Chapter 2: Forgiveness And Weakness

Now the sun is slowly rising as it came upon the world with its glow as it lights up the world with its light. And on top of a small white cap mountain, there was a kneeling knight in Infront of two snow-covered graves stone from the many that litter the surrounding area.

Even with rays of sun lighting up the world this place was still dark and gloomy with a knight making another tombstone. Now the two graves gain another and turn to three as with their last name the same Valentine. Now they were clean of snow and have bouquets of wildflowers with mostly white colored on their graves.

The knight took off his helmet as he kneels Infront of the graves.

"Forgive me, for taking your child's body and using it for my own, and I am sorry for your loss as your child's death because of losing you he ends his own life…"

Said Henry, as he was just comforting himself with this but what else could he do keep it to himself pent up with guilt to wait for it to explode and haunt him for the rest of his life, or just confessed so that is why he is here. He knew he couldn't get forgiveness from them even when they were alive or dead.

Who would want to know their child died and was possessed by a wandering soul, no parents would want that. Even he wouldn't want that to happen to him.

"As now you could be together once more with your son but let me help you to take revenge for both of you and your sons and end the creature that killed you. That lead you to a tragic demised of your family."

When Henry spoke, he didn't get an answer he knew that would happen as he couldn't help having a wry smile at his own humor.

"I will take this silence as the sign of a yes."

Henry spoke with a wry smile plastered upon his face. after that, he grabbed his helmet that was resting on the snow-covered ground as he stands up from his kneeling position and spoke towards the three tombstones that were carved with their names. Marry Valentine, David Valentine, and lastly the son Noah Valentine.

"May your souls rest with piece, let me take the mantle of your retribution against the beast that let to your family eminent demised. Because this is only the last thing that I could do."

As he turns his back against the tombstone and down his helmet once more as he walked away from the graveyard and down the mountain his cape blows in the icy wind of the cold tundra, as Henry set off to a new goal to relived the guilt that he has in his heart if he doesn't do it will only haunt him for the rest of his life.

Short while Henry reaches the foot of the mountain and walked toward the dense forest after he traverses the woodlands he reaches a large clearing when he reaches closer, he could hear the rushing water as he reaches his destination, Henry looked at the decently sized flowing river in front of him.

Because he has reached his camping site, it took a long time to reach the graveyard far longer than he thought, now it's already 3 days of his outing. And on this journey, he found many new things mostly monsters that he thought could only be in fantasy.

After Henry reach, he found his camping site still intact near the river shoers, where they took camp for the night. But now he doesn't intend to pack up yet, it's been a long time since he could truly relax since he traveled to this world, every day he always has that fear of the unknown of the world around him.

Even though he still is ignorant of the world he lived in but he has the confidence to at least walk in it and not be afraid and not always hide in his cabin out of fear of the unknown.

Henry built the campfire first as even though it was already day the environment in this place is still cold and extremely cold when he was on his hike back, he grabbed some firewood. After he lit up the fire he sat near the edge of the river he already took off his helmet and put it aside and pulled out a fishing rod from the system space.

Soo he just fished as the wild animal sang their own tune and the flowing river calmed his mind, on this journey, Henry was not physically tired but mentally he was so drained as he need to keep his vigilant every moment even though he has armor that could protect him for any surprises. The feeling at every moment that he could be attacked on every side.

And with this world, there is a monster, and there is probably more type and kins of creature and monster that roam the world that he has yet to discover. When he was thinking of this, he couldn't help but stop with a sudden realization his eyes grew wide, now that he thought of this, he should have written down all the monsters and creatures that he fought and saw.

Well, what a blunder for a scholar of myth to not write his new discovery of mystical creatures of legends, he couldn't help but have a smile on his face as he laughs with all his might as he just remembers what he was before.

"HAhahahahhaa!!..."

He was too caught up in the fear of this new life, new world, and his death. That he has forgotten what he was he was a scholar of myth and history. He should seek the unknown not fear the predicament and new life that has made him blinded and forgotten the path that he used to track.

