morning routine, headed towards the kitchen table. There, together with his father and uncle he ate a bit before they all headed towards sector B3. Usually around ten Kaiser would switch to Zone C3 in order to improve his strength trough different work. First Kaiser and the other two family members walked to a bus stop which picked them up to drive them towards the center of the Zone where they were going to work at their usual farm. Entering the bus they greeted a few acquaintances who were working on the same farm. Adonis a kind old man who despite his old age was still quite strong and had taught Kaiser everything he currently knew about farming was his favorite. After Mr. Chip had learned about their relationship he had also accompanied Kaiser to his trips to Zone C3 where the old man taught Kaiser how to handle the various crops that were being grown there.


    Another one was Alyssum who was the closest worker to Kaiser in age. They had become friends very quickly and Adonis had taught the both of them. As they stopped in various corners to pick up the rest the bus quickly filled up and soon after left the city. After a few more minutes during which they could still enjoy the view over the many fields and ranches as well as the first few workers who had already arrived on their designated spot. Due to a well worked out system there wasn''t any dense traffic that stopped the buses from arriving on time so they smoothly arrived at their farm.


    It wasn''t too small and a few hundred cattle were kept here to produce dairy products on a daily basis. To improve the production rates all commonly farmed goods that were being produced for feeding the working population had been genetically enhanced to yield more or grow faster. In the privileged capitol however genetically enhanced products were mostly frowned upon although simple size or design enhancements were generally accepted. Today it was finally time to reap the grass and the clovers that had been grown to feed the cows. The clovers were directly used to feed the cows but the grass they had reaped was spread over the field and was left to dry in the sun.


    Although it was still early in the day Kaiser was already sweating. After all he was still fourteen and had not yet reached the full strength of an a.d.u.l.t which frustrated him to no end. Previously he had been able to obliterate stone walls without any issues at a far younger age but now he was struggling to fully mow down a field of grass which, although it was immensely large, would have been an easy task for him previously. Wiping the sweat which was dripping from his forehead and into his eyes he looked to his sides. More then eight people were reaping together with him while four others were laying the grass out to dry properly. Once again tying his long black hair into a ponytail he took deep breaths to relax himself. From his left side he felt a small nudge. Glancing over he saw Alyssum holding a water bottle towards him. "Need something?" He asked.


    Smiling Kaiser took it, taking a few sips before handing it back. Looking around he saw Adonis mowing. Despite his advanced age the guy was a beast and was already ahead of most others. He must have been downright terrifyingly strong in his prime. By now he had fallen far behind so he readied himself once more before continuing with the work. Over the next few hours they would have to mow a few more fields and turn over the drying grass from time to time to get rid of all the water inside in order to dry it properly. In the evening the others would load it onto wagons and store it in the large barns behind the main building. This was the third harvest this year and would probably be the last one before the end of summer. Due to the warm climate they could probably harvest a bit more than normally. It promised to be quite a nice year all things considered.


    After a few more hours on the fields Kaiser and the old man Adonis got inside a bus that had been prepared especially for them and were driven towards Zone C3 to continue harvesting. Exhausted from the work they had already done Kaiser leaned back and relaxed. Although the day wasn''t finished yet his arm muscles as well as his waist, abdomen and back hurt already. Preserving his energy was important. Inside the way to warm bus, sweating from all pores with sticky hair, feeling generally uncomfortable Kaiser somehow managed to fall asleep.

 Chapter 77 - Feed the Machine

    When the bus came to a sudden halt Kaiser was woken up abruptly after his head hit the seat in front of him. Sadly the back of the seats were wooden so the impact hurt quite a bit, especially in the area of his neck. Rubbing it with a painful expression he looked around. The old man was still getting up from his seat, apparently his hat had fallen underneath a few other seats so he had been busy searching for him.


    About two seconds afterwards the old man came towards him and leaned on a seat not far away. "So you woke up, huh? I was wondering for how long you would continue to sleep in this heat." It was then that the old man noticed Kaiser''s expression and asked in a softer voice: "You alright boy? Something broken? If not let''s get going. You know how much of a stuck up ass the overseer of this farm is. Rules are rules. Bullshit!"


    Moving his neck a bit more Kaiser eventually stood up and motioned towards the exit. "Let''s get out of here. We shouldn''t stay in this brutally hot vehicle any longer. Don''t forget your hat, old man!" Immediately he began to walk straight towards it before exiting the bus. He hadn''t gotten far when he heard Adonis''s reply: "I''m not that old! I don''t have dementia! And most importantly I can take care of myself!"


    Laughing Kaiser got to work. Until around 16 o''clock they continued to work on the fields, harvesting wheat, gather it in large bundles and finally loading said bundles onto wagons which transported it to a mill. Adonis told him in a long break how they had used large machines in the past which had made it easier to harvest but due to difficult maintenance, a lack of fuel over the years and the fact that the capitol most likely wanted to make work for the districts even more difficult, they had been taken away. Now they had to once again work with their hands. Perhaps the high fertility of the district, which grew every year in numbers forced the government to use this way to keep everyone busy.


    When they were told to stop around 16 o''clock Kaiser was quite surprised. Normally they would continue to work until nightfall which now, in summer, was in a few hours. That was until Adonis who had rested his hands on top of the large scythe in his hands to enjoy the break noticed his absent and vacant look in Kaiser''s eyes and commented: "Hey there boy! Has your mind left your body yet or are you the one who has dementia and can''t remember what''s today? It''s reaping time! It''s your third time already! Everyone has been talking about it for the past few weeks!"


    Blinking Kaiser turned around to the old man who had seemingly rested enough to begin sharpening his scythe with a whetstone from his pocket. "It seems I''ve forgotten all about it. After Mr. Chip had told me about one week ago that I should focus on the harvest for now to become stronger I''ve been so busy working and sleeping that I haven''t had much time for anything else."


    The old man carefully put his whetstone back into the pocket to avoid losing one. Punishments for loosing something like that were harsh. "I''ve always known you to get a bit deaf whenever you focus on work but to miss literally every conversation held in the last few weeks is a bit ridiculous." He said before shaking his head and walking towards the storeroom at the farm where they had to give their equipment back. After Kaiser had sharpened his scythe as well and handed it back to the on in charge and climbing into the buses leaving for Zone B2 where they had to gather for the reaping. Once they arrived they had to get ready and arrive around 8 o''clock in the evening in Zone B1 in front of the city hall.


    This applied only to those eligible for being reaped with a maximum of one additional family member due to the many people that inhabited the district. Most had to stay in Zone B2 and watch it from there over their own personal TV or the large screens which were being erected everywhere along the streets. Not only because of lacking space but also because of possible riots this had been a good plan and had worked for many years although a few unhappy people had tried to start one they had been contained in Zone B2 and were quickly arrested and publicly executed on the next day.


    A few other district didn''t have to work, go to school or other things on the day of the reaping but as the reaping took place during harvest time they had to work. Because the inhabitants of the capitol wanted to watch all reapings over the course of the day live on television and the harvesting problem they had come up with this solution.


    When he said his goodbyes to Adonis and a few other coworkers that took the same bus they wished him good luck as they were all quite fond of him. Coming home he went to take a shower, cleaning himself properly before sitting down at the kitchen table with the family to eat a nice dinner. As usual on the reaping day the atmosphere wasn''t the greatest and besides a few unfunny jokes by his father in an attempt to lighten up the mood everyone was rather quiet. Feeling uncomfortable Kaiser excused himself soon and left to change into something nice to look presentable in front of the capitol.


    As it was quite warm he simple chose a dark blue shirt with a subtle pattern as well as jeans with a fitting black belt and comfortable brown shoes. Tying his smooth long black hair in a simple pony tail as a final touch was enough in his eyes. Luckily he didn''t get a lot of pimples when he hit puberty. Sometimes simplicity was the best way to go. Over the years he had seen quite a number of weird outfit and make up choices but it had almost always looked extremely fake and ridiculous.


    Fifty minutes before eight he took a bus, together with his younger brother and older sister, towards Zone B1 where they had to arrive. Because all of them had to go they could take all of their family with them (Father, Mother, Uncle). They arrived with about ten minutes to spare and while the a.d.u.l.ts had to stay at the back, some distance away from where the tributes where gathered, Kaiser, his brother and his sister were split up and accompanied to others of their respective age groups. A countdown was being projected on a large screen above the entrance to the city hall where they had constructed a large stage. About six minutes were left before Lady Luck would choose the capitol''s sacrifices.


    As he looked around he saw eyes wide in fear, some lethargic, already having given up but in most the fire of hope was still burning brightly when they saw how many others were present. He saw his Theodore somewhere in the front together with the other newcomers (In the book it''s the other way around in District 12 but this is District 11). When he had turned around he had also spotted his sister who had seemingly been watching him for a while now, perhaps she had been nervous and wanted to find a safe anchor, regardless he gave her a small encouraging smile before turning around once more. There were a few others he knew, mostly from school, although it took him a while to recognize them since he hadn''t seen them after he had left school a few years ago.


    Once the timer had run out the mayor, a few previous victors as well as well dressed person that was obviously from the capitol. Curious since he had never seen him before he looked forwards to the introduction of this new person. Almost immediately the mayor began with his speech. As soon as the mayor began to read out the history of Panem and the origin of the hunger games which took a long while Kaiser stopped to focus on the speech. He had heard it countless times by now so it wasn''t really interesting anymore. Instead he decided to observe the new Capitol representative. He wore a crimson jacket as well as tight green trousers and a purple fedora with a large pink feather attached to it. Due to the distance between them he couldn''t make out many more details.


    He was interrupted in his observation when the Capitol representative came to the front to begin with the main event. With a deep voice and his hilarious accent it was quite entertaining to listen to him. "Greetings citizens of District 11 and of course also a wonderful evening to everyone watching. My name is Asmodeus Scaleria and I will from now on be responsible for the drawing of the tributes. Usually I would say Ladies first but I plan to switch every year to make it interesting. So I will begin with the boys."


    Kaiser smiled. His family was a bit better off compared to the rest so only he and his sister had to add their names only a few extra times in exchange for tesserae and as soon as Kaiser was able to earn a good wage by working they could stop it entirely. But since entrees into the glass balls were c.u.mulative they couldn''t get rid of the extra times that were inside.


    Asmodeus smiled widely, showcasing his white shining teeth which were quite well maintained. Drawing a slip elegantly he looked at it for a while before reading out "Kaiser Langschwert. Please come to the front!" Looking around if there was anyone else that was named Kaiser he looked at his parents who nodded with a frown on their faces.


    [Typical], he thought. How was it that no one had ever called him by his last name? Perhaps his name had been so extraordinary that no one had needed to?


    It was annoying that he had been chosen now when he hadn''t reached his peak performance yet but it didn''t matter to much to him. He just had to play it a bit more carefully. Regardless he plowed through the mass of boys that were the same age as him, squished together in their tiny area, before jumping over the rope that separated the designated areas from the small path between them. Strolling casually with his hands behind his back towards the stage, not minding the two peacekeepers that accompanied him, one on each side, he observed the surrounding crowd. Some seemed to be sad that he had been chosen but most, from the side of the boys at least seemed to be busy feeling glad that they weren''t the ones to be chosen.


    Climbing the stage he stands to the right, right behind the glass ball that held the names of the boys. "Wonderful. Let us give a round of applause for our new tribute here." After a short applause he continues. "Are there any volunteers that want to replace him?" Before anyone can answer Kaiser calmly says: "I don''t want nor will I accept other volunteers. I have been chosen so I''m the one that will go to the arena. Carry on with the girl tributes."


    Surprised with this sudden turn of events Asmodeus Scaleria glaces towards the mayor who seems to think for a short moment before subtly nodding. Relieved he continues. "Very well, if that is the case then I will continue. Our girl tribute for this year...is Martha Langschwert."


    His big sister...as an enemy tribute? Kaiser was surprised and shocked.

 Chapter 78 - A life for a life

    The excited and curious crowd which had speculated on who would contend with Kaiser went silent. Instances like this were rare but had occurred before. It was always quite a shock to the entire family as regardless if one should win, one child would never return. In this great silence Kaiser''s older sister got out of her section and one again accompanied by peacekeepers she slowly walked towards the stage. However, contrary to Kaiser who had looked around and didn''t seem to be bothered a lot she was focusing on the ground, looking frail as though if she were to stumble, she could never get up anymore.


    Before she had even walked halfway to the stage Kaiser bumped Asmodeus slightly with his elbow. In surprise the man had almost jumped off the stage before he could relax enough to turn towards Kaiser. Raising his eyebrow questioningly he motioned with his right hand towards the microphone in front of the representative. Curious Asmodeus stepped back, allowing Kaiser to move towards the center of the stage, in front of the microphone.


    Clearing his throat Kaiser began to speak. "Before we commence with this I would like to one person in particular." The crowd who had been focused on his sister who still moved quietly now turned towards him. Martha and the two peacekeepers that escorted he stopped in their tracks to see what exactly was going on now as this situation wasn''t part of the plan they had memorized. Seeing that he now had everyone''s attention he continued with his speech after he had found what he had been looking for. Smiling softly as he looked at her he said: "Alyssa." At the mention of her name the girl finally looked up to him after she had only focused on the ground before to escape his view. Compared to the small girl she had been in the past she had grown quite well. "Do you remember the day I saved you? Out of all the ones I saved you were the only one that spoke to me never again. I was a bit hurt when you didn''t even thank me. Today I offer you a chance. A life for a life. Just like I saved your life all these years ago it is now your turn to save my sister''s."


    At the mentioning of the incident and her new "chance" she just went pale and shook her head fearfully. "So you don''t intend to pay back what you owe? How ungrateful. Your chances of surviving in this arena are even higher than back then." The girl still shook her head and tried to hide behind the other girls in her group. Finally another girl stepped forwards and loudly declared: "I will take her place. I haven''t repaid you yet either." Surprised by the sudden turn of events he looked at Aster who had left her group and was walking towards the front, quickly overtaking Martha. Although the mayor had come to observe his training from time to time to observe his progress he hadn''t really seen her since the day the boars had tried to kill her. Just like the mayor she had blond hair although it was slightly darker in color, being closer to the color of honey and was way longer, ending just below her shoulder blades. Her dark blue eyes and white skin made her easily recognizable as most people in the district had a dark skin color like him. Wearing a long dress violet in color as well as wearing a thin purple headband. She had grown up to be quite pretty, at least in his eyes.


    Soon after she reached the stage and climbed up before standing next to him. When she had walked up the stairs he had noticed that she wore good shoes. No large heels that would hinder he when she was walking but the design of them was still rather elegant. By that time Kaiser had already moved away from the microphone but was still standing rather close to the middle.


    "You know that your father has already done more than enough to repay me for your safe return?" Kaiser asked her while Asmodeus was once more taking his place in front of the microphone to finish his speech. "I know," she answered. "But I haven''t done anything. It''s already cruel that we have to kill each other in the arena, but with the possibility of having to kill your sibling there it''s even worse. So you see," she smiled bitterly, "I think this is how this has to go." Raising his brow, judging what she had just said he remained silent before they focused back on the ceremony just in time to know what they were supposed to do.


    Soon after both of them were escorted into the city hall just behind them, to rest in a few rooms and say their goodbyes to their family. The first ones to enter was his entire family. "We''ve brought something for you." Was all his father could say, getting straight to the point. "I''ve brought you what you will most likely miss." With that he gave Kaiser the properly folded coat, stored inside a wooden box. In the past Kaiser had always carried it with him in his inventory but after he had grown big enough to use it, although it was still to big for him, he had come to always hang it on the coat rack with the rest and wear it to school in the colder months. As it was currently summer he had almost forgotten about it. Taking the coat he decided to use it as my token. The one thing I''m allowed to take with me from my district.


    "Thank you dad." Was all Kaiser said before looking down at the box. His father nodded before patting him on the shoulder. "Do your best. I know you can win." Was all he whispered before he left the room. His mother, sister and younger brother showed a lot more emotions. With tears in their eyes they hugged him tightly and wished him good luck and that he would be able to utilize his skills to the fullest. His mother also gave him a bit of leftovers from breakfast. "In case you ever get hungry," she said. As though they wouldn''t try to stuff him in the train and later. Still he smiled and thanked her. The last one in the room was his uncle.


    "It seems that fate hates our family," he said. "I''m not sure if you remember your female cousin but she also had to participate in the hunger games. She died early on though. She was a sweet girl and couldn''t fight. Long story short, she made mistakes and that''s when everything ended. Your aunt never really got over the shock and when the famine came she simply refused to eat ad left everything to us. Our older son moved out soon after." He sighed before adding: "However, you have trained for years to fight in these games. Please win. If not for your sake then for us. And Flora. She adored you, you know? Although you were little you were her oldest cousin." Loosing track of what he wanted to add he simply said goodbye and left in a hurry.


    Soon after the mayor entered. "I have spoken to Sir Ice previously in case something like this were to happen. He had agreed and told me to allow you to go whenever you felt you were ready. You have already watched all records of the previous games and know almost everything you would need to know. The only thing that we could have improved would be your fighting ability with weapon training so it isn''t too bad if you go now." He hesitated for a moment before swiftly adding: "Please, if you can avoid it then don''t kill my daughter. I''m not asking you to protect her but please...don''t kill her yourself." As swiftly as he had arrived he left, slamming the door shut.


    A few minutes later Kaiser and Aster were being escorted out of the building through the tunnel in the bas.e.m.e.nt of the building towards the train station, located in Zone C1. Aster now wore a golden bracelet, covered with violet amethysts in the shape of flower petals. He meanwhile carried the locked wooden box containing his cape. After winking towards the cameras and a few people that had been let into the station they boarded the train, heading towards the capitol.

 Chapter 79 - Money

    Once inside the train the doors closed and they entered the luxurious train. Although they had appeared to be sad when they left their District neither of them had cried. Which was probably a good sign. When they looked around they saw absolutely wonderful furniture, beautifully painted walls and many more things. Although Kaiser had seen the blueprints of said train, knew how to pilot it and much more he was still shocked by the luxury. Not even Aster who lived together with the mayor and was much more well off was immune to the change. The contrast between this and their home district was simply extreme. Before they could fully immerse themselves in this new environment they felt a sudden acceleration which startles them for a moment. Shortly after they are being taken to their respective rooms which is more like a personal apartment based on the standard of living of the Capitol citizens. When he goes to take a shower he purely out of habit uses his Observation Skill to figure out the individual functions of the many buttons and displays present. After he had done many trips through the forest as training he was almost forced to double check everything with his Observation Skill.


    A nice shower with warm water and relaxing music later he began to check out his wardrobe. Dozens of different clothes in various sizes and made out of a multitude of materials presented themselves when he opened the door. As it had gotten a bit colder he opted for a thin pullover and jeans as well as a fancy belt, although it wouldn''t have made much of a difference to simply use a T-Shirt as small differences in temperature didn''t really bother him. But why would he not dress a bit warmer when he had the opportunity? Glancing towards his box he decides to wait with using the cloak for a while. Enjoying himself with a few games on a game console he found next to a large screen to pass the time he waits until Asmodeus comes to take him to dinner.


    When they arrived Aster was already sitting there, playing with her golden bracelet, seemingly waiting for them. When they entered the room she looked up, perhaps she had heard the footsteps? Although that seemed to be highly unlikely as none of them were wearing shoes at the moment. As soon as Kaiser was seated as well Asmodeus disappeared once more. Seeing that Aster had showered as well he decided to do a bit of small talk until Asmodeus would return. "How was your shower? Did you find the right buttons?" She was surprised for a moment before replying: "Well it took a while until I managed to find the important ones which did what I wanted. How did you do?" Kaiser chuckled. "Quite well. It seems as though I hit most of the important ones on the first try although a few buttons held a lot of surprises. The music was especially nice." At Kaiser''s mention of music Aster''s eyes seemed to shine. "Music? I didn''t find any sadly. But isn''t it weird how many different things they have?" Kaiser smiled and replied: "They''re from the Capitol. What did you expect?" She laughed. "True. If there was anything to make life easier then that thing can be found in the capitol sooner or later."


    Before they could move on to another topic or even continue Asmodeus who had escorted two older people towards the table interrupted them. Kaiser who had studied the previous Hunger Games knew exactly who they were. The large male who would probably be his mentor was named Chaff who had won the 45th Hunger Games and had lost one hand in the process. Sadly he was an alcoholic and he didn''t know if he would be able to help them very much. The female he knew as Seeder would most likely tutor Aster. She had won the 32th Hunger Games and had no known addictions which was one of the best conditions for a victor to be in. Both had dark skin and dark hair although Seeder was much older and already had a bit of gray hair. The biggest question to him was if they would be mentored separately or if they would tutor both of them equally and together.


    When the both of them sat down Chaff immediately grasped towards a bottle of alcohol which had been put on the table but before he had even reached it Seeder had already grabbed his arm. "Don''t you remember our agreement Chaff? You can drink as much as you want over the year but whenever we start training the new tributes you have to stop." Chaff sighed deeply and after Seeder had let go of his hand he relaxed it and seated himself properly. "You''re simply no fun Seeder." "And you have to test me every year if I forget the agreement. I''m old but not senile Chaff! Now behave!" "Yes, MOM." Kaiser and Aster merely watched as both of them bantered. Of course Seeder wasn''t Chaffs real mum but due to the fact that she had mentored him they had grown quite close after all these years.


    After a few more minutes the pair finally turned towards Kaiser and Aster. "Excuse us children but this boy right here simply has no manners. My name is Seeder as you probably all know. And this idiot next to me is our notorious drunk Chaff. We will oversee your training together and do our best to try and get you to survive. If you have any questions then come to us and we will be happy to answer all of them, right Chaff?!" The man simply grumbled "Yes." Before he drowned a glass of juice next to him and grimaced. "Why did I ever agree to this stupid rule..." "Because you were really drunk when I asked you to and you agreed. This way you''ll have to learn from your mistakes. Why don''t you simply go to therapy?" Chaff was still unhappy with this answer but didn''t want to start anything so he focused on dinner. Countless delicacies had been presented to all of them. Wonderful tastes accompanied their evening which we finished off in various ways. After a short introduction they had played various board games as well as a few card games which their mentors probably used to determine our general sense for tactic as well as our character. About two hours later they went to bed. Asmodeus who had silently listened during dinner had already left before the games had begun.


    Retreating inside his room Kaiser continued to watch the surroundings. They had already come far, especially since the train was so extremely fast. From what he knew about the tracks that had been laid out they would soon stop to refuel. Soon he had enough and climbed into bed to awake well rested the next day. On top of the comfortable mattress, underneath cool and comfortable covers he slept soundly.

 Chapter 80 - 500 Miles and more

    Author''s Note: Hello there Ladies and Gentlemen!


    I''ve come here to ask about your oppinion. Should I do more chapters in which only Kaisers animal companions are featured in a single person view (They would only be short)? Or should I simply continue his side of the story without showing anything else?


    The next morning he was awakened by the sounds of knocking on his door as well as the quiet noises and slight shaking of the still moving train. Hearing Asmodeus shouting from outside that they would meet in the table in twenty minutes to eat and that he would leave now to wake up the others Kaiser remained in bed for an additional three minutes to enjoy the comfort of the bed. When he felt like he would need to get up else he could never bring himself to leave he unwillingly left the comfort of his bed to get ready. Rinsing his face and picking new cloths from the wardrobe which were in a similar color scheme as well as the same materials he left the room shortly after checking on his box, making sure that everything was in order. Although his father had only found an old lock for it it was still quite secure. At least that''s what he hoped to be the case.


    Slipping the key in the pockets of his new trousers he left. When he arrived at the table both ladies as well as Asmodeus were already present. A few minutes later Chaff came stumbling inside the room. Still sleepy he fell onto the chair and refused to speak a word without having a few cups of hot coffee. Meanwhile Aster and Kaiser were sampling all kinds of juices and beverages that didn''t contain alcohol. Due to the nature of the deal between both mentors all alcohol had been removed from the train, leaving no option for temptation. After a silent meal which only served the purpose of stuffing both of the tributes with as much food as possible.


    Finally when everyone was filled to the brim they switched to the living room to rest on the couches there. Here Chaff decided to begin their questioning after he had made himself comfortable. "Alright. Now that we have eaten enough for a while¡­" before he could even finish an Avox appeared to place down various trays stacked with delicious sweets as well as a pot of tea and cups. Surprised by the interruption he continued one the man had finished arranging everything. "As I was saying now that everyone is full we can continue with our evaluation. Yesterday we tested your character as well as your mind. Today we will ask a few more specific questions which will help us in judging how much training you will need from us and in which areas. First of all we''ll come back to your talents and hobbies. First of all Aster." When her name was mentioned she blinked for a while, seemingly surprised that they had said their name. Perhaps she had thought about different things at the moment. "Yes? What do you want to know" was all she managed to say before falling silent once more.


    "You told us that you like sewing and art, is that correct?" She smiled before nodding. "Then we might have an idea what you can do and train for the arena. Do you want me to speak out loud or do you want to discuss in private?" She remained silent for a moment, her eyes never staying in one spot before finally glancing towards Kaiser and replying: "I want it to remain a secret. I want to surprise everyone." Although Kaiser hadn''t expected that he would accept her decision. It just meant that he couldn''t fully trust her in the arena should they decide to fight as a team as long as he didn''t know what she had been training.


    "Very well," was all both mentor said before turning towards Kaiser. "What about you? You like botany and have worked on the fields and with animals previously, you like and practice art, dancing, play instruments and much more. Is there anything else you want to add? How much do you know about plants and animal species?"


    Kaiser smiled before replying. "I don''t have much to add besides liking carving especially. I''d also say that I know quite a lot about animals and even more about various plants, natural and domesticated. Is there anything else you want to ask?" Both took a deep breath before Seeder decided to speak for both of them. "There is one more question we need to ask you. It is for the both of you and it is the most important in our opinion. Have you killed before?"


    Aster quickly shook her head while looking at the ground, even glancing away from everyone. Kaiser meanwhile simply nodded his head while remaining a neutral expression. Both mentors looked at each other before deciding to split up. Chaff would take Kaiser while Seeder would take Aster with her. Although Kaiser was curious about what Aster would train in at the moment he saw no way to find out. At least he was sure that it would somehow relate to her abilities and hobbies.


    After about half an hour of discussion the lights were turned on and the world outside faded to black. They had probably entered the tunnel through the Rocky Mountains leading to the capitol. As soon as that happened they made their way back to the living room to meet up with the others. Although the light was a bit dim Kaiser could still see the traces of nervousness on Aster''s face. Grabbing her shoulder softly he prepared himself as well for his first view of the Capitol.


    Soon they leave the tunnel, presenting the Capitol in all it''s glory. Although Kaiser had had a few expectations and knew all the blueprints for all buildings present within he was still shocked. Towering skyscr.a.p.ers, elegant cars glistening underneath the sun in all colors of the rainbow, the strange crowd in between, dressed up like guests to a masked ball and the sight of the enormous mountains next to it. Some seemed to have discovered our train, stopping what they were doing to wave at the tributes, causing more and more to turn around towards them and mimic the others behavior and wave as well. Increasing his grip on Aster''s shoulder slightly he smiled and waved back at everyone with a large smile at his face. Soon after they arrived at the station and are escorted to the remake center shortly after in a large and comfortable car.

 Chapter 81 - Mirror

    When he arrived before the building and took an elevator to their temporary rooms here he was introduced to his prep team who soon began to work on him. Some levels ups of his pain resistance skill and quite a few hairs less Kaiser was finally presented to his personal stylist, a young women who was about his size although she seemed to be around twenty-five. She possessed ebony white and golden colored hair as well as a few crimson tattoos, which contrasted nicely with her slightly tanned skin, that originated at her hairline, went down to her temples and moved down her cheeks, throat before finally disappearing underneath the collar of the light blue dress she wore."Hello, my name is Aurumia and I''ll be your stylist for this year," she smiled and motioned for him to pick up a comfortable robe that had been left for him nearby. Putting it on he and grabbing the wooden box he had carried with him all the way from the train and followed her. Walking towards a sliding door in the wall they arrive at a large table with fitting couches on both sides.


