Chapter #3

Zeno moved through the streets of Florence at a stable pace. His wounds have long recovered, from his observations this healing ability too was asleep like him and just woke up.

He had a feeling that this ability is tied to ???'s Determination, since his System was useless when it came to identification of this ability.

On the other hand Zeno was rather puzzled by how his eagle vision worked. 

It was easy to understand in the game but lore says otherwise, his system once again proved itself useless when it came to explaining it.

[Isu DNA-Eagle Vision: According to the AC Wiki this shit is OP since it connected to literal concept of knowledge or something like that but idk man, it doesn't feel that OP. Also I can't read it completely for some reason.]

'It is not just useless but also a freaking comedian!' Zeno grumbled to himself as the tracks brought him to some kind of barracks.

There were some guards at the entrance looking at him weirdly. Well, Zeno can understand. His clothes have been all torn and he didn't even bother to clean himself.

He was afraid to lose the tracks, otherwise the 21st century man in him would never allow himself to stink like this.

"Hey, aren't you that kid we saved this morning? Holy hell! I thought you'd die by now" One of the guards asked, it appears he recognized him.

"Yeah, I kinda lost my job and home... I was wondering if you guys are looking for an apprentice blacksmith." Zeno replied while ignoring the comments about his death.

It is not like he can come here and ask them to train him and hook him up with the Assassins.

It is not that he is choosing a side on the eternal Assassin's and Templars war, on one hand we have Assassins with Ezio and Leonardo Da Vinci.

On the other hand we have Rodrigo and Cesare Borgia that are coming straight out of Alabama.

Choice is kind of obvious...

"We're mercenaries, we always need a blacksmith!" The other guard exclaimed before running inside the barracks.

"Why do you look shocked, kid? You look like you expected to be chased out." The other guard started laughing at Zeno's expression.

Zeno certainly didn't expect them to take him in, he just followed the golden footsteps.

"Well, I learned to keep my expectations low..." Zeno replied.

Before the guard could answer, the doors of the barracks opened once more, revealing the large figure of a man carrying a heavy sword that resembled a Scottish Claymore.

Zeno, who had calmed down, was shocked once more as he knew this man. 

Bartolomeo d'Alviano himself, came out of the door. A member of the Italian Brotherhood of Assassins, and the leader of Venetian and Roman mercenaries.

'Why is he here?' Zeno thought before reprimanding himself, this wasn't the game he played.

People can be anywhere, he can even run into a random sage gunning for his life. He is certainly expecting Isu to warn him about the greater good since he is certainly going to fuck their calculations.

"Well, I heard there was someone wanting to join us. Where is he?" Bartolomeo looked around, he appeared to have not seen Zeno.

Well, all present knew he was just trying to piss off Zeno. In return Zeno just raised his hand like a civilized yes man.

"Well kid, to be honest with you. You don't look like a blacksmith at all with your thin arms." Bartolomeo commented.

This was something that pissed off his placeholder when he lived. Sure he looked well-fed and had the strength but it just didn't show on his body.

Zeno himself could explain this by guessing his current body was based off an anime character but he doesn't remember anyone that fits the bill.

'Maybe once I recover, I will remember.' He thought before looking towards Bartolomeo.

Being forced to look up when talking was infuriating as ever but Zeno was used to being short.

"Well, allow me to demonstrate!" Zeno ran towards Bartolomeo as he yelled.

He knew this guy, he is pretty much a brute force type of guy. You simply can't reason with him unless you have evidence.

So, Zeno ran towards him and punched his now open palms as hard as he could.

"Damn, you look like a stick but you pack a punch. Come on kid, there are weapons that need maintenance" Bartolomeo slapped Zeno's shoulders as he pulled him inside the barracks.

Zeno could feel a current of warmth going to his shoulders, healing the damage instantly.

[This does seem a bit too easy doesn't it?]

'Shut it system no one cares...'