After a few minutes, he calm down and took a deep breath as he was too excited, as he thought of all the monsters that he fought to reach here. From the first the goblin's nasty creatures, the half-wolf that is the same height as the goblins as they bear the same resemblance of lycanthrope that he fought them in the dozens on his journey here.

But he needs to be worried why is there a mass migration of monsters from the northern point where he is still in the dark about it, but what other type of monster that he fought, ahh yes, the horn rabbits, he thought it was a passive animal but sadly he was wrong in that judgment, as they attack him as they used their horns to stab him and there seem to be an abnormal amount of them that he encountered.

The dire wolf wore the most normal one out of all the monsters that he encountered, though their size was big 3 times the size of a normal wolf would have from the past encounter that he has with them before he died.

When he encountered them, he found that they were starving and hungry, and their number too was similarly abnormal. A cornered beast is dangerous, but a starving beast is much more dangerous as it will use all its strength to rip your throats outs just to have a bite to eat.

And lastly, the biggest monster that he encounter was the big pigheaded green skin with a height that nearing 3 meters they wore old hide tunics to cover their body from the icy weather as they have much thicker skin than he could imagine as they adapted to this cold weather, they hold thick logs as their main weapon.

A far stronger foe than the goblins, half wolf, horn rabbits, and oversized dire wolfs. With them, he could easily defeat them mostly the like of goblins and half wolfs with their small stature they are like children easily bullied even though they were faster than anticipated. And Factoring he was using a long polearm that was what made me easily defeat them.

If he was to use a longsword or single-handle weapon I would be overrun with their number and don't have any experience with fighting they could use their speed to attack me or dogpile me until they have a chance to attack me and slit my throat, they are just like a wolf but even more cunning and wiser. So, don't grow arrogant Henry, or complacent.

The same goes to horn rabbits and oversized dire wolfs. But the pig-headed green skin or orcs for familiar terms as the monster was similar to one. Their strength was beyond what he imagined their strength could be said to be herculean, their speed was even more surprising with the body of their size, and their thick hide that is tough as stone.

One of the strongest foes that he has battled, but he needs quite sometimes to adapt the fighting something strong with a creature that knows how to fight with weapons and superior sized, but at the end he still defeated them, but after he found out the orcs weakness it became much easier.

Henry has noticed as he too has changed not just the world that has changed the one that he used to see he too has changed, he was already beyond what he used to be in his last life now he has more strength than a world's strongest man, now he is fighting the monster of myth and legends.

Henrys was awakened from his thoughts by the pull from his fishing rod, Henry couldn't help being happy as he caught a fish for the first time in this world, after a long tung and pull battle with the fish he reeled in the fish, and the fish that he caught was a massive cod that nearing 1 meter in length.

As the fish still squirm and flail about in his hands, Henry couldn't help but be hungry as he watch the cod in his hand, as he drooled with how should he cook the cod, the cod that is still flailing in his hands stopped for a second as it looks at the creature that catches him but couldn't help be sacred by the face of the human with a stare that would eat him as he saw the smile of a devil.

The cod saw that he flailed with all of his might, as he just wants to go back to the river, but he couldn't escape his destined fate.

-20 minutes later-

"BURP…"

"That was nice fish".

As Henry picks his teeth with one of the bones of the cod. Suddenly his face grew tense like something is as his instinct scream at him as a big danger is coming beyond the woods, he quickly stands up and grab his helmet and put it on, and grabbed the sword with a flick of his wrist the blade split into two as turn to a bow blade. Henrys pull out an arrow from the quiver that is still tied to his back waist.

Henry could feel something dangerous and strong coming, as he looked to the other side of the river beyond the plain and towards the woods, he already draws his bow towards where he felt it. with his body tense, he waited.

he didn't wait for long, as he could feel the earth shake with every step that it took to declare his presence, he saw the trees fall to make way for the creature with every step he moved forwards when it finely destroy the trees as the creature's true self emerged.