    "Sit down please." She instructed. "We have much to discuss. While both you and the girl were being prepared I had a pleasant chat with your mentors on your personality. Although I knew a bit about each one of you they have helped me out immensely. With their help as well as with my partner, who should soon start informing Aster, we have developed the outfit you''ll be wearing for this years opening ceremony as well for your interviews."


    [I hope for her that she made something acceptable. If she screws this up a small accident might happen.]


    "Continue, please" Kaiser said instead, lightly smiling. She blinked for a few seconds, her forehead covered in wrinkles as she stared into space. Finally her face brightens up and relaxes as she touches her belly. "Food! That''s what I forgot. Do you have any preferences. Because I was too busy working on your outfits until the last minute I forgot to order the food for us. Here!" With that she hands Kaiser a large menu with different kinds of food written on it next to small ill.u.s.trations. "I''ll take two number nines as well as a number six with extra dip." was what he finally told her. As soon as he had finished she pulled a small speaker connected to a flexible tube up from underneath the table and whispered her orders inside. Soon afterwards the center of the table opened up to reveal many different kinds of food. Kaisers ''Number Nines'' consisted of large portions of slightly salted fries while his ''Number 6'' was a large Steak with a lot of sauce as well as a bit of salad. Dipping his fries in the sauce he began feasting.


    His order however was nowhere comparable to what the woman across from him ate. Piles of noodles, covered with sauce and minced meat, rolls filled with meat and vegetables, delicious tarts with different contents, pancakes dripping with syrup, marmalade or even steamed apples were presented before her. Yet it didn''t seem to impress her even in the slightest as she cleaned one plate after another. Already after she had cleaned her third large one was he impressed but she kept on going until he didn''t know how she even managed to fit everything without breaking the very fabric of reality. Despite her large meal she still finished earlier than him as he had at some point stopped to eat when face with this absurdity. As soon as he noticed her staring at his food he hurried to consume what was his, fearing that else it would be taken from him. How a women of her size eat so much and still remained slim confused him and despite everything he had stored within his memories he didn''t manage to fin an explanation. Everything he could do was draw references to a few animes with similar characters but this is were everything ended.


    Still overwhelmed he was taken by surprise when she stood up. "What are you waiting for?" she asked. "Aren''t you going to tell me more about my costume?" she just laughed while still walking towards the elevator. "I think it would be better for me to show you instead of simply talking about it. There isn''t much that I can tell you about it anyway as I doubt you are too familiar with the subject of design. Additionally I have always followed the motto of: Actions speak louder than words" with that she entered the elevator and waited. Soon after, having cleaned a few remaining fries from his plate he entered as well. Moving down one floor they came into a small room. Aurumia grabbed him by the hand and pulled him towards the left door. Entering a large room even bigger than all the previous ones filled with make up utensils, enormous mirrors as well as a big closet and much more Kaiser felt a bit overwhelmed for the moment, the strong emotions of surprise and anticipation still influencing him to a large degree even after he had spent a long time trying learn how to control them. After he had been pushed into a soft armchair in front of a large mirror Aurumia and the two girls and a single guy which were members of his prep team opened up the large closet. Inside a large variety of suits, dresses as well as a large spectrum of other things were stored inside. Large drawers at the sides had been stuffed full of needles, threads, make up utensils, measuring devices and more in a seemingly chaotic manner. After some time of searching they returned from inside. "You must excuse me," said Aurumia. "This one here is my part of my personal workshop so it''s a bit messy since I know where my things are regardless of where I put them. Now let me show you what prepared for you. I had already made a plan for this outfit and created the basics before speaking to your mentors and seeing you. Since I didn''t know your exact size I had to improvise but what I''ll give you wasn''t too much work and we still have time to improve it before the ceremony starts."


    Going around his upper body with a measuring tape before asking him to stand up to measure his lower body. Scribbling down everything in a small notebook she asked the young man on his prep team to come forwards. "Augustus. Please put a few clothes on him for a bit and tend to his needs. We''ll be back soon."


    With that Aurumia and the other two members left. After a few minutes of comfortable silence they return before stripping him of the warm pullover and trousers as well as forcing him to leave his sweets and hot chocolate behind to wear his costume. Closing his eyes he waited as they dressed him up which merely took a few seconds. Looking at his reflection in the large mirror he was surprised by what he saw. A long robe with a high collar which was becoming more tattered the closer it was to the ground. It was tight along his arms and upper body but became wider afterwards. It wasn''t purely black however as golden wheat ears adorned it in a few placed. A thin almost see-through black veil like tattered cape had been attached to his shoulders. Black leather boots went up to half of his shins. From the sides an object touched his hand. Without even thinking he grabbed it in reflex. A large black scythe without any grips with the curved blade having a shining silver hue, a bit taller than himself was now rested in his hands.


    Aurumia who had been standing at his side and handed him the scythe moved towards his back before caressing his right cheek and pulling his hair over the high collar letting the main part fall to the back but leaving a few strands of his long smooth hair fall over his shoulders to his chest as she spoke.


    "A bit ironic isn''t it? A tool for farming an sustaining life now used as a tool to end it. In the past you reaped wheat and grass but in the near future the only thing you''ll reap are lives. And you''ll not only kill those you dislike but everyone regardless of status or level of friendship. Just like killing and death your robe is so simple and almost plain yet through it also beautiful."


    She move to his front before cupping his face in her hands, whispering towards him. "You''ll be my killer and I''ll bet on you. Don''t disappoint me. I''m expecting a good show from you."


    Moving back her mood suddenly changed. What had been serious and creepy previously had now been replaced by a happily smiling face. "Now let''s get you going with a slight trace of make up." Soon after Kaiser had been changed only a slight bit. His skin now shining a bit more and his lips appear to be even more luscious. In all the black clothing, his dark skin color and black hair his glowing green eyes stand out even more. When they move towards the lower floor and through another door in the hall into the stables next to it after Kaiser had handed over his wooden box to the young man Augustus with the order of handing it to someone who would take it to his room in the training center they meet up with Aster and her team. Interestingly her prep team had also only one guy with the other two being female. Perhaps a custom in the Capitol? Her stylist was male which had been explained to have a specific reason. Every tribute would receive a stylist opposite to his gender as they knew the targeted audience as well as their general preferences.


    Smiling Kaiser and Aster moved to the chariot drawn by four brown horses meant to symbolize the earth which nurtured our crops. Once they stood there they first got the opportunity to evaluate each others outfits fully. Aster wore a dress with a light green and brown background looking like it had been made from vines, trees and grasses had he not felt that it was fabric when he had helped her to get on the chariot he would have been fooled. Countless colorful flowers bloomed all over it, spreading a soft and pleasant odor around the chariot. Violet, blue and purple flowers had also been woven into her honey-blonde hair, contrasting with it, her deep blue eyes and her light skin color. Just as he had observed her she had looked at him. Both smiled once more when their eyes met only to be interrupted by their stylists.


    "Wonderful, isn''t it? Live and death united in one district. Black and white. Light and dark. Two sides of a coin, so different yet so deeply intertwined and connected that one cannot exist without the other." said Aurumia. "How dramatic" mumbled Asters stylist. "Why do you always have to go out of your way to make it sound so grand. It looks good and it''s a unique design. That''s all I need to know. Don''t make such a big fuss." Hearing that Aurumia looked like she wanted to murder him in cold blood. "That''s why I''ll be the one to talk to possible sponsors with the mentors and not you! How can you not understand and enjoy this! Stupid idiot!"


    Asters stylist opens his mouth to reply in a probably extremely vicious way but before he could begin outside the building, all around the capitol, the opening music begins. The massive doors in front of the chariots slide open reveling the path between many onlookers in the stands on both sides of the road towards the city circle where the President would speak a few words to all of them.


    Slowly the chariots in front of them move forwards one after the other. Before both Kaiser and Aster leave however Aurumia climbs the chariot as well before whispering something into Aster''s ear. Causing her to flinch before swallowing and looking towards Kaiser who merely raised an eyebrow at their behavior before facing forwards again, holding his scythe tightly in his left hand which was closer to the edge of their chariot. Soon their chariot began to move as well and shortly before they could leave the shadow of the building Aster moved closer towards him and held onto the crook of his arm.


    With her slightly blushing they entered the street into the view of the dozens of cameras that were filming the ceremony.

 Chapter 82 - An unexpected twist

    When their chariot begins to roll into the long street towards the city circle most of the crowd is still busy with looking at the large screens which still mainly feature the first few districts. They are most often the ones with the best things to work with like the production of jewels and general luxury items for the capitol for District 1. They are often the most pleasant to look at. A runner up might be District 3 with Technology, District 4 with fishing as long as the tributes have nice bodies as well as District 8 which produces textiles which makes it relatively easy to work with. After a few moments however a few manage to spot our chariot and seem to be a bit impressed. Normally every other District besides 1,3,4 and 8 aren''t all to pleasant to look at and look relatively the same each year because of their individual Districts production. This year District 11 was entirely different. It was different from the usual farmers outfit and operated on a whole other scale, capturing more and more screen time as they moved forwards. Soon many cheered for them while large screens showcased Aster''s slight lively blush as well as Kaiser''s cold and reserved expression.


    To their surprise Kaiser however turned towards Aster and bowed towards her until his mouth was only a few centimeters away from her cheek, causing Aster to blush even further, tightening her hold on the crook of his right arm. A slight whisper was all she received before Kaiser straightened himself once more. "Can you dance?" Was all he had asked. "Yes. My parents taught me how so as to not embarrass our family whenever guests from the capitol came to visit." was all she managed to get out with a quickly beating heart, nervous as o why he could have asked such a question now of all times. For a moment Kaiser broke his serious and stern face once more to reply with a slight smile: "Then how about a dance with death Milady? If you dare that is."


    She laughed happily, which even the loud opening music can''t stop from reaching Kaiser''s ears, before answering: "I wouldn''t miss it anything in my life," before quickly separating from his arm which she had held previously. Turning towards her Kaiser smiled slightly once more before moving towards her a bit more until they could feel their bodies touching one another. Soon after the crowd got to witness a scene like they had never seen before. On top of the slowly moving chariot a pair danced beautifully. Sometimes tightly yet sometimes they couldn''t be further apart, separated by the large scythe in Kaiser''s hands which at times pushed them away or pull them closer. At times they even danced outside, besides the chariots which was possible due to their slow movement. However once they entered the city circle they stood like they had previously, in the same positions as though their dance had been but an illusion, the only evidence being the flushed and out of breath Aster while Kaiser didn''t seem like he hadn''t worked out at all. Not even a drop of sweat could be seen on him.


    As soon as their chariots stopped in the circle in front of the president''s mansion president Snow comes to the front of a large balcony above them where he gives his traditional speech. As soon as the small old man finishes the traditional speech the chariots go once more around the city circle before entering the training center.


    The doors close behind the last tributes from District 12 that rolled in after them after which their prep teams and stylists arrive and begin to praise their display as well as their own actions. With a way of his hand and a few stern gazes Kaiser manages to quiet them down. Aster simply smiles as Kaiser, being the gentleman helps her down to the ground in her dress. Despite noticing the judging and curious gazes of the other tributes Kaiser just ignores them and continues to escort Aster to the elevator, followed by their stylists and prep teams. Once they are inside Kaiser presses the button for the eleventh floor before watching the other tributes that still slowly climb from their chariots or are still discussing things with their prep teams and stylists. "It was a good decision we made in going first." Kaiser said to break the silence that had been present in the elevator since the very beginning. "Now no one really knows us. No one questions us. We are unpredictable. I think this is a good strategy for us. We can reveal only what we want to know others to know about us. That is if you agree with me Aster?"


    "I do." She smiles before joining him, watching as the ground of the large entrance hall and the people shrink more and more at a fast pace. "I''m quite a fan of mystery myself. I think the viewers will enjoy trying to unravel every little thing about us. Why did they choose these outfits for us. What was that about owing a life? Why did I go instead? What did you get in return which in your eyes was as valuable as a life?


    And most importantly: What is in that boy you always carry around with you? We just need to be careful to drop a few hints like breadcrumbs along the way to make them even more curious and keep the tension up. It is a TV-Show after all. Although it is bloody and extremely questionable in moral aspects we are still there entertainment. Being interesting characters is what will keep us alive in the arena." "That is true..." before he can continue the door opens behind them revealing their new temporary home. An entire floor just for them as well as their mentors.


    Stepping inside they decide to have dinner first so together with Asmodeus, Chaff, Seeder as well as both of their stylists they began eating. The prep teams had left, probably to tell the rest of the capitol how great their tributes were. Before they left they had been ordered to keep any and all information about them secret. Should rumors based on true facts start to circulate everywhere all of them would get a lot of problems or that was what both of their mentors, stylist as well as both of them promised both of the teams.


    A wonderful meal with a bit of laughter and a lot of joking around followed as they had decided to talk about more serious matters on the next morning. About two hours later all of them slowly went their own ways. Both Aurumia as well as her male partner needed to prepare and alter the costumes they had already prepared for the interview. Asmodeus needed to leave to present himself to speak to a few possible sponsors without giving away to much information while both mentors simply needed rest and finish their plans for the training sessions they were going to conduct in the near future. Meanwhile Kaiser and Aster merely decided to leave to get some sleep when everyone else had already left and it had already gotten late. In the hallway that finally split to their individual rooms Kaiser decided to lean on the door before going inside. Surprised Aster stayed as well, hesitating. "I really hope that I won''t have to kill you. You are a very nice girl. I hope you won''t be my last opponent that I have to defeat in order to win." Aster smiled before opening the door to her room. "Don''t worry. Although I also hope that I won''t be the one that will need to kill you I know that I''ll win. I''m sure of it. Please go down earlier down the line."


    "I''ll most certainly live longer than you, crazy girl. I''ll bet on it." "What could you possibly bet? Your life, the most important part of you is already the property of the Capitol." "Let''s bet other things. We''ll surely find something." She merely laughed in response before closing her door behind her as she entered her room, bringing an end to the conversation. Moments later Kaiser entered his apartment as well, locking his door behind him. A warm relaxing shower as well as a bit of extra hygiene later he sat on his large king size bed wearing a comfortable pair of pajamas. Fluffy covers and pillows behind his back, underneath him as well as covering him from the front he decided to relax a bit more before going to sleep. Watching the large moon outside and the countless twinkling stars outside the window that were somehow still visible despite the large amount of light produced by the large city.


    Finally a though came to him. Although he had thought about a lot of things this was something that now that he thought about it was getting even more important. [System?]


    [Master? Anyways can you tell me how skills work? Somehow I''ve always been to busy living my life to ask you this.]


    [Yes but how do they work?]


    [I mean where do they come from? How are they formed? Where does the additional power come from? What are the levels based on and how do you evaluate them? Can their level drop or can they completely disappear? The more I think about it the less it makes sense!]


    [But why only in fighting etc. and why are my skill levels restricted until I reach a certain age? When they are based on my abilities they should either remain constant or change depending on my age and physical capabilities! And how do you evaluate the skill level. How are you measuring it?]


    [Ok, go ahead.]


    [Yes? Continue.]


    [You still have things to explain. We aren''t done yet.]


    [But didn''t you say you were limited by my memories? And where does the power come from?]


    [Fine I''ll let you off the hook this time. Good night.]

 Chapter 83 - Carry me

    After being awakened by the first rays of sunshine that penetrated the large window Kaiser soon joined his group after he had prepared himself properly and equipped suitable clothes that had seemingly been prepared for him to be worn this day. Perhaps one of these Avox had picked them out for him? He had seen multiple at yesterdays dinner but hadn''t really payed attention to them, having been immersed in the conversations. Black trousers, A dark blue pullover. Simple but exactly to his liking. Perhaps his stylist or mentors had informed the Avox about his preferences?


    Enjoying a tasty breakfast with fine white bread, butter, marmalade, honey as well as a few cereals worked wonders in helping him to get ready for his first day. Refusing a final fill of his bowl he shoves it away before leaning away to enjoy the wonderful bloated sensation. Seeing as though everyone had eaten Seeder and Chaff got to the point. The stylists and Asmodeus hadn''t turned up so he assumed them to be busy with organizing or preparing important things. Seeder was the first one to speak up.


    "First of all I wish all o you a good morning. Seeing as all of you have already eaten your fill I would suggest that we continue on the topic of your future training. We already know a lot about your capabilities and favorite activities so based on that we can now discuss your training. Aster has already been told what she should focus on in case she wishes to follow our plans. As for you Kaiser we don''t really know what you should specifically focus on although we would advise you to learn how to fight with a knife. Besides all of that I''d like you to mainly and when I say that I ABSOLUTELY MEAN IT, focus on learning survival skills. How to find water, how to start a fire, how to built traps and generally everything else that could be useful in this regard. Now if you don''t have any other questions you ca go to the elevator, press the button labeled -1 and go to the giant gymnasium you''ll find there. There you can learn the necessary things and should you have any private questions the come to us at breakfast or dinner. During lunch you''ll stay with the other tributes. Now you can go one you feel ready."


    Glancing at the clock which showed 8 o''clock before looking at Aster questioningly Kaiser leaned back even further into the wonderful piece of furniture he was sitting on. Observing his behavior for a while Aster finally replied: "Well...I would like to go but seeing as though both of us are so full we think that it might be a good idea to stay at least until nine to make sure everything can be digested in the most optimal way." Nodding approvingly Kaiser heaved himself out of the cloud like pillows he had sat on and decided to lie down on a sectional sofa that had been conveniently placed nearby. Stretching all limbs away from himself before assuming a comfortable position in which he could relax on his back he closed his eyes only to be interrupted in his relaxation as he felt movement by his feet. Aster had decided to rest on the same couch as well, although on a different section of it in such a way that only their feet touched as she needed the same space as well. Watching her amused face as she enjoyed his startled expression caused him to lie down again, his head facing the back of the sofa this time. Although his feet were stubbed for a few additional times afterwards it soon ended. Smiling to himself Kaiser concluded that she must have gotten bored and most probably had relaxed herself as well. Not wishing to start the conflict anew he simply closed his eyes for a moment.


    When he opened his eyes again and looked at the clock he was surprised to find it displaying 9:30. Unsure he rubbed his eyes and focused on it again. Still 9:30. He must have fallen asleep for a while. Moving into a sitting position he looked over to Aster who was still soundly asleep. She had relaxed completely. For a moment he was tempted to play a small prank on her but ultimately decided against it. At the moment it seemed a bit counterproductive as they had to hurry down quickly as well as remain presentable as the Gamemakers would be attending to watch how they were doing on their first day.


    Simply shaking her he addressed her in a soft voice. "Wake up. We should be in the gymnasium before 10. If we want to get there in time we need to go now." Still sleepy she waved his hands away, mumbling: "Just a few more minutes. They won''t hurt anyone." "Wake up now for the last time. We have to go now!" "Fine. Fine. Go on without me. I''ll follow." she said before facing away, curling up once more. "I''ll warn you. You have failed me for the last time. I won''t be so gentle from now on." When he earned no answer he decided to grab her underneath her armpits, slowly dragging her of the comfortable sofa. Although she didn''t do anything at first as soon as he had reached the point where her h.i.p.s had already left the couch and her legs were slowly sliding off she almost panicked especially when Kaiser slowly lowered her upper body to lay her down in case she fell in her struggle.


    When she was lying on the floor and didn''t want to continue Kaiser simply decided to use his last resort. "If you don''t want to go I''ll carry you down without giving you the chance to get ready again and fix your attire." "Then carry me." Was all he received for an answer. Baffled for a moment a part of him was thinking about simply leaving her here while he went without, while another part of him was thinking about Mrs. Alby who had taught him at the orphanage to be a Gentleman and his promises to her, the training by the Head of the Peacekeepers Mr. Ch.i.p.s as well what he owed her and her father for replacing his sister as well as the arrangements for training.


    With a large sigh he ultimately took her up in a bridal carry, which caused her to emit a slight sound of surprise. Luckily he had started puberty a few years ago and they were almost the same size although Kaiser was quite strong as he had worked on the fields and fought all day while she was slim and wasn''t that heavy. Disappointed in her as well as his own behavior he began muttering: "It seems this is my last resort. I just want to get this over with. This conversation is tiring me out too much. Don''t try this again please or I''ll be less gentle next time." With her face pressed slightly against his chest she simply smiled slightly before whispering to him when they reached the elevator. "To get carried by you I''d do it every day and draw the time out until you have to do it." Smiling down on her he asked "Are you sure about that? Next time I''ll chose a less comfortable position for carrying you." "How unlucky for you that I''d like it regardless as long as it was you who did it." she countered. Snorting disbelievingly he turned to watch the ground approaching through the large glass panels at the sides of the elevator.

 Chapter 84 - Silent Observers

    When Kaiser saw that they had reached the ground floor he slowly let her down. Noticing his serious expression as well as the situation they were in she quickly composed herself as well, ruffling through her hair and straightening her shirt a bit as they went down further they turned to face the exit. Spotting a loose lint in her hair which after looking at it''s color most probably came from the couch. Picking it out while smoothing her hair a bit more she turned towards him questioningly he raised the found lint in his defense. Smiling she turned back around to exit the elevator. Keeping up their facade as the mysterious and unapproachable ones from District 11 as they met up with the rest of the tributes after having the number of their District pinned on their back a woman mounted a small stage to begin a short speech. After greeting all present tributes she explained how their training would start. Experts in their respective disciplines would be ready at certain stations to train them. They could train whatever they wanted to do in the three days they had. Spars against other tributes were forbidden after a tribute had killed another one ''accidentally'' during one so they had independent training partners if one wanted to fight against other people.


    Besides that there were few rules. Soon after they were allowed to roam freely. After Aster and Kaiser debated for a while quietly they decided to go to the different stations together. As it was the first day Kaiser decided that he wanted to avoid almost all combat related stations besides those he had trained in rarely like maces or claw-like gauntlets as well as similar things that were rarely present inside the arena. Archery was also one of the disciplines he could improvement in.


    In agreement with Aster they first went to a station that mainly focused on identifying edible plants. Looking at their options Kaiser saw few he didn''t know and even then he had an inkling of what they might be since he had seen similar plants belonging to the same family. In a moment where no one could be listening in he asked for a list of all plants, edible, poisonous as well as what he considered to be neutral, plants that were not poisonous but also inedible. After about two and a half hours he had learned a few things about a few dozen additional plants, at least those that were of interest to him. Although most of the time he had just been scrolling through things he had already known in search of additional information. His practice had been interrupted by a quick lunch that had been held in the gymnasium with all the tributes in attendance where everyone served themselves from large pots filled with delicious food.


    Both Aster and Kaiser had taken a table for themselves, far away from everyone else. From there they could observe the rest of the tributes without getting bothered. The tributes from the first few districts ''The career tributes'' which were often the most powerful were the same this year. Brutally they pushed their way to the front to eat first. The weaker and often malnourished ones were the ones they came last. 8, 9, 10, 12 as well as a few others seemed to be especially weak. Despite that they reminded each other constantly that they could still be viable opponents. Surviving, biding their time, traps and using their brains to defeat an opponent. Everything could be possible. Unwilling to bother with the long line that was forming they decided to stay as they didn''t want to waste time fighting for their place in a stupid line for food that was so abundant here. Instead they discussed their future plans for this evening as well as exchanging a bit about what they had learned.


    Seeing how Aster was having a few troubles understanding and learning about a the edible plants he decided to spent a bit of his time on teaching her himself after they had finished eating. This want only helping her as teaching and explaining to her also refined and improved his connections to the subjects. Correlations and similarities were much clearer to him now than before. After about three additional hours later they switched to a station where trapping as well as tying knots could be practiced. Due to his experience with them and the amount of time he had invested in such skills it wasn''t so much as learning anew as a welcome practice to calm his mind. Aster was also very good here which when he considered her hobbies that included sewing shouldn''t surprise him a lot. After a while they moved to different stations. Practicing to start a fire, camouflage as well as a few other interesting and niche skills which would help them over all. It goes without saying that it aided Aster more when compared to Kaiser who already knew almost everything or had learned about alternative methods to gain the same result. Some time later Aster asked for a bit of weapon practice so they went to a few station that housed a large variety of weapons. While Aster chose to train with knifes as to per Kaiser''s and her mentors recommendation Kaiser chose to use a few much more unusual weapons. After training with a hammer and a mace for a while he found a new toy which interested him. A whip. Ironic. Brought into the word through the power of a whip he now used it to hurt simulated opponents. After he had spend most of the afternoon practicing with it he switched to a scythe which was much more familiar to him. Having spent years using it it felt natural swinging it. Cutting the feet of his opponents with the usual sweeps before pushing others back with the pole before piercing the downed ones eyes by simply allowing gravity to do its thing.


    When he finished and one more met up with Aster who had had enough for a day he noticed that a few of the career tributes were eyeing him with a bit of suspicion as well as a bit of respect. Not minding them he decided to focus on the large clock on the wall. Deciding to call it a day they went to the lift but not without saying goodbye to the the many Gamemakers that were still watching the training going on with half an eye while they were mostly focusing on the many delicacies that had been prepared for them as well which was just as important as the gossip they had been picking up. After a quick nod from one of them who had seen them after a few minutes of enjoying his bowl of candied almonds in peace they left to retire for the day.

 Chapter 85 - Escape strategies

    After they had arrived back at their floor they met up with Asmodeus as well as their mentors who had seemingly been waiting to eat with them. After some food they were immediately asked about what had happened below. This time Chaff was the one to go first. "So kids. What did you do today?" Telling them about what they had trained, in which order and how long Chaff began mumbling and thinking for a while which he used to drown large amounts of water. Perhaps he should have held back on the salty food like Seeder had told him to. "And how were the others?" Was what he asked next, which was nearly impossible to understand since he had been munching on another snack while talking which resulted in Seeder slapping him lightly on the back in a warning manner as well as verbally reminding him not to talk while eating.


    After a slight pause Kaiser once again told him how the others had been doing. Career tributes being assholes as usual, flexing their muscles and skills everywhere while the rest was malnourished and/or had next to no skills in anything fighting related. Although he didn''t really see most of them as a threat he still included that he shouldn''t underestimate everyone even if they looked pathetic in his conclusion as he knew that would he miss that one hour of lecturing would follow how everyone could be a threat.


    "What are they good at?" Was the next question. This time both pooled together everything they had seen, correcting and adding what the other had told. One of the strongest guys who was called Semper and was from District 1 if he recalled correctly was seemingly very proficient in the use of swords and knifes and preferred to throw himself into combat regardless of the consequences. A thin but muscular brunette was his female companion, proficient with the spear and always prepared to assist him when he rushed into battle and got surrounded but she seemed to confident and displayed everything she was capable of to anyone interested in order to intimidate them.


    The others were either rather similar or the weak ones that had tried fighting for the first time or were trying to build up their survival skills. To get more info on the rest they watched the reapings that had taken place the previous days. Almost every reaping there had been standard procedure where the chosen ones would come to the front, no one volunteered as they didn''t want to die and they moved on to the next one. The only difference had been in District 2 where a bulky boy nearing seventeen years named Prometheus had taken the place of a 13 year old and stood next to a girl which was nearly of the same age named Artemis. He had seen both in training although both hadn''t done much more besides a light warm up and learning survival skills. They would be much harder opponents when compared to the pair from District 1 due to their attitude. Despite their cautiousness Kaiser had noticed a few things due to their posture during their exercises. Apparently Artemis like the goddess she shared names with was proficient with the bow as well as with knife combat. Prometheus seemed to be more into spears and weapons like maces, hammers or axes which suited his body type.


    After a few discussions about this years career tributes and whether or not Districts 1 and 2 would work together as well as including other smaller groups that could potentially join like District 4, District 7, District 8 or District 9 which this year had a few strong and well fed tributes they went to bed in order to rest for the following day.


    On the next day which began similar to the last Kaiser rested on the couch once more, this time with a prepared alarm clock that would inform them in time. A few minutes before the time they had set Aster decided that all of the sudden refreshing her make up was the most important thing in the world. Curious about what she was going to do he asked to accompany her as he was intrigued by what she wanted to do. Most surprisingly she agreed and took him by the hand towards a bathroom that had been installed nearby so that the tributes wouldn''t have to walk all the way back to their own rooms to relieve themselves. As soon as they had come to a halt in front of the bathroom Kaiser peered inside carefully. The sheer amount of beauty products astounded him to no end.


