Gamble

2010

Seoul, South Korea

Gotjawal Forest, Jeju Island

Five Days Later

(Brock POV)

Searching through the forest for the Temple was more complicated than I expected. After so many years, the coordinates I got from the stone tablet were all but useless.

Looking at my watch I saw that I had wasted another day looking for this damn Temple.

Finding a spot to camp, I made a small fire and watched as the sun started to sink in the sky.

Leaning against a tree I thought about whether I was doing anything wrong.

In the show, Cain and Xavier just stumbled upon the Temple.

Yet here I am with five fucking days of searching and still nothing.

Closing my eyes, I utter a weary sigh.

Maybe I'm just wasting my time out here looking for something that doesn't exist.

A twig snaps a few feet away from my camp.

My eyes snap open as I survey the surrounding forest, my hand slipping slowly towards the machete in my bag.

A pair of hungry yellow eyes stared back at me from the darkness.

Quickly grabbing my bag and pulling out my weapon, I barely dodged as a huge leopard jumped from one of the trees and leaped at me.

The big cat rammed its head into the tree I was leaning on as I slung my bag over my shoulder and took off deeper into the forest.

The leopard let out a growl of anger and I could hear it chasing after me, catching up quickly.

Shit!

I knew I couldn't outrun this thing, so I prepared myself to fight and waited for it to make its move.

The leopard reached my back, leaping up to sink its teeth in my neck as I swiftly ducked under the beast and slashed my machete along its underside, leaving a big gash but not enough to kill it.

The leopard snarled in pain and anger as it landed in front of me.

Not checking whether the thing was ok I made a sharp right and swerved through the trees as I moved.

A large cliff stopped me in my tracks as I could hear the leopard coming for me.

Looking over the cliff I inspect the bottom to see a large stream with a strong current running between the rocks.

Making a quick stupid decision I took a few steps back before launching myself over the cliff and into the water below.

My left knee banged against a sharp rock as I splashed into the water and I could see my blood dirty the water as the current seized ahold of me.

"Fuck!" I cursed in pain as my knee ached as I tried to stay afloat in the water while also trying to swim with the current.

Waves of water smashed against me as the stream took me downhill through a winding underground tunnel, eventually dumping me in a small subterranean river.

Painfully, I was able to swim to the edge of the river and pull myself out of it, before coughing up water and trying to catch my breath.

Calming down I looked around to figure out where I even was right now.

Rocks stood all around me as I was in an underground ravine. Water spilled into the river from above and a small opening to a cave lay behind me.

Moving closer to the cave, I noticed small carvings of pictures and strange symbols lining the edges.

But I was most shocked to see the same crablike man that was on the stone tablet carved into the sides of this cave.

"No fucking way!?"

************

Seoul, South Korea

Temple of Cyttorak

Limping down the tunnel through the cave, I found that it led out into a massive cathedra with red hieroglyphics carved into the wall.

A long row of stairs lines the other side of the cathedra leading up to a small ornate pedestal with a huge glowing crimson Gem floating atop it.

Excitement filled me as I saw the objective I'd been fighting for only a few feet away.

Fuck yes!

Limping closer to the stairs, I stopped as a small red energy bolt pierced me through my right shoulder, causing me to fall and howl at the sudden pain.

"Where do you think you're going mortal?" A high raspy voice called out.

Raising my head, I was appalled to see a short four-foot-tall yellow demon with huge batlike ears on the side of his face and six tiny knots lining his long forehead.

The demon stood atop the stairs as if he had always been there, and gave me a ridiculing look.

"The fuck are you supposed to be!" I yell as blood seeps from my shoulder.

The demon's face twitched at my tone before he put on an air of superiority and answered.

"Hear me, puny mortal. I am Xorak The Outcast, Guardian of The Crimson Gem, and Servant of Cyttorak The Lord of Oblivion."

The small demon paused and looked at me expectantly as if I was supposed to applaud him or something.

Instead, I just struggled back up to my feet and took a small pocket knife from my pocket.

It wasn't much but I lost my bag during the swim so it would have to do.

Xorak eyed the tiny weapon and gave me another ridiculing look before pointing his finger at me.

A small crimson light emitted from his finger before shooting out at lightning-fast speed and hitting me in my wounded leg.

"Aaarrgh!!" I winced as the pain hit me.

"You mortals always seem to forget your place. You should kneel when a higher being is before you." Xorak said.

I glared up at the small demon, anger, and rage filling my mind to diffuse the pain.

"Fuck you, you half pint bitch!"

Xorak face took on a look of outrage before he disappeared in a red cloud of mist only to appear again right in front of me.

The demon reached its hand out for my neck.

"A mere mortal like you dares t-"

He ceased his tirade when his hand abruptly started shriveling up as it came close to me.

"NO! What is happening!! What did you do human?!?" Xorak face paled as he saw the rest of his body shriveling up as well.