A giant bear nearing 6 meters in height adorned with scars across its body and one that is prominent in his eyes with a thick coat of black fur that protect it from this cold environment, and the giant bear was staring at him with hunger, intelligent, and wisdom in its eyes when it saw him.

"ROARRR!!"

The black bear roared which seems to shake the air as it distorted and vibrate the earth. When Henry saw the opening, he didn't hesitate when he draws the bow, he already knew the bowblade has the properties of anti-beast or more effect on it.

*SWISH!!!*

With the bow realize the arrows broke into the air as they flew with a speed that broke the speed of sound before the bear could reach when in its roar the arrow is already right in Infront of it the bear moved its head before the arrow could hit his eyes, with arrows missing and hitting the shoulders of the bear but didn't get a too deep on the bears back because of its protective fur.

"ARGG!"

After the arrow hit the bear and didn't hit its mark it could only anger and annoyed it, as it stared at Henry with anger and hate across the white plains, the bear sprinted at Henry even with its massive size it was nearly reaching Henry in a few moments.

Buts Henry didn't just stand there and watch as the giant bear came hurdling towards him and intending to rip him to shred with its massive claws. He quickly moved a side of the bear's path as he draw his bow once more and shoot at the bear again and hitting its neck.

Henry didn't stop as he used one of the martial arts that he had to learn navy six styles, Soru as he hit the ground instantaneously and he was now in Infront of the bear the bow that he used to back to a large curved blade and slashing the bear front legs.

The bear grew more annoyed with his prey jumping around him and injuring him, when he found the prey, he was after suddenly vanish for a split second and didn't notice him before he was slashed on one of his front paws as now there was a massive wound leaking blood as it dyed the white snow into crimson.

The bear retaliated toward the being that hurts him as he used his body and slammed it towards the man they both fall the man under him and the bear on top. Henry could feel the air escape his lungs as the body had been smashed to the earth by several tons of bear he could feel multiple ribs break with the bear body impact and make a weblike crack on the ground.

Henry didn't have time to react when the bear threw his large body towards him when that happens, he lost his grip on his bow blade when he was on the ground, he didn't have time to gain his bearing and his breathing has gone array as his Hamon was not working any longer.

When he tried to push the bear away, the bear stood quickly on his four legs Henry didn't have time to stand up when the bear unsheathe his paw as his massive claws came out, he used swiped his claws from the ground to the sky, Henry didn't have time to react as the ground beneath him was gone when the bears strike he was sent flying like a rag doll in the air across the frozen plains.

*BOOM! *

When he flew, he hit the ground and bounce like a pebble skipping across the river's surface multiple times he could feel his body aching and hurting every time, he hits the earth as some pieces of his armor dented and fall off.

After several bouncing across the earth time, he finally stopped.

"Arghh!"

Henry couldn't hear he couldn't hear he could only hear the ringing sounds in his ears and the beating of his heart, he could feel the pain with every move he did he could only feel excruciating pain, he never felt so much pain in his life, now he see only but a blurry world he was so disoriented.

"Cough!! Cough!!"

He couldn't stop it as he put his hand to cover his mouth, to find now covered in crimson. he felt he was already on death's door once more. He could feel the deep anger that he felt when first came here at the thought of that time. The anger that felt when he thought of it the pain that he felt was slowly turning into anger that churn and swirl.

As he doesn't want to die once more, he doesn't want to feel that pain of once more he doesn't want to. On his new life going to end here no, no he will not accept it HE WILL NOT…

"ARGGGG!!!!"

Henry slowly rises from the ground the pain that he felt was slowly subsiding as it turns to anger that boils and swirls like a volcano before it erupts, his armor dent, his breathing ragged, and one of his legs limps. Henry looked at the bear that did this to him under his dent helmet his eyes slowly turn dark red hue with every passing second as his eyes couldn't hide the deep rage that is boiling in them.

But there was some sanity left in him, as he pulled out from his satchel that was tied with his belt a lesser healing potion that he has gotten he was surprised in his heart that the bottle was still intact but that was for another time as he could feel his sanity slowly drifting away with the uncontrollable anger that is slowly about to erupt.