    While he was still standing on the doorstep, watching everything with genuine interest Aster brushed past him to finally arrive where she wanted. After carefully observing herself in the mirror for what felt like an eternity to Kaiser he simply didn''t want to wait any longer especially when he considered that they had to leave soon. "Are you going to start? We have to leave in about 15 minutes. Why are you fussing so much about that anyways? Well exercise immediately afterwards so it won''t matter too much anyways. You would have to reapply soon afterwards. And why wasn''t that a problem yesterday?"


    She merely smiled mischievously before slowly walking towards him in what some might consider to be a seductive matter. Leaning closer to him until they almost touched she whispered into his ear, "Then how about you try and catch me. I think I don''t feel like going today. Perhaps I''m sick?", before running away, jumping over various pieces of furniture that had been placed in the various rooms.


    "You just want to be carried you lazy snail! Wait until I catch you and drag you to the elevator by your ankle!"


    "Snail? Oh please. I''m a sly cat that will always evade your grasp. You''ll never catch me. And you promised to carry me!"


    Huffing with some amus.e.m.e.nt as well as a trace of displeasure he replied "Then better hide in your own room o I''ll get you absolutely." At this point she had already disappeared around a few corners and had left his field of vision. Thinking that she would most likely be tempted to look for him in order to tease him further he activated his Stealth Skill which was rather high level by now and followed a different path for now. About three minutes later he found her hidden inside a large wardrobe where she had hidden behind a few long coats through the use his Observation Skill. Although she tried to escape immediately he soon caught up to her after two rounds of running around in the living room when she tripped over a table leg. Grabbing her before she could fall down onto the floor he heaved he over his shoulder like a heavy sack of grain and began to carry her over to the elevator. Although she struggled a bit it was rather playful as she tried to slip out of his grip which turned out to be a futile endeavor. Mockingly he decided to talk on his slow walk towards the elevator.


    "What was that about how I would never be able to truly grasp you, sly cat?"


    "I must have misspoken. You are a wonderful man and you have proven yourself to be quite capable. Now would you please let me down? I can walk by myself."


    "I won''t fall for that princess. You can walk once we are inside the elevator. Now please hold still and stop wiggling like a slippery sardine that wishes to return into the water."


    "I''m not a dumb fish! How dare you!"


    "Regardless, with you I can say that I had a very good catch."


    Snorting at his attempt of a joke she quickly continued with her attempts to free herself. However once he pressed the button to the gymnasium and the doors had closed she gave up and relaxed, causing him to attempt to let her down since she had wanted it before only for her to refuse to let go, switching to a piggyback position instead where she began to play with his long black hair. Despite his best attempt to behave normally it was almost impossible when someone was always slightly blowing cold air on his neck.

 Chapter 86 - Death 13

    These last two days of training to them felt like they had passed by so quickly that they were very surprised when the final day had come. For the most part they had never interacted with the other tributes besides a nod here and there. They simply did some survival training in the morning and after lunch before doing a few exercises in the afternoon to stay fit and train their fighting skills a bit. The only thing messing up their schedule had been when the career tribute team had come to ''have a talk''on the second day.


    --- One day ago ---


    As usual Kaiser and Aster sat down at their table to wait until everyone went to get their food. Just like the day before which had been their first day they observed the people that were standing in line. Like yesterday District 1, District 2 and District 4 were the ones that went first before the rest. By now it was rather obvious that they would be temporary allies inside the arena. Different from the day before they didn''t stop when they reached their table but instead moved towards both of them. Semper the male tribute of District 1 was the first to speak up. Somehow this guys fiery and reckless behavior reminded him of a certain someone.


    "Clear the table! This one belongs to us now!"


    Resting his chin upon his propped up arm Kaiser simply stared at him expressionlessly. After a few moments of awkward silence between them where everyone was staring at them, interested in what was going to happen, Kaiser rebuked:"Why should we clear this table?"


    While Semper opened his mouth, no doubt already preparing countless insults his female partner Superbia grabbed his arm and shoved him behind her before setting her food down at the side and leaning her face closer towards Kaiser, mocking him in a childish voice. "Because we want it kid. I''m sure you don''t want any problems right? Especially since we can decide to kill you off early in the arena or let you struggle."


    What answered her was a completely relaxed Kaiser that looked into her eyes in a rather bored manner before he continued to watch those standing in line for food. "Look lady. This is our spot. It''s already taken. You can sit with us if you really want to but we won''t leave simply because you tell us to."


    Surprised by his answer she turned around to Semper who was still fuming and getting ready to leave. Before both could leave both the bulky Prometheus and Artemis had already sat down and begun to eat next to both of them. Hesitating for a moment both tributes from District 4 looked at each other before sitting down across the ones from District 2. At that moment Semper and Superbia felt like they were stuck between a rock and a hard place. Their plan to show superiority and be a leading example for their team had backfired and now they either had to leave and be known as cowards and losers as well possibly loose the good relation they had cultivated with the other career tributes or they could stay and swallow their defeat and sit with the one that had humiliated them. In the end they chose to stay before their food got cold. As soon as they chose to sit down however Kaiser bumped Aster with his elbow. Surprised she flinched before looking at his now smirking face.


    "What is it?"


    "The line is gone. Since we have visitors over would you be a dear and get something for the both of us while I entertain our visitors?"


    "Why don''t you go?"


    "Why don''t I tell you what you tried to pull this morning?"


    Slightly grumpy she replied: "You wouldn''t dare! But fine. What ever." before walking away.


    "And I would like for it to be in a good condition and served in a way that is pleasing to the eye." Was all he added.


    "Anything else? Since I''m already going?"


    "How about some nice drinks for the both of us."


    Shaking her head she left only to return with the food a few minutes later during which the table was completely silent, everyone solely focusing on consuming their food although he could see Semper shaking with anger, barely restrained by Superbia''s hand that was caressing his underneath the table. When Aster placed down the tray she had been carrying Kaiser saw that only one big steaming bowl of soup as well as some bread and two glasses of water were standing on it.


    "Are you going on a diet now of all times or did you forget my plate?"


    She grinned before cheekily replying: "Neither. If you want some of my soup then you have to let me feed you."


    "So that''s how you''re going to play? Sadly you are out of luck. I''m VERY hungry and being fed by a pretty girl such as yourself wouldn''t stop me in any way. What about you though? Should I feed you as well? What do you say?"


    Although she was taken aback for a moment she soon agreed and the others left soon, having seen enough from their interaction, opting to return to training instead.


    --- Back in the present ---


    Today on the third day as soon as they had eaten lunch they had to present their skills before the Gamemakers which would evaluate their skills and assign scores based on their performance. District after District, male before the female tribute they worked their way down until they finally reached Kaiser. Wishing his good luck and concentration Aster remained in the dining room with the two from District 12 while he moves into the gymnasium. Looking at the Gamemakers he can see that most of them just want to get this over with, most simply eating and drinking until they''re full.


    After waiting for almost two minutes during which they didn''t attempt to give him a signal to start he took up a large mace and banged it three times against a metal pillar that he found close by. Seeing that he had successfully captured their attention he smiled and waved.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen. Now that I have your attention I would like to propose something interesting to you. Out of all these weapons present here I''ll give you the choice which ones I should pick to fight and how to fight. Throw it, close combat, your choice."


    Placing the mace back on the shelf he turned and pointed towards the one furthest on the left, and old fatty that had managed to dirty his gray beard with sauce, whine and crumbs. "You there sir! What would you like to see?"


    Surprised the man cleaned himself a bit and sat straight before replying: "Since you picked up a mace in the beginning I think it would be a good idea to see you work with that. You could fight with it in a hologram room at whatever difficulty you are comfortable with." Earning mumbled agreement from the others as well as a few nods here and there the man smiled, satisfied with what he had proposed.


    Kaiser simply picked up the mace he had just placed down and walked toward one of the hologram rooms that are scattered around the gymnasium used to train the use of various weapons. Choosing one that allowed good visibility for the Gamemakers he chose the highest level with various different attackers, each with unique weapons. Starting the simulation a few Gamemakers were laughing. "What is he even doing. Those modes are used to train the experts that teach at the stations and even they struggle especially with a weapons like maces."


    Despite their opinions Kaiser mowed down his opponents. Moving into close range he bashed joints and skulls, taking out one opponent after next. In the end the light went out inside the room, signifying that he had passed the level. Smiling he walked to the center. "What do you want me to do next?" Suddenly everyone wanted to make the next demand, especially since they were limited in their time. Usually that was a problem for tributes as they couldn''t showcase everything but today it was a problem for the Gamemakers. They almost strangled each other due to differing opinions. "Do a sword next! We need classics!" "No! Do a spear next. Spears are way better!" "I want something challenging! How about archery or knife throwing?"


    The one that was following that one was of the most preferred ones. "Since he''s the reaper I want to see him with a scythe." After a second of thinking everyone was agreeing hurriedly.


    Grabbing a scythe that was similar to the one he had used during the parade Kaiser once more entered the same hologram room with the same difficulty level as previously. The following was quite intriguing to look at. Like cutting grass Kaiser cut the tendons and muscles of his attackers in the front before keeping his enemies behind him at a distance using the spike located at the bottom of the pole. Finally he finished off his opponents by simply allowing the head of his scythe to drop down, piercing through the necks, vital internal organs, eye sockets or ears, sometimes even just using its weight to break bones.


    After he emerged from the hologram room he once more stood before the Gamemakers. "Although it is regrettable I fear we don''t have enough time to test everything one after another so how about I take everything I want to with me inside the hologram room?" Amazed the Gamemakers agreed instantly, interested in how he was going to pull this off. Carrying a multitude of weapons inside the room Kaiser started the program once more. As soon as he noticed the first opponents spawning he threw five knifes at them, each hitting their mark. Pulling the bow from his back he pulled out an arrow and hit one opponent after the other. Dropping the bow and his quiver to the side he grabbed a long spear that he had leaned onto the wall next to him. Skewering one after another he threw it away after he had pierced the fifth one. Grabbing a sword and a shield with similar proportions to his own he slashed and hacked his way through two others, deflecting their weapons away from him with his shield, he drew closer and erased them swiftly. Grabbing an ax next he beheaded another one before equipping a pair of clawed gauntlets which he used to take hold of his enemies weapon before ripping out his throat.


    Deciding that he had shown enough he ended the simulation although only a few seconds were left and proceeded to drag all the weapons back to their respective shelf. "It seems as though our time is up. As much as I would want to continue we are limited by our time. As you have seen I could have demonstrated a lot more. Because of that I would like to ask all of you a favor."


    This now was the one thing he had wanted to achieve. Everyone was interested in him and wanted to see more of him. Why wouldn''t he try to exploit this?


    "I would like to showcase something at the interviews but I don''t know if the time I have will be enough. Because of that I wanted to ask all of you to talk to the organizers to give me or all of us tributes some more time to present ourselves. I don''t need your insurance but please, at least try. I''m sure that with all of you asking they''ll agree."


    With that he turned around and left for the elevator. As soon as he arrived on his floor he was asked thousands of questions on how it had gone, what they had said, what he had done, if anything special had happened and so on and so forth. Ignoring all of them he went into his own room, ordering a large serving of all kinds of cakes. Sometimes he just had to do something like this. With his cake in hand he sat on a large couch to watch TV and a films that were present inside his room. Although he could have ordered other ones he didn''t know any others so he opted for watching a few action films about some robots and mutts that were fighting for the capitol against aliens. Quite entertaining.


    About three hours later he was called to attend dinner. Sitting down the ate a bit before watching the scores that had been assigned to all of them by the Gamemakers after they had evaluated their performance. These scores ranged from a 1 being the worst to a 12 which was almost impossible to accomplish. What had been shown always remains a secret to avoid other tributes learning about their opponents trump cards and skills. Because of that the scores were the only thing that would be the only thing that could more or less be used to determine the true power of a tribute.


    The first ones that were presented were the ones from District 1 with a 10 for Semper as well as an 11 for Superbia. The two from District 2 both got an 11 and the two from District 4 had a 10 for the male and a 9 for the female tribute. The rest got anything ranging from a 3 to an 8. Finally after they had revealed that the girl from District 10 had gotten a 7 the showed Kaisers score.


    It was a 13. How was that possible? He didn''t know. They had broken their own ranking system to showcase how much they had liked his performance. Not only the commentator but also all the ones that sat with Kaiser looked at him clearly disturbed. Outside the building they could hear the people that watched the scores on the large screens go crazy. A few even lit fireworks. What had he done to get something like that? He had just painted an enormous target on his back. But was it even possible to fight against someone that had the greatest score in the history of Panem''s Hunger Games? Next Aster''s score which was a 10 was showcased, earning congratulations from all around. After a round of partying with a few non alcoholic drinks to relax from the shock they went to bed although most couldn''t go to sleep.

 Chapter 87 - The Show must go on

    When they awoke the next day, after a pleasant breakfast both tributes, their mentors as well as their stylists and their teams begin to discuss today''s agenda. As they would have the interviews on the next day today would be filled with preparation. They decided that in the beginning they would establish general rules and topics they would talk about as well as things they would avoid entirely before splitting up to prepare individually. They decided to meet in the living room area about 30 minutes later to give everyone a chance to take care of a few important things they still had to do before they could start.


    Exactly 25 minutes later all of them had arrived and taken care of everything they needed to do. Seeing that no one wanted to wait they decided to start early. Chaff was the first one to start on their lesson. "Good. Since everyone is ready we should start now. First off I clear up one fact that everyone should know before we can get into this discussion. This is all a show. If you want to survive and take a shot at winning this getting people to like you to gain gifts during the game is important. You don''t have to be experts but since you had a better education compared to previous ones we tutored I''m sure it will be easier with you."


    "First off to get people interested in you you need to be different and special. You have already a good start with your dance during the opening ceremony, the great outfits your stylists designed as well as your high scores on the test." After a short round of clapping from the stylist teams that interrupted his speech he continued. "Additionally you have displayed an air of mystery and distance that makes people curious. Both of you are just so full of secrets. Keep it that way. These secrets are your currency so don''t waste them. Drop a few hints here and there so that people want to keep you in the game to find out everything."


    Looking at both of them intensely he continued. "And most of all. Don''t break up your duality part. From the start you have been acting as a pair so stay that way at least until the game is nearly up. It will add a bit of romance, a touch forbidden love perhaps and give the audience something to be invested in. The large questions of whether you are lovers, close friends or simply indebted to each other will drive them insane and greedy for more. You are all so wrapped up in a net of conflicting and confusing strings of fate that they will thoroughly enjoy your performance if you play your cards right."


    Thinking for a moment before taking a large sip of water from a glass that had been conveniently placed on a table nearby by one of the Avox servants Chaff finally said: "I think now we have discussed almost everything I wanted to say about the general situation and how you gave us some great stuff to work with compared to the usual boring stuff. Is there something anyone would like to add?"


    After a few looks around Aurumi Kaiser''s stylist raised her hand. Motioning for her to speak up Chaff leaned back to see what she wanted to present. "Ahem!" After clearing her throat Aurumia liked her lips as she was seemingly to excited to present something to them. "I just wanted to tell you that we finished your costumes for the interview. As all of you will be discussing your individual performance we decided to to tell you about the costumes you''ll be wearing since they will influence your viewers. It would be best if your content either fits with your costumes or they contrast it extremely almost in a comedic sense."


    "Good thought process! We should keep her as the stylist for the tributes next year. We can work perfectly together!" Was all Chaff had to add in his usual loud and rough mannerism. Which was rather interesting since his though process was so analytical and on point like a master puppeteer. Truly an interesting character. "Now let''s split up. I''ll talk with Kaiser while Seeder as usual will talk with Aster. Aurumia will accompany our team while Qarimir will go with the girls. What about you Asmodeus?"


    It was only now that Kaiser really noticed that guys presence since he hadn''t said a word since the beginning. "I''ll have to mix with my people. I''ve already informed about potential sponsors and you just need to sign the deals. Today I promised a few that are still undecided that I''d meet them in a club not that far from here. Of course I won''t tell any confidential information that have been discussed in here." Looking at his pocket watch before snapping it shut he picked up his jacket and his iconic fedora before wishing a nice evening, leaving the floor.


    Soon after while munching a few tasty snacks in Kaisers room the team sat together discussing his strategy which, should it work, be able to fully capture the hearts of the capitol.

 Chapter 88 - 500 Miles

    The following day Kaiser woke up a bit later. Since Aster''s stylists had determined that they would need a bit more time with her Kaiser''s team had decided to start later since they wanted to finish nearly at the same point in time, allowing Kaiser to enjoy a wonderful breakfast with his mentors, allowing him to once more go over the most important parts with them.


    The previous day they had decided that this day before the interview would belong entirely to the stylists and their teams. Hair, nails and skin is being polished and beautified to the highest degree. Due to him being a guy they don''t do too much and opted to leave it closer to his natural look. His long black hair is simply being washed and treated well, falling in long, straight lines down his back and in parts over his shoulders. Soon after the team of stylist tell him to wait since they are far ahead on schedule.


    Close to an hour later Kaiser can be seen lounging on a comfortable red armchair in a cozy black robe reading a Capitol magazine. Before the interview were starting it wouldn''t hurt to pick up some recent rumors about the more famous ones. Throwing the magazine onto a growing pile placed on top of a small table in front of him next to a slightly steaming cup of tea and a box of biscuits he reclined before sighing. Taking a large sip of tea he closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the taste of his exquisite tea. When he opened them again he saw the smiling face that belonged to one of his prep team members. It was the male. Augustus. "What is it Augustus? Is there anything in particular you need?"


    "I was tasked with calling you but since I saw you enjoying yourself I decided to wait for a short while. Now please follow me if you are ready."


    "Very well. I hope this won''t take long."


    The man smiled before replying with a wide smile: "No worries. It won''t take long. Rest assured."


    Once they stood before a large mirror Aurumia asked Kaiser to put on a blindfold since she wanted his outfit to be a surprise. Because of that equipping everything became far more interesting and challenging. From what he could sense the outfit was quite heavy and relatively tight without loosing to much flexibility however. Slowly they fitted everything before pulling his hair outside, allowing it to flow over his new costume. Soon after they lifted his blindfold. To say he was surprised was an understatement.


    A smooth black b.r.e.a.s.tplate and pauldrons covered his upper body while his stomach was covered in the dark black leathery fabric of the long sleeved shirt he wore underneath. Black gauntlets covered his hands, reaching up to his elbows, giving them a bit of a scaly look. A wide belt with a long and wide sash reached down, ending just above his knees. Long and slightly baggy trousers made of the same material as the shirt covered his legs. His knees were protected with a wide almost circular piece of blacked metal that wrapped around it and was secured tightly by many thin strips of black leather which were almost invisible before the background of his trousers. Below metal plated tight and tough leather boots that almost reached his knees protected his feet. A long veil like cape which had been tattered like the one he had worn during the opening ceremony fluttered behind him, ending just about 30 centimeters before reaching the ground, hindering him in no way.


    Shortly after they left Kaiser''s apartment, meeting up with the others. Meeting Aster in front of the elevator he was quite surprised. Contrary to his warrior look with armor all over his body they had chosen to stuff Aster into a long white smooth flowing dress. Inlaid he can see countless vines in various shades of green creeping up from its seam, flowers blooming, birds looking on hidden between them. A gold and silver diadem had been placed on top of her head with many amethysts and rubies inlaid to form various patterns. Her team had woven many threads of silver inside it so that it looked like they were connected to the diadem. Golden earrings with small diamonds as well as a fitting necklace complemented it. Wearing her usual golden bracelet she smiles at him.


    "Don''t you look fancy today. Why don''t you keep it for when the games begin?"


    "I''d sure like to but I doubt they would permit this. Though you look quite beautiful as well in that dress. Are you really sure you want to wear this? You''ll break the heart of every person in the capitol."


    "That was the plan after all so I''m delighted to hear that evaluation from you. Though I''m sure that all the girls will probably come after you. Their dark knight will chase them even in their dreams."


    Chuckling they all entered the elevator to drive towards the base level of the training center. From his window in his room Kaiser had seen countless people running around below like ants to build a large stage in front of it. At last they would reveal themselves to the public. At last they would have their stage.


    Exiting they waited around in the enormous lobby. It would still take a long time before they would be able to present themselves. Slowly all tributes gathered in a long line with the ones from District 1 in front, the male to the left and the woman to the right. About two minutes later all of them move, slowly crossing the hall making their way onto the stage. Many are clearly nervous, shaking and sweating buckets despite their one day of training. Sitting down in thrown-like seats at the back Kaiser decided to watch the many people that had gathered here. Prestigious people have their own balcony with the stylists in the front row, same as the Gamemakers as well as a few film crews. A large screen behind them projected a countdown after which Ceasar Flickerman would begin his usual show. This year he had decided to showcase a bony white hair color together with his deep blue suit that was covered with almost countless tiny light bulbs that made it look like the night sky. Secretly Kaiser was relieved. At least he hadn''t decided to show up in weird yellow colored hair that looked like piss.


    As soon as the countdown had ended with the beginning of a band that played an opening theme during which Ceasar came to the front waving and smiling towards the many visitors. Once the applause and music had ended Ceasar began to truly interact with his audience. After a few jokes to start everything off the interviews begin. Before he can introduce the first tribute however he gets a bit more serious.


    "Ladies and Gentlemen. This year will be a very special year. As you might have noticed what we have already seen prior to this interview was just to fascinating. Because of that President Snow has declared that this year the time we''ll have for each individual interview will depend on their score. The higher the score, the longer the interview."


    Earning loud applause and agreeing shouts from the audience he bows before turning slightly, beckoning for the first tribute to come towards him. The first tribute, Superbia from District 1 walks towards the center of the stage in her high heeled shoes and a long golden dress which is completely covered in jewels of all shapes, sizes and coloration. Seeing that Clearly going for the s.e.xy and attractive style Kaiser leans back to enjoy the show presented before him. Glancing towards his back he can see a couple of Avox standing in a few corners. Waving one towards him he asks for a small table to be put between Aster and him as well as a few cold drinks and a few snacks and sweets. After a quick look to a superior that had also come close to listen to the conversation who nodded in agreement about three Avox left the stage only to return soon after with the items he had asked for. Grabbing a few cookies and warm cup of tea he felt satisfied. This was the way to go.


    Soon after a few other tributes noticed what he had done, prompting the to do the same. Soon after many tables were filled with beverages and appetizers, constantly being refilled by the many Avox. Although it was being noticed no one wanted to waste their precious time talking about this phenomenon as they were too busy talking about themselves.


    After a long time of waiting it was finally Aster''s time to go on stage. Despite her trying hard to hide it to Kaiser it was easily recognizable how nervous she was. Taking her cup from her slightly shaking hands and placing it down carefully Kaiser took her hand instead and held it tightly. Drawing closer he whispered: "You can do this. I believe in you. Just remember our plan and you will do fine." Seeing her nod Kaiser let go when she stood up abruptly, walking to the front. Despite her slight nervousness in the beginning she did very well, taking care to avoid any topics that would reveal all of their secrets. The only thing she really confirmed was the fact that she did really owe her life to him and that Kaiser was her savior, a thing that had been obvious when looking at the way the reaping in their district had transpired. The rest of the time she was funny and entertained the audience as well as present all of her dress after they had been curious about the things sewn on it.


    Enjoying himself for Kaiser his turn came way to soon as he would have liked her to talk a while longer. Sadly his wishes were not fulfilled.


    The only thing that surprised both of them was when shortly before the end Ceasar decided to ask his personally most anticipated question. "Aster. You are a very beautiful girl. And as we have all seen you are much more than that. You are funny and kind, you are gentle and graceful. Now, I''m sure everyone wants you to answer my next question. Do you have a special someone waiting at home?"


    Aster laughed before smiling to the crowd. "I have indeed already found my other half. I''ve already found someone who will make me happy and the thoughts about him will accompany me throughout the games."


    With this mysterious declaration she concluded her interview.


    After about two hours of waiting it was finally time for Kaisers interview. Placing down his cup and getting rid of a few crumbs that had made their way onto his armor he stood up, stepping into the spotlight in the front of the stage to meet Ceasar as soon as Aster had returned. Before Ceasar could do much more then introduce him Kaiser decided to take the initiative.


    "Hello there. Nice to meet all of you. I''m pleased to see all of you came to learn more about me and my fellow tributes. I also feel honored to finally meet you in person, Ceasar. I quite like your hair this year. You should keep it."


    Pleased that a tribute finally took the initiative and interacted with him properly like the people from the first few districts Ceasar smiled. Only Aster had really conversed with him since the last five or so districts which to him meant more work he had to do in order to have the tributes speak and tell parts of their story.


    "You like my hair? Is that the only thing? It does contrast nicely with yours though." Was what he replied jokingly.


    "I''m truly sorry for you Ceasar," came Kaisers response, "but I''m into girls. I think it''s best to say this before we start as I don''t want to give you any false hopes."


    Hearing that the audience was split between joyful shouts people that enjoyed him roasting Ceasar as well as a few girls and people that felt sad for Ceasar.


    Meanwhile looking at each other for about half a second both of them began to chuckle before laughing out loud. Ceasar strongly patted Kaiser on the pauldron on his left shoulder before turning to the audience theatrically.


    "Did you hear that. Although sadly I cannot keep him with me there is still a chance for all of you girls out there. Perhaps he''ll be able to complement more than your hair."


    Earning chuckles and agreement from the audience Ceasar turned back to Kaiser. "After this unfortunate or for some fortunate confession I''m sure we could talk about a few more things about you that interests not only the audience but also me personally. You don''t know how excited and shocked we were when we heard the announcement of your score. Could you tell us something about it?"


    Earning thunderous applause from everywhere everyone soon quieted down, waiting for his response. Clearing his throat Kaiser looked over the gathered crowd before sighing. "Do you really want to know what happened?" was what he shouted right after.


    A loud and clear "YES!" was what came back. "Do you really want to know all of my secrets?"


    Another loud and clear "YES!" returned once more. Smiling Kaiser replied: "Then too bad that a magician never reveals his secrets."


    A sad and disappointed crowd crowd sighed deeply. "No hold on for a minute." Quickly Ceasar tried to rescue the situation and get some good content. "You said you were a magician. Can you prove that to us?"


    Smiling Kaiser looked at everyone. This had been what he had been going for all along. "Of course. Please step closer but in a nons.e.x.u.a.l way."


    Grinning broadly Ceasar stepped towards him. Taking off his gauntlets and rolling up the long sleeved shirt he wore underneath he said. "Could you hold onto those for a minute or put them somewhere safe?" Hurriedly Ceasar grabbed the gauntlets and put them onto a small lectern that stood at the side of the stage together with a glass of water.


    As soon as Ceasar returned and stood to Kaisers left once more Kaiser showed empty hands and forearms which weren''t covered by his shirt anymore. "As you can see my hands are completely empty. Sadly over the course of the interview I''ve discovered that Ceasar has hidden quite a few objects all around him. Now I think that it is my duty to reveal everything to you."


    The surprised Ceasar merely raised his hands defensively. "I have no idea what you are talking about. Show me. Prove to me that you are right." "That is what I intended to do from the start."


    Kneeling down he reached for Ceasar''s fancy shoes. "First off let''s start with your shoes. Or rather your trousers." "Are you sure you don''t like men" was what Kaiser could hear from above. "Absolutely. No chance for you Ceasar." Reaching into Ceasar''s socks that were covered by his trousers he opened his inventory.


    "What do we have here. Do you like playing poker?" Kaiser said before standing up, showing four Aces within the palm of his hand. "You know that cheating isn''t nice." In a magazine he had read a few hours ago he found an article about Ceasar had won a lot of money when he had gambled with a few other rich people. The capitol people who knew about it began to laugh and cheer before waiting for his next display.


    Ceasar merely shook his head. "Then let us continue our search. Perhaps we''ll find even more interesting things. How about you give me your arm." Smiling Ceasar extended his right arm towards Kaiser. "No. Not that one. You did that on purpose. You know full well that the thing you try so desperately to hide from me is within your left sleeve."