His frantic eyes scanned me for the cause before landing on the watch on my wrist.

"You conniving MORTAL! You've hidden a temporal device on your person!!" Xorak screamed in anger as his body continued to age rapidly.

I watched confusedly as the demon fell to the floor before completely turning into dust.

Temporal Device?

I look down at the watch on my wrist.

Did this fucker just die from my watch?!

{A/N: Didn't make this up. That's bros actual weakness lol.}

Shaking my head I Put the shitty little demon out of my mind as I dragged myself up from the ground, blood oozing from both my arm and leg.

"Fuck!" I cursed out of pain.

Limping through Xorak The Dustpile, I began to make my way up the stairs.

As I got closer and closer to the Gem, the world around me began to fade as a crimson red mist started to surround my body.

When I finally made it in front of the Gem my surroundings had completely changed.

Around me was a harsh and beautiful realm of scarlet deserts and ruby volcanoes pouring rust-colored ash into a crimson sky. A breathtaking sunset lay just behind the steep red mountains.

Seated on a throne in the middle of this new realm was a giant being in bulky crimson red armor showing only his Erie glowing red eyes.

"Finally!!!" A deep boom voice sounded out in my head.

"Finally, a mortal worthy enough has made it to my temple. Touch the stone child and power like you never imagined could be yours!"

The giant leaned forward a little expectantly, eagerly waiting for me to touch the Gem.

I just stood where I was and asked, "I'm guessing you're Cyttorak?"

The giant nodded his huge helmeted head.

"Yes child, we will get to introductions later. Touch the Gem, isn't it what you came for!" Cyttorak's deep voice boomed.

I could hear a small voice in my head, whispering for me to touch the Gem, but I just continued to stand where I was.

"I didn't come here for just the Gem."

Cyttorak tilted his head, confused but also a little curious.

"What else did you come for child?" His deep voice asked

"I came here to make a deal."

************

Seoul, South Korea

Temple of Cyttorak

"What would you bargain me for, child?" Cyttorak questioned.

"I'm fine with being your Exemplar, in fact, it's the main reason I came here, but I won't be your slave. I want my free will intact and don't want you or this power to influence my actions or choices." I stated as Cyttorak leaned back on his throne and studied me for a minute in silence.

Shit, did I fuck this up?

" And why would I accept this deal child? There seems no benefit to me." Cyttorak finally said.

"Simple. After over thousands of years, you at long last get to start The Wager of Octessence."

Cyttorak's head perked up when I mentioned the wager.

"So you know about the wager? I thought our legends died on the lips of those old monks."

Cyttorak turned his deep red eyes towards me and I felt like he was looking at my very soul.

"You seem to be a man worthy of the Domain of Destruction..." The being considered me as he thought over my offer.

"I will grant you this condition only if you will cede me one in return." Cyttorak proposed.

I stared at the giant, worried about what he would ask for.

"What do you want?" I questioned.

"You will never be freed from being my avatar. Once you touch the stone it will merge with your body and you will never be able to remove it."

I thought over his offer.

On paper, it probably sounds terrible to be forever tethered to him, but in all actuality, this is something that would benefit me.

I wasn't planning on giving up the power anyway and if no one could take it from me that closes one of the og Juggernaut's weaknesses for me.

Except.....

"Fine, I'll agree to this term if you add that you also won't be able to get rid of me as your Exemplar."

Cyttorak peered down at me, probably weighing if it would be worth it to pick me as his Exemplar.

The guy could easily just kill me and wait another thousand years for someone else to show up.

"I agree." Cyttorak's deep voice stated.

I screamed in excitement internally, happy that this mission was almost complete.

Cyttorak raised his hand from his throne and the Gem started to glow a deeper shade of Crimson before returning to normal.

"The deal is struck, child. Touch the gem and say the inscribed words on your mind."

Reaching forward while shaking, I gently seize the gem in both my hands.

It melts at my touch, the now crimson red liquid seeping into my hands and traveling up my arms leaving a glowing crimson pattern across both arms.

Words seem to pop into my head as I began to feel a tremendous amount of power pour into me.

"Whosoever touches this gem shall possess the power of the Crimson Bands of Cyttorak! Henceforth, you who read these words shall become ... forevermore ... a human JUGGERNAUT!!"

***********

A/N: Ok long explanation time. After the MC absorbs the gem and becomes Cyttorak's avatar he'll initially be at the level of a low-tier super soldier. He can get as, strong and tough as the og Juggernaut but he has to grow that level of power first.

As long as the MC is fighting, killing, or just destroying something then that adds to the amount of power he has. He will also need to find material (Adamantium, Vibranium, or Uru) that can house a god's power to craft his Juggernaut armor with, which will increase his powers even further.

This is a little spoilery but I'm also going to have that after he kills an avatar of another god he gets a portion of their powers.

Let me know if this was confusing for you or if you have any questions.

Thanks for reading!!