He drinks the potion hastily after Henry dropped the potion bottle that is now empty to the ground, and now Henry has lost his sanity only anger and madness clouded his mind.

Henry stared at the bear that is slowly walking towards his direction with a snarl on his face as both of their eyes clashed. The bear could feel something wrong with the being in front of him as he could now feel he is much more dangerous than before, but this didn't stop the bear as now he is angry, he just wants to eat him and kill him.

Henry didn't just stand there his eyes red he used Soru and arrived in Infront of the bear in an instant, but the bear still couldn't react in time when Henry pulled out an axe of dark grey under his coat, the axe was the Netherite axe that weights hundreds of tons. As he used both of his hands and hacked the neck of the bear, but the bear still dodges the attack on his neck still got hit on his body, with blood gushing out of the wound like a fountained the wound this time was deep enough to see the bones of the bear.

"ROAR!!"

When the bear was in pain Henry didn't stop his attack as he used the axe to hack towards the bear multiple times more wounds accumulate on the back of the bear as blood has made a small pool underneath them.

But the bear has enough as he used his giant body and stand on his hind legs and smashed the ground creating a massive crater in a radiused of several hundred meters and sending snow, dirt, and stones flying in the air at breakneck speeds.

Henry didn't even bother to dodge or run from the blast radiuses of the attack of the bear, as he got hit with snow, dirt, and stones that came from it as he only has relentless pursuit to kill the bear and injury was the last thing that occupies his mind.

He used his axe once more to hack the bear's head but was intercepted by the gaping maw and sharp teethes and bite his left hand now the jaws of the bear clamped his left arm as he lost his grip on his axe as it falls towards the ground quickly and making spiderweb-like cracks on the ground when it's hit the ground.

Now Henry left arm was stuck in the jaws of the bear and left dangling in the air because of this, why didn't the bear just tear his arms off the bear couldn't, as his teeth now couldn't even pierce through his winter coat.

The bear when he found out he couldn't bite his arms off, slammed Henry towards the ground like a ragdoll Henry was tossed and slammed like a toy in Infront of this bear. even in this situation, he fought back as he punches the bear with his right hand towards his eyes with a ferocity that is the same as the bear, the bear retaliated by slamming Henry even harder to the ground and making the small crater into a much bigger one.

With this Henry's helmet fell from his head, when it falls off Henry didn't have a face full of pain as he was smashed, being toyed with, and played like a ragdoll by the bear. His eyes no longer shine with grey now only colored in a deep ominous dark red hue.

His face is full of cuts and bruises blood was spilling from his mouth, nose, and head. But he had a smile that reach his ears on his face rather than of pain, he had the smile of a madman or man that has gone insane.

"HAHAHAHA…"

"DAMN BEAST KNOW YOUR PLACE!!" Henry spoke with anger and madness in his voice, Henry puts his hands under his coat and pulled out the hunter's pistol from his inventory. And quickly point it toward the bear's head and fired.

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

As he fired six shots at the bear's head, with the bear couldn't even react before he was shot in the head and staggered every time that he got shot. When he fired all five of his bullets his arms finely were let go from the jaws of the bear.

One of the bear's eyes was gone and the head that was full of bullet holes and a body full of slash marks covered the bear, as the bear couldn't hold on any longer with the many hits and wounds that he has suffered. But the anger deep in his last eyes was still there but was slowly fading and turning dull.

Henry when saw this he didn't care about the wound that he suffered with his limped arm he dashes towards the bear once more, even though the bear was at death's doors he still had the ferocity of an apex predator.

"RAWR!!!!"

With his final cry, he bears a rush to the being that did this to him. Both quickly meet and the bear opens his massive jaws once more and tried to devour him in one go, and Henry pointed his gun at the maw of the bear.

*click*

*BANG!! *

But the bear was too late with that bullet piercing through his upper jaw and reaching through his brain. and died. The massive body of the bear froze for a second and goes limp as he falls sideways and drops to the ground.