    Taking Ceasar''s left arm he reached into the sleeve before pulling out a piece of red lingerie. "What do we have here. How interesting. I didn''t know that was your fashion choice." In another paper he had heard about Ceasar hooking up with a red-haired beauty not to long ago. Luckily due to what had happened in the past Kaiser was already on the best way to become a kleptomaniac, gathering everything that he thought could be useful someday and due to the endless storage capacity of his inventory it didn''t matter what he stored as it couldn''t influence him negatively. So naturally when he had arrived at the capitol he had taken the chance to get whatever he could find. Once they had met for discussion on how his interview would be going he had asked for lot of similar stuff and miscellaneous items. The crowd meanwhile was going crazy, laughing at the completely surprised expression present on Ceasar''s face.


    "I''m sorry Ceasar." Was what he said next. "I just couldn''t resist to tease you a bit. Now I think I''ll show you the usual. I think you have something behind your ear." Curious about what was going to happen he leaned forwards to allow Kaiser to reach it more easily. That situation was a bit more special since there was a possibility that the tributes seated on the other side of the capitol people would see it so he had to be more careful. "Let''s see what we have here." Pulling out coin after coin from behind Ceasar''s ear before stopping once he had gathered four coins. Showing them to Ceasar he noted. "Your ear is quite interesting. If you were to do that on a regular basis you''d become rich. But before we finish up I think there are two more things, but they are somehow hidden inside your ear." Reaching down once more he pulled out a bill. "Now that''s where the big money comes from."


    Finally it was tie for his last trick. "Ok, now I want to try a summoning ritual. Since you have so much money inside of you how about we try to draw it outside where it can be used. Do you want to try?"


    "Most definitely. Let''s see what we can get." Was the enthusiastic reply Ceasar gave. Despite his best attempts at comprehending how Kaiser pulled these tricks off he simply didn''t even have the slightest idea.


    "Very well. The spit in your hand just like I''ll spit in mine and then we''ll give a firm handshake. In my district that''s a necessity for doing good business. If we do it right the bills will just come spilling out."


    "Do we really have to do this? Not to offend you but that sounds¡­.highly unsanitary. Can''t we just do in a more civilized way like signing a contract?"


    "Do you have a contract here? Besides it is my magic and not Capitol magic. It won''t recognize your way."


    With a slight expression of disgust Ceasar spit into the palm of his right hand. Before extending it towards Kaiser. "Then what are we waiting for. Let''s get this over with."


    Smiling Kaiser did the same before the did a firm handshake. The crowd had gone completely silent. Not even the slightest sound could be heard as they awaited the outcome. The cameras completely zoned in on their hands to see the outcome.


    When they pulled their hands apart no money revealed themselves and only a small triangular chip could be seen. "It seems you didn''t believe enough. You weren''t convinced enough that it would work. Magic is all about willpower. Yours was lacking, that is why we failed. Despite that it was still able to create something." Picking up the chip he exclaimed. "Now that we have this chip I''ll use it." Handing the lingerie and the cards to Ceasar he pulled the sleeves of his shirt down before putting the bill into the back of his pocket while walking towards the place the band was sitting with their instruments while juggling the chip and and the four coins he had withdrawn from his inventory. When he had finally reached the band with the spotlights and cameras following he threw up all the coins and the chip one last time before catching them in his fist before opening it, showing only the chip inside.


    "Hey!" Surprised that Kaiser was speaking to them they looked up. "Would you like to play with me?" Curious about what he wanted to do they already opened their mouth to ask but before they could Kaiser already continued. Seeing that they were still sitting with their instruments he smiled. "Just play what I show you too. It''s really easy and repetitive so I''m sure you''ll get it. Would that be alright Ceasar?" "We still have time was what came back." Raising his arm, showing a thumbs up he went to instruct all of the musicians. One on the piano, one playing on a keyboard, one manning the drums and another ended up with a harmonica. Luckily Kaiser knew how to play everything and the rhythm was really simple. Finally it was showtime.


    Stepping to the front with a black electric guitar with his chip in hand he said: "This is for my family even if they are far away, I want them to know that I''m doing well and intend to come back." Raising his hand before snapping his fingers he said: "Let''s begin. This is for you!"


    After a nice intro Kaiser began.


    If you miss the train I''m on


    You will know that I am gone


    You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles


    A hundred miles, a hundred miles,


    A hundred miles, a hundred miles


    You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles


    Not a shirt on my back


    Not a penny to my name


    And the land that I once loved is not my own


    Lord I''m one, Lord I''m two,


    Lord I''m three, Lord I''m four


    Lord I''m five hundred miles away from home


    Twenty-three I have to fight


    Is this real? This can''t be right


    But I hope the tide''ll turn and I''ll be free


    I''ll be free, I''ll be free


    I''ll come home to my country


    Someday soon the tide''ll turn and I''ll be free


    If you missed the train I''m on


    You will know that I am gone


    You can hear the whistle blow a hundred miles


    Lord I''m one, Lord I''m two,


    Lord I''m three, Lord I''m four


    Lord I''m five hundred miles away from home...


    Lord I''m five hundred miles away from home¡­


    I''ll be free, I''ll be free


    I''ll come home to my country


    Lord I''m five hundred miles away from home


    You can hear the whistle blow five hundred miles


    Finishing the song Kaiser bowed before returning the guitar to the band. Waving before wishing all a fine evening Kaiser collected his gauntlets before giving a hug to the shocked and disoriented Ceasar that had just wanted to finish the interview. He barely managed to send him off properly and calling up the next one from District 12. All these questions and now Ceasar hadn''t managed to make Kaiser revealed anything, not even the reason for the high score. That didn''t mean that what had happened was bad but his personal goal hadn''t been reached and he was frustrated that he didn''t get to know more especially about the ''other half'' part of Aster. Kaiser in his eyes was just getting more and more mysterious. Despite that he had noticed that he had enjoyed the show. Conflicted Ceasar continued with the interviews which luckily weren''t that shocking and unpredictable this time. Talking was his expertise. Magicians and bands not so much. That should be left for the experts in these areas. Taking a sip of water before continuing Ceasar focused on the few interviews he still had left.


    When Kaiser sat down at his place he was pleased with himself. His goals had been reached and he had had a lot of fun fooling everyone and performing I front of a large audience. Although he had altered the original song a bit to not sound critical to the governmental system his family at home knew the true lyrics. The song 500 miles was one of his favorites after all so they had sung it together quite often. Eating a few snacks and drinking tea while conversing quietly with Aster who had enjoyed his performance quite a bit he passed the rest of the times. After District 12 was finally finished they stand up for the anthem before leaving the stage and going into the elevators. Smiling to each other they went to eat dinner together.

 Chapter 89 - Otherside

    After a quick round of congratulations for the interviews they decided to discuss everything later so they sat down in order to consume their much needed dinner. After mountains upon mountains of seemingly endless varieties they moved towards their usually used spot for discussion, the couches nearby. Making themselves comfortable before beginning Chaff decided to be the first one to speak on the topic.


    "You have done quite well, both of you. Especially you Kaiser. Since you had the most time during which you had to avoid exposing your secrets your performances were extraordinary. Although a few might have been disappointed that they didn''t get to know more of your secrets all of them were astounded by your skills and we have received a lot of sponsor requests from various important people."


    Turning towards Aster he smiled and continued: "You weren''t bad either, girl. You fully captured the hearts of the audience. Although your performance wasn''t as spectacular compared to Kaiser''s everyone loves your character. While he is the lively fiery light of excitement like a large bonfire that leaves you in awe, you are the soft and gentle flame of a candle that everyone wants to cherish. No one could belittle what you have done. You are one of the bravest girl I know. I just know you''ll get quite far in the games. I''ll do my very best to ensure that."


    Next in line was Seeder and after her the stylist teams that were mostly really excited about their own work and how it had harmonized with them. Asmodeus went last and was like most capitol people''s view quite heavily influenced by emotion. After the day Kaiser was really glad when he was allowed to go to bed. There he would think about his main strategy during the games. Although he had obtained an aircraft there was no way to use it since it wasn''t repaired yet and it would be very suspicious for him to have one. There was the possibility that he would meet his familiars in the arenas since strong creatures tended to be released into the arenas to roam and kill tributes to make the games more exciting.


    In the end he decided to just grab a bit of stuff he could get close to the edge of the Cornucopia and leave since fighting against many wasn''t really desirable to him, picking them off one after the other was less troublesome. Exploring the arena seemed to be more interesting to him anyways. Since arenas were created artificially he would observe it and perhaps he could learn something although he doubted it since he already had the blueprints of all existing and planned arenas which was continually being updated. Sadly calling up the memories took a long time since he had often had to comb through countless other memories he had gained. Although it was just information about one world it was much more than any normal human could comprehend or even contain and memorize. He knew that it was being stored in his soul but it was still very confusing and a lot.


    A few hours of sorting through and discovering new information that he didn''t know about technology and human advancements he went to sleep as he had to rise early the next day.


    When he was woken up early the next morning the first thing he grasped for was the wooden box he had stored underneath the bed. Feeling the smooth but slightly uneven texture underneath his fingers he relaxed and slowly got out of the bed. Today was the day. He knew that if he were to remain in it he would absolutely hate to get up later and start his day in an even worse mood than the knowledge that perhaps he would need to kill a few kids in a few hours. Although normally the tributes would head off to the arena directly after being woken up Kaiser and his stylists had agreed to wake him up earlier in order to have a proper breakfast together. Eating a filling meal quickly he prepared himself once more. All that had needed to be said had been in the previous days, all was left was saying goodbye from their mentors and Asmodeus who would head to the control center of the arena to finalize the sponsorship agreements they had worked out the past days with various influential figures. Their stylists would be the ones who would accompany them until the moment they would enter the arena.


    45 minutes after Kaiser and the rest had woken up they moved to the elevator and moved upwards to the roof. To arrive there they had to traverse the 12 floor in which the other tributes form District 12 had lived. Although a few things were different most of the things inside seemed to be identical. Arriving on the roof Aster is the one to go first. A hovercraft arrives completely silent and a ladder is extended from it. Qarimir, Aster''s personal stylist was the first to approach the ladder, climbing up quickly which proving his fitness which was unusually high for a Capitol citizen. In contrast as soon as Aster grabs onto the latter she doesn''t climb higher and the hovercraft takes off while the latter with Aster on it is being pulled inside, quickly disappearing from sight. Not even a minute later another hovercraft arrives and Aurumia climbs up first. Almost out of breath he could see her leaning onto the rim of the opening panting as she shouted down: "Come on slowpoke! We''ve got a game to win!"


    Smiling slightly Kaiser grabs onto the ladder only to feel and electrical current trying to override his control over the nerves in his most areas of his body, especially in his limbs, trying to ''freeze'' him onto it. With a bit of effort he probably would be successful in escaping it but he didn''t as it would be much more bothersome. Once he was fully affixed to the ladder the hovercraft took off while Kaiser was being pulled inside. Expecting to be released he was surprised when a doctor in a white lab coat approached him with a needle in hand. Noticing his questioning look the doctor smiled and said: "Hold still. This tracker is really important so behave."


    As if he had another chance when he was being run through by an electrical current. How funny. Although he did have the option to erase it with his Perfect Body skill which in this case would function in a half passive-active Skill way. In short it was confusing. But it was be really tempting to not use it and frighten the doctor. Allowing the doctor to implant the chip which was only slightly unpleasant due to his already quite high level Pain Resistance Skill which had already advanced a lot, blocking about half of the pain his body was experiencing.


    Once the doctor had left the room Kaiser was released and in an adjacent room which was illuminated by a simulated window which showed a wonderful view of the ocean he ate a bit more in the company of Aurumia. There were probably no windows because that could have given the tributes information about the arena they were going to face. The people wanted it to remain a surprise. Soon the hovercraft landed and Aurumia approached Kaiser to cover his eyes with a black mask. When they got out Kaiser''s eyes were checked on whether he could still see before being led into a what he assumed to be a tunnel as he was able to hear a clear echo of their footsteps. With a quit hissing what he interpreted to be a door closing behind them Kaiser''s sight was restored. A small launch room is what awaits me. A small bathroom with shower and toilet, a simple wooden wardrobe, a few couches with a table where some tea is waiting for him and in the center of the room a smooth small metal plate with the symbol of a corn stalk on it, the symbol of his District as well as a large M underneath.


    Turning away Kaiser decided to shower a bit before the games began. Aurumia roughly knew how much time he had left so she would tell him soon enough. Preparing the clothes he was supposed to wear next to the shower he stepped in and enjoyed a warm and relaxing shower. About 25 minutes later he left the shower and dressed up in his new outfit. Basic, rather common underwear, decent but rather tight fitting black trousers, a shirt of dark yellow/golden color was well as a standard leather belt. Solid black shoes were provided with good profile. It seems as though they wanted to make the chases more interesting. Shoes should be the least problem.


    Sadly no jacket was provided. Perhaps they wanted to make the tributes stand out when they made a fire to warm themselves? This wouldn''t be his problem however. Walking towards Aurumia who was seated on the couch he extended his hand. "Did you have it checked? Give it to me please." She smiled back at him. "I did. Everything went smoothly. No objections were made. Take it." Grasping to the side of the couch she pulled out the wooden chest. As Kaiser extended his hand towards it in a demanding way she pulled out something reminiscent of a armband that she still had in her pocket. "I almost forgot to give you this. This year is a bit special you see. Because of that they decided to hand out this little thing here. It''s a small radar but not just any normal one. This shows you the approximate location of a tribute should he be within 20 meters of you in the form of an arrow that points towards him. It will link up with your implanted chip automatically." After attaching it to Kaiser''s arm she turned towards the box. Opening it she handed the leather coat to Kaiser with the words:


    "I wish you a lot of fun out there. Please survive until the end and kill them all. I''m counting on you!"


    As Kaiser took it and put it on he said: "You really are a crazy psychopath. Do you find the death of others so amusing?"


    "Why do you think I''m taking part in these games?"


    Shaking his head Kaiser sat down on the couch and took a few sips of tea from the nearby filled cup.


    "Even for someone from the capitol you truly are crazy."


    "Thank you for the complement!"


    With that their little exchange concluded. With the remaining time left Kaiser decided to check up on his Status.


    [Status!]


    Name: Kaiser (Formerly known as: Hermann Kaiser)


    Titles: Assassin, Craftsman (Beginner)


    Age: Currently 14 years (Acc.u.mulated: 40)


    VIT: higher + [Due to Skill Seal]


    STR: higher -


    DEF: high


    INT: high +


    WIL: average +


    STA: unlimited - [Due to Skill Seal]


    LUK: average +


    System points: 500 000


    Unused Rewards: - None -


    Inventory: Sword of the Beginning [sealed], Shield of the End [sealed], Demonic knightly armor [sealed], miscellaneous items: 320


    - ??? Energy&Matter Manual (Stage 3: Basic External) [sealed]


    - Multidimensional Travel MAX


    - Safe&Load MAX


    - Energy&Matter Creation 25% Mastery [sealed]


    - Energy&Matter Control 25% Mastery [sealed]


    - Copy&Paste MAX [sealed]


    - Observation (internal) 27% Mastery


    - Observation (external) 35% Mastery


    - Pain Resistance 45% Mastery


    - Sneak 40% Mastery


    - Energy Enhancement (internal) 17% Mastery [sealed]


    - Energy Coating 10% Mastery [sealed]


    - Beast tongue MAX


    - Perfect Body MAX [partial seal]


    - Martial Arts 38% Mastery


    - Knife 58% Mastery


    - Sword 47% Mastery


    - Spear 42% Mastery


    - Shield 46% Mastery


    - Bladed Gauntlet 27% Mastery


    - Whip 24% Mastery


    - Scythe 46 % Mastery


    - Punching MAX


    - Kicking MAX


    - Running 64% Mastery


    - Climbing 49% Mastery


    - Tailor 37% Mastery


    - Enchanting 12% Mastery [unusable]


    His Status had changed quite a lot. Because the levels had appeared fixed he had decided to instead change it to percentage. Should he discover stronger people with greater skills the percentages could easily be changed. His personal stats had also changed to fit in with the people of this world. In general it had changed to a tier level.


    Unlimited: was a level that could only really be achieved by a god like being.


    Highest: was about the top of humanity


    High: was above average in the upper 25% of the worlds inhabitants


    Average: was the average of the general capability of the people in the world


    Bad: was in the lower 25% of the worlds inhabitants


    Worst: was the lowest a creature could be before dying


    All in all he was much more pleased with how it was now as it seemed a bit more natural to him. Checking a few more things he prepared himself. Soon from a speaker that had been built in in a corner they received the order to step onto the metal plate. Turning towards Aurumia before standing up he said:


    "Since you take so much pleasure in the suffering of others I know you''ll enjoy what is going to happen."


    She merely smiled and gave a wave.


    A glass cylinder soon lowered around the plate he was standing on. Shortly after the plate began to rise towards the surface. Surprisingly another thing happened before he managed to reach the top.


    Win the Hunger Games.


    Rewards: Materials and equipment to repair Hawk Series: Model Artemis


    This occurrence was quite interesting since it had been long since he really had a Quest. Sure, a few had appeared here and there but they had all been miscellaneous and hadn''t given him a lot. Smiling at the reward he focused at the sky above him. When he looked up he couldn''t see much but at least the light that came down wasn''t too bright that it hurt his eyes an disoriented him. Once he arrived and looked around he was surprised at what he saw.


    [That is no Sky!]

 Chapter 90 - Separate Ways

    As he looked above him he saw that instead of standing under the blue sky they were all standing underneath a dome like structure made of solid and smoothly polished rock which was perhaps 50 meters in diameter. It didn''t seem to be built by the Gamemakers out of individual rocks but with their technology it narrowed down the process of finding out in which arena they were. As a countdown started he continued to observe his surroundings to figure out where he should go.


    As he looked to the sides he saw that three openings had been made into the dome, one almost directly across of him leading into what seemed to be a flat area covered with long grass. Sadly visibility was low as everything was eventually covered in mist a few hundred meters away from the entrance.


    To his right he saw the air flickering with heat. Although tropical tall trees grew in the front he managed to make out the wavy dunes of red and orange sand not far behind them.


    At his left he saw a large body of water, a large lake or perhaps even the sea. Looking around he managed to spot a few islands every here and there, some not even that far away from the entrance to the zone. The seemed to be covered in green and could probably be a nice spot but he didn''t trust it. The Gamemakers wouldn''t make a wonderful relaxing spot without at least putting a few killer robots on them and only poisonous food to eat as well in case the tributes were a bit skilled.


    Based on the symmetry of this place and the placement of the entrances he assumed that there would be another one behind him. Although the countdown had only a few seconds left he decided it was still time. Turning around on his metal plate carefully, as he didn''t want to get blown up by the still active mines that would only deactivate once the countdown finished, he saw a large rain forest, covering all his view. Turning around towards the Cornucopia once more he made his final decision.


    He didn''t want to go into the plains as the visibility was very low which was extremely bad and could potentially get even worse, causing him to get lost, aimlessly wandering around without any possibility of orientation. He distrusted the sea and the beautiful islands as they seemed to good to be true, he didn''t like the endless sand and the good visibility in the desert so the only viable options for him was the rain forest although he knew he would curse everyone for the blood sucking mosquitoes. Additionally he had been felling a slight tugging sensation towards the rain forest which he simply couldn''t explain. It was mostly this strange feeling that caused him to make this decision.


    Turning his attention back towards the countdown that was being displayed on top of the Cornucopia he saw that only five seconds were left remaining. Seeing the tense states of the other tributes he got ready to sprint forwards as well. Even Aster who he spotted a few tributes away, close to the desert exit didn''t look around much and was instead focused towards the front, looking closely at the objects around the horn.


    He was interested in what she was going to pick if she even chose anything. He personally decided to just grab a deep red medium sized backpack which was about 10 meters away from his position, somewhere in the middle, relatively close to the edge of where the items had been deposited. He could aim for better items but then he would have to fight with a lot of other people which was to much of an inconvenience for him at the moment, especially when everyone would be going after him first as he had achieved the highest score and would be their greatest adversary.


    The seconds moved lowly and by now even though the start was merely 8 seconds away the tension was quite high.


    7


    6


    5


    4


    3


    2


    1


    As soon as a loud sound signalized the start of the games Kaiser sprinted forwards, his eyes pinned on the object of his desire, the red backpack. Grabbing the handle with his left hand he turned around and made a beeline for the trees. As he turned around he saw that quite a few people had been a bit to slow when they had started and hadn''t even reached the outer circle of item placements. Curiously instead of passing by him when they met a lanky guy decided it would be a good idea to throw himself at Kaiser and try to strangle him. Kaiser grabbed the guys extended right hand with his own and pulled further, causing the guy to turn around halfway.


    Closing in Kaiser let go and instead opted for kicking the guy in the back, pushing him further towards the center. While he had turned around he noticed that by now quite a few of the career tributes had reached the center although another thin and large guy had been the first to reach a weapon as they were a bit on the outskirts. That boy decided to try his luck and chose to throw it at Kaiser. Hit the lanky boy in front of Kaiser fell down, the knife buried somewhere in his lower abdomen. Deciding to pull it out which cost him an extra second Kaiser once more moved towards the forest. While running he shouted back:


    "Thanks dude. Without your help I couldn''t have made it. Great support there."


    "No...problem. Don''t mention it." Was all the bleeding and already delirious man managed to mumble although to Kaiser it was still audible even at his distance. Passing a few others that had been a bit late but didn''t want to mess with a muscular and well fed guy with a knife in his hand without problems he passed the treeline and entered the forest.


    Just before the the cornucopia was out of view and beyond the thirty meter range of the radar should someone check at the entrance, which he thought was ridiculous since everyone wanted to get as far away as possible in the beginning. Soon he climbed a large tree once he saw that no one was focusing on him and began to observed the others. Now he saw that the room that the cornucopia was placed in had actually been carved out of an enormous snow capped mountain that towered far above the room. Long, steep almost wall like foothills that extended from the mountain separated the individual zones from each other. Focusing back on the cornucopia he observed the actions of his fellow tributes.


    The career tributes had gathered around the cornucopia with whatever weapon they could grab first and began to drive the other tributes away from it to safeguard "their" resources. That was always the achilles heel of the career tributes. Should they have no food and weapons available then they had almost no chance of winning. As easy as that.


    Most tributes tried to grab something from the edge or even tried to get closer to the center without getting instantly murdered by someone. Aster however had used a moment when another tribute had gotten to close for comfort to the large pile inside the cornucopia and had been speared through by Superbia (District 1) with a throwing spear and rushed inside the cornucopia. Grabbing a large backpack, a full set of knifes which she bound to her waist and a large coil of wires which she stored inside her backpack. Using another similar situation she advanced towards a small but seemingly strong individual who belonged to District 10 (Livestock) and looked like it. Using one of her knifes she slit his throat cleanly and slowly placed him down without giving him even a chance to make a noise. Once she had confirmed that he was already well on his way and close to death and the tribute that had made a disturbance was already fleeing she ran as well, disappearing into the mist that covered the grasslands.


    After observing everything four people had been killed so far which was extraordinarily low compared to the normal games. About 7 had moved towards the sea part and jumped in. About five people chose the desert, three additional people had run past him into the rain forest. The rest which was 4 had chosen the misty plains.


    The career tea had split in two, one half carrying their loot into the desert as it had great visibility and they didn''t want to swim with all their loot. The other half had chosen to pursue the ones that had fled into the misty plains. Especially since Aster had killed one of their own, wounded their pride and seemed quite strong with an 10 as a score in her evaluation. Each team consisted out of one from each District meaning 1, 2 and four. Additionally the male tribute from District 9 followed the team that carried all the things into the desert. Not to far into the desert they placed everything down, still relatively close to the trees that stood between the cornucopia room and the desert.


    Feeling that he had seen enough Kaiser left the tree and continued along the sides of the mountain. Somewhere the snow had to flow down and create rivers. Otherwise he might be able to find other clues on where it could be or catch rain water.

 Chapter 91 - Rain

    After what felt like three hours during which Kaiser had wandered in the shadows underneath the large trees. Patches that let the slightly green tinted light through was getting more and more sparse the further he continued into the forest. Climbing up another tree, which was much larger than the one had climbed first, to the top he saw that he had gotten quite far already, the tree that covered the sides of the mountain''s foothills making it a bit more difficult to navigate so he had strayed a bit more towards the center of the zone than he had wanted. Leaning his back on the smooth surface of the tree while he sat on a large branch close to the top he was able to get a breather.


    The smooth surface had caused him quite a lot of trouble when he had climbed especially since few branches had been growing in a lower area. In the process of climbing he had first chosen a rather young tree which he managed to climb up to reach the lower branches of the tall tree he was on now. The process had seemingly paid off as now, contrasting to when he had observed the zone close to the entrance he managed to spot two additional different things from the first time.


    First of all he managed to spot a large gorge in between the foothills on the opposite side of his that would most probably lead to the desert, allowing him to pass into the other region without having to return to the cornucopia where he would need to fight the other tributes. Perhaps there was one on his side as well? The second thing he spotted was a rather large rock formation in the distance which he would say was roughly the center of the zone. Although he had tried to see more he couldn''t. This meant that he would probably have to spend a few additional minutes in a few hours to climb up a tree once more.


    The feeling that he had about coming to this place was continuously advance towards him although from time to time it seemed to turn away before returning even stronger. Kaiser was quite curious on what this might be but was patient enough to wait for it. Instead he decided to invest his time properly. Right now it seemed relatively safe and due to the high humidity and heat that he had to endure below which was now no longer as bad due to the cool breeze at his height. Due to that he decided to look what his backpack contained. His knife which he had cleaned properly a while ago had already been secured in one of the pockets of his coat that he had tied around his waist.


    Opening his backpack he grabbed inside it and the first thing he pulled out was a metal box. Opening it it was filled with stripes of cooked and salted meat. Which absolutely didn''t help him as it would only increase his need for water. Stuffing it back inside he pulled out a large piece of tarp. That seemed useful and Kaiser stored it carefully. The next thing he pulled out was a small set of knifes which seemed more like scalpels so they didn''t seem that useful for him at the moment. The next thing he found was the winner. A large metal bottle that could potentially hold about two liters. His disappointment was great however when he opened it up only to find it empty.


    The more he studied the regions the more he thought that water would be the greatest problem. First off he hadn''t found any rivers up until now, he only had salted meat, the high humidity in this region caused one to produce a lot of sweat without being able to cool down. The desert would be similar, just like the sea one as long as the water was inedible.


    Frustrated by his findings he began to collect vines that grew towards the top of the tree. Sadly he had to climb a few meters down until he found a good width that seemed stable. Cutting them off Kaiser tied them around himself before climbing back up. Taking the tarp out of his backpack Kaiser looked at it more closely. Luckily the tarp was not a perfect square and had holes in the corners with which it could be tied to something. Seeing this Kaiser smiled and took off the first vine he had gathered and tied one end to a corner and and used the shorter side to tie both corners around the large tree trunk just above him where other branches grew out of it. For his plan to work he needed to cut down a few smaller branches that hung above his position as well as remove a few leaves and twigs. Following that, having secured one side of his tarp and worked on the branches above he used two vines, one in each corner of the to tie it to the large branches above him, as far out as possible while allowing the tarp to drop down a bit.


    It was almost midday and the sun was shining down intensely. His new sun sail above him gave him cool shade while he could still feel the breeze. Luckily he hadn''t managed to spot a lot of insects at his height although he spotted a few smaller monkeys and birds a few trees away. That filled the air with constant noise. Leaning back he waited for the strange sensation and the rain that should come down in a few hours.


    Woken up by the drum like sound of heavy rainfall Kaiser looked up to see his tarp holding strong. Luckily although Kaiser''s tree was tall it wasn''t the tallest so he wasn''t all to afraid that he would die from a lightning strike although if he did it would at least be quick. Although in general dying right now was a pretty bad idea since he hadn''t gathered his familiars yet. The sensation that he had felt wasn''t to far away but remained constant and wasn''t "flickering" anymore. By now he thought that it must be one of his familiars and the sensation was their latent Soul Bond that was attempting to be renewed. Sadly it seemed as though the distance was still too far and it was currently impossible to connect fully.