Bartolomeo introduced the parts of the barracks as they walked, on the other hand he asked Zeno about his life and how he got beaten like this.

Bartolomeo, naturally wasn't present when his men saved him but, maybe he heard his men speaking since a flash of recognition passed his eyes.

"So, you were the apprentice of Blacksmith Leo. He was a good man." Bartolomeo said flatly.

Zeno didn't think he meant it since Leo sold weapons to all the Templars he knew but he didn't mind.

"Yeah..." 

"So, you just decided to come here as soon as you woke up?" Bartolomeo finally asked the question that had been bugging him since the beginning.

"I was feeling lost after seeing everything I had destroyed. Then I saw golden glowing footsteps, I followed it to here and here I am." Zeno replied without lying.

"Golden footsteps?" Bartolomeo looked intrigued, just as he was about to ask more, he was cut off by a female voice.

"Bartolomeo! At least let him change his clothes first before you make him work. Look at the poor thing."

Zeno suddenly found himself being pulled towards the bosom of a woman. He naturally didn't resist, like who would waste such opportunity.

"Pantasilea, I wasn't just going to dump all the work on him." Bartolomeo replied, making his wife stop hugging Zeno.

"That's good then. First, I'll have him take a bath. I smelled him all the way back from my room." Pantasilea said as she fixed Zeno's messy hair.

"Yes, yes but we were talking about something important..." Bartolomeo spoke but was cut off again.

"No buts, I am taking him to the baths and to the mess hall. You can continue your talk once he resembles a human again." Pantasilea didn't wait for an answer and pulled Zeno's arm and started to walk.

Meanwhile Zeno was still trying to comprehend what's going on.

[Mighty sus...]

______

Bartolomeo watched his wife until she disappeared from his sight before sighing.

"Zeno huh..." He muttered to himself.

The name was weird sure, but that wasn't what's on his mind. Kid looked too healthy for someone who had been beaten to death just this morning.

Oh yes, by all means the kid should be dead. His men would never let a kid die on the streets.

The report he received said that the kid was heavily injured by the time they killed Pazzi thugs and wouldn't survive but here he is.

The only evidence of his injuries are his torn clothes, then there's the mention of the golden glowing footsteps.

'He fits the description Mario sent me. I didn't want to believe that Artifact but I cannot ignore the evidence in front of me.' Shadows cover Bartolomeo's face as he walked towards the warehouse.

______

Unaware of his fate being already decided, Zeno took a decent bath and ate something even though he didn't need it.

After all, it would be weird if he didn't eat, he is amongst observant people now.

Meanwhile Pantasilea was observing him, yes. The hug may have distracted him but Zeno had noticed that she wasn't helping him out of kindness but curiosity.

He was curious why she was observing him like this. Maybe it was because she is naturally observant or because Leo's past, selling Templars weapons...

[Well, I'd be observing you like a freak after you walked off a beating that literally killed your placeholder.] Unexpectedly it was the system that got it right.

'Fuck, I was too distracted to think about such details... Well, it is fine those with high concentration of Isu DNA heal faster than normal.' Zeno quickly tried coming up with a believable excuse.

[Oh, let me add that to the description...]

'Stop! I don't need a skills tab.'

[*Mental Pouting*]

'Merlin... I want a refund.' Zeno groaned.

"Zeno, are you alright? You look  distracted." Pantasilea's voice pulled him back to the world.

"Yes, just wondering why I wasn't injured when I woke up." Zeno pinched his chin and wondered out loud.

He was hoping to play the mysterious recovery card.

"Well, it doesn't matter, you're okay now. Now that you're cleaned and fed it's time to work!" Gone were the kind Pantasilea, replaced by a strict boss.

'I guess she is hooked.' Zeno thought.

'Well, it seems he isn't innocent as he seems.' Pantasilea thought, she instantly saw through Zeno's flimsy lie and she brought him to the warehouse.