*THUD*

With a massive dust cloud when the massive body of the bear hits the ground. When the bear falls and finely died, Henry didn't just turn back to normal his rage is still burning like a fiery inferno. He walked towards the corpse of the bear. Henry throws away his gun and raised his fist and clenches it and punches the bear with his all as he screams.

*BAM! * With his fist hitting the hide of the bear.

"WHO THE PREADOR AND THE PREY NOW YOU DAMNED BEAST!!!"

"HAHAHAHHAHHHAH!!!!"

*BAM! *

Henry punches and kicked the bear for hours on end as his rage-fuelled this endeavor of his even if the bear is dead his rage, anger, and madness was not sated by his death. This all stops when the sky turns dark and the slowly rising moon covers the sky.

The red hue that clouded his eyes slowly subside as his eyes turn back to normal to his clear grey eyes, and now in this vast plain cover in ice and snow was silence, and only the sound of the hanggred breathing of a man permeated across these icy plains.

"HA..ha…haa…haa…"

"ARGggg… it seems that I lost myself once more".

When Henry woke up from his madden state, like a crashing wave as now he could feel every fiber of his being was in pain broken, bruised, and torn. Henry quickly falls to his knees as the unbearable pain assaulted him from his maddened state.

Henry quickly opens the system inventory and pulls a bottle of healing potion from terraria but this one wasn't the like the first that he drank.

Because it's the upgraded potion of the lesser healing and the one that he holds now is the greater healing potion that could restore any major wounds or fatal wounds to any of those who drink it and his saving grace as he only got 12 of them from the system.

As Henry opened the bottle up and drank the potion hastily as he wants to stop the unbearable pain that he is feeling now it didn't take long for the potion effect to kick in, Henry could feel his body healing at a rapid pace it internally or externally with his many broken bones mending and the bleeding internal healing and some of his cuts skin was quickly stitching back together.

He couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief as his body was now off from the danger zone of death, Henry reposition himself and put his back against the bear that he killed in his maddened state. He assesses his situation of his after his fight with the bear, when he was in that rage-filled state, he didn't have any logical thinking as he fought like a mad dog and became to have more irrational thoughts.

Even when he was in this state he could remember every action that he took every word that he spoke, but all his rational and logical thoughts were clouded in his head, and only never-ending anger and rage filled his mind. He was himself but at the same time not.

And because of himself that he underestimated this world when he fought against the bear he was outmatched and outclassed on a multitude of levels and he thought he could fight toe to toe, in fact, he had grown a little bit arrogant after he gain superhuman status in this world.

If he didn't have that state he would have died once more, 'Madden State' should be called when lost rationality it could be called a blessing and a curse. but now this should be the price that he paid to gain that 'Lottery System'.

He is very conflicted by this, but he must accept it as he already paid the price for it, he just needs to adapt to it and not be overreliance with his 'Madden State' and keep that anger deep within. As henry put his hand Infront of his face and looked at his once metallic gauntlet that was now painted red with the blood and flesh of the bear.

Henry look up towards the vast sky that was slowly being covered with dark clouds and not long after snowflakes came falling from the sky. As now Henry notice every breath that he took was turning to white mist with this did he finely notice as tonight would be a long cold one.

So he need to move and grabbed all of the weapons that he dropped when he fought with the bear. Henry slowly stands up as now he feels whole and much better after he drank that potion now he could use his Hamon once more as before he couldn't because of the many broken ribs that punctured his lungs.

~~30 minutes passed by~~

as the night grows darker with dark clouds cover the vast sky and slow snowfall that is slowly covering the land with its white blanket and the plains Field full of potholes and massive Craters. in these lands, there was a soft orange glow that lit up a small part of the darkness as a lonely figure sat alone.

Infront of a burning bonfire a figure sat crossed leg on the now snowy ground and beside this figure was the giant corpse of a massive bear, and that figure was Henry as he was already done collecting all of his dropped weapons from the bowblade, nederrite axe, and lastly his hunter pistol that killed the bear and put it all in his inventory space.

as now Henry ponders why should he do after defeating the beast that seems to cause the massive migration of monsters down north. but this is only a theory he doesn't know Truly there might be a chance a much more powerful monster still lurks in this cold and icy tundra.

a monster like that possibly could even outclass even the bear that he fought he couldn't even imagine what strength a monster like that could hold. but these worries could not be answered only the future could hold the answer to many of his questions.