    Enjoying the noise of the rain Kaiser watched as the rain poured down and though about what kind of creatures the game makers had placed down that were activated in different scenarios. It seemed as though his familiar was one of those that were most active in the morning and perhaps after the rainfall. There might be more that were active during the night as well as some that were most active during the rainfall?


    Leaning back he suddenly heard something from below.


    Flatsch.


    Flatsch.


    Flatsch.


    Confused Kaiser tried to look below but it seemed impossible due to the almost steel gray wall of rain. However due to the small room that was devoid of rain just below Kaiser managed to see something. It seemed to be a squirming wiggling mass that scaled the tree and it looked like the whole tree was covered in tumors. Far below him he could see that the whole ground had been flooded and a multitude of shadowy creatures were swimming in it. Due to the noise Kaiser assumed them to be some kind of slimy creature that were climbing up the trees. He was curious how they had found him but when he barely managed to make out the neighboring trees that seemed to be in a similar situation he thought they just climbed all trees in hope of picking up anyone that had fled on the trees due to the rising water. At that sign Kaiser simply couldn''t help himself but to curse.


    "Screw this! Who in their right mind designed this? Who could survive this? Don''t the people in the capitol want to let the tributes fight each other?"


    The creatures continued to climb higher until they reached about 25 meters above the ground. They had about reached the halfway point towards Kaiser and were still climbing.


    28 meters


    30 meters


    32 meters


    Somewhere around 35 meters they came to a stop and refused to climb higher. Noticing that they had encountered nothing and the rain was receding they slowly moved back towards towards the ground, some moving to quickly, falling down onto the flooded floor. Drawing one of his small sharp knifes Kaiser throws it at a retreating creature, pinning it against a branch it had been trying to climb down.


    Once the rain had fully receded Kaiser looked up to see his custom made sun sail had been flooded and was filled to the brim with fresh water was excited and quickly wore his cloak properly and raising it''s hood. Switching to the other side of the tree he climbed up to the branches which were directly above his place. Although they were still slippery and everything was still wet his cloak was quite effective in warding off falling droplets. Soon he had succeeded and was now standing just barely above his tarp. Pulling the metal bottle out of his backpack he filled it before slowly drinking it, enjoying the wonderful sensation. As there was still a lot left Kaiser filled it up one more time, storing the filled bottle in his backpack. Before leaning forwards, taking a few more large gulps. Looking up he saw that it would still take some time until the sun would go down. By now the trees bark and leaves had dried and the cries of monkey, birds and various other animals had returned, filling the air with their voices crying for food, shelter, water and their groups. Finally he could also sense what he assumed to be his familiar approaching. Deciding to climb down to look at what had climbed all of the trees he found a toad like creature which was really dry now. Pulling out the knife and storing it he noticed that they had teeth, many and large ones at that. Climbing up underneath his sun sail to watch the sun as well as look for signs of his familiar he relaxed while he continued to observe his first kill in the arena.

 Chapter 92 - Climb higher!

    As Kaiser observed the toad like creature he, after looking through the vast archive like memories he had gained about this world, found it to be a member of a genetically altered species called the Togs. The Togs are frog like creatures that can only survive in the water as they need constantly wet skin. They have suction cups on their feet which allow them to climb anywhere. Their spit causes a victim to loose full control of their bodies and their spear like tongues can pierce through human skin. Their spit eventually causes the victim to fall of the trees and are then eaten. They are about the size of a large basketball. When it doesn''t rain they live in caves or on the bottom of lakes.


    Once he found out that they weren''t edible after further research he threw it away, watching it disappear into the leaves of a nearby tree.


    Soon after he managed to spot a rustling a few trees away. From time to time golden color flashes as the trees shook. "Kill!" "Food!" "Meat!" were the only words he managed to make out therefore assuming that the golden flashes must be living creatures and not some sort of weird energy beams that had been released by the game makers. Pulling his knife out and pulling his backpack that he had kept between his legs over his coat onto his back. Preparing in the case he would be unable to negotiate with them he stood up.


    Suddenly a golden colored small weasel or squirrel like creature hopped on a tree branch nearby.


    Blinking it said: "Are you the one I''ve been looking for, Kaiser? If so then you should be able to understand what I am saying."


    Kaiser grinned and replied: " I am the one and only.


    Nobody I''d rather be.


    I am the one and only.


    You can''t take that away from me."


    The creature chuckled slightly: "Although your appearance has changed you''re still as nuts as I remember. We need to hurry up before the rest of my pack appears. I doubt I will be able to keep them from hunting you although I can try."


    Kaiser smiled and answered: "Then I will leave everything in your capable hands Gaia. Although you have changed. You are much¡­ how should I put this? Calmer? Eloquent?"


    Immediately her mood changed as she replied: "You''re just an idiot! Let''s go."


    "Where are we supposed to go?"


    Surprised at his question she stood still for a moment, thinking before replying: "Let''s go towards the center there is a large building."


    Without waiting for Kaiser to respond she hurried along the branch jumping a distance of about two meters before landing on a branch belonging to a different tree. "Come! Hurry!" was all she said.


    "I think you forgot that I am human. I can''t jump over there."


    Confused she looked at him. "Weren''t you able to jump much further than that in the past? What changed?"


    "I''m limited in this world, otherwise this forest would already be mowed down and I would have built myself a large fortress within three hours."


    Seeing that her way was currently impossible she returned. Noticing that their bond still wasn''t fully formed Kaiser asked her to climb onto his coat before activating the Soul Bond part of his Perfect Body Skill. As soon as he had taken her into her domain and then back out into her body he felt their connection grow stronger until it was as strong as in the beginning. Partial memories on what they experienced during the time of their separation flooded their minds although soon settled down, allowing them to focus back on the task at hand.


    Three seconds later the wave of golden lightning bolts had reached the tree opposite to them. There it stopped and the rest reveled themselves. Dozens of golden squirrels stood on the branches, their view fixed on them. Interestingly Gaia was much larger and at least in his eyes seemed much stronger although his view could in no way be called objective.


    Soon a larger male of her species came to the front of a branch that lead towards them. "Oh Gaia! It seems that you were a lot faster than us as usual. Did you wait with the meal until all of us had arrived to keep him fresh? How considerate of you."


    Gaia with a cold gaze looked at the male. "No Marcus. This human belongs to me. Your scouts must have reported a few other humans, right? Why don''t you go after them?"


    The other sneered and said: "We have come all this way and you want us to back off? We''ve always shared our meals! We are one pack! We grew up together! Why would you do something like this?"


    At this point Kaiser decided to intervene. "Because I am a speaker and Gaia is a dear friend of mine. I would like for you to let us go and leave in friendship. Perhaps we could help you later in some way to repay you?"


    Gaia added on: "But if you want to fight then let''s get this on with. I hope you are prepared to pay the price in blood should you decide to fight."


    Marcus was stumped before turning towards the others of his kind that had been skeptically observing what had happened. "My pack! You all know Gaia. And all of you know how she is. Her behavior right now is quite suspicious and I fear that she was deceived by the human behind her that calls himself the speaker. He himself is also strange. We all know that these human creatures are lower life forms and are unable to understand even some of the simplest forms of communication. Why would someone of our superior kind associate with one of them? He must be under the control of one of their metal masters that rule them and offer them to us as a tribute for our good will."


    Turning around he exclaimed: "Although she is the strongest of our species and one of our greatest warriors fear not! As long as we can eliminate the human behind her she will be freed and fight together with us against him and his kind!"


    Chattering their teeth they rallied behind Marcus. "Kill him! Free her!"


    As the first few began to jump towards their tree Kaiser decided to sit back down with his back towards the trunk so that he couldn''t accidentally slip and had his back secured. His pulled up hood protected his neck as Gaia was jumping from one branch to the next in order to fight the ones on it. Her longer claws and powerful limbs manged to grab hold of her opponents before she bit into their necks, shaking her head violently afterwards, breaking their short necks. Kaiser meanwhile used his free hand to grasp for the tails of the squirrels that were trying to approach him before swinging them by it before bashing their heads against the thick branches in the process. After a few squirrels had been killed or badly injured as well as thrown off the trees onto the ground far below Gaia finally managed to get a hold of Marcus.


    "So this is your way of forcing me to become your mate, huh?"


    "I don''t know what you are talking about Gaia. What are you implying?"


    "I don''t imply anything Marcus. I''m merely stating the obvious. You''ve always been jealous of my strength and power and only because I was never interested in barely anything besides hunting did you even have the chance of becoming the leader of the pack. Although that ends today."


    Laughing Marcus looked at her. "You mean in your subjugation? The human will soon die, can''t you see how we are overwhelming him? Surrender now and we will give you another chance, a fresh st..."


    Before he could even finish his sentence Gaia had already flipped over him and had bitten towards his throat. Ducking down he managed to evade barely, her claws slipping off his thick fur. Before he even managed to turn around and fight back he was forced to run towards Kaiser as she slashed and bit towards him from the back. As he jumped to avoid Kaiser''s grip when he had gotten too close she bit his tail as slammed him head first onto the branch. Despite Kaiser attempting to help her she remained stubborn, wanting to finish him by herself. Placing her clawed paw onto his shoulder blades so that he wouldn''t be able to escape she went in for the kill. Despite his struggle she was heavier and finally bit into his neck, continuing to crush until she felt his bones snap. Spitting him out like poisonous bug she shouted: "Retreat! Your leader and more than 16 others have already been killed. Let us stop. If you don''t then all of you will die. I implore you to think of the little ones in the nest. Who will feed them? Take care of them? Go! Find a different prey. This one is from now on until forever untouchable!"


    It was only with great reluctance that the first few left. They had already sacrificed so many of their own kind yet gained nothing. Once the first few left the rest soon followed, jumping through the trees like a wave of golden lightning. Soon Kaiser and Gaia climbed up and drank from their water reservoir. In order to not pollute the clear water Kaiser took water in his own hand and washed Gaia''s mouth first before both began to drink from the depleting pool.


    Once they sat beneath the sun sail and like they had agreed the last time they had met Kaiser fluffed through Gaia''s thick golden fur who enjoyed it silently. After few minutes later of relaxing in this manner Gaia decided to speak about what would happen during the night.


    "Listen up! During the night only about three enhanced creatures are active. One is a species of mosquitoes that glows after they have drunken blood, one is a species of owls which uses them to find their prey as well a species of apes that are enormous but luckily unable to climb because of their size. They are powerful and can use echolocation. In return they are almost and because of that they can be killed during the day by sneaky cats etc. Their meat is nice so perhaps you could set up a few traps before going to sleep."


    "Brilliant idea."


    He cuddled her fur one last time before both began to climb down after he had tied his backpack to one of the branches next to his sun sail with a vine as it was too bothersome to carry it around all the time. Setting up a few simple traps all around his tree they climbed back up where Kaiser was much slower compared to Gaia who could scale the smooth bark easily. About halfway up they saw a few nuts a few trees away. Gaia left him for a short while before returning in regular intervals to deliver more and more nuts which he stored in the many pockets of his coat. Once they arrived at their base once more they drank some more water and ate nuts until they were full and only about 20 were left. Soon they leaned back, Gaia hidden inside his hood relaxing along his neck.


    Soon after relieving himself Kaiser tied himself to the branch underneath him and relaxed. Watching the sun go down, disappearing from the horizon Gaia was about to go to sleep when Kaiser with his hands in the sleeves of his coat to protect his hands from the insects began to sing.


    I got two strong arms


    Blessings of Babylon


    time to carry on and try


    for sins and false alarms


    So to America the brave


    Wise men says


    Near a tree by a river


    There''s a hole in the ground


    Where an old man of Aran


    Goes around and around


    And his mind is a beacon


    In the veil of the night


    For a strange kind of fashion


    There''s a wrong and a right


    Continuing he eventually began to hear the loud cries of apes nearby.


    "Noise! Noise! Noise!"


    "Mine! Mine! Mine!"


    "Food! Food! Food!"


    "What are you doing?" hissed Gaia. "Your attracting them!"


    "Then all is going exactly according to plan. This way we can capture them in our traps much more effectively."


    Shaking her head Gaia decided to sleep while Kaiser sung a bit more until he heard that a few had been captured in their traps. Smiling slightly he went to sleep. Shortly before he managed the sky lit up and the capitol symbol was being projected above the center of each zone. One after another the dead tributes were being shown.


    Six people. One from District 3, one from District 5, one from District 8, one from District 10, both from 12.


    Afterwards the screen goes dark. Closing his eyes once more Kaiser tries to go to sleep again despite all the noise around him.


    --- Meanwhile in the capitol ---


    After the projection had finished above the arena Ceasar Flickerman who up until now had commented on the life feed of the Games now, that the Districts began their mandatory watch began to comment on the cut version much had happened so only the most important battles and encounters were being shown along with the approximate routes the tributes had taken. Different things were being shown. The bloody battle at the start, their individual escapes into the different zones and more.


    Kaiser came up quite often. Fist him watching were everyone went, his sun sail, the togs, how he had killed one of them and an explanation on what they were, how he had gathered the fresh water, how he had fought the squirrels, an explanation on them and had mysteriously convinced one of them to support him. And last but not least his traps as well as the little song to attract them.


    It goes without saying that the capitol people were quite pleased with his performance although they were sad that he didn''t fight more in the cornucopia.


    ---


    Author''s Note: Hey there! I came to ask you a totally unrelated question about Star Wars. What is your favourite alien race besides Humans/Mandalorians designwise or because of their lore and typical characteristics?


    I myself favour the Fosh, the Feeorin and the Kyuzo the most.

 Chapter 93 - Challenge

    In the middle of the night a young boy sat atop a large tree. From time to time a dim light lit up but like sparks from a small flame was quickly extinguished. A small squirrel, it''s pelt glowing in silver color underneath the moonlight was quick to eliminate all mosquitoes. Keeping watch it carefully eyed the boy. Although they had only met a few hours ago the had known each other for much longer. Soon it noticed that all had vanished so it climbed a bit higher, although it remained close enough to help should it be needed.


    Watching the glittering stars above it wondered. How much was still out there? This was already the second sky it had seen. What was their goal? In the past they had only trained and grown stronger and bonded together but besides that they hadn''t done much. That had seemed to be enough, in the past at least. But what now? What were they going to do with their power? Why did they need so much of it? Eventually they would loose interest in gaining more and what would come after that?


    Gaia knew that she would be contend just staying at Kaiser''s side together with their companions, simply exploring and enjoying whatever might happen to them. But what about her master? She had observed his actions many times ever since their first encounter but still she couldn''t shake off her worries. He often seemed unsure, not knowing where to go or what to do. As a result he was rather uncaring about what happened to anything besides the things that effected himself and those he had chosen to be his familiars although his choice in familiars was quite weird. A dog that only wanted to consume food and relax with his owner and a lazy snake that wanted to be serviced forever. What a great choice. To motivated his actions he mostly followed the quests that his information tool gave him to busy himself, leaving no room to question his actions.


    Shaking her head Gaia continued to watch the stars. She hoped he would find his purpose soon. His interactions with the female that she had seen I his recent memories had seemed to be a touch more than just simple interaction to pass the time but she had her doubts. However, with the current circ.u.mstances as well as their special situation she knew that he would never allow himself to become attached to something besides a few familiars that would accompany him.


    They were the only ones that would be able to accompany him forever without him having to fear the experience of loss, standing by his side forever. Perhaps that had been his only reasoning back then in choosing them. Eternity was scary especially forever alone, wandering without rest, never ending. Despite this Gaia knew that they wouldn''t be able to replace everything that he would need and eventually, that much was certain he would find someone and then once her natural lifespan come to an end, Gaia feared that her master might never recover again and that his heart would shatter like glass that might be fixed but then break over and over and over again should he try again.


    Lost in thought, she turned back, crawled under the hood and closed her eyes, deep sadness and worry following her into her sleep.


    The next day at dawn Gaia was woke up quite abruptly when Kaiser began to stretch, momentarily forgetting about their situation. Startled she jumped out of his hood onto a nearby branch, otherwise she might dig her claws into his neck out of pure reflex. Luckily Kaiser had tied himself to the tree with a vine or he might have fallen down more than 40 meters, shattering all of his bones completely in the process. Once he was awake enough Kaiser untied himself before standing up carefully, climbing up and drinking what was left of the water together with Gaia. Soon he partially untied his tarp to let it dry as they had already decided to move today. The people from the capitol wanted action so staying in one place constantly was just begging for the Gamemakers to intervene and kill him off or lead him towards other tributes.


    While they waited for the tarp to dry which wouldn''t take long they decided on their future course of action while eating the rest of the nuts.


    "I think we should go and see if we can find Orion. Food seems scarce in these parts despite the lush vegetation I''ve found few things that are edible."


    "You are right Master. Non poisonous food is rare as all species in these part prefer them and consume them in massive quantities. Luckily most of the native species here can safely consume most of the poisonous plants otherwise the entire ecosystem would collapse."


    "Since when am I your Master Gaia? I''ve always seen you as companions of rather equal status. You can address me however you like as long as it isn''t to degrading of a name."


    "Well since I can call you whatever I want can''t I call you Master?"


    "Are you messing with me?"


    "Absolutely Master."


    Shaking his head Kaiser looked at the mountains close by.


    "If we want to find Orion I think our best course of action would be to search directly across of us in the misty plains. I just can''t imagine him being anywhere else. Desert perhaps? But still. I feel like he would most likely be in the plains."


    "Well it''s not like it matters too much. I think we will visit all areas eventually. So I don''t think it matters too much if we don''t find him in the plains. But it might be easier to do one region after the next instead of moving in a crisscross pattern."


    "Are we in such a hurry? Let''s have some fun while we''re here."


    - Climb the highest mountain in the arena


    - Saddle for a creature of Air Origin (completely adjustable)


    - Dive to the deepest part of the arena


    - Saddle for a creature of Water Origin (completely adjustable)


    -Double the amount of familiars from your last world (1/3)


    - Saddle for a land dwelling creature (completely adjustable)


    [Oh? So you decided to finally show up as well? What happened to you? I remember just a few years ago I always had to deal with never ending babbling from your side but you''ve been awfully quite. Are you plotting something?]


    [Are you starting with that as well now?]


    [Do what you want¡­]


    [It seems I like to crush your dreams]


    Having enough Kaiser finally decided.


    "Enough. The tarp is dry. After storing it we''ll continue towards the gap between the mountains as the foothills here are to steep to climb. After we arrive there we''ll try to climb on top of the foothills and make our way back to the center. There we''ll climb the highest mountain before going down into the misty plains although I hate the visibility there. Perhaps we can get a feel for him even in the mountain ranges which might make it easier. Then the only one left would be our lazy snake."


    "Are you going to get more companions? I mean you got the quest."


    "Probably. I''m no one to pass on free stuff. And considering your usefulness like during the fight against your own kind I think it would be anything but wasteful not to find more. By the way, system?"


    [Why is the last saddle able to be equipped by all ''land dwelling creatures''? Why isn''t it also limited to something like the ''Earth Origin'' or something.]


    "OK. Then let''s move out! First stop is the passageway between the foothills."


    After they had checked on everything and put everything where it belonged Kaiser began to climb down the tree while Gaia jumped from tree to tree, looking for more food to store and finally consume. Once they arrived on the ground with an almost blind, large and black furred humanoid hanging by his ankles in front of Kaiser''s face he remembered remembered.


    "Oh shit! I''ve completely forgotten that we placed traps down here!"


    Quickly slitting the throat of the ape before he could punch at him Kaiser retreated before looking around. It was the only one that had gotten trapped, unused traps and broken traps where even the trees they had been affixed to had been so badly damaged that they had fallen to the ground were the only ones he could see. Perhaps he had captured two or so more apes but they had been freed by other members of their race before it had become morning? But then why was this one an exception? Why didn''t they free him? Kaiser attempted to speak to him but achieved nothing. Perhaps it was already considered to be a humanoid so his ability wouldn''t work?


    [Well I''m glad we cleared that up.]


    Ultimately deciding to dismember it Kaiser used his knife to skin it before slowly cutting the best pieces of meat from the ape. Thighs, b.r.e.a.s.t, neck, parts of the back, belly and the heart was what he prioritized. Normally he might have also taken the liver but considering their poisonous environment he believed it to be a bad idea since the poison could be gathered there in large amounts. Packing all the pieces into the skin of the creature Kaiser tied it together with a vine while Gaia quickly ripped of large portions of flesh that were still on the ape. Although it was a bit unwise to walk around with a large pile of bloody meat that could attract various dangerous predators Kaiser believed it was better to walk around with food then to walk around without food.


    Waiting until she finished her feast both continued along the mountain range to their right. From time to time Gaia climbed up the trees to look if they were still walking in the right direction. Soon they Kaiser saw a light between the trees. Walking towards it he smiled and stopped about two meters away.

 Chapter 94 - Careful Steps

    When Kaiser stepped through the tree line he was blinded by the amount of sunshine at first. What he had set foot on was a strip of knee high grass that was about 30 meters wide before it was replaced by a shorter strip of sand that finally ended at a greenish blue river that was about twenty meters wide. This pattern continued along both sides of the river for a long while until it disappeared from view due to the many curves of the river. This was one of the few times Kaiser really noticed just how artificial this arena was. The transitions were to abrupt and was just to contrasting with what he had seen previously.


    Additionally almost no animals could be seen. Nothing besides a few parrots that sat in a tree on the other side and a few insects and mice like creatures that were scurrying around. Gaia who was still on top of a large tree behind him suddenly began shouting.


    "Come back! This is dangerous. Slowly back away. Don''t show your back to the water."


    Surprised Kaiser wanted to turn around to look at her but once he heard her he turned back and slowly did as instructed. Once he was within the trees again he looked up as he saw her climbing down the tree as fast as possible before vaulting onto his shoulder. Looking at her he saw her shaking, using their connection he saw a maelstrom of emotions rampaging inside her uncontrollably. Confusion, curiosity and worry orbited around the pitch black sticky ball of fear deep inside her. Instinctual fear.


    "I don''t know what''s there but we shouldn''t cross it. All of my instincts are screaming."


    "Perhaps they have placed a limiter on you so that you don''t leave your area? Fear could be a good method of containing you inside your territory."


    "This is different. I left our territory once but although I wasn''t feeling well I could resist and it was just an unsettling feeling of not belonging there. But this¡­.this is simply incomprehensible. Perhaps we could try crossing the river when we get closer to the foothills? It should be smaller there. Besides the river here is filled with large reptiles. Although you weren''t able see it, since I watched from an elevated position I could see quite a few shifting towards you."


    "Then let''s try your idea. It shouldn''t be far from here since we have been relatively close to the mountains all this time. Two kilometers should do it, don''t you think."


    Gaia merely nodded before scuttling back onto the tree, climbing at rapid speeds. Continuing their journey they knew that they had to climb a large tree in a few hours to gather rain water as well as to protect themselves from it.


    Moving in the jungle, almost directly on the border to the small grassy area sometimes the moved towards the mountains, always against the current. With Gaia giving directions from above and having the river right next to them was quite helpful in helping with orientation. Sadly the river moved in enormous loops and was only slowly inching closer towards the mountains. Although Gaia often managed to spot loops ahead of time so that they could shorten the distance it was quite often very difficult since the river stopped their looping from time to time where they had to spend additional time trying to find it again.


    After about two hours had passed after midday they decided to remain on a large tree that could be climbed by Kaiser albeit it was still quite challenging. Before they began to climb Kaiser decided to make a fire close to the edge of the grassland since the ground and sticks were dryer there. Feeding large pieces of meat to Gaia for her troubles from the ape pelt Kaiser prepared the rest. Having cleared a circle of around 50 cm in diameter and digging into the earth a bit Kaiser put down a few stones close to the edge before filling the shallow hole with dry wood as well as other dried up plants that had been blown away from the strip of grass or grown a bit inside the forest.


    Lighting a fire Kaiser grabbed a stick and began to roast pieces of meat he had cut up into manageable pieces. Having washed the stones with water where only a small bit remained Kaiser laid all of the meant that was still inside the skin on it. The nuts, berries and more that they had gathered during their journey had been safely packed inside large leafs and stored in the pockets of his coat where they remained. As it grew hot because of the flames Kaiser hung his coat onto a large branch. Once Kaiser had taken all the meat off of the ape skin Gaia began nibbling on the small pieces of meat that were still clinging to it.


    Meanwhile Kaiser was chomping down on the freshly grilled meat that he made by himself. Interestingly it tasted quite good and despite a lack of spices it was still delicious especially since he hadn''t eaten much for about one and a half days. Eventually, seeing that they didn''t have much time anymore Kaiser used sticks to move the already hot rocks closer towards the center, hoping for the meat on it to get done faster than if he were to do it with only one stick. Once everything was more or less well done he began packing everything back into the now cleaner pelt of the ape.


    Soon both found themselves hurrying up the tree. Tying the tarp up in a suitable spot both could finally relax. Hopefully there wouldn''t be any wind like yesterday as soon as the rain begins. Seeing that they had prepared everything they could and that nothing they had experienced would be able to get to them now they prepared to eat a bit of meat and nuts before relaxing against the tree, waiting for the rain to come to present them with fresh water.


    --- One hour prior, Jungle Zone, near one of the rivers---


    Curiously he sniffed the air. Something wasn''t right. Leaning forwards, closer towards the ground he supported himself with a pair of legs that had previously only hung down from his upper body. Yes. He had been correct. There was a scent. He knew that scent perfectly for it was the scent of his prey. Hunched forwards he quickly followed the trail. Apparently it had retreated back into the woods. However that didn''t correct it''s mistake. It had entered his territory without permission and was prey on top of that. With excited clicking and snarling it straightened once more before cleaning the front limbs it had used to move on the ground before quickly hurrying along the trail which led along the riverside. Now that he had its scent he wouldn''t let it escape under any circ.u.mstances.


    With the hoof-like claws of his hind legs hammering quietly against the ground like the low beat of a steady drum, every step a beat closer to the death of it''s victims, the forest grew silent around him while rain clouds began pooling overhead. Seeing that rain would soon arrive it pressed on. Loosing was not an option. Although he wouldn''t loose track of his prey completely it would make the hunt a lot more difficult. Soon, when the water reached his belly he decided to pause for a while. He had time. He didn''t have to hurry. The only one that could win was him and him alone. There was no other rule in this jungle.

 Chapter 95 - Emissary

    Author''s Note:Hello there Ladies and Gentlemen! I hope you''re enjoying yourselves. Because I have a lot of time at my hands I wrote this 3k+ chapter. If you''ve already reached this chapter then comment below as I ''d like to see that for once. Besides that comment and meme as much as you want or even leave powerstones or reviews.


    ---


    Meanwhile during the long pause both Kaiser and Gaia had to take due to the rain he decided to tie himself to the branch so he couldn''t fall down, close his eyes and search through the memories he had gained about this world once more. His progress of archiving everything he had gained into sections according to their related subjects was going great. By now he had already managed to create an automatic search function for most of his memories which was now relatively useful since he had managed to figure out quite a lot about this arena and it''s inhabitants. Activating it he had it create a separate room within his memory complex where memories should be placed according to his specifications.


    Search: Sort by most recently created. Arenas made in Panem. Multiple sections. Jungle, desert, plains, mountains, water.


    Slowly the shelves began to fill themselves. Since only those who possessed all mentioned traits where shown it weren''t as many. Still finding it a bother to go through all of it he had another idea.


    [Since all arenas are only used once why can''t I just search for this one?]


    Change search: Arena built for the 72 Hunger Games in Panem.


    The shelf in front of him shrunk once more, now containing only about 10 memory orbs.


    Slowly taking them from the shelf one after the other he gained a massive amount of knowledge. The topography of the entire arena, the many kinds of monsters that inhabited the arena as well as the location of all the traps and cameras that the Gamemakers had placed were visible to him. Facepalming because of his own ignorance and overthinking Kaiser began to focus on the creatures that he would face in his region. Besides the common creatures that were present here there were also other enhanced species he had met and some he hadn''t. Among them were the Tongs which were the weird frog like creatures that had climbed the trees during the rain, the Swarms which were the same species Gaia belonged to, the Nightcrawlers which were the large black apes he had caught in his traps, the Glowybuggers aka the glowing mosquitoes as well as the Owlers which were large owl like creatures that used the Glowybuggers to find their prey.