And now he could feel the mental exhaustion after the fight with the bear now he should rest and sleep till dusk arrives and recuperate himself. and he should not worry about any monsters coming near him after he killed the bear for a short while.

as he already retrieves all of his lost items when he fought with the bear and his armor could be repaired when he comes back to his home. and try to prepare for the worst with the many unknowns of this world.

Henry didn't have much thought left as he put his back against the bear and used his winter coat to use as a blanket once more to keep himself warm from this cold icy night as he has a long track back to his home the next morning.

.

.

.

At a start of a new day, the sun is already up and about, and the dark clouds were no more. The snowy white plain that was once riddled with potholes and massive craters was now covered up with a thick layer of snow from last night. and Henry up and about was already working to strap the corpse of the Giant bear to bring back to his home.

Henry thought he could find the same monster stones that were stuck near their heart, but he didn't find one when he searches for it and cut up the bear's chest. This made him confused as this was not a monster this bear was a mutated animal rather than a monster. He doesn't how could this bear reach a size and strength like this, and what factors could make this mutation.

But He didn't dwell long on this topic but tried to think of a way to bring this bear corpse back home for him to butcher. After some thinking he just need to drag it back home thought it would make his journey much longer, but the pro out weight the cons of this indevoured of his.

Soo, he quickly finishes strapping his rope to the bear and making a handle for him to pull. And off Henry goes as he journeyed back home while he is dragging a massive bear across the snowy ground.

Day passed quickly and 6 days passed, and it was already night as the moon slowly rose, with henry finally arrived back at his wooden cabin home he put the bear's corpse a few dozen meters away from his home and will put off the thought of will he do with the bear, now henry only need to rest.

He was tired because he constantly juggling between pulling and staying vigilant of his surrounding, it was mentally and physically challenging as he need to keep this up for 6 days straight was extremely exhausting for him.

In these 6 days, he didn't even see a single monster on his journey back home with this discovery he cemented the idea of all large influxes of monsters because of the bear that made the massive migration of monsters from up north.

Henry walked in Infront of his house as he missed it as this place was his only safe haven in this dangerous and unknown world. He opened the door and walked inside the house as he put his winter coat on the single chair near the campfire that was still burning giving him warmth even when he was out for nearly 2 weeks.

It was quite nice to finely be back to a familiar environment as he could relax and have a breather not to be always vigilant for anything to eat or kill him. and after he fought the bear, he was weak very weak, and he thought he was strong as the need to train more and harder on his agenda.

As he need to modify his home as he knew if one of those monsters came here his house would disappear or be destroyed. As he needs to put traps around his house and there is a need to write all of his discovery, but this will be tomorrow Henry's problem and at present Henry just want to rest and sleep.

He takes off armor from his helmet, chest plate, gauntlet, and the rest of his armor and put it all on the dining table he needs to fix the armor as some of them been dented, and put many of his satchels weapons that were on him on the table, and lastly, he needs to take a bath after his long journey with not taking any shower or even wash in the matter.

as hygiene was not the top priority, with this he walked to the bathroom and take a long nice bath and clean himself up. After 30 or so minutes he was finished taking his bath as he walked out and walked towards his room for his sweat-sweat rest that he misses nearly 2 weeks long outing.

After he changed his clothes as he slightly left his door open for the sound of the campfire to let it into his room, he closed his eyes with peace in his mind with calming sounds of the crackling of the campfire filling the cabin house as Henry quickly fall asleep.

…

..

.

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Author notes:

I hope you enjoyed this chapter this will be the last that I will update 2 chapters in a couple of days like this. I'm sorry if there are any grammatical errors and if spot any bad grammar do help by commenting on them. lastly thank you for reading.

and any idea for what items and skills to put in the lottery system? please leave a comment.