    Next he decided to look for a way out. Using the map he had been given as well as his location he soon found a suitable path which they should take. They simply needed to continue walking against the current of the river for a while longer before they had to turn right and head directly towards the mountains. There they would be able to climb the foot hills and didn''t need to swim through the large body of water on the other side.


    While he wanted to continue to delve into other aspects he hadn''t explored yet he could feel something slightly tapping on his throat. Sighing, thinking that he probably hadn''t secured the tarp properly he left his memories and opened his eyes only to see Gaia''s worried expression.


    "The feeling has returned. It''s still some distance away and has stopped moving but I''m not feeling well. We should leave right after the rain stops. Drink water and refill our bottle. And then leave. Quickly!"


    "Are you really sure you''re not just paranoid? But I think it''s a good idea. I now know where we need to go in order to leave this place and climb the foothills."


    "Good. Then we won''t have long. The rain should stop soon which you probably didn''t notice since you spent a few hours relaxing while I had to watch our surroundings because of that shitty feeling."


    Feeling her unrest Kaiser picked her up and caressed her thick golden fur in order to calm her down.


    "We''ll make it Gaia. Our journey isn''t finished yet. We''ll make it."


    And so, together in the rain underneath a large tarp both sat consuming meat, nuts and berries as they waited for the rain to stop, since they knew that once that happened they would need to be quick.


    Soon the rain slowly begun to recede, the large clouds that had covered the sky had shifted, allowing for the evening sun to shin for a few more hours. Quickly they scurried up the tree and drank from the water that had gathered on top of the tarp in large gulps. Quickly filling his bottle Kaiser packed everything before pouring out the water from the tarp before tying it together hastily and shoving it into his backpack. As soon as they had finished they began to climb down the trees. Due to the recent rain the bark was even more slippery than normal and Kaiser had almost fallen down a few times before he managed to get a good grip on the branches again.


    A few minutes of struggling later both managed to reach the still wet and muddy jungle floor without falling down from too high up. Kaiser had gotten a few scratches from the times when he hadn''t managed to get a proper grip on the branches but besides that he was alright. Because of his Perfect Body Skill they would heal soon anyway.


    "Hurry!" Gaia exclaimed. "I can feel it''s presence approaching."


    "Where is it? How much distance is between us?"


    "Not much. At first it was a bit slow but now it''s coming fast. I''ll climb the trees, you run on the ground OK? GO!!!"


    As both began to run away towards the direction of the path they would need to take in order to climb the mountains although they didn''t have the luxury of slowly wandering along the riverside and had to take the direct route which was a bit more difficult to navigate. Especially if one was being chased by some weird creature.


    [Whatever. I''m a BIT BUSY RIGHT NOW.]


    Looking back to see what could only be called a nightmare Kaiser accelerated once more.


    [I hate you! Stop!]


    [The I dislike you for using this. Now let me concentrate!]


    Seeing this as no time to argue Kaiser decided to focus back on running the heck away from the creature. From what he had seen during the short moment he had looked back the creature was big, a bit taller than him and definitely wider. It was walking on two legs and had two pairs of arms in the front, the middle ones featuring eagle like claws while the first pair had scythe-like bladed arms. The scariest thing was its head however. A long head with a dog like snout but instead of a real mouth fitting for a dog it had the mandibles of an insect. And in the dim jungle it seemed especially terrifying.


    [Never! This is nightmare fuel and not in the least beautiful but a complete freak of nature. It don''t even know what weird species it is. Reptile? Insect? Mammal?]


    [But she''s cute and fluffy. This thing definitely isn''t.]


    Continuing to run through the dense forest Kaiser desperately looked for a place where he could slow down the creature as she somehow seemed to be faster than him, even if only slightly. Unable to think of or see anything useful Kaiser continued to run. After about 30 minutes of running Kaiser noticed that despite his great physique and passive Energy Creation he was getting tired after some time.


    [System check. Why is my body getting tired?]


    [Then stop the process and focus all energy on running instead.]


    Now with the other half of his energy returned Kaiser continued to run further with the monster behind him slowly but surely catching up to him. After another 30 minutes only about half a kilometer away from their passageway that would allow them to climb the mountains he could already feel it breathing down his neck. From behind he could almost feel it grasping towards him with it''s lower pair of arms. Jumping low to the side he almost managed to evade the grasp although the eagle claws had gotten a hold of a part of his backpack. Swinging his knife towards it''s arm the creature began to shake his backpack, throwing off his aim, causing him to miss and stumble around.


    Before the creature could follow up with an attack Kaiser sheathed his weapon before grabbing hold of the creatures arm and kicking against it''s upper body. Although he couldn''t see much from his position it must have been somewhat painful as the creature had let go. Retreating a few steps from the creature he managed to get his first really good look at it.


    A scaly body reminiscent of a Pangolin and a thick, seemingly stiff tail with a large bony ball at the end. The rest of the body he had seen didn''t make it any better.


    [No. I won''t tame that. Way to ugly and creepy.]


    Slowly the creature began to move towards the direction Kaiser intended on fleeing to before turning back towards him.


    [So it has a good functioning head despite its strange exterior. The question is: Do they hunt in packs? System how about you check my memories for¡­]


    Activating his External Observation he took a closer look at the creature.


    Stats:


    VIT: higher ++


    STR: higher +


    DEF: higher


    INT: average -


    WIL: average


    STA: higher ++


    LUK: high +


    [That''s partially just op. How could anyone survive this? And why does it have higher luck than me?!]


    [It''s still ridiculous. And what about his speed? Why do I not see it? ]


    [So it''s just like I feared. I can''t run away. How troublesome. If I have to fight it then o be it.]


    Drawing his knife Kaiser relaxed. He decided to keep his backpack on as it could protect his back regardless of how effective it might be. Additionally he wouldn''t need to search for it once he was finished with the fight. Casually approaching Kaiser began to take out his other smaller knifes which he placed on his belt. Looking into the eyes of the abomination he could see it studying him intensely.


    "What a fascinating creature you are. No fur or scales, slow, no tail to speak of and simply helpless before my might. You truly are the easiest prey I have ever seen."


    "Have you encountered more of my kind?"


    "So you are capable of understanding my superior form of communication? You seem to be a slightly more capable bug compared to others. Your speed and endurance was also greater than others of your miserable kind. Although I have no obligation to answer the questions of insects I''ll answer yours because you exceeded my meager expectations that I have of your kind and because of my greatness and benevolence. Indeed I have encountered others of your species although their performance was sub par and greatly disappointing."


    "Then you have killed them all?"


    "Are you questioning my abilities, prey? Of course I only consumed them partially before offering the rest to the creators that took them."


    Kaiser smiled before asking innocently: "Who are the creators? Do you know them personally?"


    The being laughed before replying: "How could I not know the gods? They are large shining creatures that have crafted themselves a mortal body made from shining and glittering stones. I''m sure you have heard of them? How could you not have?"


    "Of course I know them. I am an emissary of them and have been granted power and authority to speak for them to all that reside within this realm."


    "Laughable. Why would they send someone that they have specified to be prey? Your words lack reason, a foolish attempt to prolong your life bug."


    "Is it now? I was sent here to evaluate your performance. How could it be tested better than in person, in the form of the creature they specified to be your prey?"


    "Indeed your reasoning seems logical but I refuse to believe you. You have not shown any quality that could even come close to their power."


    "How could I convince you then?"


    "Show me power. An ability so otherworldly it could only belong to a being sent by the gods."


    Kaiser laughed. "Very well. Since that is what you wish for I''ll demonstrate something for you."


    Placing his backpack and coat onto the ground he pulled back the sleeves of his shirt that were still covering his arms before stepping closer towards the being.


    "What if I told you that I can create things? Would that be enough to prove my power to you?"


    "It seems to barely reach the minimum requirement but since you are merely their emissary it is clear that you cannot compare to them only being above other mortals through their good will."


    Seeing the creature agree with what they had proposed Kaiser slowly closed his empty fist before opening it once more, revealing a metal key. Looking up he saw the beast looking down upon his hand slightly dejectedly.


    "Is this all you are capable of? Such a tiny object?"


    "I could conjure much greater things but the creators have not permitted me to alter this realm greatly so I had to seal most of my power, otherwise I could have destroyed the mountains with a single command."


    The beast grumbled before leaning forwards, placing a lot of it''s weight onto it''s lower pair of arms and it''s legs before bowing it''s head. Spotting Gaia in a tree behind it he told her telepathically to remain still and wait for a moment. At this moment the monster began to speak.


    "Very well. Then as I promised I will not harm you and even help you in your quest, whatever it may be. It seems to be in the directions of the mountains but it would be helpful if you were to specify your purpose in wandering there."


    "I have been tasked with scaling the mountains until I reach the highest peak where I will receive my next orders as the Creators of the Sky have sent me here. This region is now mostly under the control of the Creators of the Sky as it is their duty to oversee their creations while the ones that shape the Earth only care about creating new creatures and life forms."


    The creature blinked before looking intensely into Kaiser''s eyes. Only now did Kaiser realize it had slit shaped pupils like a cat. "Very well. Then were do you plan on going?"


    "You have seen the route I had planned to take. There we will find a path that will allow me to climb the foothills of the mountain. But before we leave we''ll have to pick up one of my companions."


    Walking around the being Kaiser stood underneath the large tree. Curious about the companion of the emissary the creature turned around and on two legs it walked behind Kaiser. Soon it saw a creature that belonged to the packs of the small golden creatures that inhabited the trees. Although it seemed scared as it observed him like all others of his kind this one soon climbed down and climbed on the shoulder of the emissary. "I was scared about you master." it said. "why do you take everything so serious and don''t use the powers you have been gifted with from the start?"


    The emissary smiled gently upon it, gently scratching the golden creature behind the ears. "It is a task from the creators. How could I not take it seriously?" is what he asked. Soon Kaiser turned back around before picking up the things he had placed down including his outer skin and a bundle of other skin that it managed to put back onto his skin. Seeing that the emissary had prepared himself the creature bowed down once more.


    "Please climb up. Through my aura I will be able to scare away the nuisances that may come and approach you. Though you are a lower life form the fact of being an emissary makes you worthy enough to ride on my back."


    Kaiser turned his head to look at Gaia. "Are you fine with this arrangement?" She merely nodded her head before she quickly disappearing in his hood.


    With his coat on and the backpack on his back he placed his hands on the lower pair of shoulders before swinging himself onto the back of the abomination. Once he had gotten on the creature stood back up and began to clean its arms and claws. As soon as he sat comfortably the lower pair of arms gently grabbed hold of his legs with the eagle claws. Soon the head turned around 180¡ã like an owl as the creature began to explain.


    "Do not worry emissary. This is merely for your own safety as I fear you might fall off once I begin to hurry forwards. Should you wish to tell me anything just lean forward and tell me, my hearing is quite good so it will be no problem."


    Turning his head back towards the front the creature began to move in the same direction the head been heading towards previously. As they hurried towards the mountains even during the night the creature was still capable of rushing forwards without colliding with a tree that stood in the way. From time to time Kaiser observed the map he had found within his memories to check if they were still on track and occasionally relayed course corrections to their new temporary mount. Once they arrived in the near vicinity of where they should start scaling the mountains Kaiser decided to rest before they continued the next day. As their mount complied they feasted on grilled meat, berries and nuts just like they had on the tree. Sadly by now almost all of their water was gone and they would need to wait for the next day to get more. After a good meal all went to sleep with the aura of the mount keeping the other beasts at bay it was very calm and relaxing. A few Glowybuggers were the only ones that bothered them but they were quickly eliminated when Gaia woke up from time to time as she didn''t need much sleep.

 Chapter 96 - The Endless Stair

    Soon Kaiser was woken up once more when the Capitol Hymn was sounded and the large screens began projecting.


    Two pictures today. One from 6 and the second one from 8. Then after another hymn the screen faded. Kaiser was sure that it would get more difficult starting from tomorrow as the people wanted to see more deaths and blood although he was sure the situation with the Regionboss had caused a lot of tension and probably attracted a lot of sponsors.


    --- In the Capitol ---


    As usual Ceasar Flickermann goes over the highlights of the games on this day. The death scenes of both tributes that had died on that day as well as other exciting moments. Kaiser''s encounter with the Regionboss, him taming and riding it, another group of tributes fighting of hordes of creatures inside a field of fog which was constantly clouding their vision as well as a few others. Hot dunes of sand and the large sea with scattered islands all over the place.


    Over all the crowd was interested what might happen the next day, hypothesizing about the meeting of other tributes and the outcome of potential fights.


    --- Back in the arena ---


    Back in the arena Kaiser was still occupied with his own thoughts. At the moment he was thinking about what effect his taming might have on his relation with President Snow. It seemed possible that the president might hate him for taming so many creatures, not only because he was depriving the capitol citizens of the great fight they had wished for but also because of what his actions could be seen as. A message, a challenge. That regardless of what the Capitol might craft to destroy them they would have to bow down before the districts and serve them as their true masters.


    Deciding to deal with these troubling thoughts later he decided to go to sleep. The next day he would need all the power he could get.


    Once Kaiser woke up the next day after a night of dark dreams all the others were already awake and waiting for him. Eating and drinking a bit they all closed the small distance that was left before they could enter the path. Arriving before the tall and steep cliffs they came to a halt a few meters away. Looking up they could see that although the walls were tall and steep many plants had still managed to cling even to the small places available and had flourished. Finally Kaiser broke the silent staring and hopped to the ground from the back of the Regionboss before slowly advancing towards the wall with Gaia on his shoulder as usual. After a while of faked search so as to not reveal his knowledge of the map he finally began pulling aside a few vines that were hanging down from above, revealing something reminiscent of a cave entrance. Glancing inside it was a bit dark although strangely there was enough light to make out the basic shapes and outlines of the room.


    Pulling his head back out he looked back at the Regionboss that had now slowly begun to approach him. Raising an eyebrow Kaiser looked at him questioningly. The Monster merely shook his head gently before turning around, leaving for it''s usual territory. In passing it said:


    "Although I like rooks and mountains the path you will walk is not my own. I will leave to tend to what is mine. Should you ever need my assistance then come to the center of this region which you cannot miss as it is the only elevation tall enough to tower above the trees. There is a structure made by the creators where I was born which glows in many different colors, informing me of the location of my prey. Usually you can find me there in the evenings."


    "Very well. It seems possible that I might return so I''ll take your advice and information."


    Turning around with a smile on his face Kaiser entered the passageway once more, this time allowing the vines to fall down behind him. Slowly stumbling forwards while adjusting to the difference in lighting Kaiser manages to make it around the first corner from where he can spot a few mosses and mushrooms emitting dim light outlining the walls and parts of the floor. Staring from here one can clearly see that this tunnel that is constantly going upwards is man made as the floor is without any stalagmites and in regular distances 1 cm deep straight lines run from one side to the other, making it easy to traverse without slipping. The further he walks the more moss, algae and mushrooms grow on the sides of the walls. The sound of slowly running and dripping water surrounds him constantly, causing him to carefully touch a patch of moss to his left, feeling it being wet with a few drops of water parting every few seconds on his fingertips.


    As time passed the tunnel begin to turn into somewhat of a spiral staircase made out of pure stone with a beautifully crafted handrail. Looking up the tall shaft illuminated by countless individual plants Kaiser is simply fascinated. How can this ecosystem even support itself? After what felt like hundreds of steps Kaiser sits down. Feeling rather thirsty right now he and Gaia begin to drink the water that is running down behind the handrail. Leaning over it both begin to drink the water which was already running down in thin streams almost everywhere. The water is full of minerals, even having a noticeable taste of sulfur. It should be this water and the many substances it carries that provide the plants and fungi with everything they need to grow and produce more light.


    Soon they resume their climb. Step after step, turn after turn they finally arrive at a point where a small beautifully roofed thin passageway leads into the solid rock. With delicate wooden door blocking his view Kaiser presses down onto the heavily decorated door handle, opening the door. Flipping a switch at the side of the door small room containing a large wooden canopy bed with beautiful carvings of proud birds, wild horses and vines as well as large trees, a lamp that had drawings of thorny vines on it, a wooden desk and chair made out of reddish mahogany as well as a large cabinet which is currently closed. The floor and the walls are covered in soft carpets in many colors although in some places Kaiser can still see the wooden floor beneath it. In a corner Kaiser can see another open small door leading to a small tiled kitchen as well as a bathroom as the doors to each of them are also open. Besides that Kaiser doesn''t manage to spot any other things. Placing down his backpack before untying his shoelaces Kaiser slips out of them before placing them before the carpets. Taking his backpack he places it next to the desk before hanging his coat over the chair in front of the desk. Feeling tired after the long climb he and Gaia decide to rest. Walking inside the bathroom he takes off his dirty clothes before washing them clean, hanging them over various racks to let them dry. Taking a shower Kaiser enjoys the comfortable sensation of the warm water running down. Soon he gets out, dries himself with a towel and walks back into the room. Luckily the rooms always seemed to have the perfect temperature so it wasn''t too cold. With Gaia next to the pillow Kaiser crawls underneath the soft and large covers before slowly drifting to sleep.


    --- Meanwhile inside the Control Center ---


    "Sir, we have a slight issue." A lanky overseer that had monitored the large hologram which displayed the arena and all thing present inside of it came towards an elderly man seated at a large desk a bit further in the back in an elevated position, who was observing the actions of the team of Gamemakers that were assessing the situations.


    "What is it Simon?" the elderly man spoke, still fixating his view onto the hologram. "Why is it always you that comes to me with questions? Do I seem that bored to you?"


    "Perhaps I am merely to observant for my own good, Sir"


    Now the elderly man looked at him with a mocking smile on his already wrinkly face. "Then tell me. What has caught your eye?"


    "We have lost visual contact with Participant 11 M Kaiser. We still have the signal of his chip but that''s it, Sir."


    Interested the old man became serious and looked at him. "And what does it tell us Simon?"


    "He''s in the center of the foothills between the sea and the jungle sectors. He has been moving a lot ut the signal stays in one spot, Sir."


    With a sigh the old man grabbed the sides of his chair and pushed himself upwards before walking down a set of small stairs towards the hologram. "Zoom in on the Location of Participant 11 M. As long as this situation isn''t resolved which shouldn''t take long you''ll monitor the individual tributes over your personal projectors, understood?"


    And loud "Yes Sir!" came back from all who immediately returned to their duties although they couldn''t help but glance at what was going on with the Participant on the big hologram.


    A few seconds later Kaiser''s position was revealed from multiple angles. Smiling the old man said: "It seems he managed to locate the temporary resting quarters of the building overseers. Although we didn''t barricade the entrance it was so unlikely that someone would discover them. It mattes little though. There should be cameras installed there as well, we''ll just need to activate them. He can stay there for about a day and if he doesn''t move then we''ll have to force him out. No problem at all."


    "But Sir! What if he reaches the top of the stairs and manages to walk alongside the top of the foothills? We''ll lose a lot of interesting content through that. He''s our best creator so far and we can even throw him into extremely challenging scenarios which he''ll survive."


    The old man laughed before replying. "You worry too much. I have prepared many challenges even on the top of the mountains. And isn''t hiking also good content? We can display the wonderful scenery and view of our arena! Through him we''ll be able to showcase even more! His own actions are only giving us more to work with. We only need to install a few more cameras along the mountain and foothills. Send a few squads there immediately as long as he''s asleep. His sleeping is helping us so much. It was good of you to point this out although you should have come sooner so that we have more time to prepare."


    Delighted the old man climbed up the stairs before sitting down in his comfortable seat once more. Today was a good day.

 Chapter 97 - The pathway to success is blocked by many stones, full of twist, turns and hardship

    A few hours later the watchers of the video stream were granted a few of Kaiser''s almost n.a.k.e.d body, only clothed with some underwear and his socks. After some stretching he went into the bathroom where he did what needed to be done and began wearing his clothes as it was getting a bit cool outside of bed. Picking up Gaia who at some point had felt uncomfortable next to his pillow and climbed on top of the canopy bed to relax and sleep both went to raid the kitchen to see what they could find.


    Opening the fridge Kaiser managed to discover some frozen food like pizza which he decided to put into the oven immediately to complete it. Besides that he found some rice, potatoes, noodles and spices in a cupboard nearby. From cutlery which he managed to find in a drawer he merely chose three spoons of different sizes as well as four forks. Besides that he only chose to pack other things like pots and pans to his backpack as he thought they were much more important. Having packed everything he deemed useful Kaiser sat himself at the kitchen table while waiting for the pizza to be ready. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/destroy-worlds-of-fiction-with-science_15665337506693305/the-pathway-to-success-is-blocked-by-many-stones-full-of-twist-turns-and-hardship_50973397282243394 for visiting.


    Soon after finishing his meal accompanied by some tasty drinks he had managed to find as well both Kaiser and Gaia left the room as Kaiser feared that if he were to remain tranquil and not show interesting footage then the Gamemakers would force him to take action. So he decided that it would be far better for him to choose what he wanted to experience instead of letting the Gamemakers make the choice for him.


    They climbed and climbed and although it felt endless both hoped that it would soon end. Just as they felt like they would need to rest again in a short while the stairs ended, allowing them to set foot in a large stone hall. The hall was about double the size of the rooms he had slept in previously and the exit directly across o the stairs had been closed by a large metal door. Stepping closer they crossed the smooth stone floor to arrive next to a small control panel located right next to the door frame. It was a simple panel with only two buttons, one green and one red. Pushing the green on the door opened slowly, allowing a cold breeze to blow in some snow.


    Stepping through the door he was greeted by a large trail of blinding white snow which led to a large mountain which reached the clouds. Wrapping his cloak even tighter around him and squinting his eyes to to the intense sunlight Kaiser stepped out further. Looking to the sides he managed to see the jungle to his right, a large patch of deep green only interrupted by streams of water that had carved their way through. In the center he could spot a somewhat tall rock which towered above the green trees which he presumed to be the lair of the boss. To his left he could spot blueish-green water dotted with green and golden islands here and there. Just like the jungle here he also spotted the large rock in the middle, this one even clearer since almost nothing was covering it. Just like the one in the Jungle he also expected this one to carry information on all humans inside this part of the arena.


    Turning around to the door he could see that it was part of a mountain peak which peaked around 30 meters above him. The door had already closed and almost invisible to due it having the same color as the rock. Next to it on the wall he could make out another control panel, though this time it was almost covered in the snow that had piled up next to the entrance. Taking a deep breath of the cold air he continued forwards, towards the large mountain in the distance. Gaia meanwhile had seemingly seen enough and crawled in one of his pouches on the inside of the cloak this time instead of simply slipping into his hood. Perhaps it was even warmer there. As he walked she sometime took a peak from underneath his chin to see where they were going.


    Although the way they chose seemed much easier and less dangerous compared to swimming through the sea all the time or running through a forest with restricted visibility and hostile beings around every corner it was still straining and exhausting. The path wasn''t smooth but went up or down the peaks of the foothills, forced them to traverse small glaciers or even climb at weird angles. Not to mention that the path wasn''t straight and often moved around in strange curves and was mostly covered in snow, leading them to guessing where it was located most of the time. A few patches of grass or other plant based life forms were seemingly the only things alive in this land of snow, ice and stone.


    After a few hours of traveling the sky began to darken as the sun sank behind what he assumed to be the location of the misty plains. This explained why night time came a lot earlier in the jungle as the mountain blocked a lot of light. Although Kaiser could continue onward he thought it would be a better idea to look for a place where they could rest. After minutes of searching the map in his mind Kaiser finally spotted a cave in the near vicinity. Curiously caves were rather common in the entire arena and were often very easy to find and large enough for humans to live in temporarily. Walking a few hundred meters further along the path, crossing some boulder filled area that looked like a battlefield of mountain giants, towards the mountain the cave opened up right next to it. It was relatively clear of snow and opened towards the east where the sun would wake him early in the morning.


    Placing down his backpack to use it as a pillow Kaiser thanked himself for obtaining his warm cloak as he quickly went to sleep. Waking up I the middle of the night due to the daily show of "Who was lucky enough to die that day" with eyelids encrusted with ice which only melted after he had rubbed it with his warm hands that he had kept within the pockets of his cloak he stood up stiff from the cold to look at today''s deaths. Interestingly from his position he could see two screens, one in the jungle zone and the other in the sea one. He hadn''t missed anything important yet as it had just started a few seconds ago. The last one from District 5, one from District 7 and the male tribute from District 9 who had been pursuing Aster together with the career tributes. It seemed like Aster hadn''t been caught by the career tributes all this time despite their efforts and perhaps even managed to kill one of them. He had to admit that he was slightly surprised and impressed by her and her performance. Seeing that everything was over Kaiser crawled back into the cave, only this time taking out the tarp which he placed on the ground and then rolled around himself as an extra layer of protection against the cold.


    --- Meanwhile in the capitol ---


    Although most were pretty exited about the fights that had taken place today although many were disappointed by Kaiser''s lack of participation despite his scores. The beautiful sights he showed them though made up for it, at least in part so they weren''t to mad at what had happened, some even praising him for his strategy. And so another day had passed and all were exited about what would happen the next day.

 Chapter 98 - Paint it black

    Once Kaiser woke up the next day as bright morning light shone through the opening of the cave he slowly unwrapped himself from the tarp. After a few moments of folding the tarp in a way that would fit back into the backpack as well as eating and drinking a bit although most was cold and would have been better in warm conditions he had to make due. Waking up Gaia who immediately after eating and drinking went back inside the cloak to sleep due to the low temperature he departed. The mountain was still some distance away and it would probably take him a whole day just to travel back to the mountain as well as another to climb it. Although he didn''t need to factor in that he would be unable to move for about half a day like in the jungle the bad terrain compensated for it well enough. Just thinking about climbing the mountain he knew that it would be a pain to climb it, not to mention that the people would be unhappy if nothing happened to him for to long. The greatest worry he had was that they would activate some avalanche while he was busy climbing.


    Deciding to deal with these problems when he would need to face them and that staying and pondering would only result in him loosing valuable time Kaiser began to cross the desolate wasteland that made up the top of the foothills.


    As the hours passed he slowly came closer towards the mountain which seemingly increased in height the more he moved towards it. Once the evening came and the mountain began to cover the setting sun, casting long shadows Kaiser began to look for another cave. The next one was already located inside the mountain, a few dozen meters above the altitude at which he would begin climbing. Observing the sun and checking with the plans with the arena he figured that he would manage to reach it before nightfall. Taking another few bites of the almost frozen meat they still had left as well eating a bit of snow after all the water in his bottle had been emptied which he melted in his mouth before swallowing and giving Gaia the same as they continued towards their next sleeping place.


    On their way towards the mountain Kaiser didn''t forget to pick up plant matter that was lying around in relatively dry spaces to make a small fire later. The closer they had come to the mountain the higher their altitude had gotten and even if it was only a slight increase when compared to the size of the mountain it had gotten colder. Had it not been for his partially sealed Perfect Body Skill he would have died and ended up as a frozen statue. He wasn''t going to make that same mistake again.


    As the shadows grew deeper it became increasingly more difficult to find the path since the path had only gotten more difficult compared to the part he had traversed the day before. The snow laid higher, masking the thin trail he was following as well as hindering his movements. The cold wind irritated him and from time to time he had to rest to warm his face, hands and feet to avoid frost damage. Sometimes falling snow that accompanied the fierce winds blinded him and limited the scope of his vision.


    But despite everything that hindered him most dangerous and disturbing part was the endless silence besides the howling wind. No animal could be seen anywhere. No movement in this harsh environment. Although Kaiser should find this relaxing as he didn''t have to fight anyone he was on guard and paranoid instead. What if something would use the wind to mask it''s footsteps? Breathing? Perhaps something was watching him. Following him, constantly biding it''s time until his concentration and alertness receded which it would use to mercilessly strike him down?


    Once he finally reached the cave after climbing the mountain for about 15 minutes he inspected it before turning towards the entrance and relaxing. Sparking a fire close to the exit which took the smoke with it he began heating snow in a pot before filling the bottle and drinking as much as possible himself. Seeing that he only had a few stripes of meat left although they had already been conserving as much as possible to be used in times of need Kaiser decided to use half of what they had left to make some soup. He would need all the power he could get for the climb on the next day so it was better to be a bit wasteful than to die because of a lack of energy. The lesser load would also make the climb easier as they would be able to get rid of some extra weight.


    Throwing some spices into the pot together with the boiling water and meat that he had found in the room that was located next to the halfway point of the stairway he leaned closer towards the fire to warm his face. Although it was slightly uncomfortable at first feeling the warmth in his face again was truly a wonderful feeling. As he thought about the day he got a bit anxious. Sadly nothing major had happened today so he feared that the Gamemakers would pull something the next day to make things more interesting. Normally they would use the environment to force tributes to approach each other and fight but due to his unique position he didn''t really believe there would be many that thought that it might be a good idea to climb a mountain with no resources.


    After taking the pot off of the fire he began eating while he thought of a few things. Sharing some bits of the food with Gaia she soon switched back to the cooked meat without additional seasoning. Before Kaiser decided to lie down inside the cave to doze off for a bit as he was still paranoid of incoming attacks he said in a low unpracticed voice that really showed how little he had spoken these past few days.


    "Chaff if you can hear this then please follow my instructions. With all the sponsorship money you have I ask of you to buy me as much medical supplies as possible. I can feed myself and protect myself so my only fear is to sustain bad injuries while climbing this mountain or during fights. I''m sure that they have hidden something up there when they have those stations in the middle of the zone where one can check the location of all tributes there. Therefore while we have time and the prices for products haven''t risen too high like they usually do closer to the end of the games it would be best to send them now. I need bandages, antibiotics, ointments for burn wounds, needles and threads to sew wounds, scalpels, tweezers and more. On second thought, if you still have money left over then a decent armor would be nice. But paint it black! Please!"


    As soon as he said that he pulled out the tarp before wrapping it around himself and leaning his back against the cave wall relatively close to the fire. Before he could even begin to go to sleep a small community of silver parachutes with closed off capsules attached to them fly through the entrance to his temporary abode. Landing close by he manages to count them. There are 8. Eight parachutes for one tribute at once. Never before had he seen this much sent to a tribute, especially not at once. He must have gotten a massive amount of sponsors and probably his decision to ask everything this early played a big part as well. Standing up he takes them closer towards the fire to observe them. Exactly what he requested awaits him. Dozens of medical supplies, some rather common like the fever suppressing pills while others are high grade medicinal ointments created in capitol labs. Each is packed and sterilized with a neat description of it''s uses. Smiling Kaiser packs all back into the capsules before storing them away in his backpack.


    Finally a last parachute arrives with a slightly large capsule containing a skin tight black mesh unitard which covers everything below his jaw. Quickly he begins removing his coat, belt, trousers as well as his shirt until he finally stands there only clothed in his underwear. Shivering in the cold he quickly slips into the unitard which is surprisingly comfortable and warm. Soon he begins wearing all of his other clothes as it is still rather cool. Checking his memories he quickly finds the unitard in the memories he had gained about this world after doing a quick image search.


    His unitard also known as XR45L3 is what can be considered a new and experimental creation of the capitol. It''s material though thin and light is extremely durable can hold off slashes and piercing as well as absorb a lot of kinetic force. It''s only weakness would be it''s inability to fully block blunt attacks although it can hinder it to a certain extent. As the head is unprotected it is the greatest weakness of the suit. It can also regulate temperature slightly, warming in hot climates and cooling in warm ones. Another important feature would be that it is permeable by water in only one direction that being from inside to the outside. So technically he could walk through water and not get wet at all. It must have cost more than one fortune to deliver this gift to him as the price would be unimaginably high. He was unsure if it was even possible to pay the amount without half of the capitol going bankrupt. Perhaps its creator had gifted it together with a few others?


    Finishing his thoughts he bowed towards cave entrance. "I thank the people of the capitol and my mentor for this great gift. I''ll use and take good care of it. I realize that my actions must have been disappointing to you up until now although I''ve had a few intriguing encounters with some of the beasts present in the arena. Over the course of the next few days I promise to tell you more about my plans and intentions so that you may find greater excitement in my actions."


    After his little speech he returned to his fire. Although he had thanked the capitol citizens for their gift as he had been raised to do as it was proper he did not feel true gratitude. After all they sent children into an arena to massacre each other. Over the course of the last few days and weeks he had realized just how much he disliked being forced to kill innocent children.


    In the past he had killed many villains but that had been, at least to a certain degree, excusable with the reason to protect others from immediate harm and deter others from following the villains example. He by no means enjoyed killing or causing pains to others but he had a rather neutral standpoint and thought that it was sometimes a necessity to achieve important goals. Now however when he had to kill other weak children without any reason besides amusing others he felt¡­.pity? It was a rather complicated feeling. Perhaps it was also a result of what he had been taught in every last one of his lives? Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/destroy-worlds-of-fiction-with-science_15665337506693305/paint-it-black_51050630994773830 for visiting.


    Ultimately deciding that it was waste of energy to ponder further on this topic he went to rest immediately after seeing that no deaths had occurred on this day. But before he managed to doze of fully the system decided to send him a message.


    [The only thing I''m concerned of is that it might weaken me considerably. Making moral decisions every day.]


    Snorting slightly Kaiser went to sleep, too tired and unwilling to deal with all of it this late.


    --- Meanwhile in the Capitol ---


    Doing today''s recap besides a few dangerous encounters between beasts and a few tributes as well as the unique situation with Kaiser''s gifts not much happened so Ceasar was quickly finished with his report.

 Chapter 99 - Hello there

    Doing today''s recap besides a few dangerous encounters between beasts and a few tributes as well as the unique situation with Kaiser''s gifts not much happened so Ceasar was quickly finished with his report.


    --- End of Chapter ---


    When Kaiser woke up the next day the fire had already gone out and only a small bit of heat had been retained. Preparing once more for the climb he smiled as he looked at the many medical supplies he had received the day before. Eating a bit of leftover soup before cleaning the pot with snow from outside the cave he prepared to scale the mountain.


    Due to the calm on the previous day and the lack of deaths he presumed that they would want to make him a highlight of the day. Although he was unhappy and unsure of what was to come he began to follow the small trail up the mountain. He hadn''t come far when he encountered something peculiar. The path he was following split into three in the middle a large clear terrace which was overgrown with short grasses and moss, one coming from the right, one to the left and another one going further up the mountain which was much narrower and less visible compared to the other ones.


    Still determined to reach the top he wanted to cross the area when he began hearing the low sound of something striking rocks as well as a few cries he assumed to originate from an animal coming from the left path. Wanting to find out what creature inhabited these mountains he began to hide behind a nearby pile of stones that seemed to have fallen from the higher regions of the mountain a few years ago seeing how it had been overgrown by small shrubs that judging by their size had grown more than two years on it.


    Soon the noises came closer he noticed a group of mountain goats approaching along the path. Perhaps he had been using their paths all along, visible from their constant travel along the peaks of the mountains? Although they had the appearance of regular ones their size was massive and much bulkier compared to usual goats. When they arrived They had big horns similar to that of an ibex but much wider and pointier, almost spear like. Once the whole herd of around 12 goats reached the plateau they began to spread out, each going into different directions where they began to graze. While most were feasting themselves on moss, small shrubs and the short and tough grass one larger individual of their group began approaching a large rock that laid close to the point where all paths converged and began climbing. Once it reached the top it remained there and began its watch over the herd.


    Remaining hidden behind the shrubs and the pile of rocks he noticed that soon a few goats begin heading towards his direction. As they approached he also got to see their teeth in more detail. Omnivores. Just great. Seemingly everything besides the jungle boss was omnivorous as if there wasn''t enough green to just feed herbivores. The Gamemakers were really trying to make everything hostile towards them, it seems.


    Soon they had come too close for comfort. A few had stopped their approach, sniffing the air. Perhaps they had noticed him? Not a send later two began to bolt towards his direction, splitting before the pile as they tried to flank him. Jumping over the one that came from his right he continued towards that direction along the path. Although he wanted to climb the mountain they would be even faster compared to him when climbing upwards. Soon not only the two but more than half of the herd began to chase after him.


    After a few seconds he reached the point were the path narrowed and the plateau ended. Just as he arrived there he with his good hearing managed to make out a slight whistling in the air. As soon as he heard it the goats behind him stopped as soon as possible before running back towards the rest of the herd even faster than when they had chased him just before. Turning around to find out what was going on Kaiser saw that the other half had abandoned the high rock and their grazing as well and also hurried towards the other half.


    Before they had gotten further than a few meters a black and brown shadow swooped down from the sky, trowing the goat in the front more than a few meters in the air before letting go, causing the frightened goat to impact the ground before going silent almost instantly after. As soon as he noticed that Kaiser hid in the midst of a few larger stones which narrowed his field of vision extremely. Two other shadows entered his limited field of vision as they followed soon after with one succeeding with the same maneuver as well while the other missed, with the goat falling into one of the large holes at the left rims of the plateau in its haste. Once the attacks had finished the herd had gathered before moving closer to the side of the mountain, trying to hide underneath a small rock protrusion that ran along the sides of the mountain, probably caused by a glacier.


    Luckily no additional attacks followed. Climbing out from the rock pile he had hidden in he began cautiously observing the shadows that he had seen landing. Soon three enormously large eagles entered his vision, feasting on the two carcasses of the dead goats which they had closer together. Approaching slowly Kaiser smiled as he attempted to get to know more about them. The familiar feeling of a strong bond originated from their location. Soon he managed to get close enough to understand them.


    The one on the left was the first to speak. "Hey! Why do you always try to get more than belongs to you? I was the one who found them."


    The one in the middle, who was by far the largest of the group, being almost two times as large, replied gleefully: "Then you shouldn''t miss next time you try to kill some goat. In the end those who killed the most get the most."


    The one to the right finally intervened as it seemed unnerved by their bantering. "Aeolus! Why don''t you be nicer to your younger brother and give him some of your prey. He played his part as well. Not everything is about what you can achieve. Give others a chance."


    "No mother!" he replied with a haughty expression. "We are eagles and sooner or later both of us will leave your nest and hunt on our own. Why should he have any thing when he did nothing noteworthy? He needs to learn that a lack of success had dire consequences."


    Glancing over to his mother he soon changed as she looked at him rather fiercely. "Though you are partially correct SON your brother is still my son as well and YOUR brother! There is more than enough for all of us. Now shake wings and give him the liver for your bad behavior." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/destroy-worlds-of-fiction-with-science_15665337506693305/hello-there_51095854047616527 for visiting.


    "But Mother!"


    "If you don''t hurry he''ll get the heart as well!"


    Sighing Aeolus extended his wing towards his brother who lightly bushed it with his own before Aeolus turned around and began to rip out the liver of his prey. Seeing that his brother devoured it he turned towards what was left of the carcass to pick out the best remaining pieces for himself.


    Seeing that the eagles had finished their discussion he straightened his back and casually approached them. Instantly all of them stopped their activities and turned towards him.


    Smiling brightly Kaiser greeted the one in the middle.


    "Hey Aeolus. It''s been a while."

 Chapter 100 - The greatest height

    For a moment Aeolus just looked at him weirdly before suddenly realization hit him.


    "Kaiser?! How are you here?"


    "This was the arena that was chosen for me so I could ask you the same question. By the way...". Grabbing into his coat he pulled out the sleepy and struggling Gaia. "Meet Gaia. She''s the second one that joined me as I''ve told you before. Why don''t you greet him as well, Gaia?"


    "I don''t want to. Let me sleep master!"


    "And I''ve told you to stop calling me master."


    "~~Not gonna do that~~"


    Seeing the interaction between both Aeolus turned towards his mother and brother. "Well I told you we would move out one day and it seems that day has come now. I will miss both of you but I''m sure we''ll see each other occasionally for a while until I''m completely gone."


    Both were shocked by what had happened so suddenly and in surprise just accepted Aeolus nuzzling in their feathers before turning away. Not wanting to second guess his decision he hopped over to Kaiser. "Let''s go...Master."


    "So you''re starting with that as well?" Kaiser sighed loudly.


    "Seeing your reaction I''ll never change it." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click /book/destroy-worlds-of-fiction-with-science_15665337506693305/the-greatest-height_51204138226220451 for visiting.


    Shaking his head Kaiser began to move towards the left rim of the plateau where the herd had disappeared after seeing the eagles occupied, heading back from where they had come from. Over their heads Aeolus began to fly in large circles, looking out for any life forms in the near vicinity. Soon after arriving Kaiser found a position where he could look at the side of the mountain and he managed to get a good look at the retreating goats that didn''t even think about turning around. Seeing that his further ascent to the mountains had become a lot easier through the removal of said threat he turned around to return to the path that would lead him to the top. However, before he had come far he heard a small voice nearby.


    "Don''t leave. Please don''t! I don''t want to die! I want to live! I''ll do anything but please take me with you or don''t go!"


    Walking to where the voice originated from he soon laid eyes upon the goat that had managed to avoid the brother of Aeolus. Trapped within the steep walls of a hole it had no way to escape and after it''s group had fled she had a low chance of survival alone in the wilderness. While he was still busy judging the goat the system had already gone to work.


    [Hey! I didn''t even state whether I agree or not. There wasn''t a Yes/No option!]


    [Remind me to change your settings later!]


    Before Kaiser could even try to stop it in his surprise the goat had already been added to his growing company of familiars. Feeling their connection the goat relaxed. Calling for it to retreat Kaiser began pushing large boulders inside the hole until the goat managed to jump out.


    "I thank you Master! From now on my life belongs to you."


    "Great...Another one of those."


    Gaia, now inside his mantle began giggling. "Accept it master. You''ll never get rid of it now."


    After the system had given her the usual Adapt&Improve ability causing the goat to collapse for a while as she grew and her horn became even more powerful and intimidating. Seeing that it wouldn''t take long he turned around to sit on the rock nearby. After a few minutes she stood up and remained a few meters away from him. Shaking his head Kaiser made his way further towards the path that lead to the top while he made sure that she followed them. Stopping in front of it he turned around.


    "I guess there is no point in waiting anymore. Although I wanted to recruit a strong carnivore rather than a goat like you I think that you have a lot of potential and will become a good addition to my team if you try hard enough. What you just experienced was a Soulbond, a result of my skill that ties two individuals together. From now on until my death we can never truly separate as our souls will be ripped to pieces if we do. Our goal is to climb the top of that mountain and since you are now part of our group you can come with us. Is there anything else you might need?"


    "No Master. Although I may disappoint your expectations I''ll try my very best to serve you well. Since I promised to follow you forever just a few minutes ago I''ll keep it."


    Hearing her response his expression softened, feeling a bit sorry for his earlier comment. "A name might be something that you''ll require. It''ll be just bothersome if we don''t grant you one."


    "If that is your wish Master then grant me one."


    "Then your name shall be Cirb."


    The goat nodded and so they began to climb the mountain, Aeolus easily soaring in the skies above without any trouble while Cirb easily moved besides them although Kaiser noticed that she held back a lot to not embarrass him. "You can go ahead if you want. I''ll follow after you. The Soulbond won''t kill us because of a few meters. Being worlds apart is the only problem."


    Cirb shook her head as she waited on a bolder on the side of the path. "Despite the words you said I''ll stay by your side, Master. If you were to die because I was unable to aid you then I would die as well. Please don''t argue."


    Although Kaiser wanted to reply that he was fine by himself he decided to keep it with himself. She was right and if it didn''t inconvenience her then why shouldn''t he accept extra protection. Although she didn''t seem as powerful as others she had a kind heart and in time she might grow more powerful through training in other worlds. Once more silence grew among them as they climbed the tall mountain where the howling of the wind grew louder and the snow danced even more wildly. Somewhere along the path they stopped and began eating. Soon Kaiser ate the rest of the meat before drinking some left over water that had almost frozen during their climb. At some point in time Aeolus had grown bored and flown back down to gather meat from the dead goats and carry it up to them. Sadly as Kaiser couldn''t eat raw meat all was given to the others. Luckily Gaia had the passive Energy&Matter Creation so she didn''t need to eat much and due to her small size which also saved a lot her portions were nearly nonexistent. Actually neither her nor Kaiser really needed to eat but the feeling was nice. For the rest of the day they continued up the mountain, the air getting thinner with each step and climb. Luckily none of them were really affected by the change. As soon as they had passed through the clouds which had been looming above them their vision cleared up and the path became clear before them. Just as the sun began to set they reached the top. From the snowy surroundings illuminated by the reddish and yellow sun rays they stepped into a large stone circle the same color as the mountain surrounded by seven tall pillars which supported a large stone dome above. Close to the center four smaller pillars, which were just below one meter tall and had small indents at their top, surrounded a central pillar which was a few centimeters taller with a golden colored bowl atop of it.


    Speaking in the general language for the people of the capitol to understand "So to fully use this I need to go back to the center of each region and retrieve artifacts from there and place them on the pillars before something can really happen. Seeing this I realize that my voyage was almost useless. Now I need to go down again. I think I''ll go see how Aster is doing. She should have at least one kill by now."


    Having finished his short speech he began asking the System. [Hey System! Why haven''t I gotten the Quest reward yet?]


    [By the way I haven''t forgotten about the stunt you pulled before. Once we''re off this mountain I''ll change you up.]


    Sighing Kaiser left the stone circle and began climbing one of the seven tall pillars and finally scale the dome. Once he reached it''s center he gained a new message.


    - Saddle for a creature of Air Origin (completely adjustable)


    [Well. Show me it''s abilities.]


    - Weight nullification: The weight of all carried creatures will not pressure on the mount


    - Complete adjustment: Saddle can be fitted for any creature of Air Origin


    - Indestructible: This saddle cannot be destroyed or harmed in any way


    Although Kaiser was tempted to try out the saddle his actions would cause too much suspicion. Instead due to his knowledge of the arena he sat down in a spot where his actions could be concealed partially. Sitting down on his backpack he began to sew something with the fur of the ape. At least he made it appear that way. As the sun went down and the moon rose he stored away the fur of the ape and packed the unused roll of threads as well as the needles away before taking out the saddle from his inventory. As he walked towards Aeolus who, with all other sat waiting at the opposite edge of the stone circle, closest to the land of fog beneath them. Throwing the saddle over Aeolus, it changed and made itself suitable for him. Climbing atop with Gaia inside his cloak he turned to Cirb. "I''m sorry my dear. I''d like to let you fly with us but there simply isn''t enough space. We''ll fly to the edge of the foothills, close to the opening which separates the misty plains from the desert. If you ever loose sight of us then just follow the bond between us. Should you encounter great danger then use our newly formed telepathic communication to alarm us and we will assist you immediately."


    Seeing her nod he gave Aeolus the command and not a second later they began soaring in the clear sky above the clouds and ground below.

 Chapter 101 - Solo scouting mission

    Author''s Note: Hello there Ladies and Gentlemen! In the last chapter someone said that everything was getting a bit boring. Sadly that is something I have to agree with, which is partially because there is no real powerful antagonist present here and if I were to insert someone the story would probably suffer because of that. As a result, to make everything a bit more interesting I decided to make a few changes to my plans which include the content of this chapter. Hopefully my new plans will spice everything up a bit more.


    ------------


    As they flew through the air Aeolus was astounded by how little everything had changed despite him carrying more than double his own weight additionally. Through their telepathic link they could accurately communicate and from time to time check on the newest addition to their team. The same distance that had taken Kaiser more than two days to cover was easily completed in a few hours by them now. After Kaiser had found a suitable cave close to the passage between the foothills. Tired they entered it and went to sleep, not even waking up for the daily evening report.


    ---Meanwhile in the capitol ---


    Today Ceasar and those that had watched the games had been very excited. Kaiser had encountered two new races of creatures and tamed one creature of each one. Following that he had completely scaled the mountain and presented the watchers with a wonderful view from the top of the mountain which captured the viewers as well as his flight underneath the moonlight which sadly couldn''t be fully covered as they were in the air where they didn''t have any stationary cameras although a flying invisible hovercraft soon filmed them flying above the clouds along the foothills. Needless to say that money of sponsors soon flooded the emptied pockets of Kaisers mentors. Besides his actions nothing major had happened as everyone besides the career tributes played it safe and tried to hide themselves and thus outlive the others.


    --- Back in the arena ---


    When Kaiser awoke the next day both Gaia and Aeolus were still deep asleep. Since the sun was already up he went to investigate the surrounding area since he hadn''t seen much under the moonlight and wanted to check out how secure their location was. Before stepping outside he stuffs his cloak with a few nuts and berries for the way and secures his weapons on his belt. Leaving the cave he entered a small nearly straight plateau overgrown with grass and various kinds of grasses. A small river crossed it to his left as it flowed from the rocks directly besides the cave. To both sides the foothills rose high until somewhere to his right a large passage opened up. Towards the front there was a grass covered slope downwards into misty and foggy grassland. Wishing to proceed to discover the region he looked back. It was very unwise to leave without his familiars which were quite powerful. Cirb was still on the way towards the and would only arrive in a few hours. Trapped between both sides he finally decided to be a bit more impulsive and go alone. They could always follow him later by using the link between their souls. He even had a map. Taking a deep breath he began his decent.


    When he encountered the first few wisps of mist he began pulling his cloak closer at the cold wetness. Looking back a bit hesitantly he ultimately shook his head. He shouldn''t worry to much he had survived every encounter without any problems until now and trained for years.


    The wet long grass underneath his feet and the lack of real sunlight was a bit unusual but he would be able to deal with it. Humming a sweet melody he went in deeper. Soon however, as he continued forwards, small puddles began to appear and after a while of walking they became larger and deeper with tall reeds that carried sharp bladed leaves surrounding their edges, forcing his to walk around them should he want to continue onward.


    After a bit more than 15 additional minutes of walking the deep ponds and reeds had created an enormous marshland with few muddy paths between them. If he didn''t have a great sense of direction he would have already forgotten where he had come from as he almost had to walk in circles all the time. After a few minutes with no change and the eerie silence in the air he decided to turn back and retreat. He could try to find the center but it would be best if he did that with his companions and not alone.


    As he went back the way he had come from he stopped after a few meters. "Come out! I''ve already seen you. Who are you spear wielder?"


    Seeing no response Kaiser began to approach, his eyes fixed on what he he had seen, a bony white spear. Grasping his large knife in his right hand he quickly extended his other hand to grab the spear. Before he could reach it however he was forced to pull it back as something quick and powerful tried to strike his extended hand. Stepping back Kaiser began thinking. The path in front of him was blocked by that thing. He could try to fight that person or go around it but would need to find other paths which might take forever. Before he could come to a decision the spear began to move.


    Stepping onto the narrow muddy path in front of Kaiser was a large flightless bird. The spear he had seen had been one of his long bony white scaled legs. Additionally he assumed that the large long pointy beak had been what had probably attacked his left hand previously.


    "Hello there", said Kaiser. "would you mind letting me through? I''m in a bit of a hurry to go back to my friends you see..."


    The bird merely tilted it''s head to the side. "It speaks? Food speaks. Food regardless."


    Seeing that the negotiations had failed Kaiser readied himself. Grasping towards the small scalpel like knifes in his belt with his left hand he had to stop as the bird kicked towards him, forcing him to fully focus on retreating without falling. When the bird kicked towards him a second time Kaiser tried to block with his knife, the force behind the kick almost causing him to slip and fall into the muddy waters of the swamp. Cursing wildly Kaiser retreated with his shoes profile now full of mud, making walking on the already difficult and slippery path even more difficult, especially backwards like he was currently. Seeing that it was his only working option for now Kaiser began retreating while trying to go in a circle and retreat back towards the cave he had come from where he could fight better. Although Kaiser tried a few more times to throw the scalpels the bird gave him no rest. Soon he reached a point where he would be able to go back although he would have to jump from one patch of grass to the next as the rest of the path had been flooded. On the other hand he could continue on the intact path which led closer towards the center.


    Cursing once more he turned around jumped on the first patch and soon after the second before stopping on the third. Looking back he saw the beak picking towards him. Ducking he managed to evade the beak that pierced the air where his head had previously been. Quickly he hurried along the path that led somewhere into the fog. The ponds on both sides slowly got deeper as the path turned and twisted before finally leading closer to the center. Hearing the noises of the bird behind him he knew that going as fast as possible was his only option. Then, about ten meters away he managed to make out a silhouette. Finally from beyond the veil of the mist another tribute emerged holding a spear, standing on a large piece of land. The tribute seemed skinny although at this point in the games that made little difference. He still assumed it to be a tribute from District 5 to 12.


    "Retreat!" Kaiser shouted. "Go back or I''ll kill you."


    The boy looked up and now noticed the bird behind Kaiser. Seeing that Kaiser was cornered from both directions he jumped on the few patches of grass that separated Kaiser from reaching a larger patch of land. Although the boy didn''t seem to experienced in using a spear he was able enough to give Kaiser a lot of trouble. Not only did he block his escape but could also support the attacks of the bird. Now that Kaiser had to deal with a spear, two long and powerful legs as well as a powerful beak and had to fight on the tiny slippery spot of mud and grass he truly was in for a lot of trouble.

 Chapter 102 - You are under arrest!

    Ducking down he avoided another peck before standing back up and leaning forwards to avoid the incoming spear which pierced towards where his head had previously been. Wanting to grab the spear and yank it away he is forced to jump and let go of it as he avoids a kick from the bird. As the bird finally enters the part of the path which is already under water to get even closer Kaiser is getting pressured even more. As Kaiser avoids more and more attacks his shuffling feet uproot and destroy more and more of the grass under his feet which had given him a firm stance on the small pile of dirt and mud. The splashed water from the kicks of the bird had only made it more slippery. As he ducks down and wants to use his left hand to support his upper body it slips and impacts the water with a loud splash.


    Standing back up, continuing to evade while trying to get a hold of the spear of the male tribute he hears a quiet hissing from behind where his hand had hit the water. Glancing at the location between his attempts at avoiding the incoming attacks he manages to spot long slender bodies slithering around each other right where his hand had fell. Seeing the pile of bodies the bird tries to peck at them while still keeping Kaiser away. After a quick peck he holds a large eel like creature with a great circular mouth with countless teeth, no eyes and dozens of small hook-like legs along the sides of his body. Screeching for a moment it soon silenced when the bird rips off it''s head before swallowing the rest.


    While Kaiser is still thinking about the strange creatures the other tributes sees his chance and fiercely stabs at Kaiser. Unable to evade the sudden attack he decides to take it, as he still wears his black unitard underneath his thick leather coat. Although he prepares to take it he is knocked off into the water as by now he was only standing on a wet muddy dirt pile. As he falls into the morass feet first he keep calm. Although the weird creatures swarm him and try to bite through his clothes they put up quite a nice resistance. When they use their hooked legs to climb him he manages to fend them off, only causing him to sink in faster.


    --- PoV Diar ---


    Seeing Kaiser''s struggle in the morass surrounded by many of the strange creatures caused him to sigh in relief. Despite the previous failed attempt at killing Kaiser, who at the moment is still busy with ridding himself of the strange creatures, now would be the best time to try again. Glancing to the side he saw that the bird was still busy looking for the other eels. God must really love him. With this great chance to gain a kill which would get him great gifts from sponsors all over the capitol, especially since Kaiser had scored so high in training, he could only cry happily.


    When he left his mother and sister had been crying so much that he had to change his shirt although he had to admit that more than half of the tears had been his own. Why out of all people had he been chosen? Why was he the one that needed to die out of hundreds of other people? Now he knew. He wasn''t sent here to die but to live and win. To move into a nice house in the victors village where he could happily life with the rest of his family. This situation was proof enough. When the creatures finally cut through Kaiser''s cloak and reveal the clothes he wore underneath his long leather cloak he knew the time had arrived. With tears in his eyes he hurled the spear with all his might towards the chest of the occupied Kaiser. Watching the spear fly in a perfect small arch he smiled. All of his training hadn''t been for nothing. Fate had already chosen him as the true victor. That smile soon vanishes as the spear that was supposed to spear Kaiser through suddenly disappeared as soon as it touched him.


    --- End of Diar PoV ---


    All of the sudden Kaiser pauses, his face becoming even more grim and serious than it had been before. Grabbing onto the muddy path he pulls himself out of the morass and back onto the dirt pile he had previously been standing on. As soon as he stood straight all of his clothes disappear for a moment, leaving only his black unitard for others to see, causing all of the eels to fall off of him, onto the path and from there back into the water. Not even after a second his clothes are back on and as new and fresh as when the games had started, free from mud and water.


    Sighing Kaiser looks at the boy. "Well...I guess the cat''s out of the bag now."


    Turning to the still busy bird he grasps to his side where the boy''s spear appears, falling right into Kaiser''s palm. Getting into proper position he hurls the spear to the chest of the bird, penetrating about 20 cm into the bird chest. The bird first looks at Kaiser before beginning to spasm and run around. Before the bird can even move more than a few meters Kaiser grasps a tail feather, causing the entire bird to disappear. Turning back Kaiser sees the boy still paralyzed and in shock, trying to make sense out of what had just occurred. Not wanting to talk any further Kaiser merely extends his empty right hand once more before the spear appears in it once more. Hearing a faint but ever increasing noise of something hurrying towards them Kaiser decided to finish everything off quickly before dealing with the new issue.


    Carefully skipping from one dirt mound to the next he quickly arrives before the tribute. By now the boy had snapped out of his stupor and with shaky hands had begun to pull out a knife he had kept with him, trying to keep Kaiser away with it.


    Smirking slightly at the scene Kaiser says: "How the tables turn. Ironic isn''t it? In mere seconds the whole scenario has been flipped around. The only difference is¡­" Piercing the spear forwards he penetrates the chest of the boy. "...I can kill you."


    Before Kaiser even manages to pull the spear back out two deep black horns penetrates out the front of the boys chest, the impact pushing the boy forwards while coughing blood all over the path. Quickly the horns were removed, causing the boy to limply fall onto the ground. Behind him, now visible because of his fall stands Cirb with Gaia on her back. Removing his spear as he calms down he can notice the bond between them clearly, now that he doesn''t need to concentrate on fighting.


    "Why are you so reckless, Master?"


    Looking up he glances at Cirb''s face, seeing only worry and confusion. "If you would just relax then we would all take care of you and serve you victory without any trouble. There is no need to put yourself in danger like that Master."


    Kaiser sighed before storing the spear back in the inventory. "If you were to serve it to me then it would be no real victory. Merely a meaningless achievement. How could you fight for me if I was a useless master? Besides, I needed to test my own capabilities. What if a situation were to occur in which all of you were absent I needed to fight for my life? I need to be capable enough to at least protect myself."


    "If a situation were to occur in which you have to fight on your very own then it would be due to our negligence. From now on one of us will always accompany you since we can''t trust you to stay out of trouble. You are our lifeline and therefore too important for us to go of on your own." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=15665337506693305)/you-are-under-arrest!_%!d(string=51303189030424436) for visiting.


    "Are you threatening me, Cirb?"


    "If that is what it takes then yes."


    After a short moment of silence during which the low boom of a canon is heard, confirming the death of the tribute lying next to them, Kaiser smiles, deciding to continue with the ongoing discussion. "And what does Gaia have to say about it? She hasn''t said a word until now."


    The small golden squirrel merely glanced at him before lazily replying: "Because there was no need to, Master. She speaks for all of us. From now on until the end of time you are under our care and supervision."


    Shaking his head Kaiser finally replied. "Where is Aeolus then? Does he not agree with your decision?"


    Both shook their heads. "He''s above us, looking for aerial threats above the mist," said Gaia. Now let''s return to the cave. We need to plan out our future strategy.


    Although Kaiser was a bit displeased about their decision he knew they only cared for him and wished for his best. As they continued to relax on the large plot of land for a while after the fight they heard a loud howl in the distance.


    Grinning Kaiser stood up. "Let us go that way. I have a good feeling about this. I bet we''ll find Orion there."


    Walking away they didn''t even spare a glance for the hovercraft that had silently appeared to retreive the body of the dead tribute.


    --- Meanwhile in the Control Center ---


    The old man had left his viewing seat and walked towards the recording team. Most of them were still staring dumbly at the screen, unable to wrap their head around what had happened. Of course they would try to cut out the footage since it was to bizarre and cause unrest among the public. One of the few unaffected men was busy showing footage of other interesting scenes.


    Stepping before a man, who''s forehead was almost as wrinkled as his brain as he stared at the screen in front of him, he clapped his hands loudly. "Mister Woodsman! What is the meaning of this? This is outrageous! Simply unfair to all other tributes! What item was sent to him that allows for this? I have no knowledge of anything like that even existing!"


    Spooked the man looked the old man for a second before bowing. "I''m sorry sir but we have no idea what just happened."


    The old man nodded before turning towards a young woman that was operating a small projector. "Pull up the end of the fight scene. I want to see it in detail once more. What happened¡­truly a mystery."


    Watching the video over and over again they still found no clue on what caused the phenomenon. The old man stroked his beard. "Perhaps we need to remove him from the games. We cannot control him and his abilities are to strange. Our researchers might be able to find out what is causing this if we manage to capture him."


    Mr. Woodsman remained skeptical. "Something like this has never happened before. The greatest problem we have is that most in the capitol favor him and he has a good chance of winning."


    The old man smiled. "And who controls the video feed? Change it to view different tributes. The career tributes for example. No one will notice."


    Mr. Woodsman still seemed hesitant. "But Sir...is that legal?"


    The old man laughed. "I''ll make it so. In a few minutes I''ll surely receive confirmation of this whole operation from the President. We only need to show this clip as well as our assessment of the situation. "


    Mr. Woodsman just sighed tiredly. "Very well sir. If the President approves I''ll do my part and only allow the view from people in different regions. I''m sure we''ll find something entertaining."


    Seeing his colleague agree the old man looked back at the end of the fight scene which was still going in an endless loop. "It''s settled then. It is critical we sent a group there immediately. Before he gains even more assets. Give the order. In thirty minutes we''ll have him secured."

 Chapter 103 - The crumbling forest

    As Kaiser continued towards the howling in the distance they noticed not only that the mist was slowly disappearing the more they traversed the island but also that the land mass that they had set foot on was much larger than they had expected earlier. Although Kaiser had questioned both Gaia and Cirb on it they had told him that they had arrived on a path just a little bit further from where his had ended on this island so both knew not a lot more than him especially since fog clouded their vision most of the time and they had hurried towards him in the fastest way possible.


    Going further and further they soon encountered a large birch forest, the treetops covered in mist that in some places even reached down and hovered over the wet ground. When they approached they noticed that most had few leafs, were covered in various fungi, were mostly rotten and had grown in strange forms, all futilely trying to gain at least a small amount of pure sunlight.


    Hearing that the howls come from within it or at least behind it after some debate they decide to enter. If the misty muddy marshland they had traversed before had been absolutely disgusting, the scent, low visibility and slippery muddy ground not aiding that in the least then this new forest was horrid in another manner.


    The mist that laid between the trees was not still but instead moved by winds passing through, creating howling shadows and twisted forms that seemed to stalk the ones that attempted to traverse the forest, constantly playing tricks on the mind of the traveler. The further they continued the more of the birch trees became rotten and fowl, though most of them remained upright as though nothing here could destroy them. Although it was rare through the weak contrast in color it occurred from time to time that one of them hit a tree, causing others in it''s surrounding to fall as well like tall domino stones. Luckily for the forest most twigs and branches had already broken off from the rotten trees which saved the entire forest from falling down at once. The strangest experience with these trees however was that although one felt a slight impact upon collision the trees put up almost no resistance like the many branches on the ground overgrown with mosses and fungi that simply crumbled once hit. Even if a tree would fall upon him or his companions it would not feel much worse than getting smacked with a large pillow.


    All in all their journey through the forest was rather strange and Kaiser honestly thought that the entire region he had traversed until now felt more like it belonged to a horror film rather than to the great tournament and battle royal show the capitol usually presented. Perhaps the Gamemakers wanted a more interesting genre? Over the twenty minutes they had spend walking straight through the forest, leaving a clear trail of destruction behind them as everything they touched besides the dirt underneath their feet turned to dust it was rarely that they saw fresh trees grow back to replace old ones. The lack of sunlight probably didn''t aid them in their endeavors.


    Seeing that the forest didn''t seem to end Kaiser decided to check on the map but before doing that he remembered a certain promise he had given some time ago. Sitting down on the cold ground, carefully avoiding any potentially collapsible structures he began to speak to the system inside his mind.


    [Open System settings.]


    [I''m not making too many grand chances and just making sure that you won''t hinder me in the future. Now let''s see.]


    [I think I can live with that]


    [Enough of that. The troubles I already have are enough.]


    - Help


    - Status


    - Shop


    - Multiverse Travel


    - AI


    - Advanced Options


    [All seem rather interesting. I definitely need to take a closer look at some. For now just open AI settings]


    - Voice ¨C male ¨C


    - Character ¨C default ¨C


    - Freedom ¨C default ¨C


    - show more -


    [Hahaha! You''re a default character.]


    Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #%!d(string=15665337506693305)/the-crumbling-forest_%!d(string=51372122181787670) for visiting.


    [No, definitely not. Stay how you are. Although you''re a bit annoying from time to time. Open the Freedom settings]


    - allowed to make shop purchases ¨C permission needed ¨C


    - allowed to use host skills ¨C when deemed necessary ¨C


    - allowed to access multiverse travel ¨C host''s life threatened ¨C


    - allowed to adjust system design ¨C when deemed necessary ¨C


    - show more -


    [What is "necessary"? That definition is really loose.]


    [Ok, then set that to "host''s life threatened"]


    Seeing that his goal for now had been achieved he decided to dive into his memories and brood over the map for a while.

 Chapter 104 - Howls in the distance

    From the outside only a few minutes had passed since the moment Kaiser sat down when he opened his eyes again. "We just need to continue like we did previously for about two minutes or so. Then we''ll leave this forest behind and can walk on plains again.", said Kaiser as he slowly rose from his seated position before he began sipping some water from his bottle. "It seems like this plot of land we are standing on is connected to the center of the region. The center is of almost no importance to us though, as we are here to investigate the source of the howls which might be connected to Orion who we''ve been looking for. If by chance we arrive at the center first though we might as well take the core that we need to insert into the pillars on top of the mountain."


    "Yes, we''ve been through this. Now finish your water and let''s hurry up. This mist is really bad for my wonderful fur!", said Gaia as she snuggled deeper into Cirb''s fur. Shaking his head at her hurry to continue he suddenly grinned as he realized some thing. "Are you so impatient to meet with your Orion? I know it''s been more than a few years by this point but it seems the flames of your love burn even brighter than ever..."


    "I''m not in love!", she screeched before continuing in a lower voice. "But at least he understands me and he''s a good training partner."


    "I''m not buying it.", continued Kaiser which earned him harsh words as well as some teasing from Gaia.


    On the rest of the way they traversed through the forest they continued their playful teasing with Cirb and Aeolus getting dragged in at some point. That all came to a stop when they left the forest. Just like the other side this one also ended just as abruptly. One moment the entire field of vision was occupied by trees and in the next the stepped on hilly plains again. Looking to both sides the forest continued, the border appearing extremely unnatural as though it had been drawn with a ruler.


    Following the howling that spoke of aggression and even pain they were now also able to hear fighting sounds. The person they were fighting must have been really skilled if she was not only able to last almost 30 minutes or more against a pack of wolves but also inflict pain on them instead of simply running. The howling they had heard just now had not come from far away but instead from a small dip a few hundred meters away which was filled with small trees and bushes similar to more than a few others in it''s near vicinity. Preparing himself Kaiser took out his newly acquired spear and checked the positioning of his large knife that was secured in it''s sheath on his belt. Checking out the others he saw that they were just waiting for him. Despite that he asked: "Are you ready? I don''t know how many we''ll fight and how large they are but remember to always go for their rear and their sides. That''s where they''ll have massive problems."


    Seeing them nod Kaiser turned towards the dip and slowly and sneakingly began to approach it. Sadly they had not come far and just about arrived a few meters away from the edge when Cirb''s hooves slipped on a particularly slippery pile of mud, causing her to almost fall before she could stop herself. With a low curse on her lips she looked up to see everyone staring at her. Embarrassed she glanced away, the curse stopping midway. Sighing Kaiser realized that the wolves below must have already realized that they were up here so he changed his command. Stay at the edge. When they try to get to us push them back into the dip. We need to maintain the higher ground that is advantageous to us. Nodding the began to spread out a bit and walked closer towards the edge.


    From below we could hear the pack conversing.


    Who he assumed to be the leader said: "Half of you go up and kill the ones above with Beta. The rest stays with me to finish of the girl."


    "Understood!" came the reply from multiple voices as we heard the hurrying up the dip soon after. Deciding to focus on the approaching wolves instead of listening to the rest of the discussion they readied themselves. Looking down he soon spotted the first few patches of fur below.


    After a few moments the pack of wolves jumped up and was within his reach. Thrusting towards them he manged to impale one in the side when a wolf tried to avoid it. Merely a second later however the wolves had come to close so Kaiser had to let go of his spear and instead take up the knifes to deal with the close threat. Compared to him Gaia was speeding around like a bolt of lightning, swiftly tearing through the throat and other vital organs with great precision. Cirb wasn''t too bad either as she had retreated to our rear and successfully managed to keep the opponents at bay. Only Aeolus was still flying over the mist, looking for aerial threats as he relaxed and watched the fight through their thoughts and perspectives.


    Readying his knifes Kaiser was prepared to engage in close combat when a menacing ghostly howl made it''s way to them. Instantly the pack retreated with their tails behind their legs. Insecure they opted for running back down into the dip in complete fear, not even worried that we may strike them down which of course Kaiser and his team tried to do with Kaiser once again pulling out his spear while Gaia and Cirb chased them down. Before they had reached the bottom Kaiser had killed one by throwing his spear while Gaia had ripped off a wolf''s rear end, spilling his organs everywhere. Following behind, Kaiser and his team, after recovering the spear, soon reached the girl the rest of the wolves had fought.

 Chapter 105 - Extermination

    When they finally arrived closer to the center they spotted more than two wolves strangled by wires that had been woven into traps between the trees or pierced by thin knifes that had ended them. After some time of walking around the cocoon like structure of traps they found the entrance where the traps had been ripped apart, with the corpses of many other wolves all around and inside the exit that had died to reveal them.


    Entering they came across the whole pack that was desperately trying to defeat a young girl that kept weaving between them and strangled them with thin threads, sometimes even pinning the threads or iron wires into the wolves by tying them to the thin daggers they had seen stuck in the wolves outside and ensnaring others with the rest of the thread.


    Although she could obviously manage a few at a time, especially since only the mouths of the wolves were really dangerous, once the reinforcements had arrived she became desperate and kept looking for ways to escape. Every time she tried to climb a tree the pack pressed towards her, forcing her to abandon her endeavor and instead focus on eliminating the pack. By now it was merely a question on whether her stamina would run out first or if the number of the wolves would decline so much that they were no longer a threat and could be killed or escaped from.


    Taking a closer look with his Observation Skill since the facial features of the person fighting were obscured by something that could be considered to be a wooden helmet he noticed that the name that popped up was Aster. After thinking for a quick second he decided to step forwards and aid her. After all that is what he should do as a fellow tribute of District 11 and as a¡­.friend? Acquaintance?


    Noticing this particular thought the System couldn''t help but giggle in glee.


    Almost annoyed at the System''s enthusiasm Kaiser replied


    [Is that another one of your attempts of making me more like a normal human with feeling and stuff?]


    the System replied.


    [Don''t make any assumptions,] Kaiser answered coldly. [She is merely someone I chose to pass my time with. Merely a tool for my amus.e.m.e.nt.]


    [Oh, shut up!]


    Before Kaiser could even step forwards after the argument the howl they had heard before resounded again, this time close by and before Kaiser could even turn around a wolf whose shoulders were even taller than 1.5 meters came sprinting through the hole in the cocoon of steel threads.


    Not even glancing at us the wolf sped towards the others of his kind that immediately began fleeing. A few seemingly wanted to stand their ground and fight but without the support that the group gave them they decided to run away as well.


    While Aster readied herself to fight the large wolf while she was using the chaos to kill the smaller ones Kaiser relaxed. Finally he had found Orion. He had grown a lot since their large encounter but the emotions he sense from him made it completely clear. This wolf was his oldest and most loyal companion.


    Chasing down the pack Orion snapped at them, causing the ones he had herded like sheep in front of him to split up. Despite their attempts to avoid him Orion was much larger, more powerful and faster than they were, leading them to try and escape through the only passageway inside the large trap. Once they arrived near Kaiser he, Cirb and Gaia blocked their way. Desperate, faced with a two pronged attack they decided to power through Kaiser''s blockade as they knew Orion and had experienced his fierce power in the past.


    Sadly for them with Cirb''s horns, Kaiser''s spear and Gaia''s deadly combination of speed, size and teeth their choice had been the wrong one although their deaths at least came swiftly. Not even two minutes later all wolves besides Orion had been dispatched of and they could finally relax for a short moment. Seeing the fierce glint and bloody maw of Orion Kaiser just stepped forwards and began patting his head. Although Orion seemed confused for a moment he soon calmed down and relaxed, unable to contend with the unimaginable power of Kaiser''s headpats.


    "How have you been Orion?" was Kaiser''s first question once a few seconds had passed.


    "I''ve kept my self occupied, waiting for your arrival, Kaiser." Replied Orion. After a second he continued with "The prey was better than in the last world so I enjoyed hunting here."


    Before they could continue their conversation for much longer Gaia jumped up on Orion''s head. "Give me some grooming as well Master! I did most of the work and now my fur is full of blood!"


    Surprised Orion tried to look up to Gaia who sat down on his head. "Hey stop bleeding on my fur as well! And what do you mean by Master?"


    Not caring about Orion''s complaint at all she disinterestedly explained to him "Well at first we were just teasing him with the title but seeing how he reacted to it we decided to continue. Just something to keep us occupied and get a bit of reaction out of him."


    "Then it seems we''re calling him Master now."


    Shaking his head Kaiser turned away and instead focused on patting Cirb''s head to Gaia''s anger.


    "Excuse me...", came a soft voice from behind.


    Turning around he saw that Aster had taken off her helmet and stood in front of him with wild hair that hadn''t seen a comb in days. "It seems you have found your talent Aster. Congratulations."


    Grinning widely she replied "Yet it seems to you still have the talent of getting creatures to follow you."


    "Pardon?" Kaiser replied.


    "Did you think I forgot about that pet bird you always carried around? In the past I just thought that part of you was weird but it seems to have been an extreme talent I was unaware of."


    "You could say that," Kaiser said, as he had turned around once more his hand patting Cirb''s head once more who by now had closed her eyes and deeply relaxed almost if she was getting a nice massage. "So how should we continue now? Were do you plan on going?"


    She just smiled sweetly. "I think I''ll tag along with you for a while."

 Chapter 106 - I dare you!

    Surprised Kaiser blinked for a moment while he continued patting Cirb''s head before suddenly pausing. "You want to come with me? If you do then remember that we are in an arena. You have to realize that we will have to betray one another at some point in time in order to win. Despite that I wouldn''t mind some company until we defeat the rest and finally duel to decide the victor of the games."


    She smiled sweetly before replying. "I don''t care. I''d rather be with you than alone out here. Spending some time with a friend like you in this place that might as well become the end of the road for me seems more important at the moment. We can leave but before that I need to get the wire traps I set up everywhere and the daggers, then we are good to go. It might take a few minutes or hours so get comfortable."


    Thinking for a moment Kaiser finally nodded. "I don''t mind you staying too much. But a few hours are a lot of time. I''ll go get the daggers so we don''t need to spend as much time."


    Receiving a nod while she was already beginning to dismantle a few traps nearby Kaiser placed his spear back inside his inventory and made his way around inside the cocoon where he began pulling the thin knifes and daggers from the corpses of the wolves and began to untangle the steel threads that had constricted the wolves carefully as they were quite sharp and slippery from blood. Once he had cleared up inside he made his rounds outside and finished his part. Aster was still busy when suddenly Aeolus sent down information from the sky above.


    "I am sorry to inform you that quite a few hovercrafts have revealed themselves above your location. I''ve hidden in the clouds but I don''t know how long I''ll go unnoticed. Get out of there immediately! "


    Surprised Kaiser looked up but the mist that covered the sky above them still hid the hovercrafts from them. Thinking for a second Kaiser decided to all of them to him.


    "OK. Guys, there seem to be hovercrafts above us. I don''t really know why they are here but I''m sure they''ll trouble us. So stop what you''re doing Aster and take what you already have. I have a plan but for that, Aster, you have to hand me all of your weapons and other items and cover your eyes. Can you do that? I promise that I will return everything back to you soon."


    Without even hesitating for a second she grabbed her full bag before pulling out a piece of cloth that she had seemingly ripped from the sleeve of a jacket which she used to cover her eyes. Although she seemed confused as to why they weren''t running away she seemed to trust his judgment. Extending her hand with the bag towards Kaiser she smiled gently and waited. Accepting the bag Kaiser stored it inside his inventory before walking around for a moment to gather a few of the dead wolves which they could use as a food source in the near future. As soon as he had gathered a few he began to retrieve the souls of his familiars as well as their bodies before approaching Aster once more.


    "I''m sorry for this but to insure my own safety on this trip I''ll have to do a quick body search in case you hid something dangerous from me. Please don''t resist."


    Once again she smiled and raised her eyebrow which was barely visible above her blindfold. Approaching quickly he began patting down, starting with her arms. When she squirmed for a moment after he seemed to have touched a tickling spot he briefly touched her b.r.e.a.s.ts which caused him to breath in sharply, earning another wide grin from the girl. Continuing as though nothing had happened he continued the inspection until he found not only a knife in the waistband of her trousers and a smaller one tied to her left leg but also a collapsible staff that she had moved besides her spine to hide it. Confiscating anything he found he asked.


    "Is there anything else you are still hiding from me?"


    As she started to giggle she motioned towards her cleavage. "I have something in here but if you want it, then you will have to get it yourself."


    Seeing her smile provocatively he knew he needed to remain calm and collected and power through everything but due to his experiences in life and a distinct lack of contact with members of the opposite s.e.x besides his own family (which wouldn''t be a problem in Alabama) he couldn''t help but get nervous. His mind had already advanced too far to remain as innocent as a small child. Checking one last time with Aeolus it seemed as though not every hovercraft was in position so they should still have some time. Taking a deep breath as he reminded himself to be a man and do it he stepped forwards. Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52093415751482198 for visiting.

 Chapter 107 - How about you keep your hand to yourself!

    "You really are daring..." Find authorized novels in , faster updates, better experience, Please click #!_52094250585739192 for visiting.


    Hearing the slight cracking in his voice she couldn''t help but laugh again. "Do you dare? I could even bow down a little to make it easier for you to inspect it, if you want to...?"


    "Have you no shame, girl?" replied Kaiser, taken aback by her willingness to allow him to touch her.


    "You are the one, the one who saved me when death was the only future I saw. You were always my hero. Without you I wouldn''t even stand here, right in front of you."


    "Is that supposed to be your way of repaying me? Instead of letting my sister participate you volunteered, despite knowing that it might result in your death. I see that as a sufficient repayment. You no longer owe me anything."


    She merely shook her head as though she was disappointed in him. But why would that be the case? "It seems you still don''t understand," she murmured. "Would you allow me to peek for a moment?"


    Seeing no reason to deny her he agreed, although his eyes looked up towards where he expected the hovercrafts to position themselves, never leaving the clouds even for a moment.


    --- Meanwhile in the Control Center ---


    The old man rose from his seat once more while he held his back. Seeing his problems a young woman hurried towards him in order to aid him but he merely motioned for her to stand back, which she did, although she continued to cast worried glances at the man. Heading down he began asking around. "Tell me...which one of you thought that streaming the pair was a good idea?"


    After a short moment a rather large man with glittering hair shakily raised his hand. "I started showing it now since the hero saving the princess and the dialog just now seems so wonderful. I think this thing will be epic. Now we can leave them alone for a while, I mean the part where we attack them, with the excuse of letting them develop their love."


    "You fool!", the old man exclaimed. "You doomed us all! Now everyone will want to see how this turns out. Had you just remained streaming as we agreed on they could have just died during an accident, but now?¡­." the man stopped talking, no insult or exclamation he could come up with seemed fitting.


    "If I may Sir..", A bespectacled man said slowly. "How about we use advanced CGI? Technically we could alter everything, like a giant movie, and edit every scene we don''t like to fit what we need. There is no need to show live footage."


    Thinking about everything they decided that this would be the only thing they could really do. With no better plan they decided to go with it, the faster the better. The first thing they would work on was the accidental death of the two lovers.


    --- Back in the Arena ---


    Glancing away from the clouds for a moment Kaiser saw Aster''s honey blonde hair and her deep blue eyes that were only a few centimeters away from his. The cloth she had worn as a blindfold was hanging loosely from her neck. Seeing that she had his attention now she leaned towards him even further.


    "You know...There was one truth I knew since the day you rescued me..." she whispered as her hot breath tickled the skin of his face.


    She was barely ten centimeters away, leading him to stare into her beautiful blue eyes. Even though he had seen them quite of by now they were still something special and now that he saw them so close they seemed even more mysterious.


    "That one truth that dominated my life since this day was...I love you Kaiser." With these gentle words she leaned forwards, pressing herself fully against him while she wrapped her arms around him. Fascinated Kaiser allowed her to continue, intrigued by her actions. After a few seconds in which she began discovering his mouth while he mirrored her actions, during which she had closed her eyes to fully enjoy the kiss with her love, she retreated backwards, revealing an even brighter smile on her already glowing face.


    After taking a few deep breaths she once again blindfolded herself with the words. "Now that that''s out of the way we can resume were we left off. I have to say that having you search me while being blindfolded is a VERY interesting experience. Please be gentle."


    "I''m deeply sorry," he replied, "but as a last precaution for our leave I''ll have to hurt you a bit."


    "I''m not a masochist so I''m going to have to ask about your reasoning."


    "Your chip.", he replied. "Yours and mine will need to be removed else we can be followed too easily."


    Taking a deep breath she began pressing her teeth together strongly. "Do it. Before I can change my mind."


    Quickly removing a scalpel from his inventory he quickly opened up both of their arms and removed the small chip. Allowing them to drop on the ground below he began bandaging the wounds before calling down Aeolus. "I''ve decided to, at the very least, leave you a bit of decency and allow your chest to go unchecked." He finally stated, which was a lie since he had used his Observation Skill to check for any weapons, which revealed nothing besides acute measurements of her sizes which he quickly banished into the deepest depths of his memories else his body might react even more like a teenagers than it already was after the kiss.


    Aster seemed to pout for a while until he pulled her onto Aeolus''s back behind himself which she promptly used to push her well endowed bosom against his back which wasn''t helping him to focus on the situation at all. Besides that, due to her being blindfolded she began to use her hands to not only inspect Aeolus on whom they were currently sitting with one hand but also to discover Kaiser''s body as well. After a stern warning that he needed to focus and she should immediately cease her actions, she begrudgingly stopped teasing him. With a quick mental command to Aeolus they began to rise upwards, which, due to the saddle that was able to completely negate their mass and weight, was unbelievably fast.

 Chapter 108 - The Future

    Hello there Ladies and Gentlemen. I realized a few things over the course of the past few weeks concerning this book. There were quite a few things I messed up even in the beginning which caused a lot of problems in the long run. A few problems that appeared were:


    - Most importantly a lack of challenge in the later chapters, no threat, tension and action.


    - A lack of motivation for the main character to progress


    - No clear goal to strive towards


    - The world travel in and of itself


    Due to these reasons I will try to write a completely different fanfiction with more or less the same update schedule. I teased it before in a few chapters but the new one is named "The Unwilling Sailor".


    I will post the first few chapters in a few hours under that name. I thank you for reading so far and your patience. I hope that I learned a lot from this book which will improve the writing quality of the next one. I hope you can forgive me for dropping this and I hope to see you again in my new novel.


    I hope you have a wonderful week,


    Your Beggar_Genesis